Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

Easy Ways to Improve the Aesthetic Look of your Business

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“Your business is your investment, and for that reason, you have to do everything you can to make sure that it is successful.”

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Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Having a pretty website is one thing, and it has never been easier with affordable website build pricing and plug-and-play options, but if you have an actual base of operations with employees and customers walking in, making sure your establishment looks good is critical. The following contributed post discusses some ways you can do this and is entitled, Easy Ways to Improve the Aesthetic Look of your Business.

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Your business is your investment, and for that reason, you have to do everything you can to make sure that it is successful. In order to do this, you have to make sure that you provide an extraordinary service. You also need to make sure that your business looks the part as well, but if you aren’t quite ready to buy a new workspace, then there are a few things you can do, that will not cost you the earth, and which even the best commercial real estate development companies employ in their designs.

Open Everything Up

The first thing that you really need to do is get rid of any cubicles you have. There is no room for these in a modern office, and employees don’t often like them anyway. If you want to really step things up to that next level, then you need to switch to open desks. Co-workers will be able to collaborate with each other much more easily and they can also converse about the task at hand. Slow your staff into the idea of this so it doesn’t disrupt their working day too much, and also try and answer any questions that they have.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/party-glass-architecture-windows-34092/

Be Bold

One thing that can really spruce up an office space is colour. The theme of your office should always contain the same colours as your logo. It is also important that you make your space stand out. Strong colours such as blues, reds and greens are great if you want to make your space pop, and this can work wonders for your employee motivation as well.

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Glass

If you have room dividers then you may not want to get rid of them just for the sake of it. After all, you may feel as though they add some structure to the space and you may even feel as though they help your team. This is completely understandable, but you do need to make some changes if you want to improve the overall aesthetic of your office. You need to replace the dividers with glass and you may also want to consider adding some artwork as well. When you do this, you can go for the frosted look and you can also give yourself a fresh and non-intrusive design. Want to take things to the next level? Look up “what is cast glass”.

Additionally, there are several ways you can level up your office style with glass. For instance, you can revamp your space by transforming your windows, partitions, or doors with custom designs, logos, or even motivational quotes. If you want iron-on designs, consider using heat press vinyl, which lets you get creative with tons of colors and styles. Whether for branding purposes, privacy enhancements, or decorative accents, it sticks firmly and lasts a long time, all on a budget. You can also add a touch of privacy with frosted vinyl for meetings. Now, your office won’t look like everyone else’s because it stands out.

Curb Appeal

When your clients walk into your business, you want them to feel as though they are walking into somewhere that is clean and professional. If you do not take the time to really maintain your business premises then they won’t feel this way at all, and this can cause major problems for you. If you want to get around this then you need to make sure that you invest in commercial paving and that you also put the work in to try and prune any greenery that you have. Bannisters and bollards can go a long way too, and they are great at making your business feel separate from any other offices on the street.

There really are many things that you can do to try and make your business feel more professional. Some of them are more work than others, but they are all going to help your business to get to where it needs to be. They can also help you to boost your level of customer trust as well.

What Financial Headaches Are Hanging Over Your Head

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. To have good financial health, it’s important to know what steps to take and which ones to avoid to prevent getting yourself into long-term jams. The following contributed post is thus entitled, What Financial Headaches Are Hanging Over Your Head.

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There are few things as stressful as money. Even when things are going well, which isn’t all that often, we can be struck by a moment of panic, one that says, “it’s going well now, but you need to keep it like this for many years to come. Can you do it?” But of course, that’s nowhere near as bad as when things aren’t going as well as we’d like. They have the potential to rob us of the joy we should experience as living creatures, disrupt our sleep, and worse. Below, we take a look at some of the common financial headaches that can hang over a person’s head.

Source: Pexels.com

Too Much Credit Card Debt

Credit cards can be beneficial, of course; indeed, it’s recommended that you have one, so you can build good credit, which makes it easier to get loans at favorable rates. But credit cards usage can quickly spiral out of control, and before you know it, you can have a big bill, and your monthly payments are really only covering the interest. If that happens, then look at switching the debt to a card that offers an interest-free period. When the period runs out, switch the remaining balance to another card.

