Monday, August 30, 2021

The Startup Magazine

The Startup Magazine


Inspiring Tips For Cannabis Entrepreneurs In 2021

Posted: 30 Aug 2021 11:03 AM PDT

Inspiring Tips For Cannabis Entrepreneurs In 2021

While the pandemic hit most businesses hard, cannabis is among the winners amid the crisis. The domain witnessed a massive boom when the government included cannabis in the list of essentials in 2020. It was perhaps the best thing that sellers experienced after the legalization of weed in states across the US. Not surprisingly, the industry has emerged as a lucrative opportunity, with a growing number of entrepreneurs yearning to join the bandwagon. But you can well imagine the other side of the picture in the form of daunting competition. Still, it is the best time to start, and some inspiring advice can give you the push you need. Here are some tips for budding cannabis entrepreneurs in 2021.

cannabis entrepreneurs

Brush up on legal facts

Even before you start thinking about business, you must brush up on legal facts. Cannabis is legal in many states in the US, but there's much more when you scratch the surface. As a seller, you must understand rules and regulations regarding legitimate age and quantities a buyer can buy at one time. Know the formalities of licensure, as you will need a license to run a legal dispensary. Once you have your facts right, you can go the startup way.

Follow the e-commerce trend

Starting up for cannabis entrepreneurs is a tad easier right now because you can set up and grow your business with a website. It means you need not even bother about establishing a brick-and-mortar presence. Just have a good-looking website and reliable delivery services, and you can make it big. Even if you want to go omnichannel, an online presence is non-negotiable. Facilitate e-commerce orders and let buyers avail of curbside pickup to keep the business on track.

Enhance visibility

Every cannabis entrepreneur needs to realize that success depends on the visibility of your new brand. You need not put up expensive billboards and neon signs around. Focus on reaching the top of search ranking instead. If you operate in DC, a presence on cannabis community platforms like 420dc can make your service visible and accessible. Everything boils down to being where the customers are. Right now, they are online, so being right in front of them is important.

Build an impressive product portfolio

Another inspiring tip that can get your startup closer to success is to build an impressive portfolio. Cannabis is no longer about herbs, oil, and tinctures. Users want to explore myriad options such as edibles, drinks, supplements, concentrates, and topical products. Staying ahead of the reputable brands and competitors requires offering everything the customer wants. Create a broader portfolio, and showcase the best brands to get the attention you deserve.

Think beyond selling

The definition of entrepreneurship has come a long way after the pandemic. Success is no longer about making profits and generating revenue. It is as much about nurturing trust and long-term relationships with the customers. You need to be empathic to achieve it right now. Think of educating your buyers to win their confidence and show a genuine intention to help.

Achieving your startup goals in the cannabis industry is easier than ever in 2021, provided you follow the right approach. Embrace these inspiring tips for cannabis entrepreneurs, and you can get a step closer to success.

The post Inspiring Tips For Cannabis Entrepreneurs In 2021 appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

How Leaders Can Ensure Startup Success Amid A Crisis

Posted: 30 Aug 2021 10:55 AM PDT

How Leaders Can Ensure Startup Success Amid A Crisis

Starting a new venture is a challenge in normal circumstances, let alone amid a crisis. But the launch of several successful startups during the pandemic has proved that it isn't impossible. If you have entrepreneurial goals to pursue, it may be the right time to get started. Strong leadership can take a new business a step closer to success, regardless of the hindrances it faces. Dealing with a crisis requires a fresh perspective, and entrepreneurs often excel on this front. Additionally, you can do a few things to lead your company towards sustainable growth. Here are some startup leadership insights to show the way.

startup leadership

Startup Leader

Manage expectations

The worst mistake you can make when launching a business during a downturn is to have unrealistic expectations. You cannot expect profits to flow when the market is tight. So start small and wait for organic growth. As long as you make efforts to sustain yourself through the tough times, opportunities will come eventually. A good startup leadership tip is that you need to be realistic and manage the expectations of the stakeholders too. It will keep everyone stress-free and focused.

Have a clear roadmap

Startups thrive on good planning, and you need to go the extra mile during a daunting phase. A well-thought business plan and clear roadmap give you the best start. At this stage, you can use a free business plan template to prepare one with speed and accuracy. Bear in mind contingencies you may come across and factor for them while planning. If you can see the challenges, goals, and path ahead, the road will be much easier to navigate.

Do more with less

Another thing that can keep your new business a step ahead is a lean approach. Simply speaking, try to do more with less with a minimalist approach. The idea is to save resources, from money to manpower, equipment, and time. Investing in productivity tools can help, even if you have to spend on them. When you do more with less, think of adding to the existing revenue streams for extra support.

Have a strong team

Without any doubt, your team can be the biggest asset for your startup. Pick the best talent in the industry, even if they cost a tad more. These people bring a wealth of know-how and experience, so they can help your company deal with critical situations better. Choose multi-talented people who can perform a diverse range of tasks. Apart from building a strong team, make conscious efforts to boost retention.

Prioritize good communication

Leading a business during tough times requires good communication. You have to stay connected with your team, vendors, stakeholders, and clients. Further, it is vital to keep everyone on the same page. Good communication prevents conflicts, mistakes, and bottlenecks internally. It also wins the trust and credibility of stakeholders and clients. They are most likely to stay with your startup and help its growth.

A crisis in the business landscape shouldn't be the reason to give up on your dreams. Consider it an opportunity because fewer entrepreneurs will be taking risks, so you probably have a bigger market to capture. Follow your startup leadership instincts and drive your startup on the growth route.

The post How Leaders Can Ensure Startup Success Amid A Crisis appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

Cannabis-Related Startup Ideas To Consider In 2021

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 08:48 PM PDT

Cannabis-Related Startup Ideas To Consider In 2021

There’s genuinely no doubt that the global cannabis industry has seen tremendous growth ever since the leafy green plant was legalized for recreational and medicinal use in recent years. And even though the plant has only been legalized in a few areas, the number of regions that are lifting the ban continues to grow. As a result, there’s hardly a more lucrative industry to get on board with, especially if you’re a savvy entrepreneur that just so happens to have a particular interest in cannabis. And if you’re a bit stumped for cannabis startup ideas, we’ve listed the top-rated cannabis-related business startup ideas for you to consider.

cannabis startup ideas

Turning your Ideas into Assets

Retailing Strains And Cannabis-Related Consumable Products

Before the cannabis ban was lifted in various areas worldwide, those who consumed the plant only had access to lower-grade outdoor strains that weren’t grown quite right. However, thanks to the change in legalities, cannabis has now been genetically modified, and a series of potent quality strains are the result.

If you decide to start retailing quality strains, you should also consider retailing cannabis-related products, such as edibles, oils, trinkets, etc. With that said, you must be sure to find the right branded edible packaging and suitable branded packaging for all your products.

Retailing Cannabis Gadgets And Accessories

Cannabis consumers all consume the plant differently. Some prefer the classic joint; others prefer bongs and pipes. And there’s plenty of cannabis gadgets out there, such as THC oil vapes, dry herb vapes, fancy grinders, and so much more.

So, if you aren’t too keen on selling actual cannabis, you can consider retailing gadgets and accessories. You can retail your products as an online store or opt for the more expensive traditional retail space if you can afford the monthly rental.

Building Cannabis-Related Apps And Platforms

You don’t have to know how to build apps and platforms to get one off the ground in the cannabis industry. Suppose you have appealing and unique cannabis startup ideas for a cannabis-related app or platform. You can have a developer do the work for you and profit massively from the launch and ongoing use of the app or platform.

The best ideas in this category include dating and meeting apps specifically for cannabis users, apps or platforms that help consumers identify strains, and even investing apps that allow the user to choose the right cannabis stocks to go for. The options are somewhat endless as there aren’t too many cannabis-related apps and platforms in existence, although the audience for these will be pretty significant.

Door-To-Door Cannabis Delivery Services

There are existing door-to-door cannabis delivery services, although there is genuinely not enough around to meet the growing demand. So, starting a delivery business in this specific field will be massively profitable, especially if your services are available to your audience around the clock.

However, you will either need to partner with a dispensary or sell your products. And if you aren’t looking to sell your products, partnering with a dispensary is one of many great cannabis startup ideas. There are tons of startup dispensaries out there that need a reliable delivery service to meet their consumer’s demands.

The post Cannabis-Related Startup Ideas To Consider In 2021 appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

How to Post on Instagram From a PC or a Mac?

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 08:37 PM PDT

How to Post on Instagram From a PC or a Mac?

