Skills – The Big Words Blog Site

Want To Improve Your Musical Skills? 5 Helpful Tips

Three focuses of my blog are Art, General Education and Health/Wellness. Music is both an art and an important skill. It can be both lucrative and therapeutic. The following contributed post is entitled, Want To Improve Your Musical Skills? 5 Helpful Tips.

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Improving your music skills allows you to express yourself creatively while developing discipline, focus, and patience. Whether singing or playing an instrument, it is a great way to boost your self-confidence and increase your sense of accomplishment. Even more importantly, it can be a road to financial freedom if you choose to carve a career in music. Improving your music skills can be a lifelong journey, but here are five tips to get you started.

1. Practice regularly, but do so correctly

Practice is key to getting better at anything, and music is no exception. As you’ve heard many people say, ‘practice makes perfect.’ But not just practicing; you must practice the correct way to yield the right results. Set aside time to play your instrument or sing each day, and try to make it a consistent habit. The more you practice, the faster you’ll see improvement. You can do it on your own or in a group. In most cases, group practice helps you gauge your improvement against others.

2. Learn music theory

It’s hard to grow in your music without learning music theory. Unfortunately, many people find this too challenging, time-consuming, or intimidating. Most people want to simply jump into making or recording music, but understanding the underlying principles of music, such as scales, chords, and harmony, can help you make better music and improve your overall understanding of the art form. You can learn music theory through books, online courses, or lessons with a teacher, so keep this in mind.

3. Listen to a variety of music

Expanding your musical horizons can inspire and help you develop your unique sound. Listen to different genres of music, from classical to hip hop, and pay attention to what makes each style unique. Try to listen to a mix of new and old music and music from different cultures to broaden your musical perspective.

4. Collaborate with other musicians

Working with other musicians can be a great way to improve your skills and learn new things. Whether jamming with friends or joining a band, playing with others can push you out of your comfort zone and help you grow as a musician. Consider taking lessons with a music mentor to get more personalized instruction. Another option is to join a choir or orchestra to sing or play instruments in a group. Doing this can even help you compose your music to develop your creativity. You can use choir microphones and recorders to record your playing or singing in a choir to help you improve yourself.

5. Perform regularly

Performing in front of an audience can be nerve-wracking, but it’s also one of the best ways to improve your music skills. The pressure of performing can help you focus and get into a flow state, and the feedback you receive can help you identify areas for improvement. You can play a gig at a local venue or perform at an open mic night. The most important thing is to find opportunities to perform and take advantage of them.

Alternative Ways To Use Your Skills and Earn a Secondary Source of Income

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When many people think about making more money, they default to going back to school for a higher paying job. A key to financial success however is figuring out to make more money with the skills that you already have. The following contributed post is entitled, Alternative Ways To Use Your Skills and Earn a Secondary Source of Income.

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The pandemic has no doubt brought many financial issues to our doorsteps. Whether it’s work hours or increased bills and living expenses, those of us that don’t have a lot of savings are going to suffer as we weather the storm. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to create alternative sources of income by using your existing skills.

So in this post, we’ll be taking a look at some of those methods and how you can secure your financial situation.

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Consider educating others with your expertise

Regardless of what your usual job is, there’s probably a way to teach others the skills you’ve picked up and make a profit from it. Whether you’re a baker, an artist, a writer or a fitness instructor, you can impart your knowledge onto others for a fee and make a fairly decent living from it.

You’ll definitely need to register yourself for a teaching platform if you want to get some exposure. The alternative is to get on social media and advertise that you’re offering lessons, then spread the word a bit by speaking to friends and family members.

Look for work on specialized job boards and platforms

There are actually lots of specialized job boards and platforms that offer employment. These jobs typically don’t show up on general job boards and job search websites because they’re typically offered to industry veterans and experienced individuals.

For instance, you could get a job working with an audio visual crew at an event if you have the expertise, or you might be able to find work as a logistics driver by searching for jobs with specific companies. There are lots of options out there to pick from, but you need to know where to look.

Get on social media and look for work

Social media is a surprisingly effective way to get a job these days. This is because there are lots of people looking for temporary workers and freelancers, but they only advertise on social media because they want to work with people that already follow their brand.

This generally leads to engaged employees that are more understanding of the brand and what they do. This is what makes social media an effective recruitment tool and is one of the reasons why a lot of companies have turned to platforms like Facebook and Twitter to find employees.

