Skillful 2 - THE PATH TO SUCCESS? (p50-53)

Read the introduction to Starting on the path to success? Which sentence tells you the main focus of the text?

• It once took a company a long time to be worth a billion dollars.

• Today dozens of tech start-ups are

  achieving this level of economic success within their

  first five years

• While successful tech start-ups have

  the ability to change traditional industries, many are

  still not successful.

• Companies should focus on easy

  access, the use of free content, creating a product

  people need, and the time it takes to be successful.

From the introduction, check the things you expect the text to cover. (Multiple answers)

• Successful start-up

• The failure of start-ups

• The history of traditional businesses

• Examples of how businesses can be successful

• The most successful entrepreneurs today

Read the text and find the following: Two ways in which start-ups can create products (paragraph 2)

• people like receiving something for free, companies can give people a small part of product for free and then charge for more features, people are likely to tell their friends and family about free products.

• there isn't a need for the company's product, it is the wrong product for the time, there isn't space for the product in a crowded industry.

• They do not have enough money available, building a good brand can take a long time.

• improve the access for products that already exist, change how we use a product.

Read the text and find the following: Three reasons why companies might give people free products (paragraph 3)

• people like receiving something for free, companies can give people a small part of product for free and then charge for more features, people are likely to tell their friends and family about free products.

• there isn't a need for the company's product, it is the wrong product for the time, there isn't space for the product in a crowded industry.

• They do not have enough money available, building a good brand can take a long time.

• improve the access for products that already exist, change how we use a product.

Read the text and find the following: Three reasons for start-ups failing (paragraph 4)

• people like receiving something for free, companies can give people a small part of product for free and then charge for more features, people are likely to tell their friends and family about free products.

• there isn't a need for the company's product, it is the wrong product for the time, there isn't space for the product in a crowded industry.

• They do not have enough money available, building a good brand can take a long time.

• improve the access for products that already exist, change how we use a product.

Read the text and find the following: Two additional reasons for start-ups failing (paragraph 5)

• people like receiving something for free, companies can give people a small part of product for free and then charge for more features, people are likely to tell their friends and family about free products.

• there isn't a need for the company's product, it is the wrong product for the time, there isn't space for the product in a crowded industry.

• improve the access for products that already exist, change how we use a product.

• They do not have enough money available, building a good brand can take a long time.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence. Companies often need to...

• grow to be

  successful.

• know when to

  adapt.

• operate online to be

  successful.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence. Giving a product away for free may...

• cost a lot of

  money.

• save money on

  advertising.

• not be possible for

  start-ups.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence. Minidiscs did not do well because...

• the technology

  was not very

  good.

• it was cheap

  and had a bad

  reputation.

• another product

  became available.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence. New companies of need...

• support from

  celebrities to be

  successful.

• exciting new

  products to be

  successful.

• time and money to be

  successful.