|In: Entrepreneurship|Last Updated: | 1 Comment

Today we have a guest article by Clay Clark who is former United States Small Business Administration Entrepreneur of the Year, an award-winning speaker & founder of the Thrive15.com online business education platform designed to help people to start a business, grow a business or advance in their careers.

Note – I in the article refers to Clay. Some of his views might be only applicable for US based startups.

He shares  sixteen Business laws every Entrepreneur should know. So let’s get started with his guest article.

Action is the real measure of intelligence : Napoleon Hill

After consulting countless entrepreneurs in nearly every industry imaginable, I have found the following universal business laws that successful entrepreneurs follow and you should too –

Dream big and then focus on turning those big ideas into small action steps

You have to begin with the end goal in mind, knowing that a goal is a dream with a deadline. You must believe and understand that if you do not impose a deadline for your dreams on yourself, your dreams will never become reality because they will never get done. You must learn to break down your big ideas into the small actionable items needed to get things done. This is skill that you can learn and a skill that is taught in the book Scale by Jeff Hoffman and David Finkel.

Learn to sell or your business will go to hell

If you can’t sell your product, it goes from being an asset to a liability. Learn to sell, partner with someone who can sell, or learn to be poor. And when I say “learn to sell” I realize that most people (not you) immediately formulate a mental picture a man similar to the sales hack below. My friend, the man featured below is not selling, he demonstrating high-pressure “jackassery” in combination with a lack of tact, knowledge and skill.

If you are serious about learning to sell make sure to read Soft Selling In A Hard World by Jerry Vass, Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes, The New Conceptual Selling by Robert Miller and Relationship Selling by Jim Cathcart. There are as many highly-skilled natural sales people as there are natural cricket players or American-style football players. Learn to sell or you will come across like the man below.

Over deliver and you will soon be over paid

Over deliver on promises and deadlines. Show up early, deliver your product early, and deliver more than you promised. Over deliver now and in the future, and you will be overpaid. My friend this concept of over-delivery and forming the “Habit of Doing More Than Paid For” is described in great detail by Napoleon Hill in his bestselling book, Think and Grow Rich. The habit of doing less than paid for and always doing everything a day late or just in time and slightly wrong is taught by everyone else. Don’t do what everyone else is doing if you want to get paid like the top 5%.

Always deliver on your promises

Even when it’s not fun, easy, or conveniently affordable, you must deliver on your promises. Build a foundation for success around a solid reputation so that you can exponentially grow your level of compensation. Most entrepreneurs really struggle with this and it’s usually a result of poor organization habits. If you are choosing to be disorganized you are going to start dropping the ball and forgetting to complete tasks.

To be a successful entrepreneur you must have a maniacal focus on details. Most struggling entrepreneurs are visionary generalists who lack the discipline needed to sit down, shut up and write down all of the actionable details needed to move from point A to point B. However, ALL SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS GREAT PLANET are either phenomenal when it comes writing out the specific details or they have hired someone on their team who is phenomenal with the details. Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple was correct when he once said – This is what customers pay us for – to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers.

Standardize everything

Common sense is not common; thus, you must create duplicable processes for every facet of your business. Think like GE, Southwest, and QuikTrip; not like some ridiculous and perpetually-just-barely-surviving-bait-shop-or-taco-truck. My friend mentally marinate on this for a moment.

Warren Buffet, who is one of the world’s wealthiest people and arguable the most successful investor of all time said, “I try to buy stock in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them. Because sooner or later, one will.” What does this mean? It means that you must build your business based around standardized systems that work and not around the minds of people who will go and go.

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|In: startups|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

WizIQ, one of the world’s largest online education platforms, recently added another feather to its cap after being ranked amongst top five cloud-based LMS apps in the world in the recently released GetRank Q3 report for 2015. The report, which compared nearly 600 LMS apps worldwide, scored each app on five criteria, worth 20 points each, for a total possible score of 100: User Reviews, Integrations, Mobile Apps, Media Presence, and Security. WizIQ scored high in three prominent categories – Integration, Mobile and Media.

