Tech brands that made it big

Most companies and businesses nowadays do not have a physical product to sell. With information and transactions mostly done online, many brands that we have come across offer various services through websites or phone applications. From photo sharing, social networking, email marketing to buy-and-sell, there are plenty of industries that now rely on the internet to push their businesses forward.

Some of these businesses started as side projects, yet they became so popular that they evolved into core products of their companies. Others offer simple yet valuable solutions to certain challenges or difficulties we encounter in our day-to-day lives. Let’s take a look at a few examples and get insights on how they have built their brands from nothing into something big.

Mailchimp

While founders Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius created a web design agency for large corporate clients, they also made an email marketing project on the side to cater to small businesses. But this email service has become a valuable tool among individuals and small to medium-sized enterprises, garnering a user base of tens of thousands that continues to grow exponentially. It led the founders to focus exclusively on their product, called the Mailchimp. At present, users can integrate Mailchimp in their websites and social media platforms, making it easy for them to communicate and reach out to their customers and those in their mailing list.

Craigslist

One of the early players in the field is Craigslist, named after its founder, Craig Newmark. It began as an avenue for Craig to inform his friends of the latest happenings in the San Francisco Bay Area. Eventually, other people started posting jobs, items for sale, apartment for rent and other announcements on the list. The site, which is very simple in appearance and easy to navigate, has become the go-to place for people offering and looking for various items and services. Now, Craigslist service several cities and countries around the globe.

Skyscanner

The tourism industry is among those that have benefitted greatly from the advancement in online technology. Several websites and apps provide information and easy access for travellers to plan and book their trips by providing information on accommodations, flights and car rentals and compare costs. One of these sites is Skyscanner, which traces its roots in Edinburgh, Scotland, and later acquired by Trip.com.

Twitter

In the social media realm, Twitter is one of the main players where people can connect and share thoughts, moments and information. The microblogging site was initially called twttr, a project of its mother company, Odeo, and it was first used internally among the employees. Later on, celebrities, brands and even government officials turn to Twitter to post on various topics and users turn to the “trends” to jump in the conversation. Now, Twitter is a company in itself and is widely used worldwide.

Shopify

Before it became an e-commerce platform, Shopify was just another online store, called Snowdevil, that was selling snowboards. Not satisfied with the existing e-commerce tools at that time, one of the founders, Tobias Lütke, decided to build their own, which is now Shopify. This online marketplace grew from just five people meeting and working in coffee shops to having thousands of employees across the globe, servicing over a million businesses and buyers.

Unsplash

It all began as a Tumblr blog filled with photos from photoshoot outtakes of founder Mikael Cho’s company. He welcomed others to use the photos until it grew and became what is today’s Unsplash. Now, it is one of the sources of stock photos although changes have been in place and there are certain restrictions. But who ould have thought that from a humble beginning, it is now widely used by various individuals and companies?

Grammarly

At first, Grammarly was created by Alex Shevchenko, Dmytro Lider and Max Lytvyn to support students in their spelling and grammar. But the product held so much promise that it was also being used by professionals in business and everyday writing. Grammarly can also be used as an add-in to various platforms and browser extensions.

GoFundMe

If you’re looking for a job, a property, an item, a picture, a flight schedule or an event, you name it and the internet will surely lead you to something. But it’s not just products or services that are found in e-commerce and tech sites. There are also crowdfunding that aims to help those in need. GoFundMe is one site that provides a platform for those looking for resources and those looking for a cause to support. Its forerunner was Paygr which was originally established to provide its members with an avenue where they can sell their services.

Houzz

The advent of the internet also paved the way for many do-it-yourself projects, allowing those who cannot afford to pay professionals to do things by themselves or seek advice from people with similar interests or concerns. Houzz was born because founders Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen were remodelling their home. Frustrated with piles of magazines where they cut out pictures of houses and still couldn’t put together their dream design, they built Houzz and became an online community on interior design, architecture, landscaping and home improvement.

Groupon

Groupon is a platform that banks on the concept of collective bargaining power. Its founder Andrew Mason first helped establish The Point, which was based on the principle of the “tipping point”, gathering people for a common goal. Eventually, people started using it to band together to save money through group discounts. It evolved into Groupon, an e-commerce site focused on group buying.

There are many more technology-based startups that have grown in a span of a few years. It goes to show that people turn more and more to the internet for all their needs and wants. The challenge, however, is in sustaining these brands by staying relevant amidst the changing times.

Messaging apps for entrepreneurs on the go

Running your business often requires you to be out in the field and travel for meetings or official engagements. Sometimes, you have to manage your team and your transactions from a remote location to ensure that everything is running smoothly. While you can communicate using SNS and calls, they are sometimes not enough to help you keep track of things. That’s where instant messaging apps can be of value to you and your venture.

Through these apps, you can send short messages instantly, call each other, send files and photos, and store conversations. While some of them may have similar features, there are certain factors that you find a particular app suitable for your needs. Oftentimes, you end up using two or more of these apps depending on the intended recipients. While it can be useful, it can also cause confusion, not to mention that it can take up a lot of space in your phone’s storage.

It’s about time we take a closer look at these messaging apps so you can assess which ones you can use for your business needs.

Slack

Chat with your team or call your business partner using various channels. You can share files from your Google Drive, Dropbox, Trello and other apps that are integrated within the Slack system. You can easily search for the topics you have discussed and shared through this platform. Slack can be accessed via its website or downloaded on the computer or smartphone.

Microsoft Teams

Users of this platform can do individual and group chat and video meetings. They can also store files and use other Microsoft products, especially with the Office 365 suite, seamlessly while integrating non-Microsoft products through its extensions. It can be used for personal, business and educational purposes. It replaced Skype for Business using Skype’s advantage as one of the early players in instant messaging and video conferencing.

Twist

Messaging apps are your best tools to exchange information fast and efficiently. But when your group or team becomes huge, conversation threads may seem all over the place, and every message notification may become distracting. Twist provides a way to organise online discussions and you can disconnect if you need to focus on more important matters.

Zoho Cliq

If you are using other Zoho products, such as Zoho CRM, Zoho People, and Zoho Desk, it is easier to integrate them with Zoho Cliq, which can streamline your team’s conversations. You can easily chat with them, call them and set up reminders wherever you are and from any device you use.

Flock

Another app that is revolutionising modern communication is Flock. You can send instant messages and call contacts directly or through your group. You can also add people as guests to limit information sharing. It allows you to manage your mailing list and bookmark significant messages.

Google Hangouts Chat

If you have been using Google products or comfortable using G Suite, then you’ll find Google Hangouts Chat very convenient to use as you can integrate these products together. It is also downloadable in any device. You can easily share your docs, sheets, and slides that are in your G Drive with your team or contacts. The beauty of Google Hangouts is that there are several Google users, which makes communication easier.

Facebook Messenger/Workplace

There are millions of Facebook messenger users around the world, which means that you can easily contact your teammates, suppliers and other stakeholders through this app. Facebook ups its ante through Facebook Workplace where you can create an organizational chart for your contacts, translate messages into different languages and allows you to do live videos on top of its instant messaging, video conferencing and integration of third-party apps.

WhatsApp

Another messaging app that is gaining more users globally is WhatsApp. Its version for business owners allows users to create product catalogues and manage their customer service through this platform. WhatsApp can be downloaded on any device and has a web-based platform for laptops and computers.

