Three Reasons Every Leader Needs a BlogDo you have a blog? If not, here are three reasons why you should motivate yourself to start one:1. Leaders Need a Place to Think Out Loud2. Blogs Encourage You to Keep Learning3. Blogs Introduce You to New Connections(Via LinkedIn) (via Three Reasons Every Leader Needs a Blog | LinkedIn)

Three Reasons Every Leader Needs a Blog

Do you have a blog? If not, here are three reasons why you should motivate yourself to start one:

1. Leaders Need a Place to Think Out Loud
2. Blogs Encourage You to Keep Learning
3. Blogs Introduce You to New Connections

(Via LinkedIn)

(via Three Reasons Every Leader Needs a Blog | LinkedIn)

nycedc: With this news, you’d think Bobby Valentine is now managing New England’s tech scene: New York’s share of venture capital dollars has doubled over the last ten years while its rival, Silicon Valley, has grown at a much slower pace and New England has sputtered, a new study from the Center for an Urban Future shows. Between the first quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of this year, the New York area’s share of VC investments surged to 11.4% from 5.3%. Silicon Valley’s share rose to 31.7% from 28.6% over the same period while New England’s share fell to 10.2% from 14.8%. Read more in NY Daily News. Go #NYCTech! Chart: Center for an Urban Future report Great news for NYC tech entrepreneurs! NYC is the clear leader for where tech start ups need to be on the East Coast to get VC funding.

nycedc:

With this news, you’d think Bobby Valentine is now managing New England’s tech scene:

New York’s share of venture capital dollars has doubled over the last ten years while its rival, Silicon Valley, has grown at a much slower pace and New England has sputtered, a new study from the Center for an Urban Future shows.

Between the first quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of this year, the New York area’s share of VC investments surged to 11.4% from 5.3%.

Silicon Valley’s share rose to 31.7% from 28.6% over the same period while New England’s share fell to 10.2% from 14.8%.

Read more in NY Daily News. Go #NYCTech!

Chart: Center for an Urban Future report

Great news for NYC tech entrepreneurs! NYC is the clear leader for where tech start ups need to be on the East Coast to get VC funding.

It can be daunting to make conversation with a fellow CEO or high powered executive that you respect when you are caught off guard, especially when you are stuck riding the elevator 30 floors down.Mashable created these 3 conversation types to help you next time you are at a loss for words with a CEO:1. The Trader Joe - think Hawaiian shirts and a laid back vibe for an easy going chat.2. The Tactful Admirer - a compliment to a senior executive on an accomplishment will never fail to kick off conversation.3. The Travel Talker - all business leaders travel, so use that to your advantage in your opening line.Read more on Mashable for some more executive elevator-talk. (via Caught in an Elevator With the CEO? 3 Conversation Starters)

It can be daunting to make conversation with a fellow CEO or high powered executive that you respect when you are caught off guard, especially when you are stuck riding the elevator 30 floors down.

Mashable created these 3 conversation types to help you next time you are at a loss for words with a CEO:

1. The Trader Joe - think Hawaiian shirts and a laid back vibe for an easy going chat.
2. The Tactful Admirer - a compliment to a senior executive on an accomplishment will never fail to kick off conversation.
3. The Travel Talker - all business leaders travel, so use that to your advantage in your opening line.

Read more on Mashable for some more executive elevator-talk.

(via Caught in an Elevator With the CEO? 3 Conversation Starters)

One Thing You Might Have in Common with Sheryl Sandberg on OPEN Forum The main reason women business owners can’t have it all? A recent survey by Manta of 1,000 female entrepreneurs reveals their biggest challenge is not having the help they need to run their business (26 percent). One in four of the 95 percent of women in the survey who are moms say running a business is more difficult than raising kids, while 69 percent think they’re equally difficult jobs. it’s interesting that the biggest challenges these entrepreneurial moms face aren’t unique to moms, but are shared by almost every small-business owner. Married or single, male or female, parents or not, we can all relate to not having enough “hands on deck” and wishing we had an experienced advisor we could turn to at all times to help us out. Read more on the takeaways of this survey on OPEN Forum.

