I'm The Blog

Companies spend upwards of 18% of their yearly revenue on software, according to data from Statista. If your business or team relies on Microsoft for access to productivity apps, you may be spending about $144 per user (annually) just for access.

What if you could streamline your business’ spending on employee productivity software? That’s possible with Microsoft 365, and no, it’s not the standard plan you’re likely thinking of. By opting for this group plan instead, you can save nearly $45 … and cover the needs of up to six users. Grab this Microsoft 365 one-year subscription for just $99.99 (reg. $129).

Microsoft productivity apps and more

For starters, all users on your Microsoft 365 plan—whether they’re employees, partners, or even your family members—get full access to the following to streamline their workdays:

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Microsoft Defender
• OneDrive
• Outlook
• Editor
• Clipchamp
• OneNote
• Publisher (PC only)
• Access (PC only)

Each user can use apps simultaneously and separately on a variety of devices, including PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, etc. Apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint also have design, writing, and speaking suggestions.

Along with access to those productivity apps, this subscription comes with a host of additional features designed for entrepreneurs and businesses.

Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant, Copilot, is included with this Microsoft 365 plan. Entrepreneurs and employees alike can use it to automate rote tasks, answer queries, get content and copy assistance/generation, and so much more. In addition, every user on this 365 plan gets 1TB of cloud storage, ensuring all files, photos, emails, videos, and other media can be stored locally and securely.

With your purchase comes Microsoft support, just in case you or your employees run into access issues or have questions.

Save your business money and meet your team’s software needs by grabbing this one-year Microsoft 365 subscription for up to six users, now just $99.99 for a little while longer.

Microsoft 365: 1-Year Subscription (Family/Up to 6 Users)

Only $99.99 at Entrepreneur

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Starting a business is exhilarating. You’re building something from the ground up, shaping your vision and taking control of your destiny. But beyond the glamorized stories of billion-dollar valuations and overnight success, there’s a reality that business school won’t prepare you for — the emotional, mental and strategic demands of entrepreneurship.

The loneliness of leadership

Entrepreneurship can be incredibly isolating. When you’re at the helm, the weight of every decision ultimately rests on your shoulders. Yes, you may have mentors, advisors and even a co-founder, but in the grand scheme of things, no one else carries the full burden quite like you and your co-founder.

The uncertainty never really goes away. Your problems are unique — your peers in traditional jobs may be focused on climbing the corporate ladder while you are busy creating the very blueprint they follow.

Related: 5 Problems Business School Won’t Prepare You For

People management: Your biggest gamble

If you’re lucky, you’ll find a few people who truly believe in your vision. As they grow to understand you and your mission, a new challenge emerges: retaining them. The fear of losing key team members begins to creep in. How do you keep them motivated? How do you ensure they stay for the long haul, especially in an early-stage startup where resources are limited?

Yet, while investing in people is crucial, you can’t afford to build your company solely around individuals. Systems and structures must be in place. The tricky part is finding the balance — ensuring people feel trusted while also implementing processes that ensure sustainability. Sometimes, this shift can be misinterpreted. Team members who once had direct access to you may feel distanced. Others may struggle to evolve at the same pace as you, creating friction.

The sense of urgency that never fades

As a first-time entrepreneur, you’ll constantly battle between executing tasks yourself and delegating them. Even when you have competent people, there’s knowledge you’ve gained from working across different industries that doesn’t always translate easily. This creates a frustrating paradox: You want to move fast, but not everyone around you shares your sense of urgency. The weight of daily operations can keep you from focusing on the bigger picture, forcing you to juggle between thinking low-, mid- and high-level every day.

At the same time, you don’t want to be the reactive, aggressive boss. You want to drive results while maintaining a culture of respect and stability. It’s a delicate balance — pushing for speed while ensuring things run smoothly without burning bridges.

Related: What No One Tells You About Entrepreneurship — 5 Hard Truths

Ensuring at least one thing works

One of the most critical survival tactics? Making sure that at least one of your products or services consistently generates revenue. Trends shift, markets evolve, and external factors can disrupt your plans, but having a solid revenue stream keeps your business afloat, especially if you haven’t raised enough (or any) funding.

And then there’s compliance. In industries like fintech, as you grow, you’ll attract bad actors. The more successful you become, the more you’ll need to invest in security, legal protections and operational resilience — things small businesses don’t usually worry about but can make or break your company as you scale. You’ll find yourself making big-business investments while still operating on a startup budget. It’s like driving a Toyota but equipping it with the infrastructure of a Rolls-Royce, ensuring that when you hit the big leagues, you’re ready.

