<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5b918bb4e199f318008b5b1b-2400/gettyimages-974732880small.jpg" border="0" alt="Elon Musk" data-mce-source="Joshua Lott/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Elon Musk." /><p class="source"><span>Joshua Lott/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Elon Musk.</p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Wall Street is quickly losing confidence in Elon Musk.</strong></li><li><strong><span>Tesla issued $920 million of convertible bonds which give holders the option to convert those instruments for Tesla stock at $360 per share on March 1, 2019. If the stock is trading below that level, Tesla will potentially have to repay that $920 million.</span></strong></li><li><strong>Elon Musk's "funding secured" tweet got the stock above the critical threshold, but the subsequent fallout has sent the stock even lower than before the announcement - to $280 currently. </strong></li><li><strong><span>Elon Musk was recorded smoking marijuana while </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycPr5-27vSI">being interviewed on the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast on Thursday</a><span>. And o</span>n Friday, it was announced Tesla's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-chief-accountant-resigns-2018-9-1027517271">chief accountant had quit after one month on the job</a>. </strong></li><li><strong>Analysts and investors are looking to the billionaire to get Tesla back on track for growth.</strong></li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock"><strong>Follow Tesla's stock price in real-time here. </strong></a></li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elon Musk sent shockwaves through the financial world in August when he attempted to take <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock">Tesla</a> private at $420 per share.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, with the effort to take Tesla private having passed, the focus is shifting back to the company's fundamentals and Musk's performance as CEO, the Model 3, and a $360 stock price trigger on $920 million in convertible bonds.</span></p><h3><strong>Back to the fundamentals</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a brief period during Musk's failed bid to take the company private (and thus avoid the scrutiny and disclosures that come with being a public company), the car company's stock soared. It</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was cents from setting a new record high following the billionaire's proclamation that funding for a buyout was "secured." </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nearly a month later, and with it clear that the funding was anything but secure, Musk's antics have left investors unhappy and Wall Street analysts scratching their heads. The company's facing an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, numerous investor lawsuits, and a number of high-profile departures.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Musk was recorded taking a drag on a marijuana joint while <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycPr5-27vSI">being interviewed on the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast on Thursday</a>. On the same podcast, he said </span>it was "wrong" and "dangerous" for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-wrong-and-dangerous-people-buy-boring-company-flamethrowers-2018-9">people to buy the flamethrowers that he made and put on sale</a>, and that The Boring Company "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-boring-company-started-as-joke-la-tunnels-may-fail-2018-9?r=UK&amp;IR=T">started out as a joke</a>."</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And on Friday, it was announced Tesla's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-chief-accountant-resigns-2018-9-1027517271">chief accountant had quit after one month on the job</a>. And Bloomberg reported that Tesla's human-resources chief, Gaby Toledano, would not return from a leave of absence that began in August.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The stock dropped sharply in early trading, falling to </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">$260 - 38% below the $420 proposed deal price. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"He's lost a lot of confidence in some of his core investment community and that's what we're seeing in the stock right now," Ross Gerber, whose firm, Gerber Kawasaki, owns roughly $10.5 million worth of Tesla stock, told Business Insider. "He doesn't seem to want to build any confidence or care."</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Elon seems to be falling on his own sword right now, for whatever reason," he continued. "There's no reason why the stock shouldn't be at $360 today. The only reason it's not is because of Elon."</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The concern over Tesla's prospects can also be seen in the bond market. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Credit default swaps, a measure of how much traders are paying to protect against a bond default, have surged 25% in less than a month to a near record high of $609. The swaps' underlying bonds, on the other hand, plunged to a record low $85.79 on Wednesday. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We believe concerns about possible SEC penalties are weighing on Tesla debt," Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch told clients in a note.</span></p><h3><strong>It's all about the Model 3</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ramping of Model 3 production is crucial to Tesla's success, says Rusch, who has a $385 price target for the stock. By the company's own measures, producing 350,000 vehicles per year, "should enable Tesla to become sustainably profitable for the first time in [its] history," it </span><a href="http://ir.tesla.com/static-files/7235e525-db16-470c-8dce-9ecac0ad7712"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said on August 1. </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company produced a total of 53,339 vehicles in the three months ended June 30, it most recent update on total deliveries. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We believe ... concerns will be at least partially allayed if Tesla successfully generates cash from its Model 3 production. We believe if TSLA reaches its Model 3 guidance, it will generate positive operating cash flow."</span></p><p>But even with an infusion of at least $49,000 in cash<span style="font-weight: 400;"> for each Model 3 it delivers off its recently upgraded production line in Fremont, California, some analysts are worried Tesla could still find itself needing to tap capital markets for a cash infusion before it reaches profitability. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Model 3 production/deliveries could drive positive free cash flow (FCF) in 2H18, but we believe this will likely not be sustained as working capital tailwinds abate and as spending ramps back up after a period of cash conservation," <span>David Tamberrino, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, said this week.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tamberrino, who has a $210 price target for the stock, is also worried about demand drying up as Tesla loses a federal electric vehicle subsidy from the US government that its used as a selling point for years. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We believe this could lead to a more challenging demand environment and ultimately profitability trajectory for Tesla especially as the new models are launching across vehicle segments and price points - while Tesla has a slower launch cadence planned," said Tamberrino. "We believe the higher price point buyers for the Model 3 could be exhausted for Tesla by year-end."</span></p><h3><strong>Complex convertibles</strong></h3><p><span>Tesla issued $920 million of convertible bonds which give holders the option to convert those instruments for Tesla stock at $360 per share on March 1, 2019. If the stock is trading below that level, Tesla will potentially have to repay that $920 million.</span></p><p><span>With just $2.24 billion in cash (or cash equivalents) on hand, that's money that Tesla can seemingly ill afford right now. If push comes to shove, Musk could have to do what he pledged not to, and return to raising money.</span></p><p><span>"With looming maturities on convertible debt, we believe the company would likely need to come back to the capital markets in 1H19," Tamberrino said. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Returning to the convertible bond markets could attract the attention of one group Musk seems to hate above all others: short-sellers. </span><span>Issuing more convertible debt, "drives more short sellers to your stock," Cowen analyst Jeff Osborne said last week,</span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-musk-debt-explainer/teslas-u-turn-puts-it-back-at-square-one-on-cash-idUSKCN1LD0CY"><span> according to Reuters</span></a><span>. "And Musk does not want that."</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's common for investors in convertible bonds to hedge their positions through short-selling, or betting against, the underlying stock. Musk has railed against this practice, telling the New York Times in August that he was gearing up for </span><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-elon-musk-extreme-torture-short-sellers-2018-8-1027467254"><span style="font-weight: 400;">"months of extreme torture" from them</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. "These guys want us to die so bad they can taste it," he tweeted back in 2017. </span></p><p>Reached for comment, a Tesla spokesperson referred to comments in Tesla's second-quarter letter to shareholders. </p><p>"<span>We still expect to achieve GAAP profitability in Q3 and Q4. Going forward, we believe Tesla can achieve sustained quarterly profits, absent a severe force majeure or economic downturn, while continuing to grow at a rapid pace," it reads. "We expect to generate positive cash including operating cash flows and capital expenditures, as well as the normal inflow of cash received from non-recourse financing activities on leased vehicles and solar products."</span></p><h2>Now read:</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-employees-describe-intense-conditions-life-under-elon-musk-2018-8?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">70-hour weeks and 'WTF' emails: 42 employees reveal the frenzy of working at Tesla under the 'cult' of Elon Musk</a></li></ul><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5b928f8789c8a11e008b5e24-883/screen shot 2018-09-07 at 104714 am.png" border="0" alt="Tesla stock price Elon Musk" data-mce-source="Markets Insider" data-link="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock">Markets Insider</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kaman-kmax-helicopter-intermeshing-dual-crossing-rotors-2018-8">An aerospace company reintroduced its precision helicopter with two crossing motors</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/9H9Han1r-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

'He doesn't seem to want to build any confidence': Wall Street's starting to ask questions of Elon Musk

