Using The Cloud

Cloud-based solutions for data storage and use have become indispensable for businesses. Yet, many companies still persist is believing that having data and processing on their own computers and servers provides greater security and control. This could not be further from the truth.

Cloud-based applications are significantly more secure, reliable, and efficient than hosting on your own hardware.  Cloud-computing is simply using computers and servers resident through the Internet, rather than having physical hardware owned by the company. Your software is hosted, managed, and delivered via the Internet which offers a multitude of benefits.

First, you save all of the time, money, and resources that you would normally assign to the hardware and the teams running software in-house. Second, with cloud use, all of  the company's computers can be connected to a single cloud-service (including all lap-tops, tablets, and phones). Third, all of the information is securely stored, backed-up, and managed from a single central location - which means you could operate your business from anywhere in the world.

In the current business environment success is very dependent on optimizing efficiencies and cloud-based solutions deliver on this. They are also less costly and offer more flexibility than in-house systems and, perhaps most importantly, free up time and staff to work on core business and customer development and service.

Stay in touch,

Jim Lavorato
Principal
Fund-House Ventures, LLC 

Our Lawsuit Claim Culture

Personal injury law suits are rampant in our society. For any business, large or small, the question is when does a claimant have a good case? Given the dramatic rise of personal injury claims it would do well for any business to concern itself with what steps can be taken to limit the liability. 

Any business owes a general duty of care to the public visiting its premises. If damage, such as injury, is caused to a visitor while on the premises the business may be held liable for causing the damage - if it happens as a result of the business's negligence and breach of its duty of care, the business could be negligent if it realized, or should have realized, there was a real risk that could cause accident or harm but failed to act to reduce that risk. This same legal theory applies to, not only personal injury cases, but those involving sexual harassment, workman's compensation, fraud, and other claims.

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This causal requirement also depends upon how a reasonable person would have acted. This means that if the risk was small and the possibility of it causing injury, remote, then the business may not be held libel, as long as it can show that 'not acting' was also a reasonable course.The trick here is did the business act reasonably and not negligently.

If the business is a tenant of the premises, than the lease should make clear which of the areas used by visitors is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain and care for. Risks can not be eliminated, but adopting a commonsense approach will help in reducing the risk of claims. Instruct staff to report problems and to ensure that the public is warned of any dangers which cannot be immediately removed.

Finally, don't panic! If a claim is received, proving negligence isn't always straight-forward and a claim may even be seen as opportunistic. It could also be made against the wrong party if the terms of the lease haven't yet been checked.

Claims can be for Workman's Comp, Sexual Harassment, Bodily Injury, Fraud, just to name a few that any business may have to contend with. Be prepared and don't forget about this most important business risk.

Good Luck!

Jim Lavorato, Principal
Fund-House Ventures, LLC

Luxury Lodgings Re-Brand for Millennials

I always view with interest and professional curiosity when an industry endeavors to re-brand and shift its focus - this type of branding is monumental. We are witnessing this in the luxury hotel industry, as the brands in this sector adjust to a younger consumer that is driving the market.

Travelers looking for relevant experience in luxe environment

Consumer Experience (CX) is the big buzz in branding and the luxury hotel group is no exception as they strive to tap into the experiences that luxury travelers desire, and selecting the right markets to enter has become key.

Millennials are forcing the re-branding as they have tremendous spending power - spending over $2 billion on travel this year and looking for more than accommodation, they want an experience. To adjust, the luxe hotel brands like Four Seasons, W Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, Rosewood, and others are not only refitting existing locations but are also entering new markets where there is an emphasis on  youthful, affluent audiences. Cities where there is a prominence of music, fashion, and creative arts both in the U.S. and overseas. From Sao Paulo to Athens, New Orleans to Scottsdale the move is on to build new and re-brand the old. It's all about servicing a new traveler type - the 'affluent explorer'. 


   

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The hospitality industry see this new demographic as less interested with opulence, pampering, and traditional luxury and instead seeks deeper connections, authenticity and insights into the cultures  where they travel.  This re-brand by the luxe hotel industry is looking to new, undiscovered destinations and endeavor to shift the epicenter of culture and cool.

A lot of research and brand strategy is performed to ensure the brand is not harmed but bolstered by the shift to a different market focus. This is an opportunity and a challenge which requires plenty of attention on brand outreach, particularly when entering an overseas locale.

Look for these new luxe lodgings popping up and how the re-branding of the industry takes place.

Jim Lavorato
Principal, Fund-House Ventures

BRANDING: It Never Ends In The Digital Domain

Businesses, many times, may not fully grasp their branding potential - Fund-House brings a business to the forefront and creates massive market impact with strategic branding and marketing in the digital domain.  This may sound easy, but it's not!