The barriers you can’t control

Some obstacles aren’t about skill or effort — they’re systemic. You may have the capacity to handle major deals, but potential partners might hesitate because of your age, location or lack of a “native co-founder.” Sometimes, it’s not about what you can do but about how the world perceives you.

Then there are the bad players. Not every company operates with integrity, and you’ll encounter businesses that exist solely to exploit vulnerabilities. Many entrepreneurs learn this the hard way. I got my first lawsuit, before I even had a legal team, from a company attempting to take advantage of some non-obvious contractual loopholes — blame it on trying to be everything for and to the business from the jump.

The unseen toll on your personal life

Entrepreneurship doesn’t just impact you — it affects your family, often in ways you don’t anticipate. You’re no longer as present as you once were, and even when you are, your mind is constantly occupied with work. The emotional and mental load seeps into your personal relationships, testing your ability to balance ambition with presence.

Balancing quality with speed

In a fast-moving world, speed is everything — but not at the expense of quality. You’ll constantly battle between pushing for rapid execution and ensuring that what you build is strong enough to withstand future challenges. This is the tightrope every entrepreneur walks: staying lean, staying ready and staying resilient.

Related: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Founding My Own Company

No business school course fully prepares you for these realities. The journey is demanding, and while the rewards can be incredible, the sacrifices are real. But for those who choose this path, the challenge isn’t just about building a business — it’s about becoming the kind of leader who can navigate the chaos, embrace the uncertainty and create something truly lasting.

That’s the side of entrepreneurship no one tells you about. And yet, for those of us who take the leap, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Go, comrades!

There’s a pervasive belief in the startup world that launching a product — particularly one with cutting-edge technology — will catapult your company to immediate success. But after years of working with startups and founding some of my own, I’ve learned that the best way to begin isn’t by jumping straight into a flashy product. Instead, it’s by focusing on the service you provide to people.

Service businesses offer founders a way to get close to customers, understand their pain points and validate ideas before investing significant time and resources into developing a product. And trust me, when you jump straight into building too much, too soon, you run the risk of creating expensive, overcomplicated products that aren’t aligned with the market’s actual needs.

Every successful company I’ve worked with has one thing in common: service is at the core of their business.

Related: 87 Service Business Ideas to Start Today

Why service businesses lay the best foundation

Unless your product functions as an entertainment or social platform, you’re building a service business whether you realize it or not. And service-based businesses have a fundamental advantage: They are typically fast and cheap to launch. Unlike product businesses, especially hardware, which require upfront investment in development, manufacturing and distribution, a service model allows you to leverage existing skills and resources to provide immediate value to customers. This type of flexibility and speed is critical in a startup’s early stages.

When you start with services, you also gain valuable insights into what your customers really need. These insights are often missed by startups that begin by building complex hardware or software products. As a result, founders of service businesses are better positioned to pivot when necessary and ensure they’re solving the right problems.

Many successful software startups began as service companies — before AWS launched publicly, it was an internal service that Amazon developed for itself. Airbnb, Netflix and many others got their start by manually solving problems for customers. Yes, there was always a software component, but these founders were initially focused on gathering data, refining processes and offering custom solutions before turning those services into scalable software products.

Software was the means to automate and scale service functions. They weren’t building for the sake of it.

One of the clients I currently work with at Bread is a home-cooking service where customers can hire a chef to come to their house and cook meals that will last the entire week. They started with manual operations, gradually adding software to streamline their operations as they scaled. By focusing on providing great service first, they’re now able to spend time understanding what their customers want and would use in their app, which gives them more confidence in how they design it.

Related: How I Eliminated the Sales Funnel By Focusing On This One Business Strategy

The lessons I learned from building too much, too soon

I’ve been on the other side of this equation. Early in my career, I fell into the trap of overbuilding a product before the market was ready for it. One of the startups I was involved with was developing an ambitious piece of hardware. It was expensive, overly complex and frankly, a logistical nightmare. We built a product that had more features than customers needed, and in doing so, we underestimated the operational costs and overestimated the product’s appeal.

We ended up ripping out the hardware just a month after launch because it overheated and failed in the field. The product had lasers — yes, lasers — which added unnecessary complications and inflated the cost. Looking back, we could have started with something far simpler, like a camera, and focused on doing user research. That feedback would have informed how we built the physical product and how we scaled from there. Instead, we spent a lot of time and money fixing problems that could have been avoided if we had built less from the start.

The perils of premature scaling

That experience taught me an invaluable lesson: Don’t overbuild. There’s a tendency in startup culture to believe that more is better — more features, more tech, more complexity. But the reality is, the more you build, the more risks you introduce. You risk wasting capital on features that no one asked for, you risk overcomplicating your operations and you risk losing sight of your core mission.

