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Whether you lead a bustling startup or an established business, as a CEO, your days are likely full of endless meetings, questions from leadership or staff, “fires” that need putting out and very little time to get any actual work done. Without an intentional plan or schedule, your day can get away from you, allowing your work—and your stress—to build up over time. But adding a little structure to your workday doesn’t have to be complicated. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council speak to their own experience as business leaders, each recommending one way CEOs can build structure into their workday to help them maximize their productivity and why this is so critical to do.

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If you're a new entrepreneur, an important task is ensuring that your business is compliant with all local, state and federal regulations. Some legal matters require immediate consideration, and you will want to address those issues as soon as possible. To help, Young Entrepreneur Council members share 10 essential tasks to handle right away when starting a business.

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Convincing your employees to read through pages of dry policy and procedure—especially on a regular basis—is never the easiest of tasks. While documenting your business processes is important for consistency and clarity, this documentation only becomes valuable if your team members actually reference it. So what’s the key to making your standard operating procedures (SOPs) more interesting to your team? Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council explore this question and share their best tips for making your business's SOPs something your employees actually want to use and read.

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It only takes one unhappy customer leaving a negative review to damage a company's reputation and drive away future business. Therefore, it's imperative that customer service teams immediately resolve any customer complaints before they can snowball and turn into bigger problems for a company. To find out the best ways to keep customers happy, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members offer their best advice on how leaders can improve their customer service efforts by being proactive rather than reactive.

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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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The workforce of 2023 will continue to change and evolve, from more hybrid work policies to a greater focus on global candidates. Over the last few years, businesses have grappled with decisions such as offering permanent remote work, creating hybrid work models or requiring employees to return to the office. Businesses have also faced the impact of quiet quitting and the Great Resignation, which have made them think more deeply about hiring policies, employee benefits and retention rates. In the new year, businesses are likely to see even more changes come about. Below, a group of successful entrepreneurs share their predictions for some of the workforce changes we might see in 2023 and how businesses can adapt.

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Businesses are only as successful as their ability to manage money, so it's important for leaders to be informed of any financial changes with the help of an experienced bookkeeper. But when hiring a bookkeeper, especially one who's part-time, there are many things to consider to ensure that you choose the right fit for your team and build a relationship that will allow your business to thrive. To help, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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When you decide to become an entrepreneur, there are certain obstacles you know you’re going to have to face—obtaining funding, advertising your business or making that first sale. However, there are often many more obstacles you won’t be prepared for or didn’t even realize would happen. However, with the right strategies and plans in place, each of these hurdles can be overcome. For more insights on how to prepare for these hardships, consider the following advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Here, they each discuss one obstacle they faced in their career that they never thought to prepare for when they started their company and how they recommend other leaders prepare.

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Many aspiring entrepreneurs seek to get into business because they're passionate about their idea. However, strong passion for an idea may not always be enough to ensure profitability, and in order to succeed long term in the business world, making enough money to both survive and thrive is vital.  But for those not willing to compromise their idea for another they’re less passionate about, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have a few tips. Below, they each share one piece of advice they would give an aspiring entrepreneur for ensuring their passion will also be profitable and why you don’t necessarily have to give up your dream to make more money.

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Both social media and the internet as a whole are ever-changing digital landscapes—and that means the companies that advertise on them must advance alongside them. With new platforms, changing regulations and evolving user preferences, advertising is likely to experience a few changes in the coming new year—but to what extent? While no one is certain what changes will take place, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their predictions for the future of advertising below, and explain why 2023 could be the year these new trends will start to take shape.

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Whether you run a fully remote or a hybrid business, keeping corporate files safe while your employees work from home is of the utmost importance. Remote work creates new challenges for business leaders to contend with—such as employees using personal devices to access documents or working from unsecure public networks—and that means leaders will need to take certain steps to ensure sensitive information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. To help, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council provide a few strategies business leaders can use to help their employees keep company data safe, and discuss why these tips are so effective and necessary for any business with remote team members.

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On a basic level, a successful business is one that generates enough sales to turn a profit every year. However, if business owners want to maintain that success over a long period of time, one strategy that’s often helpful is creating a positive community around your product, service or business. Doing so offers your customers a place to interact with each other as well as with you and your team, and fosters loyalty and passion within your fan base.  However, building a community around your business doesn’t happen overnight, and it will take time and a well-thought-out plan to achieve. To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tips for building a community—online or otherwise—and why doing so is so impactful for your business.

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The holiday season is a joyous time of year—but for many companies, it can also be stressful and chaotic. Backed-up workloads, increased customer pressure and a general sense of urgency can all start to weigh on leaders and employees alike, leading to reduced productivity and low team morale.  So when work starts to feel too chaotic and overwhelm sets in, fall back on this advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Below, they each share one tip they have for regaining order amid holiday chaos and getting your team and your company back on track for the new year.

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While waiting until an employee leaves the company may not be the ideal way to receive feedback about your business, exit interviews can provide a wealth of vital knowledge that can help business leaders make changes to their company processes and policies for the better. Employees are often more honest and open when leaving their positions, and their feedback can shed light on issues leaders may not have even known existed. However, to ensure you don’t have to wait until an employee leaves to start implementing changes, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council list the top lessons they learned from exit interviews and the impact those lessons had on the way they run their businesses now.

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Many employers talk about wanting "employee loyalty," or employees who will give their all to their role and to the company in order to help it succeed. But what's talked about less is what employers can do to actively earn this loyalty from their employees, leaving employers with no action plan for how to inspire this kind of behavior in their teams. To offer some guidance, seven members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss several areas employers can improve upon in order to earn employee loyalty and trust. Consider the following advice if you want to build a work culture of support and positive action from both sides.

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Researcher, author and speaker Brené Brown once said, “Daring leaders work to make sure people can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging.” When employees have the freedom to let their personalities shine and foster a connection to the company and their peers, what often follows is a strong sense of team loyalty and passion for their work. But building a company culture that ensures employees feel comfortable enough to be themselves can take many forms, meaning there’s no one way for leaders to approach this goal. To help you find your best path, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each discuss one specific thing leaders can do to ensure their employees feel like they can be themselves at work and why this is so important.

