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As the online marketplace grows increasingly competitive, businesses must put in strategic effort to stand out from their competitors. Social media can serve as a powerful and cost-effective tool in achieving this goal by getting a brand's products and services in front of the right audience. To help small businesses make the most of their social media efforts, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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Communication is a pillar—if not the singular foundation of success—in business and in life.

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When searching for the right company to join, hopeful job seekers often consider professional development opportunities to be a major incentive to apply. However, for businesses with budget limitations, providing employees with the best development opportunities can be a challenge. Fortunately, some savvy businesses have found ways to create a culture of continuous learning and employee growth without breaking the bank. To that end, 13 Young Entrepreneur Council members weigh in with their best budget-friendly strategies for employee professional development.

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While some people may be resolving to start a new fitness routine or give up a bad habit in the new year, others may be hoping to start a business. The feeling of a fresh start and the boost of motivation the new year brings can be the catalyst necessary to finally take the leap into entrepreneurship. But, business ownership isn’t for everyone, and some aspiring entrepreneurs may be more excited about the idea of owning a business than they are about the sometimes tough realities that come along with it. To ensure you’re ready to take up the challenge, consider the following 12 questions as outlined by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council and determine if starting a business in 2024 is right for you.

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Kicking off the new year as an entrepreneur means taking a step back to lay down a strategic foundation for success. Taking certain pivotal steps can set the stage for a year full of growth, resiliency and accomplishment. But what are the steps that every business leader should take this January to start the new year strong?  Here, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council members explore their top tips for jump-starting your business in the new year. From strategic planning to embracing a growth mindset, follow their advice to propel you toward success in 2024.

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From securing funding to handling growth, launching a new business comes with several hurdles that must be cleared. Failure to understand these challenges can cause a business to falter before it ever truly gets off the ground. However, with the right preparation, entrepreneurs can overcome (and sometimes, even mitigate) obstacles and continue on the path to success. To help new and aspiring business owners looking to launch, Young Entrepreneur Council members share 10 common hurdles startups face—and how to most effectively overcome them.

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Interview questions always have a purpose behind them—whether it’s “What are your strengths?”, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “Why are you interested in this position?” Standard questions are generally considered standard for a reason, as they’ve been tried and tested at generating the information the hiring manager needs to make their decision. However, it’s often the nonstandard questions that can really tell you a lot about a person. Here, 13 business leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council share the questions they love to ask during interviews and why. Consider adding one or more of these options to your list to see what you can learn about your next job candidate.

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In his 2023 report, the U.S. Surgeon General reported that millions of Americans are lonely, not just at home, but also at work—and this continues to be an ongoing issue. While this trend began before the pandemic isolated millions of individuals from their families and friends, these feelings of loneliness have only increased since. As one’s work makes up a significant part of a person’s life, finding ways to seek connection with co-workers and build a sense of belonging and camaraderie is key to addressing this ongoing problem. So how can employers help? Here to share their insights, 10 business leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in on what employers can do to ensure their teams feel connected and supported at work, and discuss why doing so is so important for everyone’s well-being.

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In today's digital era, where an online presence can make or break a company's success, search engine marketing (SEM) has emerged as a powerful tool to enhance visibility and attract potential customers. From keyword optimization to compelling ad copy and a seamless user experience, understanding the fundamentals of SEM can pave the way for a flourishing online presence and long-term success. Here, Young Entrepreneur Council members explore practical and actionable strategies to help businesses enhance their search engine marketing game.

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Getting promoted or moving into a new role at your company can be a difficult path to take if you’re not sure how to get there. While you may feel you’re ready for such a change, you may still need certifications, new skills or more experience that can give you the resume you need to take on this new role. Rather than guessing what further qualifications you may need, it can be helpful to reach out to your manager first. By asking the right questions and starting the right conversations, you can learn a lot about what problems your company faces and what you can do to help tackle them. To help get you started, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council each offer one question they believe you should ask your manager if you're looking to both improve in your current role and advance in your company and career.

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Negotiating contracts and terms with clients is a critical aspect of any business engagement. Whether you're a freelancer, a small-business owner, or work for a large corporation, understanding and implementing effective negotiation strategies is crucial for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. To employ the best practices in contract negotiation—as well as safeguard your interests, foster productive client relationships, and ensure the smooth execution of projects—consider the following advice from members of the Young Entrepreneur Council.

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No matter how focused your business is on customer satisfaction, the occasional complaint is inevitable. Whether they occur in person at a physical store or through online channels, these complaints present a unique opportunity to turn the situation around and deliver a positive experience. By actively listening to the customer's concerns, businesses can demonstrate empathy, foster trust and find effective solutions that resolve the issue at hand and encourage that person to keep coming back. To that end, Young Entrepreneur Council members share a few key actions you can take to address negative feedback and create a positive outcome for the customer—and ultimately, your business.

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Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) can be an excellent way to measure the overall health of your business and predict its future successes or failures. From customer satisfaction to the cash conversion cycle, there are numerous metrics business leaders can track that will give them valuable insights into the inner workings of their businesses. Ensuring you’re paying attention to the right metrics may even save you from making costly mistakes that could be difficult to recover from. With that in mind, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend tracking these 11 KPIs if you want to dive deeper into the data behind your company’s performance.

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Being an entrepreneur requires a unique blend of creativity, vision and innovative thinking. To stay ahead in the ever-evolving business landscape, entrepreneurs need constant inspiration and fresh perspectives. Luckily, podcasts have become an invaluable (and readily available) source of knowledge and motivation for ambitious business minds. Whether you're just starting your entrepreneurial journey or are a seasoned professional, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) offer their suggestions by answering this question:

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Delegation is a fundamental skill that every leader must hone in order to effectively manage people and achieve organizational goals. However, not all delegation methods are created equal. Here, 11 Young Entrepreneur Council members share the key strategies that are most effective for leaders when it comes to delegating tasks and responsibilities to their teams.

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The rise of artificial intelligence is revolutionizing various industries, including content writing for businesses. However, the use of AI tools to generate content has sparked a heated debate in recent times. Advocates argue these tools offer numerous benefits, such as increased efficiency, improved productivity and cost savings. On the other hand, critics express concerns about the potential drawbacks, including the loss of human creativity, ethical issues and the risk of bias. Below, 14 Young Entrepreneur Council members contribute to the ongoing discussion surrounding AI content writing for businesses, examining both the positive aspects and the challenges associated with using these tools. By learning and weighing the pros and cons, businesses can make informed decisions about integrating AI into their content creation processes.

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Even the slightest changes can go a long way in creating a positive customer experience. Customer service is a critical aspect of any business, and it can make or break the company's reputation. Fortunately, providing a positive customer experience doesn't have to be a taxing or expensive undertaking -- even the slightest improvements can make a significant impact. For some simple yet effective strategies to improve your company's customer service, read on for eight tried-and-true tips from a group of successful entrepreneurs.

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From rejection and adversity to self-doubt, entrepreneurs will inevitably encounter many challenges as they work to build a thriving business. Fortunately, there are effective strategies new business owners can leverage to help them navigate the rough patches and stay motivated to achieve their goals.  Without preparing for unexpected setbacks and downturns, a new entrepreneur may struggle to maintain the focus and confidence they need to succeed. Here, 12 Young Entrepreneur Council members share their best advice for persevering through the difficulties that come along with entrepreneurship, offering tips to help entrepreneurs stay the course and find lasting success.

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In a data-driven business landscape, leaders rely heavily on analyzing company metrics to make informed decisions. However, understanding the multiple factors and points to consider when interpreting these metrics is crucial for accurate analysis.  Below, 18 Young Entrepreneur Council members share their tips to help a leader ensure their analysis of company metrics yields accurate and actionable insights. Using these strategies, a leader can determine whether the data indicates they're on course or if they should be prepared to challenge initial perceptions, alter strategic courses or take proactive measures for future success.

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Whether you are delivering a keynote speech, presenting a sales pitch or just leading a team meeting, effective communication is key to getting your message across and inspiring action. As a business leader, your ability to communicate effectively can make or break your career, as being an engaging speaker is not only essential for motivating your employees but also for pitching your ideas to potential investors, clients or partners. Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend nine tips that can help you improve your public speaking skills and reap the benefits of becoming an engaging speaker.

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Small actions to build trust with your team can go a long way. For employees, the CEO can seem like an elusive figure -- too busy and too important to engage with on a day-to-day basis. However, leaders who take the time to build relationships with their team members can create a more connected and engaged workforce. Being approachable is key, but it's not always easy to know where to start. To help, a group of entrepreneurs shared their tried-and-true strategies for creating an approachable, open work environment and building better relationships with their teams.

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Starting a new job can be stressful, so as a leader, it's crucial to make sure that your new hires feel welcome and supported from the very beginning. Here, 12 Young Entrepreneur Council members share onboarding strategies that leaders can use to ensure new employees feel welcome and that they get off to a successful start.

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Obtaining funding can be difficult for new business owners with a small or nonexistent team, but there are some effective ways to meet this challenge head-on. Launching a business as a solopreneur or with a small team can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with a unique set of challenges, particularly when it comes to accessing funds. With limited time and resources, finding the right funding opportunities can be a daunting task for new business owners. However, there are little-known but effective ways for solopreneurs and small teams to raise capital and fuel their growth. To help you tap into these underutilized methods, a group of successful business leaders shared some helpful funding options that can assist small startup teams access the capital they need to turn their ideas into successful businesses.

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Few customers actually enjoy being sold to, yet companies still have to be able to sell their products or services in order to survive. The trick comes in finding the balance between pitching your product and fulfilling the needs of your customers. If you find yourself unsure of how to get started, however, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have a few essential tips. Here, they share their advice for how to balance both the need to sell and the customer's desire not to be sold to when creating marketing content and why doing so will be the key to your business’s success.

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As your business grows, it's important to regularly assess whether your current software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor is meeting your needs. Some factors you can evaluate periodically are whether the vendor is able to scale with your business, provide necessary features and offer the level of support that you require — and if the answer is “no,” it may be time to move on to a new provider. To help you understand whether you've outgrown your current SaaS vendor, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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As an entrepreneur, you likely often find yourself pulled in all different directions. A phone call about an issue here, a knock at your door there and an ever-growing inbox can make it so your mind is constantly distracted and you never really have time to move the needle on any of the work that needs to get done. In order to be productive then, it’s key to develop a strategy for prioritizing your time. If you’re unsure how to get started, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have a few tips. Here, they share eight recommendations for prioritizing your time as a busy entrepreneur and explain why these methods have been so effective for them.

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Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or you’ve recently opened a business, you’re likely thinking about all the skills you’ll need to make your business thrive. While different types of businesses will require different skill sets of their owners, there are several skills that are universally useful across the small-business landscape. To share a few of their top picks, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council sound off below. Consider their recommendations if you’re looking to improve your leadership skills and better manage the day-to-day operations of your current or future business.

