But looking to fill a seat in your company’s C-suite isn’t your average hiring process. The next “chief” of any of your departments will be making decisions that shape the current company culture and the future of your business. The repercussions of a bad C-level hire will spill over into every level below and can even turn off loyal clients and potential customers.

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out how they handle the high-level hiring process:

“What’s one piece of advice you have for entrepreneurs who are just starting to hire C-level talent?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. What’s in a Resume?

“Intelligence, cultural fit, and an ability to work with the team are the most important factors that you should consider when interviewing C-level talent. Don’t be dazzled by their accomplishments. A resume should be one of the last items that you look at.” ~ John Berkowitz, Yodle

2. Try Topgrading

“Take your time and work through the Topgrading hiring process. We use it for all hires, but have found it gave us a great framework for evaluating all of the dimensions of pivotal C-level candidates.” ~ Nick Tarascio, Ventura Air Services

3. Ease the Transition

“Integrating a C-level executive into an established corporate culture takes time and ongoing responsiveness. Create phases of transition for the executive to move into the role at a comfortable pace. Make yourself available to offer moral support and strategic guidance.” ~ Lisa Nicole Bell, Inspired Life Media Group

4. Remember, Success Is Subjective

“Before you launch into the hiring process for C-level talent, make sure you articulate the metrics of success for the position. These benchmarks will help inform the candidates that you screen and the questions that you ask in the interview process. Ultimately, knowing the key success metrics will help the executive as well; they can better evaluate the job fit and will be more likely to succeed.” ~ Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

5. Check Those References

“Remember that executives will set the tone for the company. Don’t underestimate the recommendations given by references and be sure to actually check references. These are people that have worked next to the C-level candidate and can often shed light on important personality traits like how they respond to stress or friction in the workplace. Ask the provided references for additional referrals.” ~ John Hall, Digital Talent Agents

6. Don’t Forget the Fun

“Hire people you like to be around more every time you meet with them. Startups require people to wear a lot of hats and interact with each other frequently. Don’t hire people who grate on your nerves, or you’ll feel like you can never get away from them.” ~ Brent Beshore, AdVentures

7. Involve Everyone

“The success of a C-level employee hinges on buy-in from the entire team. Will they be able to trust and work with this person? Have team leads involved in each step of the interview process. Debrief regularly with everyone to hear their input and gauge their feelings. This will accelerate your efforts finding someone who meshes well with the organization, and adds to the established culture.” ~ Justin Beck, PerBlue

8. Don’t Be Fooled by Experience Alone

“Be careful when hiring big wigs from large companies to sit in your chief seats. Individual success within those organizations is achieved by walking a different path than the one your startup is on. Look for someone with experience taking a company from where you are now to where you want to be, and then confirm that they share a belief and passion for your vision.” ~ Christopher Kelly, Sentry Centers

9. Where’s the Trust?

“Only hire a C-level executive to whom you are 100 percent committed, and in whom you have the ultimate faith. These people must have autonomy to positively impact your company, so you must avoid conflicts of trust.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

Now Hiring Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Who’s the Boss: 9 Tips for Hiring C Level Talent

It’s ironic that the more those salespeople hope to convert you into a paying customer, the farther away they drive you from the cash registers. As business owners, be sure you’re not doing the same. Instead, employ a new sales strategy that loosen the wallets of potential customers without leering over them like an off-putting hovercraft.

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out how they creatively convert a “looker” into a happy client:

“What’s your most creative tip for growing sales when customers are still leery of opening their wallets?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Capture the Leads

“Many shoppers often find it hard to immediately commit to something, and can use a bit of hand holding through their online shopping process. Instead of trying to sell them on the spot, capture their email, and get them to register for your site or to connect with you on social platforms. Then work to nurture them into a loving and paying customer.” ~ Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.

2. Go to Trial

“If prospects are not ready to make the leap into your pool, get them in better shape by at least allowing them to dip their toes in the water. Free trials can be extremely effective to whet a customer’s appetite for your product or service. Make the free trial long enough to show the benefits, but short enough to get them interested in buying more.” ~ Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

3. Name Your Price!

“Taking the money off the table, would you use our service? Yes? So you clearly see its value. Now, we can’t give our product away for free, but you pay us what you think is fair for the first month — and we’ll go from there.” ~ Nathan Lustig, Entrustet

4. Build Long-Term Relationships

“You don’t need customers to buy the first time they encounter you if you’ve got relationship-building mechanisms (like a good mailing list) in place. You can’t entirely automate the relationship-building process, but you can keep it simple and still connect with customers who will buy bigger tickets items from you more than once after you’ve got the relationship in place.” ~ Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

5. Ask Questions

“Whether a customer is still a prospect or a confirmed buyer, the best way to help make a buying decision is by asking questions. Find out what they’re looking to do with the product considered, and ask why they’re hesitating to try it. Then thoughtfully help them by analyzing the products you offer to match them with the right one. Sales requires strategizing, not just spending.” ~ Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia

6. Pay-for-Performance

“Pay-for-Performance is a great way to grab attention and gain sales because it earns customers’ trust and loyalty over time. My company went to a pay-for-performance model, which resulted in a growth of sales. People feel more comfortable with spending money after they see results. If you actually provide your clients with value, then you shouldn’t be scared of implementing this model.” ~ John Hall, Digital Talent Agents

7. Try Tiered Pricing

“Irresistible tiered pricing draws customers in. Don’t simply offer one variation of your product/service, but instead offer several, including an irresistible “Best Value” offer. This allows prospects to have comparison points, which defines just how good your “Best Value” deal really is.” ~ Nicolas Gremion, Free-eBooks.net

8. Make an Event Out of It!

“Event-based marketing works. We’re all busy, and sometimes it’s not so much that people don’t want to spend money, but that they’ve not seriously considered your offerings. Give them a time-specific deadline to sign up and buy — with good reason, of course — and they’re more likely to make a decision. That might mean a “no” but you’ll also get some successful responses.” ~ Nathalie Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media

9. The Ol’ Risk Reversal

“There are a few reasons people don’t buy: price, trust, or simply not being ready right now. It’s strong when you can reverse the risk and put it on you as the company to perform. Offer a trial program or beef up your guarantee so the buying decision has no risk for the customer. Eliminate the fear of purchase and you’ll be golden.” ~ Trevor Mauch, Automize, LLC

10. Demonstrate Your ROI and Value

“Customers are always going to be leery about opening their wallets. The key is to only sell to companies in industries that will legitimately benefit from using your services or buying your products. Nobody wants to throw money at something where they can’t see any value.” ~ John Berkowitz, Yodle

11. Create a Trust

“If you’re having trouble closing deals, try looking past the sale and focus solely on creating trust with your customers. They’ll be much more likely to open their wallets once you get your hand out of their pocket.” ~ Christopher Kelly, Sentry Centers

12. Give Them Free Value

“If you are selling something to someone else, you are assumed to be an expert on what you are selling. Take some of this expertise and give it away for free as a whitepaper, blog post or newsletter. Once your customers know how knowledgeable you are and how valuable your expertise is, they will be more likely to purchase it from you.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated

Sales Conversion Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

12 Ways to Convert A Looker Into A Sale

However, not all web development deals are created equal, so entrepreneurs must protect themselves and their potential products when pairing up for the project at hand. Some business owners get lucky on their first try, while others find their pockets empty and their website full of compromises they never intended to make.

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out what they asked for — or forgot about — when building their own company websites:

“What’s one thing a business owner building a new website MUST demand from their development/design team?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. My Content Management What?

“In general, a website should be user-friendly for its owner(s). I meet a lot of entrepreneurs who overthink and overspend on their website when a common CMS (content management system) like WordPress or Drupal would’ve work just fine.” ~ Derek Shanahan, Foodtree

2. User-Friendly Interface

“In their attempts to add on all the bells and whistles, business owners can lose site of a good user experience. Simple navigation, uncluttered design, and quick load time are key.” ~ Steph Auteri, Word Nerd Pro

3. Style Through Simplicity

“Consumer ADD is only getting worse. Web development teams must not only know how to create through programming, but they must also be passionate about consumer behavior. More is not better. Developers should aim to marry style and simplicity to avoid stirring feelings of overwhelm or distraction.” ~ Kent Healy, The Uncommon Life

4. Where’s the Accountability?

“Without tight accountability to deadlines and deliverables, the business owner may end up with a site and design that does not meet expectations. It’s best to document each deliverable, whether web page or graphics, with as much detail as possible so each side has a point of reference. Then the owner can hold their team accountable and avoid ‘he said, she said’ debates.” ~ Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

5. Mobile Compatibility

“You need to ensure your website looks good on the iPhone, iPad, Android phones, etc. Mobile web usage is growing at a massive rate, and it’s important that your business website is accessible and easy-to-use on handheld devices.” ~ Matt Mickiewicz, 99designs

6. Follow the Blueprint

“If the developers provide a comprehensive blueprint, it will help to keep them on track and will leave them accountable if tasks take significantly longer than estimated.” ~ Josh Weiss, Bluegala

7. Here’s an Example

“New website builds go well when there’s smooth communication with technology and design teams. Often, the jargon, design or tech development can differ greatly from how a businessperson would describe something, so make sure there are no errors by reviewing examples. Adding a feature or design element? See how the feature or elements work on existing, comparable sites first.” ~ Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

8. Critical Response

“The team should have an understanding of how the site will achieve its most critical response. A good aesthetic is important, but it means nothing if it’s not directly tied to how a lead will be captured, what happens to that lead and, ultimately, how a sale is made (ideally automatically without direct team involvement). This allows you to scale your marketing and customer acquisition method.” ~ Yanik Silver, Maverick1000.com

