Business Archives

Questions to Ask in Business: Fostering Curiosity & Creativity

What question launched Uber? What questions did Toys “R” Us leaders fail to ask? The most successful companies ask a lot of questions. And, they ask the right questions. That’s the view of Warren Berger. In his book A More Beautiful Question, he explains why every person in every workplace needs to ask the fundamental questions “why,” “why not,” “what if,” and “how.” Continue reading to learn about these “beautiful questions” to ask in business.

How to Validate Your Business Idea: The 4-Step Process (+ Tests)

How do you validate a business idea? Once you’ve put together a business model, how do you make sure that it’s going to work? To validate your business idea, you need to perform tests and interviews with early adopters. If you use the right strategies in business validation, early adopters can indicate where your business idea will work and where you need to make adjustments. Learn more about how to validate your business idea through discussions with early adopters.

Will the New York Airbnb Laws End Short-Term Rentals?

What are the New York Airbnb laws, and why were they implemented? What impact will they have on Airbnb and its hosts in New York City and around the globe? New NYC regulations aimed at cracking down on illegal short-term stays require Airbnb hosts to register and be present during guest stays, effectively banning many rentals. The regulations have sparked a fierce debate between affordable housing advocates and the platform, its hosts, and tourism groups. Here’s what you need to know about the New York Airbnb laws and their implications.

The 3 Skills You Need for Promotion as a Software Engineer

What do you need to know to get promoted as a software engineer? When transitioning into management from engineering, are there extra skills you need to learn? As a software engineer, a promotion often means you’ll need to focus on building new skills. These include clear communication, strategic planning, and adaptability. Managing software engineers requires high-level thinking about business strategy, as well as good rapport with your team. Learn more about the skills you need when transitioning into management from a technical role.

The 9 Essential Components of a Business Model

What does it take to build a business model that works? What are all the components of a business model? The nine components of a business model described by Ash Maurya in Running Lean cover the essentials for a business that is adaptive, flexible, and sustainable. These include defining customer groups, getting to know your customer group’s needs and desired solutions, and more. Learn more about the nine elements of a business model that are necessary for success.

Running Lean by Ash Maurya: Book Overview & Key Points

Why do so many business models fail? What is a Lean Canvas, and how do you create one? How can you better understand your target customers’ problems? In Running Lean, Ash Maurya shows how you can avoid business failure with the Lean Canvas model. This approach helps build and sustain a flexible business model that evolves alongside customer preferences. This article will detail how Ash Maurya’s Lean Canvas approach can help businesses avoid failure and move forward with confidence.

How to Understand Customer Needs Using Interviews & Testing

What are the best strategies for understanding customer needs? When thinking about how to understand customer needs, what should you consider? Whether entering a new market or adapting to a changing one, knowing how to understand customer needs is critical for business success. The better you know the needs of your customers, the better your product or service will be. Learn more about how to get to know your customers better with these insights from entrepreneurial expert Ash Maurya, author of Running Lean.

How to Use an Early Adopters Model in Marketing

How do you use an early adopters model in marketing? What are early adopters, and why should you target them? An early adopters model focuses on gathering interest from people who are likely to try a new product and influence the initial growth of your company. This is a key part of growing your business, and though you can shift focus later on, focusing on early adopters marketing at first is a good strategy. Continue reading to learn how to build an early adopters model and how to use it in marketing.

How the Mighty Fall: Book Overview and Takeaways

Why do so many companies crack under pressure? How can a floundering company recover? While Jim Collins’s book How the Mighty Fall is a warning to companies that have grown complacent, it also serves as motivation for those in the throes of decline. Collins says that by staying vigilant about the threat of failure, you can rechart your course, keep pushing forward, and ensure your company’s survival. Read below for a brief How the Mighty Fall book overview.

How to Set Up a Small Business Using a Lean Canvas

How do you set up a small business? What are some small business growth strategies that you can integrate into your business model? To set up a small business, you need to draft a business model that’s flexible and adaptive. You should take into account your customer wants and needs both in your initial plan and as you grow. Learn how to set up a small business using these strategies from Ash Maurya’s Running Lean.