Branding is about positioning your business in the marketplace for intentional growth. At Fund-House we relish in taking seven-figure sales performers and morphing them into $5 million + revenue generators - and this growth comes principally from the inside out.

One of the keys to generating significant growth is management. A company, any company, must infuse itself with purpose-driven and intentional people. Each mentoring and coaching the other. People that are able to see and assess future trends, create new ideas, operate from their true self, and be leaders with vision. One of the ways Fund-House turns so-so businesses into stellar performer is with team building and development.

Fund-House : www.FundHouse.us

Branding is essential. It cannot be viewed as a casual endeavor but - the company itself. Their can be no distinction between the company and its brand. They are built together and grow together. The goal is to ensure that your company becomes extremely valuable in the eyes of its target market and in doing so - its sales, valuation, and market position escalate. We all want to be understood and admired - your business/brand is no exception.

Speaking of branding. One of the ways a small business, in particular, can increase its awareness in the market is through posting videos on YouTube - no surprise, right.  However what you post and when is significant. For example, for the month of April, the highest ranking creators on YouTube were the following based on number of views, it may surprise you.

#1 WWE (yes, world wide wrestling) with an astounding 956 million views for its videos. The WWE has a death-grip on the top spot and closing in on the one billion monthly views record. Nice validation for the Fox Network which just paid $1 billion to wrest WWE's SmackDown series from NBC/Universal's USA network starting in 2019.

WWE: numero uno in YouTube views

The other nine top creators by views were as follows:

- Movieclips - 785N
- Ellen - 400M
- Inside Edition - 325M
- BuzzFeed Video - 315M
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! - 224M
- The Tonight Show - 219M
- Saturday Night Live - 191M
- Troom Troom - 187M
- Peppa Pig - 151M

Contact us today: jlavorato@fundhouse.us

Jim Lavorato
Principal, Fund-House Ventures, LLC




 

Google Shareholders Kill Employee Backed Diversity Proposal

Last week, Alphabet (Google's stock name) shareholders voted down several proposals, led by employee groups, that would have tied pay to diversity goals.

Killing Employee Diversity Agenda

This is the first major company to be confronted with linking renumeration with diversity and inclusion -  and it is a sobering trend that will, I believe, proliferate. In this case, Alphabet management, which has voting control of the company, soundly rejected the proposal in a unanimous vote.

The group that made the diversity-linked-pay proposal argued that the current gender pay gap and lack of diversity in the workforce, makes it much more difficult to hire and retain employees and curbs innovation. "Diversity and inclusion proposals have been met with an array of responses, including formal reprimands" stated Irene Knapp, a software engineer. "this has had a very bad effect and has impaired the company's culture."

In response, Eileen Naughton, Head of Alphabet's HR, stated "We are committed to an internal goal to reach market supply representation of women and minorities by 2020, which will bring hiring in line with the diversity of the candidate pool."  

Several hundred employees had organized to challenge the company to address the persistent underrepresentation of women and other minorities in the workforce.

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The diversity and inclusion issue is hitting both private and public companies alike - but this should come as no surprise. The question being: whether or not the protests are relevant?  Lets face it, what is being asked for is a quota hiring and promotion system - now that would really impair the corporate culture.

The diversity and inclusion card is being played at all levels, not just in corporate boardrooms. Many terms and definitions have been banteed about but how diverse can we get: gender, race, sexual preference, religion, political stance, immigration posture, age, income level, and on and on.  The whole issue is becoming so large but so fragmented that it loses its meaning. The result: everyone is in a  minority group! 

Jim Lavorato 

The Failed State of U.S. Corporations

There lurks a very troubling problem with U.S. public corporations: The stock markets are shrinking as the number of listed firms is decreasing! 

And it's falling FAST! Since 1997 (at its peak) the number of listed companies have declined by 50%. More striking, is that this phenomenon is only occurring in the United States - and in no other developed country. 

But WHY is this happening?

Research reveals that U.S. corporations are getting larger and older - the average age of a publicly traded company is now 18.6 years (the oldest in recorded history). The troubling fact is that young, thriving companies are reluctant to go public. They find it easier to get private funding and don't want to deal with the burdens of public scrutiny and reporting.
A good example is Pinterest, which recently raised $150 million from venture funds and bypassed the whole IPO gauntlet. To make matters worse, many companies are de-listing or exiting the public stock markets after a merger or acquisition takes place. 

It should also be noticed that public firms have become more concentrated. Last year, the top 200 firms earned more than all of the public firms combined - some 3,766 companies. Worse still, only 30 firms generated 50% of all profits reported. This compares with 89 companies in 1995 and 109 in 1975. Stock ownership in public firms has also change. In 1980, institutional ownership averaged 18%, while today it is over 50%.

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It appears that public firms have been lackluster performers. Returning capital to investors and hoarding cash rather than using and raising funds to invest and expand.

