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Trying to get a status update after your job interview

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0:000:00

Trying to get a status update after your job interview

In 99% of startups, failing to execute is a much bigger danger than being copied. So it’s a mistake to risk the former in order to avoid the latter.

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Paul Graham

In 99% of startups, failing to execute is a much bigger danger than being copied. So it’s a mistake to risk the former in order to avoid the latter.

First-time founders: What’s the #1 challenge you currently have?

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Hiten Shah

First-time founders: What’s the #1 challenge you currently have?

6 Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not talking to customers
2. Not working on copy
3. Being everything to everyone
4. “We’ve always done it this way”
5. Not making your customer the hero
6. Not testing and experimenting

What would you add?

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Daniel Murray

6 Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not talking to customers
2. Not working on copy
3. Being everything to everyone
4. “We’ve always done it this way”
5. Not making your customer the hero
6. Not testing and experimenting

What would you add?

Read Thread
My guide to startups: I've lost millions, hired hundreds, raised millions and sold companies before the age of 30 Read this to become better:
Venture capital & PR are like drugs Drugs can kill you or save your life Use accordingly.
If you’re lucky: your startup will be copied. Don’t be mad The best startup revenge is overwhelming product/market fit
Okinawa is an Island in Japan with the highest life expectancy. It's called "the land of immortals" The secret: almost everybody gardens Entrepreneurship is a marathon not a sprint. Be sustainable Find your gardening.
A wonderful online course is so valuable its like you’re stealing from the teacher A bad online course is a teacher stealing from you Tip: scout out for wonderful online courses A few dollar investment will completely change a life
For most people: forget Harvard or living in SF With the internet, you are more powerful than you think you are 1) Learn anything you want 2) Connect with anyone you want 3) Be anyone you want What a time to be alive
Startup life is a life full of rejection No rejection, no progress
How to learn quickly: Ask questions. You almost never learn while you are talking
Gratefulness: makes it hard for you to be fearful
Recruiting is not hiring Recruiting is actively seeking the best people to create the best possible team Hiring is pulling the trigger Founders should always be recruiting
Most sales people stop after one or two rejections. Go until two or three I bet your sales go up Lesson: try and try some more
A good job interview is the same as a good therapy session Ask questions & learn
To-do lists are overrated A “not to-do” list is more effective than a to-do list. Keeps you from being exceptional Focus is the holy grail
Quincy Jones would talk to every person at a book signing and leave a personalized note even if it took him until 3 AM to get home He understood the power of making people feel heard Personalization is the secret weapon to build loyalty for your customers & team
This may sound silly but: A single viral tweet can change your life forever (h/t @sweatystartup) Going viral can transform your business Point: It's worth experimenting
Maybe this thread will go viral Follow me @gregisenberg for more thread about startups, internet communities and niches I'll make it worth the follow
2 criteria for success: 1) you’re happy 2) you’re making other lives better
I once had my identity stolen. It sucked Tip: use a password manager like @1Password Saves time and gives you peace of mind
When dealing with someone upset, think: Have they slept, eaten, or been bothered by someone? Sensitivity to people is a superpower
How to build relationships: - Don’t dismiss people - Don’t be a jerk - Don’t rush - Don’t interrupt Be positive & kind
Fear kills startups & dreams. Don't let it! Stressed is the word that high achievers use for fear Never be fearful, OK to be stressed sometimes Tip: Master micro-bravery. conquer fear by breaking it down into smaller steps
Many team issues are like cavities: long term that people never can address the main issue Band-aids never work. Address main issues You can’t fix something that starts with a poor foundation
Good questions to ask yourself everyday before bed: - What have you done today to help someone - What is something nice that someone has done for you - What did you learn - What can I do to be better tomorrow?

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GREG ISENBERG

It is quite frankly humiliating that I never once thought to wonder what the Full Page button did. I’ve taken seventeen thousand screenshots ffs

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0:000:00

It is quite frankly humiliating that I never once thought to wonder what the Full Page button did. I’ve taken seventeen thousand screenshots ffs

