Richard

As a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant, I can tell you systemic racism, sexism, and a laundry list of other institutional factors do impact the success of entrepreneurs of color. However, sometimes, the problems we face when reaching for success do not come from the outside but rather from the inside. Here’s what internalized oppression is, four ways it could be holding you back from success, and how to overcome it.

What is internalized oppression?

By definition, internalized oppression is the belief among a group of historically marginalized people that the negative stereotypes and messages about their inferiority and the parallel messages about the dominant group’s superiority are true. Here’s how internalized oppression could be showing up in your life.

1. You don’t feel good enough for certain opportunities

If a great opportunity appears in your professional life — say, a potential partnership, a promotion, or an invitation to speak about your work — you might be tempted to turn down opportunities because of internalized oppression and imposter syndrome. You’re not alone. According to a 2020 study conducted by Maryville University, some 70% of Americans have experienced imposter syndrome; however, research shows that race can amplify its effects, especially for Black folks. It’s important to understand how internalized oppression and imposter syndrome could diminish your confidence in the face of opportunities.

What you can do about it: Lean into positive affirmations. Write down your best qualities or look in the mirror and verbally acknowledge and recite them. Whether you have great ideas, excellent public speaking skills, an effortless ability to network or amazing amounts of creativity, once you believe in and recognize your innate skills and gifts, you can start to see a new opportunity as divine intervention as opposed to something you’re unworthy of.

Related: 5 Qualities of Black Excellence Overlooked in the Workplace

2. You uplift the voices of those in the dominant culture while suppressing other marginalized voices

Internalized oppression can cause us to not only feel bad about ourselves and our own ideas but also about ideas from others who share our identities. Representation matters. If we only hear ideas from the dominant culture being acted upon and celebrated, it can be hard to uplift ideas from other marginalized people in the workplace. It’s not necessarily our fault. A surprisingly low 3.2% of senior leadership roles at large companies are filled by Black professionals, and for those individuals, it’s not easy to feel their ideas are heard or valued.

What you can do about it: Begin to understand the roots of where the urge to diminish other’s success is coming from. Engage in introspection around your childhood, family dynamics and early career experiences. It could be that in your formative years, your opinion and ideas were diminished by a person of authority and that could have present effects on your professional life.

Related: 6 Ways to Offer Allyship to Black Entrepreneurs

3. You pull other marginalized people down when they’re up for promotions or advancement

When you’re feeling low, it might be tempting to pull others down to your level. However, this mentality is holding you and them back from success. As mentioned earlier, internalized oppression and a lack of representation could be perpetuating feelings of powerlessness and inferiority, which can play a role in how you feel about yourself and others like you in the workplace.

What you can do about it: Imagine that the person who is winning in the office, getting that promotion, and succeeding is you. Close your eyes and see yourself in their position. Internalized oppression can cause us to feel in competition with others at our level. Instead of dragging them down, imagine what it would feel like if you were the one succeeding and channel that energy the next time you see another marginalized person doing well. Who knows, perhaps you are the next person in line for that advancement.

Related: The ‘Us vs. Them’ Mentality Is Tearing Our Communities Apart. Here’s How to Bridge The Gaps That Divide Us.

4. You stay silent when injustice happens in the workplace

It’s not easy to stand up when another person is being treated unfairly. After all, internalized oppression tells us that we “deserve it” or that our inferiority justifies such treatment. But it’s not true. Out of fear that we may experience the same retribution for standing up and being vocal, some marginalized folks might turn the other cheek to injustice or mistreatment when it happens to others in the industry or workplace. When we stand up for others, we stand up for ourselves as well.

What you can do about it: Practice speaking up in the mirror. Perhaps you have witnessed an injustice at work recently, try to replay that scenario at home in private and experiment with finding artful ways to defend someone on the receiving end of discrimination or harassment. Equip yourself with the language, practice and skills to feel confident when faced with the important task of speaking up.

