April
11, 2019

4 min read

Opinions expressed by Green Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Last February, the Idaho State police pulled over a truck carrying 6,701 pounds of hemp and promptly seized it, allegedly claiming it was marijuana. Now the cultivators of that hemp, Big Sky Scientific, are suing the police, the county, and an attorney. If you’ve been following hemp news recently, then you have probably seen a few of these stories surfacing. Cops across the country seem to be mistaking legal industrial hemp with illegal marijuana (at least in some states like Idaho).. 

So what gives? Here’s why cops may keep confusing hemp for marijuana, and how to tell the difference.

Related: 5 Other Uses for Hemp You May Not Know About

The similarities

Before we can talk about why hemp and marijuana are different, let’s talk about how the two plants are similar. Both hemp and marijuana are members of the genus Cannabis. There are three distinct species of Cannabis: Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis. What we refer to as marijuana belongs in both the Sativa and Indica family. Hemp, on the other hand, is solely a member of the Sativa species.

Both hemp and marijuana have similar smells, and to the untrained eye look very similar. This is especially true if you look at a side-by-side comparison of hemp and marijuana flower.

Here’s a picture of hemp flower:

Image credit: picture alliance | Getty Images

And here’s a picture of marijuana flower:

Image credit: rocksunderwater | Getty Images

The differences

To the untrained eye, hemp and marijuana can look similar, but there are some key differences. Hemp leaves look skinny while marijuana leaves often have a much broader appearance. Additionally, marijuana plants often look like a short bush while hemp plants look tall and skinny with most of the leaves growing at the top. That is not to say that marijuana plants can’t reach tall heights, but even the biggest plant will still have that bushy appearance.

To help give you a better visual, here’s a graphic showing the differences, courtesy of the Ministry of Hemp:

 

 

However, the most significant difference between hemp and marijuana is their chemical composition. Hemp plants contain a variable amount of the compounds CBD and typically less than 1 percent THC. The legal definition of hemp is that it must contain 0.3 percent THC or less, but some hemp plants will go over that percentage. Marijuana, on the other hand, typically contains 5 percent THC or more.

A business opportunity

One reason why cops keep confusing hemp for marijuana comes down to education and training. Ever since the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, hemp and marijuana have legally been considered the same substance. Consequently, law enforcement has never taken the time to learn how to distinguish the two plants; and why would they? If both hemp and marijuana are considered the same plant under the law, why bother learning the difference?

Even though the 2018 Farm Bill changed that legal definition, law enforcement has yet to change with it. Not only are police officers often unable to tell the difference between hemp and marijuana, but the equipment they use to determine marijuana is antiquated. Most roadside marijuana detection kits are designed to detect the mere presence of THC but not the concentration.

At the moment, there is no way for law enforcement to tell the difference between legal hemp and marijuana, but that may soon change. Earlier this year, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued a notice that they are seeking companies that can provide test kits capable of telling the difference between hemp and marijuana. With any luck, an enterprising entrepreneur will come up with a device that allows the DEA to quickly resolve the issue and put to rest the long history confusing hemp for marijuana.

April
9, 2019

8 min read

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

There’s no rest for the weary — and that’s truer than ever in the present day. It seems everyone is fiending for a good night’s rest. If you’ve relegated great sleep to your bucket list, don’t fret: we’ve got you covered with 10 handy sleep hacks below. 

Besides our top picks for each category, we’ve also thrown in a couple of alternatives, in case you’re hankering for some variety.

10. Pillows 

Our Choice: Coop Home Goods – Eden Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

The Eden Shredded Memory Foam Pillow features breathable fabric plus cooling memory foam, which means sweaty bed head will no longer plague you. It’s calibrated for maximum support and comfort, and the secret is in its construction: the foam is shredded into cross-cut pieces and blended with poly fibers, which eliminates clumping and increases airflow. Bonus points for customizability: you can open the pillow up to add or remove as much memory foam as you’d like.

You can now get this premium pillow for $79.99.

Alternatives:

9. Sleep Mask

Our Choice: Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

This sleep mask is a pure luxury: it’s made of 100% top-quality silk sewn on both sides. It’s breathable and silky smooth, plus hypoallergenic to boot (perfect for anyone with skin sensitivities or allergies). Easily adjust the tangle-free headband, keep it in place thanks to the snug adjuster, and you’re set for the night. Bonus points: this mask boasts the coveted Amazon’s Choice distinction, on top of a 4.5 out of 5-star rating with 10,000+ customer reviews.

It’s just $9.99 right now, and you can choose from 13 color options.