Result

If this trend continues, the end result will be very negative economically.  Shareholders will find it difficult to invest in young, innovative companies. Delays in IPOs can lead to both decreased transparency and oversight, as we recently witnessed with Uber.

The trend of the incredible shrinking stock markets is not only troubling but points to a very different future regarding how people invest in companies - and there appears to be no end in sight.

Source for some data: Kathy Kahle, Prof. of Finance, Univ. of Arizona

By: Jim Lavorato
Principal, Fund-House Ventures, LLC

Recycled Tech

I've oft wondered where all of the techie stuff consumers purchase - from electric cars to smartphones - go once their lifespan is over. Knowing that the world's most coveted metals, are used in batteries, must somehow be reclaimed or not?

Listing of Rare Earth Elements

Batteries are unclean. They contain all sorts of toxic chemicals and metals. For example, a Tesla, uses huge lithium ion batteries that weigh thousands of pounds. These batteries are dirty to make and when their life is over, about 5 years or so, they must be disposed of into a toxic waste dump. Not very green. In fact, these batteries negate any reduction in greenhouse gas admissions and wind-up having a larger pollution factor than fossil fuel operated vehicles.

There is reclamation occurring, as waste companies around the world, sort through piles of lithium-ion batteries from cars to laptops. Termed "urban mining", this reclamation is increasing as the hunt for cobalt, lithium, and rare earth metals needed to produce batteries is causing a global shortage of these key elements.

For example, electronic waste reclamation was valued at $18.8b in South Korea in 2016 , meeting roughly 22% of S. Korea's total rare earth metals demand.  These reclaimed metals are now part of the supply chain for two of the world's major battery makers, Samsung and LG. Spent lithium-ion batteries and electronic components are recycled to extract lithium phosphate, cobalt, nickel, gold, and other metals.

Electric cars use thousands of pounds of lithium-ion batteries

This is all great, but the demand for batteries increases each day. China, the biggest user of rare earth metals goes to countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chile to fulfill its appetite. Reclamation helps but the need is huge and with that demand has come higher prices. For example, cobalt prices have seen a 4x increase in the last two years.

There is a lot of research going on to come up with a substitute for lithium-ion batteries but so far nothing that can be commercialized. Within the next decade a replacement must occur: first, because of the negative impact on the environment and secondly, because they are not called rare earth elements for nothing.


Jim Lavorato, Principal
Fund-House Ventures, LLC

Top Risk For Businesses: The Skills Gap

The metric that hits the top mark and is currently at an all-time high is the percentage of businesses that identify a lack of skilled employees as their worst management problem. The 'skills' gap' has been a challenge for some time and it is getting worse. It spans all types of jobs from manufacturing to IT to marketing to HR - and it is occurring at all management levels.

Skills' shortages are growing as a major long-term business issue that must be addressed. Companies will need to look at training programs to boost skills among existing workers, and work more closely with educational institutions to ensure the right skills are being taught at an early age.

What are the right skills? Maybe not what you think. Evidence suggests that it is not technical know-how, but soft-skills that are equally, or more, important than technical skills.

Currently, according to LinkedIn, the skills most sought after by companies were:

- Communication
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Punctuality
- Critical Thinking
- Social Skills
- Creativity
- Interpersonal Communication
- Adaptability
- Having a Friendly Personality

Not surprising, LinkedIn's list is very similar to the top 10 skills identified by the World Economic Forum:


- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
- People Management
- Coordinating With Others
- Emotional Intelligence
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Service Orientation
- Negotiation
- Cognitive Flexibility

The skills' gap is a key risk for businesses, and the skills they are looking for are soft-skills rather than hard (technical). So, the question becomes: where does one go to get the required soft-skills?

Educational institutions, at all levels, have historically been much better at teaching technical know how than cultivating soft-skills. Teaching models where students have to learn to work together - including across cultural divides must now be emphasized as never before.

Employees, at all levels, know that their skills directly impact their earning power - as the saying goes: "the learning curve is the earning curve."  Additionally, businesses have an incredible opportunity to gain competitive advantage by training current employees in the 'missing soft-skills'.

In a world increasingly saturated with social media and with renewed focus on customer service, the need for mastering soft-skills is paramount and not going away.  Talent is and will in the future be the #1 source of competitive advantage.


Jim Lavorato
Principal, Fund-House Ventures

Cannabis: High On Branding

I've, like I'm sure you have, watched with a mix of curiosity and awe the introduction of cannabis into U.S. mainstream consumerism - an industry estimated to reach over $50 billion within 8 years.

As more States legalize cannabis it is fast becoming the base for many health/wellness and beauty products vs. the counter-culture drug that will make you high.  Brands are being forged around lifestyle products that address beauty and health issues - and they are being developed FAST.

