By Alexandra Reid
As a regular weekly feature, we provide our readers with a roundup of some of the best articles we have read in the past week. On the podium this week are The Telegraph, On Startups, eMarketer, Guardian, Inc., and Startup North.
The difference between a failed business and a successful one, in five key numbers
As author Alexis Dormandy explains, KPIs are supposed to measure the most important things in a business. They are useful for getting a whole business focused on delivering the really important things. However, KPIs have now become horrendously misused to include just about any number anyone in senior management cares about, someone in finance can measure, or someone in the middle just finds interesting. This post cuts through the noise and shares five vital KPIs that every business should understand, measure, and manage.
Avoiding founder failure: 26 quick tips and real data
Author Dharmesh Shah shares key data points from Harvard Business School professor Noam Wasserman’s book Founder’s Dilemmas, the result of his years of research and conversations with founders.
Father of the email attachment
As the email attachment celebrates its 20th anniversary, its inventor, Nathaniel Borenstein, explains how and why he revolutionized modern communications.
CEOs who tweet held in high regard
There may be new reasons for CEOs and CMOs to join the Twittersphere. According to a study by social media branding firm BRANDfog, and reported by eMarketer, consumers and employees regard company leaders who engage on social media platforms positively.
What SWOT can teach you about leadership
The key to survival — whether it be in the “real” world or the business world — is to know your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). This comprehensive article tells you everything you need to know about this valuable business exercise.
Early stage companies don’t need money, they need customers
This thoughtful post from Jesse Rogers argues that startups need to focus more on customer acquisition and growth in Canada instead of just raising money. Rogers explains that startups that do need and can use capital don’t pull up stakes and leave town for the investment. They leave town (or the country) because they are missing something more valuable than money — customers, mentorship that helps them get customers, and a network of peers.