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When you're a freelancer, it's crucial to set client expectations upfront to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship. Not setting realistic boundaries and outcomes at the start can lead to critical misunderstandings. Over time, this can lead to burnout or even negatively impact your professional reputation. To help you avoid this outcome, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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Success as an entrepreneur takes more than just a good business idea -- you also need to have the right mindset. When it comes to entrepreneurial success, your state of mind is critical. Approaching your business with positivity and a goal-oriented mindset not only helps keep you motivated through the ups and downs, but it can also inspire and encourage your team to work together toward common goals. Below, a group of successful business leaders share some of the actions you can take to cultivate an "entrepreneurial mindset" and how doing so themselves has impacted their careers. Read on to learn how to apply these philosophies to your own day-to-day life.

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With the right project management tool, you can save you and your team valuable time and money as well as streamline your workflow and reduce stress. Having all your project information in one place ensures deadlines and details aren’t missed, and you’re better able to keep track of who is working on what and what roadblocks they may be facing. However, not all project management tools are created equal, and this means you’ll need to be intentional about determining which tool will best fit your team’s needs. To help, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss factors you should consider when looking for the perfect project management tool for your team and how these will help you make the right decision for your company.

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While increasing the number of visitors to your site is always the goal of any e-commerce business, it’s a goal that can quickly become overwhelming if your site isn’t properly set up first. As your e-commerce business and your customer base grows, a sudden spike in traffic or just a gradual increase in purchasers over time can result in slower load times, unprepared customer service agents, irritated customers and even a total website crash. To prevent this situation from happening, it’s vital to take steps ahead of time that can help prepare you and your site for more and more traffic. Here, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each share one step you should take to ensure your online store can handle an increasing number of visitors and shoppers and why that strategy is so effective.

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Like conducting an end-of-year performance review for your team members, conducting an end-of-year review of your company’s performance can help you glean insights about where your company is currently at and where you want it to go in the future.  These reviews can include anything from reviewing your finances to realigning with your original mission and vision, but according to the members of Young Entrepreneur Council, there are a few elements you’ll want to be sure you don’t miss. Below, they discuss nine of the elements you’ll want to include in your company’s end-of-year review and why, as well as how doing so can help set you up for a better new year.

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Social media isn’t the only place to find the latest trends. When taking a look at the business world as a whole over the last 12-month period, you’ll find a number of trends and initiatives that took hold of a large number of organizations. Whether it’s increased flexibility or organic lead capture, these trends grew popular for a reason—but will their popularity carry over into the new year? To share their predictions, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each discuss one business trend they saw really take hold in 2022 and why they think we will—or will not—continue to see this trend in 2023.

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Especially given the growing remote workforce, companies may be looking to tighten up their cybersecurity efforts come the new year. Hackers and cybersecurity threats unfortunately aren’t going anywhere, so finding new ways to secure your company’s technology and protect your customers’ data is a good practice to begin to ensure your business’s safety all year long. To offer up a few ideas for what you can do, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council list some of their recommendations for improving your cybersecurity efforts for the new year and why doing so is so important to the well-being of your company and its stakeholders.

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One of the most challenging quarters for business leaders is often Q4. There is often a rush to close out the year’s expenses, plan year-end initiatives and marketing campaigns, and coordinate holiday PTO. Even though Q4 is sure to be a busy season, it’s also a great time to do some business “housekeeping” and check in on annual goals that haven’t been completed. Here, eight Young Entrepreneur Council members each share one item that’s always included on their year-end checklist.

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Naturally, the goal of any business leader is to achieve financial success. This can mean many things depending on the entrepreneur and their objectives, but it often starts with money left over at the end of every month. However, after achieving this goal, the issue then becomes what to do with the extra money. Whether it’s reinvesting in the business or supplying your employees with new benefits or perks, there’s no one way to use excess profit, which is why the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their top tips for leveraging extra money below. When your company has grown and you’ve seen a certain amount of success, consider these next steps for improving your business and your peace of mind.

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As they plan for this year's holiday season, many business leaders are looking for something new to shake up their current marketing routine. It’s easy for holiday marketing to grow stale, especially when relying on old gimmicks or traditional strategies of years past. To stand out among the sea of other eager businesses looking to increase sales, companies will have to think a bit more creatively. To help, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each list one thing businesses can do to make their holiday marketing stand out from years past and explain what effect this will have on their relationships with their current and future customers.

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Running a small business can be time-consuming, so certain tasks may be pushed back in favor of more pressing ones. One task that should be prioritized, however, is professional development. By making the time to learn, you'll be better poised to grow as a leader and scale your business for the long term. To help you achieve this, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members responded to the following question:

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In some professionals' eyes, one "con" of remote work is the lack of visibility. Without your peers or your boss around you to notice you working on a project or accomplishing your goals, it can be all too easy to feel siloed, isolated and like you aren’t getting the recognition you deserve for your hard work. But just because you aren’t physically around your boss when working remotely doesn’t mean you can’t achieve the same level of visibility as you would in the office. To help, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the tips they'd give employees for how to increase their visibility and get their projects (and their hard work) noticed.

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Small businesses have taken a hit over the past few years with pandemic-related supply chain issues and increased inflation. Throughout these challenges, many business owners have been able to pivot and thrive in the current climate. However, there is always room for continued financial improvements to promote sustainable long-term growth. To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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Onboarding a new manager can be an overwhelming experience for both the new manager and the employee doing the training. Not only does the new hire have to learn the organizational culture and procedures, but they’ll also need to meet and establish a rapport with their team. The best way to set up a manager for success from day one is to implement a thoughtful, thorough onboarding procedure. Here, seven Young Entrepreneur Council members share their best tips for onboarding new managers, so these hires can be successful from the start.

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When you're feeling anxious about a presentation, a looming deadline or even a decision you made, relaxation is likely the last thing on your mind. However, the business world is full of stressful situations, and if you want to navigate it successfully, you’ll need to pick up a positive habit or two that can help you cope when things get tough. Anxiety doesn’t have to overwhelm you, and with the following eight tips, you’ll be better equipped to deal with it when it happens. From acknowledging your anxiety to leveraging silence, here are a few tricks you can use to get back in a healthier mindset, as recommended by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council.

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Of the many duties of a leader, perhaps one of the most important is bringing out the best in their team members. Understanding their needs, strengths and weaknesses and giving them opportunities to shine can help you set them up to succeed in any endeavor they take on. This is especially true as Gen Z professionals enter the workforce with their own perspectives and challenges to overcome.  To truly bring out the best in them, leaders can focus on a few key tips as recommended by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Here, they share their advice for helping this generation shine, and how doing so will benefit your overall business as well.

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When you hire great talent, you do so with the hope that they will be effective and productive in their work, overcoming challenges and meeting and exceeding goals. But even the best employee can’t accomplish much if they aren’t given the opportunities or the tools to do so. As a leader, you can help empower your staff to do their best work—but first, you’ll have to figure out how. As leaders themselves, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have had plenty of experience experimenting and figuring out what motivates their teams best. Below, they each share one tip they’d recommend you consider for empowering your employees to do their best work and why.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their insights on what makes effective ad copy. When it comes to advertising campaigns, you can tell when a brand has knocked it out of the park. The message is concise but impactful, and it communicates what the reader needs to know while drawing them in to learn more. Equally clear is when ad copy has missed the mark and produced an ineffective campaign. Fortunately, brands can follow a few basic principles to produce excellent, conversion-worthy advertisements. To that end, 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer their descriptions of the best ad copy and why they believe every marketer should meet these standards.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council share how changing these habits could bring you greater success in the marketing field. Marketing is a key part of any business that helps connect customers to your product or service and increases your bottom line. But even the most experienced marketers on your team may have developed bad habits throughout the years that hurt your business. Whether trying every new tool or taking on too many projects at once, some bad common practices persist among many professionals in the industry. To that end, 11 Young Entrepreneur Council members share some common bad habits they’ve seen in marketing and what you can do to change them.

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There’s a lot of great business advice out there—but there’s also an equal amount of unhelpful advice. While many people think they have the answers, only you can know what’s right for your business. However, it can sometimes be hard for new business owners to know what advice is worthwhile, leading to costly mistakes.  Below, eight Young Entrepreneur Council members each describe one piece of productivity advice they disagree with and why, and instead offer alternative advice they feel is more worthy of your attention.

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Every team needs someone who they can turn to for guidance, inspiration and motivation. Without a great leader, a business may quickly find itself directionless and producing poor results. As successful business leaders themselves, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have learned a lot about effective leadership during their careers. Below, nine of them share some of the lessons they’ve learned recently, and explain how these lessons have helped them improve their leadership skills and, ultimately, their businesses.

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Employers look for a variety of qualities and traits in job candidates. While you’ll always want to highlight the hard skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for, there are also soft skills that could help you land a job, even if you’re a little less qualified than the other candidates. Because it’s so important to develop these skills to impress potential employers, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer their insights on the soft skills they think are key to succeeding in any career and why you should develop them if you want to get hired.

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Creating and maintaining a website is often one of the most important parts of running a successful business. Without a website, customers will have a hard time discovering and purchasing your products or services, so it’s key to ensure your website is up and functioning properly. When you’re a solopreneur, however, and all of the work falls on your shoulders, it can be all too easy to let website maintenance fall by the wayside. To help offer some direction, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share some of the best practices solopreneurs should focus on when maintaining their websites and the impact this will have overall.

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Considering all the emails consumers receive on a daily basis, email marketing can be a tricky form of marketing to undertake. However, when done right, it can be an effective communication tool to gain new clients and customers. This also means that, with a little strategic planning and creative thinking, businesses can leverage their email marketing to increase brand loyalty and keep customers. But how do they do it? Here, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members share pointers on how businesses can improve their email marketing to boost brand loyalty and why this marketing tactic works so well.

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Small businesses starting from scratch have a long road ahead of them when it comes to building a brand. Defining a mission, finding your voice and building trust all take time to develop, but luckily there are a few key steps new entrepreneurs can take to get there a little faster.  To help get you started, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members responded to the following question:

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One of the quickest and easiest ways to gather applicants for an open position is to post an ad on a job board. There are several popular boards out there today, and each has its benefits and drawbacks.  But while job boards offer a quick and easy hiring solution, they aren't the only place to find the best talent. Many companies are looking for alternatives to posting on job boards in order to find the most suitable, high-quality candidates. To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend some alternatives to posting on job boards when looking to hire the right talent.

