“If you thought working with a stylist was exclusively for the stars, think again! Thanks to new online services like Cakestyle.com and StitchFix.com, you can get awesome finds, hand-picked just for you by the pros, mailed right to your doorstep. How it works: Start by filling out an outline style profile (complete with your sizes, a photo, your go-to brands, and favorite colors), then request a box of goodies when you’re ready for a wardrobe upgrade and wait for your stylist’s picks to arrive. Keep the pieces you like, and simply mail back the rest (shipping is free, and you’ll only be charged for the items you keep).”

Continue reading here.

“Psh, who even has time to shop in store anymore? If your job keeps you as busy as we are, head on over to CakeStyle.com and meet your new personal stylist. She’ll find out all about your fit and wardrobe needs, then send you a box of handpicked, highly accessorized outfits direct to your door. You try them on, purchase what you like and send back what you don’t. The best part is, all styling and shipping services are completely free! Cakestyle.com.”

Continue reading here.

“There are two lenses that a good entrepreneur needs to learn to use interchangeably, and he/she also needs to learn which lens to use for which audience.  And, as I will explain, I mean “lens” in the sense of true, honest perspective, not in the sense of a slimy defense lawyer trying to get his clearly-guilty client acquitted.

“Perfectionism: This is your daily working lens, used to help you motivate your team, receive guidance from your board and mentors, and define your own to-do list.  This is what keeps you up at night.  Startups are all about incremental improvements, and striving for “perfection,” though rarely achieving it.  A good entrepreneur is a perpetual critic.  She sees where improvements can be made (pretty much everywhere!), devises strategies to improve, and then isolates and prioritizes the most impactful ones. In CakeStyle’s case, this means determining how we can improve inventory management by increasing turn, more quickly identifying which SKUs are “dogs” and liquidating them in season, reducing damaged inventory rates and improving our buying function.

“Optimism: This is the lens of the pitch, often used for interviews with press, recruiting new employees, getting the team (and yourself) pumped up, and pitching investors. This is what wakes you up in the morning, why you’re always excited about your business, why it’s special, why your customers love you, and how the data proves it.  For CakeStyle, this means showcasing how our inventory management metrics beat retail and ecommerce benchmarks, how strong our team is, and our ability to profitably sell or liquidate literally everything we buy.”

Continue reading on Forbes.

For her second post, Millie wrote about “How To Kill Your Startup Idea” – advice on asking the “killer questions” early on. Read an excerpt below:

“1. Does your idea solve a problem that people actually have? Does your target consumer want to use your solution? You can begin to answer these questions by getting out in the world and talking to people who you think might be your target consumer. One-on-one interviews, focus groups or even market research can be easy, cheap ways to get data. Sit in a coffee shop and bribe would-be customers with a cup of coffee in exchange for 10 minutes of their time. Try an inexpensive market research product like Lab42. Whatever you do, don’t just run it by your mom and call it a day.

“2. Is it possible for you to actually build the solution? Sure, a time machine would solve a big problem and consumers would definitely use it, but can you build it? The time travel example is perhaps a little dramatic, but being able to actually create the product is a prerequisite to being able to build a business. Sometimes you can’t answer this question until you start development and that can get expensive (Phil Needleman could probably relate) so, in that case, you’ll want to try to answer some of the other questions before you begin. Maybe you can kill it for another reason and you’ll never need to try to answer this question.

“3. Is the opportunity big enough to justify the necessary investment? The variables here all depend on what you’re trying to build. If you’ll need to raise millions in venture capital funding to simply determine that it’s possible to build the product, you’ll have to contemplate a pretty big payout in exchange for the risk. Meanwhile, if your idea is a lemonade stand, adjust accordingly.”

Continue reading here.

For Millie’s third post, she wrote on “How To Find Your Next Bright Idea.” Read an excerpt below:

“It is widely accepted in the entrepreneurial community that execution trumps idea. After all, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. This explains why investors like to see an experienced team at the helm and some semblance of traction before investing in a business and why almost no one is willing to sign an NDA before a first conversation with an aspiring entrepreneur.

But, while a good idea does not a successful startup make, it is still the necessary starting point for your work as an entrepreneur. All this talk about execution isn’t very helpful without an idea upon which to execute.  Here are some of my favorite techniques for idea generation, to help you hasten the search for your next bright idea and move on to the execution.”

Continue reading here.

“4. DEAL SITES FOR DOG TREATS

If a new treat gets your dog’s tail wagging, discover them on a daily deal website for dogs. DoggyLoot.com updates its website every Monday to Saturday with new dog products at a reduced price, including treats.

Shipping is free, and with some treats, you have the option of signing up for a subscription to get them delivered automatically.”

“Changing consumers’ shopping habits is not easy. Convincing purchasers to buy online when they’ve gone to a store all their lives is difficult, but do it right and it’s well worth it. Look at the revolutionary changes made in the book industry in the last several years. In the first quarter of 2012, ebooks outsold hard copies for the first time ever, and this is just eight years after the first ereader was introduced (and five years after the Kindle). It took time to warm consumers to the idea, though, and it took some adapting on the e-readers’ part (for example, introducing the ability to share books on a Kindle).”

Jeff’s second post, titled, “How Pet-Focused Small Businesses Can Give Back To Their Communities.” Read an excerpt below:

“People choose where to spend their money — a purchase is, in many ways, an endorsement. Customers feel empowered by patronizing (or not patronizing) a business, and helping them feel better about the decision by aligning your company with a good cause is a great way to make them love your brand. It’s even better when people feel like purchasing from you makes them more involved in their own communities, whether that’s a geographical location or a common passion.

