1. How to Legally Hire and Manage an Intern

Internships, when done correctly, are win-win propositions between the business and the intern. Businesses benefit from fresh, creative talent at low or no cost, while interns gain valuable real world experience with the possibility of being considered for full-time employment. However, there are laws and mandates in place regarding interns that businesses must adhere to. Simply put, the internship must benefit the student through monetary compensation or college credit. Read more

2. 5 Things to Consider Before You Hire Your Next Intern

Interns can be valuable resources for startups — especially bootstrapped businesses that need help but can’t afford to bring on full-time employees. However, having a successful internship experience requires preparation. Here are five things every small business should consider before hiring an intern. Read more

3. Posting Internships: How to Find (and Benefit From Hiring) Student Interns

As you set new goals and move forward in your business, here is an idea to help your company grow: Hire less experienced but driven individuals. Hiring new interns not only brings new skills and fresh ideas to your company but it allows you to possibly scout new talent for your growing business.

While hiring talented, experienced employees unarguably contributes to your business, student interns also bring a unique set of strengths and benefits. Read more

4. How to Prepare For, Find and Utilize Rock Star Interns

Being self-employed is fabulous – and fabulously overwhelming!  When my business started gaining momentum, I quickly realized there was far too much for me to do on my own.  Sleeping suddenly became a thing of the past and I struggled to keep up with the day-to-day operations while pushing growth forward.  With a minimal start-up budget, I needed to think quickly; calling on my nearly 10 years of HR experience, I decided to launch a search for help … and took a chance on the ubiquitous intern. Read more

5. Do You Have Unpaid Interns? You Might Be Breaking the Law

It is not uncommon for startups to hire interns to help grow their businesses. In fact, what startup doesn’t hire interns? “Silicon Valley mainstays and startups like Google and Dropbox are hiring tons of interns for this coming summer, the Wall Street Journal Reports. Dropbox plans to hire three times as many interns for this summer as for last summer. This would make interns one whole third of Dropbox’s entire engineering team (businessinsider.com).” Read more

Need more information on how to correctly hire unpaid interns? Refer to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Fact Sheet and ensure your small business passes the Test for Unpaid Interns.

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Kevin, while living in India at the time, saw an opportunity to get his company in front of one of the nation’s premiere accelerators, 500 Startups, a seed fund and startup accelerator program that provides early-stage companies with up to $250K in funding, access to mentorship and unique networking events.

He aimed to pitch WalletKit in a unique and attention-grabbing way to spark Singh’s interest in the platform, which he believed would power the future of mobile wallets.

Quirk, an international marketing agency, suggests that “Using one’s handset as a financial tool, or the mobile wallet is an interesting concept which is becoming increasingly popular and integrated across consumer platforms. Not only does it allow users on the move to access financial accounts, but also plays an integral part in the development of digital commerce and banking.”

“The mobile wallet is proving especially effective in developing countries where desktop access to the Internet and banking opportunities are still a privilege, yet mobile accessibility is extremely high,” according to Quirk.

WalletKit aims to capitalize on this growing trend by helping businesses with adoption, enabling the design of aesthetically pleasing, Passbook-friendly coupons, tickets, passes, and gift cards without coding knowledge.

Using their virtual pass builder, businesses can create passes from scratch and track metrics including clicks, opens and downloads. “At Walletkit, we make it super simple for companies to integrate with mobile wallets like Passbook, Google Wallets, and other similar mobile wallets,” says Kevin William David.  “Apple does not have a specific type of notification format so we have our own API that companies can integrate with different mobile wallets which is not too expensive or time consuming,” he notes.

Learn how WalletKit got noticed and funded by 500 Startups while based in India and why Kevin believes you must never give up, even when you fail.

How I Got Started:

Apple Passbook is a mobile wallet available to iPhone software. It helps you store gifts cards, movie tickets, coupons, store cards, etc. in your phone. So when you go to Target or Starbucks, for example, the app knows exactly where you are and a coupon will pop up on your iPhone screen at the exact time and location that you need it.

There are a lot of mobile wallets other than Apple Passbook such as Google Wallet. We realized that there are going to be a lot of adoptions for consumers like us to use Apple Passbook.

We wanted to help companies that wanted to adopt Passbook and make it simple for them. We knew the market was so huge that we could connect to different mobile wallets because this is potentially the way people will manage tickets and stuff a couple of years from now. So we decided to start right now and create a central platform for businesses to create, manage and deliver digital boarding passes, tickets, store cards, coupons for mobile wallets.

Let that sink in for a moment…

Now, ask yourself, how many of those blogs are producing hits?

