Mohit Tater's Blog, page 635

Four Tips for Starting a Company Carpooling Program

As a business owner, you want to do everything you can to inspire a close knit culture in your company. On a more practical side, you also want to be sure everyone on your team shows up for work on time, every day.

A great way to achieve both of these goals at once is by establishing a company carpooling program. In addition to allowing the full vehicles to cruise into work in the carpooling lane, which can drastically reduce your employees’ commute time, the office ride sharing program can encourage everyone to get to know each other better and promote that family atmosphere you aspire to create. You can even invest in a Wi-Fi hotspot so that employees can take team meetings from the car or collaborate on a project while heading into the office. Fortunately, with some organization and determination, it is not that difficult to set up an office carpooling program. Here are some tips on how to go about it:

Advertise Your Carpooling Idea

To start a successful carpooling program, you will need a least a few of your employees on board with the idea. Announce your intentions to start a carpooling program at the next meeting, and also send out a general email about the idea. You can ask people who are interested to let you know directly, and/or post a signup sheet in the break room. To launch the program, you really only need a few people to commit to the idea.

Invest in a Larger and Roomier Vehicle

If your car is getting old and seems to spend more time in the shop than on the road, it might be time to invest in a new vehicle. When shopping for a new carpool-friendly vehicle, look for one that can carry a lot of passengers as well as supplies. For example, the Chevrolet Colorado definitely offers the best of both worlds. The pickup truck that offers a car-like ride features a spacious interior with room for plenty of riders; the Colorado offers comfy seating for both the front and rear passengers. In addition to its large pickup bed, which can haul just about any type of office supplies you need into work, the interior of the Chevy Colorado includes a deep center console bin and a huge compartment under the crew cab’s rear seat.

Appoint Someone to Organize It

As a busy company owner, you might not have time to take on the responsibility of organizing the carpool program, so see if you can appoint someone to keep things on track. If an employee is especially enthusiastic about the idea, you might ask her to take on this added responsibility of knowing who is in the carpool and updating the ride schedule as needed. To sweeten the deal, you could reduce this person’s workload a little so she has the time to take on the carpool organization duties. To help make this process as easy as possible, you might suggest that the organizer use an app like CommuteWise that will help with the scheduling and let people sign up to drive.

Set Up Some Carpooling Rules

To help make the company carpool pleasant for everyone, be sure to come up with a set of reasonable rules and expectations. For example, you will need to decide on a driver rotation schedule so that you and your team take turns doing the driving, and you will need a backup plan in case someone is ill and cannot run the carpool that day. You can also determine ahead of time if you will allow food and drink in your vehicles, if people may smoke in your car and if everyone can take turns choosing his or her favorite radio station. While you may want your employees to feel like a family, you certainly don’t want them to bicker like one.

Once you announce that you are interested in starting a company carpooling program, hopefully enough employees will be enthusiastic about the idea and join in. In addition to helping your team arrive to work on time, it can also allow them to get to know each other better and foster a family atmosphere at work. By investing in a roomy vehicle, organizing the program and establishing some ground rules, your office carpool program will soon be up and running.

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The Many Benefits of Prototyping Design Models

Designers, more often than not, ignore the process of prototyping before finalizing concept models. Most think prototyping is a waste of time and money. Couldn’t a 3D model achieve the same result? Some are simply confused about what prototyping actually is. Prototyping across many industries refers to creating a highly realistic model of the product solely for testing or promotional purposes. It’s different to building a computer or 3D versions of design models, which are hard to interact within a realistic sense.

Prototyping can be one of the many stages of developing a high-quality, error-free product. Here is a list of advantages prototyping can offer designers in various fields:

Proof of Design Concept

Many developers overlook proof of concept prototypes because they have a short lifespan. Proof of design prototypes may not survive rigorous testing, but these models provide valuable information regarding the practicalities of the design concept. These prototypes can facilitate the creative process of design and point out mistakes early in a highly realistic manner. Developers can have several concepts prototyped to make informed, data-based decisions on which models to move forward with. Prototyping can eliminate some confusion of the design process as well, especially if multiple teams or many employees are involved. While these prototyping models are not built to last, they can be highly valuable in many other ways.

