July 29, 2017

3 Of The Best Family-Friendly Saloon Cars

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If you’re looking for a car for your family, then where do you start? There are many options to choose from. A lot of people will steer themselves towards SUVs and MPVs. But a traditional family car, like a saloon car, is still going to be a worthy option, depending on how many seats you need to have, of course. For one thing, the lower height of saloon cars, compared to SUVs can give quite a few advantages. They tend to be less bulky and more aerodynamic than their larger counterparts, meaning a smoother drive in many ways. So if you’re looking for a good drive, as well as space, then here are some of the top options for you for a family car. Which is your favorite? 

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Skoda Superb Estate 

This estate car from Skoda is on the list because it is such good value for money. You get a lot for very little. So it makes it a no-brainer when it comes to family cars. It is a similar price to getting a BMW One series, but in terms of the space you get, it is closer in size to a BMW Three series, perhaps even Five series. So you do get much more bang for your buck with Skoda. Being an estate car means that you get plenty of trunk space, which is great for larger families, or those with strollers or a pet dog to transport. It has a solid driving experience too, as well as some well-made and stylish interior. So it is a real contender. 
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July 27, 2017

Save Your Failing Business with These Crucial Steps

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Not every business is destined to be a success from the start. Even those that quickly grow can find they're having problems down the line. When a business seems to be failing, you can't just give up straight away and move on to something else. But if you don't do something about it, you might not have any choice but to wind it up and call it a day. If you're already feeling the financial effects, and perhaps struggling with business debt, you need a plan to turn things around as soon as possible. Try the advice below to work out how to rescue your drowning business. 


Find Out What You're Doing Wrong (and Fix It) 

Clearly, if your business isn't working, you need to find out why. The problem is that many business owners can't see what it is they're doing wrong. And even those who do think they know what's wrong are often incorrect. If you want to get to the root of the problems your business has, you likely need an outside perspective. This is why many businesses use mystery shoppers to try out their services and provide feedback. You might consider consulting someone who can help to pinpoint the issues within your company. Another good idea is to ask your customers and your staff. 

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July 24, 2017

The Correct Way to Effectively Use Technology in Your Startup

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One of the problems that many startups face is a limited budget. Unless you’re rich or you have some wealthy investors backing your business idea, then you’ve likely got an extremely limited budget that will quickly run out unless you make a string of good value decisions. This itself can be incredibly difficult and requires a bit of luck in addition to your ability to run and manage a business. 

One of the most important money sinks that we invest in as startup owners is technology. Everything from computers to smartphones and subscription services need to be purchased in order to have a chance at running a business. After all, the world is going all digital now and if you’re trying to sell products without at least having an online storefront or even presence, then you’re probably not going to get any exposure at all. 

The internet and technology go hand-in-hand. They both offer us unique opportunities that allow us to reach a wider audience and gain more success in the world of business. Sadly, it’s not uncommon to see startup owners investing a little too much money into their technology and, as a result, wasting money. In order to counteract this, they need to be smarter about the decisions they make and use technology effectively in order to save money and increase their chances of breaking out of their startup shell. 

using technology for your business

Use technology to extend your workflow, not replace it

The first major hurdle to overcome is the way you use technology to improve your workflow. In the past, businesses didn’t use technology like computers and smartphones because they didn’t exist. However, those businesses are still around today and they’ve managed to tame the use of technology in order to grow their brand. How was this achieved? By using technology as a way to make their workflow more efficient, not replace it. 

Let’s use work scheduling as an example. If you have a dozen part-time employees that need to have their work split and assigned over the course of a week, then you need to understand what their commitments are outside of work and how they determine whether they can or can’t work on a certain day. By using this information and mixing it with communication, you can get a good idea of what the schedule will look like and you could write it down with pen and paper—there’s no need to use software. However, you might find this time-consuming and it might be effort writing out everything each week you re-do the schedule, so that’s when a work schedule app can come in handy. However, you should only be investing in one once you have a good idea about your staff and their working hours, not immediately. If you don’t communicate with your staff and don’t understand when they can or can’t work, then no amount of technology is going to help you. 

There are always cheaper options than what is considered the standard 

When you look at large companies such as Google and Microsoft, then you’ve probably dreamed of using the same technology and working on the same computers as they do. However, keep in mind that while some of their equipment is considered industry standard, that doesn’t mean you can afford or should use whatever they have as well. 

The idea is that no matter what level of business you are currently at, you need to ensure that you’re using tools that are suited for your business. Let’s use a very typical software example. Microsoft’s Office 365 package costs businesses a monthly fee to use. It offers your standard office productivity tools and a new license must be purchased for each computer. As you can imagine, this will amount to extreme running costs that scale depending on how many computers you are using in your office. 

Compare this to using a free service like Google Docs and you could save yourself hundreds per month. There are, of course, some differences between Google Docs and Office 365 that could be deal breakers, but if you’re a startup that just needs to write up some documents, then you can use free software to cut down on costs instead of going for “industry standard” choices that make no sense for a small company. 


Summary 

In short, make sure you're not overusing technology in your business. There’s a time and place for expensive equipment and software, but as a startup, the goal is to reduce your running costs as much as possible and save money wherever possible. For many companies, it’s the technology costs that can be reduced.
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July 23, 2017

A Career In Litigation Support: A Future-Proof Choice

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While there are still courtrooms, judges and attorneys, the legal profession has changed a lot on the past few decades, resulting in the growth of a whole new sub-branch of the legal profession.. 

As legal processes become more automated, the volume of electronic data for most legal practices is skyrocketing. To cope with this and the increase in large-scale, complex litigation legal professionals have had to outsource a lot of work pertaining to the processing and handling of electronic data to a new breed… the litigation support professional. If you are legally minded and want to work in a cutting edge, technical field that combines legal knowledge and digital literacy then a career in litigation support may well be for you. 

As you can see by checking out www.naegeliusa.com litigation support is a broad church, incorporating a range of legal and technical disciplines but generally speaking litigation support has a particular function. 

Litigation support specializes in the identification, preservation, production, collection and management of electronically stored information. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have been amended to change the rules of discovery to encompass electronic information in the form of emails, word processing documents, spreadsheets or voice mail messages resulting in an exponential boom in ESI for most practices. 

Plainly speaking, the legal profession has more ESI than it can handle and it’s slowly waking up to the fact that managing it is a full-time job. As a result, there’s significant demand for litigation support. That’s where you come in! 

Litigation support is a new industry, and while job roles themselves are changing and evolving, most practices have common positions (though they may use different names), at entry level and upwards. 

Let’s look at a typical career path in litigation support: 
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July 23, 2017

6 Effective Ways To Reward Your Employees

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Rewarding your employees is an effective way of letting them know they are appreciated, giving them the incentive to work harder and increase productivity within your company. Some employers use cash incentives, especially at the end of each year with a boost to the wage packet. While this is something most employees wouldn’t turn down, there are more creative ways you can show your appreciation. 

We have already considered how you can keep your workforce engaged, and the occasional reward is another way to keep them on your side. To help you, here are some great reward ideas you might consider implementing into your workplace. 

Monthly award ceremonies 

Healthy competition is effective within teams, and a monthly award ceremony can be a fun way to show appreciation. Be sure to offer fairness amongst all employees, and mix up serious awards such as ‘best sales’ with informal ones, such as ‘best dressed’ or ‘most positive attitude.’ 

Go here for all your online trophy needs, and choose the shapes and designs that suit the roles within your company. You don’t need to break the bank, as trophies can be returned each month and given to the next ‘winner’ to take home or placed on their desk at work. 

Work from home days 

With modern technology, such as cloud software and Skype, there is no need to work in the office every day. Let your team spend some of the working week at home, giving them extra time in bed when missing the daily commute, and allowing them the comforts that being at home can offer. The workload doesn’t have to suffer as you can still communicate and collaborate, and the relaxed environment may even boost productivity. 

Gift cards 

You may not have the means to raise salaries on a regular basis, but a gift card is a worthy and more personal alternative to handing out cash incentives. Consider the hobbies individuals on your team have and give out relevant gift cards, as well as vouchers from their favorite retailers. 

Gym memberships 

Okay, so not everybody will take advantage of the health benefits you are offering, but you can still give them the option. Some will greatly appreciate the opportunity to get active, and it will also boost their performance at work when they feel energized. 

Buy your team lunch 

Food is always a good way to make somebody feel happy, so going out with your team for lunch once a week will be more appetizing than the limp sandwiches they normally consume. Take turns choosing where to go, ensuring all tastes are catered for. Of course, if you are spending your cash reserves on the meal, you need to ensure your team doesn't break the bank with their food venue choices. 

The gift of time 

Our weekends are too short, while the working week can seem to go on forever. Therefore, allowing your team to go home early every so often, or rewarding hard-working team members with an extra day off occasionally, will allow them to spend more time doing the things they enjoy away from work.
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July 22, 2017

Encouraging Productivity In Small Businesses

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Size does not matter; whether your business is a small startup or an established company, everyone needs to work hard to make it a success. Your employees are therefore the most important part of your business. If they don’t work, your startup suffers. That said, you don’t want to bully your employees into doing their jobs because that doesn’t make for a very pleasant work environment. Instead, try some of these tips to encourage productivity in your business. 


Productive space 

If you’ve ever had to work in an office that’s dull, lifeless, and badly lit, you’ll recall that your overall productivity suffered during your tenure in said workplace. Get your team off to a good start by adding some creative, yet productive office comforts. Paint it a calming color, make sure there is plenty of natural light coming in, and provide comfortable ergonomic chairs so they don’t put unnecessary strain on their bodies. Living plants, fresh orchids, a unique stone or seashell, or even an aquarium filled with colorful fish can bring a touch of comfort to the office and make employees feel at ease. You should also make sure you keep the office clear of clutter. If their workspace is scattered and messy, then how can you expect your employees to have clear, concise thoughts. 

Dress code 

While you want your employees to look professional, sometimes a dress code can be stifling. Some people feel more comfortable working in jeans and flat shoes, while others would just be happy to wear shorts to work so they can stay cool in the middle of a heatwave. As long as your employees look presentable, there’s no reason why they can’t wear casual clothes to work. If it’s a matter of identification, you could just have everyone wear custom lanyards while they’re in the office; they’re easy to get from lanyardsusa.com/lanyards/custom-lanyards. It’s also easier on you if your employees can just get on with their work instead of policing whether everyone is sticking to hemline regulations. If there comes a point when you have to meet with an important client, then just advise them to dress up a little more than usual. 
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July 22, 2017

The Importance of Specialist Advisers in Business Growth

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When your grow your business, there are countless small things that you need to worry about. There are loads of small details that you’re probably unsure of, you might want to tackle territory or a business that you are unsure of, and you might find yourself completely lost doing something that you have no experience with. There’s a limit to how much you can do for your business no matter how hard you study, and you need to understand that you’re not a superhuman with an infinite capacity to learn. 

