In the **fast-paced world of entrepreneurship**, sustaining energy is crucial for **peak productivity**. It's not just about completing tasks; it involves maintaining the **clarity and resilience** needed for sound decision-making.

I often get asked, **"How do you have so much energy?"** Surprisingly, I manage to feel **boundless** on most days without relying heavily on caffeine throughout the day. While I do have a cup of coffee at **5 a.m.** before my workouts, the rest of the day is **fully decaffeinated**.  

This approach allows me to tap into my natural energy reserves and stay focused, even during long hours of work. It’s essential to **listen to your body** and find what works best for you to maintain that energy throughout busy days.

Here's how I fuel my day with lasting energy for peak productivity — without relying on caffeine. 

Unlocking Endless Energy: My Secrets to Thriving Without Caffeine

### **November 2024: A Booming Month for Israeli Tech Funding**  
Around **$700 million** were raised by Israeli startups across **17 deals** during November. Almost half of this funding came from **Cyera**, which raised a **$300 million Series D**, bringing its total funding in the last seven months to **$600 million**.  
  
### **Notable Funding Rounds**  
Other significant rounds included:  
- **Eon** raising **$70 million** and achieving unicorn status.  
- **ScaleOps**, which netted **$58 million**.  
- **Pyramid Analytics** securing **$50 million**.  
  
### **Full List of November Deals**  
The article lists funding rounds of over **$5 million** that were officially announced during November, showcasing the vibrant Israeli startup ecosystem.  
  
### **Emerging Startups**  
- An Israeli startup raised **$21 million** in its Seed round, led by **Sequoia Capital**, with a post-money valuation of **$100 million**.  
- Another startup has been likened to "the next **Wiz**" due to its rapid fundraising trajectory and high-caliber team, achieving unicorn status in less than **12 months**.  
- **Appcharge** helps mobile game publishers sell virtual items directly to players, retaining up to **95%** of their revenue.  
- A cybersecurity unicorn plans to grow its workforce from **400 to 600 employees** by the end of **2025**, aiming to become the **CrowdStrike** of data security.  
  
### **Innovation in Various Sectors**  
- **Twine’s AI platform** automates key security tasks, starting with identity management.  
- A startup's platform uses **large language models (LLMs)** to help biotech companies discover better-performing drugs faster.  
- **Spines** aims to publish **8,000 titles** by 2025 by making publishing faster and cheaper.  
- A platform that enables brands to engage customers across all channels, leveraging **digital engagement** and **generative AI**.  
- Solutions for preventing costly billing errors for companies like **Mattel** and **DavidShield**.  
- A platform that automates cost savings for enterprises managing cloud resources, helping to avoid wasted spending.  
- **Kardome’s spatial hearing software** enables devices to respond to natural, voice-driven interactions, implemented in over **a million devices**.

Almost half of November&#x27;s funding came courtesy of Cyera, which raised a $300 million Series D, taking its total funding in the last seven months to $600 million. 

Israeli Startups Raise $697 Million in November: Cyera Leads the Charge

Starting a business comes with numerous challenges, and **Human Resources** often gets overlooked in the rush. In this Q&A, **Rhonda Beard**, Human Resources consultant and trainer for Bench Builders in Chattanooga, shares valuable insights for entrepreneurs looking to attract top talent, build a robust company culture, and create effective benefit plans on a tight budget.

## Key HR Advice for New Businesses
Most new businesses operate without a budget or the need for a full-time HR manager initially. It's crucial to involve an **employment attorney** or **HR consultant** in your planning process to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Additionally, define the **company culture** you wish to create and have strategies for recruiting, onboarding, and training in place before hiring.

## Common HR Mistakes to Avoid
New business owners often overlook what potential employees are searching for. Establishing **clear job descriptions**, creating an **Employee Handbook** with relevant policies, and developing a **benefit strategy** are foundational steps. A comprehensive onboarding and training plan is essential for making a great first impression on new hires.

## Building a Strong Company Culture
Your initial employees are vital in steering the direction of your business. **Hire slowly and thoughtfully** to ensure you have the right talent. Maintain constant communication regarding expectations, company vision, and growth strategy. Encourage your team to share their insights and suggestions, as they can provide valuable perspectives that you may not have considered.

## Attracting Top Talent on a Budget
Networking is key—inform friends and colleagues when hiring. Utilize job sites like **Indeed** and **LinkedIn** to post positions for free. Sponsoring job postings for enhanced visibility can also be a cost-effective strategy.

## Creating Competitive Benefits Packages
If budget constraints exist, start small and gradually enhance your benefits package. The most sought-after benefits include **medical coverage** and **paid time off**. You can establish a basic medical plan with shared premium costs and offer a generous **paid time-off** policy. A **401k plan** is also a straightforward and inexpensive benefit that can start with employee contributions only.