Alternatives:

8. Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock by Philips

Our Choice: Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with Sunrise Simulation

Clocking in with a light intensity of 200 lux, this lamp is clinically proven to boost your sleep quality and well-being. The secret is its natural light alarm, which is designed to mimic the sunrise — gently rousing you from bed. Other goodies include a snooze function and ten brightness settings, and the 90-day money back guarantee from Philips doesn’t hurt, either.

This alarm clock normally retails for $49.99, but you can grab it now for just $42.50 (or buy it open box for $38.13).

Alternatives: 

7. White Noise Sound Machine

Our Choice: Big Red Rooster White Noise Machine

If noise is the biggest factor in your sleep quality, here’s an easy way to ensure uninterrupted sleep. This portable white noise machine is perfect for easy usability, boasting six natural sleep sounds — rain, brook, ocean, etc. — that work to mask distracting background noises. Before hopping into bed, set the timer for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. Oh, and this is an Amazon’s Choice product with 4.2 stars out of 5 from a whopping 7,890 reviews.

The Big Red Rooster is valued at $29.99, but you can get it for just $19.99.

Alternatives:

6. Memory Foam Mattress

Our Choice: Leesa Multilayer Foam Mattress

Not all mattresses are created equal, and this multilayer foam mattress from Lessa proves it. It’s designed to cool, contour, support, and relieve pressure — giving you the sensation of sleeping on air. Tons of publications have given it the number one mattress distinction, including Wirecutter and Apartment Therapy. Trying it out is risk-free, too: shoppers can take advantage of a 100-night trial, plus free shipping and returns.

Choose from two affordable payment options: pay $845 upfront for it or just $47/month with the payment plan.

Alternatives:

5. Bed Sheets

Our Choice: L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set

These high-quality bed sheets are woven from long-staple Pima cotton yams, imbuing them with a silky smooth touch for optimal sleeping comfort. In each set, you’ll get a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases (note: the twin set includes one pillowcase). Choose from one of eight easy-to-coordinate colors, and as an added bonus — take advantage of free shipping.

These start at $109 for a Twin set, and Full, Queen, and King options are available as well.

Alternatives:

4. Essential Oil Diffuser

Our Choice: URPOWER Essential Oil Diffuser

This handy diffuser is an easy way to keep the air in your bedroom moist and comfortable for optimal sleeping conditions. It operates quietly, produces scented mist to eliminate dryness, and automatically shuts off when it runs out of water. Plus, it comes with a groovy seven-color lamp feature. The ratings don’t lie: not only is it an Amazon’s Choice product, but it also boasts 4.5 stars out of 5 with over 31,800(!) reviews.

It’s normally listed at $24.99, but you can grab it for just $15.99 today — and choose from one of four colors.

Alternatives:

3. Blackout Drapes 

Our Choice: NiceTOWN Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtains

These two-panel, wrinkle-free blackout curtains are designed to shut out any sunlight that might prematurely rouse you in the early dawn (or during a midday nap). They’ll shut out up to 99% of all light and UV rays, insulate beautifully against heat and chill alike and reduce external noise with their built-in triple weave technology. Choose from one of 17 color options, and if you’re serious about light reduction — we recommend selecting one of the dark color curtains.

You can snag one for just $18.99.

Alternatives: 

2. Mattress Topper

Our Choice: Linenspa 2-Inch Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Not looking to replace your bed, but want to make it more comfortable? This two-inch thick gel memory foam mattress topper is a great solution. It’s infused with gel material designed to prevent overheating, and the memory foam is designed for even weight distribution — conforming to curves and alleviating pressure points that might distract from a full night’s sleep. 

You can get this premium mattress topper for $56.99 for the Queen size, or choose from the Twin, Twin XL, Full, King, and California King size options.

Alternatives:

1. Humidifier

Our Choice: Honeywell HCM350W Mist Humidifier

This humidifier not only adds cool moisture to dry air: it utilizes UV technology to kill 99.9% of all bacteria in the water. Its proprietary Evaporative Technology works by blowing moisture off a wicking filter, eliminating the risk of over-humidifying. It’s an easy way to keep humidity levels in your home in the optimal 40-60% levels — especially perfect when you’re trying to get some shuteye in dry weather, during allergy season, or when you’re sick.

You can get this humidifer for $63.99 right now — or if you prefer, buy it used for $50.11.

Alternatives:

April
8, 2019

5 min read

Did your parents ever tell that video games would rot your brain? Did they also mention that video games could also make you fabulously wealthy?