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Releasing a mobile app is often an exciting next step in many entrepreneurs’ journeys after their websites are up and running successfully. However, in the excitement of building and launching their mobile app, it can be easy for an entrepreneur to forget one of the most fundamental aspects of creating this technology: protecting it. With cases of cybercrimes only predicted to rise in the coming years, not making cybersecurity a priority puts your app—and those who use it—at risk for data theft, lost money, fraud and much more. Here, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss some of the precautions companies can take to safeguard their mobile apps against cyberattacks and cybercrimes. Taking even just one of the following precautions can put you and your business in a much more secure place.

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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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Every professional needs time off to rest and recharge, but getting back into your work routine after a vacation or extended PTO can be tough—especially if you have lots of messages or tasks to sift through. All too quickly, that relaxed feeling you gained from your time away is replaced with stress and anxiety about all the tasks that urgently need your attention. But your first day back to work doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming. Below, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council share nine tips for getting back into the swing of things after your vacation gradually and coming back to work refreshed and ready to tackle your next challenge.

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The partnership you have with your co-founder is arguably the most important relationship you'll build as an entrepreneur, so it's important to keep it healthy. Constant arguments or disagreements about how the business should be run will only divide your relationship and your company, weakening them as well as your chances of success. To achieve a healthy relationship, then, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have a few tips in mind. Below, they each share one piece of advice they have for building a healthy co-founder relationship and how these tips will help you maintain a healthy relationship for the long term.

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Creating a new business idea is exciting, and it can be even more thrilling when you have a business partner by your side. However, for a partnership to flourish, it’s important to discuss the day-to-day operations and long-term vision for the business right from the start. From taking the time to set collective goals to establishing trust, 11 Young Entrepreneur Council members share the first steps new business partners should take when launching a venture. Follow their advice to set yourself up for success when starting a business partnership.

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When an entrepreneur brings on a business advisor, they often do so with the intention of gaining sound insight and advice—finding that “second opinion” that can help steer their business in the right direction. But, many times, an advisor turns into something more: a true mentor who can offer guidance, support, motivation and understanding when times get tough, as well as the advice needed to help get you back on your feet. When thinking about the advice from their own business advisors, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have a few key tips that come to mind. Below, each member shares one piece of sage wisdom their business advisor gave them, and why they consider it to be one of the best pieces of advice they’ve ever received.

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When it comes to brand building, consistency is key. If your brand is humorous and witty one day and then stark and serious the next, or if your logo has a certain look on your product packaging but a completely different look on your website, your customers may struggle to identify who you are and what you stand for—and that can translate into fewer sales and less interest overall.  One easy way to ensure brand consistency is to build a style guide. This guide should contain all the “rules” of your brand’s style and use, and can be used by all members of your staff to keep your brand consistent across mediums. But before you get started building your own, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend you consider these nine points to help make your style guide a thorough one.

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No matter the industry, there are many different hard and soft skills a leader should develop to be an effective and inspiring presence on their team. While some required skills will be field-specific, skills like managing your time, speaking publicly, motivating and listening apply to all leadership positions. To help their fellow leaders hone the right capabilities, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members weighed in on the following question:

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In 2022, employers are still feeling the effects of the Great Resignation as employees continue to quit their jobs in droves. Research points to burnout and dissatisfaction as two of the main reasons people are leaving their organizations in favor of more "meaningful work." If you want to define and achieve meaningful work for yourself, read on for some key insights from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. Below, 10 of them share how their definitions of “meaningful work” have changed throughout their careers and how other professionals can achieve their own versions of meaning in current or future jobs.

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It's often said that “the devil is in the details”—and getting them wrong could mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful project. If you’re working on a major project requiring attention to fine details, it’s important to keep your team organized and to have a plan in place. You may also benefit from prioritizing certain tasks and holding team members accountable throughout the project's life cycle. To help you maintain organization during a complex project, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council explain some key strategies for keeping your team on the right track.

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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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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the keys to success when it comes to corporate social responsibility. With today’s consumers becoming more and more socially conscious about where and how they spend their money, their expectations for the brands they support have risen. To continue to succeed, brands are putting greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility, looking for ways to have a positive impact on their local and global communities beyond just making a profit. For brands that haven’t yet started this journey, or for those looking to level up their current efforts, taking a few key steps can help jump-start their success. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council elaborate on those steps and why they’re so vital to getting started.

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Members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend apps and software that can help improve your social media marketing strategies. With so many companies using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and even TikTok, getting noticed and keeping up with the time-consuming demands of a social media marketing strategy means taking your social media game to the next level. Whether it’s saving your team time on the back end or streamlining your content creation efforts, there are a multitude of ways you can improve your current strategy. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council experts recommends the top software for leveling up your social media.

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Whether it happens while participating in meetings or partaking in company surveys, the best ideas happen when there's plenty of room for everyone to share. This means that businesses at the helm of true innovation provide each employee with the chance to have their voice heard.  However, this can become more difficult to ensure as your company grows larger. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss some systems that companies can put in place to ensure all employees are getting their ideas heard, no matter the business's size.

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When you're just starting out as an entrepreneur, you may have big growth aspirations. However, it takes a lot of work to get there: According to the Small Business Administration, only about half of small businesses with employees make it to the five-year mark. To survive those critical early years of your startup, it's important to keep your skills sharp and seek assistance from others when needed. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each discuss one resource that helped them as an up-and-coming entrepreneur and the difference it made in their future endeavors.

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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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Continuous innovation is important for the growth of any business. All innovation ultimately begins as a simple idea, but bringing that idea to life requires thoughtful and effective experimentation to reach a larger goal. As successful business leaders, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council understand that testing must be done in a careful, controlled environment with clear metrics and benchmarks. Below, eight of them each share one step you should always take when testing out a new idea and explain how that step helps achieve the best end results.