WeChat

Originating from China, WeChat is a messaging platform that is popular in China and various parts of the world. One of its features is WeChat Pay where users can transfer or pay money for goods or services. It also adds other features such as photomontages, music lyrics, floating windows, and translation from images.

Kik

If you want your team to enjoy communicating with others, Kik provides a fun way of connecting with people and groups. It has gaming features, news, tips and a lot more. Brands can have their stickers, that users can include in their messages when chatting with their contacts.

There are many more messaging apps and platforms available online. Some are more popular in a certain country or a particular sector of society. Choose the one that you and your team can easily use. Make it also a medium for your clients and customers to communicate with you, enabling you to deepen and strengthen your relationship with your market.

8 free blog platforms for your business

We have tackled the benefits of blogging to your business, but the real challenge is how to start your blog, especially the technical part. Topics and story ideas may already be floating in your mind, but putting it into a blog format may be a bit of a challenge for beginners. You can seek out an expert or someone with the know-how to help you through the process. However, when the budget is a concern or if you want to do it internally, you can begin by learning the best blogging platform for you.

Nowadays, there are plenty of sites that can help you build your blog. If you already have a website, you can have it in there or you can provide a tab or a link to direct visitors to your blog site. If you are tight on finances and doesn’t have the resources to have your own website, you can choose from the many free blog and website builders available online. The downside with some free blogging platforms is that there are many limitations and restrictions when it comes to customising your site. They can host it for free but it will be a subdomain of their site unless you get a paid plan where you can use the domain name you want. But there are free blog platforms that can offer this service; all you have to do is to explore each product thoroughly before you decide on the best one for you.

Wordpress

Wordpress is a widely used blogging platform. There are two kinds – Wordpress.org and Wordpress.com. With the second one, you can have the hosting for free, but the domain still has the wordpress.com in it. Plugins, customisation and monetisation are quite limited as the brands and ads all come from Wordpress. On the other hand, Wordpress.org gives more options and freedom to create a site you want, which is why many hobbyists, professionals and small businesses use this. You can have your own domain name, but you have to get it and host the site by yourself. The good thing is that there are also plenty of products that provide hosting services. Both have tons of plugins and support to help you out, and the newest version is more user-friendly, especially for beginners.

Wix

You can build a site and start a blog using Wix. They have free templates and drag & drop tools that make it easy for anyone without blogging or website building experience. It has mobile optimisation which makes it uncomplicated to view the pages and navigate around the site. You can enhance your site using website apps, although many are run by third-party providers.

Weebly

If you want to build an online retail site, Weebly is a good option because it is part of Square, Inc. It provides ready web designs that you can customise and fit according to your needs. There are tools that are simple to use especially for those who have no or little knowledge about coding. However, if you know some coding language and wants to make changes, you can also modify your site based on your expertise. It offers free and premium plans you can choose from, providing you with various choices according to your needs and resources.

Drupal

Having an open-source content management system (CMS), Drupal is best for developers, marketers and agencies. On the other hand, it may be a steep learning curve for beginners because of its sophisticated features. Also, you have to get a web hosting service for your site. Still, it can be used by those who have no programming skills. For those who have a bit of technical understanding of website development, they will find Drupal more flexible.

Joomla

Another free open-source CMS is Joomla. Although there are tutorials available to take you through how to use Joomla, one has to learn it a bit, unlike the other blog platforms. It values data privacy and has several features for developers, designers and integrators. It is multi-lingual with more than 70 translation packs available, which is good for sites that target a wide, international audience.

Blogger

One of the early players in the blogging platform arena is Blogger. It is mostly used for personal blogs because of its simple interface, which is why it can cater to beginners in blogging. Also, it is a Google product so one can easily use a Google account to get into Blogger. However, there are a few tools, designs and applications to allow you to play around your site.

Medium

If you love writing and you want your brand to be out there, then Medium is another option. While it has a built-in audience, you cannot tweak your design or customise your site. You cannot have your own domain. Rather, you are simply putting a blog entry into Medium. Still, the reach is magnificent, so you can utilise Medium to embed your content from your other social media accounts or promote your website through this platform.   

Tumblr

Another free-blogging site where you can easily publish content is Tumblr. Again, features are limited in this platform and you cannot have your own domain name. It is more of a social media community where you can share your multimedia content. If you are concerned about reach, Tumblr posts can be reblogged or reposted within this platform. However, if branding and content ownership is your priority, then Tumblr may not be the best option for your business.

There are other free blogging platforms that are on the rise. However, you have to take into consideration your priorities and purpose for creating a blog. If it is to build a website, then go for the platforms where you can have more control over your content and design, including the domain name. On the other hand, if your intention is to bring your brand to a wider audience, you can choose a platform with available online community and SEO capabilities, and then embed your website and other social media content in it. Some of the platforms above offer both, but you have to learn to navigate around their site a bit to be able to do this.

Platforms you can use for online meetings

Doing business in different parts of the globe or having team members in various locations may require a lot of communication to ensure that things go well. In this age of modern technology, being physically apart is not a hindrance in doing business transactions or official meetings. Within EO and among EO members, online meetings are also common and widely used.

Several online platforms are currently available to make video calls and meetings more plausible. Nowadays, you can see each of the meeting participants on your screen, share files and record conversations, depending on the features of the application. Take a close look at 11 video conferencing platforms that you can consider for your remote meetings.

GoToMeeting

You can access GoToMeeting on your desktop or mobile devices, which makes it easy for participants who are on the go. It goes beyond screen sharing because it also has drawing tools which you can use to direct your participants’ attention and focus on a particular part of the screen. It can record and store your meetings on cloud storage. GoToMeeting offers a free 14-day trial with up to 50 attendees.

Skype

One of the many platforms that have been around for some time is Skype, which offers free calls and messaging globally. You can even connect to a mobile or landline number. It Is downloadable to computers and mobile devices. Skype is widely used and popular, which makes it easy to use for video calls and conferencing.

Join.Me

You can customise your meeting link and personalise your meeting background. There are one-click screen sharing and free conference calls. Join.me is also downloadable in any device, which makes it easier to have an online meeting. It offers simple integration solutions for Chrome, Outlook, Office 365, Trello, Slack, G Suite and other apps.

Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is one platform to consider because it is easily accessible through Gmail, Google Calendar and Chrome. Google users can open the application from various devices and use it for messaging and calls free of charge. Another advantage of Hangouts is that Gmail and Google are widespread globally because many Android phones already have the app built-in upon purchase or activation.

WebEx

Cisco’s WebEx has cloud calling that has the advantages of a traditional phone system, less the intricacy of securing and managing it. WebEx products have features for video conferencing, team collaboration, webinars, online training, video support, conference calling, conferencing devices, and cognitive collaboration. There are different plans available according to your meeting size and needs.

Zoom

Users and attendees can do video calls and online meetings through the Zoom site or its downloadable app. Companies and organisations also use Zoom for webinars, virtual conference rooms, phone system, business messaging and file sharing. Apart from its free basic features, Zoom also has other plans for your various business communication needs. Zoom caters to industries like education, finance, government and healthcare.

Zoho Meeting

Zoho Meeting provides an avenue for participants to connect online and integrate other apps like Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects and Zoho Calendar. Hosts can also have webinar polls and Q&A to facilitate discussions.

ezTalks Meeting

You and your team can hold virtual meetings with a real video conferencing experience where you can share your screen, use online whiteboard tools, record discussions, and chat as a group or privately. It also allows attendees to use the app on any device.