Service businesses avoid many of these pitfalls by allowing founders to stay lean and iterate based on real customer feedback — while getting paid for it. When you deliver services, you get close to the customer. You understand their pain points intimately, and you can adjust your offerings without the massive overhead associated with hardware or product development. Once you’ve nailed down the service, you can begin to introduce software or tools that make delivering that service easier and more scalable.

The key is not to rush the transition from service to product. When you do decide to build, make sure it’s driven by customer needs, not by the excitement of creating something shiny and new. Keep things simple, validate your ideas through the services you provide and only build features that directly solve the problems your customers face.

Related: Avoid the ‘Too Fast, Too Furious’ Approach to Scaling a Startup

Start simple, scale smarter

For aspiring founders, my advice is this: Don’t start by trying to build the next big thing. Start with a service, get close to your customers and learn everything you can about their needs. Avoid the temptation to overbuild your product. A simple, well-executed service business will give you the foundation you need to scale — without burning through your resources or losing sight of your customers.

In the end, every great company begins by understanding and solving real problems. I believe the best way to do that is by starting with services, not products.

Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here.

Have you Googled yourself lately? No, seriously — when was the last time you typed your name or your business name into Google and took a good hard look at the results?

If you’re like most small business owners or entrepreneurs, you’re probably too busy running your business to even think about it. But here’s the thing — your online image matters more than you might realize. Potential customers, partners and even employees are turning to Google to form their first impression of your brand. What they find (or don’t find!) could make or break a deal.

Still not convinced? Here’s why protecting your online image should be high on your priority list.

1. First impressions happen online

Your website’s homepage isn’t necessarily the first point of contact customers have with your business anymore — your Google search results are. Whether it’s your website, social media accounts or online reviews, people are judging your business within seconds of seeing those results.

Ask yourself this — do those results reflect the brand image you want to convey? If not, it’s time to take control of the narrative. I created Clout Stat because I felt that so many business owners needed help with their online image. And what I found out was, they needed to fix their search results big-time.

Related: Want to Boost Your Company’s Search Ranking? Try This Google-Recommended Website Structure

2. You can harness the power of reviews

Reviews can be your best asset or your worst enemy. Think about it: If a potential customer searches for your business and the first thing they see is a one-star review, what’s their impression going to be?

Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews, responding to negative feedback constructively and actively monitoring review sites are all essential to managing your online presence.

3. Misinformation or outdated info hurts your business

Ever found an old phone number, a long-closed location or even outdated pricing floating around in your Google search results? Frustrating, right? Well, imagine how your customers feel if they are given the incorrect information.

Incorrect or stale information damages trust and can drive potential customers straight to your competitors. Make it a habit to audit your online presence regularly to ensure all details are up to date. I monitor it daily, and you can, too!

4. Your competitors are watching

Your competitors are likely keeping tabs on what shows up when someone searches your business — because they’re vying for the same customers. If your digital footprint is messy, underwhelming or incomplete, they’ll use that to their advantage. A solid online presence ensures you remain competitive and protect your market share.

5. It builds your credibility

Ever heard of the “Google Test?” Before collaborating with you, potential partners or clients might search for you online. What they find could determine whether they reach out or move on.

Positive articles, glowing reviews, an updated website and active social media accounts all scream “reputable and trustworthy.” On the flip side, broken links, outdated content or a non-existent search presence could hurt your credibility.

6. Your reputation needs to be protected

Think of your online reputation as a living, breathing entity. It needs nurturing, monitoring and protecting. What if someone leaves a baseless negative review? Or worse — what if there’s false information about your business online? Regularly Googling yourself allows you to spot and address potential reputation issues quickly.

7. You gain the local SEO edge

For small business owners, your local audience is everything. If you’re not listed in local directories or missing a Google Business Profile, you’ll lose out on valuable foot traffic and online leads. Googling your business name gives you a snapshot of whether you’re ranking — and whether local customers can find you easily.

8. You can stay ahead of trends

Your Google search results are a reflection of how well you’re keeping up with industry trends. Are your competitors showcasing fresh blog content or regular media coverage? Take it as a cue to step up your own digital marketing game. Google alerts can also keep you updated on relevant industry news and mentions of your brand online.

9. You’ll discover new opportunities

When was the last time you checked out the “People Also Ask” section, or scrolled to the bottom of a Google search results page? These sections often contain related topics, questions and websites that could spark new ideas for content, collaborations or partnerships. Keeping an eye on these sections can help you uncover untapped opportunities for growth.

10. You’ll become a better marketer

Lastly, Googling yourself allows you to assess how well your existing digital marketing efforts are paying off. Are your SEO strategies effective in boosting your search presence? The best way to test that is to check yourself.

Related: How to Keep Eyes on Your Business Even When Google’s Algorithm Changes, According to a Marketing Expert

How to take action today

If this article has you wondering, “Hmm, what do my search results actually look like?” then do yourself a favor and head to Google right now! Type in your name, your business name and even key phrases like “other businesses like mine near me.”

Make a list of what you find — are there areas for improvement? Use tools like Google Alerts or online reputation management platforms to keep an eye on your brand. And most importantly, stay proactive.

Remember, you have the power to control the story Google tells about your business. Protecting your online image isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s an essential part of your success.

Think about Uber, Google and countless individuals building their own sales funnels and business modeling. As the global economy breaks apart, entrepreneurship is the one thing that is going to save us all from crumbling down as a society.

Governments are divided along party lines, many multinational firms prefer short-term gains over long-term innovations and archaic systems face new problems they are ill-equipped to deal with. The truth is we are going to increasingly rely on entrepreneurs — uniquely imaginative, resourceful and flexible, as they will ultimately be our path to survival and recovery.

The disintegration of conventional structures

Economic systems that once seemed unshakable are faltering under unprecedented pressure. Political division has caused the public’s trust in the government to decrease, and there has also been outrage caused by worsening economic inequality. Institutions that were built years back struggle to cope with the dynamic threats posed today. Reliance on these systems and communities is increasingly risky.

However, it is worth noting that entrepreneurs do well in chaos because they are able to spot new opportunities quickly. They think of creating where everyone else sees the condition as a daunting problem or a hindering force. They take calculated risks and lead where imagination and determination are needed most and possibly always come out victorious.

Related: Entrepreneurs Drive the Economy — But Are We Doing Enough to Support Them?

Nudging the economy toward stability: The role played by entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship involves more than just coming up with a simple business — rather it fuels growth and stability made possible by innovation. A simple example of this is looking at how local economies always tend to rely on small businesses to create jobs and promote the local community. Statistics show that small businesses in America alone account for 44% of the market as a whole, and being decentralized ensures that the economy is capable of withstanding shocks without collapsing.

Entrepreneurs have their own methods of addressing systemic economic problems. For example, numerous clean energy startups are doing their part in combating climate change and building long-term sustainable industries for people to thrive. Similarly, startups in the healthcare and biotech industries are filling the gap for problems others ignore. Economic stability for countries can be achieved because these people step up as entrepreneurs and fill gaps left by existing traditional systems.

A new perspective on individualism

Entrepreneurs have earned the common perception of being business risk-takers however there is more to an entrepreneur than that. They do not fear taking risks but instead, focus on balancing ambition with pragmatism. This is very important as these risks come with a business and must be handled correctly. To them, the fear of the risk associated with waiting for a pre-existing system to work is higher. They understand that challenging the status quo is what brings about profit and a competitive edge for them.

Consider fintech entrepreneurs, for example, those providing innovations that service the unbanked thus expanding the scope and meaning of true financial inclusion. For example, innovations like blockchain technology tremendously help millions, especially in countries where the economy is still developing and traditional financial systems are unable to cater to everyone.

Related: 8 Reasons Why We Need Entrepreneurs Now More Than Ever

Revolutionary entrepreneurs and the corporate giants: An everlasting conflict

For a long time, governments and large organizations have viewed entrepreneurs as competitors. This is an old-school way of thinking; instead, they should disregard the perplexities of the competitive nature associated with entrepreneurs and instead initiate policies that aid in fostering the entrepreneurial spirit. They should provide access to real-world education and a vast array of capital — because, now more than ever, suppressing the drive to innovate is a mistake.

The right way forward is to embrace entrepreneurship. Estonia, for instance, offers an e-residency program that allows innovators across the globe to set up a business in Estonia without actually living there. This program has instigated a strong relationship between entrepreneurship and economic resilience. Allowing entrepreneurs to tap into and try solving problems such as decentralized health care and more importantly, digital identity can prove to be a game changer.

Entrepreneurs as the ultimate problem solvers

Entrepreneurs have forever been problem solvers at heart. They do not just create economic tools for businesses but often look for weaknesses or problems within an existing system and rectify them. This ultimately results in boosting the nation’s wealth and potential to flourish.