Big Bills and Reduced Income

Most people only have a pretty tenuous grip on their finances. Their security is entirely dependent on their income. But those people are just one injury away from being in trouble. If you’re involved in an incident and suffer an injury, you might find that you have to stop working. This will make it difficult to pay the many bills that you have. If this happens, the first thing you should do is pause any non-essential payments. If it wasn’t your fault, then get in touch with these accident lawyers, and fight for financial compensation. When you’re injured, the aim should be on getting better, not wrestling with your financial situation.

Expensive Homes

It is a great achievement to get the keys to your very own home. It can feel like a dream come true. But this dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if the house you bought is too big and expensive for what you can afford. The most important thing is to find more money – it is better, in the long run, to live a frugal lifestyle in order to afford the mortgage payments. Later on down the line, you’ll hopefully be able to renegotiate the terms of the deal, which will put more money in your pocket.

Everyday Expenses

Many people find that they can afford their home, but struggle with the everyday costs of living. If you’re in this position, then go through where your money is going – it’s possible that you’re spending far more than necessary on, say, coffee or eating out. A person’s shopping habits in the supermarket can influence their financial habits way more than they should. Don’t opt for the brand name stuff – it’ll taste the same, and you’ll have more money to play with.

Utilizing Technology In Your Business

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital age it’s important to properly utilize technology in your operations. Not everyone is savvy in how to go about this. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Utilizing Technology In Your Business.

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Photo by Free-Photos from Pixabay

The world around us is becoming more and more technology-based, from the telematics in our cars to the hardware in our phones. No matter where you are it seems that you can’t escape some sort of technology. So, with that in mind let’s look at how your company might try to then make the most of tech and the digital age.

Marketing

For starters, one of the ways that many companies are utilizing technology around the world is by investing their time and money in digital marketing campaigns. As referenced above, our phones have become almost like miniature computers in our pockets and therefore are perfect places for companies to target their advertising. The way they will do that will quite often be via social media, so where you start with this form of marketing?

Social Media – From Facebook to Twitter and every Instagram or Snapchat in between there is a social network out there these days for all of us to use. Rarely before in history have you as a business has such eahsy access to so many captive eyes and making the most of that is vital to your success.

It is important to remember with social media that each one has a specialty and users who are active for that reason. That means you need to target your marketing campaign carefully, don’t start a YouTube plan if you have no need for video based promotion, for example. So, the first thing any social media marketing campaign must do is identify its audience and find where they are online. Facebook has the highest number of users so if you cast a net you’re likely to catch some fish, but are they the right ones for you. A mistake made by many companies is thinking that because a social media account is free they should dive head first, far from it. Your time is currency to the company and wasting it by spreading yourself thinly over several social media websites rather than targeting a few is not a good use of it.

Photo by Pexels from Pixabay

Productivity

In addition to improving your ability to promote your business, the tech industry has delivered a vast range of applications that will help your workforce being more efficient and productive with their time. The classics of the genre include Evernote and Dropbox, both of which are regular features of many offices with the latter offering cloud-based storage and the former a type or organization tool.

However, keep your eye out for startups that are looking to revolutionize the productivity market. As we learn more about the digital era we are seeing more and more applications come to the fore that can help your business with communications, meetings and sharing information. Some of these companies that you might want to keep an eye on include: Mindmeister, Todoist, and RescueTime.

5 Errors That Can Negatively Impact Your Future

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. We all have the potential to be successful in life, though not everyone maximizes their potential. It’s important to be aware the many factors that can hold you back. The following contributed post is thus entitled, 5 Errors That Can Negatively Impact Your Future.

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Your future isn’t written in the stars. It is up to you to make it as good as you can. Alas, this is nearly always easier said than done. While we have all the tools to be the best version of ourselves, we also possess a few flaws that can make us the worst version of yourself. The trick is to be aware of them; if you understand some of the actions that can lead to a less than stellar future, then you’ll be better able to stay on the right path. We take a look at five examples below.

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Not Looking After Yourself

It might sound all good and well working as hard as you can to progress your business, but this is a false friend. If all you’re doing is working, then when are you dedicating time to work on the other sides of your being? A person who works twelve hours a day and has no outside activities will crash pretty quickly. A person who has a cut-off point, and makes time for hanging with friends, exercising, and cultivating their character will have the right, stable mindset needed to be a success.