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Courtesy of Liz Wessel" title_caption="Liz Wessel, CEO and cofounder of WayUp." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d71ea88d3eae8d0c7b23c6-960/liz-13.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d71ea88d3eae8d0c7b23c6-874-656/liz-13.jpg" border="0" alt="liz" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of Liz Wessel</span></p><p class="caption">Liz Wessel, CEO and cofounder of WayUp.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Liz Wessel <span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> says she's </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">always been the type of person who has no shame in reaching out to someone, whether or not she knows them.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Wessel is the CEO and cofounder of </span><a href="https://t.yesware.com/tl/624e889f3c49bdb53ac3e90f685b66f9d25dcfd7/d73b6ad0db1ecda3b55ccafb453037e1/ecc9fe32997c4e2cb5b0c3c9211a270f?ytl=http%3A%2F%2Fwayup.com">WayUp</a><span>, a site used by hundreds of thousands of college students to </span><span>find jobs at places like Microsoft, Uber, The New York Times, Disney, and Google - where Wessel previously worked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Part of the reason she started WayUp with cofounder <span>JJ Fliegelman</span> was to combat nepotism, she explains, "so it should make sense that I don't really care about whether I have connections to a person."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"In college, my best cold email was to Roelof Botha, one of the top venture capitalists in the world," she recalls. "He was a role model of mine, and I emailed him asking what he thought that I should do after I graduate in order to best position myself to one day start my own company: take a job offer at Google, or take a job offer at a venture capital fund. He told me the former, and the rest was history," she explains. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"It's because of that first cold email that I have since always encouraged friends and colleagues to cold email people."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span>Wessel says she and </span><span>Fliegelman</span> started their company when they were just 24 and 25 years old. "We had a combined four years of full-time work experience, so there were often times that employees would ask us questions that we couldn't answer, or would ask us for advice that we didn't want to get wrong," she says. "So, we started encouraging the team to cold email people who would better know the answer. One of our company values is 'Be a master at your craft, but know you're not the master.' So, I always encourage my team to cold email the <em>actual '</em>masters' in their respective fields."</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Courtest of WayUp" title_caption="Wessel and Fliegelman." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7243a918a0fb2127b23c6-960/liz--jj-4.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7243a918a0fb2127b23c6-1200-924/liz--jj-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Liz + JJ" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtest of WayUp</span></p><p class="caption">Wessel and Fliegelman.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">During a trip to California in early 2015, Wessel says she challenged her entire team to take advantage of the fact that they were surrounded by some of the greatest minds in tech. "I told everyone to cold email one expert in Silicon Valley who they normally wouldn't have the guts to email, and who they wouldn't be able to meet in New York City, where we're based."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Wessel led by example. She emailed her biggest role model with a very personalized message, asking for 15 minutes of her time. "The email was sent at </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141164"><span class="aQJ">2 a.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> on a </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141165"><span class="aQJ">Monday</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, and at </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141166"><span class="aQJ">8 a.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> I got a response: She invited me to come to dinner at her house the next night," says Wessel. "This is a woman who probably gets more cold emails than 99% of the executives in the world, yet here she was, responding to me."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The rest of the team followed suit. And it worked.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span class="il">Nikki</span><span> Schlecker, the</span> leader of WayUp's Brand team, for example, cold emailed Guy Kawasaki. The famous marketing exec, who was one of Apple's early employees, not only agreed to grab coffee with <span>Schlecker</span>, but also live streamed the entire meeting.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Courtesy of WayUp" title_caption="The WayUp team (as of October 2015)." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7244e8ceb9527317b23cb-960/wayup-team-1jpg-3.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7244e8ceb9527317b23cb-1200-924/wayup-team-1jpg-3.jpg" border="0" alt="WayUp Team (1).JPG" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of WayUp</span></p><p class="caption">The WayUp team (as of October 2015).</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"I 'dare' my employees to do this because, in the past year and a half, I have learned more than I ever thought possible, and I want to make sure my employees are learning just as much," explains Wessel. "As corny as it may sound, if you're not learning, you're not growing."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Another reason she does this: She strongly believes everyone should have at least one mentor - and cold emailing someone you admire is a great way to develop that type of relationship with them.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span>"Having a good mentor can keep you humble and motivated," she says. "Furthermore, it will help you learn more than reading a textbook or watching a how-to video. Nothing matters more to me than learning from great people, and when you're having a conversation with someone whose opinion you trust and value, and whose work you admire, it can help outline what success means to you, and the goals that you are working towards."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;">Wondering how to go about cold emailing your idol? Wessel shared a few tips:</span></p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Make the message personal. Do you have anything in common? Say what it is.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Keep the email short and sweet. If the person is busy, they won't want to (or have time to) read an essay.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Say what you want to get out of the meeting, and let it be something small. "I'd like to pick your brain," or "I'd love to get your advice on something" are appropriate asks. Never, ever ask for a job in this first email!</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Have an eye-catching subject line.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Make yourself sound interesting enough so that the person wants to meet with you.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Thank them for their time and consideration.</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><span>"If you have someone in your field who inspires you to learn and understand how they got to where they are today, it helps you create that mountain top of your own," Wessel concludes.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/we-showed-real-resumes-expert-feedback-brutal-2016-2">We showed real résumés to an expert and the feedback was brutal</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5idzZ2MDE6u_4h1zE7s9KgqP5bdPs85u" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '5idzZ2MDE6u_4h1zE7s9KgqP5bdPs85u',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

A former Googler who is now CEO of her own startup asks every employee to cold email their idol - here's why

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Courtesy of Liz Wessel" title_caption="Liz Wessel, CEO and cofounder of WayUp." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d71ea88d3eae8d0c7b23c6-960/liz-13.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d71ea88d3eae8d0c7b23c6-874-656/liz-13.jpg" alt="liz" border="0" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of Liz Wessel</span></p><p class="caption">Liz Wessel, CEO and cofounder of WayUp.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Liz Wessel <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">says she has </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">always been the type of person who has no shame in reaching out to someone, whether or not she knows the person.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Wessel is the CEO and cofounder of </span><a href="https://t.yesware.com/tl/624e889f3c49bdb53ac3e90f685b66f9d25dcfd7/d73b6ad0db1ecda3b55ccafb453037e1/ecc9fe32997c4e2cb5b0c3c9211a270f?ytl=http%3A%2F%2Fwayup.com">WayUp</a><span>, a site used by hundreds of thousands of college students to </span><span>find jobs at places like Microsoft, Uber, The New York Times, Disney, and Google - where Wessel previously worked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Part of the reason she started WayUp with cofounder <span>JJ Fliegelman</span> was to combat nepotism, she says, "so it should make sense that I don't really care about whether I have connections to a person."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"In college, my best cold email was to Roelof Botha, one of the top venture capitalists in the world," she recalls. "He was a role model of mine, and I emailed him asking what he thought that I should do after I graduate in order to best position myself to one day start my own company: take a job offer at Google, or take a job offer at a venture-capital fund."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"He told me the former, and the rest was history," she says. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"It's because of that first cold email that I have since always encouraged friends and colleagues to cold email people."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span>Wessel says she and </span><span>Fliegelman</span> started their company when they were just 24 and 25 years old. "We had a combined four years of full-time work experience, so there were often times that employees would ask us questions that we couldn't answer or would ask us for advice that we didn't want to get wrong," she says. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"So, we started encouraging the team to cold email people who would better know the answer. One of our company values is, 'Be a master at your craft, but know you're not the master.' So, I always encourage my team to cold email the actual masters in their respective fields."</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Courtest of WayUp" title_caption="Wessel and WayUp cofounder JJ Fliegelman." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7243a918a0fb2127b23c6-960/liz--jj-4.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7243a918a0fb2127b23c6-1200-924/liz--jj-4.jpg" alt="Liz + JJ" border="0" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtest of WayUp</span></p><p class="caption">Wessel and WayUp cofounder JJ Fliegelman.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">During a trip to California in early 2015, Wessel says, she challenged her entire team to take advantage of the fact that they were surrounded by some of the greatest minds in tech. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"I told everyone to cold email one expert in Silicon Valley who they normally wouldn't have the guts to email and who they wouldn't be able to meet in New York City, where we're based," she says.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Wessel led by example. She emailed her biggest role model with a very personalized message, asking for 15 minutes of her time. "The email was sent at </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141164"><span class="aQJ">2 a.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> on a </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141165"><span class="aQJ">Monday</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, and at </span><span class="aBn" style="line-height: 1.5em;" data-term="goog_1521141166"><span class="aQJ">8 a.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> I got a response: She invited me to come to dinner at her house the next night," Wessel says. "This is a woman who probably gets more cold emails than 99% of the executives in the world, yet here she was, responding to me."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The rest of the team followed suit. And it worked.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span class="il">Nikki</span><span> Schlecker, the</span> leader of WayUp's Brand team, for example, cold emailed Guy Kawasaki. The marketing exec, who was one of Apple's early employees, not only agreed to grab coffee with <span>Schlecker -</span> he also live-streamed the entire meeting.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Courtesy of WayUp" title_caption="The WayUp team (as of October 2015)." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7244e8ceb9527317b23cb-960/wayup-team-1jpg-3.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d7244e8ceb9527317b23cb-1200-924/wayup-team-1jpg-3.jpg" alt="WayUp Team (1).JPG" border="0" /></a><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of WayUp</span></p><p class="caption">The WayUp team (as of October 2015).</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"I 'dare' my employees to do this because, in the past year and a half, I have learned more than I ever thought possible, and I want to make sure my employees are learning just as much," Wessel says. "As corny as it may sound, if you're not learning, you're not growing."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Another reason she does this: She strongly believes everyone should have at least one mentor - and cold emailing someone you admire is a great way to develop that type of relationship.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><span>"Having a good mentor can keep you humble and motivated," she says. "Furthermore, it will help you learn more than reading a textbook or watching a how-to video. Nothing matters more to me than learning from great people, and when you're having a conversation with someone whose opinion you trust and value, and whose work you admire, it can help outline what success means to you, and the goals that you are working towards."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;">Wondering how to go about cold emailing your idol? Wessel shared a few tips:</span></p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Make the message personal. Do you have anything in common? Say what it is.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Keep the email short and sweet. If the person is busy, he or she won't want (or have time) to read an essay.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Say what you want to get out of the meeting, and let it be something small. "I'd like to pick your brain," or "I'd love to get your advice on something" are appropriate asks. Never, ever ask for a job in this first email!</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Have an eye-catching subject line.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Make yourself sound interesting enough so that the person wants to meet with you.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Thank the person for his or her time and consideration.</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><span>"If you have someone in your field who inspires you to learn and understand how they got to where they are today," Wessel says, "it helps you create that mountaintop of your own."</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/careers-more-profitable-playing-nfl-salary-jobs-professions-2016-7">5 professions that are more profitable than playing in the NFL</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Z0Z3N0NDE6OqV8AJ2k-AMYKElqRdSdJX" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'Z0Z3N0NDE6OqV8AJ2k-AMYKElqRdSdJX',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

An ex-Googler turned startup CEO asks all her employees to 'cold email' their idols - here's why