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With quotas to reach and profits to gain, it can be easy for a sales team to zero in on a "transaction now" mentality regarding consumer relationships. While this mentality makes for quick sales and easy wins, it can leave customers with a bad taste in their mouths. Building strong consumer relationships promotes customer loyalty and allows them to share their satisfaction with other potential consumers. So, to help transition your sales staff away from a transactional mentality to one centered around building consumer relationships, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips below.

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Even the most confident professionals have days where they might be feeling a little low or down on their game. Whether you wake up feeling on top of the world or a little less than confident, it's helpful to have a daily affirmation to remind yourself how special and important you really are.  Affirmations can be incredibly useful for building confidence and self-esteem. Below, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their favorite daily affirmations and discuss how they might help other professionals' attitudes or mindsets at work.

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No matter if working with a team is part of your daily routine or if it’s something you only need to do for special assignments, it's important to understand how to maintain creativity when working together. With a variety of minds and personalities working together, creative thought should flourish—but there are a few factors that can sabotage it if everyone isn’t careful. In order to avoid these factors, however, first you must identify them. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss these sabotaging factors and what teams and their leaders can do to prevent them.

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Marketing is both an art and a science. It requires acute attention to detail, in-depth analysis, an understanding of mass psychology and a level of creative thinking that not many people possess. There are, however, several things that the best marketers all have in common. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss these things and explain how they make marketers so good at their jobs.

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Innovation drives a business forward, so it’s important to know how to tap into it as well as harness the creativity of your team. To help you create an environment that’s conducive to brainstorming and new ideas, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips below.

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For years, podcasts have been delivering high-quality content to businesspeople around the world. Whether you're looking for business advice, inspirational feedback, personal stories or industry updates, there's a podcast to suit your fancy. To offer up an idea of the best business podcasts out there today, 11 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) respond to following question:

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Success in content marketing requires a deep knowledge of existing and prospective customers and successful, tailored campaigns to reach them all. But while reaching those customers and making the sale can be achieved with the right plan, there is still the possibility of making a lot of mistakes along the way. To see positive results from your content marketing efforts, there are some important "dos," but there are also some very important "don'ts" that should be considered. Below, 13 Young Entrepreneur Council members share their top actions to avoid in content marketing and why.

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Many aspiring entrepreneurs start their businesses as "side hustles" so they can keep a steady income from their day jobs while still working on what inspires them. Still, they may dream of the day when that side hustle can become their main hustle. To ensure the growth you need to take your business full time, there are a few things you can start doing now, even while only working on it part time. Below, Young Entrepreneur Council experts each share one thing you can do right now to turn your business dream into a reality in the not-too-distant future.

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Local shoppers can become a business's most loyal customers by helping spread the word about the business to other community members. It's important, then, for businesses to establish these local connections early on to see the best results from local marketing. To help businesses create more meaningful interactions with local community members, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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As more companies shift toward remote work, managers may find some employees struggling with productivity throughout the day. Whether it's tending to personal matters at home, reprioritizing tasks or warding off distractions, some employees may find it more difficult to work from home than in an office environment. Thankfully, there are multiple apps and software programs that can help you get back on track. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommended their favorite apps and software remote workers can use for increased productivity.

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Whether your schedule allows for flexible working hours or you hold a 9-to-5 job, you may find that your energy wanes throughout your workday. Whether it's from decision fatigue, stress or just a natural productivity slump, sometimes you just need a boost of energy to keep you going for the rest of the day. If you're unsure where to look for relief, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council have some strategies that may help. Below, they each share one thing that helps them regain productivity when they're in a slump.

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With the internet, social media, streaming services and more at our fingertips, it's easier than ever to start your own side hustle centered on curating your own content. As the demand for content—especially niche content about a specific subject or area of expertise—continues to grow, thought leaders and creators can establish themselves in the online space and even develop a loyal following, leading to potential revenue opportunities through advertising and sponsorship deals. However, for those unfamiliar with the process, it can be difficult to figure out how to monetize your content, especially early on. To help, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss their top tips for monetizing your content.

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When you invest in ongoing education and professional development for your employees, it shows them that you value their contributions to the company and, in doing so, it may also bolster morale and loyalty. To support this development, many companies will host speakers or workshops, but it's important to ensure your employees are feeling engaged — especially if it's a virtual meeting. To help you do this, 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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With so many competing companies in today's marketplace, customers have countless options when it comes to patronizing a business. To influence their decision-making, customers look for companies that they believe will add value to their lives.   Below, 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared their thoughts on ways small business owners can consistently bring value to customers. They explain how these methods strengthen a business's connection with its customers and ultimately ensure the company's longevity.

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Graduation season is quickly approaching, and many soon-to-be grads are now being inundated with advice from advisors, professors and family members about their chosen career paths. Deciding where to work can be a daunting decision, especially with so many promising fields to go into. There are numerous ways for graduates to apply their degrees and past work experiences to find fulfilling and exciting entry-level positions. To help make this decision a little easier for the class of 2022, the experts of Young Entrepreneur Council each share their thoughts on the best careers to get into right now and offer advice for future job seekers.

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A nightly routine is a perfect opportunity to unwind from the day and focus on your overall wellness. Whether you make a to-do list for the next day, write in a journal about the day's achievements and challenges or take time for screen-free relaxation, following the same practices night after night can help you set yourself up for success the next day. If you're thinking of creating a nightly routine, consider the following recommendations by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Below, they explain what they do each night and why they believe it sets them up for a successful next day. Try out their recommendations to see what works best for your evening rituals and habits.

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With technologies, knowledge and events constantly advancing, consumer values and behaviors naturally shift over time as well. In order to keep pace, businesses small and large must evolve alongside their audiences if they want to ensure they don’t become irrelevant in the market. But how can business leaders predict or discern what their customers will do or think next? Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council experts offer their advice on what entrepreneurs can do to keep up with customer behaviors and opinions and ensure their brands are shifting to meet changing needs.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the ways businesses can leverage technology to improve their sales strategies. Business today is all about leveraging technology to make even the most ordinary of functions faster and more effective, and sales is no exception. Although sales is still largely a person-to-person operation, taking advantage of certain tools or software can help make the sales experience more efficient and even more personal for the sales team and potential customers than previous methods. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members suggests ways in which any business can incorporate more tech into its sales process and why doing so will benefit everyone involved.

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Whether it's work-related, personal or both, everyone has weaknesses and "blind spots." In order to grow, it's crucial to pinpoint these weaknesses and work on improving them, either by yourself or with the assistance of others. Acknowledging you have weaknesses and working through them not only makes you a better entrepreneur, but it can also make you a better person in all facets of your life. To help you determine your game plan, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council each detailed one way you can actively work on your weaknesses, and how doing this will help you evolve as an entrepreneur.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the rules they think all entrepreneurs new to SEO should know. Whether you’re building your own website from scratch or are just getting a little more hands-on with its creation, entrepreneurs new to search engine optimization must figure out how to rank first (or at least high up) in search results. This project can seem like a daunting task. Luckily, though, a few key rules will help you to get started. Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council list the most important rules for those new to SEO and explain why they’re so vital for generating traffic.

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Helping employees understand and acclimate to your company’s culture is a critical part of any new hire onboarding process. But when it comes to onboarding new managers, there are additional considerations to keep in mind.  As a key leader in your organization, a manager needs to be familiar with more than just their individual department—they also need to understand how their department fits into the structure and goals of the entire company. Below, eight Young Entrepreneur Council members offer some of the elements needed in manager onboarding if you want to set them—and your company—up for success.

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There's a story behind the start of every business, and many entrepreneurs write books to share their own. Whether it's a motivating story of overcoming challenges, an inspiring story of passion or a story full of practical lessons and advice, an entrepreneur's first book can be used to help them grow their business.  To share insights on how to do that, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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Getting customers through the sales funnel can sometimes be an arduous task. It can also be difficult to juggle multiple prospects at different stages of the funnel, which is why it's important to automate what you can. Automating your sales process doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, either. Installing chatbots on your website to answer questions or reusing email templates for cold outreach are easy-to-implement solutions that can speed up your operations. Below, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council leaders shared their best strategies for how to save your sales team time and effort in the short and long term through automation.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer steps to take if you want to keep your home-based business safe from cyberattacks. When you’re launching a new business, cybersecurity and data protection likely aren’t top of mind for you. But doing business comes with a lot of sensitive information that you don’t want getting in the wrong hands, and the nature of being online means safeguarding that data should be approached from several angles — especially if you run your business from home. Whether you’re a solopreneur operating from your home office or a remote-first startup, there are a few steps you need to consider to ensure your business’s safety online. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council experts weigh in on those steps and how they can help prevent cybercrime.

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Small habits and practices might be contributing to burnout without you even realizing it. Burnout is becoming more common than ever in the professional world, especially among entrepreneurs. You may feel tired, unmotivated or even irritable as a result of working too much without adequate rest periods and time for yourself. From overbooking meetings to maintaining an erratic sleep schedule, there are numerous practices that might be contributing to this condition. It's important to prevent and address burnout as soon as you recognize it so you can function at 100 percent instead of feeling stretched too thin. Below, seven entrepreneurs shared some unhealthy habits that might be causing you to burn yourself out unintentionally and how you can get back on the right course.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss how to leverage tech to meet diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Technology has clear uses in business, whether it’s to create more engaging marketing content or to track annual sales revenue. But one area where its use might not be so obvious is with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). As employers and employees alike are putting increased focus on this area, however, technology can be leveraged to both meet DEI goals and create new initiatives. But how exactly can technology be used to drive progress in this area? Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members list a few of the ways in which technology can be used to advance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and explain why leaders should take advantage of these benefits now.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend upgrading your business software or hardware when you notice these signs. A business can only be as successful as the tools it uses to conduct that business — which means that having the right technology at your disposal is vital to your ability to please your customers and succeed in the long term. Trying to make due with outdated or inefficient technology may save you money upfront, but the effects of this can build up to major problems down the line. So how will you know when it’s time to upgrade? Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share 11 clear signs you can look for that will indicate it’s time to update your current technology and improve your productivity.

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Starting a new business isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes courage, ambition, and a tangible plan. Many people will be eager to support you on your journey, but some may actually give you advice that could hurt your chances for success. Here, members of Young Entrepreneur Council list an “unlucky 13” collection of the worst startup advice they were given, and explain why that misguided startup advice is so harmful to entrepreneurs who are just starting out.

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No matter your current role, when work gets to be too stressful or monotonous you may begin to daydream about moving on to bigger and better things—things that you're in charge of. The thought of starting a new chapter of your life where you call all the shots can be thrilling, but the reality of making such a move isn't always what you dreamed of. Before you make the life-changing decision to trade your position in an organization for entrepreneurship, take the time to consider what that really means. Below, 10 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the most important things a person should consider before quitting their job to become an entrepreneur.