I’m talking about the kind of stuff viral dreams are made of – shares, links, comments, buzz, traffic, massive subscription lists, sales, etc.

The answer? Very few.

Now ask yourself this: How many think theirs has hit potential?

The answer? All of them!

And many are trying to create an online brand. But not everyone has what it takes to create a hit industry blog, which is why you only have a few breakout stars in each industry. And if you’re using your company blog or website to build an influential brand, this is what you are up against.

Sound impossible? It’s not.

Let me tell you the story of Kimberly (me) and her adventures in online branding.

Entrepreneurs: Rebels Without A Clue

When I launched my personal branding website, I was clueless.

Like many online newbies, I made a lot of mistakes and had my fair share of setbacks. But within 18 months:

– The Huffington Post recognized me as a one of the nation’s top personal branding experts
– Online influencers regularly share my blog with hundreds of thousands of their followers
– Respected organizations invite me to speak at their events
– I am repeatedly invited to guest blog, contribute, and be quoted in major online publications
– And, best of all, my pipeline has been full of dynamic clients that I love working with …

I’m not bragging. I’m just pointing out that it can be done. And you can even wear a Beastie Boys shirt while doing it.

So what did I do?

I put in a lot of hard work around a simple brand concept I call “The A & R Perspective”.

The A & R Man Said, “I Don’t Hear a Single”

I’ll get to the details in a moment, but first a quick marketing lesson about the music industry.

In a nutshell, here’s what record labels are looking for:

A talented artist and a hit single.

The talented singer part is probably no shock to you, but why a hit single? Because that’s what leads to multi-platinum album sales, sold out concerts, and legions of fans buying merchandise.

In other words, a musician doesn’t have a brand until they have a hit.

Self-sabotage prevents you from attaining what you want most in life and business. According to IQ Matrix, a website dedicated to maximizing potential through mind mapping and life coaching principles, suggests “Self-sabotage is any behavior, thought, emotion or action that holds you back from getting what you want consciously.”

“Moreover, it is the conflict that exists between conscious desires and unconscious wants that manifests in self-sabotage patterns. It not only prevents you from reaching your goal, but also becomes a safety mechanism that protects you against disappointment. In other words, your brain is protecting you from getting hurt by doing what it thinks is best, which is keeping you within your comfort zone.”

So, we asked 15 entrepreneurs to reveal the best ways to “get out of your own way” and stop sabotaging your business success. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Stop procrastinating.

“The best way to get out of your own way in business is to stop procrastinating. If you have a great idea,act on it. You aren’t doing yourself or your business any good by sitting on the idea.  Make it happen.”

- Meagan Eagles, Owner of Weddings Tied With Lace: @WedTiedWithLace

2. Make a to-do list.

“Most entrepreneurs can’t get out of their own way because they are always reacting to requests. A quick solution is to plan your day the night before and create a tomorrow to-do list. Wake up the next day and stick to the plan.  If an urgent item comes up, write it down on the list and compare its urgency and importance to the next item on your list.  If it’s more urgent and important, do it.  If not, defer.”

- Greg DeSimone, Owner and President of FocalPoint Business Coaching: @gregdesimone

3. Don’t micromanage your team.

“Trust your team members to do their work well. You don’t need to manage every aspect of the work that they’re doing. You brought them on because they have the necessary skills; let them use them. You’ll also find that you’re a lot more productive when you aren’t micromanaging your team members’ tasks.”

- Amie Darboe, Founder and CEO of The Flairist: @AmieDarboe

4. Stop over-analyzing.

“Done is better than perfect. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs hum-hah about whether they are doing the right thing and end up doing nothing. Of course, doing it right the first time is preferred; However, it’s better to do something, learn from it, and do it better the next time than to do nothing at all.”

- Chris Miles, Founder and CEO of Money Ripples: @chriscmiles

5. Recognize your weaknesses.

“Sure, you can create a Web site, but do you really want a site that looks like a novice did it? About client generation work, I’m sure you know how to make phone calls, but do you consistently make those calls every day to generate the clients you need to grow your business?  If you find yourself putting off key business-generating activities because you know how to do them but you are not actually doing them, chances are you know these are your weak areas. Get someone else to do them. The sooner you do this, the better your chances for success.”

- Arron P. Grow, Dean of Workplace Sanity Group: @DrAPGrow

6. Get out of your comfort zone.

“If you never take the initiative to get out of your comfort zone, nothing spectacular will happen in your business or personal life. There will always be difficulties you must face and you will need patience to get through them. Ultimately, it requires endurance and perseverance to pursue your business goals and realize them at 180mph.”