In Australia, entrepreneurs have tackled the growing waste crisis by creating innovative solutions that turn landfills into opportunities. Take Joost Bakker, for example, the creator of the Future Food System house, a fully sustainable, zero-waste home in Melbourne. The project not only showcases a circular approach to food, waste and energy but also demonstrates how entrepreneurial ingenuity can address pressing environmental issues while inspiring communities.

By integrating vertical gardens, aquaponics and renewable energy sources, Bakker has proven that sustainable living isn’t just theoretical — it’s actionable. Initiatives like this highlight the transformative power of entrepreneurial thinking and its ability to drive progress toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Related: How To Use Entrepreneurial Creativity For Innovation

Takeaway

Entrepreneurship can be the most potent weapon in enabling society to remain economically stable, but its importance should be addressed. To address and tap into the benefits of entrepreneurship, the focus should be shifted towards reform in the education sector aimed to foster an entrepreneurial aptitude, and the structuring of policies that will facilitate and encourage innovation.

Everyone including the government, private entities, alongside society at large, must acknowledge and adjust to this new shift. Making the economy resilient is not a matter of following orders and policy, it’s a revolution that must come from the foundation of the society — through brave individuals who are prepared to take risks and create to revolutionize. The future success of our economies, and society as a whole, will depend on such entrepreneurs sooner rather than later.

While there are many “small business 101” courses online, few capture the nuances and complexity of running a small business from scratch. You might learn the essentials (like how to file for an LLC or how to manage your books) but miss the most critical component: how to master the mindset of a successful business owner.

This is where books make up for where online courses and blogs leave off, diving deep into the psychology of starting a venture of your own, the positioning to attract customers, how to price your services and more.

Here’s some essential reading for any current (or aspiring) small business owner looking to enter entrepreneurship with confidence and focus.

Related: 5 Books That Paved My Path to Entrepreneurial Success

The Go-Giver by Bob Burg

Bob Burg is the bestselling author of many books on business, sales and leadership, such as The Art of Persuasion and Endless Referrals. He has a knack for not only explaining the strategies needed to start and run a successful business but also the psychology behind being a confident entrepreneur.

In The Go-Giver, Bob Burg tells the story of an ambitious “go-getter” named Joe. Joe works tirelessly but seems to only get farther from his goals. With the guidance of a legendary consultant named Pindar, Joe is tasked with shadowing several successful entrepreneurs: a restaurant owner, a CEO, a real estate broker and others. These new mentors teach him that the key to success is to shift his focus from getting to giving by putting other people’s interests first.

This mindset shift leads to unexpected returns — and many valuable lessons for the reader. Through the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success, Burg teaches readers how to find fulfillment by giving more and taking less. As a small business owner, you’ll gain insights on how to provide value to customers, market your services and much more.

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

As a small business owner, time is your most valuable resource. Between promoting your products, hiring a team, managing your finances and creating marketing materials, it’s easy to watch the day get away from you. In Buy Back Your Time, author Dan Martell helps entrepreneurs regain control of their time, master their calendars and achieve greater productivity.

Martell shares several strategies for “buying back” time by delegating, outsourcing and automating tasks. This includes the “Buyback Principle” of employing help to manage the more menial tasks of your day-to-day so you’re better able to focus on revenue-generating activities. Buy Back Time also shares practical yet impactful tips for how to avoid burnout, prioritize tasks, generate more sales and scale your business. The result is a better work-life balance, happier employees and a more sustainable business.

Related: I Built a Billion-Dollar Company With the Help of These 19 Business Books

Chillpreneur by Denise Duffield-Thomas

Chillpreneur is the must-read guide for entrepreneurs who want to work smarter, not harder. Author Denise Duffield-Thomas encourages readers to adopt a “chill” approach to business: striving for success without intense effort or stress. She turns “hustle” culture on its head, assuring small business owners that it’s possible to run a financially sustainable business without compromising time (or sanity).

Duffield-Thomas’s take on entrepreneurship is one that’s focused on freedom and abundance rather than restriction and scarcity. As a money mindset coach, she shares an approach for building a business that aligns with your unique personality and skills, as well as financial goals.

In addition to money mindset strategies, the author shares practical tips on how to earn more while working less, master the marketing fundamentals, establish your prices and even overcome awkward money situations. Duffield-Thomas offers a fresh perspective on how to grow a business — not by “grinding” your way to success, but by finding balance and enjoying the journey.

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

The E-Myth Revisited is the updated version of Michael E. Gerber’s original book, The E-Myth, recounting what NOT to do as a small business owner. The book tackles many misconceptions about starting a small business.

