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His Unexpected Journey From Soldier to Fitness Model to Running a $30 Million Business

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Colin Wayne survived a devastating attack that put him on a path he never expected.


5 min read

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To some teenagers, a longing for adventure and challenges leads to staying up all night trying to beat the highest level of Super Mario Bros. To Colin Wayne, it meant joining the Army. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Wayne signed on as a military police officer on his 17th birthday. Wayne excelled, and rose through the ranks, gaining the title of Staff Sergeant within six years.

His years of exemplary service came to a brutal end while on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On May 3, 2012, a 107mm rocket exploded a few feet away from him, resulting in nerve and brain injuries, shrapnel wounds to both arms, and a large hole in his right leg where a chunk of metal tore straight through. Wayne was transported by medevac and stabilized, eventually heading stateside where he completed six months of physical therapy.

Related: How the Memory of His Fallen Brothers Powers This Entrepreneur’s Passion

Through it all, Wayne says he never lost hope in achieving greatness. That drive to rebuild his body and life resulted in a fitness modeling career that is impressive by any standards. To date, he has appeared on more than 50 magazine covers and garnered 3.8 million followers on social media.

One of Wayne’s many fitness magazine covers.

Wayne is now putting his physical and influencer muscle behind his home decor company, Redline Steel, which was founded in 2016. Wayne told Entrepreneur that just two years after founding it, the company is on track to gross more than $30 million in revenue.

We spoke with the powerhouse about his business, his work ethic and what it takes to contain your fear and take the leap when your big moment arises.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’ve had what by most definitions could be called an interesting life. How did you find yourself in the home decor space?

A friend showed me this awesome steel sign he had a local company make for him. It was this realistic baseball player swinging a bat, and it had his son’s name on it. I was in awe of the quality and wanted one for my son Carsyn, so I reached out to the company to order one. The guy said he was backlogged on orders for 10 to 12 weeks. About 10 minutes later, he called back and said, “Holy crap, it’s Colin Wayne!” He knew me from my modeling work and told me he’d love to be at my level one day. So I offered to consult with him. Fast forward about three months and I made him an offer on his company. I said I wanted 51 percent and put very strict guarantees in place to mitigate his risk. I told him that I would do 6X revenue in 12 months from his last year and he said “Hell yeah!”

Related: The 7 Best Franchising Opportunities for U.S. Veterans

How has it gone?

We are projected to do over $30 million this year alone in revenue, which would put us above $40 million in revenue since inception. We recently acquired a new 110,000 square-foot facility that we will be transitioning into in August.

Were you able to leverage your fitness model success for the business?

Yes, I had a fan base of over 3 million people on social media, and it helped in the organic initial growth of Redline Steel. We transitioned to spending millions of dollars on Facebook annually to drive traffic and conversions. 

Related: The Green Beret Hotel Check-In Safety List

What did being in the military teach you about risk?

The military is one of the top contributing factors to my success. “Fear of failure” is something that shouldn’t be in your vocabulary in the military, or entrepreneurship. You need to take calculated risks and not be afraid of setbacks. And in both cases, you need the mindset that I will do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission.

Tell us about your proudest moment while serving.

When I was pinned Staff Sergeant (SSG). I was the youngest SSG in the brigade and I wore that proudly on my chest. I was always looking for that next position and never settled for what I had. 

Related: These 12 Remarkable Veterans Changed Business Forever

Describe your leadership style.

My leadership style is very similar to that of the military, and that is the culture being built at Redline Steel. From the bottom to the top, there’s a respect that is instilled in every employee. We expect everyone to cover each other and nobody is above any role or task in the company, myself included.

Is there a quote and saying that inspires you?

One of my favorite sayings is, “Lead from the front.” I believe that anything that you want to get done, you should be right there with your guys working to accomplish it.

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SmugMug Acquires Flickr, What Small Business Account Holders Need to Know

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SmugMug Acquires Flickr -- What You Need to Do with Your Flickr Account

The online photography industry has been consolidated further with the acquisition of Flickr by SmugMug. The good news for Flickr users is, both companies will be working as separate entities after the deal closes.

SmugMug Acquires Flickr

SmugMug bought Flickr from Yahoo for an undisclosed amount. Yahoo itself is now owned by Verizon. This acquisition will give SmugMug a large user base which currently stands at 75 million registered photographers and more than 100 million unique users who post billions of photographs. And as far as unique visitors go, comScore says the site had 13.1 million in March 2018.

For small businesses looking for images or photographers wanting to showcase their work, it now means Flickr users will be getting an update, at least that is what they are hoping. Account lock outs and Yahoo authentication were problems users  frequently complained about on Flickr. The SmugMug platform looks to change many of the operational issues Flickr users don’t like about the service.

In a press release announcing the acquisition, Don MacAskill, CEO of SmugMug, said, “Since day one our passion has been empowering photographers to tell the stories they want to tell, the way they want to tell them, and our investment in Flickr reaffirms this commitment.”

?

No Major Changes

The company announced Flickr users can still continue to log in with their current credentials to access their accounts and nothing will change. On its blog, Flickr posted an FAQ which said SmugMug and Flickr accounts will remain separate and independent for the foreseeable future and there are no plans to merge the products.