Final thoughts

When it comes to DEI, the work begins within, whether you’re working on your own business or serving as an employee. To achieve more success, we have to find the power inside us and dispel the false narratives of unworthiness and imposter syndrome. The best source for empowerment can often be found and fostered in the community. When we lift other marginalized folks out of the depths of oppression and celebrate their wins and successes, we can often find the strength to give ourselves that same support and hope.

Sulhee Jessica Woo found viral fame by leaning into authenticity.

Woo — known as the Bento Box Queen — catapulted to social media stardom by sharing her simple yet beautifully crafted DIY bento-style lunches, capturing the hearts of millions with her loving and creative touch.

Since launching her TikTok account in January 2020, Woo has amassed more than 5.6 million followers who eagerly watch her mix of cooking, DIY, family fun, beauty and lifestyle content.

Woo’s journey to TikTok stardom started when she realized the platform’s potential for sharing everyday activities. Encouraged by her sister, who saw her talents and creativity as perfect for YouTube, Woo initially tried her hand at the more production-heavy platform. However, it was TikTok’s simplicity and relatability that resonated with her.

“The aha moment with TikTok was like, ‘Wow, these are just regular people, normal people who share what they do every day,'” Woo recalls to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.

This realization allowed her to share her life authentically and effortlessly and connect more deeply with her followers.

The importance of sharing your story

Woo emphasizes the importance of building a community in the new creator economy.

She’s made a point of being authentic and vulnerable on her YouTube, TikTok and Instagram platforms, which has created a supportive community — and opened the doors to opportunities like writing her cookbook, Let’s Make Some Lunch, and attending Netflix’s Tom Brady roast.

Woo believes anyone can share their journey and be successful by being authentic and relatable.

“Whether you’re a dishwasher, a busser, a server or bartender, the cooks, anybody,” she explains. “You can just share that journey, too. That’s the hardest part, I think, is people sharing their journey and being vulnerable … but anybody can do it.”

With a focus on family, food and genuine connections, Woo continues to captivate her audience and build a lasting legacy in the world of online content creation.

About Restaurant Influencers

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3 Benefits of owning an Eggs Up Grill franchise:

1. Ranked #1 breakfast franchise with a proven business model and strong average unit volumes.
2. Flexible daytime hours from 6 am to 2 pm promote work-life balance and staff retention.
3. Comprehensive training, supply chain support, active field support, and robust marketing.

Eggs Up Grill is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch franchise that offers a warm, community-focused dining experience with made-to-order American-style meals. Recognized as the number one breakfast franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for three consecutive years, it offers a single day-part model with significant growth potential and a guest-centric culture. Click Here to connect me with this Eggs Up Grill.

Key Facts:

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• Initial Franchise Fee: $45,000
• Liquid Capital Required: $150,000
• Net Worth Required: $500,000

One of the hardest truths about innovation is that today’s solution may create future problems. That is to say, no solitary win offers the promise of continued achievement.

Whether companies have enjoyed smashing success or are grasping for initial traction, they face many of the same obstacles to forward motion. The deeper they become entrenched in today’s practices and products, the less likely they are to make fresh gains.

As the leader of a company composed of iconic brands like TiVo, which introduced the DVR, and DTS, which roared to success delivering Jurassic Park’s spine-chilling dinosaur sounds to movie theaters, I’ve witnessed the thrill of developing game-changing advancements in entertainment tech, as well as the pressure to steer those businesses into the future. Here’s what I’ve learned about navigating barriers to sustaining innovation.

Related: To Achieve Sustainable Success, You Need to Stop Focusing on Disruption. Here’s Why — and What You Must Focus on Instead.

Objectivity is a superpower

Focusing on previous success can cause us to cling too tightly to what once worked rather than keep an eye on the future.

