Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Successful entrepreneurs often share similar qualities — they’re driven, resourceful and ready to wear multiple hats to turn their vision into a reality. In the early stages of building a business, being a jack-of-all-trades isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity.
Given the nature of the job, it can be challenging for entrepreneurs to learn how to delegate effectively as a company grows — but it’s one of the most important skills to master for scaling a business and sustaining long-term success. The ability to recognize when to seek help, which tasks to delegate and how to lean on the expertise of others is what separates thriving businesses from those stuck in survival mode.
For me, the delegation lesson came early on in my entrepreneurial journey when I found my startup at a critical crossroads. In the beginning, I was operating as a one-man show, offering my software for free while personally handling support inquiries from our 500 users when I wasn’t at my full-time job. It quickly became clear that it wasn’t sustainable to continue managing this on my own, and I was faced with the choice of either eliminating support completely or finding a way to share the workload.
I decided to hire my very first employee to manage the increasing volume of support requests so I could focus on further expanding our user base and building a sustainable business model. By delegating support, my business was able to scale significantly without sacrificing the high-quality customer service that continues to define our brand today.
Breaking the “it’s easier to do it myself” mindset
If you don’t learn to delegate, your business growth will always be limited by your own capacity and capabilities. Handling everything on your own may feel efficient in the moment, but in reality, it restricts your potential as a leader and as a business. You only know what you know, and there are only so many hours in the day. Imagine what you and your business could be capable of if you had the right support from the right experts.
A solo mentality often leads to burnout, missed opportunities and stagnation. Shifting toward a leadership mindset doesn’t necessarily mean letting go of control — it’s about maximizing your impact. By trusting and empowering others, you’ll free up valuable time to focus on strategy, innovation and the big picture, ultimately driving greater success.
Start small and start now
If delegating isn’t your strong suit, the most effective way to build the habit is to start small and start now. Pick a task from your list — no matter how small or important — and delegate it to someone else on your team. Then move on to the next task and the next. The more you delegate, the more you’ll lighten your workload while building confidence in your team and their abilities. Over time, delegating will come more naturally, and you will encourage those around you to step up and excel.
Progress over perfection
In the beginning, tasks may not be done exactly as you would do them yourself — and that’s okay. Focus on progress over perfection. Effective delegation will be a learning process for both you and your team, requiring some patience, communication and trust. Instead of micromanaging or taking tasks back at the first sign of imperfection, try to embrace these moments as teaching and growth opportunities.
Building a stronger, more capable team
Delegation is a powerful tool to help your team grow. By entrusting your team with meaningful tasks and encouraging problem-solving and accountability, you’re creating a culture where employees can develop new skills and build confidence in their abilities. When your team feels empowered to solve problems and make decisions, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and pride in their work. This sense of responsibility fuels engagement, motivation and investment in the success of the business.
Over time, delegation will only strengthen your team to become more self-sufficient and capable. As they take on more responsibility and grow in their roles, your business becomes more resilient with a stronger foundation. This growth enables you to scale your business efficiently without sacrificing the quality that is critical for long-term success.
Choose what to delegate: Reflect on your workload and identify the tasks that truly require your direct involvement and those that don’t. Time to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses — does someone else on your team have the expertise to handle certain tasks more efficiently? Consider the time-consuming or repetitive tasks you could delegate to free up your time for higher-priority work.
Pick the right person: Be intentional about assigning the right tasks to the right individuals based on their skills and experience. Think about those who are capable, eager to learn and show the most growth potential.
Set clear expectations: Clearly define the scope of the task at hand, outlining key deadlines, objectives and your desired end result to set your team up for success. Provide any necessary resources or background context, and be available to answer questions or offer support along the way.
Support without controlling: Trust is the key to effective delegation — which is why it can be such a tough skill to master. Resist the urge to micromanage or demand perfection. Give your employees room and autonomy to complete the task in their own way while you remain accessible for guidance and support if needed.
Follow up and offer feedback: Schedule deadlines or check-ins to review progress and provide constructive feedback. Prioritize recognizing successes as highly as addressing any challenges.
When I travel to Asia this summer, I plan to leave my iPhone at home. Instead, I’ll pack a different phone lacking my staple apps, like Instagram, Slack and Signal. It won’t even be logged in to my work email.
No, I’m not planning a digital detox. I’m choosing to travel with what’s known as a burner phone because my personal device contains sensitive data that I don’t want others, particularly U.S. border protection officers, to search.
For over a decade, the federal government has had the authority to conduct border searches of travelers’ personal electronics, including phones, laptops and tablets. In recent years, such inspections have steadily increased, though they happen to only a small portion of people entering the United States.
Last year, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency reported that it had conducted roughly 43,000 electronics searches, up from about 38,000 in 2023.
To be clear, I may be particularly paranoid as a journalist who is constantly working to protect confidential sources from being outed, so a burner phone is an extreme measure that most people won’t find practical or even necessary.
But in recent incidents, travelers have been denied entry into the United States in part because of phone data, such as photos of guns and social media posts about protests.
“The bigger concern is that the government can single out people it wants to search,” said Esha Bhandari, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union. “We’ve seen anecdotal evidence of more aggressive searches on the border, including lawyers who have attorney-client privileges and people seen as dissidents.”