Highfive

Highfive is a cloud video conferencing software that is easy to use as there’s no need to download an application. You can join meetings by going to the Highfive URL in your browser, making it smooth for users and administrators to conduct online video calls. The URLs are also simple, which you can customise and make it easy to remember. Lengths of meetings are unlimited. Although it does not use PIN codes, meetings are still kept secure.

AnyMeeting

Another browser-based app is AnyMeeting, which is accessible on any device. The online meeting software allows hosts to customise their meeting rooms where they can include their business logo on the background. It has a built-in phone conferencing, video sharing, screen sharing, recording and meeting notes.

With all these platforms and many others that are available online, distance is no longer a problem to meet and discuss important points. You can even use the applications to further your business and exchange knowledge and information with others.

Let us know in the comments section below which ones you have tried and which ones you find suitable to your meeting needs.

How to drive traffic to your site

You set up your website and social media accounts, then expect people to visit them on their own. However, creating them and leaving them at that are not enough to reach your audience. You have to come up with some activity and engagement to let them know and draw them to your site.

Acquiring new customers and strengthening your relations with your existing ones involve an active pursuit online. Your internet presence has to be felt by your target market through strategic actions that will encourage them to visit your website. Before you launch any online marketing campaign, you have to ensure that your site has valuable content that will keep your visitors to come back and share it with others.

Now, how do you drive traffic to your site? Read on the following strategies that can help you with your site traffic.

Organic search

Every minute, millions of searches take place online. Your site can land in the first pages of search engines if you include the right keywords in your content. Internet users now use longtail keywords to narrow down search results, which you can employ in your site. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is one of the activities that site owners do to draw visitors. Even when algorithms change, it is important that your content is rich and images are properly tagged, without engaging in black hat tricks. Explore web directories and listings and see how they can contribute to your site’s searchability.

Social media

The popularity of social media has gone unnoticed by site owners and managers that it has become central in online marketing. Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and Reddit have become vital in linking and sharing sites, engaging customers and forming communities. Because social media platforms vary depending on usage, culture and trends, you have to customise your content accordingly. Tapping on the influence of online personalities also help in gaining credibility and authority to your brand.

Paid Ads

Advertisements are no longer limited to broadcast and print media. Brands turn to websites, search engines and social networks in placing ads. The likes of Google Adwords, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Sponsored Posts, Youtube Ads and Twitter Ads are also gaining the public’s attention. Other brands even get into advertisements promoted in online games. The good thing about ads online is that you can target your audience based on internet behaviours and site visits.

Referrals

Sites with high visitor rates can help boost traffic to your site through linkages. There are different ways to drop your site’s URL in sites with good domain authority. You can do this through link exchanges, guest posts, comments (as the first commenter) in blogs, and forum or Quora interactions. Of course, you have to select the sites where to put your site’s URL, as they must align with your brand and industry. Other methods are through webinars and article marketing, where you seed writeups to article banks, newsletters and syndication sites.

Email marketing

The best way to retain customers and constantly communicate with your existing audience is through email marketing. When they subscribe to your site, they can receive updates, announcements, news and stories about your brand. It is also helpful to always put in your email signature a link to your site.

Direct traffic

When people are more familiar with your site, they can simply type it in their browsers for reference. Make sure that you always put your site’s URL in your business cards, marketing materials, advertisements, presentations and the like. Having a domain name that is easy to remember is necessary to make it top-of-mind among your clientele.

With increasing site traffic, you can nurture visitors and convert them to become your loyal customers. Apart from these strategies, consistency is key in attracting more people to your site. You have to come up with fresh content regularly and update the information posted there. Moreover, you have to keep yourself abreast with the latest trends and news so you can align your strategies with whatever clicks with your target market.

Essential business software tools

Speed and efficiency are necessary ingredients in running a business. You need tools that will help you fast track your operations effectively, sort out your internal structure, keep up with the demands of your clientele, compete well in your industry, and protect your venture from possible threats.

Advanced technology in this smartphone age has an enormous selection of applications that can bring your business up-to-speed and efficiently like a well-oiled machine. It has made offices go paperless and enable remote transactions to happen in real time. There is a software for every aspect of your business that can systematise your processes and aid you to cut on time, effort and resources. The basic ones are office suite, security suite and e-mail service.

What are the various areas in your venture where you can use software to help you manage your business? If you have a limited budget, there are free software but may not have the full capacity you need. Otherwise, you can invest in software that can best serve your business requirements. You can look into these few examples and explore other resources available out there.

Accounting, budget and invoicing

Keeping tabs of your income and expenses is one of the trickiest parts of a business. You can be on top of your cash flow when you have the proper financial system in place where you can accurately record your numbers and generate reports.

Examples: Xero, Quickbooks, Wave, Freshbooks, Sage 50c, Zoho

Backup and Recovery

Data and information are vital to your venture. Thus, there is a need to protect them to avoid losing them entirely. Choose the most suitable software that has the capacity that can match your company’s requirements.

Examples: CloudBerry, EaseUS, Nakivo, Wondershare, Carbonite

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Acquiring, engaging and retaining clients, whether it’s a B2B or B2C company, are necessary to generate sales and profit. 

Examples: Zoho, Salesforce, HubSpot, Bitrix24, Pipedrive

Database

Organising your client list, business contacts, and other information is a good way to record and keep information. Find a software where you can easily draw out the kind of report you need, such as the demographics of your customers or spending habits.

Examples: Microsoft Access, Oracle Database Cloud Service, TeamDesk, MySQL, SAP Sybase ASE, Microsoft SQL Server

E-commerce

The rise of online transactions has become a common reality nowadays. E-commerce has made things faster and easier for customers without them having to leave their homes or offices.

Examples: Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, Weebly, Volusion

E-mail marketing

E-mail still generates a huge return on investment (ROI) and an effective way of engaging customers. But if you have a huge list and need to send e-mails regularly, a marketing tool that can do that in a single click is most helpful. Thankfully, there are now sophisticated applications that can do that.

Examples: MailChimp, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, SendinBlue

File storage and document sharing

Organisations turn to cloud storage as a business solution for storing and sharing huge files. With file storage and document sharing software, it is efficient to operate if you have offices or team members working in various locations.

Examples: Google Drive, Dropbox, Sharefile, Apple iCloud, SharePoint, Slack, Samepage

Project Management

Implementing and overseeing a project can be a tedious process. But you can ease your worries if you have software that can easily track the project, allow team collaboration, minimise errors and generate reports.

Examples: Slack, Bitrix24, Samepage, Confluence, Wrike, Trello, Zoho Projects

Task Manager

When you are overseeing a team, it is good to manage their tasks and deliverables through software that can help organise the workflow.

Examples: Monday.com, Wrike, Evernote, Smartsheet, Asana, Quire

Time tracking

Professionals, freelancers, contractors and companies with work-from-home staff rely on time tracking software to charge bill hours or monitor workload and output.

Examples: Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Tsheets, Bitrix24, Zoho People, Timely

Thanks to technology, it is easy to connect and work with your team regardless of time and distance. Software applications can keep you on the same page and reduce mistakes. If you have a good command of every aspect of your business, you can determine the software that can best fit your needs and help you cut on time and budget. Find one that can perform two or more functions to make it economical, timesaving and proficient for your organisation.