GetRank is GetApp’s quarterly ranking of the top 25 Learning Management System [LMS] apps based in the cloud. GetApp is a part of the Nubera network, which is an ecosystem of business app and software discovery platforms that operates under the aegis of US-based marketing research and advisory giant Gartner, Inc.

Harman Singh, founder and CEO of WizIQ said

The WizIQ Learning Management System is the only fully-integrated, cloud-based social learning platform available in the industry right now. WizIQ’s LMS provides educators with a comprehensive, hassle-free platform aligned with the latest best practices in online learning, making it the next-generation of LMS.

In addition to the latest accomplishment, WizIQ has been also been felicitated with several other noteworthy awards in recognition of its stellar contribution to the e-learning space. WizIQ has also been named Best Online Education Platform Technology Provider for its Online Academy Builder at the World Education Summit 2015, Best Virtual Classroom Provider at the World Education Congress 2015, Virtual Classroom Provider at the South East Asia Education Summit 2015, 2013 Shiksha Ratna Award for “Best Virtual Classroom”, the Public Choice Award for “Best Innovation in Open and Distance Learning” at the 2011 World Education Awards, and the “Best Education Webinar Series” Jury Award at the 2012 Indian Education Congress.

About WizIQ

Founded in 2007, WizIQ is one of the world’s largest cloud based education platforms. Over 400,000 educators have leveraged WizIQ to deliver learning services to 4 Million+ learners across 200 countries. WizIQ’s award winning Virtual Classroom solution that enables online delivery of live instructor-led learning, has received acclaim from education service providers from around the world.

The WizIQ Online Academy Builder represents an evolutionary leap in education technology by empowering education service providers to set up their own customized academies within minutes. Online Academy Builder is designed to increase learner engagement through cutting-edge features, such as mobile learning, video streaming, live online classroom, discussion boards, assessments, insights and analytics. The in-built e-commerce capability enables them to monetize their services and rapidly expand their reach to newer markets.

WizIQ is backed by Bertelsmann SE & Co., which runs Random House and Kaizen, a private equity fund focused on the education sector. For more information, please visit WizIQ

[Image Credit* – TeachThought]

|In: Android|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

After breaking ground in the international calling space, Ringo, the low-cost calling app has introduced local calling in India. With the app, Ringo users can call any landline or mobile in the country at a flat rate of 19 p/min, without any additional charges like roaming, STD or top-up cards. Unlike other VOIP apps in the market, Ringo uses telephone networks instead of phone data or the Internet for a phone call, and thus offers superior calling experience, without any call drops.

Ringo is a one of its kind app in India that eliminates all the hassles of communication today, including switching between apps for different calling options, confusing tariff plans, high costs, and low quality calls. It can even make calls if the recipient of the call does not have the app installed.

Ringo

With Ringo’s standard rate of 19 paise, it is 90% cheaper than most carriers and 25% cheaper than the most popular calling apps that are Internet based. Additionally, the app offers 50 minutes of free talk time to every user who installs the app for the first time, and 50 additional minutes for every friend a user refers to Ringo.

Intending to revolutionize the domestic calling space in the Indian telecom market with this launch, Bhavin Turakhia, CEO and Founder of Ringo, said

Our vision has been to make calling across the globe simple, seamless and low-cost for the masses. Our local calling service is not only the cheapest in India right now, but it is also free of typical telecom-related hassles such as STD charges and differential pricing. In a country where 3G penetration is not fairly high throughout, we also have a strong edge over Internet telephony apps, as Ringo calls do not use data, and are comparable in price.

Ringo is able to offer the unprecedented price of 19 p/min by purchasing minutes in bulk at extremely low prices, and passing on the accrued savings to its customers by leveraging top-end technology. Ringo does not use your talktime, by using a unique call flow that connects both the initiator and the recipient of a call via a conference bridge.

 Additionally, Ringo also comes with transparent and easy-to-read itemized bills, and makes earning free credits possible by downloading other apps from its Offers section. 