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5538f31a6bb3f718045577b2-1300-974/woman-reading-outside-1.jpg" alt="woman reading outside" data-mce-source="Flickr / Pedro Ribeiro Simões" data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/12747607194" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/12747607194">Flickr / Pedro Ribeiro Simões</a></span></p><p class="caption">Learn how to make your dreams a reality.</p></div><p></p></div></div>This week, Amazon's editors released a list of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=blogs_omni_link_20160224bl100Bal?ie=UTF8&amp;node=14027821011">100 leadership and success books to read in a lifetime</a>.</p><p>"We chose books to help people plan for their futures and/or deal better with their present," said <a href="http://www.omnivoracious.com/chris_schluep.html">Chris Schluep</a>, senior books editor at Amazon.com. "The same book won't work for every situation, or every person, so you'll see titles sitting beside one another that might not normally share shelf space."</p><p>In other words, while this list does include books by traditional business people, you'll also find works by outspoken entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and Hollywood producers.</p><p>What each of these authors shares is a desire to help people find out what they really want - and to make their dreams a reality.</p><p>Check out the full, ranked list below, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazons-top-25-leadership-and-success-books-2016-2">learn more about the top 25 here</a>.</p><ol><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJ5tx">#Girlboss</a>" by Sophia Amoruso</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJb4u">A New Earth</a>" by Eckhart Tolle</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIt6S2">Andrew Carnegie</a>" by David Nasaw</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPKEuy">Awaken the Giant Within</a>" by Tony Robbins</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1yHVp">Big Magic</a>" by Elizabeth Gilbert</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1yIIG">Business Adventures</a>" by John Brooks</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1yLEl">Change Your Brain, Change Your Life</a>" by Daniel G. Amen</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJtID">Chicken Soup for the Soul</a>" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJxIg">Choose Yourself!</a>" by James Altucher</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TItkbI">Crush It!</a>" by Gary Vaynerhcuk <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d075f42e526519008b9b95-331-499/do over.jpg" alt="do over" data-mce-source="Amazon" /><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1yUI6">Do Over</a>" by Jon Acuff</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPKO5a">Drive</a>" by Daniel H. Pink</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkKeaz">Eat That Frog!</a>" by Brian Tracy</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1yWzG">Elon Musk</a>" by Ashlee Vance</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkKkPm">Emotional Intelligence</a>" by Daniel Goleman</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJRXE">Essentialism</a>" by Greg McKeown</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mJQD4">Execution</a>" by Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, and Charles Burck</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPKTG8">Find a Way</a>" by Diana Nyad</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1z6Hb">First, Break all the Rules</a>" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPKUKc">Flow</a>" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mK4Ke">Flying Without a Net</a>" by Thomas J. DeLong</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkKKFw">Freakonomics</a>" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mK9xI">Getting More</a>" by Stuart Diamond</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zeql">Getting Things Done</a>" by David Allen</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPL1oZ">Getting to Yes</a>" by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPL1VU">Give and Take</a>" by Adam M. Grant</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zjKy">Good to Great</a>" by Jim Collins</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zky7">How to Win Friends and Influence People</a>" by Dale Carnegie</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zmWM">How Will You Measure Your Life?</a>" by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zqG2">Influence</a>" by Robert B. Cialdini</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mKyA8">Leadership on the Line</a>" by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zsxr">Lean In</a>" by Sheryl Sandberg</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPL9F5">Made to Stick</a>" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zyoQ">Man's Search for Meaning</a>" by Viktor E. Frankl</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TItRKL">Meditations</a>" by Marcus Aurelius</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TItVKv">Mindset</a>" by Carol Dweck</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zDsR">Misbehaving</a>" by Richard Thaler</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPLh7w">Oh, The Places You'll Go!</a>" by Dr. Seuss</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zINa">Outliers</a>" by Malcolm Gladwell</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zIwG">Personal History</a>" by Katharine Graham <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d076352e5265bc008b9cdf-332-499/predictably irrational.jpg" alt="predictably irrational" data-mce-source="Amazon" /><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkLSZW">Predictably Irrational</a>" by Dan Ariely</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zOEu">Quiet</a>" by Susan Cain</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zRjD">It Worked for Me</a>" by Colin Powell and Tony Kolt</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zWDW">Siddhartha</a>" by Herman Hesse</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1zVQg">Start With Why</a>" by Simon Sinek</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mLkx8">Steve Jobs</a>" by Walter Isaacson</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIueot">Strengths Finder 2.0</a>" by Tom Rath</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1A2LQ">Stumbling on Happiness</a>" by Daniel Gilbert</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mLq7Y">Superforecasting</a>" by Philip E. Tetlock</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mLuEC">Talent is Overrated</a>" by Geoff Colvin</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPLveI">The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing</a>" by Al Ries and Jack Trout</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPLw2d">The 48 Laws of Power</a>" by Robert Greene</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkMEpI">The 4-Hour Workweek</a>" by Timothy Ferriss</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AeL8">The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People</a>" by Stephen R. Covey</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AdH5">The Alchemist</a>" by Paulo Coelho</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mLN2n">The Art of Happiness</a>" by Dalai Lama</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AppI">The Art of Stillness</a>" by Pico Iyer</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkN5Ap">The Art of Strategy</a>" by Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1As4U">The Art of the Start 2.0</a>" by Guy Kawasaki</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkNbba">The Art of War</a>" by Sun Tzu</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPLIP8">The Big Short</a>" by Michael Lewis</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mM1GM">The Black Swan</a>" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkNnY0">The Charisma Myth</a>" by Olivia Fox Cabane</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1ACt5">The Checklist Manifesto</a>" by Atul Gawande</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIuJPA">The Confidence Code</a>" by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIuLqu">The Effective Executive</a>" by Peter F. Drucker</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPLQOF">The Essays of Warren Buffett</a>" by Warren E. Buffett and Lawrence A. Cunningham</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIuO5M">The First 90 Days</a>" by Michael D. Watkins</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AQ38">The First Tycoon</a>" by T.J. Stiles</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1APfz">The Five Dysfunctions of a Team</a>" by Patrick Lencioni</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AXvC">The Four Agreements</a>" by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mMOHw">The Gifts of Imperfection</a>" by Brene Brown</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1AZDW">The Happiness Advantage</a>" by Shawn Achor <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d076702e52651d008b9d62-332-499/the happiness project.jpg" alt="the happiness project" data-mce-source="Amazon" /><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkOh6P">The Happiness Project</a>" by Gretchen Rubin</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPM4Fk">The Hard Thing About Hard Things</a>" by Ben Horowitz</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1B7Dl">The Innovator's Dilemma</a>" by Clayton M. Christensen</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mNa13">The Intelligent Investor</a>" by Benjamin Graham</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkOC9u">The Last Lecture</a>" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkOI0Q">The Lean Startup</a>" by Eric Ries</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1Bi1u">The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</a>" by Marie Kondo</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mNnRU">The Miracle Morning</a>" by Hal Elrod</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPMewr">The Now Habit</a>" by Neil Fiore</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIvqs3">The Power of Habit</a>" by Charles Duhigg</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1BrSBhttp://amzn.to/1TIvsQL">The Prince</a>" by Nicolo Machiavelli and N.H. Thompson</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1Bv4O">The Profit</a>" by Kahlil Gibran</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIvuIe">The Road Less Traveled</a>" by M. Scott Peck</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkPdrY">The Road to Character</a>" by David Brooks</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mNLQg">The Secret</a>" by Rhonda Byrne</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mNNaS">The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success</a>" by Deepak Chopra</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1BEFk">Thinking, Fast and Slow</a>" by Daniel Kahneman</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1BFJj">Titan</a>" by Ron Chernow</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1XPMtrw">Triggers</a>" by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mNXyT">Tuesdays with Morrie</a>" by Mitch Albom</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1QkPI56">Turn the Ship Around!</a>" by L. David Marquet</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1BPjQ">Uncertainty</a>" by Jonathan Fields</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIvMPx">Way of the Peaceful Warrior</a>" by Dan Millman</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/21mObpN">What Got You Here Won't Get You There</a>" by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1TIvRmd">Willpower</a>" by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney</li><li>"<a href="http://amzn.to/1n1BVbf">Year of Yes</a>" by Shonda Rhimes</li><li><a href="http://amzn.to/1QkQ1ge">"Zero to One</a>" by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters</li></ol><p class="tagline">Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through hispersonal investment company Bezos Expeditions.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-robbins-morning-routine-2016-2">Tony Robbins has an unusual morning ritual that keeps him at the top of his game</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZhNGEydDp_rTmnyxNqmf9d9JWFZhNwNm" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'ZhNGEydDp_rTmnyxNqmf9d9JWFZhNwNm',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The 100 best leadership and success books to read in your lifetime, according to Amazon