In other words, while no rules have changed when it comes to entering the United States, a shift in how frequently the policies are enforced may be underway. Vacationers and business travelers alike should be judicious about the data they carry on their devices.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and the approach that works best for you depends on your lifestyle and profession. Here’s what to do.
Assess your risk
First consider who you are, what you do for work and what’s on your phone, laptop or tablet, said Jeremiah Grossman, a cybersecurity expert.
If, for instance, you’re a retired U.S. citizen carrying some vacation photos and text conversations with friends from your book club on your device, you probably don’t have to worry. But if you’re a student on a visa who has been involved in government protests, there may be media on your phone that could create issues.
“If law enforcement had everything on your phone and access to everything, would that be bad for you?” Mr. Grossman said.
From there, assess whether your risk is high or low and pick an approach.
Low risk: Use a passcode, and delete some apps
If you’re only mildly concerned about your data being searched, start with turning off biometrics such as fingerprint and face recognition sensors. Instead, rely only on a passcode for unlocking your device.
To turn off Face ID on an iPhone, open the settings app, tap Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode and toggle off the switch for iPhone Unlock.
For Android phones, the steps depend on the model, but generally in the settings app you can type a search for the Face & Fingerprint Unlock menu and disable the settings there.
Using only a passcode can be an effective measure for U.S. citizens because it is legally more difficult for the government to compel you to share a passcode than it is for an officer to take your phone and hold it up to your face to unlock it, Ms. Bhandari said.
But while citizens can decline to provide a passcode, visa holders and tourists visiting the United States run the risk of being denied entry if they refuse to comply, Ms. Bhandari added. So it’s best to also take the extra step of deleting any apps containing information that could become problematic, such as Instagram, Signal or X.
Medium risk: Back up and purge your data
If you think there’s a modest possibility that the government could search your phone, consider backing up a copy of all your data and purging your device before returning to the United States, Mr. Grossman said.
To make this process simpler, you can back up your data to an online server, such as Apple’s iCloud for iPhones or Google One for Android devices. That way, you can later restore your data over the internet by entering your account credentials.
To back up your data on an iPhone to iCloud, open the settings app, tap your name, tap iCloud and select iCloud Backup. Switch on Back Up This iPhone and tap Back Up Now. Then, to purge your iPhone data, in the settings app go to the General menu, tap Transfer or Reset iPhone, tap Erase All Content and Settings and follow the steps.
To back up your data on an Android device to Google One, open the settings app, tap Google, then tap Backup. To purge your Android data, the steps depend on your phone model, but generally you can do a search for the Factory Reset menu in the settings app.
After you cross the border with the wiped device, you will see an option to restore the device from a backup when you go to set it up, at which point you can enter your account credentials to get your data back. (Just make sure to have your password written down somewhere.)
High risk: Carry a burner phone
If you think it’s very likely that U.S. border officials will want to look at your phone, the most robust solution is to leave your personal devices at home and carry a burner phone used exclusively for travel.
Here’s how I plan to do it.
I’ll carry a cheap Android phone with only the software necessary for my trip, including ride-hailing and maps apps.
I’ll log in to one email account I created exclusively for travel to retrieve itineraries and other trip-related information.
When I land, I’ll connect to a temporary cellular plan on a foreign network using an eSIM, a digitized version of a SIM card, which can be activated through an app such as Nomad, Airalo or GigSky. (I wrote a guide to using eSIM technology in a previous column.)
Then, when I return home, I’ll copy all my vacation photos from the vacation phone to my iPhone and put the burner in a drawer until my next trip.
Headhunting is a specialized form of recruitment that focuses on finding top talent for high-level positions within a company. Unlike traditional recruiting, headhunting targets high-level employees who are not actively seeking new roles, making it an essential strategy for filling urgent or hard-to-fill positions.
This method is particularly effective in industries where expertise and experience are crucial. Headhunters often have deep knowledge of the industry and a wide network of contacts, enabling them to identify and approach the best candidates. Advancements in technology have also enhanced the headhunting process, making it easier to match the right candidates to the right roles.
The impact of headhunting on the job market and businesses is significant. By ensuring that top talent is placed in key positions, companies can achieve better performance and innovation. Understanding how headhunting works can help you leverage this strategy to advance your career or improve your organization’s success.
Key Takeaways
Headhunting focuses on finding top talent for high-level positions.
Technology has improved the efficiency of the headhunting process.
Effective headhunting can significantly enhance business performance.
What is Headhunting? Understanding the Concept
Headhunting focuses on finding top talent, especially those not actively seeking jobs, while traditional recruitment often relies on advertising vacancies. This specialized approach involves a proactive and targeted process to secure the best candidates for key positions.
Headhunting vs Traditional Recruitment
Headhunting differs from traditional recruitment primarily in how candidates are sourced. Traditional recruitment generally involves posting job advertisements and waiting for applicants, targeting active candidates who are actively looking for new opportunities.
Headhunting, on the other hand, actively targets passive candidates who are not actively seeking new roles but may be open to the right opportunity. This means reaching out directly to professionals who are currently employed and may not be browsing job boards.
Another difference lies in the level of roles usually targeted. While traditional recruitment can be used for a wide range of positions, headhunting is often reserved for senior-level or highly specialized roles that require specific skills and experience.