Nick Overton makes a killing, literally and figuratively, as a professional Fortnite player. Last year, the 27 year old from Iowa better known in gaming circles as “Marksman” left a long trail of dead digital competitors in his wake — and made $500,000 in the process.

Entrepreneur caught up with the sharp-eyed assassin in advance of his appearance with other members of his esports team Counter Logic Gaming at the Newegg + CLG Fortnite Challenge, a Fortnite event being held at The Hulu Theater at MSG in New York City on April 24. The event, free to the public, will feature pro players, celebrities and amateurs putting their skills on full display. One lucky fan will have the chance to take home a “Game Like a Pro” package. (Get free tix here.)

Read on to learn what Marksman says it takes to become a professional gamer (spoiler alert: lots and lots of practice) and the unexpected obstacle that nearly derailed his career before it even started.

How do people react when you tell them that you are a professional video game player?

Usually, they’re intrigued. They’ve either heard of people who play games for a living or they’ve never heard of it and have no idea it could be done. Those people are usually in the older crowd, and question why anyone would want to watch someone else play a video game.

Were your family and friends supportive?

My friends were always cool with what I did since I kept it as a hobby for a long time before it ever became my job/career. My parents were a different story. They hated that I played so many games when I was younger. They’d take my controller/power chord from me and hold it ransom all the time. They did it enough times that when I was 12, my Dad took my Xbox and all the games and sold it on Craigslist while I was at school. I got home and didn’t have any gaming console anymore.

Related: The ‘Fortnite’ dance lawsuits are close to falling apart

Ouch! They’re probably not doing that anymore. How much money can a professional player expect to make a year?

This number fluctuates a lot! You have professional players in some games making around $20,000-$30,000 a year, while pros in some other higher-priority games make millions. It really boils down to how good you are, what game you’re competing in, and do you stream or create monetizable content in any way.

Where does that money come from? Prizes, advertising, sponsorship?

Money comes from a lot of different sources. You generate income from tournament winnings, sponsors, advertising played over your stream or YouTube videos, channel subscriptions on Twitch and fans who donate to say thank you for the content you provide.

What kind of training does it require? Are you playing for hours every day?

If you want to get really good at anything, it requires practice. Most pro players in Fortnite play for 5-10 hours a day consistently. Not all of that time is dedicated to hardcore practice, but a fair amount is. They need to practice their mechanical skills and decision making while playing. The best way to do that is to put yourselves into as many situations as possible and try different things to see what works best. The game is consistently updated though, so what works today may not work tomorrow.

Related: The CEO Behind ‘Fortnite’ Is Now Worth More Than $7 Billion

What first steps should someone who wants to be a pro gamer take? How do you break into this field?

This is one of the easiest and most difficult jobs to get into. Here’s why: pretty much anyone can become a pro in a game they love to play. It doesn’t take years of schooling to start, it doesn’t take a ton of upfront capital to get into. It’s very open and easily accessible. But it is very difficult to be in the top .0001% of players worldwide. That goes for almost every game. You have to play a crazy amount and really try to improve and win.

How do you explain Fortnite‘s insane popularity?

There’s a lot of reasons Fortnite has become successful. The game is pretty well made in comparison to its competition of other Battle Royales. It’s completely free to download and play, available on basically every platform, and it’s catered to kids and adults. It’s a shooting game but, there’s no blood or gory deaths in it. It also brought something new to the Battle Royale genre which was the building aspect, where you could create your own cover. It adds a lot of strategy and skill into the game where other Battle Royale games were mainly just about your aim and positioning.

Related: 3 Things Every Business Leader Should Know About Esports

How did you go about building your personal brand? What did you do to separate yourself from other players?

I spent years creating content on YouTube and live streaming gameplay to help grow my own brand and channels. I always tried to separate myself by showing high-end gameplay with informative content to help others improve. Then I added in a lot of funny content to add some diversity. I’ve always tried to do stuff that others aren’t doing to attract people though. Using interesting strategies, combinations of weapons or doing crazy plays that people would almost never be able to pull off. That’s helped to draw people in and keep them around.

April
3, 2019

8 min read

This story appears in the
April 2019
issue of
Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

When Mariam Naficy launched Minted in 2008, she wanted to create a niche business, one that would crowdsource stationery designs from independent artists, ask consumers to vote for their favorites, produce and sell the best-performing creations and share a portion of revenue with the original designers.

But Naficy underestimated consumers’ interest in what she was building, and she soon found herself at the helm of a massive venture-backed design platform that was growing far beyond her original vision. So she rolled with it — adapting right alongside her company.