Rapid Implementation

Prototyping can actually fast-track the implementation process by removing many of the quality bottlenecks product launches face. Prototypes can help designers and developers immediately spot major problems present in products. Because prototyping occurs during the development stage, that still leaves plenty of time to do a course correction if necessary. The result is fewer or no errors during the final product unveiling stage. Buggy products can hurt sales and brand reputation. Using prototypes in advance to determine whether users can interact with the product as the designer intends, therefore, helps perfect the final product that goes into the hands of the consumer.

Cheap Prototyping is Possible and Available

Much of the costs of prototyping in the past were associated with expensive materials used in the products. Nowadays, prototypes can be made for far less using inexpensive and alternative materials. Cheaper new materials can realistically replicate shapes and features of products, and ultimately mimic real functionality as well.

Companies like Wayken specialize in creating concept prototypes using inexpensive material without compromising the overall quality of the prototype. The company is experienced in visually replicating products near exactly as prototypes. Wayken uses a number of materials to build prototypes according to what the customer desires, including aluminum, acrylic, acetal,and nylon. The company has pioneered the use of ABS plastic, which is a highly budget-friendly material for prototypes that even cash-strapped designers can afford. ABS is cheap but has incredible mechanical strength that makes the material perfect for engineering high-impact prototypes. The company employs a wide range of manufacturing tech to develop prototypes, some of which allows for creating different prototypes at the same time for side-by-side comparison. For example, CNC machining, stereolithography, and selective laser sintering allow the creation of dynamic and realistic prototypes without inflating costs.

Prototyping Reduces Overall Costs of Development

Prototypes do cost money, but the benefits they offer can eliminate many expensive costs associated with errors. Think about how costly it is to fix problems in products discovered after the product goes to the market. Designers, developers,and others can use prototypes to fine-tune final products in a manner that typical concept art does not allow. Companies not only have to pay developers to correct mistakes, there are additional costs associated with PR campaigns and reimbursements as well. In an overall sense, prototyping can actually save your company money.

Prototyping is also much less costly than ordering samples of the final product. Companies often place sample orders to test products before mass-market retail. These sample orders are the real product, so each would cost more. Prototypes are far cheaper to make realistically for testing purposes. As mentioned above, being specialized and seasoned manufacturers, Wayken can deliver the perfect testing prototype for the fraction of a cost of an original sample. All in all, companies can save significant amounts of money in the long term by using prototypes.

Benefit from Low Volume Production

Expensive products can be manufactured in low volumes at negligible costs with prototyping. Sectors such as medical and automotive can immensely benefit from low-volume prototype production in multiple ways. This method allows companies to meet product deadlines much earlier without accruing more costs or additional work. Furthermore, early low-volume prototyping allows affordable design modification. Modifying final product designs requires tooling modification, which is very expensive. Prototyping, on the other hands, doesn’t require tooling, so developers can benefit from surprisingly low costs. If a product needs to be rushed to the market, prototyping, like Wayken CNC machining, can speed up the process and eliminate typical errors.

Receive Better Feedback

Prototypes are designed to scale. Interacting with a prototype is not so different to interacting with the real product. Designers can thus use prototypes to obtain valuable user feedback to improve the final version. User feedback with prototyping is complete and is not based on a disproportional version of the product. Designers can rely more on such feedback to make improvements to the final product.

One major advantage of prototyping is that companies can present audiences with a highly realistic model of the product. Therefore, the resulting feedback would be as if it were based on the real deal.  Prototypes can also be used highly effectively for visual presentations for feedback from clients or investors. Visual presentation prototypes can eliminate doubts and misunderstandings when it comes to gathering high-quality feedback or initial impression reviews.

Using prototypes is highly recommended before a product moves to mass manufacturing. Prototypes can eliminate much of the problems associated with mass production as well. Designers should use prototypes to validate data, reliability,and functionality of models. The cost savings down the line are significant when you create a prototype first. As the prototyping process has become cheaper in modern times, it’s a cost even startups can now bear.

