HeatherStone commented on the following stories on BizSugar
Mind the Gap Between a Good Idea and Good Business
"Hi Martin, I think there are some great points here. One thing I'd add. I'd suggest there are some ideas that you may want to test on a very simple scale to determine whether a business model is workable. I think financial projections are fine, but they should be based on something real. Is there a way you can very simply test a product or service to determine whether there is actually a market for it? Offer a very limited group a stripped down version of the service to see whether any customers will actually pay for it. Or create a simple version of a Website or other product to see if there is any customer interest."What to Do Before Hiring a Consultant
"Hi Thursday, On point number one, I can appreciate a desire to talk with family and friends when trying to decide about a simple practical problem. But in certain markets, including highly technical fields, I'm just not sure a talk with family and friends will always be helpful. After all, how much do these people really know about starting a business? If they had answers, perhaps you wouldn't be pondering hiring a consultant in the first place."Subscribe
Why word of mouth still matters
"Cendrine, very interesting post, and definitely true. Some of the best places and businesses I have discovered have been from word of mouth from friends and colleagues. But I think in social media the problem is that many of these relationships are impersonal or just not close. Out of 200 or more friends on Facebook, I might only consider the recommendations of a handful, because essentially they're talking to a crowd, not to me personally. There is no personal touch in social media unless one takes the time to actually engage, and even for "social media experts" that is very time consuming. What are your thoughts?"