There’s no shortage of examples of this in business. Take Kodak, which had the means to corner the digital imaging market but insisted on modeling its digital business after its film business. So when digital photography, and eventually mobile phones, transformed the market entirely, Kodak filed for bankruptcy — a failure of leadership stuck in the past.

Progress requires quashing that tight grip on our accomplishments and instead striving for objectivity. This means constantly evaluating opportunities on the horizon while also monitoring incoming threats. One of the most important assets leadership can bring to the table? Clear-eyed analysis, which can help signal when it’s time to pivot.

But it’s not always easy to do. My company has reached this crossroads time and again. For example, we saw tremendous growth when our revolutionary theatrical audio system debuted with Jurassic Park. But that technology was film-based. Within a few years of the movie’s release, it became clear that the future was digital. So we sold half the business — the same technology that had catapulted us to prominence. It was an emotionally grueling decision. It was also the right one, allowing us to reposition for the digital world.

It’s important to note, however, that this kind of radical objectivity can only happen within a company culture that welcomes constructive criticism and transparency — one where leaders, managers and teams challenge one another to overcome success bias.

Company culture should center on adding value

Another hindrance to innovation? Failing to bring your people along for the ride.

In a global survey, 75% of respondents reported that they weren’t granted input in developing a shared vision for their work. A similar proportion said their work didn’t give them purpose.

A culture lacking in purpose — the “why” — is a recipe for stagnation. Cultivating progress requires a clear expectation that employees will engage and seek to add continued value. Simultaneously, it requires a company to motivate employees to grow their skills and contributions — promoting outside-the-box thinking, fostering personal and professional development and providing opportunities for career advancement.

However, employees need more than purpose; they need to trust that their input is valued.

I’ve found that our team tends to be more accepting of forward motion when they’re given some context and agency over how it will occur. We begin enacting change with a clear plan about the who, what, and when, and also thinking through the effects on all constituents. Sometimes, we start with a pilot or survey to gather important change-related information. This effort readies the waters by allowing for employee feedback and the buy-in required for larger shifts ahead.

I saw this firsthand with a major merger we did in 2020. We developed a clear strategy to combine and then separate the two parts of our business on a specified timeline. We explained it up front with plenty of context, found our change champions, and then spent the next two years executing and adapting to successfully realize our strategic plan.

Interestingly, a transformational opportunity like a merger offers impactful ways to evolve and innovate culture, too. I encourage leaders to integrate as early as possible to not only ensure the success of the transaction but to also challenge and reset cultural norms. Reinforcing the best cultural aspects from both companies ensures a refresh.

Data is essential — but It doesn’t get the last word

Data equals power. Except when it doesn’t.

JCPenney made this costly mistake. The company used data suggesting that customers wanted lower prices to justify moving away from promotional pricing to everyday low pricing. The effort failed; they didn’t account for their customers being motivated not just by low prices but by promotions themselves.

I highly value data. And sometimes, it can explain a discrete issue. However, when tackling a nuanced problem, interpretation and contextualization are as important as the numbers themselves.

For us, that looks like constantly weighing new data against the longer arcs of technology, like the concept that processing power increases over time and costs decrease. We also figure in our decades of wins and missteps.

Sometimes, this bundle of information points us to critical insights. Years ago, when consumers began to use headphones, the technology didn’t yet exist to package high-quality spatial sound into them. At that time, data showed that people wanted convenience over quality, so the industry made headphones to meet that demand.

We interpreted the data differently, anticipating that, eventually, our research combined with those technological arcs would allow us to deliver a high-quality headphone experience, and that consumers would demand quality again. Fast forward to today: our headphones are now the preeminent technology used for advanced gaming.

Related: What Is Sustainable Entrepreneurship, and Why Does it Matter?

Partnerships can unlock unseen potential

Laser focus on internal innovation can impede another important avenue of progress: collaboration.

Most innovation doesn’t arise from scratch but from tweaking an existing product to create a surprising new feature. For us, progress often means building partnerships in adjacent industries. The key? Both parties must benefit from tapping into each other’s markets and technologies to deliver something all their customers love.