The Headhunting Process
The headhunting process involves several steps, each designed to identify and attract the best candidates. Initially, headhunters work closely with the hiring organization to understand the specific requirements of the role and the desired candidate profile.
Next, headhunters conduct market research to identify potential candidates. This involves scanning professional networks, databases, and industry connections. Once suitable candidates are identified, headhunters use strategic and personalized outreach to engage these professionals, often leveraging their industry knowledge and network.
After making initial contact, headhunters assess the candidate’s fit for the role through detailed discussions and interviews. This thorough vetting process ensures that only the most qualified and interested candidates are presented to the hiring organization.
Roles of Headhunters in Recruitment
Headhunters play a critical role in the recruitment process, especially for high-level positions. Their expertise includes deep industry knowledge, extensive networks, and negotiation skills. They work closely with hiring managers to define the role, identify the best approach for outreach, and create a compelling pitch to attract top talent.
They also manage the entire recruitment cycle, from initial contact to final offer negotiation. This includes coordinating interviews, providing feedback, and facilitating communication between candidates and the hiring organization.
In addition, headhunters often act as advisors, helping to align the hiring strategy with the organization’s long-term goals. This strategic partnership can result in more successful hires and a better fit for both the candidate and the organization.
The Role of Technology in Headhunting
Technology has transformed headhunting by utilizing social media platforms and enhancing digital networking. It allows headhunters to connect with top talent more efficiently and personalize the recruitment process.
Leveraging Social Media
Social media platforms like LinkedIn are powerful tools for headhunting. They enable recruiters to identify and connect with potential candidates quickly. You can search for professionals based on their skills, experience, and industry.
LinkedIn provides detailed profiles, making it easier to assess a candidate’s fit for a role without initial interviews. Social media also allows headhunters to engage with candidates more informally. Engaging through posts, messages, and comments can build relationships and trust.
Job boards linked to social media also help. They provide a broader audience and quick access to a pool of active job seekers. This combination allows you to reach both passive and active candidates in a targeted manner. Making the most out of these platforms can make your headhunting process more efficient and successful.
Digital Networking and Headhunting
Digital networking has changed how headhunters find and interact with candidates. Online events, webinars, and industry forums are now prevalent, offering new avenues for connecting with professionals. You can attend these events and engage with potential candidates directly.
Specialized recruitment tools also aid in digital networking. These tools analyze data to match candidates with job openings accurately. Advanced analytics can identify trends and predict candidate success, making the process more data-driven.
Additionally, digital platforms can facilitate initial interviews and assessments through video calls and AI-based evaluations. This reduces the need for physical meetings and speeds up the hiring process. Incorporating digital networking into your strategy can help you stay ahead in the competitive field of headhunting.
Steps in the Headhunting Process
This process involves several important steps: identifying suitable candidates, engaging and screening them, conducting interviews and shortlisting, and finally, negotiating and making the job offer.
Identifying Suitable Candidates
To start, you need to create a thorough candidate profile. This profile details the skills, experience, and qualifications required for the role. Once you have a clear profile, you can begin your candidate search.
Focus on finding qualified candidates, including passive talent, who aren’t actively looking for new jobs but may be open to opportunities. Utilizing professional networks and databases helps you cast a wide net. You’ll want to look at candidates’ past work, accomplishments, and their fit with your organization’s culture.
Candidate Engagement and Screening
After identifying potential candidates, the next step is to engage and screen them. This begins with an initial outreach, which should be personalized and direct. Provide a compelling reason for why they should consider the position.
Next, collect resumes and conduct preliminary screenings based on the candidate profile. During this stage, verify their qualifications and look for red flags that might disqualify them from the process. Consider conducting brief phone interviews to further assess their suitability before moving forward.
Interviewing and Shortlisting
Once you’ve screened candidates, you can move on to the interview process. Structured interviews help maintain consistency. Develop a set of questions that target key skills and experiences. Multiple rounds of interviews may be necessary, including technical assessments and culture fit evaluations.
After the interviews, create a shortlist of the top candidates. Discuss their performance with relevant team members and gather feedback to decide who progresses through the hiring process. Ensure that you’re comparing candidates fairly and objectively.
Negotiations and Job Offer
When you have your top candidate, begin the negotiation phase. This involves discussing salary, benefits, start date, and any other terms of employment. Be prepared for a dialogue where both sides may need to compromise.
Once terms are agreed upon, make a formal job offer. Ensure the offer letter is clear and includes all relevant details. Follow up promptly and maintain open communication to address any questions or concerns the candidate may have before they accept the position.
The Impact of Headhunting on Businesses
Headhunting can open up opportunities for businesses to attract top talent, improve productivity, and build strong partnerships for long-term growth. The process, however, comes with certain cost considerations.
Strategic Advantages for Companies
Headhunting allows you to target and attract high-level employees who may not be actively seeking new jobs. This means you can bring in executive-level talent with specialized skills and experience, rather than relying solely on candidates who are actively job searching.
A key advantage is the ability to fill critical leadership roles quickly and efficiently. Instead of spending months on the traditional hiring process, you can identify and recruit top-tier talent, ensuring your company remains competitive. This is particularly important for roles requiring unique expertise or experience that are vital for your business operations.
