Friday, July 31, 2020

Which Cryptocurrencies Will Exist in the Next 5 to 10 Years?

Cryptocurrencies has been a hot theme for more than 10 years. Since bitcoin was published back in 2009, its rate often rises. This, with some procedures known as halving that, happens every now and then.

But actually, this method has the assignment of making future improvements possible. If you are eager in understanding more about this specific topic, make sure you check out.

Anyhow, we can detect that the overall importance of all crypt is getting bigger by the day, so bitcoin is not vacant in this concern.

The outcome is, digital currencies are here to survive. It glances like even with the occurrence of, let’s explain, the standalone crypt of bitcoin, ethereal, other prominent ones, nations began formulating their own, which will renovate older ones.

We can detect that in the example of South Korea, China, and Russia. So, we can explain that the question is when they will fully take over the fiat currencies, not will they perform it.

This is one further problem that expects a serious answer, which of all existing digital currencies will really make it to the point where they will be identical to fiat currencies.

We have done our study and we discussed with some professionals and we are moving to introduce you with what we’re eligible to find. You can invest online in bitcoins using bittrader login

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is an ancient cryptocurrency in the world. In the same period, it is the one with the elevated prices of them all. That does not mean that bitcoin did not have its ups and downs over the years.

Being a missionary in something as complex as finances is not a simple duty. Thankfully over the period, it organized to find this position in this day and age.

As we said, the path is not so simple. Back in 2018, we noticed the bitcoin was precisely on its knees and that its rate attained the lowest grades in the last couple of years.

Further, during the coronavirus epidemic, we could observe that bitcoin misplaced more than 50% of its value in just a few days. This is something that surprised nearly all of the holders.

Thankfully, it gazes like that this digital money is on its feet and that fate notices bright.

Ethereum

Comparable to bitcoin, Ethereum had the main failure back in 2018. The circumstance was pretty similar because a lot of people we’re suspicious about the capacity return of something that people describe as the largely stable crypto of them all.

Now, varied from the earlier entry on this article, there are bad days we’re not as big. Because we guess this crypto will exist all of the difficulties that it could probably fall across,

Ethereum has an abundance of creators who are helping it for the last couple of years. There is no justification for us to speculate that it will be any several in the future.

Plus, this is the largest digital currency market capitalization after bitcoin. Its price will actually proceed to grow in the future.

Monero

Monero can be characterized as pretty strange crypto because it is established on the things that are not familiar among supplementary digital currencies.

During the first day of Monero, it was borrowed mainly for actions on the dark network so many nations had some doubts about it. Today we can watch a totally different picture.

Anyway, this cryptocurrency is founded on the crypto night and it can be pulled through ACIS, rather than using only graphic cards.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/investing/which-cryptocurrencies-will-exist-in-the-next-5-to-10-years/

Are eSports a Sport?

Since the very first iteration of video games in the mid-1900s, developers have been interested in making these games competitive. In fact, original forays into the world of video games were directly modeled after sports.

In 1972, around two decades after the creation of video games, the first competition was held at Stanford University. Ten years later, Atari hosted a 10,000-participant tournament to crown a world champion of Space Invaders.

Since then, the diversification of video games has led to the development of various video game leagues. Over time, these video game competitions became known as eSports.

Leagues have been modeled after major sports leagues and produce professional players that are treated like legitimate athletes—especially when it comes to salary.

Though sponsorships, winnings, and team organization certainly make eSports look like a major league sport, there are underdeveloped sectors. At the moment, betting sites like BetOnline allow users to wager on major league sports with a high degree of reliability and security.

Betting allows fans to engage with their team in an exciting way, and is a huge part of major league sports in terms of culture. Meanwhile, betting on eSports is in its infancy.

As teams and leagues become more defined over the next few years, analysts will have a higher degree of certainty when it comes to making odds for teams like Nexus Gaming or FATE.

Follow the Money

Although athleticism and finances often go hand-in-hand, the two topics aren’t implicitly related. Athleticism is an ability to condition the body so that it performs at a high level, no matter the sport.

In this way, eSports can be considered a technical and athletic skill—if for no other reason than the fact that hand-eye coordination and hours of practice are necessary (see more below).

One interesting way to quantify eSports as a legitimate sport is through a financial lens. Finances are tacked on to athleticism because fans engage with their favorite athlete or team.

Fans pay money to pack into stadiums (or, in the case of eSports, auditoriums), to buy merchandise to represent their allegiance, and find other ways to participate with their franchise, like through apps or fan clubs.