<p> </p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr valign="middle">
<td>This post was originally published on <a href="" http:="">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/managers-need-to-identify-these-4-types-of-personalities//"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><span><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/50eda8426bb3f7f16200001d-620/startup-guys-happy-workers-friends.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="startup guys happy workers friends" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source"><a href="http://statigr.am/viewer.php#/detail/365120205433225068_20407702">nadavshoval / statigr.am</a></p></div>Every employer needs to know how to effectively deal with various personality types. <br /></span></p>
<p>In her new book "<span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Personality-Style-Work-Secret-Working/dp/0071791604">Personality Style At Work</a>,"</span> author Kate Ward introduces the HRDQ Personality Style Model, which says that individuals have “specific, established, stable personalities that drive their behaviors.”</p>
<p>If managers can identify their employees’ personality styles, they can better understand what to expect from them and how to interact with them. </p>
<p><span>Based on the HRDQ Personality Style Model, here are the four personality types of office workers:</span></p>
<p><strong><span>1. Direct. </span></strong><span>Someone with a direct personality style will have a desk covered with </span>paperwork, though it’s probably organized in piles. They typically prefer to learn independently and are action-oriented, so they may seem impatient or bored in group settings.</p>
<p><span>Direct personalities tend to use language such as “you must” or “you should.” They also speak loudly and quickly and state their own opinions as facts. Furthermore, these people also have poor listening skills, so if you need to give them instructions, be direct and straightforward in your interaction.</span></p>
<p><span>These people constantly feel like they need to be in a hurry and tend to make quick decisions.</span></p>
<p><strong><span>2. Spirited. </span></strong><span>A spirited person usually has a messy desk, Ward writes, with “papers strewn everywhere, along with magazines, receipts, forms, books and other things.” If your employees have a spirited personality, they prefer to learn in groups and enjoy being mentored and attending conferences.</span></p>
<p><span>“If you notice someone who resists completing an online self-study program, that is a clue that the individual has a spirited style,” Ward writes.  </span><span><br /></span></p>
<p><span>People with this type of personality tend to exaggerate and talk a lot. They’re very good at beginning new projects, but need a little more encouragement to finish existing ones.</span></p>
<p><strong><span>3. Considerate. </span></strong><span>This</span><span> </span><span>type of person’s desk is cluttered, yet they know where everything is. They may also have pictures of serene landscapes, group photos and other personal items prominently displayed.</span></p>
<p><span>Considerate people prefer to learn in group settings, especially team-building activities, and they don’t enjoy taking on new projects on a whim.</span></p>
<p><span>If you notice “one of your employees requires a lot of hand-holding when you assign her a new project, that is a clue that the employee might have a considerate style,” Ward writes.</span></p>
<p><span>People with considerate personalities speak slowly and softly and are often reluctant to offer their own opinions. They listen carefully before they speak and engage in a lot of small talk.</span></p>
<p><strong><span>4. Systematic. </span></strong><span>This </span><span>personality type usually has a tidy desk clear of papers, except the ones they’re currently working on. They also clean off their desk every night and the only materials visible are job-related, such as graphs and charts.</span></p>
<p><span>Systematic people prefer to think independently, may be reluctant to participate in classroom settings and are deadline-driven. They also tend to use precise language and prefer to share facts and data rather than their own opinions. They also have limited small talk and prefer focused conversations.</span></p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE ON OPEN FORUM:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-to-identify-leaders-during-the-job-hunt/">How To Hire Leaders &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/guy-kawasaki-explains-how-anyone-can-become-an-entrepreneur-in-the-digital-age/">Guy Kawasaki Explains How Anyone Can Become an Entrepreneur &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-reasons-why-gen-x-workers-quit-their-jobs/">Top 5 Reasons Gen X Workers Quit Their Jobs &gt;</a></p>
</li>
</ul>

4 Types Of Personalities Found in Every Office

<p> </p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr valign="middle">
<td>This post was originally published on <a href="
http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-cities-can-help-small-businesses-grow-and-thrive/">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><span><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/511eb533ecad04e16e00000c-523-392/boston-25.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="Boston" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Night.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></p></div>Businesses don’t exist in a vacuum—they depend on the cities and towns they’re located in. As businesses shop around for the best location to set up shop, cities are becoming more innovative and responsive to their needs in order to attract and keep the entrepreneurs and small-business owners who drive their economies.</span></p>
<p><span>At a conference sponsored by SAP and the Brookings Institution in December, the chief information officers of the cities of <keyword id="6368596" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="boston">Boston</keyword> and Edmonton spoke about what they’re doing to make their cities more innovative, and more attractive for businesses.</span></p>
<p><strong>Attracting Businesses</strong></p>
<p><span>The first step, obviously, is to make the basics great. As Bruce Katz, another panelist at the conference who runs the Metropolitan Policy Program at the <span>Brookings Institution,</span> says, “If you ask a particular citizen or business located in Boston or a suburb of Boston why they stay, they’ll tell you they want clean streets, they want safe streets, they want good schools, they want fluid traffic and transport options, they want a government that’s actually transparent.”</span></p>
<p><span>Cities are using technology to deliver. Boston, for example, is <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-cities-can-help-small-businesses-grow-and-thrive/www.cityofboston.gov" target="_blank">providing a large amount of data</a> on government performance in areas that are useful to small businesses, such as inspections and foreclosures. The city has also previously made codes and regulations accessible online for businesses.<br /></span></p>
<p><span>Boston has even created an office to build upon these ideas and partnerships. Bill Oates, Boston’s CIO, calls the city’s <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-cities-can-help-small-businesses-grow-and-thrive/www.newurbanmechanics.org" target="_blank">Office Of New Urban Mechanics</a> ”a place for us to experiment. We source ideas. We take some of those ideas and we pilot them, we create products, we create services, we find new ways to approach old problems—the solutions that work, we will find a way to scale."</span></p>
<p><span>The end goal, according to Oates, is that businesses and citizens will be able to tell cities what <keyword id="6355729" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="data">data</keyword> they want and need; they’ll work with these kinds of offices to make it happen. For businesses, that means the office will give them access to opportunities and resources in their city. </span></p>
<p><strong>City Partnerships</strong></p>
<p><span>In these scenarios, Oates says the city will link entrepreneurs with the Office of New Urban Mechanics, “because that is where we open the door to City Hall.”</span></p>
<p><span>Say, for example, you produce an app, or want to get your service into city schools or another part of the city’s operations—the Office of New Urban Mechanics will help you find a partner in the area to help you grow. This approach isn’t limited to Boston; Philadelphia recently opened its own Office of New Urban Mechanics.</span></p>
<p><span>And it seems to be working. Boston’s office has already worked with a local business to create an app that detects bumps in streets and sends that information to the city to help improve infrastructure.</span></p>
<p><span>You can already see these partnerships in action in other ways: <a href="http://www.mylifelist.org/">MyLife List</a>, a startup company, won a contest run by the city, earning $50,000 in equity investment to expand in Boston’s innovation district. </span></p>
<p><span><span>Cities have long been aware of the essential role small businesses play, and even have wanted to help. The difference today is, the most forward-looking cities are actually reaching out to businesses with data, expert knowledge and partnership, rather than just words.</span></span></p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE ON OPEN FORUM:</strong></p>
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Boston's Tech Plan Puts Other Cities To Shame

<p> </p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr valign="middle">
<td>This post was originally published on <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/ibm-exec-explains-why-the-company-is-lending-small-businesses-4m-to-upgrade-its-tech-products/">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5101990c6bb3f7097800001f-590/ibm-11.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="ibm" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source">AP</p></div>Big data, cloud computing and smart, real time analytics have gotten so advanced that they’re available to all businesses, regardless of size, but not all small businesses can afford them. And, nearly four years after the financial crisis, it can still be difficult for small businesses to get loans. </p>
<p>One interesting alternative for small businesses comes from <keyword id="10875" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="IBM">IBM</keyword>. In November, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-financing-small-businesses-2012-11" target="_blank">IBM announced</a> it will lend $4 billion dollars to small businesses to help them adopt more advanced technology. They’re trying to make it easy for businesses can get approved on site with IBM’s partners through a new mobile app. If you have an iPhone or an Android, you can do it right on your phone. <br /><br />“It’s important for enterprises of all size to help drive economic growth,” says Ed Abrams, IBM’s vice president of global business partners &amp; midmarket. ”We recognize that for all of us to succeed, whether it’s a large business or a <keyword id="6359222" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="small-business">small business</keyword>, if we can help them to become a growth engine to grow their own business, it’s going to benefit the larger ecosystem in which we all exist and do business.”<br /><br />Here are three things you should know about IBM’s $4 billion loan program: </p>
<p><strong>IBM knows small businesses are interested because  it has tried this before.</strong> “This program actually builds off of something we started last year where we put a billion dollars in financing into the market for small and medium businesses. We expected that funding to last us about 18 months,” Abrams says, “we actually burned through it in a little less than a year with almost 7,000 businesses taking advantage of that funding for new technology solutions.”</p>
<p><strong>It’s a trend that’s only going to grow for small businesses, so early adopters benefit.</strong> “Cloud-based computing or off-premise, hosted solutions are becoming more and more the norm,” Abrams says. “In fact, our data says that for small and medium businesses, 60 to 65 percent of their technology solutions are going to be in a hosted environment by 2015. You’re seeing those cost barriers go away because if you’re on a usage based pricing model, you can afford broader technology than you would have been able to than you would have been able to had you had to build it on premise. And that’s why a lot of this capability is making its way to smaller businesses”</p>
<p><strong>Companies with relatively few employees can get as much out of it as larger enterprises.</strong>“There’s a landscape company out in California, Bishop Company. It’s a small company with about 15 employees who really started to use our technology to grow their business and to find a way to distribute professional landscape products to a much broader community than they could sell from their retail storefront.” Abrams says. “They’ve been able to increase sales by 200 percent, and 75 percent of that is from customers they’ve converted from telephone or e-commerce ordering.”</p>
<p>The tech’s ready for small businesses, and there’s cheap financing available. Seems like a good time to get ahead of the curve. </p>
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IBM Exec Explains Why The Company Is Lending Small Businesses $4B To Upgrade Tech 

