Today’s roundup starts with news that New Orleans is experiencing an influx of business and includes an article on how to make more time for yourself. Extra bonus: the best business books for entrepreneurs to read on vacation.
New Orleans: the next Silicon Valley?
Business is on the rise in New Orleans, LA. As Mark Guarino of Reuters writes, entrepreneurs are moving to the city in droves, and some say the area even feels like Silicon Valley circa 1970s-80s. On the horizon: a multi-purpose complex for rentals, retail and a grocery store.
New accelerator helps female entrepreneurs in the mobile space
A new startup accelerator program titled Women Innovate Mobile, is trying to level the playing field between female and male entrepreneurs. As Emily Glazer of The Wall Street Journal writes, the program launched yesterday and is looking for female entrepreneurs in the mobile space. Applications are due Feb. 1 and those accepted will receive free office space in New York City, mentoring and coaching, access to venture capitalists, $18,000 in seed money, and more. Don’t forget to apply!
IBM’s technology predictions for 2016
Forget Siri; IBM researchers think that by 2016 our phones will be able to read our minds. As Patrick Goss of TechRadar writes, IBM predicts that in five years we will be making our own energy (design our own shoes and bikes, for example), be able to use our biological makeup to gain access to technologies (instead of a password) and link our brain waves to mobile devices. Trippy.
With just eight days until 2012 (how did that happen?), it’s time to think about New Year’s resolutions. I’m willing to bet yours includes making more time to spend with the people you love, working less and losing weight (or maybe that’s just me). As Anthony K. Tjan of Harvard Business Review writes, you can make more time for yourself by sitting down and evaluating your work (are you working towards a purpose?), setting time to think (and not multi-task) and auditing your calendar. How do you spend your time, after all?
10 business books for entrepreneurs to read on vacation
While you wrap up lose ends before the holiday weekend, make sure to pack a good business book for the road. As Carol Tice of Entrepreneur writes, some of the best books for entrepreneurs include Evil Plans by Hugh MacLeod, The Entrepreneur Equation by Carol Roth and Uncertainty by Jonathan Fields.
How to think like a venture capitalist
Instead of stressing about your role in an investor meeting, try moving your thoughts to the other side of the table. As Christina DesMarais of Inc. writes, business owners are smart to make sure their ideas disrupt a market, have guaranteed declining risk over time and come from a direct referral.
Easy ways to connect your website to Facebook
News flash: not only can you create a Facebook page for your small business, but you can integrate the social networking site into your business website. As Maya Grinberg writes on Social Media Examiner, try adding the ‘like’ application to your site, as well as the live stream and activity feed. How? Just use the plug-ins—linked in the post.