Now Minted’s team is 400 strong and the company is generating revenue in the “hundreds of millions of dollars.” Naficy spoke with Entrepreneur about how she’s letting the business lead the way, carefully selecting strategic partners and building a team that doesn’t require hand-holding.

Minted has been in business for 11 years. Talk to me about your original vision when you started working on it in 2007.

I was captivated by the idea of bloggers. These unknown writers were coming from nowhere, were unaffiliated with big institutions, but people wanted to read their work. I thought it was fascinating, and thought that there probably were great designers out there that the internet could also help uncover — people who are deserving but don’t know how to get their work to market. I thought that crowdsourcing designs and holding competitions was the way to do it. I raised a small round from friends and family, and we launched in 2008.

And what happened?

Not a thing sold. Not one sale for four weeks — after building this business for a year. I had launched an ecom business before — Eve.com — and products flew off the shelves immediately. But with Minted, I seriously had to consider pulling the plug. Some of my friends-and-family investors encouraged me to raise a venture round. I felt so responsible having their money on the line, so I did, reluctantly — I didn’t want any strings with this business — nut it basically saved us and gave us time.

Related: 4 Simple Ways to Use Social Media to Find ‘Warm’ Ecommerce Customers

Why do you think Minted ultimately worked?

We launched right before Instagram and Pinterest, both of which really changed the way people interact with design. Barn weddings became all the rage, for example, so our design community could just go to town, creating invitations with, say, fireflies coming out of a jar. That was wind in our sails. And oddly, the recession helped. Consumers became more interested in artisanal products than expensive brand names. And a lot of artists were out of work.

When did you really feel like you had something?

Our very first Christmas. We had such an influx of orders that we quickly hit our maximum throughput capacity and had to shut off all of our online marketing, just to slow down incoming requests. We got a call from a woman who waited on hold for two hours, and when I finally spoke to her, she said she’d been trying to track us down because she saw an ad on Google yesterday but couldn’t find it today — because we turned off paid search. I was like, Who would wait two hours to order a card? But I knew we had a real audience. And of course, we took her order.

Other than the fact that designers were hungry for work, how did you attract them to this new community?

We tried to provide validation and built a peer-critique model. During the submission process, designers can choose to get feedback and make changes before their submission gets locked in. The designs that are peer-critiqued generally score 25 percent higher than those that haven’t received feedback.

Related: Amazon Is so Powerful That Big Companies Are Producing Exclusive Brands Just for the Site

Has that helped them create their own relationships within the community?

As designer was just telling me today, a lot of designers struggle with mental health because it can be a really isolating career and there’s not a lot of validation or feedback once they leave school. So, we are bringing people together. Lately, we’ve received a lot of requests for collaboration tools that will allow them to work together and share revenues, so that’s an area we’re looking at.

Image Credit: Elizabeth Fall

You’re working more and more with large retail brands like West Elm and Target. How do you select partners?

We saw retailers copying us a lot, using us as “inspiration.” They’d actually say that: “We come to you for inspiration all the time.” But some retailers were aboveboard and asked to carry or license our designs. West Elm was the first, and they’re very artist-friendly. At the end of the day, we’re a content pipeline, and we have more content than we need. But the challenge has been where to put it — we don’t want Minted to be everywhere. So, we’ve also started alternate brands, like Pippa, which will be distributed to more mass-market stores.

You raised a $208 million Series E in December. That’s a serious number. What was your approach?

At the first stage of a business when you’re raising money, you’re selling hope, not reality, so in some ways it’s easier. At this stage, it’s all about the numbers. The people you’re talking to literally spend millions of dollars just evaluating and closing the investment. It’s a production. But I’ve raised about $330 million in my career, and I’ve learned one thing: You have to focus on your intuition. Do you trust these investors, and is there value-add? For example, Henry Ellenbogen from T. Rowe Price is a great strategic thinker, and very into branding for a financial investor, so that’s super value-add. [Editor’s note: Ellenbogen has since left T. Rowe Price to launch his own venture.]

I always hear great things about him.

He recently gave me a great piece of advice that I’ve put into practice: Out of all your direct reports, have two that you’re focused on developing. You’re never going to have time to develop your entire staff —  you have to hire people who have already seen the scale you’re at. But pick two who haven’t seen the scale, and mentor them.

Related: Vegan Celebrity Chef Chloe Coscarelli Says Entrepreneurs Should Push for Change Even When No One Believes in Them

That’s probably really helpful once you’re working with a team of this size.

We have about 400 employees, and it’s tricky to build as we move into new categories. When do you hire full-time employees against a new idea? You don’t want to necessarily build a team before you know if something will be successful. I was studying how Steve Jobs formed Apple retail. He hired Ron Johnson, they figured it out together; and then he immediately delegated [that division] to Ron, rather than setting up retail and then having to hire someone.