## Legal and Compliance Considerations
Be aware of compliance with the **Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)**, including correct classification and payment of employees. Ensure legal hiring practices through the completion of **I-9s** and **E-Verify**. Company policies should include legal requirements and positions on harassment and compliance with the **Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)**. Consulting a labor attorney or HR consultant can help ensure all legal requirements are met.

*Rhonda Beard has over two decades of experience leading HR functions across various industries, including banking and manufacturing. She is the current president of the Chattanooga chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management.*

Starting a business means tackling countless challenges, but Human Resources often gets overlooked in the rush. In this Q&A, Rhonda Beard, Human Resources consultant and trainer for Bench Builders manufacturers in Chattanooga, offers advice for entrepreneurs working to attracting top talent, build company culture, craft benefit plans on a tight budget and more.

Unlocking Startup Success: Essential HR Strategies for Entrepreneurs

### The Journey of Rick Lui
For **Rick Lui**, taking a one-year break from university in 2021 proved to be a pivotal moment in his life. His experience as a **rodent-control specialist** for Hong Kong’s public housing provider laid the groundwork for his entrepreneurial venture.

### Introducing Plasticvore Chain
At just 24 years old, Rick is the **founder and CEO** of **Plasticvore Chain**, a biotech start-up dedicated to creating **natural pest repellents**. This innovative start-up has already gained recognition, winning a competition organized by the **Hong Kong University of Science Technology** in October.

### A New Approach to Pest Control
The two-year-old start-up has launched a product that offers a **humane**, **effective**, and **environmentally friendly** alternative to traditional pest control methods. Their target customers include **shopping centres**, **restaurants**, **food markets**, **commercial buildings**, **farms**, and **detached houses**.

Rick highlights the outdated methods prevalent in Hong Kong, stating, “Pest control is a very old-fashioned industry, relying heavily on **mouse glue traps**, **rat poisons**, and sometimes **cement powder**.” For instance, he notes that around **300 glue traps** might be used in a single night in an enclosed basketball court, resulting in an average of only **three mice** caught. This approach is neither effective nor humane.

![Pest Control Image](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/wide_landscape/public/d8/video/thumbnail/2021/03/25/3126872_p_1616642108.jpg?itok=MUz5WOIN)

### Market Potential
According to **Future Market Insights**, global sales of rodent-control pesticides are projected to nearly double to **US$11.6 billion** by 2032, driven by increasing health concerns. Some of Plasticvore’s clients include the local franchise of the global pest control firm **Orkin**, a Hong Kong-listed cleaning contractor, and management firms for shopping centres and commercial buildings.

Rick’s insights about the industry, particularly its reliance on conventional pest poisons and traps that utilize food-based baits, were gained during an internship at a consulting firm that advised the **Housing Authority**.

Plasticvore is a two-year old biotech start-up offering alternative, humane solutions to controlling and eliminating pests, founder says.

Revolutionizing Pest Control: Meet the Hong Kong Start-Up Taking on the Global Market with Scent-Based Solutions

Local entrepreneurs kicked off the holiday season this weekend with **Small Business Saturday** in **Corktown** and **Southwest Detroit**.

Shoppers explored local talent among more than **20 popup booths** at the **Detroit Hispanic Development Corp.** at **1211 Trumbull**. A courtesy event shuttle allowed them to check out participating brick-and-mortar shops between the two historic neighborhoods.

The afternoon was a joyful reminder of the city’s **economic resilience**, said **Bob Roberts**, owner of **McShane’s Irish Pub** and president of the **Corktown Business Association**. Local small businesses have been participating in **Small Business Saturday** for years. Roberts believes this weekend’s event was the neighborhood’s strongest coordinated effort since **2019**.

**Reconfiguring** the in-person shopping experience has been especially challenging since the **COVID-19 pandemic** struck in **2020**. Michiganians are just starting to venture out to local businesses again, nearly five years later. However, rising labor costs and **price inflation** still weigh heavily on local businesses.

> “We like to say that we’ve recovered, but we haven’t recovered,” Roberts stated. “We’ve survived.”

The cozy **Michigan Avenue** pub was already experiencing a small influx of customers shortly after the event kicked off at **11 a.m.**. More importantly, Roberts hopes Saturday’s shoppers will continue supporting local businesses throughout the holiday season, a time when cold weather and the allure of big box online shopping often deter people from venturing out.

> “It’s just the one day and it’s great, but I always encourage people to **shop local every day**,” said **Jennyfer Crawford**, owner of **All Things Detroit**.

Crawford felt that participating in **Small Business Saturday** was a step in a positive direction. She noted that community support had stagnated after pandemic restrictions eased.

