Insights + ideas.
Cash may be king in business, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for the first investor willing to invest in your vision. The right investor should act as a thought partner—someone who adds value to your business (and not just monetary variety). In this blog post, we explore how to find the right investor
Leadership may be one of the most popular topics covered by self-development authors and business coaches. Still, several misconceptions persist in regard to what it takes to be a truly effective leader. In this blog post, we break down some of the most common leadership myths so you can feel more confident about your position
Taking stock of your past and learning from your mistakes is key to growing as a leader and encouraging innovation in your business ventures. Howbridge CEO Jeff Prag discusses 3 key lessons from his own experience. How do you encourage growth in your leadership and innovation in your business? Take stock of your past and
Listen here! Gone are the days when your biggest competitors are limited to those within your industry. In the world of digital marketing, personalized online shopping experiences and innovative customer service offerings, your biggest competitors are the brands your audience is already buying from. Here’s why. Who is your biggest competitor at this very moment?
When launching a new venture, it pays to be smart with your time and effort. That’s why developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is so important. In this blog post, we explain what an MVP is and why you should consider investing in one. Imagine this… You have an idea for the perfect product—an app
Silos squash potential. At Howbridge, our experience shows that sustainable success sits at the crossroads of three elements: offerings, organizational dynamics and opportunities. In this blog post, we explain the O3 effect and our approach to creating continuous growth. Building a venture is filled with inflection points—none of them easy. But too often, companies face
Entrepreneurs, journalists, musicians and artists alike are in a perpetual pursuit of innovation. Our focus concentrates on the future. Wondering about the past is deemed a waste of time and the present moment is largely overlooked for the feelings of stagnation that accompany it. Startup founders want to imagine a future that nobody has yet
A Short History In 1997, Netflix Founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings felt irritated by Blockbuster’s $40 late return-fee. This frustration led them to the idea of renting DVDs by mail using a subscription model and the seed of what we now know as Netflix was planted. By 2000, Hastings and Randolph offered to sell
The workplace has transformed dramatically within the last 50 years, with a highly accelerated change transpiring throughout the pandemic. We have shifted from strictly physical spaces to hybrid and fully remote environments – the idea of home offices have transitioned from being superfluous to essential. Creating a cohesive team of individuals who meaningfully contribute to
Take a moment to imagine an exceptional leader. Who comes to mind? What are their character traits? What makes this leader great? Now, consider something more critical to loyalty and followership: how does this leader make you feel? Is it inspired, energized, and creative? Or intimidated, tense, and controlled? The much admired former CEO (and
When striving for growth, founders, executives and financial officers put an inordinate amount of focus on the consumer value proposition. But what if you shifted your focus to a value proposition that has a much more long-term impact: your ability to attract and retain top talent? The most important transactions you make in your business
Threats of artificial intelligence (AI) tools replacing humans in the workplace have increased once again thanks to the sudden popularity of ChatGPT, igniting a debate between those embracing the tools and those shunning them. But as we examine in this blog post, the human mind isn’t so easily replaced. “Should we trust the robots?” This
No matter how successful the endeavor, the leaders who possess the drive to keep moving forward are the ones who continue to win. In this article, we explain why “scrappiness” is a core value at Howbridge—a characteristic all founders should aim to embody. As the saying goes, if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling back.
Whether at launch, growth, or transition stages, companies who want to make meaningful change face complex challenges.
What comes to mind when you think of the word “branding?” If you immediately thought of impactful logos, curated fonts and recognizable color pallets you’re not wrong.
If running has taught me anything, it’s that I hate starting over. I’m an avid runner and for years I’ve been lacing up my shoes with the pain of struggling up that first hill in the back of my mind.
In a world of change and volatility, today’s leaders are expected to understand and engage in a broader set of global issues. And what better way to broaden your horizons than diving into a new book?
Decision-making amid uncertainty is fundamental to the entrepreneurial process—but that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. Here are some ways you can train your brain to become more tolerant of uncertainty and lead your team to success even in the roughest seas. If there’s one thing we can be certain of in life it’s uncertainty. It’s
“What do you do?” This is one of the most common questions people ask when they meet someone new. What if the question became: “do you love what you do?”
“Am I making enough sales to fuel my growth?” This is one of the most common questions startup founders and entrepreneurs ask themselves when growing a new venture.
It goes without saying that knowing your customers is a crucial part of scaling a successful business. You know by now that you can’t paint every prospective buyer with the same brush...
When Groucho Marx famously said, “I wouldn’t want to belong to a club that would accept me as one of its members,” he likely didn’t intend to touch on one of the most prevalent issues in entrepreneurship.
What do brands like Dove, Patagonia, IKEA and REI have in common? They are purpose-driven.
Even the most successful business leaders have flaws. We’re only human, after all. What sets the great leaders apart from the pack is their ability to recognize these weaknesses. Of course, this level of self-awareness doesn’t come easily.
The fastest athlete in the world, also known as Usain Bolt, knows that one day someone will break his record. It will become harder for him to compete with younger and quicker rivals. Even Bolt broke the last record holder for the 100m.
“There is a big difference between being an organization with a vision statement and becoming a truly visionary organization,” writes author Jim Collins in his article Aligning Action and Values.
Making swift, courageous decisions and leading by example… that’s the essence of leadership. In theory, the ideal leader must have infinite flexibility to adapt their leadership style according to the situation and Associate needs.
Far too often I hear clients (and prospects) tell us: “If I didn’t have to spend so much time explaining what we do, we could spend more time finding solutions and increase our sales”
Brands are putting a greater emphasis on building emotional relationships with consumers. “It’s powerful and it works,” says branding consultant Jim Stengel, former CMO of P&G and author of Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World’s Greatest Companies.
We’re living and working in a time of astounding technological change. The information revolution is causing massive disruption. This change brings an equal level of both risk and opportunity.
You’ve started a business, and it’s beginning to gain some traction. It’s a great idea — early reaction from friends, family and peers has been entirely positive. Your sales forecast looks promising — and now you want to take your product or service to the next level.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly,” Robert F. Kennedy once said. It’s a lesson we are reminded of often, yet consistently struggle to implement in business. Failure is a valuable – and necessary – step to fostering a culture of innovation.
There are some TV characters we begin to love and cheer for over the years. Daryl Dixon from “The Walking Dead” is one of them. His greasy hair and his humble attitude make as lovable as any character in television history.
Businesses are often focused on delivering their product, dismissing “branding” as a lofty goal best left to large corporations. We often see this in clients who misconstrue what a brand is, believing their brand is something identifiable, such as a logo or tagline.
Family businesses can be incredibly rewarding, as they often allow family members to earn a very good living for their families, as well as allow ownership to share in the sense of accomplishment of hopefully growing the business together and passing it on to future generations.