Is that your approach now?

I’m looking at potentially launching physical stores, so I’m facing this conundrum: I’ve got to hire someone and entrepreneur this with them so they can take the reins and I can focus on other areas. Our recent capital raise will help. That’s been another critical learning: Being cheap is not always the answer. You will hurt yourself by being too profitability focused. There is a point where you have to invest ahead of the data.

After more than a decade building the Minted community and model, you’re sitting on a ton of data. How does that drive the business?

It gives us the road map. It’s predictive analytics. It’s been 10 years of [collecting data on] what segments of people — based on things like age groups or socioeconomic factors —  are more predictive [voters] for which product categories. And then we use a look-alike model. So, if someone has the same attributes as someone who successfully voted in the past, that’s the person we’re trying to get to vote in this new competition, and we weigh those votes more heavily. We’ve scaled the production of best-selling design hits, creating a retail brand that is literally on-trend every year.

That’s a big leap from your original vision.

I thought I founded a cash-flow stationery retailer, but it’s really a content studio. The business has shown me the way. It’s unrecognizable from where we started. I don’t blame anybody who didn’t invest in us in the first round, because we had no idea this was going to happen.

April
1, 2019

2 min read

This story originally appeared on Glassdoor

Salary negotiation doesn’t have to feel uncertain or intimidating. As long as you’ve done research to learn a realistic salary range to ask for and have a plan in place for navigating the negotiation, there’s nothing to worry about.

In our eBook “How to Negotiate Your Salary” we offer tips will also help you to have effective salary negotiations:

1. Have a salary range rather than a single figure.

When pressed for your salary requirements, you should always be sure to offer a range based on what others in the field are earning, rather than a single fixed number.

2. Don’t sell yourself short.

One common mistake when talking about the previous salary is forgetting to include benefits as part of your total compensation, said author Don Hurzeler. For example, if you are earning $100,000 a year with a 20 percent bonus plus health, dental and other incidental benefits, you should answer the question by saying, “$120,000 plus generous benefits.”

3. Practice your pitch at least once before the actual negotiation.

Find someone to listen to your proposal for a salary increase, so you can feel the cadence of your speaking points out loud in a conversational setting.

4. Be gracious.

No matter the outcome, be understanding, appreciative and thankful for the opportunity.

5. Be confident in your delivery.

It’s extremely important to put on your game face when it comes time to negotiate.

6. Avoid accepting the first offer.

If you need time to evaluate an offer, say so. Schedule your next meeting 24 to 48 hours out and come back with your counteroffer.

Before your next salary negotiation — whether for a new job or as your lobby for a promotion — learn what to say, how to make a strong case, anticipate your manager’s questions and ultimately seal the deal.

March
26, 2019

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are fun, casual, fast-paced and flashy, all of which is perfect if you’re in an industry like beauty, apparel or fitness. No wonder marketers flock to use these platforms, to increase their brand awareness and boost sales.

But for B2B businesses, audiences aren’t typically hanging out on those platforms — instead, they’re on LinkedIn.

Related: What Marketers Need to Know About LinkedIn

So, if you lead one of these businesses, use this information, because LinkedIn isn’t just for networking. You can use the platform to market your B2B and generate qualified leads that you can then convert into clients or customers. In fact, according to LinkedIn’s claims, 80 percent of B2B marketing leads from social media come through LinkedIn.

But, hold on … you can’t just start connecting with professionals and expect your sales to go through the roof. So, how do you proceed? Here are some strategies on how to use LinkedIn for effective B2B marketing.

1. Optimize your company page for leads.

The first step to using LinkedIn for effective B2B marketing is to create a company page. But don’t treat your LinkedIn company page as merely a simple business listing that displays your company info, address, website, etc. Your LinkedIn company page needs to be optimized to generate leads for you.

To do that, start publishing and sharing fresh, engaging content. Publishing content will not only present your company as an expert in your industry but might also attract more of your target audience members to your company page and encourage them to visit your website and make a purchase.

While publishing written content and sharing blog posts can work, don’t forget about video. Videos on LinkedIn stand out in the feed and perform extremely well. In fact, in a report from Aberdeen Group, companies studied that used video grew their revenue 49 percent faster year-over-year than companies without it.

Take a look at this example from Amazon Business’s LinkedIn page. The company shared this video showcasing how small businesses are using its credentialing program to gain exposure and include a call to action, so other businesses can do the same.