The benefits of blogging to your business

Blogging has been around for more than two decades, and it has become widely used from personal journals to marketing and commercial purposes. Various brands and companies have also turned to blogs to communicate with their stakeholders. A blog gives an added dimension to your website, which usually has standard pages that do not need frequent updating.

There are several platforms with template designs that enable individuals, groups and companies to start blogging quite easily. Plugins and apps allow users to incorporate various features in their blogs that make it more attractive for readers. Moreover, blogs have become a rich source of information and entertainment among those who explore the world wide web. EO and its various chapters have also come up with blogs that have provided additional insights to members and readers. The ideal case is to host or attach your blog to your website to make it easier for you and your audience.

To have a blog, you should dedicate some time and effort to plan your content, post regularly, and respond to comments and queries. It’s not expensive to maintain a blog, which is why several ventures are also utilising this for their marketing efforts. Here are some of the benefits that having a corporate blog can bring to your business.

Increase traffic to your website

For your website to generate more traffic, it must have fresh content. Keeping a blog allows you to come up with new posts on a regular basis. It can increase your website’s SEO and inbound links when you have more articles through your blog, especially if you link it back to pages in your site. With more stories and information you share, you increase the searchability of your site as you harp on keywords that are related to your brand or business.

Inform and educate your customers

Through blog posts, you can explain concepts thoroughly. You can go beyond featuring your products or services but even come up with creative articles related to your industry that can be additional resources to your customers.

Connect you with your customers and prospects

Your website can be quite limiting as it will only present very pertinent information about your business. But you have many things to tell your audience beyond the details of your venture and some FAQs. The content you put in your blog can be customised based on the preferences of your readers, which can spark discussion and engagement.

Provide human touch

A blog provides a voice for your business, one that they do not often hear. You can inspire others through stories, highlight your people, share your passion, and put a human face to your company. That way, it strengthens your relationship with people as they see your brand beyond the logos, products, packaging or brochure.

Add value to your brand

Because you can talk about your brand in-depth, you can highlight its positive points without having to make it a hard sell. When you touch on other topics related to your business and provide relevant angles, you raise your brand’s authority, adding value to it that can endear to your customers and prospects.

Maintaining a blog can be either enjoyable or burdensome, but don’t lose your focus and always bear your readers in mind. You also have to stay close to your branding in any article you post. If you do well, it can lead to long-term positive results which can bolster your image and bring in additional income to your business.

Cloud storage: where to store your data

The 20th century saw the creation of cloud storage, but it was in the 21st century when it gained widespread use. Many businesses, especially those with offices, staff or dealings in two or more locations, have resorted to putting their data on a cloud platform for easy storage, sharing and collaboration. Understandably, it is a technology that most companies turn to in making their operations faster and more efficient.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using cloud platforms. It takes less physical space and infrastructure when you store data on the cloud. Running out of hard drive space is often a concern for computer users. Sharing of files is also easier because files may be accessed anytime, anywhere without sacrificing hard drive space. Meanwhile, because a third-party server stores the information, it runs the risk of falling on the wrong hands, with you having little control over it. Also, you always have to back up your data in case any uneventful thing happens.

Choosing which provider to host your files depends on your requirements and budget. There are those that are for free but with a limited capacity. If you prefer a bigger space and more secure software, then you have to be ready to shell out some money to acquire and maintain it. But first, it is good to familiarise yourself with the different platforms so you can choose which ones you can tap for your business needs.

Dropbox

Dropbox is probably one of the early players in this game as it began in 2007. It provides options for individuals and teams, offering the best sync technology, file recovery, and easy, secure sharing. One can set up an account for free, but there are plans available for some added features.

Capacity/Plans:

• Individual - Basic (2 GB free), Plus (1 TB at USD9.99/month), and Professional (2 TB at USD19.99/month)

• Team – Standard (3TB at USD12.50/user/month starting at three users), Advanced (As much space as your team needs at USD20/user/month), and Enterprise (customised solutions)

Google

The most common Google app for data storage and sharing is Google Drive, which can be used by individuals and teams at home, school or work. Google also developed Google Cloud as a business solution, which has improved security, advanced storage tiers and other features to support enterprises.

Capacity/Plans:

• Google One (combination of Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos) - 15 GB free space, 100 GB at USD1.99/month, 200 GB at USD2.99/month, 1 TB at USD9.99/month, 2 TB at USD19.99/month, 10 TB at USD99.99/month, 20 TB at USD199.99/month, and 30 TB at USD299.99/month.

• Google Cloud Storage – Coldline (USD0.007 - USD0.014 per GB/month), Nearline (USD0.01 - USD0.02 per GB/month), Regional (USD0.02 - USD0.035 per GB/month), and Multi-Regional (USD0.026 - USD0.036 per GB/month)

iCloud

Apple’s cloud storage and computing version is the iCloud. The software allows iOS users to back-up data from their devices to remote servers, which they can access and share with other users. iCloud can be opened not only in iOS gadgets but also in macOS and Windows devices.

Capacity/Plans:

• 5 GB free, 50 GB at USD0.99/month, 200 GB at USD2.99/month, and 2 TB at USD9.99/month

OneDrive

Microsoft also came up with its cloud storage facility, called OneDrive. Apart from safety and accessibility, OneDrive also offers users access to their files even when they are not online. It also incorporates Office 365 in OneDrive.

Capacity/Plans:

• 5 GB free, 50 GB at USD1.99/month, 1 TB at USD6.99/month or USD69.99/year (comes with Office 365), and 6 TB (1 TB for 6 users) at USD9.99/month or USD99.99/year (comes with Office 365)

IDrive

IDrive offers multiple device back-ups and online file syncing as well as IDrive Express, where there are quick back-up and data retrieval through physical storage shipment. It also has snapshots and versioning which allows you to retain a maximum of 30 versions of all the files saved in your account.

Capacity/Plans:

• Personal - 5 GB free, 2 TB at USD69.50 in the first year, 5 TB at USD99.50 in the first year

• Business – 250 GB at USD99.50 in the first year, 500 GB at USD199.50 in the first year, 1.25 TB at USD499.50 in the first year

Box

Launched in 2005, Box allows its users to share files and collaborate. It serves individuals and businesses with a mobile application available in various smartphone operating systems.

Capacity/Plans:

• Individual – 10 GB free, 100 GB at US11.50/month

• Business – 100 GB at USD5.80/month, Unlimited storage at USD17.30/month, Unlimited storage plus unlimited external collaborators at USD28.70/month

Amazon Drive

Amazon also joined the cloud offering in 2011 through the Amazon Drive. It offers users the capacity to store files on remote servers, back them up, and share them. Its additional feature is photo printing through the Amazon Prints service.

Capacity/Plans:

• Amazon Photos – unlimited storage for photos, 5 GB free (videos, music and other files)

• Amazon Drive storage (photos are not counted in the storage allocation if you are a Prime member) – 100 GB at USD11.99/year, 1 TB at USD59.99/year

• Prime membership – USD12.99/month

There are many more cloud platforms that you can find. It’s a business solution that can help you in running your venture more efficiently, especially if you have remote offices or team members in various locations. If you are considering using this in your operations, be sure to take a deeper look into its capacity, security, performance, and pricing. You can also check with other business owners on their experience in using any of the cloud platforms. Test first those you are considering before you decide which one is the best for your enterprise.

