Starting a business is the dream of countless aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide but raising seed capital can be challenging and it isn’t too hard to see why. Running things yourself lets you be your own boss, you can break free of the traditional 9:00-5:00 job schedule, you’ll experience the pride of knowing that you built something impressive yourself, and you can even provide needed employment opportunities in your community. It won’t be easy, of course—nothing worth doing ever is.
No matter your intended products or services, you’ll face similar challenges to all businesses, and you’ll need every advantage you can get. Around 20% of businesses fail within one year, only half make it to five years, and only 30% will survive a decade.
This isn’t meant to discourage your efforts. Rather, it should show you how much work you’ll need to put in if you want to succeed. If you’re tech-savvy, you’ll have an easier time of it, from launch to expansion. This is a world of big data and digital transformation, and embracing the best technology from the beginning will help you immensely. Here are just a few of the top tech tips for new entrepreneurs.
Make sure you have a reliable network.
Whether you’re in the United States, the United Kingdom, or anywhere else in the world, you’re going to need a reliable network provider who can ensure that all of your systems are up and running at all times. The best-integrated data centers and real-time analytics in the world can’t help your business if your network goes down. If you want true full coverage in any location, then broadband satellite internet services are worth looking into.
Take a look at the story of OneWeb CEO, Greg Wyler. He started OneWeb with the intention of building a satellite constellation that could provide internet service to anyone, anywhere. The initial attempt didn’t go as planned, due to a lack of capital, but it returned to its vision under new leadership through a combination of the U.K. government and the Indian multinational company, Bharti Global. They were able to launch the satellite constellation in February 2019, and it now delivers internet services in a wide range of markets, as well as rural areas. In 2020, the new CEO, Neil Materson, took over, and satellite launches have since accelerated.
This story is a great example of how a business can still succeed, even if the original vision doesn’t work out. It also demonstrates how OneWeb became a reliable provider of internet services, and they’re worth your consideration for your needs.
Maintain private infrastructure in the cloud.
Cloud technology has been all the rage for the past several years, and for good reason. A private cloud provides computer services over the internet or internal network to selected, authorized users, rather than to the general public. Considering that all businesses deal with sensitive data that needs to be kept secure, investing in a private cloud right away is a smart move for any new business leader.
Normally, you would need to manage this cloud environment in a similar manner to a traditional data center, with your own IT team, but it offers the best protection for your data through a combination of internal hosting and company firewalls. With hybrid cloud deployment, however, you can keep private cloud infrastructure and have it managed by your provider’s IT department. This way, you get all the typical advantages of cloud automation and scalability without the need to support the system yourself.
Get real-time SEO updates to climb through the rankings fast.
Any modern business leader should understand the importance of search engine optimization. This is the practice of using the right keywords, original content creation, and best practices to work with Google algorithms, so you can rise through the ranks of search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher you rank, the more organic traffic you can attract to your site. When you’re able to bring in the right traffic, you’ll greatly increase your ability to convert visitors into customers and subscribers.
Improving your SEO is a time-consuming process, so how can you check how you’re doing in the meantime? While standard SEO software can provide ranking data based on SERPs scans, it’s often outdated by the time you get it. If you want real-time insights that can help you tweak your approaches the right way, you’ll need Google search insights.
A search console with built-in Google Analytics can help you track your site’s performance with updates on clicks, search appearances, keyword rankings, and more. The Google Search Console (GCS) can even help you create data visualizations for each data set, so your progress is always easy to understand. You can even get immediate feedback on technical and on-page optimizations.
It’s never easy to get a new business started, and it can be even harder to grow one. With these tips, however, you’ll be equipped to thrive in the present and in the future.