Cost Considerations in Headhunting
While headhunting offers strategic benefits, it is important to consider the cost implications. Engaging a headhunter can be more expensive than traditional recruitment methods. You might incur costs such as headhunter fees, which can range from 20% to 30% of the candidate’s annual salary.
However, these costs can be offset by the long-term value brought by the recruited talent. A strategic hire can significantly impact your company’s productivity, innovation, and success. Evaluating the return on investment (ROI) is crucial, especially when hiring for c-suite positions and other roles that demand high expertise.
Partnership and Long-Term Growth
Forming a partnership with a professional headhunting firm can lead to sustainable long-term growth. These partnerships often result in a better cultural fit between the candidate and your organization, promoting higher retention rates. This is because headhunters develop a deep understanding of your company’s culture, values, and long-term goals.
Additionally, strong headhunting partnerships can enhance your company’s ability to attract and retain top talent over time. By building a relationship with a trusted headhunter, you create a pipeline of potential candidates, ensuring that future vacancies can be filled swiftly and effectively.
Building such relationships with headhunters can yield mutually beneficial outcomes for both your company and the headhunting firm. This constant collaboration can help you adapt to evolving market needs and consistently reinforce your team’s strength and capability.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exploring headhunting, it is important to understand how it differs from recruiting, the way it’s used today, and its ethical considerations.
What is the difference between headhunting and recruiting?
Headhunting focuses on finding and attracting top talent for specific roles, often from competing companies. Recruiting generally involves filling open positions through job postings and candidate applications.
How is headhunting utilized in modern human resources practices?
In today’s HR practices, headhunting is used to target high-demand, hard-to-fill roles. Companies often partner with specialized firms to find candidates who are not actively looking but are ideal for strategic positions.
What are the key advantages and disadvantages of headhunting for organizations?
Key advantages include accessing a larger talent pool and finding highly qualified candidates quickly. The disadvantages are the higher cost and the possible disruption caused by recruiting employees from competitors.
In what way is the term headhunting used in a modern corporate context?
In the corporate world, headhunting usually means the targeted recruitment of executives or highly specialized professionals. It aims to fill critical organizational roles that require specific expertise or leadership skills.
How have headhunting techniques evolved with the advent of digital technology?
Digital technology has transformed headhunting by enabling the use of data analytics, online professional networks, and AI-powered tools to identify and engage potential candidates effectively.
What are the ethical considerations involved in headhunting practices?
Ethical considerations include respect for candidate confidentiality and honesty in communication. Headhunters must avoid misleading candidates or engaging in poaching tactics that violate non-compete agreements.
figuring out how to balance these points can help you make better decisions about using headhunters in your organization.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Whether you’re a seasoned investor or budding entrepreneur, it is clear that in today’s turbulent world, instability is not an exception — it’s the norm, and we must have the tools and mindset to navigate this certain uncertainty.
Embrace adaptive decision-making
Market volatility, supply chain disruptions, team turnover and regulatory shifts are happening at a rapid pace in every industry, and these stressors can feel overwhelming, even existential.
But when we learn from leaders who have operated in some of the world’s most fragile environments — conflict zones, post-crisis governments and unstable political systems — we find that such conditions are manageable, and from their experiences, we can draw profound lessons. The leaders who succeed in these environments are the ones who embrace uncertainty, build trust and adapt quickly to rapidly evolving circumstances.
Fragile business ecosystems require sensitive adaptability and fluidity. Rigid leadership styles often crack under pressure. Leaders who cling to certainty are quickly outpaced by complexity, while those who embrace adaptive leadership — rooted in learning, iteration and responsiveness — are better equipped for uncertainty. For entrepreneurs, this means moving away from static business plans and embracing agility. Set short-term priorities that allow for learning cycles. Use weekly retrospectives to evaluate what’s working. Build feedback loops into your decision-making processes.
The ability to pivot quickly, while staying grounded in core values, is what sets resilient leaders apart. In high-risk environments, trust is the foundation for rapid, effective collaboration.
Collaborative leadership thrives on mutual respect, psychological safety and open communication. As evidenced in modern approaches to “soft and hard” workplace leadership skills, do not wait for a crisis to start building trust. Create a culture of transparency today. Invite dissenting opinions. Share the “why” behind hard decisions. Across turbulent business, social and political landscapes, what I have seen time and time again is that when people feel heard and respected, they are far more likely to rally in difficult times. Trust, once established, becomes the invisible glue holding your organization together when external pressures mount.
Leverage diverse ideas to build resilience
In transitional governments and post-crisis rebuilding, effective leaders often rely on broad coalitions — civil society, the private sector, and diaspora communities — not just for representation, but as a strategic advantage. Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives, challenge assumptions and innovate under pressure. Entrepreneurs can apply this by hiring for cognitive and experiential diversity, building cross-functional teams and fostering a culture of ownership, reflection and shared purpose. The most resilient teams I’ve seen weren’t just skilled — they were united by something bigger than their job titles.
In my work with the World Bank’s Collaborative Leadership for Development program, we saw time and again that moments of acute crisis often opened up space for bold reforms — reforms that would have been politically impossible in calmer times. One example that demonstrates how adaptive leadership and collaborative trust can unlock progress under pressure comes from one of our projects in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, easy access to groundwater and informal water markets made it hard for the government to collect tariffs and maintain infrastructure. We ran a workshop in Obudu with 50+ engineers, water commissioners, business and civil society leaders from six states to shift focus from technical fixes — like tariffs and meters — to adaptive challenges: ensuring payment and preventing water theft by addressing behavior change and stakeholder engagement. By the end of the program, teams had set 11-month goals, built action plans and crafted customized stakeholder messages. The success of these cross-functional teams contributed to national legislation reform on stakeholder engagement.