**Alexandra Chevillet**, co-owner of **Detroit Dye House**, emphasized that local shopping can help disconnect from a culture of overconsumption and instant gratification. 

> “All of the businesses have kind of banded together and tried really hard to promote each other,” Chevillet said. “It's an amazing community to try and develop something in.”

**Denisse Lopez**, owner of **Vamonos!**, expressed her gratitude for being part of **Small Business Saturday**. Her shop, which combines a Zumba studio, coffee shop, and local art gallery, was bustling with customers and performers.

**Griselda Cortez**, a popup vendor at **Vamonos!**, felt empowered by displaying her handmade accessories alongside other Hispanic entrepreneurs. 

**Freddy Alcala**, a visitor from **Grand Rapids**, found inspiration in the diverse performers and vendors and hopes that Detroit's success can inspire other cities across Michigan.

> “It feels really good,” said **Mara Marquez**, a Detroit resident, reflecting on the local business community. “We're coming up.”

The afternoon was a joyful reminder of the city’s resilience, said Bob Roberts, president of the Corktown Business Association.

Discover the Heart of Detroit: Small Business Saturday Sparks Local Resilience

### Celebrating Small Businesses on Small Business Saturday

Today marks **Small Business Saturday**, a day dedicated to honoring the **heart and soul** of our community—our **small businesses**. These dreamers and doers are the **lifeblood** of our local economy, tirelessly providing unique offerings that make downtown Fargo vibrant and distinctive.

However, it's disheartening to see negative narratives overshadowing this celebration. Recently, The Forum chose to highlight closures rather than the resilience and achievements of our local businesses. While it’s true that not every small business survives, we must recognize the **challenges** of entrepreneurship and the importance of our support.

### The Importance of Positivity

In times when negativity is rampant, especially in journalism, we should focus on the **positives**. Let’s spotlight the downtown experiences, the joy of supporting local businesses, and the incredible **resilience** of our community as it rebounds from the pandemic. Today, I choose to celebrate the **spirit** of downtown Fargo and the countless small businesses that contribute to its uniqueness.

### Supporting Our Local Economy

The success of downtown Fargo not only drives tourism but also contributes to **economic development**, workforce retention, and an overall enhanced quality of life. If we fail to support our small businesses, we risk reverting to a stagnant community reminiscent of **20+ years ago**.

Let us lift up the new downtown Fargo businesses that have opened their doors this past year:
- **Lulu’s Deli**
- **Chalili’s Chicken & Wings**
- **The 1889**
- **Moonrise Café**
- **Synclaire Events Center**
- **Rising Dawn Ceramics**
- **Drawing Room Fargo**
- **Mooreoki**
- **Magnolia Soap**
- **Primp Boutique**
- **Yum Tea Bar**
- **Mystic Moth**
- **Tee’s Tacos**
- **Ferguson Books**
- **Cul-De-Sac**
- **Las Palmas**

Many existing businesses have also expanded or relocated, showcasing the **growth** and **vibrancy** of our downtown.

### A Call for Collaboration

Downtown Fargo faces challenges, including homelessness, but this should not overshadow its potential. We need to choose **positivity** and **collaboration** over negativity. Let’s spend **Small Business Saturday** supporting those who make Fargo special. Come downtown, shop local, and engage with the people who make our community shine. Together, we can celebrate our successes while addressing the challenges ahead.

*Rocky Schneider is the executive director of the Downtown Community Partnership.*

Rocky Schneider, executive director of the Downtown Community Partnership, encourages readers to support downtown Fargo businesses.

Why Supporting Small Businesses is Crucial for Our Community's Future

## The Challenge of Building a Trillion-Dollar Startup in Europe

Europe has yet to produce a tech company that can stand shoulder to shoulder with industry giants like **Alphabet**, **Amazon**, and **Apple**. This raises critical questions about the continent's innovation ecosystem and its ability to nurture **unicorns** that can scale to **trillion-dollar valuations**.

### Why This Matters
The absence of a European tech titan not only impacts the economy but also creates a gap in **global influence**. Ian Hogarth, an expert in the field, discusses the implications of this and outlines steps to rectify the situation. 

### Setting It Right
To foster the growth of billion-dollar startups, Europe must focus on:
- **Investment in technology**: Increasing funding for tech startups to compete globally.
- **Supportive policies**: Enacting regulations that favor innovation and entrepreneurship.
- **Collaboration across borders**: Encouraging partnerships between countries to share resources and knowledge.

By addressing these areas, Europe can better position itself to cultivate the next generation of **tech leaders** and potentially create its first **trillion-dollar startup**.

The continent has yet to create a tech company to rival Alphabet, Amazon or Apple. Ian Hogarth explains why this matters — and how to set it right

Is Europe Ready to Create Its First Trillion-Dollar Tech Giant?