In turn, major investors will support a given league or specific franchise in order to have exposure to their fan demographic. Major brands will seek official endorsements with successful and popular teams—and they’ll pay good money to do it.

Financially speaking, the eSports industry is flushed with investments. There are cash prizes offered to various teams across a wide breadth of competition levels and video games.

There are team salaries for the groups successful enough to garner corporate endorsement interest.

Then, there’s direct sponsorship money. This covers a massive portion of eSports’ worth. For example, eSports reporting agency Newzoo wrote that sponsors raked in $456 million from sponsorship related activity within the eSports industry in 2019.

Major brands like Audi are getting in on the action by sponsoring entire tournaments or franchises.

An example is their participation with the Astralis Counter Strike team. Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, and Toyota are a few other major brands getting in on the eSports action.

Digital streaming is another major center for advertising and investment in eSports. Popular names and teams in the industry are split between streaming platforms like Mixer and Twitch.

Meanwhile, media rights rake in money for developers and event organizers. Of the $1.1 billion in revenue eSports made in 2019, around $251 million went straight to owners of media rights that are associated with each video game.

Top-performing, individual eSports athletes can make millions a year, like Jesse Vainikka (aka HerAx) and Johan Sundstein (aka N0tail), each of whom have made over $6 million during the course of their careers.

Lifestyle of eSports Athletes

As mentioned above, hand-eye coordination and hours of practice support the idea that eSports is a legitimate sport. However, a more technical look at the definition of sports implies physical exertion.

Studies have been conducted that monitor the rate of physical exertion that takes place while someone plays video games. Forays into such debates, while interesting, seem to miss the point of the eSports discussion entirely.

Whether or not eSports qualify as clearly-defined sports may not matter; eSports are popular and economically viable, which means they’re likely to stick around.

The only concrete way eSports would benefit from a sports classification would be to allow collegiate-level eSports competitions.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/entertainment/are-esports-a-sport/

Philip Rodrigs Supports Small Companies with A Considered Approach

Raynar Portfolio Management (RPM) is a U.K. based boutique investment firm with a specialised focus on small-sized companies. Founder, CEO, and Portfolio Manager at Raynar Portfolio Management, Philip Rodrigs has had a long career in helping connect clients with small business investments that yield demonstrable long-term results.

Recently, RPM shared its investment strategies describing why the company prefers investing in small-sized companies, expressing the opportunities that lie within smaller firms and how it analyses data and performance charts through active fund management.

Outperforming Large Firms

Raynar Porfolio Management understands that there are attractive investment opportunities across all markets and the organisation’s tailored approach to creating building blocks for small-sized companies to flourish is what makes RPM unique. 

Rodrigs has a personal passion for focusing on striving to optimise client interests and outcomes. He and his team trust, through proven methodologies, that small business investment opportunities can yield greater results than those investments placed in medium or large company options.  

Long term data compiled from the London Business School reveals the remarkable long-term performance by the smallest listed UK firms. The data shows that the smallest firms have outperformed the largest firms by an eye-opening rate of 13 times greater. For example, the study shows that £1 invested in the smallest two percent by value of the UK market in 1955 compounded to £21,516 by the end of 2019. 

A Client-Centered Approach 

Raynar Portfolio Management is focused on its clients and their best interests. The firm as a whole is geared around a passionate belief that active management is attractive. This approach allows them to select the best investments most effectively for each portfolio. 

Choosing the right small company to invest in can create exponential rewards for the investor. Rodrigs believes that the smaller the company, the easier for the company to grow. As the small company becomes bigger, they can gain economies of scale, which helps to enhance margins and accelerate profit growth. The successful growth of these small companies will gain investor interest, significantly expanding the company’s valuation. 

UK Smaller Companies have performed strongly since mid-2006, despite the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. Rodrigs’ career track record demonstrates the value of striving to select the most attractive investment opportunities for his clients. In keeping with his proven procedures, and a moral and ethical commitment to being completely focused on his clients, Philip Rodrigs is sure to make Raynar Portfolio Management one of the leaders in small company investments.


About Philip Rodrigs

Philip Rodrigs is an award-winning Chartered Financial Analyst with almost two decades of investment experience. In early 2020, Rodrigs founded Raynar Portfolio Management (RPM), a portfolio management firm that specialises in investments amongst smaller sized firms, taking a considered and analytical approach focused on client outcomes. He joined the professional investment industry in 2002 as a Trainee Fund Manager with Invesco Perpetual. Shortly thereafter, he joined T Rowe Price International specialising in U.K. and European small cap stocks. 