This example underscores how cross-sector collaboration, local buy-in and a shared sense of purpose can unlock large-scale systems change. The lessons here are just as relevant for startup founders as they are for policymakers: Deep listening, shared accountability and stakeholder trust are not optional in today’s fractured landscape — they’re essential.
See crisis as a catalyst
When old systems break down, new ideas can finally take root. Entrepreneurs should view crises not only as threats but as invitations to rethink outdated assumptions. Which processes can be streamlined? What technologies could you adopt now that seemed risky before? Who else needs to be involved in strengthening your team? Crisis forces clarity. Use it to your advantage.
It begins with me
One of the core components of what I teach global leaders is the importance of self-mastery. Leaders working in fragile environments often carry the emotional weight of their teams, communities and constituents. They must find ways to center themselves amid chaos. Similarly, entrepreneurs need practices that build inner resilience. Whether it’s breathwork, meditation or structured time for reflection, grounding yourself enables you to find calm and focus — both of which are essential during times of stress.
Remember: As a leader, your team takes emotional cues from you. The steadier you are, the more stable your organization becomes.
A resilient team begins with each member cultivating self-mastery. Individual transformation is the foundation for systemic change. To foster true collaboration, leaders must empower their teams with the tools to find inner strength and hone leadership skills needed to navigate uncertainty.
Leading under pressure isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having the humility to learn, the courage to act and the wisdom to bring others along. The entrepreneurs who can master these skills will not only weather the storm — they will reshape the landscape in its aftermath.
A mid-level Google employee made $331,894 in 2024, a 5% increase from the median salary of $315,531 in 2023, per a new filing submitted by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The figure aligns with compensation at other tech giants in recent years. At Meta, for example, the median pay for employees in 2023 was $379,000 a year.
The filing further showed that Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai received total annual compensation of $10,725,043 last year, about 32 times more than the median employee. Pichai received a nearly $2 million raise from the $8,802,824 he made in 2023.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The bulk of Pichai’s compensation came from the “All Other Compensation” category, besides his $2,015,385 base salary and $405,630 in stock awards.
The remaining $8,304,028 included Pichai’s personal security costs, which climbed 22% from the $6,775,631 Google paid in 2023 to $8,267,123 in 2024. The category also included his retirement plan and use of company aircraft or cars.
“Due to Sundar’s significant public profile, Alphabet provides him with security protection,” Alphabet’s 2025 proxy statement reads. “In 2024, Sundar’s security arrangements included residential security and consultation fees, security monitoring services, car and driver services, and personal security during all travel.”
Alphabet called Pichai’s personal security expenses “reasonable, appropriate, necessary and in the best interests of Alphabet and its stockholders.”
Other tech CEOs also have seven or eight-figure security costs. For example, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s $27.2 million total compensation in 2024 included a $14 million pre-tax security allowance. Meanwhile, Nvidia spent nearly $2.5 million in 2024 on CEO Jensen Huang’s security costs.
In our latest #WeArePlay film, which celebrates the people behind apps and games, we meet Bruce – a co-founder of Memory Lane Games. His company turns cherished memories into simple, engaging quizzes for people with different types of dementia. Discover how Memory Lane Games blends nostalgia and technology to spark conversations and emotional connections.
The idea for Memory Lane Games came about one day at the pub when Peter was telling me how his mum, even with vascular dementia, lights up when she looks at old family photos. It got me thinking about my own mum, who treasures old photos just as much. The idea hit us – why not turn those memories into games? We wanted to help people reconnect with their past and create moments where conversations could flow naturally.
Can you tell us of a memorable moment in the journey when you realized how powerful the game was?
We knew we were onto something meaningful when a caregiver in a memory cafe told us about a man who was pretty much non-verbal but would enjoy playing. He started humming along to one of our music trivia games, then suddenly said, “Roy Orbison is a way better singer than Elvis, but Elvis had a better manager.” The caregiver was in tears—it was the first complete sentence he’d spoken in months. Moments like these remind us why we’re doing this—it’s not just about games; it’s about unlocking moments of connection and joy that dementia often takes away.
One of the key features is having errorless fun with the games, why was that so important?
We strive for frustration-free design. With our games, there are no wrong answers—just gentle prompts to trigger memories and spark conversations about topics they are interested in. It’s not about winning or losing; it’s about rekindling connections and creating moments of happiness without any pressure or frustration. Dementia can make day-to-day tasks challenging, and the last thing anyone needs is a game that highlights what they might not remember or get right. Caregivers also like being able to redirect attention back to something familiar and fun when behaviour gets more challenging.
How has Google Play helped your journey?
What’s been amazing is how Google Play has connected us with an incredibly active and engaged global community without any major marketing efforts on our part.
For instance, we got our first big traction in places like the Philippines and India—places we hadn’t specifically targeted. Yet here we are, with thousands of downloads in more than 100 countries. That reach wouldn’t have been possible without Google Play.
What is next for Memory Lane Games?
