At the End of the Day, Experience Will Be the Only Determinant.

How education helps someone to choose right career

In the realm of global politics and diplomacy, attending and speaking at a World Leader Summit is an unparalleled opportunity for heads of state, government officials, and influential figures to shape the course of international affairs. The World Leader Summit 2023 is set to be a milestone event, bringing together leaders from around the globe to discuss pressing issues, foster cooperation, and forge new paths for a better future. This article explores the profound impact that attending and speaking at such a summit can have on world leaders and the outcomes they can achieve.

1. Enhancing Global Influence

Attending and speaking at the World Leader Summit 2023 provides an unmatched platform for world leaders to project their ideas, policies, and visions to a global audience. The summit offers a unique opportunity to address fellow heads of state, diplomats, and international media simultaneously, allowing leaders to shape the narrative on critical issues. By showcasing their expertise and articulating compelling arguments, world leaders can significantly enhance their global influence and reputation.

2. Strengthening Diplomatic Relationships

One of the significant advantages of attending the World Leader Summit is the chance to engage in high-level diplomacy and build relationships with counterparts from various nations. Face-to-face interactions on the summit sidelines, during bilateral meetings, and at social gatherings foster mutual understanding and trust. These interactions can pave the way for future collaborations, negotiations, and agreements, leading to strengthened diplomatic ties and greater cooperation on shared challenges.

3. Addressing Global Challenges

The World Leader Summit serves as a platform to confront and address complex global challenges. By participating in panel discussions, delivering keynote speeches, and engaging in interactive sessions, world leaders can voice their concerns, share best practices, and propose innovative solutions. The summit enables leaders to collaborate with their peers and global experts, leading to a comprehensive understanding of complex issues such as climate change, economic inequality, and international security. Through dialogue and cooperative efforts, leaders can forge consensus, initiate policies, and inspire action on a global scale.

4. Showcasing National Priorities and Initiatives

Attending the World Leader Summit allows heads of state to showcase their nation’s priorities and highlight ongoing initiatives. Through carefully crafted speeches and presentations, leaders can demonstrate their country’s achievements, innovative policies, and commitment to global cooperation. Such exposure can attract investment, foster international partnerships, and inspire other nations to replicate successful models, ultimately contributing to national growth and development.

5. Inspiring Hope and Unity

Leaders’ participation and speeches at the World Leader Summit can have a profound impact on inspiring hope and unity among their citizens and the international community. By emphasizing shared values, calling for collective action, and highlighting the potential for positive change, leaders can rally support and galvanize public opinion. Their words and actions can ignite a sense of purpose, mobilize resources, and foster a renewed commitment to building a more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable world.

The World Leader Summit 2023 presents an exceptional opportunity for heads of state and influential figures to make a lasting impact on the global stage. By attending and speaking at such a summit, leaders can enhance their global influence, strengthen diplomatic relationships, address global challenges, showcase national priorities, and inspire hope and unity. The profound outcomes of their participation extend beyond the summit itself, with the potential to shape policies, foster cooperation, and contribute to a brighter future for all nations.

Education and Skill Development: Understanding the Difference

Education plays a crucial role in helping individuals choose the right career path. Here are some ways education facilitates career decision-making:

1. Exploration of Interests: Education exposes individuals to a wide range of subjects and disciplines, allowing them to explore their interests and passions. Through various courses and academic pursuits, individuals can discover what topics resonate with them the most and align with their natural abilities. This exploration helps in narrowing down the potential career options.

2. Self-Discovery and Personal Growth: Education not only imparts knowledge but also fosters personal growth. It helps individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their strengths, weaknesses, and values. This self-awareness is vital in choosing a career that aligns with one’s personality, values, and long-term goals. Education provides opportunities for self-reflection and exploration of various career possibilities.

3. Exposure to Career Paths: Within the education system, students often have access to career counseling services, mentorship programs, and internships that expose them to different professions. Through these avenues, individuals can gain valuable insights into various career paths, learn about job responsibilities, and interact with professionals working in their fields of interest. This exposure aids in making informed decisions about career choices.

4. Acquiring Knowledge and Skills: Education equips individuals with knowledge and skills that are essential for different careers. Academic programs provide specialized training and education in specific fields, allowing individuals to gain in-depth knowledge and expertise. This knowledge forms a strong foundation for pursuing careers that require specific qualifications or technical skills. Education also develops transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, which are valuable across various professions.

5. Networking Opportunities: Education provides opportunities for networking with peers, faculty members, and professionals in various industries. Building connections within the educational environment can lead to mentorship, internships, and job placement opportunities. Networking enables individuals to gather insights about different career paths, gain guidance from experienced professionals, and open doors to potential job prospects.

6. Access to Career Resources: Educational institutions often offer career resource centers, libraries, and online platforms that provide access to career-related information, job boards, industry reports, and guidance materials. These resources assist individuals in researching different career options, understanding the job market, and evaluating the future prospects of specific industries. They also provide information about the educational requirements and qualifications necessary for different career paths.

7. Continued Learning and Adaptability: Education is a lifelong process, and it instills a mindset of continuous learning. In today’s dynamic job market, where skills and industries evolve rapidly, education prepares individuals to adapt to change and acquire new knowledge and skills throughout their careers. This adaptability helps individuals navigate career transitions, upskill or reskill as needed, and remain competitive in the ever-changing job landscape.

In summary, education plays a crucial role in helping individuals choose the right career by providing opportunities for self-exploration, exposing individuals to various career paths, developing relevant knowledge and skills, offering networking opportunities, and providing access to career resources. It equips individuals with the necessary tools and information to make informed decisions about their career paths, aligning their interests, strengths, and values with their chosen professions.

Unlocking Impact: How to Choose a Great Topic for Your Speech

In today’s rapidly changing world, the terms “education” and “skill development” are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion about their true meanings and implications. While both concepts are crucial for personal and professional growth, it is essential to recognize the fundamental differences between them. Education refers to the process of acquiring knowledge, typically through formal institutions, while skill development focuses on the practical application of that knowledge in specific areas. Understanding these distinctions can help individuals make informed decisions about their learning journeys and career paths.

Education encompasses a wide range of formal learning experiences, such as attending schools, colleges, or universities. It involves the acquisition of theoretical knowledge across various subjects, which can include mathematics, science, literature, history, and more. Education aims to provide individuals with a holistic understanding of the world, foster critical thinking, and encourage intellectual growth. It typically follows a structured curriculum designed to impart knowledge and develop analytical and problem-solving skills. Moreover, education often includes examinations and certifications to evaluate a person’s comprehension of the material.

On the other hand, skill development focuses on practical, hands-on training in specific areas that can be applied directly to real-world situations. Skills are the abilities acquired through practice, experience, and training. While education provides the foundational knowledge, skill development aims to transform that knowledge into actionable capabilities. These skills can be technical or non-technical, ranging from computer programming and plumbing to leadership and communication. Skill development often occurs through vocational training, apprenticeships, on-the-job experiences, or specialized courses.

One of the key distinctions between education and skill development lies in their intended outcomes. Education seeks to broaden an individual’s understanding of various subjects, fostering personal growth, and preparing them for a wide range of opportunities. It provides a solid foundation that enables individuals to adapt to different contexts and think critically. Education is often associated with obtaining degrees or diplomas, which serve as credentials and validate the completion of a particular course of study.

Skill development, however, focuses on enhancing specific competencies needed for particular roles or industries. Its primary objective is to ensure individuals possess the practical skills necessary to perform tasks effectively. Skill development programs are often tailored to the demands of the job market, aiming to bridge the gap between the knowledge gained through education and the skills needed to excel in specific professions. These programs place a strong emphasis on practical exercises, simulations, and real-life scenarios to help individuals develop hands-on expertise.

Both education and skill development play vital roles in personal and professional growth. Education equips individuals with a broad knowledge base, encourages critical thinking, and fosters intellectual curiosity. It provides the building blocks for a well-rounded individual and opens up opportunities for higher education, research, and intellectual pursuits. On the other hand, skill development allows individuals to specialize in particular areas, gain practical expertise, and succeed in specific professions. It enhances employability, boosts confidence, and equips individuals with the tools they need to excel in their chosen fields.

While education and skill development are distinct concepts, they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement each other and often go hand in hand. A strong educational foundation provides individuals with the necessary intellectual capacity to absorb and understand new skills quickly. Conversely, skill development helps individuals apply their educational knowledge practically, reinforcing their learning and making it more relevant.

Ultimately, the choice between education and skill development depends on an individual’s goals, interests, and circumstances. Some careers may require a solid educational background, while others may prioritize practical skills and hands-on experience. It is crucial for individuals to assess their aspirations, evaluate the demands of their desired professions, and seek a balanced combination of education and skill development to maximize their personal and professional growth.

In conclusion, education and skill development are distinct but interconnected aspects of personal and professional development. Education focuses on acquiring knowledge

Mastering the Art of Public Speaking: Tips for Becoming a Confident and Effective Speaker

The success of a speech hinges not only on the speaker’s delivery but also on the choice of a captivating and relevant topic. Selecting the right subject is crucial for engaging your audience, conveying your message effectively, and leaving a lasting impression. However, with countless potential topics to choose from, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect fit. In this article, we will explore practical strategies to help you choose a great topic that aligns with your goals, interests, and the needs of your audience.

1. Identify Your Passion:
Begin by identifying your areas of passion or expertise. Think about subjects that genuinely ignite your curiosity and enthusiasm. When you speak passionately about a topic, your energy and authenticity shine through, capturing the attention of your audience. Consider your hobbies, experiences, professional expertise, or social causes that you care deeply about. By selecting a topic that resonates with you, you are more likely to connect with your audience on an emotional level.

2. Understand Your Audience:
To effectively engage your audience, it’s crucial to understand their interests, needs, and expectations. Research and analyze the demographics, knowledge levels, and preferences of your target audience. Consider what issues or challenges they might be facing and how your speech can provide value and insights. Tailor your topic to address their concerns and deliver information that is relevant and meaningful to them.

3. Brainstorm and Narrow Down:
Brainstorm a list of potential topics that align with your passion and audience’s interests. Write down every idea that comes to mind without self-censoring. Consider different angles, perspectives, or trends within your field of interest. Once you have a substantial list, evaluate each topic based on factors such as uniqueness, timeliness, and potential impact. Narrow down your options to a few strong contenders that stand out from the rest.

4. Research and Gather Information:
Conduct thorough research on your shortlisted topics to gather credible and up-to-date information. Explore various sources such as books, articles, reputable websites, and interviews with experts. Deepening your knowledge about the subject matter will enhance your credibility as a speaker and allow you to provide valuable insights and evidence to support your points. Take notes and organize your findings to structure your speech effectively.

5. Consider the Context and Occasion:
Factor in the context and occasion in which you will be delivering your speech. Is it a professional conference, a community event, or an educational setting? Tailor your topic to suit the tone and purpose of the event. Consider whether a thought-provoking, inspirational, informative, or entertaining topic would be most appropriate. Aligning your topic with the context will ensure that your speech resonates with the audience and meets their expectations.

6. Test Your Ideas:
Before finalizing your topic, test it with a small group of trusted individuals or peers. Present your ideas and gauge their reactions and feedback. Ask for their perspectives on the relevance, interest, and potential impact of the topic. Their input can provide valuable insights and help you refine your ideas further. Be open to constructive criticism and suggestions, as they can contribute to the success of your speech.

7. Follow Your Unique Voice:
Lastly, remember that your voice and perspective are what make your speech unique. Don’t shy away from expressing your authentic thoughts and ideas. Bring your personal experiences, anecdotes, or storytelling skills into the topic to make it more relatable and engaging. Your genuine passion and authenticity will captivate your audience and make your speech memorable.

Conclusion:
Choosing a great topic for your speech is a vital step towards delivering a memorable and impactful presentation. By identifying your passion, understanding your audience, conducting thorough research, considering the context, and incorporating your unique voice, you can select a topic that resonates

What VC’s look for before they invest in a virtual reality startup business.

Introduction:
Public speaking is a valuable skill that can open doors to new opportunities, whether in your personal or professional life. From delivering presentations to addressing a large audience, being a good public speaker can help you communicate your ideas effectively, inspire others, and leave a lasting impact. While it may seem daunting at first, with practice and the right techniques, anyone can become a confident and impactful public speaker. In this article, we will explore essential tips to help you develop and enhance your public speaking skills.

1. Prepare Thoroughly:
The foundation of being a good public speaker lies in thorough preparation. Start by understanding your topic and gathering relevant information. Organize your thoughts and create a well-structured outline or script. Research your audience to tailor your content to their needs and interests. Practice your speech or presentation multiple times to familiarize yourself with the material and build confidence.

2. Know Your Audience:
Understanding your audience is crucial for effective communication. Consider their demographics, interests, and prior knowledge. This knowledge will help you adapt your language, tone, and examples to resonate with your listeners. Engage with your audience by using relatable anecdotes, incorporating humor, or asking thought-provoking questions. Connecting with your audience on a personal level will make your speech more impactful and memorable.

3. Use Body Language and Vocal Variety:
Nonverbal communication plays a significant role in public speaking. Maintain an open and confident posture, make eye contact with your audience, and use hand gestures purposefully to emphasize key points. Pay attention to your voice modulation, pitch, and pace. Varying your vocal tone and speed adds interest and helps to convey your message more effectively. Practice in front of a mirror or record yourself to become aware of your body language and vocal patterns.

4. Tell Stories:
Humans are naturally drawn to stories. Incorporate personal anecdotes, case studies, or relevant narratives into your speech. Stories evoke emotions, capture attention, and make your message relatable. Craft compelling narratives that illustrate your main points and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Practice storytelling techniques, such as using vivid imagery, creating suspense, and delivering a satisfying conclusion.

5. Engage and Interact:
Engagement is key to keeping your audience interested and involved. Encourage interaction through questions, polls, or group discussions. Incorporate multimedia elements like videos, visuals, or props to enhance engagement. Be an active listener, acknowledging audience responses and adapting your presentation accordingly. By involving your audience, you create a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere that fosters learning and connection.

6. Embrace Nervousness:
Even experienced speakers experience nervousness before stepping on stage. Accept that it is natural to feel butterflies in your stomach. Instead of trying to eliminate nervousness entirely, channel that energy into enthusiasm and passion for your topic. Practice deep breathing and positive self-talk to calm your nerves. Remember, the audience wants you to succeed and is rooting for you.

7. Seek Feedback and Continuous Improvement:
Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from trusted friends, mentors, or colleagues. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Consider recording your speeches and critically analyzing your performance. Identify areas of strength and areas that need refinement. Join public speaking clubs or attend workshops to gain experience, learn from others, and build your confidence over time.

Becoming a good public speaker is a journey that requires practice, preparation, and a commitment to self-improvement. By following these tips and embracing opportunities to speak publicly, you can develop your skills, build confidence, and leave a lasting impact on your audience. Remember, public speaking is a skill that can be honed, and with dedication and perseverance, you can become a compelling

Ho’oponopono Protocol for Peace

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields in technology today.

I’m sharing brief points for basic help,, for more details I am available for a chat / call.

Strong Administration

Just, the executives are by a wide margin the main component that brilliant financial backers think about.

VCs put resources into a supervisory group and its capacity to execute on the strategy, as a matter of some importance.

They are not searching for “green” supervisors; they are searching preferably for chiefs who have effectively fabricated organizations that have produced significant yields for the financial backers.

VCs want to see that the startup has a team with a deep understanding of the technology and a track record of success in the industry. A new tech innovation is already an added advantage, like integration of blockchain in VR.

Any option for NFT or alternative ecosystem development in VR world.

Extraordinary Item with Strategic advantage

Financial backers need to put resources into extraordinary items and administrations with an upper hand that is enduring.

They search for items and administrations that clients can’t manage without — on the grounds that it’s such a ton better or in light of the fact that it’s such a ton less expensive than whatever else on the lookout.

VCs want to see that the startup is targeting a large and rapidly growing market and has a clear path to expansion.

This could include developing VR hardware that is more affordable and accessible to a wider range of consumers, or creating VR content that appeals to a broad audience.

In addition to these factors, VCs also look for a strong competitive advantage or unique selling proposition that sets the VR startup apart from its competitors.

VCs want to see that the startup has a clear vision for how it will differentiate itself and establish a foothold in the market.

Finally, VCs want to see evidence of traction and market validation.

VR startups that can demonstrate these qualities are more likely to attract the attention and investment of VCs in the competitive world of virtual reality.

Might administrative or legitimate issues at some point spring up?

Is this the right item for now or 10 years from today?

Is there enough cash in the asset to meet the open door completely?

Is there an inevitable exit from the venture and an opportunity to see a return?

An accelerator program like us, we are looking for strong team and great tech innovation to upscale with.

Leaders, here’s what you’re getting wrong when you try to communicate vision

Ho’oponopono is the Hawaiian conflict resolution protocol, translated as making things right (Adamsky, 2000; Merry, 2001). The base word of pono has several meanings: truth or moral uprightness. Recent years have witnessed a sharp uptick in peer-reviewed research employing the tool for its cross-cultural efficacy, in contrast to the western process of organizational development (OD) (Patten, 1994; Muira, 2000). Ho’oponopono is even valorized as a solution to gender violence for its basis on repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation
(Merry). Most notably for our world today is that Arsenault (1998) and Shook (1981 & 1985), found this protocol to be highly effective in unrelated, multiethic groups.

It is not a stretch to say that modern conflict resolution strategies have failed. If one need go further back than the present, unprecedented war in Ukraine and the recent fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, violence in Ghana is widespread due to impunity injustice (GBGC Ghana, 2022: multiple articles). Twenty seven attacks attributed to IS in Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria, totalling 172 civilian deaths, have been reported this year (Relief Web, 2022).

These samples are just the tip of the conflict iceberg, visible in any media outlet.
Many countries use a punishment / therapy solution for violent offenders. Globally, this model is replete with recidivism (Suárez-Cruz, 2022; Thomas, 2022). In contrast, ho’oponopono is thought to be effective because it “reintegrates the offender” through the previously mentioned repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, “rather than punishment & therapy” (Muira, 2020).

This evidence begs a discussion in how it works.
The protocol is led by a family or community elder, Kapuna (Pukui, 1972). The fact that it is decidedly not led by an uninterested bystander as is the case with organizational development (OD) could be vital to its success, as opposed to their long-term failure of OD (Patten, 1994). Step one of ho’oponopono is pule, a prayer, with the rationale that “connection with God encourages sincerity” (Adamsky, 2000; Miura, 2022).

The pule is followed by a discussion. There is a visual of a cord here: the hala, or transgression, binds the offender with the victim in an unholy knot. Expanding out, anyone indirectly affected by this hala is a part of a network of intertwined negative emotions (multiple knots) called a hilia; if a child witnesses one parent hit the other, for example (Arsenault, 1998). Anyone impacted by this event shares their feelings with a focus on self-scrutiny, not blame, i.e. “___ happened to me”, not “He hurt me” (Shook, 1981, 1985).

This intense exercise is often followed by a Ho’omalu, a cooling off period (Miura, 2000; Shook, 1981). When all parties are ready, they proceed to a mihi, sincere confession. If the victim accepts the admission as sincere, the kala, release or unbinding of the cord, ensues.

Key to this phase is that it must be mutual, not only between the transgressor and the victim but also to include all those indirectly influenced in order for the hilia, network of knots, to dissolve (Arsenault, 1998; Miura, 2000; Shook, 1981). The final phase is a pani, a closing prayer thanking God for the successful resolution.

Recent history is filled with conflict resolution failures, quite possibly due to problems inherent in the protocols employed.

Maybe these methods are too sterile, or try to avoid emotion (and hence the knot of the issue). The age-old protocol of ho’oponopono has been proven to resolve domestic violence (Merry, 2001). The fact that it has demonstrated success in disparate, multiethnic communities gives me hope for it as a potential solution to world peace (Arsenault, 1998).

By — Jessica Ashe (Assistant Director of the John W Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at the Farmer School of Business, Miami University, Ohio USA)

References
Adamsky, M. 2000. “Auntie Malia to Address United Nations Conference.” Honolulu Star Bulletin

Arsenault, D.J. 1998. “Interpersonal Thematic Analysis of Ho’oponopono Group Therapy in a
Male Adolescent Residential Group Setting.” Western Psychological Association Meeting, Albuquerque, NM
GBGCGhana Online. 2022. “Electoral Violence Surges in Ghana Due to Impunity Injustice.”

Merry, S. 2001. “Rights, Religion and Community: Approaches to Violence Against Women in
the Context of Globalization.” Law & Society Review, 35(1).
Miura, S. 2000. “The Mediation of Conflict in the Traditional Hawaiian Family: A Collectivistic
Approach.” Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 1(2)
Patten Jr., T. 1994. “Ho’oponopono: A Cross-Cultural Model for Organizational Development
and Change.” The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2(3). P. 252-263
Pukui, M.K. 1972. “Nana I Ke Kumu (vol. 1).” Honolulu: Hui Nanai.
Relief Web. 2022. “IS and IS Affiliated Explosive Violence in 2022.”

Shook, E.V. 1981. “Current Use of a Hawaiian Problem Solving Practice: Ho’oponopono.”
University of Hawaii, School of Social Work, Honolulu
Shook, E.V. 1985. Ho’oponopono. Honolulu: East-West Center
Suárez-Cruz. A. 2022. “Recidivism at the Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital.”

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, 48, 891-900
Thomas, A. 2022. “When She Says Daddy: Black Fathers’ Recidivism Following Reentry from
Jail.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 3518

8 Tips for Penning a Thank-You Note That Will Be Treasured

We as a whole know representatives really must figure out their organization’s vision. That is the means by which they get adjusted and drawn in, know how their work fits in to the master plan, and settle on better choices with less management.

But, a regular issue with the Chiefs is that disappointment — that their representatives say they don’t figure out the vision, while they accept they articulate the vision constantly.

What’s happening?

YOU Believe YOU’RE CONVEYING THE VISION, However YOU’RE NOT

You might be shocked to hear that your workers aren’t hearing the vision from you, yet the principal thing to consider is that they might be correct.

At the point when you’re a pioneer, you convey a great deal of setting in your mind. You contemplate the organization a ton, and that implies that the vision and other more significant level subjects may be so clear in your mind that you basically neglect to express them. Thus, the main thing you ought to check is whether the words that you believe you’re saying really emerge from your mouth.

Maybe you know beyond all doubt that you discuss the vision. You should check assuming you’re doing that oftentimes enough and in the right scenes. A large portion of them pass the vision on again and again.

Recollect that, for individuals to truly take in what you’re talking about, they need to get it from you in enormous gatherings, in little gatherings, in one to ones, and recorded as a hard copy. Also, they need to hear your authority group around you articulating similar focuses. That is the way individuals will truly ingest it.

THEY DON’T HAVE CLEAR Objectives OR Grasp THEIR Jobs

At times, individuals experience difficulty articulating what’s going on. They get down on the vision as the issue, when they basically don’t have the foggiest idea what their job is, or the way that their work squeezes into the master plan. Essentially, they’re recently confounded, and on second thought of accomplishing the work to sort out what’s irritating them, they knot their grievance into not figuring out the vision.

Your representatives’ disarray about their jobs as a rule comes from a couple of reasons. They might not have clear objectives or ways of knowing how to characterize progress in their job. This is frequently connected to directors who don’t accomplish crafted by assisting them with making measurements and afterward accomplish them, and afterward assist them with perceiving how their objectives bind to the master plan.

As the pioneer, your responsibility is to ensure your chiefs realize that a vital piece of their job is ensuring their understand what they’re going for and how it connects with the north star of the organization.

A few inquiries you can utilize and urge your chiefs to ask their representatives are

Do you have any idea where we’re going as an organization?

Do you have at least some idea what your reasonable objectives are for this quarter/year?

Do you perceive how your objectives tie into the master plan. Is there anything hindering you?

Might it be said that you are getting sufficient course from me or your director?

THEY DON’T Have the foggiest idea HOW THE Organization WILL Arrive

As the CEO or significant level pioneer, you could think an optimistic vision will assist with inspiring your representatives. Yet, this explosions when it appears up to this point arriving at that they have no clue about how you’ll arrive as an organization. For this situation, they might comprehend their objectives and they might see the value in the vision, yet they have no clue about how they’ll connect from here to there.

The representatives love the organization culture and what they were attempting to do, which was genuinely groundbreaking. In any case, the vision proclamation was at such a grand level that workers were passed on to their own creative mind to sort out how it connected with them. Most representatives would have rather not accomplished this work, and the individuals who did arrived on various understandings, and that implies instead of adjusting the group it kept them unpretentiously somewhat off.

You can determine this by ensuring you and your group ponder how each collective endeavors’ convert into gaining ground toward the vision. You could request that your chiefs concoct an infectious expression that exhibits their groups’ commitments to the master plan. Then, at that point, ensure they’re utilizing these expressions with their groups and working with them to make an interpretation of those slogans into much more limited pieces so individuals comprehend how to contribute their thoughts and activities towards the vision.

The vision of an organization should be a grand explanation about contacting lives, and they did this through their concurrences with different accomplices. Each gathering took that vision and procedure and associated it to their groups with a motto, so that even groups without direct client contact felt engaged with the master plan. The innovation group, for instance, lifted up “consistent association” and the money group combine on “make it simple for accomplices after they say OK.” These slogans assisted everybody with being associated with the organization’s general north star while directing them in their everyday.

THERE’S SOMETHING Different WRONG

It’s disturbing to hear that your representatives don’t figure out the vision, until you dig further and figure out that what they truly mean is a more regrettable thing: like your way of life is harmful, or they’re angry at you or the initiative group by and by. At the point when individuals are battling, and they don’t have a real sense of reassurance to discuss double-crossing, terrible administration, or different issues in a useless culture that is harmful; they might go to a more secure grumbling of not grasping the vision. Yet, a large portion of the times the leaders are unyielding that they don’t grasp the vision. It is then truly confusing what’s happening, so it’s best for a retreat to get everybody in total agreement about the vision.

The issue is the CEO. They will be irate that he is so outer confronting and hadn’t requested that anybody manage functional issues. They will be annoyed about his absence of the board of the chief group. Furthermore, the rundown of their complaints continued endlessly. They got the vision, however they had no alternate method for communicating their disappointment — until you make a place of refuge in your worked with meeting.

THEY LIKE TO Grumble

It’s not possible to satisfy each individuals constantly. Furthermore, a portion of individuals you can’t at any point please. They’d just prefer grumble as opposed to accomplish the difficult work of really going about their responsibilities.

SME Landscape in India – Growth, Challenges and Opportunities

Whenever someone does something nice for you, it’s always a good idea to show your appreciation. However, if you want to stand out from the crowd, don’t send a text or email. Send a handwritten note instead.

With the proliferation of social media, it seems that handwritten correspondences have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Yet don’t you remember the excitement of receiving a card or letter through the mail when you were young? It was tangible, handwritten in the script of the sender. You enjoyed holding it and how it felt.

A handwritten note can be picked up time and again to be reread for new understanding and connection. Many people. including me, keep their most treasured thank-you notes in a safe place. They remind us that someone cared enough to take the time to think of us.

Handwritten notes are just as relevant today, or even more so, as they were a hundred years ago. Here are some tips to crafting the perfect thank-you note.

1. Purchase quality stationery.
You’ll be more apt to write a quick thank-you note if you have nice note cards on hand. Purchase foldover or correspondence cards embossed with your own name. Customized note cards can be obtained through retail office supply stores or online specialty stationery stores. If you want to showcase your uniqueness and do something special for yourself, hire a calligrapher to design your stationery and capture your personal brand.

2. Craft a relevant message.
In addition to writing “thank you,” acknowledge the recipient’s generosity and say a few words about how their action made you feel, or how you used or will use what you received. Reference a single moment that made an impact on you to make your message personal and heartfelt.

3. Don’t worry about being elegant.
A simply-written note makes more connection than awkward formality. Write from the heart as if you were speaking to the recipient in person. Keep it short and sweet.

4. Do it yourself.
A sincere nthank-you note cannot be outsourced to an assistant or online service. Don’t blow your opportunity to make a good impression with a canned presentation.

5. Always write by hand.
Even if you don’t have steller penmanship, do your best. The message will be felt through your words, regardless of how your handwriting looks. It helps to practice what you want to say by writing out your message on a plain piece of paper before putting it on your note.

6. Consider your sign-off.
In business letters, you generally sign “Sincerely” or “Best regards.” However, a more personal note deserves a more intimate send-off. Instead of using a redundant “thank you again,” consider a warmer closing such as “With sincere appreciation” or “Yours truly,” then sign your name.

7. Choose a decorative postage stamp.
Take the extra step of purchasing stamps from the post office. There are many designs available, from patriotic to commemorative to scenic. Select a few sets that expresses your personality. Just don’t run your thank you note through the postage machine.

8. Send it immediately.
The sooner you send the thank-you note, the better. Your promptness will be appreciated. It also demonstrates that even though you are a busy person, you still have time for the personal touch. If you forget to send your thank-you note, don’t be embarrassed about it. Instead, take action. It’s better received late than never.

The gifts we receive aren’t all tangible, but they can cost us a heavy price if we fail to say thanks. Whenever someone gives you their time, advice or helping hand, that’s reason enough to express your gratitude in a handwritten thank-you note. It’s one of the surest ways to make connections, strengthen emotional ties and forge friendships and business relationships.

Why Traditional Career Advice Isn’t Relevant in the 21st Century

India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. In the last half-decade, the economic growth has steadily accelerated and most importantly, remained very stable. This growth has been driven by robust socio-economic policies of the government, an influx in the domestic and foreign capital and rise in disposable income and consumption among many other positive attributes. One other major factor that is being touted as the backbone of India’s economy is Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.

Whether it is agriculture, manufacturing or service industry, SMEs are mushrooming in a myriad of sectors across the country. Statistics show that SME accounts for 45% of industrial output and 40% of the total exports in India. It generates employment for 60 million people and creates 1.3 million jobs every year. Given that a majority of India’s population lives in villages and Tier-1/Tier 2 cities, the SME sector has also emerged as a key factor to urbanize rural India.

However, in spite of its contribution to the socio-economic growth of India, SMEs face a number of challenges:

Lack of capital due to inadequate access to finance and credit

Inability to attract talented and tech-savvy manpower

Poor infrastructure and utilities resulting in low production capacity

Lack of innovation

Technology and digital knowledge gap

Lack of marketing know-how

Due to these challenges, the Indian SMEs are unable to scale to their full potential, rise up to the standards of their international peers and become self-sustainable. On the positive side, these challenges should be perceived as untapped opportunities for the SME sector. These challenges offer a broad scope to strengthen the foundation of SMEs in India.

The Indian government has been making commendable efforts to empower SMEs to overcome these hurdles. The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme encourages SMEs to adopt Information and Communication Technology tools and applications for their business processes. Then, there is Assistance to Training Institutions Scheme, which provides financial assistance to national level training institutions operating under the Ministry of MSME to strengthen SME infrastructure and create entrepreneurship skill development programs.

The SME sector has also gained recognition from the United Nations. According to the United Nations, these type of enterprises act as the first responders of the needs of the society, provide a safety net for inclusiveness and are a primary driver of poverty alleviation and development. Hence, the United Nations celebrates ‘Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day’ on 27th June every year to raise public awareness of this sector’s contribution to sustainable development.

There are immense opportunities for the Indian SME sector to grow and thrive. All it needs to do is to adapt to the changing trends and embrace digital skills.

These self-funded proprietary firms, private co-operatives, private self-help groups, Khadi, and Village and Coir industries, not only provide huge employment opportunities but also ensure regional balance by taking industrialisation to rural and backward areas (about 20% of MSMEs operate out of rural & backward areas – CII)

To communicate the importance of the SME sector, I’m going to share with you some key SME statistics, trends and reports. See for yourself what the numbers convey:

Number of SMEs in India: The number is estimated to be at 42.50 million, registered & unregistered together. A staggering 95% of the total industrial units in the country.

SME & Employment opportunity: Employs about 106 million, 40% of India’s workforce. Next only to the agricultural sector.

Products: produces more than 6000 products.

GDP Contribution: Currently around 6.11% of the manufacturing GDP and 24.63% of Service sector GDP.

SME Output: 45% of the total Indian manufacturing output.

SME Exports: 40% of the total exports.

Bank Lending: Accounts for 16% of bank lending.

Fixed Assets: Current fixed assets at INR 1,471,912.94 crore.

SME Growth Rate: Has maintained an average growth rate of over 10%.

Sources: msme.gov.in/KPMG/CRISIL/CII.

Comprehending the sector’s contribution towards employment numbers, towards GDP, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Government of India has launched numerous initiatives to further the cause of SMEs. Mentioned below, in a table form, are the performances of some of the key schemes:

Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro & Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).

Objective: To make available collateral free credit facility to new and existing Micro & small businesses subject to a limit of Rs.100 lakh per unit.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): 350056 Application approved with guarantee coverage of Rs.14,673 crore.

Performance since inception: 2160975 Application approved with coverage of Rs.103,864 crore.

Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG).

Objective: To allow import of capital goods on zero duty subject to meeting export obligations.

Performance during 2015-16: Number of authorisation 22544 with FOB value of Rs.78,860 crore and duty savings of Rs.12619 crore.

Performance during 2016-17 (up to October 2016): Number of authorisation 13,585 with FOB value of Rs.50,359 crore and duty savings of Rs.8,668 crore.

Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (CLCSS).

Objective: To facilitate technology up-gradation. To enable beneficiary enterprises to avail institutional credit towards the purchase of machinery and technologies.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): 3,142 benefited units with an expenditure of Rs.203.76 crore.

Performance since inception: 22,380 benefited units with an expenditure of Rs. 1349.63 crore.

Lean Manufacturing (National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme).

Objective: To make accessible the use of various Lean Manufacturing techniques to SMEs and thus improve their manufacturing competitiveness.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Benefits to 670 units with an expenditure of Rs.11.26 crore.

Performance since inception: Benefits to 3041 units with an expenditure of Rs.45.26 crore.

Intellectual Property Rights.

Objective: To enhance competitiveness through increased awareness of IPR.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Awareness programs held-26, Workshops-05, and IPR Facilitation Centre-03. Expenditure Rs.1.73 crore.

Performance since inception: Awareness programs held-308, Workshops-95, and IPR Facilitation Centre-31. Expenditure Rs.13.69 crore.

Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.

Objective: To help & encourage SMEs to tap & develop overseas market.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Units participated 233. Expenditure Rs.4.77crore.

Performance since inception: Units participated 1476. Expenditure Rs.28.76 crore.

Source: MSME at a glance.

Future Trends:

The future outlook looks very bullish for Indian SMEs, which are far more optimistic than their Asian counterparts in China, Japan and other dynamic and large economies. Consider what this survey result from American Express Global SME Pulse 2017 has to convey:

71% of the SME respondents hold an optimistic view about their domestic economy, followed by Japan with 62% and Japan with 54%. IBEF.

The year 2017 has all the makings of an interesting year with GST following close on the heels of demonetisation. Those who have survived the effects of demonetisation are more likely to see sunnier days ahead.

The implementation of GST is generally expected to bring good tidings to this sector. Some key points in favour of SMEs are:

Market Base: Set to grow as interstate sales complexities are a thing of the past. Since there is no longer any tax burden on interstate sales, big corporates and manufacturers can procure materials & components from small players from across any state borders.

Increased Competitiveness: Low-cost imports are no longer a cause for worry since tax levied on imports goods and local manufacturers will be the same.

Freight Cost: Expected to come down by 1 to 2%, thus bringing down the cost of raw material and finished products.

Cost of Raw Materials: Expected to come down with the disappearance of 2% CST on interstate sales.

Sales & Service: Treatment of sales & services will be the same under GST means no additional tax burden on SMEs with a business model of sales and service.

Transparency and Ease of Doing Business: The new indirect tax regime replaces multiple tax rules. Physical interface of bureaucracy expected to be nonexistent or minimal since registration, tax payment, input tax credit & tax liability adjustment, tax returns, and refunds will all happen online electronically.

The same American Express Global SME Pulse 2017 was found stating that 37% of Indian SMEs considered flexible lending and repayment and 49% high-interest rates as important factors affecting business. Addressing these pain points will definitely make the road ahead much smoother.

With the Indian economy expected to touch $5 trillion by 2025, and with groundbreaking economic reforms kicking in, SMEs are expected and bound to play a much more important role. B2B e-commerce, food processing, pharma, and homeland security and defence are the areas to watch out for.

What Tech Companies Are Doing To Foster Technology Adoption In SME Sector

Elaborating how different companies are focusing on the SME sector, we see many examples. One of the most prominent is telecom giant Reliance Jio announced that it wanted to expand the digital benefits and make them more inclusive for small and medium sized businesses. The company said SMEs will be given cheap digital services, from compute to storage, to connectivity. Jio’s partnership with tech giant Microsoft will help provide the cloud services Jio would need to scale the infrastructure to millions of SMEs across India.

Reliance is not the only one working to bring digitisation to Indian SMEs. Recently, large tech companies like Dell, HP, Intel, Vodafone Idea and WhatsApp came together under the guidance of industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for project called Tech-Saksham. The project plans to reach out to over 10,000 MSMEs. The tech companies will work with SMEs overcome challenges in adopting technology, proving resources and expertise to make sure India’s large SME base gets the digital assistance it needs badly. Shreekant Somany, Chairman, CII National MSME Council stated the direct benefit of the project involving the technology players will be made available through training programmes and workshops on the latest technological solutions such as cloud computing, and market access for trade and exports.

Even Facebook announced an initiative under which it is collaborating with Venture Capital (VC) funds to accelerate the growth of the small and medium businesses (SMEs). Facebook’s VC Brand Incubator Program will be the first in a series of programs by Facebook that will be focused on helping SMEs achieve growth in India by providing them with technology skilling and support.

SMEs have also found its place in the technology world. Recently the founder of WLS engaged in a live session with Neil Lesher who is the founder of Lesher Technologies and how he designed a hands free communication phone cover. A software allows the owner to control the phone from a distance.

It’s a hovering smartphone case which even allows drone technology to function. It allows voice commands which can be used with ear pods. This technology will also help people with less balance to keep lighter and the phone won’t fall down according to Sumit Agarwal who is a young entrepreneur. People with diseases like cerebral palsy will surely be benefitted from this technology as it will free them from the burden of carrying stuff which is helpful because generally these kind of people have less balance in their body. Secondly, people with visual impairments will also get benefitted from the voice commands as seeing on the screen can be difficult for them to understand. People with disabilities will also be benefitted by the upcoming PhoneQuad technology. There is a need to create such a community who will actually be benefitted from such products so that the products do not only remain as a social media flaunting device. It should reach out to people who are in real need of it specially developing countries like India where economic status and language barrier acts as a major problem in the launching of these kind of products. It also has the follow me technology in the PhoneQuad which allows it to hover along with the owner which makes it feel like a hands free selfie stick. The proprietary software allows voice recognition and makes use of excellent physics to create such a technology. This technology will certainly impact the lives of many and give the world a new way to think and look into the future.

The 6 Things You Need to Know to be Great in Business

In an age where skill sets can become obsolete in just a few years, many workers are scrambling just to stay current. How can organizations encourage continuous learning, improve individual mobility, and foster a growth mind-set in every employee, year after year?

Amidst all confusion, searching for career guidance wherever possible seemed like the only way to find any answers.

It seemed to most of us that we were playing a game of dodgeball, where we tried to avoid being hit by his sharp questions and words, struggling to keep the conversation flowing.

Here are four reasons why traditional career advice isn’t relevant in the 21st century and what can be more resourceful instead.

At the End of the Day, Experience Will Be the Only Determinant.

You had never wanted to escape a room so much as did that day. Every inch of you was laced with fear. You couldn’t imagine doing one thing for a decade. You didn’t know how to put all of your abilities and interests in a box- there wasn’t a thing that could check all of your wishes at once.

In a study, recent trends have been highlighted such as technological change, globalization, demographic change, etc that will play a major role in affecting the career of a present-day student.

The only thing that will give clarity is a true experience. Working as interns with head-on reality in our faces will give us the time and ability to tell what we really want to do. Little hints will nudge us in the right direction.

A subtle truth is that none of us have the whole picture in our heads. Most of us go forward with a vague idea in our head- based on the movies we watch, articles we read, or the environment we are raised in. All of these factors add up to give us a limited idea of what we want in life.

Most of us fear being jobless in a world dictated by automation. However, this research also shows that automation will create more jobs than it will take. Automation is simply one of the important aspects of the future. Many others aspects will contribute towards the future as well.

Skills Matter Much More in an Unstable World.

Young people are told to pick one option- because you can’t have it all.

We are told to work harder and be consistent with our goals- but when the time comes to choose, our careers must magically fit with what society deems as success.

The only thing that you knew is that you had won an essay writing competition in fourth grade- and writing was the only thing that made a little bit of sense. You decided to improve your creativity instead of panicking.

The future holds abundance for us. While fear for the future has always existed, technological innovation may bring more to us than we can imagine. The digital age will provide access to resources and opportunities that we may have never dreamt about.

Now, people with no access to traditional educational institutions can develop their skills through the internet. This can be a huge asset to the underprivileged, who can reach their potentials.

It shows in its research about six different hypothetical workers of the future- with a combination of different skills required for their individual role. Each one of them differs vastly but they contribute deeply to society. For example- the skill of being an active listener is very important not only for a counselor but also for a teacher.

Of course, you have to start somewhere. In an unstable world dictated by new and changing norms, skills will be the new deciding element of careers.

We Don’t Know What the Future Looks like Career-Wise.

If you told anyone ten years ago that you could record your life casually and get paid for it, he’d probably spit his coffee at you and tell you to jog on. Who knew that you could be a vlogger or a social media manager and get paid for it?

There is still hope for all of the people like me who never thought of a defined action plan. This might sound optimistic, but if we leap back in time, opportunities weren’t as endless as they are today. With the digital age rising and paving its way, new paths are being written and old ones are being replaced.

The paths that were defined for older generations are no longer valid anymore. Here lies a generation that is much more privileged with its options- hence we have the choice to select from things that weren’t available years ago.

Multipotentialites, therefore have the opportunity to combine all of their interests in a way that fends for them.

The future might be unpredictable- but that doesn’t mean we have to leave all of our skills and narrow it down to one.

Experimenting Is the Whole Game.