However, Flickr accounts will be moved to SmugMug’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, so there may be some changes here. If you want to opt out, you have until May 25, 2018. But the FAQ says if you don’t want to make the change, your only option is to delete your Flickr account.

What are SmugMug and Flickr?

As a photography platform, SmugMug allows photographers to showcase their work by creating portfolios and use its ecommerce platform to sell their images — and preserve their work. SmugMug prides itself on providing 24/7 support from “real people” as well as offering resources to teach the art of photography through tips, tutorials, training events, webinars and forums with leading photographers.

Flickr is a community of photographers who share their images. The site has two million groups and tens of billions of photographs in its archive.

Alternative Services

If you don’t plan on staying with Flickr and SmugMug you have many other options. Each of these companies has their pros and cons when it comes to pricing, functionality, community and more. But with some of them offering a free option or trial, you can try them out before you opt for the paid version.

You can try Shutterstock, 500Px, Imgur, DeviantArt, ThisLife, Photobucket, and many others.

Image: SmugMug

This article, “SmugMug Acquires Flickr, What Small Business Account Holders Need to Know” was first published on Small Business Trends



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5 Examples of Small Businesses Using Facebook Advertising

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Facebook Ads are incredibly helpful tools when growing your business.


6 min read


This story originally appeared on Bizness Apps

As a small business owner, you might be shying away from paid online advertising in fear of it taking a large chunk out of your budget. Facebook, however, provides a business tool for companies of every size and industry, with no minimum on how much ad dollars you need to spend to get in the game.

According to Hubspot, Facebook marketing can “help you get found more easily in search, create a community around your business, promote the content you create and develop a strong brand identity.” But let’s not forget about one of the most intriguing reasons to advertise on Facebook: lead generation. Facebook ads are a great way to build a database of people who are interested in what you offer, because the reach and targeting options are exceptional. So, how can you use Facebook ads to attract new leads and turn them into paying customers? 

The most effective way to drive new customers using Facebook Ads is to offer people something of value. Facebook Ads require you to provide an incentive to get people to click. They are most likely not thinking of buying something when they see your Ad on Facebook, so you have to be creative and efficient in grabbing their attention.

Here are 5 example of small businesses who created successful Facebook Ads.

1. Beericana: Giveaway

Beericana, a craft beer and music festival, wanted to launch a Facebook Ads campaign to bring more beer enthusiasts to the North Carolina event. They needed a quick and inexpensive way to sell more tickets, grow their email database and raise awareness for the festival.

In order to do all of the above, Beericana created a special giveaway that could be promoted through the Facebook ad (see below). To enter the giveaway, people simply had to input their email address and phone number. After signing up, these subscribers received targeted emails promoting the festival tickets.

The results were staggering:

  • 45,000 Facebook Ad impressions in 12 days
  • 500+ email and mobile number captures
  • 25x return on Facebook Ads campaign spend
  • Over $5,000 in ticket sales

Pro Tip: The creative accompanying the ad was a highlight video from the previous year’s Beericana instead of a static graphic promoting the prize package. Videos have a higher conversion rate than photos and, in this case, the audience was really able to visualize the event.  

2. Erika Volk Fitness: Free class

Their goal was to gain a more predictable, steady way to target ideal customers and get them onto the email list (the online channel with the highest engagement). They also didn’t have a massive budget, so the campaign started with $20/day. Erika Volk Fitness created a Facebook ad promoting a free email course. Clicking on the ad brought you to a landing page where you could sign up to join the course (which is an email series). These emails were also used to upsell the premium workout routines and plans.

Here are the results of the campaign:

  • 1,892 email subscribers
  • 11,850 unique visitors in one month
  • Extremely low cost per conversion (cost per visitor to her landing page): 6 cents.

Pro Tip: The creative was a simple stock photo with overlaid copy that clearly stated the offer. The more your visual conveys, the higher the chance it will catch your audience’s eye and lead to a conversion.

3. Route 32: Discount

In order to acquire new customers, dentist office Route 32 created an ad that centered on a special discount. Especially when it comes to something as unpleasant as dentist appointments, Route 32 needed to show their services in a positive light. They used a fun and engaging image, while backing it up with a solid offer that takes something complex like paying for braces and making it easy to understand with a discount of $99/month.

Pro Tip: As the Route 32 ad demonstrates, any industry can advertise on Facebook, not only “fun” companies. As long as you are targeting the right audience and using appropriate ad creative and copy, your business can be successful at generating leads on Facebook.  

4. FlatRate Moving: Value proposition

FlatRate Moving used Facebook Ads to increase their bookings, directly through their online ad. They honed in on the value they bring to their customers to convey in the ad. More specifically, FlatRate Moving wants to remove the stress associated with moving by having them deal with all the negative aspects. The entire ad reinforces this message, calling out to their readers who are about to experience the trouble of moving.

Pro Tip: When it comes to advertising online, sometimes it’s less about discounts and deals and more about how you can make a real difference for someone with your business. Use that story, maybe even appeal to their emotions, in order to convince a reader they need you.

