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Master the Basics of Google Sheets: The Ultimate Guide

Google Sheets is one of the best spreadsheet apps that you access via your web browser. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Google Sheets is one of the most powerful spreadsheet programs that allows you to store massive data sets and perform complex calculations on them. It uses functions and formulas to do these computations on the data stored in the cells.

This makes many jobs easier as you don’t have to do any calculations manually. In short, it can save you a lot of time and effort if done correctly. But, it is a complicated program to get started with. Read on to master the basics of this sometimes intimidating program.

Why Use This Guide

Most beginners aren’t fully aware of Google Sheets’ functionality or where to start. This guide will discuss how you can set up a perfect work environment, use functions and formulas, and create charts in Google Sheets.

If you’re a newbie, this guide will act as an ideal starting point. But, if you’re a little more experienced, you could start looking into other more complex, useful Google Sheets formulas.

Setting Up the Perfect Work Environment in Google Sheets

For many users, the default size of the cells in a spreadsheet may be too small or too large to fit the data correctly. It’s best to change the appearance beforehand so that your data can look visually appealing and easy to read. Here are a few things you can do to change the appearance of your spreadsheet.

Changing the Size of a Row or a Column in Google Sheets

There are two ways to adjust the size of a column or a row in Google Sheets.

Method 1: To adjust the row or column size on the go, all you have to do is:

Hover your cursor on the edge of the column or row header, denoted by a gray divider line. Hovering over a divider line will change the cursor shape to a line with arrows on both sides.
Click and drag your cursor to either left or right or up or down, depending on whether you’re resizing a column or a row.

Method 2: This allows you to resize single and multiple rows or columns. Follow these steps to do so:

Click on the row or column header to select it. Use Shift + Left Click to select multiple columns or rows.
Right-click to open a drop-down menu.
Click on the Resize option. The option may look different depending on resizing rows or columns. Clicking this will open a small window allowing you to adjust your settings.
Type in your desired size in the text box.
Click OK to save your changes.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/master-basics-of-google-sheets/

The Technique a Sleep Doctor Swears By To Quiet Anxious Thoughts at Night and Fall Asleep in Minutes

One minute, you’re brushing your teeth, drowsy and ready to pass out. And the next, you’re in bed, eyes wide open, each new thought punctuated by concerns about how you can’t fall asleep and won’t function well the following day as a result. It’s all too easy to get swept up by these racing, anxious thoughts right as you were hoping to drift off to sleep—which is why clinical psychologist and sleep doctor Shelby Harris, PsyD, suggests a technique that’ll swiftly distance you from them. And it’s as simple as turning those same thoughts into a song.

That’s right, Dr. Harris suggests you literally sing your anxious thoughts—either out loud (presuming you don’t have a sleeping bedmate) or in your head—to the tune of an upbeat song like “Happy Birthday.” The idea? By singing them, the thoughts begin to lose their ruminative power, and you’re reminded of the fact that you have control over whether you believe them. “It’s just like when you look at a word that you’ve known for so long, but continue to stare at it to the point that it becomes just a jumble of letters,” says Dr. Harris. “The same sort of thing can happen with a thought: As you’re singing it and speeding it up or slowing it down, it begins to lose its meaning, and you lose your emotional attachment to it.”

Why turning anxious thoughts into a song can help you fall asleep
Though many physical and psychological factors can interfere with good sleep, up high on that list is stress and anxiety—which can often spawn anxiety about being able to fall asleep, too. “I always say it might not be your insomnia that’s the problem but your worries about the insomnia,” says Dr. Harris. So, finding a way to escape the, “I need to sleep—or else” thought spiral is essential to dozing off. “Whenever I see my patients’ thoughts about their sleep lessen in intensity, I know that better sleep is around the corner for them,” says Dr. Harris.

That’s where the singing trick comes into play: It’s a simple way to turn down the notch on those anxious thoughts (after which good sleep can flow naturally). And it works so well because of a psychological process called cognitive defusion, which is commonly practiced as part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety and depression.

“Sometimes, we become so fused with thoughts that aren’t serving us—like, ‘I’m not going to be able to fall asleep tonight’—that some cognitive defusion may be necessary.” —Shelby Harris, PsyD, clinical psychologist

“In most of our lives, we tend to believe all of our thoughts are reality, which is something we call being cognitively fused,” says Dr. Harris. “So, if the trees look green, we internalize the trees being green as a fact. But, sometimes, we become so fused with thoughts that aren’t serving us—like, ‘I’m not going to be able to fall asleep tonight’—that some cognitive defusion [aka separation from those thoughts] may be necessary to see them for what they are, which is just thoughts.”

Source : https://www.wellandgood.com/sleep-doctor-technique-anxious-thoughts/

Manifesting Your Dream Life Starts With This One Simple Change

‘Manifesting’ sounds like a crock of s**t. Here’s how to do it properly.

Manifesting is one of those ~cringe~ expressions that is most often heard coming out of the mouth of someone incredibly insincere. But what if we told you there is a humble way to do it – one that’s actually effective?

Manifesting – thinking about something so much you make it happen – is a fluffy concept at best (and a selfish one at worst). But meditation coach and founder of @soulalive.meditation Luke McLeod recently took to Instagram with the most attractive take on the phenomenon we’ve ever heard.

Mcleod says that if you flip the concept of manifesting, instead focussing on the things you already have and which you are grateful for, you will be more likely to manifest more good things into being.

“‘Fake it until you make it’ has never really sat well with me,” Mcleod said. “Thinking as if I have a million dollars in the bank or that it’s coming to me soon has always felt a bit weird and disingenuous. It wasn’t until I flipped the whole manifesting thing on its head that it actually started to make more sense, and actually kind of worked.”

Source : https://www.dmarge.com/how-to-manifest

5 Ways To Make People Instantly Like You In Less Than 2 Minutes

Over the years, likeability has gotten a reputation for being uncool and old school, and something only the tragically unhip care about. But being likable is extremely important, like in your career where many opportunities arise from other people.

And what about relationships? People have to like you initially if they’re going to proceed in getting to know you. Likeability often starts with an initial impression, where people decide if you’re worth spending any time and energy on within seconds.

But is there a remedy for how to make people like you? What can you do to make first impressions last and have people like you as quickly as possible?

The book How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less, by speaker and author Nicholas Boothman, highlights how to become instantly appealing and engaging to someone you just met. Here are five of his tips.

5 Ways To Make People Instantly Like You In Less Than 2 Minutes
1. Open both your body and your attitude.
As we know, body language speaks volumes and can affect the length and quality of personal interactions. Open body language exposes the heart, so having a positive approach and leading with your heart is crucial. Don’t cover your heart with your hands or arms; aim it directly at the person you’re meeting.

As far as having an open and positive attitude, Boothman says, “When you meet someone for the first time you can be curious, enthusiastic, inquiring, helpful, engaging, and/or warm.”

2. Be the one to initiate eye contact.
It can be challenging to look people in the eye, but just enough (not so much that you make the other person feel uncomfortable) is a valuable skill to have. Boothman told Houston Chronicle that he always looks people in the eye and notes their eye color.

3. Don’t forget to smile.

Boothman suggests being the first one to smile, which sends the message that you’re sincere.

According to a survey conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 48 percent of adults think a smile is the most memorable feature when they meet someone for the first time. Smiling gives people the impression that you’re trustworthy.

Source : https://www.yourtango.com/self/ways-make-people-instantly-like-you-less-two-minutes

Why Fractional Executives Are the Best Investment For Your Business

Are you considering hiring a fractional executive for your small business? It is the best investment you can make.

Small businesses struggle on many fronts and find it difficult to strive in the competitive world. But with the help of fractional executives, these businesses have a true fighting chance!

What is a fractional executive?

A fractional executive is an individual a company hires to fulfill an executive role. This role asks for a fraction of the full-time work, and these individuals do not work for long office hours but as consultants instead. Companies hire fractional executives on part-time or on-demand contracts.

Such hires are the best options for companies who may not have the resources needed to hire a full-time executive or simply do not have the need. Companies who want business experts without spending a lot of money often go for fractional executives. These individuals are often highly experienced, having spent many years in the field, and can prove to be very valuable assets. Fractional executives may have a vast range of skills pertaining to different disciplines or just one, depending on their qualifications and experiences.

Such executives may practice independently, or they may be a part of a consulting firm. These experts can fill in different roles besides consultancy. For example, you can also hire a fractional executive to fulfill senior management roles and make important decisions. Companies can also hire their services for a specific project, such as a marketing initiative, and bid farewell when the project ends.

Why are fractional executives important for your small businesses?

If you are a small business, then you must consider hiring a fractional executive, as they serve smaller businesses better than large companies.

Your company may still be in its initial stages, and it can be very difficult to steer it through turbulent times. In such times, smaller companies require the guidance of an expert, so they know what to do in order to succeed.

There are several other reasons why small businesses should get a fractional executive on board. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Business Growth

Warren Buffett Says There’s 1 Skill That Will Raise Your Value by an Astounding 50 PercentIt might not sound important, but it may be exactly what you need right now.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett has given his fans and shareholders priceless investing advice over the years. But of all the investment choices you can make over a lifetime, which one does Buffett consider to be the best?

It may not be what you think. In fact, it may not even be a blip on your radar screen. It’s working on your public speaking skills.

Here’s what Buffett said to a class of business students at Columbia University in a televised town hall event back in 2009:

Right now, I would pay $100,000 for 10 percent of the future earnings of any of you, so if you’re interested, see me after class. Now, you can improve your value by 50 percent just by learning communication skills–public speaking. If that’s the case, see me after class and I’ll pay you $150,000.

In simple Buffett-speak, the dividend on your public speaking investment will pay off for the rest of your career. He says it’s “an asset that will last you 50 or 60 years. And it’s a liability–if you don’t like doing it or are uncomfortable doing it–that will also last you 50 or 60 years, and it’s a necessary skill.”

This is one of several instances where Buffett has advised us to hone our communication skills as the key to success. Clearly, it has worked for Buffett, as his worth has increased to the tune of nearly $118 billion at last count.

But it didn’t come easy for Buffett, in case the idea of public speaking brings with it your own trepidation. The billionaire has publicly admitted that during high school and college, he was “terrified of public speaking” to the point of throwing up.

Taking a public speaking course at Dale Carnegie changed his life, Buffett has said. When you walk into Buffett’s office in Omaha, the only plaque proudly displayed on the wall isn’t his bachelor of science degree in business administration, which he earned from the University of Nebraska at 19. No, it’s the communication diploma he received in 1952 from Dale Carnegie–the one that transformed him.

Source: https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-says-theres-1-skill-that-will-raise-your-value-by-an-astounding-50-percent.html

Are You INTERESTED Or Are You COMMITTED? – John Assaraf

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrl0YLC-KtM

11 Ways to Build Thought Leadership With Your Personal Brand

Increase your visibility, reach, audience and ability to earn by discovering your unique area of expertise as a thought leader and sharing it across multiple platforms.

Growing access to online platforms has made it so much easier for individuals like you and me to use our personal brands in order to be positioned as thought leaders, to build online audiences and to ultimately increase revenue-earning opportunities.

A thought leader, or the “go-to expert,” is defined as “an individual or firm recognized as an authority in a specific field … to consistently answer the biggest questions on the minds of the target audience on a particular topic.”

Thought leaders get the opportunities to be invited to speak at events, be a guest on TV shows, radio shows and podcasts, are invited to write columns in local and international publications, host and moderate events and so much more. Thought leaders also get paid for their knowledge/expertise and for bringing more of a unique or different perspective to a topic.

Let’s look at some thought leaders across industries:

Steve Jobs: innovation and technology

Brene Brown: authenticity and vulnerability

Shonda Rhimes: screenwriting and TV

Oprah Winfrey: philanthropy and media

Richard Branson: rule breaker and entrepreneurship (and the list could go on and on)

Each of these thought leaders have done at least five, if not all of the things listed below, but out of everything listed, what they all have in common is a strong personal brand that they were willing to share with the world through multiple platforms.

Your personal brand is the thing that sets you apart from others based on your skills, experience, knowledge, expertise and, of course, your own personal journey. It is about combining all of the above and becoming known for a particular thing. Thought leadership comes when you are consistently sharing your perspective, insight, new thoughts, ideas and trends around this thing, sharing it with others and providing immense value.

Here are 11 ways you could be using your personal brand to become a thought leader or influencer in your industry:

1. Find out what you want to be known for

Ask yourself, “What do I want to be known for?” When people hear or see your name, what are the keywords that you want to come to mind? Think about your personal and professional journey — what are you already known for? How are you different? What new value or insight are you bringing to what can sometimes be a pretty full table?

2. Talk about it

People need to not only know who you are, but what you have to say. It’s great if you are knowledgeable about a particular topic or if you are even the best in a specific area of your industry, but it doesn’t help you or anyone else if you don’t speak about it. We have so many more opportunities to create our own platforms or to reach out directly to others with existing platforms in order for our voices to be heard and to take space. Think about how you could be using your existing platforms to talk more about what you do and how you do it, to share your knowledge, and be an active participant in conversations that impact your industry.

THE REAL REASON PANTS WERE OBJECTIONABLE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Women throughout history fought for the right to wear pants, but that trend in female fashion did not widely catch on until around the mid-20th century, as Britannica notes. Of course, men were wearing pants long before that, as the alternative (or no pants at all) would be quite controversial in most cases. These days, pants are such a staple in menswear, in fact, that it’s easy to take them for granted. There was a time, though, in ancient Rome, when a man wearing pants was considered objectionable, as Atlas Obscura explains.

If men weren’t wearing pants in ancient Rome, then what were they wearing? Roman fashion for both genders can be summed up by the two “T’s,” or tunics and togas — tunics were casual, and togas were worn for fancy occasions, according to Fibre2Fashion. At its peak, the Roman Empire spanned roughly 2 million square miles, as History writes. Within that vast space were many different cultures, each one with its own style of clothing. It was this Roman point of view on certain colonized people — with whom the Roman Empire frequently fought throughout history — that led some Roman men to consider breeches to be distasteful.

GAULISH MEN WERE KNOWN TO WEAR BREECHES

Around 50 B.C. the Roman conquest of Gaul (modern-day France) at the hands of Julius Caesar was complete, as Britannica notes. In Caesar’s view, the native people of Gaul he encountered during his time fighting within the country were uncivilized. And what were they wearing? You guessed it, pants, which were most often made from animal skins, as the History of Yesterday notes. The same proved true of other Germanic peoples the Romans came across as they conquered Europe, many of whom were called “barbarians.” A famous Roman poet named Ovid recalled what one group of people he met looked like and what they wore, including trousers. “Only their faces” were visible, Ovid wrote.

Source: https://www.grunge.com/25722/10-things-assumed-true-american-history-arent/

WORK WAYS I’m an etiquette expert – tacky things you should never say, do or wear at work & some are pretty common

THE time has come when many of us are returning to our cubicles and retiring our home offices.

With communal office spaces comes a certain expectation of behaviors.

etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore — Jacqueline Whitmore specializes in business etiquetteCredit: Amalie Orrange

Etiquette expert and author Jacqueline Whitmore—who founded the business etiquette consulting firm The Protocol School of Palm Beach—spoke to The Sun about proper office conduct and what’s considered tacky.

EMAILS
In the workforce, the primary form of communication is via email.

Employees, especially young ones, often second guess their email writing skills and wonder whether they’re being too casual or too formal.

As for etiquette, Whitmore says the first email should always have a greeting like “Hello,” “Dear,” or “Good morning.”

“And 99.9% of the time, it’s ok to use the first name only,” Whitmore adds.

“Here in the US specifically, it’s much more casual and everyone is on a first-name basis with their bosses even.

“So, unless someone addresses you by Mr. or Ms. in their first email—which might mean there is a level of formality that should be maintained until you get to know one another—it’s fairly safe to say that you can use their first name.”

She says you can also pick up on certain cues—like if someone signs off their emails by including their last name, that’s a sign to address them by their surname.

“Don’t send off a hot email. You need to simmer down, think about what you’re writing, read it, reread it, print it out. Let it sit and maybe have someone else look it over first.”

She adds that it’s in poor taste to not return an email or neglect following up after you said you would.

CUBICLE TALK
Because most offices involve cubicles or open floor plans, your coworkers are privy to much of what you’re doing at your desk.

Whitmore says there are a few guidelines to follow.

Don’t eat smelly foods at your desk.

Don’t put people on speakerphone, even if it is a work call.

“And I know personal calls can’t be avoided all the time, but try to keep them to a minimum and don’t speak so loudly when on these calls because no one wants to hear your business.”

She also says she’s received complaints about employees removing their shoes at their desk. Don’t be that person.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/5411809/etiquette-expert-tacky-never-say-do-work-common/

A kids’ story unfolds without words in ‘A Day For Sandcastles’

Illustrations copyright © 2022 by Qin Leng

About 10 years ago, JonArno Lawson was at a beach in Virginia watching his kids build sandcastles right next to the waves.

“I kept trying to get them to come back because I thought it was a terrible idea,” he says. He wanted them to build their sandcastles closer to the dunes. But they found it more exciting to build right where the waves hit, seeing their sandcastles get destroyed, and then re-building them with whatever debris washed up from the ocean.

“It seemed so symbolic, somehow, of… how life works more than just building your perfect sandcastle,” says Lawson.

When he decided to turn that sunny day into a children’s book, the idea came to just use pictures. “It seemed like it would work beautifully without words,” he says. “Like the whole thing would just be visual.”

A Day For Sandcastles is illustrated by Qin Leng. It’s the second wordless picture book for Lawson and Leng since 2021’s Over The Shop.

For the new book, Lawson gave Leng a short manuscript — basically a one-page movie script — of what he was picturing. “It’s a real collaboration that way because how it then appears is completely Qin,” says Lawson.

Leng illustration’s stay pretty true to real life. A trio of siblings — who Lawson says even look like his kids, though he didn’t share photos with Leng — spend the day building sandcastles and watching them get destroyed by a flying hat, an errant toddler and the surf.

“To me, it’s a celebration of childhood and the simple joys of life,” says Leng. “This is the sort of thing I like to capture. I like to draw people. I like to draw them in the day-to-day mundane moments, but moments that all of us can relate to.”

Leng spent part of her childhood in France, and says she is inspired by European comic books. For A Day For Sandcastles, she used a fountain pen with the smallest nib she could find to make very detailed, very refined illustrations with a very light watercolor wash. She also added in a lot of personal touches.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/22/1093588533/a-day-for-sandcastles-book

How To Create Brand Touchpoints That Engage Both Customers And Employees

Plexus particles shaping heart GETTY

When you think of a brand touchpoint (i.e., an encounter designed to invoke positive feelings around your brand), you probably immediately think about your customers. After all, they’re the ones you’re trying to attract, nurture, and sell to. But what about your employees? What about other company stakeholders?

Imagine all the moments these individuals make contact with your brand. It could be a new hire going through the onboarding process, a manager trying to motivate their team, or a collaborator opening an email. Reinforcing these moments as brand touchpoints could be a powerful way to strengthen your business.

How? It’s known that engaging brand touchpoints lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction. This, in turn, can result in improved loyalty, more referrals, and additional credibility. All of these factors can increase the profitability of your brand. The same can be true for touchpoints connecting your brand and your non-customer stakeholders.

Your team members are the people who actively represent and advocate for your brand. If they’re disengaged, your customers and leads will be, too. Practicing two-way marketing could help your brand make a more profound emotional impact and strengthen your team’s belief in the company.

1. Pull back the curtain on your brand.

People often become disengaged with brands when they can’t see who they’re actually talking to. Too many companies rely on repetitive messaging, buzzwords, and stock images to communicate with stakeholders. However, authentic, familiar images are more successful. In one experiment, a recognizable photo of a company founder made website visitors 35% more likely to sign up for free consultations compared to a photo featuring a stock image model.

When you give customers behind-the-scenes information and engage employees in the creation of these touchpoints, it helps everyone feel closer to the brand. The medium can make a difference, as well. Take TikTok, for example. People tune in to this social platform because they want to see homegrown content captured in real time. They don’t want professional-quality videos or slick editing. They’d rather see clips from genuine moments (like when a bridal wear brand owner posted her wedding on TikTok).

“People flock to TikTok for catchy yet imperfect videos,” explains Jessica Elliott, writer and business consultant. “The raw, behind-the-scenes content pulls viewers into a story, even if only for a short time. Brand pages aren’t perfectly curated with pages of perfectly posed products and people. Instead, TikTok is all about authenticity, and that is something that small businesses can take advantage of.”

2. Host experiential events.

Part of pulling back the curtain is inviting people to experience your brand firsthand. Experiential events are a great way to do this. When it comes to brand touchpoints, events—whether in person, digital, or a combination of the two—can build trust and familiarity and improve brand recognition.

Events are especially impactful if you can work with your team to identify why you’re creating the event and what your strategic objectives are. The planning phase of an event can be just as valuable as the event itself: It gives team members the chance to get on the same wavelength, connect with brand values and strategies, and feel a sense of ownership. How do you know which event type to choose? Think about what would be the most engaging.