These powerful relationships have resulted in countless innovations. For example, a partnership with BMW has transferred our immersive entertainment technology from the living room into vehicles. This collaboration opened a new vertical for us while allowing BMW to meet the demands of drivers increasingly using their cars as a third space for relaxation.

Sustaining innovation is never a small feat. It takes tremendous and continuous effort to pivot a large, established organization with many moving parts. On the flip side, younger companies may lack the capital and sophisticated data required to shift gears or have founders who are too shackled to early visions or wins. Regardless, embracing objectivity, fostering a culture of continuously adding value and looking to contextualized data and external stakeholders for hints can position a business to avoid the one-hit-wonder trap and, instead, enjoy the exhilaration of many more innovations to come.

What if you invested in Nvidia 30 years ago, before it went public, and held on?

Venture capitalist Mark Stevens is currently one of Nvidia’s top individual shareholders, second only to CEO Jensen Huang. He invested in the AI chipmaker in 1993 as a new partner at Sequoia Capital. Stevens has been on Nvidia’s board for most of the company’s history, serving from 1993 to 2006, and then again from 2008 to the present. Nvidia went public in 1999.

Related: Is It Too Late to Buy Nvidia? Former Morgan Stanley Strategist Says ‘Buy High, Sell Higher.’

“There’s at least three times I can think of where we almost lost the company,” Stevens told Bloomberg. “Jensen has his famous saying of, ‘We’re 30 days away from going out of business,’ which is almost laughable today, but in the ’90s it was the reality.”

No one anticipated Nvidia going from a $8 million or $9 million Series A to a $3 trillion market cap today, Stevens said.

According to a Friday Bloomberg report, the over four million Nvidia shares Stevens owns are now worth about $4.7 billion and comprise over half of his $8.8 billion fortune. The rest of his net worth comes from his 6% ownership stake in the Golden State Warriors and other investments made throughout his venture capital career.

Related: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Turned Down a Merger Offer in the Company’s Early Days, According to Insiders. Here’s Why.

Though the AI boom has propelled Nvidia stock to new heights, Stevens says that it wasn’t easy to hold on in the early days. The chip market was crowded with competitors, and it was expensive to keep the best Silicon Valley talent.

^{Mark Stevens looking through a 360-degree display. Photo by Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images}

Nvidia currently leads the AI chip market, with tech leaders like Microsoft and Google believed to be among its biggest customers. Those clients could one day be Nvidia’s competitors, joining other chipmakers like Intel and AMD.

Huang said in June that Nvidia’s strategy in response to rising competition was to make AI chips with the “lowest total cost of ownership.” Tens of thousands of Nvidia’s chips are the brains of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Huang has the largest individual stake in the company, with 3.8% or over 934 million shares. He cashed in on $169 million worth of shares in June. Other Nvidia executives and directors have sold shares worth more than $700 million since the start of the year.

Nvidia has seen over 3,000% stock growth in the past five years, which has made early investors wealthy. Some long-term employees are reportedly in “semi-retirement” based on stock grants alone.

Related: Elon Musk Praises Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s Leadership Style: ‘Absolutely the Right Attitude’

The proposed expanded joint employer rule, which an International Franchise Association (IFA)-led coalition challenged in federal court, was defeated Friday when The National Labor Relations Board dropped its appeal of an earlier ruling in favor of the coalition.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.

“This announcement means that the latest attempt to implement joint employer is finally finished and represents a landmark victory for franchise small businesses in communities across America,” Matt Haller, IFA president and CEO, said in a statement. “The franchise business model is the best vehicle for American workers to generate upward mobility and create small business ownership from all walks of life. Make no mistake: while today’s news means the current threat is behind us, IFA will remain vigilant against any attempts to target the franchise model or our members.”