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One income stream isn't enough for many people to make a comfortable living these days. Luckily, there are a myriad of ways for a working professional to make money on the side — so many, in fact, that it can be difficult to settle on just one.  If you need to start a second stream of income but are having trouble determining how you want to do it, answering a few crucial questions can help set you on the right track. Here, 10 members of YEC share some of the most important questions you can ask yourself to figure out the best side hustle for you.

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Social media is an effective, low-cost way to market your company’s products or services, and is also a great way to keep customers engaged while expressing your brand’s mission. However, to make the most of a platform’s potential, you need to be active and strategic, which can require your entire team’s involvement. To get your employees excited to participate, consider the following advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council.

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When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, it put many professionals out of work. Others faced cutbacks on hours or began working remotely, which allowed more time for pursuing multiple income streams. These factors led to a major uptick in startup and small business launches, many of which are still thriving as we enter 2022.  With this fact in mind, a panel of 11 Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) experts answered the following question:

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The beginning of January is ripe with new possibilities. "New Year's resolution" season is the perfect time for companies to reassess their business vision and set concrete goals for the upcoming year. Not sure what resolutions you should make for your business this year? Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council each shared one resolution they believe companies should set for 2022 and why.

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Strong, clear communication is a must when it comes to manager-employee relationships, but certain behaviors can work against you. Strong communication skills can help anyone thrive in a business environment, but when it comes to managing employees, they are absolutely essential. An effective communication strategy can help leaders optimize the flow of information within their organization and keep teams on track.  Below, 12 Young Entrepreneur Council members shared some of the biggest communication mistakes managers make. Follow their advice for avoiding these common errors and setting up stronger lines of communication with your team.

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Even if you're not feeling on top of your game, you can still use these "fake it 'til you make it" tips. When candidates are interviewing for a job, confidence is key. Employers want to see that you know your stuff and that your skills and qualifications are up to par. However, it can be hard to have confidence while under pressure. Fortunately, there are some strategies and tips that can help you present a confident, collected demeanor, regardless of how you feel inside. Below, 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share how these methods work to help candidates perform better during interviews.

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Business owners in any industry can affirm that running a company is a lifelong lesson. Though many entrepreneurs have strong gut feelings and a long history of success when it comes to decision making, there are times when they make bad business decisions as well. In these situations, your whole outlook on your business can change. You may even feel discouraged from making significant decisions in the future. To help entrepreneurs learn from their unsuccessful decisions, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared some lessons they've learned from times they were proven wrong in business and how it has impacted their decision making now.

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E-commerce has steadily risen in popularity among aspiring entrepreneurs who want a simple business model with less overhead than a traditional retail store. Selling online is a great way for inexperienced entrepreneurs to make money, test their business acumen and interface with customers online. However, like any business, creating an e-commerce site isn't as easy as paying for a domain and letting the website sit. You have to ensure a positive customer experience with great products and excellent service. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council give their best advice for building a successful e-commerce site for those with no or limited business experience.

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As a professional, there are dozens of goals you may have, such as getting a raise, snagging a promotion or simply wanting to be recognized for your hard work. Annual performance reviews are an excellent time to discuss your goals with your manager to make sure you are heading in the right direction with your company. No matter your position, there are some steps you can take months ahead of your annual review to set you up for success sooner. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council each shared one thing any employee can do starting in January to get ready for their annual review at the end of the year.

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In the war for tech talent, a well-crafted, well-placed job listing can make all the difference. There's a certain art to listing a job, from posting to the right websites to using the right language that will attract the right candidate. This can be especially difficult when trying to find the best tech talent. Depending on the exact wording of the job listing, your company could potentially receive tons of applications from candidates who aren't right for the job. On the other hand, many talented potential applicants may pass by your job listing if it doesn't appeal to their unique skill set and career goals. To help, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members offered their best advice for optimizing your tech job listings.

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Sometimes, all you need is a little boost to get yourself and your goals on the right track. While some people are naturally driven to accomplish their goals, not everybody is as motivated. Although it isn’t always easy, getting motivated can push you forward and help you advance in the world. That’s why it helps to have some go-to strategies for giving yourself a boost of confidence and energy. As successful business leaders, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have learned and developed some effective self-motivation techniques to kickstart their drive and passion. Below, they share these techniques and describe how they can help you excel in your career and life. Q. How can someone become a more driven person? What's one unique technique they can use to self-motivate and find the drive to excel in their career and life?

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While it may not always feel like it in the moment, business challenges are great opportunities for growth. When we’re thrown outside of our comfort zones, we build confidence and see our strengths. This is especially true for business leaders and entrepreneurs, who face a constant stream of challenges that can often be turned into positive opportunities. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared experiences where they used a challenge as a learning opportunity. They describe how it affected them and how they used the lesson to improve their business.

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We live in a world of constant distractions and interruptions. While it's easy to blame these external factors for our lack of focus, it's often our own reactions to and bad habits around those distractions that are truly sabotaging us. In the remote work era, certain productivity-killing habits like multitasking and constantly checking notifications have become even more common as professionals try to juggle work and home life. Below, 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some practices that may be unintentionally hurting your ability to focus and how to break those bad habits for good.

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During the pandemic era, virtual events like webinars and conferences have become more common, offering business value and education from the comfort of your home. Although these online gatherings are popular, it’s hard to drum up the same level of excitement for them that people seem to have for in-person events. As successful business leaders, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have seen their fair share of successful digital events and understand what factors will generate interest and engagement. Below, 10 of them offered their best tips on how to draw a crowd and increase sign-ups for your company’s virtual events.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend using these e-commerce tricks for lowering shopping cart abandonment rates. Losing money is never at the top of any business owner’s to-do list, but when eager shoppers suddenly back out of the checkout process and abandon their online shopping carts, that’s exactly what happens. Implementing strategies to reduce this rate of cart abandonment, therefore, should be a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur. To help get you started, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared their top “hacks” for lowering online shopping cart abandonment rates and why implementing these tricks is so effective.

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Many product-based companies want to be carried by major retailers, but with so much competition, only a select few ever achieve that goal. Landing your product in a major retail store will take a lot of time and persuasion, and you’ll have to be able to demonstrate why your product is worth a retailer’s shelf space.  To help entrepreneurs sell their product to a big retail store, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council members shared their best advice. Here, they offer important steps an entrepreneur can take to get their product on shelves nationally and even globally.

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Competition between businesses gets fierce during the holiday season. This means your marketing game needs to be on point if you want to steal the spotlight from your competitors and attract more customers during this busy time of year — especially if you're a small- and medium-sized business operating on a limited budget. To help get you started, 12 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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Clear communication and empathy go a long way. Of all the positive traits a leader can possess, the ability to be fair and equitable in the most challenging of circumstances is a crucial one. A leader who is able to ensure that everyone on their team is being treated fairly is someone who has the ability to see things from an objective perspective and to solve problems creatively. Employees are also more likely to respect a leader who makes a conscious effort to treat everyone fairly and holds themselves accountable to the same standards as well. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the most important questions they ask themselves when they want to be sure that they're leading their teams in a fair and equitable way.

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As a leader, it’s important to ensure that every voice at your company is heard, no matter the size of the team. Barriers should be broken between upper and lower management, if they exist, to allow for the free flow of information and ideas. But it can still sometimes be difficult for lower-level employees to feel their ideas are being heard all the way at the top. Below, nine Young Entrepreneur Council members share specific steps leaders can implement to encourage the sharing of ideas across all levels of the organization.

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Email marketing can be extremely effective for advertising products, whether through sale announcements or updates highlighting new items. But this marketing channel can also be leveraged in a number of other ways to connect with customers on a more direct and personal level, ultimately leading to more purchases. If you're looking to expand your current email marketing efforts, it's important to explore and execute the right strategies for your business. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some of their favorite email marketing strategies that go beyond just selling a product.

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Like any other skill, better communication comes with practice. Whether you’re a business leader or an everyday employee, communication is an essential skill that can launch your career to the next level — if harnessed correctly. The power to communicate can better your relationships with your clients and colleagues, move you forward with projects and increase your opportunities for success in your industry. But while communication comes naturally for many professionals, for others, it takes a bit more practice and intention to get right. To offer their advice, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips for professionals looking to improve their communication skills and progress in their careers.

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Regular pay raises can show employees how much you appreciate their hard work and can also prevent them from feeling dissatisfied in their current environment. However, it's important to know when a raise will be the most effective and well-earned. That's why a panel of experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) weighed in on the following question:

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A few simple tricks can help you regain that lost motivation. If lately you’ve been feeling disengaged at work, like you’re lacking motivation to complete daily tasks or like you’re just generally unhappy with how your career is going, you may have fallen into a work rut. While easy to fall into, ruts aren’t always easy to get out of, especially if you don’t have the right mindset or the right strategies in place. To provide some guidance, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer 13 tips for how to effectively pull yourself out of a work rut and get reengaged with your career goals. Try these steps to see where your newfound motivation takes you.

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A strong manager can inspire loyalty and guide their team toward reaching their goals, helping the company reach new heights. Conversely, a manager who is ineffective or difficult to deal with can drive away talented employees, leading to high turnover rates and the subsequent loss of time and capital. That's why it's crucial for managers of all levels to focus not only on team deliverables and outcomes, but also on their own leadership skills as well. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared their best strategies for business leaders looking to help their managers succeed and retain more employees.

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One of the most intimidating things about starting a business is having to pitch your idea to a room full of investors. Sometimes a pitch will go great—and then sometimes it won’t. When you start breaking a sweat and feeling like you’re about to mess up, it may seem like your presentation is on its way to becoming a train wreck. However, with some expert advice and a little bit of confidence, you can salvage an investor pitch meeting that’s going downhill. To help, 13 successful entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council share key steps you can take to turn things around and get investors to take a chance on your business.

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When you work in a team setting, conflict is inevitable. However, when members of your team aren't getting along, the negative energy can be toxic for the entire team and the business can suffer as a result.  Part of a leader's responsibility is to help mediate conflict in such situations and generate positivity throughout the team. Here, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share the most effective ways they know to mediate conflict and provide positive conflict resolution when their team members aren’t working well together.

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Chief operating officers (COOs) are important assets to every organization. This critical C-level role oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the business they serve, as well as manages departmental leaders under their areas of purview. When it comes to hiring the right person for the role of COO, you may need to think beyond your normal hiring processes. To help, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared 10 tactical steps all companies should take to ensure they hire the best COO for their team.

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As your company grows, you might face challenges maintaining the same level of transparency across departments and teams as you had when your company was small. However, doing so is crucial to cultivating a healthy company culture with every employee on the same page. A big part of promoting transparency is ensuring clear communication between all departments, especially when it comes to shared projects and goals. To help you do this, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council explained how to achieve the right level of communication and transparency.