3. Turn setbacks into chances to improve stakeholders’ lives.

Sometimes your brand touchpoints might not go according to plan, but that’s okay. “Don’t catastrophize setbacks or failures,” writes Allie Mendoza, CEO and founder of Biz She Loves LLC. “They don’t necessarily mean the end of your business. Think of them as a delay in achievement due to things beyond your control. Failure doesn’t have to be permanent unless you don’t try again. So, keep moving. Keep trying.”

This might feel like a challenge sometimes, but the beauty of two-way marketing is that it opens dialogue between your brand, customers, and employees. If something isn’t working, you’ll have a chance to change things. For instance, when United Airlines first saw survey results from consumers exposing the negative associations people had with air travel, they decided to use the insights to relate rather than alienate. They conceived a brand campaign called “Rising,” which promoted a brand vision of improvement and accountability.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rhettpower/2022/05/22/how-to-create-brand-touchpoints-that-engage-both-customers-and-employees/?sh=47436f26381e

A psychologist explains why negativity dominates your daily thoughts, and what to do about it

We’ve all been there, mired in the throes of pessimism when life just doesn’t seem to be going our way. For the lucky ones, this entirely natural, though disconcerting, feeling ebbs and flows, ultimately dissolving into a more balanced, healthier state of mind. For hapless others, though, the extreme negative thoughts and ideation can overwhelm—even becoming “who they are.” At worst, it can be deadly, as one peer-reviewed study found that “people who are strongly pessimistic about the future are at greater risk of dying earlier than those who are not pessimists.”

It turns out that we as humans might be built for negativity, making us our own worst enemy. This, as other research casts doubt on so-called optimism bias, debunking the notion that some people inherently “see” life “through rose-tinted glasses.” It’s an unfortunate opportunity loss, as another study found optimism to be associated with “exceptional longevity.”

“Thoughts are powerful things, and both the positive and negative lead to our moods, our physiological symptoms and our behaviors,” says clinical psychologist Monica Vermani, author of A Deeper Wellness: Conquering Stress, Mood, Anxiety and Traumas. “Even though, at times, we may feel as though we are not, we are the ones in control of our thoughts. We can choose not only   what we think about but how  we think about it.”

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/90754266/a-psychologist-explains-why-negativity-dominates-your-daily-thoughts-and-what-to-do-about-it

10 Tips to Help Beginner Photographers Improve Their Work

Source: https://fstoppers.com/education/10-tips-help-beginner-photographers-improve-their-work-605546

Search Engine Optimization: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding SEO

You offer an amazing product or service, and you know there are people out there who are willing to pay money for your solution.

But how do you connect with them and let them know you exist?

The good news is that it’s actually relatively easy to find these people. They search for relevant keywords on Google, Bing, and other search engines every day looking for your products or services.

For example, if you sell basketball shoes, more than 53,000 people search for them monthly:

Therefore, the key to getting to the top of Google or any search engine is search engine optimization (SEO).

Ready to learn about the key elements of SEO? Keep reading to discover how you can implement them to start capturing your audience organically.

What is SEO in marketing?

In marketing, SEO is a process that helps websites improve their rankings and visibility in search engines. Put simply, SEO will help you rank higher for relevant keywords, which will bring you more targeted visitors.

This works for physical products, services, blogs, and virtually any type of business where prospects search online.

For example, if you provide landscaping services, SEO can help you rank for a term like “landscaping services near me.” Similarly, a vegan blogger might want to rank for the term “vegan oatmeal cookie recipe.” Finally, an ecommerce shoe store might want to rank for “high-heel shoes online.”

Is SEO easy to learn?

The basics of SEO are easy to learn. As long as your website has a strong technical foundation (and most websites on standard platforms like WordPress and Shopify do), you can achieve great results by implementing simple SEO strategies yourself.

In fact, just following the steps in this guide will make you a more formidable competitor than most of the other companies and blogs in your industry.

Does SEO still work in 2021?

If you’ve done some SEO research, you may have heard the phrase “SEO is dead.” While most of the older tactics people used to use (such as keyword stuffing and spammy link building) no longer work, that doesn’t mean that SEO is dead.

Effective SEO strategies are certainly different for 2021 and beyond, and larger brands have the benefit of the doubt in search engine result pages. However, SEO will continue to be relevant as long as people use search engines like Google.

What are SEO basics?

The basics of SEO are:

Technical foundation
Keyword research
Content creation
Link building
Measure and tracking SEO performance

We’ll cover each one in detail below with step-by-step instructions so that you can implement them yourself.

Therefore, when you finish this post, your website should be well optimized, and you’ll eventually see compounding results.

Technical foundation

Similar to building a house, it’s important to have a solid foundation to build on. In SEO, your website needs to have a solid technical foundation.

While minor flaws in your technical foundation may merely annoy your reader, larger flaws could eliminate your website’s chances of ranking in search engine results altogether.

Therefore, here are a few of the key technical aspects you need to check.

Indexability

If Google can’t crawl your website, it won’t be able to index critical pages. Unfortunately, if Google can’t index your pages, your website won’t show up in their search results.

Therefore, be sure to check that all of your pages are indexable. You can check for index errors in Google Search Console by looking at the “Coverage” report, or you can see which particular pages are indexed by using the URL inspection.

If you don’t have Google Search Console set up, you can also type “Site:www.example.com” into Google to see all of your indexed pages.

Mobile friendly

Google operates on mobile-first indexing, so regardless of how well you optimize your desktop version, it won’t matter if your mobile version is poorly optimized.

While most websites now offer responsive design, it’s still important to double-check that your website is indeed mobile-friendly.

To check if your website is mobile-friendly, you can use Google Search Console and check under “Mobile Usability.”

Here’s an example of a website that isn’t mobile-friendly:

Here’s an example of a website that is mobile-friendly:

While this will point out any technical errors, it won’t show you optimization techniques.

Therefore, it’s still important to manually go through your website’s mobile version and check that it’s easy to scroll and the text is legible.

Site speed

Another critical component of a solid technical foundation is speed. Users hate waiting on slow websites to load, so Google made site speed a ranking factor in 2018.

However, improving your site speed will do much more than just help you rank higher. Studies show that your conversion rate will drop by about 4.42% for every additional second your webpage requires to load between 0–5 seconds and 2.11% for every additional second from 0–9 seconds.

To check your site speed, you can look at the Core Web Vitals tab in Google Search Console or enter your domain in PageSpeed Insights.

From there, you can hire a developer on Upwork to fix the issues for you.

Logical site architecture

Finally, it’s important that people can navigate your website efficiently. For example, they should be able to navigate from the homepage to any other desired page in (ideally) less than three clicks.

Most importantly, your site should be structured logically so that users can easily find what they need. This improves the user experience and enables search engines to better understand the topic of each page.

For example, as Summer Navel is listed under the category “oranges,” Google will better understand that Summer Navel is a kind of orange.

Source

You can also tell that despite having many different products, it’s easy to access any type of fruit from the homepage in just three clicks.

While it may seem simple, a recent study found that improving their internal link structure increased organic sessions by approximately 25% for a total of 9,200 additional sessions.

Title tags and meta descriptions

When you perform a search on Google, the first thing that pops up is a list of title tags and meta descriptions that give brief snapshots of each website.

These are important for SEO, as they have a significant impact on click-through rate.

If your titles are enticing and receive many clicks and engaged users, Google is happy to move you up in the rankings.

If you’re stuck when writing your title tags, consider looking through some of the headlines at BuzzFeed. Most of these can be templatized and dramatically improve your CTRs.

However, it’s important to avoid clickbait headlines with empty promises as that will cause readers to bounce (which is a negative signal to Google). Therefore, be sure that your content delivers what you say it will.

Finally, always include a keyword at the beginning of your title and somewhere in your meta description. We’ll discuss keywords in detail below, but remember this as you’re writing your headlines.

Source: https://copyblogger.com/search-engine-optimization/

Too much pleasure can lead to addiction. How to break the cycle and find balance

Be it sugar, social media or sex, the response in our brain is the same: It produces the “feel-good” neurochemical called dopamine, which brings on feelings of pleasure and motivation. “It may be even more important for motivation than for actual pleasure,” says Dr. Anna Lembke, a Stanford Medical School psychiatrist, researcher and author of the new book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.

When we’re repeatedly exposed to pleasure-producing stimuli — social media, sugar, alcohol or any number of readily-available substances — our bodies adjust. Then we need more on repeated use, just to feel a the marginal pleasure boost – and, eventually, just to feel “normal.”

A dopamine hit brings about pleasure, and then is quickly followed by pain, or a come-down, in order to keep us motivated. Lembke says this balancing see-saw of pleasure and pain made sense in the time of early humans, when we had to constantly search for our basic needs – food, water, shelter. “It’s really an ingenious method to make sure that no matter what we do, that’s pleasurable. It doesn’t last very long and it’s followed by pain so that immediately we’re searching again,” she explains.

But, in modern life, we live in a world of abundance rather than scarcity, and Lembke says our brains weren’t evolved for the “fire hose of dopamine” of sugar, social media, TV, sex, drugs or any number of dopamine-triggering stimuli so easily available. In short, Lembke says, almost every behavior has become “drugified.”

When we’re repeatedly exposed to our pleasure-producing stimuli, our brains adjust and, eventually, we need more and more just to feel “normal,” or not in pain. That’s called a “dopamine deficit state,” and the cycle that leads us there can actually lead to depression, anxiety, irritability and insomnia.

“We’re not able to take joy in more modest rewards,” Lembke says. “Now, our drug of choice doesn’t even get us high. It just makes us feel normal. And when we’re not using, we’re experiencing the universal symptoms of withdrawal from any addictive substance, which are anxiety, irritability, insomnia, dysphoria and craving.”

Ultimately, Lembke says, this is a universal problem – not one limited to those of us struggling with the disease of addiction – that has come with living in modern life. And to restore our sanity, collectively we must rethink how to navigate a dopamine overloaded world.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/31/1090009509/addiction-how-to-break-the-cycle-and-find-balance

The 100 most powerful Buddha quotes (my personal selection)

If you want to see the best Buddha quotes in one place, then you’ll LOVE this post.

I’ve personally gone through hundreds of Buddha quotes to pick out his top 100.

In fact, this is the list of quotes that inspired my latest eBook, The No-Nonsense Guide to Buddhism and Eastern Philosophy.

And you can filter through the list below to find the topics that most interest you.

But first, a brief introduction about the great man named Gautama Buddha.

Who Was Gautama Buddha?

Buddha was a spiritual teacher who lived in India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BC.

His philosophy ended up creating the religion Buddhism, and tends to counter much of what we’re taught in the West.

After many years spent in deep meditation, he realized that attachment and desiring lead to unhappiness.

He believed that enlightenment, or “Nirvana“, was achieved when one’s mind is compassionate, free of attachment and focused on the present moment.

He spent his entire life teaching others how to free themselves from suffering and live a life of compassion, fearlessness and joy.

So without further ado, here are the most inspiring 50 quotes from Gautama Buddha:

On Living In The Present Moment

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”

“Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.”

“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.”

“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”

On Achieving Enlightenment

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”

“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”

“Purity or impurity depends on oneself, no one can purify another.”

“Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

“What is evil? Killing is evil, lying is evil, slandering is evil, abuse is evil, gossip is evil, envy is evil, hatred is evil, to cling to false doctrine is evil; all these things are evil. And what is the root of evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil.”

“To insist on a spiritual practice that served you in the past is to carry the raft on your back after you have crossed the river.”

“If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone.”

“Stop, stop. Do not speak. The ultimate truth is not even to think.”

“The one in whom no longer exist the craving and thirst that perpetuate becoming; how could you track that Awakened one, trackless, and of limitless range.”

Source: https://ideapod.com/100-quotes-buddha-will-change-spend-life/

This California and Gurugram-based HRtech startup is on a mission to simplify continuous feedback, conversations and culture in the modern workplace

Founded in May 2020 during the peak pandemic period, Mesh is a SaaS-based modern performance management and HR tech platform which counts a wide pool of modern soon-to-be unicorns and unicorns across sectors as its clients, including ShareChat, CRED, Groww, Pipefy and others.

For all the flak social media receives in the modern world, it is undeniable that it is something that helps connect people worldwide. Having a virtual community helps users communicate, share and become a part of each other’s life, often leading to the strengthening of professional relationships, a must in today’s digital workplace.

With this aim in mind, Gaurav Chaubey, Saurabh Nangia, and Rahul Singh launched San Jose, California, and Gurugram-based HRtech startup Mesh, a social performance management platform for modern companies in May 2020, when the world had largely shifted to a remote working environment due to the pandemic.

It enables managers and HR leaders to track employee performance, and give feedback continuously, even in a remote working setup. The advanced features of the platform enable continuous feedback and OKR monitoring for each employee even in a remote setting, which in turn aids their productivity and goal attention, benefitting the company as a whole.

In April 2022, the startup raised $11 million in Series A funding to focus on building a global team for further expansion in the US and APAC markets. Mesh had secured $5 million in seed round July 2021.

Its investors include RTP Global and Liquid2Ventures, along with Sequoia’s Surge.

Since 2021, Mesh claims to have witnessed a 16x growth in its revenue.

Source : https://yourstory.com/2022/05/gurugram-hrtech-startup-mesh-continuous-feedback-conversations-culture-modern-workplace/amp

Why You Should Choose The People Who Choose You

By Larissa Martin

I am going to be honest with you. I have never really been good at choosing people that choose you, especially in the friendship department.

Up until a couple of years ago, my friendships were basically one-sided. I put more work into them than my friends did for me.

Sometimes I would think it was more of a friendship than the other person did. This started in middle school, and I noticed that because of this pattern, I started to develop trust and consistency issues that I still have to this day.

Unfortunately, when I begin a friendship, I don’t want to get too attached because they’re just going to leave, and I am going to get let down again as I always have before.

It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I stopped chasing friendships I thought I wanted and finally chose people that chose me. I can finally say that I have some of the best friends I have ever had in my adult life and that I am definitely not scared of losing like I have in the past.

Do I regret not choosing people that choose me, year after year? Sometimes I still do.

Let’s be real, I don’t regret doing it, not one bit; this is because it has led me to some of the most important and meaningful friendships I have ever had, and how can you argue with that? You can’t. At least in my personal experience, anyway.

I believe we don’t choose people that choose us at first because we don’t think we deserve those people. So, we settle for years and years until we stop chasing what we think we want and deserve; we end up choosing a person or an opportunity or whatever it may be.

How do I know this? I have gone through it time and time again.

It takes a lot of self-reflection over the years, and some trial and error of doing things at the wrong time, for all the right things to fall into place; for you to choose people and things meant for you.
Is it easy? Will there be heartbreak involved? Will you lose relationships in the process? Absolutely.

But it will be more than worth the risk for you to finally choose what you actually deserve and not what you thought you did for years.

Source : https://www.yourtango.com/2022350664/why-you-should-choose-people-who-choose-you

Easy Tricks to Beat Procrastination You Should Start Today

If you’re tired of feeling behind or scrambling to complete a task, here’s how to beat procrastination and boost productivity.

Whether it’s putting off answering emails or waiting until the last possible minute to submit a project before its deadline, we’ve all procrastinated. For some of us, however, procrastination is a constant struggle–one that can have a detrimental impact on a business if it isn’t addressed.

As the co-founder and managing partner of a content marketing company, there is seemingly no end to my to-do list–and I’ll admit that I can be prone to procrastinating on certain types of projects. But over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips and found a few tools that have helped me better manage my time and stay productive.

Here are tricks chronic procrastinators can use to become organized, hold themselves accountable–and finally get their work done once and for all.

1. Be realistic about your bandwidth.
A common reason we procrastinate is that there are just too many things on our plates. For instance, you know you have a big presentation coming up at the end of the month, but your day-to-day becomes occupied by smaller tasks (in part because it’s easier to focus on them and check them off). The next thing you know, that presentation is only a couple of days away and you haven’t even started it.

To reduce the number of tasks that prevent you from getting your work done, be realistic about your capacity to take on more work. Determine which responsibilities can be delegated, shifted, or put on hold to better prioritize the larger (and more pressing) project that’s coming up.

2. Break up large projects or deadlines into small tasks.
There’s nothing more overwhelming than seeing a major deadline on your calendar and treating it as though it’s a single task to check off your list. With so many elements that go into these large projects, it only makes sense (and is a lot more satisfying) to break them up into smaller, more manageable to-dos.

As you break down your projects, invest in a project management tool to help you organize and prioritize tasks by month, week, and even day. We employ Basecamp at my content marketing company. I often organize my to-do list for the week, but only let myself schedule — and visually see — four or five tasks max in a day. That number is manageable and encourages me to dive in rather than feel overwhelmed.

3. Put time blocking into action.
Studies have found that we can focus for only 90 minutes before we need a break–and I can only assume that our attention spans are even shorter now thanks to our digital devices.

Instead of fighting that attention span, use it to your advantage by working in short sprints through a technique known as time blocking. I like to block off specific times in my calendar to complete tasks — let’s say answering emails, for instance — and I turn off all of my notifications when executing them.

You can also try a method like the Pomodoro technique to get focused work done. This system (which requires a timer) encourages you to work on a single task with zero distractions for 25 minutes before taking a five-minute break.

Source: https://www.inc.com/amanda-pressner-kreuser/5-easy-tricks-to-beat-procrastination-you-should-start-today.html

Entrepreneurship 101: Here’s how networking the right way can help grow your startup

“Entrepreneurship is all about creating opportunities where none exist. Networking allows an entrepreneur to explore the uncharted path,” says Vineet Toshniwal, Founder and CEO of BizzO.

If one were to list down the essential skills a successful entrepreneur must possess, networking would definitely make it to the top five.

Essentially, networking is the process of interacting with people in order to establish social contacts, exchange information, or develop a professional relationship.

Social gatherings—say a meet of the startup community or a formal dinner—provide aspiring and established entrepreneurs networking opportunities that can be leveraged to meet a potential investor, a future employee, a possible partner, and even future brand collaborators.

“Building long term relations is probably one of the most important things that a founder can do for themselves and their companies,” says Akshay Chaturvedi, Founder and CEO of Leverage Edu. These relationships can be built with seasoned entrepreneurs, peers, industry and sub-sector experts, users, and so on.

However, networking does not come easy to everyone. Breaking the ice and initiating a conversation with a stranger can cause many to sweat. To be eventually good at networking, one has to be patient, persistent, and confident. With this in mind, Entrepreneurship 101 spoke to startup founders on how to network successfully.

Why is networking so important?

From a business perspective, each interaction with a stakeholder opens up the possibility for entrepreneurs to later connect regarding possible partnerships, collaborations, or even investments and sales. Networking with mentors and peers allows one to tap into a pool of ideas where they can not only develop new products and services, but also collaborate with existing ones, believes Vineet.

Akshay says that his entrepreneurial journey so far is entirely built on relationships he has cultivated at different stages of his life. More than half of the leadership team at Leverage Edu are friends from Akshay’s earlier days. “The chemistry helps us be both transparent and intense with each other without egos,” he adds.

Source: https://yourstory.com/2022/05/entrepreneurship-101-startup-founder-community-networking/amp

Exploring the Ten Habits of Being a Successful Entrepreneur

Winning as an entrepreneur depends on embracing certain best practices.

The sports world is full of examples of athletes who credit their success to winning habits. They might be the first one to practice and the last to leave, for example. Or they might have a specific athletic trainer they work with in the off-season.

Personal success can also benefit from winning habits as Steven Covey illustrated in his monster best-seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

The same certainly holds true in the world of entrepreneurs. Those who establish and maintain good habits will enjoy boundless success. I recently thought about the habits that have led to my success as well the success of other entrepreneurs and sought to put pen to paper. Here they are:

Take action: I’m sure no one is surprised that this is my opening salvo on the list, given my affection for the mantra of “Ready, Fire, Aim.” Nothing gets done or goes anywhere unless one acts. Make this a daily practice, not only when it comes to starting a business, but also in your daily execution – selling to prospects, identifying partners and expanding into new markets.

Use Google Docs or some other file-sharing service: Gathering all material from every imaginable source and placing it all in a Google Docs folder is a successful habit. This keeps one’s project(s) at “top of mind” and allows easy access to all pertinent material and info on one’s project(s). This is true collaboration at its finest.

Wake up early: Even if you don’t go to the office, assemble your thoughts in as peaceful an environment as possible over your morning coffee (or tea) and let your mind decide what your priorities should be for that day and beyond. If you can, partake in some morning sun before you go to work. Studies are increasingly showing that it can promote restful sleep later that night.

Prioritize: There are some tasks we are excited about and some we are not. It’s human nature. That’s why it is important to list them in order of priority, and go down the list in that order. It’s the perfect way to make your business a priority and not let unfounded fears or ego interrupt that success.