5. Redmaster Designers: Social proof

Services can be difficult to sell because you’re talking about intangibles that can’t be seen or held. Take Redmaster’s lead and show your audience the finished product. Let the end results speak for themselves! People scrolling through Facebook can immediately decide whether this is something they need or want and, in this case, pick up the phone and give Redmaster Designers a call.

Pro Tip: Leading with social proof in your Facebook ads comes in many forms, you could share testimonials, case studies, before-and-afters, press and more to show (not tell) customers why you matter.

Wrap up:

With every one of these ads, you’ll want to make sure it’s clear to the reader where you are sending them. If they think they’re clicking into a blog post and find themselves needing to fill out a form, they could get confused or frustrated. Use the right copy to make it clear what they are getting by clicking and/or filling out their information. You want this first impression of your business to be as positive as possible.

As per Facebook, “Once you’ve captured awareness and created demand for your business, encourage potential customers to sign up for more information, spend time in your app or on your website or visit your store — actions that signal they may make a purchase. Understanding which groups of people are thinking about purchasing helps you reconnect with those people later to encourage them to complete the transaction, so you can boost sales.” Now head on over to Facebook Ads to get your ad in front of the world.

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You Team Will Succeed Only if They Trust Each Other

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Trust is difficult to establish, hard to maintain and easy to break.


7 min read

A Note From The Editor

Think your company has what it takes to make our Top Company Cultures list? Apply now.

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Bureaucracy exists were trust doesn’t. Excessive process and micromanaging exist because people don’t trust each other to do what’s right and what’s needed. In a digital era where social tools make you more visible and accessible, you make personal and business decisions based on trust daily.

The 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, often identified as the benchmark of trust measurement, recently identified that there has been a “loss of trust: the willingness to believe information, even from those closest to us.”

Trust is difficult to establish, hard to maintain and easy to break. In business, trust is one of the most valuable and complex of all your assets. It solidifies your relationships with all people and leads an organization to thrive. As Richard Branson often says, “Learn to look out for your staff first, and the rest will follow.”

Let me share with you eight principles that determine whom and how you trust in the workplace.

1. How people handle failure.

Within an organization, when people trust each other, their energy is invested in minimizing damage and getting on with it. The involved parties take responsibility without prompting and lead the conversation to see how the problem will be avoided in the future.

A recent Google study, Project Aristotle, was founded on the premise of understanding why certain teams in the workplace struggle while others thrive. Researchers determined that “psychological safety” is the key to building and fostering successful team.

When people don’t trust each other, blame and shame runs rapid through the tapestry of the organization. Taking responsibility embraces your vulnerability and leads people to move forward together.

Related: How 10 Billionaires Faced Failure

2. Accumulate trust deposits.

Trust is like a flower. Once we step on a flower, it’s difficult to revive it. When you think about trust within a workplace, we know that when members trust each other to execute, teams are inherently productive. When we want to create and build upon an environment that fosters trust, then what we say we will do, we do. We genuinely are curious and listen. We are honest in how we provided feedback, without the sugar coating. And we don’t engage in gossip, eradicating the “I shouldn’t be saying this, but…” conversations. When we are visible and transparent in the workplace, we create a platform that invites shared thinking from all.

3. Work together to solve pain points.

Most projects take more than one person to accomplish. Trusting colleagues is about letting go of the urge to be a lone ranger. Your team members have to be trusted to accomplish their tasks so you can complete yours. Autonomy is only possible where there is trust. When you trust, you don’t expend much of your time and energy watching your back. Your energy is directed towards productivity and innovation.

Horst Schultze, one of the founders of the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, epitomized what it meant to be a trust-building leader. Every employee was provided with an induction to the organization, coupled with extensive training and a $2000 discretionary fund they could use to solve a customer problem without checking with anyone. He honored his people by collecting their stories in making a difference for customers.

A team with high trust inspires its members to retain trust through excellence. Time is spent on identifying and breaking through road blocks, inspiring people to share more and working together to resolve pain points.

4. Small actions over time.

Trust is not a matter of technique, but of character. You are trusted because of your way of being, not because of your polished exteriors. Building a culture of trust in the workplace occurs one step at a time. It is the small actions over time. As a leader wanting to build trust, talk about what you want, not what you don’t want. Lend your voice toward what you want to bring to make it happen. When you operate from a place of trust, you demonstrate a commitment toward trust. You show others what can be by promoting the ideas, talents and contributions of those you work with. Focus on what people can do and help others succeed. Step toward trust from where you are.

Related: Do Your Clients Trust Your Team? 3 Ways to Ensure They Do.

5. Sharing stories.

Trust can grow rapidly when someone shares with you something touching that happened earlier in their life. You start to build a shared empathy. When you want to create trust in teams, initiate conversations or invest in team games that help you tell stories you want to tell. You control what you want to share with colleagues that can break down the divide between people and teams and lead to more empathy. Sharing stories is one way to connect and build trust.

6. What can mice teach us.

A study at NYU Langone showed that when mice were given oxytocin, they started caring for the other mice’s babies as if they were their own. The oxytocin hormone enhances bonding, and even after the mice’s oxytocin receptors were shut off, this behavior continued.