Commenting on future plans for Ringo, Bhavin added

Our aim is to become a smart, one-stop calling solution for people across the globe, and local calling in India is certainly our biggest step in that direction.

Current Savings of Ringo against leading telecom carriers are

Go ahead and make your first Ringo call now 🙂

About Ringo

Ringo is an international calling app that uses a unique call flow to provide best-in-class call quality at costs lower than other popular calling apps. Ringo calls do not use the Internet, wi-fi or data and instead relies on regular phone lines. Ringo is unlike any international calling app available today and is unparalleled in cost, convenience, simplicity and reliability. Ringo is available for download on iOS, Android and Windows app stores, and can be also downloaded directly from the website

Image Credit* – indianweb2

|In: Android|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

The interconnectivity of technology has led to a point where many devices are potentially vulnerable, and in the third quarter, the real world impacts of cyber-attacks became clear. The Stagefright vulnerability affected nearly 95% of all Android devices out there. In total, five different vulnerabilities in media processing in Android were attacked this quarter.

Trend Micro Incorporated announced its security round-up report, Hazards Ahead: Current Vulnerabilities Prelude Impending Attacks , which analyzes the vulnerabilities and repercussions of attacks seen last quarter.

Stagefright22 [CVE-2015-3824], which allows attackers to install malware on affected devices by distributing malicious Multimedia Messaging Service [MMS] messages, reportedly put 94.1% of Android devices [as of this July] at risk. Reports also state that they found a bug that could render Android phones silent and unable to make calls or send text messages23. Reports said more than 50% of Android devices [as of this July] were vulnerable to this flaw. Another critical Mediaserver vulnerability [CVE-2015-382325], which could cause devices to endlessly reboot and allow attackers to remotely run arbitrary code, was also found.

At that time, 89% of Android devices were susceptible to exploitation. CVE-2015-3842, which could allow remote code execution in Mediaserver’s AudioEffect component, also figured in the landscape this August26.

In response to the recent spate of Android vulnerability discoveries, Google finally announced regular security updates for the platform. Trend Micro is yet to see how the platform’s current state of fragmentation will affect this plan. Security patches may not be able make their way to all devices without the support of manufacturers and carriers, rendering them vulnerable to exploitation.

Android’s Mediaserver component, which handles media-related tasks, recently became and is likely to remain an active attack target.

New attacks reiterated existing iOS and Android issues

The discovery of Mediaserver vulnerabilities in Android highlighted the need for a more integrated set of security strategies across Google, manufacturers, and carriers. Modified versions of app-creation tools like Xcode and Unity also dispelled the notion that Apple’s walled garden approach to security can spare iOS from attacks. Attackers continued to take advantage of gaps in security to trail their sights on mobile device users, regardless of platform, thus furthering the already-exponential growth of mobile malware.

Attackers are continuing to set their sights on mobile device users, taking advantage of gaps in security that exist on the iOS and Android platforms. The discovery of vulnerabilities in Android highlighted the need for a more integrated set of security strategies, while modified versions of app creation tools debunked the notion that the iOS walled garden approach to security can spare the platform from attacks.

For the complete report, please visit this link

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in security software, strives to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Trend Micro enables the smart protection of information, with innovative security technology that is simple to deploy and manage, and fits an evolving ecosystem. Their solutions are powered by cloud-based global threat intelligence, the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure & are supported by more than 1,200 threat experts around the globe.  For more information, visit TrendMicro

|In: e-commerce|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

In a pioneering effort that redefines the shopping experience of Indian online fashion shoppers, abof has introduced 3D trial room to Indian fashion shoppers. In the first couple of months since launch, it has already resulted in achieving 95 percent accurate product fit for consumers. Consequently, for the products that have this feature enabled, the return rates are close to zero. In addition, being the first e-commerce fashion player in India to use the technology, the conversion rate for products available with 3D trial is 400% higher than the industry norm.

With Indian e-commerce market being predicted to be worth $50 billion by 2020, the biggest challenge for the fashion e-commerce players is their struggle to provide appropriate size recommendations for customers.

With 3D trial room, which is enabled for most of the women’s apparel, abof.com’s customers can virtually try products by inputting just three basic body measurements. The tool allows users to visualize the garment on a customized 3D avatar-type model and get the right size recommendation. In addition, the tool also allows users to layer garments providing a complete outfit view.

Prashant Gupta, President & CEO, abof.com said

We take great pride in being India’s first fashion portal to launch such advanced technology – our 3D trial room. Technologies like these are amongst the world’s best and can significantly upgrade online shopping experience for our customers across India. With 3D trial room, we aim to simulate the on-ground buying experience of checking appearance and fit.

A pan-India survey conducted by abof.com showed that the quick and user-friendly 3D trial room has helped personalize shopper’s experience thereby vastly improving customer experience. The tool is extremely engaging as it allows women to try out various looks, thereby doubling the average time spent by a consumer on the website. Customers have also begun to purchase higher priced products such as evening dresses more confidently using this tool.

Vikram Bhat, Chief Product Officer, abof.com said

The average return rate in the apparel industry is 20% with the most common reason being unsatisfactory fit. Moreover, in a recent survey of users who have never shopped online for fashion, we discovered that more than 50% gave size concerns as the biggest barrier to shopping online. Therefore, we decided to provide a user-friendly tool based on 3D technology to address the issue of fit visualization and size recommendations. Shopping with 3D trial room has helped our customers to see what works for their body shape and thus make more informed purchases.

This technology has been deployed in a few global markets like UK, Brazil, and Far East. It took a few months to adapt this technology for Indian women body shapes. But the effort seems to have paid off in terms of higher consumer engagement, and better fit and size recommendations.

Powered by the leading online fitting technology company, Metail, the 3D trial room has helped to unlock the wide range of data that has helped in constantly designing and creating a better fit garments for the customers.

Tom Adeyoola, CEO, Metail said

We are thrilled to be working with abof to bring the best customer experience to their shoppers. It is crucial for consumers new to online shopping to feel confident in their purchases and we believe that the Metail Experience delivers an unparalleled personalized solution whilst solving a fundamental worldwide problem of not being able to try on clothes online. We are excited about bringing this feature to the Indian market with abof and being part of their future online.

About abof.com

www.abof.com is a go-to online destination for the best in fashion shopping, news & trend watching! www.abof.com has got the most trendy and celebrity-inspired apparel, footwear and accessories that belong in every fashionista’s wardrobe in India. If one wants to get famous, abof assures fast deliveries of the best in branded clothing! Start Shopping Now!

|In: Technology|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

A disruptive technology is defined as an innovation that creates a new market or business model while replacing the old one. Historically, there have been a variety of disruptive technologies that have changed the business world. The personal computer displaced the typewriter and e-mail took the place of traditional letter writing, shaking up the greeting card industry. And smartphones, of course, have displaced numerous technologies with their apps, including calculators, GPS devices, and MP3 players.

Disruptive technologies will often force companies to change the way they operate and sell. If an organization cannot adapt, they risk becoming irrelevant. Technology is continuing to advance, and every day more innovative solutions are hitting the market. By identifying some of the disruptive technologies on the horizon, however, companies can create a plan to adapt for the future.

IEEE_Trends

IEEE Member Sandra J. Lambert, a computer networking and security specialist shares the five trends that will make big waves

Next-Generation Genomics

Genomics combine the science used for imaging the base pairs of nucleotides or the units that create DNA, with analytic and computational capabilities. As a person’s genomic makeup is better understood, the medical community will have the ability to manipulate genes, therefore improving health treatments and diagnostics.

Even today, gene sequencing, synthetic biology, and analytics are improving every day, and as the ease of accessing this information improves, it will affect the treatment of diseases and the production of food and agriculture. Next-generation genomics can also be applied to our understanding of animals and plants, possibly allowing us to create high-value substances like bio-diesel and ethanol from ordinary organisms.

The Internet Of Things

The Internet of Things makes it possible for everyday objects outfitted with technology to receive and send data. These objects have network connectivity, sensors, and software, and are already changing the way the workplace operates. For example, surveillance systems in buildings now have connected cameras and locks that will immediately inform managers when someone is attempting to enter the facility. With sensors being added to machinery, devices, and even clothing, there will be major changes in business processes, natural resource usage, energy delivery, remote health care, and manufacturing.

The Cloud

Cloud technology has become increasingly popular in recent years, and these advancements are only expected to grow. The technology provides centralized computing services that can be accessed by a variety of users, including internally through a business or third-party organization. Cloud computing is expected to change business in a variety of ways, including:

Easier updates : Cloud service providers will handle all the maintenance and upgrade aspects so companies will no longer need to worry about staying on top of system updates.

Improved mobility : The cloud is available everywhere, giving the business world improved mobility. Whether your employees want to share documents with colleagues around the world or simply want to work from home, the cloud will make it possible. Additionally, it will allow your employees to get their calls through cloud-based phone system from anywhere they have an Internet connection.

Better storage security : The cloud is one of the safest places to store data. Since your information will not be stored on your actual device, business data is always accessible and secure.

3-D Printing

3-D printing is the process of making solid, three-dimensional objects from a digital file. The creation of these printed objects can be achieved using additive processes, and it is changing many aspects of society. These printers could change the way businessesmanufacture almost anything, and will allow customers to make their own products. Businesses will need to adapt their strategies to better fit the needs of their customers as 3-D printers and materials becomes more advanced. For this reason, more thought s to go into how to make products stand out among the competition.

Energy Storage

Many businesses have found energy storage to be a major limiting factor, including car manufacturer, alternative energy production, and consumer electronics industries. Improved energy storage devices, such as lithium-ion fuel cells, can hold onto energy for later use. Over the coming decade, it is expected that energy storage technology will continue to advance. Businesses will need to create new approaches when it comes to designing their batteries in order to stay competitive.

More disruptive technologies are on the horizon, and businesses need to take the initiative to keep up. If you have examples of others you feel will soon be changing the way the world does business, submit them in the comments section below.

About the author

Sandra J. Lambert is a computer networking and security specialist. She is a Cisco certified professional and has written several articles addressing cyber security-related issues.

|In: e-commerce|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Expert members within IEEE, the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, believe that a shoppers’ eyes & heart will be a window to their wallet. Retailers will begin to harness eye-tracking technology and heart rate monitors for brick and mortar stores in order to gain a better understanding of their customers’ shopping preferences.

Eye-tracking technology will allow retailers to identify where their customers’s eyes go in certain aisles or departments within the store, which will better inform them on where to merchandise certain products. In addition, heart rate monitors could help retailers recognize the level of customer excitement towards a product. Retailers can monitor which products are causing the most excitement, and, if leading to sales, can have a better understanding of which products they should more-heavily promote.

Christopher James, IEEE Senior Member said

Changing heart rates in a retail setting can usually be linked to changes in emotion, with an increased heart rate being indicative of excitement. In order to monitor changes in heart rate properly, the customer would really have to ‘connect’ with the merchandise to show changes that are discernible beyond normally physiologic fluctuations associated with day-to-day life.

3-D Printing: Reinventing the Way we Shop

IEEE experts also believe there are vast opportunities for 3-D printing. As this technology becomes more advanced, customers will no longer need to go to physical stores to buy an item. Customers will be able to buy an item directly on a company’s website, as usual, but once the transaction is confirmed, the company will send a file or barcode allowing the customer to print the product directly from their personal 3-D printer. Products could include clothing accessories, automotive parts or musical instruments, just to name a few.

George K. Thiruvathukal, IEEE member and professor of computer science at Loyola University, Chicago. said

3-D printing is becoming more applicable for a range of products and will continue to push the boundaries for a number of industries, including retail. We are still in the early stages of 3-D printing and although there are still many barriers to mainstream consumer adoption, there are great opportunities that this technology could lend towards education and the Do it Yourself [DIY)] movement, such as promoting the ability to create and innovate.

