Your Risk Tolerance Has Changed. Does Your Leadership Team Know That?

Three ways CEOs can ensure their senior leaders remain aligned.

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Think You Missed Your Window to Start a Business? Here’s Why the Most Successful Founders Are Often Late Bloomers.

Don't let your age stop you from starting a business. Your past experience might be exactly what your future venture needs.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/the-overlooked-advantage-of-starting-a-company-later-in-life/502461

Stop Chasing Viral Wins. Here’s How to Build a Marketing Engine That Moves the Chains

In a post-search, AI-driven market, chasing big 'touchdown' wins has become an unsustainable strategy.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/why-the-era-of-viral-marketing-is-over/502608

The Repeatable Framework That Turns Frustrating AI Outputs Into Breakthrough Results

Everyone has access to the same AI models; the real advantage belongs to those who know how to iterate past the first draft.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/the-ai-advantage-hiding-in-plain-sight-and-how-to-use-it/501811

The Strong Leader’s Guide to Scaling Without Breaking Your Company

A practical framework for founders and business leaders to scale smarter by combining freemium access, marketplace participation and partner ecosystems into a cohesive growth model.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/the-playbook-for-scaling-without-breaking-your-business/501397

Slash Interruptions With Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business

Increase your daily productivity with these elite AI-powered programs.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/slash-interruptions-with-microsoft-office-2024-home-and/502988

How I Doubled My Revenue Using This ‘Outdated’ Science-Based Marketing Strategy

Key Takeaways

• Direct mail is back: Print works differently — and better — in our brains. Research shows that physical materials improve recall and comprehension. Direct mail also requires less and creates stronger emotional responses than digital ads.
• Every generation sees mail as more trustworthy. Roughly 76% of consumers say they trust direct mail, compared to just 43% who trust ads on social media.
• The best results come from integrating print with digital. Mail creates credibility and emotional connection. Digital reinforces that message and makes it easy to respond.

We’re living in a strange time for marketing.

We’ve never had more ways to reach people, and yet it’s never been harder to actually stick in their minds. Messages flash by. Feeds refresh endlessly. Ads disappear the second you scroll.

But the things we can touch, hold, and spend time with … those linger. They’re processed differently by the brain, and they’re recalled more clearly after the moment has passed.

That’s where print — and the tangible experience it creates — lives.

Some of the biggest brands in the world have quietly come to the same conclusion. Walmart launched its first-ever home catalog just a few months ago on the heels of J.Crew and Patagonia bringing theirs back. Nordstrom returned to mail with a new piece this past Christmas that’s fully interactive — complete with stickers! And IKEA expanded beyond catalogs by mailing a letter that was also a flat-packed apartment.

None of these companies abandoned digital. They balanced it. It’s a high-wire act that I’ve spent years mastering. My current marketing outlay includes mailing over 232,000 postcards and spending more than $50,000 on digital advertising each and every week! I hear you wondering: “How’s that working out for you?”

Well, we entered 2020 as a $60 million business, and last year we nearly hit $120 million in annual revenue.

The truth is clear: Direct mail is back. Here’s why it’s happening.

Print works differently — and better — in our brains

There’s real science behind this.

A study conducted by the University of Tokyo showed stronger recall among participants when writing on physical paper instead of using digital devices for notes. Researchers concluded that the tactile quality of paper was a key factor in helping the brain encode information more effectively.

Additional university research reinforces these findings. A more recent study from the University of Valencia found comprehension is 6-8 times higher with physical reading materials, and that print helps readers take in and recall information more effectively.

Print is also easier on the brain. Research shows people expend 21% less cognitive effort when engaging with physical mail compared to digital ads. Less effort means less resistance — and more openness to the message.

And mail doesn’t just stick in people’s minds; it hits them emotionally, too. Research highlighted by the USPS found that people felt more excitement and desire for the products being advertised when they interacted with direct mail compared to digital ads.

For me, it’s simple: We’re human beings, and direct mail offers the type of experience we’re biologically engineered to respond to.

Every generation sees mail as more trustworthy

There’s a persistent myth that younger generations prefer digital while older generations favor traditional marketing. But the data tells a very different story:

About 72% of Gen Z say they’d be disappointed if they stopped getting mail altogether, and 82% of millennials say they find print ads more trustworthy than digital ones. And a majority of both (81% of Gen Z and 78% of Millennials) wish it were easier to disconnect from digital devices.

That trust gap shows up across all age groups. Roughly 76% of consumers say they trust direct mail, compared to just 43% who trust ads on social media. What’s even more telling is 39% of consumers say they’re less likely to trust brands that communicate only through digital channels.

That tells you something important. Trust is built when your marketing shows up in the real world and in more than one place. That’s why the best strategy isn’t print or digital — it’s both. Mail creates credibility and emotional connection. Digital reinforces that message and makes it easy to respond.

Leverage this by reinforcing your marketing across different channels with a cohesive message. Use the same images, colors and offers when you can, and ensure that cohesive feeling translates from one step to the next — from direct mail to online ad to landing page or website.

Each marketing channel should echo and reinforce the others, guiding prospects from awareness to interest while building enough confidence to prompt action.

The grassroots results of small businesses trying direct mail are eye-opening

Yes, global household names are bringing back direct mail. But the real proof shows up in small and mid-sized businesses every single day.

I’ve seen countless firsthand examples that direct mail grows businesses at every stage.

For more than two decades, my team has collected and published 1,168 real-world case studies showing how print mail drives trust, recognition and results — and we’re still adding new success stories every single day. Here are just a few of the most recent ones contributing to the grassroots comeback of direct mail.

One of my ecommerce clients credits integrated online and offline marketing with growing her business from just two employees to 12 and more than doubling her average sale from $24 to $54. Just as important, it helped her step out of the long shadow of Amazon’s marketplace and build a brand she owns and controls.

A real estate investor tied direct mail retargeting into his follow-up, sending postcards automatically to website visitors who left his site without converting. He mailed 111 postcards and closed on a new property worth $70,000 in revenue. He only spent $647 on this approach, putting his ROI at a staggering 10,710%.

These aren’t outliers. They’re what happens when print is used strategically, consistently and as part of a bigger system.

If your goal is to be remembered, trusted and chosen — the evidence is clear.

Direct mail isn’t old-fashioned. It’s human. And when you test it, integrate it and stick with it, you’ll understand why so many business owners and marketers keep reaching for it.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/the-science-based-marketing-approach-that-doubled-my-revenue/502402

Why This 30-Year-Old Vanderbilt Valedictorian Left Her Big Law Job to Start an AI Company

Key Takeaways

• Logan Brown, 30, is the founder and CEO of Soxton, an AI-powered law firm.
• Brown got the idea for Soxton after working with startups at Cooley, a Big Law firm.
• Soxton uses AI first to generate documents, then allows human lawyers to review them, for a flat fee.

Long before she ever set foot at Harvard Law, Logan Brown was a child in suburban Kansas, captivated by the courtroom dramas flickering on her family’s television. Brown was transfixed by Law & Order: SVU reruns and Elle Woods’s improbable rise in Legally Blonde. Somewhere between the cross-examinations and the pink-suited triumphs, a switch flipped: Brown decided she was going to be a lawyer.

The next step came with the kind of reckless confidence only a middle schooler could muster. She typed up a resume and cover letter and marched straight into the local district attorney’s office to ask for a job. She was twelve years old.

Most adults would’ve smiled and sent her home, but a secretary named Dolores saw something earnest in her. Dolores made Brown her unofficial intern, letting her file paperwork, run coffee and linger in courtrooms. That summer, and many more to follow, Brown trailed lawyers, judges and staff through the courthouse corridors, learning how the law actually worked. To Brown, the experience felt like a glimpse inside the career she was meant to build.

“I really just fell in love with the law,” Brown tells Entrepreneur in a new interview. “I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.”

Starting Spencer Jane

By the time Brown arrived at Vanderbilt University for undergraduate study, she had the kind of purpose most undergrads were still searching for. 

She started chasing experiences that pushed her deeper into law. As an intern at Condé Nast’s legal department, she sat in glass-walled conference rooms learning from the lawyers on staff. In Nashville, she spent long days at the public defender’s office. When she studied abroad, she found her way into law firms overseas. 

“Every internship I ever had during that time period had a legal intersection,” she says. “I really just liked the law — and any time I could weave it into my coursework, I did.”

After graduating valedictorian of her class at Vanderbilt with a Bachelor’s in Human and Organizational Development in 2018, Brown attended Harvard Law School. There, a new idea began to tug at her attention — entrepreneurship. It arrived, fittingly, through frustration rather than inspiration. On the hunt for a professional outfit that made her feel both confident and comfortable, Brown found the options impossibly dated or ill-fitting. So she did something only an aspiring founder would do: she decided to design her own line.