Be willing to listen and learn from others: This is especially true if they have experience in your industry or an area that you want to expand into. Too often, we reside in a bubble, thinking we have all the answers. We don’t. Everyone has something to offer, and we cannot remain isolated in our thinking. What’s more, I recommend that with everyone you meet by chance, consider what you might learn from them. This is a great practice that will serve you well down the road.

Read everything related to your industry: Whether it is The Wall Street Journal, or Entrepreneur, there is something for you to take from every issue that is relevant to your business. This doesn’t stop with traditional media, either. Track posts on LinkedIn and your competitors’ blogs, too. Get your hands on relevant information, so you can make the best possible decision.

Set up calls with other entrepreneurs you respect and can learn from, even if they are not in your business: You never know when one of their successful habits might work for you and make you a more polished entrepreneur. Act like you are a reporter, and ask them what has been the secret to their success.

Be nice to yourself: Spoil yourself with a walk in nature, or get a deep tissue massage or maybe a leisurely brunch. You work hard. If you don’t take care of your body and soul, no one else is going to do it for you. Take time to recharge your batteries. This is a great way to stay on track and take your business to the next level.

Bring your valued employees and contractors to you: As the pandemic has shown us, we can work remotely and execute as needed. But there is no substitute for bringing your team together every now and then. Some of the best ideas will emerge in face-to-face communications at the office, and even better, at a leisurely dinner. This also holds true for customers and clients. Create a gathering for them, and learn what makes them tick, so you can take those learnings and attract more such customers.

Use other people’s money, if you can: What I have found, is that you will run out of your own money long before you run out of great ideas that need capital. Money is cheaper than ever if you are willing to go the unconventional route or embrace the alternative funding community. Be open to it.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/423658

How to Figure Out Your FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) Lifestyle

What we learned from a 6 month “early retirement dry run” career break

You know the feeling if you work a 9 to 5. It starts creeping in when your weekend has barely begun. Before you can properly recharge from the workweek, you’ll have to get up on Monday and continue the grind. Will I be doing this for the rest of my life?!

My husband and I have been on the FIRE journey for the past decade. We are rentvestors meaning we don’t own a home, choosing instead to invest our money to help us reach financial independence much earlier than the traditional retirement age of 65. While we are not secretive about our life choices, we don’t exactly talk about them with friends and family. Like any other newly married couple, we field questions of “When are you buying a house?” and “Are you having kids?” At times it’s easier to dodge these than to be truthful that we don’t want what they think we should want.

Choosing the FIRE lifestyle means working just as hard as I would if I had a mortgage to shoulder or kids to support. At the end of the day, it’s to realize a lifestyle that I think would make me happy. Unlike some of my friends, I don’t have visions of being in my old age surrounded by offspring at gatherings to strengthen familial bonds. Neither do I share the kind of vision promoted by some FIRE bloggers of traveling the world unencumbered by offspring.

Being on the FIRE journey made me feel special like I was in some secret club but the more I saw people around me achieve milestones that were visible and tangible, the more I questioned what all this hard work is for. Simply telling myself that I’m doing it for “freedom” was no longer enough to push through the stress of remote work during a global pandemic. As I approached burnout, all I wanted was to be freed from the day-to-day anxiety caused by my job.

In October 2021, I decided to quit my stressful tech job with nothing lined up. Initially, I just wanted to focus on recharging but after some discussions with my husband, we decided that this would be the perfect time to figure out what I’d do if I didn’t need to work for money. We called it the “trial FIRE” career break. Mine lasted 6 months and this is how I did it, what I’d recommend, and my learnings along the way.

For this to work, I knew that I needed a decent chunk of time to establish a completely new routine. 3 months would have been too short as by the time you finish recharging from the grind, you’d need to start thinking about job hunting, leaving very little time to establish your early retirement routine.

When I decided to quit, I had about 6 months’ worth of expenses in my savings account. It is typical for a contractor like me to have a safety net in case my contract is terminated early. I began saving some of my paychecks earlier on and over time it grew. Instead of putting that money into our investment portfolio, I decided to use it to fund the break. This meant that I could give myself half a year off but it also meant that I wouldn’t have anything extra to treat myself or help with achieving our FIRE goals.

My husband had to accept this change too. After several discussions, to my surprise, he suggested we pivot to coast FIRE. This meant that our goal to retire early would be pushed out but he could be more relaxed about his workload and enjoy life more without feeling guilty. This helped to establish a new and much slower pace of life with fewer rules around what we had to do with every dollar earned.

It also meant a change in mindset and the introduction of uncertainty. Instead of sprinting towards a finish line, we stopped at the halfway point and didn’t know when and if we would start running again. For me, it was important to stop, take a breath, and see what’s beyond the finish line so that whatever I saw had the potential to motivate me to start running again. And I’d rather do that with my partner by my side than be left in his dust.

I wish I could tell you that quitting my job was easy. It was actually one of the hardest things I’ve had to do because there were so many risks involved. During this time, I spoke to a career advisor and a counselor through the company’s employee assistance program. It helped me realize that I was not set up for success in my role and I had failed to establish boundaries. For a couple of weeks I continued working to try and emotionally detach from what I couldn’t control. When that didn’t work, it became clear to me that the risk to my mental health would be much higher if I stayed.

Key learnings:

The FIRE journey is not necessarily a straightforward one because you are human and you need to prioritize periods of rest. Financial goals need to adapt to your capacity to reach them, not the other way round. It shouldn’t be something that forces you to push beyond your physical and emotional limits.
Help your partner understand this and find ways to adapt your approach that works for both parties. Communicate how much time you think you need for your break and how you expect to contribute financially during this time. You may need to negotiate these parameters with your partner and things might even get heated. Have compassion and patience for their perspective as you are affecting their future too. Bring the conversation back to how this could help both of you in the long term.
Quitting a job is a process that involves understanding the risks of staying versus leaving to make an informed decision that, above all else, is the most conducive to your wellbeing.
Saving up for a break is one aspect of setting yourself up properly. The other is to set the right intentions. I asked myself to find out what I’d be doing if I was financially free. In essence, it’s about uncovering what living fully and authentically looks like to you.

Month 1: allow ample time to recharge physically but the emotional recovery may take longer.

“I wish I could take a break.” I remembered these words on the first day of my break. They were uttered by someone I was sad to say bye to when I quit my job. What made me sadder was knowing that most people do not have the luxury to call time on a routine that is no longer serving them.

While a part of me was excited to figure out my new lifestyle, my batteries were completely depleted and my body would not co-operate. I was lying on the couch because I didn’t have the energy to do anything. I learned that the only thing to do immediately after burnout is to rest unapologetically.

In Devon Price’s book “Laziness Does Not Exist”, he uses the example of a pet chinchilla to make the argument that one does not need to be productive to have worth. So why then does seeing oneself as perfectly acceptable and lovable while blobbing on the couch seem like such a radical idea?

When deeply reflecting on my life, it became obvious that I was using my work successes to give me a sense of purpose and meaning. It became central to my identity and self-worth and helped me mask deep-seated insecurities that I felt especially as a minority in my society.

Unable to be productive, I became the human chinchilla. As the days passed, little by little my energy levels returned and I was able to function again. Being able to meet my basic needs like cooking nourishing meals to heal my body felt like an achievement. My husband praised my efforts to keep up with housework. Friends who wanted to chat could call on me during the day and people I knew in my industry encouraged me to share my stories as a mentor.

These were indicators from my network that I had value beyond employment. Through small acts of service that aligned with my values and energy levels, I was able to start uncoupling my identity from my job and let my actions outside of a job speak for who I am.

Key learnings:

It takes time to reach a place of burnout and it will take time to restore your battery levels. The first phase is to recover physically by resting unapologetically. Don’t put a deadline on it. Your body is working to heal you from years of built-up anxiety and stress.
Once your energy levels are back up and you begin to function again, it can be easy to fool yourself into thinking you’re ready to dive back into work. However, the emotional side of burnout is more complex. It may involve working through internal issues around self-worth. You may also have experienced toxic workplace traumas that need to be addressed. Working with a therapist or counselor at the early stages of a career break can help you to clarify what healing needs to occur.
Being on break does not necessarily mean you have more time for others. You simply have more time to make up for the lost time you should have used on yourself. Remember this if people in your network have the wrong idea about your availability and start making unreasonable requests.

Months 2–3: spend quality time with loved ones. It can be a form of meaningful work.

After a month of rest, my husband and I received news from New Zealand of a family emergency. With no hesitation, we packed our bags after successfully securing a managed isolation quarantine spot. The news was sudden but the timing was perfect. I was not beholden to a job and could immediately tend to our loved ones’ needs.

It’s hard to describe the emotions that bubble up upon seeing and reconnecting with family after a long period of separation. Perhaps you have recently experienced something similar where everything feels the same until it doesn’t. The global pandemic has affected each of us in different ways and how we choose to deal with it can be jarring to an outsider looking in.

At the same time, going from an independent 31-year-old to suddenly living back at home can drive anyone crazy. Within the walls of my childhood bedroom where the eyes of Orlando Bloom posters used to stare back at me, I attempted to help my parents reconcile their expectations of me with who I’ve become.

In a similar vein, I had to let go of my memory of who they were before the pandemic and accept how they have changed as a result. Our eyes kept meeting but we weren’t being seen.

As a Kiwi Asian family, the dinner table is where we gather but conversations can sometimes feel forced. Love is not expressed through words but is ingested with a dip of soy sauce and vinegar. Without a job, I had time to start some tough conversations with my parents and siblings during the day which would sometimes last for hours.

One of my favorite moments happened after cooling down from a yelling match with my Mum. What I perceived to be her disappointment in me resulted in a request for her to be my friend. I told her that sometimes I just needed her to listen without judgment and see me as a grown woman with independence rather than someone who needs protection.

When she finally heard me, I immediately felt seen as a person rather than a shadow of the daughter she idealized. As a result, I was able to become the friend she needed in this time who also needed her in return.

Eventually, anger gave way to understanding. As my relationships began to heal, I found my voice: how I choose to live my life and how it differs from yours is a cause for celebration, not derision. I would leverage the same courage it took to break the generational mold to figure out my post-work routine.

Key learnings:

Freedom is luxury without meaning. True luxury is being in a position to support your loved ones when they need you the most.
So you finally have more time to spend with loved ones. The energy it takes to work through any deep-seated issues can be like a full-time job. Healing familial relationships is an extension of the healing journey that early retirement could enable.

Months 4–5: establish a new routine.

We make plans and God laughs. One of the many dreams thwarted by the pandemic was the desire to slow travel our way around Southeast Asia. While being back in New Zealand wasn’t exactly slow traveling, we experienced what it would be like to have multiple locales to call home.

By the time we returned to Melbourne, I was already past the midpoint of my career break. I would wake up without an alarm and my calendar was empty. It was like a blank canvas for painting the masterpiece that is my dream life.

Like the initial strokes of a drawing which help set the structure, I started with simple to-do lists. They included things I had been putting off for years like trying veganism and checking in with my doctor. I organized them into three categories: “life admin”, “health” and “side hustles”.

Then a routine started developing as I honed in on the types of work I wanted to do for fun and that gave me a sense of accomplishment. They were: career coaching for early-stage UX professionals, building a digital mental health journaling service, and writing personal essays.

I was guided by a personal mission statement (companies have them, so why shouldn’t I?): “Help every person tell their story for the betterment of humankind’s potential.” Being in service of this mission made each day feel purposeful, structured, and exciting.

In terms of how I worked, it was dictated by my energy levels. Instead of forcing myself to start at a particular time, I had the whole morning to do whatever I felt like. When I felt like working, I’d pick a task from the “side hustle” list to tackle with no time limits so I could get into flow state. Making progress was a bonus, not an expectation.

When I didn’t feel like working, I procrastinated. Eventually, I learned to let go of the guilt around not producing “enough”. I already had enough because I was healthy, safe, and at the top of the Maslow pyramid.

Key learnings:

Time affluence can be a double-edged sword. Not having a way to spend your days meaningfully can be a source of anxiety. Simple tasks like helping around the house can be a good way to test your energy levels before incorporating more activities into your new routine.
Having a personal mission can help you determine what to incorporate. If you don’t have one, ask yourself, “What’s a problem I feel so strongly about that I want to solve?” or “What’s something I am uniquely placed to be able to help others with?”

Month 6: confirm your early retirement lifestyle and uncover your definition of “freedom”.

A common icebreaker question is “What would you do if you won the lotto?” Now I can confidently say that I would still like to work but on my terms. I would choose projects I care about and still have time to travel, do coaching, look after my husband, hone my plant-based cooking skills, and write about how the FIRE journey helped me to live a healthier, more meaningful life.

Source: https://betterhumans.pub/how-to-figure-out-your-fire-financial-independence-retire-early-lifestyle-4af5ca66ee3e

10 Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques

Want to use persuasive writing to convince your readers to do something or agree with your point of view?

OK, that was a silly question. Of course you do.

We all know how easy it is to get distracted these days, and you want your online business ideas to stand out and reach the audience you’re aiming to serve.

It’d be great if that happened by itself, but smart content entrepreneurs know it takes research, dedication, and skill to make a living online.

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing is generally an exercise in creating a win-win situation. You present a case that others find beneficial to agree with …

You make them an offer they can’t refuse, but not in a manipulative way that violates marketing ethics.

It’s simply a good deal or a position that makes sense to that particular person. To make your job easier, though, there are techniques that you can learn to make your case more compelling.

Why learn persuasive writing?

If you’ve ever wondered why some blogs turn into businesses, and others stay hobbies, it’s likely because the blogger has studied persuasive writing.

Nothing’s more disappointing than having great blog post ideas that no one pays attention to … learning how to write a good blog post that persuades not only attracts people to your content, it also keeps them interested in your message.

More on that in a bit, but now let’s look at persuasive writing examples.

Persuasive writing examples

While this list is in no way a comprehensive persuasive writing tutorial, these 10 strategies are popular … because they work.

1. Repetition

Anyone who’s familiar with psychology will tell you repetition is crucial.

It’s also critical in persuasive writing, since a person can’t agree with you if they don’t truly get what you’re saying.

Of course, there’s good repetition and bad. To stay on the good side, make your point in several different ways, such as:

A direct statement
An example
A story

You could also use inspirational quotes for writers when they’re appropriate, and restate your point once more in your summary.

2. Reasons why

Always remember the power of the word because.

Psychological studies have shown that people are more likely to comply with a request if you simply give them a reason why … even if that reason makes no sense.

The strategy itself does make sense if you think about it. We don’t like to be told things or asked to take action without a reasonable explanation.

When you need people to be receptive to your way of thinking, always give reasons why.

3. Consistency

It’s been called the “hobgoblin of little minds,” but consistency in our thoughts and actions is a valued social trait.

We don’t want to appear inconsistent, since, whether fair or not, that characteristic is associated with instability and flightiness, while consistency is associated with integrity and rational behavior.

Use this in your persuasive writing by getting the reader to agree with something up front that most people would have a hard time disagreeing with …

Then rigorously make your case, with plenty of supporting evidence, all while relating your ultimate point back to the opening scenario that’s already been accepted.

Looking for guidance from others as to what to do and what to accept is one of the most powerful psychological forces in our lives.

It can often determine whether or not we take action in many situations.

Obvious examples of social proof can be found in testimonials and outside referrals, and it’s the driving force behind social media.

But you can also casually integrate elements of social proof in your writing and marketing stories, ranging from skillful alignment with outside authorities to blatant name dropping.

5. Comparisons

Metaphors, similes, and analogies are the persuasive writer’s best friends.

When you can relate your scenario to something that the reader already accepts as true, you’re well on your way to convincing someone to see things your way.

But comparisons work in other ways too. Sometimes you can be more persuasive by comparing apples to oranges (to use a tired but effective metaphor).

For example, when you’re learning how to create digital products, you won’t want to compare the price of your online course to the price of a similar one — compare it to the price of a live seminar or your hourly consulting rate.

6. Agitate and solve problems with persuasive writing

This is a persuasion theme that works as an overall approach to making your case.

First, you identify the problem and qualify your audience. Then you agitate the reader’s pain before offering your solution as the answer that will make it all better.

The agitation phase is not about being sadistic. It’s about empathy and writing better content.

You want the reader to know unequivocally that you understand his problem because you’ve dealt with it and/or are experienced at eliminating it.

The credibility of your solution goes way up if you demonstrate that you truly feel the prospect’s pain.

7. Prognosticate

Another persuasion theme involves providing your readers with a glimpse into the future.

If you can convincingly present an extrapolation of current events into likely future outcomes, you may as well have a license to print money.

This entire strategy is built on credibility. If you have no idea what you’re talking about, you’ll end up looking foolish.

But if you can back up your claims with your credentials or your obvious grasp of the subject matter, this is an extremely effective persuasive writing technique that also builds trust in relationships.

8. Unify … selectively

Despite our attempts to be sophisticated, evolved beings, we humans are exclusionary by nature.

Give someone a chance to be a part of a group that they want to be in — whether that be wealthy, or hip, or green, or even contrarian — and they’ll hop on board whatever train you’re driving.

The greatest sales letter ever written uses this technique. Find out what group people want to be in, and offer them an invitation to join while seemingly excluding others.

Source: https://copyblogger.com/persuasive-writing/

Coding for kids: These 6 startups are helping kids become programmers

From CodeYoung to Tinkerly, these six startups are helping kids to gain the required technical skills and make them future-ready.

Coding has become a modern-day toolkit to advance and ease our lives. It’s used everywhere – emojis, sharing memes, booking movie tickets, sending text messages, and even while you’re reading this article — almost everything is possible with just a few swipes and taps, all by coding.

The kids know this. This is why coding has become a buzzword in classrooms across schools in the country. Many students consider it essential to education alongside regular subjects like English, math, and science – to not only open doors for opportunities but also enhance other skills such as problem-solving, reasoning, creativity, logical thinking, and much more.

Here are some kid-focused coding startups that are enabling students to keep up with technology and helping sharpen their minds by imbuing problem-solving and analytical skills.

CodeYoung
Founded by IIT-Delhi alumni Shailendra Dhakad and Rupika Taneja in 2019, the Bengaluru-based startup Codeyoung offers live coding classes to K-12 students.

The startup offers four programmes: app development, Python, Scratch, and web development for the age groups of five to nine, nine to 14, and 14-16. Each course includes 48 classes and costs Rs 19,999. They offer classes twice or thrice a week, depending on the student’s preference.

“Our curriculum goes beyond drag-and-drop block-based programming and provides a real-world coding environment where students are taught industry-level languages like Java and Python. Our aim is to teach kids the fundamentals of logic and problem-solving,” Shailendra earlier told YourStory.

In September 2020, the startup raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round of funding led by Guild Capital to scale up in international markets and strengthen academic research, product teams, and technology.

Tekie
Founded by Naman Mukund and Anand Verma in 2017, Bengaluru-based Tekie is a live coding platform that brings the art of storytelling to make learning a movie-like experience.

The startup has also created the world’s first animated series on coding to teach text-based coding to kids.

“Coding education is still at a nascent stage in our country, primarily restricted to block-based coding. We want students to go beyond just getting introduced to concepts and learn to write real code. Keeping this in mind, we designed our course to teach text-based coding. We wanted to solve the gap in text-based coding for Class XI–XII students. The original idea was to be a B2B platform that could integrate with the school curriculum. But we iterated a lot on the product front,” Naman says.

In May 2021, Tekie raised $1.5 million in seed round funding led by GSV Ventures and Multiply Ventures to scale its operation to support the increasing demand.

Codingal Education
Founded in 2020 by Vivek Prakash and Satyam Baranwal, Bengaluru-based Codingal Education is an online coding platform for K–12 kids.

“Our mission is to inspire school kids to fall in love with coding, and we are building Codingal to deliver high-quality computer science education combined with world-class coding competitions. Codingal plans to build a robust passion economy marketplace for coding education that brings together the best-in-class educators and students who are eager to learn to code,” Vivek said.
In September 2021, the startup raised $1.2 million in its seed funding round led by Y-Combinator, Summer Capital, Rebright Partners, and Day One Syndicate to grow, empower, and nurture its rapidly growing community of K-12 students and coding teachers.

Source : https://yourstory.com/2022/05/coding-for-kids-tinkerly-codingal-codeyoung-codevidhya-tekie/amp

20 Ways To Stop Being So Insecure In Your Relationship

Having some initial anxieties about a new relationship is natural. However, having that anxiety linger is not fair to you or your partner. You want to have a happy relationship with no insecurities. Love and bliss can indeed go hand in hand, and it’s not complicated to get there.

There are many ways to feel more confident about yourself, but here’s how to stop being insecure in a relationship. Take the reins or the bull by the horns (or whatever else comes to mind), and start feeling more confident. Your partner will thank you for it.

20 Ways To Stop Being So Insecure In Your Relationship

1. Don’t snoop unless you really have a good reason not to trust him.
Emails and voicemails taken out of context can cause a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

2. Give him a little friendly competition.

It doesn’t hurt for him to know that your tall, built, a wildly successful artist friend from college periodically tells you you’re the one who got away and that it’s the biggest regret of his life.

