Mohit Tater's Blog, page 551

5 Reasons To Get a Small Business Loan

It’s a fact that about half of all new small businesses will fail within five years. When crunch time comes, many of those business owners look for ways to keep their company afloat. One of the available options is a small business loan. What are the top reasons for a business to consider this survival tactic?

 1. The Company Is Running Out of Cash

 For whatever reason, when revenue isn’t consistent or just isn’t enough, cash flow (or the lack thereof) is often a problem. Expenses rarely go away. Crises are almost sure to crop up. Seasonal fluctuations take their toll. Without positive cash flow, it’s hard to stay in business.

 2. It’s Time for Business Growth

 Loans for small business growth are fairly common. When the chance comes to expand into new markets or increase a customer base, business owners don’t want to miss out because of finances. A loan could be just the thing to support growth.

 3. There Isn’t Enough To Cover Payroll

 Beyond the initial expense of hiring employees, sometimes making regular payroll is a struggle. This is particularly true when the company’s cash flow has already been negatively impacted in other ways.

 4. A Partner Wants Out

 A business owner may want to buy out another partner because one wants to retire or the two don’t get along well. It’s possible that one partner is ready to move in another direction. A small business loan is a way to get the necessary financing to make this happen.

 5. Business Expenses Are Too High

 It’s hard to predict all the ways it costs money to operate a business. There are taxes, rent, equipment, insurance, maintenance, marketing, and storage to consider. It costs money to have computer hardware and software installed and maintained. Business owners may need to pay to purchase raw materials. Before revenues come in, it may be necessary to obtain a loan to pay for these expenses.

 Eventually, most businesses, whether large or small, will face a crisis that demands quick action. In many of those cases, a small business loan could be the best solution. Access to cash during this time could mean the difference between surviving for another year or so and going under. If you’re a small business owner, fighting to survive those first crucial years or to stay afloat during the turbulence of a bad economy, research your loan options. A little bit of help could go a long way.

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7 Ways to Use Email Marketing for Small Businesses

Email marketing is generally one of the best marketing tools for small businesses. It’s an effective, low-cost solution that is quite easy to implement and automate.

However, if you have no experience in using email marketing to grow your business, you might find yourself confused and unsure where to start. Don’t worry: in this article, we’ll help you figure everything out and will tell you about seven ways to use email marketing for small businesses.

1. Drip campaigns.

These are automated email messages that subscribers receive after taking a particular action or on a specific schedule. Such campaigns help a company build initial communication with its customers and maintain it efficiently.

Here are a few examples of drip campaign emails:

Welcome emails: such email is sent to those who register on your website or subscribe to your newsletter.Thank you emails: these emails are sent to the customers who completed a purchase/survey or engaged with your content in some other way. Cart abandonment emails: you send such emails when a customer adds products to their cart but doesn’t buy. Cart abandonment emails are a good reminder about the goods your customer left behind.Nudge emails: sometimes people register or subscribe but don’t buy. Nudge emails could gently guide your customers in purchasing something. 



2. Promo campaigns.

Such campaigns could both benefit the existing customers and encourage the potential ones to buy. Most of your customer database wouldn’t want to miss a great deal, so informing them about one would be a good option.

Promo campaigns could inform the customers about:

sales;special offers;personal discounts;gifts for certain types of purchases. 



3. Content newsletters. 

This could be an excellent option for those small businesses who already have a content creator or could afford investing into one. Every company doesn’t use content newsletters; however, this doesn’t mean that your customers won’t appreciate them, assuming that the content has value. 

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Content newsletters can focus on tips, news, industry insights, and so on. You could also invest in the creation of an eBook or PDF guide that would be available either to your loyal subscribers or to anyone who subscribes to your newsletter. This option is excellent for expanding your email database.

4. Product updates.

Such emails aren’t as engaging as the ones with content or promo offers. However, they could benefit your business as well, especially when you’re offering a specific type of product — a mobile app, for instance.

Product updates inform the customers of specific changes in the product. Not any change matters; however, those who could affect the user experience significantly definitely do. It’s better to make such emails as simple and clear as you can — after all, their main goal is to inform.