By now, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms out there. It has changed the way we share and consume content for good (either while browsing the feed on our phones or from PC once we've learned how to post on Instagram from PC. Instead of using plain and boring texts as the primary means for voicing one's opinions, this revolutionary platform lets us describe our feelings in pictures, videos, and other exciting and engaging visual forms. But sometimes we need some Instagram help to unleash this power.

The fact that minor and small-scale businesses were smart enough to learn the best practices to transform their brand using social media only emphasizes just how big the impact this platform boasts. Instagram has taken sales and marketing to new heights. Hence it's no wonder why it's quite a common tendency to buy real Instagram followers and buy real Instagram likes.

As for the convenience question, many people prefer to share new posts and content via their phones since they’re always with them in the first place. As things go in life, though, there are two sides to each coin. Some are more of the 'old-fashioned' type. They prefer seating comfortably in their easy chair and launch another successful Insta-post from their computer rather than their smartphones. Which type describes you better?

Who Would Prefer To Publish New Posts From A PC?

If you’re a social media manager, you wouldn’t wish to experience any mishaps while posting; that we know for sure. For such occasions (or, more precisely; to avoid unpleasantries), you could always turn to your PC and do your thing from there. In fact, many people prefer uploading content from a PC rather than their smartphones, so if you've always felt this way, know that you're not alone.

Without further ado, let's answer the question, how to post on Instagram from PC (and Mac! We won't neglect our fellow Mac readers)? Stick with us, and you'll soon know how with this Instagram help.

Step 1: Open Instagram:

Visit Instagram’s official website from your browser (be it Chrome, Firefox, or others) and click on the three-dots button.

instagram help

Step 2: Select ''more tools'':

Once you click the “three-dots” button, a drop-down menu will open. Select “more tools” and click on the developer tools option.

Note: Developer tools are advanced functions, giving you access to a particular menu, from which you could control how your browser displays data. Once you've chosen your favorite layout, you would be able to access the platform as if it's been used from that specific device (iPhone, for example). The menu will open on the right side of the browser in Chrome.

Step 3: Click “Toggle Device Toolbar”:

Once the developer tool menu loads up, click “toggle device toolbar” (a two-square-shaped icon resembling a mobile phone/tablet) to apply your choice.

Step 4: Choose the desired mobile device:

Another drop-down menu will appear on the screen, as seen in the picture below. Select the desired type of interface you'd like to see on your PC screen.

Note: You can also decide on the “zoom” here.

Step 5: Follow the On-Screen Instructions:

Next, follow the on-screen instructions to upload the videos and pictures to your Instagram (which are similar to the steps we usually take while on mobile), and, finally, click on the “+” icon at the bottom of the page.

Step 6: Add “Filters, Captions, and Tags”:

Once you select the picture or video from the gallery, you can add filters to it. You can also write “captions” and add “tags” if you like.

Youtube Link for Instagram help:

How to post on Instagram from PC 2020 | Post from your COMPUTER!

How to post on Instagram from Mac?

As promised, here are the steps you should follow to upload a new Instagram post from your Mac:

Step 1: Open Instagram:

Navigate to Instagram’s official website from Apple’s Official Safari Browser.

Step 2: Open Preferences

Click on the “Safari” button from the top toolbar menu; now, click on the ‘preferences” option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Proceed with “Advanced”:

Next, click on the “advanced” option and make sure the “show develop menu in menu bar” box is checked.

Once you've done that, you’ll be able to decide how your browser displays content on-screen. This will help you post on your Instagram account using a Mac.

Step 4: User-Agent

Going back to the previous screen (where you clicked on the Safari tab), click on the “Develop” option from the top bar and move to the “user agent”. Now, choose the desired device you'd like to 'manipulate' your Mac to think you're using.

Step 5: Upload your post as you always did:

Once you've chosen one, you'll see the plus button appearing at the bottom of the page, enabling you to upload a new post (just like on iPhone, for example).

Are There Any Other Tricks Or Special Sources That Could Help With Keeping My Instagram Profile Active With No Effort From My End?

Indeed, there are. Quite a handful of sites and other third-party sources launched platforms for this very purpose (don't worry; they are also compatible with Android devices). The latter’s forte is helping your IG page nab impressive engagement rates with minimum effort.  They'll come especially handy for those who want to do 'bulk uploads', schedule future posts, and other tweaks and glitches to make their IG life much easier.

