041 Think Big Radio: Top 10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Entrepreneurs

April showers bring May flowers.  But what else do April showers bring?  Spring cleaning!  Although most of us dread spring cleaning every year, it’s a necessity in order for us to push our businesses and startups forward.  What are the best tips that entrepreneurs can use when spring cleaning?  

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041 Think Big Radio: Top 10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Entrepreneurs

In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison explore the best things they do (or don’t do but wish they did) during spring cleaning such as:

1. Organize digital documents
2. Reset passwords
3. Sort through emails
4. Update contact list
5. Update website content
6. Update portfolio or case studies
7. Get finances in line
8. Re-energize the team
9. Clean out your desk (literally)
10. Clear your mind

Follow Derek: @DerekCOlsen

Follow Allison: @AllisonThinkBig

038 Think Big Radio: Top 10 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

We often learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.  But we don’t want to make too many mistakes, or else our startup may fail.  To warn you of what mistakes to look out for in the startup world, this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison will give you insight into the top 10 mistakes entrepreneurs make.  

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038 Think Big Radio: Top 10 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

These mistakes include:

1. Starting a business for the wrong reason:  Don’t start a business just because you’re “bored”.  Start a business because there is a need in the marketplace.
2. Choosing the wrong partner:  Startups that run with only one founder are more likely to fail than those with two.  Startups that have more than two founders are even more likely to fail.
3. Not sharing your idea:  When you don’t share your idea, you are not setting yourself up for success.  Find a mentor, accelerator program or coworking space to share your idea with those who are in the same boat.
4. Avoiding the pivot: Your business needs to pivot (in other words, your idea needs to change and be reworked).  If you never change your original idea, your business cannot grow.
5. Putting off legal issues:  Address legal issues the moment they happen.  Find a lawyer who specializes in working with entrepreneurs.
6. Too much overhead:  Don’t pull a “Tom Haverford” at Entertainment 720.  Keep overhead costs low and focus on spending your money to build the business (i.e. product research and development).
7. Hiring too many employees too early: Wear a lot of hats the first few months (or years) of building your startup.  Hire slowly and carefully.
8. Lack of goals:  Write your business plan to include both your own individual professional goals and goals for your business.
9. Too much focus on the product:  Don’t be product-driven, be customer-driven!
10. Not learning from your mistakes: Entrepreneurs are not perfect.  Remember—if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough! 

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