5. Launch emails.

This also won’t work well for every occasion. For instance, when you run a large online store with a variety of goods, there’s no need to inform your customers about every new product that starts selling. However, you can find something to tell about in this case as well: for instance, when a well-known brand starts selling in your store or when a particular seasonal product (like yearly planners) starts selling.

The same goes for tech stores: you can create emails that help build up anticipation for the new iPhone or another well-known gadget that is about to be released.

If you create your products, such emails could be a great option as well. Generally, they are one of the best tools to build up excitement and expectations. These also guarantee that sales will happen when a product is launched.

6. Dedicated emails. 

You might think that your loyal customers will stay with you forever, but that won’t always be the case, especially if you stop caring for them.

Acknowledging those who are loyal to you and have been with you for a while is always a great practice. If you want to, you can offer something unique to loyal subscribers for their support, be it a discount code or a special offer. But even if you cannot afford to do that yet, even a thank you email could be enough.

7. Referral emails. 

Your subscribers need a lot of various products and services. Unfortunately, you cannot offer all of such products and services to them.

However, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, this could be an excellent opportunity for you to build up a network of partners and friendly companies for your mutual benefit.

For instance, your business offers clothes for every occasion. You could partner with a gift shop or with an accessorize shop to help your clients pick some additional goods in case they are going to a special event or a party. Most likely, they would appreciate the discounts.

Now that we’ve given you some advice on how to use email marketing to grow your small business, it’s up to you to pick the ones that seem the most appealing and start trying them on practice. Don’t hesitate to do that. These days, you have so many tools that could help simplify the email marketing process and maximize its impact.

You can use the best email signature software to generate professional email signatures for free and try using different email marketing automation tools to create big campaigns for your business.

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With an email signature, any email campaign will be 10 times more effective! We wish you good luck with that!

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4 IT Services That Should Be On Every Entrepreneur’s Radar

Entrepreneurs are a unique bunch in part because anyone with any background can be an entrepreneur if they have a great idea and the right tools and strategies to support it. Naturally, not every entrepreneur has had formal training on technology or IT. If you feel out of your depth when it comes to finding the right IT services for your growing business, don’t worry — you aren’t alone.

We’ve broken down the top 4 IT services that every entrepreneur should consider, including:

Flash storage solutionsCloud managementDisaster recoveryInfrastructure development




There’s a reason that flash storage is called flash storage — it’s a fast, reliable way for businesses to solve their biggest data storage concerns. The right service provider can help you create a plan that fits your startup’s flash storage needs.



Flash Storage Provides Real Solutions for Real IT Problems

Finding the right data storage solution is far easier said than done. Business owners report a variety of pain points when it comes to choosing the right storage solution for their company, including finding a provider that:

Has sufficient capacity/scalabilityMeets their disaster recovery requirementsFits within their often tight IT budget

All-flash storage is from the right flash storage service provider frees entrepreneurs from all of these headaches. Flash storage is fast and reliable, and the right service provider will know how to leverage those benefits to reduce the complexity of your company’s day-to-day IT operations.

Cloud storage is essential to your business — it allows you to control access, collaborate with your teams, and secure your information effortlessly. Be sure to discuss your cloud management options with your IT service provider.



Cloud Management Improves Access and Security

Managing how employees interact with data is huge task. Essential information has to be accessible to the employees who need it — for example, your marketing team needs access to your customer contact information so that they can send promotional emails — but providing access shouldn’t affect your data’s security.

Cloud storage is a powerful tool that provides a variety of benefits to growing companies, including:

Easy backup and disaster recoveryEasy file sharing and access controlAccess to files from anywhereSecurity features like remote wipe



Your company relies on data to operate every day. Ensure that your company is ready for any hardware, software, or other problem it might encounter when you develop a robust disaster recovery plan with your IT provider.



Disaster Recovery Ensures Your Company Never Slows Down

As we mentioned, cloud storage can be part of a disaster recovery plan. After all, it makes keeping up-to-date copies of important documents independent of your physical device a breeze. However, a true disaster recovery plan needs to be more robust.

Your IT service provider should be able to work with you to develop a complete disaster recovery plan, giving you peace of mind that no matter what happens, your company won’t be hindered by hardware failures, software failures, or any other technical problems.