Oxytocin, the trust molecule, can teach us a lot about working together as a team and building great working relationships leading to more trust in the workplace.

Paul Zak’s iconic TED Talk and research on neuroscience and trust, identified that as long as there was an intention of trust, you would biologically associate that with trustworthiness, which boost your oxytocin.

The best way to build your team’s internal trust is to be transparent about the overall vision and progress of the business, showing people how and why their work is important. Leaders must provide guidance, schedule check-ins between colleagues, and make room for conversations that strengthen connections.

Related: All the Common Excuses for Not Delegating Boil Down to Lack of Confidence

7. Monkey see, monkey do.

Our brains are wired to place survival as the top priority. In the workplace, any person who can demonstrate that they can reduce or eliminate threats to other’s survival is deemed trustworthy.

When we watch someone else, our brain is activated in the same way that the brain of the person you are observing is activated, effectively through what is called “mirror neurons.” This means you may unintentionally transfer your own feelings of distrust to others. The trick is you can’t fake trust. You must believe that your colleagues are trustworthy to transmit this signal to them. In return, their brain will start feeling trust towards you as a result.

8. https://cm.g.doubleclick.net/pixel?google_nid=adaptv_dbm&google_cm&google_scEmotions impact trust levels in the workplace.

There are many ways to treat your colleagues well, but one of the most important initiatives is creating a culture that makes it safe to make mistakes and openly debate and discuss issues without fear of retribution. Your colleagues will trust your ability to help them grow if they know that failures will be treated as teachable moments.

In a time of crisis, how you act in difficult times is the greatest measure of your integrity. Don’t wait to talk about a mistake that happened until everyone finds out about it on social media, and don’t sugarcoat what happened. Take swift action to right a wrong. Taking responsibility preserves trust.

Atlassian, a global software giant, built a culture where articulating why certain decisions are made is important in how they have built trust. An “open company, no bullshit” value within the company has provided teams with access to information as quickly as possible, allowing employees to share and express their opinion without feeling they are going to get judged or pulled down. The company supports an environment where individuality is celebrated.

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The New Automation Is Smart, Fast, and Small

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At most companies, the profile of a large-scale technology initiative has looked astonishingly similar over the last several decades. The initial pledge of US$30 million and two years soon balloons to $50 million, and two years becomes four. And this pattern of heavy investment shows no sign of slowing down: Gartner predicts that global spending on enterprise software will grow 9.5 percent in 2018, reaching $389 billion — up from $355 billion in 2017.

We can think of these traditional IT initiatives as “big” automation, with a nod to their big budgets, big timelines, and big functional agendas. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, customer relationship management software, and product life-cycle management software, among other systems, have helped companies streamline functions and track data. However, many of these automated systems still require significant manual processing. For example, PwC’s 2017 Finance Effectiveness Benchmark Report found that finance professionals spend half their time focused on the mundane, repetitive task of gathering data from various systems dependent on structured databases. As a result, although enterprise IT remains essential to companies’ business operations, many of these systems have reached the point of diminishing returns.

Fortunately, the speed, scale, and cost of automation are evolving beyond this point. Intelligent technologies such as robotic process automation, machine learning, and natural language processing systems offer companies new opportunities to improve process performance and realize significant cost savings. These technologies can be implemented in short sprints, focused on a specific problem, with manageable costs. Although big automation involves creating core enterprise systems that drive commonality, standardization, and centralized control, “small” automation is the fast implementation of flexible and adaptable technologies that fill the gaps left by your current enterprise systems — enabling new levels of productivity.

The potential impact is striking: Small automation can improve the productivity of individual processes by 80 to 100 percent (the top of the range reflects a transition to a touchless solution) and overall functions by 20 percent or more. The PwC benchmark report cited above found that in the finance function, automation could reduce by up to 46 percent the time and cost of key processes such as billing, management reporting, general accounting, and budgeting. Finance professionals then would be able to focus on higher-value activities, such as analysis that could lead to breakthrough insight. The same level of improvement is possible in other functions, such as customer service, supply chain management, and sales. This ability to economically solve problems at the team or even task level marks a significant change in business technology.

Enterprise IT Gets Flexible

Small automation does not replace big automation. Instead, it relies on new technologies to build on the foundation of data and standardized processes that large-scale IT initiatives have established. The small automation approach has several key differences from big automation that enable process improvements.

Small automation can improve the productivity of individual processes by 80 to 100 percent, and overall functions by 20 percent or more.

For one, small automation is easier to implement and much less expensive: A sprint can come with a price tag as low as tens of thousands of dollars, versus the tens of millions typically spent on big automation efforts. And large-scale IT initiatives usually apply to an entire function, such as finance or sales. This involves significant coordination among the various functional leaders and frontline employees. But small automation can be applied to individual processes or tasks. For example, a company could put a bot in place to pull specific finance data from a spreadsheet and load it to the company’s ERP platform. Because such tools can be so targeted, they do not require institutional buy-in.