Not everyone comes out of the womb with a plan. Some of us scramble with choices, going from place to place, trying to figure out what suits us best. If we were stubborn with our choices, we would never know what could potentially be a better fit for us and our lifestyle. The past and the future will not only differ in time but also in the kind of opportunities. Emotional Intelligence and cognitive skills will be required for success in the professional world.

If you could salute the people who go on with their choices without a doubt, you would. But after all, the doubt is an incentive to reach for better opportunities. What makes us leave is what makes us grow.

Unlike the cliched advice that talks about ‘following your passion’ or ‘doing what we are best at’, maybe a better approach would be realizing that we’re going to be bored anyway.

As humans, boredom is a constant — we can get bored of anything. Research shows that boredom is beneficial to us. The struggles that we are willing to overcome are the struggles that are worth it. Hence, when we break through phases of boredom, the skillset required to go through adversity and challenges will be formed.

Final Thoughts

You found something much more resourceful to you. You would be challenged to think for yourself. Your fear was an incentive to search and explore the potential. These days, there isn’t any formula for a successful career. That’s what makes it all the more interesting.

Upgrading your skills, instead- is the right thing to do at an age where everything seems cloudy and distant. With the plethora of options, the dilemma of right and wrong shouldn’t be a problem anymore.

The Most Important Thing to Do Before Building Your Startup

Starting your own business is a difficult but rewarding process. A startup can be very fragile, and you may face any number of challenges and obstacles as you build your business. While many of these issues may be completely out of your control, you will always have the ability to control how you react to them.

Here are six tips to help you avoid a few common mistakes that many entrepreneurs make:

1. PROPER PLANNING.
This may seem like an obvious recommendation, but having a plan makes all the difference. A business plan provides your business with a clear purpose and direction. In fact, you will find that the remaining steps will fall into place naturally as you develop your plan. The entire planning process should be thorough and include steps such as:

Planning the entire customer experience. It’s vitally important to plan for customer experience as you develop your business goals. Planning the entire customer experience enables you to build strategies that will help you reach your customer service objectives and create a service culture.

Creating a financial plan.

Financial projections will help you determine whether your business will be viable or whether more planning is necessary. These projections are also critical if you are seeking outside funding, as they make it possible for investors and lenders to evaluate your potential for success.
Conducting a break-even analysis. Your break-even analysis will help you identify what you will need to accomplish in order for your business to be profitable. A break-even analysis allows you to compare different cost structures and prices.

2. REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
It takes drive and enthusiasm to start your own business, but many entrepreneurs can be blinded by their own enthusiasm. It’s common for startups to overestimate sales volume, and find themselves in a tricky situation when things don’t go as planned. Unlike a more established business, you don’t have a sales history to draw from to make projections. So, how do you set realistic expectations when you’re starting with a blank slate? Take your optimistic one year sales goals, and cut that by 60%. Can you still operate at this revenue? It’s always better to plan for the worst but strive for the best. When in doubt, talk to other established business owners to see if your sales expectations are practical.

3. THE RIGHT ADVICE.
While it’s beneficial to seek out advice as you define your goals, make sure you are getting the right advice and not taking everything you hear at face value. While trying to start my first business at 22 years old, I tried to get a $10,000 SBA loan. Any business at the time, can only have three things: an idea, a computer, and a car. No money, no collateral, and no business experience. The loan officer took one look at business plan and would perhaps laugh at you out of the bank. He would tell you that your goal of $1 million in sales by end of year one was outrageous and impossible, and only made your lack of experience more apparent.

4. CASH FLOW.
Projecting your cash flow is another crucial step in the planning process. Cash flow is important in any business, but it is especially critical for startups. Things like loan payments, inventory, capital investment, customer receivables, and other startup costs can quickly cash-crunch a small business. In order for your business to succeed, you will need to manage your accounts payable, accounts receivable, and be prepared to handle any shortfalls. While all business owners hope to avoid shortfalls, they do happen. Make sure you are keeping 2-3 months of operating expenses in the bank at all times.

For better management of your cash flow, you may want to provide electronic invoicing and online payment options. The quicker your customers pay, the better your cash flow becomes.

5. CONTINGENCY PLAN.
Things don’t always go as planned. A contingency plan gives you something to fall back on and keeps you from panicking. Your contingency plan should account for any potential threats or emergencies, and outline how your business will respond to each one. Should something go wrong, you’ll have the resources you need to make level-headed decisions and address the issue quickly.

Contingency planning isn’t just for potential poor performance. You should also be planning for your possible successes. Failing to plan for success can harm your business just as easily as failing to plan for underperformance. Make sure you have a plan in place in the event that you exceed your expectations and are able to react appropriately to quick success.

6. MARKETING PLAN.
For most startups, finding a customer at the lowest cost per acquisition is extremely important. Digital marketing will typically give you the best ROI because it’s generally cost-effective and easy to measure. However, with a smaller startup budget, some of these items can be done yourself to start:

Website. Your website should do more than simply look good. The site should provide a high quality user experience and be designed to convert traffic into leads.

Pay-Per-Click Ads. With pay-per-click advertising on Google AdWords, you can reach people who are searching for your specific services online.
Social Media. Building a social media presence can help you connect with your target audience and increase brand awareness.

Email Marketing. Email marketing campaigns enable you to stay connected with your customers and drive repeat business.

Building a business is never an easy thing, but it is an incredibly rewarding thing. Be realistic with your planning and resilient as you take on challenges, and you’ll find yourself on a much clearer path to success.

Deep talk with Dominnique, CEO and co-founder of Healthy Pleasure Group

Understanding the work involved in starting a business is necessary for a successful launch

The importance of proper planning cannot be understated, as these decisions are core to how your business takes shape

Making good decisions early in can help ensure continued growth

Starting a business can be stressful. It often feels like there are 1,000 things to work on all at the same time. There’s no avoiding this reality for new small business owners, but with a little planning, it’s possible to manage expectations and take actions with a sense of purpose toward building your business.

Beyond giving it your all, it’s important to direct your energy to the right tasks – especially at first. Experts say some good first steps in starting a business are researching competitors, assessing the legal aspects of your industry, considering your personal and business finances, getting realistic about the risk involved, understanding timing, and hiring help.

1. Do your research.
You want to make sure you understand the industry you’ll be involved in so you can dominate. No matter how unique you might think your business idea is, you should be aware of competitors.

“Just because you have a brilliant idea does not mean other people haven’t also had the same idea. If you can’t offer something better and/or cheaper than your competitors, you might want to rethink starting a business in that area.”

Assess the market before opening your doors. Understand the industry you wish to enter, as well as its major players and your future competitors.

2. Determine your audience.
Spend time considering who your target demographic is. This audience will be the driving force in each decision you make. Understanding who needs your product or service can help fine-tune your offerings and ensure your marketing and sales strategies are reaching the right people. Part of this decision is understanding if you are a business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) enterprise. Within those parameters are multiple categories, including but certainly not limited to age, gender, income and profession. You can’t earn a profit without your customers, so understand who they are and make them your priority.

“It is crucial to make sure you are delivering what your customer wants, not what you want. This will give you insight into your customer’s buying decision and save you lots of experimenting down the road.”

Know who you’re talking to. A defined target market will help you better acquire new and repeat customers.

3. Have a strong mission.
Standing out is no easy feat, and no one magic formula guarantees results. However, knowing your business’s purpose is central to guiding these decisions. By recognizing your business’s strengths, differences, and purpose, you can make informed choices to expand your services and markets down the line in a way that is harmonious.

Knowing your purpose guides important decisions you’ll make along the way, so be sure that your mission is clearly defined.

4. Choose a structure.
A key initial step to take when starting your business is choosing its legal structure. It will dictate the taxes, paperwork, liability of the owner(s) [and] other legal aspects, as well as whether or not the company can have employees.

Additionally, you must acquire the proper local and state registration required to open your business.

“This means the entrepreneur will need to create the articles of incorporation, obtain an employer identification number and apply for necessary licenses, which will vary by state and industry.

Call on legal help to best advise you on the structure to take and the necessary paperwork that needs to be filed.

5. Map your finances.
Starting a business requires money that you likely won’t have right away. This is why you need to seek out ways to acquire capital.

“Most entrepreneurs start a business with a very limited amount of capital, which is a large hurdle to many. However, there are plenty of options available to a budding business owner. The first and most common place to seek capital is with friends and family. If that is not enough, expand the search to angel investors and venture capitalists. Should these options not provide the amount needed, then apply for business loans through banks and small business associations.”

Make a plan for how you will fund startup costs, whether that’s your own funds, asking friends and family for money or borrowing from a financial institution.

6. Understand your tax burden.
Entrepreneurs should be organized with taxes and fees. There are multiple payments to make, and filing any of them late could result in severe consequences.

“You have to figure out how much your payroll is going to be in order to make your tax payments timely. The timing can vary depending on your payroll. You also have to figure out other business taxes, such as city, county and state.

Understand when, how and to whom you pay taxes and fees.

7. Understand the risk.
Of course, there will always be a level of risk with launching a new business venture. Calculating, understanding and planning for risk is an important step to take before you start working on your business. This means assessing your industry’s risks before moving forward with a business plan.

“Entrepreneurs should know their industry’s risks before purchasing business insurance,” said Jeff Somers, president of Insureon. “For example, accountants will want to consider professional liability insurance in case a client files a lawsuit, claiming there was a costly error on their tax return. Restaurant owners are more likely to need general liability for slip-and-fall accidents and liquor liability insurance, which can pay for lawsuits.”

Be honest with yourself and business partners about the risk involved, as this can help you prepare by obtaining the right types of insurance that can protect your new business.

8. Put together a business plan.
A business plan outlines the steps you need to take for a successful launch and continued growth. This document is important for establishing a focus for your business, attracting C-level professionals to work for you, and seeking and retaining capital. A business plan ensures you put your best foot forward with other professionals who are evaluating your company, so be sure to have this document on the back burner and ready when requested.

Take the time to put together the main components, including:

Your mission statement
A description of your business
A list of your products or services
An analysis of the current market and opportunity
A list of decision-makers in the company, along with their bios
Your financial plan so those who review can understand the opportunity
Even if you don’t think you need it, put together a professional and polished business plan that’s ready to go when it comes time to recruit executives, fundraise or expand.

9. Time it right.
Timing is an important element of building a business. Sure, you want to start your business at a time when the economy is healthy and your prospective industry is expanding, but there’s also a flow to decision-making that’s important to be aware of.

Launching at the wrong time can make it challenging for your new business to succeed. Take the leap when the timing and circumstances suggest it’s right.

10. Look for a mentor or advisor.
Starting a business should not be an independent journey, no matter how tempting that sounds. Finding those who have made this journey before can help set you up for success. Network with other professionals in your industry, attend industry-specific workshops and events, and reach out to thought leaders in your industry to learn their approach. Alternatively, you may want to consider hiring a coach who can give you pointed advice.

Learn directly from someone else who has gone through the process to help you set up your new business for growth.

11. Bring in the professionals.
It’s impossible for entrepreneurs to know everything about running their new venture. Tapping into the experience of seasoned professionals can make sure you’re starting on the right foot.

It’s especially important to have legal assistance to ensure you are protected and going about the process the right way.

“We often make the assumption that legal counsel is for when we get ourselves into trouble, but preventative and proactive legal preparation can be the very best way to set your business on the path to long-term success. “When you call on legal counsel after you’ve run into a problem, it’s often too late or could critically impact your business in both the short and long term. Investing in their insight at the start of your business can pay a huge return later on by keeping you out of trouble before you even get into it.”

Another smart hire is an accountant. It’s nearly impossible for one person to handle every aspect of a company, and above all, your finances should not be put at risk.

You are the artist of your life

I’m Dominnique, CEO and co-founder of Healthy Pleasure Group, a pioneering collective that seeks to define, reshape and revolutionise the sexual empowerment of all generations and pave the way for healthy sexuality and healthy pleasure for everyone.

I spent my youth in both Greece and South Africa, studied in Sweden and I’m now based in London, with offices in Barcelona and Los Angeles. I’ve worked in more than 30 markets globally helping start ups and market leaders across beauty, retail and health improve and increase their sales, marketing and distribution channels.

How many hours a day do you work on average?

On average around 12 hours.

Can you describe/outline your typical day?

I always start my day walking my daughter and our dog to school, a walk and talk to connect and appreciate my time with her. At HPG, my days are split between internal meetings across the Group, client meetings, industry & stakeholder discussions and Lab innovation planning. I always make time to learn, be it listening to a podcast, reading or attending an industry talk. My personal life revolves around coffee and great food, so every day will see me making great coffee and cooking for my family and friends. I try to make time for myself to exercise and make sure to get at least seven hours sleep most nights.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

It is a constant juggle, but I am fortunate to be surrounded by supportive friends and a work family that help me as a single mum everyday.

What motivates you?

The future. The promise that we can positively change behaviour for better social impact affording humanity the opportunity to benefit from healthy pleasure.

How do you generate new ideas?

Walking in nature or jumping in the ocean. When I connect with nature alone, time and space mutate, holding a space for me to creatively develop or receive ideas, products, solutions and new understanding.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

I truly believe I might be missing the fear factor. Fear is spending a lot of time believing something is true just because I, or someone else, says it is. Being a mother means fear does pull at my heartstrings everyday. This may never change, but how I deal with it and the control I have over it can. I challenge myself to try to never make a decision from a place of fear.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

It does what it says on the tin! The aim of our business is to define, reshape and revolutionise the sexual empowerment of all generations and pave the way for healthy sexuality and healthy pleasure for everyone.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

We haven’t done any fundraising until now. Healthy Pleasure Group was built from the ground up with our network, clients and talent, and we continue to grow organically.

How do you build a successful customer base?

I have been a consultant and Brand Architect for more than 15 years in the consumer market. I also invested in and consulted multiple global, maverick SexTech start ups more than six years ago. Together with my co-founder at HPG, Dr Mafe Peraza Godoy, we developed innovations and dedicated ourselves to building the future Sexual Health & Technology economy. The network I made on this journey and the world class services HPG now delivers means that we have been able to build a strong customer base.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

I live with passion and I am led by my intuitive curiosity. When there is a vision that I can authentically believe in, you have my attention and commitment.

As an entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?

The next major change we will see in Sexual Health & Technology is market consolidation. We are fortunate to speak to over a hundred brands a month and can see that the landscape has been fragmented across a range of categories including medtech, femtech, sextech, healthtech, telehealth and wellness. Each of these spaces are booming, so our mergers and acquisitions pipeline is a powerful avalanche waiting to close the trifecta between sex, health and technology and raise the industry up.

How do you advertise your product/service?

We are always mindful of the risks of digital censorship when it comes to our industry, so we prioritise content across our own channels with continued media relations and a roster of speaker platforms. Sexual Health & Technology is a burgeoning industry where everyone knows everyone, so I don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth.

To what do you attribute your success?

Resilience, persistence and kindness. For myself and with others. This is the currency of our future.

What was the reason to start your company ?

Having worked in the Sexual Health & Technology industry for almost ten years, I realised just how disconnected the world was, as far as business was concerned, when it came to understanding the most innate human experience: pleasure. At the same time, I faced continual resistance from businesses.Telephones would be put down on me. I’d be asked to leave the boardroom. I would be asked to come and talk about a product without saying the word sex. It took two years to put Menstrual Cups on the shelves of Boots.

From this, I knew I wanted to commit myself to creating behavioural change in Sexual Health & Technology to enact social change through three vital economic motors: Education, Innovation and Investment. So together with urologist, andrologist and sexual medicine expert Dr. Mafe Peraza Godoy, we founded The Healthy Pleasure Group which comprises five businesses: The Agency, The Lab, The Demand, The Fund and The School.

What do you look for in an employee? The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

As a relatively young industry, there is no Sexual Health & Technology talent pool to choose from, no one can study the landscape because it’s being built, created and shaped in real time. Attracting skills straight out of school or university with Sexual Health & Technology as their first career move is a tough feat – there’s no 101 in how to market sex toys! That’s why I look for passion and drive; skills can be taught, but sexual empathy to make a real change is always what we look for. We will always choose team over talent.

What made you choose your current location?

Covid. While we have bases in Barcelona, London and LA, we are currently remote, coming together on a frequent basis (Covid-dependent) for Think Weeks. We are concentrating on creating a cultural hub for inspiration and learning, we don’t need a boardroom to squabble over.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

LTD UK Entity that delivers services across four continents.

Do you work locally or internationally?

Both locally and internationally.

What’s your company’s goals?

From democratising sexual pleasure beyond binary understandings to removing stigma and barriers to reproductive healthcare, we refuse to accept the way things have always been.Ultimately, we built Healthy Pleasure Group to create behavioural change through three vital economic motors; Education, Innovation and Investment.

We want to be the leading catalyst for impactful social change while establishing a robust meaningful market share of the fastest rising industry, Sexual Health & Technology.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

I’m the CEO so typically this comes with leadership, accountability, mentorship, ownership of our mistakes and successes and the importance of making decisions that are in the best interest for the company, our people and our partners. Most importantly, I see my biggest responsibility as committing to continuous learning and sharing my knowledge with those same people.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

The work we do is intrinsically geared towards creating opportunities, products and education to support marginalised communities globally. From helping one client focus on gender-inclusive pleasure with a take-to-market strategy for a product inspired by trans women for the LGBTQ community, to helping a male grooming brand understand how it can help black men prioritise their sexual wellbeing.

Tell us about your team, and how you got in touch with each other?

Between me and my co-founder and soul sister, Dr Mafe, we were able to build an initial team from our existing networks. As we’ve grown we’ve had more and more people approaching us having read or heard about HPG in the press and industry events who share our passion for making real change in the Sexual Health & Technology industry.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Follow your curiosity. Listen to your intuition and do what makes you thrive. If it doesn’t exist, create it with those that believe in you and genuinely yearn for the same.

Interview of Grace Tolentino from Philippines

Thinking of life as art, believe serves as a powerful guiding metaphor for us as we lead our lives.

As the artists, that is the creators of our lives, we realize certain maxims or truths.

Some of those maxims are:

Artists take responsibility for creating their art.

Artists are on a quest to continually perfect their art.

Artists know that they are always free to create again in the moment.

Each of our lives is overflowing with potential and possibilities. Let’s see how we can use that metaphor of life as art to create the best possible life that we are capable of creating. Looking at the first maxim that artists take responsibility for creating their art, simply means that the power to create lies with the artist and their vision. In other words, each of us is ultimately accountable and responsible for our lives. On an intellectual and intuitive level, we know that this is true. Yet at times, we tend to forget or blatantly disregard that the power to create the best life possible resides within us.

We blame external circumstances, our upbringing, other people and our past conditioning to abdicate taking responsibility for how our lives have turned out so far. Real maturity in life means accepting the fact that if we want to have or continue to have a great life, it starts with having a vision and a purpose. If you can consciously be accountable for your choices and actions, you will see a change in your attitude. You realize that you are responsible for your own happiness or…. the way that you react to your own challenges in life.

Now not totally life is not very challenging or difficult at times. Bad things do happen to good people and each of us have had our share of loss and heartbreak to contend with in life.

And sometimes through no fault of our own, we are forced to deal with the bad choices and actions of other individuals that have long lasting repercussions on our lives. What matters is that if we ever hope to create or continue to create the type of life that our heart truly desires, a life that is meaningful, the difference is the accountability factor. Be a true artist and take responsibility for the art that is your life that you create.

Art can and does mean so much more than that, to so many people. Art is a way of seeing the world, a way of expression, oftentimes a compulsion: we simply must create!

Art may be a way to explore your world or your imagination. Art may inspire a beginning painter to take steps into learning a new medium, or an accomplished artist to experiment with a new technique. Art is teaching, art is learning. Art can be exciting, empowering, and an expression of love.

Art can be a challenge: both frustrating and rewarding at the same time, leading to a sense of accomplishment — or a determination to do more. Art can be a message: of politics, of peace, of brutality or beauty. Art can be an escape, an idealization, or simply a means of play. Art can be anything and everything you let it be!

Every artist plays a different and necessary part in contributing to the overall health, development, and well-being of our society.

Creative thinkers and makers provide their communities with joy, interaction, and inspiration, but they also give thoughtful critique to our political, economic and social systems — pushing communities to engage thoughtfully and make steps toward social progress.

Art is about connecting with people’s emotions. It’s personal and at the same time, universal.

It’s a human urge to express emotion through the medium of mark-making. We all carry with us memories of our past experiences.

An artist has the ability to ‘feel strongly’ to be ‘sensitive’ to things and express this in the paint, gesture, or color. The artist ‘absorbs’ the atmosphere of a place or the memory of a feeling. Sometimes, it’s a burden for the artist to carry all this emotion – to be so sensitive.

Art is genuinely a gift to the world. It’s what we crave in the human experience. Art gives meaning to our lives and helps us understand our world. It is an essential part of our culture because it allows us to have a deeper understanding of our emotions; it increases our self-awareness, and also allows us to be open to new ideas and experiences. Art therefore continues to open our minds and our hearts and shows us what could be possible in our world.

ART ALLOWS US TO CONNECT WITH OUR INNER SELVES

Art can transform our lives. When we connect with art, we are ultimately connecting with our inner selves. Art enables us to look within and to listen to ourselves, realize who we are, and what we care about. It connects us to our thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and our outer realities and experiences.

When we connect with a work, it is possible to encounter a rise in emotions because it introduces us to new experiences, provides us with a deeper understanding of our emotions, and shines light on questions we never knew we even had.

But as humans, it is essential to surround ourselves with art created by others. Art introduces us to a whole new set of experiences and ideas that we may have never witnessed before.

These experiences allow us to look within because as people, we decide what we’re seeing and feeling based on the emotional connection that we have with that work of art. As people, we tend to make emotional choices that are passionate to us, which allows us to realize what we care about and what we stand for.

When we are aware of this, we tend to be happier and healthier as individuals because we are able to figure out our purpose in life.

ART CAUSES US TO HAVE AN APPRECIATION AND GRATIFICATION FOR WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES

We tend to be happier when we are able to look at life through a standpoint of appreciation and gratification – when we are able to view all of the wonderful details that are going well in our lives instead of focusing on the alternative.

When we give ourselves the opportunities to connect with art, we are able to take a step back, reflect what’s going on in our world, evaluate our lives, and reflect. That is why I believe it is so important to gift yourself with opportunities to incorporate art into your life on a daily basis. This could be through visiting an artist’s studio, a museum, seeing a live show, watching a movie, or even reading a great book.

ART BRINGS MORE CREATIVITY, SATISFACTION, AND HAPPINESS INTO OUR LIVES

Have you ever had an emotional connection to a work of art? Have you ever experienced a wave of emotions while standing in front of an amazing painting?

Have you ever experienced a work and could not seem to explain the feeling that it gave you? This experience ultimately comes down to intuitively connecting with the artist’s story, their voice, and their experience. You are being welcomed into the artist’s world.

Art gives us meaning and helps us understand our world. Scientific studies have proven that art appreciation improves our quality of life and makes us feel good. When we create art, we elevate our mood, we improve our ability to problem solve, and open our minds to new ideas.

Art is a testimony of the human condition. It encompasses all of our hardships, emotions, questions, decisions, perceptions. Love, hatred, life, death. Essentially the way in which we perceive our world, every aspect of humanity can be expressed through art.

These times lay bare why art can’t be dictated nor contained by anything.

Creativity isn’t limited by its resources.

Creation is a primal source.

The authenticity in a painting or a piece of music is felt universally, because it resonates with the same essential being in the creator and the creation. The artist is often referred to as a magician, whereas her art only lays bare the heightened capacity to channel the universal truths.

The common story of life, love and death is what connects us humans.

Art is important because it functions as a holistic portal to a deeper understanding of humans and the self.

Widespread use of social media has changed the way we communicate, but many believe these changes aren’t necessarily positive. For example, lack of content moderation across social platforms have allowed misinformation to spread throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that misinformation can impact conversations about COVID-19 among family, friends, and others.

Even before COVID-19, many users were dissatisfied with how major social media platforms were dealing with the challenges of misinformation, as well as censorship, privacy, political neutrality, user control, and malicious activity. These concerns have sparked an emerging trend: decentralized social networks, also known as federated networks.

What are Decentralized Social Networks?
Decentralized social networks operate on independently run servers, rather than on a centralized server owned by a business. Mastodon is one example of a decentralized social network. It is based on open-source software and functions a lot like Twitter. Another example is a company, which runs on a social blockchain. Blockchain technology allows data entries to be stored in servers anywhere in the world. It fosters transparency, as the data can be viewed in near real time by anyone on a network.

Decentralized social networks give users more control and autonomy. An individual can set up their social network and determine how it operates and what users can say. Instead of having content monitored by a corporation, the founder of a federated social network can establish the terms of acceptable behavior for the site.

The Fediverse
Decentralized social networks make up the fediverse, a term for a collection of interconnected servers used for social networking and other activities such as blogging and web publishing. An independently hosted federated network can interact with other networks in the fediverse.

This is one of the primary differences between decentralized social networks and popular social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter. For example, Twitter only allows users to send and receive messages to other people with Twitter accounts (e.g., Twitter users can’t send messages to Facebook accounts because there is no cross-platform alignment). Federated networks, on the other hand, allow users to engage across platforms.

Email offers an example of how federated social networks work. Take, for example, Google and Yahoo. Each company sets email rules for its users. Google does not impose regulations on Yahoo’s users. Yet, Google users can send emails to and receive emails from Yahoo users and vice versa. Federated networks work similarly.

Pros and Cons of Decentralized Networks
Social media promotes connectivity, community building, and knowledge sharing. People can use social media to drive social and political change, bring awareness to important issues, raise funds for those in need, and promote their businesses. However, social media’s ugly side can include cyberbullying, political misinformation, and even criminal activity. Because decentralized social networks are largely unmoderated, both the positive and negative outcomes become more extreme.

User Control, Free Speech, and Censorship Resistance
Corporate entities control major social media sites, and a small group of people within these companies sets the rules of engagement. This has raised concerns about free speech and censorship among users. Last year, Facebook enacted high-profile bans on individuals from all sides of the political spectrum. Banning violent, hateful, and dangerous messaging helps protect social media users from malicious online activity, but some believe the bans run contrary to ideals of free speech.

A decentralized social network allows users more control. Unlike centralized social networking platforms, federated networks foster independence without a central authority. Benefits include censorship resistance, ownership over personal data, and improved control over user-generated content. In other words, users do not accept censorship and insist on having the final say on their content. This means no one else, whether a corporation or site administrator, can make modifications to content created by users. No one can remove content generated by users, either.

In a federated network, no single group can dictate other groups’ rules. For example, anyone can run their own social media site without a central authority, meaning they (and other users) can post anything they want without worrying about having their post taken down. A downside of this structure is that hate groups also have the freedom to launch their own social media sites. While individuals can block these groups, they cannot prevent them from engaging on the network.

Personal Data, Privacy, and Security
User concerns about control of their personal data have led to the establishment of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The legislation considers users “data controllers.” Social media companies are known as “data processors.” The GDPR definition of data controller means that users own their own data. By law, companies must hand over more control of personal data to users. Companies are penalized for not following GDPR regulations.

Decentralized social networks have provided another answer to data privacy and security. On federated social networks, users can create accounts without having to link to real-world identities, like email addresses or phone numbers. Furthermore, these networks often rely on public-key cryptography for account security, rather than relying on a single organization to protect user data.

While this can create advantages from a data security perspective, it also presents challenges. For example, bootstrapped federated social networks may shut down because of a lack of funds, causing users to lose their data and connections. In this instance, users have no simple way to reconnect with others on the network because federated networks do not keep records of personal data on servers. In terms of privacy, these platforms do not necessarily encrypt data, which means that private messages may be visible to administrators.

Economic Neutrality
Economic neutrality is an essential ideal for many who turn to decentralized social networks — they wish to liberate themselves from invasive advertising and the risk to privacy it poses. Federated networks look to new forms of monetization to remain solvent. They often use a form of digital currency, such as Bitcoin, to keep operations running. For example, a company pays its users for creating or curating intriguing content, which incentivizes content creators to focus on quality. It gets its money from investors who believe the platform will grow in value over time and will one day be profitable.

Stay Focused on Your Goals Not Your Critics

Tell us about yourself

I am Consul Major Grace Tolentino, Chairman and CEO of Boracay Beach Inc. and President of Akamai Holdings Inc. I’m in entrepreneurship, focusing in investments and finance. I’m based in the Philippines but I often travel throughout Asia.

I love building fruitful relationships with investors and clients. I value trust, transparency and consistency when I work with people. I constantly drive for efficiency in my organizations because I’m passionate about progress and results. I have managed to embrace who I am and see my worth. In life, we can impact more lives and make a difference every single day.

I am a Consul General and Chancellor General, United Nation

Intergovernmental Organization, Major and Chief Inspector of UN Police Intergovernmental Organization, Peace Mediator and Chancellor General, International Special Court of Arbitration and Human Rights, Major and Chief Inspector Philippines command, Member, Council of Europe; a Major and Superintendent for Women and Youth Welfare, ASEAN Command, US Federal Police Chaplain International. President, Philippines- India Business Council, Global Chamber of Commerce. Chairman of Finance of Grandeur Message for People Inc., Consultant for Investment and Tourism Royal House of Baloi- Federation of Royal and Noble House Philippines and ASEAN Royal, Senator of World Business Angels Investment Forum, Vice President Economic Relations Management of Apila Ng Bayan Inc. Chairman of Esports and Digital Sports Tourism Commission, Esports World Federation.

Knowing that we are at our best, we get to inspire others to be better everyday.

How many hours a day do you work on average?

I work around 80 hours a week to maintain the business and grow it rapidly.
3. Can you describe/outline your typical day?

I prefer to start my day with coffee, a nutritious meal, and supplements. I start work by responding to emails and messages. This usually takes up my mornings. My lunch is usually light and I take walks to clear my mind and improve my focus. I sometimes take meetings in the morning but usually schedule those in the afternoon.

Before the day ends, I make it a priority to do a daily round up with my team to track progress and updates. Its about making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives and inspiring them to be best that they can be.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

I’m still single and I come from a close-knit family. I was actually able to get my family involved in what I do early on. In that sense, being an entrepreneur allows me to manage my time and take responsibility.

You are the only one who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility. It’s in your hands. Of all the gifts our Creator give us, surely the gift of choosing the way we are is one of the greatest.

What motivates you?

The lifestyle itself is my motivation. I like completing projects that make an impact. I’m passionate about my work, my team, and our partners. I enjoy the fact that I don’t work a 9 to 5. Though I work longer hours, I enjoy the flexibility and the freedom.

Committed people have goals. Any of us have are ordinary days and ordinary work but we have a choice about how we will do that work excellently. Private practice enhances public performance. Be prepared for change. Invest in yourself. Protect your passion points. You can succeed best and quickest if you help others succeed.

How do you generate new ideas?
I take inspiration from everyone I meet. I believe all people can share new ideas with you. I stay open minded when considering options and opportunities.

This mindset has opened many doors that resulted in successful ventures.
Pay attention to the things you can control, which areas you can influence. When you achieve the sense of balance, your platform will become more effective and influential.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

Be fearless. Nurture your ecosystem to influence your circles of concern. Concentrate on building quality over quantity. Always be prepared. Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEO’s of our own companies.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

I started in the tourism industry, promoting the island of Boracay. The island itself is already known worldwide and I really love the island. Since my professional identity was already associated with it, I decided to incorporate it as my brand for lifestyle and business.

I simply express my passion and share the reasons why you are who you are and what you do, this clearly make a difference.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

We grew overtime with each successful project. We sold products and services to our customers and slowly built up our capital. As we moved to investments and other ventures, capitals rapidly grow continuously. We continuously develop strategies to grow our market share.

Everyone has story to share. Develop a diverse network and build relationships. Actively seek out information. We focused on growth. We cannot become who we are and what we want to be by remaining what we are. We evolve, we innovate and adjust along the way.

How do you build a successful customer base?

We offer a good value proposition. As I mentioned, being open-minded is important and this allows us to cater and serve the needs of a broad range of possible investors and clients.

We put great effort in maintaining relationships and open communication with everyone even if were not actively working on a project. We enjoy the process. We do platform leverage is the development of our skill sets, competencies, ad experiences.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

Anyone who is passionate about a venture or project also gets me excited. As an entrepreneur, I only commit my team once we have done our homework on the project viability and return on investments.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. The doers are enough and I love every time I see them.

As a serial entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?

The Philippine government is promoting a “Build, Build, and Build” program and the country is known as an Asian Rising Tiger economy.

The Filipino workforce is much more resilient than most. Growth never really stopped. We just had setbacks because of the pandemic. Opportunities are up for the taking in real estate, financial services, and information technology. An investor only needs the right idea and the right people to become a strong global player starting from the Philippines.

How do you advertise your product/service?

With the global movement towards virtualization, adjusting our workflow has become more important. We were able to do this because of our team’s versatility. This allows us to not just continue, but to thrive in the changing times. We are now concentrating on virtual platforms to promote our brand. Adaptation of technology plays an important role in innovation.

We also get contacts through introductions. Many of our clients and investors promote our brand because of our good standing. We have built strong relationships with a lot of high quality investors and have a strong portfolio of successful projects and ventures to prove our capacity.

To what do you attribute your success?
Building our reputation and consistency is key. We value strong partnerships and relationships. We also strive for continuous improvement and innovation to stay ahead. It’s not enough to go with trends, but rather create the trends that others follow. Despite the changes, we maintain true to our vision; to be progressive and adapt to new ways of doing business.

Success on our own terms. Fire up your passion, ignite your career and create an interesting life.

What was the reason to start your company?

I simply enjoy what I do. I started the company in order to promote the products and services I learned from resources I gathered over the years.
Becoming a Chairman and CEO meant that I would be able to help even more people as I had a real desire to be better than I was yesterday. I make sure my life is my choice. I work full day and I have a long night and I am ready for more the very next morning. I make sure I craft opportunities in every given situation. This allowed me to develop my goals.

What do you look for in an employee? The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

I always look for a person who has a combination of competence and character. Since we are on the mindset of growth, it is important that this person can create and grow relationships not just with our team but also with clients. This person should also have the ability to quickly learn and adapt to the changing business environment.

What made you choose your current location?

Home is where the heart is and home is where you are strongest. Starting ventures should always be within your circle of competence and resources.
Our focused is in the Philippines at this time as we are very strong in the region and have global investors attracted to our way of doing business and unique value proposition, we make sure every landed transaction benefit the economy of the country and share our success through our corporate social responsibility around the globe.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

The company, Boracay Beach Inc., is strongly positioned in finance, real estate, finance technology, and investments. Years ago we were into travel and tourism.

The brand evolved, we were able to branch out into business centers, developing properties, and real estate investments. We also invest in other lucrative projects.

Akamai Holdings Inc. is a multinational company that is greatly involved in developing properties and have group combined experience in finance, real estate and PPE.

Do you work locally or internationally?

We have partnerships both domestic and international. We have investment partners and banking partnerships worldwide and our workforce is in Philippines and abroad.

What’s your company’s goals?

We want to be globally recognized as a brand that impacts investments, property developments and financial landscape.

We also want to make sure that our clients and investors are able to achieve their own goals. It’s not just about the company, but about our relationships and partnerships.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

I make tough decisions and make sure we are in the right path towards long-term success.

I make sure everyone on the team is not just doing their job but also learning and improving. This is all towards the goal of taking care of our clients and partners as we take care of the company.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

We work with local groups and even the government to make sure that our projects and property development is sustainable. We connect international organizations to our projects to showcase the ease of doing business, ease of finance and ease quality of living.

Have you ever turned down a client?

I exhaust all viable options and resources to make arrangements for every potential client that we encounter.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Be true to yourself and play to your strengths. There is no single way to become a success and everyone must find their own path. Learn your own abilities and leverage them.

Some Thoughts on Leadership Going into 2022

Many years ago, had the opportunity to run an organization. Excited about the possibilities ahead of us and the goals we could realize. However, instead of receiving unanimous enthusiasm for what thought was an exciting vision, some team members found fault with ideas and judged personally. They said agenda was too ambitious and self-serving. Some may think that you weren’t listening to what my constituents wanted.

Even though three-quarters of the team supported vision, fixated on the quarter that did not. You knew you was generally well-liked because you spent a large portion of time and energy on pleasing others. The thought that some people didn’t like you felt like a punch in the gut. You lost sleep, couldn’t concentrate, and lost five pounds in one week. You started to consider how you could give in to what the naysayers wanted, even though it wasn’t the right thing for the organization.

Eventually, after a lot of hard work, you figured out how to be resilient when being criticized. This enabled you to stand your ground and take actions that benefited the organization, not just your self-worth. Here are the lessons you learned from that experience:

Be prepared; don’t freeze.

Criticism is inevitable, especially if we invite diverse perspectives and boldly lay out a big vision. Unfortunately, our response to the disapproval of others may not be entirely within our control. Feeling “attacked” may trigger an involuntary fight-flight-or-freeze response in the amygdala. We may capitulate, cry, or lash out — actions we’ll probably regret later. We’ll probably also think of the perfect response but only after the fact. Instead of being caught off guard, prepare a list of three to five ways to respond to critics in the moment. Have these responses handy on your phone or a sticky note in case your brain draws a blank. For example, you might paraphrase what you heard to ensure you correctly understood what was said and demonstrate to the other person that you’re listening. Or you could say something like, “This is a new perspective. I appreciate your willingness to share a different point of view. I’d like to give this genuine consideration and get back to you.”

Calibrate; don’t catastrophize.

If it’s very important to you that people like you and your ideas, you may be particularly sensitive to any form of censure. But try to keep things in perspective. For example, in a meeting, small gestures from the team such as throat clearing or focusing on a phone during your presentation may be the result of an allergy or distraction not negativity toward your ideas. Instead of jumping to conclusions, ask what’s going on. You might say, “I notice you’re frowning. Is it related to what we’ve been discussing?” If the person expresses a concern, make sure you understand the degree of intensity, importance, or urgency of their disapproval. You might say, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how frustrated are you about this?” or “How important is this to you?”

Accumulate; don’t react.

If it’s the first time you’ve heard a certain judgment, become curious about the broader picture. Are you hearing this because this person is the canary in the proverbial coal mine and is the first to say something? Or is this a single instance, best set aside until you hear similar comments from others?

Apply the criticism to your role, not yourself.

We often mistake our role for ourselves. We take things personally that are not personal at all; they are a condition of the job we’re in. For example, the head of sales might find fault with the head of products — no matter who occupies that position. Instead of conflating yourself and your role, determine whether the criticism is about you or the issues and tensions your role naturally evokes.

Connect with your personal board of directors;

don’t isolate yourself. When we’re reeling from criticism, we tend to withdraw from others. Instead, reach out. Cultivate a diverse group of six to 12 people who are invested in your success and who will tell you the truth. Contact the members of this personal board of directors, share how the negative comments affected you, and seek their perspective and advice.

Take care of yourself; don’t try to push through.

If your colleagues’ comments are particularly painful, it might take a psychological and physiological toll.

You may find it hard to sleep or eat well. During these times, carve out more time for yourself. Identify two to three small rituals or practices that help renew your energy. It’s important that these actions are fairly simple so that you actually do them.

Some examples might be taking a three-minute walk outdoors to get some fresh air, connecting with a friend on your drive home, journaling for five minutes at night, or waking up each morning and thinking about one person you’re grateful for in your life. (Bonus points if you then send that person a note expressing your gratitude.)

After many long walks, you will realize that even though you spent most of your life trying to be likeable, it was an illusion to believe that you would be universally beloved.

To move forward as a successful executive, you had to develop a stomach for criticism — even if it meant a bruised ego. In the end, you talked to the people in your organization and acknowledged their various opinions. Then you will clearly be stated what the plan would be going forward and told the group that you hoped they would join you in working wholeheartedly toward the goals you had presented. Most of them did. Over time, you increased your resilience by following the steps above. You have learned to face the realities and benefits of diverse opinions and to value the parts of yourself that others may criticize.

In talk with Marko Issever CEO, America EB5 Visa & CBP Invest

As a leader, are you seeing similar trends? What’s missing? What are you doing to prepare yourself and your organization to succeed during the next four years?

1. Leaders must pay attention to trends and predictions.

As the rate of change accelerates, if you take a “wait and see” stance, you will be caught unprepared. The intersection of volatility, changes in technology and global interconnection means there are threats and opportunities on all fronts and a large pool of organizations poised to leverage both. Speed continues to matter.

2. Leaders and their organizations are becoming agiler.

A survey of more than 2,500 organizations of different sizes, specialties and regions reported that “37 percent of respondents said their organizations are carrying out company-wide agile transformations, and another 4 percent said their companies have fully implemented such transformations.

The shift is driven by proof that small, multidisciplinary teams of agile organizations can respond swiftly and promptly to rapidly changing market opportunities and customer demands.”

As leaders, it’s important to adopt a nimble mindset and culture. Being nimble means paying attention to trends and identifying small “experiments” you can run to keep up with or even ahead of the changes happening around you. Once you are clear about what will work for you and how it will work, pilot that change. Truly agile companies are always experimenting.

3. Organizations and their people must accelerate their pace of learning.

With an increase in agility, people and organizations will need to accelerate learning. In 1978, Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus Chris Argyris wrote Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective. This work continues to evolve and increase in importance, as learning provides a competitive advantage.

Take, for example, how organizations are automating more work. Employees who continue to learn and update their skills will be able to find new roles, while others who are not continually learning will be left unemployed or underemployed as their roles diminish.

4. Age range in the workforce will continue to expand.

As life expectancy continues to increase, many people will want to and need to work longer. Organizations will need to find ways to attract and engage older workers. They will also need to address the dynamics created when multiple generations of employees are working together on the same team.

With the decrease of age-based seniority, leadership will be taken by the best person for the role and will likely shift frequently in an agile environment. Organizations need to be creative in promoting engagement and teamwork across multiple generations.

5. Leaders need to identify and build talent at an increasing rate.

As technology evolves and organizations change more quickly, employees need to learn faster, and organizations need to identify workers to fill changing talent needs. Some of these needs will fall in the technology space, but not all.
We referenced older employees remaining in the workforce and returning.

We also need to find ways to engage talent who have been previously overlooked. This could mean people leaving incarceration, people with disabilities who would, in fact, be great fits for certain roles, or adults who work from home because they are caregivers to their children or parents, to name a few.

