Mohit Tater's Blog, page 614

Why Security In The Workplace Matters

There’s no doubt that any modern office or workplace isn’t complete until it’s secure. What that conventionally means – at least these days – is that company data is kept secure, but what this article is more concerned with is the physical security measures on the work premises. That means the ID card systems, the cameras, the manned security stations, etc. These are the sorts of security precautions that not only curb criminal activity, but also create a healthier work environment and project a sense of professionalism to clients, customers and partners.

If you’re a recently opened business, and are waffling back and forth on whether to implement certain security measures, let this article make in unequivocally clear: you will see a return on investment from security, albeit not always apparent. Here are three key reasons why security matters to your – and any – workplace.

Curbing Theft

As it pertains to businesses, theft can take many forms: it could, of course, mean traditional theft of materials, such as supplies or money; it could mean data theft, where either an intruder or unauthorized employee steals company data; or it could be time theft, that nebulous HR term applied to any employee lounging around for too long. A physical security measure like ID cards can help with all three.

For traditional theft, ID card systems keep out intruders, and restrict access to employees (for instance, keeping lower level employees out of certain storage or warehouse portions of the workplace). For data theft, the same principle of restriction can be applied. And for time theft, ID cards can track log in and log out times for employees, keeping everyone honest. All you need to do is order an ID printer, or upgrade your ID card printing machine to include new capabilities, and you can successfully curb theft.

Maximizing Work Performance

As mentioned, ID cards ensure that employees are tracking their time honestly, which helps boost productivity, but another way that security maximizes work performance is altogether simpler. When employees feel safe, they are able to perform their job better. A workplace that feels susceptible to intrusion, disruption and theft is not conducive to focused work, and your productivity could suffer as a result. Keeping manned security at the doors, cameras on the wall, or an ID checkpoint gives everyone in the workplace peace of mind.

Presenting Professionalism

If your workplace sees a lot of visitors, whether they are clients, potential clients, customers or new hires, you understand that their impression of your workplace is very important. You want to project an atmosphere of professionalism, and one of the ways you can do that is by expressing a commitment to safety. However implicitly, a security system communicates care and dedication – you print a visitor ID card for your new interviewee, and they’re going to know that they have applied to a serious workplace.

It may seem like a small thing in the grand scheme of your business, but security can have far reaching implications. It matters greatly in the success of your workplace.

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7 Amazing Technological Advances Within the Construction Industry

Many people may think that the industries of construction and technology have nothing in common, but thanks to recent technological advances, the construction industry is getting a shake-up. From solar panel roads to robotic gloves and indestructible thermal imaging smartphones, technology is changing the future of construction. These are just some of the recent tech developments the construction industry has seen:

The smartphone with thermal imaging technology: A brand more closely associated with heavy machinery than communications, CAT has nevertheless released a smartphone that can be dropped off a ladder, knocked into water and emerge to capture still, moving and time-lapse thermal images. Able to detect changes in temperature and even record specific temperature readings from up to 23 metres away, this brilliant piece of technology will help those in the construction industry who want to be able to detect and trace heat signatures. This means that workers would be able to see if an electrical socket was overloaded, identify internal issues with machinery, and even check for leaks in insulation.
The drone that can cling to infrastructure: With the potential to save a great deal of time and money, the PRODRONE ‘PD6-CI-L’ drone can be used to inspect buildings and bridges for signs of structural damage. Unlike standard drones that get blown about by the wind, the PRODRONE inspection drone uses negative pressure to negate wind gusts. The unique design of the drone (it closely resembles an upside down letter ‘L’) allows it to ‘cling’ to the side of structures, permitting close and detailed observation. With this technology, workers can carry out strategic inspections on the exterior of high-rise buildings or inaccessible bridge pylons, identifying cracks as tiny as 0.1mm.
The electrified concrete that melts ice: A professor at the University of Nebraska has come up with a genius solution to eliminate ice and snow build-up on roads by passing an electrical current through concrete. This revolutionary concrete is created by incorporating carbon particles and metal fibres into a standard concrete mix (with a 20:80 ratio). These particles react when electricity is passed through metal rods in the concrete, and the resulting heat is sufficient to melt ice and snow, even in freezing storm conditions. This ‘electric concrete’ has huge potential for use on airport tarmacs, as it would eliminate flight delays caused by ice on the runways.
The concrete that heals itself: Concrete, by its very nature, is rigid and subject to cracking. Constant maintenance is required in order to identify cracks in structures and then ensure they are repaired before they compromise structural integrity. But a research team operating out of Cardiff University in Wales are in the process of trialling 3 separate concepts for ‘self-healing’ concrete. The concrete detects any changes or cracks that occur (without human assistance) and then works to rectify the issue itself. The trials are focusing on 1) mini capsules embedded into the structure that contain known restorative agents mixed with bacteria, 2) the dispersal of healing agents (either organic or inorganic) through the veins of the concrete and 3) the inclusion of polymers that transform to fit a memorised shape.
The road covered in solar panels: Just imagine if we could power our homes using solar panels placed on roads. That is exactly what is happening in a small village in the French region of Normandy, where 2,800 m2 of highway (about 1 km long) has been covered in solar panels. Developed by an Anglo-French company, the solar road panels are thin enough to be installed directly over the top of existing roads (making them much more cost effective) and tough enough to withstand heavy traffic. The panels are currently being trialled for 2 years to see if 140 homes can be successfully powered by their energy, and to ensure the panels won’t deteriorate under long-term use.
The gloves that give you extra strength:When astronauts were called on to carry out repairs aboard the International Space Station, NASA and GM created the ‘RoboGlove’ to prevent them from getting fatigued muscles. This concept, now licensed to a Swedish company that manufactures medical technology, uses false tendons to copy the movement of the wearers’ muscles. When a worker wearing the glove picks something up the pressure sensors will register the object, and then tighten the grip accordingly (thereby increasing the strength of the person wearing them). This concept of an exoskeleton that can assist workers is also currently being investigated by companies such as Hyundai, BMW and Panasonic.
The concrete that bends instead of cracking: Concrete structures are at constant risk of cracking because they don’t have the ability to flex with movement in the surrounding environment. To rectify this, a team of scientists based in Singapore have incorporated a type of polymer microfibre into a standard mix of concrete. The fibres have the ability to slip from side to side when the concrete is put under pressure, allowing it to flex when normally it would crack. This bendable concrete has huge potential for use in areas with a lot of seismic activity, as well as on high-rise buildings that are subject to wind movement. The reduced weight of the concrete (40 times lighter than regular) also makes this an ideal material for use when working at heights.

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3 Ways to Minimize Cost of High-Ranking Recruiting

Every company has open positions that must be filled on a continual basis. Whether you are expanding and creating new roles or dealing with routine turnover, it is important that you find candidates who are committed to your company and qualified to do the job at hand. All of this pressure means that recruiting is a time-intensive and expensive process for companies to undergo. This is especially true if you are recruiting for high-ranking positions that require special care and attention. There are ways that you can minimize the costs associated with hiring for such jobs, though.

These three strategies, in particular, are a great place to start for minimizing the expenses of high-ranking recruiting and making the most of your company’s resources. Implementing these principles can help you reduce corporate expenses and attract better candidates to your company in the process.

Focus on Sourcing Before Recruiting

Many human resources professionals make the mistake of conflating sourcing and recruiting when it comes to managing the hiring process. This mistake does not only result in wasted time—it can also cause wasted revenue. Sourcing is an important part of the hiring process in which the open position is promoted and passive candidates are invited to apply. Recruiting, on the other hand, takes place when applicants are being considered and moved along in the hiring process. Understanding both is imperative to minimizing and understanding hiring costs. Focusing on sourcing can produce higher-quality applicants and minimize eventual turnover.

Bank on Your Company Name

Establishing a name for your company is one of the wisest investments of time, money and effort that you can make. Branding yourself is just as important to potential hires as it is to your clientele, and you can save an enormous amount of money by developing this approach throughout the recruiting and sourcing process. When you have a bankable company name, you can scale back the effort and money you would typically spend on looking for candidates. Instead, they will look for you. Striking this balance is imperative if you want to understand hiring costs.

Treat Candidates as an Investment

At the end of the day, you should not treat candidates as a cog in the wheel of your company. This is the mistake that too many human resources departments make, and it ends up being counterproductive and costly in the long-run. Instead, treat your candidates like the investment that they potentially are, and take the time to get to know them. This approach can radically improve your time spent sourcing and recruiting, and it is likely to attract higher-quality candidates, too. Investing in your applicants is investing in your company, and in the end, it will result in savings.

High-ranking recruiting does not have to be a costly burden on your company. In fact, you can use these strategies to minimize the cost and improve its impact on your company as a whole. With this approach, you can ensure you are sourcing the best quality candidates, managing your budget wisely and getting the most out of your recruiting process.

