Source: ComputerScienceZone.org I was referred this great infographic on #Startup Evolution by Alex Thompson  that categorically explains how the #startup ecosystem has evolved world over and also about the prevailing trends in the most lucrative industry. Happy to note that Bangalore has had a giant leap forward from the 19th to 15th place in the overall ranking. Don’t miss the interesting information presented down under on the rankings of #startups and #silicon valley case study. Enjoy the Infographic… The Startup Genome Project 2.0 The most comprehensive report on #startup structure, ecosystems, and disruptive industry trends has released a second version for 2015. Here are some of the most compelling facts about startups today. Business challenges The Industrial Era: The 20th century saw the first massive shift in corporate structure. Trying to deal with problems such as: Managing an enterprise over vast geographic distances Building and managing multiple customer segments Building brands to engage the newly emerging U.S. Middle Class The Information Era: 21st century businesses are dealing with an inversion of these issues,including: Instant connectivity between customers and business Plummeting cost of entry for new ventures Global competition Re-imagining new and traditional markets as part of a connected world The new business lessons learned by startups are expected to lead the massive restructuring of all traditional corporate structures by the middle of the 21st century. So What Is a Startup? Traditional small businesses have around 75% success rates over their first two years. Startups–even with VC backing–have a 75% chance of failing. What it takes to make them work: 1.)A-Players: Have the vision, execution, risk-taking profile, listening skills, leadership, and fear of failure to create things no one else has before, often with very little direction. 2.)Close proximity: Early stage startups can change course multiple times a day, with core team members working late into the night. Workspaces are often not even separated so everyone can stay on the same quickly changing page. 3.)Feedback loops: With limited money (time) and exposure in their hands, entrepreneurs need access to customer feedback. Mentors often help with strategizing, marketing, financing, taxes, legalities, and pacing. Entrepreneurs with mentors saw 3.5 times more growth and 7 times more investment than those without mentors. 4.)An ecosystem with built in experience: Certain geographic regions have had decades of drastically higher startup concentrations. Simple Turtle – A Place Where Learning is Simple Silicon Valley Case Study: 1950’s-1978: Defense era Key players: NASA Ames, Lockheed Missile & Space Division, United Defense, Hewlett Packard 1979-1986: Integrated Circuits era Key players: Shockley Semiconductor, Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel, AMD, National Semiconductor, over 50 other semiconductor firms. 1987-1996: Personal Computer Era Key players: Xerox, PARC, SRI, Homebrew Computer Club, Apple, 15+ computer companies 1997-2005: Internet Era Key Players: Netscape, Cisco, Google, SRI, hundreds of internet companies in region. 2006-2013: Social Media Era Key players: LinkedIn, Facebook, hundreds of social media companies. Startup Ecosystems Ranked: 1. Silicon Valley 2. New York 3. Los Angeles 4. Boston 5. Tel Aviv 6. London 7. Chicago 8. Seattle 9. Berlin 10. Singapore 11. Paris 12. Sao Paulo 13. Moscow 14. Austin 15. Bangalore 16. Sydney 17. Toronto 18. Vancouver 19. Amsterdam 20. Montreal Biggest leaps in rankings include New York (5-2), Austin (unranked to 14), Bangalore (19-15), Singapore (17-10), Chicago (10-7) By Metric: Performance Top 10 1. Silicon Valley 2. New York City 3. Boston 4. Los Angeles 5. London 6. Tel Aviv 7. Berlin 8. Chicago 9. Sao Paulo 10. Bangelore Though other ecosystems are expanding rapidly, Silicon Valley still currently has as much capital and exit volume as the other top 20 ecosystems combined. Funding top 10 1. Silicon Valley 2. New York City 3. Boston 4....

How to Overcome the Challenge of Resistance to Change? I’ve tried to supplement solutions to overcome the challenge of resistance to change in the form of quotes by lot of industry stalwarts and management scholars. It is true that change is the only entity that never changes. “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” ~Arnold Bennett Change is resisted because it can hurt. When new technologies displace old ones, jobs can be lost; prices can be cut; investments can be wiped out. The best thing leaders can do when the changes they seek pose significant threat is to be honest, transparent, fast, and fair. “He who rejects change is the architect of decay.” ~Harold Wilson Although leaders can’t always make people feel comfortable with change, they can minimize discomfort. Identifying the sources of resistance is the first step toward good solutions. And feedback from resistors can even be helpful in improving the process of gaining acceptance for change. The natural and normal reaction to change is resistance. Top Reasons “Why Employees Resist Change?” 1. Misunderstanding about the need for change/when the reason for the change is unclear — If staff do not understand the need for change you can expect resistance. Especially from those who strongly believe the current way of doing things works well…and has done for twenty years! In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy. ~J. Paul Getty 2. Fear of the unknown — One of the most common reasons for resistance is fear of the unknown. People will only take active steps toward the unknown if they genuinely believe – and perhaps more importantly, feel – that the risks of standing still are greater than those of moving forward in a new direction “Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.” ~Alvin Toffler 3. Lack of competence — This is a fear people will seldom admit. But sometimes, change in organizations necessitates changes in skills, and some people will feel that they won’t be able to make the transition very well. “Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” ~Sydney J. Harris 4. Connected to the old way — If you ask people in an organization to do things in a new way, as rational as that new way may seem to you, you will be setting yourself up against all that hard wiring, all those emotional connections to those who taught your audience the old way – and that’s not trivial. “When it becomes more difficult to suffer than to change… you will change.” ~Robert Anthony 5. Low trust — When people don’t believe that they, or the company, can competently manage the change there is likely to be resistance 6. Temporary fad — When people belief that the change initiative is a temporary fad 7. Not being consulted — If people are allowed to be part of the change there is less resistance. People like to know what’s going on, especially if their jobs may be affected. Informed employees tend to have higher levels of job satisfaction than uninformed employees. “The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.”~Charles Kettering 8. Poor communication — It’s self evident isn’t it? When it comes to change management there’s no such thing as too much communication. “If you feel like it’s difficult to change, you will probably have a harder time succeeding.” ~Andrea Jung 9. Changes...