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There's a lot of planning that goes into designing the look of a retail store. While you definitely want to add style elements that are expressive of your brand, you also need to consider your target customers. A well-designed store will not only attract more customers, but can also lead to higher sales. To help you figure out the most important aspects to consider when designing your retail store, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss some major issues with the e-commerce experience. In 2020 alone, e-commerce sales worldwide reached a total of nearly $4.3 trillion, and it continues to be one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. However, that doesn't mean consumers are always happy with their online shopping experience. From lack of product information on e-commerce websites to slow page speeds, customers have spotted holes in the e-commerce experience providers should be filling. To help e-commerce companies create better customer experiences, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared the biggest pain points customers face and potential solutions companies can implement.

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Everyone has to start somewhere when building their skills. Here's where to begin if you want to lead. When someone thinks of leadership skills, they may think of decisiveness, the ability to delegate and problem-solving. Each of these skills can go a long way in career and personal development. However, not everyone always knows how to develop those skills or where to turn to for advice.  Whether you want to be a leader or just start taking a more active role in your life, consider this advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Below, each shared one action you can take to start improving your leadership skills today and how they might help you in other aspects of your life and career.

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It’s a common tenet of American culture that with a little hard work and determination, you can make your greatest dreams come true. While being a hard worker is an admirable trait, it can quickly turn into a negative one if your everyday life is consumed by work. This fact has been amplified by the remote work era, when the line between work and personal time has become completely blurred for professionals who work from home. For any professional, however, it’s best to strive for a healthier, more balanced life instead of working around the clock. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their tips for how best to achieve this balance and break free from this negative stereotype.

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Weekly standups and regular reports are great ways for leaders to check in with their teams. These are times to briefly share updates and ask about any concerns or questions the team may have before the day or week begins. But while many companies know that checking in with their teams on a regular basis is a positive thing, some may just be hosting these meetings as a way of going through the motions. In order to get the most out of these meetings, you have to be intentional, which is why 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council each shared one thing leaders can do to make weekly standups more useful and meaningful for them and their team members.

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As a business leader, you may already possess ideal traits, such as assertiveness, adaptability and conscientiousness. But perhaps you've noticed that you're lacking in other areas in which you could become a better leader. The first step is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips on how to step outside your comfort zone.

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Scaling a business usually means employees will be taking on new tasks and responsibilities and new rules or processes may be put in place. Depending on how fast the company grows, the employees may become frustrated with all the changes, leading to disengagement and low team morale. If not addressed, this lack of connection with the business and its goals can be the first step to losing those employees. Business leaders who want to retain their talented employees should figure out the best techniques for keeping this frustration to a minimum. To help, ten members of YEC discuss how a business can make employee retention a high priority while growing the company.

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Taking on the leadership role of a manager can be daunting the first time. You're in charge of an entire team, and their successes and failures fall largely on your shoulders. Even though it can be intimidating, it's important to start on the right foot. If you're a first-time manager, you'll want to prove to your company why you were the best person for this position. Begin your new career path successfully by following these tips from expert managers from Young Entrepreneur Council.

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Digital receipts, online bank statements and cloud-based document storage are the norm in today's business world. Some business owners may wonder whether they truly need physical copies of any documents at all these days. However, some important documents should always exist in both physical and digital form.  To that end, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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Searching for a new job is a long, difficult process, so when you land a job interview, it can feel like such a relief. But what if you are fighting to earn a position you should actually run away from? Some potential employers and work cultures will be toxic to your ability to work well and perform at your best. Before accepting a job offer, you should evaluate the employer and company as a whole. Here, members of Young Entrepreneur Council provide eight warning signs that a company may be a bad place to work. Job candidates can use these red flags as a guide for what to avoid and to instead help find the right environment for them.

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Gauging how happy and fulfilled employees are in their jobs is important for small business leaders to do in order to determine the health and strength of their businesses. The more satisfied employees are, the more likely they'll stay with the company long term and the higher their productivity will be. But how can you know if your staff is enjoying their work, especially when they may not feel comfortable expressing their true feelings with their superiors? To help, 10 small business experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answered the following question:

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There are some business leaders who instantly light up a room when they walk into it. They have this charisma that draws people to them and makes others want to listen. However, if you don't feel like you have this type of personality naturally, you don't have to give up on being able to make a positive impact on others. With a few simple techniques, you can be a business leader whom others look up to and wish to be.  Below, 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council offer their best advice for how to be a positive influence even when charisma doesn't come naturally to you.

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With the rich educational value podcasts often provide their listeners, it’s no surprise that the business community turns to this popular form of content to improve their skills and strategies. Some entrepreneurs even make major business decisions based on the information they’ve learned and the stories they’ve listened to on podcasts. With this in mind, 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council responded to the following question:

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For new business owners, it may not always be clear when to move beyond core employees and begin bringing on some new teammates. Growing pains are normal for a startup that is doing well, so until you see your employees are struggling, you may not realize that it’s time to bring on additional help. To help you better spot the signs, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members offer eight indications that your company needs additional support staff. Look for these issues within your business so you can face the problems head-on and give your employees the help they need to do their jobs well.

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Everyone experiences changes in their lives, whether big or small, and the stress that comes along with these changes can either hurt you or allow you to grow stronger. One of the best ways to manage this stress is to learn to be more adaptable. When you're able to adapt, you're less likely to feel stressed by minor or major changes that happen in life. Here, 13 members of Young Entrepreneur Council explain how you can adapt to whatever comes your way so you can fight off the stress of new circumstances.

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Startup accelerators and incubators are great opportunities for new businesses to grow and scale their operations quickly. These programs are pivotal for the startups who participate in them, as they often provide access to exclusive business resources and funding opportunities. However, they can also be highly competitive -- acceptance to an accelerator program relies on creating a compelling pitch and proving your startup's potential right out of the gate. If you're thinking of applying to a startup accelerator or incubator, consider this advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council.

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One of the best ways to learn how to manage your employees is to ask them questions. If you pose the right questions, you'll get to know what motivates your employees and what their goals are. You can then use this information to manage them more effectively and help them succeed in their jobs. To help you figure out which questions to ask, 12 business leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) respond to a question of their own:

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Good business advice can come from anywhere, at any time in an entrepreneur's journey. Some of those lessons will come directly from mentors and fellow business leaders; other times, they're learned through firsthand experience. No matter the source, some tips can be so impactful that they influence the course of an entrepreneur's business. The experts of Young Entrepreneur Council each have their own pieces of game-changing advice they’ve discovered along their journey. Below, nine of them share the best lessons they've learned that they want to pass along to fellow small business owners.

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A positive role model is someone others want to emulate and follow, and successful entrepreneurs often become — sometimes unknowingly — the role models for other professionals. Whether it’s at work or in their personal lives, these leading entrepreneurs become a focus of attention because they have qualities that aspiring founders strive to replicate. The members of Young Entrepreneur Council recognize, however, that in order to be positive role models for others they need to work on being the best versions of themselves as well. Below, 13 of them share some ways you can work to become a great role model not only for other people, but also for yourself.

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First impressions are everything, especially when you’re first starting out on the job. When you’re trying to make a name for yourself within a new role or company, it’s important to know how to make an excellent impression. As successful business leaders, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council know that first impressions can lay the foundation for the rest of your time at any organization. Below, 10 members detailed the best things a new hire can do to impress their managers and company right off the bat. Here's why those actions are so impactful and can prove your worth and value as an employee.

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One of the best ways to keep a business innovative and growing healthily is for leaders to set tangible goals for teams. To motivate teams to accomplish their goals, it helps to assess the progress toward meeting them on a quarterly basis. This way, at the end of every quarter, the whole team can look back and track the progress they’ve made, see what still needs to happen and prepare for the quarter ahead. To help, 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared tips for assessing accomplishments at the end each quarter so that you can plan or revise strategic goals. gear up for the next one and keep your company on course.

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Small businesses have several benefits over larger companies, but resources aren’t usually one of them. This limitation can significantly impact the way a small business deals with new hires. While a larger company can dedicate weeks or months to training a new employee under an experienced team, smaller businesses don't always have that luxury. The result is that these smaller enterprises have to be more creative with their onboarding. Below, 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) delve into this topic by answering the following question:

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With so many people accustomed to working in remote environments, businesses no longer need a centralized location to find success. If they make strategic choices about which technologies to adopt, ambitious entrepreneurs can launch, run and grow a successful business right from their own home. One important part of the equation in building a home-based business is having the right tech tools in place. Below, ten members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss key ways for entrepreneurs to leverage technology to help their home-based business thrive. Follow their tips to set yours up for success.

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A successful business sale takes careful planning and preparation, so make sure you're ready before you start negotiations. For many entrepreneurs, selling the company they built from the ground up is a lucrative opportunity that will set them up for retirement or their next business venture. However, a successful sale is not as simple as finding a buyer and signing some paperwork. There's a lot of preparation and planning that goes into an acquisition, and any founder who wants to sell their company must be ready for that process. Below, a group of entrepreneurs shared eight best practices founders should follow when they're looking to sell their business. Follow their recommendations to ensure a smooth transition into the next phase of your career journey.

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When you've spent tens or hundreds of hours preparing for a deal, there's a distinct sense of relief when it gets to the point of closing. Yet, even in these situations, the deal still can go sideways if not handled carefully. Using the wrong negotiation tactic here could mean all your hard work goes down the drain or the deal remains open. So how can a professional ensure that the deal gets closed? To help, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss negotiation tactics that have been instrumental for closing deals in their own experiences and why they worked so well.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council explain how to craft SEO content that will withstand trends. In a world of changing algorithms and content trends, it’s important to prioritize search engine optimization (SEO) to keep up with competitors and get found by your audience. When creating content, you’ll want to appeal to current trends so you’re actually able to reach your target audience. However, it's also important to follow proven best practices that give your content staying power, no matter how many times search algorithms are updated. To help, members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared tips for creating long-lasting, SEO-friendly content. Follow their advice to publish pieces that stand the test of time.

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Trust is an essential ingredient for the success of your business.

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As a new entrepreneur, you might battle limiting beliefs or unrealistic expectations that you’ve yet to flag or identify. However, as you progress in your business, you’ll learn there are certain ideas and habits you’ll need to shed in order to reach your fullest potential.  The first step to doing so, of course, is acknowledging what you must set free. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared the most important things they gave up in order to advance in their careers. Here's how letting go helped them move forward.

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Working from home has become the norm for many professionals during the pandemic. However, not every remote employee has found the ideal way to plan their workday. It can be difficult to focus when handling your tasks from home, especially if there are other family members or distractions present during your working hours. That's why eight Young Entrepreneur Council members offered their insights on how remote employees can best schedule their day. Here’s how you can create a daily plan that promotes productivity and focus.