Instead, what you need to do is hire advisers. One of the most common complaints that business owners talk about is how their staff aren’t well-trained enough to take the next step and help grow your business. This is because they aren’t learning much when they work for you. Employee growth relies on putting your staff through training courses in order for them to pick up new skills that can help you grow your business. But unless you know what type of career you want to put them on, it’s unlikely that any level of training can improve their worth to your business. 

This is where specialists come into play. Not only do they have expertise in their chosen fields, but they’re also experts at communicating, making them fantastic mentors, teachers and advisers. Whether you’re thinking of starting up a new company or breaking into a new industry, here are a couple of ways to utilise an adviser. 



Employee Disputes 

As a business owner, you probably have ample knowledge about how to grow a business and how to improve your products. However, unless you’ve been trained in this field, you probably have no idea about human resources. Dealing with employee disputes and managing their needs can be difficult, which is why some entrepreneurs find it incredibly helpful to hire an adviser that understands human emotions and can help you improve your team’s trust, coordination and morale. 

Becoming a Self-Sufficient Business 

When you first started your business, you probably relied a lot on outsourced services, manufacturing plants and all kinds of third parties that charged ludicrous service fees for their work. Eventually, you’ll probably want to take production into your own hands or hire your own specialists to work for you. For instance, an expert factory designer will understand how material handling ball transfer works so you can improve the efficiency of your manufacturing line, while an internet security expert will tell you all the equipment you need to buy in order to safeguard your business’s online presence.

Legal Advice 

No one likes the idea of being stuck in a legal battle. This is why legal advisers are so highly sought after. They’ll help you determine the best course of action to that when you’re in legal trouble and they’ll also advise you on practices that will help you stay out of trouble no matter what you do with your business. Be it defending your brand from copycats or breaking into a new industry without any backlash from consumers, legal advice is always helpful.
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July 22, 2017

The Ultimate Guide To Securing Your Home

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burglar

The thought of having your home broken into and all of your worldly possessions stolen fills many people with sheer dread. Strangers rifling through your belongings can make you feel violated and physically sick, knowing that they will go on to making money out of items that you have paid for using your hard-earned cash. But it goes beyond the materialistic. Burglaries can cause unknown psychological damage to homeowners, delayed trauma to children and, at the very worst, they can leave you feeling like you want to move from your once much-loved home. It is vital that you secure your home and limit the potential for a break-in at your humble abode. 

Alarm System 

The most obvious way of securing your home is by installing a highly visual deterrent that should put even the most hardened of criminals off attempting to get into your property. By fitting an alarm system that is hooked up to a central manned premises, you will be notified of the alarm going off within seconds. With smart technology, your alarm can be connected wirelessly to your smartphone provided that you are not too far away. This means if there is any suspicious activity around your home, you will be notified instantly. Although seemingly an insignificant detail, ensure you fit a system that has flashing lights visible from the most accessible point of your property. These lights send a subliminal message to any potential burglar that you are a homeowner that takes security seriously and that they will be risking too much if they choose to take on your home security system. 

Lights

Many burglaries are attempted under the cover of darkness. It is worthwhile installing a lighting system with motion sensors that will pick up any odd movements in the vicinity and light up the entrance to your home. This is a massive deterrent to any burglar as it promotes too much unwanted attention. No burglar likes to find themselves in the spotlight. 

Glass 

Any potential criminal intruders that attempt to break into your home will retreat if you have installed SolarTex window film onto every window pane and glazed external door. The protective layer of the film adds a crucial extra security element meaning that the glass will not shatter. By keeping the glass in one piece, entry through this means is virtually impossible, frustrating the potential intruder and forcing him to retreat. 

Cameras 

If you feel an alarm, reinforced glazing and lighting is not enough to secure your property, you may want to opt for a small network of cameras that link to a central point in your home. By doing this, you can see exactly what is occurring outside at any one time. Just be careful that these cameras are for security only, and that none venture into viewing public areas as this may attract complaints from your neighbors. 

Your home should be a secure place of sanctuary for you and your family. Implement these measures to ensure your home remains as secure as possible.
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July 21, 2017

Judging A Business By Its Cover

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Despite the adage ‘never judge a book by its cover,’ we all judge based on appearance. In many ways, it’s a necessary step for judging who we do and don’t want to know. It’d be nice to approach things with an open heart, but that’s not always practical. What’s more, those first impressions are near enough impossible to undo once formed. Impressions made within the first three seconds are usually the ones we keep. 

And, people aren’t the only ones who undergo first impression judgements. Initial thoughts and feelings are even more important when it comes to businesses. The market is saturated, and we have no loyalty when we first set out. Instead, we make decisions based off our first impressions. And, as with people, a bad first impression is sure to leave its mark. So, making a positive impact is a secret to success that every business owner should be aware of. With that in mind, we’re going to look at a few of the ways your business can make the best first impression possible. 

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

In truth, making a positive first impression isn’t enough. Because, before people take the time to form any opinion, they need to notice you. And, they won’t do that if you blend in with the crowd. That’s why it’s so crucial to get creative with your marketing. A great advert which sticks in the mind will take you a long way. If you’ve got an artistic flair, you can put it to good use here. If not, turn to companies like Fechtor who have experience with stand out ad campaigns. If you want proof of why this is a path worth taking, or even just a little inspiration, take a look at their creative advertising portfolio. It’s also worth taking note of what your competitors get up to. You don’t want to steal ideas, but it doesn’t hurt to know what you’re up against. 


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July 20, 2017

So You Want To Write A Book...

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woman reading a book

Writing a book may not be at the top of everybody’s priorities nowadays, but if you hit the market at the right time and with the right content, it can be quite a lucrative little business for you. Not only that, but it’s something that can be done in your spare time and from home - what more could you ask for? A lot of people do it for enjoyment, and to think that you could make money off of a hobby is something that definitely needs to be aimed towards. It’s the no-brainer win-win situation, but it’s something that does take a lot of work, time and dedication in order to complete. So with that in mind, how do you go about writing a book? 

Publish Your Blog 

What a lot of people are doing nowadays is publishing the entries that they have already written and published online, on their blog. This is especially good if you have a big following on the internet, and there are sites that are able to make it happen for you without having to find a literary agent beforehand. So, instead of having people trawling through past posts that you have uploaded, you can instead recommend that they buy you book if they like what they see. Promoting yourself via social media, on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, has been proven to be successful for those who have already applied themselves online - it’s a simple shout out to your followers, and those who are interested will buy in. It’s helpful if your blog posts have been published via other mediums, e.g. online newspapers, to gain a bit of a much-needed momentum when it comes to selling. 

Write A Zine 

If you have a few niche ideas that you would like to put together, you could instead consider selling a zine rather than a full book. A lot of zines are contributed to, meaning that you wouldn’t have to do as much work but would still have a great collaboration of ideas. There have been a number of successful zines throughout the years, such as Do What You Want and Fanpages; they hit a target demographic and concentrate on maybe one broad subject in which different angles can be taken. It’s a brilliant idea for those who would prefer to offload their thoughts into something more concentrated rather than stretching it out across pages. For those who aren’t a fan of dialogue, but more so getting to the point with loaded information, this is definitely the best idea. 

Find An Agent

If you are still set on writing a novel or children’s book, you will need to find a literary agent in order to manage it for you. Most publishers won’t deal with somebody unless they have an agent, as otherwise they would be dealing with thousands of different people pitching their ideas on a daily basis. If you have an idea, it needs to be penned down and written out; at least the plot of the story needs to be available for them to look over. If it’s your first time approaching the agent, you will need to produce them a fully completed book that has been edited and proofread to within an inch of your life. That way you know that you are presenting them the best that you can do. 

Think About Copyright 

As soon as you have written the words, you will need to look to getting some piracy protection. DMCA Takedown Service and other copyright protection services are well worth the money, especially if you have already shared snippets online. Unfortunately, computers nowadays are easily hackable, and if you have an idea that somebody knows to be worth money, they will steal it. It also goes for online piracy; unless you have a system put in place to protect what you have created, it can easily be published elsewhere with no nod to you as the creator. This can take thousands in legal fees to stop, but reversing it is another problem altogether; with cached pages on the internet as well as other sources for it to spread to, it can be a hard thing to control unless you have the right precautionary and preventative measures set in place. 

Set Yourself A Deadline 

If you are writing for monetary purposes rather than a hobby, you will need to set yourself a deadline in order to motivate yourself. Not only does this mean that you are working towards a goal, but it stops you from floating off and doing different things; it can be so easy to put writing a book to the back of your mind when you’re not doing it for a living. Change your way of thinking about it, as hard as it may be to do so. Even if you are writing for pleasure, trying to cut yourself off time-wise can actually be a good thing to do, as limiting as it may seem; it will help you to wrap up the plot and characters more readily. 

Read For Ideas 

It’s not a bad thing to read other books for tips and ideas that you might contribute towards your own. Magpie-ing creativity is something that has gone on for centuries, and rather than thinking that you’re stealing ideas (which you shouldn’t do!), it’s just a cog in the wheel of your inspiration. The more literature that you read, the more that you will understand the semantics of the written language. Nobody got to where they are currently without reading a book in the world of authors; so as you go along with your writing, pick up a novel to read on the night time. The more interested you are in the storyline, the more that you need to think about what it was that gripped you, and how you can use this in your own writing. If you need to brush up on your grammar and punctuation skills, there are courses online for you to take in order to do so.
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July 20, 2017

Having Trouble Keeping Your Staff Engaged?

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It’s something that all business owners go through from time to time. One of the many problems that you are likely to experience with your staff is the occasional lack of engagement on their part. This can happen due to a number of reasons, and it might not always be that easy to figure out what that reason is. It could be something personal, in which case you are unlikely to be able to help much. Or it might be that there is something undesirable about the workplace, in which case you probably can. If you think you need to try and engage with your employees a little more, there are some practical approaches which are always likely to be effective. Let’s have a look at what those might be. 


Shake It Up 

It is a fact that many people find themselves getting bored with their everyday job. This can happen to the best of us, and it is often difficult to solve very quickly in a business setting. However, there are things you can do to shake it up a bit - and doing so is usually likely to go down well. For a start, you might want to think about organizing the occasional company event. This can be a useful way to break up the monotony, as well as keeping everyone informed at the same time. Good event management, coupled with the ability to get people excited, can make this one of the better solutions out there. Alternatively, you could think about changing the office around, switching up the layout for example. You might be surprised at what a difference this can make, what a boost to morale it can cause. It’s always worth thinking about. 

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July 20, 2017

Office Comforts: Vital Tips Business Owners Shouldn't Ignore

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Business owners need to think long and hard about their approach to office design. It’s essential that all employees feel as comfortable as possible when performing their duties. Failure to achieve that goal will mean your team never reaches maximum productivity. So, take some of the advice from this article and apply it to your office as soon as possible. Your employees are going to thank you for making the improvements. So, that could also encourage them to work a little harder during the next few months. Best of all? You can knock all these expenses off your profits and pay less tax next year.

Regulate the amount of light in your office 

The last thing you need is for employees to have to squint their eyes all day long. That is going to reduce productivity, and it could leave everyone with a nasty headache. So, you have a couple of choices to make when rectifying that issue. Firstly, you could hang some blinds at the windows to better regulate light. Secondly, you could opt for a business window tint by SolarTex, Inc. or other established experts. Your team should notice the difference straight away. With a bit of luck, you should see that all employees get more work done during their time in the office. Tinting your windows can also help to reduce the amount of heat. 

Provide ergonomic furniture

No business owners want their staff to call in sick due to back pain. However, that is something that happens far too often these days. It’s usually down to the type of desks and chairs your employees use. Anyone who sits in the same position for eight hours at a time is going to experience problems. That is the case unless you make an investment in ergonomic furniture from Fully or other brands. Those products tend to cost a little more than other items. Still, they could slash the number of times people call in sick in half. So, it’s an investment that should reap some rewards for your company. Just search online and read reviews to ensure you’re buying the best products on the market. 

Install a first-class air conditioning unit 

During the summer months, your office will become hot and stuffy. Unless you want your team to sit around in their shorts and t-shirts, you’ll have to take action. The easiest way to solve that problem is to purchase an air conditioning unit. You’ll have to pay for professional installation, but that shouldn’t break the bank. You’ll also have to think about maintenance costs. There are lots of companies all over the world that focus on that niche. So, again, you just have to perform some online research to ensure you’re working with the most experienced experts. Hopefully, a lower office temperature will assist your team in feeling a little more comfortable. 

If you make the changes outlined in this article, you should create the perfect office for your business. Just remember that you always need to keep your eyes peeled for new ideas. You should also take the time to ask your team members if they have any suggestions. At the end of the day, they are the ones best placed to highlight anything you might overlook.
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July 19, 2017

New Ventures: Why Launching A Medical Firm Is A Brilliant Idea

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dentist, cleaning teeth

People who work in medical and health-related jobs might consider starting a new business at some point. That is a fantastic idea, and it’s something everyone should encourage. It’s vital that we have a lot of competition in those industries for the obvious reasons. Patients deserve as much choice as possible when it comes to paying for their care. With all that in mind, this article will focus on three key reasons launching a medical company is the best move you will ever make. Of course, this information only applies to individuals who already have the right qualifications. Everyone else will have to head back to college for a couple of years first. 

You will give something back 

Lots of people spend their entire living taking things from society without ever paying it back. Well, launching a new health company could mean you finally repay your debts. You would focus your efforts on helping sick and ill people to achieve a level of comfort. You might even cure a couple of patients here and there. So, nobody can argue that your business will have a positive impact on this country. That is more than can be said for most entrepreneurs who only create adverse effects. If you’re an experienced professional, going it alone will give you more control over patient care. 

You can outsource all the tedious work 

When you start a medical firm, it’s vital that you can focus on providing assessments and treatment. You won’t have time to handle issues like appointment booking or bookkeeping. For that reason, it’s sensible to outsource those time-consuming tasks. Thankfully, there are lots of specialists out there who offer accounting for dentists and just about every other medical professional. So, you just have to read some reviews and network with the right people. When it comes to outsourcing appointment booking, you just need to use a decent call center. 

You stand to make a fortune 

In most instances, your patient’s medical insurance will pay for their treatment. That means you don’t have to worry about leaving anyone without enough cash to pay their bills. You will often have to claim the fee back from the insurance company. Still, most procedures cost a lot of money these days, even if they don’t take a lot of time. That means you stand to make a small fortune if you build a successful practice. You could even employ more specialists and expand in the future. The possibilities are endless if you can keep your patients happy with the service you provide. 

As you can see from the points made on this page, starting a medical business is the best idea you’ll hear this year. Now you just have to spend time thinking about the perfect location. Look for towns and cities in which people have to travel a long distance for health care. Those are the places in which you stand to make the highest profits. Whatever happens during the coming months, I hope you achieve your goa
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July 19, 2017

Creating The Right Impression: How You Can Build Trust With Your Clients

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Business owners have to work hard to create the right impression and build trust. If your clients don’t feel confident spending money, you will never become successful. Considering that, some excellent tips below this introduction could help. You just have to work out the best ways of applying them to your operation. At the end of the day, you won’t have to spend a fortune to achieve that goal. You just have to follow a proven strategy to create the most efficient results. Regardless of the nature of your company, the same rules should apply. 

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Always look the part at meetings 

There is a good chance you will have to attend meetings when you’re trying to attract new clients. Psychologists claim that most human beings will form their first impression within a matter of seconds. For that reason, it’s vital that you correctly present yourself. Don’t make the mistake of turning up in an old car wearing a suit you’ve owned for more than ten years. Use your head, and invest in the right clothing for the meeting. You don’t have to break the bank, but a designer suit from a brand like FarFetch could make a significant difference. Also, make sure you wear some aftershave or perfume for the best outcomes. 