9. Social Is Necessary

“Every website these days should have a social aspect to it, whether it’s simply adding a Facebook Like Box or integrating a gameification platform. It’s important to stay up to date with the latest social plugins that can be added to your site.” ~ Ben Lang, EpicLaunch

10. Rapid Iteration

“The design/development organization should be structured in a way that encourages rapid development and deploying of the site. Etsy is a great example of this culture. They make small, frequent changes to the live site on a daily basis and have open-sourced their methods for other developers to use.” ~ Jennifer Vargas, Accompl.sh

11. Ownership of All Assets

“As you concern yourself with the look and feel of the website, you might overlook some of the legal aspects involved. For example, if you don’t specify outright that any logos or creative designs made are completely yours in an initial agreement, you could end up in a legal battle over which party actually owns the materials on your website.” ~ Logan Lenz, Endagon

12. Control Over Your Control Panel

“If you are handing over the responsibility of finding a host and registering your domain to your development/design team, ask that you are the primary administrator over your control panel. This gives you the ability to remove the user if the relationship goes sour. In the same light, always make sure that whoever registers a domain for you is doing so under your name and contact information.” ~ Jennifer Donogh, Young Female Entrepreneurs

13. Get Ready for the Next Developer!

“Your development team will change at some point, whether you simply expand your development team or even switch developers. As with all resources in a startup, development time and money should be treasured. Make sure that your development and design teams leave a very clean and annotated back-end system so that new folks can build upon the work!” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

Website Build Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

13 Things to Demand When Building a Website

In order to find yourself employed by a successful startup, you’ll need to bring more to the table than just your resume. You have to prove your creativity and innovation, sometimes before you’ve even booked an interview. Stay away from boring templates and “To Whom It May Concern” cover letters.  Who says a resume is even necessary at all?

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out what impresses them most about today’s job applicants and their resumes:

What types of things should job seekers include in their resumes if they’re trying to get hired by a successful startup?

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Be Committed in the Application Process

“Be sure to tell the company that you are totally committed to do whatever it takes to make the company successful. You want them to know that they are the company that you want to work for and you are willing to go the extra mile and will not worry about petty things. Go beyond the resume and get an in person meeting or, better yet, a personal introduction.” ~ Louis Lautman, Young Entrepreneur Society

2. Constructive Feedback for the Startup

“Startups love feedback, especially when it’s actionable and more interesting than your generic “you need SEO” idea. Successful startups need thinkers and movers, so in addition to providing great feedback, share how you can help improve the business and how you have already carved out a pretty neat role for yourself in the company.” ~ Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.

3. Innovation Differentiation

“Bring something different to the table. Not only in your resume, but in pitching yourself. In addition, bring ideas with you. Approach the company having done your research and make recommendations based on where you see opportunity. Then relate it to your experience and how you would contribute.” ~ Matt Cheuvront, Proof Branding

4. Forget Your Resume!

“Do something that makes you stand out. If you haven’t done anything especially impressive to make your resume pop, impress with your initiative. Get to know the product extremely well and make recommendations. Build something, send snail mail. The more enthusiasm and commitment you show, the more likely they are to decide you’re worth bringing in. Resumes and cover letters are not enough.” ~ Emerson Spartz, Spartz Media

5. Prove Your Proactivity

“You can be incredibly intelligent and experienced, but unless you are proactive and able to think on your feet independently, it doesn’t matter in the context of a startup. You need to “tell” that you are proactive by highlighting experiences where you have created something new or worked alone, and you should “show” that you are by quickly and energetically following up with your interviewer.” ~ Caroline Ghosn, The Levo League

6. Embody the Corporate Values

“Culture is really important at successful startups. Most of these firms publish their corporate values publicly, so make sure that you review the lists and incorporate the concepts into your resume. It will not only help you determine if you’re a fit for the firm, but will also help the firm to really envision you among their employees too.” ~ Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

7. Share Your Story

“Show them that you either have a history of innovation or perhaps make an innovative suggestion for the company when you reach out to them. Startups want to bring on people that can help take them to the next level.” ~ Justin Beegel, Infographic World, Inc.

8. Are You In It for the Long Haul?

“Demonstrate that you want to grow with the company. Nothing makes me happier than knowing someone respects the startup model and wants to be part of the company’s core. Use the cover letter to show your interest in the company and why you think you’re a good long term asset. Saying you’re willing to do things that aren’t “your job” doesn’t hurt either.” ~ Therese Kuster, TargetClick Marketing Solutions

9. In-House Referrals Always Help

“Stand out by providing a reference from one of your existing employees. Companies love hiring based on recommendations of existing staff, so network your way into a job to stand out. As an alternative, demonstrate your value and initiative by tackling a small project on behalf of the prospective employer and showing it off on your cover letter.” ~ Matt Mickiewicz, 99designs

10. Remember Your Hobbies and Humanity!

“Big, funded startups can get skilled individuals for any role but they are building their businesses for the long haul. Most will care more about culture and making sure there is a fit. Always include at least one line about your interests. Whether reading or camping, coaching youth or running marathons, these insights will tell the company more about you and will make you stand out.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