6. Employee engagement will continue to be important in volatile times.

The importance of human interaction will continue to increase even as more of the workforce is working remotely – many rarely, if ever, meeting their colleagues. Leaders and organizations need to focus on soft skills such as emotional intelligence that have a strong impact on engagement and the effort employees put into communicating.

7. Communities must come together to solve quality-of-life and economic issues.

With the level of change, segments of the economy can easily be excluded from the workforce. The gap between economic haves (those with education, access and resources) and have-nots can increase, and the cost can be significant for the individuals, families and businesses impacted by a worker shortage.

Successful regions create organizations to tackle these challenges. This means organizations that traditionally compete for resources and clients also need to work together to solve challenges that impact them.

8. Effective leaders are conscious of their impact across a broad range of factors and stakeholders.

As we talk about conscious capitalism, the main idea is that “conscious” organizations tend to the health of a broad range of stakeholders. It becomes increasingly important to pay attention to the needs of competing stakeholders and balance these demands. Conscious capitalism is one mechanism that helps leaders explore the broader range of stakeholders and understand their drivers.

Business is getting more complicated and requires leaders to continually update their skills as well as their mindset and focus. This article summarizes some of my key learnings.

The distribution of work between humans and machines will experience a significant shift between today and 2022. Up until now, around 71% of all work in such industries as aviation, financial services, automotive, and energy utilities has been performed by humans.

However, by 2022, this number is expected to drop to 58%, with 42% of tasks being performed by machines. The question then is the following: What are the skills you need to develop to be prepared for this economic storm and all the digitalization-related trends?

The current state of affairs in the global labor market to see which kinds of skills are facing a decline in demand and which are experiencing an increase.

As you can see in the table below, truly human skills like analytical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, leadership, and emotional intelligence (together with technical fluency) will be in high demand in 2022.
The demand for such human skills as innovation, leadership, analytical thinking, and creativity will only continue rising.

The 10 Most Sought-after Trends in Entrepreneurship to Look Forward to in 2021

Marko is the CEO of America EB5 Visa, whose mission is to connect international investors with EB-5 issuers.
At Riverside Management Group and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BCW Securities LLC, he is in charge of EB-5 capital-related activities.
Marko is also the co-Founder of CBP Invest LLC, a global immigration company, advising clients in second country citizenship in countries like Grenada, Turkey, USA, Canada, to name a few.
As the founding partner of BH Capital Management (BHCM), a real estate investment company, Marko specializes in opportunities in development and investment as well.
Marko has been on Wall Street for over 30 years. Previously, Marko was a managing director at BNY Mellon, leading the firm’s financial institutions derivative sales business globally.

In talk with Marko

How many hours a day do you work on average?

Can you describe/outline your typical day?

Prayer, learning, work, leisure, indoor cycling

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

Very positively. My family comes first, no matter what.

What motivates you?

Challenging situations. The more difficult a predicament I could be in, the more motivated I become.

How do you generate new ideas?

I read a lot. I follow attorneys, regional centers, developers, industry trade organization blogs and formulate solutions for potential client problems.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

As a devoted, practicing professional within the Jewish faith, my biggest fear is to fall into the trap of my evil inclination. We all have this, and our challenge is not to deny its existence but arm ourselves with adequate knowledge and faith to fight it.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

I wanted it to be simple and deliver the message. When people ask me what we do, I tell them to read the name of the company. Our new company is called CPB Invest. This one is a little less obvious than America EB5 Visa. It stands for Citizenship by Property Investment.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

I have not borrowed any funds yet. Our entire global enterprise is self-funded.

How do you build a successful customer base?

I make use of social websites. I work with solution partners all around the globe.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

I do not like to be sold. As long as I hear that someone is proposing a reciprocal relationship, I am always willing to listen.

As a serial entrepreneur, how do you see the market growing in your country?

Our product is solid. We expect tremendous growth in the next couple of years. COVID-19 restricted international travel. Now that it is almost behind us, we expect exponential growth in our business.

How do you advertise your product/service?

We do not advertise but publish a lot. We believe in delivering content to our potential clients. When customers see the value-add service, we provide they come to us organically. As mentioned above, our solution partners refer business to us as well.

To what do you attribute your success?

Dedication. Belief in the mission of the enterprise. Above all, the help I receive every day from the Almighty.

What was the reason to start an IT company? Are you from the same background?

We are not an IT company. We are an immigration and investment consulting company.

What do you look for in an employee?

Dedication. They should love their work. They need to be motivated and be a self-starter. Most importantly, they need to consider themselves as if they are the “owner” of the company rather than an “employee” of it. That is why almost our entire compensation structure is success-based. The better the company does, the better all the stakeholders, including the employees, do.

What made you choose your current location?

Even though we are a New York City-based company, we conduct most of our business virtually. So, location is not of great importance.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

We are an LLC.

Do you work locally or internationally?

Both locally and internationally.

What’s your company’s goals?

The mission of our company, America EB5 Visa, among other things, is to help foreign nationals to obtain a green card through the proven EB-5 program.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

Primarily business development and customer support.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

Absolutely. We take an active role in a few religious and educational organizations in our jurisdiction.

Have you ever turned down a client?

Yes. If we believe that the client has very little to no chance of getting approved or does not have the necessary funds or commitment to go through the process, we turn down the client.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Believe in what you do. Do not settle for mediocracy. Whatever you decide to do, aim to be the best at it, and do it as if it is your hobby.

How to Effectively Build Your Personal Brand

Entrepreneurs have insights far different from everyone else’s. They are ‘futurists,’ always searching for countless possibilities in the future, calculating risks at each step, forecasting things.

The way 2020 was majorly affected by the COVID Pandemic, its repercussions are being observed in 2021.

The factors that have changed the business landscape are:-
• The advent of new technologies
• Increasing customer demands
• Societal shifts
• The COVID-19 pandemic

Somehow, organizations have managed to stay afloat in this situation of crisis. It is very well seen that this has also altered the trajectory of how businesses and entrepreneurs will operate in 2021.

We will specifically talk about ‘entrepreneurship’ in the article to help aspiring and hopeful entrepreneurs who are constantly searching for ways to propel their business in these unprecedented times.

Ongoing Trends in Entrepreneurship
It’s impossible to predict the future, but if one got hold of what their clients need, changing business trends, then it becomes easier for anyone to plan out the rest of the journey. It’s necessary for anyone planning to start their own venture to be aware of the current market trends to stay ahead of their competitors.

A Brief of what’s Going on Now-
• Digital Marketing is witnessing significant growth and is on the rise. Marketers have shifted towards digital marketing to promote business.
• New technologies are developing and are making it easier for micro-businesses to generate their programs, innovate, and collaborate with specialized teams.
• In particularly targeted markets, Micro-influencers are playing their part by driving in sales.

Here, to help you out, we are listing 10 ongoing trends that you must inculcate in your business operation to make it a success.

1. Email is Back Once Again
Earlier with the hype of digital marketing through social media channels, marketers underestimated the potential of email and kept it aside, but the scenario has changed, and entrepreneurs are falling back in love with email marketing.
● With email marketing, marketers have access to the mailing list of subscribers who have permitted them, which is impossible with any other social media channel.
● Emails have been proven to have a positive impact on ROI. According to the ROI from email marketing can be 42x the investment, according to the Data and Marketing Association Reports which is very profitable.
● As per the survey conducted by HubSpot, 73% of people like to hear from businesses via mail.
● The plus point with email is that the subscribers have permitted you to send them your content as per their needs. In this way, you can provide them valuable content with a personalized touch and build trust.
● Due to the cost-effectiveness and reliability of email, marketers have realized that this is a more efficient way of marketing.

2. Micro-influencers are Coming Into the Spotlight
Influencer Marketing is a new concept that didn’t exist 5 years ago. Influencers are being paid a hefty amount of money to promote the products and services of companies via their social channels.

These are the people with a limited number of loyal followers (up to 25k) on Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and are often referred to as nano influencers who work in specific niches.
Facts-
● The smaller number of followers indicates that these personalities have more time and energy to invest while engaging with their audience.
● They charge less than big celebrities and have connections with a specific group of people, which provides more lead generation.
● As per the Influencer Marketing Hub, if any business spends $1 on influencer marketing then, the business can make $5.20 on every $1 invested.
● It’s been stated that 92 percent of customers like micro-influencer advertisements rather than celebrity ad campaigns.
● It has been observed that over 82% of people purchase the stuff being endorsed by influencers, which is pretty impressive.

3. Be a Part of the Entrepreneur Community
If you wish to be a boss of your own, you must connect with people who have the same thinking. Recent years have seen an upliftment in the number of people going towards entrepreneurial way. To take ideas, inspirations from already established entrepreneurs, it’s necessary to stay in touch with them.

The question is ‘HOW’?
And the answer to this question is entrepreneur communities. Their sole purpose is to bring together like-minded creative people who wish to start their own businesses.
You will find these communities on Fb, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram. Here you will witness people at different stages of their journey and learn from them which strategies worked out, which didn’t, how to lure in investors, etc.
These communities are a great source of learning and networking. So, what are you waiting for? Go search for entrepreneur communities in specific niches and take the most benefit out of them.

4. The Escalation of the Subscription-Based Model
Considering the recent trends, it can be rightly said that subscription-based models will lead the future, and soon every business will opt for this model. According to a recent report, the global subscription will be worth $11.1 billion by 2027.

With this model, consumers pay for your services for a specified period of time, say for a period of 1 month or 2 months, quarterly, yearly. This helps build relationships with customers over time, and the businesses can track the metrics for a long time. By opting for this type of model, marketers don’t have to sell or promote their businesses again once the user has been registered.
The music, film industry have taken up the subscription model, and now it has entered the fitness (gym) and food industry. Considering this, entrepreneurs should not hold themselves back to opt for a subscription-based model for their businesses.

5. Show Social Awareness
Nowadays, customers are more inclined towards businesses that deliver the same value that they want. They shop with brands that resonate with them.
Few statistics prove this-
● It has been surveyed that around 64% of buyers will refuse to buy from you if your social or political status is not stable.
● A trend has been seen that 77% of customers deliberately buy from brands that share their respective values.

Consumers nowadays have become more aware and prefer brands that are responsive towards the environment and society. Start your venture, keeping in mind that you are following all the norms and regulations. Go green, respect the environment, participate in charities, and never indulge in practices that may hamper society.

Whichever method you choose, make sure that you deliver a clear, consistent message through all media channels. How that you are socially responsible and build a strong ever-lasting consumer base.

6. Increase in Digital Nomadism
The concept of remote working was there earlier, but due to the sudden outbreak of COVID 19, it’s been mandatory for organizations to virtually hold their daily operations. Hence, remote work saw a significant escalation.

The concept of remote working is actually good for entrepreneurs because they can spend their time and energy searching for skilled professionals rather than looking for a physical location to set up the office.

● A survey conducted by Flexjobs states that 51% of employees work more effectively more home as they are less distracted.
● In a study, Gartner claimed that over 80 percent of company leaders plan on switching to a flexible workplace.
● It’s not mandatory for you to opt for a remote work type of business. If it suits you, then only go for this.

7. The Upshot of Globalism Empowered by Remote Work
Globalism refers to the concept of expanding one’s business across the world with the cooperation and support of international teams. This concept has existed for a while, but its importance and involvement have been empowered by remote work. It’s a misconception that only bigger companies can indulge in Globalism, but it’s not true.

On average, 29% of start-up employees are foreign. With remote work, it’s a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to take their business to the global level. This concept has been gaining momentum, particularly in professional and media services.

In the upcoming years, this concept will be taken up by a majority of people setting off to start their own business due to its immense benefits.

8. Creating Content in Multiple Formats for Multiple Channels
Content will always be the king. People have different preferences when it comes to content formats. Statistics indicate that a person spends an average of over seven hours a day on social media. Hence, it becomes necessary to mold the contents in how the users want them to see.

It’s a great way to engage your audience. Without creating new content, you can alter the existing one and still be able to attract traffic. Do a deep analysis of various channels through which you provide valuable content to your users.
Analyze what type of format is most preferred by the users- video, podcasts, blog posts, etc. and generate content accordingly. To increase your customer base, it’s necessary to keep the preferences of consumers first in mind.

9. Low-code Websites
For anyone who wants to start their own venture will have to invest in making an online presence. It might get expensive. Hence, low-code websites are a great way for entrepreneurs. Various development tools are present on the web to help build a well-designed, effective website under budget.

If you don’t have experience in IT, then don’t let this hold you back; utilize the point-and-click tools and build a website of your own in no time. In light of the trends observed by Hootsuite, around 4.2 billion people use social media apps. Mobile applications and e-commerce sites have become the hot topics of today.

To leverage the benefits of this, it’s necessary to have a presence of your own on the platforms favored by your targeted section of people.

10. The Rise in the Niche Markets
Consumers are now well aware of their wants; they have become specific in nature. Hence it’s a necessity to cater to the needs of consumers and target people who want the same thing you are offering.

The trend of customer-centricity is on the rise, and the niche markets are also rising.

Few niche markets that are gaining momentum are-
• LQBTQ+
• People conscious of the environment.
• Remote workers
• Gamers

Consumers are very particular about and represent themselves with fashion, accessories, and food consumption.

Due to this specificity, niche markets are flourishing. Thus, entrepreneurs need to keep an eye on these niche markets; there may be opportunities as well as threats.

Wrapping Up!
To make your venture successful, it’s necessary to go along with the constantly changing customer preferences. In these unusual times, you should know about what’s helping to keep the business running. Read the above techniques and decide which one you should inculcate in your business operation. After all, being an entrepreneur is pretty tough, but it’s worth the benefits.

Things Holding You Back From Real Wealth

What is a Personal Brand?

A personal brand is, in many ways, similar to a corporate brand, Gresh explains. It is who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and the way in which you express those values. Just as a company’s brand helps to communicate its value to customers and stand out from the competition, a personal brand does the same for individuals, helping to communicate a unique identity and clear value to potential employers or clients.

That story can play an important role in establishing or boosting your career. In fact, an overwhelming 85 percent of hiring managers report that a job candidate’s personal brand influences their hiring decisions. Your personal brand should highlight your strengths, establish a reputation, build trust, and communicate the unique attributes that you bring to your current (or desired) industry. Cultivated well, your personal brand will signal to employers whether or not you’ll be the right fit for an open role.

Tips for building your personal brand

Developing a personal brand might sound challenging, but there are incremental steps you can take to build credibility in your field. Here are ten tips to help you create an authentic personal brand—and amplify your career in the process.

Ten Tips for Developing Your Personal Brand

1. Figure out who you are.

In order to build a personal brand that accurately reflects your personal and professional identity, you first need to know who you are. Be introspective, and create a list of your personal strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself:
• In which areas of work do I excel?
• What motivates me?
• What characteristics have others complimented me on?
• Which projects have others had to help me with repeatedly?
• Which roles seem to drain my energy?
• Which projects can I spend hours on without feeling overwhelmed or tired?
If you’re struggling to answer these questions, ask friends, family, and co-workers how they would describe you. Once you’re more aware of the different facets of your personality, you can decide how best to brand them.
Keep in mind that many people struggle to choose a specific niche because they don’t want to limit themselves. Realize that your personal brand, like many corporate brands, will change as your career grows. The best strategy is to choose a particular area you’d like to focus on and let it evolve over time.

2. Determine what you want to be known for.

Your personal brand is more than a reflection of who you are today; it’s a roadmap of where you to go. In addition to understanding your existing skills and competencies, Gresh suggests assessing your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to whichever industry or career you want to break into next.
By doing this, you’ll uncover the skills and traits that make you distinct, as well as the areas where you need to improve or gain new knowledge in order to advance. Forecasting where you want to be in five or 10 years—and the attributes you want to be known for—can help you better determine what steps you need to take in order to get there.

3. Define your audience.

Before you start crafting your personal brand, you also need to determine who you’re trying to reach. Is it other industry thought leaders? An individual at a particular company? Recruiters? The sooner you define the audience, the easier it will be to craft your story, because you’ll better understand the type of story you need to tell (and where you need to tell it.)

For example, if your goal is to reach hiring managers and recruiters, you might start by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile. Why? Because 92 percent of recruiters leverage social media to find high-quality candidates and, of those, 87 percent use LinkedIn.

On the other hand, if you are a graphic designer trying to impress existing clientele and attract new customers, you might choose to tell your story via a personal website or portfolio, where you can better express your wide range of talents.

4. Research your desired industry and follow the experts.

As you start mapping out the careers you want, Gresh recommends compiling research on experts in those roles.

“Find out who the thought leaders are in whatever field you’re interested in, and don’t just follow them,” he says. “Go online and find out if they have blogs, or where they contribute their thinking. Look for people who are successful and examine what they’re doing. Imitate them, and then do one better.”

In building a personal brand, your goal is to stand out—but you can’t rise to the top without taking inventory of who’s already there.

5. Ask for informational interviews.

As you start forming a list of companies you aspire to work for and industry leaders you admire, consider reaching out to these professionals to ask for an informational interview.

“They take 20 minutes, but are of high value,” Gresh says. “Don’t be afraid to ask anyone you’re interested in learning more from. You’d be surprised by how genuine and generous people are.”

When you meet with these individuals, ask questions that can help you garner new insights about your desired field, such as:

• How did you break into the industry?
• What steps would you take if you were to make the transition all over again?
• How do you see the industry evolving?
• How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends?
• Are there any professional or trade associations I should join?

According to Gresh, informational interviews come with an added benefit: “You’re learning about what it takes to get into the profession, but you’re also sharing in the course of this dialogue a little bit about yourself. What you’re doing is building your brand.”

Although there might not be a job on the line in one of these interviews, one day there could be—and you want that employer to think of you when he or she is envisioning the ideal candidate.

6. Prepare an elevator pitch.

As you begin to conceptualize your personal brand, spend some time crafting an elevator pitch—a 30- to 60-second story about who you are. Whether you’re attending a networking event or an informal party, having an elevator pitch prepared makes it easy to describe succinctly what you do and where you’re going (or would like to go) in your career.

“You need to come up with very short, concise things to say—stories to tell—that frame your attributes in the right light,”

Keep your elevator pitch brief by focusing on a few key points you want to emphasize. This could include that you’re looking for a new position, have strengths in a particular niche, or recently increased the value of your current department or company.

7. Embrace networking.

As you cultivate your ideal personal brand, it’s important to network regularly (and effectively) to grow your professional circle. Connect with peers and industry thought-leaders by going to formal and informal networking events.
The more connections you make—and the more value you can provide in your interactions—the more likely it is your personal brand will be recognized. And, considering 85 percent of all jobs are filled through networking, regularly attending these events will help you not only build your brand, but potentially advance your career, too.

At these events, don’t be shy about asking fellow attendees to meet again for an informational interview or a casual coffee chat. And remember, if you don’t get a chance to connect at the event, reach out via email or LinkedIn to spark a conversation.

8. Ask for recommendations.

Having current and former colleagues and managers endorse you is one of the easiest and most effective ways to define your personal brand, allowing others to communicate your value for you. Just as a business might cultivate customer reviews and testimonials for use in sales and marketing collateral, you too should cultivate your own reviews in the form of recommendations.

LinkedIn is a great place to ask for endorsements because these recommendations will likely catch the eye of future hiring managers. But don’t forget to ask the people endorsing you to act as an actual reference during your job search, being sure they’re willing to speak with a potential employer or write a bonafide letter of recommendation if needed.

Not sure who to ask? Former managers who mentored you closely are ideal, but other connections can also craft effective recommendations, including professors and leaders of organizations you belong to.

9. Grow your online presence.

One of the most important aspects of personal branding is making sure your online presence is engaging to hiring managers, co-workers, and others—even if you’re not on the job hunt.

With so many different social media tools available today, your online presence will likely look different depending on the medium you choose. While your story should match across all platforms, once you know where your targeted audience is most likely to turn, you can redouble your efforts in telling your best story there.

Additionally, if you want one of your sites or profiles to be exclusively for friends and family, adjust your privacy settings to ensure that potential employers don’t stumble upon any information that could potentially harm your chances of landing a job. Here are some platform-specific tips to help you effectively craft your personal brand online.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn serves as a professional social media tool and is the ultimate site for defining your brand. The best way to use this network is to participate in groups, make introductions with people who interest you, and ask for (and give) recommendations. Some other tips for effectively telling your story through LinkedIn include:

• Focus on key industry skills: Recruiters will often search for keywords that relate to the role they’re trying to fill, so it’s important to feature industry terms in your profile—whether in your headline, summary, or job description—and explicitly state your skills. For example, if you’re pursuing a communications role, zero in on your area of interest and key qualifications, such as public relations, social media, or crisis communication.

• Quantify your accomplishments: Saying you’re “results-oriented” isn’t nearly as effective as your actual results. Quantify your accomplishments when possible, whether it’s the number of articles you’ve written, dollars you’ve raised, or deals you’ve closed.

• Complete your profile: While this might sound obvious, it’s not uncommon for users to leave sections of their LinkedIn profile blank. Recruiters want to see what work experience you have, your educational background, and a detailed list of accomplishments, so make sure you’re showing the full picture. Convince them you’re the person they should hire.

• Use a professional photo: LinkedIn users with a professional headshot receive 14 times more profile views than those without. Upload a current photo that’s closely cropped to your face. Remember, you should be the focal point, so avoid any busy backgrounds—and smile. The more welcoming you look, the more likely recruiters are to contact you
Twitter
Leverage this platform to highlight and build upon your industry expertise. Try to incorporate your personal brand into your Twitter bio by using hashtags to focus on your niche, following leaders in your field, and retweeting top industry stories. Don’t forget: what you tweet is still a part of your online image.

Personal website or portfolio
If you’re in a marketing or design field, it’s especially important to have a personal website or portfolio that provides essential information about who you are and helps visually highlight your work. You can create your own site using Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress, among others. Small brands and business owners can also take advantage of helpful design resources like Canva and Venngage’s logo templates to get started creating brand-specific content.

10. Remember that your personal brand isn’t just online.
Your brand is more than just an online persona; it’s how you carry yourself at home, in the office, and even on your daily commute.
“Your reputation is everything. Those who frustrate or annoy others—that will come back to haunt them. The more opportunities you have to work with others, volunteer for projects, and assert yourself as a leader, take them. That’s part of your brand.”

Leadership isn’t reserved for C-suite executives. Strong leaders exist at every level of the organization.

“Leadership comes from how you behave, how you act, and how you inherently interact with people.

That story you tell, combined with those everyday interactions, ultimately define your personal brand.

Reinvent Your Personal Brand As You Grow
As the digital ecosystem changes and your career evolves, so will your personal brand. Adjust your persona accordingly as you meet different people, find new networking opportunities, and grow in your career. As long as it reflects your professional life, don’t hesitate to create a brand that lets you shine.

Crypto – the digital revolution

There’s no doubt that having enough money is a prerequisite to a good life. When you have enough money, you can choose to spend time with your family and do the things that make you happy. However, there are many impediments to achieving this ideal lifestyle, and here are seven that you must watch out for if you want to build real wealth.

High-interest debt

One of the first things stopping you from becoming rich is that you carry high-interest debts. Although debt can be a useful tool, most of the time, people get into debt for unnecessary reasons. According to a recent study, about 80% of people are battling with debt. In other words, 4 out of every 5 people you see are in debt. The disadvantage of debt is that you must pay it back with interest. And the interest rate of some debts could be as high as 20%, which means that for every $100 of debt you have, you would have to pay an extra $20 back in interest. Now, imagine if you have to pay back $1,000 with a 20% interest rate. That means that you’ll have to pay an extra $200!

Now, don’t get wrong, every single day, it gets harder to stay out of debt. From student loans to a mortgage, auto loans, and credit card debts, being in debt seems to be the new normal. However, the first step to stay out of debt and become rich is to decide that debt will not be part of your life. Some people are doing well without debt, so decide to be like them by avoiding debt. Imagine what your life would look like if you didn’t have debt? Think of how you could use the extra money you would have every month if you were debt-free.

Now, the first step to get out of debt is to calculate how much you owe and pay it back. You may not be able to pay everything at once but making plans to pay back your debts is certainly a step in the right direction. Once your debts are paid, do your best to avoid further debts by cutting your spending and creating a budget. This will help you focus on your needs and significantly reduce ever getting into debt again!

The fear of investing

Another thing stopping you from building true wealth is the fear of investing. So many people prefer to save their money in banks where they can see it because of the fear of losing money. However, it is easier to become rich by investing rather than saving money.

Therefore, the first step to overcoming the fear of investing is learning about investing. One of the reasons why you may be scared of investing is that you think you’ll lose all your money, and this is probably because you don’t know how investing works. Although investing does carry risk, the more investing knowledge you have, the more educated investing decisions you can make, and the good part are that you don’t have to go back to school to learn how to invest. You can start by taking advantage of free online resources or enrolling in an investing course.

Next, you have to set goals to help you stay motivated during your investing journey. For instance, you can set a goal of investing a certain amount towards retirement or for your children’s education. Start small so that you don’t lose your motivation if you happen to realize losses. Even $100 can get your investing journey going. Also, it’s important to learn from your mistakes when they happen because they will, but the key is to avoid them in the future!

Thinking you already know everything about money

One of the easiest ways to deceive yourself is to claim you know everything about money. When it comes to money, there is no know-it-all. In fact, the richest person on earth does not know everything about money, and having a degree in finance does not guarantee you’ll become rich.

However, when you think you know everything about money, you may find it difficult to learn new things. The most productive minds are the ones open to learning new ideas. You should be willing to admit there are things you don’t know.

Here are a few ways to learn more about money and improve your finances. Firstly, invest in books and courses about money to increase your knowledge. One of the habits of some of the richest people is that they read every day. People like Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban, and Oprah Winfrey have all attributed their success to what they learned from reading books.

You can also learn more about money by associating with successful people. We learn faster by observing what people do, therefore, you can easily pick up the habits that made them successful by associating with them. For example, you could learn how to save for retirement by associating with someone who has done that already. You can learn from their exact steps and mistakes to increase your chance of success.

Having kids before you can afford to

Kids are adorable; however, having them when you’re not prepared can be terrible for your financial progression. Many people fail to realize that kids are dependent and you have to take care of all their needs, and this could cost a lot of money.

For instance, you have to start spending money even before the kid arrives. You have to visit the hospital for regular checkups during the pregnancy, and you may be required to take some medications. After the kid has arrived, you still need to spend money on clothing, feeding, and regular medical checkups. It is also possible to have a medical emergency that would cost you more than you have planned for.

If you ask , having kids should be something that adds joy to your life and doesn’t add financial stress to it. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens when you decide (or don’t) to have a child when you’re still swimming in debt or have no savings in your name.

Therefore, before you decide that it’s time to have kids, consider how much money you have set aside and if it’s enough to take care of a child. Remember that that child is your responsibility, and many of your parental duties will require money.

Pursuing more formal education than you need

Gone are the days when the only way to make money was by going to school, getting good grades, and getting a job afterward, which would be proceeded by buying a home and a car with a loan, contributing to your retirement accounts, and then enjoying your golden years. Although there is nothing wrong with this life path, it may not be as practical as it once was. In fact, this type of lifestyle limits your financial potential if you ask me.

The main purpose of going to school is to get educated enough to secure an income, but sometimes education can be taken too far. Getting three degrees doesn’t mean earning three times more however it does mean either spending three times the money on school or taking on three times the amount of student debt. This debt can severely impact your financial position and growth as you make interest payments and loan repayments for decades after graduating.

If you want to be rich, acquire the education you need to succeed but not more than that. Perform an assessment of the cost-benefit trade-off of your time and money when it comes to education, and if the return warrants the investment, then, and only then, should you pursue more education.

Not being able to sell yourself

Another thing stopping you from becoming wealthy is your inability to sell yourself. Selling yourself simply means the ability to make others see your worth. Everyone is concerned about what’s in it for them, and if you’re not helping them solve a problem, they don’t need you. Every successful person has learned to develop the skill of selling themselves, and that’s why they are rich. This skill goes beyond making money as it is important in every aspect of your life. For example, when you go for a job interview, they want to know what you can do for the company. If you are not able to convince the people interviewing you, they may likely not employ you.

Another area of your life where this skill is important is marketing your service to others. You can be highly skilled and still broke because you don’t know how to sell yourself. That is why some of the richest people in the world today are not the smartest people, but they know how to convince others to do business with them.

So let’s see some of the ways that you can develop the skill of selling yourself. Firstly, you have to discover yourself and identify your unique selling point. If you were to appear for an interview today, think of a skill you have that would contribute greatly to the organization. For example, if you’ve worked for a similar role you’re interviewed for, let them know how your experience would contribute greatly to the success of their organization. The same thing applies when you have a product or service that you want to market; focus on how it would help the customers if you want to convince them to buy from you.

Thinking you have to be lucky to get rich

The last element that trips people up on their path to financial success is over-estimating how luck plays into things. The statistics of the number of people that have become rich have shown that the easiest way to predict your success is never to rely on luck. People who rely on luck are those who waste their time gambling or hoping to buy a winning lottery ticket someday. Most of the richest people in the world today came from humble backgrounds, but they were willing to work hard, and as a result, they became successful.

Elon Musk is the CEO of three companies, and he works harder than all of his employees. In the early days of his companies, he was reportedly working about 100 hours a week, whereas the average worker was putting in just a fraction of those hours. Another person who has shown that it pays to work hard and not rely on luck is the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook. He wakes up very early every day, and he starts working immediately. He gets to work before most people, and he’s always thereafter most of them are gone. Think the only definition of luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Honestly, you’ll be wasting your time if you think that the only way to become successful is through luck.

In summation, if you can sidestep these mistakes, you can heighten your chances of building real wealth!

How to fund your startup things you wished you knew before you started up

Cryptocurrency is changing the way we do things. You can trade in crypto, be paid in crypto, and pay for all manner of goods and services in crypto. It could even be said that cryptocurrency is a part of our cultural shift to a fully digitized society.

The past

Many think that the first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin and that’s where the crypto story began. In fact, the concept of cryptocurrency was first invented in 1983 by cryptographer David Chaum who came up with electronic cash (ecash). Then, in 1996, the National Security Agency in the United States published a document on anonymous electronic money, protected by cryptography. Two years later, Nick Szabo coined the name ‘bit gold’ which used a proof-of-work function to generate coins.

Then came Bitcoin. In 2009, the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto launched what would become the world’s first, widely used cryptocurrency, and thus the digital revolution began.

While technology fans and alternative culture advocates were quick to embrace decentralized virtual currencies, others were not so sure. For many years, bitcoin and the like languished under claims that it would fizzle out, was not reliable, or would not be suitable for widespread adoption. Many of the early cynics have since changed their mind and cryptocurrency has gone on to infiltrate many aspects of our society.

The present
As of 2020, there are over 2,000 cryptocurrencies with more being launched each day. Some are successful, popular, and widely used, others not so much. The top crypto’s in the world include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Tron, Binance Coin, and Tether. Some countries have even launched their own state-backed coins including China and its YuanPay Group Token.

A growing number of online merchants and eCommerce sites now accept cryptocurrency payments and users can pay for a wide range of services using certain coins. Crypto is also accepted in brick-and-mortar locations and credit and debit card processing giants Visa and MasterCard are looking at ways to further facilitate crypto payments. But beyond crypto, the technology that underpins coins- blockchain, is starting a movement of its own.

A decentralized, distributed ledger, blockchain allows transactions and actions to be carried out that is 100% immutable, cannot be hacked, and are secure. The use of smart contracts which are self-executing contracts that trigger the next step in a chain of pre-determined actions has also been utilized by various industries outside of finance. For example, purchasing a home, registering song rights, or sending a parcel across the world, can all be managed via the blockchain and smart contracts.

But it’s not just people power that’s driving forward cryptocurrency and bitcoin. Big-name institutions and multinational banks are getting on board as well. A few years ago, any were skeptical and even dismissive of the emerging technology, but now they are racing and competing to be the first to develop new products using both cryptocurrency and blockchain. Examples include JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Deutsche Bank.

The future
There is much to be said about the future of cryptocurrency. Some believe Bitcoin will go on to surpass the 200,000 dollars per coin mark, others believe that 2021 is the year widespread adoption will take place. The consensus is that both virtual currencies and blockchain are here to stay. In terms of currencies, it seems likely that stablecoins will reign supreme. These are cryptocurrencies that are pegged to a fiat currency such as the Euro or Dollar.
These currencies can also help those in developing countries who may not have access to a bank account, or where the local currency is subject to instability and high inflation.

But most of all, cryptocurrency will continue being part of a larger cultural shift away from cash and towards a digitized society. We have seen big increases in the use of electronic money and cryptocurrencies lately. This will continue as customers look for secure, private, low cost, and quick ways to purchase and transact with funds.

During the last decade, digital money has changed our ability to live our lives. It is changing the world of finance, education, logistics, government, and entertainment, but remember, this is just the beginning.

Although many opportunities for the blockchain require a digital currency, Bitcoin is only one application of this great innovation in computer science. The blockchain can hold any legal document, from deeds and marriage licenses to educational degrees and birth certificates. Call it the World Wide Ledger. It enables smart contracts, decentralized autonomous organizations, decentralized government services, and transactions among things. The Internet of Everything needs a Ledger of Everything: the blockchain is a truly open, distributed, global platform that fundamentally changes what we can do online, how we do it, and who can participate.

Some developers are building digital-currency tools for the world’s 2.5 billion “unbanked” people, in a bid to bring them into the global financial system. Others are packing additional information into the core programs to create applications well beyond currency transfers: software-managed “smart contracts” that need no lawyers, automated databases of digital assets and copyright claims, peer-to-peer property transfers and electronic voting systems that can’t be rigged.

A key idea here is that data in a blockchain ledger is made irrefutable by the computing consensus that goes into it. A blockchain is distributed across many independent computers rather than residing on a central server. So, unlike bank- or merchant-based data, such information is, in theory, invulnerable to attack or corruption. It is considered impossible for an outsider to hack thousands of computers simultaneously and there are no insiders to manipulate the central server’s software. This, in theory, makes blockchain data reliable and incontrovertible.

As innovation in digital currency accelerates, it will matter less whether Mom and Pop own bitcoin or even know what it is. Big multinationals and financial institutions could incorporate its decentralized technology into their payment and database systems while we obliviously keep using our dollars or euros.
If bitcoin thus becomes an ubiquitous if largely invisible part of the world economy, many believe that its price will rise. A small but growing number of hedge funds and family investment offices are betting on just that, taking stakes in bitcoin-investment vehicles.

But the growth of digital-currency technology has even more profound implications. It could reduce financial costs overall and leave more money in people’s pockets. At the same time, it could spell job losses—potentially rendering obsolete millions of positions in traditional intermediary services.
These aren’t idle concerns. Wall Street bankers and Federal Reserve staffers are discussing ways that this technology could make the financial system more efficient. Regulators in New York’s Department of Financial Services and elsewhere are designing rules to reduce the risks from digital currencies even as they encourage innovation. The governments of the U.K. and Mexico are exploring the use of blockchain technology to enhance financial networks and strengthen economic governance.

Despite the scandals and price swings in bitcoin’s brief history, the financial establishment is taking notice.

In the end, the rise of digital currency may be a matter of evolutionary destiny. The Internet has disrupted and decentralized much of the world economy, but the centralized world of finance remains stuck in the 15th century. Digital currency can help it adapt and survive.

Growth vs scaling: What’s the difference and why does it matter?

If you ever decide to forego a “real” job in favor of starting your own company, you’re bound to make at least a few rookie mistakes. If you’re lucky, most are the kind that are easy to fix and learn from.

But most entrepreneurs, in hindsight, agree that there are some things you’re better off being prepared for. Hindsight is definitely 20/20—especially when you’re the boss. Consider these lessons you don’t have to learn the hard way.

Changing how we approach and build modern solutions to personal dilemmas and satisfying intrinsic human needs is everyone’s passion.

We’ve picked up many, many useful tips and wanted to pass some knowledge along. Below is a list of 10 things we wish everyone known before creating a startup.

Solve Your Own Problem

Many businesses and failed numerous times. When you finally find success, it is because you created a solution to your own problems and turned that into a business. Many launched many new companies and websites to foster their business and help people.

Do Your Market Research Early On

Like most entrepreneurs, you must be passionate about many ideas and opportunities. Many have also launched and funded many startups only to realize later on, as they learned more about the market, that they should have done more extensive market research early on. It is important to understand the industry you are playing in, your competitors, and the market forces at play. Even more so, it’s important to understand your customers–their behaviours, pain points and decision making processes.

Be Extremely Focused
There is a tendency for entrepreneurs to try to do too much at once. But the key to success in the beginning lies within having laser focus. If your product or service solves a big problem, try to focus on a niche instead. Facebook started out as a social network for college students. Only when they were successful with that niche did they open their service to the general public.

Keep It Simple
One may think that offering customers a large number of choices is the smart thing to do. Yet, more choices lead to decision making paralysis. It is usually the company that provides users with fewer choices that wins. Examples include: In & Out Burger’s simple and limited menu, as well as Apple’s limited number of choices for most of their products. As a startup, resources are limited. Focusing on providing a simple product or service with less choices, less steps, less features may be the way to go.

Bootstrap Whenever Possible
Raising money to launch a startup is very common among entrepreneurs. In doing so, you give up valuable control of your business. When entrepreneurs had to do it all over again with their company, many decided to bootstrap. Writing the software code yourself, hosting the service with a cheap ISP and using free marketing resources at your disposal, you would be able to launch the business with your own money.

Think Carefully Before Taking Money
Whenever possible, venture capital (VC) money should be considered unacceptable except in specific circumstances where VCs can add significant value to your business. Being a young founder in your mid-twenties, you may be asked to take on an experienced CEO. Times are now tough after the dot-com crash when online advertising went from $20 CPM down to under $2 CPM. Instead of sticking with your strategy to revamp the company’s business model. So it’s better to fund your own money and it’s advisable not to be dependent on any third source.

Focus on Intellectual Property Early On
Entrepreneurs may not focus too much on intellectual property in the beginning, but copyright and trademarks are important and will be increasingly crucial in protecting one’s product, service or brand once some success has been achieved. When you launch, one of the first things anyone does was to apply for a trademark. The trademarks which have since acquired secondary meaning, have come in handy as many competitors try to encroach upon our space.

Screen Your Hires Well
Some of the worst hires have been always experienced with first few employees. Back then, people lacked the resources to perform detailed background checks. They have too experienced many fraud degree holders whom we hire unconsciously and later they prove to be a setback for the company.

Leverage Free Marketing Opportunities
As an entrepreneur with a limited budget, spending money on marketing can be a very costly proposition. When launching, many looked into free marketing opportunities. First leveraging free online resources such as Craigslist, then moving onto PR opportunities to get free media coverage for their service. A controversial product or service may shun away investors but it was a gold mine when getting lots of free media coverage.

Have Strong Agreements Up Front
One of the most important lessons to have learned over the years as an entrepreneur, is that whenever there is the possibility for misunderstanding put expectations down clearly in writing. A strong agreement with partners, investors and employees are crucial.

NextMind Review: select objects using your brain powers

Let’s begin with the most common distinction between these two terms. In general, we think of growth in linear terms: a company adds new resources (capital, people, or technology), and its revenue increases as a result.

By contrast, scaling is when revenue increases without a substantial increase in resources. Processes “that scale” are those that can be done end masse without extra effort – if I send an email to 10 people or 1 million, my effort is essentially the same. Which is why enterprises use email marketing so heavily. It scales so effectively. Or for another example – an insurance company that scaled business operations by simply switching to a cloud business phone system.

But this is just the technical distinction between the two words. Let’s look a little closer at what each looks like in practice.

Growing a business
Generally seen as the definition of a successful company, growth refers to increasing revenue as a result of being in business. It can also refer to other aspects of the enterprise that are growing, like its number of employees, the amount of offices and how many clients it serves — these things are almost always linked to growth of revenue.

The biggest problem, however, is that it takes a lot of resources to sustain constant growth.

Take for example an advertising agency that currently has five clients, but which is about to take on five more clients. Increasing the number of companies, it sells to will bring in more money, but chances are it won’t be able to get the work done without hiring more people.

Because of this, financial growth can only be achieved while making larger losses, too.

Companies that offer professional services, like the advertising agency above, will always have to deal with this problem. Taking on more clients leads to hiring more people to support them — while it increases revenue by adding clients, it has to increase costs at the same time.

Scaling a business
Because of the costs associated with growth, modern founders have become obsessed with the idea of scaling.

The key difference with growth is that scale is achieved by increasing revenue without incurring significant costs. While adding customers and revenue exponentially, costs should only increase incrementally, if at all.

A great example of a company that’s successfully figured out how to scale is Google, which in recent years has been adding customers (either paying business clients or ad-supported free users), while being able to keep costs at a minimum. As of 2017 it had seven products with over a billion active users each, while only employing about 88,000 people.

The difference between growth and scaling becomes clearest when a company isn’t a startup anymore, but is not a large corporation yet, either. At this critical stage the business will have to decide between growing at a regular rate or switching over to faster company scaling.

If it wants a shot at making a lasting impact on the industry and perhaps even society as a whole, it has to be done without accumulating a high amount of overhead.

Unfortunately there’s no clear-cut path to successful scaling — if there was, it would be much less impressive to build a million-dollar company. There are a couple of things to keep in mind, however.

Startups vs scaleups
Here we have two more terms that are often confused. You probably already have a firm grasp on what a startup is, but how does that compare with a scaleup?

An entrepreneurial venture that has achieved product-market fit and now faces either the ‘second valley of death’ or exponential growth.”

To put that another way, once a startup has proven that it has a product people want, it’s time to take that product to the masses. This usually requires massive investment in new people, offices in different markets, and lots of advertising in the form of hosting educational webinars, attending tradeshows, prospecting and closing leads, and other tactics.

Which actually sounds sort of counter to our earlier definition of “scaling” – increasing revenue without increasing investment. But if successful, a scaleup will add exponential growth with only linear or marginal investment. Essentially, if they can unlock new markets and reach new audiences, a scaleup will grow faster than previously possible.

Key challenges for scaleups
For the sake of argument, let’s imagine a business moving from startup to scaleup overnight. What was previously a local company with around 50 people in one cosy office is likely now moving international.

If it were simple, every company would do it. So what are the difficulties most scaleups face?

