Mohit Tater's Blog, page 611

Why We Listen to Only to Talk

You are very excited about something that happened with you at work. You want to share it with your best friend, but she is going on and on about her upcoming wedding plans. You do let her finish, because you were taught to do so (let the other person speak and not interrupt him/her). You hear everything she says. You hear, not listen. You don’t pay attention to her talk. You are more interested in telling her about what happened with you. You are concerned about yourself. You are impatient.

We all are. We are impatient and intolerant. We want to talk and not listen. We want everyone to hear us, listen to us, understand us, but we ourselves are too restless to recognize and realize other’s concerns. In this fast paced world, while we are busy concentrating on our speaking skills, our listening abilities are declining.

Why is it important to be a good listener?

As much as you like to talk, it is important for each on to have an ear to hear. Listening helps you to connect with the other person personally. When someone turns to you to speak their mind, that person is asking for attention, praise, appreciation, admiration and love. Talking too much and listening too less is comfortable, but not healthy. We always feel that the person who talks is the stronger person and has full control over the conversation. But in reality, it is not always important to march forward by storming your thoughts and feelings to the other person.

Sometimes, it takes some listening to make us realize that every life has cracks, every person has unsorted issues and everyone has a back story justifying their current personality. Talking about your deepest desires, failures, achievements, opinions, conclusions, and lessons learned is always fun and satisfying. But listening to someone talk passionately about something that they truly care about is beautiful, because their eyes shine the brightest with a different glow on their faces. Sometimes all the other person needs is your attention, really connecting, fully being there, and watching the other person relax, and unfold their tangled souls.

So the next time someone is sad or too excited about something, try to make the person feel comfortable and relaxed. Proper eye contact and expressions. Ask questions- what, why? Keep your phone or laptop aside. Engage yourself in the conversation. Show them you care or at least that you are actually listening.

Because sometimes all the other person needs is someone who can listen to them, tell them it’s great or it will be soon. Someone who may not completely understand their situation. Someone who does not give suggestions and advices. Someone who just listens.

While we all expect to have that ‘someone’ in our lives we forget to be that way. Be that ‘someone’. Start listening. Start connecting.

The post Why We Listen to Only to Talk appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Golden Rules of Investment Business

Everyone knows Forex trading is one of the most profitable business in the world. Even the large banks and institutions are involved in trading since it allows them to make a decent profit by using the market leverage. But what about the retail traders? Do you think they are able to make a huge profit in this market? Sadly the majority of the rookie traders are facing an extreme level of difficulty in this investment business. According to recent statistics, more than 90% of the traders are losing money on regular basis. In today’s article, we will share some of the golden rules of investment business. If you can follow this rules, you will feel the change in your trading performance within a very short period of time.

Stop trading the new highs and lows

The new traders always love to trade the new highs and lows. But these are the riskiest zone in the trading industry. The market either retraces back or exhibit extended movement in such market conditions. Even the experienced traders find it really hard to trade such conditions. In order to reduce the risk exposure, you need to focus on market retracement and the existing trend. You should never execute any trade against the prevailing trend. This is the only way by which you can reduce the number of losing trades.

Stop trusting other people

Trusting the expected trader is another big mistake made by the novice traders. Just after becoming an active member in the exchange traded funds community the rookie traders start following other people advice. You need to understand one simple fact, the outcome of each trade is completely random. You might have a master degree in economics yet it’s impossible to predict the price of a certain asset with 100% accuracy. For this very reason, the expert traders consider this profession as a state of art.

Never fear to close your losing trades

Closing your losing trades at the right time is extremely important for your success. The new traders don’t really understand why they should close a trade. They stick to their losing orders and make it big. At one point they often blow their account. This is where the professionals are one step ahead. The moment they understand the trade has gone wrong they close their trade without giving a second thought. Such prompt action is very crucial for your long-term success in the investment industry.