One such misconception is that technical expertise alone is enough to run a successful company. Gerber explains that many entrepreneurs mistakenly believe that being good at a specific skill — whether it’s baking, plumbing or graphic design — automatically translates into the ability to run a business. He refers to this as the “Entrepreneurial Myth” or “E-Myth.”

The book explains that successful entrepreneurs need to step into both their roles as technicians and leaders/managers. This includes building systems and processes that ultimately result in a more efficient, financially sound business. Furthermore, Gerber provides practical advice on how to work on the business rather than just in it, empowering small business owners to find more fulfillment and economic success.

This updated edition is a great resource for any entrepreneur looking to grow their business without burning out or overloading themselves with technical tasks.

Related: 7 Books to Help You Build a Better Business

Measure What Matters by John Doerr

When it comes to practical matters, Measure What Matters is your guide. This book explores the power of setting tangible goals and establishing your objectives and key results (OKRs) to measure success. In it, author John Doerr provides a step-by-step framework for setting business milestones, measuring results and achieving your financial goals.

Doerr relays how today’s most notable companies — like Google, Bono and the Gates Foundation — have achieved success by “measuring what matters.” In other words, they focus on the activities that are most likely to move them toward their business objectives. The lesson is that small businesses can do the same, clearly defining their goals and measuring results so they can stay focused on what truly matters.

Through real-world examples, Doerr shows how OKRs can help small business owners prioritize tasks, stay agile and achieve scalable growth.

On a crisp autumn morning in 1964, in the historic city of Hangzhou, China, a boy was born into a world that offered little in the way of opportunity. His parents were traditional storytellers and musicians — a respectable career but one that did not provide him fortune or stability.

As he grew, so did China, enmeshed in the turmoil of political and economic transformation. These conditions, however, were not constraints for young Ma Yun, better known to the world as Jack Ma; rather, they served as the setting for an inspiring tale of unwavering ambition, tenacity and trailblazing leadership.

A curious mind in a changing China

Jack Ma was unique even as a little child. As his contemporaries played in Hangzhou’s winding alleys, he found himself lured to a world outside of China. As the nation started to open up to international tourists in the 1970s, Hangzhou’s well-known West Lake developed into a popular destination. Ma recognized a chance.

Equipped only with curiosity and tenacity, he started providing free tours to Western tourists in return for English language instruction. He would wait for tourists to arrive at the Hangzhou Hotel every morning for 40 minutes on his bicycle. He relentlessly practiced, studied and listened. He was a self-taught fluent English speaker, which was unusual in a country where few people spoke the language. He even made friends with a visitor who gave him the nickname “Jack,” which would eventually spread throughout the international business community. However, despite his aspirations, the path ahead was far from straightforward.

Related: How Jack Ma Overcame His 7 Biggest Failures

The struggles of a determined student

Ma wasn’t a brilliant student. Failure was not an option in China, where admission exams served as the gateway to higher education. Ma, however, did not pass his university entrance exam. Not once. But twice.

His weakness was mathematics. He suffered in a society that seemed to value numbers, but he didn’t let that define him. He eventually got accepted to Hangzhou Teachers Institute, a small school in comparison to China’s top institutions, on his third try. His decision to major in English seemed to offer little financial security at the moment, but it would turn out to be crucial in the long run.

Ma became passionate about teaching and honed his public speaking abilities while in college. He accepted a job teaching English after graduating in 1988, making a pitiful $12 per month. He was driven, enthusiastic and committed to motivating his kids, but he also understood that this was not where he was going to end up.

A series of rejections

With a degree in hand, Ma went out to get a higher-paying job. What followed was a series of humiliating rejections that would have crushed a lesser spirit.

He was frequently rejected from dozens of employment applications. Twenty-four people applied when KFC established its first location in Hangzhou. They hired 23. The only person who was turned away was Ma. They told him that he wasn’t good enough when he wanted to join the police force. Even though every rejection was painful, Ma persisted in his efforts because he believed that failure was merely a necessary step on the path to achievement.

Then things would change when he traveled to the United States for business in the mid-1990s.

The internet awakening

Ma first came into contact with the internet in the United States. He found it fascinating. It was astounding how much information was available at the touch of a button. However, he noticed that there was hardly any information regarding China.

A concept started to take shape. What if he could assist Chinese companies connect with the rest of the world by creating an internet directory? After his return to China, he established China Pages in 1995 despite having no technological know-how, minimal funding and no prior experience in the internet sector.

However, China Pages was a step ahead. In China, the internet was still a novel idea, and investors were wary. Ma had to leave the company after it suffered. Although it was a hard lesson, he gained a peek into the future, which was much more valuable.