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Three Key Ways to Go From “Wantrepreneur” to Entrepreneur

For years, you have dreamed about starting your own company. You know what you want to sell, you have come up with a rough business plan in your mind, and you have told anyone who will listen about your business-related goals.

Now, you are ready — really ready this time — to take the plunge and launch your startup. In other words, you are finally going to make the transition from being a “wantrepreneur” to an entrepreneur. In order to do this as seamlessly and successfully as possible, consider the following words of advice:

Change Your Mindset

Until you can firmly believe that all of those conversations you had with your friends, family and self are true and possible, you will likely stay stuck in wantrepreneur land. The first step to entrepreneurship starts in your mind. Unless you actually believe you can run a company and envision yourself doing so, it will be difficult to make it so. Envision yourself holding a grand opening for your business and stop using words like “someday” in regards to your startup. Tell yourself you have what it takes to do this, and then take actionable steps to make it happen.

Get Your Plan Out of Your Head and Onto Paper

While you have planned your business over and over again in your mind, it is now time to sit down and write everything out on paper. You don’t need to come up with a 25-page highly detailed plan, but write down your goals, your products and services and your thoughts and ideas on how you are going to accomplish everything. Committing to a business plan on paper will prove to yourself that you are serious in moving forward with your company.

Keep it Simple at First

As you move from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur, keep things as simple as possible — at least at first. You will be so busy focusing on developing your product, hiring staff, securing a place to work and the dozens of other details that go into opening a startup, that it is best to use more efficient and elegant tools for other tasks. For example, look into the logo maker app from FlashMarks; they offer a user-friendly design guide that was created with entrepreneurs like you in mind. FlashMarks can teach you in simple and intuitive steps how to make your mark with something that is useful and effective in the digital world and helps you to stand out online.

You’ve Got This!

You have talked about opening your own company for long enough. It is time to toss out any excuses you might have about not having the time or money to launch your startup and change your mental mindset to one of a business owner. Get that business plan on paper, focus on simple yet effective tools that will make a difference and before you know it, you’ll be hanging your shingle and celebrating your grand opening.

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Your Banker Can Make Or Break Your IPO

Ariba’s Novel Approach Cut Through The BS,

And Landed Us The Right Banker In Record Time

In our early days at Ariba, we built a rocketship and took it for a spin. In a blazing 30 months, our team transformed an idea into 18 months of forward revenue. We were cash flow positive starting in our second quarter. And with revenue doubling every quarter, we were the fastest growing technology company ever. But with all our record-breaking performance, our leading competitor was getting close to beating us to an IPO. We had to select the absolute best banking team in the shortest time possible to get to IPO first. Being second was not an option.

Our CEO, Keith Krach, and I had already built relationships with the leading tech investment bankers. We knew each one had unique strengths. But we were concerned that every one of them could spin the market data to make themselves look like the top firm. Our challenge was to find the best firm—fast. To level the playing field and get the clearest picture of their strengths, we created a novel process that put us in control of what they presented and how they presented it. We designed it around 5 key criteria:

Speed—We set a 90-day time limit for the whole process. From our first meeting to final banker selection.

Efficiency—We didn’t want to waste time presenting over and over again. So we picked a single date to pull all the bankers together in one room. We would present to them, and they would each present to us. All together!

Effectiveness—We coordinated around the Ariba Live worldwide user conference. This gave all the bankers access to a wealth of in-depth content and to our customers. They could start their due diligence on-the-spot.

No BS—It was vital for us to see how they would add value to our own strategic thinking. And we didn’t want to wade through a lot of pre-packaged, canned “fluff.” So we created our own structured format. Each team was required to present to us:

A “road show” pitch with two team members playing our CEO and CFO
A “road show” presentation deck
Internal selling reports intended for their retail brokers
Internal marketing materials
Ideas for use of proceeds (companies to acquire)

To merge the strategic thinking of the banker teams with our own, we required them to give us access to all information and materials presented for our own use.

Maximum Leverage—The best-of-the-best bankers were invited to attend. That meant we automatically had the best investment analysts looped in. Even if they weren’t selected, the analysts who would have the greatest impact on our stock performance would be engaged and initiating coverage.

Like so much of what we did at Ariba, we rethought the traditional approach and came up with something better and faster. There were doubters. Conventional wisdom held that these fierce competitors would never agree to meet in the same room. They did balk at first, but only one chose not to attend. At least that made it clear who would be leading our competitor’s IPO.

Our approach immediately paid off. Having a single briefing event, coordinated with Ariba Live, enabled us to include more of the Ariba leadership team. This added greater depth and perspective to the briefing, and built a strong sense of involvement across our whole team.

On the first day of the event, the room was set up with ten tables in two rows. Watching the banker teams jockey for position as they arrived was entertaining. Of course, just as the event was starting, we discovered that the projector wasn’t working. In hindsight, I wish I had planned the failure on purpose, because the reaction of the teams was revealing.

This was a room full of THE best technology bankers and analysts. As I worked on the problem, none of the biggest brains of technology moved or offered help, except one: Morgan Stanley rock-star analyst Chuck Phillips. He quietly stood, walked over and made a slight adjustment that resolved the problem. Now, this isn’t how you choose an investment banker, but in my book, Chuck hit a grand-slam home run for the Morgan Stanley team in their first “at-bat.”

The biggest portion of the competition was the team presentations. The genius of this approach was that it kept the bankers from talking about themselves, and forced them to talk about US. This revealed a lot about each team’s personalty and style. Most important, it exposed their understanding of our business.

The Bank of America team presented their two-person road show “pitch” dressed in baseball uniforms, made up to look like CEO Krach and me. They even copied my mustache. As the two bankers took turns pitching, one presenter would toss a baseball to the other every time there was a hand-off. This was dramatic and entertaining, and gave us the impression they would be fun to work with during a grueling IPO process.

Of course, some of the teams presented in a more buttoned-down style, but the ones that took a more causal, personal approach left us with more positive impressions. Morgan Stanley’s Chuck Phillips and Mary Meeker demonstrated real grace under pressure when, as Mary opened the session, she spilled her coffee on Chuck.

Without missing a beat, the pair told a couple “on-the-fly” jokes that—almost—made the spill look planned. More than their ability to make light of the situation, this showed their ability to function well under fire. Also, the whole Morgan Stanley team, including Morgan’s current head of technology banking, Andy Kearns, didn’t show stress about the spill but added to the fun of the moment. It was a double in Morgan’s second at-bat.

As we interacted with the teams through the rest of the selection process, their DNA showed more and more clearly. Our structured, all-at-once approach gave us a better understanding of how each banking team thought and worked than I’ve ever experienced in any other IPO. This enabled us to focus our discussions on how they would execute. Also, reviewing each team’s internal marketing and prep materials showed us where we had to work to improve their understanding of our business.

At the conclusion, instead of a stack of cookie-cutter slides and materials that showed why every bank was the best, we had a collection of unique presentations and experiences that represented the best thinking and creative work of each team. Our process also required them to build a real understanding of our business and show us how they would market OUR IPO, not just AN IPO.

Did all this work? We’re convinced our process helped us choose the very best banking team, in record time. We selected Morgan Stanley to lead the IPO under the direction of Paul Chamberlin and Andy Kearns, with co-management help by B of A Securities. Our selection and preparation paid off. After an intense three-week roadshow we were 40x oversubscribed. Every institution wanted an allocation. And we managed to hold our IPO eight days ahead of our competitor, making theirs a bit of a “me-too” event.

On our first day of trading, Ariba’s stock, priced at $23 per share (up from the original proposed range of $16 – $18), opened at $67 and closed at $90.

After the IPO, all the teams that participated in our process initiated coverage of Ariba and started their analysis with a deep understanding of the company, the markets we served, and our team. This motivated other analysts to cover the company and to compete with equally high-quality content. This was a huge win for all—especially our shareholders.

Our process helped us build a strong, lasting, personal bond with the Morgan Stanley team. To get a sense of this and their unique DNA, check out the poem the team wrote to commemorate the event. Yes, they wrote a poem.

The moral of the story is that if you want to make the best decision, on your own timetable, you’ve got to control the process. What we did at Ariba might not be perfect for you. That’s ok. Just make sure you’re putting yourself in the driver’s seat. Define your own decision criteria. Determine what you need to know to make your decision.

Whatever you do, don’t get in a position where you’re just reviewing information that bankers send to you. This is an invitation to them to sleep-walk through your IPO. Instead, think about how you can push the bankers out of their comfort zone and force them to think about your business, and work to win it. This way you’ll see not only how well they think and understand you, but how they execute under pressure. This is your IPO. Be in control.

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The History of Money – from Shells to Bitcoin

Money makes the world spin, and for centuries it has been fundamentally unchanged, but in different forms. They have always represented power, but have always been represented – shells, gold, coins, checks, gold-based banknotes, trustworthy banknotes, and now in Bitcoin. You can read this to find out all about it.