From easing menstrual cramps and arthritic pain to cosmetics, companies like L'Oreal and Aveda are about to bring to market cannabis infused beauty products that are manufactured with cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive substance that lacks THC (the high producing drug in cannabis).

A slew of new Branded beauty products

The trend is that the old taboos against cannabis are fast eroding in the face of its health and cosmetic benefits.  Brands being developed and built on this trend will very lucrative to many new businesses large and small.

Brands reflect what's happening in the culture and our culture is changing regarding our views on cannabis. This acceptance will push the entire cannabis industry to high heights over the next few years.

Keep in touch,
Jim Lavorato

Branding Workshop: Forging An Iconic Brand

Fund-House Workshops

Yesterday, the first presentation of 'Forging An Iconic Brand' was made. The workshop delves into the whys and how-tos regarding the development and sustainability of a Brand.

The seven steps to Brand development and creation of a brand narrative were discussed in an informal setting with heavy input from the attendees. Logo design and the proper use of colors was covered. The development of a corporate vision and the meshing of that vision with the culture and brand as one single message were the main topics of the workshop.

Branding and imaging on social media platforms was explored with the goal of communicating an on-brand narrative that would be universally delivered to selected consumers. 'What's behind your logo' is a workshop designed for the business that is already existing but needs an overhaul or redo of its branding needs.

'What's Behind Your Logo: Forging an Iconic Brand' will next be presented at a convenient Valley venue: the date and time of which will be scheduled within two months. Please look for notice of this upcoming event in this blog.

Best,
Jim Lavorato

Responses to the Workshop:

"Very thorough and probably the most useful session I have seen so far. Very concise. Thank you again for your time. Well spent for sure!"

Paul Schleiper, CEO/Founder, Amazing Things

"I have to say, the class on Branding far exceeded my expectations and I want to say Thanks. I work with young, natural products companies and branding is always a big topic. Appreciate your insights and your matter-of-fact, no nonsense approach. Thanks again for a great presentation.

Leila Bakkum, Partner, Matrix Marketing

Sales Tax on Web Purchases - YOU VOTE!

Every consumer will be paying more, a lot more, for every purchase made via the internet if the State governments have their way.

Where's the Consumer in this fight?

As State governments look in very nook-and-cranny for revenue to fund, in most cases, overspending on pork projects and bureaucratic bloat the notion of taxing every single online sale is extremely tempting.

Under the guise of  'protecting the brick-and-mortar' businesses within their State - local governments are hell-bent on collecting sales tax on online transactions. Now, everyone knows that internet retail sales have risen dramatically over the last decade, but they still represent only a fraction of all retail sales, and in-store sales have risen as well over the same period.

Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court struggled to decide on the matter as to whether internet retailers should have to collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence.The States argued that they are losing tens of billions of dollars under a 1992 Supreme Court ruling that helped spur the rise of internet shopping.

At the end of the day, however, it was not clear whether there were five votes to overrule the '92 decision - which bars States from collecting sales taxes from companies "that do not have a substantial connection to the State."

Several of the Justices expressed concerns about imposing crushing burdens on small businesses that sell goods on the internet and about making them pay BACK taxes. Justice Sotomayor stated the the case "raised a host of questions and a whole new set of difficulties", and "that the Congress and not the Supreme Court was the right forum in which to settle the matter."

Both Justices Roberts and Kagan noted that as Congress has so far chosen not to act was itself a telling indication that it was satisfied with the current system. There was a lot of banter between the attorneys representing both sides; however, I believe the Justices are looking at the wrong side of the issue.

It is not a question of how much of a burden would be put on the retailers to collect the taxes but the huge monetary burden that would be put on the consumer and once allowed, as we are all fully aware, the sales tax would continue to rise. In many States, the sales tax is 8% and higher.  That's 8% more for, pretty much, everything purchased - from clothing to restaurant meals.

The burden is completely shifted to the consumer from the retailer, as the cost of collection of the tax will be added to the price of the product. If a retailer is in such desperate shape that a sales tax will make or break them, they should probably be out of business anyway! Why is it always the consumer that has to carry the burden?

I would like to ask you to give me your vote on this issue. Yes, if you are in favor of taxing all internet purchases. No,  if you are against it.

Again, the issue in question isn't about the burden on the retailers to collect the tax , BUT THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON ALL OF US - THE CONSUMERS! 

Fund-House

Additionally, there is the issue of paying taxes to a State in which you have no say (vote) as to how the tax dollars are being spent - you know, taxation-without-representation. Isn't that in the Constitution?

Please vote,
Jim Lavorato

Storytelling: The Best Marketing Tool

Delivering a really great customer experience is a sure-fire way to get others to tell your Brand narrative (story).  Because when others are doing your storytelling it makes your story that much more credible and engaging.