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/31337600.cms" />Style and luxury are synonymous with stardom. While style comes naturally to them (at least to most of them), luxury is an acquired virtue, thanks to their fat pay cheques. As we all know, the easiest way to flaunt one’s riches (and also make a style statement) is to get a swanky set of wheels. Here’s a look at the hottest cars that your favourite stars own and drive.<br />
 <br />
<strong>1. <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword></strong><br /> When you are the Bachchan, you just can’t settle for an ordinary life. A <keyword id="46484" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rolls-Royce">Rolls-Royce</keyword> Phantom priced at a whopping Rs 4.5 crore-plus is what the mega star drives. Other cars owned by Big B include a <keyword id="1120831" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bentley-Continental-GT">Bentley Continental GT</keyword>, a Range Rover, a <keyword id="6415837" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Lexus">Lexus</keyword> LX470, a Mercedes SL500, a <keyword id="-213" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Porsche-Cayman">Porsche Cayman</keyword> S, a Mercedes E 240, a <keyword id="6355119" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="BMW">BMW</keyword> <keyword id="430920" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="X5">X5</keyword>, a BMW 7 Series and a Mercedes S320. Impressive – isn’t it?<br />
 <br />
<strong>2. <keyword id="1655" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Priyanka-Chopra">Priyanka Chopra</keyword></strong><br /> ‘Exotic’ Priyanka Chopra has recently got herself an equally exotic Rolls-Royce that reduced her bank balance by more than Rs 2 crore. But that’s not the end of PeeCee’s luxury shopping. The lady also wants to get the car customised and hence, she’ll get to drive the beauty later this month. PC also owns a <keyword id="557503" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Porsche-Cayenne">Porsche Cayenne</keyword> and a Mercedes S Class.<br />
 <br />
<strong>3. <keyword id="6354583" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Salman-Khan">Salman Khan</keyword></strong><br /> Given a chance, Salman doesn’t mind pedalling a cycle. But the latest addition to his collection of wheels is a limited edition luxury bike. And the blue-coloured <keyword id="6911" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="suzuki">Suzuki</keyword> Intruder M1800RZ cost him Rs 13.75 crore. Other gems in Salman’s collection of wheels include BMW X6, <keyword id="47099" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Audi-Q7">Audi Q7</keyword>, <keyword id="6363321" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Audi">Audi</keyword> A 8, Range Rover and a Suzuki Hayabusa sports bike.<br />
 <br />
<strong>4. <keyword id="562349" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Parineeti-Chopra">Parineeti Chopra</keyword></strong><br />
She’s surely turning heads with her performance. And she can proudly say the same about her wheels, too! The enigmatic Parineeti has recently got herself a Jaguar. At 25, life just can’t get any better for this Ishaqzaadi!<br />
 <br />
<strong>5. <keyword id="4546" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Shah-Rukh">Shah Rukh</keyword> Khan</strong><br /> Stylish, suave and super rich – that’s Shah Rukh for you. To suit his persona, King Khan owns an Audi Q6, a <keyword id="678030" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bentley-Continental">Bentley Continental</keyword> GT, a BMW 7 Series and a 6 Series, a BMW Convertible, a <keyword id="6427662" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mitsubishi">Mitsubishi</keyword> Pajero SUV and a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Phew! That’s quite a list. <br />
 <br />
<strong>6. <keyword id="6357860" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Anushka-Sharma">Anushka Sharma</keyword></strong><br /> Now, the car that Anushka drives is quite different from her personality. The otherwise delicate and perky beauty is often spotted zooming around in a Range Rover (with <keyword id="6354486" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Virat-Kohli">Virat Kohli</keyword>).<br />
 <br />
<strong>7. <keyword id="6355923" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aamir-Khan">Aamir Khan</keyword></strong><br />
Mr Perfectionist, who is working hard for the launch of the second season of his TV series called <em>Satyamev Jayate</em>, owns a Rolls-Royce Ghost. The beauty costs more than Rs 3 crore.<br />
 <br />
<strong>8. <keyword id="499" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="abhishek-bachchan">Abhishek Bachchan</keyword></strong><br />
Bachchan Jr. may not be enjoying a good run at the Box Office, but the star is definitely enjoying his life. The <em>Dhoom</em> guy has added a pristine white Audi 8 to his coupe collection. Buzz was rife that Papa Abhishek booked this beauty worth Rs.1.7 crore for daughter <keyword id="971577" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aaradhya">Aaradhya</keyword> and got it customised as well. <br />
 <br />
<strong>9. <keyword id="598" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Deepika-Padukone">Deepika Padukone</keyword></strong><br /> The latest ‘big’ thing of <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword>, Deepika Padukone has recently added yet another machine to her fleet of cars. And this time, it is a swanky Audi.<br />
 <br />
<strong>10. <keyword id="6357861" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword></strong><br />
The Kapoor scion is often spotted zipping around the town in his saucy and sexy red Audi A8. During his Deepika Padukone days, he used to drive a giant white Range Rover.<br />
 <br />
<strong>11. <keyword id="333" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Saif-Ali-Khan">Saif Ali Khan</keyword></strong><br /> Soaking in the spirit of marital bliss, Saif Ali Khan was recently spotted driving an <keyword id="529178" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Audi-R8">Audi R8</keyword> Spyder. What a choice! Perfect ‘red’ to pamper your style, Nawab of Pataudi!<br />
 <br />
<strong>12. <keyword id="6354967" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="John-Abraham">John Abraham</keyword></strong><br /> Newly married John is well known for his love for girls… err we mean bikes. But the recent purchase made by the muscle man is not only a drool-worthy bike but something equally eye-popping. In a bid to grab the perfect machine that will suit this macho, John has bought a 2013 <keyword id="75789" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Lamborghini">Lamborghini</keyword> Gallardo. The avid biker already has an enviable collection of power machines including <keyword id="48197" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Yamaha">Yamaha</keyword> R1, Kawasaki ZX Ninja, Suzuki Hayabusa and Yamaha Raven.<br />
 <br />


12
Bollywood Stars Whose Luxe Cars Will Knock You Out

<p> </p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr valign="middle">
<td>This post was originally published on <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/4-tips-on-how-to-move-others-to-achieve-your-goals/">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5140e265eab8ea2323000000-909-681/people-6.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="People" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/meetthemediaguru/3954756780/sizes/o/in/photostream/">flickr/meetthemediaguru</a></p></div>For his new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/To-Sell-Is-Human-Surprising/dp/1594487154" target="_blank"><em>To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others</em>,</a>bestselling author Daniel Pink asked people to describe the adjectives that came to mind when people were prompted to think of “sales” or “selling.”</p>
<p>After removing value neutral adjectives, what remained were words like “pushy,” “annoying,” “manipulative” and “dishonest.” Then the participants were asked to draw an image that came to mind when they thought of the word “sales,” and the stereotypical image drawn was a used car salesman in a suit.</p>
<p>It all connects to this idea that people in sales are somehow dishonest or deceitful. In the book, Pink argues that this is a huge misconception and that nearly every person in the world is now in sales, whether it’s trying to move others to buy their products, accept their ideas or invest in their companies.</p>
<p>Today, people have more information than ever. If you take the example of selling cars, people can look up the car’s price, get information about the dealer and even find out if the car has been in any accidents.</p>
<p>Sellers need to be aware that their professional reputation is dependent solely on their customers. Pink argues that great sales techniques aren’t just about selling products or services anymore—they can be used for everything from popularizing a business, to doing many jobs at the same time (as every small-business owner does), to mentoring people.</p>
<p>Here are his best tips gleaned from social science to help you whether you’re selling products, ideas or your consulting expertise:</p>
<p><strong>Use your head, not your heart, to identify with people.</strong> Taking someone else’s perspective is absolutely essential to moving people. By doing so, you become better at picking up on their signals and figuring out what they want from a transaction. People think of that as an emotional process, as requiring empathy. Researchers at INSEAD find that people who focus on what others think are much better negotiators than those who think about what they feel.</p>
<p>Focusing on thoughts means you’re better able to focus on their context, and get to a solution that’s in both parties’ interests.</p>
<p><strong>Try “strategic mimicry.”</strong> We instinctively copy other people, sometimes without realizing it. That includes behaviors, gestures, sometimes even accents. That might seem like it would put people off, but studies actually recommend that you, for example, touch your face once in a while if the person you’re meeting with does.</p>
<p>It has to be subtle, though. If someone notices, the effect can be very negative.</p>
<p><strong>Be an “ambivert,” not an extrovert.</strong> You would expect that the best salespeople would be the most sociable and gregarious. There’s actually almost no evidence of that. Studies have found no relationship between extroversion and sales. In fact, research from Adam Grant of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School finds that the most effective salespeople are right on the middle of the scale between extroversion and introversion. They’re what he calls “ambiverts.” </p>
<p>Being too gregarious can actually hurt sales, as people can get turned off by someone who’s too assertive, zealous or prone to stumbling over themselves in their eagerness. If you tend to talk too much, reign it back and listen more. </p>
<p><strong>Change how you psych yourself up.</strong> Many people try to prepare themselves for something challenging by thinking positive thoughts—something researchers call “self-talk.” How you do that actually has an effect on performance.</p>
<p>People who ask questions—rather than making statements—have been found to do better on a variety of tasks. Asking questions is a way to come up with strategies, and it helps you remember what motivates you instead of just getting a quick emotional boost. </p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE ON OPEN FORUM:</strong></p>
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5 Tips On How To 'Move Others' To Achieve Your Goals