11. Fearlessness of Failure

“A resume is merely a conversation starter that gets your foot in the door. Be ready to talk about experiences that show you are not afraid to fail and showcase how you’ve taken risks in the past. There is nothing wrong with showcasing a failed attempt at entrepreneurship because it shows that you can operate with an entrepreneur’s mind within a more mature startup organization.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO.com

12. Can You Do the Hustle?

“Show them how you “pounded the pavement” to get the job done. At successful startups, a seemingly easy task is often littered with obstacles that employees need to overcome. Demonstrate that you’ve gone above and beyond, such as driving hours to see a client in person or staying tethered to your laptop on a weekend to be responsive to customer inquiries. Hustle goes a long way.” ~ Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh, Inc.

Resume Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

How to Stand Out: Applying for a Startup Position

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out what they’re looking for when they put applicants to the test, and how even the safest and most confident answers are sometimes the worst things to say:

“What is one unique interview question that you ask every potential new employee?”

Here’s what the YEC community had to say:

1. TV Queens and Bookworms?

“When you ask, “Tell me about your favorite show/book,” see if they are passionate about what they are talking about. When I hire people onto my Sweet T Team, I am looking for high energy and passionate teammates. If they can’t express how much they love they favorite show/book, they’ll never be passionate about our brand.” ~ Nancy T. Nguyen, Sweet T

2. Verify Your Value System

“If you want to be sure you’re hiring someone who will be a good fit for a specific position, it’s wise to ask about the candidate’s top three values. Answers like “perseverance” and “ambition” likely mean he or she is a good fit for a sales oriented role, while answers like “peacefulness” and “creativity” may indicate well suitedness to an entirely different area.” ~ Amanda Aitken, The Girl’s Guide to Web Design

3. How Shall I Praise Thee?

“I ask, “How would you like me to tell you you’re doing a great job?” Knowing what motivates people – cash, awards, recognition – helps me keep them happy when they’re performing well.” ~ Sam Davidson, Cool People Care, Inc.

4. Dream Occupations

“If you could be doing anything, what would it be?” As a startup, we want to make sure we’re bringing people on board who are passionate and excited about their work. Knowing what a potential employee loves to do, above all else, is critically important in aligning their passions and skills with the core needs of the business, to create a harmonious and prosperous relationship.” ~ Matt Cheuvront, Proof Branding

5. As If You Were Already Hired

“What is a “blind spot” in our business and how would you implement improvement?” This one question will give you everything you need to know. Have they done their homework about your business or are you just another interview to them? Are they results oriented and do they understand how to comprehensively improve a product or service? What value will they bring in exchange for their pay?” ~ Josh Shipp, JSP, Inc.

6. Count Parking Lots, Please

“Never had the chance to ask it, but I’ve heard this is a great question, ”How many cars are in the United States?” Do they blurt out a random number with no thought? Do they mumble and stumble and say nothing? Do they use some logic and try to figure it out? It’s not about knowing the number, it’s about their process for finding an answer.” ~ Therese Kuster, TargetClick Marketing Solutions

7. Are You Looking Up?

“I ask candidates interviewing for positions with Thinking Caps to tell me about a role model and why they look up to that person. Not only does the question require the candidate to respond with a thoughtful answer, but it also gives me an opportunity to hear about the candidate’s values and goals.” ~ Alexandra Mayzler, Thinking Caps Tutoring

8. Turn the Tables

“I start every interview with the same question, ”What would you like to ask me?” I learn more about the person from their first question then I do from the rest of the interview. If they ask about pay or vacation time, I already know what they are looking for. If they start to ask about things they saw on one of my Websites, then I know I have someone who is serious about the job.” ~ Roger Bryan, RCBryan & Associates

9. Superman? Batman?

“What Superhero would you be?” Sounds cheesy but it’s amazing to see the answers people come up with and then to see those that literally freeze. It’s a simple question and it’s mostly about how creative they can be and how quick they can be answer. In business, you can’t teach personality and this question gives you a quick glimpse into theirs.” ~ Ashley Bodi, Business Beware

10. Who Do You Really Want to Work With?

“Every time we bring a potential new employee through the door we ask them a series of questions pertinent to the position. The one question we always end with is, “If you could work on a project for any company in the world, who would it be and why?” This shows us where their interests really are and it’s really all about identifying people’s passions.” ~ Bobby Emamian, Prolific Interactive

11. Which Drink Would You Be?

“We use this question to see how quickly someone can think on their feet and how creative they are. We’ve had answers that run the gamut from ice water to Jack Daniels, to Guiness to orange juice. Each answer reveals something about the person who is answering and because we like to have a great time in the office, seeing how someone reacts to this question shows how well they will fit in.” ~ Nathan Lustig, Entrustet

12. Let’s Go to the Theater!

“What was the last movie you saw?” It’s crucial to make sure all employees have a life outside of the office and are capable of talking about things other than business.” ~ Josh Weiss, Bluegala

13. Literary Tightrope

“This is our make or break question, “What do you read on a weekly basis?” If a potential employee can’t list at least one resource that he or she reads to keep up on what’s happening in the world, how can we expect them to keep up with changes in our industry?” ~ Allie Siarto, Loudpixel

14. Why Are Manhole Covers Round?

“Most people will not know the answer, but I am just curious to see if they are going to tell me the truth or make something up. If they don’t know, they can always tell me they can get me the answer; if they make something up, they’re out. How could I trust them with me or my customers?” ~ Justin Nowak, Mobile Business Advisors

15. Show Me the Money!

“Justify to me why paying the salary that you’re requesting is a good investment for me.” ~ John Hall, Digital Talent Agents

16. What Do You Think You Are Best in the World At?

“When building a team, you have to learn what is most important to your potential employees and if they are a fit within your company. At our company, we want to be the best in the world at certain things and leave a legacy through the work that we do. This question sets the standards for employees upfront and, as an employer, you begin to understand what your candidates values, strengths and aspirations are.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO.com

17. The Stickiest Question

“Here’s a roll of duct tape. What are ten things you can do with it?” It doesn’t have to be duct tape; it can be any item sitting anywhere in the room. The reason we ask this question is to measure an interviewee’s creativity (and limitations). If they can come up with ten things to do with an item, we know they’re a good fit. Why? Because creativity is seeing what others don’t.” ~ Brett Farmiloe, Blind Society

18. Time to Prioritize

“If I ask you to put together a list of clients from our database and you see the database is corrupted with incomplete and duplicate entries, what would you do?  Put together the list I asked for first or fix the database first?” Their answer tells me many things about their personality – shortsightedness, attitude towards work, detail orientation, and time management.” ~ Devesh Dwivedi, Breaking The 9 To 5 Jail

Interview Concept Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Unique, Useful Interview Questions To Prepare For

Thankfully, there are plenty of great brains and business leaders who share those experiences and lessons online. But which voices are the best when it comes to management and leadership? We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:

“Who are the best bloggers to read for advice on improving your management leadership skills?”

Here’s what the YEC community had to say.

1. John Maxwell

“I recommend checking out John Maxwell on Leadership. John Maxwell is an expert on leadership who’s sold over 19 million copies of his books. His blog content is just as powerful as his books.” ~ Ben Lang, MySchoolHelp

2. Dave Gardner

“Dave Gardner, author and business consultant, writes one of the best blogs on business execution over at Fast Company. He is one of few elite consultants in the US, and shares incredible wisdom that businesses spend incredible amounts of money for.” ~ Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.

3. Josh Kaufman

“Josh Kaufman is a constant source of learning and inspiration for me as an entrepreneur and manager. He started The Personal MBA as an alternative to the traditional MBA path in his own life, and it has since spun off into a full online course, book, blog and excellent curated reading list.” ~ Allie Siarto, Loudpixel

4. Seth Godin

“He’s the king for a reason. If there is one blog you should be reading, its Seth Godin.” ~ Josh Weiss, Bluegala

5. Derek Sivers

“Derek’s Sivers’ blog tells the lessons he learned going from a one-man show to running a huge organization that he ended up selling for millions. His creative, unorthodox approach is a welcomed change in leadership blogging.” ~ Laura Roeder, LKR

6. Mark Suster

“Mark writes at Both Sides of the Table. He’s been a successful entrepreneur, and is now a venture capitalist. He consistently provides unique perspectives on being a leader and manager vis-a-vis all of a start-up’s constituents: customers, clients, investors and partners.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

7. Eben Pagan

“If you want to learn how to be a leader, you’ll first have to work on developing your inner self to become someone who people look to follow. Eben Pagan’s blog and mailing list covers topics lots of personal development topics and is based on the theory that you first have to master yourself before you lead others.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO

8. Jason Seiden

“Jason is the CEO of Ajax Social Media, a company dedicated to improving the way professionals work. He’s spent the last ten years consulting to Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurs on communication and leadership issues. At Jason Seiden, you will find an informative blog that is updated regularly and is sure to help improve your management leadership skills.” ~ Anthony Saladino, Kitchen Cabinet Kings

Blog Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

8 Must Read Leadership Bloggers

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:

“What business book do you recommend for improving management leadership?”

From Dan Kennedy’s “No BS Ruthless Management,” to “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath, to Eric Reis’ “Lean Startup,” here are 14 books on leadership every young entrepeneur should read.

1. Good to Great

“Good to Great by Jim Collins is one of the more exciting pieces of literature available on improving management leadership, and how businesses can be good, but how they can be exceptional and rise above the competition.” ~ Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.

2. Anything You Want

“In my opinion, Derek Sivers‘s book Anything You Want was the best of the year. He writes about his atypical approach to management and leadership that will open any entrepreneur up to new ideas and possibilities.” ~ Logan Lenz, Endagon

3. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

“The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell breaks leadership down into bite-size stages that can take anyone from novice to the highest level of leadership, while also inspiring others and molding them into great leaders. The book makes the difficult path to becoming a great leader seem both clear and attainable. I find myself rereading this book every year as I grow as a leader.” ~ Jason Evanish, Greenhorn Connect

4. Quiet Leadership

“In his book Quiet Leadership, David Rock shows aspiring leaders the most important skill they can possess—how to empower their employees to identify their own thinking processes and take responsibility for finding their own solutions to day-to-day problems.” ~ Alexia Vernon, Catalyst for Action

5. The One Minute Manager

“From Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, The One Minute Manager is an absolute classic that teaches how to inspire employees to manage themselves, which allows you to focus more on leadership. It can also be read in about an hour so you can get back to managing (and it will actually get read)!” ~ Scott Dinsmore, Live Your Legend & Cumbre Capital

6. No BS Ruthless Management

“If you really want to learn how to manage your team and your business and lead your company to the top of your market, No BS Ruthless Management by Dan Kennedy is a must-read. In it, you will find real world examples, tips and scenarios that you can apply instantly into your business.” ~ Greg Rollett, The ProductPros

7. Taking People With You

“If you want to improve your leadership skills, then you should read David Novak‘s new book called Taking People With You. The book teaches leaders and managers how to set big goals, get people to work together, and achieve real business results in the process.” ~ Dan Schawbel, Millennial Branding

8. The Lean Startup

“The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is the greatest business book. A must-read for any manager or leader. It teaches you how to build a company and focus on the key aspects that will make it successful. It dives deep into case studies and walks you through exactly what to do. It kills startup myths and gives you specific tactics to help you dominate.” ~ Rishi Shah, Flying Cart LLC

9. Truth About Managing Effectively

“The Truth About Managing Effectively, written by Robbins, Fyock and Finney, covers everything—from motivation and engagement to leadership and communication. It provides the knowledge on how to find and keep the right people, regardless of your budget or industry.” ~ Heather Huhman, Come Recommended

10. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

“Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath outlines how behavior change is made—by making people want to change themselves instead of enforcing top-down decisions. Getting your team on board and excited is one of the most important skills of a great leader.” ~ Laura Roeder, LKR

11. Heavy Hitter Selling

“Ostensibly a book about sales, Steve W. Martin includes a great amount of nuggets for leaders in Heavy Hitter Selling. He’s taught at Cal and USC, and has sold to many Fortune 500 companies. He dives deep into leadership communication, managing up, and more.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

12. Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us

“If you want to create a mission-driven movement, in Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, Seth Godin shares how to create something that people truly want to get behind. The book gives amazing case studies of people who have created empires by leading their employees to lead thousands of raving fans.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO.com

13. Strategic Leadership: The General’s Art

“Edited by Mark Grandstaff and Georgia Sorenson, Strategic Leadership: The General’s Art is a must-read for entrepreneurs looking to improve their management leadership. It provides the keys to leadership success shared by America’s senior military leaders and experts in strategic leadership, critical thinking, and corporate culture. It also provides practical exercises to help put the strategic theories into action.” ~ Anthony Saladino, Kitchen Cabinet Kings

14. The Rare Find: Spotting Exceptional Talent Before Everyone Else

“Being a great leader means filling your team with the best people. I just read The Rare Find by George Anders about how to spot exceptional hires. It uses techniques and case studies—from army recruiting and NBA scouting to top level executive hires. I have used a lot of the ideas to refine my hiring strategy which will hopefully fill my team with judicious choices as we grow!” ~ Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia

Reading Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

14 Books on Leadership Every Young Entrepreneur Should Read

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:

“What online communities, job sites or networks do you use to find the best startup talent for your company?”

Here are their recommendations for online communities to tap into to find qualified talent for your growing startup:

1. Blog as Job Board

“I’ve actually found the most success finding talent through blogging. Establish a good reputation in your industry and display your knowledge in a helpful way and not only will you gain the respect and thanks of everyone you provide value to, you’ll also position yourself to be the first-choice workplace for the talent who read it.” ~ Colin Wright, Exile Lifestyle

2. Facebook

“While most people think of LinkedIn for connections in business, the people who you probably trust the most are the ones you are connected to on Facebook. Ask those friends individually who they would consider to be top talent and ask for referrals to fill your position. Start with the people you know the best.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO.com

3. Quora

“Quora is a question-and-answer site with discussions on an incredible variety of topics. I have had more than a handful of conversations with prospective employees whom I found on Quora — their taking the time to share insights on topics like marketing and sales has been an amazing indicator of their passion for the topic.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

4. Start With Your Customers

“I’ve found great talent by simply sending out an email to my database of prospects and customers. Ask if they know anyone who would be a fit and you’ll be surprised who shows up. It’s also a great way to tap into people who are already employed and aren’t necessarily looking on job boards.” ~ Laura Roeder, LKR

5. Forrst

“If you’re ever looking for a developer or designer Forrst is the best place to go. Forrst was built as a community for developers and designers but over time features have been added to make it easier and easier to find potential talent. It’s definitely worth your time.” ~ Ben Lang, MySchoolHelp

6. Go Local

“I recommend looking for talent on local municipality, university and school job boards. The postings are typically free, you avoid the complications of relocating someone and you get more “raw” talent. Big jobs sites have a great selection of awesome resumes and experience, but they are short on local entrepreneurial thinkers.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated

7. LinkedIn Is Great for Recruiting

“Using LinkedIn to reach out to prospective candidates in your local area, with the specific job skills you are looking for, is fantastic and incredibly cost effective when compared to the cost of using a recruiter or headhunter. LinkedIn also allows you to purchase ads targeting specific job titles in a specific city, which is a great way to put your job ad in front of the right people cheaply.” ~ Matt Mickiewicz, 99designs

8. Referral-to-Hire and Social Media

“Fundamentally, we have a 60 percent referral-to-hire rate, while other talent is found using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, SimplyHired, Indeed.com, GlassDoor, Vancouver’s HR Tech Group, co-op, and internship programs. I also recommend taking things offline, we always see an increase in applications after events.” ~ Ryan Holmes, HootSuite

9. Twitter

“We just put it out there, stating what we needed and were looking for on Twitter. We had a ton of people respond and narrowed it down from there. It was an immediate response rather than posting something to a job board and vetting candidates. Just be clear and upfront about what you’re looking for when you put anything out there, even if it’s an outsourcing job.” ~ Ashley Bodi, Business Beware

10. ZipRecruiter: Power in Aggregation

“A great job aggregation service we’ve found valuable to our business is ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is a subscription website that allows you to post jobs on all of the free boards as well as paid sites such as Craigslist and gives your jobs maximum coverage. We’ve found some great candidates using this service.” ~ Warren Jolly, Affiliate Media Inc.

11. SmartRecruiters

“This software is free and allows you to post branded job pages to niche job boards and social media. It even offers a free applicant tracking system. Twitter is also a great resource because I’m connected to a lot of folks who might know someone great for the job.” ~ Heather Huhman, Come Recommended

Business Search Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

11 Places to Find Startup Talent

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:

“What one employee management tip would you give entrepreneurs who are building their team?”

Here’s what the YEC community had to say:

1. Train Them

“Many entrepreneurs have the deluded expectation that an employee should show up able to do their job. No matter how competent they are, an employee will require train up and integration time. An added upshot, thinking about employee training cycles and growth paths really gets you thinking about how to grow your company.” ~ Charlie Gilkey, Productive Flourishing

2. Create an Entrance Interview

“We’ve created some documents for new employees to fill out right when they start about how they like to work, be rewarded, have meetings, etc. By having this written down it gives our whole team an understanding of how new team members might fit in and creates a better work culture.” ~ Caitlin McCabe, Real Bullets Branding

3. Get a Good Project Management System

“Entrepreneurs can keep the big picture in their head, but employees need to have the details in front of them. A good project management software (Manymoon is free) is a great way to keep the team focused and on task. Efficiency and productivity increase when you measure accountability with project management software.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated

4. Teach Employees to Never Need a Manager

“Teach and empower your employees by giving them parameters to help them do their job autonomously. A sales rep doesn’t need a script, she must understand what makes a product valuable to a customer, and the many ways to point out those benefits. A service rep does not need a “company policy” to refer to, but rather a strategy for solving problems so the client is satisfied.” ~ Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia

5. Set a Quarterly Theme and Vision

“Our first year in business we just did business day to day. But we found that even though we were doing awesome things, sometimes we got stuck in a groove because we weren’t shooting for a big goal. So we started setting a quarterly theme for our company. This theme goes into everything we do those three months, and everyone is focused on making that goal a reality. It helps focus efforts.” ~ Trevor Mauch, Automize, LLC

6. Open Door Policy

“Employees (especially new ones) are bound to make more mistakes than necessary if they feel they can’t ask you questions or get your feedback. Make sure you are accessible and available as much as possible. Literally, keep your door open to give the impression that anyone can visit to bounce an idea or ask a question of you.” ~ Benjamin Leis, Sweat EquiTees

7. Culture Is King

“Put your employees first, and they will take better care of your customers. As you are building your team, you must define what the inside of your company is going to look like. Your internal brand ultimately dictates how the company is represented on the outside. If you try to design the customer experience first, it will be forced and unnatural. Try to design the employee experience first.” ~ Nick Friedman, College Hunks Hauling Junk

8. Hire for the Ability to Get Stuff Done

“A small company cannot tolerate people who are lazy, procrastinate or are unable to use limited resources to push forward projects. You need people who can follow-through, find clever solutions and workarounds with a sense of urgency, and can take charge of a problem and drive it to a successful solution.” ~ Matt Mickiewicz, 99designs