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From team meetings to one-on-ones to virtual happy hours, Zoom has become a key tool for dealing with the challenges of remote work and communication. Even though Zoom has become an asset for companies, many remote and hybrid employees battle “Zoom fatigue,” especially if constantly having to meet on screen is a big part of their jobs. Members of Young Entrepreneur Council have also felt this struggle. Here, they offer their best tips on Zoom fatigue and transform your next virtual meeting into a more engaging endeavor for all.

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When you're looking to impress potential employers and business peers, it can be difficult to show off your personality on the limited pages of a resume or job application. Thankfully, LinkedIn provides a great opportunity to get more personal with your network. With room for a summary that encompasses your career highlights and the option to write recommendations for your fellow colleagues, LinkedIn can truly help showcase your personality. To help you drive deeper, more personal connections, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council detail how to put your best foot forward and let your unique self shine through.

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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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Self-doubt is common among entrepreneurs. When business owners are overcome with these doubts, it can hold them back from achieving their goals and reaching their full potential. Thankfully, there are ways to work through these limiting beliefs and develop a more secure mindset -- and it often begins with learning from other entrepreneurs who have endured those same struggles. To help reframe your current way of thinking, a group of successful leaders discussed some limiting beliefs many entrepreneurs have and how you can overcome them.

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For entrepreneurs who want a leg up when starting a business, consider becoming a franchisee of an already successful company. This path ensures a built-in customer base, brand recognition and support from a parent company—benefits you might not get if you started a business from scratch. There are many profitable franchising models out there across nearly every industry, so aspiring entrepreneurs of all interests and backgrounds have plenty of options to choose from. To help you narrow the list down, seven Young Entrepreneur Council members weighed in on current franchising trends. If you’re looking for a starting point to explore the world of franchising, check out the industries these experts say lend themselves well to the franchising model.

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There may come a time during your entrepreneurial journey when you need to decide whether or not to sell. Maybe business is booming and sales are thriving — so how will you know when it's time to hang up your hat and walk away? Regardless of the circumstances, it can often be difficult to see the signs that will lead you to the correct decision for your business. To help, 11 members of Young Entrepreneur Council explained what leaders should be looking for as an indication that they should sell their businesses.

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Workplace stress levels continue to climb across all professions, resulting in increased burnout and decreased productivity. But just because employee stress is common does not mean it should be ignored.  By supporting workplace well-being, business leaders can play a key role in improving employee satisfaction and performance. Below, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council members shared their actionable tips for enhancing employee health and wellness.

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A product or a service can really only be effective and helpful to others if customers are able to find that product or service online. Search engine marketing (SEM) helps solve this problem by targeting customers through keywords and drawing them into your website. There are many things business owners can do to improve their SEM strategies and bring in as much website traffic as possible. From using quality backlinks to optimizing your company's video content, here's what the members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend doing when designing an effective search engine marketing strategy.

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In all the excitement of opening a business and launching that first product or service, it can be easy for aspiring entrepreneurs to forgo a thorough audit of their finances in favor of speed to market. However, it's absolutely crucial for business owners to keep a close eye on their income and expenses—especially if they want to ensure their survival past year one. Making such financial mistakes early on can be detrimental, but it doesn’t mean early-stage entrepreneurs can’t turn it around for the better. To help your business survive its first year in operation, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some important financial tips every new business owner should follow.

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Choosing the right software-as-a-service (SaaS) product is like choosing a new car or buying a new house — you want to make sure that it's high quality and meets all your wants and needs. However, if you're not used to shopping for software, it can be hard to know how to choose the best option for you. To help, a group of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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The most successful brands usually maintain a high level of customer engagement. When customers are engaged with a brand, they're more likely to continue to buy from that brand and recommend that others do too. With the increasing use of social media among businesses, companies now have the ability to engage with customers with the click of a button. However, they need to know how to do this in the most effective way. From being incredibly transparent to using conversational marketing, here are nine effective strategies for keeping brand engagement high, as recommended by Young Entrepreneur Council members.

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The "Great Resignation" has forced many businesses to contend with understaffed teams, demanding customers and discouraged employees. This environment of overwork and reduced morale can naturally have a negative effect on a team’s productivity. To keep productivity high, even while experiencing a staff shortage, you’ll need to be intentional about your work. To help set you on the right track, 13 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) weighed in on the following question:

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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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During the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses have permanently migrated to a remote working environment. While these working arrangements have their benefits, one aspect that may be neglected is company culture, leading to low productivity and camaraderie throughout your team. During the winter months, when workers may deal with seasonal depression or post-holiday blues, it's important to keep spirits high. To help you do this, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some ways for leaders to liven up the energy of their remote teams all winter long.

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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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Artificial intelligence has worked its way into our everyday lives, and in doing so, has given businesses in many industries a chance to leverage it for better marketing opportunities and smoother operations. Each year, new developments are being made with artificial intelligence and automation that businesses can use in various innovative ways. The year 2022 promises to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor and start with a whole new realm of possibilities for artificial intelligence and automation. Below, nine professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council weigh in with their predictions of the roles artificial intelligence and automation will play in business this year.

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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 future of your business relies on finding the best candidates to hold senior positions. Making the right choice can spell the difference between success and failure for your company, but it isn’t always easy finding the best fit to lead your company to the next stage. To help fellow leaders hiring for senior-level roles, Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members weighed in on the following question:

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Even when candidates for a role have all the knowledge and experience necessary to excel in a position, they may not end up being the best fit for the job. For this reason, many employers choose to put new hires on a trial period before they decide whether or not to keep them on full time.  When conducting a trial period for a new hire, there are several things you can evaluate candidates on to ensure they’re the right fit. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss the criteria they recommend using to evaluate new hires during a trial period and how these play a role in whether or not they would decide to keep them on as full-time employees.

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Are there specific traits of great managers, personal qualities that are crucial to success in any managerial role? It seems that there are, and while some of these traits are innate, others can be learned. In this article, 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council list a few of the most vital traits you should possess if you want to thrive in a managerial position.

