Mohit Tater's Blog, page 585

March 14, 2019

Negotiating Salaries as a Startup

Startup cost saving ideas



There comes a point in every founder’s entrepreneurship journey when they realize they can’t go it alone and need help. The problem is, employees cost money, and many startups don’t have mountains of cash to spend on anything other than absolute necessities. At least at first.





A key part of establishing a business is learning how to staff that business, and how to negotiate salaries with prospective employees. Even though most startups have money issues, if you want to have any success at hiring the right people to help you grow your business, you’ll have to find a way to compensate them that makes them feel valued and appreciated.





Many startups prefer to hire young talent and pay them less due to age and inexperience. In exchange the employee gets a chance to cut their teeth in an industry, beef up a resume and polish a specific skill set. This can be an effective method of putting together a sharp, motivated staff on a budget, but youth and lack of work history are still not excuses for paying drastically below market rate. People still need to be paid close to what they are worth in order to do the best work they can for you. Nothing is less motivating than working hard for half of fair market value for your role.





If your employees are severely underpaid, expect to see high turnover rates and low employee satisfaction. When your business starts hemorrhaging employees, it can get expensive. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the annual turnover rate for US companies is roughly 19 percent, and the cost of turnover is incredibly high, generally costing a company a full 20 percent of a worker’s salary to replace them. Other studies put that figure higher, up to as much as 40 percent. In other words, replacing an employee with a 60K salary costs between 12 and 24K. For a startup strapped for cash, those are intimidating numbers.





A general rule of thumb when negotiating salaries as a new startup is to pay people 10-15% below market value for the role, but to make it up with other benefits that will, for the employee, offset any costs lost. Consider offering the difference in stock options, vacation days, personal days, or quality, challenging work that will teach them how to master a new and useful skill set.





Another thing that can draw in qualified candidates who are worth more than what you can afford to pay them is to offer an excellent work culture that emphasizes work-life balance. More and more companies are trying to create an environment like this, as it has a great return on investment, but the question is how to build it.





What I’ve found in my own experience at StickerYou is that creating a positive work environment means relying less on rules and more on creating an open, honest and receptive environment where people feel heard and valued. Set the tone with (work-appropriate) humor, keep things light and don’t hold back from sharing essential company information with your team.





Make sure to reward team accomplishments in some way, even if it’s as simple as ordering pizza to celebrate a marketing win, or handing out swag as a thank you for putting in extra hours for a special project. Gestures of gratitude don’t have to be grand or sweeping in order to be appreciated. By building a work culture that is appreciative and accepting, you’ll have something very attractive to offer potential employees that can help make up the cost of the lower salary.





Once the business takes off and money starts coming in, you can start moving salaries up to match current market value for roles, and, if you find a real superstar of an employee, perhaps exceed them to maintain a high quality workforce. But until that point, make sure that you’re paying as close as you can to market rates. Paying 10-15% percent below market rates is ok, paying 50% below market rates is not. But with a little ingenuity, flexibility and creative thinking, there’s no reason why you can’t build a dream team to take your business to the next level.





Author: StickerYou Founder & President, Andrew Witkin





Andrew



As the founder of a global e-commerce leader in custom-printed,
die-cut products, Andrew Witkin is widely recognized as a leading
authority on e-commerce, customization, startups, marketing and the tech
economy. Witkin has also served as VP North American Licensing for
Nelvana/Corus Entertainment and Director of Marketing for
MegaBrands/Mattel.


The post Negotiating Salaries as a Startup appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 14, 2019 21:56

March 13, 2019

Top 6 Foods To Improve Your Bust Size

Soy milk



Are you wondering how to achieve a large bust size naturally for that perfect body image? While there are other ways to increase the size like surgery from an NYC breast augmentation clinic or using prescribed breast enlargement creams or supplements, you can try some handy remedies even at home. The most natural way to enlarge your bust size, however, is eating the right kind of foods. Nuts, lean meat, and other foods boost estrogen levels. Here are the top 5 foods that will help you increase your breast size, without the need to use any organic supplements from the store.