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July 18, 2017

Amped Up: Watt Could Go Wrong With Electric Cars

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Electric cars have gotten a lot of people very excited over the last few years. Companies have come leaps and bounds to find new ways to move people around. Of course, along with electric vehicles, normal cars are still being made. Why is this, though? They’re almost as cheap as regular cars. And they don’t cost as much to fuel. Their environmental impact alone is worth considering, too, as they produce no emissions. These cars, despite their good side, are still far from perfect, unfortunately. To help you to see this, this post will be going through three of the issues you could face buying into this emerging market. 

Powering a car with electricity alone is a great step towards making transport entirely renewable. Instead of the car producing emissions while being made and while on the road, electric vehicles only cause emissions when they’re made. But, at the cost of this, their fuel can be very hard to find. In a lot of places, there simply won’t be power. So, if you break down, you won’t have a way to refuel at all. Though, even when you have fuel, it might not serve you well. The lithium batteries inside electric cars discharge much faster in cold conditions. During winter, you won’t get the same mileage out of your car as you would in summer. With the fuel for these cars being hard to find, this could cause you some real issues. Of course, though, this will depend on where you are. 
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July 15, 2017

What You Really Want From Your Investments

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It’s no great secret that investing some of your capital is usually a sensible route to take. No matter how much (or how little) you might have spare, it is definitely worth finding some way to turn that amount into even more. When you want to do that, however, there are always a number of important considerations to make. One thing you absolutely want to make sure you get right is that you are choosing an investment type and portfolio which are as close to perfect for your own unique situation as possible. To ensure that, it often helps if you know what you really want from your investments. 


Potential 

To be clear, the goal of investing is always to turn that money into much more money, and as long as you are achieving this central and basic goal you know you are probably on the right path. It goes without saying therefore that this is one of the first things you will want to look out for when you are choosing between possible investment options. Above all, you want your investment to have real potential; in other words, you need to know that it actually has some significant chance of making you a decent amount of money. All investments have risk, so we are not talking about achieving perfection here - just that you want your investment to have a good chance of working out well in your favor. 

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July 15, 2017

Plug In Baby: The Benefits Of An Electric Car

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If you're a petrolhead, you might be a bit miffed about the appearance of electric cars. Firstly, there's no feel - secondly, there's no noise. Two things we like about petrol cars are the feel and the roaring rev of an engine. That doesn't happen with most electric cars unless they make an effort to emulate the sound. Electric cars? They might not be real cars. Not to you. But hey - look. Car's aren't good for the environment, and while the majority of drivers are responsible, there are a few who push their cars - and thus the environment - too hard for the sake of getting from A to B. Even with that, the amount of fumes stemming from responsible drivers is just as bad. There's not much we can do to stop our beloved cars from poisoning the Earth. Except stop driving them, but that's not going to happen. 

What this means is that tariffs, taxes, and charges are going to rise on cars powered by fossil fuels. Driving petrol is going to become more costly - and you know, oil isn't going to last forever. We need to start coming around to the ideas of electric cars, and what better way than looking at the benefits? 


While charges rise for petrol cars, right now it seems there are a few Government granted benefits to owning an electric car. There are certainly parking benefits, as spaces next to plugs are granted to electric car owners - but there are also tax exemptions. Certainly, over in the UK you can get tax credits for plug-in vehicles and as the push to them becomes greater, the rest of the world might follow suite. 

As for repairs? Electric cars seem to be reliable. Auto-repair is always going to be a necessity and that won't ever change - but it's likely that an electric car will have less issue than a petrol motor simply because there are less moving parts. It's likely that your car will spend less time in the shop if it's powered by a battery. 

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July 14, 2017

Here's What Nobody Tells You About Small Business Marketing

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We all know that marketing is an essential part of starting a business. Behind every successful company is a carefully thought out and well-executed marketing strategy. 

It’s likely you’ve spent a lot of time doing your research and finding some small business marketing tips to help move you in the right direction. I’m not going to waste your time by repeating the same old stuff for you here. Instead, this article will run through a few things nobody seems to tell us about small business marketing. So, read on to find out more: 


There Is No Small Business Marketing ‘Master’ Plan 

To begin, it’s worth noting that there is no master plan when it comes to small business marketing. What I mean by this is there isn’t one plan that fits every different scenario. Businesses will ultimately play a role in determining what strategy you use and how you apply it to gain customers. If you run a law firm, then the marketing strategy will be completely different to if you ran a restaurant. You’d need a law firm marketing strategy or a restaurant marketing strategy. Every business has a plan that’s tailored to that specific business. You will never find a plan online that will fit every small business perfectly. So, stop trying to look for it! Yes, apply some of the tips you find, but bear in mind your strategy may be different to what you see online depending on your company. 
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July 13, 2017

The Reasons Your Budget Isn't Working

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Do you make a budget on a regular basis? Have you got good intentions to get your finances in order, but still find that you’re way off every time you approach the end of the month? Budgeting is really beneficial for those who want to take control of their money, but it doesn’t work unless it’s done properly. If your budget isn’t panning out quite as you planned, and you find that your figures aren’t adding up, here are some reasons why. 

budgeting, monthly income

You’re not using accurate information 

Be honest. When you’re budgeting, do you input accurate information or do you use estimates? Even if you’re only slightly out, if you’re not on point with every single payment, this can make a massive difference when it comes to calculating how much you’re bringing in versus how much you’re spending. If you’ve underestimated, even by a couple of dollars on each entry, this can put you out by a considerable margin when it comes to totting up the total. Use a paystub maker to keep track of exactly how much you earn each month and itemize your outgoings. In most cases, you receive bills for your phone, TV package, and electricity a month in advance, so you can use the exact figure for your budget the following month. If you estimate that you spend $60 a month on gas at home and a bill comes for $100 because it’s winter and you’ve had the heating on, going on average payments isn’t going to work. 

