Grasp these four principles in order to develop a business that has a major impact in the online world. 11-7-2016, Entrepreneur -- I'm writing this article from my apartment in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm here because a company hired me to train their staff on what it takes to create a successful digital marketing strategy in today's crowded market. The company found me through my articles here on "Entrepreneur" and some of the other large media publications I write for. They paid for my expenses and have given me a generous training fee. Five years ago, I owned a business in the vendor industry. To say that there are a lot of opportunities online would be an understatement. Billions of people use the Internet and social media for life, to shop and for business. Today, you have the opportunity to tell millions of potential customers how your business can help their lives and solve their biggest problems. While the opportunity, tools and access are there, too many online entrepreneurs are making very little to no money in their business. There is a ton of competition, unclear and impractical messaging and a lack of focus. If you want to build a successful online business that…
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11-7-2016, Manufacturing Business Technology -- The connected car is already yesterday’s big news, being the buzzing new tech development in the automotive industry for close to a decade now. As the industry approaches mass commercialization of this technology, with manufacturers already having launched their connected car solutions, it is only logical that connected cars are billed as the next wave of disruption in the auto industry. Despite the hype, penetration of connected cars in the U.S. today is at only nine percent [Statista], but this doesn’t mean there isn’t potential. Despite visible excitement, one of the main reasons behind low adoption is that the average car owner doesn’t see value in owning a connected car. This means the value that is expected and the actual perceived value that is delivered are not aligned. Cars are depreciating ‘assets’ and quickly lose value. That said, the added costs of insurance, routine maintenance and services such as connected infotainment, drive reports, remote functions and elementary diagnostics, are beneficial but do not add enough value to justify the extra spend. Independent market studies also indicate similar insights, highlighting a whopping 43 percent who reported ‘lack of need’ as the biggest barrier for adoption. It’s no…
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11-1-2016, Mobile Electronics November Issue -- Las Vegas has many names. The City That Never Sleeps, City of Lights, Disneyland for adults and Sin City top the list. But today, it has a dual identity. By night, it's an adult playground. By day, a resort destination where millions of families flock each year to experience its gorgeous pools, lavish buffets, shows for different ages and theme park attraction rides like the roller coaster at New York, New York. One could say, the city has something for everyone. In that spirit, the same can be said of Industry Auto Designs Las Vegas, a destination for auto enthusiasts looking to both repair and enhance their vehicles, all at once. For owner Andrew Evens, creating a one-stop-shop came naturally, given his background as a born wrench monkey. "Since I was a kid, I've always had tools in my hand. My dad worked in a body shop. He would always bring home stuff to tinker with. I had a carburetor as a toy. I remember the springs on it," Evens said. "My mom's father was always into wood working and would build stuff for the county fair. Whenever we went to his house as…
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Mobile Electronics October Issue, 10-26-2016 -- KnowledgeFest 2016 Dallas has come and gone. This year’s event was great! KnowledgeFest has always been a time for me to learn some things, reconnect with old friends and network with new friends. In all of these areas, this year did not disappoint. The classes I attended were all very informative. It seems that each year the classes get better and better. I went to classes on the owner, management and installer tracks. As usual for me, one of the biggest challenges is deciding what classes to attend. There are only so many training hours available, and it always seems like there is an overlapping of interesting classes. I am thankful we have an event with so many training options that picking which to attend is a challenge! This year held a little more excitement for me. With the exception of sitting in on a training with Ken Ward once, I have never presented at KnowledgeFest. Earlier this year, I was approached by David MacKinnon about presenting a session on photography. In addition to my job at Simplicity In Sound, I also work for 1sixty8 media. At 1sixty8 media, one of our premium products…
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Entrepreneur.com, 10-24-2016 -- Entrepreneurs are the biggest dreamers on the planet. We are slightly crazy at times, but that’s what gives us the ability to "go for it" while others sit back thinking, “This might not work out as planned.” Being an entrepreneur can be an emotional rollercoaster. We often experience fear, stress and anxiety. Sometimes we do fail. Not every startup idea is a unicorn. In fact, most eventually fail. There are going to be difficult times throughout every entrepreneurial journey. Here are five ways to remain highly motivated when the going gets tough. 1. Have a purpose. Have a larger purpose, far beyond just your business. Once identified, use your entrepreneurial journey as a means to fulfill it. There is no right or wrong purpose. Some might want to be able to start a charitable foundation that supports a specific cause, such as cancer research. Other people might want to start a family, and build a larger house. Some might want to travel the world. There are unlimited examples. Whatever yours is, make sure you write it down and look at it daily. When you have something to work towards, and it consumes your mind, it makes the difficult…
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10-19-2016, Mobile Electronics -- You're an independent retailer. Your staff of three operates a small but profitable shop in your middle-class community. The work is good but so far there've been no jobs that have overwhelmed you or taken your attention away from your regular duties of installing speakers, decks, amps and the like. That is, until now. Does this scenario sound familiar? If so, know that you aren't the only one to deal with it. Rob Paterson, co-owner of 2016 Top 50 Retailer, Sound Auto, in Hamilton, N.J. experienced it first-hand when a client brought in his RV in the hopes of adding a few extra bells and whistles to spice up his weekend joy ride. Several visits and thousands of dollars later, the job was done and the small, three-man operation had won over the client, created a memorable build and managed to balance the massive, two-year job with the rest of their workload. That begs the question: How did they do it? The answer: Very carefully. Randy Lumia had the idea of getting a few upgrades done on his 28-foot RV. The client arrived on a Saturday and asked about technology, amenities and items that could give…
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