Companies should share other people's stories as this demonstrates your authentic engagement with others. The best thing to do to endear your Brand to consumers is to share stories about the topics they care about. Putting stories together builds what's referred to as a 'brand's meta-narrative', which inspires, not only customers, but employees so they think and behave 'on-brand'.

Nelson Farris, a Nike senior executive, has the title of  'Chief Storyteller', and he and all the other Nike senior executives spend a good deal of their time relaying stories to employees. This is to remind all of Nike's staff of the brand's pillars that the company rests upon.

You need storytelling and story-doing to ensure you are building your brand authentically through actions and not just words - known as story-sharing. So, all three: storytelling, story-doing, and story-sharing need to be aligned and unified with story-building to make your brand's meta-narrative.

For example, last year, REI, the upscale sporting good store, closed all if its retail outlets on Black Friday (the busiest shopping day of the year) and encouraged its employees and customers to do something "outside" instead. This was very smart brand building as it not only generated lots of buzz for being so contrasting to the norm but it allowed REI to tell the 'story of its values' and how it supports the greater outdoors.

Storytelling is crucial to brand development and it should be used whenever possible.

Stay in touch,
Jim Lavorato

Corporate Hexing: Using Voodoo on Abusive Boss

One of the main reasons given by entrepreneurs for striking-out on their own is job frustration. However, before reaching the "I'm gone" point, venting your frustration by using voodoo is on the rise for appeasing workplace stress.

Sticking It To The Boss

The use of voodoo dolls, it seems, can provide employees a sense of justice without confronting an overbearing boss - even if preformed on an on-line doll.  Two separate studies, recently released by Canadian Universities, found that even a symbolic gesture against an abusive supervisor restores a sense of justice.

Respondents were asked to recall a personal less-than-pleasant workplace interaction. Some of the participants were instructed to stick pins on an on-line voodoo doll (which was labeled with the offending boss's initials).  Those that used the doll, universally, reported feeling a sense of justice vs. those that were not given the voodoo doll option. The dolls were a symbolic retaliation against their supervisors. It seems employees care about justice and consider it a fundamental human need. A secondary outcome of using the dolls accrued to the benefit of the organization, as it reduces workplace stress and improves the work environment.

The researchers noted that there must be a way for employees to restore their sense of justice without sabotaging the supervisor. While employers must ascertain the reason for the employee frustration and ensure that everyone is treated fairly.

Well, if it works ... do it. I could be that a little hexing goes a long way.

Stay in touch,

Jim Lavorato

Brand Marketing Goes Loopy With GIFs

Graphics Interchange Format, aka GIF, is an image format that is no more then 6 seconds in duration and repeated over and over in an endless loop. Brand marketers have taken to creating GIFs to help consumers express themselves through these looping videos that, in many cases, are more effective than regular social ads.

 Six second ads, which have become ubiquitous on social platforms, is now being opted for the GIF. This is because GIFs can express a mood or emotion that is easily shareable and easier to produce than a six second ad.  Many times GIFs are humorous - they made us laugh and that reaction very shareable, making for great brand engagement.

The GIF, if created properly, turns advertising into content and the message is so seamless and unoffensive that the viewer doesn't consider it as watching an ad. Additionally, GIFs are more cost-effective to produce than ads and are shareable!

GIFs are the new future of social advertising. They are easier to produce, cost less, and are much more engaging than regular social ads, and are very shareable.  Use them.

Keep in touch,

Jim Lavorato

What Do Crowdfunders Look For

Although crowdfunding can potentially be a competitor to Fund-House, in many cases, we recommend to clients that they use crowdfunding for seed money to kick-start their business.

Crowdfunding has been increasing. According to data from Pew Research, in 2015, total funds generated through crowdfunding campaigns totaled over $34 billion - and its grown from there. However, with this growth, it has become more difficult to make sure that your campaign stands-out among the thousands of others vying for funds. To ensure success, or at least, improve your chances, here are several things to do:

PLEDGING

The average pledge amount is approx. $403. What this says is that people are willing to back that amount if they find your 'pitch' has value. So, if possible, center your pledge rewards in the $200-450 range. This will afford you a higher chance of exceeding your funding goal.

Pew Research also found that although large donations are not uncommon, with 21% of funders contributing $51-100 and another giving $101-500 to a single campaign, the vast majority, roughly 49%, contributed a lower amount, $11-50.

The key is to show your value proposition. You must get creative with your reward tiers. Finding the dollar amount that hits the right price point.

HITTING THE RIGHT DEMOGRAPHIC

Male funders far exceeds female backers - about 85% to 15%. Therefore skewing your campaign to men greatly improves your odds of getting the funding you desire. This doesn't mean that the product or service you are pitching must be for men only as a female oriented product will do well if it is viable and compelling. What is does tell you is that in the community of crowdfunding male funders dominate.

Additionally, Pew found that 30% of funders are in the 18-29 age group, with another 27% in the 30-49 group.