Image Source: LinkedIn 

You don’t need to hire a production company to create a winning marketing video for LinkedIn, either. Many business owners and entrepreneurs find great success just by using their smartphones to film themselves giving great advice or sharing a business-related story.

Related: 4 Reasons LinkedIn Has Become Indispensable to Business Leaders

2. Take advantage of LinkedIn ads.

To cast an even wider net, take advantage of LinkedIn ads. As a B2B business, you want to spend your marketing dollars where your potential clients are, and that’s on LinkedIn rather than Instagram or Facebook. In fact, according to LinkedIn, 92 percent of B2B marketers leverage LinkedIn over all other social platforms.

With LinkedIn Sponsored Content and LinkedIn Video ads, you can take your regular LinkedIn posts and videos and push them to even more businesses that might be interested in your products/services. These ads can be displayed right in the LinkedIn feed, so they look more natural, as illustrated by the example below from SurveyMonkey.

Image Source: (Screenshot) LinkedIn

There are over 560 million active professionals on LinkedIn, according to the platform; and with ads, you can target the people you want to reach by job title, function and industry to increase brand awareness as well as generate qualified leads for your company. Plus, you can use LinkedIn Sponsored Content ads using the platform’s Lead Gen Forms tool to collect even more qualified leads.

This tool allows you to add a seamless form to your ad that is pre-filled with the user’s profile data so this individual can go from user to lead in just a couple of clicks.

Just remember: When creating sponsored content or video ads, include a clear call to action; that way, when users see your ad, they’ll know exactly where to go and what to do.

3. Use LinkedIn Sponsored InMail.

Aside from Sponsored Content and Text Ads, you can also use LinkedIn Sponsored InMail to send direct messages to professionals in your target audience. Since LinkedIn Sponsored InMail is sent from someone within your company, not from the company itself, this channel offers a more personal touch. It also allows you to build more meaningful relationships with your potential clients because they’ll more likely open a message from a real person, versus a message coming from a company.  

LinkedIn’s Sponsored InMail has some other great features to ensure that your message gets opened and read as well. For instance, these messages are delivered only when users are active on LinkedIn. Plus, they have strict delivery frequency caps that can guarantee your message gets noticed.

Just be sure that when sending Sponsored InMail:

1. It’s relevant to your target audience; ask yourself, “Why would my audience read this?”
2. It’s personal, genuine and conversational — not brochure-like or salesy.
3. It clearly outlines the benefits to the member for engaging with the message and includes a clear call to action.

Over to you.

Don’t use LinkedIn just to grow your personal brand; use it to grow your business, too. With these tips for using LinkedIn for effective B2B marketing, you can easily discover more businesses that could benefit from what you’re offering.

Related: 5 Ways to Turn Your LinkedIn Connections Into Paying Clients in 2019

Brand awareness isn’t the only benefit from using the platform, either. You can actually use LinkedIn to generate high-quality leads that will bring in cold, hard cash for your company. And that’s always welcome, right?

March
25, 2019

4 min read

Jesse Merrill spends a lot of time thinking about cottage cheese.

“Cottage cheese is so versatile,” he said. “Cottage cheese adds a high quality, clean protein boost to any recipe that you’re making. We make cottage cheese lasagna, cottage cheese smoothies, cottage cheese baked ziti. I put cottage cheese in my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It tastes good on everything.”

Odds are, you never think about, much less eat, cottage cheese. Once a staple food of dieters, the curdy dairy product has fallen out of favor with Americans, overtaken by yogurt and Greek yogurt. According to market research company Mintel, yogurt outsold cottage cheese in 2017 by a factor of eight to one, and only 20 percent of Americans said they ate cottage cheese more than once a month. Those rates went up in 2018, as 39 percent of consumers older than 18 said they ate cottage cheese in the three months to July (the rate dropped to 29 percent for members of gen Z).

Related: The Food Industry Is a ‘Gold Rush’ for Entrepreneurs, Says the Founder of Krave Jerky and a $40 Million Marshmallow Brand

But Merrill and his co-founder, Anders Eisner (son of former Walt Disney CEO Michael), saw the decline of the category as a huge opportunity, and in 2014 launched Good Culture.

“Cottage cheese is something that we both ate a lot of because of the high protein content,” Merrill said. “But the category was in such a sad state. It lacked innovation and the packaging was dated. We thought there was a good opportunity to come out and reintroduce or re-imagine cottage cheese and make it relevant to younger consumer segments.”