The result was Spencer Jane, a workwear startup born in her law school apartment, brought to life in 2020 through an Italian manufacturer. But her first big mistake was a rookie one: she mixed up American and European sizing charts. The early prototypes didn’t fit anyone. “It was a disaster,” she admits. Yet that sizing mishap marked an inflection point. It was her first true lesson in building something from scratch.

Seeing the gaps in Big Law

When Brown graduated from Harvard Law in 2022, her path seemed preordained. She landed the kind of job that law students whisper about — a coveted associate role at Cooley, the Silicon Valley powerhouse law firm known for shepherding startups into unicorns. The offer was validation, the reward for years of experience.

At Cooley, Brown was a spectator to the rapid progress of AI inside and outside the legal industry. She saw the amount of excitement AI generated internally and externally with clients. “I wanted to be a part of that,” she says. 

Logan Brown. Credit: Soxton

Brown represented more than 50 founders and advised funds deploying capital to startups, giving her an understanding of how early-stage companies interacted with the legal system. Her role involved helping founders incorporate, raise investment and hire employees. 

“I would see a common pain point where companies had just been foregoing legal until they had enough money to afford it,” Brown says. “I saw that that was tricky because there were a lot of mistakes that you could make that could have been easily prevented and ended up costing a lot more money to correct later on.”

In a world where founders can prototype products in days and iterate constantly, legal work is slower and more costly. That causes many first-time founders to find templates for legal documents on Google, experiment with tools like ChatGPT or avoid legal help altogether until a financing event forces them to confront it.

Walking away from Big Law

In May of 2025, Brown did the unthinkable. At the age of 30, after three years at Cooley, she handed in her resignation and stepped into startup uncertainty. 

Brown’s venture is Soxton, an AI-powered legal startup designed for founders at their most uncertain moment: the beginning. Instead of hourly billing and endless paperwork, Soxton delivers legal guidance in a fast, automated, and radically affordable way.

“I just went for it,” Brown says.

Soxton is still in stealth mode; its website only features a waitlist. However, Brown says that over 300 startups are already using the service. Growth has been driven almost entirely by referrals: founders can only gain access to Soxton by being referred by existing customers. 

The process of working with Soxton is simple: founders meet with Brown and the team to discuss their needs, and then can request documents or workflows. AI takes the first pass at creating a document, which is then reviewed by a human lawyer. Soxton charges $100 for a custom contract reviewed by a human attorney.

Soxton is a step up from asking ChatGPT for legal help because it adds the option of human lawyers refining and returning a contract within a few hours. “I think that AI is not in a place yet to be the only source of legal advice,” Brown says. “Right now, we have lawyers review everything that is AI-generated before it goes back to a client.”

Prediction for the future

Since launching in May, Brown has raised $2.5 million from investors and grown Soxton to a core team of four full-time employees and more than 20 contractors. Her workdays now routinely stretch past 12 hours, with most weeks crossing the 100-hour mark — more hours than she worked at Cooley. But she says it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. “I wish for everyone to care about their job the way I care about Soxton,” she says. 

Over the next decade, Brown predicts that the legal system is going to change “significantly.”

“I think that more people are going to have access to legal services at an easier and earlier point in time in a company’s life cycle,” she says. “I’m super excited that Soxton gets to help pave that way.”

Sign up for How Success Happens and learn from well-known business leaders and celebrities, uncovering the shifts, strategies and lessons that powered their rise. Get it in your inbox.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/entrepreneurs/she-left-big-law-to-start-an-ai-company

She Runs Google’s Massive Food Program — Here’s What Most Business Owners Completely Miss About Perks

Key Takeaways

• Google’s attention to detail extends to their employee food program — a seemingly small perk with major implications.
• Google uses AI to minimize waste, maximize value and make real-time decisions about what works when it comes to feeding its employees.
• Google views its food program as an investment in creating informal spaces where collaboration happens naturally.

Food was never a perk at Google. It was a bet on how people work.

When Helen Wechsler, Senior Director, Food Program CoE at Google, talks about the company’s food program, she does not frame it as a benefit designed to impress. 

Instead, she frames it as culture. From the earliest days, meals were how the original Google team gathered, talked and built trust. Long before sprawling campuses or polished cafes, food was the thing that brought them together and kept them there.

Today, Google provides meals and access to food for employees across its offices worldwide. Cafes, micro kitchens on every floor, coffee and tea bars, teaching kitchens and even food trucks are part of how the company feeds its people. The scale is massive, but Wechsler is clear that feeding employees is not about abundance.

“We have a captive audience,” she says. “We are feeding people every day, and that comes with a really weighty responsibility.”

Related: How to Land a Job at Google, According to a Former Manager

That responsibility is evident immediately in Google’s New York City offices, where I interviewed Wechsler. She offered me some of the spa water— I couldn’t believe how good it was.

For Wechsler, that reaction is exactly the point. “We just wanted people to drink more water,” she explains. “Spa water is a good way to do that.”

It sounds simple, almost insignificant. But those small choices are deliberate. Hydration stations that feel inviting. Details that spark curiosity. Moments that slow people down just enough to feel cared for. When food is free, indifference is the easiest failure. Wechsler calls it the shrug. Google refuses that approach.

Related: The Life-Changing Effects of Drinking More Water

“We want to be that joy in the day,” she says. “We want it to feel seamless.”

Hospitality, in this context, is not transactional. It is relational. Food becomes the cultural connector inside a highly technical environment. A reminder that no matter how advanced the work becomes, people still come together the same way they always have.

Over a meal.

Technology that cares

At Google’s scale, good intentions are not enough.

Feeding people well requires systems that can absorb uncertainty, adapt quickly and still leave room for care. Technology is what makes that possible — it protects hospitality at scale.

“Technology is your best friend if you use it correctly,” she says. “It helps you evaluate, helps you predict, helps you think in a different way.”

That philosophy shapes how Google approaches AI. The food team is not chasing automation for its own sake or looking for perfect answers. They are experimenting. Testing. Learning in public. AI becomes a tool to stretch thinking rather than narrow it.

“Play with it,” she says. “Use it, use it, use it.”

That mindset matters because Google operates with a level of unpredictability most restaurants never face. There is no register. No ordering funnel. No reliable way to know who will walk in on any given day. People come and go freely, which makes food waste a constant concern.

Related: Google Reportedly Told Its Staff to Use AI More or Risk Falling Behind

Over the past eight years, technology has helped bring clarity to that chaos. Menu management systems, recipe scaling and pre- and post-production records allow teams to compare what they expected to serve with what was actually eaten. The real breakthrough came when the data became visual.

“Until we started measuring it visually, it didn’t stick,” Wechsler says.

Today, waste is photographed, weighed and logged automatically. Images recognize the food, connect it to menus, and surface patterns that chefs can actually act on. If something consistently comes back untouched, it sparks a conversation. Maybe the recipe is wrong. Maybe the timing is off. Maybe it simply does not resonate.

Technology also supports creativity. Trim becomes spa water. Fruit scraps turn into new beverages. Excess ingredients find second lives in jams, chutneys or entirely new dishes. Measurement does not kill imagination. It fuels it.

The lesson for restaurants watching from the outside is simple. Technology should make people calmer, not busier. More thoughtful, not more reactive. When used well, it gives teams the space to care better.

Hospitality still belongs to humans. Technology just helps them see what matters.

About Restaurant Influencers

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.

Read more: Want to Open a Restaurant? Here’s a Step-By-Step Guide

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/building-a-business/why-googles-food-program-is-actually-a-people-strategy

Why Founders Keep Repeating the Same Limiting Patterns, No Matter How Smart They Are

Key Takeaways

• Your mind chooses emotional safety over logic. The behaviors you repeat — responding immediately, reluctance to delegate — work in the moment because they lower anxiety and restore a sense of control.
• Your brain files these behaviors away as “safe” and reaches for the same response the next time pressure shows up. They were part of your success, but they will also lead to burnout and limit your ability to scale.
• Change requires being curious about what’s driving your behavior, delaying the response and picking one small boundary to practice.

You already know what you should do. You just keep doing something else.

Do you ever take that call, email or meeting even after you swore you were done at 5 p.m.? You told yourself Fridays were off, yet the anxiety of not responding outweighs the cost of responding.

Another familiar pattern shows up around delegation. You jump back in, rework your team’s decisions and stay late because it feels faster. It is. Until it is not.

So why does this happen?

I often tell my clients, “You’re a smart human. If you could have thought your way out of your problems, you would have by now.” This is not an intelligence issue. It is a neurological programming issue. Insight and “knowing” do not calm the brain and body down, and the mind will choose emotional safety over logic.