3. Skip the games and be upfront.

If something’s bothering you, tell him directly. Guys don’t know what to make of it, and it shakes them up and gives you the upper hand.

4. Be confident in yourself.

Finish your degree, apply for a better job, or write that novel. If you have a good sense of your own self-worth, you can understand how to stop being insecure in a relationship.

5. Set some ground rules at the beginning.

If you both agree that Friday is the night for hanging out with your friends separately, it won’t be a conflict when he wants to play poker or you want to take a short road trip with some girlfriends.

6. Don’t let the relationship progress too far without discussing major issues.

Having children, religious differences, whether either of you is willing to relocate for a job — these can be landmines in the future.

7. Exercise often.

It reduces stress, releases endorphins, and makes you hot.

8. Be affectionate.

If he returns the affection, it’ll make you feel confident. If not, it’s time to find a new boyfriend who is affectionate.

9. Avoid the temptation to endlessly analyze details.

If he wears the shirt his ex-girlfriend bought him, it may just mean that it’s the only clean white shirt he has that day.

10. Similarly, avoid discussing relationship issues with paranoid girlfriends.

Paranoia is contagious, and before you know it, you’ll be worrying if your boyfriend is cheating because your friend’s husband came home smelling of Angel when she only wears Poison.

11. Have lots of outside interests apart from the relationship.

When you start to feel insecure, it helps to have something else to obsess over.

12. Present your best self to your partner and the world.

Don’t always go out dressed in sweats and don’t sleep in ratty t-shirts every single night. The old adage is true: when you look good, you probably feel good.

13. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations.

Every time you find yourself thinking, “I don’t deserve this guy,” change it to, “I deserve a wonderful relationship and more.”

14. Don’t let yourself become dependent.

Know how to unclog the sink and change a tire. Skills are confidence boosters.

Source: https://www.yourtango.com/love/ways-being-insecure-in-relationship

If you use Gmail, you should know these keyboard shortcuts

Some keyboard shortcuts become so routine that you don’t even have to think about them. Your fingers just press the keys you need. But there are other keyboard shortcuts that aren’t so obvious, like those that help you perform tasks easier in Gmail.

You might be familiar with a few Gmail shortcuts, but there’s more available than you might think. To help you access your inbox quicker, snooze an email, and more, check out these somewhat unknown Gmail keyboard shortcuts.

How to enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail

Before you can use keyboard shortcuts in Gmail, you have to enable the feature which takes only a moment.

Step 1: Select the gear icon at the top and pick See all settings in the sidebar.

Step 2: Go to the General tab, where you’ll find a Keyboard Shortcuts section.

Step 3: Mark the option for Keyboard shortcuts on and select Save Changes at the bottom.

Once you have the shortcuts enabled, open a quick cheat sheet of available Gmail shortcuts by pressing ? (question mark) which is Shift + / (slash).

Navigate to your inbox or a label folder

Press g then another letter

No matter where you are in the Gmail application on the web, you can jump to your inbox or a label folder with two key presses.

Press the letter g on your keyboard followed immediately by one of these letters to navigate to that spot:

i: Inbox

t: Sent emails

d: Drafts

c: Contacts (Google Contacts should open in a new browser tab)

s: Starred conversations

b: Snoozed messages

k: Tasks

n: Next page

p: Previous page

Report spam and unsubscribe

Press ! (exclamation point)

If you’re receiving unsolicited messages you want to report as spam or newsletters you want to unsubscribe from and report at the same time, you can do so by pressing! (exclamation point) which is Shift + 1.

If the email is a subscription, you’ll see a pop-message asking if you want to Report as spam & unsubscribe or simply Report spam. Select the option you want.

If the email is not a subscription, you won’t see this message and the email will be reported as spam instantly. You do, however, have a brief moment to Undo the action using the button on the bottom left before it vanishes.

Create a task from an email

Press Shift + t

How many times have you received an email that prompted a task for your list? With a simple keyboard shortcut, you can turn an email into a task. Just press Shift + t.

You’ll then see your task list open in a sidebar on the right with the email transformed into a task. The title of the task is the subject line of the email. Plus, the message is attached to the email so you can reopen it anytime from your task list.

If you want to add more details, include a due date, or make it repeat, double-click the task in your list. You’ll then see these options.

Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/gmail-keyboard-shorcuts-you-should-know/

I Run 3 Small Businesses—Here’s How I Do It All Without Compromising My Life

When you think of someone running three businesses, you probably imagine 80-hour work weeks, but Dawn Scott manages to do it without sacrificing her life. Here are the tools and practices that make it possible to juggle it all.

Most entrepreneurs and small business owners are familiar with other people not understanding what the heck you do and why. Your friends ask, “You can make money doing that?” Your parents pester, “Why don’t you just get a ‘real’ job?”

Well, I’ve experienced this threefold because I run three small businesses: boutique accounting firm Gratiam Consulting, content creation company The Empowered CPA, and blow dry bar GLAMbar. I get questions not only from friends and family, but also from other business owners, especially when they learn my consulting business is successful enough that I’m turning away clients. “Aren’t you leaving money on the table?” they ask. “Wouldn’t it be easier to focus on growing that one business?

Maybe it would be easier, but I wouldn’t have my work life any other way. I love getting to expand my impact through my businesses, helping different types of people in different capacities. Working on a variety of project types keeps me excited about my work by ensuring that no two days are the same, and makes it feel more fulfilling because I’m impacting so many people at different stages of their lives. Plus, I love knowing that I’ve taken a very rigid industry and molded it into something that suits me.

But this structure obviously doesn’t come without its challenges, especially since I’m not the type of entrepreneur who is willing to hustle for 80 hours a week. When I left corporate life, it was because I wanted to create more time for my family, my health, and my mental well-being. Even while running three businesses, keeping space for all of that is a priority.

I know there are others out there like me: multi-passionate entrepreneurs who have a wealth of business ideas and are determined to find a way to make them all work together. For those people, here are a few strategies that have helped me keep my three companies running (and growing!) without sacrificing the other things I value in life.

I Thought Carefully About My Business “Portfolio”

I’ll start off by saying that I think the mix of different types of businesses I have—and what they each require from me—is part of what helps me succeed.

For one, I didn’t launch three businesses from the get-go. Instead, I worked on my consulting business for a few years and got it to the point where it was fairly stable, with new clients coming in 100 percent from referrals and a solid waitlist, before I turned my attention to another company. I think trying to do business development for three new ventures at once would have been challenging.

I also thought carefully about how much each business would need from me week to week. As a client services business in a highly regulated (and deadline-driven) industry, my consulting practice requires the most attention from me and is the least flexible on time. If I tried to take on another business with similar needs, I could see myself burning out fast. Instead, my content creation business leaves me with a lot of flexibility to adjust my schedule when urgent needs come up for my other companies. Similarly, I have a partner in the blow dry bar, which means all the responsibility isn’t on me.

I Regularly Remember That Saying No to Some Things Means Saying Yes to Others

It’s an unfortunate law of the universe that when you add on another business, you don’t get to add on more hours to your day. Instead, I have to constantly remind myself that everything I take on is going to take time away from something else, and that means making hard choices about what I’m going to cut.

For instance, when I started my digital content company, I knew that I was going to need five to six hours per week to create this content. If I wanted to do that without sacrificing family or personal time (or sleep), those hours were going to have to come from somewhere else. So I made the tough decision to stop taking on any new consulting clients. That meant leaving money on the table, but I knew it was worth it to me to be able to help more people through digital content, build a more passive income stream, and do it all without working myself into the ground.

Source: https://buffer.com/resources/how-i-run-three-small-businesses/

7 Common Reasons People Apply for Personal Loans

One of the advantages of a personal loan — a debt, usually unsecured, that you pay back in installments — is that unlike an auto, student or mortgage loan, it’s not allocated for a specific, limited purpose. Instead, you get a lump sum of cash, which you can use for just about any purpose you choose.

So what do people actually use personal loans for? It’s hard to come up with precise data, since lenders don’t ask. But two recent studies on borrowers and personal finance, along with some input from advisers and experts, give some insight into why people apply for personal loans, and what they use the money for.

1. Dealing with Debt
A September 2019 study released by credit reporting firm Experian, one of the three major credit reporting companies in the U.S., looked at 210 consumers who were considering taking out a personal loan for the first time. Forty percent wanted the money for debt consolidation — that is, paying off existing loans, such as credit card balances, and replacing them with a single monthly payment, often at a lower interest rate. Similarly, a study of LendingTree customers, released in January 2020, found that around two-thirds of those who inquired about personal loans wanted to deal with debt in some way, with debt consolidation accounting for 35.7 percent of borrowing. Refinancing credit card debt to get a lower interest rate contributed another 31.4 percent of borrowing.

“Many people use personal loans to consolidate debts, much in the way that some people have used balance transfer cards over the years,” Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst for LendingTree, an online marketplace that helps consumers to shop for and compare loans, including personal ones, says in an email interview. “Zero-percent balance transfer cards can certainly be a cheaper way to go, but for many folks who want nothing to do with credit cards after running up big debts over the years, personal loans can be a pretty appealing option.”

2. Home Improvement Projects
In the Experian study, 35 percent of people who inquired about loans were considering applying for a loan to finance a home improvement project.

“2018 was a robust year for overall consumer spending on home services, with average home improvement spending at $7,560, average home maintenance spending at $1,105, and average home emergency spending at $416 — for an overall total average spending of $9,081 across all categories,” according to HomeAdvisor.

3. Purchasing Big-ticket Items
Experian found that 27 percent of potential loan seekers said they might use the money to make some unspecified large purchase. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to finance the entire item with the loan, according to Rod Griffin, director of public education for Experian.

For example, “if I’m buying a new car, one of the options I have, if I don’t pay cash in full and have a small amount left, is that I can use a personal loan to pay the small remaining balance,” Griffin explains. “Maybe it’s just a few thousand dollars. From personal experience, I know that when the balance is below a certain amount, a bank may not want to make an auto loan, because not enough will be owed for it to be profitable.” A modest personal loan can bridge that gap.

4. Travel
Twenty-three percent of people who are looking at taking out a personal loan would consider using the loan to pay for travel, Experian found. That’s understandable, since vacations can be pretty costly. A 2019 study by personal finance website Bankrate found that for the 52 percent of Americans who were planning a vacation that year, the average anticipated cost was $1,979, with older millennials in their 30s — a prime age to travel — expecting to spend $2,366.

As this article from LendingTree notes, using a personal loan to pay for travel has pluses, in that you don’t have to delay gratification, and it may be cheaper than putting a trip on a credit card. On the downside, because of interest, you end up paying more for the trip than if you had saved up the cash, and you face the usual risks if you borrow too much money and have trouble paying it back on time.

5. Medical Bills
While health care costs don’t show up in the Experian study as something that people frequently list as a reason for applying for a personal loan, financial advisers say that many actually turn to such borrowing after they suffer a serious illness or injury.

“A stroke, cancer, heart attack or major car accidents can cause extremely high medical bills,” explains Dwain Phelps, founder & CEO of Phelps Financial Group in Kennesaw, Georgia. “There are expenses that your insurance will cover and expenses that your insurance will not cover, which become your responsibility. Now think about those individuals who don’t have health insurance, their medical costs and expenses could get out of control. A personal loan could help with those unexpected medical costs.”

6. Starting a Small Business
Personal finance experts say that people who are trying to launch new ventures — especially home-based ones that they want to pursue while still holding down their day jobs — sometimes turn to personal loans for seed money. “Entrepreneurship is another legitimate reason for borrowing,” Griffin says. “You may need to purchase software or computer equipment.” The needed capital might be too little to make it worth applying for a business loan, but a personal loan will work just fine.

7. Unexpected Expenses
It could be a broken-down air conditioner in the middle of summer, or a cracked muffler on that old car that you need to get to work every day. Experts say yet another reason that people sometimes turn to personal loans is that they need to cope with some sudden setback they didn’t anticipate. According to a 2018 report from the Board of Governorsof the Federal Reserve System, four in 10 U.S. adults, if faced with an unexpected expense of $400, would not be able to come up with the cash unless they sold personal possessions or took out a loan.

“The reasons for borrowing money are complicated, and it varies for different people, but one thing I think is a unifying theme in our country is that millions of Americans who are working hard are still struggling hard to get by day to day,” explains Christopher Peterson. He’s director of financial services for the Consumer Federation of America, and a law professor at the University of Utah who focuses on consumer protection.

But taking out a loan to cover an emergency can lead to trouble down the road, if a person has more bad luck. “Credit can be risky because if you’re borrowing to deal with a problem today, you may have the same problems tomorrow,” Peterson cautions. “But you’ll be less equipped to deal with it because you’ll still be paying of the previous debt.”

Source: https://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/debt-management/reasons-for-personal-loan.htm

7 Online Business Ideas for Practical Content Entrepreneurs

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already been brainstorming online business ideas — and for good reason.

We’re living in a time of heightened financial fear, and I’m sure many of you are struggling with insecurities about employment, as the pandemic and automation are pushing people out of the workforce.

More so, we’re seeing inflation rates skyrocket and wages aren’t adjusting in proportion. These are scary times, indeed.

This is why it’s more important than ever for you to start developing methods to generate your own income. You can’t depend on a “steady job” anymore (there’s no such thing).

You need to get out there into the marketplace, sharpen your content marketing and copywriting skills, and create an online business for yourself. It’s a necessity.

How to come up with online business ideas
Ready to get to work?

One of the most common pitfalls for new content entrepreneurs is that they don’t know how to come up with online business ideas.

It’s not enough to say you want to start a business, you must also have a plan.

In this article, I’m going to share seven online business ideas, and I’ll detail the pros and cons of each method to help you shape your plan.

Let’s start with …

The two types of online businesses

Although specific methods and strategies can vary, there are only two core types of online businesses.

They are:

Selling a service
Selling a product

Any online business idea will fall into one of these two categories.

First, we’ll begin with freelance services.

1. Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the best online business ideas.

Offering a service doesn’t require you build a fancy website, invest money into marketing, or raise capital to build your product.

As a freelancer, your first and only priority is to get a client. At most, you need a laptop, some storyselling skills, and a willingness to get started.

Now, there are ways you can approach freelancing to maximize your chances of success. Let’s look at three critical steps.

Step #1: Decide on the exact services you provide
Everyone has skills, and you have plenty to offer the market.

Are you learning how to become a freelance writer? Starting an accounting firm? Are you a killer photographer or a whiz at social media marketing?

Decide on the services you’ll offer, and create a plan for how you’ll present these services.

It’s tempting to want to create packages and productized services (and I highly recommend you do at some point), but in the beginning you want to take on all of the business you can to gain the most experience.

Over time, your reputation will build and your referral business will start generating bigger profits.

At this point, you can start to charge more for your creative work and be more selective about the clients you want to work with — as well as possibly say goodbye to a current client you might have outgrown.

Step #2: Build a brand for your online business idea
Once you have a few jobs under your belt, it’s critical that you begin marketing your services.

The biggest mistake freelancers make is that they sit back and wait for business to come to them. You have to actively get out there and market yourself to get new clients faster:

Create a website
Generate awareness through business blogging and social media
Demonstrate how your services can benefit your target prospects

Step #3: Transition to building an agency
Freelancing is great, but it can only get you so far.

Eventually, you’ll have more business than you can effectively serve. The last thing you want is unhappy clients and it’s very common for freelancers to get in over their heads.

That’s why you want to be actively replacing yourself as you grow.

For some of you reviewing the different types of online business ideas, staying small and flexible is what you want.

You want to work with a few clients and do freelance work on the side. If that’s your goal, then great! I support you.

But for those of you who plan to transition from a freelancer to an agency owner (with employees, departments, payroll, etc.), I suggest you plan for this transition right from the beginning.

To summarize, freelancing is the perfect online business idea to get you started, because it doesn’t require any upfront costs and it’s profitable as soon as you get your first client.

But as is the case with any service business, it won’t have the same scalability as other online business ideas.

2. Paid newsletter
I love paid newsletters, and I think they’re one of the best options to get started.

Paid newsletters are great because they’re straightforward. They’re one of the only online business ideas that don’t have a separation between the content you create to market the product and the product itself.

In freelancing, or SaaS products, or even membership communities, the content you create is used to grow awareness to a product or service. But with newsletters, the content itself is the product.

This makes it much easier for you to stay focused on your writing. You can put your full focus on creating the best newsletter possible without having to get into the weeds with other management tasks.

One of the most exciting aspects of starting a paid newsletter is the monthly recurring revenue, or MRR.

Any online business idea that monetizes with MRR is worth considering because consistent cash flow will generate.

This is especially attractive because a paid newsletter can be highly profitable and engaging. There are plenty of examples of people making six figures or more without needing to hire a single employee.

Paid newsletter downsides as online business ideas
For most people, the biggest drawback of paid newsletters is the commitment.

If you sell monthly, or even yearly subscriptions to your newsletter, that means you’re on the hook to deliver that content to your customers … no matter what.

As writers, we all know how hard it can be to have fresh blog post ideas and new articles published on a regular basis, but if you decide to go the route of a paid newsletter, you’re going to have to push through it.

3. Membership communities
Membership communities can be extremely profitable and fun, and you have an opportunity to deliver amazing value to your community members.

A good example of a membership community is Copyblogger Academy. Our members pay a monthly fee, and as a result, they get access to premium courses, live masterclass sessions, events, and V.I.P newsletters.

Similarly to newsletters, membership communities have great scalability, because you can add more members to your community without having to increase your expenses.

In addition, you can typically charge much more money for access to a paid membership community than you can for access to a subscription.

Typically, paid newsletters can range anywhere from $5 to $15 a month.

But membership communities can range anywhere from $15 a month all the way up to $500 a month (and sometimes even more).

Source : https://copyblogger.com/online-business-ideas/

7 Examples Of Creative Advertising To Inspire Your Marketing Campaigns

As a digital marketer or business, standing out from the crowd has never been more difficult.

How do you surprise and delight your audience when there are six ads out there just like yours, all vying for attention? At a time when people are watching, reading, and interacting with media across multiple devices, creating a new campaign can seem like a losing battle.

However, just when you think it’s time to give up, a new trend pops out of the shadows and reminds us that creative advertising still thrives.

But what exactly makes an advertising campaign creative? And why does creativity matter?

Let’s talk about creative advertising, how it can inspire your campaigns, and check out seven examples of creative advertising that made a strong—and often hilarious—impression.

What Is Creative Advertising and Why Is it Important?

Creative advertising is a way of creating and distributing an ad that’ll engage its intended audience. Successful creative ads tend to do one or more of the following:

Stand out.
Be memorable.
Provoke an emotional response or convey a clear message.

Consumers are constantly flooded with commercial messages, and those messages are often ignored. In a social media world where commercial messages are increasingly being tuned out in favor of user-generated content, the challenge for marketers is to create ads that really stand out and cut through the noise.

A creative advertising campaign connects with consumers on an emotional level. It’s more than just an ad—it’s the whole experience, which leads to increased sales and brand loyalty. The ultimate goal of creative advertising is not just to sell more of a product, but also to get consumers to think differently and change their perceptions of a brand.

7 Examples of Creative Advertising to Inspire You

The following creative ads are great examples of innovative and impactful ways to reach your audience that will leave you wondering, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Heropost

An all-in-one social media management tool, Heropost lets you easily track, manage, and post content on social media. And the folks at Heropost know how to get creative with their ads while taking a gentle jab at their competitors.

This ad highlights Heropost’s attractive price point in a funny meme. Everyone loves a good meme, and it’s a clever way to communicate the brand’s point.

Bumble

Even during the pandemic, dating must go on—and Bumble gives us a light-hearted play on this.

Quarantine is something we can all relate to. Getting locked up with your date, sharing take-out in sweats, and watching Netflix…it’s romantic, right? This ad campaign reflects a good-humored approach in the face of a changing world (and dating landscape).

Promo

Promo is a video maker platform for businesses.

And instead of using the usual “look at all our amazing features” advertising, they took a slightly different approach:

The Instagram ad showcases a video of flying cheeseburgers to show off the platform’s video creation capabilities (and to make you crave a cheeseburger). It’s a fun way to highlight what makes Promo different from the competition, and it shows that they’re willing to take risks.

Leanplum

Leanplum is an app marketing platform that helps marketers target their promotions, monitor engagement, and optimize user retention.

This billboard creatively advertises Leanplum by revealing as little as possible:

Source: https://unbounce.com/campaign-strategy/creative-advertising/

How To Find Out Every Single Thing The FBI Knows About You

With our dependence on smartphones and the internet, a world where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching is more probable than ever.

In fact, the annual transparency report issued yesterday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that the FBI “searched emails, texts and other electronic communications of as many as 3.4 million U.S. residents without a warrant” between the period of December 2020 and November 2021.

But what types of information does the government actually have in your file?

