START IT UP  

Jessica Stillman


Study: Social Media Just Doesn't Sell

A new study finds just 1% of sales come through social sites. Are you spending too much time on making your brand look great on social media?  Read story

4 Secrets to Building an Online Community for Your Business

You don't need a storefront on Main Street to create a cozy community for your start-up; you can do it online. HootSuite's community manager explains.  Read story

One Bug You Want Your Office to Catch

Scientists confirm what we always suspected: Not only is laughter contagious, but it also spurs bonding and innovation.  Read story

Hate Networking? Try These 4 Tips

Not a fan of traditional networking? You're not alone: These experts are in your camp. Here are their new tips for making more authentic (and productive) con...  Read story

The Secret Trouble With Selling Your Business

It sounds crazy, but selling your start-up for a tidy sum won't necessarily make you ecstatic. In fact, entrepreneurs often experience post-sale blues.  Read story

Overlooked Financing Option for Your Business

If you need to cash to build your company but aren't keen on draining your personal savings or giving up equity to venture capitalists, there may be another ...  Read story

Dos and Don'ts of Working With Tech Talent

The CEO of a site that matches business owners with tech talent shares his tips on working well with with talented engineers and coders.  Read story

Richard Branson's Student-Debt Plan

At a time when student-loan debt is crippling the American Dream, the British mogul has a big idea on how entrepreneurship can fix it.  Read story

Boring People Make Better Managers

Or do they? Two experts weigh the values of instituting a steady-but-boring routine versus consciously shaking things up.  Read story

How Is Your Smartphone Like a Slot Machine?

A Stanford psychologist offers answers for those who want to resist the temptation of their gadgets.  Read story

Why You Need to Discover Your Inner Artisan

Thought the "artisanal everything" movement was over? Think again. Instead, it's extending to include a greater variety of workers, argues a handful of experts.  Read story

Slow Business: The Case Against Fast Growth

A handful of successful founders push back against the cult of speed in entrepreneurship. Here's their philosophy of more deliberate growth.  Read story

Burnout Is a Myth

New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has declared that burnout is a myth and recently offered advice on how bosses can put this wisdom into practice.  Read story

Why the Election Won't Touch the Economy

Don't worry if the guy you don't like wins the election; a trio of Wharton faculty says in the short-term it's unlikely to matter much to the economy.  Read story

Best Way to Bounce Back From a Mistake

So you messed up. Psychologists have worked out a game plan for exactly what you should do next.  Read story

Website Crashing? 5 Things to Do Now

GoDaddy went down earlier this week, taking many small businesses' sites with it. Here's what to do if you're ever in those shoes.  Read story

Nitty Gritty Advice on Raising Venture Capital

Does your big business idea need investment to realize its potential? Entrepreneurs who have been through the process of raising money have practical tips--a...  Read story

Enough With the 'Innovation' Already!

The backlash against business's faddish obsession with innovation has begun, according to one pundit.  Read story

Secrets of the Productive Nap

An afternoon snooze can improve your effectiveness on the job. But achieving the optimal nap isn't as simple as it first appears.  Read story

Is Your Smartphone Making You Less Productive?

A partner at Y Combinator turns off email on his phone and notices surprisingly positive effects.  Read story

What Your Email Address Really Says About You

A VC explains what a founders' email addresses conveys about the entrepreneur and his or her company.  Read story

Growing? How to Maintain Your Start-up Culture

Your business may be getting bigger but that doesn't mean you need to lose the cool company culture of your early days.  Read story

Going Into Business With Your Spouse? Ask These Questions First

Before you decide to start-up with your significant other, make sure you discuss these key questions.  Read story

Want to Make Better Decisions? Beware Too Much Information

Research from Princeton and Stanford psychologists shows how more information can lead to worse decisions  Read story

Learn the Art of Procrastination

A Stanford professor argues that procrastinating isn't so bad--as long as you do it right.  Read story

Why Being Positive Is Easier Said Than Done

There are tons of tips out there on how to be happier, but actually putting this advice into practice is often harder than it first appears. Here's why.  Read story

How to Handle Your Entrepreneur Anxiety

A pair of founders offers tips on how to cope with the anxiety and fear that being a business owner brings to your life.  Read story

Should Start-Up Founders Make Six Digits?

A question about a co-founder with six-figure salary demands spurs a fascinating discussion of entrepreneur salaries on Quora.  Read story

Best Counterintuitive Email Marketing Advice

What's the best time to reach out to potential customers? One expert's answer turns conventional wisdom on its head.  Read story

Poll: Small Business Owners Swing Toward Romney

A new survey suggests small business owners are twice as likely to vote for Mitt Romney over President Obama in November.  Read story

Travel Much? Living Abroad Tied to Entrepreneurship

International travel can make you more creative and a better problem solver, research suggests, but only if you approach the experience right.  Read story

Can't Code? Start a Tech Company Anyway

The co-founders of sales-alert start-up Hukkster explain how they managed to get a tech-heavy idea off the ground when they had no technical skills.  Read story

Multitasking Is Making You Stupid

Doing many things at once isn't just distracting--it actually takes points off your IQ, scientists say.  Read story

Secret: Your Age Doesn't Matter

Hey, baby face. Think you're being judged? You're not. In fact, you may be at an advantage when starting a business.  Read story

3 Improvisation Tricks to Steal From Jazz Musicians

Sure, the modern business environment is chaotic, but you can help your team improvise their way through the mess if you follow the lead of jazz greats.  Read story

Extreme Benefits: Google Edition

Google's incredibly generous death benefits have generated huge admiration. But what are they really for?  Read story

3 Ways to Find Better New Employees

The CEO of a start-up that aims to help companies leverage referrals offers advice to help you recruit more effectively.  Read story

3 Lessons in Viral Buzz From the Mars Rover

Sure, exploring the final frontier is a huge advantage when it comes to generating viral buzz, but it's not all that NASA does right.  Read story

The Case for Earning a Humanities Degree

Why on earth does Damon Horowitz, a former serial entrepreneur and current in-house philosopher at Google, think debating Plato beats building start-ups?  Read story

Got Goals? Beware of Getting Halfway There

Researchers determine we often reach a motivational valley of death partway to reaching a goal.  Read story