Read Thread
Here are 9 things you should include in your marketing portfolio... đŸ§”
1) An Effective Tagline Make your tagline clear and catchy. Keep in mind that this is something that people will only glance at.
2) One Title You probably aren’t an expert/ninja/guru in every area of your field. Just like a movie, you should only have one title and your title will be the theme of your portfolio. It sets an expectation for the viewer so they have an idea of what they’re about to read.
3) A Professional Headshot This is mandatory. When you don’t have a picture of yourself on your website readers will wonder why. If they can’t see you they could get the impression that you’re hiding (which is the opposite of what you’re trying to do).
4) A Strong Elevator Pitch Write out who you are and what you do in two paragraphs (max). Start with introducing yourself, talk about projects you’ve worked on, and then highlight what you’ve learned or what you value in your work.
5) What You Offer When a recruiter or potential clients visits your online portfolio, there should be no confusion over what it is you offer. This is also your opportunity to highlight what kind of projects you enjoy.
6) Tools You’ve Worked With You never know what technology stacks companies are using. Keep a list of platforms and programs you’ve worked with on hand. They provide hiring managers with a quick way to see what you’ve been up to.
7) Testimonials There’s no excuse not to have these, even if you’re just starting out. Make a list of clients (old and new), colleagues, teachers, and employers that could help you out with this. Try to find at least 2-3 to include.
8) What Value Do You Bring Write out a few bullet points that clearly define how you’re going to help make someone’s life easier. Lean away from jargony language and make it as direct as possible.
9) Clear Way(s) To Contact You The whole point of your portfolio is to help you connect with potential employers; make it easy for them to do that. This can be a simple form or an emailto link.
When you put it all together, it should start to tell a story about your career, interests, and ambitions.
Use compelling language that makes it clear (to anyone) how your skills will help a client or company fix a problem.
Keep in mind this is the first time someone is learning about you!
Bonus points if you use professional photos that are unique.
The goal of your marketing portfolio should be to keep the user’s focus. Adding too much is distracting. Less is more.
You could be highly skilled in your field, but if you can’t demonstrate what you’re capable of then nobody will understand how good you are. You need to take initiative to build a powerful portfolio that speaks to how you are different and what kind of value you bring.
It’s easy to find a portfolio template and start filling in the blanks without giving it much thought. When you do that, a few key elements are often overlooked. Here’s what most people flat out forget:
1. People hire to fix a problem. Make sure you clearly understand what that is and speak to it. For example, no one hires a content writer just to have blogs populated on their website. They hire writers to attract targeted traffic and generate more business.
2. You control what the user sees. Instead of dumping all of your samples of work onto a website, handpick your best pieces. That blog post you wrote in 2014 probably shouldn’t make the cut.
3. Communication is essential for any role. It doesn’t matter what your field is, having strong communication applies to everyone. Your portfolio should reflect this.
The main takeaway here is that your portfolio isn’t just a recap of what you’ve done. When evaluating an online portfolio, employers need to see that your skills are the solution to their problem. Make sure that’s communicated throughout the content and show your best work.
Pro Tip 1: Don’t make people Google you. Add links where they can find you online. What you choose to add will depend on your field, but this might include your Linkedin profile, guest blog posts, & pieces of work on GitHub or Bitbucket.
Pro Tip 2: Don’t set it and forget it. Keep it fresh. Set a reminder in your calendar to update your portfolio regularly. It’s easy to forget different projects over the years. Take time to update your testimonials and make sure that your portfolio is reflective of your growth.
Pro Tip 3: Don’t copy people. Do get inspired. It is challenging to showcase your work in a way that’s effective. If you stumble across a portfolio that’s conveyed a message really well, you might want to mimic something similar down the line. Keep a bookmark folder for later.
In 2015, I was offered a full-time marketing contract from a guy I’d met in an airport bar because I had a portfolio ready when I wasn't job hunting. Here's the story & what I learned about finding remote marketing jobs:
Christine Johnson ☀ @CJ_250marketingHere are 6 things you need to know before applying for a remote marketing job...đŸ§” twitter.com
Your portfolio is a reflection of what you've done in the past, but its intent is to act as an indicator of what you can do in the future. It needs to evolve as you evolve.
If you're keen to find a new marketing career this year, I've also put together strategies & templates on how to make a cover letter: Happy to answer questions.
Christine Johnson ☀ @CJ_250marketingHere are 7 cover letter strategies you need to land an interview for a marketing job... đŸ§” (this can also be applied to a lot of industries) twitter.com
To keep myself honest, please feel free to take a look at the evolution of my own portfolio site. You can throw it into the way back machine if you're curious to see how I've pivoted over the years! http://250marketing.ca/

