If you’re using Discord, chances are you’ve heard of Discord bots. These AI-powered bots allow you to perform a wide range of actions, from welcoming new members to paraphrasing influencer content.
Discord has grown dramatically since it hit the stage in 2015, and while it was primarily dedicated to gamers, digital marketers are finding ways to make it work for them.
If you’re looking for a unique and entertaining way to engage with your community, Discord bots might be the way to go.
What Are Discord Bots?
Discord bots are one of the most useful features of the communication platform. They are AIs that marketers and business owners can use to perform a wide range of automated tasks on the server.
Building a community is never easy, but doing it on Discord is a great way to provide people with a feeling of exclusivity. If you already have an audience, this strategy will benefit you.
You’ll be able to offer tips, record videos, host lives, and teach people everything you know in a safe and closed community environment. When people feel like they’re receiving something they can’t get anywhere else, it makes them more inclined to share it with others and, in-turn, pay more for the information.
Discord bots make it easier to create an engaged community. You can use them to welcome new members to the server, moderate communications between members, and ban people who refuse to obey the rules.
You can use them to add memes, games, music, and other pieces of entertaining content to the server to make it more enjoyable for your members.
Knowing what Discord bots to add is the key. Some bots can enhance your server and provide a better community, making users want to stick around and engage with you. The wrong ones could turn people away or create a poor environment.
10 Useful Discord Bots to Try
The key to success with marketing on Discord is using the best bots to create a highly engaged and entertained community. In this section, we’re taking a look at the ten most useful Discord bots.
1. MEE6
MEE6 is the most comprehensive Discord bot out there. You can create custom commands to automatically provide users with roles and send messages in the main channel or through DMs based on specific actions.
Setting up welcome messages and automating roles is easy as well. With a few simple commands, you can welcome new members onto the server, assign them a role, and explain the rules of the server without having to do anything manually.
The best feature of this bot is the amount of customization you can apply to your Discord bot commands. You can automatically kick someone if they promote ads, unwanted links, or spam. This can help create a tight-knit community where everyone can enjoy themselves.
2. ProBot
ProBot is a Discord bot that allows you to automatically set welcome messages, so every time someone joins the server, they’re greeted with a customized message to showcase your personality.
With the automod system, you can instantly detect bad behavior and warn the person not to do it again or kick them out automatically if necessary. For example, if someone posts something obscene, you wouldn’t likely want to give the person a second chance. ProBot can kick them out and keep your group on topic.
The bot allows you to set unique commands with different tiers to determine which actions merit an immediate kick and result in a stern message.
One important factor to consider in the best bots is their uptime. ProBot has 99.99% uptime, so you (almost) never have to worry about the bot going down and your server running amuck.
3. Dank Memer
If your first thought is, “Why would memes be important for marketing?”, then you may be surprised to find out they’re a very powerful marketing tool and something you can use to create a better community.
Memes are a great way to increase engagement because people love humor and the point of Discord is to create a light-hearted community that’s rich with entertainment and fun. Memes are a simple but effective way to do just that.
Dank Memer is a great Discord bot because of the sheer number of commands you can use. They have commands from simple pictures of animals to actual games to play blackjack against the AI using coins bought with real currency.
If your goal is to create a community where people like to come to relax, unwind, and enjoy themselves, Dank Memer is a fantastic Discord bot choice.
4. Voicy
Communication is important to a community and finding new and funny ways to communicate with your members will set your server apart from the competition. Keep in mind that there are a ton of other people competing to get the same users into their channel as you. You must find unique ways to draw attention to yourself.
Voicy allows you to search through a library of more than 50,000 funny sound clips from their network. They’re constantly updating the platform with new sound effects and you and your members can use the commands to create a more enjoyable experience and entertaining environment where people want to stick around.
5. Community Hubs Beta
The Community Hubs Discord bot’s goal is to enhance the way we communicate with each other across the many servers and different platforms. It connects a Discord channel with a Hub room where there are other channels so you can share information between two spaces.
This could be a powerful way to bring two communities together if you have different audiences across multiple genres. For example, let’s say you have a server that focuses primarily on SEO and another for Influencer Marketing.
If you want to do a live stream to both audiences because the subject matter is relevant to both, you can bring the two together using Hubs to watch the live stream together and benefit from the information. The Hubs bot also allows the two channels to communicate with each other.
Not only does this have immediate, upfront benefits, but there are benefits on the back-end as well. For example, someone may decide to join both communities.
6. Musibeth
Musibeth allows you to play YouTube content directly on Discord. This has a few advantages. First, you could share videos with members to provide context or additional information on something you want them to know.
You could also set up automatic commands that provide videos for frequently asked questions so you can spend more time building the community and less time answering the same question repeatedly.
If you have your own YouTube channel, you could use the Musibeth Discord bot to spread your channel around and get more views while also informing members on whatever they want to know. However, be careful not to spam your channel with YouTube videos users aren’t interested in.
The most obvious use for the bot is to play music, so you can do that as well. Playing music on the server is a great way to relate to people and create a comfortable environment.