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The Millennial Era of Ink and Blood

The world is a ruthless place. While we are busy in our offices trying balance the see-saw of demand and supply, there are people in the world who are dying in this ruthless war. And this war may not necessary be one of bloodshed.

There is a great saying, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind”. If there is martyrs’ blood, certainly the whole nation mourns. This leads to a popular demand “avenge the blood!’. Is blood for blood sacred?

The power of ink is immense, it has given humanity education, evolution, entertainment and enhancement of the world at large. Today mankind commands the sea, sky, surface and the universe as such. How? It is because of the knowledge delivered and preserved through drops of ink. On the other hand, through martyrs’ blood what we get is unabated pain, tears and uncontrollable sorrow.

Words from ink are powerful and sacred. Words sell, words persuade, words influence. They forge smiles, dry tears, heal wounds, and abolish fears. Hence, Sir Edward George Lytton wrote in 1839, “The pen is mightier than the sword”. The great mobilization of mankind for social and industrial revolutions has been possible through sheer writing. The successes of Lenin, Abraham Lincoln, Shakespeare, and Gandhi have been their extraordinary skills with ink. Today, we know of great Kings like Ashoka, Akbar, and Alexander because of the ink which preserved their history.

The ink truly is far more sacred than the blood strewn by martyrs. Martyrs’ blood creates venom in mankind and leads to self destruction. The blood game is the only game in which both sides lose.

Hands wield the sword in the realm of the flesh and blood, but the intellect wields the ink in the realm of understanding and spirit. The clatter of the sword rings out for a moment on the battlefield, but the scratching of the pen may murmur through the ages.

Our thoughts and opinions, justice and beliefs, rules and regulations can only be written in ink. You cannot enforce justice and peace through the mightiest sword. The rule of ink can make the world a peaceful place.

It is said that there are three kinds of legacy we can leave behind, ‘have a child, plant a tree or write a book’, but no legacy is left behind by blood. Let us be united through one agenda of peace for saving the entire humanity through ink, and throw away the sword to prevent any more martyrs’ blood.

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5 Things to Consider When Implementing a Quality Management System at a Small Business

Quality management is a crucial aspect of delivering high-quality products or services to customers. Though the term “quality management” is rather subjective, it is still a phrase that carries both legal and branding weight. Customer satisfaction with any product depends on the quality of the product. Therefore, all small businesses must have a reliable and highly effective system in place to oversee product quality.  Implementing a quality control system in full force is a multi-step process. Startups and small businesses shouldn’t expect a fully-functional quality assurance system to be in place overnight. It a careful process that should be given time and due consideration. Here is a list of factors that smaller companies should consider when trying to implement a quality management system:

1.     Strategize with Goals in Mind

A quality management system in its most basic form is an organizational strategy. Like all organizational strategies, a quality management system should also have goals and objectives. There should be an ultimate goal for the project, which is typically ensuring the best quality of all products on offer. But short-term goals, such as adopting a native definition of quality management, should also be among the things under consideration. Quality management systems work best when the company leadership has a vision for the whole process. Use this core vision as a guiding light towards developing a world-class quality management system that demonstrably improves customer satisfaction.

2.     Staff Training Should be Well Thought Out

A quality management system largely depends on how well trained the personnel in the system are. Most small businesses do not have staff composed of experienced quality managers. Therefore, companies should devote considerable resources to training staff. Training doesn’t need to be unnecessarily expensive. There are affordable tools such as online manuals that can fast-track staff training. For example, use this link here to learn more about the ISO 9001 Quality Management Manual, which all staffers under quality assurance training must read. Expect staff training to be a process that continues into years that will always be in need of improvement.

3.     Focus on What the Customers Want

Quality assurance is largely conducted to keep the customers satisfied, in addition to perhaps satisfying a regulation or two. Therefore, the strategy from the start must have a strong customer focus. First, the company must determine, based on data evidence, what exactly the customer base is. Then, infer from the data what these customers might expect in terms of quality. The strategy will follow the customer intentions. Customer focus helps businesses identify core aspects of a successful quality management system. It can also guide the training of staff and customer service reps in the process.