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Christine Johnson ☀
Read Thread
Here are the 11 most asked interview questions for a marketing job and how to answer them... đŸ§”
1. Tell me about yourself If you appear at ease with yourself – calm, confident & collected – you’ll seem like someone they’ll actually want to work with. Give a brief overview of your background, working history, then highlight how you’ve developed & your career ambitions.
2. What are your strengths? Discuss the key skills they’re actually looking for. Go over the skill set description in the job advert and pick 3 that apply to you. When you’re talking about these skills, make sure to give an example of how that skill helped you in other roles.
3. What are your weaknesses? Don’t be afraid to state a real weakness you have & always finish by explaining what you’re doing to remedy it. Show that you’re not only self-aware and humble, but strategic too.
4. Tell me about a testing situation and how you settled it? Think about an issue you faced at work that became a problem, then walk the interviewer through how you overcame it. Touch on the final outcome. Make sure you end on what you learned from it.
5. Why should we hire you for this job? Think about what makes you valuable; maybe you’re trained in a particular tool the company uses, maybe you have a “very specific set of skills
” What are your USPs? See this as a two-minute pitch, and pitch yourself in a few key points!
6. Why do you want to work here? You need to show that you’ve done proper research about the company & are genuinely interested in working for them specifically. Keep your focus on what excites you and what you can bring them, rather than what they can do for you.
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? If you give the impression that this job is just a stepping stone on the path to the job you really want, what’s the incentive for the company? You need to show that you have plans & ambitions that align with the role.
8. Why are you leaving your current position? Rather than focusing on the things you don’t like about your current job or company, stick to talking about why the job you’re interviewing for is even better. Talk about career advancement and personal goals.
9. What’s your desired salary? Be honest with yourself about your level of expertise & research the going market rate. See what other companies are paying their employees for the same role. If you have the same skill level then you know your range. Avoid naming specific numbers.
10. How do you deal with pressure at work? Talk about any measures you’ve taken to stop situations snowballing into a high-pressured crisis (ex. sticking to a schedule or juggling tasks efficiently). This is the time to talk about how you kept calm & what you learned.
11. Do you prefer working by yourself or in a team? It’s cool to have a preference, but you need to make it clear that you’re comfortable doing either.
I've put together some tips on what to include in your portfolio (if you're not at the interview stage & have just started your job hunt). 👇
Christine Johnson ☀ @CJ_250marketingHere are 9 things you should include in your marketing portfolio... đŸ§” twitter.com

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Christine Johnson ☀

63 RESOURCES OF CSS🌈👇

ThreadđŸ§”

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Pratham đŸ‘šâ€đŸ’»đŸš€

63 RESOURCES OF CSS🌈👇

ThreadđŸ§”

THREAD: Here are 3 common hiring mistakes I’ve seen when building an early-stage startup.

👇

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Austin Rief ☕

THREAD: Here are 3 common hiring mistakes I’ve seen when building an early-stage startup.

👇

Read Thread
A hill I'll die on: 95% of entrepreneurs should forget about technology (a few big fish and a lot of sophisticated fishermen) and focus on small business (small fish everywhere and really crappy fishermen). A THREAD:
Be like water. Take the path of least resistance. The goal of every entrepreneur should be: #1. Gain financial freedom and #2. Maximize probability of achieving #1
Because when you have financial freedom your world opens up. You can start doing what makes you happy. And you can positively impact a lot more people with project #2, 3, 4 etc. You're in a position to try to change the world if you have financial freedom.
So why don't more folks think about opportunities with more weight added to #2? The odds part. The risk. The probability.
The amount of small businesses in America that absolutely print money and still do business like it’s 1985 is astounding.
Why is everyone trying to fish for sharks against Stanford and Harvard grads and venture capital and big tech? Sure you hit big. And we see the folks who did all over twitter. But what about the other 95% who tried but couldn't achieve #1?
Business should be more like poker. How can I maximize my gain and minimize my risk? How much cash do I really need to try to win on this hand?
People don't need as much cash as they think to be free. $100k a year in passive income is enough for most folks. Just not having to go to a job they don't like would change everything for most folks.
So why don't we look up from our computer screens? The amount of small businesses in America that absolutely print money and still do business like it’s 1985 is astounding. Fax machines. Secretaries. Land lines. Written ledgers. Cash payments.
Innovation can happen in really small ways. I'm getting moderately wealthy right now by applying out-of-the-box software to self storage facilities. I'm one of about 100 groups of folks doing exactly this.
Am I trying something new? No. Am I innovating? Sure. Am I taking risk? No. Am I copying off of others? Sure. Am I trying to educate a market? No.
I'm fishing in a pond (small self storage facilities) with tons of small fish (20,000+ of them in the USA) and a ton of crappy fishermen (60 year olds who don't use email). So my ask of you:
Learn from the true innovators. Pay attention to silicon valley and how they do business. But look up from your computer screen. There is a small business 1/2 mile from your house that prints money and does business like its 1985.
Nobody wants to buy that business. Nobody wants to start that business. Because there is a little bit of sweat. It's not easy. It might take a little bit of physical work (god forbid) in the early days.
And so the fish are just sitting there. They may not be large enough fish to make it on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine. But they are big enough fish to change your entire life and the life of your kids and their kids. Why wouldn't you throw your line there?
If you're into small business and real estate sign up for my newsletter: http://sweatystartup.substack.com