Related: Find Out Which Brands Have Ranked on the Franchise 500 for Longest, Earning a Spot In our New ‘Hall of Fame’

Some form of the Joint Employer Rule has existed for years, but in 2023, the NLRB expanded it in a way that directly impacted the franchise industry. Under the proposed expanded version of the rule, two companies — say, McDonald’s and a McDonald’s franchisee — could more easily be considered “joint employers” of the same employees. That would make McDonald’s legally liable for any labor violation committed by one of its franchisees, even though McDonald’s itself did not hire and does not manage that employee.

Although this is the end of this attempt to expand the rule, attorney Jim Paretti of labor relations law firm Littler Mendelson recently told Entrepreneur what the NLRB’s options are moving forward. “The short answer is that the board can keep trying to write a rule,” Paretti said. “They can go back to the drawing board, try again and write something more narrow.”

Read More: Bloomberg Law

While many businesses value accessibility in principle, implementing it in specific ways that benefit both your customers and your business can feel daunting. Online presence, in particular, is an area where accessibility is often overlooked. One study found that 95% of websites fail to conform to accessibility standards required by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Some of the downsides of not being fully accessible are obvious, including legal consequences, a negative brand image and a failure to engage with and support people with disabilities. While accessibility is clearly a good thing on its own and may be legally required depending on your location, it also impacts your website’s SEO.

Related: How Website Accessibility Affects Your Brand’s Reputation and Success

Accessibility and SEO

Many businesses do not realize that they are wasting their SEO efforts if they are not prioritizing accessibility. The level of accessibility your website provides significantly affects conversion rates, rankings and organic traffic. One study found that prioritizing accessibility solutions led to a “12% average increase in overall traffic.”

Technically, accessibility is an aspect of user experience, something Google factors heavily into rankings. Since SEO campaigns involve overhauling your website and improving user experience, they provide one of the best opportunities to implement accessibility strategies and accomplish multiple brand goals effectively.

To minimize accessibility errors on your site while improving SEO, it’s important to understand the principles of accessibility and some of the key starting points for an inclusive, search-friendly website.

4 principles of accessibility

The principles of accessibility come from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While this act applies to more than just websites, its principles are helpful guidelines for developing an SEO campaign that prioritizes accessibility.

• Perceivable: All users should be able to access and understand the content on your website. This requires you to take into account users with a range of speech, hearing or cognitive abilities.
• Operable: Your website needs to be easy for users with disabilities to navigate and engage with.
• Understandable: Both the content and structure of your website should be easy to understand.
• Robust: A robust website functions quickly and smoothly without glitches in accessibility tools such as alt text or captions. It also needs to be easy for you to adapt as accessibility guidelines and tools advance.

Related: 4 Resources To Make Your Website More Accessible

7 ways to start improving your website’s accessibility

While the principles of accessibility are quite general, there are some very specific steps you can use to get started creating an accessible website.

1. Make sure your website is compatible with assistive technologies: Many people use assistive technology to access websites, particularly if they have visual impairments. Modifying HTML elements to ensure your website is compatible with technologies is crucial for meeting accessibility requirements. Many companies rely on SEO experts or accessibility widgets to meet these standards.
2. Implement transcripts and captions for video accessibility: Transcripts and captions allow people with hearing disabilities to engage with your content. Additionally, search engines will understand and index your content more easily if you have included captions.
3. Provide alt text: If your website relies too heavily on images, with no alt text, your content will be inaccessible to many users and more difficult for search engines to index. Provide clear alt text for visual content to eliminate this mistake.
4. Evaluate readability: One of the most common accessibility errors is not providing proper color contrast. You can use a color contrast testing tool to make sure that the contrast on your site is not too low or too high.
5. Reorganize navigation: Reorganizing your website’s structure and navigation improves user experience and indexability. Elements such as title tags, page titles, header structure, and breadcrumb navigation should all be optimized to improve click-through rates and accessibility.
6. Find guidelines to follow: Before you begin, it’s important that you know which guidelines apply to you. These guidelines can help you develop specific accessibility goals. Many websites are required to meet WCAG 2 Level AA guidelines, as well as other national guidelines such as the ADA. To stay compliant, make sure to stay up to date, as these regulations and guidelines change constantly.
7. Use accessibility auditing tools: It can be difficult to identify and eliminate accessibility errors on your own. Consider using accessibility auditing tools or hiring an SEO company that has a thorough understanding of current accessibility practices.

