Salespeople must be proactive about figuring out where they're losing prospects along the sales process, writes Anthony Iannarino. For many salespeople, intermediate conversions are the biggest challenge, as they have difficulty securing a second meeting after a promising initial conversation, Iannarino writes.

Microtargeting is the secret to small-budget marketing with big returns, small-business expert Steve Strauss writes. He shares five steps to create a microtargeted campaign, including how to choose a digital platform, set a budget and create the ads.

Full-time employees, as opposed to part-timers or freelancers, are essential for companies with strong missions and larger goals, writes Raj Jana, founder of JavaPresse Coffee Co. Jana notes that full-timers make teams flexible and allow for two-way investments between employees and employers.

The venture capital landscape is full of biases, but recognizing those biases can level the playing field.
"It's really simple. Invest in people of color, hire more people of color, invest in the careers of people of color," said Josh Kopelman, managing partner at First Round Capital, during the panel discussion "Race and the Entrepreneur."

David Barrett, CEO of Expensify, emailed customers last week asking them to vote for Joe Biden for president, but other tech startup executives have taken politics out of their model. The email is just part of a larger debate -- or perhaps firestorm -- in the industry as workers often expect their companies to take a stance in the current politically charged climate.

Open dialogue with customers put two sisters' dress rental company on a path to pandemic success with custom accessories boxes curated for video calls and small gatherings. Nikoleta Lirantonakis and Vicky Lirantonakis Maione of The Style Filos explain their five strategies, including how they differentiated from competitors.

Waiting to apply for forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans might pay off for companies that can tolerate the uncertainty, Fundera CEO Jared Hecht writes. He cites three reasons to wait, such as a penalty-free period until at least the first quarter of 2021.

Over the next decade, five categories will dominate the tech startup industry: data society, wellness, creativity, climate and fundamentals. To start the conversation, Danny Crichton writes, ask what society wants from these categories and then find a way to answer that need.

Neighborly Brands plans to move five of its franchise brands into a second headquarters in Irving, Texas. Neighborly will keep its Waco, Texas, office, and the Irving office will house Molly Maid, Window Genie, Dryer Vent Wizard, Mr. Handyman and Real Property Management.

The partnership between Right at Home and TruBlue Total House Care aims to garner clients for both companies and bolster Right at Home's mission to help clients navigate the challenges in their lives, leaders say. TruBlue's offerings include home safety assessments and services meant to lower the risk of falls.