Rodrigs held a long tenure with Investec Asset Management as U.K. Smaller Companies and U.K. Alpha Fund Manager, and U.K. Blue Chip Co-Fund Manager. In almost nine years with Investec Asset Management, he was twice named Investment Week U.K. Smaller Companies Manager of the Year in both 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Rodrigs was awarded the prestigious title of Morningstar’s Outstanding Rising Talent in which he was chosen from a pool of all fund managers in London.

Before founding RPM, Rodrigs held the title Partner, U.K. Equities at River and Mercantile Group where he earned the Financial Express U.K. Smaller Companies Alpha Fund Manager of the Year in 2016.Philip Rodrigs studied Economics and Management at Lincoln College, Oxford University and grew up in Nottingham, U.K. He often notes that when you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. Rodrigs currently resides in London and enjoys scuba diving, skiing, driving, and global travel. 



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/small-business-advice/philip-rodrigs-supports-small-companies-with-a-considered-approach/

6 Tips To Help You Get Past A Career Plateau

You go to work every day, but your productivity has slumped and your obvious boredom from your job shows. The passion you used to have for your career has fizzled out, and you feel sluggish, bored, lazy, or even just frustrated and stuck in your current career. All of these feelings can indicate you’ve hit a plateau with your career. If it seems like there’s no way out—or up—it’s time to look at making a change. While you might consider looking for a new job, there are other options besides quitting and moving on. Here are the top six ways you can take advantage of the skills you have to overcome a career plateau. 

1. Find Outside Projects

If work is starting to feel monotonous and mundane, it may be time to try out some of your ideas that you’ve been sitting on for a while. You might also decide to pursue some projects, passions, skills, or experiments you’ve been interested in. Set aside some of your personal time to test out different options and see what works and what doesn’t. When you start out make sure this process doesn’t completely upset your life balance. You’re looking to add value to what you already have to see if it can be successful before you decide if it’s worth more of your time and effort. 

For example, you might do freelance graphic design on the side, but have wondered if you can expand your skills and turn your side gig into a full-time job. You spend several months building your portfolio and taking on a reasonable number of clients to get more experience and exposure. With a little luck and hard work, you might just be able to make this career full-time and leave your current job to pursue your passion. 

2. Advance Your Career or Make a Lateral Move

If starting a side gig and pursuing outside passions isn’t for you, you might consider taking some time to research what kind of career advancements and positions are available in your current job. Perhaps there are opportunities to move up and get out of your career plateau. If moving up interests you, make sure you let your manager or supervisor know you’re interested in taking on more responsibilities and growing in the company. Asking for advancement opportunities in your own company before heading off to join a different one shows loyalty to your current organization and will prove to supervisor your level of investment in the company.

If moving up doesn’t interest you, perhaps it’s time to consider a lateral move instead. Making the move to a different department in the same company can give you the opportunity to learn new skills while maintaining familiarity with how the company operates. 

If your organization currently has no opportunities for you, that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. Keep giving your job 100% and take initiative to learn new skills and take on more responsibility. Even if it doesn’t result in a raise or promotion, it will help you gain skills you can use in a new position if you decide to move on to a new job. 

3. Network

Don’t underestimate the power of good connections. As a professional in your industry, you’ve likely developed a strong professional network of peers. When you’re considering a career change or advancement to break free from your career plateau, focus on building up your professional network and getting to know new people in your industry. These are the people who will give you the resources, contacts, and tools to succeed.

They are also the people who might help you land your next job, as 80% of jobs are found through networking. Focus on building your professional network by attending conferences or connecting on social platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, and don’t forget to help them out as well—networking goes both ways. Networking can be as simple as meeting up for coffee and passing along your resume for any current or future available opportunities. For example, if you specialize in technical writing a contact may reveal their need to hire a content writer for their website. Having a relationship already established will give you the edge you need to pursue this new opportunity.

4. Find a Mentor

Another way to overcome a career plateau is to find a mentor with an advanced skill set in your industry or an industry you want to join. Your mentor can be anyone with advanced experience such as a close friend or colleague, or a manager or superior in the company. Ask them about the experiences they’ve had, how they advanced their career, whether they’ve ever faced a career plateau, and what they did to overcome it. Learning from someone with more experience than yourself who has had success will help you reach your long-term career goals. 

In addition to a mentor, you should also find a career idol. This is someone who is at the top of their game in your chosen industry and whose work, process, and lifestyle you would like to emulate. If you’re a marketer you might look up to someone like Gary Vaynerchuk, who started as a wine critic and grew his family’s business from $3 to $60 billion before launching his own businesses in digital marketing and social media. The career successes of people like Vaynerchuk can become a source of inspiration while navigating your career plateau.