Small automation is also far more flexible than big automation. Traditionally, companies could not begin to capture gains from automation technology until they had standardized processes and databases that were accessible to a broad set of users, which could take years. Before the process itself could be implemented, committees had to agree on what the optimal processes were so employees at different sites would all execute that process the same way. Small automation, in contrast, does not depend on standardization. For example, intelligent process automation platform software such as machine learning can accommodate differences in terminology and other types of complexity, offering immediate gains. This software can also bring together multiple data sets in the cloud and allow for the use of more unstructured data.

Finally, the technologies enabling small automation are easily configurable and able to learn dynamically, rather than relying on predefined rules or programmers to write the perfect algorithm in advance. This allows companies to deploy small automation in environments where the input and output are highly variable, such as service centers that manage multiple forms of inquiry and require tailored responses. New automation technologies work with those variations, rather than requiring someone to manually process and standardize the data beforehand. For instance, a chatbot can learn about a company’s benefits plan — its various policies and protocols — and instantly provide answers to questions specific to an individual employee’s package.

Employees will be used to large-scale IT projects that overpromise and under-deliver. Demonstrating strong returns in a short time will convert the cynics.

Consider a company with multiple units and departments that buy products and services from different vendors. Management wants to bundle those purchases to reduce complexity and become more efficient, but because the purchases are made on different systems, the company has limited transparency regarding who’s buying what (or what they’re paying). The traditional, big automation solution: Standardize processes, data, and systems across the entire enterprise — a time-consuming and expensive undertaking.

Now contrast this scenario with a small automation approach. With a properly trained algorithm and a sufficiently sized historical data set, the company uses machine learning to identify patterns in the purchasing data — even when the data has inconsistencies — reducing redundant purchases and streamlining the entire process.

A machine could be tasked with sifting through historical data to determine which vendors for a particular service offer the best value: the best price, quality, delivery or financing terms, or some other metric. But the underlying information does not need to be standardized or even labeled consistently. One business unit might have categorized a vendor as providing “secretarial services,” another might have it as “administrative support,” and a third might call it “clerical contracting.” Machines are smart enough to scan the data and derive a synthetic master data model to see that those three terms all refer to the same service, group them together, and assess them accordingly.

Using existing data, in whatever form, machines also can spot historical patterns, determine how vendors have performed, recommend one vendor, and even make predictions about future transactions (for example, the potential volume discount a company can demand by bundling purchases for different units). And critically, all of this happens instantly: Buyers can direct their orders to the preferred supplier in real time, or the system can do that for them automatically. This wasn’t possible before, when the information was fractured across multiple ERPs.

The Small Automation Mind-Set

The distinctions between small automation and big automation offer companies a fundamentally different level of operational performance and cost. But adopting the small automation approach can be challenging at organizations where large-scale initiatives have long been the norm, because it requires a significant change in mind-set. Company leaders should start with the following three steps.

1. Focus on value. Because small automation can solve targeted problems, it’s up to company leaders to identify applications that offer the most potential value. Leaders must stay true to the promise of small automation and avoid getting overly ambitious in scope — for example, by aiming for the large-scale consolidation or standardization that employees have grown accustomed to. Employees will be used to projects that overpromise and under-deliver. Demonstrating strong returns in a short time will convert the cynics. Small automation projects typically happen in a series of sprints, and can be completed in 16 to 20 weeks.

2. Consider the future of work. Automation alone does not save money or improve performance: People and processes will also have to change. This is an area where there is understandable anxiety; automation stokes fears that machines will take people’s jobs. But our experience suggests that many of the tasks being automated are activities people tend not to want to undertake, such as spending half the day pulling and loading data. Or they are tasks for which small automation can actually improve people’s performance — for instance, by introducing predictive algorithms that help them make better decisions and free up their time for more rewarding, interesting, and higher-value-add activities.

This is an entirely new way of working, and company leaders will need to ensure that both they and their people have the right knowledge and skills — such as programming and data science knowledge and process improvement skills — to be successful. And they’ll need to ensure that everyone’s mind-set and behaviors also shift accordingly. People will need to be able to accurately align automation opportunities with fit-for-purpose automation types (big or small), accelerate time-to-value from automation by breaking solutions into minimum viable products, and incorporate predictive algorithms into real-time workflows to drive better decision making.

3. Take a big-picture view. The backbone of this new way of working is strategy. Companies need to know their own strengths. There will be “keep the lights on” activities that can become touchless, as well as differentiating activities that should become increasingly intelligent. Moreover, companies need to take a fresh look at their organizational structure to ensure that it gives teams the freedom to develop creative solutions and experiment. Small automation works well at the level of individual processes or tasks. To that end, the company should put some guardrails in place to ensure accountability, and then let business units and departments adopt the tools as they see fit.

Large-scale systems, though challenging to implement, have created troves of valuable data in nearly every corporate business unit and function. Now, with new technologies at the ready, companies can make this data work for them in ways that were mostly unheard of only two or three years ago. The next generation of automation is small.

Author Profiles:

  • Dan Priest is a thought leader in digital and technology strategy for Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting business. Based in Los Angeles, he is a principal with PwC US and is responsible for developing and executing digital strategies with clients across industries.

  • Kumar Krishnamurthy is a leading practitioner in IT strategies for Strategy&. Based in Chicago, he is a principal with PwC US. He works with global enterprises on technology strategy and operating model design, and enabling a productivity agenda leveraging automation.

