Category: Contributed Posts

7 Things That Will Help You To Prevent Issues Within Your Organization

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When running any organization, it’s important to know how to proactively keep everything running smoothly. What are some keys to doing so? The following contributed post is entitled, 7 Things That Will Help You To Prevent Issues Within Your Organization.

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Experiencing issues within your organization is never fun, and you want to be able to overcome them as quickly as possible so that you can learn from them. Learning from any issues that you do face is a must if you want to keep on moving forward.

Here, we have 7 things that can help you to prevent issues within your organization. They don’t mean that you won’t experience another issue ever, but they can help to reduce them and make them far easier to manage. Take a look and see what you can do:

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Write Out A Business Plan
If you don’t have a business plan, this is nothing but a pipedream. You don’t have to write a novel on your business, but you should be writing out specific objectives, strategies, financing, a sales and marketing plan, and a determination of the cash you need to get things done. This is one of the most important things you’ll do in the beginning.

Stay Flexible
Ok, so you spent some time writing a plan. This doesn’t mean you can’t stay flexible. You should stay flexible if you want things to work out! You need to be prepared to change, as so many things change quickly these days, whether you’re looking at your industry or marketing.

Don’t Let Your Ego Get the Better Of You
Having mentors and advisors is a good idea because you need people to bounce ideas off. Not only that, they will help you to achieve greater accomplishments, hold you accountable for what you are committing to do, and more. They can help you to look at things objectively when you are struggling to do so, too. Never let your ego get in the way.

Keep Track Religiously
Keep track of everything, and manage by the numbers. This will allow you to retain consistency and train your employees. Keeping track of everything is crucial, whether you’re a multi million pound business or a non profit. Looking into things that could then be improved based on what you have tracked will help you to grow, for example, IT support for nonprofits if your staff are currently struggling with issues.

Delegate Effectively
Although you want to avoid micromanaging them, you should be prepared to delegate to your employees when needed. This is one of the greatest things that an entrepreneur or business owner can learn to do. You can’t be a control freak, though, so bear this in mind.

Use Social Media
Social media is where it’s at for business marketing and finding customers, as well as relating to old customers and bringing them back. It’s super powerful and very cost efficient, but it takes time and some skill to figure out how to use it properly. It is about creating a community, so it could be a good idea to hire a social media manager to start this off for you.

Above all, make sure you have fun in business. You can survive if you stay passionate, have fun, and keep a positive can-do outlook.

The Journey Your Imports Must Make To Become Inventory

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In today’s highly digitized and global world, commerce can easily take place between businesses in multiple countries. Part of this involves understanding how and where your products of interest are being shipped. The following contributed post is thus entitled; The Journey Your Imports Must Make To Become Inventory.

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The beauty of the modern business is that everything is inherently global. You might consider yourself as a humble ‘ma n’ pa’ shop but even you can and should take advantage of free markets. This is international trade that has taken off in every country whether advanced or even third world. Your humble pizza shop might be using mozzarella cheese that is home grown but you can import the best from Italy if you wish. And it’s not going to be wallet-busting either because aforementioned, everything is global nowadays. Businesses of all kinds look for other businesses in other countries to do business with non-stop. Striking a deal isn’t the that big of an issue if both parties are on the same page. You’re probably not the only one your import partner is contracted with. Many times wherever the best product is, there’s always a handful of businesses trying to use it, and almost none of them will ever have exclusivity to it. The real challenge isn’t in doing good business, it’s what you do with the imports when they arrive in the ports. Obviously, you need to formulate a tactful journey that will be cost-effective but also efficient; not to mention fast.

Unloading and loading at ports

When your imports arrive after their long arduous journey, the port companies will be raring to go. The entire ethos of a port imports company is to offload everything off the vessels as quickly as possible. However, some cargo ships will store their loads pertaining to how valuable the contents of their containers are. For example, it’s worse losing a container of jewelry than it is a container full of clothes. So many will stack their containers in a way that not only protects the best assets abroad but also makes them easier to unload when they hit port. It’s up to you to work with the port companies to find the best deal you can or rather, the cargo transport companies.

Okay, so it’s your turn to have your containers unloaded, what do you do? Well, you must have some kind of loading team that will identify products, different loads, locations where they must be sent and start to load up your transportation service. No doubt, that you will either have 18-wheeler trucks that will be transporting your goods or you will load up new containers so that they can be loaded onto a freight train. It depends on where your location is. Once the train has arrived at its station where it will offload containers, you need a new team to load the containers onto trucks. The end goal is to transport them quickly to the warehouse from which then, distribution can begin.

Where the warehouse comes in

Whatever kind of transport system you use, you’ll need to be ready to accept the imports at the warehouse. Just like the port offloading companies were ready and waiting to pounce into action and stay true to the saying of ‘time is money’, now your warehouse team need to do the same. Since you now have two categories of products, both the domestic and the imports could be separated when it comes to storage if you want them to be. Some businesses decide not to do this because it’s simpler for the storage and selection process for the employees. However, you might have a little trouble detecting when your imports are running low in storage. Counting inventory is difficult enough, and now that your imports are spread around can you always get an accurate number?

You should make a special day for the unloading of imports or rather, just make the warehouse managers and head of the storage department aware that new imports are arriving on a certain day. Bear in mind that you have most likely paid a lot for your imports, at least probably more than your domestic products, so great care needs to be taken when unloading them off the trucks. If your imports are particularly precious and cost a lot, you may want to use brand new containers such as those made by Equipment Management Services. They have brand new shipping containers that are made from better materials than previous generations, better usages of the total size and strong locking mechanisms. These containers can be put in a special part of the warehouse or just away from the other products so as to not mix domestic and import inventory together.

Acknowledge their presence

Once the products have arrived at the warehouse, they need to be acknowledged by the managers. They have travelled a long distance, maybe even thousands of miles across oceans, roads, highways and now they are here. So each item needs to be counted and accounted for by your managers. The reason why it’s such an urgent job is, because it’s not like you can just order a new batch of your imports and they’ll be with you in a day or two. Usually it takes a long time to get from your business partner, to your warehouse. It could take up to a week or more for example.

Thus, your managers now need to convert your imports into inventory. What products have you ordered, and how many? Did any get damaged on the way to your warehouse? If so, how much money did you lose in the process? Whose fault was it, your employees, port companies, the business partner? What are the different types of products you have ordered, and what in what kinds are they? For example, if you ordered a series of ceramic vases with the same design, how many are in the color blue, red or green? Once your managers and the head of the storage department has retrieved all this information, they can accurately log what the new inventory count is.

Becoming a business that has partners overseas is a very prestigious moment that you should enjoy. However, all the while your imports have not been sold, it’s money floating up in the air. You need a good and fast system to offload and load your products at the ports. Your transport to your warehouse needs to be able to make the journey quickly and keep the products safe from damage. Finally, your warehouse employees and managers need to unload the products and account the imports as inventory.

3 Reasons to Outsource IT Services

Two focuses of my blog are Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital world, it’s important to know when to outsource services like your Information Technology operations to optimize your overall enterprise. The following contributed post is thus entitled; 3 Reasons to Outsource IT Services

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Image Credit: Unsplash

Though technology is well known as the heart of every modern business, we can’t all be IT experts. In fact, the vast majority of business owners and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to outsource as much as possible so that they can focus on being creative.

Businesses never operate in a vacuum. Though you might have an incredibly unique idea you will still need to work with other companies to ensure that you have the infrastructure that you required to be successful. This can only be done by outsourcing and investing in managed IT services.

Get the Very Best from Your IT Team

Unless you’re a large business, it is very likely you won’t have enough staff to form an IT team. By outsourcing, you will gain access to a whole group of professionals who will be able to perform all your IT business requirements for you. This is great for businesses who aren’t ready to hire employees full time for this role as well as those who wish to concentrate their efforts on their particular niche in the market.

Putting together a team and creating your own resource IT is very expensive. You will need to build the infrastructure you need and train staff In order to get exactly what you want. Outsourcing is a better option as this means you will be able to share resources and the infrastructure with a business that is already built with this in mind. In other words, you get everything that you need at half price or less!

Access to Support 24/7

Many businesses run around the clock these days and access to IT support 24/7 is crucial. Though your staff might go home at the end of the day, many IT support companies run around the clock, offering support any time of day, night or even at the weekend.

Creating a business that can run without you is key to your success. If your business can’t go for even a day without your input and you have a serious problem. Lonely will you want to take some holiday ideally you will already be making use of automated technologies to ensure that your business can run itself as much as possible.

Having IT support available at any moment in the day is the best way to ensure your business continues to function. Even if you do run into a hitch, you’ll be able to get your business back on track as soon as possible.

Build Your Dream

The right IT is paramount to the business you want to run. Having the software in place to bring your employees and clients together is vital for the smooth running of your business. It is also the best way to keep the momentum you require to continue to grow and build your dream.

Though you yourself may not be an expert in IT, most people can think of creative solutions that utilize IT. Getting someone else in to build and run that solution is smart because it frees you up to go on having bright ideas. Think about it: it makes sense.

Out Of The Office And Onto The Farm: A New Take On The Tech-Takeover

Three key focuses of my blog are Career Discussions, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. With today’s technology, working and generating and income doesn’t always have to happen in the traditional office setting. In many instances it can be done independently and remotely. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Out Of The Office And Onto The Farm: A New Take On The Tech-Takeover.

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In case you hadn’t realized, business has gone to the tech dogs. Nowadays, more of us than ever are working on the cloud and staring at computer screens. But, this isn’t a lifestyle we’re all happy with. For some, this ever-encroaching tech takeover is encouragement to take a step towards careers out of doors.

Let’s say you’re at the stage where the mere thought of another day in the office drives you wild. It’s past time to quit your job because you need a total change of scenery. The trouble is, you can’t think of a single outdoor-based career you’d be suited to. Everything you’ve ever done has been office based. Could someone like you ever make a go of things out and about?

Of course! You don’t need to entirely retrain to do so, either. In reality, you may be more qualified for outdoors jobs than you think. Keep reading to find out which positions would give you the best of both worlds.

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Remote work

Okay, you got us; remote work may well mean doing the same job. But, the benefit with this is that you can choose where you complete those tasks. Forget sitting and staring at office walls; you could work in the garden as often as you fancy. Even better, you may find your current position allows for this. If you’ve already taken the plunge and quit, don’t panic. There are plenty of remote opportunities out there. All you need to do is search for them. The chances are that the ideal role is ready and waiting for an applicant just like you. All without a jot of retraining!

Sales

Sales are also a fantastic option here. While large portions of this work would be computer-based, most sales people have to travel to clients. As such, you’re sure to spend vast amounts of time out of the office. By embarking on a sales job in something like agriculture, you would even get to spend time outside on various country farms. Companies like Hansen Agri-placement advertise all manner of jobs like these, as you’ll see if you visit their website. Even if you fancy staying on a more familiar footing, you can bet there are plenty of sales positions going. Hey; you could even walk between clients to make the most of your floating post.

Real estate

Real estate is not what most people think when they consider outdoorsy jobs. Still, the possibilities here might surprise you. Think about it; rural real estate is a prime market. And, a realtor’s day mainly consists of hosting property viewings. Put the two together, and you’ve got at least some time outside. Plus, your experience with computer programs means you’re well qualified for the office side of things. You would need to consider where you applied of course. A city-based company would be as useless for fresh air as your office life. But, applying in the right area is sure to bring just the breath of fresh air you’re after.

Business Safety 101: The Risk Areas In Any Organisation

Two of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In any business, employee safety is a major concern for production and simply keeping the doors open. What are the risk areas for organizations? The following contributed post is entitled; Business Safety 101: The Risk Areas In Any Organisation.

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Business owners around the world often find the safety measures they have to take within their company to be very frustrating. Even down to the smallest parts of your organisation, you have to keep a constant watch over your employees and customers, ensuring that they are always safe and secure. Of course, though, when you have loads of other work on your plate, it isn’t exactly easy to cover all of the areas which are important. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the major safety concerns which a lot of businesses have to deal with, along with giving you some ideas to make it easier to manage this for yourself.

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Electricals

Everyone knows how dangerous electricity can be, with exposure to this element often causing death or serious injuries. Modern companies are filled with machines which use this resource, though, making it impossible to keep people away from it. Instead, to make sure that everyone is safe, having regular tests conducted on your electricals will often be mandatory. Failing to do this could result in huge fines if you get caught, and even worse consequences if someone actually gets hurt. To help with this, there are a lot of companies out there which will offer subscription services for their tests, making it possible to put the work into someone else’s capable hands.

Obstacles

Wires, boxes, and even wet floors all make for challenging obstacles in a business environment. Unlike at home, where these issues probably won’t matter so much, people in the workplace tend to have other things on their minds. This makes a cable going across the floors go from something to watch out for to a problem which could cost your company a fortune. To get around this, everyone working for you should be trained to put things away properly, along with being basic hazard awareness skills. Of course, along with this, you may have to modify your spaces a little bit to make sure that nothing is in the way.

Vehicles

A lot of companies have to use vehicles to get their work done, with this sort of resource being very useful for a huge range of different jobs. With so much that can go wrong on a machine like this, though, they can end up becoming very dangerous over time, making it crucial that you have regular tests performed to make sure that your fleet is up to standard. Along with this, resources like rubber coatings and safety tape can also be very useful, and you can read more here to figure out just how much they could help you. To make sure that no one is put into the line of fire, your drivers should have the proper training to operate a vehicle for business.

Hygiene

While some people are more fussy than others, there are very strict rules in most places which dictate how clean a business space has to be. When it comes to areas like toilets, this will be very important, with daily cleans being essential, and some companies choosing to go even further than this. Failing to follow the rules in this area could lead to employees or customers suffering with some nasty illnesses. If they are able to prove that your business is at fault, they will be able to take legal action, and this is never good for a growing company. Thankfully, there are loads of cleaning companies around which offer services which can handle all of this for you, ensuring that your place is always at its cleanest.

Air Quality

Hygiene goes beyond cleaning, though. Along with this, you also have to think about the risks which can’t be seen, like gases and pathogens in the air. The latter can be solved with simple air filters which will kill bacteria before they are able to get into the bodies of the people on your property. When it comes to gas, though, you will need to take some extra steps. Detectors can be great when it comes to noticing chemicals like carbon monoxide, giving you an early warning before levels become dangerous. Along with this, it could be worth having machines like your boiler checked to make sure that it isn’t going to start leaking any time soon.

Criminals

There will always be people who you want to keep out of your business, and risk is a big part of this. When it comes to an office, it should only be your employees and a select group of your clients which can gain access. Other people should have to go through an entry procedure, with electronic locks preventing them from gaining access to the wrong parts of the building. In public buildings, like stores, you may need to hire some security team members to keep things safe. Nowadays, there are loads of techy gadgets which can help with this, leaving you with no excuse for having a company which is unsafe.

The Buildings Themselves

When you’re focused on all of the small areas of business safety, it can be easy to ignore the areas which are right in your face. You buildings, for example, can pose a tremendous risk to employees and customers, and they don’t often make it obvious when they are having problems. Having a ceiling collapse could hurt people very badly, with loads of issues like this being common in older structures. To solve this, it will be worth having a surveyor to check the place every couple of years. While they may not find anything, they won’t miss anything, either, keeping your place free from risk.

This sort of field is one which a lot of business owners resent. It feels bad having to spend money just in case something goes wrong, and a lot of the rules you have to follow seem over the top. In reality, though, keeping people safe is a serious business. Some parts of the world pose more risks than others, but it will be worth doing as much as possible wherever you are.

10 Things To Teach Yourself To Make More Money

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. In the Rich Dad Poor Dad books, Robert T. Kiyosaki described two money problems; having too little money and then having too much money. Most people suffer the former. The following contributed post is thus entitled, 10 Things To Teach Yourself To Make More Money.

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Most people want to make more money, but they are unwilling to do anything about it. They stay in the same, dead end job for years on end – maybe they even climb the ladder a little bit. Very little happens with the money they are earning. Rather than going out there and improving their skills so that they can perhaps get a pay rise, land a better role within their company/outside of their company, or even start their own business, they just stay in their comfort zones and stick to what they know.

It’s true that change can be scary, but working on yourself will give you more knowledge and confidence, and these things can be extremely powerful when you want to make more money. So, what can you set out to teach yourself if this is what you want to do? Read on for 10 suggestions…

1. The Right Mindset
Having the right mindset before you set out to make any more money is key. Otherwise, you might make more money initially, but you may lose it. You might even struggle to see opportunities that are being presented to you.

Changing your old thinking patterns and getting into new, money positive patterns can be tough. After all, much of what we think has been ingrained into our subconscious from a very young age. However, with consistency, it’s possible! Read books, watch videos, go to seminars – do whatever you can to change your mindset around money. Figure out your limiting beliefs and work on your blocks. Then take action.

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2. Passive Income Techniques
Passive income allows you to make more money while you sleep. If you want to build real wealth over time, these techniques are key. Why? Because one day, you’re going to run out of time. You’re going to be unable to work as much as you once did. It makes sense that swapping time for money is no longer the best way of getting that cash! Passive income techniques include things like vlogging/blogging, writing ebooks, creating online courses, and starting simple businesses on sites like Amazon. Do your research and select one method to start with. This is a long game, so don’t be upset when you don’t become an overnight success.

3. Coding
Coding and programmers are in very high demand today. Anyone can learn the skills required, although they can be tough. You can take boot camps to learn programming languages in just a few months, and they will help you to get hired quickly. You can even find simple coding courses and help online. You can look at sites like Asap developers to begin your research and learn more about what you should be doing. There’s going to be something out there to suit every comfort level.

4. Writing
Writing is also a skill that anybody can develop, although you’ll need to practice every day. The more you practice, the better and faster you’ll get. You can also take courses online for this. These skills can be used both in a business of your own and in the workplace. They’ll help you whether you’re creating your own course, responding to an email, or writing a blog post.

5. Multiple Languages
Learning a language is something kids are fantastic at, because their brains are like sponges. However, as we get older, we can find it more difficult to let that language sink in. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try! There are free resources and apps that can help, as well as taking one to one classes or tuition to improve. This can prove beneficial in many jobs, and especially if you want to start a globally successful business.

6. Investing
Investing is one of the only true ways to build wealth over time. This is a fact. Saving money can help you when you have an emergency, but those savings are going to depreciate over time. Instead, making small investments while you teach yourself the lingo and the ropes will get you well on your way to having more wealth and a diverse portfolio. Again, this is a long game. You have to set it and forget it when investing your cash.

7. Graphic Design And Image Editing
Another skill that is valuable in today’s workplace. Many places need people with these skills for their websites. UI designers work to help improve the look and feel of websites and apps to make things easier for customers and consumers.

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8. Online Marketing
Every single business needs online marketing these days with these sheer number of people using the web to find things that they are looking for. You’ll learn all about SEO, PPC, social media, and more. It’s usually best if you pick one subject and roll with that for a while, however, Knowing these things will always make you a more valuable asset.

9. Public Speaking
Public speaking comes naturally to some people. Others can find it very difficult, and even terrifying. There will usually be a time in most employee’s careers where public speaking will be a must, such as making an announcement in office or speaking at a conference. Preparing or this now will take away any fears and reservations and ensure you knock it out of the park.

10. Social Media
Your social media skills might already be great – most people are on sites like Facebook and Instagram now, aren’t they? However, using these platforms professionally can be a huge bonus. This proves that you are technologically savvy and that you have excellent PR skills. If you work in any sort of marketing capacity, you need to prove that you are able to use social media effectively.
The above 10 skills are things that will help you to make more money, whether you’re trying to climb up the corporate ladder, ask for a pay raise, or get out of the rat race altogether and start your own business. Which will you start with, and how are you going to do it? Let us know!

Running a Business on the Road

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. With today’s technology, many businesses can now be run from the road and remotely the majority of the time. What are the keys to running a business on the road? The following contributed post is entitled; Running a Business on the Road.

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In the age of the internet, more and more people are finding themselves to be not as restricted by location as they once were. Many businesses can be run from anywhere in the world, and this is certainly an opportunity which more and more people are embracing. Obviously, this is not the same as running a traditional business, and you need to be prepared for this change in a number of different ways. Whether you are a digital nomad globetrotting around the planet or you are simply moving from place to place in your home country to meet clients, here are a few pieces of advice which can help you out.

Stay Disciplined with Your Office Hours

One of the great pleasures of working while you are on the road is the fact that you don’t have to submit to regular office hours. Even so, you need to stay disciplined with the times that you decide to work. Ideally, you should be sitting down on a regular basis to look at your calendar and work out when you will be travelling, when you will be working, and when you will be relaxing. Communicate with your clients well in advance to tell them. You need to ensure that your company is a professional enterprise and that you develop a solid reputation.