Augmented Reality as a business tool

Augmented Reality (AR) has become a buzz term because of apps that utilise this technology. However, do not confuse AR with VR or virtual reality. VR provides an immersive experience beyond the physical realm into a simulated environment. Meanwhile, AR produces computer augmentations over a real scenario, mixing reality with enhanced graphics.

Still, AR is considered to be in the infancy stage. It started gaining popularity only recently because of games like Pokemon Go and social media enhancements like Instagram’s Superzoom. Several industries now incorporate this technology into their businesses. Let us take a look where AR can be applied to improve one’s products, services and operations.

Construction and interior design

Architects and interior designers can employ AR before building the physical structure by designing edifices and interior spaces where they can superimpose computer-generated images to real-life scenarios. It allows experts to foresee probable challenges and find solutions to them proactively.

Retail and clothing

The advent of e-commerce has brought shopping to a higher level that sparks creativity and innovation online and in-store. With AR, consumers can now preview goods before buying them and visualise how they fit in the actual realm. An example of this is the virtual dressing room of online shops.

Manufacturing and engineering

Creating products, machines or processes can be more precise with the aid of AR. Car manufacturers can factor in accurately crash scenarios. Others can calculate risks more effectively and address discrepancies between digital images and physical models.

Healthcare and Medicine

The breakthrough of AR into medicine can help save lives and improve health. X-rays, ultrasounds, patient monitoring and vein location, to name a few, can be more exact with the use of AR.

Education and training

Simulations are paving the way to in-depth training and honing of one’s skills. Some institutions have even started employing AR and VR into their methods of instruction. In the long run, schools will benefit from this technology in refining education and academics.

Travel and Tourism

There are many computer software and smartphone applications for travel that provide composite views of computer graphics and the real world. Users can view on their screens both the things around their environment and the information about them. Some apps provide accurate data on distance and directions that help in navigation.

Marketing and entertainment

We sometimes see newscasts and advertisements that use holograms. More and more brands attract consumers through AR apps and services. Not only do they gain attention and pique the interest of prospective buyers but they also engage customers through interactive features.

There’s a lot of room for progress with technology like AR. How it will move your industry and business remains to be seen. But as you keep your business abreast with technological advancements, don’t lose focus on relationships and putting human touch in your dealings with stakeholders. To expand your knowledge and understanding on the latest trends on entrepreneurship and business, take advantage of the learning events in EO Melbourne. Learn from fellow business owners and discuss with them the pros and cons of AR in one’s business.

Maximising e-commerce for your businesses

The advancement of technology has brought many businesses and brands to enter a new world where they can market and sell their ideas, products and services more efficiently – the cyberspace. E-commerce has made transactions faster, safer and convenient for both sellers or service providers and customers, breaking boundaries and timezones as it is on a global scale.

E-commerce is growing by the minute, and it has generated trillions of US$ in sales over the last few years. The transactions are not only limited to B2C sales but also include B2B deals. It goes to show that businesses utilise online platforms for sales and marketing, both in retail and wholesale.

Doing online selling and marketing can generate swifter results while saving costs on overhead expenses because you don’t have a physical store. However, there are still advantages in having a brick-and-mortar store where people can see and experience the products and services firsthand. If you opt to do online transactions, be sure that you stand above the fierce competition offering the same kind of services, you have efficient and secure delivery of your goods and services, and you can immediately respond to queries and concerns 24/7. Remember that the cyberspace can be accessed globally, and entering into that arena means opening your business to an international audience.

Once you have assessed the pros and cons of doing e-commerce for your business and found a greater advantage in doing it, you may consider the following suggestions.

1. ) Invest in a good site

Customers should be able to access and navigate your site straightforwardly. Get an expert who can layout your site and can provide the needed support. It is important to have software that can run an online system which you and your team can manage with no or little difficulty. Also, make your site secure and safe for you and your clients to avoid hacking and any form of cyber attacks.

2.) Provide great content and appealing visuals

Your content, such as your copy and visuals, must have a hook that can attract your customers to your site, substantial information to retain them, and credibility that can convince them to avail of your offerings. Share stories or come up with articles relevant to your brand and your audience. Use SEO to drive your site to the top of search engines.

3.) Utilise social media

Nowadays, it’s not enough that you put up a site and populate it with information. You need to promote your site, too. One method is to capitalise on the growing population of social media. Utilise the social networks you find suitable in advancing your business, which includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Pinterest, among many others. Study the behaviours of users per platform and customise your postings and responses based on those data.

4.) Engage influencers

A little help from online-savvy personalities can also boost your online presence and e-commerce transactions. Do affiliate marketing and reach out to bloggers and social media accounts that have a huge following. Establish relationships with them and partner with them in certain marketing campaigns. Allow them to test your products and services and engage them in making your offerings better and more visible to others.

5.) Create an email list

Although social media is powerful, there are so many messages coming in every second in these platforms that may dilute the communication stream. It is still effective to use emails in conveying your message to potential buyers or clients. Email is also a good way to personalise your communication to your audience and strengthen your relations with your existing customers. Employ email marketing alongside your social media plans to boost your presence online.

6.) Build an online community

In cyberspace, it is no longer a one-way street. There are many opportunities for dialogue and conversations. Create an avenue for your customers or clients to have an open communication line with you. Involve them in some of your projects. Listen to their feedback and respond to them right away so you can build trust between your brand and your market.

7.) Hold an online initiative

You can conduct a cyber sale event, contest, giveaway, social media parties, or other initiatives that can draw more people to your site and your business. Keep your audience and market interested in your brand through special projects that will excite them. It is good to have something for them to look forward to happening in your site throughout the year.

With the way technology is advancing to the future, there is no doubt that more and more businesses will be including e-commerce into their operations. If this is the path your venture wants to take, the critical part is to enter it fully prepared. Gather as many information as you can and consult with the experts. Then, assess how you can make the most of online selling and marketing and let it work to your advantage.

What businesses can look forward to unfolding in 2019

The beginning of the year marks a time when people are hopeful of how the rest of the year will unfold. We may never predict what will happen next. But patterns in recent events can indicate various possibilities that the immediate future may bring. The present economic landscape can shape one’s business outlook, which is helpful to goal-setting and short-term planning.

New developments in industries, markets and trends can prepare you on how you can grow your enterprise as you incorporate these advances to your business. The good news is that industries and economies are gearing up for stronger performances. The Reserve Bank of Australia, on its November 2018 Statement on Monetary Policy, reported that the “GDP growth is running above 3 per cent.”

Technology

Technology is a constant player in the ongoing growth of various industries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help different sectors like human resource, especially in the selection process of candidates, and aid business owners in decision-making. Companies can capitalise on AI for their sales and marketing initiatives. New software and mobile applications are also on the rise, given the progress of the Internet of Things (IoT). Communication and networking are no longer limited to human interaction as machines are getting smarter and can also communicate and network with each other.

Security

Since transactions take place faster and in bigger volumes nowadays, security measures are also improving and getting more sophisticated. If this is something you have not begun doing, you can look into various cybersecurity tools that are available in your industry. Offence and defence are part of the game. While you go aggressive in your sales and marketing campaigns, make sure that you also protect your resources and data, as well as the privacy of your clients and customers.