Following the Lead of Others

They say that everyone is the average of the five people they spend the most time with. As such, it’s imperative that you’re surrounding yourself with people who are going to push you to be the type of person you want to be. Even friends that we know and like can have a negative impact on us. If they make a habit of engaging in reckless behavior, then you may suddenly find that you’re in need of a criminal defense lawyer. Few people go out in life believing they’re going to end up in trouble with the law, but by following the lead of others, that’s just where they end up.

Lack of Goal Setting

It is important that you live in the here and now. Little good can come from having your head too far in the past or the future. Yet while it’s worthwhile practicing mindfulness and experiencing what’s right in front of you, it’s imperative that you’re setting goals for the future. The future is going to come sooner rather than later, and if you haven’t made any plans, you might find that you’re stuck in a position that you’d rather not be in.

Dreaming Way Too Big

They say that you should dream as big as possible. And you should. But it’s important that you also have your feet firmly on the ground. Having big plans for the future will serve you well, but it’ll be your ability to do the boring aspects that move towards that dream that really counts.

Not Treating Other People Well

Finally, remember that you can’t reach the top by climbing over other people. You need to work with people – treat others well as you’re moving to the top, and they’ll be there to help you up again if you fall.

Are You Struggling To Cope? Spotting Warning Signs

One of the focuses of my blog is Health/Wellness. A major aspect of this is mental health which is arguably more difficult to manage than physical health. One of the first steps is identifying when something is wrong. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Are You Struggling To Cope? Spotting Warning Signs.

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Many of us utter the words ‘I can’t cope’ without really giving much thought to what they mean. This phrase is often used in jest when watching videos of impossibly cute puppies, for example, but what happens when you feel like you need to use it in its true form? The reality is that it’s absolutely fine to say that you’re struggling, but so many of us find this a virtually impossible task. If life is hard at the moment, you may be intent on soldiering on, but it’s always beneficial to understand that saying that you can’t cope is not a failure or a character flaw. If you feel like you’re struggling, here are some signs that it may be time to ask for help.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/depression-sadness-man-2912424/

You’ve adopted unhealthy or unsafe coping mechanisms
Everyone is different, and we all react to stress, anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty in different ways. You may find that you reach for your gym kit if you’re feeling blue, which can be incredibly cathartic and invigorating, but many people adopt a crutch that isn’t always the sturdiest, most stable option. If you turn to drugs or drink, you punish yourself with abusive thoughts or harsh criticism, or you binge eat fast food every time life takes a negative turn, this is a sign that you’re not coping well. It’s particularly worrying if you continue to do something even if you know the implications could be dangerous or damaging. If you’ve been drinking, for example, and you get in the car, you probably know that you shouldn’t be behind the wheel, but at that moment, you choose to turn the key and put your foot on the gas. This decision could land you in a situation where you need a DUI lawyer, but it could also have disastrous consequences for your health and the safety of others around you. If you’re relying on coping mechanisms that have the potential to make the scenario worse, reach out, open up, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You feel like you’re in a constant battle or a race that doesn’t have a finish line
We’ve all had days when we feel like we’re swimming against the tide, but can you imagine feeling like that over a period of days or weeks? If you feel like you’re constantly fighting a battle or you’re running a race with no finish line in sight, this suggests that you need to take time out, slow down, and try and find a more tranquil headspace. Life in the modern world can be hectic, but we all deserve time to step back and take some enjoyment out of our sometimes crazy existence. When you feel like you’re spinning plates, this can contribute to chronic stress, it can affect your mood and your mental health, and it can prevent you from living life to the full. Sometimes, something as simple as finding a babysitter, talking to your boss and taking a couple of days off or revising your schedule can help to restore a sense of balance. Meditation, reading, and exercises like yoga and Pilates can also help to provide breathing space.

Stress is part and parcel of everyday life, but it shouldn’t define you or take over your life. If you’re resorting to crutches or coping mechanisms that are damaging your physical or mental health or you’re struggling to see a light at the end of the tunnel, now is the time to ask for help.

What Advantages Do Plastic Pipes Have Over Metal For Your Business?