4.     The System Must Have Strong Leadership

Don’t make the mistake of believing that the quality management strategy can be implemented and overseen by low-level managers. A process this complex requires strong leadership on its own. The system requires a senior manager or an executive to oversee the entire process. The supervisors on top will be responsible for planning ahead and setting policies that satisfy the core goal or vision. A quality management plan can easily go adrift without careful oversight and leadership from the top levelsof the company.

5.     Identify Factors by which to Measure Success

The most fundamental stage of implementing a quality control mechanism is designing assessment factors. What ultimately determined whether a product has been build according to quality standards? Additionally, the success of the overall quality control system should be assessed. Typically, success is determined by customer satisfaction levels, comparative quality of products, and financial performance for the product line. Managers refer to these points as “critical success factors.” The development of the assurance program must include a well-defined set of these critical success factors based on long-term goals of the program. These factors should be able to assess a product that can hold up to regulatory, customer expectation, and market standards.

The above considerations determine how effective a quality control mechanism at any business would be. The system is not complete until measurement trackers are included in the process. The managers should direct the system towards tracking progress and monitoring evaluations. Ultimately, the vision and goals of the strategy should be actualized. Small businesses will need to delegate resources and time towards designing a quality management system that can withstand scrutiny. While it may take effort and good leadership, the benefits in the end will be immense in terms of developing a truly market-ready product. The market is always in need of quality products, and if your small business can deliver, you will stay in business for decades to come.

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What Changes Took Effect Last Year In Immigration Law That You Might Not Know About?

Many changes to immigration law have been initiated since Donald Trump took office in 2017. Not everyone understands what the new laws are, how the changes might ultimately affect their ability to stay on US soil, or under what conditions they can be forced to leave or be deported. According to immigration lawyers, although the US public has remained pro-immigration, several issues have developed over the course of last year that are important for anyone who is an immigrant in the US to know.

DACA is no longer legal

Over the years, over 800,000 young individuals have been granted permission to stay in the US due to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Although DACA is no longer in action, there will not be a mass deportation, and children will not be denied the privileges of DACA immediately. The program will be winding down over the next two years, and it will be replaced with work cards for immigration.

Travel Ban

Within a week of being sworn into office, President Trump signed a new order prohibiting the entry of immigrants to the US from seven different countries. Although it’s been revamped several times due to widespread protests, arguments, and lawsuits against the White House, the ban has been reissued with fewer provision; however, it is still being challenged. The fight will probably proceed into 2018, when the legality of such a ban will finally be decided upon once and for all.

A curtailment of legal immigration

In April, President Trump signed the Buy American, Hire American Executive Order, which allows USCIS to use much more discretion and potential immigrants with more stringent guidelines and investigations. Many factors about who can immigrate and who can’t mean that the order ensures immigrants are put through rigorous questioning and investigation.

The number of those who request to immigrate to the US has been significantly decreased.

There are more detailed in-person interviews required before someone is eligible to immigrate, and all visas that are based on employment be vetted with much more scrutiny, which has likewise cut down on the number of those being granted immigration status. When someone refiles for a visa, they have to prove again that they meet the eligibility requirements, and that while they have been on US soil they have followed the conditions of their immigration status.

More efforts being put into enforcing immigration laws

In the past, most sanctuary cities and states have gotten a pass to do what they want at the state level. ICE has ramped up its target to find and to deport those who are not following the condition of their immigration status, have overstayed their visas, have been convicted of a crime, or are here illegally and without the proper documentation.

Whole-city sweeps have been done to check individuals’ immigration status, and if they are in violation, more ICE officers are following through with enforcing immigration laws and rules. It isn’t that ICE has put any more rules and laws into effect; it is that for the first time in a long time they are enforcing the laws that are on the books. They have also been given more authority and a bigger budget to make a difference and to enforce longstanding immigration laws that have been ignored in the past.

Ending TPS for Haitians, Sudanese and anyone else who was granted immigration due to major catastrophes

Many individuals were granted immigration status due to Temporary Protected Status, which allows those whose country has befallen natural disasters to come and work on American soil. The TPS status has been withdrawn for residents from Haiti and the Sudan, along with other countries like Honduras and El Salvador.