In fact, the amount of money is much smaller than most people think. The truth is that they have intrinsic value 0, which, although evident, for many seems inconceivable. The fact that we accept them for services, goods, food,and shelter and covers all our basic needs is just the fact that we are willing to trust not only the piece of paper that someone puts us in hand but also the fact that others, in turn, will believe it. After all, if you plan to go to Everest, you’ll instead get thermal insulated sleeping bags than a few bricks of money, be it even dollars or euros. It is the easiest way to prove that money is not valuable.

It is clear that a potato bag is more valuable than the two metal chips we give at home, but that does not mean I’m trying to convince someone to use potato bags to trade.

Apparently, there was a need for a universal, easy-to-store product that everyone accepts, only on a reliable basis, not in the customer but the product –to be sure that wherever we go, we will be able to change that product for any service or product we want. Because they were living in a physical world, in other words, “what’s in your hands is not a lie,” they did not foresee the idea that the money could be virtual, so it would be easier to store, protect and hold on to the bearer. By checking out the Bitcoin Code app, you will see and understand more about the code used for Bitcoin.

So the money itself is not supported because it has an equivalent in gold, but because the world trusts them. Let’s see a brief history of the money.

Shellfish

The first accepted money was shellfish. Light, easy to store, quite rare if you did not live on the beach, aesthetically (you could show your status by adorning them), were ideal for prehistoric people. They had an impressive period of circulation, and in some parts of the world, they were used until the middle of the 18th century. So, gold is not a universal value, and at some point in some areas there were other confidence-based formulas

Gold is just another shell

Gold is the technological force and effort that people put down to mine. Besides its charisma, it is utterly useless.Throughout history, the monarchs and governments have created many gold coins more than they could fund in gold. Replacing some of the precious metal of a coin with a base metal (copper or nickel) allowed the authorities to produce more coins than it would have been possible. This devaluation sometimes has the role of making the currency more resilient (physically), but usually, the reason is apparent – the desire to make a profit due to the difference between the exposed value of the currency and that of the metal in which it is made. So neither the gold coins have ever been supported 100% of gold.

Medieval period

The coins were prevalent during the medieval period, but an interesting aspect was the work of the Templar Knights of that time, who had a banking institution. People were very confident in them. On the one hand, they were a sort of archangels sent on earth fighting for God, and religion played such an important role that no Christian challenged them. On the other hand, they were a strong military and financial force. They were known to be extremely rich and extremely correct, so any Templar seal paper was worth just as they claimed to be worth. In a world where neither the money in your pocket nor its possessors were safe on longer roads, it was an excellent idea to deposit your gold at the Templars. In return, they issued a sort of check, a confirmation that the person in question has a greater or lesser amount of money. The Templars issued the first banknotes to replace gold, a medieval proof of an incorruptible entity. Today it is hard to say whether they were incorruptible or whether those papers could be falsified, it is certain that they were accepted on any old European market.

Here is a useful reference: https://www.ccn.com/bitcoin-price/

The economic crisis

Historically speaking, the money that is supported by gold could be a less exact phrase that we would expect. It is a charismatic metal that comes in limited quantities of nature and demonstrates the wealth and power of the keeper. The economic crisis of recent years has shown us gold does not support all an important thing – most coins in circulation, and their value is entirely unpredictable. Although people work as much as in the past, even more efficiently and with more consistent results, their effort, time and health are worthless just because gold deposits are fewer. It looks like a cruel market. We do not want the money to lose its value, and meanwhile, human life is getting cheaper. Gold is also a proof of work – effort, time and luck – and it can be replaced with any other material (physical or in form information) in which people trust. Then, and only then, the real human crisis will end.

The anonymity of Satoshi Nakamoto, one of bitcoin’s founders

Bitcoin has, like any other invention, his parents. In this case, the parent on the birth certificate has the pseudonym,Satoshi Nakamoto.It may seem like a bizarre choice, but the inventor of a few billion dollars is hiding under a pseudonym and utterly refuses to reveal his identity. In 2008, he published a white paper on bitcoin, explaining in detail the protocol on which the most popular cryptomonads are based. He has promoted it for a while and has finally come out of the public scene in 2010. Since then, the press has repeatedly tried to investigate who is hiding under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto and has come up with all sorts of ideas, many of which are absurd.

Meanwhile, there has been more speculation about Satoshi Nakamoto, and the most likely thing is that behind this big project is a whole team that has corroborated information from several areas – economics, programming, political science. The bitcoin parents’ identity was not revealed even when they were promised a nomination for the Nobel Prize for Economics.