Milk



All dairy products include a rich blend of
reproductive hormones just as those present in your body that are essential for
cell growth. The progesterone, prolactin as well as estrogen are required to
stimulate milk production. I suggest you have a glass of cow milk every day for
breakfast and other dairy items like cheese & yogurt to stimulate the
mammillary gland’s functioning & growth. Soy milk is also rich in protein
and isoflavones that boost hormone levels for a larger bust. You could
alternatively have soybeans added to your salads directly or cooked in meals.





Nuts



Aside from exercise and gym
sessions aimed at enhancing your bust size, peanuts, pecans, cashews, walnuts,
and other nuts are good sources of proteins and good fat. These are not only
great for your cognitive and metabolic efficiency but are also useful to
elevate reproductive hormone levels in the body. A handful a day in your meals
and salads is a good remedy.





Lean Meat



Lean protein through red meat and turkey
work great when you aim for a high protein diet. It will not only give your
bust size the much needed makeover but is also a rich source of nutritional
elements that are key drivers of productive hormone growth within your body.
Meat also contains phytoestrogens that facilitate the restructuring and proper
development of mammillary tissue. An average woman requires about 46g of
protein a day, so aim for that ballpark with some variety in the types of
servings you consume to gain maximum benefit.





Green Vegetables



Green leafy vegetables such as spinach,
kale, brassicas and lettuce are rich in growth-inducing components. These also
have phytoestrogens that are highly nutritional and offer great support when it
comes to building breast tissue. While they do not have ample phytoestrogens,
they do have enough nutrient-rich compounds that will help tone up the bust
shape and drive cell growth.





Seafood



Fish contains Omega 3 acids that are great
for cognitive development. In addition, they also pack other good fats that
induce breast growth. In fact, seafood like oysters, seaweed, shellfish, and
prawns are all rich sources of Manganese. It boosts sex hormone levels in your
metabolism. Add these to your everyday meals to notice a significant
improvement in your cup size.





Seeds



Most seeds like flax, pumpkin or sunflower
seeds have enough compounds with high nutritional value that are vital for
promoting better tissue burgeoning and larger bust size. Most of these will
give you benefits equal to those you would most probably receive from a breast
enlargement supplement you buy from an online pharmacy. Sprinkle some over your
desserts or salads and include them in your meals.


The post Top 6 Foods To Improve Your Bust Size appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 13, 2019 22:52

March 12, 2019

5 Benefits of Investing in Cybersecurity for Businesses

Cyber security



https://pixabay.com/photos/wallet-money-credit-card-online-2125548/





Cybersecurity — why
is it still a thing now?



Decades into the
internet age, you would think that cybersecurity companies have already
developed foolproof solutions that can avert any breach. However, statistics
clearly show that hackers are more than capable of keeping up with
ever-evolving technology.





According to the 2018 BDO Cyber Governance Survey, 73 percent of organizations now have to rely on third-party providers to meet their cybersecurity risk requirements





To put things in
perspective, that’s an increase of 30
percent
from 2016 — just two years ago.





The good news is,
cybersecurity doesn’t have to be a complicated ordeal.





There are many ways
small businesses or even solopreneurs to
protect their ventures against online threats. And in this post, we’ll discuss
the steps you can take as well as their benefits.





Let’s jump in.





1.
Winning Your Customers’ Trust



If you’re worried about the added costs of implementing comprehensive cybersecurity for your business, think about the conversion opportunities you’re missing out on because your customers don’t trust your brand.





Here’s a wake-up call: 40 percent of online shoppers may halt their purchase if they’re unsure of a website’s security.





It shouldn’t be
surprising, especially now that consumers are savvier and more privacy-aware
than ever.





On the flip side,
businesses can now use cybersecurity and privacy as a selling point.





Something as simple as a trust seal from a popular cybersecurity service or payment gateway can help you build buyer confidence. PayPal, for example, offers vendors verified logos that can help them win the trust of their customers — from credit banners to return shipping guarantee seals.





PayPal



2. Improving Your Search Engine
Rankings



At this point, it’s
safe to assume that you’ve read about Search
Engine Optimization
or SEO somewhere.





It’s basically one
of the pillars of modern digital marketing — helping websites earn free,
organic traffic from search engines.