You keep repeating the same patterns because in those moments, the behavior works. Responding immediately lowers anxiety. Jumping back in restores a sense of control. Your brain takes note of that relief and files it away as something that helped. So the next time pressure shows up, it reaches for the same response — not because it is strategic, but because it’s a familiar response and “feels safe.”

Somewhere along the way, these behaviors helped get you to where you are. They were part of your success … until now. There is an important fact to understand about the mind. It is a pattern-recognition machine. It’s not designed to make you happy; it’s designed to run efficiently, and it will keep running on what once worked until proven otherwise. They are also the very behaviors that will lead to burnout and limit your ability to scale.

Your subconscious plays a much larger role in how you operate than you realize. It drives most of your behavior, especially under pressure. Acting quickly, staying involved and keeping control created a sense of momentum and stability. That became the signal that things were working. So when you try to slow down, step back or respond differently, the new behavior can feel like loss of control, loss of trust or loss of momentum, even when nothing is wrong. Staying in control became the way you kept things moving and managed the internal tension that shows up when you do not.

Urgency was necessary in the startup phase. It helped you build momentum, make quick decisions and move fast. The problem is that your system still treats urgency as a requirement even when the business has changed. What feels like leadership in the moment is often just relief wearing a mask. It creates movement and control, which is why it is so convincing. In the long run, this solves the wrong problem. It provides short-term relief but creates long-term consequences.

Continuing to respond the same way becomes a learned loop, and the brain confuses relief with effectiveness. Over time, this becomes the default way you operate instead of being able to pause, prioritize and choose deliberately. It’s like driving on autopilot. You don’t choose the turns anymore. The road chooses them for you.

The cost of constant reactivity

The result is a pattern of constant reactivity. A reactive system does not think at its best. Clear thinking and innovation happen in calmer states. When urgency is constant, the brain stays in a low-grade stress response, which slowly chips away at leadership performance and your personal life.

What I have seen over time is that clarity suffers, boundaries disappear, personal life becomes less fulfilling and rest stops feeling restorative. Burnout doesn’t arrive at once; it accumulates over time, hiding behind the mask of ambition and productivity. If you feel chronically fatigued, small tasks take more effort than they should, decisions feel harder than normal or you find yourself more cynical than usual, you are probably already experiencing burnout.

If you want to scale, lead with impact and carry your vision forward without burning out, there are three places to start.

What to do about it

First, be curious about what is driving your behavior:

Ask yourself, “What am I trying to avoid feeling in that moment?” Or, a personal favorite, “What am I trying to make go away right now?” Notice where you are contributing to the conditions you say you don’t want.

Most of the time, behaviors like weak boundaries, reluctance to delegate or the need to control have less to do with discipline and more to do with the discomfort that shows up if you do not act. Pay attention to what is underneath it. It might be the uneasiness of waiting, the fear of disappointing someone or the feeling of losing control.

Second, delay the response:

This does not mean going from always available to completely unavailable. Add minutes, then hours. Your nervous system needs proof that nothing breaks when you do not respond right away. The brain has to learn a new default. Let the tension rise and fall without acting on it. That is how the pattern starts to loosen because you’ve disrupted it.

Third, pick one place to practice:

If the idea of not responding right away or delegating more creates panic, start small. Choose one boundary or one relationship. Maybe it is no emails first thing in the morning or no phone at night. Maybe you try responding later, instead of immediately, once or twice this week and notice what that feels like. Just because something feels urgent does not mean it is.

This is not about having perfect boundaries or losing your drive. It is about noticing how often you are reacting instead of choosing. If knowing what to do was enough, burnout would not be such a common leadership problem. The real question is not whether you know what to do. It is what takes over when discomfort shows up.

Once you see what is driving your behavior, particularly in the places that feel stuck, the pattern loses its power. You are not stuck. You are patterned.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/why-founders-keep-repeating-the-patterns-that-hold-them-back/502372

Why Your Best Angel Investors Are Founders Who Just Raised Their Series C

Key Takeaways

• Optimize angel rounds for operating leverage, not check size — relevant founders shift trajectories faster than capital alone.
• Series C founders bring current scar tissue, credibility and connections that compound far beyond their initial investment.
• The right operator angels unlock signal, customers and future capital you can’t manufacture after the round closes.

Early-stage founders tend to raise angel money from the easiest people to reach instead of the most useful ones.

You start with wealthy individuals, friends of friends or local angel groups. It’s usually enough to close the round. But it rarely shifts your company’s trajectory.

There’s one overlooked group of angel investors that consistently delivers outsize value: Founders who are two or three stages ahead of you and have just raised a significant round.

At Nacelle, I leaned heavily into this strategy across our pre-seed, seed and Series A rounds. The impact wasn’t subtle. One angel helped reshape our product strategy. Another introduced us to the VC who led our $50 million Series B. A third brought us our first paying customer.

That experience changed how I think about early-stage fundraising. It has to be about more than closing a round. If you want to build something big, you need to think about assembling leverage.

Sign up for Entrepreneur’s Franchise Bootcamp, a free, 5-day email course on how to find and invest in your first profitable franchise — no business experience required.

Angels are more than capital; they’re force multipliers

Traditional angels often bring impressive résumés. Many come from finance, legal or corporate leadership backgrounds. They can add value and open doors. But most haven’t recently built a company through the terrain you’re navigating now.

A founder who just went from Series A to Series C has current, relevant insight. They know when to hire executives, how to test sales strategies under pressure, what boards do in tough moments and which product bets actually pay off.

They also know the common mistakes. J.P. Morgan’s Vice President in Startup Banking notes that there are “infinite mistakes a founder can make, and the best thing startups can do is surround themselves with networks including investors, advisors, law firms, financial institutions and peers — that understand common pitfalls.”

Use this simple filter when considering angels: Would this person’s operating experience help us avoid a major mistake in the next year? If not, the check size matters less than you think.

Relevance matters more than reputation.

Why Series C founders are uniquely motivated

There’s also a structural reason this works.

Founders at later stages understand dilution. According to Carta, founding teams own 56.2% of their company after raising a seed round. That drops to 36.1% at Series A and falls again to just 23% by Series B. These founders have felt real dilution. Many have also taken some secondary capital along the way to offset that exposure and derisk personally.

That doesn’t make them short-term focused. It often does the opposite. As Brian Halligan, co-founder and chairman of HubSpot, shared after his own experience with secondary during a later-stage round: “It ‘stiffened’ our backbone when it came to acquisition interest and kept us focused on building a company our grandkids would be proud of.” He added, “It was likely one of the worst financial decisions I’ve ever made, but I don’t regret it … the pie’s plenty big.”

SaaStr featured the quote above while echoing that “Secondary sales done right truly align founders and the company and incent them to go long.”

These founders tend to back early-stage companies where they can offer more than money. They invest where their experience can make a real difference.

You’re also giving them access. You’re offering a deal they might not otherwise see, at a stage where their input can shape outcomes.

Operator signal attracts more than capital

When a respected founder invests in your company, others notice.

This isn’t the same as a passive angel who writes dozens of checks. Operator angels bring domain expertise and hard-won credibility. VCs take that seriously. It compresses diligence, reframes risk and changes the tone of the conversation.

Founders talk. One high-signal name on your cap table can quietly open the door to a new tier of investor meetings.

If you’re optimizing your angel round purely for check size, you’re missing the compounding value of credibility.

Business development you can’t manufacture later

There’s a practical benefit that doesn’t show up in pitch decks: actual business traction.

If your angel runs or has recently run a company in an adjacent space, you’ve built optionality. Whether through partnerships, integrations or customer intros, there’s a real chance your angel can accelerate your go-to-market.

As J.P. Morgan says, there are many things to consider in your due diligence, and key public information “includes the investor’s reputation in the startup community, areas of expertise and preferred level of involvement.” That’s not a nice-to-have. That’s leverage you can’t build later.

How to target the right people

This strategy only works if you’re deliberate.

Before you open your next round, build a list. Identify 10 to 15 founders who’ve recently raised Series B, C or D rounds. Look for operators two or three stages ahead of you, ideally in adjacent spaces. Crunchbase and tech press are useful tools, but your current investors and advisors are often the fastest path to warm introductions.

Warm intros matter. These founders are busy. Cold outreach sometimes works, but conversion rates are low. Be clear with your network about who you want to meet and why.

When you get to the meeting, lead with your product. A demo is more powerful than a deck. You’re not asking for a favor. You’re inviting them to engage with something interesting.

And a tip from experience: don’t pitch the tax angle. Sophisticated founders already understand QSBS and secondary. If you have to explain it, you’re probably talking to the wrong person.

Sign up for How Success Happens and learn from well-known business leaders and celebrities, uncovering the shifts, strategies and lessons that powered their rise. Get it in your inbox.