Personalisation and audience engagement

The use of machines, robots and AI does not mean that everything will be impersonal. In fact, because of these technological advancements, you can personalise your messages and approach, talking directly to your specific audience. Increased interaction and engagement will fill the cyberspace, which is why you need to stand out by attracting and retaining your consumers through conversations. It will enable businesses to understand better their clients. You can tailor fit your messages, products and services to certain sectors or clients to appeal more to the individual preferences and tastes of customers.

Cloud-sharing and remote working

Advanced technology can help you save not only time but also cost and resources. Files are stored and shared on cloud servers. With people and businesses communicating and exchanging information in real time anywhere in the world, companies revolutionise their organisational structures and operations to take advantage of this development. Organisations get the services of freelancers and assign certain positions and roles to staff members based in various locations worldwide.

As the business landscape continues to evolve and transform, you can either create a disruption or allow others to disrupt your business. Keep your eyes open for new things to come and act fast and accordingly on what is best for your enterprise.

Alex Louey’s lessons on entrepreneurship through smartphone apps

With millions of apps available online that are increasing each year, an average smartphone user has a wide array of options on which ones to use that correspond to his needs. For Appscore co-founder and Managing Director Alex Louey, whose company has been developing apps, websites, cloud solutions, Internet of Things (IoT), and other technology-based products, it’s more than just building a software. Its mission is to create great customer experiences for their clients and make their lives easier every day.

“We started off as a mobile app company. But now, we've progressed from being very focused on apps to focusing on making our customers’ lives easier and better for them to do things,” Alex quipped. “It means that we don’t look into a particular technology. Rather, we look at the problem to be solved and the appropriate technology to do it. We look at the entire life cycle. We look at the customer experience and the problem that they're facing. Then, we build the software and look at what we can do to help clients engage customers and get the customers to use their business software,” he added.

Although Appscore is a technology company, Alex admitted to not having any IT background. He built his career on project management, working in various banks. It was not until he and his mate, Nick Bell, one of the co-founders of AppsCore, decided to start a business that he got into this industry. His parents, who were Chinese immigrants that ran restaurants, had advised him to get an education, work for somebody, and not get into the restaurant business. “It’s true. I'm not in the restaurant business, but I am working for myself,” he countered.

With the challenges that come with owning and running a business, Alex shares his insights and some entrepreneurial lessons derived from smartphone apps.

1.) Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp: Communication is key

“I use this a lot because it's a way that I communicate and talk to a lot of people. The idea is when you start a business you've got to talk to a lot of people. Even with existing clients, you've got to go out, talk to them, take them out to lunches, find out their future objectives. And it's all about communication. It's all about building relationships,” Alex explained.

He emphasised that the key is having the right networks and the right relationships. By engaging various stakeholders in the business, it allows him to understand the values that are important to their customers and staff. “As the company grows, I continue to learn how to communicate with a broad range of people. You need to speak to them in their language. Different people process communication in different ways. Some are very visual, while others are very auditory. As I’ve learned recently, some challenges that I’ve had was not about others being difficult, but it’s the way I communicate with them. They don’t understand because they don’t process information the way I do. So, I’ve had to change the way I communicate to get my message across.”

In communicating with different kinds of people, Alex underscored the need to be genuine about it to show care. He receives and exhibits care through his engagement with EO Melbourne, where he found value in talking to people who share similar experiences with him and can empathise with his concerns.

2.) Angry Birds: An exercise on frustration

Alex believes that there is no entrepreneur or business person, whether successful or unsuccessful, that can say their journey has been smooth sailing, without problems or stressful situations. But he learns to deal with those circumstances and move forward with the lessons. “When you start a business, you're going to be frustrated and have setbacks. There are going to be hurdles that you can't initially work out. But if you persist with it, even how hard they come, you'll eventually find a way through. Out of all the five stages of Angry Bird, I think I got up to stage three, and I spent about three hours playing on the plane,” he laughingly shared.

3.) YouTube: Continuous learning

“YouTube is quite entertaining and also very educational. TED talks are one of my favourites. Sometimes it tells me stuff that I already know, but it reinforces the things that I need to focus on or the skills I have to learn. As an entrepreneur, you can't stop learning. I don't think there is anybody who is good at everything. You'll always learn because there is no playbook to be an entrepreneur. For every step you take and every way you advance, you create new ground,” imparted Alex.

To learn continuously, they send their key executives on training courses to learn about the newest and greatest stuff. Since Alex didn’t have any sales background, he had to learn that skill by reading books and talking to other people. He also found various learning opportunities from EO Melbourne.

4.) Instagram: Know the trends and tell your story

According to Alex, “It is important to look at how other people are doing things. Instagram is great at that. I follow people on a whole range of topics, whether business or personal. If you're interested in a particular topic, you can see how other people are doing it. It’s the same with business. There are always people that do worse than you, and those that do better than you. As an entrepreneur, always look at what other people are doing better than you and learn it.”

He stated, “Businesses, especially in the technology field, need to be on the lookout for new trends. With technology, you can easily be superseded the next year, even if you are the best last year. When processes change, customer expectations also change.” He also stressed the importance of marketing and being able to tell your stories to your customers. Culture and corporate values also play a major part in attracting people to the business.

5.) ANZ Bank app: Tight control over money

“Cash flow is king” is a line commonly heard from business people that Alex echoed. He expounded, “You are responsible not only for the company’s success but also for everyone that relies on you for their livelihood. It's important to keep an eye on what your business is doing financially. It is good to spend money to grow, but you have to make sure that you get a return on the money before you start to splurge, thinking you can hire fifty people if there's no sales pipeline to refill.”

For the next two years, Alex aims to double the size of the company, create more services, and grow the consulting space and resource sector. He wants to continue to push at the forefront of the various technologies that are coming out in the market while strengthening their core business of building software for their customers.

To Alex, the entrepreneurial journey has highs and lows. But what he found helpful is having a good team around him that can help him refocus when he’s down. “I don't think an entire company can rely solely on a single person to drive it forward. The important thing is you have a good team to make up for your shortfalls. If you have a good team, and you are honest with your team and transparent with your leadership team, you can make anything happen,” he conveyed.

Know more about Alex Louey through his LinkedIn profile. More on AppsCore at https://www.appscore.com.au.

Ben Stickland adds value to people’s lives

“My philosophy is I want to find a way for everybody to win. There are some cultures where you only win if other people lose. I want to do business with people and want them to have a great experience. I want to be able to meet every client that I've worked within 20 years’ time and make them feel that they got good value. It's one of the core values I have that I add value to people's lives and not take away,” declares Alliance Software CEO and Owner, Ben Stickland.

Solving problems, family and his Christian faith are some of Ben’s great passions. He admits that he does not have any entrepreneurial background in his family, but he has always been into ventures since he was a kid. “I was born in a small country town and then moved to a regional city before I became a teenager. I had a very good family life to middle-income parents and a couple of older sisters. My dad was a teacher, and my mum was a nurse. They have no entrepreneurial background,” he began.

He even remembers his childhood wherein he was embarrassed that his father was a champion knitter who made jumpers and placed them in exhibitions. Ben grew up in a tough little town where everyone played football and fathers displayed masculine and macho prowess. Now that he perceives things differently, Ben believes that people should do what they want to do, as his father did in knitting and him in taking the entrepreneurial route.