7. Quillbot
Quillbot is a unique Discord bot that allows you to paraphrase something someone said. Using the commands will automatically take written text and rewrite it for you. I see a few useful purposes for this, but the biggest one involves content marketing and writing.
Let’s say you’re interviewing someone with expertise on a certain subject matter. They provide you with an answer using text from an article they wrote or a feature they had somewhere. You can’t take those words and use them directly. Quillbot will paraphrase what they said so you can use it in your article.
There are also more relaxed purposes for the bot that you can play around with if you’re just using it for fun. For example, you could use the word flip modifier, and it will change the sentence using as many synonyms as possible.
8. Spixx
Spixx is a bot that allows you to use commands for memes, music, and games. It’s all in the name of creating an enjoyable environment and a niche community where people feel like they are welcome.
By using Discord bot games, you’re indirectly marketing to your audience without realizing it. The second you create a community and engage with them, that’s marketing. It’s the simplest form of marketing, and it’s effortless when everyone is having a good time.
Spixx helps you do that. It’s important to make sure that you monitor how people are using it though, because some of the memes and commands are a little obscure.
9. GiveawayBot
What better way to show your community that you love them than with giveaways? GiveawayBot helps host a giveaway using simple commands that allow you to start, pick a winner, and end a giveaway without requiring any manual work.
Why is this important for digital marketing? Again, we’re always trying to find new and exciting ways to engage with our followers, and giving away stuff is a great way to get attention.
If you’re hosting fun, entertaining contests, you’re going to organically grow your following because people are going to share the Discord server.
10. Other Various Discord Bots
While this isn’t one specific bot, you can search for additional bots that can fit your marketing needs at top.gg. But use caution while searching.
This is a list of bots made by almost anyone, so make sure to review it carefully before using it for your marketing.
How to Add a Bot
Once you’ve figured out what Discord bots you want to add to your channel, you’ll want to find them using an online bot list (like the one mentioned in #10) or with a simple Google search.
From there, you’ll look for the invite or add button and choose which server you want to add the bot to. Remember that you can only do this for the servers where you have admin or moderator access.
Once the bot is done uploading on the server, you should be able to use it immediately with a series of commands. When you want to remove a bot, you can right-click on it on the server member list and click kick or ban.
Conclusion
Using Discord bots is a unique but powerful digital marketing strategy that we could all benefit from. As marketers, we must stay on the cutting edge of new trends and focus on up-and-coming platforms.
Discord is growing rapidly in the gaming and technology community, so if you’re in those niches, you’ll likely reap many rewards from using Discord bots. If you need help locating, installing, or implementing these strategies, we have plenty of resources to lend a hand.
Do you use Discord for digital marketing? If so, do you feel like it has a positive impact on your business?
Businesses need funding. It’s that simple. You would be hard pressed to find a business owner that doesn’t know that. However, what many do not know, is that there are more options than just traditional bank loans. In fact, here are 6 different types of small business loans, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
7 Types of Small Business Loans and Which One Is Right for You
Knowing the different types of small business loans is only half the battle. Then, you have to figure out which one is right for your business. The answer will depend on a number of things. Sometimes, you may not even get a choice. You may have to take what you can qualify for. Still, knowing your options is the first step. Then, you can work on putting your business in a position to qualify for what will work best if you aren’t there yet.
What Types of Small Business Loans are Most Common?
Types of SBA Loans
There are several types of SBA loans. These are small-business loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration and issued by participating lenders, mostly banks. They can guarantee up to 85% of loans of $150,000 or less, and loans that are more than $150,000 they will guarantee up to 75%. The maximum loan amount they offer is $5 million.
Due to the fact that these are SBA loans, meaning that they have a government guarantee, financial institutions are able to offer them at lower interest rates.
Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.
What are the SBA Loan Options?
Again, there are many types of SBA loans for various kinds of businesses and needs. Here are just a few.
7(a) Loans
This is the Small Business Administration’s flagship loan program. It offers federally funded term loans up to $5 million. The funds can be used for expansion, purchasing equipment, working capital and more. Banks, credit unions, and other specialized institutions, in partnership with the SBA, process these loans and disburse the funds.
504 Loans
These loans are also available up to $5 million and can buy machinery, facilities, or land. They are generally used for expansion. Private sector lenders or nonprofits process disburse the funds. Specifically, they work well for commercial real estate purchases.
Microloans
Microloans are available in amounts up to $50,000. They work for starting a business, purchasing equipment, buying inventory, or for working capital. Contrary to most other SBA loan programs, financing comes directly from the Small Business Administration, with community based non-profits acting as intermediaries.
SBA disaster loans
Available in amounts up to $2 million, these funds are processed directly through the SBA as well. They are available to small-business owners that have been affected by natural disasters.
SBA Express loans
The turnaround for express loans is much faster, with the SBA taking up to 36 hours to give a decision. Necessary paperwork for application is less also, making express loans a great option for working capital, among other things, if you qualify.