They need investment
This is the most obvious prerequisite: today, most young companies need significant investment (usually from venture capitalists) to scale up. This often comes in the form of series B or C funding.

Earlier funding rounds are used to build a minimum viable product (MVP) and establish market fit, and if they’re able to secure further funding, it’s to expand quickly.

They need scalable processes
Typical scaleups have a product that scales well – it appeals to buyers far greater than the current market served. But, because they’ve moved quickly as a startup, a lot of internal processes aren’t designed to scale.
The most obvious of these are company expense policies. As a small company, you don’t really need an expense policy. If someone needs to travel or buy something, they can sort it out with the founders directly. But once you have multiple offices and handfuls of people traveling at once, this is simply no longer an option.

It’s tempting to believe that diversification will be the catalyst for you to scale. Introduce a new product range or add extra services and this will unlock a flood of new revenue.

But “if a business is growing through an ad hoc series of actions and decisions, those start to fall apart as you grow larger. Small gaps will become chasms. Confusion and inconsistency will become chaos. And if employees are operating from their own playbook, there’s no way to deliver a consistent product or experience.

Achieving scale requires a level of repeatable and predictable systems. Refining and developing these systems is how companies are able to go from thousands of customers to millions.”

Oculus Quest Software Improvements Could Aim VR For Chromebook Market

Using the power of your brain to turn up the volume on the TV might be the sort of thing couch potatoes dream of, and it could soon be within their grasp. That is, according to neurotechnology startup NextMind, with the help of their new $399 brain-to-computer interface (BCI) wearable.

NextMind has announced that the device, which comes in the form of a small, round gadget that can be clipped on to the back of the head, will start shipping to developers and partners this month.

The concept behind the technology is similar to that of the electroencephalograms (EEG) that are currently found mostly in hospital rooms. Like EEGs, NextMind’s device records the brain’s electrical activity and “reads” the signals to understand what information is being sent to the body.
After capturing and translating brain activity, the technology transforms it into a digital command for compatible devices. If the user’s brain sends a signal to change TV channels, for example, the wearable can directly trigger the action – with no need to use a remote control or even move their hand.

NextMind’s CEO Sid Kouider unveiled the device last November, and explained that the wearable’s eight electrodes measure the activity in one specific area of the brain – the visual cortex, which processes the information sent through our eyes.

“When you face several objects, the eyes project an image of these objects in the visual cortex,” he said. “If you mentally decide to focus your attention on a specific object, it will be magnified in the cortex. The NextMind device can decode which object you are selecting, and send back the information to the display in real time.”

This is how users can trigger commands such as play, pause, or turn up the volume, in this example on a TV display, simply by focusing their attention on the relevant part of the screen.

Another potential application of NextMind’s device is gaming: instead of using a controller, gamers could fire at opponents by just focusing on their target. Add a VR headset and it is easy to see how BCI could provide another degree of immersion to the whole experience.

But this type of application of NextMind’s technology is still a thing of the future. Although Kouider demoed how the device could be used to control a TV set or a game, the company has called for developers to come up with new brain-controlled environments and applications.

It still remains to be seen whether the new wearable will withstand the limitations that BCIs currently face – namely, the skin, hair and bone between the visual cortex and the device that weakens the strength of the electrical signals.

“There are many obstacles but it’s all about one thing: improving the bandwidth of the signal you can record from the brain. NextMind created a new device with two main innovations.

The first one was improved sensors, using a “new material with increased sensitivity that can capture signals much better”. But most importantly, the technology incorporates more sophisticated neural networks, which, combined with organic neural activity, can effectively interpret our brain data in real time.

NextMind’s hardware looks like a great tool for gaming and the consumer market. However, while it might gather slightly higher bandwidth than previous consumer EEGs, as long as the electrodes are placed outside the brain, there’s only so much you can get.

The think most of the improvement comes from the algorithms that interpret the signals, which over the past years have been getting better, despite the limits of the hardware.

As Schaefer pointed out, no further details of NextMind’s technology were disclosed. But Kouider seems confident: “This is just the beginning for us, as we look forward to the future and further evolving this technology.”

He is dreaming big while NextMind’s device can currently only decipher visual intent – where our mind focuses when presented with objects that we can see – believes that one day the technology could also read visual imagination.
In other words, that the wearable could project what we imagine – the “real-life cinema inside your mind”, onto a platform.

The idea is not an impossible feat, said Schaefer, but only to a certain extent. You can probably reconstruct what a user is imagining, but only from a limited number of options – say, a flower, or a racket. This is why gaming, where you have a defined space, would be an interesting application.

But if have no idea what you’re imagining, and put a headband around your head, skeptical that could reconstruct what you are thinking exactly.
In the meantime, there is a lot to look forward to: NextMind’s call for partners to “play around” with BCI could lead to unexpected advances. Developers, to your tool kits.

Chkout this startup Katarina Strandberg founder of The Swedish Villa

Facebook is trying to increase production of Quest 2 amid a global silicon chip shortage while planning regular software updates for its $299 headset that may put the headset, and its follow-ups, on a path that may convince some buyers to pick up a standalone VR headset instead of a Chromebook or tablet.
A recent talk between Facebook’s vice president in charge of VR, Andrew Bosworth, and consulting technical officer John Carmack offered some of the clearest insights we’ve seen yet into the company’s strategy in VR.

For instance, the talk revealed Facebook is planning to keep Oculus Quest 2 available to buy for a “long while” while making clear a more sensor-laden “Quest Pro” won’t be hitting store shelves this year. The conversation was held in Twitter Spaces, which doesn’t yet archive audio broadcasts. We recorded the interaction, however, and plan to post a full transcription and edited audio file later this week.

Oculus Quest’s Year Of Software
Another section of the talk refers to a “year of software” updates meant to deliver “a rolling thunder of product improvements for the Quest 2,” as Bosworth put it.

Back in January we learned Facebook planned monthly updates for Quest with the latest version, software v28, marking a significant milestone with the addition of “Infinite Office” features to bring your desk into VR and the ability to track a bluetooth keyboard with integrated trackpad so it is feasible to actually do some work in VR.

Carmack mentioned the need for Facebook’s VR products “to be something that somebody hard up for money decides I’m going to buy a VR headset instead of a Chromebook or instead of a tablet. And we need to do everything that those devices do. You know, we need to have similar app libraries. We need to be just as effective with keyboard and mouse. We need it to be something that you could put on your head and do the work that you need to do during a normal day.”

Carmack notes this type of use case has been regularly demonstrated for the better part of a decade, but they “were silly gimmicks at the lower resolution” inherent to earlier headsets. He noted the need to further improve the optics, resolution, and weight of headset designs over subsequent products, but argues that Quest 2 is “at the point where it’s becoming reasonable,” and they need to get the “software infrastructure in place” so that when the hardware is good enough they can tap into “hundreds of millions of users.”
“We can absolutely make it better than cheap little netbooks that people are hunched over in terrible posture,” he said.

Upgraded Guardian mode
The Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2’s Guardian mode is a good way to “paint” out a virtual space to prevent yourself from walking face-first into a wall. But until now, it was a little limited.

But the good news, as reported by UploadVR, is that the Quest headset is getting an upgrade that lets you mark out a chair or couch as part of your virtual environment.

This means rather than appear as a VR space boundary, the Guardian system will trigger a couch mode (basically seated VR mode) when you sit down in it without removing your Quest headset.

Currently, you have to draw a VR boundary onto a sofa or seat, meaning it marks the edge of your VR area and thus the headset won’t register it as a usable space. But with this upgrade, you’ll be able to mark out a couch by dragging a virtual rectangle across it to get its correct dimensions, in a similar fashion to how you’d mark out your VR space.

Once you’re done, the couch or chair will appear as a 3D model in the Oculus Home virtual menu environment. That means the chair will be recognized and you can sit on it, triggering the seated VR mode.

Just bear in mind that this upgrade is currently in an experimental process, so it may not have rolled out to your Quest or Quest 2 yet.

On the surface, this incoming upgrade might seem like a small one. But anything that makes the experience of using VR more seamless is definitely significant. Setting up a VR headset and measuring out the space you need, especially in a small room or apartment, can be a tricky process. So having the tools to simplify that is much appreciated.

Virtual Desktop streaming
Another Oculus Quest upgrade comes courtesy of the Virtual Desktop app, which has finally received Oculus store approval. That means you can now buy it in the main Oculus Quest store for $19.99, meaning there’s no need to go through the process of sideloading it.

Virtual Desktop means you can stream PC-only VR games to a Quest headset, as well as run other apps on your PC. And all this can be done wirelessly.
Furthermore, there’s support for Bluetooth mice and keyboards, as well as other peripherals. And you can even connect up to four computers to the Quest and switch between them on-the-fly.

‘Hey Facebook’ voice control
Another feature is also rolling out ot the Oculus Quest and Quest 2, in the form of “Hey Facebook” voice commands. This opt-in feature basically brings in a raft of Facebook’s existing voice commands to the Quest headsets when the microphone is turned on. When the mic is off Facebook can’t listen in.
The voice commands allow you to reset your headset’s viewpoint, navigate settings, and launch apps all with the power of your voice providing you utter the “Hey Facebook” activation phrase.

Combined, these upgrades demonstrate Facebook’s commitment to building out VR and show why a headset like the Oculus Quest 2 is our top pick for the best VR headsets. If you want one, check out our where to buy Oculus Quest 2 article for a suite of U.S. and U.K. retailers selling the headset.

MINIMUM PC REQUIREMENTS FOR OCULUS LINK AND VIRTUAL DESKTOP

When you are using Oculus Quest 2 to play PC VR with Oculus Link or Virtual Desktop, your PC has to not only play the VR game, but also has to stream it at the same time to the Quest, therefore it will require a more powerful graphics card. See the list of compatible cards here. As of 2020, the most affordable graphics card that can work with Oculus Link is GTX 1650 Super (not just a GTX 1650). Please note that unlike the GTX 1650, a GTX 1650 Super card will require a 6-pin power connector. Note also that when using Virtual Desktop, the more powerful your CPU and graphics card are, the better the graphics will be.
Here are the minimum requirements for Oculus Link or Virtual Desktop:
• Intel i5-4590 or better
• 8GB RAM or more
• GTX 1650 Super or better
• USB 3.0 port.
The cheapest and probably also the easiest way to get a PC that meets these specs is to get a used PC with i5-4590 or better, 8GB RAM or more, with Windows 10. I suggest looking for one with a tower case. A PC with small form factor can use only half-height PCI cards and the fastest low profile graphics card is the GTX 1650, which is not sufficient to run Oculus Link.

UPDATE: due to the rise in prices of cryptocurrency, graphics card prices have now spiked up as well.

Another option for a VR PC is to use cloud computing. With this option, you use a powerful PC to run VR remotely. This option is possible for wireless PC VR gaming (see below), but it cannot be used to run Oculus Rift S.

Follow deeptechknowledge.com for more technology updates.

The Boundless Applications of AR in Manufacturing

Tell us about yourself

Katarina Strandberg – Swedish Business lawyer in love with investments and building companies. Love people with grit and passion, love to solve problems and team up with great persons for great results. Learning and training are always a core of my every day.

How many hours a day do you work on average?
“Smiles” it depends how you define work, but up to 14 hours

Can you describe/outline your typical day?

Very varied, from standing on stage, writing guest articles and doing workshops to sitting in complete isolation with focus on producing top quality legal documents such as shareholders agreements and finding legal and business solutions.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

It has

i) made me a very happy and inspired mom and its clear that this positive energy that you can really create your own life as impacted my children in a positive way,

ii) it has given me great freedom, even if I work a lot I can most often choose where and when I preform.

What motivates you?

Solutions, building and scaling – seeing positive results – interactions and meeting great people, gaining their respect and confidence and getting to connect people.

How do you generate new ideas?

I train. Thai fighter. It´s 100 % focus mind and body.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

My greatest fear is to die without enough passion in my life.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

The Swedish Villa.
It was all to the credit of my amazing co-founder Leila Falkenberg. She did it as a reference to the Swedish childrens story about Pippi Longstocking and her creative and inclusive house Villa Villekulla.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

Through outreach and network with business angels, and through presenting us as founders in a very honest, passionate and transparent way.

How do you build a successful customer base?

First and foremost by word of mouth, networks and recommendations, and of course through digital communication about our experts, and showing the results the

Experts produce which has made international brands, big and small, turn to us trusting us to really deliver as a loyal creative partner.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

Showing a great work ethics, doer mentality where you find solutions and act on them directly without “busy-work”.

As a entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?

Very-very exciting and positive! Sweden as a great eco-system, great understanding for sustainability and a great stable and safe society why it is good for risk spreading for international investors to look to Sweden and that creates even more synergies.

How do you advertise your product/service?

Nr 1 is organically and transparent through our social media channels. Linkedin and instragam are what we focus on.

To what do you attribute your success?

My and Leilas dedication, hard work and non-stopping respect and admiration for each other as persons and professionals in our different fields. We focus and love competence and doing a great job on each and every project.

What was the reason to start an IT company ? Are you from the same background?

I would say we are a hybrid – IT and personal service in one. And that is one of our Unique Selling Points. We saw a need for that, where we function as digital nomads and can provide the top creative unique services to every corner of the world in a transparent, result oriented and cost efficient way.

What do you look for in an employee? The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

Hard worker, in love with responsibility and delivering great results – need to like accountability. Action, solution, and positive are features that are a must.

What made you choose your current location?

As digital nomands our key point is that we can sit from anywhere and to the best work ever – so the location should be less relevant for us. We do however love to travel and meet clients and organizations in person when Mr Covid so allows again.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

Service, B2B, within marketing and communication. We take the side of the brand and help them procure the right talent and projects for their specific needs. We are brand advisors and we have put together a unique community of top level creative experts is all areas of marketing and communication so that the client always gets the best without having to hire or pay a non-transparent hug project fee to an advertising agency.

Do you work locally or internationally?

Internationally

What’s your company’s goals?

To peacefully disrupt the marketing industry by making creativity king again. And to show that sustainability and financial results go together.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

Oh where do I start. First and foremost, to show what we stand for. Secondly to be transparent and show us and what we do. We are part of many international NGO communities and contribute through also our professional experts work communicating for the brands their social responsibilities.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

Yes! We are dedicated to diversity and inclusion.

Have you ever turned down a client?

Yes!

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Be ready for challenges and mentally focus on grit and focus. Hard work pays off. Never feel sorry for yourself always see the possibilities and work for them.

For Industry News chk https://www.entrepreneursface.com/ Resouce section

In talk with Bojan Bernik

Being reduced their aircraft manufacturing time by over 25% and lowered error rates to nearly 0% by equipping their production lines with AR-based technology!

Augmented Reality (AR) is increasingly becoming a technology to reckon with in several industries and sectors, more so in the manufacturing sector. Every stage of the production or manufacturing process, beginning from research and product development to end-of-life management, is reaping the benefits of a melange of AR offerings that bolster the manufacturing process.

Why AR in Manufacturing?

‘If you want to see your product in the environment it will be used in, AR can do that for you faster, and less expensively than building a prototype’ – Matt Huybrecht.

Hard-ware based products are increasingly being manufactured through cutting-edge technological processes that leave little to no room for error. Organisations across the globe need to ensure that quality is preserved to stay ahead, or at least on par with the competition.

AR bridges the gaps in technology that can potentially lead to errors, and results in quality production, optimised planning, quicker turnaround, lesser wastage, and a host of other tangible and intangible benefits. Augray has enabled hundreds of organisations to enhance and improve their end-to-end manufacturing processes by enabling AR-based technologies. Here is a sneak peek into what AR can do for your business.

Visualisation and Prototyping

creating multiple prototypes for the purpose of visualisation and functionality testing of often expensive, labour intensive, and time consuming. AR makes this process of visualisation extremely efficient with respect to economics and labour. By creating a digital twin or a virtual model, engineers, designers, and product developers can visualise the product without having to build a physical prototype. This considerably reduces the time spent in design and development and subsequently shortens the time the product takes to reach the market.

With the power of AR, products can be translated from the drawing board to visual and even physical prototypes (through rapid prototyping or 3D printing) within days or weeks instead of months.

Complex Assembly

Every large machine requires hundred if not thousands of parts to be assembled with utmost accuracy and precision. In the case of aircraft, ships, large automobiles, and power generation machinery, tens of thousands of components need to be assembled, and the wafter thin error margin literally leaves no room for errors. In such a scenario, manual assembly and inspection would require the expertise of multiple technicians to ensure that precision. However, when the process is enabled with AR, the makes the process of assembly skill agnostic and ensures that all components are fitted in accordance with requirements and norms.

For instance, aircraft companies and automotive manufacturers now use AR-enabled goggles to ensure that seats are fitted in the right place. When these devices are used, an alarm is raised even if the technician deviates the positioning by a millimetre. This ensures that the technician does not waste time in refitting seats by ensuring that they are assembled the correct way at the first instance.

Supply Chain and Logistics

Small and medium scale establishments that do not have a separate division for procurement and stock-taking more often than not find themselves in a soup when they require a particular component but find it short in supply. On the other hand, in the case of fast-moving goods, organisations often find they have ingredients or perishable components in excess and stand to lose if these constituents are not processed at the right time.

AR-enabled organisations can simulate the process and predict machine failure, downtime, and shortage of demand. This enables the organisation to plan the supply chain, enabling the organisation to optimise machine run time, minimise wastage, reduce manufacturing lead time and most importantly, achieve shorter sales processes.

Product Life Cycle Management

The entire product life cycle can be simulated using AR. Multiple-use cases can be modelled to test the efficacy and life of the product, enabling organisations to play the end-of-life of the product even before the product actually hits the market. Additionally, with the combination of AR and 3D printing, organisations need not even produce spare parts for retired products in the long run. Users can purchase, retrospectively modify, or even reverse engineer parts to suit their needs long after an organisation has stopped producing a product.

This opens up a new space in which organisations can monetise their offerings while simultaneously catering to the needs of the customers.

AR in every step of Manufacturing

The novel, cutting edge AR-based technologies are undoubtedly changing the face of modern era manufacturing by making processes swifter, more sustainable and efficient. Augray has borne witness to this paradigm change in Industry 4.0.

The possibilities that AR offers in enhancing Manufacturing is immense and boundless. Necessity, the mother of invention, has made it mandatory for organisations to embrace this change of offer the best value for themselves and all their stakeholders.

Virtual reality is showing some effective industry use-cases as well, from real estate applications to tourism. On a recent trip to Israel, I witnessed the Jerusalem Visitor’s Bureau using VR to immerse tourists in how the city looked 5,000 years ago. These types of innovative VR experiences are unveiling in industries worldwide.

Although augmented reality technology is less mature than virtual reality due to the limitations of AR technology, lack of standardization and a higher price tag, it is already being utilized in industries including manufacturing, healthcare and logistics. Augmented reality experiences are typically delivered through headsets, such as Meta, ODG, Vuzix and HoloLens, and are showing early signs that the technology is set to transform commercial and industrial markets. However, there is still work to be done before these technologies can reach mainstream adoption.

Follow deeptechknowledge.com for more technology updates.

Interview of Dirk a lifelong entrepreneur and learner

The author of the first Croatian ebook on the topic of sponsored and native articles. It is written in Croatian language and was downloaded by 2.000 marketing professionals.

His main focus is brand development, marketing communications planning, content marketing and digital platforms.

Tell us about yourself

I am Bojan Bernik from Zagreb, Croatia.
I am a serial entrepreneur who enjoys traveling and creating new businesses.
I am a founder and co-founder of 3 companies;
Morgan Grey marketing agency.
Morgan Code software development company
Alter Advoco sales outsource company

How many hours a day do you work on average?
It depends, because during winter when it’s cold and dark I usually work around 10 hours per day and during summer months I work four hours per day and spend most of my time outside.

Can you describe/outline your typical day?
My typical day is composed of a few hours of emails and calls, an hour of meetings, face to face and a few hours of exploring new ideas and creating stuff.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
I have been an entrepreneur for the last 13 years, so my family is Accustomed to this way of life.

What motivates you?
I love the freedom that I have as an entrepreneur, and I love to create something from nothing.

How do you generate new ideas?
I read a lot. Whenever I see a problem I see it as a possibility to solve it and create a new business from it.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
My biggest fear is that’s my company will fail. I think that is the biggest fear of any entrepreneur.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
Since I have a few companies, I can say it’s always a challenge to think of a name. My last company is Alter Advoco, it means a “second phone call”, or a follow up call. Because we do majority of sales over the phone.

How did you raise funding for your venture?
I am funding my businesses by myself, bootstrapping.

How do you build a successful customer base?
If you give people what they want, an experience they will love, then you have them forever as your loyal customers.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?
Something that will help millions of people solve a problem and make their life a little bit better.

As a serial entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?
In Croatia there are more and more IT companies every day. I would like to focus on the international market because in Croatia there are only 4 million people.

How do you advertise your product/service?
We get the majority of our business through recommendations and Word of mouth. I believe that a marketing agency should only advertise through content marketing, and that is what we are doing.

To what do you attribute your success?
I am a very persistent and stubborn person. If you tell me something is impossible, I will do it.

What was the reason to start an IT company? Are you from the same background?
And since I have a few web portals I know a lot about web and web development. We want to create software that is niche and unique in solving problems and helping people and companies do thing more efficiently.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!
For me the most important thing for an employee is that he is honest and loyal and that he wants to be here and he finds joy in the work we are doing.

What made you choose your current location?
I love living in Zagreb because it’s a nice small city with only 1 million residents. From here to other major city in Europe is just two hours by plane so it is the best possible location in the world.

Do you work locally or internationally?
I work locally and internationally because Croatia is too small for our big ideas.

What’s your company’s goals?
Our goal is that our clients love to work with us and that our customers whoever they are love our products and services.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?
I need to make sure that everyone in the company is happy and that they have everything they need to do their job the best possible way. Also I am responsible for the end products and everything the company is doing.

Does your company help the community where it is located?
We try to do our best to help the community and support charities.

Have you ever turned down a client?
Every other client we turn down because it is not the best fit for us. If I cannot give you the best service either because a you or some other factors, I will not work with you. The honesty and fairness come first.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Don’t try to fix what already works, try to fix stuff that doesn’t. Focus on niche problems, not the obvious ones that everyone is trying to solve. Of course you cannot beat Google. You can try, but the odds are not in your favour.

How companies can use quantam technology and AI to improve cyber security

Dirk is a lifelong entrepreneur and learner that has founded multiple companies in various countries and industry verticals with multiple exits. He is strong strategic thinking combined with a never-ending passion for creating something out of nothing. Dirk is an effective communicator and motivator who identifies and leverages assets in teammates to reach organizational goals.

How did the idea for your business come about?
It began with a discussion between some business friends: Emerging tech industries are fast growing and global. To be successful and stay ahead of the competition you need to reach out to new clients, partners and investors FAST.

But visiting live events are very time and money consuming. Especially when those live events are very crowded and your only option to stand out from the competition is to be a sponsor. The idea of Online Matchmaking was born.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
I build my 1st company while studying when I was 18 years old. The spirit to create something out of nothing is fascinating. To transform an idea into a concept and then turn it into a successful business is like a drug – especially if you can make some people happy with it.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
We want to create technology which helps to conduct business online. Therefore: BizzTech

How did you raise funding for your venture?
BizzTech is still a bootstrapping startup. But for the next step we need seed capital financing and we are at an early stage with it.

How do you build a successful customer base?
When we launched BizzTech in 2018, we already had one of the largest databases of C-level executives in the gaming industry with 75k contacts. On this basis we started to organize our own online matchmaking events. We expanded the event series to other areas in emerging tech. Participants become members on our matchmaking platform. This means that our customers and BizzTech can set up and build their own business communities themselves.

How do you advertise your business?
Our own event series and the talk show ‘BizzTalk’ are our strongest marketing tools.

How do you advertise your product/service?
Apart from event series and talk shows we built up an audience on LinkedIn with 50k+ contacts.

To what do you attribute your success?
During the last years we saw a change of mindset. The world is becoming much more digital and businesses are searching for opportunities to find the right partners online. The pandemic is just an accelerator of this main stream.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

At BizzTech we focus on attitude and believe that skills can be developed.

What made you choose your current location?
To be completely honest, I went to Tenerife 10 years ago to retire on business. The plan didn’t work 🙂

Do you work locally or nationally?
Global

What’s your company’s goals?
BizzTech wants to bring the spirit of Amazon and Uber into the event industry.

What is unique about your business?
BizzTech is a pioneer in organizing online business matchmaking events for professionals in emerging tech. This gives us a head start and we know the future needs of participants, organizers and sponsors.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

Apart from strategic thinking and make the things happen, I want to be an effective communicator and motivator who identifies and leverages assets in teammates to reach organizational goals.
My competencies: General management, Strategy, Fund raising, Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, Product & Business Development and Building Outstanding Teams.

What made you choose this type of business?
I was tired of traveling to the big international trade fairs to accidentally bump into the right persons. I wanted to find a time and cost-efficient solution.
Does your company help the community where it is located?
As a global operating company we support several international non-profit organizations.

Have you ever turned down a client?
Yes. Especially when I was sure that I cannot help or the business culture of the client didn’t fit.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Be ready to suffer for your vision. Consistency is a key to success.

Virtual Reality (VR) – The Technological Revolution in Sports

Quantum computing is based on quantum mechanics, which governs how nature works at the smallest scales. The smallest classical computing element is a bit, which can be either 0 or 1. The quantum equivalent is a qubit, which can also be 0 or 1 or in what’s called a superposition — any combination of 0 and 1. Performing a calculation on two classical bits (which can be 00, 01, 10 and 11) requires four calculations. A quantum computer can perform calculations on all four states simultaneously.

This scales exponentially: 1,000 qubits would, in some respects, be more powerful than the world’s most powerful supercomputer.

In this digital-oriented world, hackers are evolving in parallel to technological advancements. Fortunately, engineers, mathematician and physicists are simultaneously working on innovative concepts that harness the progression of classical encryption methods. New devices are utilizing principles of quantum physics and deploying sophisticated and powerful algorithms for safe communication.

What is cryptography?

Cryptography is a means of securing data and information to dodge malicious hackers. Thanks to cryptographic methods, everything from web conferences to individual browsing history remain privileged and safe. Data are protected using algorithms that require a unique key for decryption and encryption. Utilization of the same private key, i.e. a specific string of bits for decryption and encryption, is called symmetric cryptography. Utilization of public keys for encryption and private keys for decryption — each of which are created by algorithm-fuelled random number generators — is called asymmetrical cryptography.

Genuine randomness is considered unachievable by purely classical means, but can be accomplished with the added application of quantum physics.

Quantum key distribution
There are two methods by which large-scale quantum and classical computers can obscure private information.
• Method #1: Recover the key generated during the key agreement phase.
• Method #2: Interrupt the encryption algorithm.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a quantum cryptographic primitive designed to generate unbreakable keys. QKD ensures key agreement, including well-known BB84 and E91 algorithms. In 2017, a Chinese team successfully demonstrated that satellites can perform safe and secure communications with the help of symmetrical cryptography and QKD.
Still, it’s clear that QKD alone can’t satisfy all protection requirements, but there are other mechanisms for security enhancement by utilizing “quantum-safe” encryption algorithms based on solving mathematical problems instead of laws of quantum physics.

An optimistic view of quantum-computing obstacles
The most immediate challenge is accomplishing the most sufficient number of fault-tolerant qubits to boost quantum computing’s computational promises. Tech giants such as Google, Amazon, IBM and Honeywell are taking this problem under consideration and investing in it to come up with a solid solution.

Currently, quantum computers are programmed for individual quantum logic gates. This might be acceptable for small-scale quantum computers, but less so once we come across a large number of qubits.

Organizations such as IBM and Classiq are developing more and more abstract layers in the programming stack, allowing developers to nurture incredible and powerful quantum applications to provide solutions to real-world problems.

For the implementation of complex problems including error-correction schemes, organizations need to prove that they can control numerous qubits. This control must have low latency and it must come from adaptive-feedback control circuits based on CMOS. Ultimately, the issue of “fan-out” must be addressed. The question that needs to be answered is how to pace up a number of qubits within a quantum chip. Multiple lasers or control wires are currently required, but it’s hard to see how we can develop multiple qubit chips with millions of wires connected to the circuit board or coming out of the cryogenic measurement chamber.

Applying quantum computing to cybersecurity
In recent years, researchers and analysts have been striving for the development of quantum-safe encryption. According to American Scientist, the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology is presently evaluating 69 new methods known as “post-quantum cryptography,” or PQC. Quantum computing offers an eminent, potential solution to cybersecurity and encryption threats. Any security-forward organization ought to develop an understanding of crypto agility.

Quantum revolution is uncertain. While the intense impact of extensive fault-tolerant quantum computers may be far off, near-time quantum computers still present enormous advantages in enhancing levels of communication privacy and security. All organizations must consider developing innovative strategies around the long-term benefits and risks of quantum technology and computing, and be ready for the forthcoming quantum revolution.
Today’s classical computers use two primary classes of algorithms for encryption: symmetric and asymmetric.

• In symmetric encryption, the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt a given piece of data. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is an example of a symmetric algorithm. Adopted by the US government, the AES algorithm supports three key sizes: 128 bits, 192 bits, and 256 bits. Symmetric algorithms typically are used for bulk encryption tasks, such as enciphering major databases, file systems, and object storage.

• In asymmetric encryption, data is encrypted using one key (usually referred to as the public key) and is decrypted using another key (usually referred to as the private key). Although the private key and public key are different, they are mathematically related. The widely employed Rivest, Shamir, Adleman (RSA) algorithm is an example of an asymmetric algorithm. Even though it is slower than symmetric encryption, asymmetric algorithms solve the problem of key distribution, which is an important issue in encryption.

Quantum risks to cybersecurity
The advent of quantum computing will lead to changes to encryption methods. Currently, the most widely used asymmetric algorithms are based on difficult mathematical problems, such as factoring large numbers, which can take thousands of years on today’s most powerful supercomputers.
However, research conducted by Peter Shor at MIT more than 20 years ago demonstrated the same problem could theoretically be solved in days or hours on a large-scale quantum computer. Future quantum computers may be able to break asymmetric encryption solutions that base their security on integer factorization or discrete logarithms.

Although symmetric algorithms are not affected by Shor’s algorithm, the power of quantum computing necessitates a multiplication in key sizes. For example, large quantum computers running Grover’s algorithm, which uses quantum concepts to search databases very quickly, could provide a quadratic improvement in brute-force attacks on symmetric encryption algorithms, such as AES.⁵

To help withstand brute-force attacks, key sizes should be doubled to support the same level of protection. For AES, this means using 256-bit keys to maintain today’s 128-bit security strength.

Even though large-scale quantum computers are not yet commercially available, initiating quantum cybersecurity solutions now has significant advantages. For example, a malicious entity can capture secure communications of interest today. Then, when large-scale quantum computers are available, that vast computing power could be used to break the encryption and learn about those communications.

Eclipsing its potential risks, quantum cybersecurity can provide more robust and compelling opportunities to safeguard critical and personal data than currently possible. It is particularly useful in quantum machine learning and quantum random number generation.

Why create a Quantum computer?
The reasons are not only to improve the processing capacity and solve the problems that cannot be done with traditional computers. In the last 20 years, the complexity and number of transistors in a single CPU have increased exponentially. It seems that we found the limits of the transistor technology in the integrated circuit.

The extreme miniaturization of electronic doors is causing the effects of a phenomenon that become much more significant, such as Electromigration and the Sub-threshold. These obstacles are, among other factors, that make researchers study new computing methods, such as the quantum computer.

Preparing for The Quantum Future

The quantum revolution is upon us. Although the profound impact of large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers may be a decade off, near-term quantum computers will still yield tremendous benefits.

We are seeing substantial investment in solving the core problems around scaling qubit count, error correction and algorithms. From a cybersecurity perspective, while quantum computing may render some existing encryption protocols obsolete, it has the promise to enable a substantially enhanced level of communication security and privacy.

Organizations must think strategically about the longer-term risks and benefits of quantum computing and technology and engage in a serious way today to be ready for the quantum revolution of tomorrow. If you want more updates on latest technologies, please follow deeptechknowledge.com where we post about the upcoming technologies and their uses.

Interview of PAOLO CARITO

Technology in the sports industry has become an initial tool to help teams continue to develop and grow. Coaches and players are utilizing the latest technologies to improve their fitness and mental resilience, while the clubs are also investing in new technologies to help improve fan experiences.

Virtual Reality is at the forefront of this tech revolution within the sports industry, with the Oculus Rift VR System leading the way. VR has grown massively within the past year and the sports sphere appears to be fully immersing itself in the world of VR.

Here’s how VR is revolutionising the sports industry today.

HOW VR IS IMPROVING PLAYER PERFORMANCE

VR in sports is becoming a cutting-edge way for teams all over the world to assess and improve player performance. Coaches and players are able to train better by watching and experiencing real-life situations over and over again, improving their tactical awareness and mental resilience.

VINCENT KOMPANY INVESTS IN MANCHESTER-BASED VR TECH BUSINESS

Vincent Kompany has recently invested in Manchester-based startup, Rezzil, a tech company looking to lead the way in VR training and cognitive development. Rezzil are working with elite footballers, at some of the world’s leading football clubs, to help improve their decision-making and match-readiness skills.

Kompany and Rezzil believe their VR tech could help players improve their cognitive abilities when injured, something Kompany himself has struggled with when suffering from a long-term injury.

Experiencing VR gameplay scenarios, using virtual reality sports simulators, could help players to keep their minds sharp when suffering from long-term injuries, as well as helping them prepare for the tactical side of the game upon their return.

IMPROVING FAN EXPERIENCES

VR isn’t just revolutionising the sports industry for players, fans are also experiencing the game like never before.

FANS CAN ATTEND SPORTS MATCHES USING VR
That’s right, clubs are now investing in VR technology to enhance fan experiences and allow them to watch matches, as if they were physically there, using VR technology. A VR headset and app are all you’ll need to be able to experience the action live and in the comfort of your own home.

VR in sports appears to be a great investment for clubs with fans all over the world, allowing those who can’t afford the luxury of attending matches to get a piece of the action. During the International Champions Cup in July 2018, the Manchester United vs FC Barcelona match was live-streamed in VR for fans all over the globe to experience. In the aftermath, the match highlights were also available through NextVR, providing a totally unique experience for football fans.

FANS CAN NOW EXPERIENCE SPORTS FROM THE PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE

Some progress has been made in terms of fans being able to experience sports from the perspective of their favourite players. Spanish startup, FirstV1sion, have created wearable, body-cam technology that can stream on-field experiences straight to their fans.

This wearable VR technology has already been used in several basketball games, including the Euroleague final, and has even made an appearance in the RFL for a game between Leigh Centurions and Warrington Wolves. It’s anticipated that this kind of body-cam technology will soon become a fan favourite, with more clubs and sports looking to utilise the technology.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR VR IN THE SPORTS INDUSTRY?
The future of VR sports looks to be certain. With many technologies still in their early stages, there is plenty of room for VR in sports to reach its full potential. The investment from players like Vincent Kompany will help to further cement this.

Here at the Case Farm, we’re passionate about the future of VR in the sports industry and other sects. That’s why we’ve developed VR cases with waterproof and dustproof properties, so you can be sure your VR equipment is completely protected with a VR case from the Case Farm.

Athlete and team performances:
Combination of biological sciences and technology such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics can be used to
– Track real-time performance of players
– Generate reports on players performance
– Track body movement, position, speed, etc.
– Track their real-time physical conditions such as heart rate, body temperatures, etc., which along with their medical history records shall provide insights for any required action
– Generate insights on player’s reactions or performances under specific conditions of weather, environment or stages of a game

These insights can be used to enhance the players’ performance, prevent injuries, improve player safety and plan a game strategy; opponent teams can also use these insights to prepare their counter strategy. Real-time data can be collected using sensors in the players’ clothing, sport equipment, etc.

During practice sessions, players can use Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to practice their moves or drills in a simulated match-like environment. This shall help them for match-practice irrespective of the space, people or weather constraints.

These technologies shall also be helpful for referees to make correct and accurate decisions through enhanced viewing and access to real-time data.
Fan experiences:

Digital technologies can enhance in-stadium as well as out-stadium experiences of fans.

Some of the in-stadium applications are as follows:
– A virtual-reality driven experience, which enable fans to take selfies with their favourite players or face-off them and compete with them in their sport
– A stadium facilities app that enhances in-stadium fan experience such as allotting parking space in real-time, digital tickets, assistance in stadium navigation, regular score updates, order food and beverages to deliver on the seat, update on stadium washroom queues, etc.
– Access to high speed internet in the stadium, which shall enable fans to access social media while watching the match
A few out-stadium applications are as follows:
– Virtual Reality headsets that offer simulated in-stadium live match viewing experience, along with the ability to choose the camera placed at various angle for personalized viewing; it can also offer a 3D viewing experience
– Use of drones for camera angles that were traditionally difficult to access
– Contests for quizzes and predictions at various stages of the game; ability to interact with friends while watching the match; access to behind-the-scenes actions of the fans favourite players or team
– Over-the-top (OTT) service platforms are increasing in popularity as they offer more personal and flexible services to the consumers; they can view the content with smart phones or tablets to watch their favourite sports live any-time any-place, which is a huge change in consumer behavior and consumption pattern compared to traditional television.

These enhanced experiences are likely to increase the engagement of existing fans as well as attract new fans to increase the reach and market of the game and convert the new fans into loyal fans.

Global video games market

In 2019, the global video games market size was estimated ~US$150 billion (compared to global box office market size ~US$43 billion and music industry market size ~US$ 57 billion). During 2019–23, the global video games market is likely to grow at CAGR 8 percent approximately to cross the market size of US$200 billion in 2022.

In 2020, the global video games market size is estimated ~US$159 billion — US$77.2 billion from mobile games with 2.6 billion mobile players; US$45.2 billion from console gaming with 729 million players; and US$36.9 billion from PC games with 1.3 billion players.

Compared to PC and console gaming, mobile gaming is likely to grow the fastest as the price of purchase for mobile phones is lower compared to other gadgets, which enables more people to purchase mobile phones.

Improvement in mobile technology and capabilities along with reduced price of internet connectivity with improved services, improves players’ gaming experiences. Moreover, businesses are moving towards free download of mobile gaming apps with in-app purchases, which people prefer rather than paying for the game upfront before playing experience or engagement.
esports:

esports is an organized competition or a tournament, where professional players and teams compete in multi-player games. Application of digital technologies has lead to the rise of esports market, which is expected to grow at CAGR 12.09 percent to cross USD 1.5 billion by 2023.

During 2019–23, viewership of esports is likely to grow at a CAGR 9.0 percent to reach 646 million by 2023. Esports attracts a loyal consumer base of millennial young males, who are passionate about competing in video games. This consumer base not only likes to play the virtual games but is also passionate and loyal viewer of the professional contests of esports, either in-stadium or out-stadium (through live streaming on their phones or tablets). As contests are beginning to take place regularly in large stadiums having capacity of tens of thousands of viewers, the esports arena is showing the trend of becoming more mainstream (and is no longer a niche for only a handful of players and fans).

Esports allow fans to interact with each other, especially while live straming of contests, which make them feel a part of the larger esport community. Also, through various contests with international participation, it provides them exposure to the international players and teams, who excel in playing a particular game.

With the growth of esport market, even betting industry related to it is likely to grow. In 2019, the betting on esports was estimated about US$ 8.0 billion.

We always have a tendency to get hold of new technology and to know more about new concepts and technological innovations. If you would like a more detailed information on the same and how new technologies are ruling the world you can follow the website deepwebtechknowledge.com for a deeper insight.

Leaders don’t wait for a New Normal. They build it

PAOLO CARITO
Thought leader and leading experts in economics, politics, and technological innovation in sport.

Ambassador of Italy and Entrepreneurship Committee’s Member of WLS World Leader Summit.

2020 winning of “Sport Innovation Awards”, promoted by Sport Innovation Hub (SIH) with the support and the patronage of Region Piemonte (Ita), for the consistent commitment to innovation in football and civil society.

How did the idea for your business come about?
For me, sport business is a reason for living. So, my desire to work in Sport Business started very early and after a training course I developed the idea to make sport to be my work.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
My driving force was passion. Curiosity, courage and the desire to make changes helped me be always enthusiastic of my work.

How did you get involved with Sports?
My passion for sports started since I was youngster. I played basketball and in parallel with my studies, when I was 18 y.o, I was working as sporting director of Bisceglie Basket.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?
Someone get me excited and willing to commit if I see the same passion and engagement that I always put in my activities.
As I said, for me passion is the driving force in all my activities.

To what do you attribute your success?
I think that there is not a secret ingredient, but I think that formation is fundamental.
In addition, the fact that I started studying and working in very early help me.
Sport Business is a referential work and so it’s very helpful the ability to read the insight and be smart and sharp.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!
One of the most important things that I see in an employee is its perspicacity.
Secondly, it’s fundamental to have the right skills in the right way.
Last but not least, emotionality is relevant for an employee because makes people to work happier and more engaged.

Do you work locally or nationally?
I work nationally and also internationally. I also have been invited to speak at several conferences at international level about sport management.

What’s your company’s goals?
Goals are always development and improvement.

What is unique about your business?
The uniqueness of sport business, as I anticipated, are the environment and the stakeholders of sport business. It’s a world in which knowledge and references are fundamental.

What made you choose this type of business?
As I said, for me sport it’s a reason for living. So, for me, sport was first an hobby and a passion. Since I started working, I had the ambition and the dream to make this hobby to me my lifework.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

I strongly believe in meritocracy. So, what I think is that if you deserve something, you study for something and you are passionate with that you will obtain what you want.

There is not a standard route or path. Everyone can build his own path by applying hard with formation and knowledge.

Startup Interview, drone platform founder Neil J. Lesher

As of today, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has over 33,000 research articles in its COVID-19 data resource library.

As medical research around the world continues its effort to understand and overcome the challenges presented by this novel virus, new information will continue to be made public on a daily basis thereby perpetually shifting our understanding and perception of what tomorrow will look like. But there’s one thing we know for certain about our future – things will be different.

The current state of transition to a “New Normal” is reflected in our world of sales, marketing and customer experience development. While the health and well-being of our communities will always be the priority, changes in consumer behavior is still something brands must consider as they adjust their strategic positioning to fit within the “New Normal” competitive marketplace.

So, what’s the best way to approach strategic brand positioning in a world that continues to change?

The answer is found in being proactive and searching for what CAN be done. Every organization exists within its own reality based on pre-existing variables. Some brands have more resources than others. Some brands have a long-standing market presence while some are new to the scene. The good news is, regardless of where you stand today, there are plenty of ways to build a solid foundation for continued growth moving forward.

Now, it’s important for proactivity to be harnessed within a strategic framework to guide decision making. Both under-reacting and over-reacting as market conditions change are equally dangerous because maintaining customer confidence and trust is vital during times of market volatility. Somewhere between doing nothing and doing too much is the sweet-spot; taking strategic action aligned with the changing wants and needs of customers to establish oneself as an industry leader.

In other words, don’t sit back and wait for the “New Normal” to take shape. Work together with customers and build it for yourselves.

To get things started, clarify your objective. While your team’s overall goal may appear straight forward, it’s vital to boil down generalized goals into quantifiable points of focus. If your overall research question has underlying sub-questions, then you need to keep drilling down to the core of the matter. That way, measuring success will have an initial benchmark and you’ll establish the steps needed to get where you’re going.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be digging deep into what it means to be proactive during times of uncertainty and approaching this crisis-turned-opportunity with strategic purpose and authenticity.

Economies and Business Leaders cannot erect a firewall against intensifying global competition, energy constraints, climate change, political instability and a pandemic like Covid-19 and therefore cannot isolate themselves from changes. Different Leadership Behaviours and Practices are required to help us win in uncertain times. Post pandemic, the canvas is vast, and opportunities are unlimited.

Trust, Courage and Quality of Decisions:
Making quality decisions can be challenging with limited time and information. Being totally correct all the time is no longer a realistic goal. Instead, it is about being correct enough on the decision to move ahead and execute.

Courage means being a champion of an idea or a course of action. It sometimes means staking out a tough and lonely position.Leaders who build trust will get more productivity – whether it is with your suppliers, vendors or your own employees.

Being Tech Savvy and Leading towards a Contactless World:
Disruptive technologies are entering the market at breakneck speed. We need to focus on the right skill mix with fit for purpose rather than acquire everything in the race towards digitization. As we move towards a contactless way of working, digitalisation as we know it will undergo a major shift, and leaders need to be ready to embrace and adapt to it.

Managing Risk and Complexity with Ambiguity:
Leaders face two competing demands: One, they must take risks in order to meet today’s challenges and the other, they must adapt to what and how things get done in order to thrive in Covid-19 world.

Solving problems and getting things done in this volatile context means adjusting your approach – to both problem and people – to match changing conditions. Leaders need to have a mindset geared to view uncertainty as the new normal and be better prepared to view that unknown as an opportunity to capitalize on.

Leading with a Transformation Mindset v/s Change Mindset:
We are in times of transformation, not just change. It creates a new context which is futuristic and orients us towards being agile. Transformation calls for looking at businesses with a different lens – whether it is skills, roles, costs, structures or strategies. Transformation comes from within and ensures that you are always two steps ahead of the curve.

Driving the Best-Cost Mindset through Innovation:

Leaders are likely to face challenges in maintaining the financial health of their organisations. A successful leader does not only understand finance, but also knows how to incorporate a financial thinking lens into every major decision. At this point it is important to enable employees to have a mindset of ‘my money’ and drive the best-cost culture rather than just top down management actions.

Leadership Practices

Leading the shift from work-life balance to work-life blend and its future fall out:
In the last few months itself, the way we work has undergone a seismic shift. Right from the way our offices and homes are structured, to the benefits we can avail of are changing.

As work from home becomes the new normal, there is a blend of work-life – with timings, policies, infrastructure, ergonomics etc all contributing to this change. It is now normal to have your kids accidentally walk into your zoom meetings and to meet your colleagues’ spouses in the background when an important negotiation is going on! And it is here to stay. Those who can adapt quickly, practise planning, prioritization and proactiveness will succeed at this new work-life blend.

Equal Opportunities and Hope for an Ignored Demographic:
With different business models and opportunities, a new demographic will now get a level-playing field in the workforce. Housewives, people with disabilities, retired talent from Class B&C Towns etc, who were not centre-stage earlier, will no longer be ‘disqualified’ and will now enter mainstream employment. They will contribute to building a competitive edge for organisations and as leaders, we need to be ready to tap this talent and give them the right opportunities to help businesses succeed.

HR Leading Inevitable Actions:
In the Covid-19 situation, some tough actions are inevitable for the HR leaders across industries. Many of themare considering lay-offs, reduction of permanent workforce, salary freeze, across the board salary cuts, differentiated salary cuts, curtailing benefits, reducing PF contributions, more of variable and incentives, leveraging paid and unpaid leaves, hiring freeze, delayed joining, reduced work hours etc. Tough times call for tough, and inevitable measures.

Managing Fear and Anxiety in Uncertain Times:
With a rising sense of fear and anxiety amongst employees, organisations will have to adopt different methods to create a positive and healthy ecosystem where employees can thrive. Openness and frequency of different communication platforms, access to employee assistance programmes, renewed focus on health and wellness initiatives – they all create a support system for employees to rely on.

While organisations and leaders across the world are striving to create a new normal, and bring life back to normalcy, one element will be still out of their reach – the dilemmas faced by employees who are constantly battling tough choices between family safety and commitment to their organisation.

Each day in this rapidly uncertain situation brings with it a new set of choices. And during these testing times, leaders and especially HR leaders can help employees bring out the best in them, earn long-term trust and establish organisational credibility.

Leadership is the scarcest resource in our world today. To be better leaders, we need to focus on the purpose and values of the organizations we lead. These are the antidotes to our world we face today. We want to develop the organization we lead to be high performance.

This requires the organization have a single leadership model, which is pervasive in the organization, becomes a part of the culture and vocabulary of the organization.
Any successful CEO will tell you that the people you hire can make or break your company. So what are the top traits hiring managers need to look for, and how do they spot them in a candidate?

According to Elon Musk, it’s not about what school you went to or your level of education. “There’s no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school,” the Tesla CEO said during a 2014 interview with Auto Bild.
Instead, Musk looks for “evidence of exceptional ability” when it comes to hiring. “If there’s a track record of exceptional achievement, then it’s likely that that will continue into the future,” he said
The problem is that anyone can say they’re the best at what they do, but it can be hard — and at times impossible — to know whether they’re telling the truth.
How Elon Musk finds a Liar?

Luckily, Musk revealed his solution at the World Government Leader Summit in 2017. He asks each candidate he interviews the same question: “Tell me about some of the most difficult problems you worked on and how you solved them.”
Because “the people who really solved the problem know exactly how they solved it,” he said. “They know and can describe the little details.”

Musk’s method hinges on the idea that someone making a false claim will lack the ability to back it up convincingly, so he wants to hear them talk about how they worked through a thorny issue, step by step.

Musk’s strategy is effective
A study published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition last year in December uncovered several approaches to spotting liars based on a job interviewing technique that, funnily enough, backs up the effectiveness of what Musk has been doing for years.

One such technique, called “Asymmetric Information Management” (AIM), is designed to provide an interviewee with a clear means to demonstrate their innocence or guilt to the investigator by providing detailed information.
“Small details are the lifeblood of forensic investigations and can provide investigators with facts to check and witnesses to question,” Cody Porter, one of the study’s authors and a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Portsmouth, wrote in an article for The Conversation.

Specifically, she added, interviewers should give clear instructions to interviewees that “if they provide longer, more detailed statements about the event of interest, then the investigator will be better able to detect if they are telling the truth or lying.”
Porter and her team of researchers found that “truth-tellers” typically seek to demonstrate their innocence and commonly provide more detailed information in response to such instructions.
“In contrast, liars wish to conceal their guilt,” Porter explained. “This means they are more likely to strategically withhold information in response to the AIM method. Their assumption here is that providing more information will make it easier for the investigator to detect their lie, so instead, they provide less information.”

If you want the job tell the truth and be detailed
The study also found that using the AIM method can increase the likelihood of detecting liars by nearly 70%. That’s good news for Musk — and other hiring managers who adopt this science-backed strategy.

As Musk said in the interview with Auto Bild, what he really wants to know is whether a candidate truly solved the problem they claimed to have solved.
“And of course you want to make sure if there was some significant accomplishment, were they really responsible, or was someone else more responsible?” Musk added. “Usually, someone who really had to struggle with a problem, they really understand [the details], and they don’t forget.”
After all, no one wants to hire someone who is all talk and no action. So if you want the job, don’t skimp on the details.

Ways I Balance Building a Business and Being a Stay-at-Home Mom

Tell us about yourself

Neil J. Lesher, Founder CEO, LeshTronix Drone Systems.
50 years old
From New York, NY
My professional background is Market Data technology-software Analyst within the Investment Banking sector
I love Family. Family is everything, they are my ultimate fans and motivators
Hate is a deep concept. I loathe procrastination, lack of enthusiasm and any excuses which inhibit idea execution.

How did the idea for your business come about?

I’ve been an electronics enthusiast since childhood and always had a passion for UAV/Drone technology. About 18 months ago, I was with my Father and observed his frustration with not being able to properly handle his iPhone because of advanced Arthritis. This is when the “Da Vinci” lightbulb exploded in my mind and I conceived “PhoneQuad” which is a hovering smartphone case.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
I’m a purebred Entrepreneur. The Entrepreneurial spirit and drive that I have is pre-wired into my DNA.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
It’s a play on words, my last name Lesher + Electronics = LeshTronix

How did you raise funding for your venture?
I’m in the process of raising funds now. I’m speaking with various venture capital, providing my pitch deck and having some deeper conversations regarding a myriad of strategies.

How do you build a successful customer base?
I’ve always believed that a product or service should reflect the morals, values and ethics of its creator and founding team. Building a loyal customer base starts with creating a great product, supported by a hyper energetic and enthusiastic group of professionals. Consumer confidence is the initial goal. Once you have that, then you have to maintain and grow it through exceptional service, marketing (customer retention efforts) feedback and always looking towards improvement. For me, I’d rather be on the assembly line than buried in the P&L process. Someone else on the team can own that.

How did you get involved with business?
LeshTronix Drone Systems is my baby, its my 3rd child. I’m the founder and in the process of nurturing it so it properly evolves into a force that positively contributes back to the world. I’m not just developing a product, but a cultural-technological revolution that will change the way society interacts with smart devices.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

Although I’m an inventor at heart, I pride myself of being a skilled salesperson. I know my product, I know the sector I’m selling into, I know I have something of value and quality. If a salesperson can get me excited about things that excite them, then I’ll be willing to put in some due diligence and potentially become a customer. I’m not impulsive, I’m patient.

How do you advertise your business?

I work with a graphic designer and we’ve created some awesome concept videos and pictures which portray PhoneQuad in the real world. It’s important to ethically display your intent without depicting functionality that will never happen. My visualization techniques properly exhibit what we intend to mass manufacture.

How do you advertise your product/service?

Right now, I’m utilizing the power of Social Media. I have an Instagram page, LinkedIn and distribute my website’s URL and concept video in all my communications.

To what do you attribute your success?

Success is not a straight path. Many curves and valleys to watch out for. Even when I reach it, I might not know I’m there.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!
When I’m hiring people and focused on building the right team, although experience is important, attitude is paramount.

What made you choose your current location?

I’m a native New Yorker and love it here. My family has been in the New York City area since 1901. We love the multicultural atmosphere and appreciate the ability to visit the Beach, the mountains and the city all within an hour.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

LeshTronix is a startup UAV/Done company that designs, develops and sells the Hands-Free PhoneQuad Smartphone platform.

Do you work locally or internationally?
Our team is local to New York. Our relationships and corporate trajectory are international.

What’s your company’s goals?
We are pioneers in the UAV/Drone sector. There are other somewhat competing products, but those are true “Selfie Drones” and specifically target the x-games and outdoors enthusiast demographic.
• PhoneQuad allows the end user to lock their smartphone (Apple or Samsung) inside it.
• You can then power-on and deploy PhoneQuad, which means its in full Hover mode. You can walk away from it and use voice commands via Bluetooth AirPods to control certain aspects of functionality. We are the Anomaly in this sector.

What is unique about your business?
Our goals are to produce best-in-class products and truly change the world in the process. There isn’t a Drone platform in the world that enable hands-free pics, videos and video call functionality using smart devices. Imagine your smartphone following you while you walk and talk. This is just one aspect we’re focused within our multi-generational pipeline of PhoneQuad products.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?
I’m a hands-on operations guy. I take hold and take charge when an idea is accepted into the program and put all my efforts to ensure we breathe life into it. If I believe in it… I will make it happen. I’m also directly responsible for all our actions, strategies and who we on-board as new team members.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

One of our short- and long-term goals is community support. We fully intent to be active in all regions where are products are sold and used. As a startup, our resources are limited, but as we grow, our humanitarian and philanthropic strategies will come to life.

Have you ever turned down a client?
We don’t have clients yet, but I’m sure that there will be many scenarios and expectations that we will deal with while we take this path.

What help do you need from our ecosystem?

Economics are always going to play a role in the tech-startup world. Just because someone or some entity offers your company money, doesn’t automatically mean they are the proper partner. Our goal is to find the right strategic partner who can help guide through all the details leading up to and beyond manufacturing and global distribution.

The essence of a true partnership is when 2 or more parties come together and truly take ownership of their strengths. That’s what I need in a dedicated venture partner.

The Benefit of Having an Accountability Partner as a Solopreneur

Although there’s no secret recipe to balancing work and motherhood, there are thousands of women out there who have learned to do it successfully, women who’ve taken on this challenge before us and have come out on top.

I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to interview many, many entrepreneurial moms.

And without fail, at some point during our conversation, they all say the same thing: “When I’m working, I feel like I should be with my kids. But when I’m with my kids, I feel like I should be working.” But that guilt doesn’t stop us from striving for success in both work and as a mother–we want to be able to do them both and do them both well. And if you ask any mom entrepreneur, they’ll probably tell you what they’re doing now is the most rewarding thing they’ve ever done. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s worth it.

I know for a fact that any one solution won’t work for everyone. But I’ve found some common themes among the successful working moms that I know, and here are their tips for being both a terrific mom and business owner.

Get–and stay–organized. Your work time is precious and not as dependable as it would be if you worked in a traditional workplace. You can’t afford to waste time looking for files, sorting through junk mail or even finding a pen.

Keep everything clean and organized from the start. Have supplies available and in a place where you know you can immediately put your hands on them.
Have a plan. Some mompreneurs use paper organizers and some use tech gadgets, but all of them use some sort of planner to balance their work life with their family life Ideally, you should keep both personal and work appointments on the same calendar so you don’t overbook or double up.

And while it doesn’t always work, you need to set aside hours for when you’re going to get your work done. If you just wait for it to happen, it never will. Of course, you’ll have to be flexible as your child-care provider will inevitably cancel, your kids will get sick and your spouse may occasionally need to work late.

Work with your family, not against them . When your children are little, make sure your office is kid-proof. Get covers for your computer and child-safe drawers on your filing cabinet, and keep your paperwork out of reach if you don’t want your reports and invoices covered in crayon.

Some women I’ve spoken with set up a child’s office space within their office so that crayons, paper and activities are available to keep their kids busy. As your children get older, find ways to get them involved in your work. When they’re old enough, let them stamp envelopes, fold fliers or shred paper. Just never let them answer the phone!

Think nap to nap, not 9 to 5. Break out of the 9-to-5 office hours’ tradition. Your hours as a mompreneur might start before your family wakes up, continue during nap times and go on into the wee hours of the night.

Prioritize appointments that need to be accomplished in person during the traditional day time hours. But understand that e-mail, filing, reading, and a lot of your other office tasks can be done at any hour of the day or night.

Stay ahead of the game. By the time evening hits, yes, you’re exhausted. But take a few minutes to set out school clothes, set up the coffeepot, prepare lunches and clear your desk. You’ll be so grateful to have a less chaotic morning if you do all this the night before. You might also want to consider getting up a little before your family does so you can exercise, take a shower or get some work done.

Communication is Key
Proper communication helps everything in life and it’s no different in making this situation work. Whether it’s with a business partner (if you have one) or with a business relationship, some are very open and honest about work situation. This ties back into how you set up your schedule for the day, but there are only certain times during the day where willing to hop on the phone for an extended time, for example.

And even in arranging this situation from the beginning, think you have to be open with your business partner about how your daily schedule might look, but that everything can still get done – just possibly at different times of the day!

Be Realistic
File this one under, “Sounds obvious but is actually a whole lot harder than it seems.” At the end of the day, you have to be very realistic and tolerant with yourself on what CAN actually be accomplished and what is unrealistic.
Obviously, you can’t be all things to all worlds at all times – there are honestly a lot of days where it feels like an awesome mom but a let-down to business.

And there are days where It feels feel like crushed business goals but been a disappointment on the mom side. It’s something still work through, but have redefined what consider “success” to look like at the end of day and then work towards it.
Before taking on current role, worked in an office environment doing the 8-5 thing, and think it’s fair to say that people who are in an office during the day still have periods where their productivity isn’t sky-high.

Consider the water-cooler talk or endless meetings that seem to go on forever. When compare day-to-day to that environment, genuinely don’t think productivity in this arrangement is significantly different. It might be more tiring, but it’s also more fulfilling. Think actually far more efficient during the day now than when was working in an office cubicle.

Know When to Bring in Help
Just because you want to have your child home with you during the day, doesn’t mean that you can’t EVER get a little help! There’s no reason you can’t have a babysitter come over a few hours a week OR certain times of the month when you know that your schedule is more demanding.

Maybe there’s a neighbour, a family member, or a student who could help you during the times you start to feel like you’re drowning a little bit.

Find a Support System
Like any situation in life, there’s going to be tough days and tough times. You can’t avoid it. But that doesn’t mean that your situation is broken, or something has to change. Sometimes you just need someone to remind you how good of a job you’re actually doing AND that this too shall pass!

There are times seriously feel that disappointing everyone, and depend on support system to highlight all the things that have gone well! That’s usually enough to re-inspire faith and get back to it the next day!

Interview of Gorana Gligorovic Angebrant cofounder of DivaGo – Serbia

When it comes to motivation, it can be a little tough as a solopreneur. We don’t have a team of colleagues behind us pushing us forward, or a manager we need to impress. What tends to happen is that our focus wanders, leaving our goals unmet and our to-do list untouched.

What’s a solopreneur to do? Well, there is a productivity “tool” you can use called an ‘Accountability Partner’ which is designed to improve concentration and help solopreneurs like you stay on track.

What is Accountability?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what an accountability partner is, let’s look at what we mean exactly by the term accountability and why it’s so important.
Let’s break that down in basic Layman’s terms. There are three main aspects of accountability:

1. Being aware of what you have to do.
2. Telling someone (or yourself) that you’ll do it.
3. Being open and honest about your progress…and whether you actually did what you said you were going to!

Why is Accountability Important?

You may be a solopreneur, but no man (or woman) is an island! Your business relies on good business relationships with clients, customers, and/or freelancers and accountability builds trust.

When you say you’re going to deliver work and don’t do it, that trust is broken and it’s hard to repair! Being accountable means taking action and being responsible. If your clients see that in your work ethic, they will have confidence in you and your business.

So, What is an Accountability Partner?

An accountability partner is a person with whom you share your work goals and give them feedback later. As the title suggests, it’s a partnership, so you will also listen to their business goals and receive updates as to how they have progressed as well.

It’s a mutually beneficial relationship where you both provide motivation and support as you each tackle your daily tasks and business growth. The aim of the game here is to help each other to succeed.

How does it work?
Sometimes, we can have the best intentions. We tell ourselves that today is the day, we’re definitely going to do that mammoth task that we’ve been putting off. Then… we don’t. We make excuses for ourselves.

We tell ourselves it’s not that urgent. No one knows. No harm done. Right?
With an accountability partner, there is no place to hide!

It puts our intentions out there and if we don’t follow through then we look bad. We are social animals who aim to please and keep our promises. By telling another person we put pressure on ourselves and we are more likely to carry out the tasks we said we’d do.

It’s the most positive form of peer-pressure! In the same way as having a gym-buddy helps to motivate you to actually GO to the gym, having an accountability partner pushes you to actually DO the work.

Who Makes the Best Accountability Partners?
The best accountability partners are people you don’t know personally. A family member or friend might be great at the cheerleading part but will they be tough enough when you procrastinate all day rather than touch that to-do list?

Another plus point for partnering with someone we don’t know is that sometimes we fear the opinions of strangers more than the people we know well. Our natural urge to impress or please acts as an added incentive to do what we said we’d do!

It also helps if the person we partner with is a peer in the same or similar field of work as they are more likely to understand our goals and may even have some great ideas and feedback.

Where to Find an Accountability Partner
You can try topic related forums or social media platforms. Facebook groups in your particular business niche are a good place to start. If you prefer a face-to-face partnership, check out local Meet Ups in your area.

But the easiest way to find an accountability partner is through one of the dedicated websites.

There are many benefits of an accountability partner. For starters, it’s like having your own personal business coach! Being connected to another professional who has also committed to being accountable can really change the way you work. It can banish distractions, increases focus, and help you tackle those most important or the most hated tasks!

Once you’re sold on the benefit of having an accountability partner and working together to improve your respective businesses, how do find one? Running a business can be lonely after all, and if you don’t have the time to network, you may not have a ready list of contacts to which you can pitch a partnership.

It partially depends on what type of relationship you want to have. Some business owners rely on family and friends to provide feedback. These are people you can trust who are almost always available. There is an inherent risk to doing this, though. It can be challenging to maintain a professional relationship with someone you already know and love, and you never quite know if their advice is honest. Your parents, siblings, and closest friends want to see you succeed, but they don’t want to give the bad news that you’re making mistakes.

For those who’d prefer a purely professional relationship, consider the following options:
• Coworkers or Ex-Colleagues – Whether you still have a day job or not, the people you work with or once worked with are a great starting point, offering an existing professional relationship to build on.
• Digital Relationships – You likely have a substantial social network online of clients, colleagues, people you’ve met at conferences at more. A digital-first partnership can be a great way to start.
• Existing Group Relationships – Your church, local volunteer groups, the PTA – whatever groups you are already a member of can be a great place to meet people who have similar goals and would be interested in working together.
• Dedicated Websites – There are several dedicated websites designed to help people connect with accountability partners. They typically charge a small fee but can be a great way to push yourself to act.

Three Steps to an Effective Accountability Partnership

So how do you find someone who can truly make a difference for your business and with whom you can work effectively? Here are three things to keep in mind.

1. Have goals already in place and know what you want to accomplish. Your accountability partner won’t tell you what to achieve. If you’re unsure of your next step, you may need a business coach or consultant more than a partner to help track goals. Be ready to define what matters and why it matters.

2. Create a system to manage and track your goals. Beyond setting goals, have a system in place to support your accountability efforts. This includes daily and weekly worksheets, quarterly reviews, short and long term goal management, and a regular cadence of meetings in which you can discuss each other’s goals.

3. This needs to be a priority. Personal and professional development often falls to the bottom of the list for entrepreneurs that already wear a dozen hats. Accountability needs to be at the top of that list no matter how busy you get.

Meetings should be a priority, and you should be ready to discuss not only your issues and concerns but those of your accountability partner.

The goal of such a partnership is to provide a sounding board for progress against your goals. If you’re successfully meeting your targets (or trying your hardest to do so), you’ll be excited to attend these meetings and eager to share what you’ve accomplished. If you haven’t, it will be tempting to “be too busy” for them, but it’s those moments in particular that can have the biggest impact.

5 habits of successful leaders – and how to develop those skills

DivaGo a beautiful fashion brand from Serbia making amazing cloths for women

Tell us about yourself
My name is Gorana. My mother gave me that name after my father. His name is Goran, it was a great love between two of them. Unfortunately, their love ended shortly after my birth.
I was born in Serbia, a country in central-east Europe, I have been living here all my life. People in my country are known as stubborn and defiant, most of our history we spent in war, always fighting for various different reasons. During my lifetime, the country I was born in has changed its name 4 times. I am 46 years old.
How did the idea for your business come about?
All my life I made drawings. I have started when I was just 4 years old, trying to draw the Christmas tree. I was stubborn and I tried more than 200 times in one day before I succeed. When I grow up I graduated from the University of Art, but never had chance to work in my field of education. I found myself in marketing business, working as an Account manager for various global brands.

My friend Vasa Fekete and I were discussing one day about problem that we have with a dress that you wear in one occasion and after that, it loses its charm. We started to think about the idea to design such dress that can change its appearance and could be worn more than once.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
I love to be an entrepreneur! I really love it. It gives me an opportunity to overcome my boundaries. Every day you have different struggles, but when you win the fight, you feel stronger. I am a very passionate person and I don’t see myself working for a brand or job I don’t believe in.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
Company name is DivaGo. It means diva in motion – you can feel like diva during your everyday activities. But this name is also consisting of first two letters of our names “Go” stands for Gorana, and „Va” for Vasa.

How did you raise funding for your venture?
My business partner and I have invested our own money, earned from the previous jobs.

How do you build a successful customer base?
Our first client base came from social media only! We were very active in communicating with ladies, not only in our network. We were very supportive for other women entrepreneurs in different area of business so our network became wider.

How did you get involved with fashion business?
As a woman, fashion plays an important part in my life. But I don’t see myself as fashion designer. I believe that there are a lot of educated fashion designers who work their job really great. I could better describe myself as business-oriented person.

How do you advertise your business?
We have two channels for our advertising: first one is based on internet and social media – we use this as a communication tool for different kind of promotions. Second one is corporate marketing – we are active in small business support and women entrepreneurship.

To what do you attribute your success?
Our first collection was produced and ready for sale on the same day when Covid lockdown was pronounced in Serbia. We had to wait for two months before we launched our dresses. After the launch, we had few very bad sales months. Then, suddenly, our videos started to share all over the internet and the sales increased. Our success was probably pushed by the overall Covid situation, and the end of isolation.

For my personal success, I have to thank my Mum who taught me to fight for myself and never to be satisfied with the ordinary.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!
The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture! Passion is the most important thing! Every member of my team has to be passionate about his job.

What made you choose your current location?
We are stated in Serbia and plan to produce only locally. New business opportunities we offer for our suppliers make them stronger and we are very happy to be involved in their growth.

Do you work locally or internationally?
During the last year of our business we have focused on the local market. We are now working on concurring the other markets. It is not an easy job, but it is a challenge we are looking forward to.

What’s your company’s goals?
Our goal is to encourage and support different approaches in representing self appearance. Every person is unique and, as such, beautiful. Trends change, but what we carry inside us is ours and unrepeatable.

We want to give the women the opportunity to create their own style that is consistent with their inner feeling. We believe outward appearance should not be an obstacle but a source of confidence.

What is unique about your business?
In Serbia, we are the only brand that designs convertible clothes.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?
I am focused on new business opportunities, as well as a communication strategy. Those are the most inspiring areas for me. Good thing is that my business partner Vasa and I don’t share the same inspiration source. She likes to work on different positions than me, so we are perfectly compatible.

What made you choose this type of business?

Fashion business gives you the opportunity to be creative and to really enjoy your work. At the same time your creativity can make happy someone else, in our case those are women.

Does your company help the community where it is located?
We share our knowledge with business beginners. We also support women entrepreneurs in many ways.

Have you ever turned down a client?

I would not be honest if I say no! You have to be able to see mistakes as a part of the business. What showed as good practice for us is that, if you admit that you made a mistake, a client sees you as a human being, and more likely he will accept your apology. Of course, the apology is not the only thing we offer. We always show that we care for our ladies, so they become a part of our brand family.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Before you start, research every aspect of your business idea. It will take hours and days, sometimes months. Search the internet, talk to the people, collect information… Once you start with realization, don’t give up when obstacles start to hit you. Believe in your idea and remember the passion you had in the beginning. You will succeed!

Thank you Danijela Golić & Bianca Tudor for the connect.

Interview of Mathias Mancha Pwol CEO Fresh From The Farm Agric World Ltd

Most people recognize a good leader when they see one – especially if they motivate teams to exceed company goals and create a culture of accomplishment. Performance measurements and outcomes aside, are there routines that make someone more likely to be successful?

What are the habits of effective leaders?

The world is awash with buzz-worthy tips for creating good habits in one’s personal life, but creating the long-term foundations for success in the office isn’t often as prominent.

What habits do good leaders follow daily that separate them from lesser leaders? How important is each one to your overall career success?

Habits vs. traits

Remember, effective leadership habits are not the same as the traits of a good leader.
While traits are often natural qualities of an individual, habits are usually made with considerable effort. It can require many tries to commit a habit to your daily routine. Only after you’ve become accustomed to doing something regularly can it be considered a habit.

Since it can take discipline, focus and (sometimes) a bit of stretching outside your comfort zone, building healthy work habits should be managed one at a time. Only after you’ve mastered your primary habit, should you then move on to the next one on your list.

Avoid buying into fad-based leadership myths, and start with these five habits of effective leaders that are making a difference in today’s workplaces.

1. Plan the night before
Effective leaders have set goals that are both short-term and long-term. Being organized is an essential part of leading others, but it’s not enough to simply have a plan for tackling the year or even month ahead.
Your weekly calendar may have meetings and must-dos planned, but revisiting the steps to getting these done takes these goals from a plan to a reality.
To make this activity a habit, set aside a block of time to plan and adjust your schedule and goals to set yourself up for success in the morning. Then consistently do it each day. This could mean that you look over your planner for the next day right before you leave the office. Or it might mean planning your upcoming day the night before.

The key is to find time that fits your schedule and stick to it.
Successful leaders also take time out of the week to think about medium- and long-term goals and the steps needed to achieve them.
Doing this while outside of the workplace has benefits, as it is often easier to prioritize to-dos without the constant pull of office demands.
Ask questions that clarify your next week’s goals, such as:
• On what things do I need to focus?
• What do I need to accomplish in the week ahead?
• Is there anything that no longer makes sense to pursue?
• What additional resources, if any, should I look to procure before the week begins?

Rather than letting the current office situation dictate what’s important, take a moment on the weekend before the workweek begins to analyze what’s of highest priority.
Whether you reflect in a café or while lounging in your home, use this time to set the tone for when you return to the office.

2. Get to work early
There are many anecdotal reasons why coming to work early works, but it’s strategically a good move for leaders who want to own their time and get command of their day before the rest of the workplace comes alive with activity.

Take a few precious minutes to double-check your schedule, fill up that coffee mug and set up your workspace. It has immense psychological benefits.
It also shows those you manage that you take your role as a leader seriously. This time in the morning allows you to check your emails and voice messages to get on top of any developments in your staff, such as sick leave requests or family emergencies.

Some managers use it to approve budget issues, sign off on paperwork and review employee surveys or feedback. The time alone is free from distraction and is perfect for churning through short, menial tasks.
Making a habit out of showing up early is one of the best ways to inspire others to start doing it, as well.

3. Move when possible
Leaders in every industry have touted exercise as a way to live healthier, but its role in the workplace has been more visible in recent years. With the embrace of standing desks, bike desks and corporate gyms, leaders now have permission to incorporate movement into their workday.

Make a habit of parking further from the front door or taking the stairs.
Better yet, hold one-on-ones with your workers while on a walk around the building. Many of the casual discussions we hold in a conference room could easily be done outdoors. Change in environment can boost creativity and innovation. It’s a win-win.

Combine light exercise with business in a productive way to reap the benefits of overcoming a sedentary lifestyle while still hitting your management goals.

4. Tackle the hard projects first
Handle the most challenging tasks early in the day, while patience, focus and energy are at their peak.

Procrastination of the things that are least appealing, on the other hand, can add to stress and preoccupy your attention until they are finally resolved.
Since you already have your day’s to-do list handy and familiar, prioritize those monster projects, and stop carrying them over to the next day – or even week.
Accomplishing these larger tasks first is a habit that rewards leaders. It builds momentum to tackle everything the day will throw at them and creates a culture of wins that others in the organization can see and be inspired to imitate.

This method is also known as “eating the frog” due to the concept that you get the big, ugly things out of the way before handling more pleasant tasks.

5. Learn daily
Good leaders love to learn and make a daily habit of picking up knowledge wherever they can.
Snagging the latest best-selling book or watching a TED Talk are popular and effective ways to add to your knowledge bank. Interpersonal relationships, however, offer a wider range of opportunities and take nothing from the training and development budget.

Gleaning wisdom and skills from your team can be as simple as making sure every stakeholder at the table has a few minutes to add their input. Or, it can also come in the form of mentorships where you aim to get as much from your protégé as they do from you.

Listening, taking notes and asking probing questions of teams gives you practice in empathy and emotional intelligence (EQ) skills (highly valuable traits for leaders). Making a habit of doing this daily also grows your exposure to those new ideas that you can use to solve everyday problems and recognize the future leaders in your business.

Why good leadership really matters
The importance of effective leadership cannot be overemphasized. Costly employee turnover can usually be mitigated by decisions that managers are directly responsible for making.

Whether employees leave over lack of opportunity, conflict with leadership or other interpersonal issues, effective leaders can change the outcome and keep good employees from leaving.

Interview of Hamid Alibeiki

My name is Mathias Mancha Pwol CEO Fresh From The Farm Agric World Ltd. An agricultural startup in Nigeria who believes in bringing the harvest to the people with no Hussle. I am a university graduate, a lover of music and entertainment.

How did the idea for your business come about?

2018 when I went to Lagos Nigeria to do my compulsory youth service as directed by our government, I realised access to food was a serious issue due to the high population and demand. To cut the story short, since I was coming from the northern part of Nigeria where we farm a lot, I seized the opportunity and started supplying farm produce from my hometown to the cities (lagos). I smile deep Anytime I remember how i started this business with just 3 bags of irsih potatoes.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
In Africa, there is this believe by our parents that as long as you are not an office worker, you are unemployed. To change this narrative in my family and community at large, I decided to work on a dream of being and employer not an employee.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
Since my intentions was to supply fresh farm produce to the market, someday whispered “FRESH FROM THE FARM” in my ears; but since the name was not available for registration and I really needed something like that, I now added “AGRIC WORLD” to it.

How did you raise funding for your venture?
Before going into the Agric business, I was and I am still a music/sound producer in which I produced music, jingles, adverts, documentaries etc. Since I had some funds saved already, I just risked it all and started chasing my new dream.

How do you build a successful customer base?
When I was on my customer base research, I realise that integrity and trust was what every potential customer spoke about. So I took it upon me to make sure I supply any product as agreed without compromising the quantity or quality.

How did you get involved with Agri business?
As I said earlier I saw the need and demand of food in the cities and I decided to seize the opportunity. Not withstanding, I came from a family where we farm almost everything we produced. I just used my education to turn the family hobby into business.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?
I always love people of integrity, let your Yes be Yes and No be No. I hate when you want to play smart on me when transacting business. I believe in a win-win situation.

How do you advertise your business?
So far it has mostly been word of mouth where by I go to the markets and ask them what they want. Also we have been active on all the social media platforms promoting our brands. We hope to someday advertise on TV, magazines and Radio soon.

To what do you attribute your success?
First of all to God and to my father who has been a mentor in this journey. Then to myself who believes that my generation needs people like me to succeed.
To be yourself and be willing to sacrifice a lot for the success of the company.

What do you look for in an employee?

Be willing to work as a family not am employee.

What made you choose your current location?
The surplus availability of farm produce and low cost of labor.

What kind of Corporation is your business?
Private limited company, from Locally (Nigeria).

What’s your company’s goals?
To be the most available and trusted farm produce supplier in Africa”.

What is unique about your business?
We believe in bringing the harvest to the people with no Hussle and at an affordable price.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?
Brainstorming, idea formation and execution, paper works, search for customers and contracts. As a startup with little funding, I am involved in almost every activity in the business.

What made you choose this type of business?
Experience and need.

Does your company help the community where it is located?
Yes, we partner with smallholder farmers where by we buy directly from their farms then we supply to the market. Also, we also have plans of massive employment in our community soon once our rice mill factory is completed.

Have you ever turned down a client?
Yes, and the reason has always been because of either price or payment terms.
As long as it is your dream, chase it until it turns to reality.

Simple Acts to Make the World a Better Place

Technology Transfer Strategist, Venture Capital Advisory, Professional Lecturer.

How did the idea for your business come about?

Finding gaps between entrepreneurs and the market.

What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?

I hate working for other people. Try to set up a business to expand this idea for other ones.

What was your mission at the outset?

I was just a facilitator at first.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

Based on our mission in our business.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

bootstrapping.

How do you build a successful customer base?

I was honest and patient.

How do you advertise your business?

I did not do that. mu client advice each other using our services.

How do you advertise your product/service?

If being honest with your clients, it will be the best advertisement.

To what do you attribute your success?

honest, honest, honest.

What do you look for in an employee?

The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

What made you choose your current location?

suitable atmosphere for growing up.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

LLC
Do you work locally or internationally?

Internationally.

What’s your company’s goals?

Empowering startups and SMEs to expand their activities in international markets.

What is unique about your business?

techniques of negotiation.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

controlling all sides of the company as well as client’s satisfaction.

What made you choose this type of business?

My spirit!

Does your company help the community where it is located?

Yes of course.

Have you ever turned down a client?

Yes. When they need services which we can not provide to them.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Read more, consider all aspects, being patient.

When you feel purposeless and fear, you are wasting time

Right now one thing is abundantly clear: The world could use a little more peace, love, and understanding. There is suffering to be eased; there are wrongs to be righted. If you read the daily headlines and wish someone could just step in and make things better, we have good news: Someone can—and you already know just the woman for the job.

Inside you there’s a mighty activist, even if you’ve never owned a bullhorn or chained yourself to an oil rig. To be an activist, all you have to do is exercise your power to, yes, act. You can be a force for good whether you’re helping a neighbor, raising your voice, or calling attention to a problem in need of a solution.

Every person can make a difference, and no deed is too small to matter. Consider the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, which is commonly used to refer to acts of kindness or the pursuit of social justice. The Hebrew phrase translates to “repair the world”—not revolutionizing or reinventing, just repairing: putting the world back together a little at a time, each of us, every single day.

Helping repair the world is your mission, should you choose to accept it. And we know you will.

Compliment Friends and Strangers
Try praising a new person each day for a month.

Spend Wisely
Whether you’re in the market for an oil change or a bottle of Merlot, think about where you’re directing your dollars. Can you find a woman- or minority-owned retailer? Or can you opt for a small business over a chain? Challenge yourself to do all your shopping this way for a week—or a month.

Talk Politics Productively
The initiative , founded by Bay Area friends Justine Lee and Tria Chang in the wake of the 2016 elections, encourages citizens with different viewpoints to sit down and respectfully listen to one another’s opinions over a nice lasagna. For details on hosting an evening of your own, download the instruction guidance.

Keep Your Kids’ Vaccinations Up-to-Date
Friends don’t give friends whooping cough.

Browse for Worthy Causes
Download a charitable web browser extension like , which uses ad revenue to donate to a partner nonprofit of your choice every time you open a new tab.

Switch to Tubeless Toilet Paper
Unless you’re super crafty, you won’t miss those cardboard cylinders—and neither will the planet.

Support Your Local Women’s Shelter
Donate new bras, which are always in short supply. Menstrual products are another high-demand item (for every box of its tampons you buy, will donate a box of pads to a homeless shelter), as are hair products suitable for different textures. And don’t forget books and board games for the kids.

Know Your Neighbors
Only about 20 percent of the population do—down from nearly 30 percent since the 1970s—and research has linked social connection with decreased depression and even a longer life.

Be Prepared
Someone has to have a bandage, a pain reliever, a safety pin, floss—why not you? The Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit contains all of these, plus double-sided tape, nail polish remover, and more must-haves.

Eat Your Leftovers
It’s estimated throw away 15 percent of the food they buy each year—enough to feed millions of people. Plus, all that trash produces loads of greenhouse gases. Not sure when it’s time to toss? tells you how long to safely keep thousands of products.

Plant an Herb, Vegetable, or Flower Garden
Everyone wins: The plants produce environmentally beneficial oxygen, you reap the meditative rewards of gardening, and you can savor the fruits of your labor—or gift them to friends and family.

Give Away Your Unwanted Stuff
Put your goods on ad-posting sites and apps for free, so someone who actually needs them can have them at no charge.

Become an Organ Donor
About 95 percent of adults are in favor of organ donation, but only 48 percent are registered. You can sign up right now without leaving your couch, at and potentially save eight lives—the number of vital organs you likely have to offer.

Turn off the lights, turn off the water. Unplug your devices when not in use.
Admittedly, this is one still in the process of learning , but in a world where we are running out of resources almost as fast as we can identify them, unplugging our appliances at night saves an incredible amount of power (phantom power accounts for 10 percent of all household energy outputs). If you turn your shower off while you’re shaving, or letting your conditioner set, you can save a lot of water. Think about what that can add up to.

Adopt a rescue.
If you’re ready to get a pet, and have thought about all the variables, please consider adopting from a rescue agency. Don’t forget that rescue agencies often have different kinds of animals other than cats and dogs, (like rabbits, or hamsters, or lizards) which can be even more difficult to find homes for. If the time is right, consider directly saving a life.

Reconsider your consumption.
Like meat? Don’t want to give it up? Can you give it up for just a day? Just a day per week without meat has been shown to be of great benefit, in terms of animal lives saved, and the environmental toll it can take.
Eating them sometimes as often as three times a week—they were my ideal comfort food. While chose the organic, humanely-raised options; our society’s demand for meat just isn’t environmentally sound.

Share a meal.
Making a meal for, and breaking bread with someone, is an intimate way of getting to know people, and it fosters a deep-running sense of community. Can you invite a friend over for dinner? Host a monthly potluck?

Clean our space.
We are all a part of this world. Our bedrooms were a reflection of our mental space, several years away. Cleaning our spaces helps us feel that much lighter. See what you are able to do from that refreshed space. Honor yourself and your own surroundings just as you would someone else’s.

Get involved.
It’s hard if we’re working a full time job and have kids, or are struggling through the depths of winter, or have just dealt with a scarring break-up, but the world asks us to participate. Stay open to the cues and see what we might have to offer the world. If we think something needs to be changed, write a letter, start a petition, do more direct activism—whatever we can do can help.

Give alms.
This one is a bit loaded, understand. Most of us can’t quite understand what it’s like to be living on the street, unsure of where our next meal or shelter is going to come from, and in urban centres the rate of homelessness is rising. It can be difficult and hard to resist a place of judgement when every third or fourth person we encounter in your walk to work asks us for change, but that is why we must resist judgement. If you feel uncomfortable giving money, consider buying food, or in winter, donating or giving your extra or mismatched winter clothing away.

Travel wisely.
If you need to/want to get away and your only option is a resort, there are more environmentally friendly ones out there. Find ones which are transparent about their environmental practices, and support those. If you don’t “do” resort vacations, consider how your mode of travel impacts the environment and try to mitigate that. We know of someone who plants a tree whenever they take an airplane, but if we all try and do what we can to offset our carbon footprint, it can only be of benefit.

Check your community.
Does your social network include lots of different people? Elders? People of different ethnicities? People who identify as trans* or with different sexualities? Friends and the people see on a regular basis are all of age group. State this not to “tokenize” any group at all, but simply to state that the more varied our communities are, the more we are able to understand and communicate with each other.

Plant a (bee-friendly) garden.
Some choices of bee-friendly plants that you barely need to pay attention to? Lavender, sage, some roses. Bees are in trouble and they could use any help you can give, in offering “pollination stops.” Even if you don’t want to help pollinate plants, your own garden can give you vegetables, herbs, and fruit to eat and is just a good alternative to buying from a supermarket. If you don’t have the space for a garden, yet this idea interests you, you could try community garden or plot sharing.

Give a Compliment
Tell someone that you care about them by complimenting them. It can be a big compliment or a small one. The point is that you share what good you see in them. That will help them develop confidence and a stronger sense of self.

Volunteer
There’re many reasons why doing voluntary work is good for you. Find a good cause you care about and give your time to it. Serve in some way. Volunteering transforms your hard work into other people’s happiness. This is one of the most common acts of kindness that you can do.
Tibetan spiritual leader Dali Lama described the new generation as the generation of the 21st century and his own generation as belonging to the 20th century “You are the generation of the 21st century.”

He said that the generation of the 20th century had been witness to immense violence. “We can say that it was a century of violence. But the violence failed to create a better world.”

He called upon the new generation to aspire to make the world a better place, more peaceful and clean. “Such a world may not materialize in my lifetime but there is a possibility that it can be brought about if you actually resolve to do so,” he said.

“I do not see it and others of my generation may also not, but I will watch you either from heaven or hell to see what you have made of this world,” he told.
“I am confident that things can be improved greatly as most of the problems are man-made and can be reduced if man wants to reduce them,” he added.
He recalled his days in Dehradun and Mussoorie in 1959 when he was staying at Mussoorie for a year after he came from Tibet as a refugee.
“After facing a lot of difficulties in the beginning of refugee life, I enjoyed my stay in Mussoorie -I was very happy there. But in 1960, not out of my own choice, I had to shift to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh which was very isolated in those days.”
“We preferred Mussoorie, but the Government of India said that Mussoorie was only a temporary arrangement.”

He said that what impressed him greatly when he came to India was the tradition of non-violence and religious tolerance and harmony.

“I felt that I should propagate this tradition and highlight the concept of Ahimsa. In today’s world, destruction of your neighbor would mean your own destruction, considering the global economy.”

Talking about the need for keeping one’s mind calm, he said that a calm mind leads to good physical health. Greed, ambition and worry all transform into anger. A healthy mind is a key factor for physical health. I want to show you my own face, I am almost 77 years old but am quite healthy,” he said with a beaming smile.

“Anger is blind energy and destroys one’s judgement. Buddhism and Hinduism both talk a lot about mind control and we should try to practice this,” the Dalai Lama said.

Interview of Angel Investor Dr. Kyle Hoedebecke

We always want a guarantee.

We want to know for sure that if we tried to do something, we would like it; if we devoted our limited time to it, we would end up somewhere good.
We had no idea what we wanted to do with our life, and we felt certain this was a phenomenal failing—because if you don’t know right now what you need to do to make your life count, life will pass you by before you’ve ever had a chance to do something meaningful or valuable. At least, that’s what you thought back then.

So we must sit around thinking, analyzing, trying to identify something big enough or good enough, terrified that maybe we would spend the rest of our days feeling purposeless, useless, on the fringe; doing the same thing in our professional life as we would always do in our personal life: feeling like we were on the outside looking in.

When you’re sitting amid a vast expanse of possibilities, in the pressure cooker of expectations and impatience, it can feel almost paralyzing.

What step do you take when you have a hunch but no solid sense of direction? If it’s only a hunch, then maybe it’s the wrong direction.

And what if you go in the wrong direction? Then you will have wasted time, and time is finite. And everyone else is so far ahead. Everyone else seems happy and successful. Everyone else is climbing the ladder, earning more money, making a difference, mattering.

What if you never matter? What if you never do anything important? And worst of all, what if you never have more than a hunch about what’s important to you?
What if you never feel a spark, a purpose, that elusive “why” that so many people write about?

What if you never care about anything so strongly that it becomes the bliss you have to follow?

Sitting in a café over a decade ago, searching Craigslist for jobs and gigs, you must have felt a sense of panic and urgency. You needed to figure it out, and fast.

You are blinded by the fear of never finding what you are looking for, and that made the looking awfully ineffective.

You thought there was something wrong with you for being so uncertain, so resistant, so unable to identify and commit to any path.
In retrospect, you see there was nothing wrong with you, or where you are in life. And there was nothing wrong with living in the maybe, looking for new possibilities.

You weren’t ineffective because you didn’t yet feel a strong internal pull. You were ineffective because you consistently marinated your brain in anxious, self-judging thoughts.

Your biggest obstacle wasn’t that you felt lost; it was that you felt you shouldn’t be. You felt you should have known, right then, not only what you wanted to do but also how you were going to do it.

Because without knowing those two things, you felt adrift and incredibly out of control. How can you let yourself ease into the moment if you can’t be sure it’s leading to a better one?

If someone were to walk into that café and approach their younger self, she would probably ignore immersed as she was in her frantic searching.
But if you somehow had the power to command her attention, you would tell her a few things that maybe, just maybe, could relieve her constant worrying and provide both peace of mind and focus.

You’ll never be effective if you’re convinced tomorrow needs to be better than today, because this belief stems from resistance to the present—and the present is where your power lies.

If you’re looking for purpose from a place of inadequacy, you will likely be too overwhelmed by the need to do something big, that matters to the world at large, to identify what matters to you personally and start taking tiny steps toward it.

Instead of looking for a guarantee that tomorrow will be valuable, know that today is valuable—that you’re not wasting time because you don’t yet feel a sense of purpose. You’re using time well by starting (or continuing) the process of discovering it.

There’s simply no shortcut to “figuring things out”—for anyone. Instead of being hard on yourself for not having clarity, be proud of yourself for moving forward on a foggy road when you could easily find a cloudless, well-beaten path to follow…to certain dissatisfaction.

There’s no set timeframe for doing anything.

You truly can do things in your own time without having to worry about being “behind.” Sometimes it’s the things we do that feel like “stalling” or “getting off track” that end up being the most helpful for our growth.

And besides, what story will be more interesting to flash before your eyes in the end: one that unfolded in ways you never expected, with unique twists and turns; or, one that followed a specific, predetermined timeline with predictable steps from milestone to milestone?

The best way to find direction is to trust your instincts instead of forcing yourself to do things because you think you “should.”

Your intuition is a powerful compass, and even if you think you aren’t making progress, if you’re following your instincts, you are.

There are always going to be opportunities that look good on paper, and that little, scared voice within may tell you that your life will only matter if you take them.

Other people may also tell you this, if not directly, indirectly; or, you may assume they’re thinking this, when really, they’re too immersed in their own confusing journey to pass judgment on yours for long.

But sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you don’t take, leaving yourself open for choices that better align with your own values and priorities.
I know this may sound as impossible as growing another lung, but try not to worry so much about what other people might think. They may have expectations, but they aren’t living inside your mind, or feeling your instincts.
The only one who can make wise decisions for you is you. And even if it makes you feel anxious at times, you will eventually thank yourself for being brave enough to follow your heart, not someone else’s head.

When it comes to creating purpose, there truly is no “wrong” decision.
You may think you only have one purpose and that you need to push yourself to find it. And you can continue thinking this, if you’re okay with feeling chronically pressured and scared.

Or, instead of aiming to discover the one thing you’re supposed to do with your life, you could focus on discovering the one thing you want to try right now, knowing that you can change direction any time. And that changing direction won’t be something to be ashamed of; it won’t mean you failed at discovering your purpose before. It will mean you had one purpose then, and now your purpose has evolved.
It will mean you are brave enough to let yourself evolve, repeatedly undertaking the sometimes terrifying process of discovering what else you can do.
Maybe that in itself can be a purpose—to live life in that vulnerable, uncertain place where you’re not boxed into one way of being; unencumbered by the need to define yourself and your place in the world; free to roam when it would feel much safer to tether yourself to one role.

Ten years ago you thought you were a failure because you hadn’t done anything that felt important. You now know it was all important, and not just because it brought you to this site.

All those steps were important because those steps were your life. And your life is valuable and worth enjoying regardless of what you do professionally.
Ironically, adopting this mind-set makes it so much easier to create meaning in life, because suddenly it’s not about what you have to do. It’s about what you want to do. It’s about where your heart’s pulling you in this moment.

And that’s what it means to find direction—to follow those pulls, without a guarantee, knowing that the goal isn’t to end up somewhere good but to learn to recognize the good in this very moment.

This moment isn’t merely the bridge to where you want to be. This moment—this crucial part of the process—is a destination in itself, and now is your only opportunity to appreciate it, and appreciate yourself for living it.

How to Raise Seed Capital and Grow Your Startup

Dr. Kyle Hoedebecke is a Certified Physician Executive with nearly 20 years of leadership experience.

Within healthcare, he served in many leadership roles across the clinical, insurance, bio-pharma, and military sectors.

As an executive advisor and coach, he work with small/medium-sized business of all sectors.

In the startup community, he serve as a mentor and angel investor with a focus in healthcare technology, wearables, AI, AR/VR, 3D printing, energy, IoT, and bio-pharma spaces. He currently serve in advisory roles and angel investor in 40+ startups and am always looking for the next win-win situation!

In the following interview, Dr Kyle talks about his entrepreneurial & angel investor’s journey, struggles and the lessons learned along the journey.

You are a doctor, can you please tell us about your life journey?

I started off in the military, where I also received my medical education and Board Certification as a Family Physician. I did 10 years of clinical medicine (seeing patients) as well as serve as an assistant professor teaching medical students. I transitioned to a leadership role in the insurance/payor sector of the US healthcare system.

I’ve had the opportunity to employ my knowledge and skills in healthcare systems in 120+ countries and now in the startup environment as well.

When did you first discover your angel investor spirit and how it is giving feedback from life?

I have invested in real estate for 15+ years and dove into angel investing during the past 3-4 years. I really see this as an opportunity to remain on the cutting edge of innovation while simultaneously making the world a better place.

What has been the biggest success and biggest failure stories you went through?

My biggest success would be my current company Oscar Health going public 3 weeks ago. The IPO process has been a great success and will help us continue to improve the healthcare system. As there are high levels of risk involved with angel investing, my biggest failure would be from companies that have failed.

Tell us about your latest endeavor.

I have several ongoing endeavors currently. I am excited about one startup called Covimro – who has a natural molecule that has been shown effective against COVID-19 and HIV viruses. Another is called HECOLL, which has created a biodegradable fabric that also protects against COVID-19, smog (pollution), and UV light.

How did you get involved with Angel investing?

I first joined a startup accelerator/incubator as a physician mentor. I then found many amazing startups and founders who I mentored wanted me to join as a formal advisor as well. I find being an advisor and an angel investor is a nice fit where possible.

What do you look for in a startup as you evaluate it for a potential investment? I look for the “3 Ts” – team, tech, and traction.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

The stronger the 3 Ts – the more excited I get. There needs to be a good balance in all 3 areas.

Besides providing capital, what additional support do you offer as an Angel investor?

I am also available for advisor roles in the right situations. My situation is unique because I have the clinical background as a board certified physician, but I also bring a strong business pedigree with 4 Master degrees. I have a background in various sectors within medicine across 5 continents and speak 4 languages.

My specialties are AI, wearables, medical devices, SaaS, 3D printing, and AR/VR.

What are the red flags for an angel investor?

There are several! Some common ones include poor/incomplete business plans, aiming for a market that is too small, no way to protect against copy-cats (i.e. a patent, trade secret, or trademark), and excessive debt.

In your opinion, what are the hurdles that keep people away from starting an entrepreneurial career?

These include fear of failure, not believing in oneself, and lack of mentorship.

What advice would you give to the new angel investors?

Check out crowd funding angel investor sites like StartEngine and Republic. Build your network of more seasoned angel investors for deal flow and mentorship. Never invest in startups more than you are willing to lose (ie If you lost ALL your money in a single investment, would you still be able to survive?).

Like the stock market, also diversify your angel investing portfolio. Lastly, do your research and due diligence!

Water & waste water solutions

How do you find the right investor for your start-up?

If you’re an entrepreneur, you probably have asked yourself this question more than once-in-a-lifetime.
As the over-all tech industry is maturing, capital is more plentiful (but paradoxically competitive), the costs of technologies are constantly dropping, and code is being increasingly commoditized. This leads to more companies being built-up faster and for less. The culmination of all this? A lot less white space, and more serial entrepreneurs competing for seed funding.

With this in mind, what do you, as a founder, need to know to ace your increasingly competitive seed round raise? Here are 6 questions you should ask yourself to prepare:

1. Realistically, are you venture scale?

Even without venture capital, you can build a valuable business. You can bootstrap your way to success. But, if you want to raise money, you better be ready to meet the following criteria:

10x return: To build a venture fundable business, you need to create a value of this scale (or more.)
Velocity: How fast can you grow? There is a tremendous difference between getting to $1M annual revenue in 6 months or 6 years.

This matters for two reasons: 1) Investors will extrapolate your future growth rate from your past performance 2) When you’re raising venture money, you’re building with someone else’s money and there is an often unacknowledged cost to that — namely your ownership and ultimately the funders’ returns.
Product < Business < Asset: VCs are searching for high velocity, high return investments. Startups with clear long-term assets are more valuable, which could be a database of genetic information that’s 20X broader than any competitor, or market share in an industry where there is 15+ year lock-in. At the bare minimum, make sure you are building a business, not a product. (If your go-to-market plan is to leave this to the salespeople you plan to hire at some future point, this ultimately will not work — certainly not for venture scale.)
Bottom line is if you are not venture scale, but you’re raising money — or spending — like you are, you have a problem.

2. How competitive are you?

As a founder, you are laser-focused on solving the challenges directly in front of you. While it’s critical to “stay in your own lane” to some degree, you can’t afford to ignore these three absolutely critical competitive dynamics, if you want to be venture-funded:

Cohort effect: When you start raising money, whether you realize it or not, you automatically become part of a peer group, other companies that have raised as much as you have, or to a lesser extent have comparable metrics (revenue, traction/adoption.) If you are way behind in your peer group, you won’t stand out in a weekly VC partner meeting, all else being equal. You could still come out ahead, but your team, market, and defensibility will have to be that much more impressive.
That’s why I generally advise founders to determine what to call their round based on traction, and use the earliest label which can apply. Be within a cohort where you can compete effectively: it’s the adult version of red-shirting for sports teams.

Winners take all: Assuming that your startup is successful and that you’re tackling a valuable market opportunity, 2–4 direct, formidable competitors will likely arise in your space. Most founders don’t look this far ahead, but by then you’re either at the front of the pack, or not — and in the latter case you will lose out on investor money.

Because of the winner-takes-all effect of technology (where the bulk of value accrues to the market leader), few VCs will rationally put money into the #3 or #4 competitor in a space. And, that’s why we evaluate competitiveness from our first meeting, because who wants to put 4–6 years into a business to run into a brick wall down the road? Neither the founders nor us.

You simply don’t get to be the #1 or #2 in your space without planning and executing on that plan from day Amazon is a fierce competitor, one of the best of our era.

Sector bias: Don’t get discouraged just because you are in a less competitive funding sector. While many funds are generalists, the reality is that they will typically focus on the most profitable sectors, and sectors with structural risks, like health care or education, may be tougher to close investment.

This is also a good reason that sector-focused funds are becoming a lot more common. You should take advantage both of them and of strategic angels in your sector, who can crucially help you navigate hard-to-open sales doors with their industry connections.

3. Are you right-sizing your fundraising based on fund dynamics?
Want to know the truth about VC firms? Simply by looking at the size of the fund, you can tell if your company is the right fit or not. The secret rule of thumb that most VCs have: any single investment needs to be able to return the entire fund. For example, a friend at a $800M fund confesses to me that she won’t take a meeting unless she can see clear sightlines to a $300M business. Given the rule of thumb, she’s actually being permissive.

On the other end of the spectrum, angel investors can have a fantastic outcome with a $50M run rate company, and consequently may be willing to take risks much earlier. Don’t waste your early fundraising cycles if there isn’t a fit, especially not in pursuit of a brand name for your term sheet.

4. Where are you on the seed gradient?
While the metrics at each round change every year, we’ve observed internally that even seed companies fall out in distinct spots along the seed gradient. Know the stages, metrics, and amount of your round, so that you stand the best chance in your cohort — review my 2nd question for you again.

5. Do you have a startup Olympian mindset?

Those who are drawn to founding companies have grit, creativity, and determination. High growth companies require all this — and more. Sometimes liken the process of finding great entrepreneurs to seeking Olympians.

Many people (including me) run an occasional 5K or 10K for fun on the weekend. But envision the difference between the weekend warrior, and the Olympian, who has configured her life to support training, has a team assembled to handle the various aspects of growth, and is ruthless about trying what works and discarding what doesn’t.

If an investor does not move forward, please don’t take it personally, or see it as a fatal blow aimed at the business you’re building. Ask for feedback, learn from it, and look for investors who are excited about your business.

6. Are you willing to optimize for investor fit?

Nothing is more painful than watching startups being ill-served by investors who do not have the best read on their strengths or market dynamics or simply have different values. You may be thinking. Yes, but when you’re spending years of your life on your startup, having the right partners at the table is worth getting right. The worst case scenario is that you build an 8-figure business, only to have one of your investors vetoing a profitable exit that doesn’t align with her/his economic interests.

How do you prevent this? Make sure that you and your investors match up on:

Go-to-market strategy
Product principles and prioritization
How involved you want them to be
How they handle it when things don’t go well

Also, speak with other entrepreneurs in their portfolio, which will help you answer the key criteria mentioned. Reference checking is a two-way street! Finally, remember not to ignore your gut. With team members and investors, ask yourself this one question, “Who am I most excited about collaborating with?”

Winning as a startup founder is about building something amazing, but it’s also about building relationships, supporting your team, and having fun on the journey. As you gear up for your seed round, make time to reflect and refocus.

What business can a kid start?

Wastewater uses water.

It included substances such as human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals. In homes, this included water from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers.

Businesses and industries also contributed their share of used water that must be cleaned.
We considered wastewater treatment as a water use because it is so interconnected with the other uses of water. Much of the water used by homes, industries, and businesses must be treated beforehand it is released back to the environment.

If the term “wastewater treatment” is confusing to you, you might be thinking of it as “sewage treatment.” Nature has an amazingly simple ability to cope with small amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if we didn’t treat the billions of gallons of wastewater and sewage produced every day before releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduced pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle.
Wastewater also includes storms runoff.

Although sometimes people assume that the rain that runs down the street during a storm is fairly clean, it isn’t. Harmful substances that wash off roads, parking lots, and rooftops can harm our rivers and lakes.

Why Treat Wastewater?
It’s a matter of caring for our environmental properties and for our own health. There’s a lot of good reasons why keeping our water clean is an important priority:

FISHERIES: Cleaning water is critical to plants and animals that live in water. This is important to the fishing industry, sport fishing enthusiast, and future generations.

WILDLIFE HABITATS: Our rivers and ocean waters teem with life that depends on shorelines, beaches and marshes. They are critical habitat for hundreds of species of fish and other aquatic life. Migratory water birds use the areas for resting and feedings.

RECREATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE: The scenic and recreational values of our waters are reasons many people have chosen to live where they do. Visitors are drawn to water activities such as swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking.

HEALTH CONCERNS: If it is not properly cleaned, water can be carrying disease. Since we live, work and play so closely to water, harmful bacteria have to be removed to make water safe.

Effects of wastewater pollutants
If wastewater is not properly treated, then the environments and human health can be negatively impacted. These impacts include harm to fish and wildlife populations, oxygen depletion, beach closures and other restrictions on recreational water use, restrictions on fish and shellfish harvesting and contaminations of drinking water.

Environment Canada provides some examples of pollutants that can be found in wastewater and the potentially harmful effects these substances can have on ecosystems and human’s health:

Decaying organic matters and debris can use up the dissolved oxygen in a lake so fish and other aquatics biota cannot survive;

Excessive nutrients, such nitrogenous compounds (including ammonia), can cause eutrophication, or over-fertilization of receiving waters, which can be toxic to aquatic organisms, promote excessively plant growth, reduce available oxygen, harm spawning grounds, alter habitat and lead to a decline in certain species;

Chlorine compounds and inorganic chloramines can be toxic to aquatics invertebrates, algae and fish;

Bacteria, viruses and disease-causing pathogens can pollute beaches and contaminates shellfish populations, leading to restrictions on human re-creation, drinking water consumption and shellfish consumption;
Metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenics can have acute and chronic toxic effects on species.

Other substances such as some pharmaceuticals and personal care products, primarily entering the environments in wastewater effluents, may also pose threats to human health, aquatic life and wildlife.

Wastewater treatment
The major aim of waste water treatment is to remove as much of the suspended solids as possible before the remaining water, called effluents, is discharged back to the environment. As solid materials decays, it uses up oxygen, which is needed by the plants and animals living in the water.
“Primary treatments” removes about 60 percentage of suspended solids from wastewater. This treatment also involves aerating (stirring up) the waste water, to put oxygen back in. Secondary treatments remove more than 90 percentage of suspended solids.

HOW COVID-19 IS CHANGING DIGITAL HEALTH

Kids just want to be kids. But kids also want to be grown-ups. That’s why letting kids have neighborhoods lemonades stands, yard sales or lawn mowing businesses is a greater way for them to learn responsibility and the value of a dollar.

However, child-run businesses can sometimes run into problems if they’re not legalized. Believe it or not, neighbors will complain to have a business shutdown if there aren’t proper permits and paperwork.

Cities, countries and states have laws that requires businesses to secure permits and licenses to be operated. Those rules can be extended to just about every business, including those owned by a child.

An increasing number of states and communities have started to make it much easier for young entrepreneurs to make money, but in many communities, children and teens need to secure the right paperwork for lawfully running their businesses. Depending on the age of children, parents will need to help.
For the typical lemonades stands, lawn mowing businesses or snow shoveling operations, young entrepreneurs will need to cross check with local officials to determine the compliances requirements.

Can kids have a business?

Yes, kids can have businesses. Owning a business is a great way for children to focus their energy and efforts on something positive instead of sitting around the house. It is important to be noted that a business is a business, no matter the age of the person in charge.

Businesses must adhere to certain legalised requirements, and parents must be understanding these requirements are to make sure that their kids businesses are legalised. In addition to completing paperwork, such as that obtaining a permit, you may have to pay taxes on the money the business is earning. If your kids are earning more than $400, they may have to pay some type of taxes.

Do your homework.
The first-ever step is to search for more information on the website of the city and county where the business will be located, or just head down to your city hall to find the officials in charge.

These officials can oftentimes be found in a community’s finances or revenue departments. To secure a permit or a license, business owners will need to fill out forms and pay a fee, which can start around $50.

Do kids need a business license?
Yes, any business needs a license, even if it’s run by a kid; the age of the person running the business does not matter. It is important to make sure your kid’s business is up to code because anyone can decide to report the business to the authorities.

City and county officials in the jurisdictions where the business is located can outline the requirements, explain penalties for non-compliance and provides the proper paperwork to get the process rolling.

You might be asking yourself, why go through all of this if it’s just a lemonade stand? What harm could it do? Neighbors or passer-by often have the time and proximity to tattering some cases, neighbors might be having a feeling of inconvenience, because customers to the lemonade stand next door are blocking their driveways or adding more noise or traffic to their usually quiet residential street. Passers-by may be concerned that teens handing out fliers for their snow-shoveling business may be casing a neighborhood and up to no good.

In addition, competitors have snitched on kid-owned businesses. A landscaping company, for instance, could report a teen-run lawn-mowing businesses for noncompliance to weed out cheaper competition.
It’s also important to be aware of the legal risks and liabilities of not making sure your child’s business is legally compliant.

“Kids who run their businesses without the correct permits or licenses can face closure and other penalties, including but not limited to fines,” Williams said. He added that a run-in with regulators is almost never a fun experience, especially for a young entrepreneur who is dreaming big.
But fear not. For parents who want to be a helping hand to their child starting a business, there are plenty of resources out there to make sure it is done the right way. For example, many sites provide links to state-specific license and permit information, and even offers resources for home-based businesses.

What are good businesses for kids?
The best way to decide what types of business is right for your kid is to encourage them to pursue their passions. If your children can work in an area they enjoy, start by helping them find that area.

When parents think about helping their children start a new job, the first-ever jobs that often come to mind are setting up a lemonade stand and babysitting. However, there are many other jobs that can be even more exciting to a child. Children maybe excellent at making baked goods and candy, for an example. If they’re not interested in doing the baking, they can decorate the desserts instead; they maybe able to find a baker who needs a decorator. Or, perhaps if they love animals, so they can be dog walkers or pet sitters. And someone always needs to have a car washer, so kids could be starting a car-washing business. They can even start a YouTube channel or a podcasting channel for other children.

You might be surprised by what’s in your food

Coronavirus has shattered our world and changed nearly all aspects of our lives. It has also changed our relationship to healthcare. It is slowly becoming a cliché to say that COVID-19 has catalyzed healthcare trends – but nevertheless, it’s true. Everyone in the world has seen what devastating impact healthcare can have on our daily lives and how underfunded healthcare systems depend on the heroic frontline workers, who are holding the walls from falling apart.
The windfall of the era of digital health is unquestionable, but it has always been. The hurdle was the adoption of these changes, for they posed infrastructural, operational and cultural challenges – the latter being probably the most challenging, and, probably, this was the ultimate obstacle in the change.

But the importance of good healthcare systems is now incontestable. And while the pivotal question is still the fight against the virus, leaders around the world should already look at which of these changes should remain permanent and how the entire industry can ultimately build on the learnings and the developments of 2020.

Digital health before the pandemic
In a recent article, we outlined our approach and manifesto on digital health. Since 2009, Dr Bertalan Meskó has been taking a stand for the digital health transformation. On The Medical Futurist website, we feature the latest technologies and how they can be put to use in public health. Take, for example, digital maps. Back in 2017, we wrote about data visualizations and evaluating, monitoring and even predicting health events with this technology. We also featured real-time monitoring of the Ebola epidemic. Or think of artificial intelligence in radiology diagnose and evaluation that was still utopist a couple of years ago. We talked about science fiction-like scenarios and concepts that were hard to grasp for many. Not anymore.

Digital health during COVID-19
The pandemic has brought science fiction down to the ground. We live it, we breathe it, and to move forward we also need to embrace it, too. Upon the first news of a certain virus in China, we were quick to talk about the right use of digital health technologies . Plenty of technologies have suddenly become widely accepted and interesting not only to medical professionals but to the general public as well. Like a hanging fruit that became ripe from one day to the other, technologies and concepts from telemedicine through A.I. monitoring to network medicine, all came together in an attempt to try to know, understand and forecast the virus. Let’s see a few technologies that really stand out from here.

Artificial intelligence
We can’t emphasize enough how important it was when Canadian startup BlueDot rang the bell on a small-scale outbreak in the region of the Chinese Wuhan. Blue Dot used its algorithm to sift through hoards of news reports, airline data, and reports of animal disease outbreaks to detect trends – and was quick to, so to say, connect the dots. Since then, a great amount of research has been going into the possible uses of A.I. in healthcare to analyse, monitor, screen and triage COVID patients; to support hospital infrastructure in resource allocation, or further drug discovery and vaccine development. MIT even developed an A.I.-based voice analyzer tool to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 patients from cough recording. And the list could go on.

Network medicine
Albert-László Barabási is one of network medicine’s pioneers. Studying biological networks to discover patterns and their behavior is the key focus of their research. Their data visualizations have even set the artistic language of such data-driven imaging over the past 20 years worldwide. Their work became more important than ever this past April when the BarabasiLab had a list of promising drugs for testing in human cell lines in an experimental lab in less than 10 days since repurposing their network medicine toolset to find a treatment for COVID-19.

Remote care, a.k.a. telemedicine
Telemedicine has been available for quite a while now, but its breakthrough was undoubtedly due to 2020. From being a far-fetched concept for the care of remote areas, the dire need to protect medical professionals and other patients from the virus made remote technologies skyrocket. Due to the coronavirus, medical visits online and over the phone experienced a never-before-seen surge. From mental health care to emailing prescriptions or school medical certificates for kids – we had known these could exist. But we never expected they could so easily be adopted into our everyday.

At-home lab tests
After remote care, remote testing was next to be a major disruptor. Waiting in lines for your sample to be taken is out of the question. Today, one can have multiple important tests without even leaving the house. The red tape that prevented at-home testing in the past as good as disappeared with COVID. Certain lab tests are much safer at home as these help avoid exposure to the infection.

The pandemic brought light to a trend we discussed before. To reduce the exposure to risks such as an infection, at-home lab tests are coming.

Smartphones, robots, 3D printing and more
Disinfectant robots and drones appeared to reduce the risk for humans. We can all leverage the real power of smartphones with online consultations, mental health care, at-home drug delivery, or even COVID-19 testing; while appreciating the fast-paced printing in 3D to create medical tools, protectors and practically anything else needed when traditional production or supply is scarce and when health institutions are overwhelmed.

Data protection
This is very uncomfortable. Not just for you – for all of us. Data protection is like when someone farts on a fancy party: everyone knows it’s there. But no one wants anything to do with it. On one hand, we all know sharing data is essential for tracking the virus’ spread. On the other, so many security flaws (and in many countries, probably built-in features) can get you exposed.

We already wrote about the dark side of health trackers: dubious tracking from smartphones and wearables by amoral third parties. Today, we need to understand that there is no digital health without sacrificing a part of our privacy. The advanced technologies cannot improve without our data; without it, they can’t be implemented as part of regular medical care. And COVID-19 has only made things worse.

The post-pandemic era in digital health: what’s next?
No matter how many mistakes are made, we need to think a lot about what is coming. Because the question is not whether we have to live with the pandemic but for how long. You yourself need to become a bit of a forecaster yourself (don’t worry we can guide you on your way).

This will make it easier for everyone to prepare for what is still to come. By drawing scenarios on what might come, you will be better prepared in your professional as well as in your personal life. And don’t worry to be wrong. Just bear in mind what Yoda said: “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

Basic Business Tools New Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed

Packaged and processed foods are terrifying

Packaged and processed foods are terrifying
It’s nearly impossible to keep up with which ingredients are safe to eat and which ones cause some kind of harm.

The food industry and respectively lobby groups spend millions of dollars each year lobbying elected officials, in the hopes of shaping dietary #policy and guidelines for American consumers. In 2020, food group’s spent almost $27 million lobbying Congress.

When the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee advocate for eating less #meat in 2015, various groups in the meat lobby took umbrage and lobbied Congress. Unfortunately, the recommendations were never approved.

Our #foods are laden with additives that are meant to enhance their flavor, color and shelf #life which research has shown is bad for people to consume. Recently, we came across a 2019 article about a blogger, who researched the differences in the ingredients listed on food labels between the United States and the United Kingdom.

It’s shocking to see how many ingredients that are present in US food products, are simply not allowed in other jurisdictions.

Singled out brands such as some of the worst offenders. Artificial dyes are very commonly found in Americans’ food products. Although artificially dyes are very common in food products in America, that doesn’t make them safe to eat. It can be believed that U.S. companies continued to sell artificial ingredients laden products because they’re “cheaper to produce” and the companies “ can get away with it.”

This information launched people into action, prompting them to rummage through kitchen cupboards to examine the ingredient lists on the foods that they eat. Two caveats to this are that, generally, eat only healthy foods, which made it difficult to find much of the nasty stuff had read about. And secondly, as mentioned, where ingredient identification requirements are more similar to Europe than those of the US. Still, found a few ingredients that were difficult to pronounce and needed further examination.

Kids want a beautiful graphical box for their breakfast basket, but it contains high-fructose corn syrups, which is used in many processed foods, including sodas and snack items. This can contribute to unwanted calories, leading to weight gain, diabetes and other health conditions. While shopping the other day,I looked closely at some packaged foods I would never buy, like Lucky Charms. In addition to high fructose, Lucky Charms also contained the food coloring agent.

As a food additive it has been proven to cause many different side effects and allergic responses, including migraines, asthma attacks and eczema. In some Americans products, they use others coloring agents that sound even worse. Be wary of additives such as Yellow 5 and 6, Blue 1 and 2, Red 2 and 3, Yellow 5 and 6 and many others. Look up what these ingredients can do to your health. It’s frightening and appalling!.

In sweet pickles, there is sodium benzoate, which may be responsible for hyperactivity in children and if combined with vitamin C, it can be converted into a carcinogen called benzene. Don’t chase down your orange with a diet cooker.

Even sour cream contained an unfriendly additive called Carrageenan, a thickener made out of red seaweed. Some researchers indicated this additive negatively impacts digestive health and may be associated with intestinal ulcers and growths. Foods labelled as healthy alternatives can be very deceiving. Take healthy turkey bacon for instance. It’s not so healthy! It contains Sodium nitrates, which is used a lot in processed meats. Studies show this can increase your risk of heart disease.

As an authority says, it’s a whole lot easier to slap a healthy claim on a box of sugary cereal than on a raw potato or a carrot, within the result that the most healthy foods in the supermarkets sit in the produce section, silent as stroke victims, while a few aisles over cereals like Cocoa Puff and Lucky Charms are screaming their new-found ‘whole-grain goodness’ to the shoppers.”

So, what should we do with all this information? Well, it’s a great endorsement for changing your diet to one with fresh ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables. Consider planting a garden and growing your own produce. And think about generally buying less packaged foods. At the very least, take the time to read the ingredients list before adding something to your grocery cart.

If your mind is set on eating foods that contain unpronounceable ingredients, we suggest you try tomatoes, beans and blueberries.

They contain good things like lycopene (anti inflammatory), magnesium, potassium and many other antioxidants that are beneficial to your health.

The Modern Farmer Guide To Buying Seeds

Now that the new year has arrived, many eager new entrepreneurs are ready to hit the ground running with their start-ups and hopefully experience a year less challenging than the previous one. Whenever launching a new business, it’s important to consider what business tools and core essentials small businesses need in order to thrive in today’s “new normal.”

Helping Entrepreneurs incorporates and form limited liability companies, so I generally tend to share advice on legal must-haves for small businesses, like business formations, trademarks, and tax IDs. However, It’s not going to so that this time around.

Let’s assume you have obtained these items already. Whatever others tools see necessary to help your small business actively grow and succeed in the next normal?

Started with these businesses toolset and core business essentials

Business website
Amid they Covid-19 pandemics, websites are among one of the most important tools for startups. A websites provided your businesses with much-needed visibility, allowing customers to find you online and learn more about your business during the pandemic.

A small business website also provides a way to communicate with your customers. Of a customer can’t reached you throughout your social media platforms, visiting the website allows them to connect through a phone call, sending an email, or filling out a contact form.

Therefore, are a few times options available for buildings a small business website. Sometimes entrepreneurship do it themselves with the help of a website-building software service. Many of These services gave variously website templates to choose from, depending on the type of business; they also have stock photography options and offer customer support in the event you get stuck.

Of you don’t feeling comfortable doings it yourself, consult a professional website developer for assistance.

Strong domain name
A domains named goes hand-in-hand within a small business website. This is the name of your company URL. Moreover, 370 million domains named have been registered at the federal level.

Your domains named, especially within this may registrations already in file, should be as close to or as specific as your business name as possible. Many smaller businesses trying to aim forms an exactly match, especially those within a business model that relies on the internet, and to create a domain name that is memorable, short, and easy to spell and pronounce.

Thus is also a greater opportunity today created keyword-rich domains names. Consider keywords that pertain specifically to your business and your geographic location. If you’re a Pizza Shop based on Portland’s, Oregon’s, for examples, you may consider using “pizza” and “Portland” to better optimize your domain name for SEO purposes.

What about the domain extension? Most businesses try to choose a dot-com (.com) extension when possible. However, this’ll extensions is nothing always available, and depending on your industries, it may not be a preferred extension. If a dot-com option isn’t available, try dot-us (.us) or dot-co (.co) instead. Then, conducted a named searching on your domain name to make sure it is available for use.

If it’s free, file a domain name application to register the name.

Employee collaboration software
As this year’s begins, many of us are stills working remotely and uncertain as to whenever we may be able to return to a traditional office. Fortunately, workings from homes for the betterment part of the year has allowed most to transition into this workflow and learn how to use collaboration software and business tools that allow for the best possible productivity.

Prepare your team to collaborate together with proper collaboration software. Some options may include project management software like Trello and Asana. Management of documents and shared filed across teams with the help of Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, and Dropbox. Take notes and share them with Evernote.

Keeping in mind-set that while some collaborations tools are free to use, others may require signing up for premium plans depending on the size of your team. Investment in the proper collaborations toolset for your team members to ensure the best possible WFH readiness and security.

Flexible business plan
Once of the highest tools entrepreneurship need to succeed at any stage in business is a business plan. In the times of Covid-19, this’ll can be a tricky document to put together. Businesses plans oftentimes evaluates a business from three to five years out into the future and require additional details, such as sales forecasts and projected profits and losses, that maybe nothing be fully fledged out within a startup.

However, do you created a businessman plan in an uncertain time? Considering drafting a business’s plans that acts as a hybrid between a traditional business plan and a lean startup plan. This types of businesses plans will give your enough room today evaluate the followings areas of your startup:

• Business description and value. You should be able to articulated what your business does, its industry, and how it earns money. Then, shared the values that this business can bringing within its market. What kinds of problems can these offerings and services solve for customers?

• Strategy. This sections should have offered furthermore insights into the business and its offerings. How do these offerings and services work? If you are still in development stages, when will the business be ready to launch? Strategic goals that the business plans to reach should be outlined along with projected timelines. If the businesses had partnerships or additionally resources it is using today reach these goals, outline these details as well.

• Customers. This section takes a deeper dive into the target market of the business. Who is your customer base? What do these customer demographics look like? However, will your businesses be able to captured, engage with, and retain this market? However, do they businesses planning to reach emerging demographics over time?

• Company overview. Used this sections to detailed the leaderships in the company. Includes the biographies off each membership and their responsibilities in the startup. You may also share additionally informational about the business including its location and entity formation.

• Financial plans. Ones of the most critically parts of a business’s planning is its financial projections. Businesses plans are generally written to attraction investors that’s are interested in investing capital into the company. Used this sections to shared existing cash flow projections in the start-up as well as the expenses budget, sales forecast, and break-even analysis.

As well gradually entered the next-generation normally, you may find that your startup is able to transition out of a flexible business plan and move towards a more traditional format. If that happens, great! If not, keep with the flexible plan. In either cases, remembering that all businesses plans are easy to revised and edit over time. You’re maybe editing your plan for the futures, but keep the flexibility that’s gave it room to grow during an unprecedented time.

Boost E-Commerce Sales by Understanding How Customers Think

If 2020 taught us anything when it comes to gardening, it’s that you should buy your seeds early. Last spring saw seed companies inundated with unprecedented demand, as gardening grew in popularity as a pandemic pastime.

While seed sellers are already starting to get busy this year, time is still on your side. If you plan ahead, you can get the seeds you want and start your garden as soon as the winter frost subsides.

Not exactly sure where to begin? Here’s our guide to buying seeds for the upcoming growing season.

Take Inventory and Make a List

You wouldn’t go to the grocery store without knowing what you already have and what you need. It’s the same thing with seeds for your garden. And while it might be tempting to focus on what you want to put in the ground in the spring, it’s important to think ahead about cool weather crops for the fall, such as greens and root vegetables. Check out our list of seven crops you can plant for a fall harvest, if you’re in need of some inspiration.

Know Your Environment

Make sure you know what your growing conditions are like. Does your garden have a space for full sun or is it mostly in a shaded space? This will determine what you put on your list. For example, vegetables such as tomatoes, peas and cucumbers thrive in full sun while leafy greens can handle shadier spots. Lots of root vegetables can grow with at least a half a day of sun.

It’s also important to know your hardiness zone. If you’re not sure what it is, go to the USDA site and enter your zip code to find out. Descriptions on seed packets will sometimes include the ideal hardiness zone. If you opt to purchase your seeds at your local garden center, what you’ll find is a selection that’s appropriate for your region.
Understanding Seed Varieties

If you’re a new gardener, sometimes, the terminology for types of seeds can be overwhelming. Here’s a breakdown.

Open pollination: Open-pollination seeds come from varieties that are pollinated naturally with wind or insects. These are seeds that can produce plants that look and taste like their parent plant, meaning that you can save seeds from these varieties year after year. One benefit of using open-pollination seeds is that they can slowly adapt to growing conditions and climate over the years.

Hybrid (H1): Hybrid seeds are the product of professional plant breeders. They are made using controlled pollination methods (as opposed to open pollination) by crossing two varieties with favorable characteristics such as disease resistance, higher yields or improved flavor. Hybrid breeds might have characteristics that allow your plants to thrive, but you can’t save these seeds and grow them again because they will produce plants with traits different from their parent.

Heirloom: Heirloom varieties are older plants that have survived for more than 40-50 years. These seeds have been saved to preserve genetic diversity and cultural traditions. Heirloom seeds have either a unique appearance, taste or resilient traits that have led to their endurance.

Organic: This is a USDA designation for seeds of plants that were grown organically without synthetic fertilizer, pesticides or fungicides. Although these seeds are usually more expensive, if you plan on gardening using organic practices, you might produce better yields.

GMO: These are plants that have been altered in a lab using gene modification. This tends to involve using genetic traits from another species to add desired characteristics. There are very few GMO seeds available for home gardeners, but it’s still a good term to understand in case you come across some.

