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First-Mover Advantage is an idea that just won’t die. I hear it from every class of students, and each time I try to put a stake through its heart.

Here’s one more attempt in trying to explain why confusing testosterone with strategy is a bad idea.

First mover advantage — great bad idea

The phrase “first mover advantage” was first popularized in a 1988 paper by a Stanford Business School professor, David Montgomery, and his co-author, Marvin Lieberman.[1]

This one phrase became the theoretical underpinning of the out-of-control spending of startups during the dot-com bubble. Over time the idea that winners in new markets are the ones who have been the first (not just early) entrants into their categories became unchallenged conventional wi...

When you’re just starting out and excited to share your new business with the world, building your website can be an overwhelming process. As you’ve built your business from the ground up, you have no doubt struggled to find the right way to pitch your idea. Now that you’ve found the right messaging for your story, it’s crucial that you create a website that will capture people’s attention and make a lasting impression.

Here at Startups.co we’ve seen our fair share of startup websites—the good, the bad, and the ugly. We created the infographic below to hopefully make this fraught process a little easier, and ensure that your startup website stands out.

Back in the spring and summer of 2014, I carefully documented my journey and perspective as an entrepreneur trying to lose weight. I ended up losing over sixty pounds, going from 220 lbs that March to only 155 lbs that November. The first portion of this article focuses on the original blog post in this entirely; though I have updated the bottom half to reflect what I’ve been up to since, how I’ve not only maintained my body fat percentage but have gained muscle mass too.

I’ve decided to give this post an update since a lot has happened in three years!

This was me back on March 19th, 2014. The beginning of my new health and fitness journey!

It’s not about just losing weight. It’s about being in tune with your personal health.

A warning to...

Let’s be real with each other: your brand might suck. But creative director, writer, artist and fire-starter Lalita Ballesteros is here to help you out, with five tips for improving your brand.

1. You’re Here for a Reason

Lalita is a firm believer in always being authentic, so it is no surprise that the first step of her process is to get in tune with the inner you. In order to upgrade your brand, you first need to realize what what wisdom you can share with the world. This may stem from your passion, or even something that drives you nuts that you want to change.

2. Teach it. Often. Consistently. Openly. Truthfully.

So you’ve figured out what you’re meant to teach the world, and now you need to get it out there. In order to do this, you ne...

Rejection sucks. You put a ton of effort into getting noticed for your hard work but in the end, nothing happens. Whether it's romantic rejection from a crush or in this case, work, no one will ever say that rejection feels good.

After I quit my cushy corporate job, I really thought that things would magically align with the universe. All I needed was faith the size of a mustard seed. Kind of, but not exactly. You see, sometimes, things just don't work out. Maybe it's you, maybe it was the wrong opportunity. For whatever reason, sometimes the answer is just no.

Naturally, your emotions may take over and you may start to feel unworthy and frustrated, even. Those negative and limiting thoughts will make you believe you don't deserve what you wo...

A few months ago I announced that we were going to go to Breckenridge together for a leadership retreat. We were going to sleep in bunk beds and get cozy and REALLY COMFORTABLE with each other. Thirty managers together for 3 days in a Villa in the mountains…. I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Here is what I learned:

1. Everyone came.

This pleasantly surprised me, actually. In a team of 30 managers — EVERY SINGLE PERSON showed up. They drove in the snow up the mountain, they took time away from their newborn children, their families, and their other responsibilities.

The fact that everyone “showed up” is I think the most important part and says the most about our team engagement. I love this part the most.

2. Everyone came to “play”.

Figurative...

Brian Wong is the CEO and Founder of Kiip, a mobile app rewards platform that lets brands and companies give real world rewards for in-game achievements. We had the chance to sit down with him and he shared his tips on how to make the most of PR and branding for your startup.

Focus on Your Personal Brand

Ideas are a dime a dozen, what investors are really looking at are the people who came up with them. Have a good idea? Great. Have a good team? Even better. If someone is going to fund your idea, they want to make sure you can execute it, so pay attention to the image you portray to potential backers.

Stand Out from the Crowd

Find what makes you unique, and use it to your advantage. Whether it’s what you studied, what you do for fun, or jus...

Entrepreneurship demands more grit than glamour. As any professional on the other side of the uphill challenge knows, success often means making mistakes, bravely picking up the pieces, and trying again. The process is equal parts grueling and exhilarating.

As a strategic communications professional and business leader for more than 20 years, I’ve made plenty of my own mistakes. In the end, some of the biggest snafus provided invaluable training and helped carved my path to success. They’ve truly shaped my journey and helped us become one of the fastest growing PR firm globally.

Below is some advice for first-time entrepreneurs that I wished I’d had when starting out.

From One Entrepreneur to Another

Yes, mistakes are a part of any entrepr...

Earlier this week we had one of our partners publicly share some news that we’re equally excited about: We’ve raised a round of venture financing that includes Slack and their investment vehicle, The Slack Fund.

And as they so thoughtfully put it, it’s a “two way street” as they are betting on us and we are definitely betting on them. You can read their full announcement here as well as a companion Forbes piece sharing the news as well.

Although this is exciting news all the way around we have been somewhat coy about going public with any venture financing news. Part of this has to do with the fact that many people wrongly believe that raising a round of venture is, in an of itself, a “big deal” — it’s just not true.

Or rather, people mist...

Why We Love It

Imagine arriving home from school and realizing you’ve left your iPad behind–it’s sitting in the middle of the cafeteria. You drive back, anxiety-ridden, hoping it’s still there.

Now, there’s a product line that will put your mind at ease if something like this ever happens again. Meet Dynotag, a property GPS tag that holds user information.

The company makes tags for lots of different scenarios. Fasten a tag to your car keys, your passport, or even your family pet. Dynotag ensures that lost items get back to their rightful owner.

The information associated with each tag is stored on Dynotag’s cloud and each tag is linked back to its own private website. When someone finds the tag, they can use it to access the owner’s conta...