Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

The Freelancer: Top jobs of 2011

January 24, 2012 – 9:43 am
the freelancer janae

As a freelancer, it can be hard to know where the market is for your skill sets. Many of the freelancers I know continue to market towards what has worked for them in the past. And why not? If it’s not broke, then don’t fix it. Makes sense, right?
Though that may work as a short term solution, even freelancers need to look towards trends. Freelancer.com, the largest outsourcing marketplace, has recently released its list of the top 50 freelance job trends for the fourth quarter of 2011. Freelancer.com has gathered stats from 134,820 online jobs that were posted over the last quarter of 2011, which represent a 18.3% increase from Q3. Here are the important trending freelance jobs:

According to Freelancer.com:
Android takes off again in Q4. After a slow Q3, Android jobs rocketed up 33% (to 2,454) in Q4. Apple iPhone jobs grew 18% (to 3,682). By the end of 2012, Android should be close to overtaking the iPhone for the rate of development of new applications. Apple iPad jobs rose 22% (to 1692). Blackberry jobs were flat, up 2%, but with volumes too low to register on the Fast 50. As reported before, Symbian and Windows phone applications do [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

How to Start a Startup (Complimentary Ebook)

January 10, 2012 – 10:11 am
start a startup

Yesterday, I was asked when the revision of How to Start Your Business with $100 would be out and what I will include in this one. Though I do not have an exact date yet for when it will be released (I’m still finishing up my book on social change), I can tell you that besides all the goodies that are in the first version, we will include:
* Social Media 101
* Social Media ROI
* SEO 101
* Top Mobile apps for Productivity
and much more!
Until then, I am happy to give you guys a complimentary copy of the book. Download Your Complimentary Ebook Now. Please feel free to pass it on and share it with people.
This 120+-page ebook gives you access to:

Over 197 resources and tools to help you start your business
Guide to branding your business
Marketing tips to use in a B2B and B2C market
Budgeting and Financial research
Joint Venture Contract Template
Proven negotiating techniques
How to build a website with very little money
Integration of email and social media
Step-by-step guide on how to start your business within 30 days

If you know a budding entrepreneur, small startup or freelancer, feel free to pass this ebook on. The more the merrier. Let’s help some people start [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

How Technology Can Help You

October 25, 2011 – 9:38 am

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of giving a keynote speech at Tech Day Camp. What was great about the event was that most of the attendees were new to technology and were eager to have more information on how to use it in their daily lives. Here is my presentation from the keynote:
How Technology Can Work for You
View more presentations from Ja-Naé Duane
What about you? How do you use technology? How has it made your life easier? I would love to hear your success stories. Send them my way!
Related Posts
The Power of Letter Writing
7 Ways to Help Women in Technology
Social Media used for Classroom Learning

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Break the Rules

October 5, 2011 – 9:57 am
break the rules

New adventures and opportunities do not always show up at your door step. Sometimes, you have to break the rules and get out of your comfort zone in order to find them. Here’s how.

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Adventure, Business Tools, Innovation, Philosophy, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Setting the Example

September 14, 2011 – 8:32 am
how to lead setting the example

Sometimes, it is not always easy to lead a team or turn the other cheek when someone does something to hurt or offend you. I don’t know about you, but my first instinct is to defend and protect myself. However, that does not always solve the issue. Instead, ask yourself the following questions:

How can I best handle this situation?
If I respond by doing X, what will the outcome be?
How do I want this to be resolved?

By taking the time and thinking it through, you may find a resolution that you were not expecting and one that opens up other opportunities.
Related Posts
How to Fail
The Secret to Flexibility
How Leaders Can Make the Best Decisions

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Creativity, Innovation, Philosophy, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

How to Use Google Plus for Business

August 2, 2011 – 9:55 am
google-plus-business

Recently, I have been asked by my clients on how they can use Google Plus for their businesses while waiting for the business pages to be opened to the public. Here is my post for Overdrive Interactive giving my thoughts:
In just one month Google+ has continued its exponential growth reaching 20 million users last week. A few days ago, Google removed several business accounts from Google plus (such as Ford and Sesame Street), but left other brands such as Mashable (because it transferred the brand to a person – Pete Cashmore) to play in beta. Though there has been an announcement that Google+ will be open to the public shortly, many businesses are wondering when they can create their own proper business page. Let’s explore the importance of preparing your brand for that eventuality and some things you can do in the mean time to prepare.
The Importance of Google+ for Brands
So why should your brand really care about being on another social platform anyway?  Is this just another channel for engagement? Well, if you care about your company’s online reputation and its search ranking, consider these things:
Google Plus VS. Facebook
Facebook faces a major challenge from Google. Check out TechnoBomb’s [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