Information is power

In the world of economic crisis, information is considered to be a most powerful asset in the investment business. Always be alert so that you don’t miss any major news release. Keeping yourself tuned with the fundamental factors of the market is one of the key ingredients to saving your investment. In fact, fundamental analysis is the only way by which you can secure big winners in this market. So don’t think you will only learn technical analysis and become a successful trader. Work hard to know the impact of high impact news on major currency pairs.

Adapting to the changes in the market

We all know the famous proverb trend is your friend. But do you really think all trends are absolute? Even the major currency pairs change its trend from time to time. High impact news release like NFP or FOMC statement can easily change the market trend. As a currency trader its highly imperative you know when the market has changed its trend. But you should never trade with fresh trend unless it exhibits higher highs or higher or lower highs. Some of you might say identifying the market reversal is extremely hard but in reality, it’s really very simple. Just use the simple trend line tools and asses the fundamental factors of the market. If you still feel confused, seek help from expert traders. It won’t take time to understand how to spot the perfect reversal in any market.

The post The Golden Rules of Investment Business appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Brakes on Your Car: An Essential Safety System

One of the most important systems on your vehicle has nothing to do with allowing you to drive faster or more efficiently. The primary goal of this system is to get you stopped safely, without damaging your car or another vehicle, and to keep passengers and pedestrians safe. Your brakes should always be in excellent operating order, ready to bring you to a halt smoothly and in time to avoid catastrophe.

Unfortunately, many car owners don’t give the brake system the attention it deserves, hoping to “get by” until there’s no other option but to have a mechanic perform a brake replacement. The technology used to manufacture the brakes on your car has changed in amazing ways through the past century. To put it simply, and in broad categories, your brake system has gone from purely mechanical to hydraulic and now, to a method that industry observers call brake-by-wire.

No Physical Link

According to the trusted source, Popular Mechanics, this new technology uses a signal that is interpreted by the car’s computer, which then determines the amount of pressure applied to brake calipers.1 There is no physical link between your brake pedal and the rest of the brake system. In early mechanical brakes, there was a cable that moved the calipers when you put your foot on the pedal.

With hydraulic brakes, the most common type in 20th century cars, pressure on the pedal caused fluid to pass through brake lines (small tubes) and this fluid pressure moved the calipers to slow the turning of the wheels. Now, a similar method is used, but the pressure at the wheels begins when the car’s computer system interprets the signal.

This is certainly a simplified description of how the process works, but it takes proven brake technology to an entirely new level. At this time, brake-by-wire is not commonly used on vehicles produced for the general public. The technology is, however, already part of the racing world, with several sports-car manufacturers and racing teams testing the braking method.

Good Brakes

It’s essential to have good brakes at all times, of course, so it will still be necessary to keep your car’s stopping power in good working condition. You can learn more about how brakes work, and should work, when you view this infographic from Autodoc. The information takes you down to the all-important brake pads, and how to know when they’re not performing as they should.

This easy-to-understand graphic will also help with your peace of mind as you’re traveling on local streets and area roads, because you’ll know what is happening, and what should happen, when you apply pressure to the pedal.

Most drivers know how the brake pedal feels when things aren’t right, and it may come to pass that your personal vehicle will have pedal feel that’s customized to your needs and to those of other drivers. If you have no idea how brakes help make you safer and more comfortable in your car, take a few minutes now to learn more about this essential system.

The post The Brakes on Your Car: An Essential Safety System appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Macpaw Gemini 2 Review: The Magic Eraser for Duplicate Files on Your Mac

If you purchased your Mac in the past two or three years, chances are you have a machine with an SSD and flash storage. The amazing benefits of SSDs, like quick bootup times, are well-documented. Along with these great features offered by flash storage comes a major caveat: limited storage capacity.

This situation poses a dilemma for dedicated Mac users. If you are attached to your Mac like most people, you would enjoy a speedy performance at the expense of limited storage space. Some ingenious Mac fans have found various workarounds to this problem. The easiest thing the average Mac user can do is to keep files in order and get rid of anything that is not strictly necessary.