RECAP

Getting it right the first time is requisite in crowdfunding. Make sure you are hitting the right demographic, are pledging for the right amounts, and are addressing a male audience - and don't forget about the shipping logistics.

Stay in touch
Jim Lavoarot

Landing Pages - Getting Them Right!

Landing Page: A standalone web page created specifically for marketing or promotion upon which a visitor 'lands' when they have clicked on an online advertisement or similar notice (referred to as a call-to-action - CTA).

A landing page correctly constructed has to convey information, encourage a CTA, and reflect your brand - if it doesn't do this it won't provide the experience or engagement your customer expects. Therefore, designing an effective landing page takes planning and great design.

HAVE A CONCISE PURPOSE

Answer this question. What do you want users to do when they get to the landing? 
Watch a video? Enter information? Purchase something? Click a link? Interact?
BE SPECIFIC! Everything on the landing should be guide users to an end goal.

WHO IS THE AUDIENCE?

Landings MUST BE  AUDIENCE - CENTRIC! Therefore you need to have a very clear understanding of who your target market is. Gender? Age? Location?  The landing's design
must appeal to the audience targeted and engage them.

STRONG IMAGERY !

The landing MUST HAVE VERY ENGAGING GRAPHICS, VIDEOS, OR IMAGES  An element of mystery or  surprise goes a long way in engaging users.

A COMPELLING STORY!

All landing pages have various levels of copy. Each word of the narrative must be carefully scripted to move the users to the CTA.

Headline: a few powerful words that instantly grab attention. 


Body Text: the 'message', which must be concise, direct, and engaging.

CTA: A button or link that directs the user - it's the next step. Must be easy to see and execute.

Footer: The 'touch base' stuff - contact into., social links, blog direction, etc.

NAVIGATION THRU KEYWORDS

Think of navigation elements as KEYWORDS that provide user information and direction.  These navigation cues assist users in understanding of what you offer.

THE CTA


Every single user must know exactly what to do when they hit your landing. Clear CTAs are requisite. CTAs can be buttons, forms to fill, instructions, images, animations, graphics.

CUSTOMIZE

Landing should be specific, engaging, and important. They need to be focused and therefore CUSTOMIZED  and not look like an extension of your website. Take to time and effort to be unique and not have a 'me too' look.  Always be conscious of  your demographic.

Visit: www.FundHouse.us

BRAND RELEVANCE

Make sure the landing is relevant to your Brand by including visual cues that connect it to your overall business message - stay 'on brand'.  Include your logo and use the same font as is used in your website's header - users, are smart, they will know the landing is special and content different but they will also know they are still interacting with your Brand.

THE FLOW

A well constructed landing makes usability obvious (where to go and what to do). The landing page must FLOW.  Add in levels of imagery, branding/logo, pictures, developing a tiered approach so users will know instantly how to engage with the page.

A landing page is NOT your homepage. Landings are fast becoming the first stop for website visitors. Designing the BEST landing pages will make your business shine in the vast and murky expanse of the web.

Stay in touch,

Jim Lavorato

Millennials' Changing Consumption Habits

Millennials are fast becoming society's changing demographic with regards to their spending. 

They are more likely to share a car than own one, rent a home vs buy, and invest in experiences over material goods. Millennials don't like to commit, particularly when it comes to money and investments. Don't forget, the average Millennial is strapped with $30,000 in student debt and witnessed the economy tanking the during the Great Recession of 2018.

But circumstances change and as the 'Y generation' is gets older and matures their spending habits are beginning to change - ergo there are four sectors of the economy that stand to benefit.

1. Housing: in 2016 Millennials were the largest group of U.S. home-buyers, indicating their need to switch from renting to purchasing homes. In fact, affordable housing inventories are falling pushing prices higher throughout the country. Look for  developers, builders, construction,              businesses benefitting greatly from this trend.

2. Household Durable Goods: In 2017, a study found that over 75% of Millennials would rather            spend their money on experiences vs. material goods - this is changing. The home buying                    trend will increase Millennial spending on home furnishings, appliances, and all sorts 
    of home goods from lawnmowers to garage openers.

Fund-House Ventures : www.FundHouse.us

3. Retail: Although purchases via the internet have grown exponentically it still only accounts for  about 10% of  all retail sales. The Millennials are going to push retail purchases much higher, and the businesses that will benefit most are those with operations in both the physical and virtual worlds. This is already manifesting itself. Walmart redoubled its online operations. Amazon, on the other hand, is going for brick and mortar with its purchase of 400 Whole Foods stores and building its own 'dash' shopping food stores.

Millennials spending habits are changing

4. Autos: Many Millennials rely of Uber and Lyft for transportation. As they start families, however, owning cars, SUVs, trucks, and minivans becomes a necessity. We are already witnessing the auto industry aligning with Millennials'  by manufacturing energy efficient vehicles that provide lots of safety features.

