Does anyone actually like business jargon, or is it just a bad habit? Found in corporate offices, startups and resumes alike, business buzzwords and phrases like "think outside the box" are so overused at this point that they no longer convey any actual information. Although sometimes a word or phrase might feel appropriate for a business situation, more often than not, there are clearer ways to explain yourself.
With this in mind, I asked a group of 12 founders which pieces of business jargon they wish fellow entrepreneurs and startups would stop using.
[seealso slug="buzzword-infographic"]
Here are their top choices:
1. Hit the ground running
-- Michael Quinn, Yellow Bridge Interactive
2. Visionary
-- Parker Powers, Millionaire Network
3. Think outside the box
-- Tim McHugh, Saddleback Educational
4. Innovate
-- Caitlin McCabe, Real Bullets Branding
5. Influencers
-- Travis Steffen, Cyber Superpowers
6. Pivot
-- Darrah Brustein, Network Under 40 / Finance Whiz Kids
7. Paradigm shift
-- Grant Gordon, Solomon Consulting Group
8. Engagement
[seealso slug="engagement-buzzword"]
9. Value add
10. Pre-revenue
11. Growth hacking
[seealso slug="growth-hacker-buzzwords"]
12. Game changer