According to MyRights Immigration Law Firm If you are an immigrant in the US, it is more important now than ever to follow the conditions of your immigration duties. Since sanctuary cities are becoming a thing of the past and ICE has started to enforce laws that are already on the books, it is imperative that you follow the required conditions specified to remain in America. If you are facing deportation or having a problem with your immigration status, it is crucial that you hire an immigration attorney to help you stay on American soil, if that is what you want to do.

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What The Layperson Needs To Know About Administrative Law

Most people know what auto accident and personal injury laws are, but administrative law is a bit more abstract and not something that the average person might think about or understand. Administrative law is how government agencies operate and create, enforce, and regulate laws that affect the general population.

Unlike other types of law, administrative law incorporates many different areas within society and encompasses various disciplines. There are many administrative lawyers who might never see the inside of a courtroom. On the other hand, there are many administrative lawyers who might spend their whole time in litigation. Some administrative lawyers work with the average person while others might deal with nothing but paperwork and documentation. In general, administrative lawyers work with governmental policies and the creation of government laws and regulations.

How was administrative law started?

Administrative law begins with the American legislative bodies at both the state level and Congress. If it is conducted at the state level, it is about the laws initiated and debated by state representatives. Administrative laws can even be debated in local counties and commissions that are allocated to create laws. If any organization can create laws, then they are guided by the confines of administrative law.

Once a legislative entity creates a law, administrative law is directed to implement and make the laws active. Laws are just the guidelines, while administrative law is all about creating boundaries refining those laws and further clarifying their legalities to make them more practical and to enforce the boundaries. Administrative law is also required to set the regulations regarding a law and to figure out how to put the law into effect.

Administrative law might be reasonable for defining the parameters of laws or to challenge the decisions set forth by their original guidelines. Administrative agencies that are responsible for regulating laws are the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Their operation has the sole purpose of both integrating the laws, setting boundaries, and enforcing laws at an administrative level.

What is the Administrative Procedures Act ?

According to the United States Administrative Protection Act of 1946, administrative agencies have the sole purpose of carrying out and creating strict procedures for any agency to carry out a law according to why it was created. The purpose of an administrative law agency is to protect the public and to maintain transparency through being accountable to the public. For something to be considered administrative law, it has to be published in the Federal Register. The Federal Register is a journal that is distributed to the public and which allows the public to make comments before the agency can create final laws and legislation to curb the behaviors of the general public. If it becomes final, then it is inducted into the Code of Federal Regulations.

What type of lawyer engages in administrative law?

There are only specific lawyers who engage in administrative law. The first is one that works for the government. Although both private and public attorneys can engage in administrative law, typically public attorneys are the ones who work in the disciplines of governmental agencies and the laws that follow.

There are also attorneys who engage in administrative law because they work for private clients who are trying to work against established administrative law. For example, if a corporation is being accused of working against the Environmental Protection Agency’s laws, then they will typically hire an administrative lawyer to build a defense against the government agency.

Administrative law is often not the type of legal representation that the average US citizen needs to plead their case. In working with government agencies that create, tailor and enforce laws, representatives typically enforce legislatures and define the laws of the land. There are times when you might need an administrative attorney to defend you against the rules of a governmental agency. Knowing what type you need – and when – is essential to finding the right type of lawyer to hire to protect your interests.

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Four Ways to Decide If a Company Car is Right for Your Business

When your business is just starting out, you are focused on the essentials required to run the company. However, once things have settled a little, you begin to realize that there is more that you can add to your organization’s collection. One of these things might be a company car – after all, some of the most prominent businesses tend to have their own cars at their disposal. It is only natural to wonder if this is the right option for you as well. Considering that this can be a pricey investment, you should answer the questions below before making a decision:

1.    How Much Does Your Company Spend on Travel?

One of the main incentives to buy one or more vehicles for your business could be the financial benefits involved. To determine this, though, you will first need to figure out how much your organization spends to get around on a monthly or yearly basis. The answer may actually surprise you – meetings, sales opportunities, and more could be requiring your employees to travel quite frequently. This isn’t the only thing that may be causing your expenses to rise, however. For instance, you may find that taxis may actually charge more if they know that the company is footing the bill. All of this could mean that you are losing more money than you realized.

2.    Can You Afford to Get Your Own Vehicle?

Now, there is no denying that it costs a fair amount to get a vehicle for your company. So, you will need to ascertain whether this is something that you can actually afford. Your first move would be to choose between hiring and owning your own vehicle. While leasing may seem like a cheaper option, the financial and business advantages of buying a vehicle typically outweigh those associated with car leases.

After this, the next matter at hand would be to determine how you are going to pay for the vehicle. Going the traditional route will get quite pricey. With various charges, paperwork, and interest rates involved you may be put off from going ahead with your decision. Fortunately, there is always the option of title loans in San Diego, California and various other regions. This way, you will be taking on a lot less risk when you purchase a car for your company.

3.    Are There Business-Related Benefits?

It is important to remember that expenses and finances aren’t the only reason to buy a car for your company. There are numerous advantages for your business as well. The first, of course, is professionalism. When clients or investors see your employees get out of company cars instead of taxis, they have a much better impression of your workers. Also, your employees will have a lot more freedom about where they can meet clients. For example, you can even advise your workers to travel out of state without needing to worry about time or money. Depending on your business, a car or vehicle could actually act as an advertisement for you. With the help of car wraps and similar tactics, the vehicle could serve two purposes at once.

4.    Can Your Employees Handle It?

Last but certainly not least, you will need to consider your employees. Are they up to the task of driving around company property? This is significant because car crashes are not only costly to you and the company, there are also casualties to think about. So, it is only if you feel as though your employees are responsible and safe drivers, should you think of getting a company car. Even then, it is a good idea to set up a driving program of sorts. This should consist of a set of guidelines or rules that each driver needs to follow, every time that they get behind the wheel. This will help to keep everyone involved safe during all trips.

These are the four questions that you should pore through before arriving at a conclusion regarding your very own company car.

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Two Designers Launch Insurance Startup for Entrepreneurs

Hannah Sullivan and Jade Sullivan recently launched an online commercial insurance agency for small businesses. Whether you’re a startup, freelancer, entrepreneur, small business owner, or anything in between, Pogo Insurance can help protect your endeavors.

How? Pogo compares insurance quotes from over 30 top commercial insurance providers to find its customers the right insurance plan for the best price. All it takes is one simple online questionnaire — and there are no hidden fees or extra costs for the service.

Hannah and Jade met at an innovation and branding master’s program at the VCU Brandcenter. But with the pair’s specialization in design, launching a business insurance startup doesn’t seem like a natural connection. However, Hannah’s father, Steve Love, has worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years and saw an opportunity to join forces with them while they were working in New York. His insurance expertise paired with their design and user experience skills is what brought Pogo to life.

Both Hannah and Jade learned about the entrepreneurial hustle from their parents. Steve has started multiple insurance companies throughout Hannah’s life — including agencies, brokerages, and specialty insurance products. Hannah’s mother is a clothing designer who has launched several clothing lines and currently makes custom clothing for musicians such as Felly, Upchurch, The Hollywood Vampires, and Alice Cooper. Jade grew up with a single mother who opened a restaurant, started a real estate investment business, and flipped a window tinting company in California.

“Growing up, the mentality was ‘work’. Do your own thing. Make your own way. I started a Christmas present wrapping operation in middle school and an art camp for kids in highschool,” Hannah explains. “And Jade used to work for herself as a video editor.”

But starting Pogo was still a greater challenge than either Hannah or Jade had anticipated. There were many moving parts, none of which they had experience handling. Because they have just recently launched the startup, the struggle of getting things going is still fresh. “We know how hard launching your own business is, because we’re doing it. Sometimes it feels like you’re swimming and there’s no way you’ll make it to the surface for more air,” Hannah explains. Jade follows with, “That’s why we’re so dedicated to making insurance as painless as possible for other startups.”

Entrepreneurs have many responsibilities. Handling clients, invoices, and deadlines can be stressful enough on its own. But attempting to understand the complexities of commercial insurance, like what types of coverage you need, or which insurance companies are the best for your business, can sometimes feel impossible.