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From ramping up online offerings to implementing new health and safety protocols, the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way people do business—especially for physical retail stores navigating the future of post-pandemic shopping. While it can be challenging for companies to pivot their operations based on customers’ changing needs and expectations, it can also serve as a unique opportunity for growth. To help you thoughtfully transform your in-store experience, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council answered the following question:

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Building a brand is an essential part of starting a business. The brand should accurately reflect what the company is, what it offers, its values and more. Along with a brand, however, comes the story that lets consumers understand the “why” behind your company. To help you develop that story, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared the most important components of a captivating brand story and how to leverage them. Follow their tips to craft a story that will engage your audience and build a loyal following.

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Make the decision to make fewer decisions. Making decisions is a necessary and frequent part of any businessperson's day. The decisions they make can have a significant and fundamental impact on their company’s future. However, making those decisions can have a profound effect on the entrepreneur as well. Having to consider each facet of a problem to come up with a viable solution takes significant mental energy — especially when it happens multiple times a day. To help ease some of that decision fatigue, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council examine the following question:

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When you think about outstanding personal branding, at least one person comes to mind. This person displays all the elements of what a personal brand should be, but they also have a little something more—an “X” factor. But what are these factors and how can other entrepreneurs tap into those same skills or traits for their own benefit? Below, eight professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council discuss their favorite examples of amazing personal branding and the particular elements that make them so outstanding.

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Whether you’re a business leader or just someone trying to improve their life, surrounding yourself with positive people can be an important part of personal development. Aside from offering support when you most need it, positive people can also challenge you to grow and evolve as an individual, all while giving you the confidence you need to take action. But how do you find these positive people and make them a part of your inner circle? Twelve experts from Young Entrepreneur Council examine some of the steps you can take to locate and attract positive people to stand in your corner and challenge you to grow in both your personal and professional lives.

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Organizations may carry with them a long history, but sometimes, it may be necessary to revamp the way a brand appears to the public. Successful rebranding keeps the core promise of the business but reinvents how the consumer sees them. While some companies may benefit from that traditional appeal, many others realize that consumers prefer a business that they see as modern and innovative. Businesses who choose to rebrand can breathe new life into their enterprise and change how consumers view their products or services. However, rebranding is a risky choice since it could backfire if poorly done. To help, eight experts from Young Entrepreneur Council suggest several critical steps businesses should take to ensure successful rebranding.

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Putting together a book takes time, energy and a lot of effort. And while it accounts for a lot of the book's labor, writing isn't the only thing an entrepreneur needs to concern themselves with. Publishing the book and the marketing associated with it also have a place in the overall success equation. But not all new writers know what to expect from the writing process. To help, 11 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answer the following question:

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When you’re trying to get a business off the ground, you don’t always have a lot of resources at your disposal. In order to gain some momentum, it may then be necessary to “cut a few corners.” However, this doesn’t mean you have to betray your ethics, as there are a few elements of business you can reasonably (and legally) cut or save money on to help give your business the kick-start it needs to get going. For guidance on where to begin, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer a few suggestions on how to save money in the early days of your startup and why you should do so to provide better service to your customers and successfully grow your business.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips for combating the discouraging thoughts that plague many entrepreneurs. As you're tackling challenges in business, it can be easy to fall into the trap of negative self-talk. This pattern of behavior, while common, can be extremely discouraging and leave you mentally and emotionally depleted. To embrace your fullest potential, you’ll want to become your own biggest advocate and engage in healthier, more empowering dialogue with yourself. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared their best strategies for overcoming the toxic, negative self-talk that can hold you back as a business leader.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council explain the tactics they've used to encourage customer downloads of their branded mobile apps. In today's mobile-first world, businesses can get tremendous value from developing and promoting branded mobile apps. It's a great way to reach customers where they are and it provides them an exciting new way to engage with your brand. The problem, however, is that app fatigue may discourage consumers from downloading your newly launched mobile app. They may think, "Why should I download another app on my phone when I can just go to the company's website?" To show your customers your app is valuable and worth downloading, consider these 11 tried-and-true strategies leveraged by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council, who have successfully encouraged consumers to use their companies' mobile apps.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council share some foolproof ways to break down a complicated concept for your target market. You come up with a great idea. On paper, it makes perfect sense. You and your team talk about it together all day long, but when you go to explain the idea to your target audience, the idea just doesn’t translate well and you lose them. It can be frustrating to not have the skills or words to properly articulate your concept, but effective communication is a core skill for any entrepreneur. That’s why the members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some simple ways you can successfully explain challenging concepts to their audience. Try these strategies to help you get your idea across, no matter who you’re talking to.

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At a time when in-person meetups are typically off the table, virtual networking platforms like LinkedIn can be valuable resources for business owners. The opportunity to connect regardless of location can open doors that just aren’t possible without these online tools. But while LinkedIn has some of the same features as traditional social media sites, its purpose, and therefore its use, should differ. To help professionals leverage LinkedIn and other virtual networking opportunities correctly, eight associates of Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in with their best advice on how to effectively utilize virtual networking to achieve your goals and how these practices might differ from in-person networking.

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Remote work has quickly become the norm across much of the corporate world. Yet, with so many professionals used to in-person interaction, this shift to digital messaging has rapidly and fundamentally changed workplace communication. With increased opportunities for misunderstandings in written text, potential overuse of gifs and emojis, plus a completely different dynamic from in-office communication, professionals need to adjust to the new digital workplace, whether that’s on Slack or communication platforms like it. Here, eight experts from Young Entrepreneur Council offer tips for how individuals can communicate effectively and professionally on these platforms and explain why they’re so key to a productive workplace.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss how you’ll know when it’s time to consider a career switch. From decreased motivation to frustration with the industry, every professional faces ups and downs in their career. It’s quite common for even the most passionate employees to fall into a funk, then come through the other side of it just as fulfilled as before. However, those negative thoughts or feelings you’re experiencing can also signify something deeper. Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share some of the signs you may actually be ready for a significant career move. Read on to discover if you’re just in a temporary funk or if you need to consider making a change.

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Entrepreneurs often find themselves swamped by work, with little or no time to be mindful of themselves and what is happening around them. Mindful moments aren’t always easy to come by, so business leaders need to take advantage of them when they show up or learn to be intentional about making the time for them. To help you find easy ways to incorporate a mindfulness practice into your daily work routine, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council explore how you can be mindful during work and how vital it is in keeping you productive and focused on your tasks.

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When heading a company, there are certain budget items that should be of critical concern. Basics like payroll and product costs are easy to figure in to your operational budget. But business is nothing without its unexpected expenses, and there are bound to be a few that CEOs will forget to account for. While you won’t be able to anticipate everything, with the right information and resources, you can avoid a potentially big financial problem. To help, eight professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council offer insight into some of the unexpected expenses that CEOs should look out for and what could happen if they don't.

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When it comes to small and large businesses, not every encounter has to be about competition. Sometimes, interactions could result in a mutually beneficial partnership. The path to getting there, however, isn’t always so clear. For small businesses to ensure they are heard and that they don't get the short end of the stick in the deal, there are certain steps they should take. To provide some insight on exactly which steps you should consider taking first, 10 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in on what a smaller company should do to get noticed and strike a beneficial partnership with a larger company.

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Entrepreneurs share their favorite tools, apps, and software for managing and interacting with customers. Connectivity is of the utmost importance in the modern world. In business particularly, social media, email, and other outreach methods have the potential to engage consumers like never before. In such a highly connected society, a business that doesn't leverage these tools for consumer engagement is at a disadvantage compared to its competitors.  This is why many businesses utilize several channels of communication to ensure that their customers always feel engaged. But what sort of tools do they use to accomplish that job? Here, 18 members of YEC discuss their favorite tools, apps, and software they use to drive customer engagement efforts and connect with their audiences.

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When posting a job listing, businesses generally have their go-to, established platforms that they know are frequented by potential candidates. Sometimes, however, a company needs to think outside the box when sourcing talent. Occasionally, the least obvious places to post vacancies may result in the most remarkable outpouring of candidates. That’s why these 12 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) reflect on the following question:

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17 members of YEC share effective tactics for gathering together leaders in a way that will lead to actual productivity and strategizing. For a business to thrive it needs its leaders to be able to communicate, plan and execute effectively. In order to do this, it’s vital for leaders to gather together — whether in person or virtually — to discuss plans and exchange ideas. For most leaders, these meetings are a chance to have their say in how the business runs. And with companies these days looking at ways to pivot and take advantage of a new business environment, it's not strange to see companies branching out to find more creative ways to bring leaders together. In the past, boardrooms or conference venues were the preferred meeting point for leaders. But as busy executives, it can be challenging to find a time that works for everyone. And even if you can get together, meetings that don’t have a game plan may not always lead to the most productive conversation. Below, 17 members of YEC look at different creative ways business leaders can gather together for effective strategizing and conversation.

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Businesses never stay the same size forever. An entrepreneur may yearn for the early days when their business was just a handful of people. But over time, businesses find great success and become entities that may span several offices and regions. The positive part of this expansion is that the business is doing well and bringing in more income. The downside is that, with so many new people, the company culture may start to suffer. In order for a business to retain its identity, keeping the company culture intact is crucial. For guidance, eight experts from Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in on how to maintain a company culture despite a massive expansion of business.

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Social media has changed how businesses and entrepreneurs interact with their audiences. In the past, you were required to go out and meet in person with your customers to establish a rapport with them. The internet has mostly simplified this, making it much easier to engage an audience on a social media platform. Yet even this level of engagement can be overwhelming for more introverted business owners for whom networking and conversation don’t come as naturally. Why then should a business owner still try to engage their potential customers online? Online customer engagement has many tangible benefits for businesses. Here, eight professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council discuss some of these benefits, highlighting the importance of engaging on social media for even the most introverted entrepreneurs.

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The dark and dreary months of winter often take a toll on people’s mental health. Thankfully, there are ways to keep your spirits bright through this season so you can stay motivated and inspired in your business and life. As business leaders, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council know that regular self-care can help manage stress and beat the winter blues. Try some of their suggestions to get you through this winter season.

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Finding funding is typically one of the most challenging parts of starting a new business. The risks versus rewards of investing in new companies can usually have investors worried about jumping in. The responsibility is then on the entrepreneur to make their business idea exciting and attractive enough to warrant investors' attention. No matter whether the funding comes from friends, angel investors or venture capital firms, the entrepreneur must have a clear strategy for obtaining this funding. To help, these eight leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council offer some strategies for persuading someone to invest in a new business.

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Technology has given us a plethora of options for speeding up our workflows. From automation software to artificial intelligence chatbots, we can leverage a significant amount of tech to make demands on our time much less burdensome. However, not all entrepreneurs utilize the benefits tech offers them to its fullest potential. This lack of adoption is partially due to how many options there are available and how obscure some of the methods are. Luckily, these eight professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council have some tried-and-true tech hacks that can significantly improve the efficiency of your business processes.