“Even from a young age, I was always trying various entrepreneurial ventures. When I was little, I bought myself a saxophone and a windsurfer by selling pot plants on the side of the road, doing things like that. I was always trying to do weird things to make money as a kid, and lots of them failed spectacularly. But, it was a hobby of mine as a child,” Ben continued.

It goes to show that he has exhibited the entrepreneurial spirit at an early age. In fact, he started Alliance Software when he was still in university. Except for his service in the church, Ben never had a full-time job in any company. He immediately took the business journey when he had the opportunity. He narrated, “I worked with the church for two or three years and did that at the same time I've had some other part-time roles. I was passionate about the youth work that I was doing with the church where I was involved. I effectively started my business out of university. I've never had a real job.”

Alliance Software was the banner under which he did contract programming for other businesses while he was still studying. “The reason I started it was because it was convenient, and I could make better money than I could in doing student jobs. I think it's easier to start a business while still young because in my case, I didn't need much money since I was living with my parents. Then I got married quite young. My wife was on a good income, and I was running Alliance Software,” explained Ben.

At the end of his Master’s course in university, he got a job offer from a company called Accenture, a large multi-national consulting firm. The offer was great and tempting. At that time, Ben took a Master’s degree, as he thought he would get a real career, and it seemed Accenture was the answer. But he seriously pondered the kind of life he and his family would have if he accepts the offer. He recalled that fateful night, “My wife and I went out for dinner, and I remember we were looking over the sea and talking about it. We knew people who worked at Accenture and the lifestyle they had. That was the night when we decided to reject the offer and try to be a real business owner.”

While Alliance Software is his primary business, Ben has also dabbled in other enterprises as well. Another business he put up was Noble Samurai, which is a tech startup. He also built Web2TV, a business in the age care space, which he sold to a publicly listed company. He’s also looking at establishing another venture, although he’s still fiddling with the new business concept.

Since there are low barriers to entry in the industry where he is operating, it was not a difficult space for him to found an enterprise. It is true that Ben found it easy to start some businesses, but there were tougher times along his entrepreneurial path. Making a business flourish is a huge challenge in itself. His Noble Samurai business started very successfully and was popular in its category as an SEO tool. But the industry collapsed, tools in that trade became less popular, and competitors were fleeing. It was an exciting venture that made lots of money that fell into a crashing failure. Ben and his team had to endeavour to rebuild it from the ground up to keep it running.

Then he was embroiled in a legal battle with a customer, one of the lows he experienced as an entrepreneur. Still, he regards himself a person who tries to find amicable solutions to a whole range of problems. There are also misconceptions about businesses and business owners that others see differently. “People look at businesses and think they’re all well-run, orderly, organised, and efficient. As I've gotten to know more businesses, I've realised that a lot of businesses are not well-run. The other thing is that most business owners are dysfunctional in some way or another. They generally have significant weaknesses in certain areas of their life. They only succeed because they set up processes that don't need them to be strong in those areas. A lot of business owners are just holding on by the seat of their pants. I can only think of two or three people, who I would consider genuinely well-rounded and can excel across five or six different business functions where they are involved. I'm not one of them. Business people are not as clever or capable as I thought they would be when I started my business,” Ben declared.

On the flipside, one of the highs of his entrepreneurial adventure was when he launched one of his businesses fruitfully. He also felt euphoric when it brought in a huge income. The last few years, he has been happy that his ventures are doing well, especially when it continues to grow, earning solid revenues and good profits.

For Ben, the two key factors that provided him with continuous growth are the books he reads and the people who surround him. In fact, he regards the two books he read in EO, Scaling Up and Traction, as good tools that he was able to use for his businesses. “Both are business process books and are excellent, in my opinion. We’ve implemented a lot of the principles, such as deciding our target market, deciding how we’re going to run the business with people, and deciding how we’re going to execute the processes. At a pragmatic level, they’ve been very good, and I highly recommend them,” he stated.

With regards to EO, Ben shared an anecdote about his entry into the organisation. Two of his clients were both EO members and recommended him to be part of this group. “I joined, paid my dues and turned up without knowing what it was I was joining, which was in hindsight, a little bit silly. There are other obvious ways to assess it and get some input. But that was my experience. I got a couple of suggestions from people I trusted, and I paid up and came along,” he laughingly recounted.

Nevertheless, he has received great value from becoming a member of EO. For him, “It has been an opportunity to see how high-calibre business owners approach problems and work through situations. It is like having a sounding board to talk those through with them. Seeing how other people wrestle with challenges, and the kinds of actions they take, it gives you a whole different perspective on how you act. It allows you to upgrade your mental operating system to the way that different people would operate, rather than just seeing things the way they always seem.”

From books, people and experiences, Ben has established rhythms in their business that have become some of their best practices. They have daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual rhythms of setting goals, strategy, and check-ins to identify where they are off and what are the problems present. Because Ben believes that people are not lazy and will want to work when given the proper motivation and environment, he leads his team towards their goals through right incentives and rewards, recognition, clear directions, celebrations during victories, and good corporate values.

Managing a business and the people in it may vary from one business owner to another. Ben has structured his business where he doesn’t have to work crazy hours so he can spend more time with his wife and two children. He’s normally home by 5:30 at night and takes dinner together with his family. His son, who is 12 years old, shows that he can be an adept computer programming by learning free stuff on the internet. He stressed how individuals, especially business owners, can learn from the internet without shelling out a lot of money. “I heard this crazy story about the guy who was the world record javelin thrower. He got to the position of being the best in the world, but he never had a coach, he never had a lesson. He had learned everything about javelin throwing from YouTube,” Ben shared.

Ben pointed out that training can be low-cost nowadays because of the various resources available online. In fact, they are training their staff on a particular technology at the moment, and they found a great training resource at a very low price. He hopes to grow his businesses to become a bigger version of what they’re doing now. He wants to increase the number of staff and do more startups, probably some joint ventures with his existing staff that he has good relations to be his business partner.

It was not so long ago when Ben found himself at the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. Now, he has built a company that is almost two decades in operation and several other ventures along the way. To those who want to become entrepreneurs, his suggestion is this, “Keep your costs low. Take a job where you have to sell to make money. Don't beaver away building something in your garage for two years before you go and sell it. Take the idea and go and pitch it to people first. Then get your first customers to help pay for the product to be created or pay for the service to come into existence.”

Different strategies and management styles can be applied depending on the kind of business model one has. But the simple things new entrepreneurs should know, according to Ben, is to buy a thing or create a product or do some work and then sell that product or service for profit. It only gets complicated once the business grows due to higher demands of work. There’s no need to perfect everything. For him, even it’s half-baked, one should take the risk and test its viability in the market with the least possible cost. Then take the metrics to evaluate where one can improve and develop.

Most of all, he cited the need for a business owner to be curious and humble enough to accept that there are more things to be learned as one continues in the entrepreneurial journey. Ben expressed something about himself, “I like to surround myself with smart people. I want to be curious. I want to be learning new things. For me, that's a big passion. That is what drives me. I enjoy the learning process. I enjoy the discovery. I enjoy figuring stuff out. I like working with people who are thinking in different ways. There's no grand message in the realities of the journey. The journey is still pretty young in many ways. I feel very fortunate, and I think I'm very lucky to be able to have this business, which has given me something that I enjoy doing where I get to work with good people.”

Know more about Ben Stickland through his LinkedIn profile. More on Alliance Software at https://www.alliancesoftware.com.au/.

