March 31, 2017

Going Through The Motions? Here’s How You Can Fall Back In Love With Driving

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Most motorists will encounter a stage where they feel disillusioned with life behind the wheel. Unfortunately, many struggle to exit that phase for years. But you can be different. Deep down, you know that driving is one of the greatest feelings in the world. You just need to find a way of rediscovering that passion. No two drivers are identical, but the vast majority of those frustrations share very similar roots. Here are some top tips to battle back against these common pitfalls. Incorporate them ASAP, and that broken relationship with driving will be fixed in no time. 

#1. Get Rid Of That Death Trap 

For most of us, extending the life of our vehicles isn’t just beneficial; it’s a necessity. However, there comes a time where you have to bite the bullet and admit that the current vehicle is beyond repair. If the repairs are costing more money than the vehicle is worth, you need to make a change. 

Cash for junk cars without title services are a fantastic solution. Not only does it offer a quick route to a fair price, but it prevents the guilt of selling a bad car to a private buyer. Put that money towards a better vehicle, and you’ll feel happier in no time. It’ll probably save you some cash in the long run too. 
March 30, 2017

Why Globalisation Is Good For Your Business

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Marshall McLuhan is a relatively unknown figure in the modern world. In an era when celebrities are famous simply because they are famous, a man like McLuhan should be more well known. Besides his contributions to literary criticism and media theory, he also had a cameo in Woody Allen’s 1977 Oscar winning picture Annie Hall. But the perhaps most prescient contribution he made to twentieth-century thought was the idea that globalization has fundamentally changed the world. He coined the term ‘global village’ back in 1964 and what he meant by this was the that the advances in technology, many of which were not even close to being a reality yet (the World Wide Web was not invented until 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee), would connect all parts of the world so efficiently that it would effectively be the size of a village. His thesis has been proven. Web sites like Twitter allow for news stories to break quicker than ever and even helped facilitate events like the Arab Spring. We are now inevitably more informed and closer connected to each other than ever before. 

The effects of globalization do not just stretch to the media, however. They have changed the world of business too. As economies have become more intertwined, their natures have altered. Lots of jobs that citizens of Western nations once enjoyed have now been outsourced to parts of the world where labour is cheaper. It follows that those economies will become stronger as a result, and as China demonstrates, they can even become world leading. However, not all of the effects of globalization are necessarily a bad thing for your business. Here are a few ways that you may be able to benefit: 

March 30, 2017

The Risks of Poor Decision Making You Should be Aware of as a Business Owner

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When you run a business, you have to make big and important decisions every day. That’s part of the job, and you need to know what the risks are of making poor decisions. Being aware of these risks will help you to take your decision making more seriously and dedicate more time to getting things right the first time. Here are some of the major things that can go wrong for you and your business if you get into the habit of making poor decisions. 

Hiring Blunders 

The hiring process is a good example of a time when the decisions you make as a business owner will be really important. If you get your approach to this wrong, you will end up with a team of people that are ill-suited to the tasks that they’re going to have to deal with. This is a big problem. You need to make sure that you always approach the hiring process with professionalism and careful consideration. Weigh up the option in a way that allows you to not only think about what’s on a candidate’s CV, but also what kind of person they are and how they will slot into your existing team.



Missing Out on Key Business Opportunities 

Key business opportunities can be missed out on if you make the wrong kind of decisions in your line of work. As the owner of the business, the big decisions will have to be made by you. If you pass up an opportunity, you can avoid the risk of it going badly. But you also have to accept that you might regret not jumping onboard when the idea later goes on to deliver success for someone else. That’s the difference between good decision making and bad decision making. It can be better to make these kinds of big decisions collaboratively with people who you trust within the business. That way, you can get varied perspectives. 
March 30, 2017

Grief & The Financial Implications

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When a loved one dies, it can be a disastrous state to be in. That grief that you feel is likely going to last for a while, and sometimes it can seem as though you don’t really know how to carry on. Even during such difficult times, however, you often need to think carefully about your finances. The financial side of things is always necessary to consider, so you might want to make sure that you are considering this if you are currently grieving for someone close to you. In this article, we are going to attempt to help you at least with the money side of things, by looking at some of the things that you can do to take care of your finances and your family’s finances. Let’s take a look.

cash flow, budgeting

Take Your Time 

Grief is something that you just need to let play out in its own time, however long that might actually take. No matter who you are grieving for, you might find that you need to take a lot of time to get through it - and that is perfectly natural and understandable. If you are having to think about money at the same time, it can often be something of a drag on your internal resources. But nonetheless, you should bear in mind that as long as you are taking things slowly, there is no reason you can’t be capable of also dealing with the financial implications. Whatever it is that you need to do, so it as slowly as you need to, and with the awareness that the more you sort out the finances involved, the sooner you will feel able to move on with your life. 