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A business website is an important and essential way to establish your company’s digital presence, share your message and display your brand. However, designing a website from scratch requires a lot of planning and consideration. As successful business leaders, many members of Young Entrepreneur Council have experience creating effective business websites from the bottom up. Below, 10 of them shared what they believe should be the first considerations you should make when designing a new website for your business.

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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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Remote work arrangements used to be few and far between, but ever since the pandemic, more and more companies are operating fully remotely. Although those who adopted a remote model early on have likely fallen into a rhythm, those new or established businesses that are now deciding to go fully remote may still be struggling to adapt to and manage remote teams—especially if they operate on a global scale. Different time zones, varying employee locations and a lack of a centralized physical office space can be difficult to contend with, let alone all the other factors that come into play with remote work. To help business leaders get a better handle on things, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members share their best advice for companies working remotely with a global team.

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In the variety of options for financing a startup, many entrepreneurs entertain the idea of inviting investors into their businesses. Working with an investor can help you grow your business quickly while also leveraging their expertise. However, despite the benefits of an investor, there are also many reasons not to partner with one. On the fence about this important financial decision? A panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members share some reasons why aspiring entrepreneurs may wish to opt against investors for their business.

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As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it's easy for your team's motivation to decline alongside it. If you don't want to see morale and productivity plummet through the winter months, it's important to take proactive steps to energize and inspire your staff. To help, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council recommend some ways in which you can keep their spirits and motivation high all winter long.

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As many professional organizations shift toward a remote work environment, maintaining a supportive company culture is more important than ever. The “Great Resignation” has already upended numerous industries where employees report work environments that make them unhappy, leading to labor shortages across a variety of markets. That's why today's leaders must focus on cultivating an appealing culture that people actually want to stay in. To help, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members offered their ideas for how leaders can bolster their workplace environment—remote or otherwise—for the better. Follow their recommendations to build a culture where people willingly collaborate and support each other.

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Great customer service is easy to spot but difficult to master. While some tactics are obvious, like treating the customer with respect and fairness, the very best techniques for improving customer service might not be what you expect. During their business journeys, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council have learned some unexpected lessons about making customers happy. Below, nine of them shared surprising tidbits they've picked up along the way that can help businesses revamp and improve their existing customer service infrastructure.

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Businesses may need to participate in fundraising efforts to secure additional capital, fund research efforts or expand their market reach. Before they can begin, however, leaders must determine their company's valuation. A valuation of a company is determined through various calculations that take into account factors such as market value and annual revenue. This step is crucial as it may determine whether or not investors choose to invest in your business. If you're about to begin the fundraising process for your startup, consider these eight factors that can influence your valuation, as shared by the members of Young Entrepreneur Council.

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When you're attempting to solve an issue you've never faced before, it helps to have a strategy for approaching it. Problems arise in business every day. Some you may have solved before, but others may be new to you and your team. When a new issue crops up, it’s best to solve it quickly so it doesn't fester and cause additional problems. However, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start. Below, a group of successful entrepreneurs shared their best advice for approaching tough situations in business. Follow their tips to give you the courage, inspiration and motivation to face the "unknown."

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Holiday shopping can be a stressful time for many people. Customers are worried about items being in stock, finding the perfect gift and avoiding long lines when searching for help or checking out. Given the nature of the holidays, customers may be more anxious or demanding than usual. It’s important for leaders, therefore, to properly train employees to handle the expectations of holiday shoppers to keep them happy. To help, eight Young Entrepreneur Council members shared their best tips for customer service professionals working this holiday season.

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One of the biggest challenges for new entrepreneurs across the board is learning how to manage their finances. This is especially true of cash flow management. If you're not used to handling a business budget or invoicing, it's easy to lose track of how much money is coming in versus going out of the business. Because cash flow is such an essential indicator of a company's overall financial health, it's important to learn how to master best practices and avoid critical pitfalls. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some common mistakes they've seen entrepreneurs make with their cash flow and how to avoid them as a new business owner.

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At one point or another, most professionals face a crossroads in their career. Whether they simply want to change jobs, pursue a different career path or still don't know what their true calling in life is, there are a lot of questions a person can ask themselves before choosing a direction. While there's something to be said for trusting your gut, it's wise to consider your options carefully and ask the right questions of yourself when trying to determine where to take your career next. To guide you, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members offered 10 key questions that can help you illuminate the correct "next step."

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For most entrepreneurs, the early days of their business entail doing most of the day-to-day work themselves. However, as your business grows, so will your need to hire and effectively manage others. Expanding your team requires you to hone your leadership skills, as well as a strategic vision to keep your team on track. To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared some essential leadership skills every entrepreneur should nurture. Follow their recommendations to improve your management abilities and foster a strong business culture.

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The digital marketing industry has seen an influx of growth over the past few years. More businesses than ever are adapting to the digital arena brought on by the global pandemic. This change of pace has spurred new digital marketing trends that have replaced previous outdated strategies. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council explained which recent digital marketing trends they're most excited about and why. Here's what they believe the future of marketing will look like, and how these trends have already impacted their own efforts.

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Accurately gauging the fit of a job candidate can be difficult, and sometimes new hires who seemed great during the interview process don't pan out as expected. In situations like this, a leader must take action to course-correct and figure out the problem before the whole team suffers. To help you identify some red flags to look for early in a new employee's tenure, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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Employees, especially when new to their positions, often need guidance to be successful in their work. However, too much direction can be less like helpful and constructive feedback and more like micromanagement. This, in turn, can have a negative impact on an employee's work performance and mental health, and they may begin to feel less confident in the work they produce. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council offered advice on what to do as an employee if you feel like you’re being micromanaged at work.

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In the digital age, having a website is an extremely important and valuable way to inform customers of your services. However, it’s not enough to just have a website that looks good—the copy needs to stand out as well. Well-crafted, effective copy will help draw customers in and keep their attention away from the competition. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council offered their best tips for making your website’s copy stand out and why each tip is key to attracting customers.

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Anyone who’s hired an employee knows that a resume is not the only indicator of whether or not a job candidate will be a good fit. However, there are some key elements to look for in a resume that usually signal that a candidate may be the right person to join your team. To help you identify those elements, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members weighed in with what to zero in on when reviewing resumes to determine if a job candidate will be a good fit for the position.