Google, in
particular, heavily emphasizes user
experience
as an objective for websites who wish to rank. After all, it’s
their brand on the line if they recommend content from untrusted websites that
offer no value whatsoever.





To encourage businesses to reinforce their website’s security, they use Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure or HTTPS as one of the SEO ranking factors in their engine. This works by encrypting information such as credit card numbers, passwords, and usernames while they are being processed on a site.





Without HTTPS, the Chrome browser will promptly warn users about the risks of using a site — essentially telling them not to buy or make any sort of transaction.





Unsecure connection



HTTPS can be implemented with an SSL certificate, which is offered by most hosting service providers and third-party vendors like SSLs.com.





3. Stopping Zero-Day Attacks



In simple terms, a zero-day attack is an exploit that hackers take advantage of before
organizations even discover the vulnerability.





If you think about it, there’s no real way to defend against a threat that you’ve no idea of. Fortunately, enterprises can leverage threat intelligence matched with machine learning to stop zero-day attacks before they cause serious damage.





A managed SIEM or Security Information and Event Management service does just that.
Put simply, these services work by utilizing multiple threat intelligence feeds
to identify the latest threats.





It then works around the clock to monitor your
organization’s systems for any anomalies — stopping threats dead on their
tracks before they even show symptoms. 





Bulletproof is a UK-based company that offers managed SIEM services for all business sizes. They also offer additional services like vulnerability assessments, infrastructure testing, and 24-hour cyber incident response.





SIEM investment



4. Saving Your Startup from Death



The 2018 Cost of Data Breach Study by Ponemon reveals that the average cost of data breaches is $3.86 million.





That is, by no means, a small amount. As a matter of fact, 60 percent of small businesses shut down in six months following a cyber-attack.





Keep in mind that
downtimes and stolen records aren’t the only consequences of being complacent
with your cybersecurity. If a breach involves customer data, you also risk
losing the trust of your customers — something that takes a lot of time to build
but could collapse like a house of cards in a single incident.





This can be prevented with the right security software and a little planning. 





For example, to
eliminate the risk of losing everything after a breach, invest in scheduled backup services that guarantee
the safety of your data in the background.





In a cybersecurity ecosystem, backups function as a failsafe that can help you restore operations once a cyber-attack manages to puncture through your defenses. This can be done locally or with the help of cloud storage services like OneDrive and Google Drive.





Google drive



5. Preventing Downtime



Finally, you can’t
overlook the profits you’ll miss in case you’re targeted by cyber-attacks that
result in downtimes.





One popular example
would be a Distributed Denial of Service or
DDoS attacks.





A DDoS attack
occurs when a hacker uses a large network of infected systems — called a botnet — to flood servers with malicious
traffic. As the name suggests, such an event will deny legitimate users access
to the targeted website.





Fortunately, DDoS
attack mitigation is among the staple features of modern cybersecurity
services. Even hosting companies like HostGator
have built-in DDoS protection bundled with a web application firewall and
exhaustive security rule sets.





There are also Content Delivery Networks or CDNs that
spread the workload of handling traffic across a number of remote, proxy
servers. This can give any website a “cushion” that protects against the sudden
influx of malicious traffic that DDoS attacks bring.





As an added bonus,
CDNs also improves your website’s overall performance by reducing latency to
distant users. In turn, they can also boost your website’s conversions and
search engine rankings.





Conclusion



That’s it — five
reasons why your business cybersecurity and what to do about them.





The points above
should be more than enough to convince anyone to mobilize their cybersecurity
plans as soon as possible.





Always remember, we
live in an age where cybersecurity is no longer an option. It is a necessity
that ensures the long-term survival of your business.





If you have any
questions, suggestions, or just feedback in general, don’t hesitate to leave a
reply below. Cheers!


The post 5 Benefits of Investing in Cybersecurity for Businesses appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 12, 2019 23:20

Digital Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing

There
has been an appreciable change in the marketing strategies for small and big
businesses alike in the past couple of years. From the traditional modes of
marketing such as print media and television advertisements, the marketing
style has now shifted almost completely to digital marketing.