Managing a rapidly-growing business isn’t easy — no matter how well you try to prepare, there will inevitably be growing pains. When it comes to setting up your IT infrastructure, make sure you partner with an IT provider that can develop an infrastructure that will work for your business now and in the future as well.



Infrastructure Development Keeps You from Sinking Time and Money into Redevelopment Down the Road

Being an entrepreneur is a balancing act. You constantly have to consider cost vs. ROI, and unlike more established companies, the price of making the wrong choice can be devastating for businesses that are just starting out. It can be tempting to quickly piece together an IT infrastructure that works for your company’s current needs so that you can get up and running, but in the long run, this can cost you lots of time and money if it isn’t set up properly.

When you involve your IT service provider in infrastructure development from the beginning, you can rest assured that your company has a scalable infrastructure that will meet your needs now and in the future (without the added hassle of an infrastructure overhaul).

Talking to your IT service provider about these services will help ensure your company has the technical support it needs to remain competitive.

If you aren’t an IT expert, identifying the services you should request from an IT service provider can be challenging. Start with these 4 essential services — from flash storage to infrastructure development — and your company will be off to a great start!

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5 Best Ways to Maximize Productivity in College

For numerous students in college, it can be very tedious to balance life and school. This is understandable considering the obligations of juggling between completing homework, heading to classes, and still creating time to have an experience outside school. For students with more complicated lives, they may have to work to afford their bills. All of these can feel crushing for many students and can lead to a closely-knitted life if not handled the right way. 

These make it vital for college students to learn how to be productive, allowing them to get more done while still having ample time to do other things. Doing these can make a massive difference in student life. The tips below can be of help to achieve this.

Split Your Projects into Smaller Ones

Like we have said earlier, breaking down projects into smaller ones can help increase your productivity. It is not compulsory to finish a whole assignment at one go. Instead of forcing everything down your brain before the due date, put up a plan in place that lets you divide your projects into smaller ones. This way, you will be able to manage them each day before you head for school. 

Doing this will give you the chance to take a break when it seems like you are making no headway in a specific task and moving to another assignment. When you put this kind of plan in advance, you will have more time to complete a project, rather than rushing everything at the last minute. This will help boost your productivity, and also enhance the quality of the finished assignment. 

Create Personal Deadlines 

After breaking down your tasks into smaller ones, it may also be helpful to put some deadlines in place. If you have decided that a task will require two hours, you need to do all you can to finish up that part of the project in no less than a week before the due date. 

When you do this, it will ensure you don’t have to rush everything at the last minute, and also enhance your productivity.

Keep Track of Your Time 

If you are unaware of how you are using up your time, it would be tough to plan. To manage your time better, the first thing you need to do is to track your time. You can do this by splitting the core tasks into smaller ones. 

For instance, if you are to do a research assignment, break it down into smaller tasks. These could include research, summary, etc. Allocate time to each task to help ensure completing them is much more comfortable. It can be of help to track the time using a clock or a tracking application. All of these can ensure you don’t lose focus. Each time you want a break, you can allow your mind drift, or get something to eat. 

Ultimately, you will groom the habit of predicting the amount of time you may need, and then plan your week based on that. By using this strategy, you will reduce the amount of time you waste and feel more confident in the way you study. Learning to track time is essential to a lot of professional careers, and will boost your effectiveness and efficiency.

Take Frequent Breaks 

Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, taking frequent breaks can enhance your level of productivity. College students who try to do excess work within a specified time do not perform at their best capacity. This is major because as humans, our brains can only handle a specific amount of new data before we begin to get tired, and its ability to retain information reduces. 

If we force our minds to do more than it can handle, instead of the peak performance we expect, the result will only be a higher level of fatigue and stress. As a student, taking breaks frequently will ensure you don’t overexert your brain and enhance your productivity. 

Regardless of you take the 10 minutes every hour, or 1 hour a few times a day, all you need is to look for a schedule that suits you. Everyone has a distinct preferred study timeline. However, the crucial thing to note is to go with a decision and stick to it. Whenever you take breaks, use it to rest your mind, and improve your productivity.