What to expect and why it’s worth it

Most of these checks are modest, usually between $10,000 and $50,000.

The value is in insight, signal and leverage. Some angels may become active. Others might make one key introduction and step back. Both outcomes are valuable. Just be clear upfront about what kind of involvement you’re hoping for.

What compounds is momentum. One smart, well-placed operator angel makes the next conversation easier. And the one after that.

Don’t just close the round. Build the right table.

Fundraising at the early stage isn’t about stacking as many checks as possible. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who increase your odds of success.

Series C founders are an underutilized category of angel investor. They’re liquid, relevant, experienced and often eager to stay close to the early-stage building process.

Before you close your next round, take a hard look at your target list. If it’s filled with people who can write checks but can’t shape outcomes, you’re leaving leverage on the table.

The best angels aren’t always the wealthiest people in the room. Often, they’re the ones who were in your shoes just a few years earlier.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/why-the-best-angel-investors-arent-the-easiest-to-reach/502259

CEOs of Major Companies Are Being Replaced at a Record Pace — Here’s the Reason Why

Warning to executives: Don’t get too comfortable in your corner office. Nearly one in nine CEOs was replaced last year, the highest rate since the financial crisis, and CFO turnover hit a seven-year high, according to new data from Russell Reynolds Associates.

The replacements are younger and greener. More than 80% of the 168 incoming CEOs were first-timers with no prior experience running public companies. Two-thirds have never served on a corporate board. Some companies that brought in new CEOs this year include Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Disney, PayPal, and HP.

What’s driving the shift? AI disruption, unraveling trade practices, and an unsettled economy are forcing boards to rethink leadership. But there’s also burnout. Retirements accounted for 60% of CFO departures, with many veterans opting for board work or advisory roles over grueling schedules.

Read more

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source https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/record-ceo-and-cfo-turnover-is-reshaping-corporate-america/502898

The Upside of Opening Up DEI Programs to Everyone

There are costs to the decline of targeted diversity programs—but there are also hidden benefits to the new era of universality.

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Entrepreneurs Can Save Hours Every Week With This $13 Upgrade

Entrepreneurs need to be efficient. If you’re using an older PC, it’s time to bring it up to speed with an operating system (OS) that’s built for the modern professional — Microsoft Windows 11 Pro. Right now, you can give your device this impressive upgrade for an amazingly low price — just $12.97 — now through March 22.

This Windows upgrade could make your workday a lot smoother

As an entrepreneur, you’re used to long hours spent on the computer. But what if there were a way to make your device more efficient and improve your daily workflow? That’s what Windows 11 Pro brings to the table: a new OS that’s ready to give you a new interface and a fresh set of tools to work with.

Windows 11 Pro took today’s workforce into consideration when designing this update. You can save time with a more powerful search experience and improved voice typing. The seamless new interface also offers easy redocking, snap layouts, and more features that boost your productivity, like Azure AD, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker.

This OS includes Microsoft Teams, a tool that keeps you connected with coworkers, and Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistance. Access Copilot right on your desktop and ask it questions — it can help with your workflow, change settings, summarize web pages, and even open apps for you.

If you’ve been neglecting your cybersecurity, Windows 11 Pro has features to help you step it up. It includes biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection.

Get this Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license for just $12.97 now through March 22.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/entrepreneurs-can-save-hours-every-week-with-this-13/502845

How to Stop Publishing Content Nobody Cares About and Create Content Your Audience Loves

Key Takeaways

• Understanding your audience and being genuine are crucial for creating content that resonates and establishes trust.
• High-quality content with consistent delivery paves the way for brand loyalty, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers.
• Content is a strategic asset in a world flooded with noise; it’s vital for differentiation and engaging consumers with your brand story.

There’s a reason you’re reading this post right now. Maybe you follow me on social media because you’re familiar with my business. Maybe you were scrolling through your newsfeed and the headline caught your eye. Or maybe you’re a founder researching ways to write content that sticks, and this was one of the top results in the queue.

I may be a tech guy at heart, but writing articles like these is a part of my job that I take very seriously. My journey as a bootstrapped founder has been pretty unique, and I love to share my insights and lessons learned with others who may be traveling along a similar path.

But there’s another dimension, too. I want to be embedded in the communities that I think Jotform should reach. If you know me, and my product feels familiar, you’re more likely to think of us the next time you need an online form builder.

To pose a slightly modified version of the classic question: If you build a world-class product that no one knows about, does it even exist? The answer is simple — no.

Producing high-quality content is a great way for users to get to know you and what makes your business unique. Millennial and Gen Z consumers in particular want to understand a company’s values, motivations and intentions before they’re willing to spend their money. Brands that consistently publish thoughtful, well-crafted content are more likely to earn trust and long-term loyalty than those that simply push products or promotions.

But while there’s certainly no shortage of corporate content, many businesses fall short of hitting the “high-quality” mark. There’s a lot of bad writing and AI slop out there these days — some researchers place that figure as high as 50%. If you really want your voice to stand out, you have to offer something people can’t get anywhere else. Here’s how to do it.

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Know your audience

Before you begin building a product, you want to understand who’s likely to use it. The same goes for your writing. Who is your target audience? What insights do you specifically have to offer, and why should they care?

I’ll use myself as an example. I’m a voracious reader, and I spend a lot of time consuming both traditional publications and posts in online forums. I love to get a sense of the conversations happening in the tech world. Spending time in these communities gives me a window into current trends, shared frustrations and the kinds of problems people are trying to solve.

I’ve long posted on forums like Reddit and Indie Hackers, a habit that became even more ingrained as I prepared to release my first book. Not only was I able to figure out what subjects resonated with my target audience, but being an involved part of these online communities meant that once the book was done, I could share it there, knowing I’d have at least a small instant readership. Going back even further, actively participating in various startup forums allowed me to build relationships with people who would later become Jotform users.

Be genuine

If you follow my work, you probably know quite a bit about my life. You know I’m a husband, a father and that I love spending time on my family’s olive farm in my native Turkey. You probably also know that one of my life’s missions is to eliminate all forms of busywork and create more time and space for the sorts of ambitious projects that give us purpose.

But you also know that the process of building my company has not been a straight line. I’ve written extensively about my missteps, struggles and the things I wish I had done differently. I share these insights both because I want others to learn from my mistakes, and also because I don’t want to create the impression that building my business has been easy — it hasn’t. I’ve always loved Shoe Dog, the memoir by Nike founder Phil Knight, because it charts the tough road from Nike’s unglamorous early days to its current status as a global sportswear superpower. It’s hard to imagine anyone as successful as Knight having undergone prolonged periods of struggle. And yet that’s exactly what makes his story so compelling.

Being willing to share the less-than glamorous aspects of your journey isn’t showing weakness; it’s showing vulnerability. If you want your readers — and customers — to understand where you’re coming from, you have to be willing to reveal the ugly along with the good.

Be consistent

As much as everyone loves a viral moment, that isn’t where real impact comes from. Instead, think of content as a long-term investment. Winning the SEO game requires consistently producing genuinely useful, well-written posts that spark interest and earn backlinks from other sites. It won’t happen overnight — patience and persistence are key.

It’s also prudent to start generating content before you actually release your product to build excitement. In the past, founders had to rely on paid advertising and media placements to get eyeballs on their businesses. Today, social platforms, forums and self-publishing tools make it possible for anyone to grow a substantial audience if they’re willing to put in the effort. If you already have an audience — even a small one — you have an engaged group of readers you can point toward your product the moment it launches.

For the tech-minded, it’s easy to dismiss content as frivolous. But take it from me: Your product, no matter how useful or innovative, will not speak for itself. You don’t have to be a professional writer or producer. But being able to communicate your story and your “why” will set you apart in a world crowded with noise.

Looking to buy a franchise but don’t know where to start? Entrepreneur Franchise Advisors will guide you through the process from start to finish — for free. Sign up here.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/read-this-before-you-publish-another-useless-startup-blog/501001

This AI Assistant Runs Entirely on Your Computer With No Monthly Fees

It’s no secret that businesses are increasingly concerned about artificial intelligence (AI) privacy and escalating subscription costs. Many entrepreneurs find themselves locked into expensive monthly AI services while worrying about where their sensitive business data ends up.

Pansophy is an AI desktop assistant that offers a different approach entirely, and a lifetime subscription is available now for only $59.97 (reg. $199).

Keep your assistance local and private

This fully local AI desktop assistant runs completely on your computer with no cloud connection, no tokens, and no recurring fees, thecompany says. For business owners who are juggling multiple responsibilities, this means unlimited access to AI-powered writing, coding, document analysis, and web search without the typical constraints or privacy concerns that come with cloud-based alternatives.