One of the top space-hogging culprits on Macs is the duplicate file. Most people use their Macs to store media files like photographs and video. Scrubbing duplicate files on your Mac can save up significant amounts of storage space and keep your machine running at optimal speeds.

Gemini 2 from Macpaw is a frontline tool you can use against duplicates stored on your Mac. Let’s look at how this particular Mac app fares in practice:

What Exactly is Gemini 2?

The sales pitch for the Gemini 2 is quite straightforward. It’s an app that Mac users can download from a site like Setapp to locate and remove duplicate files. Gemini 2 promises to find duplicates stored in even the remotest corners of your Mac.

The app is not just a scan and delete tool. It is capable of rapidly scanning through even the largest files without taking up an entire day. Users can individually examine scan results and select files to delete. The app also comes with a “Smart Select” tool that will identify duplicates automatically and get rid of them.

How It Works

Gemini 2 comes with a highly user-friendly interface. It’s extremely simple to use, even if you are a complete Mac noob. The app is available in a trial mode for a test run. The free mode allows you to delete 500MB of duplicates in total.

Start by downloading the app. When you open Gemini 2, there will be a giant button for scanning your computer for duplicate files. Let it run. The runtime really depends on the size and type of files on your Mac. The app typically takes less than 10 minutes to complete a scan. If your Mac has fairly large files in bulk, it may take around 15 minutes. The scan speed isn’t lightning fast, but it’s reasonably quick.

When the scan is complete, Gemini 2 notifies you of the size of duplicates found in total. Don’t be surprised if the app finds gigabytes of duplicates on your Mac. The app doesn’t proceed with deleting files right away. You can manually review the duplicates by going to an overview window.

Now comes the most interesting aspect of Gemini 2: It doesn’t just find the exact duplicates of files, it also finds similar files. In other words, a significant amount of files the app will mark off as duplicates are really only potential duplicates. This is an important distinction to make and the app will do it for you.

The reviewing process eliminates the problem of accidentally deleting an important file. If you store photos, for example, some files may only have slight differences, but they might still be important to retain. You can easily browse these similar files and decide on which to delete and what to keep.

The Drawbacks

Gemini 2 is a highly useful app. But like all apps, it comes with a few downsides. The biggest of these (and perhaps the only one) is that the app takes up a hefty amount of CPU capacity. When Gemini 2 is scanning your files, CPU usage can shoot up to 80 percent or more. So you won’t be able to do much while the scan is running. Apart from this, the app itself doesn’t take up much space or processing power.

On a minor note, the Gemini 2 isn’t available for free. You can use a trial mode as described above. To use the complete version of the app, you will have to dish out about $20 a month. However, the cost will be less significant if your purchase Gemini 2 with an app suite like Setapp. The Setapp suite includes dozens of apps to improve the productivity and efficiency of Macs. The total price is around $10 a month, so you get a lot more value for money.

The Bottom Line

Gemini 2 is an immensely useful app for Mac users who store plenty of photos, music, video, and other files on their drives. Both individual and enterprise users can benefit from Gemini 2 to keep their Macs clean and running smoothly.

The app comes with only minor drawbacks that are easily dwarfed by the amazing benefits offered. It’s speedy, convenient, and perfect for keeping your files well-organized.

The post Macpaw Gemini 2 Review: The Magic Eraser for Duplicate Files on Your Mac appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Green Office: Inspiring Eco-Friendly Ideas in Your Workplace

We can all do a part in reducing our carbon footprint if we escape the disposable consumerism found in our daily routines. This, especially so, in the office environment — an environment often so focused on the task at hand it often neglects the impact it has on our Earth.

The carbon footprint of a business typically factors in utilities and travel. But, are there ways to go beyond the basics? Are there ways to inspire employees to not only do their part in building a greener office but take these ideas home?

7 Ways to “Plant the Seed” of an Eco-Friendly Workforce

Previously, we talked of different ways to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. This included some ideas like swapping desktops to laptops, using hybrid cars for the fleet and allowing employees to work remotely.

These are all great when you look at them from a business perspective. They’re items you can control, as a business owner has the ultimate say on the business’s investments.

But, how can you extend that reach, encouraging eco-friendly ideals to the employees? Try these:

Change the Water Cooler Gathering. Talks and gossip around the water cooler are a staple for businesses. But, many businesses have done away with breakroom features. This gets employees bringing their own drinks — often in plastic bottles — contributing to plastic waste. An Aramark office water dispenser would provide filtered water, reduce plastic waste, and bring back the social gathering to the workforce.
Bring On BYOD. Computers, phones, and general tech hardware are essential for the business operations. Yet, these items are replaced en masse every few years to accommodate needed updates. Try changing the business policy allowing employees to use their personal devices for work. A BYOD policy matches user controls, cloud software, and devices granting ultimate flexibility without discarded tech.
Introduce Wellness Programs. Consider the wasted resources whenever someone needs an unnecessary trip to the hospital. The countless hours performed by medical professionals, used medical items, time off causing disruption, and transportation. A wellness program benefits employees by improving their health contributing to fewer issues disrupting their work. This inadvertently could help the business go green in the sense employees are less likely to add on resource expenditure from their hospital visits.
Mindful Business Spending. Does your business purchase most office products from big box retailers? If so, then you’re contributing to the waste introduced through the supply chain. There’s no way to avoid all of the carbon footprint from supplies manufacturing and transportation. But, you can attempt to reduce some of it by ordering directly from suppliers. You may want to explore pairing with eco-friendly business supplies companies, too.
Try a Potluck or Catering. Imagine the amount of energy used and waste brought whenever employees bring their lunch. A couple hundred employees can quickly fill dumpsters! Consider a potluck-style approach to lunch-time meals through an in-house kitchen or catering services. This creates great food options for employees (improving morale). Or, is more likely to use recyclable cookware (catering).
Participate in Giving Back. Introduce a green initiative letting employees contribute to local, environmental projects. Bring the team out for community building activities like planting trees or cleaning parks. This extracurricular activity is great for team building. But, also beneficial to the business’s local impact. The activity may also encourage better, eco-friendly habits within each employee!
Reuse What’s Possible. Don’t want to spend money on a huge upgrade to the workstations? Don’t want that cost of upgrading the fleet? Consider buying used for most items your business needs. Refurbished units breathe new life into still-good products. You may even have the barebones enough to upgrade them cheaply — bringing them up-to-speed with the newer models. Likewise, you’ll find many used/refurb items delivering equally positive returns as some were future-proofed!

A green initiative should be a fun and rewarding experience. It should pose a fun challenge letting employees find new and innovative ways to not only reduce their carbon footprint but also create efficiency with their work. There are thousands of small ways to make an eco-friendly business if you’re creative. See what your business can implement, and proudly claim your operations are Earth-friendly!

The post The Green Office: Inspiring Eco-Friendly Ideas in Your Workplace appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

What Really Happens To Entrepreneurs Who Face a DUI

As the founder and entrepreneur of a business, there are many perks. For the most part, you have no one to answer to but yourself and are free to take creative risks and build products and services that make you happy (and are profitable). However, as the face of a business, you could deal with serious scrutiny if you’re slapped with a DUI (driving under the influence).

The legal drinking limit is 0.08 percent BAC, which equates to a single 5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce beer. And there are some single-can drinks, like the Four Loko, that trump both beer and wine in terms of alcohol content, and can make the drinker feel as though “one drink” doesn’t do anything. In fact, a single serving of Four Loko is equivalent to 4.7 glasses of wine.

Alcohol isn’t the only issue either. According to the the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2016, 1,017,808 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. So when it comes to the title of founder or business owner, how exactly could your personal life and professional life be affected by a DUI?

According to the United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2016 there was an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality incident every 50 minutes.

You Could Lose Your Position

The hard truth is that the greatest of entrepreneurs can be professionally demolished by something like a DUI. Sam Sharma and Raymond Trapani, founders of Cryptocurrency startup Centra, are perfect examples of this. After the company had raised $32 million, they were indicted by a grand jury on perjury charges, following an incident where Sharma had been caught driving under the influence a year prior. Both Sharma and Trapani had testified that they knew Sharma had had too much to drink before he got in the vehicle. As a result, both founders had to step down, and will likely face serious complications finding investors in the future.