7 Ways to Help Women in Technology

July 19, 2011 – 11:04 am
women and technology

This weekend, I came across two articles that made me step back for a moment. The first was the Wall Street Journal’s blog post, “Addressing The Lack of Women Leading Tech Start-ups.” In the post, WSJ tries to address the question of “Where are all the women in tech?” They mention that there is no shortage of opinions about the issue but the core of the article isn’t really being addressed. It must be noted overall that equality has come a long way even in the short time that I have been in the professional world. Where the disparity seems to be is why there are so few women in the technology industry.
The next article I came across was a TechCrunch response by Michael Arrington entitled, “ Too Few Women In Tech? Stop Blaming The Men.” In the article, Arrington tries to sympathize with the issue but is fed up with the blame game. Can you blame him? I don’t.
Below is an infograph compiled by Socialcast.com that looks at a number of dimensions in the technology industry comparing male vs female ratios. A few key insights:

According to Dow Jones VentureSource, 11% of U.S. firms with venture-capital backing in 2009 had current or [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Innovation, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)

How to Breed a Team of Innovators

July 13, 2011 – 12:01 pm
innovation-island-building

It’s been several months since the Our Revolution road trip, but the experience has stayed with me and often finds its way into my conversations with others. Although Our Revolution is about promoting social change with revolutionary ideas and actions to change perceptions in lives in communities, my friend Lucas asked me an intriguing question – “How did the experience change you?”
I have to say that in retrospect, one of the most important takeaways I have from the road trip was an improved technique for coming up with innovative solutions. The technique is similar to what Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, says, “We run the company by questions, not answers.”
Innovation does not spring up out of nowhere. Innovative solutions and answers come first by asking the right questions.  The Our Revolution road trip was full of questions that needed answers. How can we improve a situation? And when you ask a question, it stimulates conversation. It is out of these conversations that come innovation. To stimulate innovation within your team, you need to create a culture of questioning. Here’s how:
1. Set an Example – The behavior of team members always gravitates [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Innovation, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

How to Freelance

July 6, 2011 – 9:44 am
how to freelance workfree work free

“If I had seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” -Issac Newton
I’ve been down in D.C. for the week and have met a ton of interesting people, many of which are freelancers who are trying to build their businesses. Each of them wanted to know how what secrets I had for them. I have no secrets (expect be prepare to work your butt off and love it), but I can share what I have learned. Here are some items on How to Freelance:
I. Fuel : Why Drinking Coffee is Great for You
Before you begin, make sure you are energize and ready to take on the world.  Here is a few reasons why coffee is a great way to start you day and get you ready to build your business. To read the article, click here.
II.  The Idea: How to Start a Million Dollar Business
Every business, even a freelance one starts with an idea. Here are a few ways to find that idea and start a million dollar business. To read the article, click here.
III. Freelancer Toolkit: 201+ Amazing Tools and Resources for the Freelancer
Every freelancer and small business owner needs an arsenal of tools [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

How to Start a Million Dollar Business

May 13, 2011 – 9:23 am
start a million dollar business spark and hustle ja-nae

Yesterday I spoke at Spark and Hustle, on “No Money, No Excuse.” I love when I can share with people tips and resources that are in “How to Start Your Business with $100” and even my personal story.
For example, I was on a Skype call yesterday while one of my coaching clients. He knows that I advise companies on open innovation and sustainability, but he wanted to know the million dollar question: How can a person start a million dollar business?
At least he got right to the point!  But this is a good question that I encourage people to ask bluntly.  While creating a million dollar business is not easy, I believe starting a million dollar business is easier than most people think.  If you just have a great idea and a willingness to start, then you’re further along than most potential millionaires will ever get.  So, here are some of my best tips for anyone who is ready and willing to start a million dollar business:

Actually Make an Attempt.  Groupon.com was started by a guy in his basement a couple years ago.  Recently, Google offered to buy the company for billions of dollars.  Many reactions to the offer were [...]

By Ja-Naé Duane | Also posted in Business Tools, Marketing, Strategy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)