  • Alex Blanter is a principal with PwC US, based in Silicon Valley. He is a leader in the firm’s product and operations team in the telecommunications, media, and telecom industry, working with companies on using emerging technologies to drive business value.

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These 2 Brothers Are Trying to Start a Revolution in Hat Head

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Jordan and Ian Kay want sports fans to embrace their superstitions with style.


4 min read


Last season on Elevator Pitch, brothers Jordan and Ian Kay wowed the judges with a high-energy pitch for their product, Rally Flip Cap, a double-billed hat with a flip-up feature that reveals a hidden logo or handwritten message. (Watch their pitch here.) We caught up with the dynamic duo to get their tips for pitching and fundraising, and to find out if America is, you know, flipping out for their hats.

How did the idea for Rally Flip Cap come about?

Jordan: In 2010, I was at a Dodger game when I had my “aha moment.” I noticed people were turning their hats inside out, wearing them to strike up a rally and cheer on their team. I love wearing hats and didn’t want to crease or mess up my hat. I said, “There has to be a better way,” and that’s how the concept came to fruition.

Ian (left) and Jordan Kay.

Is this your first product?

Ian: No. Since 2009 we’ve been working with our family business, Cisco Sales Corp., a product development and sourcing company. For over 41 years, our dad made products for other people.

Jordan: We have brought to market other items in-house such as the Digi-Piggy, a digital coin counting bank, and the 123 Miracle Sharpener, a 3-stage manual knife sharpener. Both of these items were design patented. The Rally Flip Cap has a utility patent.

Related: 8 Proven Habits for Ultimate Success

Tell us your biggest challenge selling this product.

Ian: Educating people about the option to flip up the top bill. Because our hat is the first of its kind, teaching people a new habit of separating the bills proved challenging.

How did you overcome it?  

Ian: We had to create the demand and show how useful our product is with the added value it brings. We documented our journey on @rallyflipcap social media accounts. 

Jordan: We always told ourselves, “If no one knows about us, no one will care.” We promoted Rally Flip Cap, exhibited at trade shows and wear them pretty much everywhere we go.

Ian: If you don’t market yourself, nobody will.

Related: Pitching Your Business to a Journalist? Here’s What Works.

How did you find funding?

Jordan: Cisco Sales Corp. invested into the research, development, molds, tooling and marketing. We’ve been bootstrapping.

Ian: Both of us invested sweat equity and personal savings into the venture and continue re-invest revenue back into building the brand.  

What have you learned about pitching?

Ian: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. It’s important to practice and refine your pitch.

Jordan: Always make sure you have eye contact with whomever you are pitching to, even if it’s into a camera.

Ian: When you truly believe in what you are doing, you will come off as more genuine.

Can you please give us a couple of dos and don’ts for pitching?

Jordan: Don’t wing it. Practice your pitch in public and get outside your comfort zone.

Ian: Get feedback from family members, friends — and strangers. Focus on pitching the value of your product or service. Be authentic and confident in whatever you are promoting.

What keeps you motivated during tough times?

Jordan: We respect and love the game of entrepreneurship.

Ian: We’re grateful to be alive and motivated by taking action.

Jordan:  We enjoy speaking our truth while being ourselves. We will continue to inspire and help people to accept adversity by taking the challenges of life head-on.

Ian: We enjoy the process of building and learning, and believe in the power of positive thoughts manifesting. We continue to find creative ways to solve and prevent problems; however, without problems there is no business.

Final piece of advice for anyone out there who has an idea but hasn’t gotten it off the ground yet?

Jordan: If you don’t care about your idea or service, no one will. Share your ideas openly with others and be able to take constructive criticism.

Ian: Be aware of your strengths or skill sets. It’s never too late to start something. Go into the experience knowing that you will have setbacks and failures, which are stepping stones to success. It’s better to try and fail than it is to have never tried at all.

 

 

 



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1 in 4 Organizations Using Public Cloud Services Experience Data Theft, McAfee Reports

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McAfee’s third annual cloud adoption and security report says 97 percent of organizations, including small businesses, now use cloud services from public, private, or a combination of both platforms. The bad news is 1-in-4 of organizations using the public cloud have experienced data theft.

2018 Cloud Adoption and Security Report

The McAfee report, “Navigating a Cloudy Sky: Practical Guidance and the State of Cloud Security,” looks at the state of cloud adoption and the challenges organizations face in protecting their digital assets. This year’s report also addresses concerns with private and public cloud services and the impact of Shadow IT. The term refers to IT resources built and used within an organization but without its explicit approval.

With cloud adoption nearing 100 percent, the technology is being used by organizations of all sizes. This includes small businesses who are beginning to appreciate the full benefit of cloud computing despite the risks.

In a press release, Rajiv Gupta, senior vice president of the cloud security business unit for McAfee, explains how businesses counteract the risk by having the right security protocols in place. Gypta says, “By implementing security measures that allow organizations to regain visibility and control of their data in the cloud, businesses can leverage the cloud to accelerate their business and improve the security of their data.”