- Nadine Lajoie, President of Nadynn International: @Nadlajoie

7. Find a support network.

“Especially when you’re first starting out as a small business owner, it’s easy to become a recluse initially and keep your head buried in business development.  By getting out, networking, and finding a support network of fellow small business owners, you can support each other and hold each other accountable.  This helps you not only foster relationships in the community, but it will keep you from not following-through on business plans.”

- Jill Schiefelbein, Owner of Impromptu Guru: @impromptuguru

8. Delegate and outsource.

“A successful business includes product/service development, sales, customer service, marketing, PR, bookkeeping, etc. It’s a lot and it’s overwhelming for one person. You need to hand this over to a manager, assistant, part-time employee or intern. Even if you only need a few hours per week from this person, it will help your business. The less time you have for the little things, the more productive you can be.”

-Belkis L. Cardona-Rivera, President and Chief Digital Marketing Specialist of Belkis Marketing: @BelkisMarketing

Along the way, don’t forget that business dreams are made of these practical business lessons:

1. Preparation is never time wasted.

Much of the behind-the-scenes work that molds entrepreneurs is lost on spectators that gaze in awe of finished projects. But we recognize that no great idea is feasible without relentless execution – step-by-step resolute actions that take your highly abstract ideas from lofty visions to tangible results. Your highlight reel (i.e. public wins and results) is not feasible without behind-the-scenes production. And production, my friend, requires patience.

Case in point, take a page from a filmmaker’s playbook and consider that “Once a screenplay has been ‘green-lit’ for production, a prep schedule is planned that can be between 6 weeks for low budget and up to 30 weeks for a large studio event movie,” according to screenwriter Simon Barry. They say, Rome wasn’t built in a day and by and large your business won’t be either — so cut yourself some slack and embrace the process of preparation. This brings me to my next point …

2. Commit to the process.

Why are some of us afraid of commitment? Entrepreneurship is a process – it is not an event. By its very definition a process is a series of actions or operations conducing to an end. This suggests that in order to act incrementally in business you’ll have to resolve yourself to commit to the process.

Yes! Entrepreneurship is freedom, but as novelist Paulo Coelho suggests, “Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.”

“Overnight success” make take months or several years. But remember, what you earn — you keep.

3. Dreams won’t work unless you do.

Leadership expert John Maxwell, has been credited with saying, “Dreams won’t work unless you do.” What he means is that your creative insights require plans and action. Entrepreneurship is work. Your passion will test your resolve. And behind every effortless and seamless display of ingenuity is a committed individual that has put in the work.

We glamorize entrepreneurship – and rightly so, because it is insanely awesome, but we’d do ourselves (and would-be entrepreneurs) a huge disservice to ignore the panoramic view of business ownership. The view is breath-taking from the top, but it is not without work: the work of enduring through valleys, besting failure, wielding tough decisions and embracing challenges.

Nevertheless, it is the culmination of all these things that makes entrepreneurship so sweet. Because we know that, “Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them” (Winston Churchill).

There is no magic formula for building a technical team. However, I can offer advice based on my hard-won experience through meeting with over 60 developers, development shops and technical mentors.

Here are a few things that I learned the hard way about finding a technical co-founder:

1. Don’t be the “idea guy” looking for a “coder.”

Talented engineers can see “idea guys” from a mile away and will avoid them like the plague. No hacker wants to be the code monkey for your [insert hyperbolic superlative here] idea. The reality of the market is that there’s a great demand for developers, from growing startups to established companies like Google and Facebook.

The most talented are not merely one-dimensional tech geeks, but entrepreneurial-minded engineers who have ideas of their own. Get your perspective right from the start to attract top candidates.

I was able to attract and build relationships with a number of top-tier engineers because I was seeking true partners that could grow and shape my vision with me, not simply execute it for me.

2. Validate your concept before you start building.

Part of attracting talent is not only having a great idea, but also demonstrating that you are the right person to execute it. There are a lot of ways you can field test your concept early on before programming anything.

For example, you can collect invaluable feedback from potential users and customers with simple mock-ups that can help refine your product road map. InVision is a great user interface prototyping tool that turns designs into interactive mock-ups. Additionally, it takes minutes to set up a landing page with LaunchRock and Optimizely. With minimal ad spend, you can prove whether there would be interest in your product by getting actual signups and analyzing click-through rates.

When I started out, I got buy-in from key stakeholders on a simple video and deck, which I also used to sign up 75 retailer partners. The feedback I got from potential users on my front-end prototypes was invaluable in shaping and focusing our product road map.

3. Find advocates and supporters within the software engineering community.

If you don’t have a network in the developer community, build one! The relationships that I fostered were integral to my process and are paying off in dividends today. The developers I met early on have become friends who have made developer introductions, helped out with technical interviews and even reviewed GitHub accounts (a popular repository for code).