Related: To Further Digital Accessibility, We Have to Start from Within

Accessibility is a worthwhile investment for your business from a variety of perspectives. An accessible website will be easier for all your users, as well as search engines, to navigate. This increases user engagement, lowers bounce rates and increases organic traffic. Keep your business compliant with accessibility guidelines and increase your engagement with internet users of all abilities by prioritizing accessibility as part of your SEO efforts.

Before appearing on Shark Tank together, Spanx founder Sara Blakely and investor Kevin O’Leary were on a business panel.

This week, Blakely posted the throwback video on Instagram and explained why she still believes what she said 12 years ago at a CNBC Town Hall Event called “Getting Back to Business.”

Related: Kevin O’Leary Says This Is a ‘Huge Red Flag’ When He’s Looking at Resumes

In the clip, O’Leary says he goes to battle with the competition and takes an aggressive approach, saying, “Business is war.”

“You get up in the morning and you figure out how do I kill my competitor?” O’Leary said. “How do I pour boiling oil on them? Competing, winning, fighting, winning, competing.”

Blakely disagreed, but despite launching Spanx in 2000 at the age of 27 with $5,000 in savings and turning it into a billion-dollar company by 2012, she says she was nervous to speak up, especially to Mr. Wonderful.

“I’ve done it very differently,” she said. “I have not been obsessed or focused on the competition and annihilating the competition. I have only been focused on my own quality. What can I offer that’s the best and give value?”

The pushback paid off. Spanx is currently one of the largest direct-to-consumer brands in the world. Blakely was a guest investor on Shark Tank in 2017 and has been back multiple times, even sitting next to O’Leary, who has been a Shark Tank judge since 2009.

^{Sara Blakely and Kevin O’Leary. Credit: Eric McCandless via Getty Images}

Blakely says she still stands by her words today, and obsessing over the competition is the wrong approach.

“I truly don’t believe business is war,” she said. “I think that you should be focused on your consumer, what you can do better for your consumer, how you can give them a better experience, a better product.”

“Be genuine, be authentic with what you’re creating for them, and give back,” she added. “What about that feels like a war?”

Investment fund Blackstone bought a majority stake in Spanx in 2021 at a valuation of $1.2 billion. Blakely is now worth an estimated $1.3 billion.

Related: 15 Career Lessons From Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, Sara Blakely and Other Successful Founders

Every company is keen to maximize employee productivity, as it directly translates to better business results. As such, productivity is often viewed as something leadership has to manage.

Typically, this manifests in various top-down initiatives and rules — executives get inspired by the latest productivity trend or research and are quick to jump on the bandwagon, implementing it across their organization.

Anyone who has gone through this process (including myself) will tell you that it rarely works. Why? Because productivity techniques and methods are almost never a one-size-fits-all solution. Productivity is a highly individual and context-dependent aspect of work that varies from person to person and role to role.

So, rather than enforce some blanket idea of what productivity must look like, I believe entrepreneurs should take the time to observe and understand the working patterns of their teams and respond accordingly by engaging with the individuals and catering to their strengths.

That’s what I did — and here are five things I learned about productivity from my employees.

Related: Why Greece’s Six-Day Workweek Might Backfire on Productivity

1. Different people thrive at different times of the day

I’m an early riser, and in my formative years, I was taught that it’s a key trait of a hard worker. It’s still a popular narrative that you’ll see plastered everywhere — from LinkedIn posts to inspirational posters.

