The 5 Best Stories You Will Read Today — Business & Entrepreneurship

My selection of some hidden gems you must read

I’ve been lazy when it comes to doing bulletins to highlight some of the best content there is on offer here on Medium.

But I’ve finally gotten to doing one. And I’ve decided this time I am going to pick a broader topic/theme and introduce you to some of the best stories from some of the most interesting writers here at Illumination.

Today’s topic is business and entrepreneurship — something we’re all intrigued by in some way, shape, or form — whether it is to enhance our own skills or to just to satiate our curiosity on what’s happening around the world.

Lessons on The Importance of Marketing — By Harun Güneş

This is a brilliant piece from a serial entrepreneur on how he learned the importance of marketing the hard way.

Any of you who’ve had experience in any professional field will know that having a great product or solution is not the mantra for success — because a product means nothing without the right customers and targeted marketing. Harun details on this via his own experiences and provides a detailed plan so you can learn from his mistakes and make marketing the core of your next venture.

Establishing a brand identity, dedicating the needs of the customer as a priority, and having a clear cut entry strategy was vital for the success of my business.

Monetizing Your Own Mind — By Emmy Chamberlain

Sounds brilliant, doesn’t it? But it should actually be obvious. Shouldn’t our best tool to make money for ourselves be our mind? Duh — of course!

Most of us however don’t know how. Emmy comes in to help us there and gives us three simple tricks to make money with whatever skillset it is that you may have.

The good part about her advice is that it can be applied to a variety of skillsets and isn’t fully limited to a certain niche.

The three things above have done the job for me, I’m not a millionaire yet, but I will be (Market yourself as the best) one day. Today, the internet is full of all different kinds of ways to make money.

How to Justify Premium Pricing — By René Junge

Rene is one of my favorite writers. This latest piece is about a cafe that is the most expensive in the neighborhood, yet commands a loyal customer base.

Why? Because when you price your product at a premium, you don’t always lose out. As long as you can offer a differentiated service that makes your customers pay that premium happily — whether it is for quality, convenience, tailored offerings, or a variety of other characteristics.

Do not do everything yourself, but focus on your strengths. The owners of this small café offer a platform for the products of other little self-employed people and profit from the variety of possible products.

$15 Sneakers to Make You Rich? — By Rachele Alvarado

Lessons from different countries and unique strategies are always something I am on the look out for.

This little gem from Rachele is about a discount retailer in Germany that created an impact with a powerful marketing strategy with a simple $15 sneakers as a product.

I won’t add any spoilers — you’ve got to read it to believe it. But trust Rachele when she says people are making manifold profits on a simple pair of shoes!!

In recent months, the German discount Lidl has started to sell sneakers with its brand on at €12.99. In a matter of hours, people were auctioning them on eBay for thousands of euros.

Marketing Brilliance for All Writers Out there — By Tree Langdon

You could argue this is not a “business” article — but you’d be mistaken. For a platform made up of readers and writers, marketing a book and advice on it is worth a million dollars.

Tree is one of those writers I hold in the highest regard for her sheer brilliance and multi-faceted content, and if she gives out a tip for free, I’d be listening intently.

The advice is simple — it is about adding a Preface to your book that excites the reader. Isn’t it what we all strive for? The first page or first paragraph of your piece of brilliance is what will engage or lose the reader.

So make the most of it. Tree also gives away a live example from a book she is currently writing — read and learn!

That’s it for this bulletin — did you agree with my picks? What are some of your best business pieces that you read or wrote this week. Leave me a few and I love a nice read.

Dr Mehmet Yildiz Tree Langdon Dew Langrial ILLUMINATION Geetika Sethi Agnes Laurens CR Mandler MAT — here are some stories you must all read!