Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLCScarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Firm Insights

What Can Start-ups Learn from Google? Five Key Tips

Author: Dan Brecher

Date: September 30, 2014

Key Contacts

Back

Google Inc. recently celebrated an important anniversary. It has been ten years since the search giant’s initial public offering (IPO).

Google tips for startups

Since then, Google’s stock price has increased an astounding 1,293 percent, and its services and products have grown to include maps, mobile software, operating systems, and a variety of other online tools. The car that drives itself may or may not be a Google publicity stunt or a company effort to exemplify it’s futuristic thinking in order to attract talented engineers. In any event, it has generated significant publicity and discussion. While not all Start-ups can enjoy the same level of success, companies in all industries can learn a lot from Google’s path to success.

Below are five key tips:

Be the best at what you do: When Google entered the Internet search market, it was already very crowded. However, the tech company was able to quickly distinguish itself by offering a novel product. Unlike its competitors that included a search function along with news, weather, and even horoscopes, Google focused exclusively on providing quality search results. It banned pop-ups and also clearly differentiated between search listings and advertisements.

Bring on the right people: When they started the company, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were tech experts and not businessmen. Because they initially planned to sell their search algorithm to the highest bidder, they didn’t have a long-term business model. However, when it became clear that no one was going to pay their $1 million asking price, they brought in business professionals, which they initially dubbed “adult supervision,” to help them launch a successful corporation.

Stick to your guns: When Google first introduced its advertising model, most experts predicted that the company would never make money. They didn’t think users would click on two simple lines of text, even if the advertisements were based on their current search terms. Google now generates billions of dollars in advertising revenue annually.

Never stop innovating: Even today, to the boon of marketing professionals everywhere, the company continues to tweak its search algorithm. The steady stream of advertising revenue generated by its search engine also allows Google to pursue a variety of other projects. In 2005, the company introduced Google Maps, which rendered paper maps obsolete. Its turn-by-turn cell phone application has now targeted GPS devices for elimination. While Google Glass may never take off, Google might become the first company to offer a self-driving car to consumers as mentioned above.

Know when to take risks: Google continues to add new products and services. While some are created in house, others are the result of acquisitions, including Groupon, YouTube, and Nest. The company has perfected the process of determining whether it is more cost-effective to create a competing offering or to simply buy an existing business model. According to CEO Larry Page, the approach, which he calls the “toothbrush test,” is fairly simple. He asks, “Is this something you will use once or twice a day, and does it make your life better?”

If you have questions about this post or would like to discuss how to foster the success of your start-up venture, please contact me or the Scarinci Hollenbeck Labor and Employment attorney with whom you work. 

For an entrepreneur, navigating the path to a successful business can be extremely difficult. Check out some of my previous posts to get a clearer understanding of the legal aspects of having your own start-up.

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, LLC

Related Posts

See all
Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests post image

Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests

If you’re considering closing your business, it’s crucial to understand that simply shutting your doors does not end your legal obligations. Unless you formally dissolve your business, it continues to exist in the eyes of the law—leaving you exposed to ongoing liabilities such as taxes, compliance violations, and potential lawsuits. Dissolving a business can seem […]

Author: Christopher D. Warren

Link to post with title - "Dissolving Your Business: Essential Legal Steps to Protect Your Interests"
The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions post image

The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions

Contrary to what many people think, corporate restructuring isn’t all doom and gloom. Revamping a company’s organizational structure, corporate hierarchy, or operations procedures can help keep your business competitive. This is particularly true during challenging times. Corporate restructuring plays a critical role in modern business strategy. It helps companies adapt quickly to market changes. Following […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "The Role of Corporate Restructuring in Mergers & Acquisitions"
Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public post image

Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public

Cryptocurrency intimidates most people. The reason is straightforward. People fear what they do not understand. When confusion sets in, the common reaction is either to ignore the subject entirely or to mistrust it. For years, that is exactly how most of the public and even many in law enforcement treated cryptocurrency. However, such apprehension changed […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Enforcement: A Former Prosecutor’s Warning to Criminals and the Public"
Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions post image

Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions

Using chattel paper to obtain a security interest in personal property is a powerful tool. It can ensure lenders have a legal claim on collateral ranging from inventory to intellectual property. To reduce risk and protect your legal rights, businesses and lenders should understand the legal framework. This framework governs the creation, sale, and enforcement […]

Author: Dan Brecher

Link to post with title - "Understanding Chattel Paper: A Key Component in Secured Transactions"
Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide post image

Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide

For years, digital assets operated in a legal gray area, a frontier where innovation outpaced the reach of regulators and law enforcement. In this early “Wild West” phase of finance, crypto startups thrived under minimal oversight. That era, however, is coming to an end. The importance of crypto compliance has become paramount as cryptocurrency has […]

Author: Bryce S. Robins

Link to post with title - "Crypto Compliance: A Comprehensive Guide"
Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination post image

Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services vitiating the so-called “background circumstances” test required by half of federal circuit courts.1 The background circumstances test required majority group plaintiffs pleading discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to meet a heightened pleading standard […]

Author: Matthew F. Mimnaugh

Link to post with title - "Supreme Court and Title VII: Implications for Reverse Discrimination"

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!

Explore What Matters Most to You.

Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.

Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.

Let`s get in touch!

* The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!