In theory it will not, if you build amazing website that users love and search engines can index you will do well in SERP... but , in general, a dashed domain is inferior. Users will gravitate towards non-dashed domains - they trust them more, click more, etc. Search engine algorithm is a machine learning trying to reflect human thinking, so I never encourage my clients to buy dashed domain. While exact keyword domain have positive impact on SEO (for that one keyword), I would also encourage you to think of your domain choice as a branding vehicle that is memorable and stands out on the crowded web.

One would need to review the sale agreement to provide you with any sound advice. If properly drafted in first place (ie protecting your right to future payments) then there should be some contractual tools available for you in the agreement.

Let me tell you what you need to do. Let me give you the magic pill if you will. Take Action. Make a landing page, then...don't stop no matter what. Start posting to LinkedIn, Facebook, everywhere, send emails to your friends, your connections, everybody and get them to go to the landing page and sign up for your newspaper. Once you can prove readership you can focus on finding out what type of articles your readers like. From this data you can decide what type of ads will sell best on your site. Until you can sell ads, fill in the spaces where the ads would otherwise go with your own ads. Make some ads for your newspaper. Come up with a product to sell. Give ads away for a limited time. Don't stop taking massive action. Best of Luck, Michael T. Irvin michaelirvin.net My books are available exclusively through Amazon Books. Check out my book "Copywriting Blackbook of Secrets" Copywriting, Startups, Internet Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Making Money Best Of Luck, Copywriting, Startups, Internet Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Making Money

1) Get a job offer from a friend or connection who runs a US business... or... 2) Offer your services at a significant discount to a local worker. Work visa is the fastest, easiest way. Still not easy, but better than marrying someone for a visa.

Hi Diana, One of the hardest things for a business owner can do is delegate to others. You can hire employees, but hiring subcontractors can be a better solution. It is a leap to give control away, I know, but it is necessary for your mental health. You cannot keep doing it all. I know from personal experience. The smartest thing you can do is decide at what point it makes sense for someone else to do the work. Most people figure this out using a dollars per hour number, and it is far lower than you might think. Typically around $11-16/hr. And that number should probably be $20 or $30/hr. If it costs that much or less for someone else to do it, you get them to do it. I don't care that they will only do it 80% or 90% as well as you do; for your sanity you have to get them to do it--and get YOU used to getting them to do it. Yes training will be a bit time-consuming in the short term, and you will have to probably go through a few people to get the right subcontractor you can trust, but it is worth it in the medium and long term. Now as to other issues in your business. I primarily work with consultants who need to boost their Price, have more personal Power, and increase their Profit. These are all linked, and I bet you are charging too low a figure. Think about fulfillment--customers don't come in one at a time in nicely paced intervals over the month, do they? No, they come in bunched together. All at once. Like baby birds in the nest with mouths open that need feeding RIGHT NOW; and so all your fulfillment has to be done at once. I am going to give you two reports that will change your perspective and your results, if you apply the instructions inside. The first is on Pricing: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/62969513/GetItRight.pdf The second is on Profit: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/62969513/SmallBizSalesReport.pdf And listen to these podcasts explaining the ideas further: http://www.salestactics.org/crash-course-on-pricing/ All free to you. With both Pricing and Profit working for you, you'll find Power. And by Power I mean walking into a meeting with a prospect and not giving a damn whether they choose to work with you or not--and YOU are in charge of that decision. I could easily, and do, charge $1500 and up for the information I am giving you in these reports, plus the personalization for the client. The net result of applying the information in these two reports will be to get the right kind of clients to pay you well...so you have plenty of profit left over to pay for subcontractors to do the tasks you shouldn't be doing...and have you taking on ONLY interesting, unique projects that will advance your reputation in the marketplace plus your personal skillset and knowledge. That will excite you, no? Having a packed calendar and splitting your energy between too many clients is crazy. I have done it. You end up drained as you are now. It can be fixed. To do so, you will have to start talking to a different level of clientele, separate the time it takes you to do the work you do from the money you make to do it, and not give away what you know as free consulting. That's a real change. And so are the results. Get back in charge of your business with this expensive course I have just given you.