The business case is straightforward. Instead of paying monthly subscription fees that add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars annually, you get lifetime access for a one-time payment. More importantly for entrepreneurs who are handling sensitive client information, financial data, or proprietary business strategies, everything stays on your device. Your conversations, documents, and searches never leave your computer, eliminating data breach risks and compliance headaches, the company says.

Pansophy handles the tasks entrepreneurs need daily: drafting emails, generating business proposals, analyzing PDF reports, writing code for business automation, and brainstorming marketing strategies. The AI works across multiple languages, which is valuable for businesses operating internationally or serving diverse markets.

Easy to integrate

The system runs on standard hardware without requiring expensive GPUs, making it accessible whether you’re working from a laptop at a coffee shop or a desktop in your home office. It works offline after initial activation, so you’re not dependent on internet connectivity for productivity. Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS are all supported.

The value proposition is straightforward: pay once, use forever, with complete data privacy. For small-business owners and solopreneurs who are looking to integrate AI into their workflow without ongoing costs or privacy trade-offs, this represents a practical alternative to subscription-based services.

Get this Pansophy Private Personal AI Desktop Assistant for $59.97 (reg. $199) in the Entrepreneur Store today.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/this-ai-assistant-runs-entirely-on-your-computer-with-no/502778

This AI Workspace Helps Entrepreneurs Streamline Collaboration for $39

Entrepreneurs don’t usually struggle with ideas, but they can struggle with organization. Between pitch decks, product roadmaps, and marketing plans, information can get scattered across documents. Luckily, there’s a tool called Hive AI that is designed to solve this problem—all for just $39 (reg. $204).

By consolidating structured documentation, task management, and visual collaboration on a single platform, Hive AI combines the best of Notion and Miro into a single AI-powered workspace. Instead of toggling between tools, teams can write, brainstorm, visualize workflows, and build presentations from a single unified canvas.

Hive AI provides an infinite canvas for sketching business concepts and mapping operational processes, alongside document creation and organized databases for tracking projects. The AI tool allows you to edit business plans for tone and clarity, generate executive summaries, create mind maps to break down complex initiatives, and produce presentation-ready slides in moments. Built-in AI chat delivers rapid insights and supports ideation, which is key for entrepreneurs who need answers fast.

For business owners, the value lies in speed and cohesion

• Agencies can brainstorm campaigns, draft client proposals, and manage deliverables in one environment.
• Product teams can map feature roadmaps visually while keeping technical specs and timelines connected.
• Consultants and solo founders can turn rough concepts into structured plans and investor-ready decks without juggling multiple subscriptions.
• Operations teams can visualize workflows and refine processes without exporting files between tools.

Consolidating collaboration into one system reduces friction and lowers the risk of information slipping through the cracks. It can also help control recurring software costs, a meaningful advantage for teams and founders who aim to maximize every dollar.

For entrepreneurs who are looking to streamline collaboration, accelerate planning, and simplify their tech stack, Hive AI is a one-time investment that could make day-to-day execution more efficient. A lifetime subscription to the basic plan is currently on sale for $39 (reg. $204).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/this-ai-workspace-helps-entrepreneurs-streamline/502844

The Fastest Way to Kill a Startup? This Common Mistake That Looks Like Progress

Key Takeaways

• Most startups fail quietly, long before anyone sees the signs.
• What feels like momentum can hide the risks that sink a company.

We live in what I call a unicorn economy — a culture that tells founders that if they’re not scaling at breakneck speed, raising massive rounds or landing headlines, they’re falling behind.

Silicon Valley is one of the most powerful startup ecosystems ever built. But its dominant narrative has a downside: it trains founders to chase outcomes that work for very few.

Roughly 75% of venture-backed companies fail, and only a small subset of businesses are suited for the traditional venture model. For everyone else, chasing unicorn status doesn’t increase the odds of success — it quietly reduces them.

If your goal is to build real wealth, freedom and a company that survives the realities of entrepreneurship, forget unicorns. Build a foundation. That means focus, systems, and the discipline to scale one zero at a time.

Unicorns are rare by definition. What’s far more common — and far less celebrated — are founders who build profitable, durable businesses without headlines. Strip away the hype, and you’ll find a silent majority creating meaningful wealth for themselves and their families without ever making TechCrunch.

Unicorns aren’t magical — they’re pressurized

From the outside, unicorns look inevitable: massive valuations, viral growth, constant attention. Inside, they’re fragile.

Most are venture-backed, and that capital comes with expectations that can break a business the moment growth slows. The pursuit of speed often crowds out what actually matters: customers, revenue discipline, hiring well and building systems that hold under stress.

I’ve seen this play out repeatedly. The belief that funding, hype and velocity can substitute for accountability and fundamentals. It shows up as reckless spending, weak controls and founders who confuse attention with progress.

WeWork is the most visible example, but it’s not unique. For every unicorn that survives, there are hundreds of venture-backed companies that collapse quietly under the weight of expectations they were never built to meet.

The existence of successful billion-dollar companies doesn’t make this a formula. It makes it an exception.

The foundation formula

After more than 30 years of building companies, I’ve learned that sustainable success isn’t driven by hype. It’s driven by discipline.

Here’s what actually works.

1. Solve a real problem

Start with a clear, painful need. Capital won’t save a product people don’t genuinely care about.

2. Prove it before you scale it

Ideas don’t build businesses — traction does. Early-stage work is about validation, not polish. Kill weak ideas quickly. Invest in what customers prove they want.

3. Protect your edge

Defensibility matters. At Hostopia and .CLUB, patents, partnerships, trademarks and domain strategy created leverage that marketing never could.

4. Scale in zeros

Don’t leap from $100,000 to $100 million. Go from $100,000 to $1 million, then $1 million to $10 million. Each stage demands different systems, processes and leadership. Research shows why this matters: Premature scaling — growing too fast before systems are ready — is the second most common cause of startup failure, cited by 70% of failed startups. Anecdotally, companies like WeWork and Theranos illustrate the dangers of trying to scale beyond operational readiness, while startups like HubSpot and Atlassian succeeded by building infrastructure and leadership step by step. Scaling in zeros isn’t just advice — it’s a survival strategy.

5. Track your stage gates

Know your metrics. Know your thresholds. Scaling without checkpoints is how founders run full speed off cliffs. Stage gates let you measure whether a system, team, or process is ready for the next zero. Without them, growth looks like progress — but it’s just risk in disguise.

Quiet builders win

The founders who win aren’t flashy — they’re focused.

The best exits rarely come from the loudest voices. They come from founders who master a niche and execute relentlessly. Sometimes that means creating a new category. More often, it means dominating a small one.

I recently met a retired entrepreneur who built a manufacturing business installing backyard bug screens. You’ve never heard of him. He sold the company for life-changing money.

There are millions like him. Founders who sell businesses for $5 million, $20 million, even $100 million. These outcomes don’t make headlines — but they create freedom. And they’re far more achievable than unicorns.

The real opportunity

The unicorn narrative teaches founders that success lives somewhere else — one viral moment away.

In reality, the opportunity is right under your feet. It’s in building something that works before trying to make it big. It’s in discipline, patience, and execution. It’s in foundations, not fantasies.

Brick by brick. Customer by customer. Zero by zero.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/the-fastest-way-to-kill-a-startup-this-common-mistake-that/501238

Why the Best Founders Approach Business Like an Engineer

Key Takeaways

• Discover the hidden mindset that separates founders who get stuck from those who scale efficiently.
• Learn how a different way of thinking can turn overwhelming complexity into actionable clarity.

We’re fortunate to stand on the work of giants. Every time we cross a suspension bridge or hear a brilliant piece of music, we experience the spark of someone else’s genius. We don’t need to understand every theory to benefit from it — and the same is true in building a business.

You don’t need a computer science degree to think like an engineer — but doing so can help you build smarter, faster and with fewer mistakes. My own career in tech leadership didn’t start with coding. It started by watching my mother translate between aerospace engineers and military generals — two highly structured, high-stakes worlds speaking different “languages” of complexity. Her superpower was deconstructing systems so anyone could understand them. That skill has guided me ever since.

At our firm, we coach founders to adopt an engineering mindset: systems thinking, architectural clarity, constraint-awareness and rapid feedback loops. Here’s how it works and why every founder should use it.

1. Deconstruct complexity with systems thinking

Founders often feel pulled in every direction: product isn’t sticking, funding is tight and teams are stretched. Everything seems like a top priority — and that’s paralyzing.

Engineers never see a problem as one giant black box. They break it into systems and subsystems, each with dependencies. When I led product at a large talent agency, friction threatened to derail the business. The “problem” wasn’t monolithic — it was four separate issues: poor data capture, broken matching logic, clunky workflow automation and outdated CRM tooling. Treating each as its own module allowed us to test, measure, and fix them independently.