Start your own brand as a freelancer

The idea of working as a freelancer might be off-putting to some, but it’s actually an incredibly effective way to earn a secondary source of income if you have marketable skills. This usually means something creative such as design work.

Starting your own brand and growing it isn’t easy, but it’s certainly one of the best ways to look for work as a freelancer. Alternatively, you could pitch ideas to companies to see if they’re willing to hire you on a per-project basis. It’s a great alternative to just waiting around for work and you generally need to be active when searching for employment as a freelancer.

Boost Your Career In 2021 Using These 4 Skills

Two focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and General Education. There were a lot of changes in 2021, some of which changed whole industries and sectors. With this changes, it’s important for each individual to consider how to optimize their skill sets. The following contributed post is entitled, Boost Your Career In 2021 Using These 4 Skills.

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Due to the coronavirus, many things have changed including the way we work and learn. Thanks to technology, this has become even easier. As the world rapidly responds to these changes, you certainly cannot be left behind especially as an employee. Are you interested in gaining some new skills in time for 2021? Here are a few you definitely need to master:

1. Communication and presentation skills
Communication may seem like such a basic thing, but your ability to communicate effectively and present your thoughts in an organized manner could set you apart from the crowd. For instance, try learning a new language, especially as the world is now a global village. Doing this will not only present you with new opportunities but may also give you the chance to meet new people and learn about different cultures. Do you need to communicate with someone but have to deal with the language barrier? A voice translator app such as Vocre is a very helpful tool that enables you to hold meaningful conversations with others who speak a different language.

2. Digital and social media skills
In a technologically-driven era, having some digital and social media skills comes in very handy, and you don’t need to wait to be a sales and marketing person to learn. Whether you’re running a start-up, working for a company or have a school project, developing your digital skills could prove very beneficial to you and those around you. There are several short courses online you can try your hands on to improve these skills. Who knows, you could even start a blog or a new venture as a result.

3. Collaborative skills
The coronavirus pandemic has made remote working more common, but that doesn’t mean the human element is no longer important. Thanks to apps such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype, collaborating in groups is still possible and you need to adapt. This also tests your flexibility, ability to negotiate, manage your time and work towards a common goal. As a plus, it also enhances your cross-functional learning as it pushes you out of your comfort zone to learn more about others and smart ways to work. To flourish in a virtual environment, you certainly need this.

4. Creative skills
Before you limit this aspect to just musicians and artists, you need to be aware that everyone needs to be in touch with their creativity. Are you able to think on your feet or think outside the box? Then you’re already on the way to being creative. This skill has become even more crucial as you need a strong competitive advantage in an increasingly saturated working force. In being creative, don’t be afraid to explore and be yourself, as your unique characteristics can contribute strongly to your creativity. In developing your creative skills, also take some time to relax and allow your imagination to run freely, as this also helps to get your creative juices flowing.

These skills will not only develop you personally but help prepare you for a successful career as well.

5 Skills You Should Learn In Life

Two focuses of my blog are Creating Ecosystems of Success and Health/Wellness. Even before the Coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic, there were a set of specific essential skills that everyone should’ve had some comfort level with, skills that are now more important than ever. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Skills You Should Learn In Life.

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If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you never know what is around the corner, and it is important to be prepared for anything. How many people were thrown into the world of homeschooling this year? Or having to do more cooking as they had to stay inside more? Or what about those who have lost their jobs but used their other skills to make money or to help out with the pandemic? It’s so useful to have life skills as you never know when they might come in handy. Right now, if you’re spending more time at home, then it’s the perfect time to learn a new skill.

Cooking
You don’t need to be a Michelin starred chef, and while it’s absolutely fine to order takeaways every now and again and pop a ready meal in the microwave, it’s also really useful to be able to make just a couple of easy meals. There are loads of recipes you can make, which don’t require much effort, and these days with frozen or chopped vegetables, you don’t even have to do much preparation. It’s good to know that your family is eating healthily and that you know what is in their meals. Find your family favorites and begin with cooking those, and you’ll soon get that hang of what ingredients work well together, and you’ll build your confidence to be more adventurous.

Survival Skills
Survival information is important in todays’ world. With more people now taking staycations and doing activities such as camping for their holidays, having survival skills can mean a safer but also a more fun time.

Sewing
When you lose a button or have a hole in your jumper, do you know what to do, or do you just throw your clothes out? Having sewing skills means you don’t have to go out and buy new ones, but you can fix your favorite clothes. Now that’s just if you learn the essentials, but knowing how to make a dress or like in the recent months, those people who are a dab hand at sewing have been so helpful making scrubs for the NHS and making money from making pretty masks for people.

First Aid
Do you know what to do if someone has an accident? Or if someone is choking? Or even just if they have fallen over and are bleeding? Do you know the signs of a heart attack or stroke? It’s so handy to have the basic skills for your family’s safety and for your own. You can pick up a basic first aid book or sign up for some classes if you want to learn more and make sure you get it right.

DIY
DIY skills can be a very useful set of skills, not just for your own home, but it is something you can make money from too. People always need home repair, and if you know what to do, then you could be very popular. There are plenty of youtube videos available on how to DIY, so not only will you learn something new, fix something that is broken but also enjoy the satisfaction that comes with doing it yourself.

Improving Your Digital Skills

Three focuses of my blog are Career Discussions, Professional Development/Skills and Technology. As our world becomes more technologically advanced, it’s imperative for current and future workers to become more fluent in skills in the technology sector. These skills will likely be the basis for our economy and world going forward. The following contributed post is entitled, Improving Your Digital Skills.

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If you’re looking to make moves online, there are a lot of different courses that can help you with this. So, what options are out there? Let’s take a look:

Cyber Security Training
There is only one place to begin, and this is with cybersecurity training. Data breaches are on the rise, and you cannot afford to take a risk.

There are basic cybersecurity courses that are available, which will take you through using and choosing a VPN, installing a firewall, and other basic cybersecurity features. However, there are also more advanced cybersecurity courses, which will take you through specialist security procedures, such as penetration testing.

Adobe Illustrator Training Classes And Photoshop Training
Adobe Illustrator training classes and Adobe Photoshop training courses are both highly popular. However, a lot of people struggle to choose between the two. If you are one of these people, don’t fret.
Both Illustrator and Photoshop are used by designers, video and film professionals, photographers, artists, and illustrators. However, a lot of animators and publishers also use Illustrator. Both are excellent platforms, you simply need to determine what is going to be the most suitable for your requirements.

Photoshop is the most popular Adobe program; it is great for modifying graphics and images that have already been created, like photos. Raster or bitmap graphics are created via this platform, with raster images being made up of pixels. Illustrator is advanced vector-based software, which means it does not use the same pixel-format as Photoshop; rather vector graphics are created using mathematical constructs. This is why Illustrator is often used to make logos or anything else that needs to be displayed or printed at different sizes. Therefore, an Adobe Illustrator course is advised for those creating logos. It is also considered the better choice for wireframing and sketching. However, if you are creating a website, Photoshop will probably be your go-to choice. Illustrator provides a lot of advantages for the design of interfaces nevertheless.

Finally, when it comes to digital art, it’s hard to separate the two; Photoshop is great for photo-based illustrations yet Illustrator is excellent for graphical illustrations.

Google Analytics Courses
Google Analytics is arguably the most popular marketing channel today, and so learning about it can certainly be beneficial. A basic course is all you need to get started, helping you with assessing different keywords and setting custom alerts. As time goes on, you may want to advance your learning, but a lot of people find that once they are comfortable with the platform they can advance their skills themselves and with online resources.

Sending Effective HTML Emails
When your business sends emails, you have two options; you can send plain text emails or HTML emails. The reality is that there is no competition between the two. To make the right impression and reap maximum benefits, HTML emails are a must.

An HTML email is one where you have the ability to customize how the email looks visually, i.e. you can underline text, change the header, include image, hyperlink text, incorporate various colors, and so on and so forth. The fact that text links can be clickable is important, as it makes it easier for readers to open the link in the email, and thus you increase the possibility of increasing website traffic. Another benefit of HTML emails is that they are easier to scan. If you only send plain text emails, some of the information can become lost in translation because it is difficult to make certain parts stand out, and thus recipients may simply ignore the emails you send. HTML emails are also crucial when branding your business. You will be able to incorporate graphics and colors, which are crucial for generating a visual impact and having a memorable impact on the viewer. Finally, one of the key advantages is that open rates can only be tracked with HTML emails and not plain text emails. How are you going to market effectively if you cannot track your results?

WordPress
Are you interested in learning about WordPress? This is one of the most popular open-source content management systems (CMS). In fact, as of January 2015, WordPress was used by more than 23 percent of the top ten million business sites. Therefore, it really is a skill that anyone in web design and development needs to know. When choosing your training you have various options at your disposal, yet you are advised to go for a WordPress personal trainer, and in this section, we will reveal why.

● Catered to you – There is only one place to begin, and this is with the fact that this type of WordPress training is going to be entirely catered to you. Topics will be selected to suit your own needs, and so more time will be spent on any areas you struggle with, or any areas you want to focus on because you believe it will be best for your business.
● Learn at your own pace – In a classroom environment, it is likely that you will either get left behind or you will waste hours learning about things you already know. You can be sure that this will not happen with a WordPress personal trainer.
● Value for money – This leads onto the next point perfectly; value for money. Private training ensures value for money because you are extracting the maximum value from your experience. Every minute is spent on teaching the elements of WordPress that you need assistance with.
● Freedom to ask questions – Last but not least, you can stop and ask questions whenever you like. This is difficult to do when you are learning in a group.
● It is not difficult to see why the services of a WordPress personal trainer come so highly recommended over a classroom environment. The same can be said for other training courses as well, be it HTML training or an Adobe Illustrator course.

4 Leadership Skills Any Manager Needs

A key focus of my blog is Organizational/Management Discussions. Leadership is an amorphous word which can mean any number of things. When it comes to management in an organization, it does however mean very specific things. Exceptional managers tend to have a specific set of skills that make them successful. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Leadership Skills Any Manager Needs.

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While many people believe they are not cut out for leadership, for others, it feels natural. However, just because you think you were born to be a leader doesn’t mean you have the skills to do so. Without the proper leadership skills, whether in business, at home, or on the field, you risk seeing negative results. To avoid this, you must obtain leadership skills to ensure you can motivate and inspire your team. You could argue that all skills are as crucial as each other, but some are more important than others.

Communication

Excellent communication skills are vital in many aspects of life. If you are unable to put your point across, you will struggle to pass messages on or explain the plan of action for different challenges.

This does not merely mean clear and concise speaking, but also demonstrating that you can listen to others. Through this, you can use your practical communication skills to overcome problems, inspire ideas in your staff, and deal with any issues without coming across as aggressive.

Compassion

Too many managers and leaders will see their staff as commodities, especially if they are part of a large corporation and are rarely in the office or area themselves. However, your team are people, and they have their own lives, meaning compassion and understanding are crucial.

From unreasonable requests to repairing condensate pumps for the AC system, it’s vital to provide them with a comfortable office or classroom. You should also accommodate their requests, whether to leave early or start late, because they have lives outside of work that demand their attention, and their work should revolve around their life, not the other way around.

Relationship Building

Success and relationships go hand-in-hand. Without the ability to build relationships, you will not achieve the heights that you expect or desire as a leader.

But how does a leader make relationship-building a priority? You need to create foundations of trust with your staff, clients, suppliers, and customers. Furthermore, your organization should boast the accessibility that everyone requires, as this will allow them to feel welcomed at your business no matter who they are. Often, merely showing your face regularly will also help you appear more involved than faceless CEOs.

Reflection

Leadership is not just about what you expect from your employees, but also what they expect from you. There will be ideas you have that do not work. But, rather than dig your heels in and close your eyes to the problem, it’s vital to reflect and adapt.

No one is expected to get things right every time, and the same goes for being a leader. You will make mistakes, but standing up and admitting what went wrong and taking clear steps to change it will demonstrate fantastic leadership qualities and boost your team’s respect.

Leading the Pack

Being a leader is all about recognizing when things are not working and adjusting your approach. If you can show this while also demonstrating fantastic compassion and communication and building relationships with your team, you can guarantee you will grow into a strong and effective leader. You will see the results reflected in your team.

Picking Up New Skills for Better Personal and Professional Development

Two key focuses of my blog are General Education and Professional Development/Skills. No matter what your professional training is in, you can never have too many skills. Likewise, you never know where certain skill sets are going to translate for the betterment of your life. The following contributed post is entitled, Picking Up New Skills for Better Personal and Professional Development.

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No one should ever stop learning if they want to reach their potential. Learning anything offers a variety of opportunities no matter who you are, and it gives you the chance to explore new ideas and experiences that others – especially those who gave up on learning – could never imagine.

But, there is so much to learn that it’s challenging to decide what to focus on. There are a variety of options to choose from. You can try something creative, you can learn to follow and expect current trends, or you can consider improving on what you are already proficient at. Regardless of what type of learning you indulge in, you can feel confident that it will open a world of opportunity for you.

Do Something Creative

Creativity is something that too many people believe you are just born with. However, anyone who works in the creative industry, or indeed likes to spend their free time flexing their imagination, will tell you that what it really takes is hard work.

Learning to do something creative, whether it’s learning how to draw or paint or mastering the Piano in 21 Days, among a wide range of other adventures, will be a welcome change from the daily monotony of work.

Giving your mind a break from the serious is excellent for your mental health. Furthermore, with enough practice, you may even find yourself with a useful side hustle to take advantage of in retirement.

Predict Trends

Being able to predict trends will allow you to stay ahead of the pack in the business. By anticipating the next big thing, just like the social media giants did with Facebook and the like, you could find yourself pioneering your industry and taking strides that competitors could never dream of.

There will be times where you get ideas and predictions wrong, but you were never supposed to be some Nostradamus-esque magician.

You can use your knowledge of the industry and its history to consider what might come next, and if you put enough work into it, there is plenty of success waiting for you.

Improve On What You Are Already Good At

While it’s useful to learn a new skill, there’s also plenty of benefits from perfecting what you already know. This can apply to anybody, whether you are a snowboarder or a salesperson. There is always more for you to do and learn.

Becoming the leader in your business will set you apart from those who became satisfied with their current skill level. However, if you become comfortable, you also risk becoming complacent.

Continuously striving to be better than one person: yourself is sure to give you a challenge every day, meaning you’ll never get bored and always have someone to compare yourself to.

Thinking of Your Future

It’s vital to think of your future no matter what you do. By opening up your skillset, you give yourself even more potential to succeed in whatever you do. All skills take a lot of hard work and dedication, but if you care about discovering better personal and professional development, you understand that it is worth it.

Top Skills To Learn That Will Help You Professionally

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and two key focuses are Career Discussions and General Education. While we get trained in our individual disciplines in school, there are other skills that dictate who excels in a particular field in the work world. It’s not always clear when starting our careers what those skills are. The following contributed post is entitled, Top Skills To Learn That Will Help You Professionally.

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So, with many college students embarking on their final year, some of you may have already decided that a career in business is the way for you. Whether it be a career in marketing or sales, there are so many options for you to consider. Now, while college can teach you a lot about say marketing, they don’t seem to really teach you much about the personal skills needed to make it in the world of business.

No matter what it is what you do for a living, you probably want to do it as well as you can. This is true for most people, and yet it can be surprisingly hard to know what kind of skills are involved in achieving and getting ahead in any type of business. In this article, we are going to take a look at some examples of the kinds of skills which are likely to be helpful for anyone who considers themselves to be a true professional and wants to get ahead as best as they can in their chosen career path. If you can master all of these, you will almost certainly be able to improve your career to no end, so it is definitely worth looking into at your earliest convenience.

Negotiation skills

Negotiation is a fine art to master. The official definition is “discussion aimed at meeting an agreement.” But there’s so much more to it than that. Negotiation is all about you coming out on top, while still letting the other person think they’ve grabbed themselves a bargain. This process happens day in, day out in business. Quite a lot of companies now even require their employees to have ongoing negotiations skill training courses to make sure techniques are continually being improved. With deals on the line with most companies, it might be worth doing a little research into the art of negotiation.

Communication

Communication skills are probably one of the most essential skills to have. Whether it be communicating with your colleagues to form working friendships, or with customers to establish a rapport. It’s not all just about face to face communication either. When starting a new job, your employer will be keen to know how your email and telephone skills are. Having a conversation with someone that’s not face to face can be hard, as people can’t always tell the tone you’re trying to take, or the facial cues you’re using to show emotion. Wording an email in a way that comes across informative, yet not condescending is a skill some of you may have already mastered due to being at college. But if you feel you wouldn’t be the best at this, you can always take a look at online guides to help you.

