Author Archives: sam_plecic

Forever gone is the era when workers assembled each day at the office. Today, they’re just as likely to be working from home or spread across the globe. Collaboration has always been important among teams. But with team members no longer literally sitting side by side, collaboration tools are vital to preventing ineffective silos.

Business leaders are increasingly aware of the value of modern collaboration tools in ensuring teams stay connected. A recent survey from GoTo by LogMeIn found that 73% of businesses plan to increase spending on collaboration tools. Artificial intelligence plays a big role in these tools’ streamlining and efficiency, enabling digital assistants and automated administrative work. Put another way, AI-empowered collaboration tools are improving modern workers’ daily lives.

New Technology for a New Way of Working

Remote work doesn’t appear to be a passing trend, and it’s not just Millennials who d

Medical tech startups are regulated by the FDA and must abide by strict regulations at all times. For example, all medical devices must be approved by the FDA. Acting outside of the FDA’s regulations can result in harsh penalties including fines and even jail time.

Whether your medical tech startup produces low-risk or high-risk devices, compliance is a crucial and complex necessity.

1. Stay on top of regulatory changes

If you don’t stay on top of regulatory changes you could be in trouble. For example, the recently adopted GDPR regulations threw a wrench in every business owner’s compliance protocols. Businesses owners had a short period of time to comply before penalties would be legally assessed for violations.

The same can happen in the medical tech world. One day, you might be comfortable with the current regulations and the next day there’s a new regulation you need to comply with. Or, a current regulation might be amended.

Virtually every startup has to find funding somewhere. Although some founders take venture capital in exchange for equity, that’s not the only way to do it.

To learn more about the pros and cons of venture capital — and founders’ funding alternatives — I caught up with Mark McKee. Before being named president and COO of OnPay, a growing online payroll solution for small businesses, McKee worked as managing director of The Lenox Group, where he advised growing companies on how best to raise and structure capital.

Here’s his take:

Brad Anderson: As someone who’s worked in investment banking and been an early employee at a startup, do you think most founders understand their financing options? Why or why not?

Mark McKee: Most first-time founders I’ve met don’t, frankly. Serial entrepreneurs usually have a sense of the funding landscape, but new ones typically assume venture cap

One of Silicon Valley’s most compelling attributes is its lack of interest in the traditional bottom line. While most companies focus on revenue and profitability, Silicon Valley leaders tend to view valuation as a success barometer. Because of this mindset, Valley-based companies don’t mind taking significant risks as long as they help achieve big-picture visions. But we can learn from Silicon Valley about blockchain Adoption.

What is the Risk of Blockchain?

One new risk that has begun to pay off is blockchain, and non-Valley companies are taking notice. The International Data Corporation predicts that blockchain spending will reach $11.7 billion by 2022 and extend its reach beyond the tech and banking industries.

Who Embraces Blockchain?

Despite blockchain’s obvious applicability to several industries, it’s a solution that some leaders still haven’t embraced. Some of that hesitation stems from a confused assoc

It can be challenging to realize that you are in the midst of a moment of personal growth when it comes to business. As the day-to-day of your professional life moves more quickly, you are likely to evolve in your career.  Sometimes you change in your leadership role without even realizing a transformation has occurred. But, you’ll want a leadership guide for every business growth stage.

Through every stage of growth, your business transitions to new knowledge, systems, and management.

As this transition occurs, you and your role within the company changes too. I have found that revenue and headcount together are useful markers for uncovering where you are as a business. These precursors are there to warn you about the leadership role required. Typically, more revenue leads to the need for more employees. And, more employees leads to greater business complexity.

As tangible growth occurs, you will need to adjust your leadership style.

Fe

Can business run only on cold emails? Who reads emails these days? I know these questions must be popping up in your head. But let me tell you, cold emails can still help you in generating new leads for your business if done in the right way. Use the six steps to grow your small business with cold emails.

Many businesses still are using cold emails to drive sales. If you are in the notion that emails can only help you close small deals, then you’re mistaken. I have seen examples of companies using cold email to close large enterprise deals too.

These exact steps will help take you as a small business owner and generate great leads for your business. 1. Build a persona.

I have been into marketing for close to two years now, and my most important takeaway in this short span has been the importance of creating the right personas. If you can create the right persona, your half the job is done. But how can you create the right per

Getting a startup off the ground isn’t easy. Instead of focusing solely on your baby, as in the actual product or service that you’re selling, you’ll also have to deal with administrative headaches. Managing your startup finances is one of these necessary evils. Here’s everything you need to know about finances for your startup.

As a business owner, you’re going to have to get involved with the financial side of things. There are no two ways about it. Here’s what you need to know to steer your company’s finances in the right direction.

Manage Your Finances 

Entrepreneurs will generally do everything except manage their finances properly. Making money is obviously a major concern and often a big driver in starting the business, but actually taking care of the day to day finances tends to take a backseat. And that’s a recipe for disaster. 

Managing your finances should be one of your top priorities. No &

The world has changed. You can crash and burn or you can get the right tools and information now and change your life, your business and the lives of your employees.

In this episode of How to CEO, I welcome Han Jin, the co-founder, and CEO of Lucid.

Han Jin and his partner created Lucid in 2015. Their company produces software and artificial intelligence. I invited Han Jin to talk about the various characteristics and skills that a CEO should have. Being a founder and CEO are two very different things and Han Jin helps us to differentiate both roles. He also shares his experiences and the challenges that he has faced switching back and forth between both of these vary complex roles over the past two and a half years.

Han Jin tells me at Lucid, “we have created software and artificial intelligence to capture 3D on mobile devices, or any device that has cameras.”

Every year we work toward becoming better CEO’s and building a bet

Before we take a plunge into the Startup culture of India, let us first try understanding what exactly a startup is, and how does it function? Then we will tell the evolution of startups in India and the story until now.

What is a Startup?

Investopedia defines a startup as “a young company that is just beginning to develop.” A startups seeds are sown and sprouted either because the founder(s) have come up with a unique solution with a product (like a software or a physical product) or service. Usually, a product or service is to erase a complicated problem.

Many times the startups product or service is to provide a more efficient way around recreating and distributing a product or service that is already a business.

Success has its age-old formula inscribed in gold