Take Advantage of Applications 

There are many mobile and web-based applications that college students can leverage for productivity. You can use to-do and scheduling applications to stay organized on group projects or split homework tasks into smaller ones. You can put alerts and reminders in place for those items that are incredibly crucial. 

There are numerous applications for managing time which can keep you abreast with your productivity, so you can point out and eradicate problem behaviors.  There are even programs that can restrict your access to social media platforms, and stop your ability to receive emails for a specified period. All of these will ensure you are not distracted by the internet when you should be working on assignments or studying. 

Developing plans for the future, and grooming good study habits is vital in aiding you to finish more in less time, and leaving you with time to have a social life, among other things, as you go through your life in college.

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Business Card Essentials

Business card design efforts tend to focus on the decorative elements. What color paper should you use? Which border should you select? However, there are a number of business card essentials that should take precedence. Here are the things you must take into account when you design a business card.

Your Contact Information 

Not every business card needs both your name and your business name. However, you must include the information they need to contact you. For example, if you’re one of several people working in a firm, make it as easy as possible to reach you, since you’re the one that met them. This may mean putting your extension after the business phone number, or it requires putting your job title after your name. Nearly every business card has the name of the business or organization. If you don’t have a formal business, at least put a description of your line of work after your name so they remember what you do. 

If your business has a brick and mortar location, your business name should be followed by your physical address. If you sell primarily online or visit clients’ homes, then you can leave this off. In this case, put your business phone number, email and web domain on the card. A phone number gives your firm more legitimacy than just an email and web domain. A formal email address that shares your business website’s domain gives it more gravitas than a personal email address. Don’t assume that a social media profile is sufficient. That can even be detrimental, since people may take points off for promoting social media profiles but not having a website of your own. Or you lose them when they visit your social media profile before being distracted by all the other content online. 

Communicating Your Purpose 

If your business card header shows your name followed by your job title, they don’t wonder what you do for a living. You can still build on this with a logo that represents your business or pictures that tie into your line of work. It doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, a complicated logo or multiple photos crammed onto a business card can get in the way of promoting your contact information. Go for a simple logo or image. A yard service could have a stylized representation of garden tools and a thriving garden. A beauty consultant could have a logo representing long lashes or luscious lips. A photographer doesn’t have to have five sample images on the back of their business card. A logo hinting at wedding photos or family portraits is sufficient. It is also hard for the printer to mess up. 

A tag line associated with your business is helpful but not essential. A call to action often works better. Whether it is “call us to kill your pests” or “book your next event with us” depends on you. However, a tagline that already does this should be included on your business card, especially if it is already part of your advertising. 

A List of Products or Services 

A long list of products or services will count as clutter on a business card. A few short bullets can work well, especially if it isn’t easily encapsulated in a single graphic. For example, your bakery business card could use a picture of a cupcake, while the bulleted list says you make cakes cupcakes and artisanal bread.

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Colorado Company Raises $65M to Buy “Mountains Of Hemp” For CBD Production

Mile High Labs, a biotech company based out of Colorado was approved for a $65M loan that will finance the purchase of a “Mountain of Hemp”, citing the CEO’s own intentions. The company will use the loan to set-up massive extraction units in the South and East of Colorado that will be some of the state’s largest, and Mile High Labs is expected to extract millions of pounds worth of hemp on a yearly basis. The US CBD market is expected to grow by 700% in 2019.

This move marks yet another CBD company leveraging the power of vertical integration. We’ve already seen companies such as Next Green Wave, Inc. utilize this tactic to gain better control over the manufacturing process from seed to store shelves with great success. Not only does vertical integration improve quality, it can also drive down production costs and increase profits, something that companies such as Next Green Wave have already begun capitalizing on.

About Miles High Labs

Miles High Labs extracts hemp for CBD purposes. MHL does not grow hemp, but it uses mobile equipment to set-up extraction stations on existing hemp farms and creates the product on the spot. The company specializes in the production of medical CBD (Cannabidiol). This is an ingredient that accounts for over 40% of hemp extract. This ingredient is used to treat anxiety, cognition, movement disorders and pain.