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). In many instances, business and science intersect – particularly those businesses where some knowledge of Chemistry and Materials Science is critical for planning projects, and budgeting for costs and savings. The following contributed post is entitled, What Advantages Do Plastic Pipes Have Over Metal For Your Business?

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Regardless of what pipe system you are looking to install one important decision you need to think about is the material of the pipes. This is imperative because it directly impacts the level of quality of your system, how long it will last you for and ultimately whether it will be cost effective or not. The two main materials you have at your disposal are plastic and metal. This article will reveal why the former option wins this battle each and every time. Why should you choose plastic pipework systems over metal?

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Durability
First and foremost, one of the main advantages associated with plastic is the fact that it is much more durable than metal is. This is because it is not susceptible to the impact of corrosion, rust and other types of degradation. However, metal is, and because of this, you can end up with extremely costly repairs on your hands as leaks are assured to arise after a certain period of time. Furthermore, if you select plastic pipework systems you don’t have to worry about experiencing that horrible metallic taste in your drinking water which frequently occurs with metal pipes.

Environmental Benefits
There is undoubtedly increased attention placed on looking after the planet in the current day and age. By using plastic pipes instead of metal you will be playing your role. This is because plastic has walls that are a lot thicker than metal and as a consequence, you will benefit from a better insulator against heat loss. Moreover, in relation to metal, it does not conduct heat anywhere as easily because it has low thermal conductivity. When you take all of this into account it means that hot water is going to stay hot longer and therefore the need for energy diminishes. This ensures that you are operating a lot more environmentally friendly than you would be if you went for metal.

Long Life Span
As mentioned earlier; conductive plastic is not susceptible to damage anywhere near as much as metal is. This is because it is immune to the effects of pitting, rust, corrosion and any other types of degradation. In essence, this means that you can expect your plastic pipework system to be like new for a minimum of 25 years.

Cheaper
Plastic pipes are undoubtedly a lot cheaper than metal pipes are, and price savings are welcomed by all businesses. There are several different reasons why this is the case. First and foremost, plastic is a lot cheaper to produce. Nevertheless, there are other cost savings that people do not initially recognise. For example, you will also save money when it comes to transportation as plastic is a lot lighter. In addition to this, because plastic tends to have a longer lifespan you will also reap cost efficiency because you will not need to spend as much on repairs and replacements. You will also reduce your energy expenses.

When you take these four key benefits into account it is really not hard to see why plastic pipes prove to be the clear winner when compared with metal systems.

New Car Tech From CES 2019

A key focus of my blog is Technology. As our world continues to technologically evolve, the automotive industry is evolving right along with it. Many of the new automotive tech will be showcased for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show. The following contributed post is thus entitled, New Car Tech From CES 2019.

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The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is almost upon us and, as a result, automakers all over the world are releasing teasers for what’s in store for 2019, a year when many expect to see big leaps forward in automotive tech.

Let’s take a look at what the various car makers are promising and what we can get excited about in the days to come.

Emotional Recognition Technology

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When face recognition technology first began to mature back in 2014, technologists predicted that it wouldn’t be long before it could start assessing our moods. And lo and behold, that’s precisely what happened. AI-powered technology soon learned what a stressed-out or happy human looked like and could theoretically be programmed to respond.

The market applications of this weren’t clear before, but now Kia has introduced what it calls an “emotional recognition system” that’s designed to pick up on cues from drivers and then adjust things like lighting automatically. No, the mood options are not yet installed on any Kia vehicles, but the company will be showcasing the technology using a pod at CES this year. Visitors can try the system, whether they’re feeling happy, sad, angry or pretty much indifferent. https://www.zigwheels.com/ gives more details.

A Modular Car

Mercedes-Benz has long been at the forefront of automotive technology, but at this year’s CES, the car company is looking for a way to outdo itself once again. It’s come up with such a wacky concept that it’s hard to imagine how it would work in practice, but the company wants to push the idea nonetheless.

The idea is for a modular car. The car would be small – perhaps only large enough for a single occupant – but would have an expandable bay at the rear so that people could take more luggage with them when they wanted to. The car would also run on batteries, making it one of the smallest cars in the world. It’s clear that the vehicle is inspired by Smart, a subsidiary of Mercedes that produces small, compact, eco-friendly city cars.

New Autonomous Tech

Flickr by Steve Jurvetson

No, we’re not likely to see fully self-driving cars from any of the major manufacturers anytime soon, but companies are looking at ways to make life safer. According to emrochandkilduff.com/fredericksburg/virginia-automobile-accident-lawyer/, car manufacturers still have a long way to go to protect drivers and pedestrians. But Audi says that it’s working on technology that will expand on the current array of autonomous driving options to help protect pedestrians too. Audi says that it will be introducing sensors that will help prevent an accident involving a collision with a pedestrian, as well as other road users.
The car company also wants to update its infotainment system to make it less demanding to use while on the road. Expect to see gesture technology as well as voice activation.

CES looks like it’s going to be another interesting year for the automotive sector as it plays catch up with the tech industry. Greater integration with tech products is leading to more opportunities to improve the driving experience.

How Can You Tell If Your Customers Like You

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. No matter what you business is, your customers are you lifeblood. Sales are the ultimate indicator of whether or they like your products and services, but today there other ways to gauge this. The following contributed is thus entitled, How Can You Tell If Your Customers Like You.

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Businesses need to know whether what they’re doing is the right thing. But what actually constitutes “the right thing” can be difficult to ascertain. Customers are often mysterious creatures and won’t willingly write a report on company performance.

How your company performs in the eyes of customers, though, is paramount. It’s customers who ultimately decide whether the company lives or dies and whether you end up making money in the end. If they don’t like what you’re selling, your bottom line will suffer, and you could ultimately go out of business.

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Companies need to do marketing research to find out whether customers actually like their product, but that process itself is fraught with difficulties. For starters, people are getting tired of filling out endless surveys and reviews online for products that they buy. It’s hard enough finding the products you want and ordering them, let alone writing an in-depth article about their features and how they measured up (although some people do this).

Customers want easier options when it comes to writing reviews, and often just want to give a star-rating out of five. But that doesn’t tend to help companies all that much who need specific feedback about the features of their products. Yes, it gives an overall impression that customers are happy, but not much more than that.

Working out whether customers like something that you do can, therefore, be a challenge. But, as a business owner or manager, there are still plenty of pieces of information that you can use to tell you whether what you’ve created is remarkable or not. Take a look at the following.

Your Customers Keep Coming Back

Okay sure, your customers don’t give you direct, detailed feedback. But if they keep on coming back for more, then it’s sure sign that you’re doing the right thing.

You can see this “coming back for more” effect playing out in some of the world’s most successful companies. Apple, for instance, has seen customers returning year after year each time it releases a new iPhone. For many years after the release of the original iPhone back in 2007, news outlets reported on how Apple was attracting queues of people at midnight for the launch of its new product. Although this has come down from the fever-pitch levels of a few years back, Apple is still riding the same wave. People just love its products and keep coming back for more.

What’s so surprising about companies like Apple is that customers don’t keep coming back because of low prices – the logic of many business leaders today. Instead, they come back because they know that they’re going to get a service that they can’t get anywhere else. Only Apple can do Apple.

In some ways, it’s almost like people can’t live without their Apple products. Life without an iPhone or Mac seems so far removed from how life should be that customers don’t even entertain the possibility of not having one of the company’s products. Regular businesses can take advantage of this idea too: they can harp on about how critical their products are to their customers’ worlds, and how living without them would be a nightmare.

The final thing that keeps customers coming back is usually the uniqueness of the product or customer experience. Obviously, if you’re an online retailer, it’s not as easy to differentiate your product as it would be if you were a product manufacturer, like Apple, but you can still focus on the customer experience elements that keep people coming back. One of the reasons Walmart has been so successful over the years has been its strategy of always welcoming customers in its stores and trying to serve them on an individual basis, even though it is going for the mass market. People will come back if they enjoy the overall experience and will weigh this against the prices on offer.

Your Customers Talk About What You Do

How can you tell that customers like Tesla Motors? Because they talk about the company of their own volition. People love the products and the ethos of the company, and they’re more than willing to spread the word about the firm’s products on Tesla’s behalf with no direction from the company itself.

Tesla is an unusual business in so many ways. But perhaps the most remarkable thing about it is that it has hardly spent any money on marketing at all. All its spare cash has gone into expanding its production and paying off debts, and it relies almost exclusively on the work of the community to promote its products.