One Thing You Might Have in Common with Sheryl Sandberg on OPEN Forum

The main reason women business owners can’t have it all? A recent survey by Manta of 1,000 female entrepreneurs reveals their biggest challenge is not having the help they need to run their business (26 percent).

One in four of the 95 percent of women in the survey who are moms say running a business is more difficult than raising kids, while 69 percent think they’re equally difficult jobs.

it’s interesting that the biggest challenges these entrepreneurial moms face aren’t unique to moms, but are shared by almost every small-business owner. Married or single, male or female, parents or not, we can all relate to not having enough “hands on deck” and wishing we had an experienced advisor we could turn to at all times to help us out.

Read more on the takeaways of this survey on OPEN Forum.

Find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations to a new country, say yes to meet new friends, say yes to learn something new. Yes is how you get your first job, and your next job, and your spouse, and even your kids.

Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google

(From Katie Couric’s book “The Best Advice I Ever Got,” excerpted by The Daily Beast)

What qualities represent your business and company mission? Answering this question can help determine what is most important for branding your company. The Logo Company created this infographic to show how the biggest and most influential brands use color psychology to create their logo’s and market their company ideals.

What qualities represent your business and company mission?

Answering this question can help determine what is most important for branding your company. The Logo Company created this infographic to show how the biggest and most influential brands use color psychology to create their logo’s and market their company ideals.

Goodbye 100-Hour Workweek: Why Working 9 to 5 is Better for Business on OPEN Forum Here’s how working 9 to 5 (or another 40-hour-a-week schedule) can help you and your business succeed: 1. Helps you avoid burnout 2. Increases employee retention 3. Showcases company values 4. Boosts productivity 5. Forces delegation 6. Makes more financial sense 7. Understands the long-term goal How can you get started? Read more here and try to work eight hours for one day instead of your usual 10 to 15. Focus only on the things that really need to get done. You will be surprised how productive you can be on a limited amount of time.

Goodbye 100-Hour Workweek: Why Working 9 to 5 is Better for Business on OPEN Forum

Here’s how working 9 to 5 (or another 40-hour-a-week schedule) can help you and your business succeed:

1. Helps you avoid burnout

2. Increases employee retention

3. Showcases company values

4. Boosts productivity

5. Forces delegation

6. Makes more financial sense

7. Understands the long-term goal

How can you get started? Read more here and try to work eight hours for one day instead of your usual 10 to 15. Focus only on the things that really need to get done. You will be surprised how productive you can be on a limited amount of time.

Click here to embiggen (see full infographic) Do you know what makes a winning pitch deck? Use this infographic to learn the 12 most vital components and best practices when creating a sales deck to get the funding your company needs. (Via InvestorPitches.com)

Click here to embiggen (see full infographic)

Do you know what makes a winning pitch deck? Use this infographic to learn the 12 most vital components and best practices when creating a sales deck to get the funding your company needs.

(Via InvestorPitches.com)

My friend Andre said to me, ‘You know, Marissa, you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself to pick the right choice, and I’ve gotta be honest: That’s not what I see here. I see a bunch of good choices, and there’s the one that you pick and make great.

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, on the best advice she’s ever received.

(Via Business Insider)

5 Reasons Employees Can’t Stand Their Bosses on OPEN Forum Do you think your employees hate you? If so, make things right, quickly, before their negativity takes down your company’s culture. Here are five common reasons employees may hate you: 1. You can’t make up your mind. 2. You micromanage. 3. You talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. 4. You play favorites. 5. You flaunt your success. Do any of these apply to you? If so, read some subtle solutions to change your employees minds here.

5 Reasons Employees Can’t Stand Their Bosses on OPEN Forum

Do you think your employees hate you? If so, make things right, quickly, before their negativity takes down your company’s culture.

Here are five common reasons employees may hate you:

1. You can’t make up your mind.

2. You micromanage.

3. You talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.

4. You play favorites.

5. You flaunt your success.

Do any of these apply to you? If so, read some subtle solutions to change your employees minds here.