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5835fedeba6eb603688b514f-2400/undefined" alt="ivanka donald trump" data-mce-source="Mark Makela/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Ivanka Trump looks on as her her father, Republican presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump, speaks during a campaign event at the Aston Township Community Center on September 13, 2016 in Aston, Pennsylvania. Recent national polls show the presidential race is tightening with two months until the election." data-link="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/605386018"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/605386018">Mark Makela/Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">Ivanka Trump looks on as Donald J. Trump speaks during a campaign event at the Aston Township Community Center on September 13, 2016 in Aston, Pennsylvania.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Across the country, Americans disturbed&#xa0;by Trump's rhetoric are boycotting&#xa0;companies that have business ties to him and his family.<p>A number of boycott campaigns, most notably <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/grabyourwallet?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Ehashtag">#GrabYourWallet</a> and <a href="https://www.thedjtr.com/">The Donald J. Trump Resistance</a>&#xa0;(DJTR), have popped up in the last month.&#xa0;<span>As of Trump's inaugural weekend, the #GrabYourWallet campaign has&#xa0;<a href="http://keyhole.co/preview">3.5 million&#xa0;impressions</a> on Twitter (including retweets and likes) and The DJTR has over 44,000&#xa0;likes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheDJTR/">on Facebook</a>.</span></p><p>The majority of the <a href="https://grabyourwallet.org/">targeted retailers</a>, including Nordstrom and Sears, are continuing to sell clothing and home furnishings by Ivanka Trump and the president.</p><p>This is no surprise to Robert Passikoff, the founder of Brand Keys, a marketing research firm that has studied Trump's brand power for the past 25 years.</p><p>"The boycott is an ideological reaction," he tells Business Insider. "Brands don't tend to do well when they involve themselves with ideologies."</p><p>Although&#xa0;<span>Passikoff</span>&#xa0;says there's no historical model to compare the Trump boycotts to (i.e. people not buying products connected to a brand that now is connected to&#xa0;the US presidency), we can look to Trump's brand power over the past few years for some answers.</p><p>Brand Keys continually surveys consumers nationwide about Trump, with each sample around 1,800 people. To gather its data for its Trump surveys, the firm asks people how much they think particular products are worth (both with and without Trump's name).</p><p>Though Brand Keys&#xa0;normally conducts client-funded research, these surveys are&#xa0;part of an ongoing internal study. Passikoff says&#xa0;the firm&#xa0;did not track&#xa0;the political affiliation of its survey&#xa0;respondents until Trump declared his candidacy, but that there have been&#xa0;equal numbers&#xa0;of participants who identify as Republicans, Democrats, and Independents since he entered&#xa0;the running<span>. The</span>&#xa0;following percentages - which span more than&#xa0;two decades&#xa0;- are&#xa0;therefore not completely non-partisan, but nonetheless&#xa0;offer insight about&#xa0;Trump's brand.</p><p>Before Trump declared&#xa0;his candidacy, the overall added value for Trump's brand was 25%. This means if an apartment complex normally sold at $1,000 per square foot, it could sell for $1,250 per square foot with Trump's name on it.&#xa0;A-list celebrities like Derek Jeter typically have an added brand value of about 15%,&#xa0;<span>Passikoff</span> says.</p><p>After Trump entered the race, his brand power decreased 20% for&#xa0;products like suits, ties, and jewelry, but increased for&#xa0;branded items geared toward wealthier Americans, like country clubs and luxury condos. When&#xa0;<span>The Washington Post </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4_story.html">leaked audio </a>of&#xa0;<span>Trump making lewd comments about women in October 2016, that percentage plunged to 8%.</span></p><p><span>But following&#xa0;the election, Trump's brand power increased 35% across every category.</span></p><p><span>"His name has more power now than ever," says&#xa0;<span>Passikoff, who&#xa0;</span></span>predicts the boycotts will do minimal damage to retailers' bottom lines and long-term reputations. He says&#xa0;that might not be the case for&#xa0;retailers that appeal to millennial voters - the majority of which <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/11/14/501727488/millennials-just-didnt-love-hillary-clinton-the-way-they-loved-barack-obama">didn't vote</a> for Trump.</p><p>Only seven&#xa0;retailers have stopped doing business with the Trump family&#xa0;in the recent past. Macy's&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-cuts-ties-with-donald-trump-report-2015-7">dropped</a> Donald Trump menswear in 2015&#xa0;after he <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiQq97wwr_QAhVL4YMKHd4RDtsQFgghMAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnews%2Fthe-fix%2Fwp%2F2016%2F10%2F05%2Fpence-yes-trump-called-mexicans-rapists-and-criminals-but-you-keep-forgetting-about-the-other-part%2F&amp;usg=AFQjCNFPQhBNJfjLjUek28s2bYLfI6RRug&amp;bvm=bv.139782543,d.amc">said</a> many Mexicans are rapists or criminals&#xa0;(but the company has kept Ivanka Trump products). On November 12,&#xa0;<a href="http://shoes.com/" title="" data-skimwords-word="Shoes.com" data-skim-creative="500005">Shoes.com</a><span> announced on Twitter that it was removing Ivanka Trump shoes from its inventory.</span></p><p><span>On January 18, Kawasaki USA spokesperson&#xa0;<span>Kevin Allen</span> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/business/kawasaki-to-stop-sponsoring-apprentice-because-of-trump-involvement.html">told</a> The New York Times that the company will drop&#xa0;<span>its sponsorship of "The New Celebrity Apprentice," unless Trump cut ties with the&#xa0;show. Trump no longer appears on-screen on "Celebrity Apprentice," but he still serves as executive producer and generates income from the program.</span></span></p><p><span>The other companies -&#xa0;Bellacor, Wayfair, Zulily, RueLaLa, and Stein Mart-&#xa0;removed Trump merchandise soon after the election. <a href="https://twitter.com/SheniquaF/status/798973736884047872?lang=en">Some</a> <a href="https://grabyourwallet.org/Sequential%20List%20of%20Companies%20Dropped.html">cited</a>&#xa0;dwindling sales; others&#xa0;didn't provide an official statement.&#xa0;</span></p><p>Some retailers that felt pressure from the boycotts have confirmed they will continue to carry Trump products or don't regret their decision to support Trump.&#xa0;</p><p>In <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/11/22/nordstrom-to-keep-selling-ivanka-trump/">an email</a> sent to Nordstrom employees on November 21, co-President Pete Nordstrom wrote, "Every single brand we offer is evaluated on their results - if people don't buy it, we won't sell it." And since customers keep buying&#xa0;Ivanka Trump merchandise, it's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nordstrom-wont-ditch-ivanka-trump-2016-11/">not worth it</a> for the company to drop her line, Fortune <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/11/22/nordstrom-to-keep-selling-ivanka-trump/">reported</a>.</p><p>L.L. Bean might be the most recent retailer to end up&#xa0;the Grab Your Wallet list, after the public learned that Linda Bean,&#xa0;<span>granddaughter of the company's founder, made <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ll-bean-boycott-over-trump-pac-donation-2017-1">a&#xa0;<span>$66,</span><span>862</span> donation</a> to a pro-Trump PAC&#xa0;<span>called Making America Great Again LLC. The donation was considered illegal, because individuals supporting one candidate are limited to $5,000, the AP <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2017-01-06/apnewsbreak-ll-bean-heiress-in-trouble-over-pro-trump-pac">reported</a>.</span></span></p><p>L.L. Bean&#xa0;<span>Executive Chairman&#xa0;<span>Shawn Gorman responded on January 8, two days after the company was added to the Grab Your Wallet boycott.</span></span></p><p><span><span>"W<span>e are deeply troubled by the portrayal of L.L. Bean as a supporter of any political agenda ... W<span>e respectfully request that Grab Your Wallet reverse its position," Gorman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/llbean/posts/10154557395087415">wrote</a> on Facebook.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span>Shannon Coulter, a brand and digital strategist who started the </span><a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/10/people-are-using-twitter-to-protest-ivanka-trumps-line.html">#GrabYourWallet hashtag in October</a>&#xa0;2016<span>, confirms to Business Insider that she will not remove L.L. Bean from the boycott list.</span></p><p><span>"At a brand level, this isn't complicated," Coulter says. "If your board members give a lot of money to a guy who shows open contempt for disabled people, women, and immigrants, a lot of consumers are going to get mad. That's not 'unfair' as L.L. Bean has characterized it. That's reality."</span></p><p><span>After Trump's win,&#xa0;<span>she and other anti-Trump Twitter users made <a href="https://grabyourwallet.org/">a Google Doc&#xa0;spreadsheet</a>&#xa0;listing 32 retailers&#xa0;that have business ties to the Trump family&#xa0;- though that number has since grown to 70. The spreadsheet includes information about Trump inventory carried by businesses along with contact information.</span></span></p><p><span>Coulter also believes&#xa0;that supporting Trump products will damage retailers' reputations in the long run. She predict that even loyal L.L. Bean shoppers will&#xa0;look elsewhere, like REI, Patagonia, or Eddie Bauer.</span></p><p>A recent study from Northwestern University, as The New Yorker <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/09/the-trump-era-corporate-boycott">notes</a>, concludes the same. The researchers found that though major boycotts between 1990 and 2005 didn't significantly hurt sales, the&#xa0;bad publicity did damage company stock. Over a third of the targeted retailers also changed their procedures after they were protested.&#xa0;</p><p>For example, after consumers found out Nike&#xa0;used child labor in the 1990s, the subsequent boycott was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nike-solved-its-sweatshop-problem-2013-5">a huge blow</a> to the company's&#xa0;reputation. Nike performed 600 factory audits, and was the first in the industry to publish&#xa0;<span>a complete list of&#xa0;the facilities making its products.</span></p><p><span><span>If these businesses&#xa0;choose to remove Trump products, it will prevent damage for their brands, Coulter</span></span><span><span>&#xa0;says.&#xa0;</span></span><span><span>She points to&#xa0;Christian Dior stores, which chose&#xa0;to&#xa0;<a href="http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/01/dior-fires-john-galliano-in-wake-of-anti-semitic-remarks/">fire</a>&#xa0;creative director and designer John Galliano in 2011&#xa0;after he made racist remarks in public.</span></span></p><p>The Dior brand, worth an estimated $20.2 billion, was able to ride out the controversy because it immediately dropped Galliano after a wave of public criticism.</p><p><span><span>"<span>Dior didn't want its brand associated with racism," Coulter says. "</span><span>If a company like Nordstrom chooses to continue selling the products of someone [Ivanka Trump] who passionately campaigned for the KKK-endorsed candidate who likes to grab women by the genitals, that's going to have implications for the Nordstrom brand whether company executives like it or not."</span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>The DJTR campaign is a similar effort to #GrabYour Wallet. Started by New York Daily News senior justice writer Shaun King, it calls for a boycott of<span>&#xa0;various companies, founders, and&#xa0;CEOs that financially supported the Trump campaign and sell his family's products.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span>"<span>We must make our money stand for the values and the people that we believe in. Otherwise, we are funding the very oppression, bigotry, and discrimination that we claim to hate," The DJTR website <a href="https://www.thedjtr.com/">reads</a>.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span>Even though&#xa0;Trump threatened to enact <a href="http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/7/13520690/donald-trump-wins-loses-racism-bigotry-islamophobia-election">racist</a>, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/how-trump-style-words-hurt/506456/">sexist</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/us/politics/trump-victory-alarms-gay-and-transgender-groups.html?_r=0">homophobic</a>, and <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/trumps-blunt-force-foreign-policy">xenophobic</a> policies on the campaign trail, it will be difficult</span></span><span><span><span>&#xa0;to tarnish his name. It is&#xa0;latched onto&#xa0;one of the most powerful brands in the world.</span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>&#xa0;Coulter says she and the anti-Trump movement will continue to boycott.</span></span></span>&#xa0;</p><p>"<span>As for backing down, no," she says. "No plans to do that at all."</span></p><p><em>An earlier version of this story did not detail the political affiliation of Brand Keys' survey participants.&#xa0;The firm only did so after Trump declared his presidential candidacy.</em></p><div>    <iframe src="//instagram.com/p/BDRf2GpwQ32/embed/" width="800" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true">    </iframe></div><div>    <iframe src="//instagram.com/p/BMZoRv-ga_n/embed/" width="800" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true">    </iframe></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/difference-top-bottom-state-income-inequality-gap-wages-2017-1">Here's the massive gap in average income between the top 1% and the bottom 99% in every state</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="1lOGlxODE6yycnwj6SWeciVyT0EE9k1w" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '1lOGlxODE6yycnwj6SWeciVyT0EE9k1w',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The anti-Trump boycott of 70 retailers won't back down - here's how it could affect sales