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Nick Huber

I interviewed 5 billionaires this week

I asked them to share their lessons learned on startups, life and entrepreneurship:

Here’s what they told me:

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GREG ISENBERG

I interviewed 5 billionaires this week

I asked them to share their lessons learned on startups, life and entrepreneurship:

Here’s what they told me:

50 resources for learning JavaScript in 2021👇

ThreadđŸ§”

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Pratham đŸ‘šâ€đŸ’»đŸš€

50 resources for learning JavaScript in 2021👇

ThreadđŸ§”

Hot Take

Most brands in influencer marketing don’t know what they are buying…

…and end up with expensive banner ads.

Here’s why
👇

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Ian Borthwick

Hot Take

Most brands in influencer marketing don’t know what they are buying…

…and end up with expensive banner ads.

Here’s why
👇

Marketing for freelancers.

Everything I’ve learned.

A thread.

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Tom Hirst

Marketing for freelancers.

Everything I’ve learned.

A thread.

📜 Notes:

💡 COMPOSE doesn’t always happen linearly. E.g. you might already have some material, then discover a concept.

💡 That said, walking through COMPOSE linearly can help writers get unstuck, even mid-project.

💡 I welcome ALL questions!

Article: https://www.writing.coach/compose

COMPOSE — Writing.coach www.writing.coach

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📜 Notes:

💡 COMPOSE doesn’t always happen linearly. E.g. you might already have some material, then discover a concept.

💡 That said, walking through COMPOSE linearly can help writers get unstuck, even mid-project.

💡 I welcome ALL questions!

Article: https://www.writing.coach/compose

I just gave a talk to the W2021 YC batch. It’s my favorite startup audience to talk to. Here are some of the highlights:

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Justin Kan

I just gave a talk to the W2021 YC batch. It’s my favorite startup audience to talk to. Here are some of the highlights:

Read Thread
THREAD: Here are 10 insights I've learned over the last 5 years from cofounding and selling business. On startups, investing, marketing, and career advice: 👇👇
"I learn more from speaking with others than reading" is complete nonsense. The smartest people in the history of the world have distilled their life's work into a few hundred pages. No, a 30 minute convo with your buddy won't teach you more.
The best businesses in the world expand their target market -Nike convinced the world that everyone is an athlete -Apple convinced the world that everyone is a creator -Shopify is convincing the world that everyone is an entrepreneur Champion customers and they will reward you
"Follow your passion" is complete complete crap. People are passionate about things they are good at. Get really good at something, and you will become passionate at it. Then you will make enough money to follow your original passion in your free time.
There is no industry in the world that is easier to get to an 8 figure exit than digital media. There is also no industry harder to get to a 10 figure valuation than digital media. Understand your industry and plan accordingly.
The best advice I ever received was to increase your "luck surface area". - Work hard - Befriend likeminded people - Learn faster than others If you do that, you will get lucky at some point.
B2B businesses should hire a "chief storyteller". Their entire job should be to tell the story of the founding team. No one cares about a SaaS business in the early days, but people love passionate entrepreneurs. If you get people to love you, they will love your business.
There is no such thing as subscription fatigue People do get fatigued with average content There is more amazing content available than ever before and it can reach people easier than ever If you think subscription fatigue is why people aren't reading your content, think again
The VC vs. bootstrapping argument is way too caught up in good vs. evil. Answer 2 questions: 1. What are my business goals? 2. What am I optimizing for personally? Only once you know the answer to those 2 questions can you decide what funding source is right for you.
Twitter is a complete bubble. 99% of people don't care about who is moving to Miami, what journalist is writing on Substack, or how many hours a week you should work. If you think I am wrong, you are in the center of the bubble.
If you want more content on startups, business and investing, give me a follow. I post threads 2x/week like this.

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Austin Rief ☕

THREAD: Here are 10 insights I’ve learned over the last 5 years from cofounding and selling business.