Seeking Representation

One of the first things you want to do as a founding individual in a startup is to seek representation. Believe ir or not, sometimes that are extenuating circumstances that could help you in what feels like a hopeless case.

DUI lawyer Dan Noll says, “At first, it may seem like fighting your DUI is a lost cause. Many people simply walk into court and plead guilty without understanding the consequences of pleading guilty to a Driving Under the Influence charge. However, there are many ways to fight a DUI and keep your driving privileges.”

If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, the first thing you should do is seek proper legal representation, and preferably a lawyer who specializes in DUIs. A great attorney will be able to lessen the impact a DUI has on your life, and mitigate the effects of a potential conviction.

You Might Have to Call Office Hours Quits

Once you’ve been hit with a DUI, you run the risk of having your driving privileges suspended. For entrepreneurs who are expected to drive to and from the office, meet with clients, or meet with investors, this can be crippling for your bottom line and ability to stick to plans. Of course, if you live in cities with great public transportation, this might not be as big of an issue. However, it’s something you should consider either way.

Your State Might Be Very Harsh

All states handle DUI charges differently, but they all have one thing in common: they don’t take it lightly. If you have more than one DUI, and your mistakes seem habitual, you could have your license revoked altogether, which, as previously mentioned, could impact your ability to transport to and from important meetings and offices. However, some states are so strict that even just one DUI could result in jail time, depending on the circumstances.

Aside from potential jail time, you could also be forced to attend alcohol education meetings, submit to court-ordered alcohol tests at random, pay fees, get on probation, and have to attend various counseling sessions. As you can imagine, these “punishments” can also have a negative effect on your ability to properly put your time and effort into your business.

Less Money to Put Into Your Business

As an entrepreneur, you’re likely using some of your own savings to fund your business. But if you’re caught driving another the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could face serious trouble giving your business the financial attention it deserves. Once you get a DUI, your insurance rates skyrocket. After all, insurance rates are calculated by a variety of factors, and one of those factors is risk. People who have been given a DUI are considered a massive risk.

Your Reputation Takes a Hit

In addition to all the other penalties you face, your reputation will definitely take a hit. Having a DUI isn’t just risk to insurance companies—it’s risky to investors, too. Many investors aren’t willing to work with someone who’s liable to make bad mistakes that could impact their own lives, the lives of others, and lifeline of their own business. A DUI also speaks volumes for your character and sense of judgement.

The post What Really Happens To Entrepreneurs Who Face a DUI appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Why Laser Engraving Technology is Used in Manufacturing Industries

Lasers are used to mark, etch or engrave more products than you might realize, including smartphones, laptops, jewelry, book covers, sporting goods, and so much more! The laser process can be used to create logos, decorative patterns, safety instructions, bar codes and anything else that needs to be permanently etched onto a product or its packaging. As the technology gains popularity year on year, there is an increasing number of businesses that are investing in lasers for their manufacturing facility. So, the big question is what makes this technology so beneficial to businesses worldwide? Let’s explore a few reasons why lasers are used so extensively in the manufacturing industry:

It’s eco-friendly

Consider the amount of waste produced through the use of standard ink printers, especially those used in a production facility.  Many ink cartridges wind up in landfills, and even if you use recyclable ink cartridges, the recycling process usually produces a tremendous amount of harmful fumes and emissions. The ink itself can also be damaging to the environment, as many types of ink contain hazardous chemicals that seep into the ground as they break down and degrade.

The laser etching process doesn’t involve the use of ink or their cartridges. Lasers also don’t require chemicals that eventually wind up in the ground! This makes laser engraving a very eco-friendly process.

Non contact process

Stamping a product involves contact between the product and a press of some sort. Some products can get damaged by even minimal pressure and contact, or the ink used for printing might bleed into the product or smear across its surface.