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Everyone has certain biases, but making an objective business decision requires you to recognize and set aside those perceptions. Human beings are biased by nature. Each of us forms opinions about the world based on the experiences we've had and the backgrounds we come from.  While bias itself is not inherently bad, it's important for entrepreneurs to understand their own unconscious biases and work to eliminate them from their business decisions to ensure the fairest outcomes for all involved. Below, a group of successful entrepreneurs shared their best tips for recognizing your own biases and removing them from your decision-making process. Follow their advice to achieve greater objectivity within your company.

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With so many professionals now leaving their current jobs and rethinking their future career goals, companies are looking for ways to retain their employees for the long term. However, it can be difficult for leaders to identify a clear strategy for loyalty-building and employee retention, especially with larger teams.  To help, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared strategies for leaders to build or earn loyalty from employees. Follow their advice to keep your best workers on board and satisfied for years to come.

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When you want your business to stand out online, it's crucial to have a never-ending supply of new and creative ideas. Sometimes new ideas come naturally, but every business owner or entrepreneur will go through times when the creative juices aren't flowing when they need them to the most.  This is when having go-to strategies for idea generation can come in handy. Here, 12 members of YEC share their best methods for coming up with new ideas to ensure your content stays fresh.

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In order for any business to thrive, it needs to have a productive leader and team. However, productivity means a lot more than simply keeping busy. Sometimes, you can keep yourself busy working on tasks that essentially amount to nothing and lead you down a dead-end path of wasted time and energy.  As a leader, it's important to understand how to make the most of every moment you have and the decisions you make. To that end, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) weigh in with their answers to the following question:

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As social media evolves, so should your social media marketing budget. Changing trends and platforms may mean putting some advertising dollars behind your campaigns and investing in creative talent to help you create and manage content. When determining your social media marketing spend, it's important to create an effective and specific marketing budget that factors in the content, paid ads and other investments that allow you to market to the right audience. To that end, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members explained the specific questions you can consider when deciding how to break down your social media budget.

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In recent years, technological advances and the Covid-19 pandemic have paved the way for many companies to go completely or partially remote. This type of work environment means professionals are now more responsible for protecting confidential company data, no matter where they're working. From using weak passwords to logging into unsecured networks, there are many ways for well-intentioned remote workers to inadvertently open the door for hackers. Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council explain how remote professionals can protect themselves against cyberattacks when they're not working at a central company location.

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During the pandemic, consumers who couldn't safely shop in brick-and-mortar stores turned to online shopping instead. Whether it be for mundane tasks like grocery shopping or picking up prescriptions, or more leisurely activities like clothes shopping, these errands could be done efficiently from the comfort of home. But as brick-and-mortar businesses open back up and pandemic restrictions ease or disappear altogether, these businesses are once again looking to draw in more customers. To help, Young Entrepreneur Council members weighed in on what might help increase foot traffic to these stores and continue to keep shoppers invested in the "in-person" experience.

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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 significant milestones for any business is the day it reaches a point of expansion. While every business owner looks forward to the day they can grow their business, it's important not to be hasty in doing so. A successful business expansion depends on a number of factors and needs to be carried out at the right time. To help you understand when the time is right for you to expand your business operations, 13 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answer the following question:

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At a time when consumers crave authenticity in messaging, personal branding strategies have never been more important. Celebrities and big brands tend to make headlines often in this regard, offering the rest of the world valuable opportunities to learn and grow from their mistakes or successes.  Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council each shared a brand or personality they believe has a top-notch branding strategy. Here's what the panel thinks others can learn from these influential individuals and organizations.

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No matter if your company has been remote since the start or if you’re new to the remote working environment, you can always learn new remote employee onboarding tips to improve your virtual onboarding process. From potential technical difficulties to struggles connecting with your team, the issues associated with virtual onboarding can be smoothed over with the right strategies in place. Here, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council list out what those strategies should include in order to be successful.

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A critical aspect of gaining recognition online is mastering the all-important blog post. While blogging has been around for decades, many people still struggle with understanding how to utilize blog posts to attract readers and gain more recognition. If your blog isn't performing optimally but you're not sure why, you're not alone. Here, 14 members of YEC share the most common blogging mistakes companies make and their expert advice on what you should be doing instead.

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Podcasts offer a convenient, time-saving way for entrepreneurs to keep up with current events and gain new insights about business and finance. Most business owners likely have a list of go-to podcasts that they tune into regularly to get advice on everything from hiring people to managing a team and other important aspects of running a business efficiently. In order to spread the wealth of knowledge they've obtained from their favorite podcasts, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members answered the following question:

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When you are interviewing job applicants, there are certain “soft skills”—that is, non-technical skills that relate more to how you work with others and solve problems—that you should be on the lookout for, as these attributes are not usually spelled out on a candidate’s resume. Here, members from Young Entrepreneur Council share 13 underrated but important soft skills they look for when they are hiring new employees.

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Communication is extremely important in the business world, especially when it comes to customers and clients. Without transparent communication, customers might feel disconnected from your brand and like they lack any support from your business. To help you avoid some of the more common communication issues, a panel of YEC members shared the mistakes many companies make when communicating with their customers and what you should do instead to improve your overall communications process.

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School looked very different for many students this past year and a half due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For recent college grads, the future of work may seem like it’s filled with even more of the same uncertainty as the job market evolves and heals in the aftermath of 2020. But despite what’s occurred, it’s important to move forward and find ways to begin your career in a way that will set you up for success. To provide some guidance on how to do that, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council offered their best advice for recent graduates looking to start their careers during this unprecedented time.

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Time management can be a challenge when you’re faced with work that’s piled up over a period of time. It can be overwhelming to look at a list of tasks and determine which are priorities and which can be temporarily moved to the side, causing some employees to stress or panic about where to even begin.  To alleviate this situation, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council explained what an overwhelmed employee should do to get back on track. From actionable advice like speaking with management to tips for adjusting your mentality, these entrepreneurs share their best habits for better managing your time despite an overwhelming workload.