But
how can you determine that your marketing strategy is the right one for your
business and will give you a good return on your investment? After all, both
traditional marketing and digital marketing are equally important in their own
right and have several advantages and disadvantages associated with them.





This is why Revolution Productions is here to provide you with a quick insight on each of them. Check out.





Digital marketing



What Are Traditional and Digital
Marketing?




Marketing
a product through traditional modes of marketing include printed advertisements
in newspapers and magazines along with television and radio commercials as well
as billboards, flyers and so on.





On
the other hand, when you market your product online, that is, through social
media channels like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or when you create a website
for your business and promote the products or services through a dedicated
website, it is called digital marketing. Some other components of digital
marketing include pop-up ads, promotional e-mails, blogs, and business
networking websites like LinkedIn.





The Good and Bad about Traditional Marketing



Online marketing



Although
the focus is more on digital marketing nowadays, traditional marketing has its
own advantages as well. Firstly, it is the most well-known mode of marketing
and the kind that people are comfortable with. We have been reading
advertisements in newspapers and magazines and watching commercials in between
our favorite TV shows since as far back as we can remember.





For
a major section of the population who are not so tech-savvy, traditional
marketing is still the best way of introducing and promoting a product. It is
also easier to understand and if you are relying on print advertising such as
flyers or magazine ads, it also enables your prospective customers to retain a
hard copy of the advertisement for future reference.





On
the other hand, there are several areas where traditional marketing falls far
behind when you consider the cost efficiency and effectiveness. There is no
direct interaction with the customers. Thus, you can only wish and hope that
your advertisements find their way to the right audience.





The costs involved in traditional marketing are significantly higher as for an impactful advertising campaign, you will have to commit for a long term investment. Also, there are a lot of restrictions regarding space in the print media and time in the television commercials such that there is very little scope left for customizing the advertisements.





Why You Should Go For Digital Marketing?



Marketing goods



The
reason why digital marketing has become much more popular is simply because of
the major role that internet plays in our lives. We may not realize it, but we
rely on the internet for more than 70 to 80% of our daily activities. Whether
it is researching for a project, reading the daily news, catching up with our
friends on Facebook or watching the latest uploads on YouTube, the internet has
a significant presence in many aspects of our lives.





Moreover,
at least 90% of shoppers prefer to research the product they are buying online
first before actually purchasing it. It is little surprise that marketing of a
product through the internet proves to be much more effective as compared to
traditional marketing.





Some
other advantages that digital marketing enjoys over traditional marketing are
as follows:





Less expensive



Traditional
marketing requires a considerable upfront investment and has, therefore,
remained the preferred domain for big businesses who have huge marketing
budgets. Digital marketing requires very basic expenses and is much more
affordable. It is also more suitable for small businesses such as start-ups.





More scope for interacting with customers



Through digital marketing, you can introduce surveys, Live Q&A sessions, and webinars which not only promote your product but also help your targeted customers in getting back to your with their comments or queries. The spate of marketing through e-mails, messages and social media also ensures that you are constantly connected with your target customers rather than leaving it all to chance.





Results are quantifiable



With
digital marketing, you can actually get real-time results on how effective your
marketing strategy is. For example, you can easily count the number of visitors
who access your product’s web page, the time that they spend on browsing the
page and the number of customers who finally buy the product.





Bigger audience group



TV
commercials, as well as print advertisements, suffer from geographical
limitations because they are accessible only to people living in a certain
area. However, with digital marketing, you can expand your reach across the
world as the internet has no boundaries. You can customize your campaign to
address the specific requirements of target customers living in different
cities or even countries.





Which Should You Choose?



Digital
marketing should definitely be the preferred mode of marketing, especially if
your business is a bit cash-strapped. Since it is significantly less expensive
than traditional marketing and has a wider reach of audience, it is bound to give
you a better return on investment. On the other hand, in the long term, a mix
of both traditional and digital marketing styles would give your business the
best possible marketing strategy for the most effective product promotion.


The post Digital Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 12, 2019 23:02

Tips For Planning A Party

Impressing Clients



Organising a party can
sometimes be a daunting task. Its starts with who to invite, what type of
invites to get, what type of party to hold and finally how much it will cost. There
are so many areas to factor in, but once you have decided on the theme it is
then time to look at the finer details. We shall now take a look at some of the
areas which you also need to consider when hosting a party.