On startups, investing, marketing, and career advice:

👇👇

My Notes:

Select to add to your #gallery:
Austin Rief ☕

THREAD: Here are 10 insights I’ve learned over the last 5 years from cofounding and selling business.

On startups, investing, marketing, and career advice:

👇👇

Want to learn/master git and GitHub?

Here are some Best Free Resources for you

A ThreadđŸ§”đŸ‘‡

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Nirbhay Vashisht

Want to learn/master git and GitHub?

Here are some Best Free Resources for you

A ThreadđŸ§”đŸ‘‡

Netflix sold a stake in this company for $7.4M. The company is now worth $50B and one of their biggest competitors.

Thread 👇👇👇

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Ari Lewis 🚀

Netflix sold a stake in this company for $7.4M. The company is now worth $50B and one of their biggest competitors.

Thread 👇👇👇

Deciding what to and when to go all in on an idea is super challenging and there’s a lot of bad advice out there

Here’s how it went for me and SwagUp

Here we go 👇

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Michael Martocci 🚀 SwagUp

Deciding what to and when to go all in on an idea is super challenging and there’s a lot of bad advice out there

Here’s how it went for me and SwagUp

Here we go 👇

THREAD: 10 significant lies you’re told about the world.

On startups, writing, and your career:

My Notes:

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Julian Shapiro

THREAD: 10 significant lies you’re told about the world.

On startups, writing, and your career:

Read Thread
The new American dream is to make a living from one's creativity. 1/3 of kids want to be YouTube stars. But the inconvenient truth is few creators are actually attaining financial security today. My new blog is about building the creator middle class 👇 https://li.substack.com/p/building-the-middle-class-of-the
Today's creator platforms resemble economies in which wealth and attention are concentrated at the top. On Spotify, artists need 3.5M streams/year to achieve a minimum-wage income of $15K. The top 1.4% of artists pull in 90% of royalties. https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/spotify-million-artists-royalties-1038408/
On Roblox, the top game accounts for 20-25% of concurrent users, and concentration is growing over time. On Patreon, only 2% of creators made the federal minimum wage of $1,160 per month in 2017.
There are parallels with US history: the strong middle class of the 20th century didn't just happen naturally, but was born of policies that created widespread prosperity. Similarly, platforms can broaden the path to success—making the American dream not just a dream.
Why is creating a middle class of creators important? Creator platforms flourish when they provide opportunity for anyone to grow and succeed. Less wealth concentration means less risk that a would-be competitor could poach top creators and threaten the entire business.
Here are 10 strategies to grow the middle class of creators:
A few examples: - Facilitate collabs & opportunities for cross-promotion so creators can lift each other type (like Type House) - Provide capital investment to up-and-coming creators - Allow creators to monetize superfans to a greater degree, e.g. @BookCameo, @streamloots
Obviously, there are forces pushing us in the opposite direction, too. Top creators have the most leverage and can demand lower take rates (e.g. on Twitch). And in a world with lots of substitutes for consumers, platforms do have to compete on the basis of their best content.
"Societies and platforms flourish when there is a path for everyone to have upward mobility, achieve financial security, and learn and grow. The beautiful thing is, in the real world as well as in the digital world, it’s up to us to build this path."
This piece was also published in @HarvardBiz today 📚 Choose your own reading experience 🙃 (shoutout to my editor @tom_stackpole!) https://hbr.org/2020/12/the-creator-economy-needs-a-middle-class
Related reads: My piece "100 True Fans" is all about making a living from fewer, truer fans. It's a riff on @kevin2kelly's classic "1,000 True Fans" https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/ https://a16z.com/2020/02/06/100-true-fans/
As always, it took a village. Thanks @LilaShroff for research help & riffing on these ideas! And to those whose thinking and feedback make me smarter: @conradwa, @hankgreen, @blakeir, @patel0phone, @samyamiam, @arampell, @DavidMcDoughnut, @dpteran, @ezracooper, @kushaanahuja.
The article mentions these companies which are doing cool things that I drew inspiration from. There are countless others! @tiktok_us @patreon @teachable @gumroad @BookCameo @stir @twitch @loopedlive @SubstackInc @mightynetworks @CircleApp @outschool @beondeck @Kajabi @podfunding

