Founding and running a startup presents several challenges in the best of times. How do you decide when to hire full-time employees? What operational factors do you consider? How do you plan for a launch or fundraising event in light of your sales cycles and cash flow?
Join me with my guest, David Barkley, Founder of FreeMii, Inc., for a discussion on how FreeMii has flourished during the challenges of the pandemic. A must-see episode for tech startups, entrepreneurs and all who need inspiration to move forward in an uncertain future.
By Segment
0:29 – 13:54 – Welcomes colleague and client David Barkley, founder of FreeMii. FreeMii was created to provide underserved communities with unlimited data nationwide through a membership program that helps save hundreds to thousands of dollars. As the founder of a startup David’s advice for getting started is to write your thoughts on paper, determine how large you would like your company to be, and what your end goal is. This will help you ensure that your vision is reflected in your practices. He believes it is also important to just go for it, flexibility is also necessary. He also recommends that if you are unable to hire experts, consult advisors to provide expertise in experiences you do not have yet.
16:52 – 28:15 – When looking to onboard employees David believes that you must first consider if the business is ready for it. Since FreeMii is still in it’s beta phase he has not hired many. David wants to make sure that they know more about the industry and market they are in before committing to a long term plan. When hiring you must identify the outcome you would like to come from it, what you would like these employees to accomplish.
31:03 – 43:39 – David graduated from Hampton University in 2008 so he is familiar with working through such a struggling economy. He believes that despite the challenges facing this economy due to the pandemic there have been opportunities to refine your company and product. Depending on the industry you are in some have even thrived. David believes that these experiences galvanize your resolve. If you can get through this it sets you up for the next decade of your career and reinforces the confidence you have in your team.
45:49 – 56:41 – David looks at human resources as the quintessential asset that any business. He also believes that as entrepreneurs it is their responsibility to try new things and grow from failures. Once you figure it out customers will come to you for your useful services. Users of FreeMii have written to Dave to thank him for his service. One of these letters was from a family in Texas that experienced the power outage and were grateful to retain their connectivity during the crisis. It was the only connection that they had and were able to share their resources with friends, family, and neighbors. To learn more about FreeMii, visit www.freemii.com.
About Employment Law Today
Helping Business With Employment Law Issues.
For many business owners, it can be overwhelming to keep up and comply with the federal and state labor and employment laws that govern how they run their business. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new laws and regulations regarding hiring, firing, and workplace practices and protocols — all of which can increase business owners’ anxieties about regaining traction or thriving again. On my weekly show, we will be discussing the most common employment law related questions and challenges that business owners have been facing in these uncertain times.
The show will have three main goals: (1) to inform businesses about employment law updates, (2) to inspire businesses by giving them the tools to move forward, and (3) to demonstrate how some business owners have overcome their employment law problems, walked through the challenges imposed by this pandemic, and have taken steps to regain traction during the reopening phases of this pandemic.
Our guests will include professionals who advise businesses from an H.R., legal, and financial perspective, along with thriving business owners who will share their experiences and insights into running a successful company while complying with labor and employment law mandates during COVID-19.