With the number of startups mushrooming all over the world, one would think that investors are just dying to give away money to new business ventures. Take the case of unicorn startups for instance. Once an unheard of phenomenon (hence the name unicorn startups), these are startup firms that are valued at $1 billion or more. Numbers like this would obviously excite a wannabe entrepreneur and spark the hope that their new venture has what it takes to become the next big unicorn. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it looks. Here are 7 things a VC looks for in a startup:

The PR metrics that you should consider measuring are based on the objectives of your business. PR is a tool for communication designed to help you meet your business objectives. Within PR, spending a significant amount of time on tracking metrics is necessary in order to communicate the value of this function. Here are the PR metrics you should be measuring for your business:

Choosing your first office is exciting. Your office is your base of operations. Whether you have been working out of your home or are simply a budding entrepreneur who is ready for a first office, how you choose can make all the difference in the world. The wrong office space can hinder your productive just as the right space can make your productivity soar. Here are tips for choosing your first office to make sure it's the right one:

Starting a new business is not easy, no matter what people may want you to believe. And the worst part can actually be the first steps, those awkward days of gaining your first client and earning that hallowed first invoice. The thing is, your first customer is your most important customer in a way, because once you have one, you can reference them to other prospective customers you are talking to. Here are tips for how to get the first client for your business:

Do you feel maybe that your employees aren't as productive in your business as you'd like them to be? Want to create a more productive environment at your company? Here are some suggestions for simple things that can help to create a more productive environment for your business:

It always surprises me to see how little awareness there is out there concerning some of the funding options available for small businesses. Here are some SME funding options in Ireland that you might not be aware of:

Building a strong, well-performing landing page is not just a matter of inserting a form on a page and driving traffic to it. The foundation of your landing page should be built on trust. Try these 14 tips to build trust and create a high-performance landing page.

Running an SME certainly brings along both the rewards as well as the challenges. When you trade in a relatively small market or in some business sectors however, due to market saturation, it does become difficult for businesses to find new customers and consequently grow their revenue. Therefore, targeting foreign markets and expanding internationally can be a way of growing your business. Here are 4 things that can help SMEs plan their international expansion:

From building the leaders of the future to improving staff performance and morale, there are numerous ways that mentoring can boost your business.

We've all heard the expression that we need to work smarter, not harder. But what does that really mean? Most people believe it describes a focus on prioritising tasks, reducing wasted steps, and delegating responsibility. That generally holds true, but the overwhelming task list of today's worker means that new solutions might be needed. "Work Smarter Not Harder" is more than a platitude!

If your work is primarily at your desk, then this doesn’t mean your health has to fall by the wayside. In fact, there are several ways to take care of yourself despite the sedentary nature of your work. Here are 5 simple approaches for staying healthy at your desk:

As an owner of a small business it is quite likely that you would have been at the receiving end of numerous credit card offers for running your business. It is worthwhile to consider the utility of credit cards for obtaining a line of credit and compare it with others available to you. Interestingly, credit cards have already emerged as the single biggest form of finance for small businesses. Small business credit cards - should you use them or not?

Live events bring together people with common interests and give everyone an incentive to interact. They are a great way to build both your personal and professional networks. If you're willing to introduce yourself, then you have a good chance of making new friends or meeting potential business contacts. Of course, getting the most from a live event takes more than showing up and saying, "Hello". If you want to make an impression and build lasting connections, then you'll need to put in some work. Here are a few tips to ensure you make a positive impression that lasts beyond the event.

Any entrepreneur is faced with the difficult task expanding. Rather than maintaining a flat level of growth, an entrepreneur must propel a company on a new trajectory, reinvent the framework so that it does more. Innovation is one way of growing your business and mind mapping can be very helpful to come up with new ideas:

Our latest Business Achiever is Joe Morris and CATTS. We asked Joe to tell us a little bit about his speech-focussed business and asked him about him business journey to date. Read on to find out more in Business Achievers: Joe Morris and CATTS.

When faced with a range of suitable candidates, how do you go about recruiting the right person for your business? Placing a job ad can bring in hundreds of applicants who apparently have the right qualifications. But having achieved the best exam results doesn’t necessarily make them the best person for the role. So how, in that sea of CVs, can you spot someone who has real potential to shape your business? Here are recruitment strategies that you can use for talent spotting for your business.

Attracting and retaining staff is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses and organisations. Recruiting staff is time consuming and expensive and a settled staff line-up means more productivity and continuity as opposed to interruptions and slow-downs caused by gaps in the workforce and the time taken to replace them. Along with a competitive salary, an attractive and flexible benefits package is a major driver in attracting and keeping staff. Here's how to create the perfect benefits package for your SME:

Invoice Finance is a flexible and revolving facility that provides funding to companies who provide trade credit to their debtors, the funds can be used for a variety of purposes such as working capital, negotiation of better terms with suppliers or as part of a funding package to acquire a business. The facility funds the company in the period from issuance of an invoice until their debtor makes payment – essentially it allows the company to release funds tied up in the working capital cycle.

There will always be debate around the fact - is business a science or an art - well, the answer is both but this article is to get you to embrace your inner artist. David McKechnie explains why successful business owners are able to really drill down into the art. Here are some tips for painting the story of your business:

Only half of startups survive more than five years, and only a third make it to ten years. To ensure sustainability of business, you must create growth strategies. A tangible plan is a defining factor that determines whether you will create growth or devalue the business. A business growth strategy should integrate consumer research to capitalise on market opportunities and keep a pulse on their market dynamics. Here are tips on developing a business growth strategy from consumer research: