Want Press for Your Business? Do It for the Right Reasons.

As we wrapped up this issue, I received an unusually personal note from a woman in Chicago. She and her boyfriend had overcome great setbacks; now she wants to help him build a restaurant, but they’re struggling. She hoped I’d run a story about them. “I felt I needed to reach out,” she explained, “because I worry at times that he may not be discovered or ever have a chance to fulfill his dream.”

The Dos and Don'ts of Using a Well-Known Business Accelerator

Accelerators are an amazing way for entrepreneurs to learn the ropes of launching (and running) a business while also gaining valuable connections. That is, if the founders select the right one for their needs. Participating in the Techstars Boston accelerator program has had a profound effect on the success of Moritz Plassnig’s company Codeship, a developer-tool business. In the article below, he offers some smart advice on using elite accelerators like Y Combinator and Techstars.

5 Lies the World Tells Entrepreneurs About How to Succeed

It's common knowledge that 90 percent of startups die. So what do the 10 percent have that the 90 percent don’t?

We are taught that succeeding as an entrepreneur is all about working ridiculously harder than anyone else and persisting beyond the challenges. Then, and only then, will you “make it.” That is a big bunch of hooey.

I believe there is one factor above the others that allows for great success: brutal honesty. Unfortunately, we are fed lies in the form of inspirational quotes and fairytale stories about entrepreneurship, which tempt us not to engage in brutal honesty.

What is brutal honesty? Brutal honesty is about being excruciatingly self-aware so that you can hear the real feedback the market is telling you, and correct course before it is too late. This is the true test of entrepreneurship, since tearing down the walls you built with your blood, sweat, tears (and limited funds) is not for the faint of heart.

Here are the top five lies they feed you as an entrepreneur and how to combat them with the right mindset: