Contributed Posts – Page 97 – The Big Words Blog Site

3 Things You Have To Remember When You’re Launching A New Business

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Launching a new business can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. It can be exponentially easier if you understand some of the basic concepts. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Things You Have To Remember When You’re Launching A New Business.

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These days you need to make the right decisions at the right times, and moving forward in the right way is so important. When you are launching a business it is vitally important that you take steps to focus on what you can do to launch the business in a more successful way. There are so many factors that you need to make the most of right now, and this is something that plays a massive part in this.

Here are some of the ideas you are going to need to work on right now, and there are a lot of things that you need to keep an eye on when it comes to launching a new business. This is something that you need to work on to help make this as successful as possible. You are going to have to factor in what you need to launch the best possible business right now.

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1. A Business Plan is Vital

There are a lot of ideas you are going to need to work on doing as much as you can to work on improving your business plan as much as possible. A strong and detailed business plan is something that you need to try to work on when you are trying to move forward. The business plan is the most important part of the process when it comes to the initial phase of developing and executing a successful business for the future. The business plan is the blueprint for taking your company forward in the best possible way, and this is something you need to work on right now.

2. You Need to Do Your Research

Doing your research is really important and this is something that you need to make sure you keep in mind right now. There are so many factors that you need to keep in mind when it comes to making the right business decisions, and research is absolutely essential for this. Make sure you factor in the best ways of being able to do this moving forward, and there are a lot of things you need to know about. For instance, you should be researching the cosmetics industry if you’re looking to launch a beauty business, and check out the trends and things to look out for. The more you can do to get this right the better the decisions you will be able to make in the future.

3. Reputation Matters

Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and this is something that you need to try to make the most of right now. There are a lot of ideas that play a role in this, and it is important to make sure you focus on doing what you can to take things to the next level. There are so many things you need to get right here, and you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. So this means you need to work on making a good first impression as much as possible, and this is something you have to try to make the most of as much as possible moving forward.

As you can see, these are a few of the key things you need to keep in mind when you are looking to make the right decisions for your new business. It is important that you come up with ideas that you can use to take things to the next level right now. Here are some of the key elements you need to make right now, and getting this right is important moving forward.

Taking Your Business International

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Our world has now become global in terms of economics to the point where business is no longer restricted to your own shores. It is now possible to extend you business activities overseas. The following contributed post is entitled, Taking Your Business International.

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When you first start a business, you’re probably focused on engaging with your target market within your town, region, or country. As you get off the ground, however, there’s nothing stopping you from taking your business international. With the potential to generate more income and expand swiftly, an international growth plan could be your route to commercial success.

Of course, there are lots of elements and potential issues to consider before you can begin selling or providing services internationally. To simplify the process, take a look at these top tips for taking your enterprise international:

Do your research

Turning a local or national company into a global business requires a considerable amount of research. In fact, you might spend months or even years researching different markets and plotting potential growth plans. However, major business decisions should never be made on a whim. By investing your time into research, you can determine whether an international growth plan is right for your business and, if so, how you can reduce operational costs and maximize your return on your investment.

Understand trade regulations

Selling in another jurisdiction from the one you reside means you will likely be subject to new trading regulations and legislation. Even if you’re dispatching goods from your hometown, you’ll need to ensure that they meet certain legal criteria, for example. In addition to this, you’ll need to know whether you are likely to incur additional tax liabilities as an international trader. As this can depend on the size of your enterprise, it can be well worth getting professional advice in order to determine what the true financial impact on your company would be.

Identify growing markets

Deciding to trade internationally doesn’t necessarily mean making your products or services available worldwide. Instead, you might want to identify the most profitable markets and focus on expanding your business into these areas. You can access more info about citizenship and migration in Australia here, for example. This type of information gives you the quantitative information you need to determine whether a potential market is the right one for your business. By analyzing and assessing different markets around the world, you can determine which is going to be the most profitable for your firm.

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Consider logistics

If you manufacture goods, you’ll need to find out whether it will be more cost-effective to produce and ship goods internationally or to set up a factory in a new jurisdiction. Similarly, if you’re a reseller, you’ll need to determine whether the cost of logistics would outweigh your potential profits.

Shipping goods and paying export and import taxes can significantly increase your costs, which may need to be passed on to customers in the form of a price increase. If so, you’ll need to conduct market research to confirm that your products or services will be in demand at an increased price. By doing so, you’ll get a clear idea of whether taking your business international will be as profitable as you hope it will be.

Have a contingency plan

As a business owner, you’ll already know that things can go wrong when you least expect them to. When this happens at your headquarters, you can probably be on site quickly to resolve any issues. When you’re trading internationally, however, this won’t necessarily be possible. That’s why it’s essential to have a viable contingency plan in place. Whether you choose to hire regional managers to handle your international operations or you build up a network of reliable suppliers you can use when you need to, it’s vital to know how you’re going to cope when something goes wrong.

Get the Right Advice

If you’re thinking about taking your business international, you’ll want to seek advice from a number of sources. From consultants and financial advisers to tax experts and logistics specialists, there are plenty of professionals who can give you the insight you need.

In many ways, the digital era means that trading internationally is easier than it’s ever been before. Customers can easily engage with you online and purchase goods from your firm via the internet. Furthermore, fast travel options mean you can ship goods to almost anywhere in the world.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that trading internationally will be a walk in the park. To ensure your international venture is a success, you’ll want to research the options, create a long-term growth plan, and build your professional network. By doing so, you’ll have the knowledge, skills, and support you need to compete in the global marketplace.

6 Important Aspects Of Buying A Unit

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. There are several ways to participate in real estate and one form of home ownership is buying units. It’s important to know what to do when doing so. The following contributed post is entitled, 6 Important Aspects Of Buying A Unit.

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Whether you’re buying your first unit or your 50th this post has some useful tips to help you. There are certain things you should be looking for when you are buying a unit, so you need to take the time to assess these and find the best one for you.

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Let’s have a look at 6 important aspects of buying a unit below:

Get To Know The Area

This can be applied to any property purchase. You should research and get to know the area you are thinking about buying in and find out as much as you can. Get to know the type of people, the crime level, the quality of schools, employment opportunities, and public transport options.

Check The Quarterly Strata Fees

When you are buying a unit you need make sure you are taking strata fess into account. If you’re not sure what they are or have any questions it’s best to speak to strata lawyers. Don’t base what you can afford on council rates and current interest rates alone. When buying a property you need to take into account every single cost, this include strata.

Find Out About The Sinking Fund

A sinking fund is a pool of money that is put to one side for renovations or maintenance work that is needed on the building, roof, or public spaces such as the elevators. If block of units has a good-sized sinking fund, it’s a positive for you. However, if they don’t have one or it’s small, you could be left with an unexpected bill if anything has to be done on the building where your unit is.

Have A Building Inspection Completed

When it comes to a block of units http://www.themovechannel.com/propertyforsale/apartment/usa/, people usually avoid getting a pest or building inspection completed. They assume that the corporate body is taking care of this area (they should be). However, if there is no sinking fund, or it’s small, you may want to think about getting a building inspection completed before you think about putting in an offer.

Check The Other Prices Of Units In The Block

You will find that a lot of units in a block often have the same layout, especially if they are on top of one another. Looking at previous sale prices of the other units can help you to find out if you are paying the right price. There are a lot of tools online to help you with this.

Save Your Deposit

It’s probably very unlikely that you can buy any property without a deposit nowadays. Most lenders ask that you have between 3 and 5 percent, however, it has known to rise to as much as 10 percent before they will even consider your application. If you show that you can save your own deposit, it also shows the bank that you are disciplined to pay off a loan. It’s best to have your deposit ready before you start shopping for a unit.

These 6 tips should help you stay on track when thinking about buying a unit in the future. Is there anything that you are considering? Please share some in the comments below.

Areas of Your Business to Invest in During the Pandemic

Three focuses of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational/Management Discussions. Many businesses will have to figure out how to course correct and rebound during the Covid-19 pandemic and in its aftermath. The following contributed post is entitled, Areas of Your Business to Invest in During the Pandemic.

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The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic has hit the majority of us pretty hard when it comes to business. Whilst the main tragedy of the pandemic has been health consequences, the economy and business have taken a battering too. Countless businesses have collapsed – whether that’s because they have been unable to operate while adhering to lockdown guidelines, or because people are more reluctant to spend their money when their own jobs are on the line. If your business has managed to make it this far, it’s important that you know where you should be investing your money to help to keep things afloat and to keep sales ticking over. Hopefully, some of the advice below will give you a few key areas to focus on!

Marketing

With many companies looking to cut costs, many are making the mistake of cutting marketing when many businesses need marketing now more than ever. It’s going to be hard to get people to part with their cash for non-essential purchases right now, but if you’re going to do it, marketing is going to play a key role. You need to create desire and appeal around your products, placing them in your target demographic’s view as regularly as possible to encourage them to actually purchase what you have to offer. Market is what will help to achieve this. Whether you carry out marketing in-house, or whether you are using a digital marketing company, some key areas to consider include:

● SEO campaigns
● PPC campaigns
● Email marketing campaigns
● Social media marketing campaigns
● Social media influencer collaborations
● Competitions and giveaways

Your Website

If you previously had a brick and mortar based business, chances are many of your sales were carried out in-store. You may have simply had a website as a complementary presence, but may never have invested all too much in it. But now, while people are trying to spend as much time as possible inside their homes, it really is the time to make sure that your website is the absolute best that it can be. This is now going to be the space where customers engage with your brand. It’s about so much more than simply listing your products for sale and seeing if people buy them. You need quality website design and user experience to ensure that people stay on your site, enjoy being on your site and will return to your site. Now, this advice applies to all businesses. Even if you have a restaurant or cafe, you may want to consider providing online orders to generate an income during these trying times. A website is important for every business right now. There are a number of professionals you should collaborate with to get your website up to scratch. We’ll explore a few below.

Website Designers

Website designers know what they’re doing. They know what works on a website. They know what doesn’t work. If you’re avoiding paying for a web designer’s services, it’s worth remembering that various studies have shown that many people decide whether they’re going to stay on a site or click the exit tab within a matter of seconds. You need to make your site look good to get people to stay. You need to make sure your site works to get them to engage with your brand or buy. A consultation with web designers will help to familiarise them with what you’re looking for. This can include information like your brand’s style, its branded colours, its typography, its logo and more. You can also ask for extra marketing features, like a mailing list sign up form, discount pop ups and much more.

Product Photographers

If you’re selling products, you’re going to need some pretty good product photography to make sure they stand out from the crowd. Remember that photos are almost all your customers have to decide whether they want to buy what you’re offering. It gives them a look at what’s on offer. Now, nowadays, many of us try to take product photos ourselves with our smartphones. While smartphone quality is getting better, it can’t mimic the eye, the skill and the expertise of a professional product photographer. Use a professional to display your products in the best light possible.

Copywriters

Copywriters can sell your products and your brand with words. They can craft an “about” page. They can write appealing product descriptions. They can write up FAQs. You name it, a copywriter will be able to take care of it. Never underestimate the power of words on your website.

Cybersecurity

Chances are that you and any of your staff are working from home right now. Cybercriminals are also aware of this and may target your business, identifying it as vulnerable. A switch to remote working can leave all sorts of areas open to attack as you and your team get used to mobile operations. This is why you really need to ramp up your cybersecurity. Again, there are a bunch of areas you can focus on here. These include:

● Making sure staff use approved devices
● Setting up a virtual private network (or “VPN”)
● Training yourself and staff on cybersecurity
● Implementing spam filters to block phishing emails

Product Development

While you may be trying to save money wherever possible, launching a new product could, in fact, make you the money you need to help stay afloat. You may have a product development plan that you’ve been clutching onto since the pandemic hit and if you do, now may be the time to revisit and see if it’s viable to put your product idea into production. Think about how much of an investment you’ll need to make vs the time you’ll need to launch it. If you’re ticking all of the right boxes, then it might be time to put your new product into production to help your business make more money.

Team Building

Any business owner is well aware that team spirit is often what keeps companies afloat during hard times. This can be difficult to maintain when everyone’s working from their own homes and nobody is in direct contact with one another. But it is possible to keep team spirit alive virtually. Make sure to invest in virtual team building in whatever ways possible. Invest in chat or instant messaging software so your team members can chat amongst themselves. Arrange zoom calls for meetings and catch ups. Check in on everyone regularly.

These are just a few areas you may be wise to invest in right now. Each has its own significant perks, so don’t cast any out immediately. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will really help your business to keep going during this difficult year!

How To Save Money On Your Vehicle

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“Although it seems everybody has one, having a vehicle is a luxury. Whether it is a motorcycle, a car or something bigger like a truck or trailer, these things cost money to run, not just buy.”

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A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. A major expense for most people is their vehicle. A vehicle will cost you, but if you’re smart about it, it will not break you. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Save Money On Your Vehicle.

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Although it seems everybody has one, having a vehicle is a luxury. Whether it is a motorcycle, a car or something bigger like a truck or trailer, these things cost money to run, not just buy. The ongoing expense of being a vehicle owner is something many people don’t expect; these unexpected bills, breakdown costs, part replacements and more can be a bit of a shock to the system. If you don’t know the tricks of the trade on how to keep your bills low, you could end up with a vehicle that costs more than it is worth. So how can you save money on your vehicle?

Here are some handy tips for keeping the bills down on your vehicle.

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1. Before You Buy

If you are looking for a new vehicle and want to know how to keep your costs down, don’t just opt for the cheapest one on the market. There is nothing wrong with buying a used car, but it is essential that you do some research before you buy. If you just go straight away for the cheap option, you might be sold a car which is about to break down and will cost you so much more in repair costs. The best thing to do with a second hand car is to have it inspected by an impartial mechanic who can give you the honest truth about how the car will run.

2. Learning Yourself

If you want to keep repair costs down on your vehicle, one way to do this is to learn a few basic repair techniques yourself. With the right tools and know-how, you can fix your car’s general wear and tear issues yourself, such as getting to grips with vehicle touch up paint to repair scratches and scrapes to paintwork. Most mechanics will not only charge for the repairs, but will also give a call-out charge too. Learning the ropes for yourself will help you reduce costs and also give you some handy skills you can use anywhere you go!

3. Sourcing Parts

When it comes to cost-cutting, the parts you source for your car are a big part of that. A new clutch, gear stick, set of tires or bodywork can cost a pretty penny. Plus, if your vehicle is large and you are in need of trailer parts or truck tires, the expense will be even greater. So how can you source parts that won’t cost a fortune?

Firstly, find a mechanic that you trust. Make sure they are well-reviewed online, fair and transparent about any and all costs you incur. This will help you get the best deal when your car needs to go to the garage for a fixup. Secondly, ensure the parts you source are not heavily used. Although these will be cheaper, they will wind up more expensive in the long run when they inevitably do not last as long!

Final Thoughts

Having a vehicle is a necessity for many people’s lives, but the expense of owning one can be a big issue for their bank accounts. Use this helpful guide to save money on your vehicle!

What Can You do to Improve Your Vocabulary?

A key focus of my blog is General Education. No matter which sector you’re in, your vocabulary is absolutely critical. It will open and close doors for you, and it will shape people’s view of you. The following contributed post is entitled, What Can You do to Improve Your Vocabulary?

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Having a strong vocabulary can put you at an advantage in several ways. It’s not all about sounding clever and confusing people with words that they don’t know. When you have a large vocabulary, you also have the knowledge behind the words. You can talk to people about different topics and understand a range of contexts. A larger vocabulary can also make you a good speaker and a good writer, not just by giving you big words to use but by helping you understand when it’s appropriate to use which words. If you want to expand your vocabulary, take a look at these ideas to do so.

Use a Dictionary and Thesaurus

Having a dictionary and thesaurus on hand can be really handy when you want to improve your vocabulary. You can look up words whenever you want, to find out what they mean or to find synonyms. Of course, it’s now much easier to carry a dictionary and thesaurus everywhere you go. You can have an app on your phone or find a website to use whenever you want to look up a word. And if you’re particularly dedicated to expanding your vocabulary, you can even read a dictionary or thesaurus for fun.

Challenge Yourself

Setting yourself word-related challenges can help you to learn more words. There are lots of different games you can play and ways you can challenge yourself. When you have a phone or tablet, you can take word games with you wherever you go. And if you want to cheat a little, you can also get Wordscapes answers and answers for a range of other mobile games. When you challenge yourself, you can find that you’ll push yourself more to learn new things. Compete with your friends or other people, and you will want to improve so that you can beat them.

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Expand Your Horizons

You don’t necessarily have to focus on learning words to pick up new vocabulary. You can learn new words by reading, watching and listening to new things. You’re especially likely to learn new words if you explore topics that you’re not familiar with or enjoy things from different eras or countries. When you expand your horizons and open your mind to new things, you’re sure to come across new words to add to your vocabulary. Speak to new people too, and you could pick up new words from them.

Put New Words Into Use

Having a wide vocabulary isn’t much use if you never use it. Putting the words that you learn into use will help to cement them in your vocabulary. Whether you use them when you’re writing or employ them when you’re talking, it will give you the chance to show off what you’ve learned. However, it’s also important to know when to use new words. If it’s something obscure that most people won’t know, you could end up just having to reword what you’re saying so that people understand.

If you want to improve your vocabulary, you can work on it in a number of ways. Your improved vocabulary could even help you to find new opportunities in life.

Resurrect Your Business Post-Pandemic Using These 4 Ways

Three of the focuses of my blog are Current Events, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational and Management Discussions. Many businesses were levelled by the Coronavirus/Covid-19 Crisis/Pandemic while others were able to hang on, albeit by a thread. For this who have survived and in position to rebound, it’s important to have a plan of attack. The following contributed post is entitled, Resurrect Your Business Post-Pandemic Using These 4 Ways.

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Nobody knows when the COVID-19 pandemic will end. As a result, researchers and medical experts have suggested that we exist together with the virus for the time being since it could take several months or possibly years to develop an effective vaccine. This means adherence to social distancing protocol is expected to remain a part of the new normal. But what does this mean for businesses?

A recent report has proposed that close to 7.5 million small enterprises in the United States risk closing down in the next few months as COVID-19 continues to impose enormous business challenges. However, this could be considered as one of the many setbacks faced by businesses, and you may need to gear up for a comeback. Are you wondering how? These four tips should help your business to work its way back from the crisis.

1. Create a plan for the comeback

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Lack of proper planning can only compound your challenges further, therefore, you must develop a clear strategy that will guide you towards your targeted business goals. The list must be explicit on what must be done today to achieve the results you want tomorrow. Per the current situation, businesses are more focused on survival than growth. To develop a good plan, find answers to questions such as the following; what parts of the business are collapsing rapidly due to the crisis? What part of the company can I change to adapt to the times? In answering them, think deeply and broadly, and into the future.

2. Understand the impact of Covid-19 on business culture and identity

Just as the pandemic has affected different aspects of our lifestyle, it is very likely to impact business cultures and identity. Challenges can bring people together or likewise set them apart depending on their level of trust. This moment presents an excellent opportunity to view your business perspective and how it might evolve. How prepared is your business to handle this crisis? Will the pandemic unite people or set them apart? How different will they see your business post-pandemic? Your answers to these questions will inform what you can achieve after the pandemic.

3. Do you need to launch new products?

Like “Black Swan” events, the current pandemic has increased innovation and more resilient start-up businesses than before. What opportunities does the COVID-19 pandemic present? Growing challenges present businesses with ideas worth exploring, but in doing so, you need to set priorities to avoid starting multiple projects which will depend on the same limited resources. For example, COVID-19 has led to the increasing demand for protective equipment like face masks, hand sanitizers, and HDPE gloves. Several manufacturers have therefore shifted to PPE production for health workers and the general population, to combat the virus and keep their company afloat.

4. Are you ready to execute your plans and projects?

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Finally, it would be best if you considered the readiness of your business to start projects. Is your business prepared to take on and finish up new projects? You would have to consider the significant contrasts in preparedness at the individual, group, company, and public levels. Current available resources, coupled with the speed and dynamic processes required differ significantly, and these variations play a considerable role in determining whether or not you will succeed. Training is one thing that would prove helpful as a way of upgrading your business’ human resources.

Could A Dark Horse Win Super Bowl LV?

A key focus of my blog is Athletics/Sports. In the United States, arguably the most popular sport is American Football, also know that the “Pigskin”, or the “Gridiron”. The previous year’s NFL Super Bowl Champion was the Kansas City Chiefs who arguably the favorite to win it again. But could another NFL team come out of nowhere and dethrone them? The following contributed post is entitled, Could A Dark Horse Win Super Bowl LV?

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The NFL is in a transitional period; Tom Brady has left the New England Patriots, which leaves them looking vulnerable. Most of this season’s matches thus far, played out in front of socially-distanced crowds, have been entertaining in that way that matches often are when the teams aren’t quite as prepared as they’d like to be. Preseason received wisdom has been tested in a number of places; the Eagles and Cowboys, both predicted to leave the rest of the NFC East in the dust, picked up one win between them in the first three weeks of the season.

While defending Super Bowl champions the Chiefs have started the season in sharp form, it’s broadly agreed that the one thing harder than winning the top title is retaining it. If Kansas City can manage this, then Patrick Mahomes will start to look like a first-ballot Hall of Fame player while still having the potential to play another decade and more. But who stands a chance of winning it ahead of Mahomes & co.? Could a dark horse be a good bet to take the title this time around?

Rebuilding is not a one-season project: Ask Miami, Denver and Carolina

The Dolphins came into the off-season with a great deal of salary cap space and a wealth of draft picks including three in the first round. While some holes got filled, it’s easy to forget that there were holes everywhere on the 2019 Dolphins side. They lost their first two games of the season and aren’t tipped to suddenly post a winning campaign. There’s likely to be more rebuilding in their future, including at the 2021 draft.

Denver, too, added well at skill positions, selecting top WR prospect Jerry Jeudy in Round 1 and then adding KJ Hamler as a deep threat. It’s not stopped them opening the season with three defeats in a row. Meanwhile, despite retooling their defensive front, Carolina still started with consecutive losses and are conceding 27 points per game. They could do with another off-season of additions, too.

So who IS a threat in the postseason?

Along with the Chiefs, there are real Super Bowl hopes in Baltimore, Green Bay and Seattle, all of whom have turned up in the playoffs in recent seasons. AFC Teams who offer an outside threat and might have you checking how to bet on NFL games online, however, include Buffalo, who have started strongly and have a talented young team (and, crucially, no longer need to face Tom Brady twice a season. Tennessee, who eliminated the Patriots in last season’s race for the prize, are also looking strong and have the benefit of a reborn Ryan Tannehill under center.

The NFC, for its part, does not look like providing many high-level contenders. Beyond the aforementioned Packers and Seahawks, the threats are few and far between. At the same time, you’d be unwise to count out Tampa while they’re seeing production from Brady. The former Patriots QB has found the fountain of youth and is playing better at 43 than most quarterbacks manage at 33. If he takes a knock or his production slows, the Bucs have limited quality to replace the potential GOAT quarterback, but for the moment, that’s not a concern.

There is still some time to go in this NFL season, so many things could still change – this year, that is more true than ever – so it’s hard to rule out a dark horse coming through. They’ll have a tough job, however, if they need to keep Mahomes down.

Are You Making These Critical Home Business Mistakes?

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Not all businesses are traditional brick and mortar businesses and some of the most successful businesses are actually run out our personal homes. But are you running your home business correctly? The following contributed post is entitled, Are You Making These Critical Home Business Mistakes?

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These days, a lot more businesses are being run from the comfort of people’s homes. This isn’t just because of COVID-19. Working from home provides people with numerous benefits including great cost savings. However, to gain access to the key benefits you need to ensure that you are making the right decisions from day one. Here are some of the possibilities that you definitely need to keep in mind.

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Failing To Manage Your Tech

First, when you run a company from home, you must be aware that you will be completely reliant on tech. If your tech stops working then so too will your business and that’s an issue that you’re probably not prepared for. A lot of home business owners think that they can manage their own tech but this is almost always a mistake. Without managed IT services for small business, you are going to miss out on a lot of issues. You could even sustain a hack and it can take weeks for you to realize that this has actually occurred.

Forgetting To Set Up The Right Work Environment

Next, you need to think about your work environment. When you are running a business from home, then it’s easy to assume that you can run your company from anywhere in the property. While this is technically true, it’s probably not advised. For instance, the temptation will be to not even bother getting out of bed in the morning. If you try to work from your bed, then there’s a good chance that you’re not going to reach your full productivity potential.

Instead, you should make sure that you do have a full business office. It’s important to ensure that there aren’t too many distractions around you. Working with a TV in your room is a massive faux pas. Unless of course, you need to keep up with the news for your job.

You should also make sure that your tech is set up the right way too. It’s important that you don’t get distracted when using your tech. This is why blocking some of your favourite sites temporarily through the day can be a fantastic decision.

Failing To Invest In Marketing

Finally, when you run your business from home, you’re not going to have the same level of visibility as you would with a business office. This is why you need to make sure that you are investing in the services of a great marketing team. It’s also important to ensure that you are spending enough on marketing. On average, you should consider spending about 25% of your budget on marketing. This is true, regardless of whether you are running a small or large company from your home. In the first year, you should expect to spend at least three thousand on a digital marketing campaign.

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As you can see, there are numerous mistakes that you definitely do need to avoid when you are running a business from home. If you don’t take these into account then you could put your business at risk as well as your wellbeing.

4 Things To Consider Before Accepting A Job Offer

Two focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and Professional Development/Skills. Not only is it important to make sure you’re qualified for a job in terms of your skills, but it’s also important to be able to assess whether or not a potential job is a good fit for you, assuming you’re not under immediate pressure to take it. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Things To Consider Before Accepting A Job Offer.

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Very often, the excitement of leaving a current job for a new one can cause you to overlook some necessary checks. Forgetting to review your offer could be a missed opportunity to make the best decision for your career and your future. A Gallup poll suggests that in the past year, over 20% of millennials already changed jobs. This same survey also shows that about 43% of the same category of people are already planning to leave current employment in less than three years. Whether or not you are a millennial, it’s crucial to consider these four essential points before accepting your next job offer.

1. Culture

Company culture determines whether or not you will be a good fit for the team or office. Factors such as language, values, company vision, systems, and beliefs, are good things to check out before accepting the offer. Fortunately, the internet makes it easier to do this background check as you consider making a move. The company’s social media platforms, website, and past projects are great places to start. If you know anybody who works for that particular company, ask them how fulfilling they find working there. You could also capitalize on the job interview to ask these crucial questions. Some companies have been sued for negligence and contributing to Mesothelioma (lung cancer) in employees. Because this medical condition resulted from chemical exposure, proven asbestos attorneys were in hot demand and still are. It is just an example of why you need to do your checks before joining any new company.

2. Expectations

Naturally, a manager already has a fair idea of what to expect in a potential employee. You have the right to ask what these expectations are and how they foresee this playing out at the workplace. However, your mission is not to use this feedback as a ploy to build a façade to get recruited, instead it is your opportunity to do a self-assessment to determine if you can deliver on the job. Remember that every company loves to be seen in a positive light and may overstretch their expectations. Be on the look-out for the interviewer’s body language to determine if they are being sincere or trying to sound politically correct in that situation.

3. The Salary, Bonus, and Employee Benefit Schemes

Often, people move from one job to another primarily for better remuneration and other attractive benefits. However, that should never be the main reason to jump ship to the next employer who offers an attractive package. Compare the provided salary with your job role and number of hours you are supposed to work – is it worth it? Also, enquire if the company offers incentives such as health insurance and retirement packages. Make a conscious effort to negotiate the terms without coming across as only being motivated by your wages.

4. The Commute to the New Workplace

Perhaps, your new job offer presented you with everything you ever desired in a career, except for one thing. The distance from your residence to the new office is unbearably far, and your daily commute will be anything but enjoyable. How do you come to terms with this challenge? Some organizations provide a bus to pick up employees from vantage points but are they close to you? Potential employees underestimate this issue and as a result it may create a lack of motivation in the long term. Your daily commute makes a tremendous difference to your job satisfaction.

The thrill of a new job always wanes after a few weeks, so you want to be sure that you have made the right choice accepting an offer. Be sure to consider all these key points before you go ahead and take the plunge.