M&M: Mobility and Merchandise

Electronic payment technology is quickly becoming a preferred option for purchasing items. Technology companies are making it easier for customers to make electronic payments through their cell phones, which are beginning to be integrated by major retailers.

Kevin Curran, IEEE Senior Member and reader in computer science at the University of Ulster, Ireland said

Many components that enable NFC-smartphone electronic payments have been steadily falling into place. Millions of consumers are becoming familiar with the idea of electronic payments and now it is becoming a common use case for individuals to use their phone’s fingerprint authentication sensor to make payments – the phone really is becoming the modern wallet. As near field communication [NFC] technology becomes standard in more phones, so will the availability of electronic payments with retailers.

Your [Purchase is] Only a Day Away…

Until consumers are able to print their own products on a regular basis, one-day delivery will become commonplace. The market is still in its infancy with companies currently testing and developing processes. Receiving purchased products via the Internet will become even more streamlined, with more major retailers being able to accommodate deliveries within a few hours. Based on data about shopping habits, retailers will be able to gauge which products are purchased most often by region and can secure inventories appropriately so that delivery time can be optimized.

Tom Coughlin, IEEE Senior Member and founder of Coughlin Associates stated

Top online retail companies have pioneered the use of flying autonomous drones to deliver products to customers. Although this technology is still in the development phase, drone deliveries could allow fast delivery of time-critical items to remote locations. Greater use of unmanned aerial vehicles will depend upon resolving safety concerns, and will likely cost more than delivery through conventional channels.

IEEE Future of Retail Interactive Infographic

IEEE developed an interactive info-graphic, which includes the technologies listed above as well as further considerations, to showcase what the future of retail will look like both physically and digitally over the next few years. You can view the info-graphic by visiting IEEE Transmitter. 

[Image Credit* – IEEE]

|In: Incubators|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Target India hosted a Demo Day for the third batch of start-ups graduating from the Accelerator Program. The five start-ups, Find Me A Shoe, TimeFlex, BugClipper, Discover Dollar & House of Blue Beans showcased transformative ideas developed during the four-month immersive program.

Navneet Kapoor, president and managing director, Target India said

Being the first mover in this space in India, this initiative has provided us a unique opportunity to work with some of the best entrepreneurs, who have the potential to solve global retail problems. We have already worked with 15 start-ups over three batches and it has been tremendously exciting and satisfying to see start-ups mature their product journeys through this engagement, while helping Target accelerate its innovation journey. We are committed to growing the scope of this initiative and will continue to nurture path-breaking ideas that hold the potential to disrupt the retail industry.

Many of the start-ups, who have graduated from this program, have continued to work with Target beyond the program. For example, Whodat Spaces continues to offer virtual reality guest experiences & Visarity helped us with digital marketing solutions over the last few months. Future engagement opportunities with the current batch are being evaluated.

Strengthening innovation capabilities within the organization, the third batch also provided three internal Target teams a platform to work alongside the five external start-ups. These teams will grow and implement their ideas at Target.

The third batch focused on themes like Merchandising, Digital Marketing, Omni-channel, Mobile, Supply Chain & Analytics Technology, along with areas like Finance and DevOps that are core to retail technology. The five start-ups which presented at today’s Demo Day were:

Along with the graduation of its third batch of start-ups, Target is also excited to announce a partnership with GOQii, a wearable technology start-up. With a focus on wellness, Target is undertaking various initiatives to promote team member well-being. Making healthy living easier and more fun, every team member in India will be given a GOQii device to help track their well-being goals. This is one of the largest corporate wellness group purchases of GOQii devices to date.

Target is now accepting applications for the fourth batch of the Accelerator Program. You can apply for the same here. Scheduled to commence early next year, the four-month initiative will be run out of a specially designed, energetic and creative hub at Target India’s office in Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru

[Image Credit* – ExcellMktg]