What Are the Best Government Small Business Loans?
The 7(a) program is by far the most versatile. The funds can be used for a number of business needs. If you qualify, they are a great option. Credit Suite can help you get funding through this program.
Types of Small Business Loans: 401(k) Financing
Your existing 401(k) or IRA can help fund your business as well. The funds work as collateral for business financing. This program uses IRS proven strategies. Furthermore, you will pay no tax penalties, and you still earn interest on your 401(k). Rates are low, and this option usually has a quick closing and funding process as well.
Types of Small Business Loans: Merchant Cash Advances
If you accept credit cards as payment, you may qualify for a merchant cash advance. The minimum credit score is 500. Also, your business must bring in $100,000 or more per year in credit card sales. Typical approval amounts equal one months’ credit processing volume. So, you’ll also need 3-6 months of bank and merchant statements.
Types of Small Business Loans: Equipment Financing
This is one way to get financing to buy or lease new equipment. Rates vary widely based on risk factors, but usually you can get approval with a credit score of 650 or better.
The lender will undervalue equipment by perhaps up to 50%. Remember, this is on major equipment only. Lenders won’t combine a lot of small equipment. You can get loans up to $2 million.
Equipment Sale – Leaseback
If you already own your equipment free and clear, you can use it as collateral for financing. The process involves selling the equipment to a lender for cash. Then, you lease it back from them. You need at least one larger piece of higher value equipment to qualify, and you can get funding in as little as 3 weeks.
Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.
Types of Small Business Loans: Credit Line Hybrid
One type of loan many business owners do not know about is the credit line hybrid. It allows you to fund your business with no collateral and typically very low interest rates. No financials are required. Furthermore, it reports to the business credit reporting agencies. As a result, you build business credit, which will help you access more funding in the future.
Types of Small Business Loans: Traditional Business Lines of Credit
A traditional business line of credit is like a cross between a traditional loan and a business credit card. You go through a traditional bank and apply just like you would a loan. It may be collateral based or not, depending on your lender’s requirements. You may also use a guarantor to help reduce rates and get better terms if needed.
The difference between a traditional loan and a traditional business line of credit is that the line of credit is revolving credit rather than a term loan. Like a credit card, you only pay back what you use. Also, lines of credit typically have lower interest rates than business credit cards. The trade off is, there are no rewards like cash back or air miles.
What is the Best Type of Loan for My Business?
Truthfully, the answer to this question varies. It depends on the specific situation your business is in at the specific time you need funding. The answer now may not be the answer later. However, here are some ideas of types of small businesses and situations that each option may work well for.
SBA Loans
SBA government loans are an option for many business owners that find themselves stuck in the middle. For example, they may not qualify for a straight traditional loan, but still want to benefit from the lower rates and better terms these loans can offer. With a credit score slightly below what the banks typically require, many business owners can qualify for these government guaranteed loans.
401(k) Financing and Equipment Financing
These types of small business loans are great for those business owners that have these assets to leverage. They offer low rates and do not require credit scores as high as some other options. In fact, with the 401(k) financing, credit really isn’t an issue at all. The trick is, you just have to have a 401(k). If you do, and meet the requirements, these options can be a great way to get business funding
Merchant Cash Advance
This program is ideal for business owners who accept credit cards and need cash fast. See, an MCA program is designed to help you get funding based strictly on your cash flow. As a result, you usually only have to provide your business bank statements. Generally, you do not have to submit a ton of documents.
You can get a merchant cash advance through Credit Suite. In fact, our merchant financing program is perfect for business owners with credit issues. Honestly, lenders are not looking for, nor do they require good credit to qualify. You can be approved for as much as $500,000 in financing with no collateral requirements and bad credit.
Credit Line Hybrid
Maybe you do not do a lot of credit card business and still need funding. In that case, the credit line hybrid may be for you. You can usually get a loan of 5x the amount of your highest revolving credit limit account, up to $150,000. Honestly, this is more than what you could get on your own when applying for credit cards. Furthermore, you can get cash out on this program.
Credit Line Hybrid Financing: Get up to $150,000 in financing so your business can thrive.
Also, there is no impact on your personal credit with this type of financing. You need a 680+ credit score, but if you don’t meet that you can take on a credit partner who does. A lot of business owners use the good credit of friends or family to help them get the funding they need.
Traditional Merchant Cash Advance
If you have strong personal credit and want the flexibility of revolving credit without the interest rates of a credit card, then this is for you.
What are the Best Types of Small Business Loans?
The answer to this question is not as cut and dry as it may seem. There are a number of factors that make a difference. First, it depends on the needs of your business. Then, you have to consider what types of small business loans your business actually qualifies to get.
The key to ensuring not only that you get the business funding you need right now, but that you are eligible for the best funding options for your business in the future, is to work with a business credit expert. They can guide you to the best funding now, and help you put yourself in a position to have even better options next time.
You can use a 401K loan to fund a business. But, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It appears to be a fabulous option. Your payments will just be going back into your account, and any interest will be paid to yourself. In reality, it is a good idea, until you realize there is an even better way.