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Starting a business is one of the most challenging career moves you can make, but knowing some important facts beforehand can help. No aspiring entrepreneur has all the information they need to start a business upfront. Many lessons about startup life are learned through experience, and you can't and won't know everything in advance. However, it can help to have some insights and advice from those who have been there before. To help prepare you for the journey of entrepreneurship, a group of successful business leaders each shared the one fact they believe every startup owner should know prior to launch day. Take their lessons to heart if you're planning to start your own company.

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While many large companies may have the resources to offer funded relaxation retreats or other extensive mental health perks, it can be difficult for small businesses to find ways to offer similar benefits without those same resources.  So how can a small business owner prioritize the mental health of their employees on a budget? Below, 12 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) shared their thoughts by responding to the following question:

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Searching for a new job can be a huge challenge. Modern recruiters have an influx of applications to sift through and judge, and it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Many professionals offer advice to help people get noticed by potential employers or guide them toward better career options, but not all job hunting tips are good ones. To provide some clarity, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council weighed in on some of the most overrated job search advice they often hear. Here's why they believe these commonly-dispensed words of wisdom aren't necessarily all that wise.

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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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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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For many professionals, cold-calling is a tall hurdle. They dread having to make the calls, worried they'll be rejected or forget what they need to say. They know the person on the other end isn't fond of receiving these types of calls, and yet they still must pick up the phone and dial the next number on their list because they know cold-calling has the power to get more sales. If cold-calling is a nerve-wracking endeavor for you, you're not alone. To succeed, it’s often about having the right strategies in place. To help, nine entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council share some of the techniques that can help you overcome your nerves and make cold-calling a little less intimidating.

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When it comes time to start marketing your business, you either have a ton of ideas you want to try or you have no clue where to begin. You likely understand the importance of sharing the benefits of your products and services with prospective customers, but it can be hard to know if you're taking the right steps in sharing your brand's message. Whether you have a bit of marketing know-how or you're still unclear on what you should do first, you can learn from the experiences of successful entrepreneurs who have been in your shoes in the past. Below, these nine Young Entrepreneur Council members share the top marketing advice they wish they had known when they first started marketing their businesses. Read their experiences to help inform what’s best for your business.

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Work can be a distracting place. You have questions and requests from your co-workers or boss interrupting your workflow. You have your cellphone to distract you—emails and texts you feel compelled to answer, social media messages you need to respond to and calls you need to pick up. Without a doubt, maintaining focus is a challenge if you're not strategic about how you spend your time. But achieving a state of deep work is important if you want to maximize your creativity and solve complex problems. For insights on how to achieve this state, consider the following advice from the members of Young Entrepreneur Council. These tips can help you set boundaries with your time and take back control of your schedule so you can make the most of your day.

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Most entrepreneurs set daily goals for themselves in order to move their businesses forward. Yet setting those goals and meeting them are two completely different things. Loss of motivation, fatigue, listlessness and a general lack of energy are common barriers to accomplishing goals, but they are also challenging to overcome without the right strategies. Pushing past fatigue and lack of motivation takes a unique investment in yourself in order to see your tasks through to the end. To offer some guidance, nine associates of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss their strategies for accomplishing their daily tasks even when they don’t feel motivated to do so.

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Newcomers to the world of business ownership may have a hard time navigating all the requirements and challenges of setting up their first company. If you’re just starting out, finding another founder who has been through it and can provide sound advice may be worthwhile. With industries evolving so quickly these days, though, it could be difficult to find someone who understands your target market very well. When planning to open your new business, the first steps you take are crucial. Doing the right thing from the get-go can give entrepreneurs an advantage, as they can get up and running that much sooner. To help, 12 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council shared key first steps to take to ensure that your company achieves long-term success.

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Content marketing is one of the most effective methods of gaining exposure for a brand and bringing potential customers into the sales funnel. By integrating strategic distribution, search engine optimization and inbound tactics as part of this approach, most businesses see excellent returns on their investments in content marketing. Building a content marketing campaign strategy around specific goals the business wants to meet helps narrow the focus, which improves results. Brand promotion, for example, requires different content than product marketing. Here, members of Young Entrepreneur Council explore eight content marketing secrets that all business leaders should know about to successfully promote their brand.

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Product packaging is often overlooked as something unimportant. However, like an extension of the product itself, it can attract customers as well as build the brand's reputation. But the look of the product packaging is only the start. The packaging should not only appeal to the customer, but also to any potential retailers. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council examine the key elements that businesses should look at when developing packaging for a product and explain why these factors can help the product be more attractive.

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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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As an entrepreneur, you're likely to face adversity, rejection and low self-confidence at some point in your journey. These are bound to happen over time, and how you deal with them can define the success of you and your business. The secret to bouncing back from these challenges is building your resilience. To help you, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council reflected upon their own entrepreneurial stories and shared their insights. Below they discuss their tips for developing a "thicker skin" to handle adversity with grace.

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Regardless of how many hours you work in a day, not all of that time is going to be completely productive. Sometimes it's because of procrastination, other times it's because you've been so bogged down in "busy work" that you haven't made progress on important tasks. Whatever the reason, it's important to find ways to optimize your to-do list to maximize your time for important strategy work as well as personal endeavors. Below, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council discussed strategies busy professionals can use to reclaim up to five hours of their time back each week. Here's what they recommend and how these strategies have worked for them.

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It's an inevitability in any business; you can't please every customer and, eventually, someone will get upset. But what matters is how you deal with their expectations and come to a common solution. Dealing with an angry customer doesn't necessarily have to mean the end of your relationship with them. In fact, with the right techniques and strategies, you may be able to steer the conversation in a positive and productive direction. Below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared their best advice for doing just this.

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A journal can be a valuable tool to an entrepreneur. Being able to sit down and reflect on your thoughts throughout the day can provide a much-needed dose of perspective and can help you to improve your focus. Unfortunately, there’s no one step-by-step guide on how you should journal to obtain these desired results. Some techniques work well, and others are less effective. For a busy entrepreneur, journaling effectively may require trial and error. Here, 12 leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council share their techniques for those who may be hesitant to try journaling or those who are unsure of where to begin and how those methods help them get their thoughts in order as business owners.