Whoever you decide to make your career idol, learn about how they reached their current position in their career, what advice they have to get there, and how to improve productivity. Take advantage of their shared knowledge and learn everything you can from your career idol. 

5. Set New Goals

If work has become mundane, perhaps it’s time to set some new goals in your career to challenge yourself. It’s easy to become complacent when we think we know everything about our jobs, but unless you’re the one running the company (and even then) there’s always more to learn. Setting goals can help you aim for something new and advance your career. Write out a list of your goals so you have them clearly defined. Just by writing down your goals you’re 42% more likely to achieve them, so jot them down. 

6. Continue Your Education

The more knowledge and skills you have, the more success you can achieve. Today there are more opportunities than ever to learn and grow. If you’ve hit a career plateau, you might have considered heading back to school to obtain or further your degree, especially if not having one is keeping you from advancing in your career. 

As more people recognize the importance of getting their degree and receiving a good education, more adults than ever are heading back to school for their bachelor’s degrees. This includes older adults over age 25, whose numbers are expected to comprise 40% by 2020.

Going back to school will not only remove the barrier of not having a degree, but it will also provide you with critical thinking skills and a well-rounded education. The skills you learn will help you approach challenges in your career differently and prepare you for any additional certifications you can use to advance your career. While going to school and working full-time is challenging, the time and energy spent are well worth the effort to help you get past your career plateau. 

Advancing Your Career

There are plenty of ways to get you past a career plateau and back on track towards a career you love. Find the option that works for you and don’t delay. You’ll never regret taking time to improve your skills or learn more in your industry so you can have a fulfilling path to success. If you’re interested in advancing your degree, online college is more popular and accessible than ever for busy working adults. You can earn a degree and improve your future career options without having to pause providing for yourself or your family to go back to school. 



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/careers/6-tips-to-help-you-get-past-a-career-plateau/

5 Ways to Erase a Stressful Day

We have all been there. After a stressful day, all that you want to do is to relax and unwind in a way that takes your mind off of the problems at hand. Here are five of the best things that you can do after a stressful day to reset your body and your mind.

Stretching and Exercising: Engaging in a regular exercise and stretching routine can pay big dividends in your quest to reduce stress and recover from a particularly difficult day. Not only does your body release feel-good endorphins when you work up a sweat, but the process also provides immense mental benefits. In addition to stretching and moving your body, you may want to consider adding Superior CBD products by cbdMD to your daily post-workout regimen. You can take CBD Freeze or CBD Recover – Freeze contains menthol and provides instant cooling relief; Recover contains histamine dihydrochloride which creates a warming sensation and increased blood flow.

Relax with a Bubble Bath: There is nothing quite as relaxing as a warm bubble bath at the end of the day. Giving your muscles the chance to relax in the water stimulates blood flow and reduces tension in the body. You can elevate this experience even further by lighting a few candles, turning down the lights, and playing soft music. Bath salts that contain relaxing scents such as lavender may also assist in your efforts to clear your mind.

Breathe in Fresh Air: The simple act of breathing in fresh air increases the amount of serotonin that you inhale, making you happier and at peace. While you are breathing in the fresh air, be sure to disconnect from all of your electronics. You do not want to disrupt your attempts to avoid the stress with a ringing phone.

Try Meditating: You do not have to be trained in the practice to learn how to meditate. There is no rulebook when it comes to meditation. All that you need to do is to find a quiet place, close your eyes, clear your mind, and focus intently on your breathing. When disruptions come into your mind, keep focusing on your breathing efforts so that you are able to avoid the stress.

Get Outside: The great outdoors has magical properties. Connecting with Mother Nature will help you to relax and get your mind off of the things that are stressing you out. If you are lucky enough to live near a beach, there is a healing that comes in soaking up that ocean air and listening to the waves crash on the beach. Or head to the mountains, the desert, or your favorite hiking trail. It does not matter where you go as long the place brings you peace and tranquility.

You cannot avoid all of life’s stressful situations. However, the good news is that there are steps that you can take to mitigate the effects of too much stress in your life. Employing all or any of these five tips will help you to relax and get the most out of your day by reducing stress.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/health-and-wellness/5-ways-to-erase-a-stressful-day/

The Basics of Legal Writing for Law School Students

As you approach your new courses in law school, you will find that there are a few different types of legal writing that are suitable for various occasions. It is not entirely possible to set definitive rules that apply across all subject matters and cases.

Still, there are some standards and guidelines that can be applied at a foundational level. On these standards, you can build a style of legal writing that is both professional and understandable. Below, you will find some fundamental guiding principles of legal writing that you should apply throughout your career as a law student and beyond.