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Entrepreneurs, especially when first starting out, often fall into the trap of overwork. While any successful business needs a firm hand to guide it, your body and mind have their own needs as well. Taking time off for relaxation and socialization in a non-work environment is critical to maintaining your health and the productivity you need to run a growing company. Unfortunately, not all business owners see it that way, and eventually those long hours will take their toll on their mental and physical well-being. Here, eight experts from Young Entrepreneur Council look at what entrepreneurs can do to put their own happiness and health above their business' needs.

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The backbone of a company is its employees, but the brain of a business is its leadership. The best leaders inspire and encourage the employees working under them, but even these leaders need positive reinforcement from time to time. While a lot of this reinforcement comes from those above them in the hierarchy, it has special meaning when the employees under them reach out to show their appreciation. So what are some appropriate ways employees can show their appreciation for key leaders and everything they do? Below, eight professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council share ways employees can recognize the positive impact of leaders and give them a much-appreciated "thank you."

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When you understand your customer, you can better tailor your products and services to their needs. The most reliable way to get to know who your customers are and what they're looking for is to get that information directly from them. But how can you persuade customers to give you the comprehensive, actionable feedback you need? Luckily there are tried-and-true methods for establishing a dialogue with your customers so you can serve them better. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share strategies business owners can use to get concrete feedback from their customer base.

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Onboarding a new employee is an exciting time for any business. While you're eager to get your new team member up and running on their tasks, you also need to ensure they understand the company culture and will mesh with your organization for the long term. That's why we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

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If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that the workforce can be adaptable and deal with many challenges as they arise. From pivoting into remote work to changing their priorities from real life to the digital realm, employees have had to evolve their practices to remain competitive. While everyone is looking forward to what a new year will bring, there will still be a lot of change to witness in the workforce. This year's struggles have started a ball rolling, and the coming year will see it pick up momentum. Here, nine leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council suggest a few ways that the workforce will adapt to this new year and why they expect these changes to occur.

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It's no secret that the holidays are among the most hectic times of the year for businesses. Everyone wants to close off the year well, and the holiday season makes for some fantastic business opportunities, but staff also looks forward to spending more time with loved ones and away from work. However, this year has been challenging for many people. Most businesses adopt an "all hands on deck" approach to the holidays, and this year is no exception, as the state of the world has encouraged companies to juggle an uncertain future in addition to the holiday rush. Here, nine professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in on how businesses can successfully manage the extra holiday workload while already in crisis mode.

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Prices can make or break a business, and deciding on what to charge for a particular good or service varies by the company. Finding the "sweet spot" for your pricing takes a bit of market research and a lot of trial and error, especially for new entrepreneurs. Sometimes, their approach to pricing structure can change over time, evolving to account for further information they learn in their journeys as business owners and new key considerations that affect a company’s pricing model. That’s why we asked 12 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:

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Everyone online shopper has added items to their cart, only to close out of the website before completing the purchase. This behavior has led to an average online cart abandonment rate of 60% to 80% for many e-commerce sites. Whether consumers aren’t a fan of the price or decide to look elsewhere, businesses must figure out why customers are abandoning their purchases so they can address those issues and encourage completion of the sale. That's why we asked 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council how companies can lower their online cart abandonment rate. Read on to learn how you can improve conversions on your e-commerce website.

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Public speaking is a great way to gain exposure for your brand and a reputation for expertise in your field. Events with an audience allow for transparency and vulnerability—two key pieces to success when you're working to build a brand that consumers are eager to engage with. Speaking events also help you show off the core solutions your business has to offer. The pandemic may have slowed in-person conferences and presentations, but it's likely a temporary effect—and there are plenty of virtual opportunities out there right now. We asked 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council their advice on finding great speaking engagements to build up your brand. Here are their recommendations for tracking down the best opportunities for you.

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There's no question that retail is a challenging industry to master. However, for investors or manufacturers, the challenges it presents are more than worth the rewards. Retail distribution allows a business to serve its offerings up to a much broader population than direct distribution, thus increasing an enterprise’s visibility and revenue. However, entering retail distribution is complicated and requires a carefully planned strategy. To help, eight business leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council share their insights into what steps a company can take to move its invention or product close to retail distribution and why those steps are likely to result in success.

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Resumes are the first look that business owners get at potential hires. As a result, they must use these resumes as a basis to figure out if that person is worth bringing in for an interview or not. Each business has its own demands for potential employees and therefore looks for specific elements in candidates’ resumes to determine possible fit. How can job seekers optimize their resumes to include these essential elements? To help, we asked we asked 13 successful entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

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Keeping up with your employees on an individual level makes for good leadership. As you hire more and more people to your team, it can be difficult to maintain that one-on-one time with each employee. However, doing so is crucial to ensuring everyone is on the same page and performing their best. To help you, we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council to share some creative and effective ways to give regular performance feedback to your key team members. Follow their advice to stay connected to your team, even as your company grows.

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LinkedIn is often thought of as the go-to social network for professionals, but it’s more than just a social media platform. It’s a powerful marketing tool for brands to engage with customers, employees and business partners. With new features such as live video, polls and team moments, LinkedIn is offering innovative ways to foster engagement and share content on its platform. We asked the experts of Young Entrepreneur Council how business owners and other professionals can best leverage the platform's new tools. Follow their tips to up your LinkedIn game in 2021.

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A company blog isn't anything like a personal blog, yet many businesses look to individual bloggers to inform their choices on topics and content. Some strike on their own, coming up with their own ideas and fleshing them out by themselves, but the result can be just as underwhelming. Business blogs need to have a strategy behind them and clearly defined goals before the first post even hits distribution. But what exactly do these companies get wrong about their blogging? Below, 16 professionals from YEC explore some of the most common mistakes and issues they’ve seen with company blogs and suggest ways to address those problems and help ensure blogging success.

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A website can be a critical marketing tool as long as you manage to keep your audience engaged. Marketing can drive traffic to your website in several ways, with video, text, or image content. But once they get there, how do you keep them there? Website analytics uses a metric known as "bounce rate" to figure out how many visitors to the site remain there and how many leave within a few seconds of their visit. And if the bounce rate is high, you can be certain your website isn't engaging enough. To help, we asked nine members of YEC to share their best strategies for making a website more attractive and engaging to incoming visitors and explain why these techniques are so successful. Here’s what they had to say.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council offer suggestions for entrepreneurs that want to change up their mobile ad campaigns. Mobile web traffic continues to skyrocket as consumers spend more and more time on their smartphones and tablets. Approximately half of worldwide web traffic comes from mobile devices, so it makes sense that brands would want to focus on mobile-optimized ad campaigns. But success in mobile advertising is about more than creating visuals and video content that fits on a mobile screen. It's important to follow the right practices and create an enticing experience for viewers and potential customers. Below, 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some simple changes entrepreneurs can make to their mobile ad strategy to improve their results.

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These 20 entrepreneurs from YEC discuss their favorite market research tools and why you should be using them. Without a proper view of the market, a business has no chance to resonate with the consumers most likely to buy their product. In the past, the best way of interacting with consumers was to simply put out an ad in the most-seen public medium at the time and hope it would land on fertile ground. Thankfully, the approach has changed in modern days, and now we have a lot more tools to offer us in-depth insights into what our ideal customers like and dislike. Using this as a basis, we can adapt our marketing attempts to appeal to those customers. The question now is, how do we obtain that data? Market research tools go hand-in-hand with e-commerce and internet marketing. Visitors to a website provide the best and most accurate picture of the kind of people the website already attracts. Using this data as a baseline, a business can feed it into an analytics engine and get back valuable information about the kind of customers already coming to its site. Based on those results, the business can then adjust its marketing push to reach out to a broader demographic or drill down into converting more of those visitors to buyers. There are many layers that marketing data reveals that can be priceless to a business looking to raise its conversion rates. Today, a business that doesn't depend on market research to guide its advertising and marketing is at a distinct disadvantage to other companies that do. The companies that make the best use of available tools will be more successful in reaching out to their ideal customers. Here, 20 associates of YEC discuss their favorite market research tools and explain how those solutions can help any business achieve its marketing goals.

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As a business owner, you know your company can't remain stagnant and stuck in its ways if it hopes to grow. That growth requires innovation and creativity, both of which are best sourced from everyone on your team. To help you put your staff in an innovative mindset, we asked 14 members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:

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Social media following is an integral part of executing a successful marketing strategy. Engagement on social media is far higher than other channels. However, despite their constant presence, social media networks aren't the only way for a company to do outreach and connect to their core audience. Several other companies have delved into different methods of connecting and advertising to their core audience -- with surprising results. We asked 12 entrepreneurs from YEC to help us understand what nontraditional media channels they've seen work, and why those strategies were so beneficial to the parent companies.

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Whether you’re job hunting or starting a business, it’s important to play to your strengths throughout your career. By zeroing in your natural interests and aptitudes, you’re more likely to find the right opportunities and achieve success. That’s why it’s a good idea to continually refine and improve upon your core strengths. To that end, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council how they recommend capitalizing on those existing strengths and making them even stronger. They shared their best strategies below.

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Congratulations! You’ve just had a great pitch meeting with an investor. But holding an investor’s attention during your pitch is only the beginning of securing a deal. The real challenge lies in staying top-of-mind afterward.  To ensure a lasting good impression, you’ll want to keep the conversation going with investors post-pitch. A panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared effective ways to continue the discussion after your meeting.

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Many businesses see a major shift in their success once they establish a website that lets them provide new information and tools to their customers. However, some may see even greater success if they develop a mobile app. But how do you determine whether an app is right for your business? And once you make that leap, how do you decide what to put on the app? To help you answer these questions, we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council to lend their expertise. They share 10 clear signs your business needs a mobile app, as well as how to figure out your app’s must-have features.

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Businesses thrive on interaction with large clients. They form the most significant inflow of money to the enterprise and help you meet your obligations from month to month. With so many companies closing down, it's not far-fetched to think that one of your massive clients might face bankruptcy. When that happens, you will need to have a clear plan in place to recover any overdue payments and soften the blow until you find new customers. That’s why we asked 12 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:

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17 professionals from YEC share the best websites for locating fresh talent. There has been a change in how companies approach the idea of outsourcing. In recent years, businesses have grown less fond of doing everything in-house and more open to hiring freelancers to lend them a hand. This new reality in the world of employment has spawned a massive explosion of websites that cater specifically to professionals providing talent to companies. Searching for local expertise, in particular, can help to enhance the region and support the local community. Additionally, local contractors are easy to get in touch with, either though message or by direct phone call. Occasionally, you may need someone familiar with the region you're operating in, which is why outsourcing to a local freelancer is the right call. Many companies overlook local talent because they have the misconception that imported talent is automatically better. Knowing where to look to find the best in local talent might encourage you to reconsider your opinion on hiring locals to work for your company. Many of these websites offer businesses access to a wide pool of qualified candidates, as well as the possibility of fine-tuning their search so as to identify the most relevant candidates. Filters you can get access to include the location (for local or regional talent), ratings, and expertise. All of these are critical factors in determining whether a freelancer or professional will fit the business's needs. However, not all of these websites are built in the same vein. Seventeen professionals from YEC share valuable advice on the best websites for finding outside talent -- local or not – and explain why those resources are vital to their own businesses.