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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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Motivating and guiding a team of employees toward innovation can be difficult even for the most seasoned leaders. You want to instill confidence in your employees, but giving up control and allowing them to embrace their creativity can be difficult. To that end, 10 Young Entrepreneur Council members shared things employers should avoid doing if they want to encourage their employees to innovate. Here are some common behaviors and mistakes they believe hinder innovation, and why these actions can be harmful and counterproductive in the workplace.

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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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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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18 entrepreneurs from YEC look at the main reasons why an organization should get insurance. New entrepreneurs sometimes look at business insurance as a luxury, not a necessity. For a lot of small-business owners, business insurance is a gamble -- it covers the business from liability and in the event of property damage, but unless either of those happens, it seems like wasted money. Before a company decides to avoid insurance altogether, the owner must look at what the insurance offers in more than just economic terms. Insurance also deals with how efficiently the business can operate. Businesses that have the assurance that they’re covered in any eventuality may be more inclined to take risks and innovate. Insurance, by design, can help or hinder a business. By focusing on the important details that impact a business’s everyday operation, an owner can determine whether insurance is a crucial consideration for the long-term health of the company. In some industries, insurance can save the company tens of thousands of dollars in liabilities. Some professionals require coverage before they’re allowed to open a firm in some states. If your industry requires that you have business insurance, you will need to examine what each of the providers offer with their policies to ascertain the level of coverage they provide. An additional element that business owners ought to consider is what the insurance covers. Some insurance companies only offer the bare minimum of coverage. Their policies don’t cover damage to assets or the building, and may only offer third-party coverage to individuals the business may have caused damage to. It’s vital that a company that takes out business insurance know what their insurance can cover and whether they may need more than the basic third-party coverage. To help, 18 associates of YEC discuss what a business owner should consider when deciding on business insurance and why these elements are crucial to the decision.

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The easiest part of opening a business is coming up with the idea and filing the paperwork. The most challenging part often might not be apparent right away. No leader can predict or prepare for every obstacle they might encounter as a business owner, and hurdles can vary by industry and by each entrepreneur. However, with a little insight from more experienced entrepreneurs and the right mindset, you can successfully guide you and your business through any challenge. Below, eight experts from Young Entrepreneur Council talk about the obstacles they never predicted they’d have to overcome when starting their companies and share ways other leaders can prepare to face similar blockades in their entrepreneurial journeys.

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Most of us can look back and remember several less-than-ideal experiences we had as customers. Even more memorable, however, are those times when a company's customer service exceeds our expectations—even delights us. In almost every instance, receiving outstanding service from a business creates a loyal customer for life. Therefore, taking note of and learning from excellent examples of customer service can be an invaluable tool for any entrepreneur or business leader looking for ways to "wow" their own customers.  Below, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council recall a positive customer experience they've had or have been part of and what it meant to them. Take note of these examples to learn effective ways to boost your customers' happiness with your business.

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The end of this year is right around the corner, and smart business owners will already be setting up plans and goals for the coming first quarter. Planning helps a business take stock of what it's achieved thus far and what it can hope to accomplish in the first quarter of the new year, given its available time and resources. With proper foresight, a business can set itself up to succeed by making smart decisions and knowing where to invest its resources. Given the challenges we've all faced this year, seeing a tremendous Q1 performance next year will bolster confidence. Below, eight contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council offer valuable advice for planning for Q1 of the new year and explain how they set themselves up to succeed.

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If you're like the hundreds of content marketers out there that have invested in blog content, you want people to read it. If you've been watching your metrics for visits, you might realize that many visitors don't even bother with your blog. Sure, they might follow a social post from your media to your blog, and possibly read a single entry, but they won't engage further than that. So how do you get readers to come back to read about the amazing things you post? These 15 professionals from YEC expound on the methods that work for them to get return visitors and further explain why those techniques are so successful at maintaining user engagement.

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Free advertising has leveled up, as there are now more alternatives to paid ads than ever. The world's economy has taken a massive hit, which means that companies will be looking to cut down on different expenses to stay afloat. Unfortunately, many of these businesses will look at their advertising budget when considering what to cut. While advertising can be a significant expense to a business, it's necessary if the company intends to reach out to new and existing customers.  Eradicating advertising could spell disaster for a company, but luckily, there are ways to reach out to clients even if you cut the ad budget completely. Several channels exist that businesses can explore that give them a chance to advertise without the added budget. Many companies overlook them because they associate "free" with "low quality," but that isn't necessarily the case. Businesses concerned about spending on marketing and advertising should explore these channels since they offer a unique way to interact with clients.  Even if your advertising budget hasn't been slashed, these channels still provide massive value for money if you use them right. Twenty associates of YEC discuss some of the best channels and explain how they can help boost the signal of an advertising campaign, even though they cost nothing or very little to use.

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Building your brand is an important part of running a business. To truly connect with your audience, you must define and express who you are and your goals as a business. Often, the best way to do this is by telling your story. Your brand story encompasses your journey to and reason for starting your company, and the way you tell it can greatly impact the way consumers view your brand. We asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council to share some strategies for communicating your chosen brand story to your audience. Here’s what they had to say.

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These tools and strategies can make email marketing more efficient and less time-consuming. Email marketing is still a handy outreach method for businesses. It offers something unique in how companies can interact with their clientele. The big problem many companies have with email marketing is how much time it takes up from its staff. But does email marketing have to be that time-consuming? One of the things that businesses have realized over the years is that anything which used to take time can become more efficient. Email marketing isn't an exception to this rule. Where research meant digging through tons of questionnaires and noting results, today you can simply access an automatically-compiled list of preferences, sorted by an algorithm. These lists enable businesses to develop targeted, personalized emails that resonate with their target audience. These tools are only the tip of the iceberg, however. As more and more companies are looking into developing personalized marketing techniques, research needs to finish faster than ever before. Specialized tools and software exist to help businesses realize results more quickly. However, many companies are still in the dark about how they could streamline their email marketing to take up less time. We asked 17 thought leaders from YEC their take on the best tools and strategies to make email marketing a more efficient enterprise. Here's what they had to say.