Budget



Make sure that you think
about the budget that you have before you go any further. This will ensure that
you keep your costs under control. One of the most expensive areas can be the
food and drink as well as the venue. Be sure to factor in all costs before you
embark on making any final decisions.





Décor



If you want to be elaborate you could look at creating your own décor for your party. You could personalise decorations and look for a stamp maker in Singapore which will help you to create individual decorations. If you don’t have the time to make your own decorations then you could look at using lighting to create a dramatic effect on your party. Consider fairy lights or mood lighting to create the perfect ambience.





Venue



Picking the right venue
for your party should be something you give great consideration to. You need to
think of the amenities that the venue offers. Something as simple as parking
for those travelling by car, as well as toilet facilities as they will give you
an idea of what the establishment is actually like. A well-appointed bathroom
will give your party guests a much better experience overall. The size of the
venue that you choose is also important as you don’t want too many guests in a
small same, equally, you don’t want an intimate affair in a large, open space either.





Themes



Consider creating a pretty logo such as a jasa bikin logo. Here you will get an idea of the kinds of design that you can have to give you party a personalised feel. You could add a logo to items such as napkins, tablecloths, party invitations, balloons and even the entrance banner.





Food /Drinks



The best parties are often those with the best food and drink. Depending on the type of party you are hosting, having food that is easy to consume and not too fancy will cater to everyone’s palates. Avoid heavily spiced foods or foods that are unique in taste or texture so that you cater for the masses. Plan your menu in advance and discuss your needs with your caterer.  Finally, always bear in mind food allergies and make your caterer aware of any such allergies if necessary.





Cakes



Pick a cake wisely. Think about the number of people that you will be inviting to your party and make sure that your cake is suitable for the number of guests. Consider what cake suits your party. Would sponge, fruit or chocolate be the best option? Once again remember to bear dietary requirements of your guests in mind.


The post Tips For Planning A Party appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 12, 2019 20:37

Learn About Mystery Callers with a Reverse Phone Lookup

Phone



It
can be difficult to determine who is calling when there is no identifying
information. You may only get the name of the city if you get anything.
Telemarketers and bill collectors rarely let their identity be known. They want
you to pick up the phone out of curiosity to see who it is. The problem with
most unknown calls is that they often happen several times a day. One bill
collector may call from several different numbers, as well. When you use a
reverse phone lookup, you can get a few different types of information.





Name



If the call is coming from a person or legitimate business, a reverse phone lookup may give you the name of the caller. This can be very helpful for determining how to handle a caller. You may recognize the name of the caller and feel comfortable calling them back. You may also decide to block the number if it is no one you know. If it is a personal number, you can even send a text  message asking the purpose of the call. Sometimes an unknown call is simply a wrong number. It also helps the person calling to know they have the wrong number so they can try to call the right person.





Type of Caller



If there is no name available from the reverse phone lookup, you may still get some helpful information. Sometimes it can be determined  what type of caller is likely to be on the other end of the line. You may get a response that says “personal” or “business”, for example. This can at least help you know what to expect if you choose to return the call. A location may also be available. Sometimes the area code on the number may not be accurate, as bill collectors often call from your own area code even if the office is located elsewhere.





Spam Risk



Sometimes information on the caller is hidden very well. A risk percentage, however, is often stated. This tells you if the number is likely to be a spam call. It may say something like “high risk of spam”. You may be comfortable calling a low risk number to see who answers. You may have several similar numbers that keep showing up. Bill collectors often use this tactic. They call from several different numbers that have similar beginnings. You can use the reverse phone lookup and research your call history to reach a more informed decision. If you keep receiving calls from similar numbers after you have blocked a few, it is likely a bill collector or telemarketer.





A reverse phone lookup can be a great asset if your phone is constantly ringing. You may be interrupted during your daily activities by too many unknown calls. This can cause you to turn your phone ringer off while you are at work or trying to enjoy your family time. You may even miss important calls when you do this. Take the time to look up each call so you can relax and enjoy your day.