Don’t panic. Identify the subsystem that’s the bottleneck, isolate it and tackle it first.

2. Prioritize architecture before action

Too many startups start building before thinking. Features ship without strategy, and founders end up scaling a product that wasn’t designed to scale.

Engineers begin with architecture. They follow blueprints and apply the 80/20 principle: focus 80% of effort on what can be standardized and reserve energy for the 20% that requires creativity.

Standardize what can be standardized. Preserve your time, energy, and capital for what truly drives leverage.

3. Treat constraints as creativity catalysts

Constraints aren’t limitations — they’re opportunities. Engineers know this: memory, bandwidth, and budget limits force clarity.

Founders should ask: *What can we achieve with exactly the resources we have?* Often, elegant solutions arise only when you embrace limitations. Constraints strip away the nonessential and surface what truly drives value.

4. Use binary thinking to break analysis paralysis

In a crisis, engineers rely on binary logic: yes/no, on/off. They isolate variables instead of overanalyzing everything.

Founders can do the same. Should you target startups or enterprise clients? Test both quickly. Should you hire internally or outsource? Run a short trial. Each binary decision reduces uncertainty and accelerates clarity.

5. Build to validate, evolve after launch

Speed without learning is waste. Engineers instrument everything: performance, behavior, edge cases. Founders should adopt the same rigor.

Treat each product decision as a hypothesis. Build small, measure obsessively, learn faster than competitors. Avoid the perfection trap — progress beats polish in early-stage ventures.

Think like an engineer, lead like a human

Engineering frameworks are powerful, but they’re only half the story. Most startup failures aren’t technical — they’re human: misalignment, miscommunication, unmet expectations. That’s why we pair systems thinking with radical empathy.

Founders who combine engineering clarity with emotional intelligence can scale quickly **without sacrificing team well-being**. You may never write a line of code — but thinking like a technologist could be your most valuable leadership advantage.

Pick one system that feels overwhelming this week. Break it down like an engineer, tackle one subsystem at a time, and watch clarity replace chaos.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/why-the-best-founders-approach-business-like-an-engineer/501295

4 Audit Triggers To Avoid For Entrepreneurs and High Income Individuals

Key Takeaways

• High-income taxpayers filing Schedule C or claiming aggressive deductions are prime audit targets, so staying accurate and consistent is essential.
• Keeping impeccable records, reporting the right residency and avoiding high-risk strategies can dramatically lower your audit risk.

In 2024, high-income taxpayers were more than twice as likely to be audited compared to previous audit cycles.

What are the most common audit red flags to avoid? Searching for 2025 information online yields little actionable guidance, even in industry journals. There are a host of articles explaining low-income audits, such as those incorrectly filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit. However, middle-class, high-income taxpayers and business owners often struggle to maintain compliance with limited publicly available guidance.

As the CEO of Dimov Tax, I see audit notices every day. From our experience working with thousands of clients, my team and I have identified clear patterns. If you are a high-earning business owner or leader, here are the primary triggers to avoid and strategies to reduce your audit risk.

If you file Schedule C, expect higher scrutiny

Schedule C is the IRS form used by single-member LLCs, sole proprietors, contractors, freelancers and anyone receiving a 1099-NEC. Audit rates are significantly lower for S corporations or C corporations, but Schedule C returns remain prime targets.

Whether your side gig involves legal consulting or you work full-time as a contract telehealth provider, the IRS pays close attention because Schedule C returns are easy to self-prepare. Expense overstatements, often unintentional, are common and frequently trigger audits.

High-review expense categories

Every year, social media influencers promote tax strategies that should be approached cautiously. Past examples include attempts to write off luxury vehicles under the “6,000-pound truck rule” or aggressive real estate syndication deductions, which often ended in audits or lawsuits.

Common expense categories that frequently raise IRS eyebrows include:

• Automotive expenses
• Meals and entertainment
• Rent (studio, vehicle, or office)
• Travel
• Luxury goods

Show a profit two to three years out of five to avoid the “hobby” risk

Consistent losses can trigger the IRS to question whether your business activity is legitimate. A simple rule: your business, freelance, or contract activity should show a profit at least two to three years out of five.

Benchmark your ratios

The IRS compares your expenses and income ratios against industry norms. If a specific line item is far above the historical average, it may flag your return. For example, self-employed consultants with $300,000 in income normally report 15% in software expenses; a 60% software expense could trigger scrutiny.

Importantly, this risk isn’t limited to the ultra-wealthy. Even individuals with modest side gigs, like rideshare drivers, can face audits. Schedule C filers remain a notable exception in audit trends.

Beware of mortgage interest caps

Mortgage interest deductions have caused frequent audit issues. Deductibility depends on when your loan originated:

• Mortgages originated after December 15, 2017: interest is deductible only on up to $750,000 of acquisition debt ($375,000 if married filing separately).
• Mortgages originated on or before December 15, 2017: the prior $1,000,000 limit still applies ($500,000 if married filing separately).

Interest above these thresholds is non-deductible. Review your Schedule A to ensure limits are correctly applied—many IRS notices are triggered by this issue.

Take appropriate real estate losses against W-2 income

Social media strategies often suggest high-paid W-2 earners can reduce taxes by purchasing properties for short-term rentals and claiming large depreciation deductions. Others suggest claiming “real estate professional” status to offset W-2 income.

Even if these strategies are valid, the IRS scrutinizes them closely. Cost segregation, accelerated depreciation and bonus depreciation strategies require meticulous documentation.

Residency pitfalls: addresses, withholding and multi-state filing

Remote work and increased mobility have made state tax filings more complicated than ever. Using the wrong address on a W-2, 1099 or other forms can trigger significant tax liabilities.

Common scenarios we see include:

• Using a parent’s or friend’s address while working remotely.
• Receiving mail at a P.O. Box or a previous residence.
• Keeping an old address on employer records after relocating.

Even seemingly small mistakes can have major consequences. When a state sees income linked to an address within its jurisdiction, it can pull your full federal transcript and attempt to tax all income earned across every location — sometimes resulting in six-figure tax bills.

Tips to avoid costly errors:

• Confirm your correct state of residence and review all employment and financial records.
• Double-check addresses on all W-2s, 1099s, and other tax forms.
• Monitor pay stubs throughout the year. Taxpayers sometimes pay the wrong state for months—or even the full year—with no easy recourse. In one case we handled, a taxpayer accidentally paid $200,000 in state taxes that could not be recovered.

If there’s any chance a form or income source is associated with a state where you no longer live, contact your tax professional immediately to review corrective actions and prevent unnecessary liabilities.

High-risk strategies flag your return

Certain niche strategies carry higher audit risk, including:

• Conservation easements
• Captive insurance companies
• Charitable contribution schemes
• Complex insurance or trust structures

These strategies often result in audits that are upheld, leading to penalties, back taxes and professional fees. Always consult a neutral, experienced tax professional before pursuing these approaches.

Conclusion

Being audited is not inevitable. Filing an extension may reduce your risk because the IRS fills its audit quota early in the year. Filing later after making estimated payments may reduce the likelihood of being flagged.

Meticulous documentation, accurate reporting and professional review are the most reliable ways to reduce audit risk.

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/money-finance/4-audit-triggers-to-avoid-for-entrepreneurs-and-high-income/499536

The Best Work-From-Home Jobs That Actually Pay Well in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Working from home is more popular now than ever before.
• A variety of industries have jobs that can be performed remotely.
• Many remote roles pay well and still provide personal flexibility.

Working from home full-time was rare in the past, but the pandemic reshaped the workforce landscape, creating a surge in full-time and part-time remote positions. Whether it’s working remotely for a company or starting your own business, these days there’s no shortage of work-from-home opportunities.

Working remotely offers significant advantages for those who prefer a more flexible work environment and the freedom to set their own schedule.

Pros of working from home can include:

• No time or cost is spent on commuting
• Less cost dedicated to professional attire.
• More options for home-based location and travel opportunities
• Schedules that allow people to work when they are most productive
• Flexibility to run errands, make appointments, or take care of dependents
• Better able to create a work-life balance

On the other hand, some remote workers have reported feelings of loneliness and isolation. If you are considering remote opportunities, ensure they are the right fit for your needs and personality.

Cons of working from home might include:

• Difficulty creating a work-life balance
• Less in-person contact with coworkers
• Feelings of isolation due to a lack of human connection
• Negative bias from superiors who prefer in-person employees
• Miscommunication due to a lack of physical cues through technology
• No opportunity for on-campus office perks like gyms or nutritious meals

Related: 70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

If you decide working from home is right for you, look for stay-at-home jobs that fit your strengths. Here are more than 40 work-from-home opportunities, some of which require specialized training and many of which can be lucrative. These are not listed in any special order.

