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Best of CoBiz: It’s hard to look smart with bad numbers
(Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from business performance improvement expert Larry Valant’s book, Stop Breaking These Rules! 100 Hard-Hitting Truths for Business Integrity and Performance.) Measure progress to plan with regular reviews of key and defined milestones. A plan is the means by which obstacles are overcome to achieve the objectives. A good plan […]
Keep government out of the accelerator business
A good accelerator can be run in any city in the world for $500,000. Entrepreneurs with a compelling track record and approach should be able to easily raise, or even provide this capital. As evidence of this, there are already hundreds of accelerators in the U.S., without government funding, bein...
Best of CoBiz: One great picture is worth a bunch of business
As a photographer who helps people with their brand images, I recommend that everyone who is concerned about their personal brand have a really good profile image - one that supports your brand and portrays you in an authentic manner.
Best of CoBiz: Saying you’re a good kisser doesn’t make it true
Marketing yourself as being trustworthy implies that your value comes from something we expect - similar to a medical doctor marketing himself as able to prescribe medication. Build credibility instead of selling trust. Credibility is proof, reality and is trustworthy. Credibility is developed and...
Angels and demons: Four great ways to fund your venture
Attend the Rockies Venture Club’s annual Angel Capital Summit conference tomorrow and Wednesday. Entrepreneurs, you might find an angel. Angels, you can learn how to be a better investor and find a deal. Register now at: www.AngelCapitalSummit.com. This year’s conference kicks off with a live...
Welcome to the new cloud
If you are a small business owner, you are always looking for ways to free up your time to do the things you really love – which might not include bookkeeping, payroll, fixing and setting up phones and computers, filing government forms, online marketing and other administrative tasks. That is, un...
Show me the money!
Mixed-use incubators offer a variety of networking opportunities that can lead to a big payoff. For example, at Innovation Pavilion, a mixed-use incubator in the Denver Tech Center, entrepreneurs benefit from “productive collisions” that put them in contact with those most knowledgeable about the...
The name game
So, you’re ready to start your own business, and have the perfect name picked out for it. Before you hang your shingle and spend a small fortune to generate name recognition and brand value, be sure that you’ve taken all the necessary steps to make sure the name of your business is truly your own...
Living larger: Six steps to build a business empire
Martha Stewart has built a wildly successful empire that has had an impact on millions of people. Faced with tempestuous times, she has come out more resilient and determined than ever. What Martha Stewart has done is create several brands, businesses and publications for a variety of fields and industries. She is everywhere, and through […]
Keep an eye on these Colorado business bills
In addition to headline-grabbing bills on gun control and civil unions, Colorado legislators have proposed a number of new laws that would affect businesses. These proposed laws run the gamut from employment to construction contracting. Here are summaries of several proposals under consideration: House Bill 1090 – The Construction Prompt Payment Reform Act HB 1090 […]
More about the Empire of One
(Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. Read Part 1.) In today’s business world, there is competition for every dollar spent, but in the end, consumer make the final decision. The beauty of the consumer marketplace is that all consumers are wonderfully erratic, creating literally trillions of variables that they use to make […]
Keep calm and carry cash
Working in a startup company is tough. Founders face many challenges: Creating a brand; getting customers to believe in their company; developing cutting edge products; and persuading customers to buy or use their products and services. The financial operations team, however, is a valuable and often overlooked resilient sales strategy and support system. Financial leadership […]