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Li Jin
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Lockdown happened & a lot of businesses went under, some were forced to shut down, layoff staff or innovate. After 6 months of heavy dry spell, one of my colleagues in the apparel business, (let’s call him Mr D) decided he was going to take the innovation route. Thread
His business was famously known for their ingenious of producing traditional African men’s wear in less than 24 hours. Properly packaged, clean finishing & affordable. Mr D knew this new crisis came with new challenges, albeit new opportunities. Just like him, a lot of SME
Apparel businesses too were affected, for most it meant an end of a journey, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Majority of their clients weren’t travelling, getting married or throwing parties any longer. People were not making or buying new celebratory outfits like before.
But there was a small, not so significant number, who still needed traditional outfits for meetings, travels or personal functions. They were essential workers, authorised business owners or couples getting married on Zoom. These numbers weren’t enough for most to subsidise the
cost of running fully with all the Govt restrictions in place & crackdowns that came with surviving the C*VID-19 onslaught. Nonetheless, it was the glimmer of hope needed to retain their customer base for any eventualities that may occur in their favour. Hope was now a product.
Mr D decided to restructure his business to cater to other direct competitors who needed to make traditional menswear quickly, who also didn’t have steady orders like before but didn’t want to bear the cost of paying staff, running at full capacity & losing their loyal customers.
The business model was simple: 1. Set price for all outfits. 2. Place Order 3. Pick up Same business model as usual, the difference was he was reaching out to his competitors & offering hope. He didn’t have to layoff his staff, full capacity & the main focus was other businesses.
When I sat down to speak with someone I know who produces tomato sauce, I told her the same thing: Diversify your business. A simple tweak in your business model will either keep or kill it. Now she does 3rd party blending for other FMCG startups. You either adapt or innovate.
Innovation most times isn’t a new product or service, but a small nudge from 0 to 0.1 to cater to a newly discovered market demand, created out of chaos. For most, it’s merger & acquisition, or just a slight tilt of focus towards the right direction, to see hope take a new form.

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Samuel Otigba

If you have less than a 1,000 followers and work in marketing in some capacity, introduce yourself to Marketing Twitter.

Say hi, tell us about yourself, and what you like to tweet about.

Make friends.

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Christina Garnett 🧡

If you have less than a 1,000 followers and work in marketing in some capacity, introduce yourself to Marketing Twitter.

Say hi, tell us about yourself, and what you like to tweet about.

Make friends.

Read Thread
Over 1M blog posts are published daily. Google is shrinking organic results in SERPs. etc etc. SEO is harder, but that’s fine bc you’re strong. đŸ’Ș Here are a few creative things you can do to drive your organic traffic up. 🚀 Thread timeđŸ§”
1/ Buy other websites There are tons of websites out there that are aged and have a ton of backlinks. E.g. a news website that primarily uses ads to monetize might be getting crushed right now. Take it over, redirect and plug in a better biz model.
2/ Where to buy websites You can use Ubersuggest or @ahrefs to find the right websites. Best way is hand to hand combat and sourcing them yourself. You can also use sites like @microacquire from @agazdecki or FE international from @ThomasSmale @fe_wrixen
3/ Monitor your decaying content and update it You can use tools like ClickFlow’s content decay to monitor traffic that you’re losing on important pages. Here’s a screenshot (full disclosure it’s my company):
4/ Test title tags/meta descriptions to drive a higher CTR You can use Google Search Console to look for pages with a high impression count or clickthrough rate and then update the titles/descriptions to get a higher CTR. ClickFlow has a feature for that:
5/ Add more keywords to your current content or when you’re writing Most of your writers don’t know how to do SEO, and that’s fine. Just simply make it part of the workflow by telling them what keywords they should be adding. Example:
6/ Utilize FAQ schema to get a higher CTR Matthew Woodward has a good post (and a WP plug-in) if you’re looking to get more real estate on the SERPs. Check it out.
7/ Utilize the SEO audit tools available We actually use the @ahrefs SEO audit tool weekly to keep us updated on the health our website. Our developer has it as part of their weekly workflow to fix the issues that pop up.
8/ If you want to play around with ClickFlow, you can go to https://www.clickflow.com
9/ If you want to play around with ClickFlow’s content decay, you can go to the link below. It’s free: https://www.clickflow.com/content-decay/