Additionally, these mentors have helped me understand how to manage development resources. To build these relationships, I generally avoided the “find a co-founder” type of meet-ups. Instead, I learned a lot more and made meaningful relationships at meet-ups for developers (e.g., Ruby Developers, machine learning, CTO School, etc.).

Why? ICs are a handy way for small businesses to expand and contract their workforce as needed.  But it’s easier (and more lucrative) for the tax authorities to collect withholding taxes from one employer each quarter than to hope—and hope is the operative word—for ICs to pay in that same revenue when they file their tax returns months later.

This happened to a client (for illustrative purposes we’ll call them “SB Training”). SB Training hired a colleague on a handshake as an IC to deliver a training program. SB Training paid the IC when the assignment was completed.  But when the IC filed for unemployment insurance (because the IC had been let go from her full-time job), she named SB Training as a place where she had worked in the previous year—and unwittingly sent SB Training down the rabbit hole.

SB Training said “She’s an IC!” The IC said, “I’m an IC!” The taxing authorities said, “Too bad—the IC didn’t have an independent business because she worked full-time elsewhere … so wasn’t a proper IC.”

And because they now have integrated computer database networks, the Workers’ Compensation and Disability agencies were salivating like hyenas ready to pounce on an injured zebra, awaiting the final determination.

To preclude this type of situation in your business and keep tax enforcers at bay, you’ll want to document all agreements with ICs. The IC determination process is complex, and you should seek expert help, but here are a few standard issues every IC agreement should include:

1. A clear description of the task.

Define the work to be performed, the time-frame for doing the work, and the IC’s specific responsibilities and reporting requirements.

2. Payment terms.

There should be no confusion here.  State how much the IC will be paid, when payment will be due, and how payment will be transferred.  Clearly state that no employment taxes are being withheld and that the IC is responsible for paying any taxes due.

3. The contract term.

The agreement should provide for termination of the contract, either at a pre-determined date or by a decision of either or both parties.

4. Confidential information and intellectual property (IP) rights.

If the IC will be privy to any of the company’s confidential information, or if the IC’s work could contribute to the production of new proprietary assets for the company, the agreement should confirm your ownership of that information and assets against any claims of the IC.

Tip:  The IRS and many states have announced increased enforcement of IC misclassifications.  There are a number of factors that agencies consider when weighing wither a worker is an employee or independent contractor.  Be familiar with them as you structure your work assignments.

For more about the 20 different factors that the IRS looks at, read my article, “How Independent Contractor Agreement Protect Your Pocketbook.”

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As Socialbrite.org suggests, data is transforming conversations. “These days everyone is releasing it, visualizing it, aggregating it, and mashing it up. And for good reason. Data is so much more than a stack of numbers or a server filled with client outputs. It can justify the work that your organization is doing, help others understand why it is critical, and offer exciting new ways to motivate others to help solve the problems your organization is working on.”

Here are 10 practical steps to help you plan, conduct and utilize market research data in your business:

1. Determine Your Purpose

What do you hope to gain from your research? Do you want to improve an existing product or service? Are you preparing for a new product launch? Start with your main objective  and then predict what you think the data will reveal. This helps you determine next steps to take, and provides a comparison of how you view your offering and how other perceive it in the marketplace.

2. Establish the Type of Market Research You Want to Use

There are two main types of market research. Primary research is taken directly from the source, such as current or potential customers. Primary research, when done right, can be very reliable.

Secondary research is data collected from existing research conducted by others. People usually gather secondary research data from government agencies, trade associations, local chambers of commerce, and other credible sources.

3. Confirm Your Target Audience

Make sure you have a target market in mind. Your target market is the group of people that are most likely to buy your product or service. For example, if you want to develop an eco-friendly baby sling, your target market would consist of mothers of young children, and you would probably want to choose a research method that doesn’t require a lot of time due to their busy schedules, such as a short online survey.

4. Conduct Primary Market Research

There are several different ways that you can conduct your own research. Online or mail surveys, face-to-face or telephone interviews and questionnaires are all effective ways to collect data from your target audience. You can use tools like Qualaroo, SurveyMonkey, and QuestionPro.

Questions may include factors customers consider when purchasing your product or service, appropriate prices, likes or dislikes about current products or services on the market, and areas of improvement. If you do not have the time to conduct it yourself, you can outsource your study to a market research firm.

5. Conduct Secondary Market Research

The bulk of your market research will usually come from secondary research. U.S. Census data, trade associations, professional journals, and community organizations offer data that may be relevant to your study such as: market trends, regional trends and information on your competitors.