Know Your Sources

Make sure that you are purchasing your seeds from a trusted, well-known source. If you’re a new gardener and you’re looking online, sometimes, it’s hard to tell.
Here’s a list of common places where you can replenish your seed stock online. A majority of these stores also have print and electronic catalogs for the 2021 growing season.

Clear Creek Seeds: This is a family-owned business, based in Oklahoma, that started in 2010. Its speciality is heirloom, non-GMO, open-pollinated vegetable and herb seeds.

Fedco Seeds: Fedco is a co-operative seed company, based in Maine. It has existed since 1978 and is known to be the best source for cold-hardy selections, specifically the northeastern climate. In addition to seeds, it also sells bulbs and trees. About 30 percent of the seeds in its stock are certified organic.

Seed Savers Exchange: Seed Savers Exchange has existed since 1975. It is a nonprofit organization and one of the largest non-governmental seed banks in the United States. Seed Savers Exchange is based in Iowa and has a collection of more than 20,000 different varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated plants from which to choose.
Seeds of Change: This is an organic seed and food company that was founded in 1989. It has a wide range of crops marketed in categories such as container friendly, annuals, biennials, hardy varieties, full-sun crops, partial-sun crops, edible flowers and heirlooms.

High Mowing Organics: High Mowing Organics began in 1996. Today, the organic seed company sells more than 600 types of heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid seeds. This includes vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Sow True Seed: This North Carolina seed source has a collection of more than 500 types of GMO-free vegetable, herb and flower seeds. This includes heirloom, open-pollinated, organic plants and what it calls “small farmer grown” varieties. The company also has a number of growing guides and a page to help you determine what you should plant each month, according to your USDA hardiness zone.

Renee’s Garden: Renee’s Garden seeds offer heirloom, certified organic and specialty crops, specifically marketed for the home gardener. The seeds are selected from a number of growers around the world.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company: Baker Creek is a Missouri-based company, known as one of the top sources—if not the top source—for rare heirloom seeds. The company was started in 1998 and sells around 1,000 heirloom varieties in its seed catalogue. This collection includes 19th-century varieties from Europe and Asia.

Botanical Interests: Botanical Interests began 25 years ago in the state of Colorado. It carries more than 600 specialty varieties for home gardeners. This includes heirloom, organic and open-pollinated crops. The company staff say they test all their seeds to ensure they are varieties with high germination rates.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange: This company, based in central Virginia, offers heirloom and open-pollinated varieties that specifically grow well in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast climates. It has roughly 800 varieties of vegetable, flower, herb and cover crop seeds.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds: Johnny’s Selected seeds has existed for more than 47 years. It offers a diverse crop selection of fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs with seeds that are organic, hybrid, open-pollinated and heirloom varieties.

Territorial Seed Company : This is an Oregon-based company that has been around for more than 40 years. It sells seeds of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs in organic, heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. On its site, it has also created a number of growing guides and garden planning activities for those who need it.

Sustainable Seed Company: Sustainable Seed Company is located in Utah. The company was founded in 2008. It sells more than 875 non-hybrid, organic vegetable, flower and heirloom seeds, as well as specialty crops such as cotton, grain and tobacco.
If you’re looking for some additional guidance, master gardeners at your local extension service will no doubt be able to answer your seed questions and can offer a helpful perspective that is unique to your area.

Use a Critical Eye

Check the date on the packaging or in the online description to make sure the seeds you’re buying are for this year. While seeds can last for many years (with the exception of onions, leeks and parsnips), it’s important to know that their ability to germinate declines as they get older.

It’s also important to be mindful of shipping fees. This can increase the final cost of your bill substantially, doubling or tripling it in some cases. Another small detail that new gardeners often miss is the number of seeds that are included in each package. So be aware of what you’re buying, as you might end up with way too much seed.

Things You Can Do Now to Boost Your Holiday E-Commerce Sales

Customers services can be challenging, especially whenever it’s through an e-commerce website; however, it is essential to establish trust and, in turn, increase business.

Therefore, are advantages and disadvantaged to selling on-line, but the biggest disadvantage is the inability to interact face-to-face with customers, which may result in poor customer service.

Whenever selling on-line, it’s important to learning how to make customer service personable; the goal is to sell great service, not just a product.

While e-commerce sites can be extremely convenient, they may come up short in certain areas. Most notable is the inability to provide the same personal customer service you would find in a brick-and-mortar store.
If you wanted to surpass the competitions, though, your business can still find ways to improve online customer service.
The value of customer service
Whether you realized it or not, customer’s services play’s a Major role in most of the purchases you make. Thinking about whenever you’re looking to buying a particular item that multiple brands sell for roughly the same price. Whatever sets there one your selection apart from the ones you pass up? Whole brands equity and familiarity oftentimes play a role, it often comes down to how quickly you’ll get the product, what support it comes with and how comfortable you are with the brand.

Each of These aspects fall’s under customer’s services and indicates the importance of selling services to customers instead of just products.
E-commerce customer service
Whenever you’re selling product’s on-line, you have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Whole the prospect typically outweighs the cons by far, your inability to interact with customers face-to-face is usually viewed as a negative.
However, e-commerce site’s can stills offer good customers services; it just takes a little extra work. Here’s are a few times tips to helping you improvement the way you interaction with Customers through yourself online storefronts.
1. Ask for feedback.
Your need to development the habit of asking for feedback. While it mighty not always be positive, it is always helpful. If you truly wanted to offer the best customer services, knowingly what your Customers think about your brand, businesses, products and services is of the utmost importance.

2. Offer options.
The facts that a customers is shopping for your product’s online is proofed in itself that they enjoy having variously options. When it comes to customers service, make sure you give then the same opportunity to chosen. Instead of giving the person a boring contacting form, offer choices such as live chatting, Skype support and toll-free numbers to call.

3. Be clear.
According to Magic Dust, a full-size ice internet marketing and web design firm, “Unhappy customers are unfortunately inevitable in any kind offer business. To avoid any conflict, included as much information on orders as possible.” This means providing detailed information on such matters as shipping and return policies, warranties, guarantees, and other information that couldn’t affect the customer’s experienced.

4. Invest in quality site search.
Much of your customer services relates to how you design your e-commerce site. Top keep Customers happy and convert shoppers, invest heavily in high-quality site search functionality. This will help to keep customers satisfied, and you will avoid unnecessary interactions that’s waste your timeline.

5. Provide valuable follow-up.
We’ve all receives those annoying emails from companies after we’ve purchased one thing from their site. Don’t be that company! Instead off sending lazy promotional for months after a purchase, shooting out valuable deals and offers immediately after they buy. People aren’t more likely to convert when you are still fresh in theirs mind. Additionally, good deals and free offers show you card about keeping them as a customers.

6. Offer free shipping.
One of the best e-commerce customers service tactical is to offer free shipping. It costs your a couple of extra dollars, but it goes a long way in impressing customers and persuading them to make that first purchase and maybe others down the roadside.

7. Improve customer interactions.
Although your team has the skill set necessary to interact with customers, they also need to relate to the customer. For instance, try to identifying common ground with the customer, such as shares interests. This step helps your team’s members to understand conflict and humanized the rep-staff relationships for the customer.

8. Follow up after the problem has been solved.
It is essential that Customers feel as though you were on their side when a problem occurred, so follow up to make surely the problem was full-time resolved and that the customer is satisfied with the service. You can do this through and email or a feedback survey – the goal is to let the customers know you are on their sides.

9. Actively listen to the customer.
Whenever talking with Customers, it’s important to clarify and rephrased what they are saying to make surely you understand them correctly. Showing empathy and deflecting their feelings will also help to turn the conversational in the right directions.

10. Be available.
Part of the personality touch that is necessary for customers satisfactions is making sure your Customers can reach you. For instances, if you’re in different times zones, be available on their time; this will help to build their trust and reminded them that the businessmen isn’t programmed.

Customers service may not be most companies’ favorited activity, but it should’ve be a major point of emphasizes. When you’re looking for ways to improvement your e-commerce site, analyze your customers service and look for areas wherein you can improvement.

A Guide to Venture Capital Financings for Startups

Attracting customers to the shopping portals by just establishing an on-line Presence is nothing enough. Rather, ones shouldn’t put efforts to booster the e-commerce holiday sales so that the store gets identified by the visitors in the festive season.

The holidays seasons is the mostly make rewarding time for the e-commerce store owners in terms of increasing overall sales. But it turned out to be difficulties as they need to toil hard for converting the visitors into conversions. The times has arrived today be prepared for the Christmas, where website owners can capitalize on targeted customers who are hungry for big deals.

Today, mostly of the peoples’ expression their love on festivals by sending gifts and wish cards to their loved ones. And for that, they’re consideration online shopping the best and easiest option. The Holiday season is the perfectly timed when e-commerce stores can earn customers and conversions at the same time. Allows they needed to do is to implement proven e-commerce SEO strategies that are best suited to provide optimum e-commerce conversions.

Here’s are sometimes widely implementer tips that help e-commerce webmasters to increase conversion rates during festive days.

Easy tips to boost holiday sales
1. Engage Broadly with Mobile Customers

At present, desktops e-commerce had become a good choice for the users. On the others hand, Mobile e-commerce is growing at a higher pace. Stats say that’s the e-commerce holidays sales during last year’s Holidays increased by 59%. This is because of the wide usage of mobile devices. Surprisingly, approx. 50-60 % of search queries usually comes from Mobile services.

Technology’s is getting improves day-by-day which encourages people to take advantageous of it. If you are in a dilemma of how to optimize an e-commerce website, engaging more with mobile users is the initial step you can start with. To starting with, makes sure that your websites is mobile responsive. Connecting officially without these smartphones users is a great way to earn more customers during the festive season.

2. Sending Automated Holidays Sale E-mails and Website Push Notifications

Spending pre-sale promotional e-mails to targeted customers is a powerful strategy which anyone can utilize to increase the chances of getting more conversions.

Similarly, if you wished to spread awareness for yourself upcoming e-commerce festive, you first need to target the audience via attractive emails and festive alerts. There promotional campaigns created a sense of urgency and instil a fear of missing out something important which compels the users to click and view the deal.

3. Recovery Abandoned Carts with Festive Special Discounts

Accordingly, to stats, 99% of audiences don’t make purchased at the very first time when they visit the store. As a result, they chosen to abandon the cart. It might be scary but true somewhere. But now, there are chances that you can bring back the users who abandoned their carts by sending festive sale offers to their selected items. It cannot be possible that you could be at the right place with the right offer. Hence, you should be ready to retarget the visitors whenever possible. Festive days are the high time when you succeed in this venture. Check out this article where they have beautifully explained why users abandon their carts.

4. Given Landing Page a Complete Festive Makeover

Guidelines your web designers to create a theme bases festive backgrounds which is embellished with bright banners. It’s up to you how you’re want to decorated your landing page so that customers get attracted and feel like making a purchase. Fascinating visitors Through the exquisitely designed offer page provided better e-commerce website optimization during Holidays. This not only attracted customer’s and created a joyous mood, but also results in betterment conversions.

5. Created Convenient & Festive Targeted Products Navigation

Many time’s, people are not able to find the product they are looking for. This is the reasons which can result in low visibility of your store’s product’s. A simple and smooth products navigation is there key to generated enhanced conversions. It directs visitors to the most relevant products they are searching form and that too without seconds. When you are renovating the banners and landings page layout for grabbing the highest festive seasons opportunity, make surely to concentrated more on building easy product navigational. Suppose, you wanted to redirect the customers towards the Christmas combos like dress, tree, and chocolates then make that page more fascinating and easy to access for users.

6. Initiated Provision for Thank You Gifts

Facilitating loyal customers with “Thank You” gift is the techniques which never fails whenever it comes to increasingly holiday sales & conversions of an e-commerce sites. It is truest that when you regard your customers with additionally points or cashback offers, they come back to your website again. Higher are the changes that they make more purchases in the hopes to get better reward points next time. Gift cards are the best ways to grab potential customer’s. In this context, creating a distinct message of how your product can turn out to be a perfect gift is the techniques which you need to integrated to increase Holiday sales.

7. Acquired Customers Before the Sale Starts

Peoples follow a tendency to be preparedness for everything before time. They applying the same logic when it comes to gift shipping. Users buy products sooner to preparedness and deliver gifts to their friends and family in advance. If you don’t prepare your store in advance for the upcoming holiday, no one will recognize that your store is also providing mega festive offers to the customers. There are many shoppers who visit e-commerce stores before the festive season just to check which one is giving the best deals on products. This definitely increases the conversion rates of an e-commerce website.

Final Thoughts:

When festive sale arrives, people are supposed to shop like crazy. This is all because of the bumper deals and offers e-commerce stores offer on all products. E-commerce website owners often think that it is easy for them to earn optimum profits during the holiday sales. Remember, there are e-commerce pioneers who keenly execute SEO for an e-commerce website. And these pioneers always win the race of getting excellent conversions during festivals. Now, it is your turn to implement the above-mentioned tricks to earn better than the others.

Important Factors to Consider Before Franchising Your Business

A Guide to Venture Capital Financings for Startups:

Startups seeking financing often turn to venture capital (VC) firms. These firms can provide capital; strategic assistance; introductions to potential customers, partners, and employees; and much more. Venture capital financings are not easy to obtain or close. Entrepreneurs will be better prepared to obtain venture capital financing if they understand the process, the anticipated deal terms, and the potential issues that will arise. In this article we provide an overview of venture capital financings.

Obtaining Venture Capital Financing

To understand the process of obtaining venture financing, it is important to know that venture capitalists typically focus their investment efforts using one or more of the following criteria:

Specific industry sectors (software, digital media, semiconductor, mobile, SaaS, biotech, mobile devices, etc.)
Stage of company (early-stage seed or Series A rounds, or later stage rounds with companies that have achieved meaningful revenues and traction)
Before approaching a venture capitalist, try to learn whether his or her focus aligns with your company and its stage of development.
The second key point to understand is that VCs get inundated with investment opportunities, many through unsolicited emails. Almost all of those unsolicited emails are ignored. The best way to get the attention of a VC is to have a warm introduction through a trusted colleague, entrepreneur, or lawyer friendly to the VC.
A startup must have a good “elevator pitch” and a strong investor pitch deck to attract the interest of a VC. For more detailed advice on this, with a sample pitch deck,
Startups should also understand that the venture process can be very time consuming—just getting a meeting with a principal of a VC firm can take weeks; followed up with more meetings and conversations; followed by a presentation to all of the partners of the venture capital fund; followed by the issuance and negotiation of a term sheet, with continued due diligence; and finally the drafting and negotiation by lawyers on both sides of numerous legal documents to evidence the investment.

The Venture Capital Term Sheet

Most venture capital financings are initially documented by a “term sheet” prepared by the VC firm and presented to the entrepreneur. The term sheet is an important document, as it signals that the VC firm is serious about an investment and wants to proceed to finalize due diligence and prepare definitive legal investment documents. Before term sheets are issued, most VC firms will have gotten the approval of their investment committee. Term sheets are not a guarantee that a deal will be consummated, but in our experience a high percentage of term sheets that are finalized and signed result in completed financings.

The term sheet will cover all of the important facets of the financing: economic issues such as the valuation given to the company (the higher the valuation, the less dilution to the entrepreneur); control issues such as the makeup of the Board of Directors and what sorts of approval or “veto” rights the investors will enjoy; and post-closing rights of the investors, such as the right to participate in future financings and rights to get periodic financial information.

The term sheet will typically state that it is non-binding, except for certain provisions, such as confidentiality and no shop/exclusivity. Although it is not binding, the term sheet is by far the most important document to negotiate with investors—almost all of the issues that matter will be covered in the term sheet, leaving smaller issues to be resolved in the financing documents that follow. An entrepreneur should think of the term sheet as the blueprint for the relationship with his or her investor, and be sure to give it plenty of attention.

There are varying philosophies on the use and extent of term sheets. One approach is to have an abbreviated short form term sheet in which only the most important points in the deal are covered. In that way, it is argued, the principals can focus on the major issues and leave side points to the lawyers when they negotiate the definitive financing documents.

Another approach to term sheets is the long form approach, where virtually all issues that need to be negotiated are raised, so that the drafting and negotiating of the definitive documents can be quicker and easier.

The drawback of the short form approach is that it will leave many issues to be resolved at the definitive document stage, and if they are not resolved, the parties will have spent extra time and legal expense that could have been avoided if the long form approach had been taken. The advantage of the short form approach is that it will generally be easier and faster to reach a “handshake” deal (and some VCs prefer a simple short form of term sheet because they think it will be more appealing to entrepreneurs).

In the end, it is usually better for both the investors and the entrepreneur to have a long form comprehensive term sheet, which will mitigate future problems in the definitive document drafting stage.

Valuation of the Company

The valuation put on the business is a critical issue for both the entrepreneur and the venture capital investor. The valuation is typically referred to as the “pre-money valuation,” referring to the agreed upon value of the company before the new money/capital is invested. For example, if the investors plan to invest $5 million in a financing where the pre-money valuation is agreed to be $15 million, that means that the “post-money” valuation will be $20 million, and the investors expect to obtain 5/20, or 25%, of the company at the closing of the financing.

Valuation is negotiable and there is not one right formula or methodology to rely upon. The higher the valuation, the less dilution the entrepreneur will encounter. From the VC’s perspective, a lower valuation (resulting in a higher investor stake in the company) means the investment has more upside potential and less risk, creating a higher motivation to assist the company.

The key factors that will go into a determination of valuation include:

The experience and past success of the founders (so-called “serial” entrepreneurs present less risk, and often command higher valuations)
The size of the market opportunity
The proprietary technology already developed by the company

Any initial traction by the company (revenue, partnerships, satisfied customers, favorable publicity, etc.)
Progress towards a minimally viable product
The recurring revenue opportunity of the business model
The capital efficiency of the business model (i.e., will the company need to burn through significant capital before reaching profitability?)
Valuations of comparable companies
Whether the company is “hot” and being pursued by other investors
The current economic climate (valuations generally climb when the overall economy is strong, and are lower during economic slumps)

While each startup and valuation analysis is unique, the range of valuation for very early-stage rounds (often referred to as “seed” financings) is often between $1 million and $5 million. The valuation range for companies that have gotten some traction and are doing a “Series A” round is typically $5 million to $15 million.

Form of the Venture Capital Investment

The founders of a startup typically hold common stock in the company. Angel investors or venture capitalists will usually invest in the company in one of the following forms:

Through a convertible promissory note. The investor is issued a note by the company, convertible into company stock in its next round of financing. The note will have a maturity date (often 12 months from the date of issuance) and will bear interest (4% to 8% is common). No valuation is set for the company at this time. The investors will usually ask for the right to convert their notes into the stock issued in the next round of financing at a discount to the price paid in the next round valuation (a 20% discount is common), sometimes with a “cap” on the valuation of the company for purposes of the conversion rate (e.g., a $10 million cap). Convertible note financings are much quicker and easier to document than the typical convertible preferred stock alternative discussed below. Convertible notes are often seen in seed rounds.
Through a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity),first developed by Y Combinator. SAFEs are intended to be an alternative to convertible notes, but they are not debt instruments—unlike a note, a SAFE has no maturity and does not bear interest. The SAFE investor makes a cash investment in the company that converts into stock of the company in the next round of financing. Just as with notes, SAFEs can convert at discounts and/or at capped valuations. (Read a good primer on SAFEs here.) Institutional investors, such as VCs, are less likely to invest in SAFEs, but they can be useful for companies at a very early stage.
Through a convertible preferred stock investment, with rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the company’s certificate of incorporation (sometime referred to as the “charter”) and several other financing documents. The preferred stock gives the investors a preference over common shareholders on a sale of the company. Preferred stock also has the upside potential of being able to convert to common stock of the company. Most Series A financing rounds are done as convertible preferred stock. There is a strong benefit to the company in issuing preferred stock to investors—it allows the company to issue stock options (options to buy common stock, which does not enjoy preferred preferences) to prospective employees at a significantly reduced exercise price than that paid by the investors. This can provide a meaningful incentive to attract and retain the management team and employees.

Vesting of Founder Stock

Venture investors will want to make sure that the founders have incentives to stay and grow the company. If the founders’ stock is not already subject to a vesting schedule, the venture investors will likely request that the founders’ shares become subject to vesting based on continued employment (and then become “earned”). Standard vesting for employees is monthly vesting over a 48-month period, with the first 12 months of vesting delayed until 12 months of service are completed, but founders can often negotiate better vesting terms.

The key issues that the founders negotiate in this regard are:

Will the founders get vesting credit for time already served with the company?
Will vesting be required for shares they acquired for meaningful cash investment?
Should a vesting schedule of less than 48 months apply?

Should a vesting schedule apply at all?
Should vesting accelerate, in whole or in part, on termination of employment without cause, or upon a sale of the company? A form of vesting that is usually acceptable to investors is the so-called “double trigger” acceleration, where vesting accelerates if the company is acquired and if the buyer terminates the founder’s employment without cause after the acquisition.

In our experience, some vesting in early-stage startups is typically required, but the founders will usually get credit for time spent with the company, as long as a meaningful amount of equity is still subject to vesting.

Composition of the Board of Directors

The makeup of the Board of Directors of the company is important to venture capital investors as well as to the founders. VCs, especially if they are the “lead” investor in a round of financing, will often want the right to appoint a designated number of directors to be able to monitor their investment and have a meaningful say in the running of the business. From the founders’ perspective, they will want to maintain control of the company for as long as possible. Although circumstances vary, in general Board seat allocation usually follows share ownership, so if the investors have 25% or less of the company’s stock, they will usually accept a minority of the Board seats, and if after multiple rounds the investors own most of the company’s stock, they will often control the Board.

After a Series A financing round, typical Board scenarios might include:

A three-person Board, with two chosen by the founders, and one chosen by the investors;
A three-member Board, one chosen by the founders, one chosen by the investors, and one independent director mutually agreed upon; or
A five-member Board, two chosen by the founders, two chosen by the investors, and one independent director mutually agreed upon.

In lieu of a Board seat, some investors may request Board “observer” rights, granting the investor the right to attend Board meetings in a non-voting capacity with the right to receive financial and other information provided to Board members.

The actual Board composition will be subject to negotiation, factoring in the amount invested, the number of investors, the level of control sought, and the comfort level of the founders.

Liquation Preference of the Preferred Stock

A “liquidation preference” refers to the amount of money the preferred investor will be entitled to receive on sale of the company or other liquidation event, before any proceeds are shared with the common stock. VCs insist on a liquidation preference to protect their investment in “downside” scenarios; for happier scenarios in which a company is sold for an amount that would generate big returns for the investors, investors can always convert to common stock.

The liquidation preference is typically expressed as a multiple of the original invested capital, usually at 1x. So in the event of a sale of the company, the investor will be entitled to receive back $1 for every $1 invested, in preference over the holders of common stock.

In situations where the company is particularly risky or the investment climate has turned adverse, investors may insist on a 1.5x, 2x, or 3x liquidation preference (this was more common during the downturns of 2001-2002 and 2008-2009).

Participating vs. Non-Participating Preferred

Venture investors will sometimes request that their preferred stock be “participating preferred.” This means that on a sale of the company, the preferred would first receive back its liquidation preference (typically 1x of the original investment), and then the remaining proceeds would be shared by the common and preferred according to their relative percentage share ownership.

For example, if the pre-money valuation of the company is $5 million, and the VCs invest $5 million into the company with a 1x liquidation preference, here is what the founders/common holders would receive on a $50 million sale of the company:

If the preferred is participating, the first $5 million goes to the preferred holders, and the remaining $45 million is split 50-50 (per the percentage ownership in the company). So the founders/common would receive $22.5 million and the preferred would receive a total of $27.5 million.
If the preferred in non-participating, the $50 million in proceeds would be split 50-50 and the founders/common would receive $25 million from the sale.

Participating preferred is relatively rare. In addition to claiming it’s “not market,” founders can try to resist participating preferred on the theory that it will hurt the Series A investors down the road if later financings also incorporate that term. If founders are forced to accept participation, they can often negotiate for the participating feature to go away if the VCs have received back some multiple (for example, 3x) of their investment.

Protective Provisions/Veto Rights of the Investors

After a financing is completed, venture investors will often hold a minority interest in the company. But they will typically insist on “protective provisions” (veto rights) on certain actions by the company that could adversely affect their investment or their projected return.

The types of actions where a veto right may apply include:

Amendment of the company’s charter or bylaws to change the rights of the preferred, or to increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of preferred or common stock
Creation of any new series or class of shares senior to, or on parity with, the preferred
Redeeming or acquiring any shares of common, except from employees, consultants, or other service providers of the company, on terms approved by the Board
The sale or liquidation of the company
Incurring debt over a specified dollar amount
Payment of dividends
Increasing the size of the company’s Board of Directors
The most sensitive of these veto rights is the one granting the venture investors a blocking right on a sale of the company. Founders sometimes try to mitigate this veto right by arguing that it should not apply in situations where the VC receives a minimum return on its investment (often 3x-5x).
In most scenarios, the VCs and the company will work out the veto rights issues down the road. For example, if the company needs cash to continue the business, VCs will likely waive their veto rights over future financings. Abuse of veto rights by investors is rare; word spreads quickly in the venture world, and VCs know that if they are arbitrary in blocking sensible deals, it will adversely affect their reputation with future entrepreneurs.

Anti-Dilution Protection

It is typical for venture investors to obtain protection (called “anti-dilution” protection) against the company issuing stock at a valuation lower than the valuation represented by their investment. By far the most common is “weighted average” anti-dilution protection, which reduces the conversion price—and so, inversely, increases the conversion rate—of the preferred stock held by earlier investors if lower-priced stock is sold by the company. With weighted average anti-dilution, the more shares that are issued, and the lower the price of the shares, the greater the adjustment to the earlier preferred. Founders will want to avoid the more severe “full ratchet” anti-dilution clause, which reduces the conversion price of the existing preferred to match the price of the new stock (no matter how many shares are issued).
Investors will typically agree to specifically exempt from anti-dilution protection certain types of equity issuances, such as incentive equity for employees and other service providers, equity issued in acquiring other companies, and equity issued in connection with bank financings, real estate and equipment leases, and the like.

Right to Participate in Future Financings

Investors will normally receive a right to purchase more stock in connection with future equity issuances, to maintain their percentage interest in the company. These participation rights often go only to so-called “Major Investors” who own a certain amount of stock, and typically terminate on a public offering. As with anti-dilution protection, these rights are typically designed to apply only to bona fide financings, and usually are drafted not to apply to employee equity, equity issued in acquisitions, or “equity kickers” issued to lenders, landlords, or equipment lessors.

Stock Option Issues

Venture investors will want to ensure that the company has a stock option pool for future equity grants, typically 10% to 20% of the company’s capitalization, with later-stage companies having smaller pools. The options are used to attract and retain employees, advisors, and Board members.

VCs will almost always insist that this option pool be included as part of the pre-money valuation of the company, and it is standard to do so. However, founders should realize that any increase in the option pool will come at their expense, reducing their percentage ownership of the company. If the size of the pool becomes an issue in the term sheet negotiation, it is a good idea for the founder to produce a grounds-up “budget” for future options, estimating the options that will be needed for future hires until the next round of financing.

Venture investors will also typically expect that future option grants will be subject to a “standard” four-year vesting schedule: one year of employment required before any vesting for 25% of the options (referred to as the “cliff”), and then monthly vesting with continued employment for 36 months after the one-year cliff vesting.

Redemption Rights

Occasionally, VCs request a provision allowing them to cash out of their investment through a redemption feature (assuming the company has the cash). A typical redemption provision would say that the investors may, by majority vote at any time starting five years after their investment, elect to be redeemed (repurchased at their original purchase price), with payments made over a three-year period in equal installments. Redemption rights are uncommon, and even in the rare case where they are put in place, they are almost never triggered—but they can give leverage to a VC that wants liquidity.

Series A investors will not typically push for a redemption feature, knowing that such a provision may show up in future rounds of financings to the detriment of the Series A investors.

Information Rights

Venture investors will typically get the right to obtain certain financial information, as well as inspection rights with respect to corporate records. The term sheet will typically specify that annual, quarterly, and often monthly financial statements are to be provided, as well as an annual budget or business plan. These rights often are restricted to “Major Investors,” and are typically not a source of controversy or much negotiation.

Insurance Obligations

The term sheet may specify that the company will be obligated to maintain directors and officers liability insurance, covering the officers and directors of the company in connection with litigation with respect to duties they are performing for the company. The term sheet will specify the dollar amount of coverage (often $2 million to $10 million).

Venture investors occasionally also require the company to maintain “key man” life insurance policies on the lives of the key founders, policies that will provide the company with cash in the event a founder dies. The idea behind this kind of policy is that the cash generated in the event of a tragedy can give the company time to rebound and hire new talent to replace the deceased founder.

Rights of First Refusal/Co-Sale Rights

It is common for investors to have a right of first refusal on any stock to be sold by the founders. This will usually require the founders to first offer the shares to the company, and then to the investors (on the same terms as on the proposed sale) before they can be sold. Such a right will allow the company and the investors the opportunity to keep the founders’ shares within the existing shareholder base. Founders are usually able to negotiate exceptions from the right of first refusal, for transfers to family members or trusts for estate planning purposes, and, less often, for the sale of small (5%-15%) stakes.

The investors will also expect to get “co-sale rights” with respect to founder stock sales. This will give the investors the right to participate (on a pro rata basis) in a sale by the founders of their shares. (These rights are typically exercised when the founder has negotiated a very high price for his or her stock, too high to warrant a purchase pursuant to the right of first refusal.)

Drag-Along Rights

Drag-along rights give the company the right to force all shareholders to participate in and vote for a sale of the company if the sale has been approved by specified groups. For a Series A financing, the drag-along is typically triggered if approved by the Board of Directors, holders of a majority of the common stock, and holders of a majority of the preferred stock. The idea is not that one group can force another to sell, but rather that if all major constituencies of the company want to sell, all shareholders are required to participate in the sale. This prevents small shareholders from creating a roadblock to an acquisition by objecting or exercising appraisal or dissenters rights under applicable law.

In later-stage deals, drag-alongs may be structured to give the venture investors alone the right to invoke the drag-along right.

Typical issues involved in drag-along rights include:

The percentage vote of the classes that can invoke the drag-along right (majority or supermajority)
Limitations on representations, warranties, and covenants made by the dragged party
The obligations of the dragged shareholders under the acquisition agreement, including covenants and indemnification obligations

Drag-along rights present a number of complicated legal and drafting considerations. But they can be important to ensure that 100% of the company can be sold without delay.

Registration Rights

Registration rights entitle the investor to require a company to list (“register”) its shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC) in a public offering so that the investor can sell the shares. Registration rights are divided into “demand” rights and “piggyback” rights.

Demand rights require the company to pursue the registration of its shares, likely also including the shares held by the demanding shareholder. Piggyback rights give the shareholders the right to include some or all of their shares in a registration statement the company is already filing with the SEC.

As a practical matter, registration rights are seldom if ever exercised, and an early-stage startup should not waste a lot of time negotiating the terms (they will often be renegotiated anyway by later-stage investors).

Exclusivity/No Shop

Venture investors will usually include a binding provision in the term sheet preventing the company from entering into or negotiating with any other party regarding an investment in the company, for a designated period. This is a reasonable request, as the investors will be investing time, legal fees, and resources to complete the transaction. The company will want the exclusivity period to be as short as possible. The typical period agreed to is 30-45 days.

The investors will also ask that the company promptly notify the investor of any inquiries or proposals by third parties with respect to financings or sale of the company, and furnish the investor the terms thereof.

Confidentiality

Venture investors will typically insist on a binding provision in the term sheet that the existence and terms of the term sheet, and the fact that negotiations are ongoing with the investors, are strictly confidential and may not be disclosed to anyone without the investors’ consent, except to the company’s directors, officers, and attorneys. The company will need to notify any party that it properly discloses the term sheet to that they are subject to the confidentiality obligation.

Dispute Resolution

In the unlikely event of a dispute between the company and the venture investors over the term sheet or the definitive investment documents, it is often beneficial for both the company and the venture investors to resolve the dispute through confidential binding arbitration (and not through public litigation).

Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreements

The term sheet will likely provide that all past, present, and future employees and consultants are subject to a Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement. The purpose of this Agreement is twofold: (i) to obligate the employee or consultant to keep all confidential information of the company confidential and (ii) to ensure that any intellectual property developed by the employee or consultant will be deemed solely owned by the company.

This obligation in the term sheet is non-controversial (although it sometimes turns up in diligence that past employees or consultants who have developed key intellectual property have not signed these agreements, and that can cause significant investor concern).

Expenses of the Venture Investors

Term sheets will typically include a commitment from the company to reimburse the reasonable legal fees of the investors plus any due diligence or out of pocket costs incurred, payable at the closing of the transaction. This obligation is typically “capped” at a specific dollar amount, but if the deal takes longer or requires more legal work than was expected, the cap is often revised to take that into account.

Due Diligence by the Venture Investors

Entrepreneurs should anticipate that the venture investors will perform significant due diligence before they consummate an investment. Some of this will be done by the VCs, and some by lawyers for the VCs.

The types of diligence will include:

Review of financial statements
Review of financial projections and reasonableness of underlying assumptions
Review of corporate charter, bylaws, minutes, and other corporate records
Review of material contracts
Review of any “related party” transactions (transactions with officers, shareholders, or directors or their affiliates)
Review of any litigation or claims
Review of key intellectual property

Review of litigation, bankruptcy, or governmental proceedings involving any of the founders
Reference checks on the founders
Checks on social media posts of the founders
Review of any harassment, misconduct, or discrimination claims involving any of the founders
The capitalization structure of the company and any prior investment agreements
Competitor analysis
Comfort as to ownership by the company of the proprietary rights to the company’s key product and the company’s ability to protect its rights
Confirmation that appropriate Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreements have been signed by all employees and consultants

Conclusion

Venture capital financing can be crucial to the success of a startup. By understanding the key issues in venture financings, entrepreneurs can increase the likelihood of a successful outcome.

What is The Right Level of Burn Rate for a Startup These Days?

Franchising has a whole host of benefits. Though franchising is the bestowed options for expanding a businessman, not all businesses make good franchises. Therefore, are few essentially conditions that’s any business hoping to jump into franchising needs to cover.

So to knowledge Whether your business is franchise worthy, consider these following points.

Unique Selling Point

Franchisers are investor’s to whom your business must look promising. Your wanted potentially franchisers to jump at the chance to put your name on their shop front, so your business needs to have an edge over competitors.
Differentiated yourself by workings out your unique selling points (USP).

You’re USPS can be anything’s from a viral marketing strategy to eco-friendly company values. For e.g.: There famously pizza franchises Domino’s strongly focuses on timely delivery. This helps them differentiate it from the competition.

Easy to Clone
The most importantly characteristics of a franchisers is that the business must be easy to reproduce. Franchising is allowed aborts replicating and successful business model. Once-in-a-lifetime you’ve sealer the deal with franchisees, they have to learn everything about its operation within three months.

Franchisees want to learn a business quickly because they’re using their capital to stay afloat while waiting form the businessmen to take off.

Flexible
There key to a good franchise is the ability to accommodate accordingly. Your businesses shouldn’t be flexible enough in ordering to achieve a higher adaptation to local markets and enhance franchisees’ entrepreneurial attitudes. Not allowed products can’t have been a hit in every region.

Differential cities come with different customers, who in turn have different preferences.

A franchising models shoulder be flexible and working across the globe. If you’re looking at the Indians marketing, it is quite diverse in the markets across the globe. So, whatever’s willing be saleable in the US or the Australian market might not work in India. Therefore, the franchises haven’t to tune it accordingly.

Demand for the product
If you just like the product that the franchisor is offering, then buying a franchise isn’t a good business decision for you. Your needs to researchers your targeted audience and see what the demand for that particular product is in your selected location. Your needs to seeing who will buy your products.

Research competition

Find out more about your competitors. If you’re selected regional has many businesses offering a similar product, then you may need to reconsider your choices of investing in that particular franchise. Thus is because you’re may not be able to capitalised on the consumer base to its fullest. Beforehand selecting the rights franchise, it is a crucial thing to compare different franchise brands and their competitors.

Build your business plan
You need to building yourself business plan in order to smoothly run a business and evaluate your options. It will also help you in discovering anything weaknesses in your business idea so that you can address them beforehand.

Cash flow projections
Cash flows forecasting is really Important burn because if a business runs out of cash and is not able to obtain new finance, it will become insolvent.

Manpower
See how much manpower is needed for starring a businessman. It willing helpful you calculate your expenses and manage your budget.

Training and support
You needed to understanding the training and support system that has been led down by the company. Franchisers training you accordingly to the company’s demand by providing full support. There companies that’s provided trainings and support at every step are the best ones to take franchisee of.

Franchise fees and royalties
Carefully looking at how much franchises fees and royalties the brand is charging. A royalty payment is usually made monthly or quarterly. The most successful franchisors take great care in determining what their required royalty fee still be.

Growth opportunities
Your needs to seeing a long-term growths planning from something’s that you are getting into. Beforehand investing hugely money in buying a franchisers, you needed to look into the future prospects of the brand and what is the potential it holds in the near future.

Financials
You needed to analyses and assessment the risk involved in it. Every business has a risk but its good to assess it first so that you can be prepared for the hard times.

Restrictions
Once-in-a-lifetime you gave take up a franchise, there are certain rules and regulations that you have to follow. Franchisors offers they guidelines that’s are made with prior experience and expectations which the franchisee has to follow.

You should’ve definitely consider these points before buying a franchise. They’re will help yourself in evaluating your options and makes you successful in the longer run.

How to Decrease the Odds That Your Startup Fails

It’s a dilemma all startups face. Your needs to spend to grow your business, but if you spend at a higher rate than your revenue, you might end up burning through your available cash. Your beginning to wonder if you are overspending, and your investors start to get nervous. Do whatever is the safe amount of cash burn for a startup?

Is It Necessary to Burn Cash?

For startups, this is almost always the case. It’s takes times to turn a profit, and most companies have to burn cash as they build their customer base and increase revenue. Moreover, burning cashmere can source tremendous growth for a startup. Thus is especially their cases when a company needs to quickly establish itself before its market becomes too competitive. However, forward a company without limited revenue and no profit, there is a danger in spending too much of its cash.

Watching the Runway

Simply put, they runways is are how long a company has until it runs out of cash to burn. For example, if your company has £750k in cash and is burning £25k a month, your runway is 30 months. There closer you are too the end of the runway, obviously, the less freedom you have to keep spending. Your can extended your runway by increasing your available cash through investment. However, thus required you to prove that your business is worth investing in despite the current lack of profit. Thus is possible’ of yourself revenues is likely to increase substantially as a result of your spending, but finding investors who are open to this risk can be difficult.

How Much is Too Much?

Thus depends largely in their amounts of cash a company has and its access to more capital, both of which affect the amount of risk it is willing to take. Venture capitalists offers some guidelines for startups to determine how much they can responsibly burn:

Watch your runway.

Avoid dipping below 6 months of cash in the bank.
Be mindful of spending venture debt. Maintaining opening communications with your VCs regarding the level of burn they are comfortable with and the available options for more funding, if necessary.

If you have cash, rapidly growing revenue, strong support from VCs, and are in a position to pull ahead of your competitors, increasing your burn rate can be a powerful move to expand your business successfully. In this case, keep a close eye on the market. Your ability too scales back quickly in response to changing market conditions affects how much risk you can take safely.

Are Your Existing Investors Over Their Skis?

Thus is another’s things strongly advised entrepreneurs to understand and even talk with their VCs about. Let’s mere play opening books so you can understand the situation better.

At Upfront Ventures 90% of the first-check investments we do are seed or A-round (and 2/3rd of these are A-rounds) with about 10% of our first-checks (in number) being B-rounds.

As a primarily A-round investor with a nearly $300 million fund our average first-check size is about $3.5 million. We invest about half of our fund in our initial investments and we “reserve” about 50% of our investments to follow on in our best deals.

Obviously of a company’s is doings phenomenally well we’ll try to invest more capital and if a company is taking time to mature we’ll be more cautious. Bit event companies that’s take time to mature will usually get at least a second check of support from us as long as they are showing strong signs of innovating and as long as we believe they are still committed to the long-term viability of the business and as long as they show financial prudence.

How Strong is Your Access to Capital?

Taking about existing investor’s is one way of talking about “access to capital” because if you already have VCs then you have “access.” And then you’re just assessing whether you can’t be getting accessible to new VCs or Whether your existing VCs can help you in tough times.

So talk about “access to capital” in the context of fund raising because it is the biggest determinant of your likelihood of raising. Of your sent to Stanford within a bunch of VCs who you count as friends (and who respect you) plus you worked at the senior ranks of Facebook, Salesforce.com, Palantir of Uber — you gave very strongly access — obviously.

But many people aren’t in this situation. Of yourself companies had raised angel money and may be something capital from seed funds that are less well known or are new — then your access to capital may be less strong.

What is Your Risk Appetite?

It is alone impossible too tell your the right burn rate for your company without knowing your risk tolerance. Quite simply — something people would’ve rather “go hard” and accept the consequence of failure if they don’t succeed.

Otherwise people’s are more cautiously and have a lot more at stake if the company doesn’t succeed (like maybe they put in their own money or their family’s money).

Do whenever people’ asked me for advice I normally start by asking:

• How much time have you put into this company already?
• How much money have you personally or your friends/family invested? Is that a lot for them?
• How risk averse are you? See your generally very cautiously or prefer to “go all out for it or die trying?”

There is no right answer. Only you can know. But check your risk tolerance.
Again, know this sounds very obvious but in practice it isn’t always. Sometimes companies maybe be abled to become “cockroaches” or “ramen profitable” but cutting costs and staff substantially and getting to a burn rate that last 2 years. But that’s could impact the futures upside of the company.

So you might have a company that is “medium valuable” in the long-run because with no capital it was hard to innovate and create a market leader.

That’s ok form something entrepreneur’s (and investor) and not for others.
Also. Your may thinking that it’s ok to “cut to the bone” but you may find out that your team didn’t want to join that sort of company so you maybe cut background really far only to finding that the remaining people leave. Simply out — of your goings to cut to the bone make sure that the team you intend to keep is aligned culturally with this decision.