According to a viral TikTok, there’s a way to find out what the FBI knows about you.

The TikTok states that under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts, you can legally request your FBI file that includes all the information the government agency has collected about you since the day you were born. And surprisingly, that’s 100% correct.

How To Find Out What The FBI Knows About You

1. Send a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act request.

The Freedom of Information Act was signed into law in 1967 in order to give American citizens access to information collected by the U.S. government, while the Privacy Act of 1974 gives citizens the right to information the government specifically collects on them.

In order to request information under these Acts, you have to draft a letter stating that you’re requesting information under the Act.

The easiest way to send this request is electronically through the FBI’s FOIA portal, which will have you fill out a form for both Acts including all necessary information to process your request. Submitting through the online portal will also quickly give you access to a FOIPA request number that you can use to easily track your request.

Alternatively, you can send a letter to FBI using this sample letter.

Both methods ask for basic information such as your name and mailing address.

2. Indicate payment for your FBI report and submit your request.

When sending your request, both the sample letter and portal forms ask how much you’re willing to pay for your report. According to the Department of Justice, when requesting information solely for personal use, this fee covers record searches and duplication.

The fee for record searches depends on the hourly wage of the person conducting the search and record duplication is five cents per page. However, the fee for the first two hours of searching or the first 100 pages of duplication is waived, and if the total cost of the request is less than $25, you won’t be charged.

When including in your request how much you’re willing to pay, if the FBI determines that the fees exceed the amount you stated, they’ll notify you and give you a chance to either narrow down your search or pay the total estimated fees.

When requesting your file through the portal, you’re also able to request a fee waiver and limit your search to just the two hours of searching and the first 100 pages of information.

3. Check the status of your request.

The amount of time it takes to complete a request varies on the amount of information and pages the FBI collects.

You can check the status of your request using the FOIPA request number given to you after you submit your request.

Source: https://www.yourtango.com/self/women-diagnosed-adhd

Nine Effective Ways To Showcase Your Personality On LinkedIn

When you’re looking to impress potential employers and business peers, it can be difficult to show off your personality on the limited pages of a resume or job application. Thankfully, LinkedIn provides a great opportunity to get more personal with your network.

With room for a summary that encompasses your career highlights and the option to write recommendations for your fellow colleagues, LinkedIn can truly help showcase your personality. To help you drive deeper, more personal connections, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council detail how to put your best foot forward and let your unique self shine through.

1. Share Valuable Posts

One of the best ways to show your personality on LinkedIn in order to impress your network and potential employers is by following and sharing posts of different charitable organizations that are working to make the world a better place. By sharing what you deeply care about, it shows you possess a healthy emotional outlook and are open to change—qualities that smart employers look for when building their teams. – Richard Fong, Bliss Drive

2. Get Active

Fill out your profile, participate in relevant discussions and join the corresponding groups. Add additional certifications, guest articles of yours or volunteering organizations you’ve been a member of. Don’t merely list your college; briefly share what you’ve learned and specialized at. Unlike digital bios, being able to participate in discussions (in the form of a real social network) is one of the strengths of LinkedIn. While reviewing LinkedIn applications, I always check the recent activity on LinkedIn. Insightful commentaries and adequate dialogue carry a lot of weight in demonstrating your skills in practice and are easy to apply in the context of the platform. – Mario Peshev, DevriX

3. Write About Your Expertise

You can write and post regular articles showing your expertise. I do that on LinkedIn to talk about e-commerce as well as digital marketing and the technology trends that can affect online platforms. In addition, I can show off my writing style and tone so that prospective employees and clients can see my personality in a professional manner. Writing allows you to build connections with new readers. You can add a new perspective to the world. Writing on LinkedIn has the added benefit of showing your business specialty on a platform. Take that opportunity to display your gifts and passions. – Duran Inci, Optimum7

4. Encourage Social Proof

You can let your personality shine on LinkedIn by encouraging clients or co-workers to share social proof in the endorsements and reviews section of your profile. I believe this is an excellent way to impress potential employers and your network because you’re letting other people speak for you instead of simply talking yourself up for the crowd. When people see that other clients and professionals had a good experience working with you, they are more likely to reach out and engage with you on LinkedIn. – John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

5. Add Humor

A little bit of humor never hurts. I know that I connect with LinkedIn profiles where the person adds humor to their content. Some ideas are to use witty headings in your LinkedIn bio or update your photo with something creative or funny. Why not list “world-class foodie” among your skills? That’ll get the attention of the right people. Don’t be afraid to use some personality when sharing who you are on LinkedIn. While such profiles may put some businesses off, it’s probably for the best. You should look for a workplace that will celebrate your personality. So, get creative with your profile and content and the right people will hire you for it. – Blair Williams, MemberPress

6. Send Personalized Messages

Send a customized message. Introduce yourself to the employer. Tell them who you are and why you are interested in the position. Explain the skills you have and how excited you are to find a position that will be able to utilize your skills. Bullet points on a resume are great, but the reality is that we hire people, not certificates. When their personality shows through, the employer is more likely to hire an underqualified candidate who has taken the time to really show the employer who they are than a person who may have more qualifications, but didn’t take the time to say hello. – Mary Harcourt, CosmoGlo

7. Discuss Your Interests Outside Of Work

I find the most interesting and engaging candidates have hobbies and interests outside of the typical things you’d expect for the position they are applying for. It’s easy for the programmer to talk about all the classes and certifications and boot camps they’ve done, but what about them being into music? How does that apply? For example, I’ve found that college athletes who apply with us are typically driven and competitive. I’ve found that musicians are typically detailed. I’ve found that people who volunteer at nonprofits show great empathy and patience in dealing with clients and other issues. The nontraditional interests, hobbies and skills help show who you are and can also signal better job performance. – Joel Mathew, Fortress Consulting

8. Share Relevant Photos

Images and other visuals will always capture people’s attention more than text content. Even hiring managers and business owners will engage more with pictures and videos. A smart thing that you can do is to share pictures of yourself in settings that showcase your skills and personality. It could be while you’re presenting something or doing community service. I’ve seen people take screenshots of their own Twitter posts and upload them on LinkedIn. Such posts generate a lot of engagement and can be a great way to showcase who you are to interested recruiters. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

9. Highlight Volunteer Activities

Personally, I think the best way to get more personal on LinkedIn is to share your volunteerism. Not only do you learn about someone’s special interests and possible hobbies just from their profile, but they can also create great talking points—especially if you share the same interests or work with the same type of groups! Talking about volunteering can be a great ice-breaker as well. – Kristy Knichel, Knichel Logistics

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2022/03/29/nine-effective-ways-to-showcase-your-personality-on-linkedin/?sh=22ca5ea0619d

Typefaces and Branding: How to Boost Brand Recognition with Your Font Choice

Branding is all about first impressions. Those impressions matter on a landing page.

CXL highlighted a British study asking participants about their perception of health websites. When the people who took part gave feedback on the website, 94% of their comments related to design.

The design elements you choose for your landing pages—including typefaces—affect your brand’s reception and recognizability. If you want visitors to recognize and trust your brand when they see your marketing campaigns, you’ve gotta be savvy with the fonts you use.

So, how can you build a recognizable brand with your typefaces? This guide will teach you about the different typeface categories and how to use ‘em to make your brand stand out.

Typeface Categories and Their Meanings

Fonts fall into four categories of typefaces—serif, sans-serif, slab serif, and script. Each group triggers different feelings, reflecting your brand and its tone. Let’s see what they’re all about.

Serif

Serif fonts have divots known as serifs at the end of each letter’s strokes. These typefaces give off a classic feel, so you’ll see them used a lot in long-established and formal brands.

Fashion magazine Vogue has been in business for more than 100 years. Here’s how the publication uses a serif in its logo:

Sans-serif

Sans-serif fonts don’t have any of those serif divots at the end of each letter stroke, resulting in a more modern look. A study of over a million web pages found that 85.5% use sans-serif typefaces in both their header and paragraph text. You’ll see sans-serif fonts used by brands shooting for a contemporary feel, like iTunes:

Slab

Slab fonts have super thick letter strokes and come with or without serifs. Brands like Honda use them to give a bold impression:

Script fonts use curvy lettering with connected strokes to resemble handwritten cursive letters. These typefaces give off an elegant feel. Some brands also use them to communicate femininity, like Barbie:

How to Boost Brand Recognition Through Your Typefaces

Now that you understand the four typeface categories, how can you use that knowledge to make your brand more recognizable? Let’s go over three tips.

Match your typeface to your brand

The typefaces you use in your marketing content, including non-logo materials like landing pages, should fit your brand’s tone.

Imagine you’re shopping for a Pretty Pink Princess doll and you click on the landing page you find in Google results. For some reason, the header font is in a Gothic script—the kind you’d see on a medieval chamber metal album. You’d wonder if you got the right site, wouldn’t you?

Think long and hard about how your typefaces should express your brand theme and values. Duolingo went so far in this process that they created a typeface based on their logo and mascot. So, don’t be afraid to dedicate time to choosing fonts that fit your brand.

Source: https://unbounce.com/landing-page-design/brand-recognition-typeface/

Where do India’s millionaires stay? Where do they invest? And what do they buy?

The second edition of the Hurun India Wealth Report reveals some fascinating insights about India’s wealthiest.

After surveying 350 Indian millionaires that included 42 High Net worth Individuals (HNIs), the report used 50 data points to offer insights into the preferences of wealthy Indians. The report defines millionaires as individuals having a personal wealth of at least ₹7 Crore, roughly $1 million. The 42 HNIs have a personal wealth of ₹100 crore.

Based on its research, here is what we know about India’s millionaires.

According to the Hurun India Wealth Report 2021, India has seen a jump pf 11 per cent in the number of dollar-millionaire households from last year to this year. These are households that have a collective wealth of at least ₹7 Crore. Hurun puts the number of such households at 4,58,000. The report also suggests that over the next five years that number is estimated to reach 6,00,000. Which is to say that by 2026 the number of millionaire households in India will have gone up by 30 per cent.

Where do India’s wealthy invest?

The report also reveals a sharp rise in the number of millionaires using e-wallets and UPI. Last year only 18 per cent of the respondents said they used e-wallets/UPI as their preferred mode of payment. This year that number doubled to 36 per cent.

If you thought the rich played fast and loose with their investments, you’d be in for a disappointment. Contrary to what you may want to believe, Indian HNIs were more risk averse during the pandemic year with 30 per cent of respondents in the Hurun Indian Luxury Consumer Survey 2021 admitting to following risk-averse investment philosophy. NFTs and Crypto may be cool but, according to Hurun, Indian HNIs stuck to real estate and stock markets as their preferred choice of investment.

Are India’s wealthy happy?

Apparently, not if you believe the Hurun India Wealth Report. Despite being a pandemic year, 72 per cent HNIs responded that they were happy with their personal and professional lives in 2020. That number fell to 66 per cent in ’21.

Where do India’s wealthy want their children to study?

Blame the HNIs if you’ve been seeing too many ads for foreign universities on your Instagram. 70 per cent of those surveyed admitted they’d rather send their children to study overseas. USA, UK, New Zealand, and Germany remain the preferred destinations

Source: https://www.gqindia.com/get-smart/content/where-do-indias-millionaires-stay-where-do-they-invest-and-what-do-they-buy

Quit Annoying Your Audience! 3 Simple Steps to Write Better Content

When you’re learning how to write better content, it’s helpful to think of a friend who tells stories that never seem to get to the point.

They sound okay at first, then they spins off into tangents about how they met their spouse, then we go into their first college dorm room, with a side trip to that deeply formative event that happened in third grade, then …

There might be a point in there somewhere. But by the time it’s arrived, your eyes have rolled back in your head and you’re hoping to get struck by lightning so you can get out of this conversation.

It’s boring. And it’s annoying. So let’s make sure that your audience never feels that way about your business blogging.

How to write better content

Over the years while working with content marketing students, I’ve critiqued hundreds of blog posts.

One mistake I see over and over is content that’s interesting and well written, but that wanders all over the place before it gets to the point … if, in fact, it has a point at all.

Creating aimless, fuzzy content wastes your time. Even worse, it wastes your audience’s attention.

Your audience wants content that makes a solid point and gets there quickly. And improving that for your own content is one of the quickest ways you can start writing killer articles.

Here are three simple steps that’ll help you learn how to write better content.

Step #1: Begin with the end in mind

Ideally, before you start to write, you’ll ask yourself two questions:

What are your goals for this piece of content?

What one thing should your audience take away?

Learning how to write better content and publishing great blog post ideas can do lots of great things for you.

You can attract a larger audience, nurture prospects so they’re more likely to make a purchase down the line, inspire your audience to take action, find new allies to help you promote your work.

But you probably won’t do all of those with a single piece of content. Instead of creating shaggy-dog content that wanders around trying to do everything, understand which single point in the constellation this piece of content will represent for you.

Even more importantly, what will this piece of content do for your audience?

What will they be able to do, become, have, change, or avoid after they’ve read it? What transformation are you presenting to them?

Now, a single blog post usually won’t create a “Sliding Doors” dramatic life change.

But being able to, say, craft better headlines anytime you need to is a pretty cool thing to be able to do. It’s a memorable transformation, even if it doesn’t change the course of your life.

What memorable and meaningful transformation will you make possible with this content?

Step #2: Go ahead and draft it

You want to know the answers to those two questions before you start writing. And then you want to mentally put them aside for a while and just get some words down.

Yes, you’ll meander. Yes, you’ll have tangents and dead ends and even some fluff. That’s all okay. In First Draft Land, we get to indulge ourselves.

And failing to schedule that creative time can give you a case of nasty writer’s block, which only further blocks you from mastering how to write better content.

Just write it. The post, the script, the creative brief. Just write. For as long as you need to. Get the ideas distilled into words, even if they’re lumpy and imperfect.

For now, you don’t need to be overly concerned with how to write a good blog post.

The more you write, the more raw material you’ll have when it’s time to edit. And pouring plenty of words into the page, as quickly as you can, will often reveal fresh observations that will make your content stand out.

Step #3: Let it rest, then uncover the good stuff

In a perfect world, you’ll have the time (at least 24 hours is great) to let your first draft rest while you do other things. That will let you come back to it with fresh eyes and a sharp mind.

Now carve away the cruft and get to the good stuff.

It’s time to look at your two questions again for how to write better content.

What are your goals for this piece of content?

What one thing should your audience take away?

Does the content you drafted have the same answers? Does it serve the original goal you had in mind for it? And does it deliver the desired takeaway to the audience?

The answer might be Yes, which is great.

Or you may decide that in doing the work, you’ve come up with better answers. That’s even better.

Either way, make sure the post speaks to those answers at every point.

Stories should answer one or both of those questions.
Paragraphs should serve one or both of those questions.
Words should reflect one or both of those questions.

This is also when you make sure that the introduction to your content moves briskly to the point, before boredom or annoyance have a chance to settle in.

Source: https://copyblogger.com/write-better-content/

Color Curious? Here Are Our Top Tips for Bringing Color Into Your Home

We know black and white is kind of our thing, but even we can’t resist the thrills of experimenting with color in our homes. Besides, color isn’t an all or nothing game. Even when used in small doses, bright and bold hues can instantly liven up a space and create a fun, joyful atmosphere. So if you’re a color-shy neutrals loyalist, or a color maximalist unsure of where to start, we’re here to tell you that there are plenty of easy ways to master color in your home. From paint and wallpaper to furniture and decor – we’re sharing our top tips for infusing your home with color. For more modern decor, check out the Design Milk Shop!

Keep it Simple

We know how overwhelming the paint aisle can be but before you go into a swatch induced panic, take this piece of advice from interior designer Dani Dazey of Dazey Den, “I suggest choosing a primary and secondary color in a room, and then tie them in whenever you can in the accents and decor.” Starting your color journey with a primary and secondary shade in mind will keep the space from becoming too busy and help maintain balance as you add decorative pieces. If having two principal colors sounds like too much to you already, Dazey goes on to say, “Something I always suggest to the color curious is trying out an accent wall or small shape mural.”

When it comes time to actually shop for paint, we’re big fans of Backdrop. Unlike the aisles of your local home improvement store, buying paint from Backdrop is an online affair defined by a curated selection of modern shades that’ll only entice, and never overwhelm. Plus, they offer adhesive samples shipped straight to your door so you can put your color choices to the test before making a decision. Here are some of our favorite shades.

Tanlines by Backdrop
While bold, this deep yellow shade instantly adds warmth and depth to any room in the house.

The Early Stuff by Backdrop
Neutral fans will find comfort in the hint of gray captured in this cool blue shade, and the way it brings levity and freshness to a space (perfect for spring!).

Using larger decorative features as your starting point is a great way to ensure the colors in the room remain cohesive and in sync every step of the way. In decorating her color-filled dream home, artist and designer Angela Chrusciaki Blehm did just that, saying “I take color cues from the art in the space and go from there, with a preference for big color blocks in my furniture and walls to complement the art.” Even if you’re not decorating around your art collection, Blehm’s approach applies if you’re using key furniture pieces or a statement rug as your color palette’s north star too. Go bold with a color blocked accent chair and a complementary paint color or find your accent color amidst the multi-toned hues in your living room’s area rug. Having a color anchor is sure to get the wheels turning.

Source: https://design-milk.com/color-curious-here-are-our-top-tips-for-bringing-color-into-your-home/

How to Use Negative Keywords to Positively Impact Your Campaign Strategy

It’s a humbling moment when you realize that not everyone has a use for the product you poured your heart and soul into.

That’s right: Not everyone wants an app to remind them of their daily tasks or a food courier that delivers hot meals at a moment’s notice. It’s impossible to make everyone happy all of the time—and that’s OK!

What’s not OK is wasting your resources (like ad money) on an audience that’s not searching for your product. What if there was a way to focus your ad campaign only on interested people?

That’s where negative keywords come in. They help ensure your ads are not seen by irrelevant traffic.

What Are Negative Keywords?

A negative keyword is a word or phrase you’d like to exclude from your campaign. Negative keywords let you efficiently weed out audience members who are not interested in what you have to offer so you can focus on hitting the right leads. When used correctly, they can make online advertising more efficient and profitable.

If you want your “car insurance” ads to appear when that phrase is mentioned in a Google search but not if an individual is looking for “cheap car insurance,” a negative keyword would ensure your ads don’t show up for the latter.

The more specific you can be with your negative keywords, the better. Being specific prevents wasting money on people who will never buy your product or service—no matter how often they see your ads.

Different types of negative keywords: broad, phrase, and exact

There are three types of negative keywords you can use in your Google Ads campaigns: broad, phrase, and exact matches. Let’s use the negative keyword “board games” as an example.

Negative broad match: Your ad will be excluded if the search contains all the negative keywords, even if the words are in a different order. Your ad might still come up if only some terms are included in the search. Broad match is the default setting for all Google Ads accounts.

Negative phrase match: Your ad will not show if the search contains all the negative keywords if they are in the same order. The search can include additional terms, but the negative keyword must appear in the same order to be excluded from the search results.

Source: https://unbounce.com/ppc/negative-keywords/

The Art Of Bootstrapping: Four Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets

The challenges of self funding your startup GETTY

Bootstrapping your business means relying on your savings and income to launch operate and grow your startup, with no help from external investors. It can be financially challenging, but also incredibly empowering, and for many bootstrappers, it’s a startup funding option of choice.

Sharpening your business skills

Euan Davies launched Sliderfy, which sells branded sliders to businesses and sports clubs, with his business partner in 2019. The startup costs were just £300, which included company incorporation, website development and hosting, marketing, and product testing.

The pair bootstrapped by choice, as they had the marketing skills they needed to launch the business and avoided having to pay for website development and digital marketing support, but Davies believes that bootstrapping can make you a better business leader.

“It forces you to make better, calculated decisions, while shoestring budgets also encourage more sensible advertisement spending and marketing,” he says.

Some of the biggest bootstrapping challenges are around cash flow and growing the team. “Hiring hire full-time, quality staff is hard when you don’t have the funds to offer competitive salaries,” he says. “Bootstrapping a business full-time, without another income to support you is also difficult when you face the dilemma of whether or not you get paid each month.”

Need a Business Idea? Here Are 55.

To start one of these home-based businesses, you don’t need a lot of funding — just energy, passion and the drive to succeed.

Looking to launch a successful business but don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Today, tens of thousands of people are considering starting their own business, and for good reasons. On average, people can expect to have two and three careers during their work life — and with the great resignation in full effect, many are looking to become their own boss or a small business owner. Those leaving one career often think about their second or third career move being one they can run out of their own home. The good news: Starting a home-based business is within the reach of almost anyone who wants to take a risk and work hard, as are a plethora of other low-cost ideas. Here are some business ideas to get you started.

1. ACCOUNTANT

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Create a flier outlining your services. Before you do that, you need to know what those services will be. Do you want to simply do bookkeeping for a small business? A more involved level of accounting would be to work up balance sheets, income statements, and other financial reports on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis, depending on the needs of the business. Other specializations can include tax accounting, a huge area of potential work.

