
Keith Shields
19 posts
Keith Shields is a partner with Designli, a digital product studio that helps both entrepreneurs and startup-minded businesses launch problem-solving apps and web apps. Designli's proprietary SolutionLab process brings new customers from a simple concept to a fully defined, designed, and prototyped "project blueprint" that is entirely development ready - all within 30 days.
Essentials You Need to Know About Partnerships and Equity
It’s nearly impossible to build a profitable company completely on your own, simply because it’s impossible to have all the skills and resources necessary for a successful business. Although you may start out on your...
July 1, 2022
10 Ways to Boost Your Startup’s Customer Acquisition
Many startups struggle with finding and retaining customers. Having a sustainable and systematic customer acquisition strategy is an essential component of success for any organization, especially as a startup. Once you’ve implemented the basics to...
February 5, 2022
The Procrastinator’s Guide to Holiday Marketing
So, you’ve waited a bit too long this year to plan out a carefully-crafted holiday marketing strategy for your startup. You’ve been busy, the day-to-day hustle and bustle has absorbed your attention, and time has...
December 13, 2020
6 Ways E-Commerce Startups Can Compete on Cyber Monday
It's no secret that Cyber Monday is a big deal for businesses large and small. According to Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday 2019 was record-breaking, with $9.2 billion spent online, a 16.9 percent increase over the...
November 14, 2020
What to Look for in a Mentor and Where to Find One
When you’re a new entrepreneur launching a business, you may find yourself inexperienced in a few areas. The most effective way to overcome this deficit quickly is by finding a mentor — someone who has...
September 6, 2020
How to Validate Your Side Hustle Ideas to Find the One that Best Suits You
Trying to pick the perfect side hustle can be a daunting task. There are so many options, and it’s difficult to know which ones you’re well suited to that have high profitability potential. By doing...
August 25, 2020
8 Step Process for Evaluating Software Solutions for Your Business
Entrepreneurs are wise to make use of software to automate and streamline day-to-day processes. But knowing which software tool to choose is challenging. StartupNation exclusive discounts and savings on Dell products and accessories: Learn more...
August 5, 2020
A 6 Step Checklist for Your Mobile App Branding
As of Q1 2020, there were 2.56 million apps in Google Play and 1.85 million in the App Store, so startup apps are faced with significant competition. With such a large number of apps flooding the...
June 12, 2020
5 Step Process for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Mobile App
Choosing a name for your mobile app is something you’ll want to do carefully. The fact is that people do judge a book by its cover. Your app’s name will have a significant impact on...
May 28, 2020
How to Choose the Ideal Side Hustle to Start at Home During Quarantine
There’s no time like the present to start a side hustle, especially since many of us have extra time on our hands while being stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. A side hustle can...
April 27, 2020
7 Project Management Essentials for a More Streamlined Finished Product
The nature of entrepreneurship involves many moving pieces. Without an organized system in place for managing your company, it’s easy for it to go off the rails. Luckily, there are project management best practices you...
February 29, 2020
10 Steps to Develop Your Winning Business Idea
You have an idea that you think could be a great business opportunity. You’ve run it by your friends, family and colleagues, and they all agree that this idea has merit. Now what? Before you...
January 20, 2020
What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About E-Commerce UX Design
User experience (UX) design is important for every website, but it’s especially critical for e-commerce sites. Companies lose an estimated $4.6 trillion in sales annually as a result of frustrated shoppers who abandon the purchase...
October 22, 2019
5 Essentials of User Testing to Ensure a Successful Product
No matter how innovative, a product isn’t successful unless its users deem it so. This is why user testing is such an important part of the product development process. User testing is a method to...
July 28, 2019
7 Social Media Trends Your Startup Can Implement This Week for Greater Impact
Social media is a land of many opportunities for startups. Since today’s consumers and business buyers use social channels to find companies they can trust, social media is an ideal way to find and engage...
July 18, 2019
How to Use Thought Leadership to Distinguish Your Brand
When it comes to setting yourself apart, the challenge of differentiating your company and what you sell is a tough one. Unless your product or service is truly industry-disrupting (and most successful ones aren’t), it...
May 22, 2019
3 Often Overlooked Funding Sources for Startups
There’s a lot involved in launching a new startup, from brainstorming to planning to research. But then, after so many coffee-fueled ideas are bounced around and fleshed out, you realize you need to get down...
May 10, 2019
What Your Side Hustle Can Teach You About Launching a Business
Not everyone has the luxury of quitting their day job cold turkey in pursuit of entrepreneurship. You have bills to pay, maybe kids (or pets!) to feed. And not everyone wants to deplete their retirement...
April 19, 2019
How to Hook Your Customers by Making Them the Hero of the Story
Storytelling is one of marketing’s biggest buzzwords. Everyone is doing it, but not everyone is getting the response they hoped for. One of the main reasons storytelling fails to deliver promised results is because startups...
March 26, 2019