Those who read my blog posts have probably surmised that I am a curmudgeon, one easily irritated by many Top 10, Top 5, or similar listings. The startup world, as found on the internet, is awash with these enticing shortcuts. They are the Cliffs Notes of the 21st century. Well, not really. Back in the day, when one purchased Cliffs Notes the basic transaction was this: “Cliff,” or someone on his staff, had read the book so you didn’t have to. A purchaser could be assured that the Cliffs Notes summaries were based on the actual text and, therefore, had merit. Reading a Top 10 list online today is an entirely different proposition. There is no guarantee its creator has read any of the source material related to his/her posting. In all likelihood, the list was the result of ten minutes googling between snapchats.
List.ly and others have made such bundlings both easy and meaningless. Do you want to know the Top Eight Books Most Read by Successful Entrepreneurs? How about the Top 6 Organizational Skills of Successful CEOs (you’ll never believe which skill is #7)? Or maybe, Three Things to Consider Before Launching Any Business. Ugh. It’s enough to make one long for a scam Nigerian email.
The lists, as they say, go on and on.
It is the exception, therefore, when I read a “Top X list” that I can recommend. The one below, by Tim Burd writing on Entrepreneur.com, is just such a list. His take on four essential phone apps describes a startup world, one with which I am not really familiar. It’s incredibly fast paced. Create a business plan in five minutes. Use a mobile phone application to apply for funding. Expand sales internationally. All by using one’s phone.
I am intrigued . . . so much so that I think I’ll stop writing and download a few apps.
Want to start a business? There’s an app – or four – for that.
Entrepreneur Mentor and Startup Quarterback | Startups + Small Businesses + Home Businesses.
Specialties – Strategic Planning | Web Design | Digital Marketing|
Hans van Putten owner of 40parkLane,llc ran operations of his food manufacturing company for 17+ years building the Carolyn’s Handmade brand under the umbrella of 40ParkLane,llc.
After the successful sale of the food business, he took advantage of the years of strategic planning, operations management, web design, digital marketing and photography experience , to help startups, small businesses and home businesses and has been involved in a number of start-up ventures since.
Prior to founding 40parkLane,llc Hans worked for the Gillette Company for 10 years in various financial roles of increasingly bigger responsibility, leaving as Director of Business Planning for The International Group at Gillette HQ, Boston. Hans has an MBA (Marketing & International Business) from Aston University, and a BA in Business Administration from IHBO de Maere.