We’re really excited about how we can use AI to take Memory Lane Games to the next level. Our goal is to use generative AI, like Google’s Gemini, to create more personalized and localized game content. For example, instead of just focusing on general memories, we want to tailor the game to a specific village the player came from, or a TV show they used to watch, or even local landmarks from their family’s hometown. AI will help us offer games that are deeply personal. Plus, with the power of AI, we can create games in multiple languages, tapping into new regions like Japan, Nigeria or Mexico.
Discover other inspiring app and game founders featured in #WeArePlay.
In the first full-length episode of this season, we go back to basics as Senior iOS Dev Mani Ramezan takes us through, step by step, how to come up to speed on a large code base. Whether you’re just starting a new role or beginning to contribute to a new open source project, listen along to learn some useful tips.
Interested in sponsoring a podcast episode? Check out our Advertise With Kodeco page to find out how!
Show Notes
Tune in as Mani, Suz, Jenn and Dru start off talking about how to read a code base and venture off into a bevy of advice for newer devs. Listen all the way to the end to learn what Mani thinks human developers, even brand new ones, can do that AI that cannot.
Some highlights:
Start with a bug, so you have a meaningful goal to guide your exploration.
Struggling at step one: setting up the build environment? Improve the process, then document for the next dev.
It’s OK to not know all the things. Start by treating each library as a black box. Wait to learn it until you need to.
Mentioned in This Episode
Look at Jenn’s Debugging Buddy!
Have fun with rubber duck debugging!
Have fun with rubber duck debugging!
Contact Mani and the Hosts
Follow Kodeco
Where to Go From Here?
We hope you enjoyed this episode of our podcast. Be sure to subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get notified when the next episode comes out.
Hoping to learn more about a particular aspect of mobile development or life and work as a dev? Please write in and tell us and we’ll do our best to make that happen! Write in too if you yourself would like to be a guest or your have a particular guest request and we’ll see what we can do. Drop a comment here, or email us anytime at podcast@teamkodeco.com.
For non-profits, every dollar and every decision counts. Maximizing impact while staying within budget requires organizations to listen closely to donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, and community members. The most successful non-profits use feedback to shape their programs, improve operations, and build stronger relationships with each of those critical stakeholder groups.
By adopting a feedback-driven approach, non-profits ensure that their initiatives remain aligned with community needs and donor priorities. Here’s how non-profits use feedback to do more and drive their mission forward:
1. Use feedback to improve program delivery
A non-profit’s programs define its mission and influence its impact. But how do organizations ensure that their services truly meet the needs of the people they aim to serve? The answer lies in continuous feedback:
Beneficiary Input: Direct feedback from the communities you serve is invaluable. Conducting regular surveys and focus groups helps identify gaps in services and ensures programs remain relevant and effective.
Volunteer Insights: Volunteers are often on the front lines of service delivery. Their experiences provide important perspectives on how programs can be improved.
Donor Expectations: Understanding what motivates donors to give can help tailor fundraising campaigns and ensure transparency in impact reporting.
Enhance Digital Experience: Gathering feedback on digital interactions allows non-profits to improve their websites, apps, and online donation processes, ensuring a seamless experience.
2. Use feedback to improve operations
With potentially limited resources, non-profits must find ways to streamline operations without sacrificing service quality. One of the best ways to achieve this is by leveraging automation and internal feedback:
Automated Surveys and Data Collection: Using automated tools to gather feedback from beneficiaries, volunteers, and donors saves time and ensures a steady flow of input.
Optimize Volunteer Coordination: Feedback often reveals pain points in the volunteer experience, helping non-profits improve scheduling, training, and engagement efforts.
3. Strengthen donor and community trust
Trust and transparency are critical for non-profits. By regularly engaging with donors and the community, organizations build long-lasting relationships and encourage ongoing support. Non-profits also handle sensitive donor, volunteer, and beneficiary information, making data security and compliance with privacy regulations crucial for maintaining trust.
Improve Fundraising Strategies: Understanding donor preferences through surveys helps tailor fundraising campaigns, leading to better participation and support.
Ensure Compliance and Data Security: Use a secure feedback platforms that meets industry standards to ensure anonymity when promised, and maintain transparency about how collected data will be used.
Highlight Real Experiences: Collect direct quotes and testimonials from beneficiaries to illustrate the real-world impact of your programs.
Use Data to Support Stories: Combine emotional storytelling with data-driven insights to build credibility and demonstrate measurable outcomes.
5. Make Feedback Collection a Continuous Process
One-time feedback collection is helpful, but the best non-profits build ongoing feedback loops into their operations. This means regularly checking in with stakeholders, identifying patterns in responses, and making iterative improvements based on real data.
Use Multiple Channels: Make it easy for stakeholders to provide feedback through surveys (sent via email or SMS), focus groups, social media, and one-on-one conversations.
Act on Feedback Quickly: When people see their input leads to real changes, they are more likely to continue engaging.
Measure and Report Progress: Track feedback trends over time and share the improvements made based on stakeholder input. After making improvements or changes, close-the-loop with respondents who helped make those improvements possible.