Time management

Time management is one you all would have had to master during college. But in the world of business, it’s slightly more serious. If you’re a little late submitting a smaller assignment, it’s not too much bother. But as you know, when it comes to the big graded assignments, if you submit them late, you may run the risk of losing marks or failing the whole unit. The same sort of applies in business, except if you don’t meet deadlines, it could mean deals lost, customers angry, and more importantly, an irate boss. It’s important to realize that in business, it wouldn’t just be you affected as it would with college, there is often a chain of people affected by lack of time management.

Bookkeeping

Being able to look after your finances is always going to be important for your career and your personal life, and especially if you are high up in any kind of business, even if your job role does not technically have anything to do with the finances of the company. Having a solid understanding of bookkeeping is always going to be hugely valuable, and you might be amazed at just how often it is likely to crop up, so you should consider taking an online course in bookkeeping if you want to learn this particular skill. With that kind of understanding of finances under your belt, it will benefit your life in a considerable number of ways, especially professionally.

Public speaking

It is often said to be the most common fear in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Everyone gets nervous when it comes to public speaking, albeit some more than others, but if you manage to master it, then it could make an enormous difference to how well you do in your professional life. If you’re looking to enter a role in politics or law such as a fraud attorney firm, speaking in front of others is part of the job. Everyone who works professionally knows that there are many occasions when you are called on to speak up publically in the office and so on, and if you are able to do so confidently without worrying about it you should find that it improves your business and your career greatly. Remember this, and consider taking a course to make it easier on yourself. You will find the confidence boost it gives you is incredible too.

Creativity

If you can be creative, it means that you can find dynamic and unique solutions to any given problem. This is something which is going to be useful for many people in many professions, and yet a lot of people find their creativity stifled by the professional settings which could benefit from it. If you are struggling to release your own creativity at work, start small and try to build up as time goes on. You will find that it makes it easier to do so and that you can build your creativity as you go along. This will, in turn, improve your professional life hugely, so it is definitely worthwhile doing.

These are just some of the primary skills that the waiting business world with need from you. Some you may already think you do pretty well, but it’s always worth doing a bit of research to find some of the best techniques and interpersonal skills to make sure you thrive in your new careers.

Making The Most Out Of Your Entrepreneur Skills

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur requires a different set of skills than being an employee. Before becoming an entrepreneur it’s helpful to know what those skills are, and even are starting your business activities, it’s important pay attention to those skills and intentionally grow them. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Making The Most Out Of Your Entrepreneur Skills.

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Life as an entrepreneur is never going to be dull, wouldn’t you agree? Your mind is constantly buzzing with fresh ideas, new approaches to things or even the next step on your business journey. However, there are always you can improve things so that you are living your best entrepreneur life. You may be wondering how you go about doing that? After all, the main impression of any entrepreneur is you either have the gift, or your don’t. However, there are ways you can improve your life as an entrepreneur, making things easier on yourself and even advancing your business in some way.

Many people choose the life of an entrepreneur. They enjoy the thrill they get from creating something out of nothing. They are money magnets, always wheeling and dealing and able to turn their hand at anything. Some people envy them. However, one thing that people don’t think is that the life of an entrepreneur is hard. These things come easily don’t they? But that is where they are wrong. It takes work, dedication, and a lot of hours slugging away to make things a success. The thing that does come easy is the passion. But if you are hoping to make things a little easier on yourself as an entrepreneur then read on to find out more. I have shared with you what I think could help you make more of the entrepreneur skills that you have.

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Improve your general business knowledge and skills

Perhaps you feel that you may have more that you can learn regarding business practices. It might mean that you choose to do things a little different, perhaps having a different approach or process to implement into your own business empire. You could take on a business management course, or even be very specific such as focusing on areas like marketing. Courses such as that can really enhance your skills and make you more confident in new trends and different ways of doing things. Other ways you can improve your knowledge is through networking. Heading to seminars and being around people in a similar industry or share similar interests can really help your business and you.