“In doggyloot’s case, our customers not only view doggyloot as a great way to discover products and spoil their dogs, but they also see that we give back to the community by supporting important organizations. Plus, it’s a great marketing strategy to be able to connect your company to involvement in a nonprofit, and promote the partnership to others.”

The third installment of Jeff’s blog, “How (and Why) to Have a Dog-Friendly Office,” shared reasons to make your office dog-friendly and tips for getting started. Read an excerpt below:

“There are lots of good arguments for allowing dogs in the office; here are a few of the benefits I’ve witnessed firsthand.

• Having dogs around the office raises morale. It’s hard not to smile when a sweet pup trots in the office to hang out, and it’s a lot harder to have a bad day.

• Dogs also reduce stress. Studies have shown that having dogs in the office not only lowers stress levels, but gives employees higher job satisfaction and a more positive view of their employers (good news for the CEO).

• Pets in the workplace foster communication that otherwise might not have happened. When someone turns up at work with a new puppy, chances are they’ll have a conversation with someone they’ve hardly been acquainted with in the past.

• Dogs help encourage teamwork and trust. Researchers from Central Michigan University found that groups worked together better and were more likely to be loyal to each other when a dog was around.

• Employees in dog-friendly offices are more willing to work longer hours. This is especially pronounced with employees who have a dog of their own — when the dog is with them all day, there’s no need to rush home to let Fido out.”

Jeff’s fourth post covered “Social Media Strategies in the Aftermath of Disasters.” In the wake of the Boston bombing, Jeff wanted to share some ideas on how best to handle a tragedy or disaster; here are a few of his tips:

● Let news outlets report the news: Don’t post gory photos from the event — leave this to the news outlets. You don’t want to post sensational content – it can look tacky coming from your business. Instead, stick with text updates, such as quotes conveying peace and understanding or simple photos that show solidarity. Use your own discretion. If you decide to post about a tragedy, wait until at least a few hours after, once the facts come out and the confusion dies down. News outlets may have jumped to conclusions about what happened, and you might end up spreading rumors.

● When in doubt, don’t post: Following a disaster, the nation’s thoughts will be fixed on the tragedy. If you are unsure of whether or not to post, there’s no harm in skipping updates for the day. It’s unlikely that anyone will notice your absence, and the lack of a post won’t upset your followers; an ill-timed or poorly thought out post will.

● Help, if you can: For certain tragedies, especially natural disasters, you can sometimes leverage your company’s influence and followers to provide assistance to those affected. For instance, following the Joplin tornado in 2011, doggyloot replaced one of its regular sales with a fundraiser for the animals displaced by the destruction and raised several thousand dollars in donations. If possible or appropriate, do something similar to rally your own followers around victims and their families.

Continue reading here.

Be sure to check back for more updates from Jeff.

“The Millennial generation, which ranges in age from 18 to 34, has been raised during the stock market crash and the Great Recession. No wonder two-thirds of them save the cash left over from their paychecks and 18% of them pay off debt, according to a study by market research firm Lab42, out Tuesday.

“Most of their debt is credit card and student loans. Although they are considered responsible, it’s unclear how well they will manage debt as they take on mortgages and other major loans, says Gauri Sharma, CEO of Lab42.”

Continue reading here.

“Groupon wanna-be DashMob, which started as a real-time, location-based deal service, reconfigured its business model based on Lab42’s research. It’s now called doggyloot.

“‘When we weren’t seeing the results we wanted, we looked at the ‘deal’ space and saw an opportunity with dogs,’ said Ryan Schoop, co-founder and chief operating officer of doggyloot, which, like Lab42, has been fully funded so far by Sandbox Industries, which describes itself as a ‘startup foundry’ that chooses its own startup companies and invests in the most successful ones.

“Lab42’s research showed doggyloot could be a quick success if it seized a niche in engaging pet owners by giving them useful insights into being good pet parents, and offering high-quality products at ‘deal’ prices.”

Continue reading here.

Nick wrote a post titled, “4 Signs It’s Time for a Seasoned CEO.” Read an excerpt from his blog below:

“Here are some signs that a startup needs a new CEO.

“The founder is unsuccessful raising money. The market is a pretty good barometer. For most early stage investments the team is a major factor.

“The founder has a difficult time attracting great talent. Or even not-so-great talent. Again, this is the market working its magic.

“The business is growing out of control. Or in too many different directions. A good CEO should be able to focus a startup on what is important.”

Read the full post here.

“Doggyloot’s director of social media Giselle Gonzalez says she signed the startup up for Vine because it seemed like a fun opportunity to engage early adopters and people who may not be as active following brands on other social channels, such as Facebook and Twitter.

“‘I noticed that Vine’s ‘Explore’ section has #pets as a featured tag,’ Gonzalez says. ‘So many people are sharing Vine clips of their pets because they have such a strong connection. Everybody loves puppies, right? We want to engage with these people and let them know about our new products.’

“…Cameron Jacoby, CakeStyle’s social media manager, says that Vine is a perfect fit for the fashion industry and CakeStyle’s clientele, whom she describes as being all about imagery. ‘A huge part of CakeStyle’s online presence is showing our clients and potential clients how to style outfits for certain events or holidays,’ Jacoby says. ‘Our followers look to us for these tips, accompanied by engaging imagery, and it’s going to be really fun using Vine to enhance this process.’”

Continue reading here.