But the fact is that people’s productivity peaks at different times of the day, and while I might be at my best at 9 am, others may get most done in the afternoon when I am running out of juice.

That’s why I encourage every entrepreneur who can to use flexible working hours, namely, allowing team members to choose when they start and end their workday. In our case, people can start anytime from 9 to 11 a.m., and it has had a positive impact not only on overall productivity but also on employee satisfaction.

Forcing people into unnatural working patterns just doesn’t make sense.

2. Peak creative hours? Lunchtime

At DeskTime, we offer free lunch in the office, so the canteen is one of the few places where the team regularly comes together. Work is rarely the main topic of discussion, but when it does come up, challenges get tackled in a far more creative and candid way than in any meeting room.

Of course, it’s not because of the food itself but rather the informal setting shared with the extended team. No hierarchy, no etiquette, and no pressure mean ideas that might get stifled in a meeting can come out unabridged — and they’re often exactly what’s needed to make headway with a current challenge.

In other words, there are many ways to maximize productivity, and as a team leader, you should ensure that productivity flourishes in all possible avenues.

Related: 5 Insights I Learned While Growing My Business from a Startup to a 500-person Company

3. Clear expectations lead to higher productivity

Productivity at work is the effective use of time to resolve a challenge. So, it’s no surprise that if employees have to spend a significant amount of time figuring out the tasks at hand, then productivity suffers. Simply put, if employees don’t understand their tasks, they can’t do them effectively.

Hence, one of the biggest team productivity boosters is strong leadership paired with clear communication. When everyone is aligned on goals and expectations and fully equipped to achieve them, the flow of work becomes much smoother.

No matter how much you focus on individual performance, you won’t be able to elevate it if the underlying system is broken.

4. Regular breaks boost productivity

I learned this from my team over a decade ago when I observed that the people who go for coffee every hour, play foosball, and generally take breaks perform just as well—if not better—than those who don’t.

Today, the science behind the value of taking breaks is well established. We even did a study at DeskTime that revealed that the most productive people work for 52 minutes and then take a 17-minute break, which led us to coin the viral 52/17 rule.

Despite this, I still regularly encounter business leaders hellbent on maximizing productivity by maximizing time spent at the computer. That’s just not how humans work.

Related: 5 Essential Things Leaders Can Learn From Their Employees

5. Be careful in choosing the tools you use

Virtually every piece of business software promises more efficient working methods that should lead to better productivity. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, constantly reimagining workflows and fantasizing about how you’ll leverage technology to solve productivity and other challenges.

Don’t get me wrong — that’s exactly what a leader should do. But always remember that your goal is to minimize overhead and friction for your employees.

It takes time to learn tools and resources and integrate them into existing systems. Also, while the tool might take care of some processes for the employees, the employees now have to take care of the tool. Sometimes, it’s a tradeoff that only looks good on paper — if the employees hate using something, it might backfire no matter how much fat it trims off.

In other words, getting the team’s input on whether this productivity-boosting technology is actually boosting productivity is always worthwhile. And if not — abandon it.

Growing a startup is both an exciting and challenging journey. However, the path to scaling your business is often fraught with competition, limited resources and the constant need to innovate.

When I founded ButterflyMX in 2014, it felt like we were building a plane while trying to take off. Fortunately, with the right growth marketing strategies, we’ve navigated these hurdles and carved a thriving path forward for our startup. Here are ten effective growth marketing hacks and strategies that can help you achieve the same.

Related: 6 Innovative Marketing Strategies Designed for Startups

1. Leverage content marketing for brand authority

Content is king, and in the startup world, it’s the key to reaching your audience. By creating valuable, informative and engaging content, you can establish your startup as an authority in your industry. This builds trust with your audience while driving organic traffic to your website.

To leverage content effectively, you can start a blog, publish whitepapers, create how-to videos and seek out guest blogging opportunities. The key is combining consistency with quality. So, make sure your content addresses the pain points of your target audience and offers practical solutions.