What that basically meant was cleaning up the ingredient list, removing additives such as potassium sorbate, guar gum and other stabilizers typically found in cottage cheese, which Merrill said also ups the protein count because it becomes less diluted. The pair also focused on animal welfare, sourcing their dairy from organic farms that pasture raise their cows. Finally, Good Culture’s biggest curdle, ahem, hurdle, was texture, specifically the slimy, chunky texture that people dislike about cottage cheese. Using a proprietary formula, Merrill said, Good Culture feels creamier and thicker, more like yogurt.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Good Culture

Since its debut at Expo West in 2015, Good Culture has been gaining momentum. Its products are now found in about 11,500 stores, and said sales have grown 500 percent since 2016. (Muuna, another cottage cheese brand, launched in 2016.) The company has raised $17.8 million over four funding rounds, including from General Mills. Its best-selling products are its classic cottage cheese, pineapple cottage cheese and strawberry cottage cheese. Good Culture also expanded into sour cream. That looks like success by any measure, but the company is still fighting an uphill battle.

“Most people know what cottage cheese is, but there’s a big consideration issue,” Merrill said. “[We need] to get current users to think about it differently and people who aren’t eating the category today to pay attention to it.”

That comes down a lot to sampling, either convincing people that Good Culture’s product is different that the one they’re used to, or introducing cottage cheese to new consumers. That split is also represented in the company’s online marketing. Older consumers who are aware of cottage cheese use Facebook, while younger people can be found on Instagram. Good Culture crafts different messages to each segment.

Related: These Childhood Friends Created a $100 Million Brand by Putting Frozen Greek Yogurt on a Stick

Merrill, who previously worked at Honest Tea and with the Eisners at Activate Drinks, said that a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis — an autoimmune gut disease — led him down a path of eating and promoting a clean diet. After switching from foods that were processed to natural ones, Merrill said a doctor gave him a clean bill of health.

“That was just proof that you can absolutely heal your body with real food,” he said. “So our mission at the company is to offer real healing food to the masses, without hurting the planet or animals.”

March
22, 2019

2 min read

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

The NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is joining the Papa John’s board of directors and is investing in nine locations in the Atlanta area, the company said Friday. He will also become a brand ambassador for the pizza chain.

“We are thrilled to partner with Shaquille and welcome him to the Papa John’s board,” Jeff Smith, the Papa John’s chairman, said in the press release. “Shaquille has an excellent entrepreneurial background, including as a restaurant franchise owner, and is a natural creative marketer.”

O’Neal is no stranger to the restaurant business. He owns a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts franchise in the Atlanta area and has previously owned 27 Five Guys Burgers and Fries locations, the press release said. He also owns a fast-casual fried-chicken restaurant in Las Vegas and a fine-dining restaurant in Los Angeles.

Friday’s announcement comes amid a shake-up at the pizza chain. In February, the hedge fund Starboard Value invested $200 million in the company and named its chairman as CEO. A month later, Papa John’s settled its dispute with its founder, John Schnatter, who agreed to drop a lawsuit and resign as an independent director. Schnatter still owns about 30% of the chain.

Papa John’s is seeking to reshape its image after Schnatter’s exit from the company’s operations. In December 2017, Schnatter stepped down as CEO after facing backlash for his criticism of NFL national-anthem protests. Then, last July, he stepped down as chairman after admitting to using a racial slur on a company conference call. In its most recent earnings report, Papa John’s said it spent millions of dollars on “reimaging costs” at the end of last year.

Papa John’s was up almost 18% this year through Thursday, trading near $47 a share.

March
21, 2019

2 min read

This story originally appeared on PCMag

We all know the internet is a big place with a lot going on, but the chart above — put together by media consultants Lori Lewis and Chadd Callahan for All Access Music — really points out the sheer amount of activity vying for (or constantly stealing) our attention. (We found it on Digg.)

Pulling public records and claims from major internet companies, the two have for the last three years cobbled together a chart of what happens on average every minute of the day online. The numbers are staggering.

All of the following are happening each minute: 188 million emails and 18.1 million texts sent. 41.6 million messages sent on Facebook and WhatsApp combined. 1.4 million swipes on Tinder.

The sheer amount of video consumed on Netflix (694,444 hours per minute), YouTube (4.5 million videos) and Twitch (1 million views) alone should make traditional entertainment companies despair.

The comparisons go back to 2017, and not much has radically changed, except that numbers keep going up. The comparison chart here showing 2018 versus this year gives a pretty interesting view.

Notice first that just about every measure has risen. Facebook is probably more hated than ever, but it still has more people logging in every minute than last year. Google has more searches. Netflix more than doubled the number of hours watched. More apps are downloaded. More money is spent online (from $862,823 per minute up to $996,956 per minute this year; 2020 should crack a million per).