Mile High Labs is based out of Boulder, Colorado but their flagship location is in Loveland, Colorado. The company started as a small-time facility in 2016, and went commercial for the first time in 2017. By the second half of the year, MHL already had already employed 17 full-time employees. MHL’s growth exploded promptly; and now it aims to become the largest CBD extraction company in the United States. The new loan will likely solidify their position as one of the most promising CBD companies in the country. They currently manufacture crude CBD oil, distillate and isolate. 

Specialized CBD Extraction Technology 

Mile High Labs specializes in the extraction of CBD oil. The company has its own extraction technology – a modular extraction facility they refer to as the “Mile High Monster” which they can deliver next to a hemp farm; and process up to 50 acres of hemp a day using the Monster. They keep the technology secret and do not sell or rent their extraction technology at the moment. 

Vision for the Future

The CEO of the company, Stephen Mueller, claimed they strive to create a long-term vision for the CBD industry that will include new scientific innovation and research. They use the highest quality equipment available to produce compliant, quality, and consistent product. He said they aspire to become the largest CBD extraction brand in the world.

The entire deal is financed by MGG capital, a private finance company which agreed to finance the entire $65M deal for the company. 

About MGG Capital 

MGG Capital had equally humble beginnings – it started as a capital firm with only $200 million in seed capital, and quickly grew into a large private lending firm that has now landed billions of dollars to companies in the United States. MGG Capital provides loans to high-growth companies and finances new projects. The financing group is part of a small team of private investors lead by Kevin Griffin, a man who personally provided finance in the extent of $3 billion to companies in the United States and the world. MGG Capital is part of McCourt Global, an international investment firm. 

Miles High Labs Funding History 

This is not the first time Mile High Labs has received funding – earlier this year, the company received a round of $35M in Series-A funding, and this funding came from unknown and private investors who saw a benefit in investing in the company. The Series-A effectively set-up Mile High Labs for large-scale expansion; and they are now going to finance extraction units on the largest existing farms in Colorado to create CBD products on the spot. 

Mile High Labs has already started a large extraction unit on an existing farm in eastern Colorado, and it’s announced that after they receive cash-flow from this round of funding, they will set-up another one in southern Colorado immediately. 

Mile High Labs intends to use its existing extraction equipment and/or create new mobile extraction equipment that they will bring over to existing, high-producing hemp farms and produce CBD products that they ship to their clients immediately. Almost 90% of their employees come from a pharmaceutical or a medical background, which enables them to create the highest-quality product for medical purposes. Their preferred CBD extraction method is alcohol extraction. 

The Series-A funding of $35M provided Mile High Labs with the financial capability to expand outside the United States and become an international company, and it choose its first international HQ in the United Kingdom. Mile High Labs now has offices in London and Belfast, which they use to streamline sales to the European market. The company is expected to expand to all countries in Europe where medical cannabis is currently legal. 

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7 Ways Startups Are Changing the Way Businesses Work

In this dynamic and technology-oriented world, new business ideas are generated every day. While it is easier to come up with an idea, the difficult part is executing it in such a way that it would be profitable and successful.

Instead of following the same old pattern of graduating and getting hired by a multi-million dollar company, millennials have been working toward building these ideas themselves. They have a strong influence on the office culture as they are starting their own companies and expect their workplaces to be equally digitally native.

Startups serve as a center for innovative ideas. They are a great way of bringing diversity into society and generating employment opportunities. They allow new concepts to be explored and bring about changes which may transform our way of life.

Small companies have changed the way businesses operate in general. They have brought about a revolution in the corporate world, which has altered the whole dynamic. Who would have imagined ten years ago we would be carrying virtual wallets and paying with cryptocurrencies?

Here are a few ways startups have completely redefined the way businesses work:

1. Use of Social Media Platforms

Social media has opened up a new dimension for businesses today. It has brought businesses closer to their potential customers. With the help of these platforms, startups have tapped into previously unexplored market segments.

Operating from Facebook, Instagram or Twitter helps businesses establish a larger consumer base and reach their target audience with the right message. This mode of reaching the masses delivers better results. Startups have realized that rather than spending billions on forming a consumer base, such small acts can have a larger impact.

They have also ushered in a new way of analyzing data from social media, using artificial intelligence (Ai) to help decipher the trends in data collection and implement change in strategies.