Be open minded to where technology can help you out

There is so much great technology out there these days, that you definitely need to be open minded to know exactly when and where it can help you out. Let’s start with the basics and the advancement of smartphones and tablets. Now as an entrepreneur you can be on the move and still working wherever you are. You might also want to think about the smoothness of transactions between technology and your servers and this is when server movers could be beneficial to your business. Other advancements in technology has to be in terms of how quick and easy you can reach people nowadays. Thanks to the digital platforms of a website and social media, you can be up and in business i a matter of hours. Having the right strategies in place to ensure that your business is seen, from a decent social media marketing plan to ensuring the content you use is optimised for search engines, can both be extremely beneficial to help you build a successful business life.

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Change your attitude towards business

Your attitude could be your biggest hindrance. It can be your biggest asset or your worst flaw. A bad attitude is never received well. People don’t respond to negativity, and they certainly don’t respond to frustration and disrespectful attitudes. However, an attitude can be your biggest saviour in business, especially if you are prepared to put in the hard work and graft that is required of you. Sometimes you need to be able to ensure that you as a person come off in the best possible light. No matter what you do, first impressions still count for a lot. It is just these days you are able to make a first impression without needing to be face to face with someone. Think about what you say, how you act, and how you portray yourself online to ensure that you do all that you can to have the right attitude.

Have a more positive outlook on life

Positivity breeds positivity and having this sort of outlook on life can really help you as an entrepreneur. Naturally, you should be a fairly positive person anyway, many entrepreneurs are, but it can dwindle from time to time if things aren’t going your way. Many famous entrepreneurs believe in the power of positivity and things like the law of attraction so it might be worth acquainting yourself with some positive affirmations. Ding this daily and having the right affirmations and outlook on life can actually make you a much more productive person in other aspects of your life. It is about being proactive and having the tenacity to go out and get the things that you want out of life.

Look at the nitty-gritty of your business model

Finally, look at the nitty-gritty of your business model and see if there are any improvements to make. Things like a change in social media strategy, a different marketing campaign to sink your teeth into, or even something like a change within ranks in your business model such as offering other team members different roles, so you get a fresh set of eyes on different departments. You may also want to think about the benefits of outsourcing. It can be so tempting to want to do everything yourself, but this can often mean that you don’t complete tasks, or perform them with mediocrity. There is always something you can do, and your business is always there to be improved. Which helps you to grow and succeed in other ways. Doing this regularly can often ensure that you don’t miss out on potential opportunities.

I hope that this helps you to make then most of your entrepreneur skills and to make the most out of what you have available to you for yourself and for your business.

The Transferrable Skills from a Doctoral Degree in the Basic Sciences

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“What does having a doctorate in the basic sciences actually mean, and what does it actually empower one to do particularly in the sciences?”

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Originally Posted on The Edvocate

I originally published this piece in The Edvocate in the summer of 2015 under a slightly different title. When I set out to earn my Ph.D. in Pharmacology, I wasn’t clear on what I was supposed to be getting from my doctoral research besides the degree itself, and hopefully a job at the end of it all. It turned out that in addition to the expertise gained in my thesis project, there were several other important skills that the University of Michigan’s Department of Pharmacology sought to instill in me and my classmates.

These skills – some of which took time and effort to learn are actually very critical in any of the “Biomedical” sciences that I’ve recently written about: Pharmacology, Toxicology, ADME/Drug Metabolism and Inhalation Toxicology, and others. They’re further critical in any of the ‘Basic’ research sciences. All Ph.D.s are not the same, nor are all Ph.D. programs the same and you may have learned some or all of these skills in yours. The following piece discusses the transferrable skills scientists in the Basic research sciences receive during their training which are very valuable in: Academia, and both the Public and Private sectors.

Going Home to Ann Arbor

July 8, 2015 marked the ten year anniversary of the earning of my Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy degree) in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan. It was a tremendous accomplishment educationally and scientifically for a kid from Buffalo’s eastside. Coming from my community, it had far reaching effects and implications socially that I didn’t understand at the time.

On June 2, 2015, the University of Michigan’s Department of Pharmacology hosted its annual Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Career Day. The event was designed to expose the department’s current students, to the multiple career options available to them following their doctoral and masters level trainings. As a key component of the day, select alumni (myself included) were invited back and asked to discuss their careers and share their experiences.

Going back to Ann Arbor is always like going home. Six of my most of the most meaningful years were spent there learning about science and life. My graduate advisor for example taught me lasting lessons not only about pharmacological research, but also how to be a professional and how to survive in this world. In a lot of ways, he was like a second father.