All average salaries sourced from Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter

1. Affiliate marketer

Affiliate marketing is a referral strategy in which you link to products and earn a commission on sales. Let’s say you have a website and link to a product on Amazon. When the visitor clicks the affiliate link and buys that product, Amazon will pay you a percentage of the sale as long as you’ve gone through the work to enroll in their affiliate program. You have to do work on the front end to make sure you’re enrolled with affiliate partners, but with relatively few startup costs, affiliate marketing can be a major source of passive income. Average salary: $82,000 annually

2. Animator

If you’re an artist capable of creating animation and visual effects for television, movies, video games, and other types of media, you often can find remote work as a freelance animator or illustrator. Many marketing agencies and publishers are also looking to hire independent contractors, which can lead to consistent freelance work. Average salary: $73,000 annually

3. Real estate wholesaler

Real estate wholesaling is a practical way to earn money by connecting motivated sellers with investors without ever owning or fixing up the properties yourself. The process usually starts when you identify a homeowner interested in selling, negotiate a contract with them, and then forward the contract to an investor for a fee. Most of your daily work, like researching neighborhoods, finding leads, and reaching out to sellers, can be handled from your laptop or phone, wherever you happen to be.

Digital tools have made wholesaling more accessible than ever. Apps and online platforms, such as DealMachine, help you spot off-market properties, reach out to owners, and keep track of leads; all from the comfort of your home office.

Since wholesaling doesn’t require much upfront capital or experience, it’s a great work-from-home option if you’re motivated and ready to learn. Thanks to modern real estate tech, you can get started quickly and grow at your own pace.

Average salary: Your earnings depend on your effort and network, but many successful wholesalers earn $50,000 to $100,000 or more annually

4. Baker, caterer, or chef

If you already have a knack for baking, cooking, and arranging meals, you could turn your passion into a side hustle. Maybe you start small by baking goods for friends, neighbors, online customers, or at a local farmer’s market. You could also launch a catering business or become a personal chef, though those endeavors may require more on-site work. Before you start selling any food products, though, look into the cottage food and catering licensing requirements in your state. Average salary: salary and income will vary

5. Writer and editor

Content writing and editing services are in high demand and can be an excellent way to make a living while working from home. You could run and monetize your own blog (see: affiliate marketing), offer copywriting and editing services to businesses, or even write grants for nonprofits, universities, hospitals, and other entities. I started Due 10+ years ago, and it has been a solid source of revenue ever since. Due started slow and built up year over year, and I stuck with it. Additionally, organizations large and small need freelancers to support their content initiatives. Sites like Fiverr and Upwork can be great places to find gigs — and for potential clients to find you. Average salary: salary and income will vary

6. Bookkeeper or tax preparer

You don’t have to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to work as a bookkeeper; you’ll likely want to take an online course or one at a local college if you don’t have previous experience. Once you’ve completed a course, you can work part-time to help businesses keep their books. You can also help individuals prepare their taxes, but be sure to seek appropriate training and consider earning certifications that will keep you in compliance with Internal Revenue Service requirements. If you’re already a CPA, either of these jobs you can do at home with relatively little additional training. Average salary: $68,000 annually

7. Career and life coaching

Career and life coaching has grown in recent years, as many people seek to set and achieve new goals or overcome personal and professional hurdles. While anyone can become a career or life coach (and not everyone should), there are courses you can take and certifications you can earn that will lend your business authenticity and better equip you to work one-on-one with clients. I have a friend, Keith Crossley, who started and built this into a six-figure business in just under a year. Before you take on clients, it’s important to think about your qualifications, area of expertise, and determine what specific services you can provide. Average salary: salary and income will vary

8. Child caregiver

As daycare costs soared in recent years, families sought alternatives, which in some cases led parents to launch their own child-care businesses. Whether it’s for a couple of hours or the entire day, running a childcare business from your home can be lucrative, though you’ll want to make sure that you obtain the correct licenses and permits. Average salary: salary and income will vary

9. Clinical research coordinator

Clinical research coordinators manage clinical trial operations, including maintaining and organizing documentation, working closely with a team of medical professionals, and ensuring that all aspects of the trials follow established guidelines. While this type of gig typically requires post-secondary education, it can often be done from an at-home office. Average salary: $60,000 annually

10. Computer programmer

Computer programmers typically need to earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field or, at a minimum, need to take a coding bootcamp. If you’ve done this and you’re fluent in programming languages like HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Ruby, Python, or others, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to land a well-paying job that allows you to work from home. Average salary: $114,000 annually

11. Consultant

If you have experience and knowledge in a specific area, then consider sharing it with others through consulting. For example, if you’re an accountant or a lawyer, you can provide career advice to small businesses. If you have a background in software, you could help businesses make informed decisions about emerging technology. Before you start consulting, consider your skills and experience; the longer your track record, the more likely people will consider you an authority in your field. Average salary: salary and income will vary

12. Customer service representative

It’s relatively easy to get set up as a customer service representative. You need excellent communication skills, a landline, and a computer from which you can access a company’s call-log system. Once you’re set up, you can often choose your own hours—customer service lines are often 24/7—and set a schedule that works best for you. In some cases, you may need a degree in a relevant field. Average salary: $48,000 annually

13. Data entry clerk

Data entry is a role that doesn’t require extensive prior experience, and many businesses need data entry services. Typically, the role involves entering large datasets into spreadsheets or other online data storage systems. You’ll need quick, accurate typing skills and a computer with internet access. Average salary: $42,000 annually

14. Ecommerce store owner

The ecommerce industry has exploded in recent years with no signs of slowing down. Some ecommerce business models include dropshipping, wholesaling, manufacturing, white-labeling, and subscriptions. If you’re already creating a product, you may be well-positioned to launch an online side hustle. However, even if you don’t have a product, you can rely on one of the aforementioned business models—and sites like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce—to make money via ecommerce. Average salary: salary and income will vary

15. Instructional video producer

When people encounter problems—with their car, with an appliance, or with most things in life—one of the first places they turn is to YouTube. If you have a particular skill or knack for problem-solving, you can grow a major following on the platform by recording and posting instructional videos. They don’t have to be the highest quality, either. If you can help people fix an issue, you’ll rack up followers and soon start earning money via YouTube’s partner program. Average salary: salary and income will vary

16. Graphic designer

If you’re a digital designer and a pro at using products like Adobe or Canva, many businesses or organizations may be in need of your services to design logos, websites, or even ads. You can likely find a full-time job doing graphic design work that allows you to work from home, but as a graphic designer, you can also make good money building a client list as a freelancer. Average salary: $65,000 annually

17. Handmade crafter

If making handmade products like jewelry or furniture is already a hobby of yours, you could make it a full-time endeavor from your home. You’ll need to launch an online shop — perhaps using Etsy or Shopify—and learn the basics of ecommerce. Consider promoting your shop on social media to build up a following, which could turn your talent for crafting into a lucrative business. Average salary: salary and income will vary

18. Music instructor

If you’re a talented musician and a patient teacher, you could start offering music lessons in your living room. You could also consider teaching people virtually via video conference or recording lessons and uploading them to a YouTube channel, where others can learn from you. Average salary: $55,000 annually

19. Internet security specialist

Internet security specialists monitor networks for security threats and implement security standards. They can also install data protection systems. Given that online security is a major concern for many companies, this type of role is expected to grow steadily over the next several years. An Internet security specialist will require specialized training in cybersecurity and advanced knowledge of computer software systems, and you’ll need access to a secure network to take on this type of work. Average salary: $119,000 annually

20. Mock online juror

When attorneys prepare their clients for trial, they often seek feedback on their case and ask people to serve as mock jurors. While some of these opportunities are in person, many are virtual, with participants reviewing transcripts, videos, and photos and then offering their thoughts on the case. Here is a list of resources where you can find this kind of opportunity. Average salary: salary and income will vary

21. Online teacher or tutor

As with many professions, education has evolved over the past several years and, in many cases, can now be done from a home office. If you’re a teacher or subject-matter expert seeking a flexible schedule, consider teaching online courses or offering tutoring services through an online education company. Organizations like K12 and Connections Academy are good places to start, but it’s also worth reaching out to local school districts and community colleges. You will likely need prerequisite educational and work experience, and in some cases, you’ll need a teaching license. Average salary: salary and income will vary

22. Patent or intellectual property attorney

While some lawyers must spend their days in the office or in court, there are work-from-home opportunities across the profession, particularly in areas of the law such as patents and intellectual property, where administrative work can be done remotely. If this type of law is already your area of expertise, you could generate income without having to leave your home. Average salary: $156,000 annually