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd">
<html><body><p><em><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408cdf8eab8eab6348b456c-548-411/intel-wearable-main.jpg" border="0" alt="Intel wearable main"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>This post is sponsored by <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html" target="_blank">Intel</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>[Editor's note: At the <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/intel-developer-forum-idf/san-francisco/2014/idf-2014-san-francisco.html" target="_blank">Intel Developer Forum</a>, held September 9-11 in San Francisco, wearable tech experts will bring their latest creations and share ideas with developers from around the world. Stay tuned for the latest announcements and news from the event.]</em></p>
<p>The race to create the next big thing in wearable technology has created some <a href="http://iq.intel.com/are-wearables-making-fashion-and-tech-industries-strange-bedfellows/" target="_blank">interesting partnerships</a> as big brands from the fashion and technology industry team up to design products that go beyond <a href="http://iq.intel.com/will-wearables-succeed-beyond-activity-trackers/" target="_blank">fitness trackers</a>.</p>
<p>These big brands may be attracting the bulk of attention and interest, but take one look at the prototypes competing in the <a href="https://makeit.intel.com/finalists" target="_blank">Make It Wearable Challenge</a> and it's not difficult to believe that the next big breakthrough could come from a little-known inventor or startup turning a good idea into a functioning device.</p>
<p>Nixie, BabyBe, Open Bionics and vumbl are just a few wearable technology brands hoping that their prototype will win them enough cash and industry connections to hit the big time.</p>
<p>The tech entrepreneurs behind these products are pushing the envelope, creating everything from a wearable camera drone that captures selfie videos to sensor-equipped items for parents of newborn babies.</p>
<h2><strong>1. Nixie</strong></h2>
<p>Nixie is the first wearable camera that can fly. It's worn on the body, and on your cue, the device unfolds and takes flight. Nixie composes the perfect shot from an awesome perspective, capturing the moment without being invasive.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408cf22eab8ea80418b456a-548-314/nixie.jpg" border="0" alt="Nixie"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2>2. Babybe</h2>
<p>Babybe is a bionic mattress that keeps mothers and babies connected through the process of artificial incubation. The device is intended to help the more than <a href="http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/oadwblog/2013/11/15/helping-the-15-million-babies-born-too-soon-every-year/" target="_blank">15 million babies born prematurely</a> each year.</p>
<p>The device brings haptic information from the mother to the baby in real time, making the environment inside the incubator machine less stressful while giving the mother an active role in the care of her preterm infant.</p>
<h2><strong>3. Open Bionics</strong></h2>
<p>Open Bionics, founder of the <a href="https://twitter.com/openhandproject" target="_blank">Open Hand Project</a>, has created a low-cost robotic prosthetic hand. With upcoming advances in materials and 3D printing, the company hopes soon to create a hand for under $100 in developing countries across the globe.</p>
<center><a href="http://www.openbionics.org/" target="_blank"><img class="center" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408cfd6ecad0416699d3036/open%20bionics.gif" border="0" alt="Open Bionics" /></a></center>
<h2>4. BabyGuard</h2>
<p>BabyGuard is a product that offers smart healthcare for newborns up to age 3, as well as a way for expectant mothers to track fetal movements.</p>
<p>The BabyGuard has three parts: the outfit, the sensor unit, and the mobile app. The outfit can vary from a bellyband worn by the mother to a little hat worn by the baby. The coin-sized sensor unit embedded inside the specific outfit can sample electrophysiology signals including fetal ECG, EMG, and EEG.</p>
<p>By applying powerful algorithms within the app, BabyGuard is able to provide information related to the health status of the fetus and infant in an understandable way.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54092bc969bedd33099d3031-480-360/wearable-finalists-baby-gaurd.jpg" border="0" alt="wearable finalists baby guard"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2>5. First V1sion</h2>
<p>Imagine if you could see what soccer great Lionel Messi sees. <a href="http://www.firstv1sion.com/tablet/index.html" target="_blank">First V1sion</a> is designed to share the player's point of view by integrating a camera and transmission system into a sport-optimized T-shirt.</p>
<p>The Barcelona-based device is a new broadcast system that offers the perspective of an athlete in just about any sport. First V1sion consists of a high-definition video system with a pulsometer and an accelerometer included.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408d01769bedd616b9d3034-548-411/first%20v1sion.jpg" border="0" alt="First V1sion"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2>6. vumbl</h2>
<p>Designed by a UK tech team, this stylish, discreet fitness necklace uses vibrations to monitor information from the human body.</p>
<p>The goal of <a href="http://www.vumbl.com/" target="_blank">vumbl</a> is to enable its wearer to remain fully informed of biorhythmic information without being distracting. The device, which rests comfortably around the neck, can be controlled through touch, leaving eyes and ears free to focus on what's happening in the immediate environment.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408d031eab8ea9b408b4573-548-411/vumbl.jpg" border="0" alt="Vumbl"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2><strong>7. ProGlove</strong></h2>
<p>ProGlove is an advanced sensor-based wearable production tool for mass-production factory workers. It helps professionals perform their tasks more ergonomically and efficiently by unifying multiple instruments into a glove. The ProGlove would help optimize productivity and cut production costs.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540932bf69bedd1d289d3035-548-411/wearable-finalists-proglove-1.jpg" border="0" alt="wearable finalists proglove"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2><strong>8. Snowcookie</strong></h2>
<p>Snowcookie helps you become a better skier or snowboarder by enhancing user safety, improving technique, and connecting the skiing and snowboarding crowd. Combined with a smartphone, Snowcookie dynamically assesses a user's physiology and movements and improves them with the help of crowdsourced information.</p>
<center><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408d06369bedd666e9d3035/snowcookie.gif" border="0" alt="&quot;Snowcookie/" /></center>
<h2>9. Wristify</h2>
<p>The <a href="http://www.embrlabs.com/" target="_blank">Wristify </a> band relaxes the wearer by providing natural cooling or warmth on demand. Developed with an Intel Edison chip, Wristify aims to lay the foundation for an immersive experience that responds to, adapts to, and communicates with the wearer throughout the day.</p>
<center><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408d08aecad046c709d3031-548-411/wristify.jpg" border="0" alt="Wristify"><p class="source"><span>Intel</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></center>
<h2>10. Blocks</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.chooseblocks.com/" target="_blank">Blocks</a> is an open hardware and software platform for wearable technology based on the concept of modularity, allowing people to replace or upgrade capabilities at will. Each block of your smart wearable band can be a sensor, a display, a processor, or a battery.</p>
<p>You can choose the different blocks that you need based on the functions and the looks that you like, and snap them together to make a wearable band that is unique to you.</p>
<p>With an open platform, any company or individual can be given access to develop apps or even build their own blocks. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Users can upgrade their blocks over time and can keep up with the latest tech without needing to replace their whole smartwatch.</span></p>
<center><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5408d0b8eab8eacf488b4567/blocks.gif" border="0" alt="Blocks" /></center>
<p>Finalists of the Make It Wearable Development Track will present to a renowned panel of judges at an event in San Francisco on November 3, 2014, at the W Hotel.</p>
<p>Each finalist will receive $50,000 and intensive mentoring from leaders of various industries - including Canva chief evangelist Guy Kawasaki and entrepreneur and author Steve Blank - to refine their projects and help get their ideas off the ground. They will ultimately attend the Make It Wearable final presentation and gala event, where the grand-prize winner will receive $500,000. The second- and third-place winners will receive $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.</p>
<p><strong>• <a href="https://makeit.intel.com/finalists" target="_blank">Learn more about the Make It Wearable Challenge.</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>• <a href="http://iq.intel.com/tag/idf14/" target="_blank">Learn more about IDF.</a></strong></p>
<p>Find out <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sponsor-posts">more about Sponsor Posts</a>.</p></body></html>