While I experienced tremendous growth during graduate school earning my degree, some of the most meaningful lessons about my doctoral degree itself took place after leaving Ann Arbor. College towns like Ann Arbor are unique in that the University is a major part of the town’s culture, and as such there is an unusually high concentration of highly educated individuals there. Needless to say every place isn’t like that, and you don’t realize it until you leave.

The Power of a Degree

Once I left, I discovered that my degree touched people in many different ways. I actually wrote a ten part series for the Examiner titled “Pursing a Ph.D”. One part of the series was dedicated to the social implications of the degree, specifically some of my biological father’s words of wisdom.

“I wouldn’t tell people that you’re a doctor when you first meet them. They’re going to expect you to have certain things and look a certain way.” Upon moving to Albany, NY for my Postdoctoral fellowship, my father gave me this stern recommendation. I didn’t understand why he was encouraging me to keep my great accomplishment a secret, but to make a long story short, he was afraid of other people’s expectations, and there was some validity to his fears.

Our society associates the title of doctor with wealth, no matter what kind of doctor the person is. The late Dr. Thomas Stanley, author of the Millionaire Next Door series discussed in his books that being a high-income professional, and the accumulation of wealth don’t directly correlate. Wealth building involves: sound money management skills, financial literacy, and in some cases delayed gratification – components that not all doctors have.

Varying Perceptions and Responses

“I wasn’t aware of Dr. Dunbar’s level of education when I met him so I was unable to address him by his proper title,” said a teacher at a Career Day at a local elementary school in late May. I casually revealed to the class that I earned a Ph.D. but didn’t introduce myself as “Dr. Dunbar”. As best I could, I tried to humbly explain to her class of sixth graders that success, in this case earning a doctorate, is a door that swings both ways.

That is, some people will instinctually be happy for you, celebrate your success and look at you with reverence, while others will unfortunately feel threatened and insecure about it and behave as such. This can be relatives, friends, significant others, coworkers, etc. There are numerous stories I could tell about this both good and bad, but there isn’t enough room in this piece.

In any case let’s circle back to the University of Michigan’s Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Career Day. What does having a doctorate in the basic sciences actually mean, and what does it actually empower one to do particularly in the sciences? As the lone government Regulatory Scientist at the Career Day, I interestingly drew the first time slot for the morning speakers.

The Transferrable Skills

I had no idea what my peers were going to talk about, but surprisingly most of our talks shared similar core themes. Each of us in our own way, communicated that in addition to becoming experts of our thesis projects, in my case the “Ubiquitination and Proteasomal Degradation of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase”, there were a host of other skills that we had all learned that were applicable to our current careers and other areas, particularly the Public and Private sectors. Among them were:

• Critical thinking/Problem solving skills
• The ability to multi-task, organize and coordinate multiple projects at one time
• The ability to write clearly
• The ability to speak and present clearly
• The ability to work on teams
• The ability to adapt and understand new systems

My classmates had all gone on to do some very impressive things. Each of us worked on research projects in the areas of: Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Receptor Pharmacology, and Drug Metabolism, just to name a few. However after graduation, not everyone had taken the traditional path of becoming tenure-track academic researchers.

Some had gone on to: work in the pharmaceutical industry, start their own companies, become consultants, become academic professors or administrators (at small teaching colleges), or science advocates. Our varying careers spoke in part to our department’s openness to prepare its students for the potential for other careers, in addition to the versatility of the skills that we had acquired. See my Pharmacology blog post to get a feel for just how vast the field is.

Closing Thoughts

In summary, earning any doctorate whether it be in the sciences or the humanities is a tremendous accomplishment. That being said, it’s what one does with the skills they’ve acquired during their thesis research that makes them great, not the degree itself. In the sciences, in addition to mastery of one’s area of expertise there a core set of skills learned. And it is these skills that make that person exceptional no matter which field they go into.

I’m going to end this differently than the original piece by saying that with a simple Google search, the publications I proudly generated during my research days I believe are all still available online for those curious individuals. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this post you may also enjoy:

• A look at STEM: What is Inhalation Toxicology?
• A look at STEM: What is Pharmacology?
• A look at STEM: What is Toxicology?
• A look at STEM: What is ADME/Drug Metabolism?
• A look at STEM: Blockchain technology, a new way of conducting business and record keeping

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.