#Social Media Marketing Tips and Strategies I have always felt that gathering information on a particular topic is made easy when you visit the top influencers’ #social network profile in that particular niche. And people are willing to part with useful information now-a-days as it helps them establish trust amongst their followers and also convert them into returning customers or audience. That way Twitter is a great info platform where you are able to locate a topic in a jiffy since the gist has to be limites and catchy as well. That is a blessing in disguise as it helps us to hit bang on target. Social Media Marketing is now synonymous with sales and every marketing firm is in a position to find the best social media #strategy that suits its business activity. Follow @managementguru1 There are lot of social media marketing tools that facilitate the vendors to generate more leads which in turn can lead to conversions. Customers are the focal point and products and services are customized to suit their taste. Data also plays a big role for marketers to capture leads from each and every possible source. Major social media platforms are on a high taking full advantage of the situation by targeting the marketers to leverage the huge traffic to sell their products or services. It becomes a win-win situation for both sides and the customers are flushed with information on new commodities along with product reviews and competitive price info. Read the Social Media & Marketing Daily Here is a curated version of nine tweets from top social media influencers in the Tweeting Circle that gives insight as “How to leverage consumer psychology, how to generate leads, how to reward your social followers, how to boost your #social media engagement, how to carry out a successful email marketing campaign and the essential skills a social manager neeeds!” Curated from Write to Right on Twitter: “How to use the psychology of reviews to improve your social media marketing http://t.co/TwK7y6aYIZ socialmedia http://t.co/BXyPB7alyI” Curated from Jonathan Gebauer on Twitter: “7 Great Ways To Generate Leads From LinkedIn – And They Are Personal http://t.co/g7IFZ7tkTu http://t.co/mTWqnIzd9p” Curated from Kerry Butters on Twitter: “3 Great Ways To Reward Your Social Followers: http://t.co/d2dNJILphi  SocialMediaMarketing SocialMedia http://t.co/5j9FIl3rMh” Curated from Jay Baer on Twitter: “Top 3 Mistakes Brands Make with Influencer Marketing via @Insightpool http://t.co/hNTdBIr24z http://t.co/AbTM9RDEkI” Curated from Marketing Technology on Twitter: “6 Ways to Maximize Social Media for Event Marketing http://t.co/83juwyTBao infographics social http://t.co/rjeTXUicPn” Curated from Tim Fargo on Twitter: “4 Steps to Boost Your Social Media Engagement growthhacking socialmediatools smm http://t.co/nwQj3G2Deg http://t.co/chGgVSTdok” Curated from Qualaroo on Twitter: “7 Email, SMS, & Push Message Hacks To Convert Trial Users Into Customers http://t.co/9LjuGMcfui http://t.co/lGwSjN6iU5” Curated from GrowthHackers SMB on Twitter: “3 Steps to Convert Followers into Users and Customers http://t.co/JxJwTWuriI http://t.co/pLyTb2Icgq” Curated from Jeff Bullas on Twitter: “10 Essential Skills a SocialMedia Manager Needs @somerocontesthttp://t.co/VkOeojHjtH smm marketingtips http://t.co/3eGbHKbByv”...