Should You Take Out a 401K Loan For Business Purposes?
When it comes to using a retirement plan to fund a business, a 401K loan isn’t the only option. Technically a distribution could work too, but that’s not wise. More about that later. There is actually another option that many do not know about.
Unlock the Mystery of the 401K for Working Capital Program
It’s not so much of a mystery as it is widely unknown. This Credit Suite program offers a flexible and powerful way for a new or existing business or franchise to leverage assets that are in a 401(k) plan or IRA. These are assets which are tied up in stocks.
It doesn’t take long either. In as little as 3 weeks you can actually invest a portion of these funds into your own business. Then, you not only have more control over the performance of your retirement plan assets, but you also have the working capital you need.
This type of program even has the blessing of the IRS. In fact, they have their own name for it. It’s called a Rollover for Business Startups (ROBS).
Will it Cause More Tax Issues Than a 401K Loan?
No it will not. According to the IRS, a ROBS qualified plan is a separate entity. It has its own set of requirements. The plan technically owns the business, not the individual. That means some filing exceptions for individuals might not apply to the plan. That said, always check with a tax expert when it comes to tax matters.
Surprisingly, this type of financing is pretty easy to get. You do not have to submit financials or have good credit to get approval. In fact, all the lender will ask for is a copy of your two most recent 401(k) statements.
If the plan has a value of more than $35,000, you can get approval. This is true even if you have really bad personal credit. You can get however much of your 401(k) is “rollable.” Sometimes, you can secure a low-interest credit line or loan for 100% of your current 401(k) value.
The plan you use cannot be from a business where you currently work. It will have to be from previous employment. Also, you can’t still be contributing to it.
Benefits of a ROBS
The benefits of this option are many. First, you can get 24-hour pre approval. Also, you pay no penalties for the rollover. Plus, you pay no application fees.
You can get approval even with bad credit, and the time from application to funding is 3 weeks or less. A big bonus is this type of funding will report to the business credit reporting agencies. That means you build business credit!
How Does it Work?
It sounds kind of crazy but it works. Credit Suite business credit experts will help every step of the way. First, we’ll help you set up a 401(k) plan in your company. Then, you’ll invest your 401(k) funds in it. Your business then has cash, but no debt. Despite how complicated it sounds, It’s all super easy and fast on your end. We handle the hard stuff.
Also, with our program, you will get more than just the financing. You will work with a CPA that will help you roll over a non-contributing and qualifying account. By doing this, you can cash out half, or $50,000, whichever is lower.
If applicable, they will also structure a self-directing IRA for the rest of the fund. You will get 5 years of management and consulting services for your business.
The Question of Terms
The cost is 1% and the term is 5 years. There is a $4995 lender fee. Remember, this includes 5 years worth of management and consulting.
Why Can’t I Just Take a Distribution to Fund My Business with My Retirement?
Unless you are 59 ½ years old, there is an early withdrawal penalty of 10%. If you think about it, you would be paying a lot to use your own money. Don’t do that.
ROBS vs. a 401K Loan?
First of all, not all plans allow for loans. If your plan does, the IRS will only let you borrow up to 50%, up to $50,000, before you have to start paying taxes.
Also, you would be paying interest. That isn’t terrible, as you are paying interest to yourself. However, you will be making monthly payments, whereas with the 401K Rollover for Working Capital, there is no payment.
This is a unique program. It allows you to tap into your existing retirement account without penalties or taxable distributions. You also avoid loans, banks, or credit checks. There is no debt and no monthly payment.
What if You Need More Than You Can Get with This Type of Financing?
Whether you decide on a 401K loan or you go the ROBS route, you may find you still need more. It’s not uncommon to need other funding options to bridge the gaps between how much is available from your 401(k) and how much you actually need.
One great option that compliments 401K financing well is the Credit Line Hybrid. You can get up to $150,000 in unsecured business financing. Similar to a 401K loan and the 401K for Working Capital program, you do not have to turn in a lot of documents. In fact, this is considered “no-doc” financing.
You do need to have a 680 or above credit score. However, if you do not meet this or other requirements, you can take on a credit partner that does. Many business owners piggy back off the good credit of a friend or family member until they improve their own.
What makes this an especially good compliment to 401K financing, is that it also reports to the business credit reporting agencies. This just speeds up the rate at which you build your business credit score.
Business Credit Score
Even though neither a 401K loan or the 401K for Working Capital Program require good credit, it’s important to understand this one thing. The 401(k) for Working Capital Program does help you build a strong business credit score. It isn’t easy to find accounts that report your business credit report.
Credit Suite works with business owners every day that are struggling with this. Most account holders do not make it clear whether they do this or not. We work with those that we know do, and this program is one of the easiest ways to get another account reporting.
Do not underestimate this benefit of the 401(k) financing program and the Credit Line Hybrid. It is something that should be considered when making a financing decision. Your business credit report can make a difference in whether you are able to get funding from another source in the future.
Funding a Business With a 401K Loan
If your retirement fund allows for loans, and you have enough available in your account, then the answer is yes. You absolutely can. However, there is another, better option, for using your retirement account to fund your business. Contact Credit Suite today to get started.
Organization bank card for organizations as a whole, as well as for local business specifically, have actually ended up being significantly prominent as increasingly more companies began understanding the advantages. It could be great to evaluate the kind of benefits organization bank card manage their customers, in addition to the various other helpful functions used by small company charge card.
The small company proprietor ought to constantly keep in mind to contrast the prices versus the advantages of their company charge card. Every advantage will certainly come with an expense affixed to it, as well as there might be circumstances where the advantages from the rewards do not balance out the greater expenses in costs or rate of interest prices. Many company bank card bring the complying with rewards:
Constant Flyer Miles Credit Cards: As in individual charge card, traveling factors and also honors are popular rewards for company bank card. You will certainly enjoy this perk if you do a great deal of organization taking a trip, due to the fact that each time you utilize your company bank card, regular leaflet miles are made. Know that some cards enforce a ceiling on the variety of miles you can gather, so bear in mind to inspect this with your organization bank card provider.
Money Back Credit Cards: Cash back includes kind a component of numerous organization credit scores cards’ advantages. Given that an organization makes use of service debt cards for acquisitions and also various other needed expenses anyhow, the money back function is both helpful and also welcome.
Issuing Business Credit Cards to Employees: Most company credit history card companies will certainly enable expansion cards to be released to your staff members. Workers delight in the eases a service debt card manages them, due to the fact that it does away with having to obtain compensations for costs they sustain on part of the firm.
Tracking Expenses: As component of their solution, the card provider frequently gives monitoring records on the costs credited business bank card. This comprehensive listing currently prepares investing right into classifications. This is really valuable in preparing your economic declarations and also company tax obligations.
No Annual Credit Card Fees: Some company charge card providers will certainly forgo the fees for yearly charge card costs. The quantity can be considerable, specifically if you will certainly be providing numerous of your staff members with organization charge card. This advantage is typically approved just to those with great repayment backgrounds on their bank card accounts.
Absolutely No Interest Balance Transfers: An organization credit rating card provider might lure you to change your service from one more organization credit report card provider to them via using an absolutely no percent equilibrium transfer. This can be extremely appealing, considering that you are in impact obtaining an interest-free funding with which to pay your equilibrium on the various other credit scores card.
It pays to analyze the private functions of the different organization bank card. Attempt to choose business charge card that fits the demands of your service and also supplies you the optimum advantage.
The tiny company proprietor must constantly keep in mind to contrast the prices versus the advantages of their company credit rating card. Constant Flyer Miles Credit Cards: As in individual credit report cards, traveling factors and also honors are really preferred benefits for organization credit rating cards. Issuing Business Credit Cards to Employees: Most company credit rating card providers will certainly enable expansion cards to be released to your workers. No Annual Credit Card Fees: Some company credit scores card companies will certainly forgo the costs for yearly credit report card charges. No Interest Balance Transfers: A service credit rating card provider might attract you to change your organization from an additional company credit scores card company to them with providing an absolutely no percent equilibrium transfer.
Bitwarden | DevOps, QA, Dir of Sales, Dir of Marketing, Support, Technical Trainer | Full-time | 100% REMOTE
Bitwarden is an open source password manager that has had success growing organically through the open source community and has recently been named best password manager by US News, Wired UK, and more. We are a collaborative, nimble group working from around the world, committed to making the internet more secure.
SEEKING WORK | San Mateo, CA | COVID-Remote or Perm. Remote
Analytically skilled UX/Interaction designer & VUI specialist: I create research-driven experiences to offer meaningful solutions. Looking for full-time work on interesting and challenging business projects. In addition to 1-2 yrs of UX work, I bring in 5+ yrs of cross-disciplinary work exp. as a design educator, historian and copywriter.
Creative advertising gives you more bang for your buck, and Snapchat is a perfect channel to showcase this; but how much do Snapchat ads cost? Here’s the thing about advertising on social media channels such as Snapchat: you’re in control of the costs. You can constantly tweak your approach to improve your ROI. Snapchat may … Continue reading How Much Do Snapchat Ads Cost?
Whether you’re just starting out or are an old pro, who doesn’t want to be a more successful entrepreneur?
Owning a business gives you a sense of freedom and empowerment. You can build things and watch them grow.
Entrepreneurs make decisions for themselves, realize their creative visions, and develop lasting relationships with other entrepreneurs, customers, and vendors.
It’s a great way to live. That’s why I’ve founded so many companies — I can’t get enough.
I’ve put together these tips to help you to become more successful, too.
1. Get Gritty
Grit is perseverance. Grit is the go-get-’em attitude that we expect of entrepreneurs. Grit is the ability to keep working when everyone tells you that you should give up.
If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be gritty.
2. To Become a Successful Entrepreneur, You Must Challenge Yourself
If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to challenge yourself. No one else is going to push you, so it’s up to you to do it.
Challenges keep entrepreneurs nimble and on their toes. If you’re constantly looking for the next challenge, you’ll always be prepared for what comes your way.
Consider this example:
You’re going to the gym to build your upper body strength. You start doing bicep curls with a 10-pound weight. It feels pretty heavy at first. As you build up your strength, it gets easier.
Would you stop there? No!
Then it’s time to do bicep curls with a 20-pound weight. Once you’ve done bicep curls with a 20-pound weight, going back to a 10-pound weight will feel easy.
Challenging yourself with new and difficult tasks will make your other tasks seem even simpler. As an entrepreneur, you always have to be looking for the next big challenge.
3. Successful Entrepreneurs Are Passionate about Their Work
If you don’t love what you do, don’t do it. I truly believe it’s as simple as that.
As an entrepreneur, you’re going to have to put in long hours and make sacrifices for your business.
If you’re not passionate about what you do, you’re not going to have the motivation to keep going when you’re stressed and tired.
Have you ever noticed those entrepreneurs who never seem to get tired? Those entrepreneurs who get that gleam in their eye when they talk about what they do? That’s passion.
If you’re passionate about what you do, being an entrepreneur gets just a little bit easier.
4. To Become a Successful Entrepreneur, You Must Take Risks
Humans are generally risk-averse, but part of being an entrepreneur is recognizing the risks that you should take.
Successful entrepreneurs also know which risks to take and which they shouldn’t. Learn to recognize the risks that will benefit your business and take them.
Taking risks has a dangerous side, but the opportunities they present often far outweigh the potential dangers.
Learn how to identify which risks are worth taking and you’ll likely become a more successful entrepreneur.
5. Trust Yourself
If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?
Being a successful entrepreneur means that you’ve learned to listen to your intuition and rely on your wisdom when making decisions.
Your ability to trust and believe in yourself will show your confidence. People are more likely to follow and trust confident leaders.
Trusting in your own skills will also take some of the pain of uncertainty out of being an entrepreneur.
When you feel uncertain, remember how much experience and knowledge you have. Most entrepreneurs start their business after years of experience working for someone else.
There’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it or turning to a mentor for advice, but you also have to learn to trust yourself and your own judgment without input from others.
Learn to trust yourself and you’re already starting down the path of entrepreneurial success.
6. Reduce Fear
Fear stops action. Entrepreneurs have to be able to pivot and quickly take action when they see an opportunity or recognize a mistake.
With fear riding on your shoulder, you won’t be a successful entrepreneur.
As an entrepreneur, if you let fear be your guide, you won’t be able to listen to your intuition, you’ll be afraid to take the necessary risks, and your judgment will be clouded by emotion.
If you can find ways to reduce and manage your fear and you’ll be a much more successful entrepreneur.
Keep in mind that fear has to do with your perspective. For example, studies have shown that the more true crime you consume, the more scared you are of crime.
My favorite tip for managing fear as an entrepreneur is to do confidence-building exercises.
For me, I like to take a few moments at night to think of the decisions I made that day that had a successful outcome.
Thinking each day about the decisions that you made that benefited you, others, or your business will help you to quickly build your confidence and reduce fear.
7. Successful Entrepreneurs Visualize their Goals
This tip is less abstract than you might think, so bear with me.
When I recommend that entrepreneurs visualize their goals, I don’t intend for them to close their eyes and see the goal in front of them.
What I want you to do to visualize your goal is to define it so clearly that it’s real and tangible.
For example, which of these is a more accomplishable:
I want to become a successful entrepreneur.
I will become a successful entrepreneur by starting a business that solves a problem for this specific niche of my audience.
The second one, right?
When you can clearly articulate and visualize your goal, it becomes more achievable.
You can tell someone, such as a friend or business partner, or take photographs that represent your goal. Go with your strengths.
When you ask a successful entrepreneur what their goal is, they can tell you in great detail what it is that they’re working to achieve.
8. Hire Great Partners to Help You Become a Successful Entrepreneur
I’ll admit that this one might be a little bit obvious.
Successful entrepreneurs aren’t successful within a vacuum. We all have a great team and support network behind us.
When I recommend hiring great partners, I don’t just mean someone who can do the job you’re hiring them for. You should seek partners who have great character and whom you like and respect.
You and your partners will be working long hours together and making stressful decisions. If you don’t respect your partner(s), your team won’t last long.
Fill your team with people who have great character and you’re well on your way to success.
When choosing your partners and team members, always remember that you can teach skills, but you can’t teach character.
9. To Become a Successful Entrepreneur, You Must ActFast
Talk only delays action.
Successful entrepreneurs act.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in planning, considering potential failures, discussing funding, and talking in meetings with board members. If all you do is talk, you’ll get nothing done.
At some point, you have to halt the talking and make something happen.
10. Successful Entrepreneurs Spend Time on Important Tasks and Are Patient to See Results
Do you think that there’s such a thing as an overnight success? I recommend that you take a closer look.
Upon examination, the people and businesses that became “overnight sensations and successes” actually worked really hard and long for their achievements.
When you think you’ve found an overnight success, check again and examine closely the hours, days, and years that went into their success.
Take a look at their life, the things they learned, and how many times they failed.
Successful entrepreneurs take the time that’s required to reach success. And many of them have failures along the way.
If you think it’s taking too long to find success, give yourself a break.
Keep plugging along, putting in the hours, and before long, you’ll be a successful entrepreneur.
Just imagine looking back at all the hard work and knowing it paid off. Keep that image in your head to motivate you forward through the long, slogging hours.
11. Plan Your Finances
Startups and entrepreneurial businesses need money. It’s just a part of the lifestyle.
Many entrepreneurs spend too much time looking for money and not enough acting, but that doesn’t mean that you can leap into the abyss without a plan.
Decide which is best for you, and plan out your finances in the beginning. Try to stick to your budget, but know that the plan will have to be adapted along the way.
12. Who’s Your Customer? Successful Entrepreneurs Know the Answer
One of the most common reasons that entrepreneurial businesses fail is that there isn’t a customer.
If you start a business or make a product but don’t know who will buy it, that person might not actually exist.
Before you make a financial plan, raise capital, or even choose a name, make sure that there’s a customer who would buy your product or use your services.
Without a customer, you don’t have a business.
Successful entrepreneurs know who their customers and target market are.
13. Successful Entrepreneurs Listen to Complaints
This is one of the tips that I think is the most important for entrepreneurs to learn.
Your customer’s complaints are how you identify your business’s weaknesses.
Similarly to the last tip, without customers, you can’t have a successful business. There’s another possible scenario, though.
You might have customers who are interested in your product or service, but if you don’t listen to their complaints, you soon will have no customers.
Take your customers seriously, treat their complaints with respect, and listen.
As an entrepreneur, you’ll be inundated with your business, needing to take care of it all the time. When you get home and have some leisure time, you might be tempted to read fiction or books for entertainment.
There’s always something to learn from those who have already done it.
I especially think it’s important to learn from the mistakes of others. If you learn from their mistakes, you won’t have to make those mistakes yourself.
The more you learn from their mistakes and successes, the faster you can grow your business and become a successful entrepreneur.
17. Successful Entrepreneurs Self-Promote
Many people don’t want to self-promote or talk about their business too much for fear of sounding like an egomaniac; but if you don’t promote your business, who will?
Egotistical self-promotion and self-promotion can be differentiated.
Know your business, know some key stats, and have your 15-second elevator pitch polished and ready to go. Then, when someone asks you about your business, you can promote it factually and quickly.
Another way to self-promote without sounding cocky is to know what your customers say about your business. When someone asks how your business is going, you can tell them your customer feedback.
Don’t forget to provide some of the bad as well as the good.
18. Successful Entrepreneurs Set and Oversee a Positive Company Culture
There may have been a time when company culture wasn’t important, but with social media and the 24-hour news cycle, your company and employees are always under scrutiny.
Set a positive company culture from day one and you’ll be more likely to work with people you enjoy and who inspire you as well as attract great customers.
Many entrepreneurs are working with family, from home, and even across borders. It’s important to set and know what you want your company culture to look like.
19. Network, Network, Network
There is no such thing as too much networking (well unless it’s getting in the way of building your business, of course).
What I mean to say is that you shouldn’t ever stop networking because you never know where your next lead will come from.
Chances are, if you network with enough people, you’ll bump into another entrepreneur who might have the ideas and connections you need.
You might find a new connection while grabbing a beer at the airport bar, you might meet your next business partner in an elevator on your way to a meeting, and you just never know who’s sitting next to you on the bus.
Meet everyone you come into contact with and have a short chat. You never know who you’re sitting next to and what connections or resources they might be able to offer you.
20. Learn and Create
The successful entrepreneur mindset is that of learning and creation. As an entrepreneur, you always want to be taking in new information and creating.
To stay in the learner and creator mindset, stay away from TV, social media, and movies. These types of entertainment cause us to be passive and just take in information.
Pursue everything in moderation, but in general, these activities are time-wasters for entrepreneurs. Limiting your entertainment time is a sacrifice that must be made to become a successful entrepreneur.
Instead of watching TV and movies, read case studies and meditate. Take care of your mind and body in constructive, healing ways.
It may “feel good” to watch TV, but it’s not actually a rejuvenating way to relax.
To be a successful entrepreneur, find relaxing activities that help to restore your learner and creator mindset.
21. Successful Entrepreneurs Deliver, Not Sell
Honestly, no one likes to be sold to. I mean seriously, who enjoys going to the car lot and buying a new car? We all know what we’re getting ourselves into and dread it.
Instead of selling to your potential customers, deliver. Offer them a free trial and deliver a great product.
When your company delivers a great product or service, you’ll build customer loyalty faster than you can say, “successful entrepreneur.”
22. Take Baby Steps to Become a Successful Entrepreneur
Building a successful entrepreneurial business can seem daunting, and that’s okay. Building a business from the ground up is a massive undertaking.
Luckily I have a foolproof tactic: break it down.
Any problem that seems insurmountable, break it down into baby steps.
Once you’ve broken it down into baby steps, take them one at a time. Before you know it, just by placing one foot in front of the other, you’ll be halfway up the mountain.
With grit and perseverance, baby steps will get you far toward becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Think something doesn’t need to be on your calendar? It does.
Put your meetings, quiet work periods, time with friends, happy-hour business meetings, kids’ soccer games, workouts, meal times, and anything else that you do on your calendar.
Once something is on your calendar, then everyone who needs to meet with you knows that time isn’t available.
An additional benefit is that once everything is on your calendar, there aren’t excuses for not getting things done.
I want to also draw your attention to one of the items I included: quiet work time. That is time when you can work, solve problems, or think creatively without being interrupted.
Everyone needs these periods of time. To be a successful entrepreneur, guard your quiet work times with your life. The success of your business may depend upon them.
24. Exercise to Become a More Successful Entrepreneur
Did you know that sitting down all day long is bad for your health? It is.
Being a successful entrepreneur doesn’t just mean running a profitable business. Run yourself too ragged managing that business and you might not be around to enjoy its success.
Learn to focus and take time to do just one task. Giving one task your full attention will mean that you’re more likely to get it done and do it well.
It’s also important to know that too many tasks on your to-do list can make you ineffective and distracted.
Learn to focus your to-do list on the tasks that you’re capable of finishing in the amount of time you’ve allotted for them.
For example, each night, set the three tasks that you’ll complete the following day. Each month, set the overarching goal for your company that you want to achieve in the next 30 days.
These techniques can help you to learn how to focus and more effectively manage your business.
26. Take Time Off
We finally made it to the tip that I think it the toughest for successful entrepreneurs to put into practice.
You might not need time off every day or every week, but you do need to take time off. If all you do is work, you’ll burn out. Fast.
I think this is the most challenging for entrepreneurs because they often see themselves as invincible or believe that they must be invincible. This just isn’t true; we’re all humans and we need time off.
Time off allows your brain to roam, to rest, and to think. Ever wonder why you think of so many ideas in the shower? It’s because your brain has free range to just think and roam.
Even the most successful entrepreneurs don’t work all the time. Everyone needs time off, so don’t shame yourself for being human and normal.
When you do take time off, notify your staff ahead of time and let them know why it’s important to you.
Teaching your staff the importance of time off will help them to respect your time away and to recognize when they need time off.
Take time off before you need it and recognize that it’s important for healing, creating, and becoming a more successful entrepreneur.
27. Successful Entrepreneurs Ask Questions
You don’t know everything. No one does.
You should ask for help, advice, mentors, and everything else you need as you get your business set up and running. Asking questions is a valuable skill to have as an entrepreneur.
The more information you have, the more you will know and be able to take into consideration.
Asking questions also helps you to remain in a learner mindset, ready to accept advice and information.
Learners and those who ask questions are more likely to become successful entrepreneurs.
Better to accept it now then later. You will fail at some point. It’s how you adjust to these failures that will make or break your business.
Failure is an aspect of becoming a successful entrepreneur, so you’d better get used to it now.
If your first business does fail, keep in mind that you can create another with the lessons you learned from your first.
29. Get Inspired
Being an entrepreneur is a creative pursuit. As an entrepreneur, you have to make connections, solve problems, and create new things that no one has thought of before.
Creators and creatives need to be inspired.
Successful entrepreneurs take time for the things that inspire them.
Maybe your inspiration comes from being in an art museum, maybe it’s reading books, maybe it’s doodling —whatever it is that inspires you, do it. It’s good for your business.
Successful entrepreneurs are inspired. Don’t let that magic slip for too long. Whenever you can, and definitely when you’re feeling burned out, get out there and get inspired.
Inspiration is the spark for ideas. Ideas make successful entrepreneurs.
30. Successful Entrepreneurs Lend a Helping Hand
Entrepreneurs are busy, so this tip sometimes trips them up. It’s easy to think, “I don’t have time to help anyone else! I’m so busy already!”
However, helping others can be inspiring and massively beneficial. It makes you feel good.
Furthermore, as an entrepreneur, you have a network with whom you can share your expertise and jobs you can hire people for. Why wouldn’t you help out when you can?
When you help someone, they will likely find a way to help you. It might not be today or tomorrow, but somewhere in the future, they will be there to help you when you need it.
Helping others is also a great way to build a loyal and supportive network around you.
Conclusion
Succeeding in business doesn’t come overnight. It takes a lot of planning, preparation, creativity, grit, and patience to become a successful entrepreneur.
The 30 tips I provided in this guide will help you with a long-term strategy and build it in baby steps until your business becomes a success.
If you need help defining and implementing a digital strategy as you start to build your business, let us know if we can assist you. We even offer custom packages for businesses on a strict budget!
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