Find Help 

There are certain times in life when getting help is particularly important, and when a loved one dies is a strong example of such an occasion. As long as you are able to find help amongst your loved ones, you will find the whole experience of mourning much easier to deal with, and that will mean that facing the financial implications will also be much easier and less stressful. However, this is not the only kind of help that you might need to take on board. It is possible that you will need to claim some kind of compensation - perhaps due to medical malpractice, for example. In this case, you might need to seek the advice of the likes of Hastings law firm - visit their site to find out if you have a case. Alternatively, the help you seek might come in the form of friends simply wishing you well during your difficult time. 

graph, budgeting, analytics

Look Into Your Options 

At some point, it helps if you are able to know what your various options are. That way, you will be much more likely to feel in control and capable of the situation - and that is something that can really make a huge difference when it comes to this kind of scenario. If you look into your options, whatever they might be, with absolute honesty, then you will be able to make as much of the situation as you possibly can. This will help in ensuring that you keep your head above water, while also navigating the difficulties which often lie ahead at this kind of juncture.
March 30, 2017

All Of The Tech A Small Start-Up Needs

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chip

Modern business has been greatly improved by technology. Computers allow businesses to have their data accessible from anywhere. And, now, work that use to take days can be done within a few minutes. Of course, it doesn’t come without it’s own challenges, though. Managing computers and making sure that you have everything you need can be a challenge. So, to help you out, this post will be going through some of the techy areas that any new business needs to focus on. Now, all you have to do is set it all up. 

cloud architecture, cloud

Storage is critical for business. But, not only do they need enough of it; they also need to be able to access it from the right places. In the past, Internet connections were far too slow for cloud storage to be viable for businesses. But, nowadays, both hybrid cloud architecture and Internet speeds have improved to the point that it’s viable to use them like this. So, small businesses don’t have to worry about their own storage at all. Instead, it can be best for them to use the storage another company offers. This will help you avoid having to deal with storage security issues and the price of storage servers. These services will often allow you to create regular backups to make sure that your data is as secure as possible. 

scam

Security is one of the biggest concerns in the modern world. Recent times have proven that no one is safe from security threats on the Internet. So, it’s important that you follow some rules. When using the Internet, it’s important that everyone in the business remains vigilant. Be aware of the viruses and current scams out there. And, always make sure that no one is clicking on them. Next, you can start looking into getting something to help if anything goes wrong. In this case, simple antivirus software should be able to handle what you need. Thankfully, most operating systems come with their own version of this sort of software. And, this will usually be enough to keep everyone safe. 

right brain and left brain

Some tech isn’t designed to protect your business, though. Instead, it can be there simply to make your life a little easier. Services like Office 365 and GSuite allow you to have all of your employees working with the same pool of resources. Everyone can have access to the same files. And, people can even work on them together. Collaboration services like this can improve business greatly. Even if it’s simply to make sure that people have access to the files that they need. Choosing the best option here will be hard. And, you’ll need to do some research. Most people will choose the cheapest option that has everything they will want to use. 

Hopefully, this will give you the inspiration you need to start working on your small business tech. It can be hard to know which services to go for. And, it can be even harder to set them up. So, it’s best to get some help if you’re feeling stuck. Otherwise, you could make some mistakes along the way. There are IT services in most cities, which will be able to help you to choose and set up the best technology for your company.
March 30, 2017

Build Your Business. Literally!

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When it comes to building a business, there are plenty of ways to go about doing it. One is to build your business's presence online through digital and viral marketing methods. Another is to build its market dominance through the proliferation of your products. Of course, there is another way to build your business, and that is to, quite literally, build your business. When you're expanding or developing a business, then you might well find yourself with the need to do so in a physical sense. You might need a warehouse or manufacturing space, a new office, or any other physical space that your business might occupy. You can sometimes simply use existing spaces and move your business into them, but when it comes to things like large scale manufacturing, there's a chance that existing spaces simply aren't going to do the job. When that happens, then you might find yourself needing to create a space for your business from scratch. While this can be incredibly useful for your business, it's far from a simple process. So, with that in mind, here are few simple pieces of advice for any businesses that are looking to build a new space as they grow. 

Follow all legal guidelines 


The most important thing when you're looking to construct new spaces or locations for your business is that you're always operating within the legal limits of the law. You need to be sure that you always have permission to conduct any adjustments to a building or construction of a new one, as well as making sure that you're always following construction and demolition standards. The worst thing that could possibly happen to your business is to move forward with an expansion or construction project, only to find that you're not legally entitled to do it. Not only will this halt the growth of your business, but can potentially get you into a lot of legal trouble as well. 
March 28, 2017

Living in a Stream World

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Streaming in this day and age is what the DVD was a few years ago, and what the VHS was before that: it is the ‘it’ way to consume media. It is the way in which people generally get their movie, TV show or even sporting fix — and stats back this up. Through a survey that has been documented on CNET, it is shown that 83% of those who partook now see streaming as the only way in which they consume their media and now don’t tend to wait for shows to come around on channels or in fact buy or rent DVDs. 

Movie Stream website

But why is this? Why such a high number? Maybe it’s because of the fact that there is little to no physical activity involved with streaming… save a few clicks of a few buttons. When it comes to streaming a piece of media all the consumer has to do is simply turn their device on, choose what they want to watch from a list, and watch it — and this can be done whenever they want. No more searching for DVDs and injecting them, no more waiting for a specific time slot to be able to watch something. This, coupled with the rise of smart home technology has meant that the need for physical activity has diminished, but seemingly that’s the way we like it? 

Or maybe it’s because media can now even be streamed through smartphones, further eradicating the need to do, well, anything at all. You don’t even need to turn the TV on or find the remote to be able to watch your favourite flicks in this day and age, just have you phone near (which it probably will be), which means more time can be spent watching, which, ultimately, is the main goal when consuming media. As well as this, there are a whole host of different titles to choose from in all types of media, in all genres. Like FRIENDS? Well you can watch this show via this app on your iOS device. You can have the whole series and all its content appear right before your eyes, or you can simply search for the specific episode you want: whether it be ‘The One Where Everybody Finds Out’ or ‘The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break’. There is also the fact that streaming is not a cost-effective exercise. The best streaming video services all charge differing rates that never amount to a cost deemed to be ‘too much’.