"content" and asp.net aren't specific enough to answer this question as is.

The "idea" is the really the least important ingredient in building a successful product business. Building the product and then gaining adoption and then turning that adoption into a viable business are all where the rubber meets the road. These pieces are so difficult that you're best finding the most qualified, experienced people who share your enthusiasm for this idea. What's most important is that you're clear in what you yourself bring to the table besides just the idea. Happy to talk to you in a call about how to recruit a team and further validate your idea.

There are lots of unexpected costs with land development and new construction. Examples include soft costs (arch, engineering, surveying, permit costs, etc) and hard costs (connecting utilities, clearing land, etc). Always have a reasonable buffer to take into account any unexpected costs. Best of luck!

I have a different approach that will give you a more sustainable growth trajectory. You should go with an inbound marketing strategy instead. 1) Get creative with your content marketing to educate your target market on the problems. By creating the awareness, your target market will then look for solutions. Since you were the one who first educated them, you'll have the first impression with them with this new line of thinking. 2) Create a mini product offering that solves one aspect of the problem. Having a narrow focus gives you a pointed problem and solution that is begging for press and traction. Freckle and Boomerang created mini products that solved a related customer problem in a fun and creative way. I would be happy to share more examples and insights of innovative ways to approach this problem. I've been in this boat before and heavily researched the issue.

I would suggest the first question to ask is "what problem do I solve?" And of those people I solve problems for "who do I create the most value for?" In the non-profit world you need to add "How does my business help the non-profit run better and/or help the group the non-profit focuses on?" For example, if you've created a platform that drives donations, your company "has created a platform that helps you reach fundraising goals faster." What you don't want to do is market and sell to B2B and B2C audiences simultaneously. They have different ways of buying - a B2B audience needs to have their benefits quantified (using your thing makes me x amount more) - and it's extremely hard for a startup to be able to do both well. Better to start with one, execute really well and move into the other. Feel free to give me a call and we can dig into who your most valuable audience is.

The point of advising is to have fun but it's also to align with the upside of the business. So the things to consider / ensure are. - Are they venture backeable ... if they don't plan (or you don't see them being able to) raise venture capital, then being a formal advisor (with equity) won't matter. - Do you trust them. As an advisor, you're extended your brand and credibility to the team so you need to ensure they'll be good stewards of it. - Are they coacheable ... when you talk, do they listen and are open to the advice. Do they take action? As for compensation & commitment, here's what's normal. - 0.1-1% equity in the early stages .. usually over 2 years vesting monthly. - You make yourself available for 1-2 hour per month, and help throughout making introductions, reviewing documents,etc Personally, I think it's super important to ensure you tell what you won't be doing. Ex: I won't be accountable for a work product, as in - I'm not going to run your marketing / development team :) You never know what people expect, so it's best to discuss it upfront. Also, if you plan on doing formal advisory (for compensation) - it's ideal to get atleast 10+ companies to help out in that format to ever see a financial return ... your essentially acting much like a VC. So just understand, there's a very high likely hood that it won't go anywhere financially .. but it can be super rewarding. The key is that you enjoy spending time with the team and learning about their journey.

Wow...what a big question...here's a few answers... The most important thing to know is that 90% of engineering management is culture management. If you build the right culture, then the engineers will manage themselves. So, do some web searches on engineering team culture and read those types of blog posts. Also, read this: http://algeri-wong.com/yishan/engineering-management.html. Additionally, you can read my blog, I've written quite a bit about engineering management (but I don't write as much as I used to): http://scottporad.com. I follow Hacker News regularly. Personally, I spend my time on the "new" page instead of the "most popular". I developed a deep understanding of Agile and Lean Startup methodologies. The key wasto understand them philosophically and strategically, as opposed to simply understanding them tactically. Once I understood them at their essential levels, the principles could be applied to all types of organizations. Another thing I've done is to identify other organizations that served as "role models" for my team. Then, I would follow their blogs, find the slides from when they speak at conferences, etc. I would look for companies with similar technology, that appeared to be leaders in their space. Of course, find yourself mentors with whom you can discuss your issues. Obviously, you can find those people here on Clarity. Finally, in Seattle, where I live, we have a Seattle CTO mailing list consisting of senior engineering managers from across a broad set of companies. Find the version in your city, and if doesn't exist, start one.

I think it is a good start. From my experience, people don't really know what they want -- they only think they do. An example of this is when Steve Jobs announced the iPad. There was collective confusion (more so than any other time Apple has done something). Now, we couldn't imagine our world without it. That said, the participants of your survey will likely answer within their comfort zone or what they are familiar with. This is what they *think* they want. If you base your entire business model on what people think they want, you will end up duplicating what they are already accustom to (your competition). Getting a sense of your market is a good thing, but you most have the "secret sauce" that will woo your potential customers away from their routine. I don't know what type of restaurant you are aiming for, be it fast food, causal sit down, unique and interesting, or 5-star quality. Based on that, price becomes very subjective. There is a very unique, one-off restaurant I enjoy visiting when I am traveling in Southern California. It is priced higher than any other restaurant in the area, but I am not paying for the food or even the service. I am paying for the way it makes me feel and the environment they maintain. The participants of your survey will likely not be considering intangibles like this when they answer. Keep this in mind, but don't build your entire business around it. Questions to validate your business model may include: - How important is the selection of adult beverages? - How important is the selection of healthy choices? - How important is a family-friendly environment? - How important is the quality of food (we don't always go where the food is best) - How important is the speed of service? Based on your question, I am guessing you are going for a family-friendly, speedy, inexpensive alternative to McDonalds, Burger King, or Carl Jr's. These companies have deep pockets to fend off upstarts. Your value proposition will need to be rock solid to defend against the giants of the industry.

Having worked with one of the big 3 in Iron Mountain's space, I would advise partnerships with companies already partnered with USPS, DHL, etc. If you want help targeting and reaching strategic partners quickly, let's chat on clarity.

If app design is the only thing you'd like to do, then I'd say spend all your time and focus developing UI/UX expertise for mobile. In many developing nations around the world, smart devices are giving people their first exposure to the Internet. The way they search, browse, buy, and otherwise behave online hasn't been profoundly shaped by desktop computing (and all the extra real estate that larger screens afford). All that to say, I've begun to think of UI/UX design for mobile as a distinct discipline. Many fine web designers find it very difficult to make the transition over to mobile: almost like fiction writers trying to write poetry. Starting with web and moving to mobile may actually handicap you. But if you start by learning to be economical and use limited mobile real estate to its best effect, then you'll probably be a better web designer (if you decide to grow into it later) for it. Hope this helps, Austin

Much, if not all, of what you are looking for can be accomplished in Google Analytics using their Conversion Goals. I am not sure about *all* of it - specifically the information you want the merchants to have access to. There are tools that do analytics better and more detailed for applications like this, but GA is the best for your price point. You will want to plan for growth and moving to a more comprehensive solution, as your web app grows. Questions, comments, concerns, gripes, compliments or complaints? Book a call.

No, it's not a good idea. Every successful or even somewhat successful venture I know of was started either because the entrepreneur had observed and then confirmed a specific pain-point in a market that was unaddressed or that entrepreneur was "scratching their own itch" solving a problem they had themselves that others had as well. Unless you already count VC's and angels as friends, the idea of trying to get meetings with VCs or angels to ask them what you should build is really a waste of time, as they are unlikely to give you their time. My best advice beyond what I've written above would be to immerse yourself in the world of startups, best by working for an existing, funded startup. You'll develop a network and a lot of valuable experience about what it takes to take something from idea to product market-fit to a growth-stage company that will be really beneficial to when you evaluate whether you want to run your own journey. Best of luck!

We have had good luck with both Survey Monkey and the survey tool built into Constant Contact

It really depends on the country you are in and the laws that apply to you there. It would be best to ask an attorney in Angola. In the states, it is legal for you to resell something you own as the first sale doctrine applies. Still, you can't pass yourself off as an authorized reseller and the warranties typically won't transfer to your customers. You can't use the Apple logo or name in your marketing or advertising either. That is why becoming an authorized reseller is so important.

Strictly speaking, no. No one customizes anything. They say they want that, but this is a flaw in listening to users. If you watch their behavior, no one (I mean, 1/10th of 1%, at best) customizes. Now, that isn't to say mapping is good, readable, or often applicable to contexts. Aside from increasing contrast across the board, I can easily imagine contextual changes to maps to make them work better. Let's assume mobile usage now, as that's the key for mapping. When driving, for example (and let's admit people look at their phones to navigate), the map you use sitting at your desk could: - Get higher contrast - Get larger labels - Only label items you need, such as roads you are on, or which intersect the route, not others - More clearly indicate your position, and the route It could also do things like automatically turn on traffic status, and turn it off again when sitting and walking around. The user can over-ride these settings, but we know enough about user behaviors in various contexts, and can pretty well sense their context from sensors on the phone that we should give them a better experience, automatically. I've done a fair number of mapping products, including some user research into this, so would be happy to discuss it further if you have additional questions.

You can use the Javascript API as Google has made available through this link https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/styling

I've helped several businesses do this. 1) Differentiate yourself - make your portal highly compelling for small-to-medium businesses. 2) Give it for free to businesses that are recognizable and will allow you to feature a testimonial from them. This will build credibility. I like to go after a single location in a chain, for example get a single McDonald's manager to use it, a single Chipotle's store, a single Applebee's manager - and now you have a powerful social proof client roster. 3) Do you need a lot of users (people with the phone app or who are using the tech) in order for businesses to benefit? If so, that presents another set of complex challenges. I can help you create a strategy to get to market and revenue fast with this challenge by phone. It's the number 1 reason startups like yours fail - unable to get traction from both users and businesses simultaneously. If you don't need both sides at once, then... 4) Get feedback from the free users, then ask them if they'd be referral sources. Then begin an outreach campaign - you can use techniques from Mixergy or set up a call with me - it will require a custom plan based on the specifics of your business once you reach this point.

My answer will be short: Definitely an app. I'll be more than happy to discuss details further.

Before we dive into the equity,salary and such. Motivation and retention begins with the CEO. Ask yourself what is the culture of the company? If you don't know anything about culture then start with the basics: 1. Do you value employee opinions? Do you ask for others opinions? 2. Do you encourage people to listen to employee problems? Do you listen to what other people have to say? 3. Do you encourage others to come up with ideas and suggestion? 4. Can you sell your dream? 5. Can you build consensus? 6. Hire people for their strengths and fix their weaknesses 7. Don't assume shit, always ask 8. Treat your interns like employees and mentor them 9. Have a clear vision and be able to articulate it 10. Can you admit when you are wrong? VERY IMPORTANT So if you have a strong company culture this will help with new hires, motivate, and retain talent. The frosting on the cake is free food/snacks, happy hours, company paid healthcare benefits, etc.

More of a political answer than anything to be honest. Laws are created by politicians, politicians make their decisions based on lobbyists & public opinion. Lobbyists and public opinion can both be bought. One person only has one vote, a company can persuade millions of votes. Imagine what would happen if Facebook (or Reddit) put a tiny icon that say "Vote ________ for president", how many people that would influence to vote. Businesses are what influence & create laws in the end. Even your personal opinions come from businesses. Is it something you read in a book? Author makes money, textbook makes money. Read it on the internet? The website makes money. Learned it in school? University makes money, professor makes money. A business that is breaking a law is really just fighting the status quo of the established businesses, which might be why often new businesses think or might assume they need to do something illegal to get ahead. While established businesses such as Comcast or Facebook can break laws and it be "legal" (because they do it in the right way of course). But no, entrepreneurs don't need to do illegal things and break the law. Pick a business model, any business model, and then do it better.