The post Learn About Mystery Callers with a Reverse Phone Lookup appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 12, 2019 20:31

What are the Different Types of Investments

Crypto market



If you feel like you’ve seen a dozen articles about how millennials and the next generation beneath them don’t trust the stock market, it’s probably because you have. This is a very common topic of conversation in investing circles these days, and while there’s some data to suggest it’s an overblown point, the underlying idea still makes some sense. Wary of market corruption, tight on finances in general, and in many cases having seen their parents struggle through a recession, young people do often have a certain distrust for conventional styles of financial management and investment. It’s only natural that many in this category will seek alternatives to the markets, and we’ve certainly seen them doing so.

In the near future though there will be even more alternative investments made all the more readily available by technology. Most of them already exist even if we’ve yet to see them blow up as popular opportunities – and most of them at least appear to be fairly risky propositions. Nonetheless, there are some alternative pseudo-investments we would expect to see young people gravitating to more in the next few years.





1 – Cryptocurrency



By the time of this writing, a few months into 2019, it’s pretty much universally accepted that cryptocurrency investment is a hit-or-miss prospect. Some got wealthy in the 2017 boom; others lost quite a lot of money trying and failing to ride the wave. And since the resulting crash, cryptocurrency has been difficult to project and, all in all, weaker. However, its long-term potential still exists, and seemingly as a result a report just a few months ago indicated that millennials are sticking with cryptocurrency. Right or wrong, many young people with money to invest appear to trust cryptocurrency not as a sure thing, but as a means of alternative investment moving forward.





2 – Startup Equity



It may seem lazy to suggest that Shark Tank, the popular CNBC show, might influence investing philosophies. At least among its American audience, however, and among young people who don’t want to buy stocks, it may be doing just that. We’ve seen a steady rise in apps and online platforms designed to help average people buy into startup businesses and products, either in exchange for favorable deals or equity. It’s a small-scale, independent form of venture capital investment, and it appeals to a lot of young people, even if it tends to be a very risky proposition.





3 – Betting Markets



Many would scoff at the very idea of listing betting in a piece about investment. However, because betting sites have migrated into U.S. markets as a result of the lifting of a federal ban on sports betting, it’s something to consider. This will represent a new opportunity for Americans, and it stands to reason that a lot of young people who will be exposed to related sites and apps, and who often have close ties to sports, entertainment, and politics (all of which have betting listings), will start making bets. This should not be looked at as something that is as responsible or predictable as market investment, but this isn’t about what’s strategic so much as what’s likely. We’ll at least see some treat this like an alternative form of investment.





4 – eSports



This category is a little more uncertain, and can almost be tied to some degree to the idea of investing in startup equity. However you look at it, the eSports industry is booming, with lots of growth potential remaining. Some expect it to be as big, widespread, and lucrative as the “major” American sports in time, which indicates that getting in now, in one way or another, could pay off in a big way. There are lots of ways to make money in eSports, from hosting or streaming events, to buying into companies and teams, to gaming yourself. Between them, it’s a safe bet that young people are going to devise new investment opportunities and chase them enthusiastically. Whether or not it’s a good decision is an open question at this point.


The post What are the Different Types of Investments appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 12, 2019 03:49

March 11, 2019

Sean St. John: Thoughts From This Toronto National Bank Executive On Work, Life, and the Future of Finance

Business finance



For more than two decades, Sean St. John, who serves as Vice President at National Bank Financial, has built a successful career in the banking and financial sectors. After graduating from York University, he initially worked as a Junior Bond Trader and later a Corporate Bond Trader in Toronto. In 1996, he was hired at National Bank as the Vice President of Fixed Income. During his time at National Bank, he has helped the institution gain a reputation as one of the top underwriters in Canada.





In addition to his work in the financial sector, Toronto’s Sean St. John is known for his philanthropic contributions and is a regular supporter of organizations like Right To Play, the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Connected North, and Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, among others.





You
highly value contributing to your community and devoting your time and energy
to charitable causes.  Can you explain
where this passion for supporting your community comes from?





Sean St.
John:
 It is important to
support the community.