Related: 22 Crazy Things We’ve Learned About Alibaba Billionaire Jack Ma

The birth of Alibaba

In his little Hangzhou apartment, Ma hosted 18 friends and coworkers in 1999. He had an idea for a business that would use the internet to help Chinese small enterprises access international markets.

Alibaba came into being.

It was a harsh beginning. Capital was limited, investors were dubious and China’s internet infrastructure was in its infancy. Venture investors rejected Ma’s concept repeatedly after he presented it to them. However, he had learned from his mistakes and was determined not to give up this time.

The Japanese financial titan SoftBank recognized Alibaba’s potential in 2000 and contributed $25 million. It was the pivotal moment. Alibaba started expanding quickly after receiving fresh funding.

The rise of a global empire

Alibaba wasn’t simply another online retailer. There was a movement. In order to give entrepreneurs who had been disregarded by conventional business models a voice, Ma envisioned a digital marketplace where tiny firms might flourish.

In 2003, the company launched Taobao, a consumer-to-consumer marketplace that swiftly surpassed eBay in China. Then came Alipay, a third-party payment system that transformed online shopping and gave millions of people convenience and security.

Ma’s fame expanded along with Alibaba’s impact. He had established himself as a global corporate icon by the time Alibaba went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014, raising an unprecedented $25 billion.

A legacy beyond business

Ma could have stopped there, but his vision went far beyond Alibaba. He became a champion for small businesses, traveling the world to promote technology and entrepreneurship as tools for economic empowerment. He retired as chairman of Alibaba in 2019 after stepping down as CEO in 2013, focusing on philanthropy and investing his time and energy in environmental projects, education and rural development through the Jack Ma Foundation because he felt that true leadership was about giving back rather than accumulating wealth.

Related: The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates, Jack Ma and Elon Musk

A story of resilience

More than just a tale of financial success, Ma’s path serves as a lesson in perseverance. They continuously told him he wasn’t good enough, rejected him and made fun of him. Failure, however, never deterred him.

From a young lad offering free tours in return for English lessons to a jobless individual who kept getting turned down for jobs to a multibillionaire businessman who revolutionized international trade, Ma’s tale demonstrates that success is not determined by one’s starting point. It all comes down to how committed you are to persevering.

His experience serves as a reminder that challenges are stepping stones rather than impediments. And that often the most modest beginnings lead to the greatest dreams.

Business leaders know that data drives success, but collecting and organizing that data shouldn’t be a nightmare. Formly’s Online Form Builder Gold Plan gives you lifetime access to a powerful, no-code solution that lets you create custom forms, quizzes, surveys, and tests—all for just $99 (reg. $1,044).

Whether you need a customer feedback survey, an employee onboarding form, a lead capture tool, or an online quiz, Formly’s intuitive interface makes it easy to build, customize, and share professional-looking forms in minutes.

With conditional logic, real-time analytics, and seamless integration with over 3,000 applications, you can automate workflows, streamline data collection, and get insights that actually matter—without writing a single line of code.

If you’re still stuck using outdated forms, clunky spreadsheets, or costly subscription-based tools, this is your chance to upgrade your business operations with a one-time investment.

How Formly can revolutionize your business

• HR & Employee Management: Forget paperwork. Use Formly to streamline job applications, onboarding documents, performance reviews, and employee feedback surveys—all in one place.
• Sales & Lead Generation: Turn your website into a lead-capturing machine by embedding custom inquiry forms, appointment request forms, and client intake surveys with automated responses.
• Market Research & Customer Feedback: Quickly create customer satisfaction surveys, product feedback forms, and event evaluations to gather real-time insights that help you make smarter business decisions.
• Education & Training: Build interactive quizzes, course evaluations, and registration forms to enhance learning experiences and track student progress effortlessly.
• E-Commerce & Payments: Accept payments directly through your forms with Stripe integration—perfect for order forms, event tickets, and service bookings.

No matter your industry, Formly adapts to your needs, helping you automate workflows, reduce manual data entry, and keep your business running smoothly.

Don’t let outdated forms slow your business down.

Grab this lifetime subscription to Formly’s Gold Plan while it’s still just $99.

Formly Online Form Builder Gold Plan: Lifetime Subscription – $99

Get It Here

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Last month, Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter Vodka Soda released its first single-flavor four-pack, featuring the brand’s most popular flavor, peach. And as with everything the branding-focused entrepreneur does, Jenner went full-tilt with a multi-faceted marketing program designed to reinforce Sprinter’s fun-loving vibe.