 You’re not updating your budget

We all know that things can happen that can blow a budget out of the water, but even minor changes can make a difference. Update your budget as you go. If you’ve ended up spending more on a trip than you intended to, note down the revised figure. If you’re up to date, you’ll have a much better idea of how much you’ve got left to spend. Using a spreadsheet or an app will make it really easy to adjust your budget throughout the month. 

You’re being unrealistic 

When you put a budget together, it’s essential to be realistic. If you’re expecting to survive on a total expenditure $50 a week, you’re not going to be able to do this. It’s good to be frugal if you’re trying to save, but that shouldn’t come at a price. Use past budgets to determine how much you would normally spend, and base your new budget on that figure. If you usually spend $500 a month on groceries, it’s not going to be possible to reduce this to $200, but there may be savings you can make. Set the new budget at $400 and see how you get on. 

If you’ve been trying to budget without success, there may be some good reasons why. Budgeting can be incredibly beneficial, but you have to go about it in the right way to reap the rewards. Be realistic, use accurate, up to date information, and don’t forget to record any changes.
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July 10, 2017

Simple Strategies For Perfect Business Meetings

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Successful entrepreneurs tend to be united in many personality traits, but arguably most dominant of all is their ability to understand time. Not in the sense of basic perception of time, of course - most of us have that nailed by the time we’re a few years old - but the sense of how time can be used, and how it can be wasted, when running a business. After all, time is money, so we are told - so lost time is like burning wads of cash in front of your eyes. 

If there is one area of business that is liable to losing time (and thus losing money), it’s meetings. 


It doesn’t matter if they’re daily briefings or just a once-a-month sitrep for the company; it’s a one-way ticket to lost time and productivity. Why? 
  • Meetings bring together people who might not usually see one another, thus they want to catch up. This can be related to the business, or it might be in a social sense. You don’t have to ban your employees from being friendly entirely, but nevertheless, if their chat is dragging on for too long then you’re effectively paying them to gossip. 
  • Bringing together lots of different threads, people, and departments, is an efficiency task that few companies manage smoothly. You have to have all the right people in the right place, then the right equipment, then all the tech has to work as it should be working… it’s not easy. 
  • When there are disagreements or discussions, everything is going to take longer to work through. 
  • Meetings often involve the coordination of many people from different areas at one time, which can mean syncing diaries and having to handle unexpected absences. Just dealing with this side of a meeting can be problematic, and that’s just the bit that gets everyone in the same room! 

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July 07, 2017

An Owner's Guide To Maintaining The Perfect Home

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Whether you bought your home last week or last year, you know that sooner or later that “new house” feel is going to fade. It’s frustrating, of course, because you’re desperate to hold onto that fresh and welcoming glow of your brand new home. Whilst nothing lasts forever, you don’t need to be lazy when it comes to maintaining your house. There are ways to keep your house looking shiny and new if you put in a little bit of effort on a regular basis. This owner’s guide to maintaining the perfect home might just give you the inspiration to get to work. 

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Keep it clean. 

This is self-explanatory. You want to avoid clutter and keep things minimal in the household so as to make cleaning easier for yourself, but you do still need to clean on a regular basis if you want to maintain that “new house” feeling. A good rule of thumb is to clean as you go so as to avoid big clean ups every few months once the house looks like a tip. You’d be amazed how much better things look if you just cleaned a room before you left it. 

Know your limits. 

Of course, it’s important that you don’t push beyond your area of expertise or comfort when it comes to maintaining your home. DIY won’t always cut it when there are more serious problems around the home outside of your knowledge area. You might want to look into getting a house warranty so that elements of wear and tear around your household such as leaky faucets or electrical problems are financially covered for the day that the inevitable happens. The point is that it’s important not tackle any jobs that aren’t actually DIY tasks; if you feel that something is out of your experience level or YouTube tutorials don’t help you then it’s always better not to make the situation worse by working on it alone. 


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Don’t forget the garden. 

Your house has to remain pretty from the exterior if you want to keep up those good first impressions both for yourself and any potential invited guests to your home. That beautiful exterior all starts with the garden. Within the first few weeks of moving in, this outdoor area will have grown wild and untamed if left untouched. Perhaps you mow the lawn every so often, but you wouldn’t consider yourself a “green-fingered” garden fanatic. 

It might be time for a different mindset. You need to approach your garden not as a nature enthusiast but as a home enthusiast. This outdoor space is part of your property, and that means it’s essentially an outdoor room. It’s the forgotten room of your house. Think of renovating your garden like renovating a room in your house. Start by creating a blank canvas on which to work by mowing the lawn, de-weeding, and fixing any competing flowers in the flowerbed; you don’t want a violently competing patch of land. 