“There’s simply too much to figure out when you’re an entrepreneur, and not enough time in the day. That’s why we want to take figuring out insurance off people’s plate. Let us worry about it — it’s what we do. That way, these self-employed business owners can do what they do best,” Jade says.

Hannah and Jade are just normal people, not longtime insurance agents with decades of experience (though, of course, they’ve hired these types of experts to work at Pogo). If they had never decided to tackle the insurance world, they’d probably still be creative freelancing. They would be Pogo’s audience, which is why they understand how to approach things in the easiest, and clearest, form. Jade believes that “being able to communicate with people in a way that’s approachable, but still informative, is key. And through carefully considered design and user experience, I think we’ve accomplished that.”

Their goal is to make insurance more accessible because stuffy terminology and unclear advice don’t help anyone. “Simplifying the information and the process — that’s what makes insurance more accessible. No one who comes to our site looking for protection is an insurance expert. So why would we speak in technical jargon, putting pressure on them to decipher it? We just want to make everything plain and simple,” says Hannah.

Jade lists a few quick points as to why business insurance is important for entrepreneurs:

1) It doesn’t matter how small an operation you are. If you’re accepting money for what you do, you’re a business. So business insurance is definitely something you should consider.

2) If you work from home, you might think your homeowners/renters insurance has got you covered. Wrong. Typically, that policy will only compensate you for up to $500 in business property damages. So good luck replacing even a smartphone! That’s why we recommend business property insurance.

3) Even if you have business property insurance, the protection ends after you’re 500 feet away from your business premises. So if you’re a photographer working outside your studio and your gear gets ruined, it’s not covered. To protect your work items on the go, you need inland marine insurance.

4) Clients can go ham on you for even the pettiest of reasons. They can literally sue you because they are “unhappy” with the results of your work. If you’re facing a lawsuit, legal defenses are often covered by your insurance policy.

5) Business insurance isn’t as expensive as you might think — especially if you’re a small operation.

Many of the larger insurance companies don’t choose to work with small businesses because they don’t think it’s worth the hassle. Why work for a small return, when you could work for a big return? Because of that, the little guys aren’t getting the help they need.

“That’s why we’re here. We want to help out the smaller, newer underdogs. Because they deserve to succeed. We can help them succeed by making sure their operations are protected from the start,” says Jade.

The team defines their brand as “not hard insurance”. Pogo may be new, but the team is made up of experts with 30+ years of industry experience. The experts work for you, not a commission. All quotes and advice are free.

Hannah and Jade look forward to helping the entrepreneurial community as they continue to roll out nationwide. The next phase for Pogo includes more technology, as well as industry-related packages and products.

To learn more about what types of insurance are best for entrepreneurs, click here.

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6 Radical Ways to Change Your Business Model in 2018

Companies wanting to succeed in a competitive market must continually look for ways to improve their business. This can ensure you continue to surpass your customers’ expectations year-after-year, which will allow your enterprise to flourish. Check out the six radical ways to change your business model in 2018 and beyond.

Update Your Technologies

Innovation is pushing companies large and small into the future. Get the year off to the best possible start by reviewing the best technologies to streamline operations, increase productivity and enhance customer satisfaction. For example, you can embrace cloud computing technology to gain access to your files on any device, or you can invest in new high-performing computers or mobile devices to improve internal efficiency.

Set a Bigger Goal

Sit down and think about your wildest dream for your company. Once you have done so, you should make it your mission to make it a reality. For example, mobile apps can provide companies with a new source of revenue, but many businesses are wary of the complexity of launching an app. However, all you need to do is identify step-by-step how you will achieve your big goal. For example, you can map out a plan to hire an experienced developer, contact Cambr for a BaaS platform, and identify the best methods for marketing the new application.

Build a Culture of Innovation

In addition to going after your company’s wildest dream, you should strive to build a culture of innovation. Encourage your employees to adopt a “think big” approach, which will give people licence to think outside the box and get a little creative. The ideas may potentially push your business in a completely new direction, which could help you develop a USP that will set you apart from your rivals.