Called the “Paint the Peach State Peach” campaign, the company used a fleet of chrome Sprinter Vans to deliver the new Peach Packs throughout Athens and Atlanta, enlisting country music star Ella Langley and collaborating with The Eastern in Atlanta and Georgia Theatre and Pauley’s Crepe Bar in Athens to create viral live events.

While Sprinter is just one of the many brands Jenner has launched — she’s built a personal care empire with beauty, skincare, and baby care brands, amassing an estimated net worth of $710 million, according to Forbes — her latest endeavor is sprinting to the market, with new products scheduled in the coming months.

Related: 7 Strategies Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Kardashians

Here, Jenner tells Entrepreneur how she approaches new product launches and generates excitement for existing customers while drawing in new ones.

How do you approach Sprinter’s branding? What’s your personal vision for the brand?
I wanted Sprinter’s branding to be bold and fun so that it captures that feeling of pregaming and having fun with your friends. You’re holding the can in your hand when you’re hanging out with your friends — why shouldn’t the can you’re drinking out of also look cool?

How does Sprinter stand out in the crowded canned cocktail market?
Sprinter tastes bold but is only 100 calories and with no added sugar. That was really important to us when we were developing it. Peach has always been one of our fan-favorite flavors since our launch last year, so we are so excited to launch our first 4-pack with Peach. It has been so amazing to see the positive responses from day one to how delicious Sprinter tastes. It is the best-tasting vodka soda on the market, and we’ve gotten such an overwhelming response to how juicy and true-to-fruit it is.

When Sami & Susu first opened, it wasn’t a restaurant at all. It was a general store stocked with tahinis, olive oils and honey, selling sandwiches and salads to keep the lights on during Covid. It wasn’t the food Amir Nathan wanted to cook, but it was the only way forward.

“We weren’t showcasing our full capabilities,” he tells Shawn Walchef, host of Restaurant Influencers. The pivot to a full-service restaurant in 2022 changed everything. Within months, the energy in the space shifted from transactional to electric.

Now try booking a table at Sami & Susu. If you’re lucky, you’ll snag one three weeks out. If not, you’ll be left scrolling through Instagram, watching other people dig into hanger steak over creamed corn, heirloom tomato salad piled onto thick sourdough, and crispy sweetbreads that have made new fans of organ meat.

Related: This Chef Built a Meatball Empire, Lost Millions and Came Back Stronger with a Pizza Revolution

The Lower East Side restaurant fills up night after night, a place where the food is as electric as the room itself. Nathan and his co-founder, Justin Anderson, built it from the ground up, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand three years running. You’d think success like this meant a seamless path — clear vision, solid backing, smooth execution. Not even close.

Nathan didn’t launch Sami & Susu with a dream investor, a foolproof business model or deep pockets. Mistakes were made. Budgets blew up. If he had focused only on the numbers, he says, the restaurant wouldn’t have lasted a year.

Instead, they pushed forward, adjusted and built something better. Sami & Susu evolved — first as a pop-up, then a general store and finally into the kind of restaurant where people fight for a reservation.

Related: A Long-Time Google Exec Shares the Secrets to Helping Customers Find Your Restaurant

A name that runs deep

The name Sami & Susu is a statement.

It comes from an Israeli TV show that symbolized coexistence, a nod to Nathan’s roots. It’s also a tribute to a no-frills Romanian steakhouse in his hometown of Be’er Sheva, a place where plates of kebabs, piles of garlic, and endless vodka define a meal.

That mix of heritage, nostalgia and bold, unfussy cooking is what drives Sami & Susu’s menu. It’s not strictly Israeli or strictly European, but it’s Nathan’s own blend of influence and instinct.

Nathan knew he wanted to cook before he even understood what that meant. At eight years old, he watched a TV chef make gnocchi, decided he could do the same and turned his parents’ kitchen into a one-night-only pop-up. He made the dish from scratch, set up a dining area and proudly served his family.

That spark never left. From kitchens in Israel to some of New York’s most acclaimed restaurants, Nathan built his career by taking risks and figuring things out as he went.

Now, with Sami & Susu packed every night, he’s setting his sights on something new.

Nathan’s next project, Shifka, takes a pita-first approach to Middle Eastern flavors and has a format that can scale. He doesn’t want a massive chain, but he does see room for growth beyond New York.

Shifka may be the future, but Sami & Susu is still pure New York. Intimate, unexpected, and impossible to pin down. It’s the kind of place where Valentine’s Day means four courses of beef heart, each paired with a different sparkling wine. It’s about trying new flavors and not playing it safe — and that’s exactly why people keep coming back.

Related: This Hospitality Lawyer Has Worked for Big-Name Brands — And She Says This Is the Biggest Mistake Restaurant Owners Make

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.