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Electronic wearables were an exciting new concept just years ago. Now, they’ve slowly become the norm, with gadgets like smart watches and sleep trackers overwhelming the market. These devices collect personal data and monitor things like increased heart rate, steps taken and hours slept. But just how long will they remain in consumers' good graces? We asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members about their thoughts on what might derail the wearables revolution. Here’s what they had to say.

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One of the most significant elements in helping a business get to know its customers is their data. Over recent years, consumers have started to take notice of how businesses use their data. While many aren't bothered, a few are against a company getting its hands on their information. As a result, they are averse to sharing access to their data. By limiting the data you collect to just the most pertinent bits, you will still be able to extract useful knowledge about clients while also  earning their trust for not asking access to all of their information. To help businesses wondering what kind of data to collect, we asked 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

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Americans have grown up in a society that has drilled into them the need for hard work to guarantee success. An unfortunate consequence of these constant messages is a skewed mindset toward working long hours in the hopes of "making it" in the industry they've settled on. However, instead of ensuring a long, happy life, the focus on long hours could lead to severe health problems, as numerous studies have shown. How can Americans start working around the grind-till-you-die mindset and live healthier lives? These eight associates of Young Entrepreneur Council offer their best advice on how to escape this mindset and the troubling health problems associated with it, while still maintaining a driven attitude to success.

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Employees who work on small teams may need to play multiple roles to ensure everything runs smoothly. With such limited resources, you may not be able to have a dedicated full-time marketing person to help you reach your full potential as a brand. That's why we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:

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Getting any business off the ground requires sufficient capital. However, all the financial stress doesn't have to fall on you as the entrepreneur – there are other ways to secure funding for your startup without assuming 100% of the risk yourself. That's why we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:

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All entrepreneurs are excited to see their businesses grow, but this growth isn't infinitely exponential. Occasionally, the company's growth may become stalled. This contraction might happen due to any number of factors affecting either the business itself or the industry as a whole. For a company to continue growing, it needs to regain its momentum. But how does a business restore the initial force that set it up for a significant growth spurt in its early development? Here, 15 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council share a few tips about how a company can regain its drive and continue to grow at a massive rate, even after stalling.

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Internal meetings can be a fantastic strategic tool to help a business get all stakeholders of a project on the same page, but they can easily turn into massive time sinks if they are not properly scheduled and managed. Unfortunately, many companies don't strategize their meetings. The result is a once-weekly report that doesn't have any noticeable impact on the business.  There are ways to leverage meetings to be more efficient and practical, however. To help, 12 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council offer several strategies for using corporate meetings more efficiently to help business growth and productivity.

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The only way a business can garner new customers and retain current ones is by laying out the benefits that its product or services present to the consumer. In the past, all it took was a flashy headline and a few bullet points that punched home the usefulness of the product or service. Today's world has evolved to a point where traditional advertising no longer makes the same impact. Even newer, more modern methods of advertising are having a hard time getting traction among some demographics. How, then, can a company educate its target audience about its latest products or services and their benefits? Eleven contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council look at the approaches a business can take to create engaging yet informative content to attract consumers.

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Within any company, the ambitions of individual team members should aid the overall organization. However, it takes a leader to fuel, direct, and inspire this ambition into a way that helps both the team members and the organization as a whole. One way leaders can get their team members to realize their ambitions is by guiding them toward self-teaching and taking initiative, as a way of expanding their knowledge and skills while also seizing new opportunities within the company. To help, we asked 15 members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following:

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If you’re a driven entrepreneur who also wants to make time for family, a home-based online side hustle may seem like a great idea. While this type of work offers more flexibility than a side business you have to run on-location, being at home doesn’t mean it’s easy to find balance. Managing your day job, your side hustle and family – not to mention taking care of yourself – is a lot to handle, but it is possible. Below, eight successful entrepreneurs give their best advice on how to successfully manage this balancing act.

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

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In the modern world, entrepreneurs typically need to maintain both an online and offline presence to generate business. It’s important to connect your digital and real-life persona to keep a consistent image, which can ultimately help build trust with your potential customer and follower base. The members of Young Entrepreneur Council have spent time honing their personal brands to grow their business. Below, they share 10 ways to successfully connect your offline and online marketing efforts.

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As your company grows, managing both company-wide and department goals can become more and more challenging. It can feel like a delicate balancing act -- and if it's not coordinated properly, prioritizing broader company goals could come at the expense of the individual departments. As successful business leaders, the experts of Young Entrepreneur Council have learned how to track their department-specific goals as their companies have grown. That's why we asked a panel of YEC members to share their best tips for monitoring departmental objectives. Here's what they had to say.

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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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Technological advancement offers us lots of tools that can make our lives easier as entrepreneurs. Mass communication, social media and the ability to connect are hallmarks of the 21st century. Even daily work is a lot simpler, thanks to products such as Slack or Github, which allow remote management of teams. More than anything else, constant connectivity ensures that everyone within the business can be "in the know" at all points in time. Even so, tech is such a wide-ranging field that it's easy for a business owner to be spoiled for choice. To help young entrepreneurs have a better grasp of what's going in the world of tech, eight associates of Young Entrepreneur Council share their best tech hacks for getting more done in their daily work life.

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Technology advances rapidly, and business owners need to keep pace with it, or they risk losing their best talent. Thanks to connectivity in all parts of the world, entrepreneurs no longer need to have employees inside their offices at all points in time. Many businesses outsource work to professionals around the globe and leverage specialized technology that makes it easy to plan meetings and manage teams and projects from a centralized office. With these advancements in technology, asking workers to chain themselves to a desk is virtually inhumane. Below, seven contributors to Young Entrepreneur Council examine how employers can make the most of remote workers to drive their organizations’ growth and success.

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We’re entering a golden age of freelance work.

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Consider a rebrand to gain more recognition both on- and offline.