The 12 Most Overused Business Buzzwords

By Scott Gerber  on 
The 12 Most Overused Business Buzzwords
Credit: Luciano Lozano

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

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Michael Quinn, Yellow Bridge Interactive

2. Visionary

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Parker Powers, Millionaire Network

3. Think outside the box

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Tim McHugh, Saddleback Educational

4. Innovate

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Caitlin McCabe, Real Bullets Branding

5. Influencers

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Travis Steffen, Cyber Superpowers

6. Pivot

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Darrah Brustein, Network Under 40 / Finance Whiz Kids

7. Paradigm shift

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Grant Gordon, Solomon Consulting Group

8. Engagement

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Fabian Kaempfer, Chocomize

[seealso slug="engagement-buzzword"]

9. Value add

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Ty Morse, Songwhale

10. Pre-revenue

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Brittany Hodak, ZinePak

11. Growth hacking

Mashable Image
Credit:

-- Matthew Ackerson, Petovera

[seealso slug="growth-hacker-buzzwords"]

12. Game changer

Mashable Image
Credit:

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!