Laser engraving involves no contact so it’s safe to use for delicate products, porous materials, or any material that might be compromised by pressing, printing, or stamping. Laser engraving also won’t strip away coatings or paints, and won’t dislodge aggregates or anything else embedded in a product’s surface.

Ink printing is not always precise

Standard ink printing on a product or package often results in smearing and imprecise lettering, especially if the item is moving while being printed! Laser engraving is much more exact and can create the smallest of lettering and symbols with precision, even if a product is moving or vibrating.

Precision engraving is essential for virtually any product or application, but it can be especially necessary for lettering and symbols required for government compliance. If your product needs special warnings, symbols, or handling instructions on its front, you don’t want to take the risk of having illegible or unreadable lettering due to poor printing processes. Laser engraving can also be needed for foreign languages and symbols, as these often need to be very precise to be legible.

Laser engraving is very adaptable

If a production line switches between products, the manufacturer might need to stop and change the ink cartridge in an inkjet printer, or reset the distance from the printer or stamping machine to the product, and so on. This stoppage can slow down production or even bring it to a grinding halt!

Laser engraving is much more adaptable, as you don’t need to manually adjust distances, depth of spray, pressing depth, and other such details, and there are no inks to swap out or cartridges to change. Your production processes won’t be slowed down even if you need to switch between several different products, packaging, and the like.

There are many benefits to using laser engraving in the production of products and packaging. Whatever your product, the speed of production, or needs for compliance, laser engraving is frequently the most efficient and precise means of labelling or other markings items. As the technology becomes more affordable, we expect to see more businesses switch to lasers for their production process. And overall, this would reduce the need for traditional printing methods and result in a big win for our environment.

The post Why Laser Engraving Technology is Used in Manufacturing Industries appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Things you need to Know in Order to Find the Best Online Mortgage Broker

Buying a house is a big step and you want to make sure you get the best deal possible when you choose a mortgage. Part of ensuring that happens is finding the best mortgage broker, something you can do quite easily online. Before getting started, it’s a good idea to have an idea of what you’re looking for, so use the following advice to help you find the mortgage broker who is going to help you get the best deal.

Know Your Credit Score

Before you attempt to get a mortgage, you must know your credit score. This is a number that will determine how much money you can get to buy a property, and even if you are qualified to get a loan in the first place. If you have a low credit score, you may not be able to find a lender who is willing to work with you. If you have good credit, you have a lot of options available to you.

You can apply with as many mortgage lenders as you desire within 30 days (without hurting your credit)

You may have heard that the more times you apply for a loan, the lower your credit score will drop. However, if you’re shopping around for a mortgage, you can contact more than one as long as you do so within 30 days of getting started. This will help maintain your credit score and keep you from finding out you can’t get a loan because you applied too many times.

Find a Reputable Mortgage Company

Chances are you’ve heard of a variety of mortgage companies and sticking with one that has a good reputation is important. Do your homework and ask for referrals from people who have recently bought a home themselves. You also want to find a licensed and experienced mortgage lender. These steps allow you to have peace of mind when you choose a mortgage and helps you get the best rates possible.

Compare Loan Offers From Multiple Online Lenders

When you’re shopping around for the right mortgage online, it makes sense to compare offers from several sources. This way, you know you’re getting the best deal and are finding a mortgage that fits your budget and your needs. Use Habito’s calculator app to help you determine what you can afford and how much you want to qualify for. This allows you to look for lenders that can meet those needs.

Maximize Your Credit Score

If your credit score isn’t quite what you’d like it to be, there are some things you can do to maximize it. Consider opening up a small line of credit and making regular payments for several months in a row. You might also pay off outstanding debt and get into the habit of paying your bills on time. Within a few months, you should see your credit score start to go up, which will help you qualify for the loan you want.