SeanSt.John



I love the idea of individuals coming together
to support important causes. Charitable giving is about more than just raising
money – it’s a way of showing gratitude to your community. If you believe a cause
is worthy of your support, do all you can to provide that support.





You are
involved with a number of charities. 
Later this year, in April, you are participating in Connected North’s
Tech4Good hockey tournament. Can you tell us about Connected North and the work
it does?





Connected North is a charity that delivers
education and mental health and wellness services, otherwise not available
locally, to students in remote northern communities in Canada through the use
of video technology.  The organization aims to empower children by providing students and
teachers with access to people and places that are engaging and
innovative. 





What
advice do you have for today’s young entrepreneurs?





Sean
St. John:
Hard work and drive are essential. And there
must be a huge emphasis on soft skills. Emotional intelligence, being able to
problem solve, accepting criticism graciously: these traits are all so
important.





Why do
you think these soft skills are so important?





Sean St. John: Well, I recently watched a speech given by Jack Ma discussing this topic. He makes an important point in the speech: namely, that with all of the technology of the future, machines will handle an increasing amount of responsibilities in the world of tomorrow.  Of course, that’s great and exciting.  But, the thing is, children can’t compete with robots. Machine technology will always have more knowledge and be analytically more capable. Playing sports, participating in the arts, learning to care for others and think creatively — that is what sets humans apart and these soft skills are what we need to focus on when it comes to preparing our children for the near future.


The post Sean St. John: Thoughts From This Toronto National Bank Executive On Work, Life, and the Future of Finance appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 11, 2019 21:31

How to Make A Full Time Living in Financial Trading?

Forex trading



Financial trading has been a high
barrier-to-entry trading sector, but this is changing as time goes by in
today’s market. Technology has made it possible for anyone with get-up-and-go
and endurance to trade. Most people wonder how can one make a living trading
stock, forex or precious metals! These days, nearly anyone can make a living by
working as a day trader from home, courtesy of online trading. Sounds
fantastic? The idea that anyone can quit their day job and make a living
trading stocks, forex or precious stone. Right?





To many, it seems like an impossible fantasy, but
it’s possible to day trade for a living.  Financial trading offers great options for
people with the desire to put in the time and learn day financial trading. So,
how to make a full time living in financial trading?





The new era of financial
trading




Today, technology advances and the increasing
number of exchanges have revolutionized the market with some meager
barrier-to-entry trading opportunities. Some trading careers don’t require
personal capital, and in other cases, only a small amount of money is needed to
get started and verify your commitment to trading.  The market is highly interlinked, forex
trading is running 24/7 around the world, and a trader can access such markets
via the internet with ease. This means that you can trade any time of the day
from home. All you need is the right market and opportunity.





Note, financial trading isn’t an easy business;
it can be very tough to stay in the long-run. It’s easy to enter the market,
but the ultimate success depends on you. Financial trading can be done full- or
part-time depending on your situation to generate additional income.





Getting Ready to Trade



First, spend serious time learning everything about financial trading. The aim is to be a day trader for short-term gains, unlike an investor looking for long-term profits. You need to put in enough hours that will give you a stronger understanding of the trading world you’re about to invest your time. It’s easy to access information from regulatory bodies such as the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Internal Revenue Services (IRS), and Financial Industry RegulatoAuthority (FINRA). The information will get you started on regulation, market management and what is required of you.





To master financial trading, you will need a
sound trading methodology, that will take advantage of volatility and high
level of risk management as its core principle. As you learn to trade test the
methods in different market environments as a demo and then with real money to
make sure you’re ready to get started.





Full-time financial trading needs a lot of preparation.
Set aside at least one year’s worth of income before you start-money earning for
your living expenses. This provides peace of mind, allowing you to focus on
your new career without the pressure of having to trade to make the rent.  Steel yourself for income inconsistency that
accompanies trading.





Available Trading Options



An average person can quickly enter the trading arena with little trading experience and create worth. The best option is to learn to create a trading plan using top online courses such as “Become A Day Trader.”  The course will guide you on actual trade and include a step-by-step trading book for six trades you can start right away, and it takes less than a week to complete. You can also search for free material online and learn day trade at home.