The days of having to sit down at a specific time to watch a show, or head down to a rental store are now over because of the rise of streaming. But why is streaming so popular? Is it because of the fact that it cuts down on the necessity to set it up? Is it because it is prolonged period of entertainment on the Internet? Whatever the reason, it’s hard to see how another platform is going to beat it in the race for viewer consumption rates.
March 28, 2017

Drag Your Business Back From The Brink

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Most businesses fail within their first year. Yet they can still fail afterwards, unfortunately only so many businesses can exist. You need to do all you can to keep it up and running to stop the competitors closing you down. Bringing a business back from the brink is tough, but certainly doable. You have been operating fairly enough until now, so why can’t you get back to that place? You need to get your employees on board and really strive to get the business back on track. There is no guaranteed and foolproof way to do this. However, there are some tips that can help you. You might have tried or thought about some, but look at the others and use them to spring you back into normal operation. 

Look After The Profit 

The profit always has to come first. If you are making a loss then you are already on your way out. You need to ensure your profit is decent and that you are in the black. If you are not so good at this yourself then you should consider a credit control recruitment agency and employ a credit controller. Maybe you are the reason the profits aren’t right because you have shortcomings with maths. It's fine, everyone has their faults. You just need to negate them and push forward. You need to stop selling things that don’t sell and halt the supply of such items. 

March 25, 2017

Warning Signs Which Tell Your Employer You’re About To Leave

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There is nothing wrong with looking for a new job and going for interviews. In fact, you owe it to yourself and your family to enhance your career. After all, there is no loyalty in business, and an employer would act the same way. Still, it’s important not to make your decision common knowledge around the office. Although there are rules in place to protect workers, your boss can still make life difficult. With that in mind, here are the signs that managers attribute with a quick exit. As is turns out, you can say a lot without speaking. 

Searching For Jobs At Work 

Yep, people have been found out for this reason. To be fair, it isn’t hard to see why it happens if you have a lot of spare time. The boredom starts to set in, there is nothing to do, and you think the admin clerk vacancies are available to apply for now so why wait? Still, it’s always an excellent idea to avoid the temptation just in case someone is watching. The boss doesn’t even need to see it happen because they have spies everywhere. Always keep this rule in your thoughts: don’t defecate where you eat. 

March 23, 2017

Leave the Heavy Lifting to Others When It Comes to Your Business

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When it comes to business, it really is a case of letting those that can do a job, well, letting them get on and do it. If you have a big job that needs doing then it is always prudent to let somebody, or a service, that knows exactly what they’re doing take care of it. In doing so, you can rest assured that, one, the job is being done and optimised to its full potential, and two, that you will have more time to take care of other areas of your business that are in desperate need of taking care of. Below are a few areas and jobs in modern day business that should be delegated to others or outsourced to outside services. 



When it comes to your business's online presence, unless you are specifically and fully trained in it, then you should take to leaving the job of maximising its potential to someone else or a team of others. Spindogs, for instance, ask you to ‘leave the heavy lifting to them’ when it comes to web design. And if you do leave it to them then you can rest assured that your website’s design will be optimised and the end result will be user-friendly all round, for those that access the front-end as well as those that access the back-end. Businesses need IT support in order to make sure that correct data recovery procedures are in place, that they have the best security possible and to increase overall efficiency; if you don’t think that you could offer all of this with your tech know how, then you must ask for support. 
March 23, 2017

The Things Your Modern Business Should Focus on Getting Right

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If you want your business to be seen as one of the most modern and up to date companies in its sector, there are a few things you need to get right. These days, you can’t afford for people to see your business as being stuck in the past. People only want to do business with companies that are contemporary and at the cutting edge. Here are the things your modern business will have to get right.  

Strong Logo and Branding 

First impressions really do matter in the world of business. And the first thing people see of your business will be its logo and basic branding. So, you need to have a modern logo to make sure that people instantly see your brand as being modern and up to date. You can hire the services of a professional graphic designer if you think your current logo needs to be updated. It should be fresh, eye-catching and modern. The branding choices you make will also have an impact on how your business is perceived by the general public, so think very carefully. 


Getting Your IT Setup Just Right

No modern business can survive or thrive unless it has the right IT setup in place. This is something that you should pay plenty of attention to in your office. The system will need to offer the hardware and software that will allow your employees to do their best work. You also need to have strong security measures in place to avoid data leaks, viruses, and even hacks. All of these threats should be taken seriously by business owners. You can find companies that offer IT Consulting for businesses if you want to improve your IT setup. It will take a lot of work away from you as the owner of the company. 
March 22, 2017

Time To Start Traveling!

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For a lot of people, traveling is the kind of thing that they might have heard a lot of wonderful things about but assumed that it was always going to be something other people did. They figure that there are certain types of people who travel the world and then there are those who don't. This is, quite frankly, nonsense. Traveling is something that every single person should experience as much as possible throughout their life. It broadens the mind, helps you discover yourself, and teaches you more about the world around you than you could ever imagine. Not only that, but many of the reasons that a lot of people have been turned off by travel for a long time are starting to fall away. In fact, the reality is that it's never been easier to pack your bags and discover the world outside. If you still feel like you need some convincing, here are a few reasons why it's never been easier to travel than it is right now. 