Why does the status remain secret? Novice skeptics in the bitcoin ecosystem, who have not yet understood the principle of the digital coin, often invoke this argument – how safe can it be an investment in a “company” with a secret “director”? Such questions first show how little they understand the idea of ​​decentralization.

The principal guarantor of the fact that Satoshi is a trusted inventor is that he could easily manipulate the market. He has consistent amounts of bitcoin that he could have sold at any of the bubbles, making Bitcoin a costly pyramid scheme. He has not done so until now and is unlikely to do so. He protected the billions of dollars in the bitcoin, which is a big deal.

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4 Pillars for an Extraordinary Life

Students are made to memorize history books, when they should be taught about the taxes. The science textbooks aren’t even revised frequently and don’t cover the latest inventions and discoveries. Students are clueless about the practicality of the formulas they are bluntly made to memorize in high school.

With the world developing so fast in every aspect, our college degrees almost seem useless. Why should students be asked to do something computers are much better equipped to do? Why does the school and college curriculum not focus on practicals and experiments rather than memorizing long paragraphs of theories? The current education system focuses on teaching rather than learning. Every year millions of students all around the world graduate, but there are just a few hundred maybe that actually use their knowledge productively in their lives and careers.

What is taught in the classrooms is forgotten and what should actually be taught is expected from the child to learn himself/herself over the course of time, or at home from their parents. And if they learned these skills from people who weren’t good communicators, then that is another problem!

And this is the problem in most cases- students have incomplete knowledge about things which actually have an important effect on their lives and they too, like their parents somehow drag their whole lives making innumerable mistakes and managing to find temporary solutions to their problems each time, pushing the actual problem into a corner.  If they weren’t taught how to do it properly either, then the cycle just continues. We go on creating adults who aren’t trained in some very basic fields, skills which are needed to be successful and live a happier life.

Why students are force-fed bookish knowledge when the actual information they should know is in no book.

Do we require a change?

Change? We require a complete makeover.

If I were to rewrite the education curriculum, I would like to include the following subjects:

Networking skills – In order to make meaningful connections(friends, family, mentors)

Financial Literacy

Understand Gender Differences

Health & Nutrition

Networking skills/Communication skills

Communication is expressing your feelings, desires, thoughts and opinions in a manner that makes the other person clear about what is actually going on in your head.  Networking is an essential tool to build relationships and sustain them.

It is important to speak your mind without upsetting the other person. It is important to have a nonjudgmental attitude. It is important to realize your important contacts under emergency situations. It is important to form mutually beneficial relationships. It is important to express-express correctly.

The numbers on your grade sheets won’t decide your future or the life you live but the kind of people you know will.

Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi did not become the Prime Minister  because he knew which wars the French fought or which formula is used to find the area of a cylinder. He reached to the people through his speeches. He spoke to the people in a way that brought him closer to their hearts. He appealed to their problems and empathized with them.

Empathy is what is required for humans to live in harmony. In this world full of darkness and crime, students and children should be taught how to express concern in the most comforting manner.

Financial Literacy

Out of the working crowd, 80% of the population would not know the different taxes that they pay and why tax is even necessary in the first place. Or how to open a new bank account and how to write a check. Most of them don’t even know what compound interest is, and that is what the finance of the planet is running on. Why is it important to know about your finances? Well, when you start earning, you have to start saving and enjoying at the same time. Knowing about your investment options and credit card finances would help you to plan for your future investments in a more efficient way.

Robert Kiyosaki once said that the rich teach their children how to read financial statements and the poor do not and he is right.

Most of us realize all this when we’ve made a thousand mistakes.  Financial illiteracy is actually a really big problem. Because, if you have a society full of people buying things they can’t afford, retiring with no savings, getting sick and not being able to afford health care- our economy would start falling off, which is precisely the situation currently.

Gender Relations

In a society where women are still paid less for the same job their male counterparts perform and in a society where men are not supposed to cry, we NEED to educate our students about the evils of this societal framework.

It is important to teach them about their bodies and make them realize that men and women are different- mentally, physically and biologically. Honest discussions about sexuality and sexual hygiene are essential for the growing up teenagers. We cannot overlook the physical dissimilarities between a man and a woman, but we need to find a way to understand these differences and build a society which promotes a compatible relationship between the sexes.

Health and Nutrition

A person who has a promising professional life and a great social circle, he/she usually misses out on sleep. Never in human history have we used so little energy on a daily basis. Most of the population spends their entire time sitting down- in front of their laptop screen or office desks doing paperwork. With the world moving so fast a person hardly gets time to relax his body.

Obesity and diabetes rates have risen dramatically over last decade because of this technological driven sedentary lifestyle and the lack of proper guidance while in school.

People don’t even know what they are eating, most of them are too reluctant to get their regular health checkups and everybody is either too busy or too lazy to work out and stay fit.

It is important for everyone to have knowledge about their bodies, important hygienic exercises, and important first-aid practices. If we teach our students about health and nutrition, maybe we’d all be a lot healthier and our medical system would be less overwhelmed.

It is necessary for students to realize their passions and to know the effective strategies of job hunting and interviewing. Success and happiness are hard to come by because we lack the proper tools as we enter adulthood. A host of potential issues arise, such as poor social relationships, anger, frustration, and even depression.

Education cannot end when you receive your diplomas and shut your books. Education and learning are never-ending processes. Take control of your mistakes and keep improving yourself.

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A Guide to How to Use Promotional Products Effectively

It is no secret that the beat of a business lies in its client value. The more faithful your clients are to your business the higher is the ‘customer equity’. Now the question is what does it take to create and produce a long lasting relationship with your clients? A top notch quality item or service and compelling promoting solutions are what drive existing and potential clients back to your image again and again. Promotional products are a great way to advance a brand, support business, and supplements its market share, client trust and worker fulfillment. The best and appropriately chosen promotional products vastly affect the clients in comparison to other methods of marketing through TV and print media.

Useful promotional products like pens, bags and shirts with help you greatly in creating brand awareness. It is more likely that the customers will use them rather than tossing them away in the trash which will, ultimately, help them identify your brand easily. This higher visibility of the brand is accomplished this way. This clearly indicates that promotional products are the best and the most cost effective marketing tools.

Beside being savvy, promotional items have the additional benefit of making your customers and clients feel important. Giving out gifts with your logo and message imprinted on them helps your customers identify and connect with your brand.

Custom Promotional Products are perfect for bringing back ‘inactive’ clients – the individuals who have overlooked your organisation, however have been faithful to it in the past.

A few clients swing to different brands after some time. Distinguishing the factors that made them turn away and recognizing their preferences will help decide how to use these products to win them back.

Furthermore, Promotional Products are the most effective method to build customer loyalty. Personalized promotional products made from high quality materials help your clients to remember your brand with the goal that when they require your item or service, you are the first they come to.

Having said this, it becomes quite evident that promotional products are the best means to boost the appeal and value of your business. But with these products becoming increasingly popular, just a random product with your logo imprinted on it won’t work anymore. It is extremely important that you come up with unique and creative ideas while designing your promotional products so that the advertisement of your brand is done efficiently. There are a few things that should be kept in mind while designing customized business promotional products.

It is not important that the products you offer for publicizing your business necessarily have to be about the services you offer. Make sure that find a product that is interesting and attracts the customers towards your brand.
Beside the product being relevant and useful, it is also important that your giveaways are made using materials of the highest standards, for a customer will directly relate the quality of your promotional products with the services your company offers.
Try and come up with interesting ideas while customizing your promos. Make sure that the products you offer as giveaways not just reflect the information about your business but stands out from the other products in the market.

Brand acknowledgment, dedication and trust, fascination, new clients, and at last, expanded traffic boost the sale and value of your business. Thus, it is extremely crucial that you make sure that the company you hire for getting promotional products designed offers you professional and reliable services.

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5 Business Lessons Every Entrepreneur can Learn from Poker

Deciding to build a business from the ground up likens itself to one of our favorite games- poker. They’re both activities of high risk, high reward and there will always come a time where it’s required of you to go all-in. With some luck and a willingness to beat the odds, you can take that risk and further increase your chances of walking away with the pot. Here is some valuable insight learned from playing this historical game every entrepreneur should be aware of.

The Odds may be Against You, but They are Never Zero

It is true, about 9 out of 10 startups fail. Doesn’t mean you have to be one of the 9! The reason for the failure of a startup can be one or more of many things from insufficient capital to hiring the wrong team, to bad location choice or failure to pivot when necessary.

that one hand has a higher probability of winning over the other but there is never a hand with zero odds. If you know how to play your hand, you increase your odds. The house doesn’t win every time!

Evaluate the Risk

A gambler is well known for taking for taking risks in order to achieve a certain result and though poker may be associated with gambling- not everyone would say a poker player is a gambler. It is is a game of skill, much like a startup, and an entrepreneur who understands the risks associated with their chosen business can combine it with data and intuition in an effort to make the best decision possible.