Secondary research is easier to conduct because the data you’re collecting has already been analyzed and published. However, all of your data should not come from secondary research. A balanced mix of both secondary and primary research will ensure the credibility of your findings.

6. Determine the Reliability and Validity of Your Data

After you gather your data, weed out data that isn’t reliable. High quality data will be valid (i.e. you can trust the integrity of your data), reliable (i.e. the claims you assert about the accuracy of your data is correct) and be subject to triangulation — cross-examined through the lens of multiple independent sources of data to establish the truth and accuracy of your claim.

If you need to cut costs immediately, consider these nine tips:

1. Ditch the physical location.

“Unless you’re in a field that needs a storefront, ditch the office and save money on rent by working digitally. You’ll also open yourself up to hiring talent that may not be located in your immediate area.”

- Dale Galiniak, CEO of Txt2Teach.me: @txt2teachme

2. Outsource relentlessly.

“Entrepreneurs often think that ‘doing it themselves’ is an effective way to cut costs, but you’ll often waste tons and tons of time trying to learn enough to do something effectively. Elance is a great tool for outsourcing, but there are tons of others out there – spending all your time trying to get better at selecting great talent is much more cost-effective, time-effective, and, ultimately, it is scaleable.”

- Jayme Self, Founder of English Edits: @EnglishEdits

3. Monitor your office space needs and payroll costs.

“Most businesses spend more on rent/leasing and payroll costs more than any other expense. The best way to cut these costs and increase profits is regularly monitoring your office space needs and consistently reevaluating the number of employees necessary to carry out the business’s operations. Streamlining these large expenses will not only help to reduce monthly overhead costs, but if done right will also improve operational efficiency, leading to a larger bottom line.”

- Michael Raanan, Founder and President of Landmark Tax Group: @LandmarkTaxGrp

4. Hire independent contractors.

“I’ve worked with the same designers and programmers for 10 years now, but they have the freedom to do other work, and I only pay them for the work they do. We have a great relationship and low overhead. I pass the savings on to clients, and clients love working with me and my team!”

- Heidi Koontz Oleska, President and Branding/Marketing Strategist of Vintage Juice Brand Marketing: @VintageJuice

5. Operate like a startup and think “lean.”

“If you’re making profits or have raised a large investment round, it’s easy to feel that you can throw a few thousand dollars at a marketing campaign just to give it a shot. Before you make any decision, really think it through. Work out the benefits of the campaign and consider where the money could be better spent. A lot of cost-cutting will simply come from being constructive with your capital and ensuring that if you’re spending a lot of money, you’re spending it in the right way.”

- Anthony Ng Monica, CEO of Swogo: @AnthonyNgMonica

So without furthering the hype, what does this mean for you as an entrepreneur? Derived from extensive Hispanic research panel studies and panel, check out these 5 facts that may make you rethink your next product or service offering:

1. Hispanics comprise 16% of the U.S. population

Fifty-two million is the estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2011, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority, according to the Census Bureau.  So what does that mean to you as an entrepreneur? If your product or service is not “Hispanic-friendly,” you are losing a big piece of the pie. How big you ask?

2. Hispanic buying power is worth $1 trillion

The Hispanic population is expected to grow another 50% to $1.5 trillion in the next 5 years, according to a new Nielsen report. It also found that Latino households earning more than $50,000 are projected to grow at a faster rate than the total number of households.

I thought that number would grab your attention, but maybe you are still unimpressed because you are an entrepreneur that focuses on B2B sales; not B2C sales. The next figure may interest you, then.

3. Hispanic-owned business generated $350.7 billion in receipts

According to the American Immigration Council, “Latino-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $350.7 billion” in j2007. This is up 55.5% from 2002. So, B2B entrepreneurs, you can’t ignore the Hispanic market either. Are you an entrepreneur going after a younger market? You should be paying to the Hispanic population too — for the following reason.

4. 27-years-old was the median age of the Hispanic population in 2012

This compared with 36.9 years for the population as a whole.  So, if your product or service is going after a younger demographic, you better make sure you are thinking of the Hispanic population. If your product or service is going after an even younger demographic, you better listen up as well.

5. 26% percent of children younger than 5 are Hispanic

All in all, Hispanics comprise 22% of children younger than 18. Thinking of releasing the next slinky? Make sure you have the Hispanic population in mind.

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Mario Xavier Carrasco is the co-Founder of ThinkNow Research, a full service Hispanic market research agency. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and a Hispanic market research expert. His blog has been featured on Huffington Post, Hispanic Business, and Quirks Market Research directory.