Despite their penchant for sharing, experience related activities, and online everything Millennials are moving into another stage in their lives which necessitates them changing their purchasing habits. That said, Millennials will continue to drive the on-going revolution in consumer spending. 

Stay in touch,

Jim Lavorato

The Net Neutrality Prize - A Follow-Up Post

As a follow-up to my recent post on the Net Neutrality battle being waged between the ISPs and the edge providers it appears that the recent neutrality rule rollback by the Federal Communications Commission has spawned  discussions on the internet of everything.

Both sides came to Capitol Hill in a discussion hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus, to discuss possible approaches to agreement. But, try they might the conversation proved  to be as much about what still separates the parties than it was about agreement on the issues.

Both sides do agree on rules preventing blocking and throttling of content, even restoring them to the FCC.  However, lobbyists for the edge providers are  pushing for a Congressional Review Act resolution to nullify the FCC's December rollback of the rules. Pro ruling advocates are also backing  State efforts to reverse the FCC decision through their own neutrality bills or executive orders mandating neutrality in ISP contracts.

The pro-rule activists want the FCC to be able to regulate broadband rates if said rates are a barrier to deployment.  While the ISPs say the FCC should not be in the business of regulating broadband rates, - which should be market driven.

So, as it now stands both sides are at logger-heads and the debate remains unsettled.

Keep in touch,

Jim Lavorato

What Legal Structure To Choose For Your Business

How should I legally structure my business?

I get this question almost every time when coaching a start-up. Needless to say, it is an important question and one which requires some thought about how you want to manage your new business.

There are a number of business structures each with pros and cons and centering, mainly, around the issue of liability with the secondary considerations regarding financial and tax reporting.  The types of business structures and their definitions are:

1. Sole Proprietorship 
2. General Partnership
3. Limited Partnership
4. Limited Liability Partnership
5. Limited Liability Company (LLC)
6. Sub-chapter S Corporation 
7. C Corporation

- A Sole Proprietorship consists of one individual or married couple. The most simple to form, the SP is the most common form of business structure. It is easy to manage and not burdened with legal controls or tax requirements and reporting.

Their principal problem is that the owners are personally liable for all debts and legal actions held against the business.

- A General Partnership consists of two or more individuals who agree, in a written contract, to manage the business and share in its profits or losses. Like a Sole Proprietorship, under a General Partnership, each partner is personally and legally liable for debts and legal actions against the business.

- A Limited Partnership (LP) is comprised of two or more general partners and one or more limited partners.  The general partners manage the business and share fully in all profits and losses. The limited partners share in the profits but are limited in the losses to the extent of their investment and are normally not involved with the management of the company.

- A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is like a General Partnership but the partners do not have personal liability for the negligence of the other partners. This structure is favored by doctors, lawyers, CPAs, and other professional businesses.

Fund-House Business Coaching @ www.fundhouse.us

- A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a common structure used by one or more individuals (or entities) through a written agreement. This agreement details the business's provisions for the management and distribution of profits and losses. LLCs can engage in any type of business except banking and insurance and the owners are limited as to their liability.

- Corporations - The law views a corporation as an entity separate from its owners. It has its own legal rights, independent of its owners, which are shareholders in the organization. They are more complex and costly to establish and require extensive financial and tax reporting vs. other structures.

S- Corporations, provides for very limited liability on the owners who are shareholders.  These shareholders share in the profits and losses based upon the number of shares held by each and are reported on each shareholders personal tax return each year. The S-Corporation provides for more liability protection than an LLC or Partnership.

C - Corporations are large organizations whose ownership shares are normally publicly traded on an exchange. Owned by shareholders C Corporations are taxed as separate entities and can retain earnings which an S - Corporation can not.

Most start-ups structure as LLCs or Sub S Corps. which provide for limited liability on the part of the owners - with the Sub S providing an additional level of liability protection.

Best,

Jim Lavorato

Disruptive Technology & The Brand Marketer

Disruption use to be a dirty word. Now, disruption is relevant, creative, and forward-thinking.

Amazon entering the super-market and shortly the drug prescription business. Uber in the taxi business, Airbnb in the rental property business, Netflix in content distribution, crypto-currencies and so on - disruptive technology is upending all aspects of life.

This is a challenge for brand marketers as unlike traditional marketers, who earned their keep by stroking  our anxieties, the new marketing mantra is to fashion real-world solutions that deliver value propositions that measure-up to our hopes and dreams.

New technologies require adjustments and compromises; however, there is no doubting that the advance of technology has directly caused the life of the average person to be richer, freer, healthier, and happier.