Don’t Wait

You may find yourself having to place some bets without knowing what everyone else has got in their hands. This is scary but part of the game nonetheless. The key is taking in every new bit of information you receive to more accurately assess risk and adjust your predictions based on how the game is unfolding. Take all your information from the market, your competitors, your customers and predict the direction in which your company is heading. Once you determine whether that direction is good or bad, you can figure out how to adjust your approach to yield a better outcome.

Welcome Luck

In the game of entrepreneurship, there are a lot of losers and very fewer winners. You can gather all the right information, place the right bets, and have the lucky rabbit’s foot in hand and still come off the table in a bad position. Respect the fact that luck and timing will play an important role in your position as an entrepreneur. Don’t lose that rabbit’s foot!

Experience Matters

The more experience you have playing a game, the better you’re going to play it. If you don’t have any experience, it’s time to get out there and start getting some. Learn from your mistakes so you can make better decisions in the future and pass your knowledge down to others who don’t know the rules.

The Cards are in Your Hands

Ultimately, it all comes down to you. How you play the game will be the determining factor in the outcome you receive, and you have to be willing to accept that responsibility for better, or for worse. You’ve got to believe in yourself, evaluate the risks, and call the shots. It’s also up to you how you choose to handle what happens. If something defeats you- are you going to let it go or are you prepared to get back in the game? Both entrepreneur and game player need to have full faith in their ideas otherwise the game has no chance of ending in their favor.

When you decide to become an entrepreneur, you decide to put all your chips on the table. Don’t hold back, enlist the help of lady luck, and go all-in. You won’t regret it!

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3 Streaming TV Apps You Should Be Looking At

One of the biggest problems that cord cutters face is the fact that they will have to say goodbye to broadcasts and live television. Online streaming services provide a ton of value to uncapped internet users, and many people regard this high enough to cancel their cable and satellite subscriptions completely.

Thanks to television streaming apps, you can now cancel your cable or satellite subscriptions without missing out on the tv broadcasts that you know and love. You can use these streaming apps in combination with your on-demand streaming service subscriptions. These streaming apps also work well with most online streaming devices, including Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV.

These streaming services allow you to stream live tv straight to your browser, tv, or phone while ensuring the same standards and better at a much lower price than is the case with cable subscriptions. Let’s take a look at 3 TV streaming apps that can help you cut the cord with conventional tv and its high costs.

DirectTV Now

Direct TV offers you anything from 60 to more than 120 channels. It is also compatible with high-end add-ons that include HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz. If you use DirectTV Now, you can watch up to two shows at once, providing that the two devices are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

If you have a PC, compatible smart tv, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Android device, or iOS, you will be able to access DirectTV without any problems at all. Check out Troypoint for all installation guides you need. As a replacement for cable or satellite tv subscriptions, DirectTV Now is regarded as one of the best there is. This mainly due to the fact that DirectTV Now also operates a satellite tv service.

AT&T subscribers are particularly happy with DirectTV Now since they are sometimes eligible for bonuses and other freebies. In order to rent movies from DirectTV Now, you have to be an AT&T Subscriber.

PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue provides live television streaming of 40 to more than 90 channels. Although this is on average less than DirectTV Now, this is the preferred streaming service for PS 3 and PS 4 users. PlayStation Vue supports popular add-ons that include a sports package, HBO, Cinemax, Epix, an Española package, Fox Soccer Plus, and Hi-Yah! With PlayStation Vue, you can watch up to 5 shows at once with devices that are connected to the same network and you don’t need a PlayStation to stream these channels. PlayStation Vue is compatible with Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, iOS, Android devices, and Windows PC’s.

Generally speaking, PlayStation Vue is a bit more expensive than DirectTV Now, but this is because they have a powerful cloud DVR and no annual contracts. Loyal Sony clients enjoy PlayStation Vue as a streaming service, and they like compatibility with their consoles.

fuboTV

fuboTV provides their subscribers with just over 65 channels at a fee that is more or less comparable to that of PlayStation Vue. As add-ons, fuboTV also provide additional DVR storage, a family share plan, Showtime, an international sports package, a local sports package, a Portuguese language package, a Spanish Language Package, and a cycling package.

fuboTV places a larger emphasis on sports broadcasts than the other two streaming services on this list, but it also features channels like GOL TV that are magnets for subscribers. fuboTV works on Android devices, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Android TV, and prominent web browsers.

If you prefer Spanish or Portuguese content, fuboTV will provide you with a wide range of live tv streaming.

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