Executive Blog

12 Best Start Ups (from new magazine Business 2.0)

In a September issue, a chic and cutting edge new entrepreneurial magazine named Business 2.0 reported on the hottest new global business opportunities. The following is their Top 12 List by Michael V. Copeland, Paul Kaihla and Paul Sloan.

If you interested in more information, each headline links back to its original Business 2.0 report.

1. Build cheap Wi-Fi networks for Brazilian resorts.

2. Become a biodiesel producer in Argentina.

3. Create an ad network for India's mobile content developers.

4. Launch an exclusive social network for Russian millionaires.

5. Open an American-style restaurant in one of China's fast-growing cities.

6. Remodel homes for China's burgeoning middle class.

7 Flip mining claims in Bolivia.

8. Export the planet's next great wines - from Greece.

9. Import fine wines to upscale restaurants - in India.

10. Export gourmet coffee from Rwanda.

11. Become a social entrepreneur in South Africa.

12. Be among the first to invest in the new Libya.

posted by Michael Anders @ Tuesday, November 14, 2006 1 comments links to this post   

I found a great B2B selling tool

Usually I do not simply write a service promotional for another company without prompting, but in this case I will make an exception in this case. In starting my company, marketing in a B2B setting has been most difficult because of cost-effectively obtaining enough client prospects. For the last few months have relied upon:

1. Google searching for company prospects
2. Reading business magazines for featured clients
3. Relying upon leads from capital search sites like GoBigNetwork
4. Cold calls (the Devil)

The problem with these three methods is that they are often time intensive. It's possible to spend 7 hours doing these and to come up with next to nothing. The problem is obtaining critical mass. I've come to realize that I need about 70 - 100 prospects to have a funded client. Obtaining those using these above methods while still running other aspects of my company just has not been practical.

Now enter Leads411. I stumpled upon Leads411 about a week ago. The basic premise of the site is you pay $30 a month and have access to unlimited executive leads including mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. In researching other services online offering mailing lists, email distribution, leads, etc., the prices were simply to high for my budget. Lead411 has been a God sent because now I can use database methods to gather hundreds of leads at one time using search criteria such as company location, industry, size, and revenues. These are many of the criteria that I use myself in prospecting corporate clients for my financial services.

Perhaps this company is something that other B2B entrepreneurs could look at if you are having trouble generating sales leads.

(*note: I have no affiliations with Lead411 besides being a user.)

posted by Michael Anders @ Thursday, November 02, 2006 0 comments links to this post