Ahead of the Curve

Entrepreneurship is about living on the cutting edge, being the first to offer an innovative product or service to the public and then staying ahead of competitors to ensure your business's success.  You have to be smarter and faster than other businesses.

Life in the 21st century has rapidly become one of the most dizzying eras in history, as technology improves at a blinding rate.  I remember when I saw the iPhone for the first time.  It looked space-age and bizarre, and I was baffled by how many things it could do.

Fast forward a few years and smart phones are essentially expected.  Now Motorola's Atrix 4G has taken it a step further, allowing the simplified smart phone package to be docked to a laptop-sized screen and full keyboard, which connects users with online servers, revolutionizing the way companies can work remotely.

It might seem daunting to keep pace with today's technology, especially for small businesses.  Fancy electronic devices often come with high price tags, and troubleshooting software glitches can waste precious time and productivity. However, multiple aspects of the technological age are fighting to make business easier, even for the novice entrepreneur.

Social networking has opened the door for businesses to market to target demographics.  Facebook software allows companies to cater their advertising to clients whose profiles and statuses match up with a service or product.  Twitter has ousted news sources as the only voice for product criticism.  Foursquare allows users to research specific business locations by reading first-hand accounts straight from former customers.  LinkedIn allows professionals to stay connected to individuals who can make their business better.

Current technology has dramatically improved the way an office can function.  Filing hard copies of paperwork has become a thing of the past, as document imaging allows every piece of paper in a company's database to be searched electronically.  Connecting company content to online servers has made it incredibly easy for employees to work from home or on the road.

All of these small yet powerful tools can help a small business stay afloat in today's economy.  A business must be a chameleon, capable of changing instantly to meet the needs of the current customer.  The music industry's adoption of tools like Pandora and iTunes has curbed the negative effects of online piracy.  The ease of Netflix has all but obliterated the video rental industry.  Print media have almost completely merged to online circulation, as app software streams content to mobile devices and products such as the Kindle have practically rendered the bookstore obsolete.

Small business in Grant County can tap into this same source of innovation.  While it might seem overwhelming, technology is the key to survival in today's market, and staying ahead of the curve is only a click away. For innovative business tools to help you stay ahead of the technology, visit:  http://grant.toolsforbusiness.info/.