2. BICYCLE REPAIR

3. BOAT CLEANING

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Boats that are hauled out of the water for the winter or even just for mid-season repairs will need the hull cleaned. And depending on the type of boat, it is a good time to give a major cleaning everything else too–the decks, the sleeping quarters, the head, and the holds. Start by approaching homes that have a boat sitting in the yard. Or you could market your services to the marina to contract you to do the boat cleaning it offers to customers.

4. BUSINESS PLAN SERVICE

Offer a soup-to-nuts business plan, including market research, the business plan narrative and the financial statements. Plan your fee around the main one that the client will want and offer the others as add-on services. You can give clients an electronic file and allow them to take it from there, or you can keep the business plan on file and offer the service of tweaking it whenever necessary. Have business plan samples to show clients–and make sure to include your own!

5. RIDE-SHARING DRIVER

Getting paid to drive during your free time is a great way to make extra money. It won’t likely replace a full-time paycheck but can be a lucrative extra revenue stream or side hustle. According to Nerd Wallet , here is a break down of the income you can expect: “To make an annual income of $50,000, the average Uber driver needs to provide 60.21 rides each week, while those working for Lyft need to give 83.76 rides a week, and Sidecar drivers would have had to provide 72.03 rides in a week.”

There are many directions you can take this small business idea. If you want to work during hours when no one else does, you can focus on office clients. You can focus on retail businesses and keep your customers clumped into one or two blocks. Restaurants are in great need of daily thorough cleaning and can be a great source of steady clients. Perhaps you would be more interested in house cleaning. Many times with cleaning services you don’t have to spend lots of money on advertising or marketing because your customers will come by word of mouth.

7. CHILDREN’S PARTY PLANNER

The children’s birthday party business is a multiple-million dollar industry, with the average American spending $500 per party. The book Start Your Own Kid-Focused Business tells you everything you need to know to get your own kid biz off the ground: from insurance costs to food and beverage selection to arranging unforgettable entertainment that gets lots of smiles and lots of referrals from happy customers.

8. CONSULTANT

Has expansion possibilities

To be a consultant, you need to have expertise in something so you can market yourself as an advisor to others looking to work in that area. Perhaps you managed several large warehouses in your career with a drugstore company, you did all the marketing for many years for a large shoe manufacturer or you set up a chain of beauty supply shops or take-out restaurants. You can use this experience to help others do similar things without making the same mistakes that you made along the way. A good calendar app will likely come in handy as time tracking is crucial to accurate billing.

Experience, training, or licensing may be needed

Dog walkers take pooches out for their daily constitutional one or more times a day, either individually or in small groups. In some cities across the United States, like New York, dog walking alone can be a booming business. But it’s actually more common for dog walkers to offer additional services, including playing with and feeding pets, bringing in newspapers and mail, and turning lights on and off. You could even have fun with the marketing of your business on social media.

10. EBAY ASSISTANT

Do you have items lurking around your household that you could sell on eBay? Here’s a relatively straightforward online business idea: figure out your asking price and decide whether to auction it or put it in your eBay store. Then decide if you want a minimum bid and how long you want the auction to last. You will want to establish a PayPal account to use for transactions. The eBay website provides all the information you need to know to get up and running with an eBay business. Chatbots are offering creative new ways to help businesses with these functions.

11. EDITORIAL SERVICES

Has expansion possibilities

Here are some of the freelance writing and editorial services you can provide from the quiet of your own home:

Copyediting. This is where fact checking takes place, and where grammatical, stylistic and typographical errors are caught.
Proofreading. This is the last stop for a “finished” piece. The proofreader makes sure the copyediting changes have been properly made and no new errors are created in the process.
Indexing. There are indexing courses available and you can get indexing software.
Developmental editing. A developmental editor works with a manuscript on big-picture things like organization and content issues.
Book doctoring. This is an editorial service provided for manuscripts written by experts. They create a manuscript as best they can and then a book doctor puts it into publishable shape.
Ghostwriting. As a ghost writer, you actually do the research and write the book and someone else’s name is attached as the author.
Copywriting. Also known as business writing, this is writing that promotes a product or a service.
Book writing. Do you have expertise in something professional, such as accounting or interior decorating? Or personally, like knitting? Why not write a book about it?
Magazine article writing. Magazines and newspapers are a great way to get your writing published before tackling the daunting task of writing a whole book.
Web page content provider. Providing content for a web site is a good way to make some money writing.

12. ELECTRONICS REPAIR

This business is similar to the computer repair business, but you will take on all sorts of electronic equipment besides just computers. With smaller electronics, you will need to be prepared to have customers bring their repair projects to you, as you would have difficulty recovering the cost of driving around picking up broken equipment and returning it. You may also want to encourage people to give you their old electronics so you can use them for parts.

13. EVENT PLANNING

Has expansion possibilities

One of the first things you need to do is visit every potential event location with which you plan to work. Work with the marketing manager to tour each site and learn what is available at each location. Start a database that will allow you to sort venues by varying features, such as the number of people each site holds, AV equipment available on site, if you will need to arrange for rental chairs, etc. Then when you are beginning to plan an event with a client, you can find out what the key parameters are for the event and easily pull up the three or four sites that meet the basic criteria. and engagement parties, etc.

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

One way to make money in this field is by being an expert witness yourself. If you have expertise that could be useful in legal cases, you can market yourself to attorneys to act as an expert witness. Another way to be active in the expert witness field is to play a sort of matchmaker, matching attorneys up with expert witnesses for their cases–either for the defense or for the prosecution. Expert witnesses for big money cases can be expected to fly anywhere to testify. There’s no reason your database of witnesses can’t be from all parts of the country.

15. FINANCIAL PLANNER

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

To start, you should go through the certification process so that you can label yourself a CFP (Certified Financial Planner). Your certificate shows that you have expertise and credibility, and this differentiation will help people choose you as their financial planner.

Has expansion possibilities

People love to spend weekends rummaging through tables full of other people’s unwanted items, looking for treasures. Make sure to change your layout and put new stuff out for sale often. You want people to come back time and again to see what’s new. You don’t even have to have that much new stuff to make things look new. Just moving an item from a table to the top of a bookshelf might get it noticed, even though the item has been in your inventory since you first started having sales.

17. GOLF COACH

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

18. HOME ENERGY AUDITOR

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

All homeowners are always on the lookout for ways to save on their utility bills. You can come to their aid by providing them with an audit of their house and giving them a breakdown of how they could accomplish real savings in heating, cooling and electrical use. You can go one step further and do the implementation and installation of some of your suggestions in their home yourself. Do a complete appliance audit, with efficiency ratings and calculations based on the age of the appliance. And don’t forget the water heater!

19. HOME INSPECTION

In order to be a successful business owner in this field, you will want to establish contacts with real estate agents who can recommend your services to customers. The home inspection field is one where you will need to do constant updating of your education and knowledge. New products are constantly coming out on the market–if you only know about decks made of wood, you will not know how to inspect and assess the new materials on the market, such as composites that are made to look like real wood. Also keep apprised of all safety updates of materials and issues with things like off-gassing, carbon monoxide production, and other chemical precautions.

20. HOUSEHOLD ORGANIZER

Has expansion possibilities

You can choose either to do the organizing work or consult on the things that the homeowner could do to better organize themselves. Have a portfolio of different organizational scenarios in different rooms in the home and talk with the homeowner about the style he or she likes. Create checklists and questionnaires to understand how the family uses the home. Are the kids wildly busy with after-school activities? Or are they usually home after school and want access to their toys? Do they share rooms? All of these things will help you tailor an organizing plan and become a hero to potential customers and families.

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

If you don’t already have work experience with importing and/or exporting, you will have a longer learning curve. You can start by learning the basics and hosting educational sessions to teach others what they need to know to get started in import/export. That alone would probably gain you your first couple of clients. If you keep going with educational seminars and expand your reach to outside your immediate region, you could probably develop a sufficient and ongoing customer base very quickly, but be careful not to outpace your learning curve.

22. INTERIOR DECORATOR

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

23. JEWELRY MAKING

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

There are many different ways of getting into the jewelry business and different types of materials with which you can work. Working in metal will probably require the most in the way of specific tools. You need to be able to heat the metal to manipulate it, and you need metalworking tools to cut and engrave it. But there are many other materials that you can work with to make jewelry–glass, plastic, beads, feathers, even wood, to name just a few.

24. MARKETING COPYWRITER

If you can write copy that gets people excited about purchasing what your client has to sell, you can make good money in this business. Unless you are highly experienced from working in the copywriting field, take a course. There are online courses or classes at community colleges and universities that can give you a leg up in getting savvy at writing copy for brochures, catalogs, advertising and, of course, marketing copy for the web.

25. NOTARY PUBLIC/JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

In most states in the U.S., a notary public is a state officer who is authorized to witness and attest to the legalities of certain documents by signature and stamping a seal. Most states require that you pass an exam and a background check. It costs very little to become a notary and your income from notary work is negligible. A justice of the peace typically performs wedding ceremonies. States have varying rules and procedures for becoming a JP and performing services. Becoming a JP and/or notary public does not cost much money. And it is not a big moneymaking venture! Many states set the fees you can charge for JP services. JPs can add additional fees, and often do, including travel and hourly rates for additional meetings such as rehearsals, other prep time and any special requests.

26. PERSONAL CONCIERGE

27. PERSONAL TRAINER

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Advertise your fitness skill and training services in places where everyone goes, like restaurants and grocery stores. Having a website and social media presence is a good idea–people want some privacy in their decision-making when it comes to getting fit. They can go to your website and determine if your approach to personal training is an approach that would work for them. It is important to emphasize the safety aspect of using a personal trainer. You can help clients get fit and avoid injury.

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Your job, in the case of rental units, will be to make sure the property is running smoothly. For seasonal properties, you will most likely spend your management time making sure the property is ready for seasonal visits and well-maintained when no one is around. If the owners go away for six weeks in the winter, the property manager makes regular checks on the property. You will be the contact number if the security system operator needs to contact someone about a breach in security.

29. SMALL ENGINE REPAIR

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Most community colleges offer some level of engine-repair courses. Another way to learn would be to take a part-time position at a repair shop or a rental facility where you could learn on the job, although you will want to be open about your plans. You should be prepared to work on push-behind lawn mowers, riding lawn mowers, generators, garden tools such as rototillers and edgers, chainsaws, wood chippers and snowblowers. You need to decide whether you’ll want to take on bigger jobs, such as tractors, snowmobiles and ATVs; space may be your decision-maker.

Experience, training or licensing may be needed

Has expansion possibilities

As a solar consultant, you can basically conduct a home inspection and give clients a report on their solar options for their particular home and site. This can range from full-fledged general solar installations that generate electricity to simple solar walkway lighting. You might want to start by working in a solar products company to become knowledgeable in the solar energy field. However, to be a consultant, it is often best not to be affiliated with any one company or product and be able to recommend products and options across the field of solar energy.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/201588

The seven habits of highly effective people

Because I’ve been driving back and forth from Corvallis to Portland so much lately to attend to my mother and cousin, I’ve had ample to time to listen to audiobooks. I find that I’m actually grateful for the opportunity to “read” in this fashion. (Like many folks, the past decade has destroyed my attention span and ability to read for long periods.)

I’m currently reading Stephen R. Covey’s classic The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. (Five stars on Amazon in 5672 reviews!) I read the book once long, long ago — sometime during the mid-1990s. I’ve referred to it now and then as the years have gone by, but mostly I’ve forgotten its lessons.

Or so I thought.

In reality, it turns out that much of my personal philosophy is similar to the precepts Covey covers. It’s shocking, in fact, just how much of my personal and financial philosophies align with those presented in Seven Habits. I haven’t consciously or deliberately emulated his teachings, but I’ve wound up in the same place nonetheless.

For those unfamiliar, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are as follows:

Be proactive. Take responsibility for your own life. Take the initiative and don’t simply accept what you’re given. (Here are my thoughts on becoming proactive.)
Begin with the end in mind. Have a plan for your life. Know where you want to go — and why. Like me, Covey is a proponent of writing a personal mission statement.
Put first things first. Sort out your priorities (which is much easier to do when you have an end in mind). Focus your attention on the things that are urgent and important. Covey’s “big rocks” metaphor comes from this section.
Think win-win. When possible, seek mutually beneficial solutions to problems. Don’t be adversarial. Help others achieve their aims as you achieve yours.
Seek first to undertand, then to be understood. Don’t be in a rush to be right. Listen to what others are saying. (Truly listen.) Practice empathy. I feel like this is a seldom-practiced skill in modern society, which is why I urge people to practice financial empathy.
Synergize. Find ways to work with others in order to achieve mutual aims and accomplish things that you couldn’t do alone.
Sharpen the saw. Make time for personal renewal. Keep your lifestyle balanced. Pursue self-improvement.

Source: https://www.getrichslowly.org/the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-people/

The 6 Most Important Things to Do When Starting a New Business

You had a great idea and started a new enterprise, but what concrete steps can you take to ensure that it’s successful?

“A big business starts small.” – Richard Branson

This legendary British billionaire seemed to grasp from the first that businesses are not all about ideas, but about making ideas happen. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Success is 90% attitude and 10% aptitude,” and I’ve found that this is indelibly true — that the proper mindset is a huge factor in achieving goals. And when it comes to starting your own business, it’s especially important.

But for that new endeavor to succeed, it’s vital that an owner translate attitude into proper steps, which starts by doing your homework. There are so many things to do and so many decisions to make, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. However, with a bit of planning and organization, you can make the process much easier.

Remember one thing: If you do things right, the rewards — both personal and professional — will far outweigh the challenges. And that’s why, according to a study by Constant Contact, approximately 85% of owners said they would choose to start their business all over again if they had to.

A few of the most important things to keep in mind when starting your journey.

1. Choose the right structure

Many factors need to be considered in a startup, one of which is its legal form (LLC, C Corp, etc.). The right (or wrong) choice will have crucial implications. Structure hinders or helps in how good contracts are formed, and financial stability may depend on what type you choose. Many businesses, of course, will need funding; structure will be an important aspect of that process, too, and will also affect tax liability issues, insurance coverage and other matters.

Crucial factors to consider while choosing yours:

• Taxes: The type of business you choose impacts which taxes are owed (including personal liability). Before launching any new enterprise, tax considerations should be reviewed so that all of relevant obligations stay in good standing according to regulations.

• Type of industry: The kind of structure you choose will depend on your industry and specific practices within it. For example, real estate investment companies face a higher risk than other types do; this is why they often organize as LLCs to ensure owner protection from liability risks like bankruptcy or unpaid debts (among others).

• Personal liability: There are different levels of liability protection that you can receive depending upon business type, and knowing which protections will best suit your needs should be carefully considered.

2. Build credit

You can’t build a successful company without establishing business credit. Those who have it solidly established have access to more loans, contracts and other opportunities than those with poor credit. And how would your investors know if you are being honest about your finances? This is where such business credit reports come in additionally handy. Their information will let potential investors (and banks) make informed decisions as to whether you deserve their trust, and money.

Good credit also results in better credit and repayment terms with suppliers and contractors. Finally, you can protect your personal score by maintaining good business credit. (There will be no need to use your personal credit and risk downgrading it if your business credit is good.)

Couples Who Actually Stay In Love For A Lifetime Do 8 Things Differently

Since I was in college I have seen couples getting together and breaking up, falling out of love faster than I could change clothes. People were “trying each other on” like new dresses and collecting experiences.

Many, if not most, of the couples I saw during my twenties were in such miserable relationships that I was grateful to be alone and to have the energy, drive, and desire to grow personally, professionally and spiritually.

So what is a loving relationship that has the power to last forever? I strongly believe that we have to take care of ourselves first in order to let somebody into our lives who will look in the same direction. And then together we can co-create a beautiful life day-by-day.

I now know for sure that there are secrets to why two people in a relationship stay in love, while so many others end up broken up, or worse yet, divorced.

The eight common things couples who stay madly in love — forever — do differently.

1. Respect each other

We all are different people with different minds, hobbies, thoughts, views, tastes. We are so multifaceted and we change moment by moment. Respecting each other as human beings, as professionals and partners is crucial for a good working relationship. Respecting every step and being there witnessing each other’s life-journey without any judgment.

2. Trust in each other

We all make tons of mistakes, we have horrible days, we get sick, we fail, we fight, we say awful things to each other, we hold grudges, we can’t get past traumas, sometimes we don’t feel sexy or smart, we feel like losers. During those times we all need somebody to remind us of our greatness and just to be there for us.

We need our lover, our partner to trust in us. Somebody who sincerely loves us and sees our inner and outer beauty no matter what. In a healthy relationship, two people will want that the other person is feeling good about her/himself. And to know that our partner always trusts in our development and choices will make the relationships strong and comfortable.

3. Give personal space

In a strong relationship, two people will give each other space to be themselves, to grow in a direction they choose and help each other become even more of who they authentically, essentially are. Changing another person will lead nowhere. It’s either learning to love unconditionally or going through the hell of not being accepted all over again.

4. Take care of yourself first

One of my favorite books, Mastery of Love, talks about it precisely. It’s not our responsibility to make our partner happy and it’s not your partner’s duty to make you happy. It is our responsibility to make ourselves happy and fill our own cup and from that cup we can share the love with our partner.

If we are not satisfied with who we are, if we lack self-confidence, if we can’t overcome traumas from childhood and past relationships, we will always project our misery onto other people.

Source: https://www.yourtango.com/love/couples-stay-love-do-differently

7 Online Business Ideas for Practical Content Entrepreneurs

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already been brainstorming online business ideas — and for good reason.

More so, we’re seeing inflation rates skyrocket and wages aren’t adjusting in proportion. These are scary times, indeed.

This is why it’s more important than ever for you to start developing methods to generate your own income. You can’t depend on a “steady job” anymore (there’s no such thing).

You need to get out there into the marketplace, sharpen your content marketing and copywriting skills, and create an online business for yourself. It’s a necessity.

How to come up with online business ideas

Ready to get to work?

One of the most common pitfalls for new content entrepreneurs is that they don’t know how to come up with online business ideas.

It’s not enough to say you want to start a business, you must also have a plan.

In this article, I’m going to share seven online business ideas, and I’ll detail the pros and cons of each method to help you shape your plan.

Let’s start with …

The two types of online businesses

Although specific methods and strategies can vary, there are only two core types of online businesses.

They are:

Selling a service
Selling a product

Any online business idea will fall into one of these two categories.

First, we’ll begin with freelance services.

1. Freelancing

Freelancing is one of the best online business ideas.

Offering a service doesn’t require you build a fancy website, invest money into marketing, or raise capital to build your product.

As a freelancer, your first and only priority is to get a client. At most, you need a laptop, some storyselling skills, and a willingness to get started.

Now, there are ways you can approach freelancing to maximize your chances of success. Let’s look at three critical steps.

Step #1: Decide on the exact services you provide

Everyone has skills, and you have plenty to offer the market.

Are you creating a writing business? Starting an accounting firm? Are you a killer photographer or a whiz at social media marketing?

Decide on the services you’ll offer, and create a plan for how you’ll present these services.

Over time, your reputation will build and your referral business will start generating bigger profits.

Step #2: Build a brand for your online business idea

Once you have a few jobs under your belt, it’s critical that you begin marketing your services.

The biggest mistake freelancers make is that they sit back and wait for business to come to them. You have to actively get out there and market yourself to get new clients faster:

Create a website
Generate awareness through business blogging and social media
Demonstrate how your services can benefit your target prospects

Step #3: Transition to building an agency

Freelancing is great, but it can only get you so far.

Eventually, you’ll have more business than you can effectively serve. The last thing you want is unhappy clients and it’s very common for freelancers to get in over their heads.

That’s why you want to be actively replacing yourself as you grow.

For some of you reviewing the different types of online business ideas, staying small and flexible is what you want.

You want to work with a few clients and do freelance work on the side. If that’s your goal, then great! I support you.

But for those of you who plan to transition from a freelancer to an agency owner (with employees, departments, payroll, etc.), I suggest you plan for this transition right from the beginning.

To summarize, freelancing is the perfect online business idea to get you started, because it doesn’t require any upfront costs and it’s profitable as soon as you get your first client.

But as is the case with any service business, it won’t have the same scalability as other online business ideas.

2. Paid newsletter

I love paid newsletters, and I think they’re one of the best options to get started.

In freelancing, or SaaS products, or even membership communities, the content you create is used to grow awareness to a product or service. But with newsletters, the content itself is the product.

One of the most exciting aspects of starting a paid newsletter is the monthly recurring revenue, or MRR.

Any online business idea that monetizes with MRR is worth considering because consistent cash flow will generate.

Source : https://copyblogger.com/online-business-ideas/

How brands like Aveda and Kraft Heinz are unlocking the value of full-funnel marketing

Today’s consumer moves seamlessly across online and offline channels to find what they need. A person might discover a product through a digital ad, head to a brick-and-mortar store to check it out, and then use their phone for price comparison and further research. The path to purchase is complex, and it varies considerably by vertical and by individual shopping preferences. Many marketers know this. For years, they have heard that a holistic, full-funnel approach is critical for meeting customers where they are. Now we have the data to prove it.