Once you’ve done all the boring nature-based stuff, you can start to enjoy your garden. Maintaining it will only require the occasional bit of mowing and de-weeding now and then, but you could create a beautiful patio area with comfortable seating and a dining table for summer barbeques. You want to turn this into a nice environment in which to relax, and that can be your incentive to keep the garden well-maintained.
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July 05, 2017

Retro Tech: Cool Stuff You May Have Owned That's Totally Back!

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Technology moves at such breakneck speed these days, it’s virtually impossible to keep up. Unless, of course, you happen to be a millionaire. While early adopters will spend a fortune on obsessively amassing ‘the latest’ gadgets and gizmos, they’re often disappointed by how seldom their new tech stays new. 

As technology rattles along at a dizzying pace, there’s been a growing subculture of tech savvy people who pine for the old products and technologies that they remember with such nostalgic fondness, and various industries have risen to answer that very specific call... to give yesterday’s technology a modern makeover. 

So check out these examples of older technology that’s totally back! If you already have any of it kicking around in your attic then you may want to brush it off. If not, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy to come by and affordable it is. 

vinyl, music

Vinyl 

There’s been a growing consensus among music aficionados that no amount of mp3 streaming or lossless digital audio can compare to the personal physical experience of buying, collecting and playing records. The industry has risen to the demands of audiophiles with this new website of Vinyl Vintage demonstrating how dedicated to the enhancement of the analogue experience the consumer electronics industry has become. 


Nokia

The Nokia 3310 

As ubiquitous in the early 00s as the iPhone is today, growing demand has led to the rerelease of this simple and beloved design classic (with a 2017 makeover of course). While the 2017 is largely similar in design to its 2000 predecessor, it’s lighter and gentler in its design with softer curves, rounder buttons and a bigger, brighter display. And yes… It still has the original, classic snake game too! 

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) 

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Last year Nintendo released a smaller (it fits in the palm of your hand), sleeker, more compact version of this classic 1980s games console (known as the Famicom in Japan) to rapturous applause from retro gamers and children of the ‘80s. 

The original console played host to such classics as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda and the re-released version boasts both of these and a whole lot more with 30 NES games built into its memory. As well as getting a miniaturized makeover the console also boasted clever upscaling technology and an HDMI port to ensure that the 8 bit games looked their best on modern HD TVs. 

The enormous boom has made a fortune for Nintendo and resultantly they have made plans to rerelease their equally beloved Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in the US and UK this September. 

Super 8 video 

Canon 310XL

The analogue resolution doesn’t stop with vinyl. Film enthusiasts have clamored for the rerelease of this popular medium (which allowed the likes of a young Christopher Nolan and JJ Abrams to hone their craft in the 70s and 80s) for years and Kodak conceded with the rerelease of the Super 8 camera alongside the Brownie and Instamatic as part of their ‘analogue revolution’ to appease film buffs and introduce digital users to the depth and image quality of celluloid.
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July 04, 2017

Shopping Addiction: Its Impact & The Aftermath

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shopping

Can a person ever really be addicted to shopping? 

It is, after all, something that most of us do on a weekly basis. Is it possible that it could fall into the same category of those most destructive of substance and alcohol issues - addiction itself? 

The answer is: yes. Addiction tends to mean a behavior that stimulates dopamine production in the brain. Dopamine makes us feel good; makes us feel happy - so we want to do anything that stimulates that feeling over and over again. If it’s shopping that gives us a dopamine rush, then there’s no question about it: shopping can indeed be addictive. 

When Is Shopping Addiction A Problem? 


Given that shopping is something much of us have to do by necessity, it’s sometimes tricky to see where the line is. When is it just about servicing your need to buy things you need, and when has it crossed a line into being an addiction? 


While every case is different, there are a few telltale signs of when a shopping habit has become something more sinister: 
  • Shopping even when there is nothing you need or particularly want - you’re shopping for the sake of doing so. 
  • Shopping to cheer yourself up when you’re feeling low for other reasons. Retail therapy on occasion is one thing, but if your immediate thought when you’re in need of a pick-me-up is to shop, then that might be problematic. 
  • Suffering financial issues and a dented credit score as a result of spending more than you can afford. This might start mildly with a credit card debt, but over time, it will increase and become more and more problematic. 
  • If you go without shopping for a short while, feeling the urge to shop just to break the dry spell. Again, this is all the more problematic if there’s nothing you need and you just want to shop anyway.    

What Can Be Done About Shopping Addiction? 


There are two prongs of shopping addiction that need to be addressed. The first is the more immediate problem: dealing with the financial impact that results from the issue. 

Your credit score needs repairing as a priority, as credit scoring is used for all kinds of things these days. From that point on, you might need to enlist the help of professionals to aid in your quest for a better score. Be careful, though - some companies may do more harm than good, so do your research, read Parkview credit repair reviews and those of similar companies before you take the leap. You need to know how others have fared when using their services before you entrust any company with your financial affairs. 

With that side of shopping addiction taken care of, you can move into overcoming the problem itself. To begin with, cut up all of your credit cards and try to use cash only - it will help bring the reality of what you spend into stark relief. 

It’s also a good idea to enlist the help of a therapist, who can help identify the causes of your addiction and help you cope with the withdrawal. It might be a difficult process, but it’s one you absolutely need to go through. There’s no shame in falling foul of the dopamine rush that addiction can bring, but with strength and encouragement, you can move past it onto a better, brighter life.
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