# Unlocking Exponential Growth: 5 Genius Startup Strategies You Need to Know

Growth hacking has become a cornerstone for **early-stage startups** looking to scale quickly without access to a lot of resources that would allow them to employ **traditional marketing strategies**. By leveraging **innovative, low-cost strategies**, the companies we explore in this article have achieved **exponential growth**, often without the resources of larger competitors. Here’s how they did it:

## 1. Dropbox: Referral Program With Incentives
**Dropbox’s referral program** is one of the most cited examples of successful growth hacking. To encourage user acquisition, Dropbox offered **free storage space** to both the referrer and the referee. For every friend a user invited, they received an **additional 500MB of storage**, up to a limit of **16GB**.

This simple yet effective strategy led to a **viral loop** that grew Dropbox’s user base exponentially. Within **15 months**, the company increased its registered users from **100,000 to 4 million**. The program worked so well because it aligned the **incentives** of Dropbox and its users. People were more likely to recommend the service because they directly benefited from doing so, and Dropbox avoided expensive advertising costs by relying on **incentivized word-of-mouth growth**.

## 2. Hotmail: “Get Your Free Email At Hotmail” Signature
In the late 1990s, Hotmail used a simple but brilliant growth hack to dominate the email market. Every email sent from a Hotmail account included a signature that read, **“Get your free email at Hotmail,”** with a link to sign up.

This tactic was cost-effective and viral by nature. Each user essentially became an **advocate** for the product. The results were staggering: within **18 months**, Hotmail grew from **zero to 12 million users**, all without spending a fortune on traditional advertising.

## 3. Airbnb: Leveraging Craigslist For Listings
In its early days, Airbnb faced the challenge of building a marketplace with both supply (hosts) and demand (guests). To solve this, the company tapped into **Craigslist’s user base** by creating an automated tool that allowed Airbnb hosts to cross-post their listings with minimal effort.

This strategy enabled Airbnb to reach a **massive audience** without significant marketing spend. By doing this, Airbnb was able to quickly populate its platform with both listings and potential renters, creating the **critical mass** needed for the marketplace to thrive.

## 4. Instagram: Focusing On Simplicity And Sharing
When Instagram launched, it wasn’t the first photo-sharing app, but it quickly became one of the most popular. The platform’s growth hack wasn’t a gimmick but a strategic focus on **simplicity** and seamless integration with platforms like **Facebook** and **Twitter**.

By making it easy for users to share their Instagram photos on social media, Instagram gained exposure to a **broader audience**. Each shared photo acted as an advertisement for the platform, encouraging new users to download the app. Within **two years** of its launch, Instagram had attracted **100 million active users**, and the company was acquired by Facebook for **$1 billion** in 2012.

## 5. Slack: Prioritizing Team Adoption
**Slack**, the workplace communication platform, became a household name largely due to its focus on **team-based adoption**. Instead of targeting individual users, Slack encouraged entire teams to adopt the tool. This approach made the platform indispensable within organizations, as employees could only fully utilize its features when their coworkers were also on board.

Slack also invested heavily in creating an **intuitive user experience** and offering **free trials** with no restrictions on features. This strategy resulted in rapid growth: within its first two years, Slack grew to **2.3 million daily active users** and achieved a **$1 billion valuation**. Its success demonstrates the power of **network effects** combined with a **freemium business model**.

By leveraging innovative, low-cost marketing strategies, the companies we explore in this article have achieved exponential growth, often without the resources of larger competitors. Here’s how they did it.

Unlocking Endless Energy: My Secrets to Thriving Without Caffeine

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Other Latest News

Israeli Startups Raise $697 Million in November: Cyera Leads the Charge

Unlocking Startup Success: Essential HR Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Revolutionizing Pest Control: Meet the Hong Kong Start-Up Taking on the Global Market with Scent-Based Solutions

Discover the Heart of Detroit: Small Business Saturday Sparks Local Resilience

Why Supporting Small Businesses is Crucial for Our Community's Future

Is Europe Ready to Create Its First Trillion-Dollar Tech Giant?

Unlocking Exponential Growth: 5 Genius Startup Strategies You Need to Know

Other Latest News

Israeli Startups Raise $697 Million in November: Cyera Leads the Charge

Unlocking Startup Success: Essential HR Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Revolutionizing Pest Control: Meet the Hong Kong Start-Up Taking on the Global Market with Scent-Based Solutions

Discover the Heart of Detroit: Small Business Saturday Sparks Local Resilience

Why Supporting Small Businesses is Crucial for Our Community's Future

Is Europe Ready to Create Its First Trillion-Dollar Tech Giant?

Unlocking Exponential Growth: 5 Genius Startup Strategies You Need to Know