It's cheap 

money

Traveling is always going to come with a price tag, that's just a fact of life. There are a lot of people who would argue that your money is far better spent on amazing experiences like travel than on possessions, and that might be true, but that doesn't make the impact on your wallet any less discouraging. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available to people who want to travel but don't really want to spend their life savings on it. For one thing, there are plenty of destinations a little closer to home which will save you a lot of money, not only that but if you decide to travel outside of peak times, then your costs are going to be greatly reduced. Of course, if you're feeling very daring then why not just show up to the airport, choose whichever flights are cheapest, and go! 

It's safe 

Traveling can be pretty scary for a lot of people, after all, there are few situations which take you further outside of your comfort zone. However traveling is now far safer than it has ever been before. Countries request more information from people who are entering their borders than ever before, including the need for things like travel visas. This has done wonders for reducing the crime and terrorism rates throughout many developed countries. 

 It's easy

travelling alone, guy with a backpack

Traveling used to mean that you had to get out of your comfort zone and find yourself in a completely new place with no idea what you were doing. Now, it is still possible to take those kinds of trips, but if you're not so interested, then there are plenty of other options. For one thing, thanks to smartphones, you're always going to to be connected to the world around you. This means that you're far less likely to end up getting lost or confused, as well as helping to deal with any language barriers that you might come up against. The internet has made it easier to connect with people all around the world, and it means that you have the chance to get out there and experience new things without fear.
March 21, 2017

Getting Through The Seven Year Itch Unscathed

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Have you heard of the ‘seven year itch’? It’s a phrase coined by a 1955 movie starring Marilyn Monroe, about a man going through a mid-life crisis whose marriage is threatened after seven years when the gorgeous Monroe moves in next door. Let’s put aside the fact that most marriages would probably be under a little pressure if someone like Marilyn Monroe showed an interest in your significant other, and consider the seven year itch instead. Is it true that your relationship goes downhill after you’ve been together for a long time? If so, what causes it? And what can you do to make it better again? 

Image source

Is It True? 

Studies have suggested that the happiness of married couples declines after four years and then again after seven, but other studies have shown that couples are more likely to divorce after spending more than a decade together. It looks like there is no specific amount of time that might cause a marriage to go wrong - but it does look pretty clear that after the initial buzz of marriage has worn off and real life has well and truly set in, relationships are harder to maintain. 

Image source
March 21, 2017

Embrace the Art of Travel

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Travelling abroad is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable times of your life assuming you don’t squander that time sitting in a hotel room or in a nightclub. It’s one of those things in life that can be costly and it might seem like purely entertainment, but travelling abroad is something that can have wonderful effects on your life and mentality. 

If you haven’t traveled much in the past few years, then you owe it to yourself to experience a wonderful holiday once in awhile. Not only is it a great way to relieve stress and unwind after a stressful term at school or job, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and discover new things in the world. If you need more reasons to embrace travel, then here are a couple of tips and pointers that will convince you to get out of your chair. 

travelling

Travelling is cheaper now 

Travelling to a faraway destination can be expensive, and depending on where you go the cost of food and luxuries can also add up. However, if you’re willing to make some compromises or pick locations that are closer to home, then you could have a fantastic holiday for a low price. By doing a bit of research into the locations you want to visit, you’ll be surprised at how affordable a holiday really is. 

Travelling is easy 

Thanks to the internet and sophisticated systems, travelling has never been easier. You can simply type in where you want to go into Google and you’ll automatically be given hundreds of different sites where you can buy a ticket, book a hotel and even look at local attractions. Many people used to fear travelling because they didn’t like the idea of applying for a passport and other travel documents such as a visa. 

However, passports last a very long time and there are alternate travel documents you can use to travel such as an ESTA from www.official-esta.com. Not only is it cheaper than obtaining a visa to travel to the United States, your application gets approved very quickly.

bicycle, outside the house, man reading

Embracing new things 

An important life lesson that isn’t taught enough is the concept of getting out of your comfort zone. There’s no other activity on earth that defines going out of your comfort zone like travelling abroad. You’ll have to learn bits and pieces of a new language, try out new foods and even walk down roads and travel on transport that you aren’t familiar with. Travelling always changes and you always have to adapt to new situation. Learning how to be comfortable in previously uncomfortable situations is a great boon to your mentality, and travelling is the most fun way to do it. 

Embracing diversity 

Culture is something that is important to every country and race. Every country is different, and you’ll be amazed at some of the people you meet on your travels and what they do in their everyday lives that differ from your own way of living. For instance, according to gospain.about.com, Spanish people love to take a two to three hour break in the middle of the work day, and Chinese people love red colours and the number eight, both of which seem insignificant to the western world, but it’s fascinating and inspiring to see how other races and countries interact.
March 21, 2017

Three Reasons Why Your Business Needs IT Support

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When you run your own business, there are so many different things you need to be responsible for. In fact, it can sometimes seem as though your to-do-list is never ending, and it can be hard to keep track of every little aspect of your company. As we are now in 2017, it's safe to say that most businesses have been completely revitalized by the influence of technology and the internet - both two things that have had a largely positive impact on company culture. However, as is commonplace with many beneficial things, there is also a downside to these advancements in technology. Most small businesses simply do not have the time, money or the resources to stay completely on top of their day-to-day IT. Failing to do so, however, can end up being potentially disastrous for the company. Here are just a few of the reasons why you need a trustworthy IT department on your side, and how it can benefit your business. 


