 Written By Shannon Marshburn
When you start your entrepreneurial journey, things can seem pretty scattered. Everyone's situation is so different. While your experiences are unique, we know how to help. Here you’ll find a curated list of fundamental resources and building blocks that can help you through long nights, brainstorming sessions, and times when staying motivated is tough. Create Your Perfect Music Playlists There are many scientific studies that praise the benefits of listening to music while working. Some of the benefits are improved brain function, boosted concentration and a happier mood. You can read more about it in a previous UARF blog. Take a minute to create your personalized playlist with your favorite songs to energize you and keep you working towards your goals. Click here to find some playlists that we created to share with entrepreneurs!
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 Written By: Elyse Ball The first few weeks of 2022 have been invigorating for some and agonizing for others. 2022 promises to be the kind of year that yet again reminds us that there isn’t and probably never has been a “new normal,” that there are innumerable parts of the status quo that can benefit from being shaken up, and that creative people working together can accomplish extraordinary things. It’s also the kind of year that forces us to think not just about what we do, but why we do. For UARF, our North Star has always been to generate value for creators, innovators, researchers, and problem-solvers through quality entrepreneurship programs and startup support services. In 2022, we’re putting some specific goals and numbers to that aim.
Our goals are:
What does this mean for you? By Elyse Ball  This time of year, we’re all thinking about new year’s resolutions. In fact, I’ve already been asked about my new year’s resolutions – or lack thereof – three times in the last three days.
Rather than making up a few vague vanilla resolutions that we’ll forget by March, like “exercise more” or “drink less caffeine,” let’s make 2022 a year for great goals! These are goals that are specific, quantitative, and challenging, so they drive us to learn and accomplish more. What makes a goal great? A scientific look at music and productivity  By Shannon Marshburn I am a busy person with a busy mind. When I am working my train of thought often derails and questions of when I need to do laundry and what I should make for dinner float by as I pick the font for promotional posters. This is not too much of a hit on my work productivity, but I am not working at my full potential. One thing that helps fill my busy mind is playing music while I work. This is effective for me, but is it effective for you? I set out to find some scientific back up and here’s what I found.
In a study by Teresa Leesuik of the University of Windsor, Canada, she examined a software company of 56 developers on music and productivity. She found that when music wasn't present in the work environment tasks took longer and quality of work was at the lowest. When music was present, that’s when moods and productivity increased. By Elyse Ball
All throughout startup land we throw around the term “minimum viable product” or “MVP.” The term is meant to signify a simpler, uglier version of a product that customers will still buy. But for perfectionists like me (and many of the engineers I know), it’s hard to commit to making a product that is categorically less than the best we can do. Why would we show customers a product that is only 50% of what it could be when we’re pre-wired to want to give our customers 110%? It turns out there are a few good reasons:
 By Darius Sharpless
So, you made an invention. Great! But, how do you protect it? What do you need to get a patent? What is “prior art”? This article should help answer these questions. First, let’s get a few patent basics out of the way. Patents protect new and inventive products and processes by giving the inventor or patent holder the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or importing a patented invention for a period of about 20 years. In order to obtain a patent, the inventor must prove that the idea contained in the patent is: By Anna Radachy  What can you do in 27 seconds? Tie your shoes, sneeze a couple of times, maybe write a text? How about making a good impression? According to new research, it takes an average of 27 seconds for someone to form an opinion about you, and 69% of Americans report that they form their opinion before the person even speaks. It is incredible to think that such a small amount of time can make or break how someone thinks of you, and these opinions can potentially affect your business. So how can you make sure that those 27 seconds work for you?
By Elyse Ball Whether you’re a leader of a small business who wants to drive organizational growth or an individual who wants to live a more healthy and fulfilling life (or both), setting effective goals can be a daunting task. Luckily, I dug deep into goal setting best practices and can share some useful key takeaways. First of all, why are we discussing goal setting in May, instead of right after New Year’s Day? Some really smart psychologists have found that setting goals in the spring is more effective than setting goals in January. This is because people often come into the new year feeling exhausted and spring’s warmer temperatures and longer days give people a greater sense of optimism. So if you’re ready to dive in on some spring goal setting, we’ll look at a few overarching features of “good goals” and the pros and cons of some specific goal setting systems.  By: Shannon Marshburn When I was around eight years old I was building a crafty project with my dad. He said, “measure twice, cut once”, and ofcourse my 8 year old patience level said cut and don't measure! You can imagine how that project turned out in the end. Even though that phrase floated around in my somewhat empty head for years, it never really set in until my university days and when those mistakes turned into expensive mistakes. The importance of building a strong foundation as an entrepreneur is crucial in avoiding burnout, expensive and avoidable mistakes and saves you in every other aspect of a business. When you make your first purchase for your business, and you get your new lab space, it is all very exciting and you just want to jump right into it like my 8 year old self wanted to do with my crafts. It’s not much fun, but taking that time in the beginning to work out the kinks will help your business stay built. Are you ready to build a business that will stand through the storm? If so, read on!  By Anna Radachy  How much free time do you have this week? There are 168 hours in a week, but once you factor out work, school, eating, sleeping, errands, housework, commute, and maybe a hundred other things it seems like you have no time at all. Perhaps you, like me, are trying to find some extra time in the day, but there always seems to be something more important that has to be done.
It can be easy in today’s “hustle” culture to fall into the habit of always being busy, with many, many things. Today’s America moves fast, and you are expected to move faster in your job and life, so how do you find time to do what you want? |
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