The survey for the report was carried out between October and December of 2017 with the participation of 1,400 IT professionals. McAfee said a diverse set of industries and organization sizes across 11 countries took part in the survey.

Data Theft

When it comes to data theft, it is the number one concern of the IT professionals who were surveyed. This is because more than 25 percent of the IaaS and SaaS users have fallen victim.

McAfee attributes the problem to a shortage of security skills. Only 24 percent of the respondents said they are not facing skill shortages. This means 76 percent are experiencing different levels of shortages in cybersecurity skills.

Other Data Points

Asked what type of data these organizations store in the public cloud, 83 percent said they store sensitive information and 69 percent indicated they trust these public platforms to keep their sensitive data secure.

Again, this is despite the fact 1 in 4 organizations (or 25 percent) have suffered data theft while using the public cloud, and 1 in 5 have seen advanced attacks against their public cloud infrastructure.

You can download the full report here.

Best Practices and Recommendations

  • As the result of the study, McAfee has come up with three best practices organizations should adopt to ensure the security of their cloud infrastructure:Improve code quality and reduce exploits and vulnerabilities with DevOps and DevSecOps and Integrating development, quality assurance, and security processes within the business unit or application team.
  • Automate with tools such as Chef, Puppet or Ansible. (McAfee says use of these tools is fundamental to modern IT operations. The same tools should be used when migrating to the cloud, the company says.)
  • Move away from multiple management tools and deploy a unified management platform across multiple clouds to reduce the complexity and cost while increasing security.

The Cloud Has More Benefits Than Risks

Still, when all is said and done, the cloud offers too many benefits to ignore. Ninety percent of respondents trust it more now than they did a year ago. This is attributed to an increased knowledge of cloud technology. Native security and third-party integration for commercial security technologies have also made cloud technology safer as has an increased sense of responsibility by all parties involved.

Images: McAfee

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The Future of Augmented Reality (Infographic)

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This innovative technology is disrupting nearly every industry.


2 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


When you think of augmented reality, Pokémon Go might be the first thing to come to mind. But AR isn’t just for games. This innovative tech is making an impact on a number of industries.

Related: 3 Ways Augmented Reality Will Find Its Way Into Your Life 

According to recent research by Lumus Vision, while AR video games are expected to reach potential revenues of $11.6 billion by 2025, other industries are not far behind. By 2025, the AR and virtual reality space in the healthcare industry is predicted to reach $5.1 billion, engineering $4.7 billion, real estate $2.6 billion and retail $1.6 billion.

Related: The Augmented Reality Workforce is Coming — Here’s What You Need to Know

When it comes to real estate and home improvement, one of the biggest obstacles people face is not being able to visualize their new home. In 2016, 51 percent of consumers said they put off home improvements because they couldn’t imagine what the finished product would look like. AR and VR are potential solutions. With VR, people can take a virtual tour through a potential home, and with AR they can place various furniture items in a room to get a glimpse of what it’d look like.

Related: 3 Brands’ Different Approaches to Augmented Reality

Retail is also an exciting industry when it comes to AR. For example, AR in retail can help people imagine various outfits on them before actually buying. Seventy-one percent of consumers say they would be more likely to shop at a store if AR were offered, and 61 percent would choose a store with AR experiences over a store without.

To learn more, check out Lumus Vision’s infographic below.

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Contribute to our Big List of National Small Business Week 2012 Events

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National Small Business Week runs from April 29 to May 5, 2018.

As a co-sponsor of the event, Small Business Trends (SBT) is putting together a Big List of events and offers of interest to the small business community in commemoration of this week set aside to celebrate U.S small businesses.

If you are taking part in the week-long celebration by hosting an event to go along with National Small Business Week 2018, please let us know and we’ll share your event with our community.

The event can be anything from special promotions and sales to commemorate the week, to live or online events. The goal is to support fellow small business owners with valuable information so they can continue to grow.

You can also take a look at the U.S. Small Business Administration site for more information and additional events here.

The Big List will be updated until the National Small Business Week 2018 takes place, so make sure you get in touch with us as soon as possible by emailing your information at [email protected]

 

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Big List of National Small Business Week 2018 Events
April 26 2018, Online

National Small Business Week is fast approaching. The annual event is being held from April 29 through May 5, 2018. And we know there are lots of special events to celebrate the week.

This year, again, Small Business Trends has the honor and distinction of being a co-sponsor of the event.

So, we’re putting together a Big List of National Small Business Week events and offers. This list will reach small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country on the Small Business Trends website. Share your event.

DigiMarCon East 2018 - Digital Marketing ConferenceDigiMarCon East 2018 – Digital Marketing Conference
May 10, 2018, New York, New York

DigiMarCon East 2018 Digital Marketing Conference takes place May 10th to 11th, 2018 at the luxurious New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York City.
It’s the one digital marketing event you can’t afford to miss! Whether your goal is to reinforce customer loyalty, improve lead generation, increase sales, or drive stronger consumer engagement, DigiMarCon East 2018’s agenda will help attendees enhance their marketing efforts. Sessions will focus on building traffic, expanding brand awareness, improving customer service and gaining insight into today’s latest digital tools. Register today!