As Halloween the beloved festival observed in many countries is fast approaching, the retail market is like steaming hot. Manufacturers and Marketers are on a constant roll to maximize the sales volume with a decent margin. Christmas follows suit and the market enthusiasm is never going to boil down. People will be on a “Shopping Spree” and will definitely not mind spending a few extra bucks on their purchases. So, how the retail market which is going to be the shopping hub react to this “Mega Holiday Shopping?” Holiday #ecommerce sales are important for many online retailers In some cases, small business owners might see a significant portion of total annual sales in just a couple of months. Understanding what to expect in terms of growth or trends may help with planning your holiday season. The holiday shopping season will start long before #Black Friday or #Cyber Monday. In fact, at least 25 percent of holiday shoppers in the United States will purchase a Christmas gift before Halloween. Year after year, online retail sales outpace retail sales overall, and 2015 will be no exception. But regardless of where a product is sold, it will be a good year for retail. 4 Predictions for the 2015 Holiday Shopping Season Early shopping, Ecommerce Sales Growth, Improved #email marketing, and #mobile commerce will be among the most important ecommerce trends during the 2015 Christmas shopping season, which lasts from the end of October through December 24. Two things will make email even better this holiday season First, expect to see more companies automate email messages, so that when shoppers make a holiday purchase they will see follow up messages that are designed to make additional sales and retain those holiday customers all year long. Second, email marketers are getting better at segmentation and personalization, which, in turn, should make an already effective #marketing vehicle even better. Three factors will continue to push growth for mobile ecommerce First, even more sites are responsive and mobile optimized. Having a responsive website is not a competitive advantage in 2015; it is a competitive requirement. Second, as smartphone screens get larger, mobile ecommerce becomes easier. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is 5.65 inches tall and 2.78 inches wide. The iPhone 6 Plus is 6.22 inches tall and 3.06 inches wide with a 5.5 inch HD display. On devices like these, it is simply easier to shop. Third, mobile payment options are improving, again making it easier to shop from a smartphone. Curated from 4 Predictions for 2015 Holiday Shopping Season | Practical Ecommerce How to prep your ecommerce store for holiday shoppers Even though it’s only early October, if you’re online #retail business isn’t already gearing up for the holiday season, you may miss out on revenue. So what should you and your staff be doing now to ensure your ecommerce store is able to handle the extra holiday-related traffic? Don’t make any drastic changes to navigation or layout right now Make certain your site can handle the additional holiday traffic  Ensure your site is up to speed Show that your site is secure Ensure you’re properly stocked – and can re-order inventory quickly if necessary Staff up Make sure people can shop from a variety of devices Optimize images and give your site a festive feel Showcase top-rated items – and offer gift suggestions Alert customers to holiday shipping deadlines Offer live chat Add a gift-wrap option Offer free shipping Provide hassle free exchanges/returns Make checking out easy Provide a self-service option so customers can check on shipping and get answers to FAQs Curated from How to prep your ecommerce store for holiday shoppers | CIO Ultimately the customers must leave...

  Pay Down Credit Card Debt Faster – How to? They call credit card “PLASTIC MONEY” which is absolutely right because once you become a defaulter the card looks like a useless piece of plastic. Why people are so fascinated using credit cards when they very well know there is a severe consequence behind its usage? Only when you are sure about rotating your payments within the billing cycle of one month, go for a credit card payment. Otherwise it is wiser to spend with whatever is available with you. Read this post that clearly indicates the downsides of credit card debt and also points out how to come out of the hassle! Have you been in credit card debt for what seems like an eternity? Do you have so many bills that payday feels more like debtday? You and many other consumers are in the same boat. Total credit card balances in the United States are at $703 billion, a $19 billion increase from the first quarter of this year. Furthermore, total U.S. household debt is $11.85 trillion. This includes personal loans, credit cards, car loans, and educational debt. The following guide reviews multiple different lenders in the space, tries to help readers understand if debt consolidation is the right move, outlines different types of consolidation loans, offers tips on finding the right loan, and mentions alternatives as well.  Best Debt Consolidation Loans | Unsecured and Low Interest Rates Fortunately, there’s light at the end of the debt tunnel. Here are a few adjustments that can help you pay off your debt just a little bit sooner. Go for a Part-Time Job Attacking debt involves one of two actions: spending less or adding more money. If you’ve found that you can can’t cut any more fat from your budget, it’s time to bring in more cash. Income from a part-time job will provide you with the extra cash you need to make larger monthly payments. By throwing money at your debt, you can shave months off your anticipated payoff date. Negotiate for a lower interest rate If you have an excellent payment history, your credit card issuer may agree to lower your interest rate. Just give the card company a call and ask. This one simple move could save you a hundreds of dollars in interest payments and consequently help you clear out your debt earlier. Make more than the minimum payment While it’s great to pay your credit card bills in full and on time each month, it will take a very long time to become debt free if you only pay what is owed. Making a larger payment each month (an additional $10 or $15, for example) is beneficial in the long run because you’ll pay less in total interest. A Well – Researched Guide on  debt consolidation loans by experts at Reviews.com  Many individuals have several loans, sometimes so many they can’t keep up with all the accounts and due dates. That’s why our team set out to create a guide that would help consumers manage their debt and tackle the decisions that come with consolidating: https://www.reviews.com/debt-consolidation-loans/  We also recognized that different credit scores need different resources, so we offer recommendations for those with poor, average, and excellent credit. Focus at one debt at a time Center your attention on paying off one debt at a time. If you try to pay off all of your credit card debt at once, you will just get overwhelmed and give up before you make any real progress. Start by focusing on the debt with the highest interest rate. If you find that you have trouble staying motivated, another method that may work...