The post Things you need to Know in Order to Find the Best Online Mortgage Broker appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

How You Can Learn from the Business Mistakes of Others

It’s impossible not make a mistake or two when you have a long, successful career as a businessperson. After all, this is all a part of the learning curve. Nonetheless, it is important to reduce the number of errors you make while running a company as some of these issues could prove to be devastating. One of the best ways you can do this is to learn from the mistakes other entrepreneurs and business individuals have made before you.

Do Your Research

For better or for worse, there is no lack of businesses that have failed in the past. This is why compiling a list of all the truly bad cases can help you learn what missteps to avoid. Of course, as you can imagine, this does mean that there is quite a bit of research ahead of you. Fortunately, you will find that there are sources that have already put together some of the more important examples for you. Case in point is where Betway study some of the worst business decisions in history. Articles such as these will make it easier to figure out how some of the top companies in the world managed to bungle their affairs.

Analyze the Problems

Once you have the necessary research with you, it is time to move onto identifying what the problem was. Now, on the surface, it may seem rather obvious what the main issue was. However, you shouldn’t simply take this explanation at face value. Let’s imagine, for instance, that a particular company failed because they refused to evolve with the times. You could dig a little deeper to find out why the people in charge neglected to do so. For example, did they believe that their product would continue to be relevant several years into the future? It is imperative to determine the root cause of such cases so that you will be able to better circumvent such situations.

Examine Your Own Company

Now, in the previous step, you would have come to a conclusion regarding what the real problem was. So, the next thing to do is to take a closer look at your own company. Do you see any similar issues brewing there? For instance, do you feel that the plans you made for the future are based on principles or predictions that are only in line with the current market situation? If so, the first step to correcting the error is to identify its place in your company and determine how it may have managed to take root there.

Create Effective Solutions

The final step is to do better than your predecessors when faced with such a business decision or dilemma. This means coming up with a strategy that will help you successfully avoid or deal with pitfalls that you may face. At the same time, analyze your own solutions or flaws. After all, you don’t want to avoid one problem only to have it lead you directly to another.

These are a few steps you need to take if you want to learn from the mistakes of past businesses. In doing so, you are more likely to prepare your company for success.

The post How You Can Learn from the Business Mistakes of Others appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Awesome Ways to Promote Your Company Values and Brand Message

As transparency becomes more and more vital in business, consumers often prefer businesses with values that align with their own beliefs and causes. Thus, the question that begs to be asked is: how can your business promote its values? Advocating for and supporting charitable organizations is one way, of course. A recent study shows that nearly nine out of ten consumers say they prefer to frequent businesses that donate to charities. Your business could also take a political stand. Having said that, this could be a bit of a risky move with the potential to alienate some of your customer base.

Fortunately, there is a myriad of ways to promote your business’s values other than giving to charity and getting political. Corporate Business Solutions recommend considering the following five ways to manifest your company values.

Show your support of American workers and U.S. businesses

You can source American-made products from local and regional manufacturers and designers. You want to attract shoppers who care about buying American items by marking these products as “Made in America” with in-store signage, in your marketing materials, or online. Promote them on patriotic holidays such as the fourth of July or Memorial Day.

Manifest your support of your local community

Sponsor local youth or adult athletic teams, community events, or community organizations. Even something simple such as being an active member of your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary club shows others that you care about the community where your business is located enough to get involved in making it a better place.

Show that you value the environment

Reduce your company’s carbon footprint. Buy recycled paper for your office, refill your printer ink cartridges instead of buying new ones, and buy energy-efficient equipment. Sell products that are created from repurposed or recycled materials, or manufactured in environmentally-sustainable ways. You might even want to hold a promotion encouraging customers to donate used clothing, used bedding, used housewares, or whatever is applicable to your business.

Show that you value your employees

Offer attractive salaries and generous benefits packages. Provide perks such as flex time, remote work, and other extras to keep your employees in good spirits. Highlight your employees on your website or in your marketing and give them credit for all of their hard work.

Embrace diversity

Make a conscious effort to hire people of all ethnicities, ages,and genders. That might require reaching outside your network of friends and colleagues, but the inclusiveness is worth the effort.

The post Awesome Ways to Promote Your Company Values and Brand Message appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.