WEBINAR: Small Business Doesn’t Mean Small Security: 3 Major Threats You Need to CombatWEBINAR: Small Business Doesn’t Mean Small Security: 3 Major Threats You Need to Combat
May 16, 2018, Online

Data breaches, inventory shrinkage, theft, oh my. On average, data breaches cost $3.62 million per breach and stolen customer data costs $141 per record. And inventory shrinkage in the United States is a $60 billion a year problem. Believe it or not, your business exists within both of those realities. Do you know who is accessing your most valuable assets and sensitive information? Do you know what your employees do when you are not physically onsite? On May 16, 2018, at 2PM ET join Nicki Saffell, Senior Security Consultant at Brivo, Sara Polon, Owner of Soupergirl, a DC area small business, and Anita Campbell, Founder and CEO of Small Business Trends, for a discussion on these challenges and discover modern ways to combat these threats – including electronic access control.

TECHSPO Houston 2018TECHSPO Houston 2018
June 06, 2018, Houston, Texas

TECHSPO Houston 2018 is a 2-day technology expo which takes place JUNE 6 – 7, 2018 at the luxurious Houston Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel in Houston, Ontario. TECHSPO Houston brings together developers, brands, marketers, technology providers, designers, innovators and evangelists looking to set the pace in our advanced world of technology. TECHSPO Houston 2018 promises to be better than ever and we’re excited to see all the amazing tech companies and talent that will join us. Register today!

Growth & Success ConGrowth & Success Con
September 17, 2018, Online

This small business virtual conference is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs at all stages who are stuck in the daily grind of building their businesses and struggle to get solid advice and guidance. An amazing panel of experts in various disciplines and business coaches will share tips & tricks on topics including Growth, Marketing, Management & Business Building for Success. Register today!

More Events

  • PATCA Consultants Networking Lunch-South Bay
    April 24, 2018, Sunnyvale, CA
  • Create a Powerful Brand and Connect with Customers
    April 24, 2018, Online
  • Business Networking for Professional Success
    April 25, 2018, New York, NY
  • VR Franchise Seminar – Experience the only VR platform for Franchising 2018
    April 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA
  • SearchCon 2018 Digital Marketing & SEO Conference
    April 25, 2018, Breckenridge, CO
  • The Sixth International Conference on Digital Information, Networking, and Wireless Communications (DINWC2018)
    April 25, 2018, Beirut, Lebanon
  • CHICAGO BLOCKCHAIN CONFERENCE 2018
    April 27, 2018, Online
  • Free East Cooper Networking Event powered by Rockstar Connect
    May 01, 2018, Mount Pleasant, SC
  • Free Roseville Networking Event powered by Rockstar Connect
    May 01, 2018, Roseville, CA
  • Business Inc.
    May 02, 2018, Toronto, Canada
  • Small Business Expo 2018 – NEW YORK CITY
    May 03, 2018, Online
  • New York’s Biggest One Day MBA Fair (Free)
    May 05, 2018, New York, NY
  • Manufacturing Leadership Forum USA
    May 06, 2018, Atlanta, GA
  • WSJ Future of Everything Festival
    May 08, 2018, New York, United States
  • TECHSPO New York 2018
    May 10, 2018, New York, New York
  • Energy Risk USA 2018 | Houston
    May 14, 2018, Houston, TX
  • Experiential Marketing Summit 2018
    May 14, 2018, Online
  • Chief Learning Officer Forum, Spring 2018
    May 15, 2018, San Francisco, United States
  • The Business Show 2018
    May 16, 2018, London, London
  • AM Days
    May 16, 2018, Las Vegas, United States

More Contests

  • Public Vote to Crown America’s Most Unique Small Business Underway
    November 08, 2018, http://www.paychex.com/vote?utm_source=contest&utm_medium=press%20release&utm_term=americas-most-unique

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.

Photo via Shutterstock

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Top 10 Reasons to Rebrand Your Business (Infographic)

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In order to grow, sometimes you’ve got to go back to the drawing board.


2 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Businesses often need to rebrand, and it can be a result of many reasons, including international growth, new management, a bad reputation or an outdated image. Whatever the reason, it’s important to create a stellar brand that people will remember.

Related: The 8 Must-Follow Rules for Rebranding Your Company 

Because of internationalization, Raider changed its name to Twix. If you plan to grow internationally, it’s incredibly important to choose a brand name that’s adaptable and appealing to cultures worldwide.

Walmart, known for its low prices, is also a prime example of a major company that wanted to reposition itself in the market. However, instead of changing its name, the company simply changed its slogan from “Always low prices” to “Save money, live better.”

Related: 5 Signs It’s Time to Rebrand Your Company

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he changed Apple’s rainbow logo to a sleek metallic one. Keeping up with trends, changing times and his vision for Apple’s future, Jobs’s rebrand worked well and aligned with the company’s brand of offering minimalistic, contemporary products.

Related: The 3 Fundamentals for a Successful Rebrand

If you’re planning to rebrand your business, it’s important to think about what will help your company grow. To learn more, check out Custom Logo Shop’s infographic below for the top 10 reasons to rebrand your business.

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