Choose Your Equipment and Suppliers Carefully

When you are choosing equipment, you will want to look at factors such as its portability and performance. And when you are selecting suppliers such as a phone provider, you should look carefully at their overall performance, roaming fees etc. Think about the other practical services which you may require relating to your vehicle, and check out providers such as New Era Fuels. Ultimately, your individual needs will depend very much on the type of business that you are running and how much travelling you are planning on doing.

Monitor Your Expenses

Just like running any other kind of business, you need to keep your expenses low and managed as much as possible. There are plenty of ways that you can cut them by looking at all the free services out there relating to software etc. When your location is changing on a regular basis, it can be very easy to overlook how much you are spending, but you need to monitor this to keep your business running smoothly for the longest possible time.

Stay Connected

It can be very easy to caught up in the lifestyle that you have built for yourself, but you need to remember to stay connected as much as possible. And the internet has provided more ways than ever to do this. Even if you only have once a day to respond to all your correspondence etc, make sure that you stay disciplined and up to date with this.

Simple Ideas. Big Money

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re thinking about starting a new venture, it’s important to know what simple ideas you can you use to generate extra cashflow. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Simple Ideas. Big Money.

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Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that seem to make us happy. The things that we just can’t take our minds off, and the things that as soon as we think about them, we smile. But when it comes to business, the thought of a simple thing is few and far between. It would seem that pretty much everything is related to stress and confusion. Arguably, the time when this is at its highest is when we’re thinking of the idea to begin with. All your mind can think about is what might be involved with the process, how you can make more money, and all of the things that could possibly go wrong. So, what if we were to give you some simple ideas, that would make some big money. Ideas that wouldn’t require you to do much, but that you would get a lot out of? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because that’s exactly what we’re going to do for you!

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Farming Ideas

Ok, so this one is a little out of the box, and one that we think you might not have thought of before. But, if you were to go into the agricultural industry, you really could be set for life. Farming is not only fun, but highly profitable if you produce good quality produce that people are after. The main expenses you will have will come from your equipment, and the expenses of caring for any animals. You will need tractors, and you will need a lot of red diesel, which can easily be sourced from the internet as to save money. Once you figure out all of the logistics of how to rear animals, plant good quality produce, and maintain it all, you just need to figure out your sales points. Where is the best place to start? Farmers markets. It’s the easiest place to sell the produce, and you can easily make a name for yourself over the years. Enter competitions, grow a following, and reach out to supermarkets. Before you know it you could be a worldwide brand!

Food Ideas

Sticking to a good theme still, but being slightly different in terms of what you can do. If you’re thinking of setting up a food business, you have to consider the lucrative idea of going into the restaurant business. But don’t just set up your average pub, you need to go for something hip and interesting. One idea that we think will really capture the eyes of people is a healthy eating establishment. Put it next to the gym, and make your menu one that just can’t be beat in terms of creativity, and you should always be able to bring in the money. It has to be creative though, the funkier your make literally everything, the better you’re going to become.

Activity Based Ideas

Some people like to be active, some don’t, but who says this idea is out to encourage everyone to get sporty? This ideas is funky, as we’re going to suggest opening up your own indoor inflatable course. Adults and children could be catered for if you made it big enough, and it is so unique that people will always want to be a part of it. Definitely an idea worth doing if you’d like something easy to manage, and easy to maintain. You’d just have to make sure you’re highly focused on health and safety here.

Applying School To The “Real World”: Turning Subject Knowledge Into A Career

The first principal of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success, and two of its focuses are General Education and Career Discussions. Sometimes early on in school we wonder about how our classes will be useful in the real world. The further we progress it likewise becomes important to know where can apply what we’ve learned in a practical way. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Applying School To The “Real World”: Turning Subject Knowledge Into A Career.

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As kids, we all remember complaining about school. And those complaints often extended beyond a mere dislike of homework. Often, children ask themselves why they’re bothering to learn certain things. “When will this help me in real life?” That’s a question many students ask, even when studying technical subjects such as mathematics. Unless you want to become a teacher, the knowledge isn’t important. Right? And technology has made human talents redundant. Spell checkers remove the need for grammatical skills, and calculators remove the need for numerical skills. And, in fact, any piece of knowledge can be gained online. But this is too cynical an approach. There are more ways to apply school to the real world than you might realize. Whether you’re a recent graduate or somebody who’s rethinking their job role, here’s how to turn your subject knowledge into a career.