Trade Independently



This the first option and the easiest, it’s
flexible, and you can trade from home molded around your daily life. Day
trading at home is capital intensive, as the minimum capital prerequisite for a
trader is $25,000 which must be sustained at all times. In case it falls below
the minimum to trade, you will have to reset the level by either cash or
securities. However, other markets require less capital with low
barriers-to-entry. For example, forex trading is an excellent alternative with
a trading minimum of $100, the market open 24 hours a day for traders who
cannon trade during regular hours.





CFD trading, on the other hand, provides
volatility and high leverage, with a smaller amount of capital needed to enter
the market.





Proprietary Trading Firms



If the idea of trading from home doesn’t work
for you, you can opt for the trading floor — this a great option to try with
proprietary trading firms providing great training programs and low fee
structures. On a contract basis, a day trader can work for proprietary trading
and receive a share of the profits made from trading.





Last Take



Day trading for a living is highly attractive
since it allows you the opportunity to be your boss while generating additional
income. It’s critical to decide a trading option that fits you and choose a
market based on your capital and interest. You must then make a comparison
trading plan equivalent to a business plan as trading is your new business and
decide how to operate as a trader. Find and explore a few online brokers, and
what they offer coupled with a mentor helping you and start your trading.





With those caveats in mind, day financial
trading offers a consistent income, and it’s an extremely lucrative way to make
a living.


The post How to Make A Full Time Living in Financial Trading? appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 11, 2019 03:15

When are you Ready to Leave your Job and Start a Business?

Business plan



The idea of quitting your  job to start a new business of your own can
truly be a great idea as you get to be your own boss and also work on your own
terms and conditions. And these all things are even more fascinating if you
hate your job that you are working in now. But you need to understand that
although many people start it on a high note with great enthusiasm, often with
time the whole motivation goes down and there are several reasons before this.
making a start up is no cakewalk and before jumping into this field you need to
answer a few questions to yourselves to know if you are ready to leave your old
job and start on the new venture or not!





If you are one of those who are thinking to start their
own job by quitting your previous one, there are a few things you might want to
questions yourselves to ensure that you are fully ready.





Know whether
your current situations will support you or not!




Now it has been found that people often find themselves
in some inescapable situations like responsibility of your family specially
kids, or too much of job pressure or time constraints, financial limits etc.
Now in a majority of the cases these are merely excuse given by the so called
‘would be – entrepreneurs’. But at times these may be true in some cases. You
need to understand if you are capable of overcoming theses obstacles or not.
Although it is always a good idea to push your limits but you don’t have to
overdo it. So take time to analyze your capabilities before you go ahead with
your decision.





Are you
really passionate about this?




To be honest there is truly the right time start something. Many people keep waiting for things to happen. Ask yourself if you are seriously passionate about this business idea that you have? And if the answer is yes, then just go for it. There is nothing in this world you can do more beautifully, than the things that you are truly passionate about.





How willing
are you to grow further?




Now there is no doubt that passion will help you take
that leap by which you can start your business but keep in mind that your
willingness will take you places. You should understand that if you are going t
start you business you need to have a clear goal and a vision set in your mind,
and this should not be deterred no matter what people say, also you need to
have a really strong willpower because this will help you survive in some of
the toughest day of your life that people entrepreneurs mostly face during the
initial days of your startup. And as an entrepreneur you also have to be
prepared to wear many hats. Now take time to understand whether you are willing
to face all of this and tackle with this.





Will you be
able to tackle with the uncertainties?




Leaving a job clearly means that you are now going to ditch those regular paychecks and are going to embrace a future that upholds uncertainties. Being an entrepreneur means that you have to have enough guts to tackle any kind of uncertainty that comes your way. The idea of starting a new business in itself is a big challenge and on top of it being able to tackle with the uncertainties that will be coming your way demands from you to have strong faith in yourself.





Conclusion



Thus if you are deciding to ditch that regular job and
start your business, it can turn out to be the best decision you will ever
make. All you have to do is to analyze yourself on the basis of the questions
discussed above and be prepared to face the challenges yet to come.


The post When are you Ready to Leave your Job and Start a Business? appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.


 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 11, 2019 02:49