9. Practice Transparency

“I’m always very honest with my team regarding financials and clients. In this economy, it’s important to be upfront with folks in every aspect of the business — particularly when you’re first getting started. Young professionals enjoy being an integral part of the planning and decision-making process, and it can also help them better understand how the business is run.” ~ Heather Huhman, Come Recommended

10. Tell Them How To Kick Butt

“I’m working on this, but it’s become obvious that letting someone know how to kick butt increases the likelihood that they will do so. Smart, talented people want to feel smart and talented, and that’s on you as a business leader. Entrepreneurs are often self-motivated and we forget that getting the most out of people means showing them how to succeed.” ~ Derek Shanahan, Foodtree

11. Encourage Openness and Honesty

“You never want your employees to be afraid to tell you the truth. You can encourage openness and honesty by: 1) Responding calmly when they tell you something has not gone as you expected 2) Talking through a plan for moving forward 3) Agreeing on follow up and accountability.” ~ Elizabeth Saunders, Real Life E®

Tips Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

11 Tips for Building and Managing a Team

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, this question:

“What are some major red flags that startup management teams look for when hiring new employees?”

Here’s what the YEC community had to say about hiring for your startup:

1. Gut Check Test

“A candidate may meet all of the requirements on paper. They might present well in person. But, most importantly, do they pass your gut check test? Don’t let your urgency to hire cloud your vision. Including several stages of interviews during the hiring process will help you to get to know the candidate better to be able to determine if they will truly be a good fit.” ~ Abbie Davies, My First Yoga

2. Watch Out for Slow Responders

“In the early days of a startup, there is little redundancy. This means if an emergency hits you need all hands to help, regardless of what time it is. It’s hard to tell in an interview if someone will be there when servers go down at 3 a.m., but a great test is seeing how quickly candidates respond to your communications. If they really want to join your team, they’ll be all over them.” ~ Jason Evanish, Greenhorn Connect

3. Is it Just a ‘Job’ to Them?

“Some people looking to be hired just want a job and are not there to really contribute to your mission. Get to the root of why they want to work with your business and if there is a passion there. If there’s no passion you know all you need to about bringing that person onto your team. You need a solid group who like the idea, want to help it grow and also learn more along the way.” ~ Ashley Bodi, Business Beware

4. Did You Do Your Homework?

“I interview prospective employees on the phone first. One of the questions I ask is what they know about my company. Repeating sound bytes from my job posting will not cut it. If someone has learned nothing about my company before applying, I know that they are not the kind of person I want working with me. I need employees who make things happen–not ones who wait for things to happen to them.” ~ Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia

5. A Lack of Personal Projects

“Whenever I’m considering a new hire, I go looking for any side projects that individual has worked on — blogs, open source projects and so on. Those sorts of projects tells me that a potential employee can work on her own without me staring over her shoulder. It also says that a person is a self-starter, which is a great indicator that she will do well in a startup situation.” ~ Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

6. ‘I Don’t Like Being Micromanaged’

“This is an immediate red flag when brought up in an interview. Employees who generally use this line are those who don’t want to be managed by goals/results, and instead, wish to run with their own agendas or what “feels right” to them.” ~ Warren Jolly, Affiliate Media Inc.

7. Unclear Goals

“Always ask prospective employees about their goals. Not only will it tell you interesting things about their personality, you’ll also be able to determine whether this person will be a good fit for the company in the long run. If they don’t have any goals or their goals are unclear, proceed with caution. They may be taking the job for a paycheck instead of working with directed focus.” ~ Lisa Nicole Bell, Inspired Life Media Group

8. Concern With Hours

“It’s not that we all need to work 120 hour weeks. It’s not that you have to be in on Sunday. It’s not that you need to give up your girlfriend or gardening. It’s that there are no hours; a startup is a mission and a mission doesn’t have a daily start and end time. If something breaks at midnight, we fix it. If the sun begs an afternoon run, take that run. This isn’t a job. This is a lifestyle.” ~ Derek Shanahan, Foodtree

9. I Love the Startup World!

“Do they really? Why, what have they done, who do they know and how are they trying to get involved in the startup scene? Do they have a clue how different the role can be at a startup compared to a big company? Many people who “love” the startup world actually want a big corporate job but they heard tech startups were cool.” ~ Jared O’Toole, Under30Ceo.com

10. Is This Employee Too Entrepreneurial Minded?

“If you are hiring an employee, you’ll want to find someone who is on board for the long term. Startup management teams often can sniff out when a candidate is too entrepreneurial and has no intention of staying with your team for longer than a few months. Listen to your gut and if this person is the type who simply wants to work for themselves, don’t hire them.” ~ Matt Wilson, Under30CEO.com

11. Honesty and Integrity

“Skills and knowledge can be taught where as honesty and integrity are inherent to the personality of the applicant. Search for honesty and integrity first and then select the most skilled from that list. Not having honesty and integrity will cause problems and cost real dollars down the line.” ~ Lucas Sommer, Audimated

Red Flag Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

11 Red Flags Startups Should Avoid When Hiring