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As a small to medium enterprise owner, it can be challenging to find time for anything. Even in your supposed downtime, you invest time into ensuring the company runs smoothly. Work-life balance as an always-busy professional can be hard, if not impossible, to find. When you don't focus on your well-being, both your health as well as your relationships suffer. Being busy is essential for success, but so is knowing when to stake a step back. In such an active lifestyle, however, how does an entrepreneur know how to balance work and pleasure? That’s why we asked 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

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Content marketing has become a cornerstone marketing approach in the world of business and for good reason. It's a cost-effective method of getting new clients to notice the company while keeping current customers engaged with valuable information. However, for the bloggers, it can be a pain to come up with new ideas. With content so widespread on the internet, it's challenging to develop new topics or new spins on old issues. The trading value of a blog's content is how unique or exciting it is. If your content doesn't interest your core audience, then it's not doing its job. To help, nine professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council share some insight into how to come up with unique yet engaging blog content ideas, and explain how these ideas can attract a new audience.

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Leadership is a battle for constant improvement. In modern business, there is a particular need for competent leadership. However, leaders don't retain their positions by being complacent. One of the most effective methods of self-reflection is by asking yourself searching questions and answering them truthfully. The catch is that this requires you to be entirely honest with yourself. But what are the questions that would encourage you to be better? What should you ask yourself to develop into a more effective leader? To help, these 13 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council share the questions they ask themselves daily in their bid for self-development.

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It takes more than just raising your voice Getting noticed in a large group of people is already hard. However, when it comes to a professional setting, getting noticed requires more than just shouting above the din. Large gatherings in business can already be intimidating, and making a point heard is a larger challenge. For the professional who wants to stand out, it takes a bit of skill and maneuvering to get into the spotlight. To help less experienced individuals navigate a crowded room, these 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council examine a few proven strategies and explore why they are so good at getting you noticed in a group setting.

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In the age of remote work and social distancing, try these video conferencing tools for your company's online meetings. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of businesses had already embraced remote work and conducted online meetings with participants in different geographic locations. Today, nearly every company that could switch to work-from-home has done so, and groups that once met in person are now logging into virtual meeting rooms for their everyday business conversations. Even one-on-one calls are being held over video conferencing software to replicate that "face-to-face" interaction people are missing in the age of social distancing. While the majority of the business world has adopted Zoom as their preferred video conferencing platform, there are countless other choices for businesses that need to conduct online meetings. If you're not as familiar with the different tools out there, it can be challenging to determine which fits your company best. To help you explore your options, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council which online meeting software they recommend and what sets it apart from the others. Try out some of their recommendations to find your new favorite meeting platform.

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Stress is common when you’re in a management position. With countless tasks to complete, employees to manage and business operations to oversee, it’s no surprise many leaders end up feeling overwhelmed at one point or another. One of the most effective ways to combat stress in the business world is by improving your adaptability, so you’re ready to take on whatever is thrown your way. Below, 16 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared their best tips for becoming more opportunity-oriented as a leader.

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Businesses have seen a period of massive growth, especially those that deal solely with online sales and services. While this development is promising, it also opens up a business to another problem -- that of having their growth outscale their ability to communicate. Business communication deals with how the company interacts with clients including their overall branding promise. Naturally, a small company is likely to have a different approach to a larger one, simply because of the scale of the communication involved. We consulted 14 entrepreneurs from YEC to ask them about the best ways for a business to ensure that their communication scale keeps up with their business growth. Here's what they had to say.

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Since the internet has permeated business to such an extent, PR crises are becoming far more common for companies. Many of those PR faux-pas are due to misuse or misunderstanding of social media interaction. However, as much as social media can be a tool to cause a PR crisis, it can also be useful in helping to manage it. Social media is still the best way to create a rapport and interact with a particular demographic of customers directly. We consulted 10 members of YEC to figure out what smart ways exist for business leaders to use social media to manage potential PR conflagrations. Their responses are below.

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Professionals, regardless of their work environment, sometimes find their focus flagging. If you're someone who has to deal with divided attention between multiple tasks, the amount of effort you put into a job will start telling on your psyche before too long. To deal with this situation, you'll have to figure out how to retain your focus and discipline within the workplace. Luckily, there are several approaches to reestablishing your focus at work. Productivity is linked to your mindset and your environment, after all. Below, 14 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council discuss some of their favorite and most effective approaches.

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Team members who feel connected to an organizational culture they helped create tend to be happier and more productive.

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With so many remote working teams in the world today, productivity requires utilizing tools that can connect the team through voice, chat and video. Slack rules the roost as the team collaboration software, but it’s far from being the only reliable one. Dozens of team collaboration tools have gained growing popularity over the last two months. Some of them offer similar functionality to Slack and might even be better at some things. Others are sorely lacking in utilities to help a team get organized. To help those working remotely in a group, we asked 15 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

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Working remotely has become the new standard in the COVID-19 era. Companies that followed a traditional in-office model have had to adjust to how they presently work, and soon have to learn how to hire remotely. It's possible to find the right candidate via online screening and video interviews, but a fully virtual hiring and onboarding process can seem like a daunting proposition for companies that haven't done it before. To help, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council to share some insights from their personal experiences with bringing on remote hires. Follow their advice when you're ready to hire your first remote team member.

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Trust is essential in a team, especially in times of change. Leaders need to believe employees will carry out their tasks properly, and employees need to believe heir leaders are taking them in the right direction. But trust between people isn’t a given -- it has to be earned. So how can you effectively build trust among your team during times of uncertainty? We asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council how leaders can earn and keep employees' trust during a pivot or critical point in the company. Their best responses are below.

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Travel can help you gain new perspectives as an entrepreneur and a leader.

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Spending time alone and focusing on the year ahead are among the most effective strategies. The holiday period has a lot of emotional curves that can drain you. Getting back to work after the season might find you feeling listless and unable to function. Some entrepreneurs may take months before they get back into the groove. Sadly, waiting this long is not feasible, and getting back to your best performance needs to happen in a matter of days if you want to make the most of the new year. To help young entrepreneurs deal with coming out of the holiday season, we asked 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council what strategies they employ to recharge and recenter themselves after the stress of the holidays is over.

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A business is built on the reputation it gets through its dealings. Not all the press a company receives will be positive, however. Depending on how the consumers see the business, a company might have mixed reviews on social media. While you might think that positive reviews are the only thing that can aid the company, there are several critical benefits that negative reviews offer as well. Unfortunately, in their haste to do damage control, many small businesses overlook the takeaways contained within these negative comments. To help leaders deal with the inevitable negative feedback that come with running a business, eight contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the best methods of handling these comments and what lessons can be learned from them.

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A business is built on the reputation it gets through its dealings. Not all the press a company receives will be positive, however. Depending on how the consumers see the business, a company might have mixed reviews on social media. While you might think that positive reviews are the only thing that can aid the company, there are several critical benefits that negative reviews offer as well. Unfortunately, in their haste to do damage control, many small businesses overlook the takeaways contained within these negative comments. To help leaders deal with the inevitable negative feedback that come with running a business, eight contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the best methods of handling these comments and what lessons can be learned from them.

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Each day is different for each person. For entrepreneurs, a string of disappointments or rejections can lead to a significant impact on your psyche and your confidence. Many business coaches maintain that the best way to keep motivated is to stay positive and to keep a firm sight of what your goals are and how you intend to attain them. Ensuring that this works hinges on your confidence. These three things are essential contributors to your overall motivation. Determining how to maintain these crucial elements in your search for success seems like an uphill battle sometimes. Here, 15 associates of Young Entrepreneur Council examine how you can approach staying positive and retaining your confidence, all the while holding on to your goals.

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Time management is one of the most challenging parts of being an entrepreneur. When you're a business owner, you don't have the luxury of getting all your tasks laid out for you. You have to formulate those tasks, assign importance to them, and schedule them so that they can get done in a reasonable window, all while finding ways to keep the entire business running and growing. For an entrepreneur to maximize their productivity, they need to set strategies in place to help them manage their time effectively. To help, eight contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council share their most effective strategies for putting a clear framework in place to maximize productivity during a work day.

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Running a business is no easy feat, and with each new challenge that arises, an entrepreneur risks becoming buried under the weight of the responsibility. There's no way that an individual can stop the flood of responsibilities, so the only option that a new business owner has is to find an effective and efficient process for managing the situation. Some strategies designed to help leaders avoid being buried under the responsibilities of a business work far better than others, but it's challenging to know from a glance which ones are good and which ones aren't. These eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council look at the most effective strategies they use to avoid becoming a victim of their business's increasing demands.

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With tech innovation happening at an unprecedentedly fast pace, businesses and entrepreneurs should stay abreast of the latest developments and find ways to leverage new technology to make their life easier. For entrepreneurs especially, using the right technological tools can streamline their work and free up more of their time, helping them attain that ever-elusive but much needed work-life balance. But with so many available options, how can a busy entrepreneur identify the most suitable tools for their own needs? To help, we’ve asked eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council about their own essential gadgets and applications that they can’t do without, whether in their personal life or at work. Here's what they had to say.

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Everyone feels down from time to time -- especially when you're dealing with the stress of running a business. Those negative feelings can make you question everything. While it's OK to feel down, the best way to relieve that feeling is to actively seek out positive thoughts. That's why we asked Young Entrepreneur Council members what they do in moments of doubt to help remind them of their potential. Ask yourself the following questions to regain your confidence during a mental or emotional rut.

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Starting a business always comes with a certain amount of risk. You’re opening yourself to the possibility of both the successes and challenges that come with entrepreneurship, many of which are difficult to predict before you start. As successful business owners, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have experienced firsthand the unexpected challenges of starting a company. Below, they share 10 of the toughest obstacles they didn't expect to face, and how other leaders can prepare for them.

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Build a team-focused environment that's conducive to putting out their best work and feeling fulfilled.

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Be steps ahead of your competition by optimizing your marketing efforts for the latest tools.

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Build a legendary brand through mythical marketing campaigns.

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Mindfulness should never be mandated, only encouraged.