Creating Trends

With the help of these platforms, it is easier to create and set new trends with hashtags, which could make the message go viral and reach a wider audience. This sets the network effect in motion.

Setting Up Startups

Social media acts as a catalyst for change. The advent of these platforms has made it easier to set up startups altogether. People can run large businesses from the comfort of their homes.

2. Office Culture

A typical office culture conjures up the concept of working a 9-5 job, rows of cubicles, uncomfortable chairs, monotonous work and a grumpy boss who should be punched in the face. Startups have redefined the office culture altogether. 

March to Your Own Band

A lot of these startups are set up by millennials, who have formed a culture of their own. Their satisfaction is driven by the fact that they are making a difference. It is this need to bring meaning and purpose to everyday life which sets them apart from other businesses. They feel the need to give back to society and build a more diverse environment, and this is an example of the kind of startup culture that corporations must incite if they are to retain millennial talent.

Investment in Talent

Unlike normal businesses, startups do not worry about credentials and backgrounds. As long as an individual has the talent and potential to make a difference, they will invest in them. Employees are encouraged to work on projects they find interesting so that they will be doing what they love. This is how these startups build trust in their employees and give them the freedom they need. 

3. Ideas Can Come from Anywhere

Large e-commerce giants such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google were once nothing more than startups. For decades, these companies have worked on creating innovation-friendly environments. They have realized the need for diversity among their employees. They don’t care where the ideas come from as long as they are unique, encourage innovation and make a difference to their customers’ lives.

These companies have restrained from putting a barrier on their employees. They encourage innovative thinking. For example, Amazon’s Lab126, and Google [X] have been formed to encourage this method of work. 

Google works on the idea that 75% of its employees’ time should be dedicated to working. The rest of the time can be used for anything. If their employees want to work on projects of their own, Google will provide the necessary funding. It is this approach which has given birth to new startups like Uber, which has turned into a successful company of its own.

Similarly, Facebook came up with drone technology with its Connectivity Lab and Amazon launched the FireTV in its Lab126. Modern corporations like Facebook and Google have adopted such practices, but they remain the exception that proves the rule. Many corporations are stuck in the old ways of working, but in order to innovate and remain competitive, they must learn from elements of startup culture.

4. Encourage People to Work When and Where They Are Most Productive

Large corporations follow a certain code of conduct which involves how their employees dress, the way they carry themselves, and their work patterns. Startups, on the other hand, follow a different code. They believe in providing their employees with the freedom they need as long as they get the work done.

Their main focus is on getting results. Not much attention is paid to what the employees are wearing, what they are doing with their time or how they are working.

For instance, Facebook allows its employees to come and go as they please and wear whatever they want. No specific work hours are provided. Employees are only given a laptop to work on and a sofa to sit. This type of approach promotes freedom of thinking, which results in more innovative responses.

5. More Focus on Skill Set

When people choose to work at a startup, they take a risk with their careers because they do not know whether the startup will prove to be a success or failure. Even if it is successful, it is usually absorbed by a larger company. This results in uncertainty when it comes to careers.

These startups have changed the way people work in both small and large organizations. They have made employees more diverse and urged these organizations to overlook their area of expertise and focus on their skill sets. For instance, Google’s workforce comprises of only 37% of engineers.

The Hacker Way

Operations in startups largely depend on decision-making skills. Their idea of getting work done differs from large businesses. For instance, many startups follow the 2-pizza rule while forming teams: put together a team which could be fed with two pizzas or else the team is too big. They also follow a flat hierarchy where managers make up a small portion of the workforce and directors even smaller.

6. Focus on a Small Idea Which Makes Life Easier

The whole idea of a startup revolves around making the customers’ lives easier so that they do not have to spend more than a couple of hours doing a task. With the help of innovative thinking, many businesses have come up with groundbreaking ideas which have become a large part of their customers’ lives.

For instance, up until now, it was unknown that a gap existed between communication and transportation. Owing to this gap, Uber emerged, making the idea of hailing a cab much easier. 

Let’s take another example. At the time, due to a stressful day at work, it can be impossible for an individual to carry out small daily errands. With startups like Fancy Handy, people can now hire on-demand assistants to run errands for them. 