If such an idea appeals to you, some pivotal sites you should check out are Bulkly, Bluestacks, Deskgram, Hoper HQ and Iconosquare. Their pricing ranges from $10-$30 and several of them even offer a 14-days trial so you could take some time exploring each site and 'its gain' before you pay for its services. Take into account that you'll be required to fill in your IG acocunt's login details to enjoy the Instagram help and benefits these services offer (and for using them in the first place).

Note that Instagram doesn't acknowledge such apps, so you'd better be careful relying on any such Instagram 'helpers' as your profile might be flagged.

The post How to Post on Instagram From a PC or a Mac? appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

Top Tips for Building an Engineering Team

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 08:08 PM PDT

Top Tips for Building an Engineering Team

No engineering firm can succeed without the right team in place. Engineering is all about working together and collaborating, so it is vital that you take your time with recruitment to find people that will be a good fit, mesh with one another and help to take your firm to new heights. This is no easy feat, though, especially when it is harder for startups to attract talent than more established firms. So, what can be done about this? Read on for a few tips to keep in mind when building your engineering team that should help you to assemble the A team and find success.

engineering team

Identify Roles & Needs

The first step to building any kind of team is to establish what needs you have and what roles need to be filled. There is no point in assembling a talented engineering team if you have team members that have the same skillset, so you need to make sure that all of the needs within your team are established so that you can then find the right talent and people with complementary skill sets and knowledge.

Focus On People That Are a Good Fit

When recruiting an engineering team, it is very easy to focus purely on those that have relevant experience and qualifications. While this is certainly useful, you will find that this does not necessarily mean that they are the right person for the job, and you could have issues with conflicting personalities, poor work ethic, or a bad attitude. This is why you should focus on people that will be a good fit, have a strong work ethic, and a good attitude towards work. Even if they do not have a huge amount of experience or lack qualifications, they are likely to be the better options as they have positive attributes that cannot be taught.

Take Your Time with The Interview Process

Leading on from this, the interview process is the key stage when it comes to building an engineering team. This is why you need to carefully plan this stage and think of questions that will help you to determine whether or not the candidate is the right person for the job. You also need to try to make people feel as comfortable as possible so that they can be themselves, relax and give the best possible answers. When it comes to interviewing candidates, you should always go with your gut and general impression of candidates.

Evaluate Technical Skills

Obviously, you will also want to evaluate their technical skills. It will depend on the type of engineering work that you can do, but analyzing a portfolio is one of the best ways to do this. You could also perform a technical screen where they talk with another engineer at the company for an hour or so about technical aspects of the role and/or create coding challenges for them to solve.

Embrace Diversity

All businesses should be embracing diversity and not just for legal and ethical reasons. Having a diverse workforce helps to bring new viewpoints and experiences to your firm; it allows you to improve your brand reputation and have a global impact. It can also help to create a positive, supportive and welcoming workplace culture that should keep your staff happy, motivated and engaged. All aspects of diversity should be embraced, including women in engineering. There are a number of famous female engineers throughout history and can help to address the skills gap and retiring workforce, especially those that have a master's in engineering management.

Find A Good Balance Between Senior & Junior Staff

Ideally, you will want a good balance between senior and experienced staff and newly qualified engineers. As above, this can bring the best of both worlds and create a healthy system where new staff can learn from more experienced engineers while also bringing fresh ideas and the latest training into the organization. This is also important in terms of future planning as you will always want to think ahead and ensure that your company is staffed by those with enough experience under their belt.

Use A Recruitment Agency

Finding talent for an engineering firm can take a lot of time and energy, which could negatively affect the projects that you are working on. This is why it is a smart idea to use the services of a recruitment agency that specializes in engineering as they will be able to do a lot of the hard work for you and make it easier to find job seekers that might have been otherwise hard to find. These agencies can help to find the best available talent based on your needs and provide advice on recruitment, so they can be incredibly useful when it comes to building your team and finding talent.

Cast A Wide Net

When it comes to recruiting, you always want to find the best talent, and this will require casting a large net. You are limiting yourself if you are only focusing on those that live nearby, so instead, try to look further afield to find a larger pool and greater talent. You may be able to offer a hybrid work model that would make distance much less of an issue as well as cast a much wider net while keeping staff happy by providing a good work-life balance.

Network

Recruitment is just one reason why it is helpful to have a large professional network. When looking to build your team, you may already have people that would be perfect for the job within your professional network, and if not, then there is a good chance that someone knows someone who would be a good fit. This is why you should always look to develop a large professional network and maintain this over time, which is made much easier by social media these days.