Data recovery 

Picture the scene: you've just finished completing an important spreadsheet, or putting the finishing touches to a presentation when suddenly! Your laptop crashes, or your press 'exit' rather than 'save' and your work, it seems, has been lost forever. Any successful business professional already knows that time is of the essence in any workforce, so the idea of having to start again from scratch is less than ideal. Your chosen IT support provider, however, should be able to recover any lost data for you with minimum fuss - not everything is as lost as it may seem! 
March 21, 2017

Eliminating Stress From Your Life

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Stress is something that can become extremely debilitating and depressing to experience. It can cause us to completely collapse, it can cause the world around us to crumble, and it can make us feel like we have nothing left to live for. Experiencing stress can range from mildly annoying to a complete shutdown of our bodily functions, so it’s definitely not something to joke about or take lightly. 

While it’s almost impossible to completely remove stress from our lives, there are plenty of tips and tricks we can use to reduce the amount of stress we are exposed to and make our lives easier to live. Unfortunately, a lot of it comes down to your mentality and the way you approach various issues or problems in life. But to help you out, here are a couple of ways to improve your approach to stress relief. 

stressed man

Identify What Stresses You Out 

You can’t fight an enemy you can’t see. When it comes to beating stress, you need to identify what actually stresses you out. This is easy enough, but it does require you to feel stressed in the first place. Whenever you feel depressed or upset at something, take note of what it is that triggered those sensations. Perhaps it’s the feeling of work, maybe it’s when you interact with certain people, or it could be financial problems. Whatever triggers your stress, you need to search for the source of it.

Dealing With Problems 

Now that you’ve identified the source of the stress, you need to find ways to deal with it. This can be done a number of different ways, but it usually consists of getting professional help, speaking with someone, or making drastic changes in your life. For instance, if you and your partner recently split up and the lack of closure is creating a lot of stress for you, then it might be worth checking out something like the ASB Law website to help you deal with relationship breakdowns. Similarly, if you’re experiencing stress at work due to an employer who likes to bully you, or co-workers that don’t treat you well, then you should speak to the human resources department or contact a lawyer to see what your options are. 

Simplify Your Life 

One of the best ways to remove stress from your life is to simplify it. Removing unnecessary commitments and having less to do will generally open up the ability to procrastinate and relax more often. If you make a conscious effort to avoid having too many things to think about and remove stressful tasks from your life, then you’ll find that it makes your life much easier to enjoy. For example, if you have a tight schedule that involves work, gym and then hobby activities such as group meetings and heading out with friends, then you might want to loosen that schedule a little bit. For instance, instead of going to the gym and meeting friends on the same day, separate those tasks onto different days so you have more time to relax and unwind.
March 20, 2017

Marketing Tips For Your Business: Vlogging

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camera, videography

You may have heard of blogging and you might even have started writing your own weekly business blogs, however there is a new kid in town. The Vlog. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science, it’s just a trendy buzzword for Video Blogging. 

Regardless of business size, you need a marketing strategy. Especially now there are so many people in business. Marketing is the foundation of creating awareness and ensuring interest in your brand. It can help engage your clients and close sales. 

With the rise of social media platforms, and no sign in this rise slowing, it is more important than ever to be up to date and on trend when it comes to developing your strategy. Obviously a website is the best start. Twitter, Instagram or Facebook a must. Now though engagement with your customers, and the world, via vlogging gives you a far more personal contact with your potential consumers. 

Video gives you a stronger emotional bond between your brand and the viewer. It is very cost effective too as you can start out using sites such as Facebook Live or Periscope before moving on to something more specific to your brand. Eventually you might work with a video production team to make your Vlogs super slick. However the great thing about them is they don’t have to have huge budget to get started. 

Vlogging builds an emotional bond between your brand and your customers. It is also a cost-effective way of reaching your target audience in a more personal and interactive way. 

Many people say they find talking far easier than writing. So the opportunity to have their say on video is more appealing than pouring hours into writing an engaging and readable blog. However you will need a clear plan on what type of vlog you want to produce. Perhaps you will use it to introduce your staff, interview interesting people within your industry. You could use it to recap after events or ask customers for a recorded testimonial. Work out where you want to go and how you are going to achieve this. 

Keep your videos short. Web visitors are more likely to click on videos that are three minutes or less. Limit your video length to enable you to communicate efficiently while being quick and concise. With that being said, stay away from topics that are too complicated to cover in a single three-minute video, but if you need to cover a topic extensively, you can address it by releasing a video series. 

Keep it fresh, this way you will win your viewers heart. Keep an eye on what competing businesses are doing and try to go in a different direction. Vlogging is best when you are thinking outside the box. You may find it a task best delegated to a member of your team. Someone who represents your brand better than you might. Adding a different personality to your brand might just open your doors to a new audience so get creative and allow a little personality to shine though.
March 20, 2017

Eco-Friendy Changes Your Household Should Make

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There are a number of reasons why you should consider making some eco-friendly changes as a family. For one thing, it can save you a ton of money in the long-run. After all, you are using less energy which means your bills are reduced. And it’s also great for ensuring the world has the best future possible. But a lot of households don’t know how they can start being more eco-friendly. But there are some ways you can do it without making enormous changes. Therefore, here are some eco-friendly changes your household should make. 

Always recycle if you can 

It’s so easy to put all your rubbish in one bin. After all, if you are in a rush, you might not have time to separate all your rubbish into two piles. But if your household does go the extra mile to recycle, you can know you are helping the environment. And will ultimately contribute to cut down the amount of waste in the world. Therefore, make sure to get a recycle bin in your home and make an effort to put items that can be recycled in this bin. And remember that things like batteries and old tech can also be recycled. In fact, you can look online to find companies who will take them off your hands. And you will know you are doing a good deed while decluttering your home! 

