Â鶹AV

The chances of a small business surviving passed its teething period are never good, with half of all startups falling to the wayside after five years. Here are four data collection methods that can help you beat the odds, even before starting your business.

… Gathering information through research is exactly what co-founders Zaina (BCom’05) and Rania Kana'an (BCom’08) did before they launched Ananasa, an online marketplace that enables artisans, artists and designers in the Middle East to sell their work worldwide.

.. "In Canada, we had both graduated with Commerce degrees from Â鶹AV and had worked in the corporate field thereafter. Zaina's side hobby was painting. In Canada, she would exhibit, but moving to Dubai there appeared to be some obstacles for emerging artists to showcase their work. That is precisely how Ananasa came to be, we wanted to give people like Zaina the opportunity to create their own virtual store and spread their handmade items across the world. Ananasa is for anyone who has a talent and is serious and passionate about it. It gives them the chance to manage a virtual storefront of what they love," Rania explains.

Read full article: , February 4, 2013