Companies who can delight customers so much that they go out and start spreading the word themselves always win. People are far more likely to believe the claims of their peers than they are the company, and so customer marketing is usually a lot more effective. If you can get your customers to form a community around your business and get them to spread the word about your products, then you’re likely to win big.

Keep an eye on social media sites like YouTube which have high engagement. See whether there are any opportunities for you to reach out to influencers who would be willing to make videos extolling the virtues of your products.

Happy Customers Will Tell You They Like You

It’s hard to know what silent customers are thinking. Sure, they might love your business, or they might hate it, but it’s more likely to be that they are indifferent to it. Although that’s not a disaster, it’s also not the best possible situation.

Customers who are enthralled by your products will tell you about it. Unsolicited positive feedback is a sure sign that you’re doing something right and that you’ve adopted an approach customers like. People aren’t used to receiving impeccable service from companies most of the time, and so if you can deliver, you’re likely to find out about it. Keep track of individual customer stories and see whether a pattern emerges. Ask yourself what they like and what they don’t.

Researching Your Career Revisited: Wisdom from a STEM Professor at My HBCU

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I originally published this piece on the Examiner back in January of 2013. It discussed some simple, but valuable career advice a professor from my undergraduate institution gave me and my classmates. If followed, this advice would likely save the student, their family and their schools money, time, and heartache.

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Though their importance is questioned by some today, there are advantages to attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Two big advantages are small class sizes and the personal relationships that can be developed with the faculty. These two factors were integral to my success at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU).

It isn’t just the close relationships with the faculty that are advantageous, but also the “tell it like is” mentality with which they taught us. The instructors felt as though they had to be hard on us students in order to make us competitive, to help us reach our potential, and ultimately, to achieve our dreams. Some students rejected this approach, while others embraced the guidance and the coaching.

Many students who major in the biological sciences do so with hopes of going to medical school and becoming a physician. Not only is being a medical doctor a well-respected profession, but it is also believed to lead to a life of wealth and prosperity; something many doctors and the author of The Millionaire Next Door, Dr. Thomas Stanley, would debate.

During my first year at JCSU, a very simple but important piece of advice was passed along to the students in our Concepts of Modern Biology class. That advice was simply that we students should take some time to research our careers of interest. Again it was simple but very powerful advice.

“You all keep saying that you want to go to medical school, but you don’t have the slightest idea as to what it takes to get into medical school, or what’s going to happen once you get there,” our professor, a Ph.D. of Cell Biology, passionately said to us. She was small in stature but was a very tough-minded professor.

“What you all need to do is to go to the library, pull out a book on the healthcare professions and read up on what it will take to become a medical doctor,” she further advised us. She’d often say, “the slots are limited,” meaning that it was very competitive to get into medical school and they would only take the best of the best. A couple of driven, motivated and talented students from JCSU in that era did in fact go on to medical school to pursue their dreams.

It was debated quite a bit at the time whether or not students from a small HBCU like JCSU could get into medical school. The students who made it in proved that it could be done, but again they were some of the best and brightest that our Natural Sciences Department had to offer.

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I took my professor’s advice and investigated the path towards becoming a medical doctor. In between semesters, I visited Buffalo’s downtown public library and pulled out a book on the healthcare professions. Some of what I discovered in my research, I’d heard before; applicants needing a competitive score on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), a competitive grade point average (GPA) particularly in the sciences, letters of recommendation, and scientific research or volunteer experience in a clinic or hospital.

What I read next though were the real eye openers. Financially, many medical students offset their tuition with loans and graduated with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Medical school graduates are required to complete something called a “Residency” which usually involved them getting little sleep over long periods of time, depending on their specialization. They further had to be willing to move to often remote and undesirable locations in some instances initially. Finally, most don’t start making significant money until long after they’ve graduated or completed their training.

After doing the research, I decided that I didn’t want to go to medical school to be a physician. I stayed in science but decided to go into research which itself had its own notable challenges and struggles, though ultimately quite a few rewards. See my post on that.

The point of this story is not to discourage anyone from going to medical school, especially if treating and caring for patients is a student’s underlying motivation, dream and passion. A career is a personal choice and must be decided by the individual. That being said, it’s important to do the research, study the process and figure out all that will be involved when pursuing a particular career path.