7. First Settler Over First Mover Advantage

First movers are businesses that generated a completely unique idea from scratch. If they are the first entrants in the market, they gain a competitive advantage. However, most startups do not follow this concept. They have widely benefited from the first settler advantage pertaining to those who are first to reach liquidity and gain market share. 

It does not matter if the startup idea is not original, unlike traditional businesses. As long as the idea captures the masses, it can become successful.

Conclusion

Startups have completely changed the dynamics of a business. They have made it easier to produce unique and interactive ideas. The office environment has also changed a great deal. Where workers had to follow a certain code of conduct, they can now do whatever they please as long as they deliver results. 

It is not necessary for startups to come up with a completely unique idea. They can even experiment with already existing concepts, given that they find ways to grab the attention of their customers and figure out exactly what they want. The more freedom given to employees to think, the more they are likely to practice innovative thinking. 

They realize the fact that when an individual is forced to do something, they might not be productive, but if they are given their space, new ideas might be generated and new ways of carrying out old tasks might be generated. They will be satisfied with their work. When these employees will not feel caged, they are bound to yield positive results.

It is safe to say that soon, all businesses will be adapting to the startup life. A rising tide of startups has been slowly changing the spaces we spend most of our time in. Soon, large corporations will also be supporting and valuing startups.

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4 Money-Saving Tips for a Successful Business

As a business, you will want to save money whenever and wherever you can. A lot of the time it’s the small costs charged regularly which can add up to a huge bill every month. There are always simple changes you can make to save money within your main building, but when it comes to the prime way you run your business, there are a few budget-friendly changes you could consider, too.

1. Find Low-Cost Alternatives to Advertising

It’s easy to consider pooling as much money as possible into advertising to promote your business, but advertising doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) cost a fortune. Particularly with small businesses, finding free or cheaper forms of marketing can be beneficial. Try perfecting your inbound marketing technique rather than paying a lot of money to push your brand, and learn all you can about good SEO techniques to optimize your business for free. You could also create interesting videos for your brand and upload them to your website, social media, and YouTube. 

2. Optimize Your Utilities 

Nothing can drain a business of its money more than a building which is using a lot of power, especially if a lot of is wasted, such as lights being left on by employees and devices constantly being plugged in when they might not need to be. Consider low-cost investments such as energy-saving light bulbs, smart technology for heating and other utilities, and better package deals for your building as a whole. 

Use a business utility broker like Utility Bidder to compare prices and offer savings regarding your utilities.

3. Try Outsourcing 

Of course, large businesses will always need assistance from employees and help from others to get the job done. Employing a large team based in your business premises, however, costs a lot of money. This includes salaries, expenses, the power they are using, and employer’s insurance, to name a few. 

Consider instead hiring contractors or independent workers to complete a job, as and when. You can still employ a team of staff, but this will allow you to keep it to the bare minimum and save money where you can. Outsourcing is also beneficial as you will receive help from people with varying knowledge and expertise. 

4. Keep Things Virtual Where Possible 

Some businesses are able to complete their work virtually, without need for much physical interaction or set working space. If your business allows work to be completed remotely, or in a more virtual fashion, you should embrace it in order to limit costs. The main way to save money through doing this is by location; if you can eradicate the need to pay for an office space or building, you also eliminate the need to pay everything which comes with it, including bills, rental costs, and insurance. If your employees can work remotely from home, or work from a remote working space, you can save a significant amount of money. 

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5 Reasons Why Investing in Startups is a Good Move

Investing used to be reserved for the wealthy, who could afford to risk a significant part of their fortune on an unknown company. Now, with platforms like VNX Exchange, the venture capital assets can get liquified. And many startups use crowdfunding platforms to collect funds for their operations. All of this creates new opportunities for investment and enables people with smaller amounts of money to become a part of the VC market.

When we think about startups, we automatically think about companies like Uber or Facebook. That’s why we associate them with success and think that investing in them is a foolproof way of getting high returns. But the truth is that many startups won’t make it big. In reality, only around 50% will make it to the fifth year. You can’t ignore the fact that investing in any sort of venture will always carry risks. With that being said, if you’re looking for a company to place your money in, there are a few reasons why choosing a startup is a good way to start.