A recent Nielsen meta-analysis of CPG campaigns found that full-funnel strategies see up to 45% higher ROI and 7% increases in offline sales compared to marketing campaigns across a single purchase stage.¹ The data takes into account over 1,300 unique campaigns across 20 different CPG brands, spanning personal care, beauty, food, beverage, home care, and more. Regardless of the category, the implications are clear: full-funnel marketing gets results. Let’s look at two leading CPG brands that have internalized this lesson to their advantage.

Applying a new full-funnel strategy with winning results

For brands that have traditionally focused more on the middle of the funnel, Nielsen found that additional investment in upper- or lower-funnel tactics with Google Ads drives 52% more incremental sales over investing in mid-funnel tactics alone.² This was certainly true for hair care and body care brand Aveda, which is owned by Estée Lauder Companies.

Despite the meteoric rise in popularity of at-home beauty treatments during the pandemic, Aveda sales weren’t keeping pace with expectations for new customer recruitment, even with their paid media efforts. The company realized that focusing on mid- to lower-funnel media meant it simply wasn’t meeting target consumers where they were spending the most time.

Beginning in the third quarter of 2021, Aveda’s marketing team created a full-funnel YouTube Ads strategy to increase awareness and brand desirability among key segments and, ultimately, win new customers. They created target personas through a mix of Google and first-party audiences. They then mapped their creative and audiences to the right tactical mix of YouTube ad formats.

We identified an opportunity to increase awareness and brand desirability among key segments and bring new consumers to our brand.

The results were undeniable: Aveda saw double-digit increases in website sessions, a double-digit year-over-year increase in search impressions, and significant increases in searches for “Aveda salons near me.” The Aveda Invati product line also experienced strong brand lift in users considering the franchise for purchase (compared to a control group). Overall, Aveda’s North American sales rose significantly as did the sales for the franchise of the campaign. And Aveda exceeded its new customer acquisition goals in North America during this time.

“The results to our business were immediate, with quick lifts in highly qualified traffic just after our full-funnel campaign launched,” said Aveda head of North American marketing Theresa Block. “With our targeted strategy and sufficiency of investment, we identified an opportunity to increase awareness and brand desirability among key segments and bring new consumers to our brand.”

Source : https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-journey/full-funnel-marketing-strategy/

Nine Steps To Take If Your Company Rebrand Doesn’t Get A Positive Response

Is your brand in need of a makeover? While it may seem as simple as something like changing your company’s name, rebranding is a complicated process with many moving parts.

After a time, many companies change or update their missions, and rebranding is an effective tool for signaling to customers that a company is undergoing major changes, but it can also result in pushback from the target audience if not handled well. Below, nine Young Entrepreneur Council members reveal steps you can take if your rebrand doesn’t achieve the reaction you were hoping for.

1. Pivot

A rebrand is more than a logo or name change. It needs to guide values and culture changes as well. There will always be mixed reactions, but if you know where you want to go next, you can overcome them. Use the rebrand to guide shifts in operations and experience aligned to customer needs. If you know the unmet needs of the market, you will know when to pivot a brand and where to take it. – Ryan Stoner, Dendro

2. Ask Why

Most people don’t care much at all about the corporate name they are buying from. Product and service names are more important. If your corporate rebrand gets a negative response, don’t be too proud to ask why and react accordingly. Changing the name back again might get more press anyway. – David Boehl, TravelSite.io

3. Give People Time To Adjust

Don’t give up right away. Most people shy away from change because there’s an unknown element. When a brand starts making changes to things like their name, people wonder what else may be changing. Will the experience or quality be the same? Give people time to adjust, and employ strategies to make it a positive experience for customers. – Leila Lewis, Be Inspired PR

4. Explain Your Reason For Changing

Any rebranding will be met with at least a little criticism. Especially if your brand is well-loved and well-established, your customers will find it hard to see you in a “new light.” The key is to be incredibly transparent. Explain what brought about the change and show them a glimpse of what you have planned for the future. Make sure they feel like they’re a part of it and give it some time. – Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker

5. Get Clear On Your Purpose And Values

Go back to the beginning to ask yourself some fundamental questions. Do you know your company’s purpose? Vision? Mission? Values? This sounds cliche, but being able to articulate these things is fundamental to your brand and core identity. Be clear about who you are, what you do, why you exist and how you operate. If a rebranding failed, these questions should get you back on track. – Shu Saito, Fact Retriever

6. Create Something To Celebrate

A great way to deal with negative pushback around a rebrand is to create something to celebrate. I’d introduce a new feature, offer a limited-time discount or create an event. It’s not so you can distract your audience from a brand change they don’t like; it’s to associate positive new changes with the rebrand and to help people realize growth can be a mixed bag of experiences. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

7. Operate With Excellence

Stay the course and focus on the areas that you excel in. Change is hard on many, and some things take time to grow on people. By continuing to operate with excellence and take care of your clients in ways your competition can’t, you’ll make a name for yourself no matter what you’re called. – Joel Mathew, Fortress Consulting.

8. Do Some Research

The best people to answer what went wrong are your customers. If my rebranding efforts don’t receive the response I was hoping for, I would definitely try to understand what went wrong by conducting thorough research. This can be done by sending out feedback forms, asking for customer reviews, having live sessions on social media and more to ensure that the same mistakes aren’t repeated again. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

9. Monitor How You’re Tracking Implementation

Notable rebranding always receives criticism; people love criticizing, and everything new feels wrong and scary at first. New identity and messaging is just the beginning of rebranding—the crucial part of it is implementing your new brand internally and externally. Before tearing everything down and pivoting, take a look at how you are tracking your implementation efforts. – Daria Gonzalez, Wunderdogs.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2022/03/15/nine-steps-to-take-if-your-company-rebrand-doesnt-get-a-positive-response/

A Manifesto for Professional Writers: The 10 Pillars of Disciplined Creativity

Professional writers inevitably find themselves in social situations with non-writers, when the topic of discussion turns to careers and someone innocently asks the group: “What do you really want to be doing?”

It’s a conversation-starter that the well-intentioned party guest thinks will be a fun question to prompt people to share their passions and dreams. The careers they’d like to have — if only …

I reply bluntly. I can’t help myself.

“What I currently do.”

Such a buzzkill.

The misery-loves-company train does not want to bond with the person who’s actually happy with what they’re doing with their life.

I knew I wanted to be a writer before I was aware I wanted to be a professional writer.

It was the first activity I was drawn to and, all these years later, it’s still my first priority.

But most people write in some capacity, and for many, being a professional writer seems like a made-up job. A career that happens magically. Or by accident.

A one-in-a-million scenario where a piece of your writing happens to gain popularity. You know, desperate aspirations of “going viral.”

When, in fact, the exact opposite is true.

There’s no sorcery. No coincidence or random luck. No inspirational quotes for writers that hold up in practice.

For professional writers, every choice needs to be painstakingly intentional.

Professional writers don’t treasure creative ideas

It’s part of our nature to create. We want to build. We want to innovate. It’s fun and it makes us feel alive. We’re creators.

That doesn’t mean we actually meet our goals.

Because we talk. We’re also talkers. And often, the more we talk, the less we accomplish.

Not always, but when someone is preoccupied with talking about a great creative idea, they tend to neglect nurturing, developing, and executing the idea over time.

That’s why creative concepts, alone, bore me.

Show me the strategy and storyselling.

Strategy activates creativity

Disciplined Creativity gives your content ideas the care and conditions they need to mature.

Time to be frenetic.

Time to be focused.

Space to take action.

Space to take a break.

Balance leads to progress.

When professional writers are consumed with their work, they swiftly recognize what causes mental blocks. You need the discipline to finish a writing assignment on time and the confidence to swiftly start brainstorming your next blog post ideas with the same high level of creative energy.

source: https://copyblogger.com/professional-writers/

Six Key Elements For A Solid Brand Foundation

By Samuel Thimothy, VP at OneIMS.com, an inbound marketing agency, and co-founder of Clickx.io, the digital marketing intelligence platform.

You can have the best logo, brand colors and fonts in existence but if your customers never have any emotional experience when interacting with you, then it won’t matter. Your brand is what makes you stand out.

That said, building a truly effective brand is not easy. It’s an exercise in creativity and research. This process takes a lot of time not just on the execution stage, but on the strategizing stage as well.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2022/03/14/six-key-elements-for-a-solid-brand-foundation/?sh=57beb07a5323

10 Common Sayings You’re Probably Saying Wrong

The English language is awash with sayings and phrases that cover everything from new beginnings (“back to square one”) to endings (“kick the bucket”) and just about everything in between. Many reflect the development of the language over the course of history — the old saw about never looking a gift horse in the mouth can be traced back to the 13th century [sources: Grammarphobia].

After basketball star LeBron James told the world he was signing with the NBA’s Miami Heat in 2010 by saying, “I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” the phrase took on a life of its own. It was used to describe subjects as varied as a night at the pub (“I’m taking my talents to Moe’s”), breakups (“I’m taking my talents to [insert new significant other’s name here]”), or even resignations (“I’m taking my talents to Initech”) [source: Barron].

The problem is that many people who use these phrases wind up throwing the baby out with bathwater by flubbing and butchering the particular saying so badly that it means something else entirely or nothing at all. Some of the most common expressions are also some of the most commonly confused. (Is that a statue of limitations, or a statute?)

They say knowledge is power (or perhaps powder). So read on to master some of the most regularly used phrases that are regularly said wrong.

10: Not Worth a Grain of Salt

You can take information in this article with a grain of salt. MANUSAPON KASOSOD/GETTY IMAGES

This misstatement is likely caused by a mix-up between two common phrases: “worth his salt” and “with a grain of salt.” The former refers to a person who is deemed of good stock and fine, upstanding character. Early Roman soldiers earned an allowance of salt for their efforts, and a soldier who was “worth his salt” was one whose performance was up to snuff. (The Latin word for this allowance, salarium, is where we derive the word salary) [source: Mussulman].

The latter phrase means to accept a statement while remaining skeptical about whether it’s actually true. It refers to the idea that food is more easily swallowed when taken with a tiny bit of salt [source: The Phrase Finder].

9: I Could Care Less

If your kid tells she “could care less,” tell her that means she cares a little bit. That will throw her off. CREATISTA/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

How much less? The phrase, when used properly, is meant to convey the idea that the speaker is completely and utterly uninterested in the topic being discussed. In the garbled version the message of absolute disinterest is lost.

“I couldn’t care less” came from the British in the early 1900s, but around the 1960s, Americans inverted it to “I could care less.” No one is sure why. Perhaps it was an attempt at sarcasm that’s been lost because what you’re really saying is while you don’t care about the topic, there are others about which you care even less [sources: Washington State University, Qunion].

8: All Intensive Purposes

King Henry VIII is credited as originator of the phrase “all intents and purposes.” STEVEN WYNN/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

“All intents and purposes” is a 500-year-old turn of phrase coined in an English Act of Parliament by King Henry VIII. It actually stated, “to all intents, constructions and purposes” and meant “in every practical sense.” It was shortened to the popular version in 1709.

The butchered form — “all intensive purposes” — sounds similar, which is probably the reason it’s been popping up in newspapers and everyday speech since as early as 1870 [source: Safire].

7: It’s a Doggy-dog World

Despite what Snoop Dogg says, it’s not a doggy-dog world. WIKIMEDIA/(CC BY-SA 3.0)

Unless you’re referring to the song from Snoop Dogg’s landmark 1993 album “Doggystyle,” you probably mean “dog-eat-dog world.” But maybe the confusion developed because dogs aren’t cannibals.

The saying is actually a corruption of the Latin phrase canis caninam non est, which states that dogs do not eat each other. Nevertheless, “dog-eat-dog” is meant to convey the viciousness or “every man for himself” nature of life and society [source: Paton]. So leave out the “doggy” unless you’re a die-hard Snoop Dogg fan and believe it’s his world and we just live in it.

6: That’s a Bald-faced Lie

Many lies are both bold-faced and bald-faced, but the terms are not synonymous. BRIANAJACKSON/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Bald-faced or bold-faced? This is one of those commonly flubbed phrases in which both versions sound a whole lot like one another. In fact, they’re both correct; they just happen to have two slightly different meanings.

A bald-faced lie — or barefaced, as it’s often called in England — means one that is undisguised and clearly untrue. A bold-faced lie, on the other hand, is one that is impudent or disrespectful [source: Grammarphobia]. Many lies would fall under both categories.

5: He Made a 360-degree Turn in His Life

Someone who’s made a complete change would be making a 180 degree change, as 360 degrees represents a complete circle back to were they were. WE ARE/GETTY IMAGES

Except if he’s right back where he started, that’s probably not what you mean. Degrees aren’t only a way to measure temperature and angles; they’re also clichés writers and sportscasters use to describe everything from major life changes to spinning slam dunks on the basketball court. The problem is that these terms are regularly misused.

A complete circle is 360 degrees. So, if you want to describe someone who has “come full circle,” you might say he has made a 360-degree turn. A half circle, meanwhile, is 180 degrees. This is the phrase one might use to describe a complete change from one extreme to another. A shy wallflower that busts out of his shell and becomes an extrovert overnight might be said to have made a 180-degree change. If he later reverts to his shrinking violet ways, he has gone 360 degrees, landing back in the same position he started from [source: Gray-Grant].

4: I ‘Literally’ Froze to Death

You didn’t “literally” freeze to death. You might have been really cold, but you never literally froze. CMANNPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Oh really? Then how is it you are alive and able to utter this nonsense? The word “literal” has a very clear meaning: “adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression; actual” [source: Merriam-Webster] Yet, it is far too often used to add emphasis to a situation and exaggerate a certain scenario that could not possibly be factual: “It was literally raining cats and dogs.” “My phone is literally blowing up.”

The correct word in these and a whole slew of cases in which you don’t really mean literally — your phone is not a ticking time bomb, or is it? — is “figuratively.” As in, “I was figuratively foaming at the mouth, I was so angry” [source: Grammarist]. But we have to admit that does sound a little weird.

Source: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/10-common-sayings-wrong.htm

5 Email Marketing Myths You Shouldn’t Believe

There are so many myths around us. And depending on which country or region we are from, it all differs. Some might end up being true, and some are just hoaxes, especially when people consume online content that doesn’t have a credible source.

For example, some of us might remember reading “Einstein was bad at math.” Do you think one of the greatest minds on earth was terrible at math?

If you research these ridiculous claims, you will realize that these myths are often shared on social media, that we are tricked into believing them.

Similarly, there are so many myths around email marketing that they sound so natural to us. And so, we are going to debunk those myths. Maybe you have been losing out on so much because you have believed in a myth.

Here are 5 email marketing myths you should never believe in ever again!

Myth 1: Email Marketing Is Dead

You have probably heard this a lot. Social media has replaced emails. Who even reads emails?

Debunked:

No one’s abandoning emails. Sure, there is a sharp rise in social media marketing, but no one has stopped using emails. Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective and non-intrusive ways to communicate with your customers.

Moreover, email marketing stats prove that email marketing isn’t dead.

We send 102.6 trillion emails each year around the world. And the figures only continue to rise, with 126.7 trillion expected to be sent by 2022. Every day, the average email subscriber receives 13 promotional emails. Some of us check our email up to 20 times per day. After all, with the rise of smartphones and tablets, checking emails has never been easier.

So if emails are not dead, then email marketing is also not dead. And email marketing allows you to get an ROI of $44 for every dollar you spend. More importantly, people receive emails after they give their consent to receive them.

And with Mailchimp Alternatives that are affordable and effective, you can segment your audience based on their online behavior, geography, age, and any criteria and send targeted emails. Targeted email marketing sends emails that want to be read. It creates a win-win situation: You get to promote your product with valuable content, and your audience can get value out of the content!

Myth 2: Millennials Don’t Sign Up For Email Marketing

The Millennials don’t like subscribing to marketing emails. Are you sure?

Debunked:

If you believe in this myth, you are losing out on targeting a large audience turning into working professionals who can make a buying decision. And an Adobe survey, states that Millennials use emails at least 6 hours a day on average.

So how can you take advantage of this large group of audience?

Segment your audience based on their age and then A/B test your email campaigns until you understand what works for your Millennial audience. Which emails do they open? Which emails nudge them to make a purchase?

A/B test every element of your email: position of CTAs, email designs, email colors, content, subject line, preview text. A/B testing is one of the best email marketing features that could have ever happened to email marketers. It allows you to send different emails to a small group of target audiences and later gives you the metrics for the email campaign’s performance. Use the numbers and keep improving your sales to the millennials—ka-ching!

Myth 3: Email Marketing Takes A Lot of Time

How many emails can I send in a day? I have a small business with only a few employees.

Debunked:

Sending emails manually to everyone has become a thing of the past. And the same goes for sending bulk emails without any proper strategy in place. Spammy email marketing will be frowned upon, and your email address will be blacklisted by Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Email automation is the right way to reduce your time in crafting, designing, and writing emails. Many powerful email marketing tools have email automation with email templates in place.

These email templates are pre-built, and you don’t need any coding experience to use them. All you need to do is select an email template to fit the customer journey, edit them using a drag and drop editor, place your brand logo and set them up.

The emails will automatically be triggered and sent to the subscribers whenever they take an action on your website. For instance, If a website visitor adds products to the cart and leaves the site without completing their purchase, that action will trigger a series of abandoned cart emails with appropriate time intervals.

So, sit back, relax, and consistently engage with your audience with email marketing automation workflows!

Myth 4: Email Subject Lines Should Be Short

Subject lines should be within 6 to 7 words or the email won’t be opened

Debunked:

It’s true that subject lines play an important role in your email open rates but your subject lines don’t have to be short to get opened.

It’s always good to be precise with your words when it comes to marketing but it is important to let your subscribers know what is inside the email. So, place your importance in conveying that rather than making it appear short. Sometimes, short sentences might lead to misunderstandings and that might disappoint your readers when they don’t get what they were promised.

Buyers usually prefer communicating with their favorite brands and they look forward to your emails. So be sure to convey what you have in store for them in the subject lines with as many characters as possible. Chances are they like the detailed subject line and enjoy what you are sending them. Be relaxed and play around with your subject lines. If you are second-guessing long subject lines, you can always A/B test them and see whether they work on your audience.ur Media Inc.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/421404

How to Bring Authenticity to Your Startup’s Marketing Strategy

People are tired of being pushed into something they don’t want.

According to a study by Stackla, 90% of customers place a premium on authenticity when selecting which companies they like and support. But what exactly is authenticity? How can we show our customers that we’re human and relatable and not just a brand with an agenda?

Here are six practical tips on how to bring authenticity into your startup’s marketing strategy.

What is authenticity in marketing?

Authenticity is having a genuine connection with your target audience. If you’re not authentic, it’s difficult for customers to connect with what you do. People want brands that they can relate to — companies who are just like them, only better at their job or service because of experience and expertise. Authenticity is also about transparency and showing the world who you are and what you believe in. So, think of authenticity as your company’s personality; it should be unique to every brand out there.

How can startups bring authenticity to their marketing

Did you know that nearly 90% of all startups fail? Startup marketing is difficult because you are often underfunded, have a limited customer base or are just getting started. As a co-founder and owner of a business, I understand the challenges that you are facing. I’ve failed many times. That’s why I’d like to share some of the marketing strategies that have worked well for me and have helped people connect with us on an emotional level every day.

1. Know your target audience

You need to know who your target audience is and what their needs and interests are before you can create a message for them or speak about them on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The more you know, the better your marketing will be.

It’s your job to create an emotional connection between your brands and customers, and authenticity is key here too. Once you understand your target audience and their needs, you can speak to them more effectively on the proper social media channels.

2. Be genuine in your marketing messages

Knowing your target audience does not mean you should be overly promotional. You can still show people who you are as a brand and what makes your company unique while also being more realistic about your company’s benefits. Establishing authenticity in marketing means not trying to be something you’re not. People will see right through anything that seems fake or disingenuous. If you decide to be honest with people, then put all your cards on the table. Don’t try to market your startup as something it’s not.

5 Steps To Finding The Best Advertising Agency

Picking the best advertising agency for your needs is not easy, but essential. GETTY

If you are investing material dollars in marketing campaigns, more often than not, you have considered engaging, or have engaged, an advertising agency to assist you with those efforts. Those decisions whether or not to manage your marketing campaigns with in-house teams vs. third party agencies are typically not easy decisions. And, if you decide to outsource to an agency, the selection process can be overwhelming, with the thousands of agencies out there to choose from. This post will help make those decisions easier for you.