At one point, being a medical doctor may have been a very lucrative profession to pursue, but as with most areas of life, things seldom stay the same. Significant factors that medical doctors have to contend with today that they didn’t worry about as much in years past, is the impact of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) on the degree of care patients can receive, and the threat of malpractice lawsuits.

“You want to do something that you’re going to enjoy doing every day. If you’re doing something just for the money, it’s not a good thing,” a mentor advised me. In general, careers should be pursued not simply for the money, but based upon what a student is passionate about and has a natural talent for.

Furthermore, the cost of seeking a professional education such as attending medical, dental or law school, for example, should be strongly considered before pursuing a given career. Specifically, the amount of debt that will have to be repaid should be one of the major considerations as it will impact an individual’s lifestyle for a potentially significant amount of time.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy:

• The story of how I earned my STEM degree
• A look at STEM: What are the Basic Sciences and Basic Research?
• A look at STEM: What is Regulatory Science?
• The transferrable skills from a doctoral degree in the basic sciences
• A look at STEM: What is Pharmacology?
• A look at STEM: What is Toxicology?

The Big Words LLC Newsletter

For the next phase of my writing journey, I’m starting a monthly newsletter for my writing and video content creation company, the Big Words LLC. In it, I plan to share inspirational words, pieces from this blog and my first blog, and select videos from my four YouTube channels. Finally, I will share updates for my book project The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story. Your personal information and privacy will be protected. Click this link and register using the sign-up button at the bottom of the announcement. If there is some issue signing up using the link provided, you can also email me at bwllcnl@gmail.com . Best Regards.

How to Create a Cheap But Effective Website

One of the focuses of my blog is Technology. Whether you’re a business owner, or you’re a blogger, you’ll need to set up a website of some sort. Either you’re going to want something high-tech with all the bells and whistles, or you’re going to want something more on the simple side. Either way you was something effective and the following contributed post is entitled, How to Create a Cheap But Effective Website.

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If you’re looking to create a cheap but effective website, you are not alone, indeed the proliferation of low cost website builders designed for amateurs with no technical experience to build a functional site without the overwhelm of having to learn coding is testament to how many people are looking to create a cheap but effective website that they can create on their own.

The reality is that if you are looking for an “effective website” we need to dig a little deeper to work out what is meant by the term effective, as when it comes to professional website development, the first step in the process is often referred to as requirements analysis – meaning a specification can be created.

You may think you know what you want, but sometimes, we don’t fully know what we want even though we think we do – because we don’t know what we don’t know. For instance, if you aren’t aware of the negative effect a website that loads in over 3 seconds will have on user engagement, then you won’t define site speed as a requirement within your specification. In fact, when it comes to creating a website on your own, you might not even think you need a specification.

In this article, therefore, we’re going to take a look at four different ways to go about creating a cheap but effective website.

1. DIY WEBSITE EDITOR
You can use a WYSIWYG editor (what you see if what you get) such as Wix.com to create a basic website that is simple to design as it uses drag and drop technology. This way, the clever code that runs in the background is none of your concern – you literally build your website up from a blank canvas, importing objects such as videos, text and images or you could even use a predefined template that you can customise to your requirements.

This approach is best suited to small business owners that are looking for a simple site that can be easily managed and adjusted.

2. WORDPRESS
WordPress is a CMS (content management system) that many business websites are powered by. WordPress is more complicated than something like Wix, yet it allows a lot more functionality. The reality is that if you are completely new to website design and are looking for something cheap but effective, Wix might be the best option, yet if you are looking for something with greater functionality then wordpress will be your go-to solution.

3. HIRE A FREELANCER
The next step up, is a little more costly yet will save a lot of headaches and time. You can head to places like Fiverr or freelancer.com and find a cheap freelance developer to outsource the design of your website. This is the best solution for those with a slightly larger budget that have less time, or less inclination to sit and design something themselves.

4. HIRE A WEB DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
The best bet if you’re looking for a decent website is to work with a web development company, yet, this can be an expensive option. That said, it can save a lot of time, money and frustration in the long run – as the frustration many people experience in working with a remote freelancer makes many wish they had just gone to a well established web development company and paid a little extra to avoid all the hassle.