Diversification of assets

Investments are risky, especially if you put a lot of money into a single venture. Doing this will make you susceptible to market fluctuations. But you can increase your chances by diversifying your portfolio. Investing in one business is a gamble, it’ll either work out or not. On the other hand, placing smaller amounts of money in a few different industries means you’re more likely to see profits from at least some of them. This option is worth considering especially if you’re putting your life savings on the line.

The promise of higher returns

While diversification of assets will improve your chances of seeing profits, investing in a startup promises higher returns if it turns out successful. Of course, all entrepreneurs will try to convince you that it’s their business that will be the next big thing, but there’s no guarantee it’ll really happen. That’s why you should carefully consider many different offers before deciding on one to invest in.

Getting a head start

By investing in a company during its early stages, you can get ahead of your competition. The longer you wait, the more money you’ll have to spend on your investment. Businesses that are just starting out will offer you better deals because they need funds for development. Plus, being able to invest smaller amounts in various ventures will increase your chances of choosing a startup that’ll end up successful.

Being a part of the future

Startups are often based around innovative ideas and technological advancements. This means they have a big chance of making a difference and creating new solutions in their industries. By becoming an early investor in such a company, you can become a part of this change. Lately investing in green projects is gaining popularity, and it’s a great way to help the environment and gain profits at the same time.

Saving money

A well-thought investment plan can help you save up enough money to secure your future. Retirement will be much more comfortable without having to worry about bills. To achieve this goal, you should consider all the pros and cons of every single possible investment. Choosing ones that are less risky, even if they don’t look that profitable, maybe a better strategy in the long run.

It’s important to only invest money you can afford to lose. No matter how reliable a company looks, you can never be sure it’ll succeed. There are too many aspects that can influence their future. That’s why diversifying your investments is a much safer option than putting all your assets into one venture.

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4 Tips to Dominate Local Search Results

A lot of people take a shotgun approach when it comes to their SEO and content strategy, and then wonder why it isn’t bringing people through their doors. But if you want to attract local clients, getting traction on your content isn’t enough. It has to be targeted and marketed towards your local audience. Local SEO should also be your first concern, as it will help you get visibility with the people who matter the most. Here are a few ways that you can improve your local search results.

Claim Your Listing

Everything starts with your Google my
Business listing. If you don’t have one, then you simply won’t be listed in
local business results, which take up a huge portion of real estate on first
page results.

So, the first thing you have to do is claim your page and make sure that you fill it with your information. The most important part is to make sure that your contact information (name, address, phone number) is consistent everywhere you posted it online. This means your website, social media, directories, or any service you’re working with.

Understand How Local Intent Keywords
Work

While Google has started to veer away from
keyword-based rankings, they still play a central role when it comes to SEO. If
you don’t build your content and strategy around the right keywords, you simply
won’t be able to attract the people you want consistently.

This is why keyword research should be the cornerstone of your SEO strategy. But you have to understand the difference between general keywords, and intent keywords, especially the local ones. Ten Golden Rules has a nice piece on the subject. They teach you how to use suggested search results to start your research, direct you to useful and free keyword tools, and offer a few tips on how to implement the keywords in your content strategy.

Get Local Citations

Getting cited locally is one of the best ways to get visibility fast and climb up the local rankings. This could be a link or not. Press is a good way to get naturally cited, but you can increase your chances by listing with local directories who are closely related to your business, your chamber of commerce, and any association in your industry.

Work on Service and Encourage
Reviews

However, if you don’t offer great service to your clients, all of this will be in vain. Google places a lot of importance on customer reviews, so you have to either correct the situation if you have bad reviews or start generating more reviews. One thing you could do is simply ask. You could remind people to review your business on your material, such as tray covers, bags, or packaging. You could also start a loyalty program and ask your members if they reviewed you yet. Most will be happy to do so and are more likely to give you a good review since they’re regulars.

Conclusion

Getting local attention from search engines
is a great, low-cost way to consistently get high-quality traffic to your site.
Make sure that you follow these few tips, and never neglect the clients in your
backyard if you want to increase foot and site traffic.

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