Switch your lights to LED models 

You might have traditional halogen bulbs in your home. After all, they are a lot cheaper and easier to pick up in the store. But if you do go for these models you will be using a ton of energy in your home. Therefore, to help the environment, you should opt for LED lights in your home. For one thing, you will notice a decrease in your bills as you will be using less energy. But you will also notice they will last longer in your home too. Therefore, you won’t end up having to replace them sooner rather than later. There are lots of different LED lights you can get which will be attractive in your home. For example, check out this LED panel light which you can put in the kitchen or study. And while boosting your home’s appearance, you will also soon notice a difference in your energy bills! 


March 20, 2017

3 Money Management Tips For Newly Weds

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When you get married, it can mean a bit of a change from just living together, in several different aspects. One of the changes might be how you manage your finances. When you say those vows ‘for richer, for poorer,’ they are exactly what they mean. But due to poor money management, it doesn’t always work out that way. So in order for your marriage to thrive, one aspect that you need to get right is how you deal with money. 

When you’re just living together, you might keep everything separate. It might be assigned who pays for what. When you get married, it might carry on that way if it has been working well. If it hasn’t, then it might be time to change things up and perhaps create a new joint bank account where the money for bills goes into. Then everything is out in the open and money can be talked about freely. But if one of you gets secretive about money or overspending, then it can lead to many problems. The same goes for if you leave it all down to your spouse and don’t even think about a budget and just keep spending. It isn’t completely up to one of you to be responsible and not the other. Problems with money are one of the leading causes for couples to seek relationship therapy and counseling or even divorce. So how can you keep these tragedies from happening in your marriage? Here are a few tips to help keep the communication about money open.


Talk About Finances 

One of the best ways to avoid problems with money, or with how each other treats money, is quite simply to talk about it. Talk about what bank accounts that you have and what credit cards. Talking about how much debt you carry is important too as it will affect your budget. If you don’t, and your other half doesn’t know, they might insist that you pay for things, leading to great debt. Talk about how you’re clearing debt and what kind of budget you think is reasonable. 
March 17, 2017

You Should Set Up A Pop Food Stall

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Summer is fast approaching, and you know that means: people will soon be spending their evenings not in front of Netflix, but in the beautiful outdoors as the sun shines down on their city. With so many people out and about town, summer is the perfect time to put your culinary talents to good, make some money, and have some fun all at the same time. How? We’re talking about pop up food stalls, which are all the rage in well populated urban areas. Here’s what you’ll need. 

Source: Pexels.com

The Infrastructure 

You don’t need a great deal to get a mobile food stall up and running, but you still need some things. You’ll have to rent a truck, for starters, so you’re able to transport your kitchen to and from its location. The kitchen will be the most important thing. You can usually buy mobile kitchens for relatively cheap second hand. Hot water pressure washers can make them look just like new, and will also come in handy when it comes to having a deep clean once a week. You’ll also need to look into any permits your local council might require you to have. 

The Right Taste 

The essential ingredient to a pop up food stall is having high quality ingredients and a unique taste. Pick a type of food and go with that; you should try to be the best at producing one type of food, not all foods. Once you’ve got your genre of food (let’s say Mexican), you should endeavor to put your own spin on it. People can get Mexican food anywhere: they’ll come to you because they can’t get what you offer anywhere else
March 16, 2017

Parental Money Management: Past, Present, and Future

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Learning about money management is a task that never ends. While you may feel like a fully-functional adult, able to run your own bank account and with a flourishing understanding of the ins and outs of financial decision-making - it’s still an uphill battle. The economy changes, your own finances alter, and you have to keep surfing the wave in a battle to keep up. 

It’s made all the more difficult when you’re a parent. As soon as you bring new life into the world, you find yourself responsible not just for your own financial future, but for theirs as well. Maybe you immediately begin thinking about whether you should start a college fund for your child, or perhaps you’re more practically-minded and begin to think of provisions for when you’re no longer around. No matter how lightly you took the management of your finances before you had a child, seeing your little one clarifies the whole effort. This is something you have to get right, for their sake as much as your own.  
March 14, 2017

Get Your Team Networking Like Pros

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Networking and forming connections are practices that are vital to the success of a business. You can organically develop leads with a face-to-face chat, you can build relationships in the industry and collaborate, you can even find your next employee. But the owner of a business shouldn’t be doing all the marketing. Not only will you increase your reach by getting the team involved. You’ll also be empowering them, giving them confidence and ingraining them deeper as part of the team. So, how do you make sure they do you proud out there?


Do your research 

There’s no doubt that organic friendships forming out there can be some of the strongest you’ll make in your long career of networking. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from doing plenty of research with the team before they head out. If you’re heading to a networking event or trade show, see who else is attending. See if you can’t think about specific topics to broach if you contact them and, if you want something from them, tailor your offer. It’s a good idea to see if any of your competitors are out there trying to do the same thing. Position yourself beside them, not against them, by seeing if their pre-event marketing is gearing them in a specific direction and choose a different angle.

March 09, 2017

The Secrets to Kylie Jenner's Success

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The transformation of Kylie Jenner has been awe-inspiring. The youngest of the Kardashian clan, she has seen a significant rise in fame due to monetising on her looks. She is the most followed person on several social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat. What is it that she is doing to attract people towards her? 