2. Optimize for search engines (SEO)

SEO is a powerful tool for driving long-term, sustainable traffic. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve visibility and attract more visitors. So, conduct keyword research to understand what your potential customers are searching for.

Moreover, optimizing your website’s on-page elements — such as meta tags, headers and content — will ensure your site is mobile-friendly and fast. Building backlinks from reputable sources can also significantly boost your search engine rankings.

3. Utilize social media advertising

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X offer robust advertising tools that help you reach a highly targeted audience. With detailed targeting options, you can tailor your ads based on demographics, interests and behaviors.

Experiment with different ad formats, such as carousel ads, video ads and sponsored posts, to see what resonates best with your audience. Moreover, regularly monitor and optimize your campaigns for better performance.

4. Implement email marketing campaigns

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to nurture leads and convert them into long-term customers. Build an email list by offering valuable resources and freebies, such as eBooks, free guides or exclusive content, in exchange for email addresses.

Segment your list based on user behavior and preferences, and send personalized, relevant emails that offer value. Further, implementing automated email sequences, such as a welcome series or abandoned cart reminders, into your workflow can help you engage with your audience at the right time.

Related: 4 Growth Marketing Strategies That All Startups Should Implement

5. Run time-sensitive promotions and contests

Creating a sense of urgency can significantly boost your conversion rates. Time-sensitive promotions and contests are a great way to generate excitement and drive sales for your growing business.

Offer limited-time discounts, flash sales or special deals to encourage immediate action. Running contests and giveaways on social media also drives engagement and expands your reach. Make sure to promote these events throughout all your marketing channels to maximize visibility.

6. Partner with influencers

Influencer marketing can be a powerful strategy for reaching new audiences and building credibility. Partnering helps you reach new prospects and generates high-quality leads for your business while getting your brand noticed.

Identify influencers in your niche who have a strong following and align with your brand values. Collaborate with them to promote your products or services through sponsored posts, product reviews or social media takeovers. What’s more, the authenticity and trust that influencers have with their audience can translate into increased brand awareness and conversions for your startup.

7. Invest in referral programs

Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing. Encourage your existing customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives, such as discounts or freebies.

A well-designed referral program can turn your customers into brand advocates, helping you acquire new customers at a lower cost. With this in mind, make it easy for customers to refer others by providing them with shareable links or social media assets.

8. Focus on customer retention

Acquiring new customers is important, but retaining them is even more crucial for sustaining growth. Focus on delivering exceptional customer service and creating a memorable customer experience.

Use tools like CRM systems to track customer interactions and identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling. And don’t forget to regularly engage with your customers through newsletters, personalized offers and loyalty programs to keep them coming back.

9. Utilize analytics and A/B testing

Data-driven decision-making is essential for optimizing your growth marketing efforts. Use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics or social media insights, to track the performance of your campaigns.

A/B testing allows you to experiment with different elements of your marketing, such as email subject lines, ad creatives or landing page designs, to see what works best. So, leverage AI to analyze this data and refine your strategies based on proven results.

10. Harness the power of video marketing

Video content empowers you to show your audience what your brand offers in a way that is compelling and visual, and it effectively communicates your brand message. So, use video marketing to showcase your products, share customer testimonials or provide educational content.

Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok offer plenty of opportunities to engage with your audience. Plus, live videos and webinars can also be powerful tools for building a community and interacting with your audience in real time.

Related: 4 Marketing Strategies Every Startup Can Afford

Growing a startup requires a strategic approach and a willingness to experiment with different marketing tactics. By leveraging these growth marketing hacks and strategies, you can increase your visibility, attract more customers and drive sustainable growth for your business.

Remember: The key to success is through continuous learning and the flexibility to adapt.

With persistence and the right strategies, your startup can achieve remarkable success. Stay updated with the latest trends, analyze your performance, and be ready to pivot when necessary.