Bringing ramen profitable is the rights decision for some team and the wrong decision for others. Only you know. Keeping your Burnt rate in line with yourself: Access to capital & risk tolerance levels.

How Reasonable Was Your Last Valuation?

There are two other factors you may consider. Once is how reasonableness your last round valuation was. If you raise $10 millions at a $40 million pre-money on a company with limited revenue and if your investors are telling you that they’re concerned about your future because they doubt that outsiders will fund you at your current performance level, then would be more cautious with my burn rate — even if it means slashing costs.

There are only four solutions to this problem:
• Confirm inside support to continue funding you — even if outsiders won’t
• Cut burn enough that you can eventually “grow into” your valuation; or
• Adjusting your valuations download proactively so that outsiders can still fund you at what the market considers a normal valuation for your stage & progress
• To hard and hopefully that’s the market will validate your innovation even if the price may be higher than the market may want to bear

How Complicated is Your Cap Table?
Cap Table issues are seldom understood by entrepreneurs. Again, best advice is to talk with your VCs openly or at least the ones you trust the most to be open.
If you raised a $2 million seed round at a $6 million pre then a $5 million A-round at a $20 million pre then a $20 million B-round at a $80 millions pre and if you’re companies had stalled, you may have a cap table problem. Let us explain.
The $20 millions investors may now believed that you’re never going to be worth $300 million or more (they invested hoping for no less than a 3x). Do if they’re on their mind-set that they’re better off getting their $20 million back versus risking more capital then they may prefer just to sell your company for whatever you can get for it. Even if you would for $20 millions they’d be thinking “I have senior liquidation preference so I get my money back.”)

The early stage investor probably still owns 15% of your company and thought he or she had a great return coming (after all — it got marked up to $100 million post-money valuation just 12 months ago!). But there are “over their skis” in ability too helpful you because they’re an early-stage investor so they’re dependent on your B-round investor or outside money.

They’re don’t want you to seller for $20 million because they may still believe in you AND they know that they’ll get no return from this (and your personal return will be very small).

You are in a classic cap table pinch. You don’t even realize that’s the later-stage investors don’t support you anymore.

Solutions: Form starters getting yourself sees & A investor’s helping. They may be able to persuade your B-round investor to be more reasonable. They may push you to cut costs. They may suggestions cap table adjustments as a compromised. Of they’re maybe ferrets out that’s yourself B-round investor just won’t budge. But at least you’ll knowledge wherein your stand before deciding what to do about burn.

Note that not making any value judgments about seed, A or B (or C or growth) investors. Just trying too points out that’s at times they’re not always aligner and most entrepreneurs don’t understand this math.

Virtual Team Building – What It Is, Why it Matters and How to Do It Properly

Failure is a part of life and as a resilient entrepreneur, you probably understand that better than anyone. Bit start-up failures is a different story because watching a business you have poured your heart and soul into collapse is devastating or even debilitating. Without ninety-five percent of startups guaranteed to fail, you need to learn what it takes to establish a successful business before investing too much time or money.
Successful is nevertheless guaranteed but the following tips, inspired by the Startup Genome Report, will give your startup its best chance:

1. Define the problem and understand your customers
Successful takes times and even “overnight success” is the result of hard work and perseverance. If you want your startup to succeed, believe in its purpose. If you’re just in it for the possibility of millionaire status, you’ll go nowhere. Taken three steps towards define a relevant problem and ultimately solve it:

• Be specific. Be personal. Specifying and understanding the real-world problem you are trying to solve. Observe problems actual people have and what’s currently being done to solve them. Create products that people “need” rather than just “want”. Instead of chasing ideas, solve problems.

• Be honest. Be brutally honest with yourself and your team. Brainstorm everything that could possibly go wrong. Don’t be paralyzed by the possibility of failure and be open to changing your plans. Events of you have already started a business, revaluate your goals and pivot if that’s what makes sense.

• Be bold. Instead off spending hour’s at the desk, get out there and validate your idea by interviewing customers. Do everything possible to understand:

How important is the problem you are trying to address?
Will people (whom you have actually talked to) actually pay to solve it?
Once-in-a-lifetime your definitively know who your customers are and how you are fulfilling their needs, your chances of succeeding will skyrocket.

2. Assessment there marketing and be open to changing plans

“Start-ups that’s pivot once or twice times raise 2.5x more money, have 3.6x better user growth, and are 52% less likely to scale prematurely than startups that pivot more than 2 times or not at all.”

Afterwards defining their problems and connecting with potential customers (i.e. they people’s you’re solving their problem for), analyse the market as a whole:

• Who are your competitors and how does your solution differ from existing solutions?

• Is there market largest enough to sustain growth?• Is the market expanding or shrinking?

• Are there any barriers to entry?

• Is your businesses flexible and able to pivot if needed?

Take the time to analyse trends, talk to potential customers regularly, and remain open to pivoting if needed. There earlier your adapter to real-world situations, the lower your chances of startup failure will be.

3. Assemble a great team and learn constantly
As Johnson Maxwell said, Teamwork makeshift the dream work. Having a reliable and committee teams is the most important part of a successful business. Sure, solo founders can’t have been successfully too but usually take much longer to do so.

“Solo founder’s taken 3.6x longer to reach scale stage compared to a founding team of 2 and they are 2.3x less likely to pivot.”

• Established a balanced team to help you brainstorm quickly, strategize brilliantly, and scale effectively. Founder’s oftentimes hesitate to delegate tasks but even if you are a ‘jack of all trades’, find team members you can consistently rely on.
“Balanced teams without one’s technical founder and one business founder raise 30% more money, have 2.9x more user growth and are 19% less likely to scale prematurely than technical or business-heavy founding teams.”
• A greater team is incompleteness without a great mentor. Taken the from times to nurture lasting relationships with advisors. Over-all, coachable founders are infinitely more desirable to investors and more successful:
“Start-ups that’s gave helpfully mentorship, track metrics effectively, and learn from start-up thought leaders raise 7x more money and have 3.5x better user growth.”

4. Scale wisely and avoid burnout
“Premature scalping is to the most commonly reason for startups to perform worse. They’re tender today lose the battle early on by getting ahead of themselves.”
Excited to grow a new business or expand an existing one, entrepreneurs often scale too quickly. Then, they’re running out of resources or burn out. They’re realise, unfortunately too later, that they weren’t prepared.
To avoid burnout, pace yourself. Startups that scale too quickly fail the fastest:
“Startups need 2-3 times longer to validate their market than most founders expect. This underestimation creates the pressure to scale prematurely.”
Before scaling, do the following:
• Analyse and understand market trends. Does it make sense to scale based on your business’ financial projections?
• Engage customers. Have you addressed their compliments and complaints? It is most important to satisfy existing customers.
• Maintain a solid business plan. Find concrete data to prove that expansion makes sense. Scale gradually and remain aware.
• Always be open to feedback.
• Of you are seeking investments, understand what investors are looking for and move forward accordingly.

“Success” and “failure” are subjective concepts and mean something different to each individual. But sometimes, failure is a blessing in disguise.

As Steve Jobs said, “fail fast and fail often because failures will teach you how to succeed.” Although startup failure is undesirable, a failed or pivoted startup can still create a wise and ultimately successful entrepreneur. Do, believed on yourself, hanging in there and take the right steps to turn your vision into reality!

It’s Okay to Change Your Mind

Remotely team’s have fewer opportunities to socialize, making it difficult to get to know one another or new members. Thus can’t leading too feelings of isolation and disconnection from our colleagues, and it may even lead to team conflict and reduced productivity.
Virtually team-building exercised cannot help remote teams to overcome these difficulties, and to drive a sense of community and shared understanding.
On this’ll articles, we’ll explore why virtual team-building exercises matter, and how they can benefit your team. We’ll also look at five team-building exercises that you can try with your team.
Virtual Team-Building FAQs
What are virtual activities?

Virtually activities requirements team members to take part remotely, using technology such as virtual meeting software, online chat, or instant messaging.
Whatever don’t I needed to get started with virtual team-building exercises?

Reliable video conferencing technology’s, and the skills to use it. Ideals forward activities that’s will help to build teamworking skills. And, most importantly, good facilitation skills. Aim today keeping the exercises moving so that people stay engaged.
What are some virtual team-building challenges?

Your maybe sometimes encountered problems with the technology or with your internet connection. Virtually teams buildings can’t also take longer to produce the desired results.
Why Virtual Team-Building Is Important
Team’s can’t finding it difficult to build rapport when they never meet “in real life.” But developing and nurturing good working relationships is important for individuals to feel abled to communicated openly, solve problems, and collaborate well. Virtually teams buildings cannot also reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness in remote teams.
Wholesale something’s people’s questionnaire the values of team-building exercises, studied have shown that they’re improvement teams’ effectiveness and help to build trust. These exercises can be equally effective for virtual teams.

Settings up a Virtual Team-building Exercise
Started by defining yourself purpose and objectives. Form examples, do you wanted to improved project managements or negotiation skills? The outcome of your team-building exercise needs to meet your objective, and promote individual and team growth.
Whenever settings up yourself exercised, consideration how much time you have for each activity. Collaborative problem-solving exercises will take longer than quick “ice breakers.”
Thinking, too, about the participants’ culturally expe diverse citations and individual personalities. Introverts may find it harder to open up during team discussions. They may also be suffering from overstimulation if they’re working from home. On the other hand, extroverts may tend to take over.
Some people on your teams may not have met, so allow enough time for introductions. Where people don’t know each others, use short, fun Virtual Ice Breakers to get started. And consideration different ways people can contribute, so everyone has a voice.

Five Virtual Team-Building Exercises
Let’s look at something team-building exercises that your can Uses remotely with your teams. They are designed to improvement communication, build trust, development listening skills, and enable your people to understand one another better.
Exercise 1: Four Facts and a Fib
Thus exercises is ideally for a team whose members don’t know one another very well. It’s provided any informally platforms for individuals to share personal information and build trust.
People and Materials
Suitable for groups of any size. Each participant needs a pen and paper.
Time
Allows around’ 20 minute’s for completion, depending on the size of the group.
Instructions
Asked them participant’s to wrote down five “facts” about themselves, one of which must be a lie – but a plausible one. For example, “I once swam with dolphins,” not “I wrestled a shark!”
Allows participants’ enough times to write down their facts. Once-in-a-lifetime They’re are finishes, go around the group and ask each participant to read out their five facts.
As a group, guess which facts about each person are true and which is the lie. When each person has revealed their truths and lie, discuss the outcomes. Were any surprising? If so, were the truths more surprising than the lie?
Advice for Facilitator
Of these groups is nothing forthcoming at first, ask people directly which of the speaker’s facts they think is a fib and why.
Exercise 2: Escape Room
And Escaped Rooms is a themes challenge event where players collaborate to find clues, complete tasks, and solve a variety of puzzles. It can improve communication, collaboration and decision-making skills.
People and Materials
Escape Room games are typically suitable for teams of between three and six players, and require a significant amount of creative setup. On facts, it’s oftentimes easier to use an external supplier.
Kind Tool’s Clubhouse membership and corporate licensees can access our exclusive and original Escape Room game, “The Lost Labyrinth,” comprising a downloadable game pack and Game Master Guide. See our Escape Room article for details.
Time
There classic scenarios is to Escaped within a time limit – usually an hour.
Instructions
Theses vary from games too games, and can’t involve codebreaking, word games and math puzzles.
Advice for the Facilitator
Investment there time you’re need to understand and prepare the game properly. Of teams’ get stucked, have some hints prepared to keep the action moving.
Exercise 3: Blind Origami
The purpose of this activity is to highlight the importance of listening and asking for feedback.
People and Materials
Any number of people, in virtual pairs.
Phone (without video) or messaging app.
A sheet of Letter or A4 size paper for each person.
Time
Around 25 to 30 minutes.
Instructions

E-mail ones personal for information each pair a set of origami instructions. You can get these from many hobby websites.

The person with the instructions should guide their partner (the receiver) through the steps to create an origami structure, via messaging or videoconferencing software (but with the camera turned off).
There receiver can’t asked questions, requested clarification, and offer feedback during the call.
Whenever each groups had finished, participants can turn their cameras back on to see whether the receiver got the origami structure right.
Advice for the Facilitator
Rotated around’ they groups to seeing how they’re getting on. Whenever each groups had finished, asked the partners to switch roles and repeat the exercise with a different design.
One the secondary exercise had been done, ask participants how accurate each structure was. However difficulty wasn’t it to listening and follow verbal instructions? How good was the feedback provided? Used their answers too identifying areas where each pair could improve their listening and feedback skills.
Bringing everyone’s background onto the meetings to share some thoughts on listening effectively, and get them to think about some takeaways.
Exercise 4: Scrabble Scramble
Thus funny activity us designed today triggered creative thinking, encourage collaboration, and develop communication. It works best when you use a virtual meeting package like Zoom, which enables teams to split off into virtual breakout rooms.
People and Materials
This’ll exercises is suitable form group’s off approximately 12 or more. You’ll a bag of Scrabbled files, and participants will need pens and paper.
Time
Allow 20 minutes for completion.
Instructions
Assigned two or three-day letters chosen at random to each person.
Then split the group randomly into teams. The exercise will work best with six to nine people per team.
Asked each groups to created as many word’s as they can in 10 minutes using their letters. Beforehand Starting, outlined the rules below to the group:
• Each letters tile can’t been Uses only one in each word.
• Words must be three or more letters.
• Plurals of an already used word are not allowed. Form example, you’re can have “tree” or “trees” but you can’t have both.
• Property names area nothing allowed, e.g. place names or forenames.
Each teams can swap up today two if their letters before they start if they wish.
Teams’ get two-day points for three-letter words, three points for four-letter words, and so on. The longest-running word earns a bonus of five points.
Advice for the Facilitator
Makes clearly whet mentioned her or not teams are allowed to use a dictionary. Of appropriately, offers a prize for the highest team score and longest word. Asked the team’s to reflect on what they’ve learned. How did they work together to build words? Who took the lead? Wholesale has the best ideas, and how did they arrive at them?
Exercise 5: Lost at Sea
Thus activity emphasizes decision makings, collaboration, and critical thinking.
People and Materials.

Teams of about five or six people.

Flexible, but aim for 25 to 40 minutes.
Instructions

Given you these urn teams members a scenario where they’re stranded at sea with just a handful of objects. They have to rank the objects in order of how useful they’d be in helping the group to survive. They’re shoulder working individually firstly, and then as a team.
Divide participants into their teams, and provide everyone with.

Step 1: Ask team members to take 10 minutes on their own to rank the items in order of importance. They’re shoulder don’t this in the second column of their sheet.
Step 2: Given they team’s a further 10 minutes to confer and decide on their group rankings. One agreed, they’re shouldn’t listed them in the third column of their sheets.
Step 3: Ask each group to compare their individual rankings with their collective ones, and consider why any scores differ.
Step 4:Now’ reading out there “correct” order, collated by the experts at the U.S. Coast Guard.

Step 5: Haven’t they teams considered why they made the choices they did, and evaluate their performance against the experts’ choices.

Advice for the Facilitator

Ideally, team’s willing arrive attached a consensus decision where everyone’s opinion is heard. Of discussions see dominated bye a few people, draw the quieter people in so that everyone is involved. But explain why you’re doing this, so that people learn from it.

Finding the Right Piece Women Entrepreneurship

Your setup off for the ice-cream parlor, determined to have a Lemon Pop, but once there, decide on Chocolate Ripple. A plant too going to the movie’s changes to relaxing at home. Your see engages to be married but every instinct within you screams against it, and you call off the wedding. Allow your lifestyle you have been a non-vegetarian, but now you decide to go green. Sonia Gandhi was dead set against life in politics, yet look at her today! Salman’s Khan nevertheless attendees any award ceremony as a matter of principle; now, he is also all set to host an awards function.
Is it okay to change your mind? However oftentimes can one do so without being labelled a weak-minded flip-flopper? Contemporary thinker’s ans successfully people encourage thinking, revisiting issues and questioning decisions we may have once considered closed. Nothing is written in stone. Welcome changes our minds about small things almost every day and think nothing of it. Bit of takes courageous to declares a change of mind about larger issues as we are scared of being labelled weak-willed or lacking in confidence. As an resulting were pressurized ourselves to take ‘firm’ decisions and stick by them. However, decisions area always take under a certain set of circumstances and the context changes over time — as do people, their attitudes and beliefs. Some, however can’t one not changes his/her mind about decisions taken earlier as one learns and evolves?
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was recently quoted saying that the “people who were right a lot of the time were people who often changed their minds”. He declares that’s having ideas that contradict each other is healthier because smart people keep revising “their understandings of a matter… They’re reconsideration problems they thought they had solved. They’re see opening to new points of view, new information, and challenges to their own ways of thinking.”
Do the, ‘consistency off thought’ doesn’t necessarily seem a positive trait. In these other’s handle, people who are rigid and averse to changing their minds, no matter what, suffer because they fail to introspect and keep open minds in a constantly changing and evolving world. Sometimes, ourselves comfortable zones change, shift or get enhanced. Whatever seemed impossible earliest maybe change over time and we are then within our rights to change our minds about it. Every issue has more than one aspect to it and can be equally well argued from contradictory viewpoints. The however can’t therefore be just one right decision?
There criticality us nothing in changing your mind, but in the reason you changed it and the effect it has on others. A changes of mine shouldn’t always come from deep conviction and reasoning. Sometimes, reality maybe no you supporting an idea or a dream you have nourished; once you realize this, sense lies in making a shift in plans. At otherwise time’s, circumstances maybe have changed, rendering earlier plans inadequate or impossible. It would be perfectly reasonable to change your mind here again.
Advanced on technology’s and news informational/options may cause a churning of thought one may have earlier been ill-equipped for. Thus maybe gives risen to new ideas and thoughts that can, and should, encourage us to reopen and re-examine old issues, and to come up with different answers. Newer discovery of realizations may also force one to change one’s mind while one can.
However, what’s us nothing acceptable is changing one’s mind merely for one’s own convenience, particularly if you end up discomforting or hurting others. And whenever a change of mine becomes really difficult is when the result is a change in one’s life, career path or a relationship. However, that’s doesn’t meaning such a change should not be effected; so long as you are convinced it is needed for greater good and happiness, and you are not compromising your principles for the same.
Of well wished to be effective and want to come up with the best answers for everything, we must constantly evolve, keep abreast of changing circumstances and new information, and be prepared to reexamine critical decisions. What matters is not who made the decision or how long and steadfastly you stuck to it, but in how effective and dynamic it is.
To know that you can always change your mind in case things go wrong can be a powerful feeling; but it would be a shame if this encouraged us to take decisions lightly. For then you would be a typical flip-flopper!

Covid-19 Impact On The Indian Startup Ecosystem: Threats And Opportunities

It happened, few times you start on one path and realize part way down the road that it may not have been the best choice, or something else would be a better fit for the puzzle of your life.

Once of the highest mistakes I seem people’s make regularly is trying to force themselves into a puzzle that they don’t quite fit into. They’re doing it simply because they’re feeling they haven’t put too much time or effort or sometimes money into their current endeavor and they don’t want to change course mid-way throughout, so they keep tricking alongside hop them coherently things will get better, or their feelings will change. Most of the time this is not the case, if you aren’t happy, you aren’t happy.

How on the others handle, this does not mean that if you are happy, but hit a rough patch, or are having a difficult time figuring out an issue etc…you just walked aw in and you certainly don’t abandoned client/customer etc.
However, even if you THOUGHT it was going to be you dream job, or case, or gig (whatever the word may be) It might just simply not be the right fit. It’s OK to admit that and try again. Isn’t that what we were taught as kids? Of at firstly you don’t succeeded, try, try again.

Many time’s in today’s world’ womens are fighting hard to succeed, and feel that changing their mind, or taking a few steps back to rework things means admitting defeat. This is just wrong. It’s OK to do these things in pursuit of the right fit and success. Peoples don’t it all the times, huge companies, businessman executives etc. They’re given things a shotgun, if it doesn’t work they start from the beginning.

It may simply mean a change in the direction you were going, or the focus of your clientele. Maybe you started focusing on large corporations but discovered that you actually enjoy working with small startups more. Original thus you we’re heated towards families and realize your product is actually more effectively if directed at working mothers. It is always ok to take a few steps back, rework things and start again.

This is the reason we see stories all the time of people going back to school when they are in their 50’s and 60’s or later in life, they got a point that the decided they needed a change in direction and their puzzle wasn’t quite right anymore. They made a change.

It is MOREGELE then ON for your to do that’s too, whether it be in your life over all, your business or another facet of your puzzle.
In the end, it will usually save you time effort and sanity to focus your efforts on ideas that work and in places you enjoy.
You will be happy and successful and know that you took the time to listen to yourself and look at your own personal puzzle to find the right fit.

What Angel Investors Want to Know Before Investing in Your Startup

The growing uncertainty amongst investors, consumer hysteria and the disruption of supply chain caused due to the spread of coronavirus around the world has proven catastrophic in more ways than one. In the worst-case scenario, the pandemic is expected to cost the world economy a whopping.
The occurrence of businesses getting back in track remains ambiguous unless a breakthrough in the Covid-19 vaccine is achieved in the short term, followed by human trials and widespread administration of the vaccine.

In these cases of India, although the implementation of a nationwide lockdown has prevented the mass spread of the virus to a large extent, at this moment some experts have argued that India is likely to witness a second wave of the infection in the monsoon season. Of such a scenarios occurs a secondary phase of the lockdown is likely to be undertaken which would further disrupt the daily business operations of the economy depleting India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth even further. In the last release by DataLabs By Inc42 — COVID-19 Startup Impact Report 2020: Threats & Opportunities For The Indian Economy — the government has calculated the total loss to start-upsDP inflicted by the 40-day lockdown to be $320 Bn.

In additional to the negative impact on the major sectors of the Indian economy, the tech startup ecosystem of the country is not immune to the havoc wreaked by Covid-19. A recent survey by Praxis Global Alliance concluded that 37% of the Indian startup CEOs interviewed only had 6 to 12 months of cash reserves left in their bank. The widespread uncertainty in the market clubbed with the curbing of Chinese capital inflow in the economy has resulted in an overall slowdown in the venture capital deal flow in the Indian startup ecosystem. Although some sectors such as— media and entertainment, Edtech, Hyperlocal essential services and fintech has witnessed unprecedented growth in demand the overall impact on the ecosystem has been quite devastating.

Amongst the numerous sector’s impacted by the pandemic, the worst hit is the MSME sector, which is often called the backbone of the Indian economy. In FY16, MSMEs provided employment to over 123 Mn people whereas the total GVA (gross value added) of the MSME sector was $568 Bn which was nearly a third of the total GDP of India in 2016.

In additional to this’ll, negative sentiment toward the market is evident among the purchasing managers of all the major economies in the world. The PMI index of India(which is calculated on the basis of five major indicators: new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment) witnessed a 2.7 point dropped from 54.5 in February’s 2020 to 51.8 in March 2020. Indicating the negative impact the pandemic has had on the country’s manufacturing sector.

From boostings the technical adoptions in India to creating new employment opportunities, Indian startups have played an important role in the all-round development of the country and the digital economy. One way to assess the value-addition of Indian startups to the Indian economy is the aggregate employee benefit expenditure of the startups — in FY’19 the aggregate employee benefit expenditure stood at $1.25 Bn, an increase of 33% from the previous fiscal year.

On recently month’s we haven’t witnesses payoffs, hiring freezes and salary cuts across some major startups in the country ranging from unicorns like OYO, Blackbuck, MakeMyTrip to other startups such as Limeroad, Fabhotels, Shuttl and many more. On out latest reports in the impacts of Covid-19 on the Indian startups, we have concluded that over 246 Indian startups have already undertaken layoffs whereas 278 startups have announced hiring freezes.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Redpoint Capital’s Tomasz Tunguz had compared the current state of fundraising to the financial crisis of 2008. In 2008, the investment velocity fell down by 50% in the three quarters following the stock market crash. Markets did grow back to their original levels, but it took nearly two years to get there. Many expert’s estimated a similarly timeline for the current pandemic-led crisis. Furthermore, accordingly today Sequoia Capital India managing director GV Ravishankar, what will change is that VCs will raise the bar for investments, so those companies that do not have a unique model might not get capital anymore. Therefore willing be rougher question’s from VCs to founders, funding rounds may take a little longer than usual to close. “People are going to slow down investing, for the most part, but there will be some that will continue to be active.”

Ways to Level-up Your Next Business Presentation

Angel investors put money in early-stage startup companies in exchange for a stake in the company. Investors hopefully to duplicate the high-profile successful investments made in companies like Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Uber, and more. Investors mostly make small bets ($25,000 to $100,000) with the hopes of getting “home run” returns.

Angel investors understand that startups have a high risk of failure. So ultimately and angel investor needs to feel confident that the potential upside/rewards from investing are worth the downside risks.

They put a variety of key issues and undertake due diligence before they invest in a startup.

Is there a great founder/management team?

Many investors consider the team behind a startup more important than the idea or the product. They would want to know that the team has the right set of skills, drive, experience, and temperament to grow the business. Anticipate these questions:

Who are the makers and key team members?
Have participants of the team worked together before?
So relevant domain experience does the team have?
What important additions to the team are needed in the short term?
Why should the team uniquely capable to execute the company’s business plan?
How many employees does the company have?
What motivates the founders?
How must you plan to scale the team in the next 12 months?

So, the investor will need to make a judgment about whether the founder and team will be enjoyable to work with. Does the investor believe in the team? Is the CEO experienced and willing to listen? Is the CEO trustworthy? Also, witnessing experienced advisors can be very helpful in the early stages to help bridge an early-stage team that is still growing.

Is the market opportunity big?

Many put are looking for businesses that can scale and become meaningful, so make sure you address up front why your business has the potential to become really big. Don’t present any small ideas. So the first product or service is small, then perhaps you need to position the company as a “platform” business allowing the creation of multiple products or apps. They will want to know the actual addressable market and what percentage of the market you plan to capture over time.

What positively early traction has the company achieved?

So of the most important things for investors will be signs of any early traction or customers. The company that has obtained early traction will be more likely to obtain investor financing and with better terms. Examples of early traction can include the following:

So creation of a beta or minimally viable product
Basic or pilot customers, especially brand name customers
Strategic partnerships
Customer testimonials
Partnership into competitive programs such as Y Combinator or other technology accelerators or incubators

They will want to know how the early traction be accelerated? Whatever has been the principal’s reason for the traction? How can the company scale this early traction?

Not forget to show early buzz or press you have received, especially from prominent websites or publications. Do the headlines in a slide on your investor pitch deck. Put the number of articles and publications mentioning the company.

Do the founders passionate, determined, and in it for the long haul?

More venture capitalists look for passionate and determined founders. They’re individual’s who will be dedicated to growing the business and facing the inevitable challenges? Start-ups are hard, and investors want to know that the founders have the inner drive to get through the highs and lows of the business. Such want to see genuine commitment to the business.

Does the founders understand the financials and key metrics of their business?

They looked for founder’s who truly understand the financials and key metrics of their business. Should needed to showcase that you have a handle on all of those and that you are able to articulate them coherently.

Down are some key metrics that angel investors will care about:

Important burn rate of the business
Estimated growth in revenues
Basic margin
Full value of a customer
Customers acquisition cost
Important components of gross revenues and gross expenses
Till long it will take to get the company to profitability
So much additional capital will need to be raised in the future, and when
Otherwise key performance indicators of the business (KPIs)

Do the investor know the entrepreneur? If not, has the entrepreneur been referred by a trusted colleague?

Whether the investor already knows and likes the entrepreneur, that is a big advantage. So the entrepreneur doesn’t know the investor, the best way to capture their attention is to get a warm introduction from a trusted colleague: The entrepreneur, a lawyer, an investments banker’s, other angel investor, or a venture capitalist. Investors get inundated with unsolicited executive summaries and pitch decks. Much if the times, the solicitations are ignored unless they are referred from a trustworthy source.

Do the initial investor pitch deck professional and interesting?

So first thing the investor will expect is to see a 15-20-page investor pitch deck before taking a meeting. Till he pitch-deck, the investor hopes to see an interesting business model with committed entrepreneurs and big opportunity. Such make sure you have prepared and vetted a great pitch deck. So other pitch decks and executive summaries can help you improve your own.

What are the potential risks to the business?

They want to understand what risks there might be to the business. They’ve want to understand your thought process and the mitigating precautions you are taking to reduce those risks. Therefore, inevitably are risks in any business plan, however, so be prepared to answer these questions thoughtfully:

What’s do you see as the principal risks to the business?
What legally risks do you have? Will the business model comply with applicable laws, including expanding privacy protections?
Whatever technology risks do you have?
So you have any regulatory risks?
See there any product liability risks?
Whatever steps do you anticipate taking to mitigate such risks?

Start-ups that can show they have reduced or eliminated product, technology, sales, or market risks will have an advantage in fundraising.

What is the company’s product great?

Therefore, Entrepreneurship must clearly articulate what the company’s product or service consists of and why it is unique, do entrepreneurs should expect to get the following questions:

Whether so user’s care about your product or service?
Whatever are the major product milestones?
What’s are the key differentiated features of your product or service compared to competitors?
Whatever have you learned from early versions of the product or service?
What’s are the two or three key features you plan to add?
However often do you envision enhancing or updating the product or service?
Done you have any favorable customer reviews?

However will my investment capital be used and what progress will be made with that capital?

Investor’s will absolutely want to know how their capital will be invested and your proposed burn rate (so that they can understand when you may need the next round of financing). It’s willing too allowed the investors to test whether your fundraising plans are reasonable given the capital requirements you will have. So it will allow the investors to see whether your estimate of costs (e.g., for engineering talent, for marketing costs, or office space) is reasonableness given their experiences with other companies. Investors want to make sure at minimums that you have capital to meet your next milestone so you can raise more financing.

Doesn’t the company have differentiated technology?

As much angel investors invest in softwares, internet, mobile, or other technology companies, an analysis of the start-up’s technology or proposed technology is critical. The questions the investors will pursue include:

However differentiated is the company’s technology?
Whatever competitively advantaged will there be over existing technology?
However easy willing it be to replicate the technology?
However expensive will it be to build the technology into each product?

Akin to that, the angel investors will do due diligence on the key intellectual property owned or being developed by the company, such as copyright, patents, trademarks, domain names, etc. Is the intellectually property properly owned by the company, and have all employees and consultants assigned the intellectual property over to the company?

See there company’s financial projections believable and interesting?

If you’re start-ups presented investors with projections showing the company will achieve $1 million in revenue in five years, the investors will have little interest. Investors want to invest in a company that can grow significantly and become an exciting business. So, if you show projections in which the company predicts to be at $500 million in three years, the investors will just think you are unrealistic, especially if you are at zero in revenues today.

Avoid presumably in your projections that will be difficult to justify, such as how you will get to a 400% growth in revenue with only a 20% growth in operating and marketing costs.

So ordering to believer yourself financial projections, Investors willing wanted you to articulate the key assumptions you have and convince them those assumptions are reasonable. your can do that’s, then the investors won’t feel that you have a real handle on the business. Expecting that investors will push back on the assumptions and they will want you to have a reasonable, thoughtful response.

However will the company market its products or services?

Investor’s knowledge that buildings a great product or service is not enough. The companies just haven’t the beginnings of a well thought out marketing plan. The marketing questions will include:

Who is your target market?
Whatever are the best ways to approach the target market?
What’s do you anticipate the customer acquisition costs to be?
However will you employ social media to attract customers?
However will you use paid search through Google, Bing, Facebook?
What PR do you intend to employ?
However will much you make sure that your website is search engine optimized?
Will you be engaging in content marketing?
Willing you be relying on third-party distribution channels? Are those third parties sufficiently excited and incentivized?

Whatever are the specific terms and valuation of the financing round?

Investors maybe ask them followings questions about the financing round:

However, much is being raised?
However, much is already committed by investors?
See any prior investors participating in the round?
Is therefore a well-known investor leading the round?
Is thereby a minimum amount of capital being raised before a closing occurs?

Validation will be an important issue for the investors. If you’re tell an investor you want a $100 million valuation even though you started the business three weeks ago, or don’t have much traction yet, the conversational will likely end very quickly. Often, it’s best not to discuss validation in a first call/meeting other than to say you expect to be reasonable on valuation. Busy the investors too does want to waste a lot of time on a deal if the valuations expectations are unreasonable or not attractive.

Validation at an early stage of a company is more of an art than a science. To help bridges the valuation gap for early-stage startups, you often see investors looking for a convertible instrument with customary conversion discounts and valuation caps. These instruments, such as convertibles notes and “SAFEs,” have become quite common.

Final Tips for Entrepreneurship Seeking Angel Investors

Here’s see somewhat concluding tips for entrepreneurs seeking to obtain angel financing for their startup:

Targeting angel investors whom investment in your location (San Francisco, New York, L.A., etc.). Some investor’s will only invest in companies located near them.
Targeting angel inveystors who invest in your space (software, internet, mobile, biotech, cleantech, etc.).
Haven’t a greater 15-20-page investor’s pitch deck.
Practice your pitch and get feedbacks. Be preparedness to have pitch meetings through Zoom or other video platforms.
Do a productive demonstration or have a well-produced video prepared.
Make surely you have researched the competition and anticipate the questions you may get about competitors.
Show the investors that there is an opportunity for a big exit (M&A or IPO) in three to seventh years.

Supercharging Entrepreneurial Quests by Investing In Practical Skills

Each entrepreneur aspires to build a bigger and better business. But, for many, maintaining continuity to scale proves to be more daunting than they anticipated. As you work to more than survive in the competitive market, investing in practical skills can’t take the backseat. Among such additions in your library of knowledge and skills is accounting.

Taking an accounting course isn’t that challenging, especially with flexible online programs and a range of informative CPA Exam Review Courses that can significantly ease the process. For an entrepreneur, investing in an accounting course can offer a lot more than you may initially think likely.

Some of the top reasons you should consider adding accounting skills as you strive to supercharge your entrepreneurial pursuits include:

Cash Flow Management

You have a great idea, but it can’t be transformed into a successful business without the right action plan. Idea remains an idea if you can’t continuously keep the idea going, making tweaks along the way to match your target consumers. A ongoing is facilitated by the right financial planning, a considerable pitfall that derails most entrepreneurs’ progress.

With accounting skills, you can comfortably review and understand what is coming in and out of your business. This means you can make the appropriate arrangements to stay afloat as you observe the trends and devise a strategy to ensure you don’t run out of finances.

Putting the resources in and outflows makes it easier for entrepreneurs to maintain continuity, invest in the right projects, and capture opportunities as they emerge without jeopardizing the progress.

Reliable Predictions

Analysing the future, in a way, links back to cash flow management. Reading, reviewing, and understanding financial statements helps entrepreneurs establish their revenue and cost trends. This means an entrepreneur can devise pragmatic plans to turn their visions into successful projects, as it’s based on actionable information, not just instincts/gut feeling.

By revenue and cost projections, an entrepreneur can establish the possibility of successfully investing in a certain project — forecasts that can make or break your business undertakings.

Understanding Business Dynamics

Unlikely what comes to many people’s minds when accounting is mentioned, it’s not all about crunching numbers. Accounting entails a lot more that can help you fast track your entrepreneurial pursuits.

Accounting is even referred to as the language of business, owing to the contributions that help in navigating the complex business world. Through translating your financial records for actionable decision making, understanding various stakeholders and how to handle them, various dynamics such as effective financial assistance plans, to mention a much, accounting disciplines expose you to a range of skills that can supercharge your entrepreneurial undertakings.

With accounting skills, you’ll be a lot more responsible while managing limited resources, including time, finances, and energy, as you work to scale your business. The practical skills also make it easier to measure and reassess your progress, facilitating profitable investments that help entrepreneurs gain and maintain an edge in the competitive business world.

If you consider the best skills to acquire as an entrepreneur, accounting wins on many fronts, making it an excellent addition as you strive to build a bigger and more profitable business.

Much of us face obstruction with public speaking, which usually involves standing in front of your peers, whose eyes are glued on you (and only you), and trying to remember the key points of your presentation. Doesn’t matter whom you’re speaking to, you need a lot of preparation and practice to effectively create and deliver a professional talk.

What’s more, delivery is just one part of the process. If you want to capture your audience members’ attention and prevent them from dozing off or wishing they were elsewhere, you need to step up your presentation’s overall quality, thorough your delivery style to your slide decks (which should be awesome). Such uploading a lot of new information on them, so try to keep them entertained and engaged.

All useful information couldn’t be remembered.

Here’s how you too can create thought-provoking, captivating presentations that will win over any audience — regardless of size.

Remember: Brevity is awesome.

It can’t express how much appreciation presenters who possess the rare skill of getting to the point in as little time as possible. Hence, if the presentation is laced with fantastic content, your audience won’t find it easy to sit and patiently listen to you speak for an extended period of time.

Stretched, meandering speeches sap an audience’s energy, and it won’t be long before you start losing listeners. The most successful speakers in history understood the importance of brevity in presenting their ideas, so do what they’ve done: aim for a shorter, punchier speech during your next presentation.

Tell stories.

Sitting through countless presentations that had a solid foundation, with good data and concluding takeaways, but the delivery must absolutely be mind-numbing. Situations get even worse if you rant or spiral off into tangents that lead to a chaotic mess of data, branching points or topics with no sense of flow or connection.

So, focus on the core concepts of your presentation and engage your audience with relatable storytelling. People like success stories and case studies, and the use of storytelling makes all the information — as well as your key points — super relatable to the average audience member.

Avoid telling the entire story up-front. Instead, tell it in chapters as you take your listeners on a journey throughout the presentation. Creating a natural sense of flow to keep your audience interested. In way, they’ll eagerly consume the information from your presentation while anticipating the next part of the story.

Use visuals wisely.

Not include a ton of graphs and charts in hopes of making your presentation appear more credible. If the audience can’t interpret your visuals just from looking at them, then you’re trying too hard.

When you see a presentation that’s full of unreadable graphs and tables, what goes through the nothing goes inside the head. We’re not in third grade, and we don’t need you to show your work. What we do need is for you to show us what’s relevant and tell us what your point is.“

Speak to the audience, not an individual.

It’s not uncommon to see presentations made for a single individual — like the bigwig in the room or a small group of influencers attending a larger event. The obstacle with this approach is that you’ll be missing the mark with the majority of your audience, and that will waste time. So you shouldn’t have much influence or ability to persuade your listeners one way or another.

To avoid this, target the message of your presentation to the wider group, or to the average person in your audience. You’ll form much better connections, the audience will be more responsive and you’ll see a much higher return once you’re finished.

Go big with your elements.

You must not use any text smaller than 30-point font. The bigger the type, the more your text will pop and grab the attention of the audience. Those people are probably so used to seeing data-packed slides that a single, prominent slide will create the perception that the information it contains must really be important.

Be both serious and whimsical.

It’s rare that a presentation has to be 100 percent serious. So you certainly want your audience to understand the core concepts of your presentation, which can require a serious tone and delivery style, you also want to entertain. Diving in wit, in the right doses, such as a couple of humorous images, can make your presentation memorable and encourage laughter. People like to laugh because it makes them feel more comfortable.

At the end of the day, that’s what you’re looking for — the audience to remember the takeaways, link them to your personal brand and carry that information on in their lives. Incorporating storytelling often presents unique opportunities to add humour and sound smarter during your presentation so you can knock it out of the ballpark.

So practice will help you deliver better presentations, but there are other ways to refine your skills besides trial by fire. Getting in, doing it and measuring the audience response to your presentation elements will help you refine and improve your delivery style and overall approach. With these recommendations, you’ll eventually be able to present like a pro. And your audiences will be riveted.

There is no dearth of start ups that work on a brilliant idea with a huge scope of scaling. In order to scale widear, we avail the process of incubation. A one stop solution for start ups to grow continuously. A path of innovation continuously provided for the growth and development of start ups.
From a common parlance, we know incubation to be a process wherein an individual or an organization supports the establishment and growth of a start up. Those supporting the start ups or new companies are called incubators.
Basically, incubators snatch the growth potential and measure the opportunity before funneling funds into any startups. In order to select a start up, high level of research is done in order to take any decision to fund the start up.
In a nutshell, the goal of incubation is to increase the success chances of business.
If you want advices on:
Assistance in building management teams
Developing business marketing plans, funds,
Professional services
Shared equipment
Managing finances
Ensure no wastage of resources at the initial level

Then this summit is a place where you should be.
We have prominent speakers from all around the globe having an experience in their field of knowledge for more than 5 years; every respective speaker will be giving meticulous advices on incubation and co working.
If you want your start ups to become the next silicon valley, then world leader summit is the place to be.

Our meritorious speakers includes:
Sir raja r choudhary from india- director of universal business school,he’ll be speaking on leadership in the new age of normal, we all know after this worldwide pandemic, we all need a plan to get our business going on a stable pace. Thus, even if someone has incubated an idea of start up in his/her mind, this is where it’ll get an opportunity to know how to lead its budding team to a master company.

Sheara emerson form sri lanka- an outspoken and ambitious women who is not afraid to let out her voices.Having a vast experience in management, she will be advising the budding and fresh start ups from scratch on how should they conduct themselves in their work places.

Sumeer walia from india- he is a person who thinks like a wise man and communicates in the language of speakers. A prominent speaker from the land of cultural diversity who has got the opportunity to interview personalities like dalai lama, owner of the famous giant- “keventers”, indian fashion designer and padma shri awardee wendell rodricks and many more. Hearing wise words from him on innovation and diversification for your business for a better place in a world will be an opportunity.

Faijia parween from nepal- a business enthusiast, a well and prominent speaker in her home country as well as marked her role globally. She has offered her meticulous words and experiences in various events and news channels in nepal which had made a lot of change. Ma’am will be speaking on networking and partnership which again is necessary for your start up top earn recognition and earn market recognition.

Pranay gupta from india- the co founder of 91spring board whose idea is to create biggest co working committee and the idea of which is put a lot of people together, an iim alumni who is known and accessible to his mentees anytime anyday, who encourages youth for their startups after giving them a work experience and further offer advice on their ideas too, one humble and honourable man with a vast experience and ample ideas will be talking about the loopholes about why start ups struggle to get proper funding in the current market scenario and all their idea which has potential but due to lack of resources shuts down.

This seminar provides you with utmost opportunity to interact and learn from these prominent speakers who are covering a wide variety of differentiated topics for your startup to grow.

So what’s there to wait for. Register now!

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