The only numbers that appear to have gone down are Snapchat’s, probably because they redesigned, and everyone hated it. Twitter’s looks lower, but the social media site switched the metric from tweets sent in 2018 (481,000 per minute) to number of people tweeting (87,500 per minute), so it’s not a direct comparison.

There are a few new metrics for 2019: 4.8 million animated GIFs served per minute by Giphy is one, and it shows just how important that outdated image format remains. Adding WhatsApp to the “messages sent” list is another. The number of streaming music subscriptions started is also new for 2019: it’s only 41 per minute, but that’s going to add up to 21,549,600 new subs for the year.

March
20, 2019

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In the past, creating your very own product may have seemed like a pipedream. There was so much work involved in building a product, not to mention the fortune often required just to get a product to market. But not anymore.

Related: Research Finds Digital Goods Area a Tougher Sell Than Entrepreneurs Think

Now, anyone can create a digital product and make money online. One of the biggest perks of creating this category of product is that you create it once and sell it over and over again.

So, what does a “digital product” mean? It means a product without a physical form. Consider these examples:

• ebooks and pdf guides

• video tutorials

• audio courses

• templates

• WordPress themes

• images and icon sets

• stock photos

These products are low-cost to create because you don’t have to deal with shipping or manufacturing costs or a lengthy development time. The product is also all yours, so you get to keep all the profits. Plus, while creating it is super low-cost, it has the ability to generate you a ton of money.

Before you dive in head-first, however, make sure your digital product will be successful. Check out these four tips for creating a digital product that sells.

Related: The Top 8 Digital Trends to Watch in 2017

Choose a winning digital product.

The first step is to choose the right digital product: What good will it do you to spend your time creating something that no one wants to buy? That’s why you’ve got to create something that solves a problem for your audience.

To determine what niche will sell best, look at what your audience comes to you for, now. Do they come to your blog for budgeting advice? If so, consider creating budgeting templates. Is your most popular blog post a beginner’s guide to email marketing? Then create an ebook guide for email marketing.

If you don’t know what the pain points are for your audience, look at your website analytics or consider asking your visitors by adding a survey or poll to your site. Analyzing what your audience is most interested in from you will help you come up with a digital product that’s irresistible to them.

Make your product visually appealing.

Just because you’re creating a digital rather than physical product doesn’t mean it shouldn’t look good. Consumers buy with their eyes; if your product looks impressive, they’ll be more likely to want it, and even to pay for it. According to a study on Science Direct, when a product’s design is powerful and impressive, consumers are less sensitive to its price. So, make sure you spend time to create visually appealing product images.

Now, you might be wondering how to create images for a product that isn’t actually tangible. For most digital products, you don’t want to post a photo of the product itself, but instead visually demonstrate a glimpse of what the user will be getting. For instance, you could create a little mockup of what’s included in a guide or workbook, as in the example below.

Image source: Melyssa Griffin’s Pinfinite Growth blog 

Establish and promote your expertise.

If you’re thinking of creating your own digital product, you probably already have your own website and a blog. If not, you need them ASAP. Because, of course, not many people will want to buy a digital product from some mystery person online. A website and blog will establish you as a thought leader in your industry and help build trust between you and your potential customers.

And trust is key to generating sales of your digital product. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Review, when trust is high, people are much more likely to take risks and make a purchase.

So, start blogging on a regular basis and make sure your blog posts relate to your digital product. If your digital product is a course on Pinterest marketing, write about Pinterest marketing. This will show your potential customers that you know what you’re talking about. Don’t forget to promote yourself across social media too; and consider guest-blogging on other popular online publications to broaden your reach and further prove your authority in your niche.  

Collect feedback.

After you’ve created your digital product, it’s time to send it off into the world … or is it? Before you let your digital product loose for people to buy, first do some testing, and collect feedback. It would be a disaster to release your product, only to find out it doesn’t meet expectations. To avoid disappointing your customers, make sure first that what you’ve got is a hit.

Consider offering some of your biggest fans the chance to preview your digital product and then collect their feedback. Updating a digital product is easy, so take your audience members’ feedback into account. If they suggest adding another element you may have overlooked, you can easily add it. By getting feedback, you can ensure you’re putting out the best digital product possible.

Related: The Road From Product to Experience for Luxury Offerings

Over to you.

When you first launched your website or blog, you might never have thought creating a product was in your future. But with these tips for creating a digital product that sells, you can add “digital product creator” to your resume and watch your revenue grow.