Mark Calabro’s Double D: Determination and Discipline

Determined to take control of his destiny and to create something meaningful to the world, Mark Calabro went into business straight out of university, taught himself the ropes of running it, learned from the real world and helped establish one of the biggest Point of Sale providers in the food and beverage industry.

Ordermate Co-founder and Director of Sales Mark Calabro has the best job in the world. He gets to enjoy two of the things he loves: technology and food. As an engineer, he has a knack for technology and innovation. His affinity for food, on the other hand, can be traced way back from his childhood with his family. Surrounded by his grandpa and adults in the family, Mark loved watching them cook and share a meal as he was always very curious as a kid.

“I love how food brings back emotions. These are warm, loving and caring emotions from childhood. And I love to share experiences. I love to share things that I make. I love to share learnings with other people. As for me, food is about sharing, and sharing is a part of me,” he expresses warmly. On top of that, he loves to cook as he finds it very calming. As a matter of fact, cooking is a form of meditation for him.

Thus, Mark’s authentic zeal for food eventually extended to his business, Ordermate, which develops technology that helps improve the way restaurants, cafes and bars run their businesses and grow their profits. “We all have a genuine passion for the food and beverage industry. It translates to the quality of our product. It shows how we recognise and celebrate working with the very best in the industry: the best chefs, the best operators, and the best barmen,” the food-loving engineer articulates.

Ordermate’s early beginning was not as opulent as the industry it now caters. It simply started at a garage in 2002. “We were straight out of university, myself and my then business partners. We were at the university together taking up a double degree in engineering and multimedia. We started up our business as more of fun. It was just a project,” he describes.

Young and fresh out of university, they didn’t have much money to put into the business. “We lived on just water for the first few years,” Mark laughingly puts it as they weren’t taking any wage during the initial years of their business. It was all self-funded and its growth was purely organic. Since they had to take in a software developer and hire more people, their team had to expand. In effect, the ability to pay wages for their staff kept them up at night as cash flow was a real problem.

Add to that was the fact that Mark and his partners had no idea about sales and marketing. That part was just self-taught. They learned on their own feet as they went about running the business. What they did, however, was link up with friends who had some background in marketing to help them go about it.

The challenging part, however, was that marketing was crucial to their business during the early stages as they had to convince those in the food and beverage industry why they need a software to run their operations. When Mark and his partners were starting out, the industry wasn't used to the modern way of doing business, such as paying for a subscription service.

“The perception of the industry was just to buy a cash register that comes out of a box, have someone unbox and program it, then pay them the money. For us, we went better in a different way as we took a consulting approach rather than a box product. Back then, 90% of the market would buy the box product. A cash register was cheaper than our software,” Mark shares his sentiments.

Mark and his partners spent the first 5 to 8 years presenting to businesses the value of their product and the wisdom why they had to spend 5 to 10 times more on this technology. “It was then very much about showing our value proposition whereas today, everyone knows you have to buy a Point of Sale system. It's now just a matter of which brand to trust and which one has great service or good after sales or great tools.”

As competition is growing, the challenge for Mark and his team is to set their business apart from the rest. Their approach is to provide genuine care, interest and passion for the industry that will contribute to the betterment of the industry. On the other hand, they try not to be everything to everyone. Instead, they carved their niche by focusing more on bigger, larger and more professional, aspirational hospitality venues. While they deal with anyone in the food and beverage industry, channelling and focusing their initiatives towards businesses that give value to everything they do was a more efficient method. With that, they cater more towards serious business establishments where there's a marketing function or stock inventory.

With the constant ordeal of maintaining a positive cash flow, acquiring new skills, getting new clients and facing competition, Mark realises that running a business entails a lot of hard work. He loves what he does, that’s for sure. But people regard owning a business as something like a walk in the park. In reality, nothing can prepare a business owner with the challenges ahead when it comes to growing and building a business until he becomes one. “You have to live being a business owner. I think you don't know it unless you've done it. Thousands of people may think it is glamorous and it is a nice thought. What they don’t see is that there is a lot of sacrifices, like in relationships and personal life,” he shares. “For me personally, I never switch off,” he remarks.

The biggest heartache in his entrepreneurial journey was a business relationship that turned sour. There were some people in the organisation that they had to let go. Mark acknowledges that his mistake has been knowing that they have a big problem but not facing it head-on. So, apart from honing the various job functions that he has to learn and then excelling at them, managing people and building better relationships were also key learnings that he found on his journey. He finds that relationship-building and people skills are necessary for sales, marketing, recruitment and leadership. Part of that learning includes getting the right people on the team.

“As they say, ‘you’re as good as your weakest link.’ I learned that we have to get the right people to keep going. When it comes to systems and processes, we’re good on that stuff because we're engineers. I didn't value marketing and HR before, but as the business was growing and evolving, those are probably two of the most important things in any business. So, it’s about people, which is HR, and marketing, which is creating value for the market segments that you want,” Mark answers thoughtfully.

Recognising the significance of the different aspects of the business that they have not given much attention before, Mark learned to surround himself with business coaches and mentors that cared about the business and guided him through his entrepreneurial journey, particularly in areas where he didn’t have previous skills.

Earlier this year, Mark also joined EO Melbourne, where he has picked additional knowledge that he has applied in his business. “I learned the importance of execution and strategy. I also understood that having the absolute clarity and unity at the top of the business can penetrate all the way down to the staff.”

Putting all those tools together and applying them in his entrepreneurial voyage, Mark has seen the fruits of their labours. Their biggest win is getting customers in the Middle East. “We are in the UAE since 2 years ago. It's nice to see people from various walks of life in other parts of the world smile and enjoy using what we developed way back in 2002 out of a garage. We're on that path of growth now, which is about getting the team right and consolidating our brand and our position in the Australian market. Next year is about extending that and also growing internationally. We have 3 countries earmarked in 2018,” Mark eagerly shares.

In fact, Mark is ready to take on the world. They plan to have offices in each of the major continents. The expansion, however, is not only geographic. It also extends to having more services and products in the pipeline. Mark takes their plans further as he sees more changes to occur in the market and, in effect, in their business within the next few years. “It is going to be totally different from what it is now. The market will be different. Technology is open to disruption, so we have to be the one that must disrupt so as not to be disrupted.”

Mark remains hopeful despite the constant changes happening around him. “As the business is growing and as we are getting more resources and people to do the operational stuff, I see myself spending more time on the innovation flow. I really enjoy that. I think there is a lot of exciting change that is already starting to happen. I think it excites more people to come on board and have a career with us as well,” he retorts.

As he looks at the 15 or more years of his entrepreneurial journey at a macro level, Mark cites the important ingredients for a successful business cuisine. “I think that perseverance, hard work and continuous learning are the key things that I attribute to what I have, where I am, and what I achieve. Also, it’s people and passion first before anything else. It's the passion you have for the right people.”

While he continues to cook up more ideas that will help develop the food and beverage industry and take it to a higher level, he imparts an important message to other aspiring entrepreneurs. “You need to be determined to get through every day. You must be determined to keep learning. Determination and discipline. These are the key behaviours that you need to keep you going to the next stage and the next stage and the next stage.”

These are the same qualities that enabled him to take control of his destiny and led him to create something meaningful to the world. And with determination and discipline, he is ready for the next stage of his journey.

More of Mark Calabro in his LinkedIn profile. Read about Ordermate at http://www.ordermate.com.au.