Credibility unlocks doors for your startup or small business.

As you launch or build your business, you will be confronted multiple times by outsiders who will judge your credibility to handle the opportunity at hand. Who are these outsiders and what are these opportunities?

Vendors who you are looking to partner with to provide your business with critical product or services will be evaluating you and the upside of spending their time with you.

Investors will be assessing your ability to grow your idea to a scalable relevant business. It will be as much about you as it is about your idea.

Future hires will be looking to you and your experiences as a major factor in determining whether they will join you.

Investors, vendors and employees are just three examples of integral players you need that will be evaluating your credibility to execute your business vision.

Here are 5 easy tasks that take less than a few hours to builds out that will enhance your credibility in the outside world:

Update/Enhance LinkedIn Profile. Today, your LinkedIn profile is the first window into your professional life. At The Startup Factory, my partner and I host 5-10 new people every week. While you sit in front of us (seeking investment, or a job or an introduction to someone else), my partner immediately looks you up on LinkedIn. Take the time to tell your professional story and use the features and format of LinkedIn to your advantage.

Speak at an Event. Every event needs speakers and every event is an opportunity to show your stuff to a new audience. Good speakers are then asked to speak over and over again feeding the engine. When you stand in front of people and tell a story, you position yourself as an expert.

Mentor. This is the one-on-one version of speaking. Again, the very nature of mentoring is that you are looked on as an expert. Do enough of it and the audience builds and better yet, the audience begins to tell others.

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