Platform 

There is no doubt that Kylie was born into a privileged lifestyle. Without the elevation from her famous parents and siblings, she could not be as famous as she is now. However, this still has to have been worked for; there are 5 other siblings on her mother’s side to compete with. All with different strings to their bows (Khloé’s is fitness, Kourtney’s is health, Kendall’s is modelling for a few examples), there has been a clever shift between what their niches actually are. Kylie’s is the one that appeals to the younger generations.

Kylie Jenner

Personality Shift 

A change in body can cause a huge change in confidence. There is a lot that can be attributed to a good cosmetic surgeon, but that isn’t to say that her style can’t be replicated. From the background little sister in the Keeping Up With The Kardashians series, she is arguably the top icon for young girls in the world at present. From her Snapchat stories, it can be seen that she is still down to earth. Friends and family are constantly making an appearance in her videos. Kylie engages with her fans and asks questions. She listens to recommendations and suggestions and acts on them. This has helped her to create an empire from her Kylie Cosmetics range, as she has expanded on the wants of her customers. From the original Kylie Lip Kits, Jenner has elaborated her collection to include highlighters, eyeshadow palettes and eyeliners. This is no mean feat in the world of cosmetics - her range is selling out in minutes every time new stock is made available. 

Excitement 

Kylie keeps her fanbase continually excited. In terms of marketing, she is currently providing a real-life experience with her pop-up shops, which differs dramatically from the online experience. Appearances are increasing as she gets older, especially at clubs. Her personal life is high-profile, too; a relationship with singer Tyga has been ongoing for almost 3 years. This is exacerbated by her brother’s relationship with Tyga’s ex-fiancée, Blac Chyna. This is family drama which has turned into a clever marketing ploy - the excitement it offers to the average joe is incomprehensible. The rise of Kylie’s activity on social media means that more people are feeling invested in her life, and are taking the time to actively engage with it. Her success lies in the motivational involvement with her chosen demographic. If it has gotten to this point solely on luck and good chance with her rapid advancements in her chosen industry, that’s a huge amount saved on employing the person who realistically has orchestrated this whole thing - Kris Jenner, mother and marketing manager extraordinaire. Is she the real secret to Kylie’s success?
March 09, 2017

The Process of Progress in Technology

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Technology is improving our lives, but it’s also improving its own too. In the digital age, you can’t go a few years without a piece of technology being improved and bettered. Technology is in a constant state of growth in order to make sure that the consumers have always got something better to buy so that they can keep up with both the most state-of-the-art stuff, and the latest trends. Various pieces of technology have a long and distinguished history, and in this article you can see just a few of them. 

technology, smartphone

For instance: the cable modem, a common computing component that is primarily used to deliver broadband Internet access, has gone through a heap of changes over the years. they were first introduced in 1977 and connected to the phone, which was, at this point, very cutting edge and very useful. By 1997 modems were reaching super speeds and this has lead right up to the cable modems of today, the best of which can be found and compared at the best cable modem 2016 & 2017 | Consumer Essentials. If cable modems hadn’t improved so much, then we would have slower access to the Internet, and that’s a nightmare for everybody, right? And the devices we use to access the Internet, i.e. laptops, have improved two-fold over the years also. In 1974 the MCM/70, first portable computer, was introduced and had an 800Khz processor. If you compare this to the MacBook Air of today that comes with a 1.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, you can really see the changes in power that have taken place within the devices. You can see the full timeline of the laptop by clicking here

When you think back to, or ever rewatch, pieces of fiction that were made in the 20th century, when the world was on the cusp of really letting technology in and embracing it, such as Back to the Future and Star Trek, you can see things that were predicted for the future back then that have actually already come to fruition in the modern day. A few of these, in Back to the Future, include: handless/wireless video games, handheld tablet computers, video conferencing and wall-mounted widescreen television. Even a few of the ‘futuristic’ gadgets used in Star Trek, a piece of fiction that is set 1000s of years in the future, now actually exist. Two of these include universal translators that now allow for languages to be translated instantly, and aspects of virtual reality that are now becoming popular in regards to video gaming. When you think about technology in this sense, and how fast it is seemingly moving forward, it really makes you think — how far can it go? 

So, although we are (as of yet) still waiting for a flying car that doesn’t need wheels, the way technology has advanced so quickly should be something to be proud of and should be seen as a testament to the knowledge that we humans possess, and the will to focus this knowledge in useful and cool ways.
March 09, 2017

Mainly Maintenance & Proofing Processes

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Running a firm or a factory is a big responsibility, it is safe to say! The amount of precautions and safety measures you need to take into account will vary depending on the industry itself, but regardless of the size, there will still be plenty of legislation to put in place. This is why the maintenance of your machinery and equipment should take priority in this setting. It is an obvious factor but is one that is looked over nonetheless. It is such an important aspect of any company, but especially so in industrial sectors like farming or factories. When planning your maintenance, there are things to bear in mind. 

Understand The Quality Of Machinery You Need 

It isn’t necessary to go for the most sophisticated of every type of machinery, in fact, simpler is better for a lot of processes. People can get blindsided by the fact that they need to buy expensive to get the best out of their equipment, which isn’t always the case. Cutting cost is the name of the game in many aspects, so if you can get the processes done with a piece of equipment that costs much less but also the replacement components are cheap to purchase, you have a handy way of making a small profit. 