These 10 Wearable Prototypes Are Competing To Win Half A Million Dollars

<p> </p>
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<td>This post was originally published on <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-to-make-a-successful-presentation-to-investors/">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><span><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/507dd1c169bedd4e38000007-3640-2730/focus-100-investors-vcs.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="FOCUS 100, Investors, VCs" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source">Melissa Stanger//Business Insider</p></div>When you need financing for your ideas, convincing <keyword id="6359051" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="investors">investors</keyword> that your pitch is worth their time and money is essential.</span></p>
<p>The first thing you need to do is make sure you can demonstrate that whoever you’re pitching your idea to—venture capital firm, bank or investment group—believes that he or she will eventually get something out of the deal. You need to research your audience, cater to their needs and make a connection between what your business does and why the firm should care.</p>
<p>“An audience you want funding from wants to understand the viability of your business—the potential market for what you’re offering, why your value proposition exceeds that of the competition and your success thus far,” says Bill Rosenthal, CEO of <a href="https://webmail.lijit.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=Ra_nMNTt_EiQAdcNhTMsYBBo_t-0ys8IOirIbVizZJVgjBfFfos727TZ_UWXvTPgJkrRg4dSw0k.&amp;URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.communispond.com" target="_blank">Communispond</a>, which provides employee training on how to communicate effectively. “Line up your numbers—but don’t present them like an accountant would, with only a cold, hard recitation of the figures. You have to show your passion for the business.” <br /><br />Rosenthal shares some tips with us on making a successful presentation to investors. Whether you’re a small startup or running a larger business, these tips can help you develop your best game plan.</p>
<p><strong>1. Know your environment. </strong>Arrive at important meetings early so you can examine the atmosphere, and also so you can know what kind of room you’ll be presenting in. For example, you need to know if the room will accommodate an AV presentation or whether you need to bring equipment. If you’re going to use visuals, Rosenthal said you should keep them simple, using “no more than four lines of copy per slide and no more than four words per line.”</p>
<p><strong>2. Know how much time you have. </strong>Rosenthal told us you should plan a presentation that lasts 10 minutes, less than the time you’re allotted, so you can use the extra time for questions and answers. “You should also prepare a presentation that’s half as long—because it’s common at venture capital firms in particular for the investment committee to be behind schedule and for the entrepreneur seeking funding to be asked to make the presentation shorter than planned.”</p>
<p>Furthermore, you should anticipate questions that you think your audience will ask. “Prepare concise, persuasive answers to them,” he said. “Rehearse the answers to questions, too. Use the answer to your last question to tie everything together.”</p>
<p><strong>3. Be confident in your idea. </strong>This is obvious, but is also essential. If you’re trying to get someone to financially support your idea, they should be able to see that you really believe in it.</p>
<p>“Demonstrate your passion by being energetic. Walk in strong, move confidently to where you’ll present, stand tall, balanced on both feet with hips wide, smile, survey the room and begin speaking with conviction,” Rosenthal says. “Don’t sit. Stand. Don’t lean on the table. Underscore your main points with authoritative hand and arm gestures, head turns and changing facial expressions. Rehearse your presentation—and keep rehearsing it — so you can present it without a script. You can’t project passion if you’re speaking from a script.”</p>
<p><strong>4. Connect with your audience. </strong>Even though this is clearly a business meeting, you should make as much of a connection as you can. No one is going to hand you money unless they believe in you or feel like they can trust you. “Use changes in the volume or tone of your voice—and dramatic pauses—when you get to something important,” Rosenthal told us. “Use mostly short sentences, dynamic words, onomatopoeia (“bang!,” “boohoo!”) and active verbs.”</p>
<p>You should also look each person in the audience in the eyes at some point. Whatever you do, don’t look at the floor or the opposite wall.</p>
<p><strong>5. Don’t forget that it’s still a business meeting. </strong>On the other hand, even though you’re trying to connect with your audience, you should still remember that they hold the finances you need. Therefore, pay close attention to the language you use. Rosenthal advised that you be familiar with the business language and stay away from buzzwords.</p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE ON OPEN FORUM:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/what-industry-leaders-know-about-knocking-down-the-competition/">3 keys to destroying the competition &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/guy-kawasaki-explains-how-anyone-can-become-an-entrepreneur-in-the-digital-age/">Guy Kawasaki explains how anyone can become an entrepreneur &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/exclusive-qa-with-executive-training-ceo-on-what-to-do-when-your-business-isnt-working/">What you should do if your strategy is failing &gt;</a></p>
</li>
</ul>

How To Make A Successful Presentation To The Budget Committee

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<td>This post was originally published on <a href="
http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-cities-can-help-small-businesses-grow-and-thrive/">OPEN Forum.</a>    </td>
<td><a href="http://www.openforum.com/"><img src="http://
static5.businessinsider.com/image/5078351a69beddb91f000004-420-116/amex-
open-forum-logo.png" border="0" alt="Amex Open Forum" width="150" /></a><br /><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51360e1feab8ea0b16000003-1024-768/seth-godin-7.jpg?maxX=400&amp;maxY=300" border="0" alt="Seth Godin" width="400" height="300" /></div><p class="source"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/3275235423/sizes/l/in/photostream/">flickr/jurvetson</a></p></div>Up until now, getting a professional degree and working in corporate America was considered a surefire, safe way to success. Starting a business was a whole lot riskier. </span></p>
<p>But bestselling author Seth Godin says this is no longer the case.</p>
<p>In his new book <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Icarus-Deception-High-Will/dp/1591846072" target="_blank">The Icarus Deception</a></em>, Godin says success today requires being creative, genuinely connecting with people and moving outside your comfort zone. In other words, taking an entrepreneurial approach is now the “safest” approach.</p>
<p>We spoke with Godin about this massive shift, and what this means for small businesses.</p>
<p><strong>How do you avoid making a commodity?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Going forward, there are going to be two types of products and services. One is something that you buy the cheapest one of, and cheap is going to keep getting cheaper but less profitable. And the other is going to be the thing that’s special—the thing that you seek out, the thing that you’re going to be willing to pay extra for, and that’s what we’re going to seek out.<br /><br />Just as a subway station that has lots of trains going through it is worth more than one at the end of the line, we know that being the nexus of connection, connecting lots of people and being trusted by lots of people is worth more than being isolated. So the value in our economy is no longer created by people who have a clever machine, because anyone can make a machine, probably cheaper than you. The value is created by people who are trusted, and the Internet makes that more productive than ever before.</p>
<p><strong>What do business owners have to do to stand out?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Everything that Michael Dell did, do the opposite. If you look at Dell vs. Apple 15 years ago, all the decisions at Dell were about, “how do we make it a safe decision, how do we make it cheaper, how do we make it more of a commodity?” If you worked there, you were rewarded for bringing your boss things that were easy to make, cheap commodities, because that’s what the stock market was rewarding. <br /><br />The way you run an organization that makes what I call “art” is that you don’t merely applaud the things that work, you applaud the efforts that lead to <keyword id="94495" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Innovation">innovation</keyword>, which means you also applaud right thinking that doesn’t necessarily pan out.</p>
<p><strong>How do you get that sort of innovation out of employees?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Well, that’s part of the magic of our data-driven economy, right? It’s harder than ever to hide from what works and what doesn’t. If you’re going to build a lean enterprise, you can test and measure how often the company ships iterations, how often it fails, how often it is putting things in front of people that don’t work.</p>
<p>If you have employees who don’t ship very often and don’t fail very often, then the message you have to send to the rest of the organization is that [you're] going to fire those people because they are playing it safe and acting like our enemy is failure, as opposed to the people you need, who understand that the enemy is boring. If you’re boring no one wants to connect with you. If you’re boring no one’s going to pay extra for you.</p>
<p><strong>So success should be measured not by productivity, but by creating something unique?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Something we would miss if it was not there. Remember the industrialist doesn’t like change. The industrialist has a system, and as long as the system is running he makes money. And so you don’t get rewarded for walking into a corporation that’s an industrialist and saying, “I think we should shake things up because it would be fun.” <br /><br />Now if it were up to industrialists, the world wouldn’t change at all, but the world is changing. So given the fact that the world is changing, the industrialist has the chance to innovate, but innovation brings with it daily failure. That’s part of innovation: figuring out what doesn’t work.</p>
<p><strong>Do you think people end up unhappy because they confine themselves into a narrow, safe pathway?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Most people have bosses who hire them to fill a slot in the work chart and to do what they are told. And most people who are doing what they are told feel safe; it feels reliable. If you go to a famous college and then you go to a place in an office and you get a job and you get trained and you do what you are told, it’s safe. And there isn’t a lot of emotional labor, because you can blame someone else.</p>
<p>That works fine until you get laid off. That works fine until your company is under stress. And then what do you do? You stand up and say to the world, “Here, I made this.” You go to meetings not to take notes but to say to your boss, “Wait a minute, why don’t we do that?” And that is a massive shift and it’s something that a lot of people find uncomfortable. It resonates with them when they think about it, but they’re not seeking it out because it’s so scary.</p>
<p><strong>How do you reduce the fear of putting yourself out there?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>My answer is: The fear is a good thing. The fear is a compass, if you are not fearing the fear, you’re not making progress. We waste enormous amounts of time and energy trying to make the fear go away. Artists, like the Bob Dylans and Amanda Palmers of the world, say, “Fabulous! The fear is back. I am on to something.” And that’s what we need to do. We need to train ourselves to look forward to saying the ridiculous things and to feeling the fear.</p>
<p><strong>How did you end up being an entrepreneur and thought leader instead of working at a big company?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>I guess the answer—and it will probably be true for most people—is that there are probably 20 things that happened to me, not one. I was lucky enough to co-found a business in college that ended up with 400 employees, and I launched 20 different projects while I was there—a project a week. I didn’t get paid to do it; it was just a non-profit that we ran as part of the university, and that was thrilling. I started a ticket bureau at a snack bar and a travel agency and a laundry service and a temporary employment agency that I took over with a partner. I couldn’t imagine how I could have more fun doing something that was called a job. <br /><br />Unfortunately, after I graduated from college, they didn’t have jobs like that for 20, 21-year-olds, so I went to Stanford Business School. It became clear to me at Stanford that there were two paths being offered: One path was to fake it well enough to get hired by a big company or consulting firm, and the other path was to go make something. Once I picked the second path, that was it.</p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE ON OPEN FORUM:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/4-tips-on-how-to-move-others-to-achieve-your-goals/">How to overcome the "Used Car Salesman" stereotype &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/guy-kawasaki-explains-how-anyone-can-become-an-entrepreneur-in-the-digital-age/">Guy Kawasaki explains how anyone can become an entrepreneur &gt;</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-of-the-greatest-business-lessons-learned-through-failure/">5 of the greatest business lessons learned through failure &gt;</a></p>
</li>
</ul>

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