In-House Teams vs. Third Party Agencies

The decision to manage campaigns internally vs. externally often comes down to the following things: (1) the size of your media budgets; (2) the complexities/channels of the campaign; and (3) the skills of your team and the analytics tools you have to work with. Over time, my leaning on this decision has changed. I used to want to run everything internally, to save the costs vs. an agency (which can often be 15-20% higher including their fees). And, I used to want to find disparate agencies with a specific expertise (e.g., one agency for search engines, another agency for social media).

But, as the advertising industry has evolved over time, my opinion on this topic has shifted 180 degrees. Today, I am a proponent of outsourcing this work to an agency, and preferably one cross-channel agency that can manage all desired channels through one partner. The reason for this are: (1) the agencies have materially evolved from being single-channel experts to multi-channel experts; (2) strategically, it is better to have all strategies and budgets managed centrally, to easily shift dollars between channels and get cross-channel attribution tracking all in one place; (3) the optimization technologies the best agencies are using, and their direct relationships with Google, Facebook, Amazon and others, are heads and shoulders better than anything your internal team would be doing; and (4) finding a team of good internal marketers is hard to find and manage, as opposed to leaning on an agency’s team and their recruiting and training processes. Especially since the techniques that work best each year can rapidly change, and you want to benefit from the most recent learnings (not hire someone with yesterday’s playbook). So, don’t be a penny wise and a pound foolish here, as a good agency should more than cover their additional fees, with materially higher revenue performance from their efforts than you most likely could generate with an internal team.

Source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgedeeb/2022/03/03/5-steps-to-finding-the-best-advertising-agency/?sh=745294087cd1

Making Millions In Business Requires The Right Mindset

Many know Mahisha Dellinger, founder and CEO of CURLS, for dominating in the hair care industry. What they might not know is how she has been able to maintain her staying power for 20 years when most businesses fail within the first two. Dellinger doesn’t solely attribute her success to hard work as a leading businesswoman. She will tell you that building a millionaire’s mindset is key. Dellinger also often shares, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Her willingness to give back in the form of mentorship, sage advice, and business coaching are what make her wealthy – in addition to being a loving wife and mother.

Since launching in 2002, CURLS’ mission has been to provide natural hair care solutions for its customers. Over the years, Dellinger and her team have continued to align themselves with that mission resulting in CURLS products being sold at Target, Walmart, CVS, Amazon, and other major beauty retailers. So, how has Dellinger been able to make millions after starting her business with $30,000 in personal savings two decades ago and stay on the shelves?

She has a concrete business plan, continues to learn, and makes strategic business decisions.

There’s No Way Around Creating A Business Plan

When many entrepreneurs and business owners can become millionaires overnight selling products or services in the e-commerce space or on social media, it is essential not to skip the foundational step of creating a business plan.

When forming a business plan, Dellinger says,” Entrepreneurs should focus on ‘The Four P’s of Marketing: Product, Price, Placement, and Promotions. You also need to know your competition and exactly who you’re going against in the market. That has to be part of your marketing plan, as well.”

Source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/lydiatblanco/2022/03/04/making-millions-in-business-requires-the-right-mindset/?sh=3064909fc4db

7 Productive Things To Do When You’re Bored at Work

Bored at work? Don’t fall into the trap of looking at the clock wishing you were somewhere else. Boredom can be a gift if you use it strategically.

It’s okay to let your mind wander or not be into your work sometimes. You don’t need to hustle 24/7 or be productive every minute of every day. However, being bored on a regular basis can lead to disengagement and apathy, and it can be a sign that something needs to shift. Finding productive things to do when boredom creeps in can help re-energize you and benefit your career.

From helping your team to investing in your career growth and getting organized, here are seven productive things to do the next time you find yourself mindlessly staring at your screen.

Help your team

When you feel disinterested in your workday, engaging in office gossip becomes a temptation.

“Avoid complaining or bad-mouthing others at work, which could turn other team members against you or lower team morale. If you’re bored at work, it’s best to find ways to be productive or keep your feelings to yourself,” says Biron Clark, former executive recruiter and founder of Career Sidekick.

Channeling those feelings constructively by helping others will get you out of your own head and boost your own morale.

1. Ask coworkers if they need any help

“Offering to help other team members is a great first step when you notice yourself with some downtime at work,” says Clark. “You’ll build rapport with your coworkers, you’ll learn what other people in the group do each day, and you’ll help your whole team perform better.”

Invest in your career

Perhaps you’re not being challenged enough. Maybe your role doesn’t quite excite you. If there is a deeper reason behind your boredom, it’s a great opportunity to use the moment to invest in your career.
Ask your boss for more responsibilities

First, you could ask your boss for more responsibilities. “If you’re consistently bored at work, consider asking for more responsibilities and then leveraging that into asking for a promotion or raise in the future,” recommends Clark. According to him, the first step is to contribute more–and not just for a week. Show your commitment by taking on stretch projects for at least three months, even six, and then touch base with your boss to talk about career advancement opportunities.

“Here’s how to position your request for a raise: Point to how much additional work you’re producing now versus when you were first hired and when your salary was first determined. Then, ask for a salary adjustment to reflect this additional productivity,” he adds.

2. Consider your next steps

Being bored at work might also be the perfect time for a career check-in with yourself. How are you feeling about your current role? What are your short and long-term goals? Do you feel like you’re progressing towards those goals?

“If you’re bored at work and not learning valuable skills that are helping advance your career, it may be time to consider a job change,” says Clark. “The best time to look for a new job is when you’re already employed. You’ll be less anxious and will have more leverage and confidence when talking to prospective employers.”

Pausing, taking inventory of your career trajectory and reflecting on your current situation and whether it is meeting your needs is a good idea if you find yourself feeling bored quite often.

Get organized

Additionally, moments of boredom are the perfect opportunity to get organized and tend to the type of admin tasks you always leave for later. Not only is it productive to do so, but it will also make you feel lighter and motivated after you’re done. Certified Professional Organizer and productivity consultant Megan Spears recommends the few following organizing activities. Pick and choose between them or do them all.

3. Clean up your inbox

First things first, face the depths of your inbox. “I have yet to meet a professional who doesn’t need to work on their inbox. Unsubscribe, clean up folders, and, for the love of all things, delete unwanted messages,” says Spears.

4. Clean up your desktop

You might also want to clean up your desktop. “I don’t know where the habit of saving to the desktop happened, but take a minute to tidy up things saved to your desktop. File, delete and organize your apps so that you’re ready to tackle the next important tasks,” she recommends.

5. Reorganize and tidy up

She also says that if you have downtime, reorganizing file folders, browser favorites, phone apps or contact lists comes with big rewards: “Sometimes it’s just deleting what you don’t want or use or perhaps updating specific details.”

Less digital clutter, more peace of mind and inspiration.

Source: https://hive.com/blog/productive-things-to-do-when-bored-at-work/

Storyselling 101: Build a Business Around Your Blog

Storyselling helps you strategically deliver stories that get people to take action. It supercharges your content marketing and copywriting to increase sales.

If you’re wondering how to make a living online as a writer who works in marketing, advertising, or another creative field, then you’re going to be thrilled to learn all about storyselling.

Writers who provide services to businesses benefit from storyselling because your ability to craft stories that drive action make you a writer businesses would love to hire.

And if you sell products, your ability to craft words in your business blogging that drive action help prospects make the choice to buy the products you offer.

What is storyselling?

Starting a blog to promote the products or services you sell online is a great first step, but you can’t just write articles about anything that comes to mind (or play just what you feel, for that matter).

Your blog post ideas have to tell compelling marketing stories that help you stand out from your competition.

That’s where storyselling comes in. It ensures that all of the time and energy you put into writing great content doesn’t go to waste, so you actually reach your goals. Blogging can be a hobby, but storyselling turns your blog into a business.

7 steps to killer storyselling

The step-by-step guide below will get you up and running with the basics of great storyselling to help your online business ideas come to life.

You’ll be well-positioned to build a blog that builds your business.

Of course, we’ll start with copywriting.

Step #1: Copywriting fundamentals

Unfortunately, nothing sells itself.

Smart content entrepreneurs know that people find great businesses through marketing and advertising.

So, the first step to storyselling is identifying the ideal person who is the perfect fit for what you sell. With copywriting, you speak directly to one person.

In order to do that, you need to intimately get to know that prospect.

What problems do they need solved?
What desires do they need fulfilled?
How can you make their lives easier?
What type of language do they use?
What makes them laugh?
What makes them feel inspired?
Who do they turn to when they need to talk with someone?
When are they ready to make a purchase?
Why haven’t other solutions worked?
How can you help them in ways other businesses don’t?

If you have an outstanding, ethical product or service, your target audience should be thrilled to hear about it.

Don’t be shy about using proven techniques — such as copywriting — to make sure the right people hear about how you can help them.

Word choice is critical here, as you empathize and build a bond with your prospect.

In order to guide him to the products or services that are right for his needs or desires, you have to use the right words.

“If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language they use every day, the language in which they think.” – David Ogilvy

Whether you’re selling a product, a service, a message, or an idea, your copywriting has a goal.

Every word, every sentence, every paragraph is intentional — it’s not about fulfilling a certain word count or writing a certain number of pages.

However, as a rule of thumb, long copy typically works better than short copy.

It’s simply because the more opportunities you have in your storyselling to make compelling arguments in favor of your offer, the more opportunities you have to persuade someone to take you up on it.

You have to understand why someone might be hesitant to buy and overcome those fears as you guide them to make a decision (more on that in Storyselling Step #6 below.)

Step #2: Storyselling combines content marketing and copywriting

If you have a great offer, weak marketing actually does everyone a disservice.

But what exactly is copy? And how does it fit in with content marketing?

In short, copy is creative text that intentionally guides someone to do business with you.

Picture Don Draper from Mad Men staring out a window, Canadian Club whisky in hand, quietly contemplating the perfect way to position a product to make his client (and himself) a lot of money.

It’s not quite that glamorous in practice, but it does require a large dose of creativity and discipline.

You create content to attract and engage an audience. Then, your copywriting skills help close the deal so that those people become customers.

Content marketing is marketing that is too valuable to throw away. Blogs, podcasts, and videos are common platforms used for storyselling.

Copywriting is the art and science of persuasive writing. It’s the words that guide someone to take the action you want them to take (i.e., Subscribe, Join, Buy) after you’ve hooked them with your remarkable storyselling in your content.

The two practices use empathy to build an audience and convert prospects into buyers.

Picture this:

Content marketing is a vase.

Copywriting is a flower.

The vase is the valuable container that holds a persuasive flower (your offer).

Content marketing and copywriting work together for your business.

Ask yourself:

“What does someone need to know to do business with you?”

You’re always thinking of what the prospect is going through — and how you can meet them where they are to guide them on their journey.

Empathize with your prospect on their journey from where they are to where they want to be.

What does that person think?
What does that person feel?
What does that person see?
What does that person do?

Researching those factors gives you a pool of information to pull from that helps you choose the right words for your final copy.

Once you’ve learned about your prospect, you take your reader on a storyselling journey that persuades.

Step #3: The art of persuasion

Now that we’re clear on how content marketing and copywriting work together, we can drill down into your main job as a copywriter who uses storyselling: persuasion.

In order to persuade, you have to intimately know who you’re talking to and avoid vague language, so make sure you’ve reviewed Storyselling Steps #1 and #2 above.

Have a clear, specific picture of your ideal customer?

Good.

Here’s a 5-part template to help persuade them to do business with you:

Where your prospect is on their buying journey
What you’ve got for them
What it’s going to do for them
Who you are
What the prospect needs to do next

Whether you want to get an opt-in for your email list, gain a new blog subscriber, make a sale, or just inspire readers to support your favorite cause, start with this storyselling method.

You can add other copywriting techniques to make it work even better, but with the following elements in place, you’ll have the most important bases covered.

Let’s look at each of the five elements.

1. Where the prospect is on their buying journey

You’ll start by telling a story that the prospect can see themselves in. They’re the hero in this story and you’re going to be their guide.

Your goal is to show them that you understand:

Where they’re at
What they’re going through
Their struggles
Their frustrations
What brings them joy
Where they’d like to be in the next few weeks … the next few months … the next few years
Etc.

This is your biggest opportunity to be creative and form a bond with your readers.

What do your competitors miss or get wrong? Take advantage of storyselling to fill in those gaps.

2. What you’ve got for them

After you’ve demonstrated that you understand where the prospect is on their buying journey, you next have to describe what you have for them.

What’s your product? What does it do? Who’s it for?

Start with a simple overview of what you’ve got to offer, and before you elaborate on that too much, fulfill the next requirement …

3. What it’s going to do for them

Here’s where we talk about the great benefits of taking the action you want your reader to take.

What’s better about life with your product or service?

Describe the end result, the “after” picture once your customer has bought your product and used it as you recommend.

Let the reader know how your product helps her reach the goals that matter most to her.

Now it’s time to unpack the rest of what the product or service is all about.

These are “features.” They’re important, although they’re not as important as “benefits.”

But if you gloss over the details of what your product or service actually contains, people will be hesitant about putting their money down. And as we all know, hesitant people don’t buy.

Typically, the best way to list features is with a series of fascinating bullet points. Include enough specifics to make the product feel valuable.

Bullet points are a “secret weapon” for copywriters because they pull the eye in and let you make your point in a powerful, skimmable way.

4. Who you are

Most of the time, you need to establish that you’re a trustworthy person and that you know what you’re talking about.

That’s why good sales letters often include a photo near the top of the page.

The photo can include some element personalized to your business that helps the reader like and trust you.

Remember that this is not just who you are, but how you’re like your customer, and what you offer that will benefit her.

So, it’s not actually about you after all — it’s about how you help her.

5. What the prospect needs to do next

This is your call to action (more on this below in Storyselling Step #7).

The reader needs to know specifically what to do next.

To move forward with the sale, tell the reader what to do right this minute. Be specific and painstakingly clear.

Storyselling isn’t just about exchanging dollars. It’s about motivating a specific, well-defined behavior.

The next time you see a really masterful sales pitch, try to identify these five elements. Look for it in infomercials, catalog copy, sales letters, and good product reviews.

When you start spotting these persuasion elements “in the wild,” you’ll be on your way to becoming a more effective copywriter — a copywriter who sells.

Source: https://copyblogger.com/storyselling/

Featured Fonts: Feb 2022

Our monthly Featured Fonts Series is an opportunity to highlight some of our favorite typefaces, from hugely popular bestsellers to sometimes overlooked and hidden gems. This month, we have a classic text typeface with beautiful ornaments, a modern-day classic, a heavy-hitting display face, and a must-have brush script.

ANZIANO

First to bat is a text typeface that I first mentioned on the ILT blog back in 2009! Anziano is great text face that comes with scores of beautiful ornaments, fleurons, dividers and borders. Designed by Stefan Hattenbach of MAC Rhino Fonts, Anziano is a small-family text face in regular, bold and italic. To my mind, it’s also worth it for the ornaments alone.

Featured Fonts

FENLAND

Jeremy Tankard’s Fenland is a beautifully crafted modern-day classic. There really is a lot to unpack in the details of this typeface; e.g., in the dynamic and tension generated by internal and external curves — or you can just use it and love it.

Featured Fonts

CORTADO

A brilliant brush script designed by Ben Kiel and Jesse Ragan for XYZ Type. Cortado is a lovely and lively script that you’re sure to want in your font library. Some Opentype magic introduces some variety and handwritten authenticity to the typeface. For example, there are options to turn connections on and off, or to alternate connected and non-connected letter-pairs. Cortado, a brush script messential!

RECOVERY

Let’s wrap up with a no-nonsense single style heavyweight all-caps font sporting geometric curves and sharp corners. Recovery designed by James Puckett of Dunwich Type Foundry, where Art Deco meets Modernism and Brutalism. An all-caps alphabet that really packs a punch.

Source: https://ilovetypography.com/2022/02/16/featured-fonts-feb-2022/

6 Qualities Of Good Managers To Help Retain Your Employees

You know what they say: people leave bosses, not jobs. And the opposite is also true. “People will often stay for a great boss and the Great Resignation is a testament to that. People are leaving based on low pay, low growth potential, and poor leadership, yet a great manager can make all the difference,” says executive coach Carole Stizza, who has over 20 years of experience in the world of HR.

But being a good manager that people want to work for is a timeless skill regardless of job market trends. And if you want to retain your employees, it’s important to think like a leader–not just a manager. “Managers are often taught to push for results, yet great leaders are credited for their pull as they empower people to meet new challenges and grow. A great manager understands both,” says Stizza.

Traits and skills of good managers

“There are several qualities a great manager will have that are often overshadowed by performance metrics, client satisfaction, or sales deadlines,” she adds. While those factors are important, they won’t keep your people around. Here are some crucial traits and skills to cultivate.

1. Organization

“Time-management is key for keeping track of projects and being able to support team members’ progress along the way,” says Stizza.

Chaotic, disorganized environments can send the best employees looking for another job. Being able to break down projects into manageable parts and successfully delegate and support your team as they execute work is an important part of good management. And so is facilitating effective meetings. “Meetings are also an area to set an example of respecting people’s time with setting agendas and making sure decisions are made.”

2. Growth mindset

If you want your team to grow, you must be willing to grow first. And your top performers will appreciate an environment where they can keep challenging themselves and get out of their comfort zone too.

“Great managers not only stay on top of their own growth by making time to read, attend industry conferences, and invest in professional development, but they also are aware of growth opportunities that will help develop their people,” according to Stizza.

3. Trust

Trust is the glue that keeps a team together in the long run. As a manager, you must build trust with your reports, but you also need to show it. Stizza says trust is built when you are humble and not afraid to admit when you are wrong or you don’t know something. It’s also about avoiding micromanagement at all costs:

“Micromanaging sends the message of a lack of trust faster than anything else. Delegating work, giving stretch assignments, and setting the expectations that people will come for help when needed provides space vital for trust to grow.” On the other hand, checking in with people to control every aspect of their work “marginalizes talent,” she says.

“It sends the message that you don’t trust them to do their job and it makes the manager look insecure and small. This reduces motivation and suffocates creativity, autonomy, and a desire for employees to stay.”

4. Communication

Even if you’re super organized, love to grow, and trust comes easy for you, you’ll still need strong communication skills to be a good manager.

“This is the most important skill in leading others,” says Stizza. Giving feedback, providing context, and being specific are examples of the communication skills of good managers in action. “Communicating effectively includes offering better feedback by including details such as the context of when the actions made a difference, and how those actions affected the outcome.”

But communicating well also means asking questions and listening. It’s a two-way street, and managers who retain their team members understand that.

Source: https://hive.com/blog/good-manager-qualities/

Why Use This Guide

Setting Up the Perfect Work Environment in Google Sheets

Changing the Size of a Row or a Column in Google Sheets

What is a fractional executive?

Why are fractional executives important for your small businesses?

1. Find out what you want to be known for

2. Talk about it

3. Get online

4. Write a book

5. Start a podcast or YouTube channel

1. Pull back the curtain on your brand.

What is SEO in marketing?

Is SEO easy to learn?

Does SEO still work in 2021?

What are SEO basics?

Technical foundation

Indexability

Mobile friendly

Site speed

Logical site architecture

Title tags and meta descriptions

Who Was Gautama Buddha?

On Living In The Present Moment

On Achieving Enlightenment

Why is networking so important?

Month 1: allow ample time to recharge physically but the emotional recovery may take longer.

Months 2–3: spend quality time with loved ones. It can be a form of meaningful work.

Months 4–5: establish a new routine.

Month 6: confirm your early retirement lifestyle and uncover your definition of “freedom”.

What is persuasive writing?

Why learn persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing examples

1. Repetition

2. Reasons why

3. Consistency

4. Social proof

5. Comparisons

6. Agitate and solve problems with persuasive writing

7. Prognosticate

8. Unify … selectively

20 Ways To Stop Being So Insecure In Your Relationship

2. Give him a little friendly competition.

3. Skip the games and be upfront.

4. Be confident in yourself.

5. Set some ground rules at the beginning.

6. Don’t let the relationship progress too far without discussing major issues.

7. Exercise often.

8. Be affectionate.

9. Avoid the temptation to endlessly analyze details.

10. Similarly, avoid discussing relationship issues with paranoid girlfriends.

11. Have lots of outside interests apart from the relationship.

12. Present your best self to your partner and the world.

13. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations.

14. Don’t let yourself become dependent.

How to enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail

Navigate to your inbox or a label folder

Press g then another letter

Report spam and unsubscribe

Press ! (exclamation point)

Create a task from an email

Press Shift + t

I Thought Carefully About My Business “Portfolio”

I Regularly Remember That Saying No to Some Things Means Saying Yes to Others

The two types of online businesses

What Is Creative Advertising and Why Is it Important?

7 Examples of Creative Advertising to Inspire You

Heropost

Bumble

Promo

Leanplum

How To Find Out What The FBI Knows About You

1. Send a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act request.

2. Indicate payment for your FBI report and submit your request.

3. Check the status of your request.

Typeface Categories and Their Meanings

Serif

Sans-serif

Slab

How to Boost Brand Recognition Through Your Typefaces

Match your typeface to your brand