March 09, 2017

Gadgets With Class: How Tech Can Make Your Studies Easier

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teaching using computer

Technology has changed just about every part of many people's lives. Thanks to the internet and social media we're more connected than we've ever been, there's more entertainment out there than previous generations could have ever dreamed of. But there one place where technology has made a huge difference that you don't often hear people talking about, and that's education. Let's be honest, studying is tough, and it's hardly something many of us want to spend our time doing. Even if you're studying something that you really love, you'd probably much rather spend your time doing something else. Well, technology is here to help. Not only can it help make your studies easier but it can help you keep focused, even when you're surrounded by distractions. Here are just a few gadgets every student needs. 

Audio recording 

Lectures can be pretty dry things, and it's easy to get distracted. The problem with that is that letting your attention drift for even a moment can lead you to have absolutely no idea what's going on or what your teacher is actually talking about. Now only that but trying to take notes can be a pain, literally. Trying to keep up with your teacher or lecturer can lead to your wrists aching even if you're using a laptop. By using something an audio recording device then you're able to record the entire lecture and then listen back at a more manageable speed, and if you miss something, you can just rewind and listen to it again. Of course, you don't want to be lugging a bunch of audio gear around with you, so you'll definitely want to get your hands on the worlds smallest micro voice recorder with 90 hours of storage. Just make sure that you get your teacher's permission first, some schools have rules about recording lectures, and you don't want to get yourself in trouble. 

E-readers 

The list of textbooks that you need might not seem like that much of a big deal until you discover just what it feels like to carry them around all day. Textbooks aren't known for being slim volumes and a lot of the time they can be pretty hefty to lug around. By getting an e-reader like a Kindle, you can often find digital versions of your textbooks, and then you only need to keep a single gadget in your bag. Textbooks can also be pretty expensive, and digital versions are often a fair bit cheaper too. 

Noise canceling headphones 

There's nothing worse that trying to get some work done while people around you won't stop making noise. This can happen in class, in your dorm, even at the library! The best option is to get a decent pair of noise canceling headphones. That way you can slip them on, listen to your favorite tunes and shut out the world for a little while. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to focus when you don't have the constant chatter of people around you pulling your attention away from your work.
March 07, 2017

Keeping The Insides Of Your Business Running

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It's probably true and highly likely that we could all do a little more to look after our business. 

While maintenance of the business can take many forms - from changing locks on the door to revamping the copy on a business website so that it can be further optimized for search engines - we will be focusing on the maintenance of a physical business or storefront. 

It's often likely that a commercial property will be rented. This means that you can grab a bit of help in maintaining the site in the form of a landlord. Still, it's worth knowing how to keep the business running. Of course, if you aren't in a situation where the landlord can help with issues, you will still be required to hand back the rented site in the same conditions the site was in upon moving in


We'll start with one of the easily missed areas of commercial maintenance - the exterior of the property. This doesn't just mean the big fancy branding, no. Lights, windows, sidewalks and hardscaped garden areas might very well fall under your remit. The reason the exterior of a site is so important is because it is the first impression that your business makes. It's also of public value to have a good storefront as it makes the external area look more attractive. Keep a clean storefront, with bright exterior lighting. Work with your local authority to ensure sidewalks aren't chipped, cracked, wonky or broken outside your store. Trim the greenery owned by your business to keep everything looking good. 
March 07, 2017

3 Steps Towards A Fast Financial Solution

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Sometimes, it becomes necessary to try and find a decent, quick solution to your financial problems. There are all sorts of situations which might warrant this. It could be that you are genuinely struggling to make it to the next payday, perhaps not even sure where your next meal is coming from. If this is the case, then being able to find money fast is definitely going to come in handy. In this article, we are going to discuss the basic procedure for getting hold of some emergency cash when you are in dire need of it. It is important not to rush any decisions which affect your finances, and that is why we are going to take a look at some of the things you should do to slow down, look at your situation, and see what your best course of action is. Let’s take a look. 


Analyze The Problem 

Before you do anything at all, you need to make sure that you are looking at the problem logically and rationally. The thing about money is that sometimes it can look as though things are worse than they are. You might get stressed about something which will actually fix itself in time, for example. Or maybe you are getting yourself worked up, and if anything just making the situation worse for yourself. Give yourself the freedom and the opportunity to take a step back and look at your situation with some distance. This should help you to see how bad the problem really is, and what your best outcome is likely to be. This requires a fearless honesty with yourself, and a consideration of all the facts. Get a decent round up of your options at https://moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en
March 06, 2017

The Effects Of Credit & Some Solutions

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Keeping on top of your finances is likely to be one of your main concerns throughout life. It is this way for most people, and the chances are good that you want to do everything you can to ensure your finances are in the best position possible at all times. The truth is, there is much that you often need to do in order to ensure that your finances are in the best position - and at certain times in your life, it will become even more important than usual. Credit is one of those areas which people routinely struggle with, as it can sometimes seem so easy to let it fall into disrepair, and so difficult to make it good again. But what exactly is so bad about poor credit? Let’s take a look at some of the effects of having bad credit. 


Owning A Car 

This first thing is something which can become particularly tricky if you find that you have poor credit. You might not have thought this was the case; a lot of people are aware of the other difficulties, such as those laid out below, but owning a car does not often appear on this list for many people. But the truth is, it can be extremely difficult to own a car if you have bad credit. With this kind of financial background, you will almost certainly have trouble ensuring that you can get a car on finance. This is because the companies just won’t believe that you are able to continue to pay off for the vehicle. This means that in all likelihood your only option will be to simply buy a second-hand car, probably privately, as no-one else will really want to touch you. 

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