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Eric Siu
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How to develop a killer business plan [Thread] #BankerX
1. Keep it simple “I didn't have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one" - Mark Twain The ability to refine an idea & distill down a strategy into just a few words takes time. Throwing down buzzwords is easy, finding clarity is difficult. Stick to one page
2. Business Model Canvas A graduate business school favourite & one of the most powerful business plan templates out there. Highly adaptable to any industry, clearly shows trade-offs & is designed for all elements to align to the overall vision. Link: https://www.alexandercowan.com/business-model-canvas-templates/
3. The Lean Canvas Modified from the Business Model Canvas with a strong emphasis on optimizing start-ups. Both the lean canvas or business model canvas are great tools to settle on a business plan within an afternoon. Pick one & start. Link: https://leanstack.com/leancanvas
4. Avoid turning your business plan into your pitch deck A pitch deck will have forecast financials, address questions on hurdles and target securing funding. There will definitely be some overlap. Your business plan needs to be brutally honest. Don't word anything softly.
5. Distill down your business plan into an elevator pitch Give yourself 30 seconds to translate the problem you;re solving. This sounds easy - it's probably the hardest part of developing a business plan You only realize what your game plan is when you're speaking to a stranger
6. Don't pay expensive people to write it for you You have a better grip on the vision better than anyone else. You need to be in FULL control of the strategic direction upfront Better to have your plan professionally reviewed by someone you trust once you're done with it
7. Be clear on your next 3 week/ 3 month/ 3 year targets Focus on short term goals. Longer term plans always change. If the aim is to onboard 5 new customers in September - hold yourself and your team to it. Small wins, lead to bigger wins. Plans are only as good as execution.
8. Highlight what you're great at There are MANY tools, plug-ins, third party services dedicated to solving your weak spots. In many cases it's cheaper to use them instead. Focus on what gives you an edge. Investors buy into your unique traits. Sell your strengths hard.
9. Understand your competition Developed by Michael Porter, Porter's 5 Forces is another favourite business school tool. It's also rated as one of the ten most influential papers in Harvard Business Review history. Spend time really analyzing where the real competition lies.
10. Safeguard your intellectual property Don't float around your business plan wider than it needs to travel. Make sure you apply for the relevant trademarks, patents and licenses. Throughout history great ideas have been copied. Make sure your hard is preserved and protected.
hard work* Just in case this ends up being misconstrued...

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BankerX
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A thread on the meaning of life...
In 2002 I was pursuing my PhD in Physics. It was ever thing I had ever wanted to do. And I was doing well in it. Acing the exams. Loving my research. My professors loved me. My students were jealous of me. My guide told me I could be the fastest to complete my thesis. But...
I wasn't happy. I was good at what I was doing, but I wasn't happy. And it was for the first time that it struck me. Being good at something and being happy doing it, are two different things. I'd been taught if you are good at something you automatically become happy doing it.
That was my first brush with "loosing one's purpose in life". I dropped out of my PhD, came back to India and at the age of 24 had to start life all over again.
Post MBA, I joined a management consulting firm. And it was awesome. I was working with super smart people, on real-world complex problem, getting paid a lot of money. And I was good at it. It genuinely made me happy. I loved the flights, the hotels, the work. But...
After 3 years I realized, no one got up one fine morning and said to themselves, "I wish I had more consultants in my life." It wasn't what the world needed. Not as per my definition of a need. I had a strange feeling of satisfaction, but uselessness.
It was in 2009, when I quit consulting, that I came across a concept IKIGAI A Japanese term that roughly translates to "a reason for being" And suddenly everything made sense.
Okinawa, an island block in Japan, is home to the largest density of centennials (people aged 100+yrs). Several people have studied Okinawians to figure out the reason. Prima facie, there is nothing spectacular or extraordinary about Okinawa. Until, you hear them say Ikigai...
Its an elegant concept. YOUR reason of being is the intersection of 1. What you are good at 2. What you love 3. What the world needs 4. What you can be paid for The operating word here, that's largely missed, is "YOUR" reason of being.
The personal definition is critical, especially when it comes to "What the world needs" and "What you can be paid for" I felt that the world doesn't need consulting. That is MY view. Not the world's view. Everything that exists in the world exists because someone needs it.
What you can be paid for is YOUR definition of money (and thus the quantum of it). I may feel happy getting paid much lower than my peers and that suffices for me Or I may think that I need to be paid atleast this much else it work for me.
The concept is so powerful The endless number of people in jobs that they are good at and are paid for - are simply living a profession. Not their Ikigai.
Volunteers, who help out on something the world needs and something they love doing, but are not paid enough or maybe aren't even good at what they do - are living their mission. Not their Ikigai.
People pursue their hobbies, something that they love and are good at, but it never ends up making any money and it probably isnt what the world cares about - that's living out their passion. Not their Ikigai.
People work odd jobs just to pay their bills. They don't love it. Nor are they necessarily good at it. They are living out a vocation. Not their Ikigai.
However, most people, when digging into the concept of Ikigai, stop at this image and understanding. I realized, it wasn't so much the intersection of all 4 circles that was interesting, it was the intersection of 3 or lesser circles that explained what I had felt in life so far
This, imo, is the true power of Ikigai. Explaining a situation that is close to Ikigai that we may be tricked to believing we are living it, when the truth is we aren't. It explained to me why I felt uselessness while in consulting, why I felt empty while at Groupon.
It is this critical nuance that most people miss when navigating through the concept of Ikigai. The meaning of your life, is the intersection of ALL 4 things, not 3 or 2. And understanding what the intersection of 3/2 circles means, brings us closer to the meaning of Ikigai.
Once understood, the next logical question is: How to arrive at your Ikigai. Several books and prescriptions exist out there. Most of them delve into what I consider "on the surface" prescriptions. Here is what worked for me...
1. Make a laundry list of things that you are good at 2. Make a laundry list of things that you love doing 3. Find the intersection 3a. If none, go back to your childhood / early days and recollect things that made people wonder "how did you do that?". Dig deep and far back.
4. Of the intersection, ask yourself, "Which of these does the world need, or can need if I change the current scale/scope/form of it?" For instance, you love singing and are good at it. The world doesn't need your singing. But it needs singers.
5. While living your current life (whatever it is), work on this intersection and slowly mold it to what the world needs. This is going to be hard, long drawn, and will require discipline. You are converting your passion into "Delight and fullness, but no wealth"
Find your intersection of "what you love" and "what you are good at" And devote 3-5 years towards it. With NO pressure of making money off it. Just for the joy of it For the love of it. At some point, you will unlock value. It is inevitable, if you have devoted yourself to it.
In summary
The most purposeful people I know and I have observed, do not think of purpose as an end goal or an objective. They think of their journey as the purpose itself. Fin.
This is a good book to start. But it is just that. The start. I encourage you to go beyond the book. https://amzn.to/2ZCSPUk