What to look for in your feedback platform
The success of the five strategies above depends on choosing the right feedback platform. When selecting a feedback platform for your non-profit, it’s important to choose a tool that is user-friendly, adaptable, and capable of delivering actionable insights. Here’s what to look for:
Easy Survey Creation and Customization: The right platform lets you create branded, customized surveys quickly and easily. With Alchemer, you can design surveys without any technical expertise and get help from experts when needed to analyze results.
Diverse Question Types: Look for a platform that offers a variety of question types to collect richer data. Alchemer, for instance, provides over 40 options, including Likert scales, Net Promoter Scores® (NPS®), and the ability to collect files and images, helping you gather both quantitative and qualitative feedback.
Personalization for Specific Audiences: Personalizing surveys ensures you engage each audience in a meaningful way. Features like multilingual surveys, pre-populated answers, anonymous responses, and survey logic create a more relevant experience for every respondent.
Integrations: Choose a platform that integrates easily with your existing tools, such as donor management systems, CRM platforms, or project management software. Alchemer offers numerous pre-built integrations helping you connect feedback data with your current systems for seamless analysis.
Conclusion
By consistently gathering feedback from staff, volunteers, donors, and communities, non-profit organizations can pinpoint areas for growth and make informed decisions that drive greater impact.
From donor engagement to volunteer satisfaction, community involvement, and program effectiveness, Alchemer provides the tools you need to ensure your non-profit thrives. With decades of experience supporting organizations like yours, we’re here to help you make a lasting difference.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
At my company, Jotform, our intern program is serious business.
When a new class of interns signs on to work with us, their first week is spent in training, getting them up to speed on who we are, what we do and how we do it. Then, we team them up with experienced staff and get them working on their own projects. By the time they depart our offices to return to the classroom, we’ve planted the seeds to make them successful employees.
Working with interns is a time- and resource-consuming proposition. But it’s also an investment. Some of our best employees are former interns; standout workers who we knew had the potential to learn and grow into bigger roles.
Sometimes, it might be easier to hire candidates with the experience we’re looking for. To me, that’s a prime example of short-term thinking, a mindset that can seriously harm your company in the long run. By nurturing young employees, we not only save money on recruiting a prestige hire that may or may not work out; we also develop the talents of someone we already know we want on our team.
Too often, though, leaders go with the easier-sounding option; the one that sounds most appealing right now. Here’s why that’s a mistake.
If your company, like mine, is built around Software as a Service (SaaS), building a subscriber base requires a lot of time — and a lot of happy customers — to reach sustainability. This is one of the hazards of taking outside investment — it creates the illusion of success without actual organic growth.
The cautionary tale that looms largest in my mind is that of Theranos, the doomed blood-testing startup that was valued at $9 billion. Theranos was subsumed by hype, but in the end, the technology the company was theoretically built around didn’t even exist. Eventually, Theranos evaporated into a giant cloud of fraud allegations and even a lengthy prison sentence for its founder, Elizabeth Holmes.
Theranos is an extreme case of VC funding gone awry, but it does show what can happen to a founder under extraordinary pressure to produce results quickly, and the mirage of success that VC funding can create.
Rather than taking outside funding, I advocate for bootstrapping. It’s less glamorous, sure, but it also fosters real, sustainable growth, enables innovation and builds resilience. Most importantly, you have the freedom to operate on your own timeline, gather user feedback and focus on developing a product that really works.
Short-term thinking doesn’t just come from a desire for instant gratification. It can also come from fear.
In particular, the scarcity mindset, an idea developed by Princeton University psychology and public affairs professor Eldar Shafir and Harvard University economist Sendhil Mullainathan, explains how having limited resources — be it time, capital, etc. — narrows our mental bandwidth, creating a tunneling effect that allows only the space to focus on short-term goals.
“Every psychologist understands that we have very limited cognitive space and bandwidth,” Shafir explained. “When you focus heavily on one thing, there is just less mind to devote to other things.”
Founders, especially in the early days of starting a business, are constantly at risk of developing a scarcity mindset. After all, who ever really feels like they have enough resources? But the consequences of caving to scarcity can be grave: Short-term thinking not only stifles creativity, it can lead to knee-jerk, ill-conceived decisions you wouldn’t have made if you were thinking clearly.
Don’t let a scarcity mindset become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, practice cultivating an abundance mindset. A great place to start is by focusing not on what you don’t have, but on what you do. If you’re a bootstrapped founder, you have the greatest of all resources: Time. Give yourself the luxury of trying out different ideas, and not beating yourself up if they don’t work out the way you hoped. The best ideas come from experimentation.
Remember also that change is incremental, so don’t assume you can overhaul your way of thinking in a single day. Pick one area in which you feel like a scarcity mindset is holding you back, and start there.
Short-term thinking is an easy trap when the future seems so theoretical. Maybe you love pizza — sure, you know it’s not great for your health. But when presented with the opportunity to enjoy eating it today, your future self has a way of dimming from view.
Researchers have found that those with the ability to see and empathize with their future selves possess the quality of “self-continuity.” In other words, if you can see your future self as clearly as your present self, you’re more likely to make decisions that are beneficial in the long term.
So how do you make the future seem less abstract? Try conducting a self-interview. You can do this by envisioning sitting down with your Future Self, and asking them where they would advise your Present Self to focus your time and attention. What do you want to accomplish in 10 years from now? In 20 years? In 50 years? By identifying these long-term goals, you can start to plan accordingly in the present.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of short-term thinking. But by focusing on sustainable growth, practicing an abundance mindset and making the future as tangible as the present, you can make decisions that will serve you in the long run and keep your business growing for years to come.