Fund-House Ventures - The Source For Innovative Thought

Apple, Amazon, Google, Intel, and others are tech powerhouses because we like what they sell. They have won are loyalty. There is plenty of evidence of  technology has-beens which are grim reminders that success is only as secure as the ability to stay nimble and responsive to evolving consumer preferences. Competition is very fierce. Anything we don't like about one product will be exploited quickly by another.

Many things affect what consumers need and want. Brand marketers must constantly respond and bring new solutions to the marketplace. Demand is shifting as growing numbers of consumers look for a better balance of time-on and time-off.

Social engagement is on the increase as there is growing desire to make personal connections. Referred  to as the Kinship Economy this is a big and growing opportunity for brand marketers to build on brand-to-consumer interaction and be disruptive.

Keep in touch,

Jim Lavorato

An Angel's 10 Commandments

Rumor has it God gave Moses 15 Commandments but he dropped a tablet on his way down Mt. Sinai.  For Angel Investors there are only 10. They should be used wisely and often by Angels and Investees alike. 

1. If it doesn't feel RIGHT - PASS.

2. Dealflow: There is NO SHORTAGE of DEALS

3. INVESTING takes TIME to LEARN - be PATIENT

4. VALUATION matters - for EVERYTHING

5. BACK $0 Companies.  FOCUS on the 100-1000x RETURN POTENTIALS

6. JUDGMENT is OVER-RATED. FIND the BEST PEOPLE in each MARKET 

7. Invest ONLY is Your Spheres of INTEREST

8. HARBOR NO OPINIONS. Listen and USE INTUITION

9. DEVELOP Your INSTINCTS

10. Look at a LOT - Invest in a FEW

Internet Free-for-All

As a follow-up to my 12/12/17 post regarding Net Neutrality and the prediction that the FCC would rollback regulations against the ISPs - the internet is now in a retooling phase.

Elections have consequences and one is a move to deregulated internet access. What this means is that the ISPs (the cable and telco internet providers) will now be trying out paid prioritization business models in the not to distant future.

The FCC and Justice Department will be watching closely as this saga unfolds. There is a sense that this move by the FCC levels the playing field in terms of regulation as it relates to net neutrality and the growing attention on social media and search platforms and off of the ISPs (which have shouldered the heavy gatekeeper regulations).  All this, while the internet mavens (called edge providers) like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, et. al. remained the innovative upstarts, even as their annual revenues rivaled that of most countries GDP.

My feeling is that this new deregulation is good for the internet overall; however, look for scrutiny to continue on both the ISPs and edge providers by not only the FCC and DOJ but Congress as well. 

Keep in touch,
Jim Lavorato

FUND-HOUSE'S 2018 TREND FORECAST

As 2018 unfolds I thought it would valuable to provide our viewers with a peek into the future, so here goes:

Software: the major disruptor to doing business in the traditional way. Think, Uber, they  own no cars yet are the largest taxi company on the planet.  Airbnb is now the biggest hotel company in the world, yet they don't own any real estate or hospitality properties - it's all about software.

AI: will transform whole industries. For example, law school graduates will find it hard to get jobs because IBM's Watson can provide legal advice in seconds with a 90% accuracy compared with 70% accuracy by humans. If you are planning a career in law,  think twice - only legal specialists will remain.

Facebook: has developed pattern recognition software that can recognize faces better than humans.

Autonomous Cars: Time to do other things in your commute

Autonomous Cars: huge disruption. Over time there will be on reason for many people to own a car. They will just call for a car, it will show up, and drive you to your destination. No need to park. Only pay for driven distance. Work or do other things while on trip. Drivers licenses will become obsolete as will car ownership. No need for parking garages. Safer with less traffic fatalities. Auto insurance will not be required and if needed will be much cheaper - the auto insurance business with be transformed.

Healthcare: Tricorder X will shortly appear on the scene. A Tricorder is a medical device that works with your cell phone. You will be able to perform retina scans, take  blood samples, and breath tests.  It will use these to identify over 50 diseases. Eventually, everyone will have access to world class medical analysis - at very low cost.

 www.fundhouse.us

3D Printing: The cost of a 3D printer has gone from over $18,000 to $400 in 10 years  Many manufacturers use 3D printing for a variety of products.  For example every shoe manufacturer uses it to produce custom shoes for each customer.  Airplane spare parts, as well as, parts production can be made on-site to accommodate remote areas where service is required.

Food:. The first Petri dish veal has been produced and it is cheaper than calf produced veal.  30% of all agricultural land is devoted to cattle - imagine if cattle were no-longer required.

Longevity: Currently the average life span increases 3 months per year. But the increase is itself increasing so that by 2036 there will be a one year increase per each year. Shortly, the average age will be over 100. This will have massive impact on society.

In a nut shell, every business should be asking "can what we are producing now be used in the future? If the answer is NO its time to change your company's focus and markets.

Just saying,
Jim Lavorato