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Ankur Warikoo
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0/ Good, concise writing is more than just writing. It’s art in its purest form. It’s expressing your thoughts like no other. It’s being YOU – and being you is powerful. Here’s how to write less and say more... [A THREAD] 👇
1/ Stick to your point like the bark to a tree As a writer, focus is your weapon. It gives you the mental strength to think in one single direction. And helps you stay relevant to your topic at each step. Don't make a point for the heck of it. Do it only when required.
2/ Quit wasting words Your words are precious, and so is your reader’s time. The more words you waste, the more time your reader loses. So the next time you feel the urge to use words like “very”, “really” and “actually”, think again. You can do without them.
3/ Write like you are talking to a “new” friend The reason being simple – you are naturally more careful about what you say when talking to a new friend. You choose your words wisely. You try to not make a bad impression. Above all, you speak concisely.
4/ Say “no” to passive voice Using active voice instead of passive voice makes a big difference. Active voice example: Millions of people use Twitter. Passive voice example: Twitter is used by millions of people. Sentences written in an active voice are more concise & direct.
5/ Be more precise Replace your weak words with stronger ones. Because they make your writing more insightful and to the point. Instead of saying, “The day was filled with exciting activities”, say, “The day was eventful”. Explore your vocabulary and dig out the best words.
6/ Balance clarity with brevity Don’t sacrifice clarity to achieve brevity. Have a strong balance between the two. It’s a mistake to assume your reader knows everything. They can read your writing, not your mind. So take them by hand and spell it out for them.
7/ Avoid falling in love with your words Always treat your words like replaceable commodities. They’re only good if they add meaning to your writing. If not, feel free to remove or replace them.
8/ Be a writer first, then an editor Writing is best done in a state of flow. Where you put your thoughts and ideas on paper in their raw form. The moment you stop to edit, this flow breaks. Understand that what you write is not set in stone. You can always improve it later on.
9/ Don’t sound like a broken record Repeating yourself over and over again makes your writing look boring and clumsy. Instead of writing the same thing several times, say it once and say it meaningfully. Create a smooth reader experience, not a confusing one.
10/ Use short, punchy sentences Long, wordy sentences add bulk to your writing and trigger your reader’s “ignore-o-meter”. Cultivate the habit of using short sentences. They’re fun to write, easier to read and help you convey your thoughts more clearly.
What next? Practice till your fingers bleed! It’s okay if you make little sense at first. It’s alright if you’re slow. It’s fine if you can’t get your creative juices flowing. The point is to start writing like there’s no tomorrow. Then edit ruthlessly. You know, be merciless.

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Mustafa Khundmiri

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