Articles

Don’t build a brand. Build a business I know what you’re thinking, “Aren’t those the same thing?” Or, “You need a brand to build your business.” Building a brand helps your business. But, how to do it and what it means are often confused. The result ends up being entrepreneurs chasing their tail trying to achieve a result that come later in the …

When it comes to branding, there’s no easy recipe for success. Branding is an imperfect science that boils down to constant change — based on where you are, where you want to be and, most importantly, what the market is doing.   Just look at Nike. The athletic apparel giant has been able to succeed for generations because it’s constantly …

By Richard Branson When you think about innovation, do you think about Silicon Valley and technological advances and companies with big research and development budgets? Most people do, but the truth is that even the smallest businesses, from one-chair barbershops to popcorn vendors on the street, are capable of coming up with ideas that capture customers’ imaginations. When that happens, …

In today’s competitive marketplace, entrepreneurs—tasked with raising capital, attracting talent and getting their businesses off the ground—are up against a staggering statistical fail rate. But by following some basic principles related to design, marketing and user experience—tenets of some of the most powerful businesses out there—you can increase your odds of starting and maintaining a successful brand. 1. Simplicity While …

There’s a lot more going on in your brain than meets the eye when you spot McDonald’s golden arches or Nike’s signature swoosh. In 400 milliseconds, a logo can trigger emotional responses and even behavioral change. Neuroscience tells us that logos — and the brands behind them — can activate parts of your brain in a much deeper manner than …

If you are building a company that depends on making people feel sexy and sophisticated, it’s probably going to confuse your consumers if you your logo is bright green. That’s because different colors are associated with different feelings. Green conveys organic growth, the earth, nature, or feelings of caring. Meanwhile, black communicates feelings of sophistication, authority or seduction. Not convinced? …

We live in a return-on-investment-driven society that is obsessed with instant gratification. Whenever we implement a new product feature, make a pitch to investors, launch a marketing campaign, interview a key job candidate or make a sales call, we want to see tangible and immediate results. Our obsession with seeing measurable business results can make it easy to forget the most important intangible investment …

Breakfast is essential and it is not advisable to skip, a nutritionist has said. Dr Folake Samuel of the Department of Human Nutrition, Univeristy of Ibadan (UI), said it is dangerous to skip breakfast or eat just anything to replace breakfast. In an inteerview with The Nation,Dr  Samuel said: “Skipping breakfast can make both children and adults feel tired, restless, …

I recall a job interview some time ago where having successfully scaled through the processes, I had to meet with the business owner for final talks (usually money matter). In the course of the talk, somehow the conversation veered into cosmetics for men. After much jaw-jaw without agreeing on the financial package for the role, I nonetheless left the interview …