Hopefully, the information in this post will help you to build the ideal team for your engineering firm. Every successful engineering firm will be powered by a team of hardworking, talented, and skilled engineers, but it can take some time to find the right talent for the engineering team at your particular firm.

The post Top Tips for Building an Engineering Team appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

5 Manufacturing Web Design Tips To Generate More Leads

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 07:17 PM PDT

5 Manufacturing Web Design Tips To Generate More Leads

It's certainly your number one desire to have your manufacturing website generate a significant number of high-quality leads. In essence, your website should have two main reasons for existence. One, to attract visitors. And two, to convert the visiting persons into customers. As simple as it sounds, you need a variety of techniques to achieve these two goals. Here are five manufacturing web design tips to generate more leads:

  1. Follow Latest Design Trends

The first thing you must do to generate more leads is to design an attention-grabbing website that inspires visitors to explore more. Combine the colors, imagery, and layout in such a manner that resonates with your target audience. For instance, if you're largely focusing on a youthful population, the more vibrant the theme is, the better it is for your company. And if your product is for the elderly, you may want to cut down on the glitter.

manufacturing web design tips

For best results, consider delegating the job to professional web designers, such as Dayta Marketing or other similar companies. That's what they do best. And so, you can expect them to quickly give you excellent ideas and turn them into reality. Make sure you ask for examples of real-life sites they've designed so you can rightly gauge the quality of their work.

  1. Include A Blog

You don't automatically drive people to your site by just existing. Web-users come to your site because you help them solve various problems. And their journey to your site starts on the search engine. When they type in a query, and your site shows up high enough on the search engine results, they're likely to get to your site.

And you understand that to rank highly on search engine results, you need to have numerous SEO-optimized (search engine optimization) articles on your site. So, start by researching keywords related to your product. Then craft a content strategy revolving around these keywords. If that seems too technical or you don't have the time for it, you can always hire a digital marketing agency.

  1. Use Effective Calls To Action (CTA)

One of the critical manufacturing web design tips is to include Calls to Action. CTAs expressly tell your web visitors what to do. For instance, if you have a product on offer, you’ll want to say to them, ‘Order Now.’ This way, you don't leave them guessing what's expected of them. Here are some tips on making your CTAs more effective:

  • Place them above the fold, i.e., the section of a webpage your web visitors see before they start scrolling down. Placing a CTA below the fold means fewer people will see and click on the button.
  • Make the message very clear to ensure the web visitor doesn't get confused. Phrases like ‘Download Now’ may be a bit vague. Try a detailed version like ‘Download our free guide to get started.’
  • Use high contrast to make the CTA buttons stand out from the rest of the page elements. If they blend in too subtly, no one might see them fast enough and click on them.
  1. Market With Videos

Videos are an excellent way to showcase your products and company. Facts have it that the consumption of video content for informational purposes is at an all-time high.

So, don't limit your marketing efforts to written content alone. Shoot an exciting video of your business premises and show the visitors what you do daily. And there's no harm in making it really exciting, like this one created by one famous online marketing agency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtnYg0ZVh2k. With such, you're likely to create unequaled trust with the public.

  1. Make It Easily Navigable

By no means should you lose a web visitor within a few seconds after they land on your site. If that happens, it's a strong indication your design isn't adequately navigable. Navigability refers to the ability of a new visitor to seamlessly move between different web pages on your site. To make your manufacturing website more navigable, do these things:

  • Place your primary menu at the top of your website where the visitor can't miss it. And keep the menu items to a minimum so they all display in one line. Having a cluttered menu is a sure turn-off to site visitors.
  • Include essential links in the footer section.
  • Hyperlink your logo to your homepage, as is the norm.
  • Have a search feature on your home page and ensure it works.
  • Use appropriate categories and subcategories under the primary menu items.
  • Use white space as much as possible to give the visitor's eyes a much-needed break. A cluttered layout doesn't mesh well for many people.
  • Think about how visitors navigate your website on mobile devices.

manufacturing web design tips

All In All

Designing your website in the right way is a critical step in generating more leads. Follow these manufacturing web design tips above and see for yourself whether or not the traffic to your site spikes. More importantly, delegate the more time-consuming and technical tasks to industry experts to ensure you get it right.

The post 5 Manufacturing Web Design Tips To Generate More Leads appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

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