Entrepreneur US - September - October 2024

In this issue

The Best of Local Biz - It’s America’s 150 Favorite Mom & Pop Shops—is your local gem on the list? Find out, and learn what makes local shops strong.

Ack, It’s a Bad Review! Advice for overcoming online negativity...

'Only the Strongest Are Going to Survive'

Brian Lee cofounded companies like LegalZoom and ShoeDazzle-and he believes a lot of conventional business wisdom is backward. Sure, it's harder to raise capital. But it's actually cheaper than ever to start a company. by JASON FEIFER

5 mins

Three Pivots to $100 Million - How do you find a working business model? Do it like Rowan-a brand that reinvented itself many times before finally piercing the ear-piercing market

If you have a tween girl, you've probably heard of Rowan. It's the cool brand for piercings, where licensed nurses insert hypoallergenic studs into thousands of ears every day. With more than 500 employees, it's on track to have 65 stores and an annual run rate of $100 million in revenue this year.But in 2017, Rowan was just a fledgling startup with a great idea and a bad business model. It survived because founder Louisa Schneider was willing to pivot, and pivot, and pivot again, until its mission, profit, and market all clicked into place.

3 mins

Speedy Growth Killed My Startup - We seemed to be rocking it-lots of press, major partnerships. Then we learned the harsh consequences of overlooking our customers.

Three months after I launched my company, we were featured in The New York Times. Other national outlets followed. The attention led to partnerships with Shake Shack, Bombas, Urban Outfitters, and hundreds of other major brands.You might think this sounds good. I sure did when it happened. Hockey stick growth is a sign of success, right? But it wasn't. My company, This App Saves Lives, had fallen into one of the most surprising and ultimately fatal traps for entrepreneurs: We grew before truly understanding our product-market fit. That mistake would ultimately result in the demise of our business.

3 mins

You Can Hire Like Netflix - The streaming platform built an incredible team with a strategy called

Looking for a job? ClassDojo has 15 positions open, but heads up: The bar is death zone high, and they're in no rush to hire. The children's education company has a team of 220 and a hiring rate of 0.09% of those who apply.How can a company grow while hiring that slowly? The answer is "talent density", a concept that's gaining steam lately.

3 mins

5 Ways to Multitask Your Fall - From a corporate office to working from the living room, Emmy Award winner Mario Armstrong has five new products designed to make putting in the hours more enjoyable.

From a corporate office to working from the living room, Emmy Award winner Mario Armstrong has five new products designed to make putting in the hours more enjoyable.

2 mins

The $414,000 Side Hustle

I have a day job-and a highly profitable interior design company on the side. Here's how I did it.

1 min

America's Favorite MOM POP SHOPS 2024

HOW WE PICKED 150 BUSINESSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

1 min

How Small Shops Take Big Risks - It's not easy for mom-and-pops to try something new, because they rarely have a safety net to fail.But there are ways to innovate cautiously-as one small business on our list, All My Heart tattoo studio, has found.

The Charlotte, North Carolina, studio is airy and suffused with natural light. In the reception area, there are modular chairs, midcentury couches, and a vase of fresh flowers on a Japanese-influenced cabinet. But the real surprise goes beyond aesthetics. All My Heart's owner, Graham Beech, isn't just playing with a new look; he's trying out a whole new business model. Historically, tattoo shops have wanted to control the clientele, and use the tattoo artist as kind of a cog in the wheel, Beech says. What's different about our business is that the client is the artist, and they have their own individual clients.

8 mins

How to Hire for the Future - Small businesses are struggling to find quality labor. So flip the conversation: Show workers how your business will set them up for opportunity.

Small businesses have a hiring problem. According to the July monthly jobs report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), 19% of small businesses rank the inability to find quality labor as the single most important issue facing their company, while 38% reported job openings they could not fill. Overall, 49% reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.

2 mins

MY MVP EMPLOYEE

One amazing team member can make an outsize impact on your business. We asked some of the shops on our list to share their No. 1 team member-and what makes them so special.

3 mins

HOW TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A BAD REVIEW

A one-star review can hurt your egoand your business. But it's possible to prevent (and remedy!) this scary scenario.

3 mins

HOW TO ASK FAMILY FOR MONEY

Your friends-and-family fundraising round doesn't have to be scary and awkward. Here's advice from one of the world's leading investors.

2 mins

THE CURSE OF GROWING TOO FAST

FAIRE is a platform for small businesses, but it grew big the wrong way-almost becoming a $12 billion wreck. Here's how it fixed the problem, and why you should think twice before skyrocketing.

10+ mins

Trust Equals Sales

For their business to work, Dianne and Gabrielle Melillo need more than customers. They need a community that has total confidence in them.

3 mins

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Entrepreneur US Magazine Description:

Entrepreneur US Magazine is the must-read magazine for anyone who wants to start, grow, or run a successful business. Each issue is packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and expert insights that will help you take your business to the next level.

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, Entrepreneur US Magazine has something for you. Inside, you'll find articles on everything from business planning to marketing to finance to leadership. You'll also meet successful entrepreneurs who share their stories and insights on how to achieve success.

Here are some of the things you can expect to find in Entrepreneur US Magazine:

* In-depth articles on the latest trends and challenges facing small businesses
* Expert advice on how to start, grow, and run a successful business
* Profiles of successful entrepreneurs and their stories of success
* Interviews with experts in a variety of fields, from marketing to finance to leadership
* Practical tips and tools that you can use to improve your business

Entrepreneur US Magazine is a great resource for anyone who is interested in entrepreneurship or small business ownership. It is a well-respected magazine that is known for its high-quality content and insights.