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Customer feedback is an invaluable asset to any company. Without this information, businesses would struggle to figure out what’s working, what isn’t and how they can improve their processes. But how exactly do you get your customers to share their honest opinions – and what do you do with that information once you have it? We asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council to share how they collect feedback from their customers, and how they then make that information useful to their company. Their best answers are below.

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expert panel

expert panel

expert panel

19 entrepreneurs delve into where online freelance talent is most readily found Businesses have changed their approach to hiring in recent years. More and more companies are relying on freelance talent as opposed to in-house contracts. It's not surprising that the paradigm has shifted in this way, however. Freelancers can be less of a drain on company resources, but they can also be more efficient than in-house hires. Even so, businesses need to find freelance sites that offer talented individuals, accessible search functions, and escrow services in some cases. All of these factors contribute to developing a long-lasting relationship with a freelancer. The rise of freelancing has seen several different locations open up around the internet that offer businesses a chance to interact with professionals. Unfortunately, there are many freelance sites to sort through, and finding the right fit for your needs may take some trial and error. Businesses need to be careful about sourcing their freelancers to avoid hiring someone who is not good for the project or who may have a nonprofessional behavior. How does a company narrow down the best places to source a freelancer online? We consulted 19 entrepreneurs from YEC about the best places to source freelance talent online. Here's what they told us.

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As a busy professional or entrepreneur, you’ve probably wished there were more than 24 hours in a day. While you might not be able to find huge chunks of free time, you can always find a few extra minutes a day, which adds up to a few extra hours in a week. Over the course of their careers, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have found some great hacks to add some time to their busy schedules. If you’re looking to get back three to five hours of your time each week, try out their nine best tricks.

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One of the most common complaints that professionals have in the 21st century is how little time there is in a day. The truth of the matter is that the day hasn't changed, but how we manage our time has. Losing time on frivolous activities is nothing new. However, with the advent of attention-stealing applications, we lose more time than ever before without even realizing it. If you're someone who wants to reclaim those lost hours, there are practical methods of doing so. However, they require understanding what you want to get out of your revamped time-management strategy. Sixteen members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their insight into what any busy professional can do to reclaim those lost hours in a day and make each one more productive.

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Be open-minded, thoughtful and proactively helpful in your communications, both given and received.

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A solid company culture is one that supports employees' efforts to grow and develop professionally so they can reach their full potential within the organization. Sometimes, these efforts may help the employee realize that they could learn more or would be a much better fit in a different department than they're currently in. Great leaders want their employees to succeed -- even in a different department -- but if the transition isn't done thoughtfully, transferring workers to other departments can cause disruptions and destabilize team morale. To help, these six entrepreneurs offer their best advice on how to effectively move employees to a new department so as to help them continue their growth and development, with minimal disruption to the organization.

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Developing a personal brand across various channels is paramount this year, no matter your industry.

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Selling your ideas or your vision is what you do as an entrepreneur. You need to convince investors that what you see in your head for your company can be a reality. To do this, you'll probably find yourself going to a lot of pitch meetings to try to get funding for your ideas. Delivering speeches or giving presentations at these pitch meetings should be your best method of marketing your business. However, public speaking tends to scare even the best of us. To help young entrepreneurs who have to get out in front of an audience and wow them with their business ideas, eight business owners from Young Entrepreneur Council offer their best advice on how to relax before giving a presentation.

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When you own a small business, you have to take on many of the day-to-day responsibilities yourself -- at least in the beginning. Having some basic knowledge across all aspects of business operations can go a long way to making your business flourish, and ultimately turn you into a more well-rounded manager when you do eventually hire staff. But which skills are the most important to develop from the get-go? We asked 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council which fundamental skill – tech, operations, leadership, etc. – all small business owners should have to manage day-to-day operations. They shared their answers below.

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It's in your best interest to be picky about prospective clients and then work to engage and retain them.