Organize Your Office

A disorganized office will reflect in your products and services. Improve customer satisfaction by organizing your office. For example, disposing of unwanted paperwork and arranging items into categories will free up space, improve organization, and increase productivity. So, make a fresh start to breathe new life into your business.

Become Your Best Marketing Tool

Your biggest marketing tool could be staring back at you in the mirror. It doesn’t matter if you’re a B2C or B2B entrepreneur, you must strive to raise your profile in 2018 to boost your brand awareness and sales. You can do so by writing a blog, contributing articles to high-profile websites, and getting involved with local charities or community events.

Start Delegating

Many entrepreneurs think carefully about engagement, data and revenue, but fail to consider the importance of delegation when running a business. Yet, this could be the one thing holding your company back, as attempting to do it all can cause you to burnout. Don’t provide your clients with mediocre services, and aim to delegate tasks to employees or independent contractors. Finally letting go of the small stuff will allow you to focus your time and attention on growing the business.

The post 6 Radical Ways to Change Your Business Model in 2018 appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

3 Steps to Maintaining a Professional Online Persona in the Digital Age

Imagine that you, as an entrepreneur, were to meet someone for the first time. Perhaps they are a potential investor, client, or perhaps an acquaintance. What would you do before encountering them? In this day and age, the number one answer would be to type their name into a search engine. Following this, you are treated to a plethora of information about this person who was previously a stranger to you.

What you need to realize is that this isn’t a one-way process. When you research people, they are analyzing you right back. This means that other people are already arriving at a conclusion about who you are, even before they have met you. Now, this is one thing when it is an online date checking up on you. It means something completely different when it is an investor. If this sends a chill down your spine, this is good because you do need to clean up your online profile. Fortunately, here are some guidelines on how you can do this:

1.    Research Yourself Thoroughly

The first thing you will need to do is to see precisely what information about you is floating around on the web. This is something that becomes particularly important before starting your own venture or approaching investors. See, what is both impressive and frustrating about the internet is that nothing that is out there, ever really goes away. This includes pictures, articles, and even posts from as early as middle school (depending on your age).

So, to get an idea of the information that the worldwide web has compiled on you, you will need to type your name into a search engine. The key here is to simply skim the articles, social media pages, or sites that come up about you. If there is anything particularly negative, you should attempt to visit that page no more than once. You can take a screenshot but you should definitely avoid any future visits. You have to keep in mind that every time you visit that site you could be inadvertently causing it to move up on the search engine results page.

2.    Determine How to Section Your Online Presence

In the beginning, social media was simply a means for people to connect on a personal level. Now, however, companies and businesses are just as much a part of these platforms as anyone else. When running your own organization, you will have to decide whether or not you will be separating your personal and professional profiles.

One of the options you have is to set up two separate profiles – one for your friends and family and the other for clients and business partners. This way, you have the freedom to be a bit more relaxed with your personal profile. That being said, you need to realize that in the modern digital age, it isn’t quite so simple anymore. Unless you decide to make your personal profile completely private and inaccessible to the public, you can expect some overlap between your two identities. In fact, just to be on the safe side, it is best to be very careful about what you post on your profile. You should be aware that pictures and posts may be viewed by people who are a part of your professional circle.

3.    Hire Professional Services

If you want your business to succeed in an era where the internet is king, then you need to monitor your online profile vigilantly. This has several benefits for you. First, you are able to keep track of what kind of news you and your company is generating. If it is positive, you know that your particular endeavors are working. Secondly, this approach ensures that you are able to catch bad publicity immediately. This gives you the chance to begin cleaning up a potential disaster before it gains any real traction.

The truth, however, is that with all that you have going on, it will be virtually impossible for you to manage this task as well. This is why it is best to hand it over to the professionals. There are numerous companies that construct positive identities, use specific methods to help them grow, and then keep a track of them. You can learn about Online Reputation Management here and how they are one of the best businesses around.

There is no denying that maintaining a professional online persona isn’t all that easy these days. However, with a bit of time, commitment, and the right help you can keep it all under control.

The post 3 Steps to Maintaining a Professional Online Persona in the Digital Age appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.