Science
STEM subjects are valued very highly in the job world, so you probably feel quite confident that there are plenty of career opportunities for somebody with scientific subject knowledge. However, you can use your qualifications for more than obvious options. You don’t have to become an academic researcher in medicine or marine biology. You’ve gained more skills than you realize if you’ve studied for a scientific subject. You’ve learned to critically think, problem solve, organize multiple projects, and adapt on a continuous basis. Those skills could suit you well in the business world if that was a route which interested you.

You could start your own business or become a consultant for other businesses. Science is an incredibly vast field, so your subject knowledge doesn’t limit you to a select few career options. You can take alternatives to the traditional route. Even a student of medicine doesn’t have to become a doctor or a surgeon. Your knowledge is valuable in the “real world”, so don’t dismiss the importance of your qualifications. If you’re not interested in the traditional career routes related to the subject you’ve studied then do some research to gain an understanding of the other options out there. You might just find something totally unexpected that fits your personality perfectly.

Geography
A geographical understanding in the modern world is also highly valuable. There’s more to this subject than knowing where places are on a globe, as you well know. Otherwise, geographical studies would be made obsolete by Google Maps. You can use your degree for more than simply teaching geography to the next generation. If you’ve studied in geographical information science then you could even consider pursuing a career in surveyance. You might want to look into land surveying jobs in your area if that type of career route appeals to you. It could be an exciting opportunity to make a difference in your community with your subject knowledge. A qualification in geography can lead to plenty of vital professions, so don’t diminish the technical weight of your subject knowledge.

History
Much like the other subjects we’ve discussed, history is a topic which is often pigeonholed into a very limited range of career options. You would probably imagine that a history graduate either has to become a teacher or a historian. But research and education aren’t career routes that appeal to everyone. Luckily, you can do more with a history degree than you might think. You could even consider a career in politics. Historical knowledge is incredibly valuable because it outlines mistakes of the past. By working in government, you could advise as to how we could avoid repeating those mistakes again. You could also look into media-related jobs. This is worthwhile subject knowledge for many career routes.

Wide Load: Selling Large & Impractical Products Online

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Some businesses sell large products that don’t ship easily, and there are special considerations for these types of ventures. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Wide Load: Selling Large & Impractical Products.

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For a lot of businesses, being able to sell products online has made life much easier over the last few years. Without having to start a normal store, this process is a whole lot cheaper than it used to be, and this has opened the doors for loads of companies to get started. Of course, though, when your products are very large or hard to handle, the online trend can start to become a hindrance. You have no choice but to sell online, but will face challenges which simply don’t come with smaller products. To help with this, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to solve these issues before you get started.

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Communicating Size: Simply giving customers the measurements for your products won’t often be enough when it comes to showing them the size of your goods. People will feel worried about buying something which they aren’t sure if they have room for, though, making it important to look for new ways to convey the size of your goods. One of the best ways to achieve this is through photography. As long as you have a common item in the shot, like a magazine, it will be easy for your customers to tell the size of the piece you’re selling. This trick may sound simple, but it can have a huge positive impact on your sales.

Storing Goods: When a business is selling small products, storing a couple of boxes is usually all they will need to keep a good inventory available to their customers. Larger products will make this very hard, though. To solve this issue, having a slightly longer delivery time quite be well worth it, giving you the chance to either make or order in the products as you need them. While this may stop some people from buying, it will be significantly cheaper than paying for a warehouse to keep goods which may not sell.

Shipping Orders: Getting orders out into the world is another challenge which large product sellers will often face. Normal delivery companies won’t be able to help you, as their vehicles simply won’t be big enough. To save looking for this company and that, there are loads of marketplaces around the web for those who need to buy large item delivery, making it significantly easier to get goods out of the door. Not a lot of people know about this sort of service, leaving them to pay for private companies to do all of their shipping. This can cost a small fortune, and won’t often enable you to handle more than a single order at a time.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on the process of selling large goods. While a task like this may be a challenge, there will always be ways to overcome it, making your life as a business owner much easier. Of course, though, you will need to do plenty of research, and you may even have to talk to a couple of companies along the way.