23. Peer-to-peer lender

Thanks to sites like LendingClub and Prosper, you can lend money to businesses or individuals, and, as an investor, make money on the paid interest of the loan. Regulations vary by state, so you’ll want to ensure you’re following the rules. Moreover, there are often minimum income requirements to become a lender, so you’ll need to prove your financial viability before you can count on peer-to-peer lending as a major source of passive income. Average salary: salary and income will vary

24. Photo or video editor

If you’re handy with a camera, you can work as a photographer or videographer. While some of the work may require attending events, editing headshots or wedding videos can typically be done from home, as long as you have access to a computer and the right software. You can even sell your own images or videos on sites like Foap, allowing you to operate your business from home. Average salary: $65,000 annually

25. Podcaster

Audio storytelling is still in demand, and if you already have an audience — or the tools to build one — you might consider launching a podcast from your home. This will require investing in microphones and editing software at the very least – and if you bring in a large volume of listeners, you can sell ads and generate a profit. Average salary: salary and income will vary

26. Product reviewer

If you have a knack for user design, you could earn a meaningful supplemental income as a product tester or reviewer. Many companies want to get feedback on their products (think: cosmetic products, tools, electronics, etc.) before they go to market. Typically, a company will pay you directly with money or with gift cards; you can also register to be a product reviewer on sites like UserTesting. Average salary: salary and income will vary

27. Repair and maintenance provider

Are you handy and known for fixing things — like bicycles, cars, computers, or small engines? Consider launching your own repair business. If you have garage space, tools, and the know-how, you can start a business where people bring damaged goods directly to your house. If you already have the resources to get going, the startup costs won’t be more than the initial marketing effort to generate awareness around your business. Average salary: $65,000 annually

28. Reseller of used and discounted goods

There is a never-ending supply of cheap and free goods on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, not to mention yard-sale treasures and deeply discounted name-brand items such as Carhartt factory seconds or tags-on, second-hand store finds. If you purchase furniture, electronics, outdoor gear, and other goods at a bargain price, you can flip them at a high margin. Average salary: salary and income will vary

29. Seamstress or tailor

Many individuals need their clothing altered, and if you’re good with a needle and thread, there are a variety of ways to put your sewing skills to work. You could consider specializing in wedding dresses, suits, or even costume design. If you spend a little money on marketing, you could become the go-to alteration expert in your community. Average salary: $48,000 annually

30. SEO expert

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important tactic for growing a business’s online presence. If you have experience growing digital traffic, particularly through SEO best practices, there are many remote job roles — full-time or part-time — where you can use your knowledge to help clients enhance their web presence and make money online. Average salary: $65,000 annually

31. Social media manager

Many businesses, organizations, and individuals need someone to manage their social media accounts. In some cases, clients may even need you to develop an entire strategy for them. If you already spend a lot of time on social media and you have past experience managing brand profiles, creating ad campaigns, and responding to comments and direct messages, you could start building a client list and work from anywhere you choose. Average salary: $65,000 annually

32. Stylist

If you have an eye for new fashion trends, you can make a living as a stylist from home. Thanks to virtual meetings and online ordering systems, you can help people assemble their wardrobes for work, special events, or everyday use. Using platforms like Nuuly and Rent the Runway, you can order multiple outfits, send them to the client, and advise them on which ones best fit their needs and personal style. Average salary: $40,000 annually

33. Survey taker

As with testing products, you can earn money by participating in opinion polls, answering questions about your shopping habits, or giving feedback on a business operation. Typically, you’ll be paid in gift cards or another incentive besides cash, but it can still be a lucrative side hustle. Average salary: salary and income will vary

Related: Can you Really Get Paid Completing Surveys?

34. Telephone triage nurse

If you’re a registered nurse, you could work for health insurers or health management companies like Humana, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare. Even CVS Health offers customer support jobs, hiring nurses to remotely handle case management, treatment authorization, and patient education. Average salary: $88,000 annually

35. Transcriptionist

Transcription is a relatively simple process that involves listening to audio files such as lectures, medical dictations, or legal recordings and typing verbatim what you hear. It often requires only entry-level experience, but you must be a fast typist and produce error-free work. While some companies have turned to artificial intelligence for transcription services, many industries still prefer human transcriptionists to ensure accuracy. Average salary: $55,000 annually

36. Translator or interpreter

If you are fluent in multiple languages, you can start earning a living by translating documents or becoming an interpreter. While earning an American Translators Association certification is not a requirement for every job, it will lend your business credibility and help you attract clients in a variety of areas, including business and government, as well as individuals who need help navigating language barriers. Average salary: $57,000 annually

37. Travel agent or advisor

Although consumers have access to numerous travel sites that make trip planning easier, the process can still be time-consuming. That’s why there are still job opportunities for travel agents to scour the web for the best deals, share advice, or plan itineraries. Moreover, many people have turned to social media to share their travel hacks and earn supplemental income along the way. Average salary: $90,000 annually

38. Vehicle renter

Due to high fees, many people avoid rental car services when visiting a new place, and some choose not to own a car altogether. That’s part of the reason peer-to-peer rental car sites have become so popular. If you have a vehicle you don’t need all the time, you can rent it out to individuals and earn income while you’re at home and don’t need your car. Sites like Turo have built-in third-party liability, so you won’t have to worry about uninsured drivers behind the wheel. Average salary: salary and income will vary

39. Virtual assistant

If you’re organized and can handle duties such as replying to emails, managing the calendar, entering data, and assisting with social media, this type of role may be a great fit. With many offices shifting to fully remote work, virtual assistants no longer need to sit behind a desk all day. Average salary: $55,000 annually

40. Virtual public relations representative

Many businesses don’t have the budget for a dedicated chief marketing officer, a vice president of marketing, or even a public relations firm. But they may have the funds to hire a virtual public relations representative to take care of duties like promoting a business, writing press releases, interacting with the media, or managing a crisis. Average salary: $53,000 annually

41. Virtual recruiter

Businesses large and small often need help building a workforce, but they may not need someone on staff full-time. If you have recruiting and networking experience, you could help businesses scour the web for great job candidates, screen applicants, and become an integral part of the hiring process. Average salary: $65,000 annually

42. Virtual therapist

Are you already a licensed professional counselor (LPC)? If so, online therapy has grown rapidly in the past few years, allowing you to offer services to clients in an exclusively virtual format, online, if you choose. The opportunities to practice therapy online vary depending on your employer and clients’ healthcare, but it’s becoming increasingly accessible. However, if you plan to work with out-of-state clients, be sure to secure appropriate licenses. Average salary: $65,000 annually

43. Voice actor

If you have a golden voice or acting experience, you could make a living by recording scripts for commercials, promotional videos, and other audio files. If you’re just starting out, you might consider vocal training workshops, which will help you hone your craft and get leads on jobs. If you want to do this from home, you’ll need to invest in a home studio—including high-quality microphones and soundproofing equipment. Average salary: $90,000 annually

44. Website tester

Businesses want to make sure their websites are intuitive and easy to navigate. As such, they’ll assign instructions for people to follow to test the user experience. You can work with websites like Test.io and become a freelance tester for a variety of digital products, including new websites as well as smartphone apps. To qualify, most companies will expect you to have computer skills specific to their industry or a track record of using similar products. Average salary: $65,000 annually

45. Business development manager

Are you a naturally gifted salesperson who has an eye for relationships? A work-from-home business development manager role might be for you. In these positions, you may develop business plans, find new clients, manage existing accounts, and, yes, achieve sales objectives. To increase revenue, strong sales and client relations skills are essential. Average salary: According to FlexJobs, the average salary range is between $51K to $134K annually

46. Computer support specialist

Also known as computer technicians or IT specialists, you set up and maintain computers, software, and networks for individuals and businesses. Specifically, you provide support via phone, email, chat, and remote assistance software. The job outlook is expected to grow by 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, according to Coursera. If you’re tech-savvy and enjoy helping others, this may be a perfect option for you. Average salary: $49,466 annually

47. AI training

Whether you believe it or not, AI can be made smarter. To learn and improve, modern AI models need human input. Companies such as Outlier.ai hire people to evaluate AI prompts and responses. As the generative AI market is expected to grow to $1.3 trillion over the next decade, there are many opportunities to generate revenue online in this field. Average salary: salary and income will vary

48. Traveler host

Do you have an extra room, a guest house, or even an entire property you are not using? Why not turn it into an income source? By becoming a traveler host, you can rent out your space to visitors. As a host, you’ll need to be comfortable hosting guests in a clean, welcoming setting. Also, be prepared to clean up after stays and to respond to urgent needs. To get started, you can use platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Average salary: salary and income will vary

source https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/50-work-from-home-jobs-that-pay-well-for-remote-workers/306578