A money budget management app is a good idea to be used in 2023. Why do we say this? A good reason is to understand how money can be saved with a small change. The mobile application does this for its users. A simple thing but very urgent for users. According to stats, the cash flow of every teenager in his lifestyle is about 56% and that is very high.
Don’t you think if your child does spend the same amount needs to be controlled?
It is possible with a personal mobile application for money and finance management. The app would help you to estimate the financial situation of the user regularly to give better control over his spending. This can be possible with an app.
In this blog, we are going to discuss the money financing app and how to build it in 2023. So let’s get started.
What do you mean by Money Financing Mobile App?
The money financing mobile application is an ecosystem that helps its user to overcome financial spending and issues. The app evaluates the accurate estimation of your daily spending and controls how to manage it effectively. The user can measure his small or big money estimation on the app. It consists of smart personal assistance where the user can take the real-time calculation of his finances, any taxes, investment solutions, or any insurance guide- all in one.
For industry entrepreneurs, you should take the financing app into your gut after its presence is required after the pandemic. It is important to understand that money-budgeting apps, are great for you to start. The mobile application solutions are featured with an umbrella of solutions for every genre of the user.
7 Features to Build the Money Budgeting Mobile App
The money budgeting mobile application consists of great features which make the overall journey of the user great and such that it solves the purpose of the user. The application is developed to boost the revenue of the business and the best UX. below are the essential features integrated into the mobile application making it unique from other existing apps in the market.
1. Account Management
The account management feature helps you to easily integrate your account with other financing apps or integrations, for fast access and estimation of spending.
The financial details are included in the single app to access everything like card details, UPI, mutual funds, etc for easy navigation and management.
Gen-Z especially is more prone to spending and fails to know where they spent last. The quick app would help them without letting them in trauma.
2. Real-Time Alerts
Real-time alerts behave like an eye that notifies you when you spend more than your daily limit. This feature helps the most when some third party or hacker accesses your app without your knowledge.
3. Chatbots for quick tips
The chatbots are companions at the time of any help. It assists the user in the middle of navigation- to use the app properly. While using the chatbot the application is less with AI technology that analyzes the digital behavior of users on multiple platforms. With the quick AI mechanism, the app can predict the habit and average spending of users mostly.
4. UX Experience
User experience on the application is very crucial to understand. With the UX feature, you can evaluate the performance of your app. The budgeting app must be fixed with simple, and defined buttons that would be easy to use. The easy navigation and proper use of design elements give the perfect UX.
5. Real-Time tracking of spending
The personal financing application is used to take care of money spending and perfect evaluation of user behavior of the user. The features work great for real-time analytics.
If the user spends more than the daily limit, then the app will give an alert or instant notification. Real-time tracking narrows down the budgeting evaluation and optimizes the money spent from every source.
6. Simple to understand
The simplistic application works like a wonder for the users. Using simple and meaningful value the customer is treated as valuable. If the interface is complex, the user can easily leave it. A bunch of things deviates the user to leave the interface in the middle.
7. Financial advice and consultation
Users always looking for one destination budgeting app where they will get financial advice and consultation from experts. A quick decision-making expert in real-time would be a great fit for users. It limits the user from annoying spending and evaluates in making wise decisions on spending.
Steps to Develop the Money Budgeting Apps
Every successful application is developed by an array of expert developers. The mobile application has passed through steps of the SDLC that will make the powerful app significant in the market. A personal budgeting app or financing app can be developed with the below-following steps.
1. Research for Idea
Research from the beginning and identify the market gaps if any. Only the valid research process performed by the experts would be implemented after discussion with the client. In this stage, the expert gathers all the essentials required for the financing app. The initial preparation at the beginning should undergo a superior app in the end without any bugs.
2. Create the MVP
MVP is the minimum viable product that represents the demo idea of the niche app. The developer must identify which programming language and technology would be suitable for mobile app development. The app consists of an array of dependencies on third API and tools, hence MVP is the prototype that contains all the elements to check the performance of the app and identify any lag in a short time. That will save cost failure, time, and performance of the app.
3. App Development
The financial budgeting app development requires the integration of multiple APIs, third parties, tools, technologies, and lots of complexities. The app developer turns down all the details and creates a bug-free codebase.
4. App Designing
The app design introduces new UI design elements for a seamless experience for the users. Your app must be flawless to navigate and captivating which engages users for a long on the platform.
5. App Testing
Once the application is ready with the development and designing process it would move to a testing place, where automated testing is performed.
If any bug is found in this stage then it will move to the developer again to resolve. The QA performs the testing and gives fine acknowledgment to the developers and designers.
6. Launch the App
The final launch of the app is persisted on the play store which is available for the users to install and save their monthly income expenditure details.
Conclusion
Money financing application is very essential in 2023. There is a major scope for the entrepreneurs that we already discussed. While beginning with the money budgeting app, take the help of financial advisors for a better evaluation of your money financing app.
Vervelogic Solutions has an array of developers, designers, QA, project managers, and a perfect team to understand your app details and brief out with intrinsic ideas to create a successful journey for the business. For more details request a quote on our website.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