What Law Students Should Keep in Mind When Writing

To start, there are fundamentals of legal writing that should be applied across all documents, regardless of whether you are in school or a practicing attorney. Fortunately, these are not difficult concepts to grasp, as they have applied to your writing experience in the past.

Truthfully, legal writing will not be drastically different than the type of written work you have done before. The challenge with this new style is that the standards and expectationsarenow somewhat unknown to you.

For this reason, you will need to rely upon your knowledge of professional writing styles, as well as your ability to shed the habitat of using informal language and haphazard formatting.To perfect the quality of your legal writing, you must first master these fundamentals:

  • Format the document in consideration of the reader. It is well-known that legal writing can be quite difficult to follow for the layperson. The structure and jargon of the language can be challenging to follow for many people, so you must do what you can to ease the reader’s experience. Format the document with an easy-to-read font, carefully selected subheadings, and a crisp paragraph structure, to ensure that your reader will be comfortable as they progress through your text.
  • Use only formal modes of expression. Never use any sort of abbreviations, slang, or contractions when constructing legal documents. Even as you adapt the tone and style of the language to the occasion, these elements of writing will never be acceptable.
  • Adhere strictly to standard English grammar, punctuation, and syntax. This can be tricky to master, as these standards differ slightly for lawyers than writers. If you are not clear on the guidelines by which you must abide, refer to your course textbook for clarity. Additionally, you will be expected to adopt British spelling over American spelling in your writing (e.g., “labour,” instead of “labor”).

Of course, along with these critical standards, is that of the avoidance of plagiarism. You should never quote or draw information from a source without crediting the original author. Even when paraphrasing, you must cite your sources by either using in-text citations, or in the form of a footnote. (The type of citation you choose depends on the kind of assignment you are completing.)

Typically, law students will be expected to adhere to the standards of the Bluebook. It may be a bit daunting at first, but you will become accustomed to this guide rather quickly.

How to Structure Your Legal Document Effectively

As you write, keep the core purpose of your document in mind. For example, some of the reasons you will be required to write as a lawyer are:

  • Briefing the colleagues in your firm, as an attorney
  • Publishing a legal memorandum, in which case you would need to closely adhere to a legal memo format
  • Constructing cease and desist letters for clients
  • Providing preliminary information to a judge for the completion of a clerkship, as a student

No matter what the objective is behind your writing, remember that your document is meant to inform or persuade the reader in some capacity. Whether that information or persuasion is delivered in a gentle, friendly tone, or a firm, intimidating voice depends on the language you use.

In all these styles and goals, you must ensure that your document is characterized by the qualities outlined below:

  • Organized: This goes hand-in-hand with the formatting factor described above. Your writing must be easy to follow and digest for the reader, no matter their background. Do not force your audience to analyze and re-read each sentence just to understand your argument. State your conclusion of the case right away, and then follow that statement clearly with distinct supporting points.
  • Succinct. Do not allow your document to drag on for so long that the reader becomes lost as to what your original argument was. With brevity comes understanding! Readers are more likely to leave with a better understanding of your message if you avoid lengthy sentences filled with over-complicated language.
  • Engaging.Remind yourself that you are not writing for yourself, but the reader’s comprehension. This means that you should not be talking at the audience. Instead, recount crucial events in a highly descriptive manner to allow your reader to understand your argument. Legal documents do not have to be dry and unappealing. Invite your reader to become engrossed in the details of a case while still retaining formality and authority.

As you round out your document, remind yourself of the significance of the conclusive statements. The final portion of your legal document is meant to leave your reader with a lasting impression and will likely be the part they recall with the most detail.

For some readers, an effective conclusion may convince them that they do not need to read the rest of the document (this is typical of skimmers who are looking for a quick synopsis of a legal case). To construct the most effective conclusion, follow these simple steps:

  1. State your conclusion.
  2. State the rule.
  3. Thoroughly explain and analyze the rule.
  4. Restate the conclusion.

Legal writing takes practice, just like writing in any other discipline. Though it may be tough, the more you do it, the better you will perform, and the more effective your writing will become. With each document you write, have a colleague or mentor look over itand provide you with a professional perspective as you sharpen your skills. With this guide, and trusted advice, your writing will be perfected before you know it!



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/law-and-order/the-basics-of-legal-writing-for-law-school-students/

Thursday, July 30, 2020

6 Tips for Optimizing Your Home Office Space

Your home office is one of the few places in the world where you have total control over your surroundings. So why then are you continuing to work in a space that’s dull, disorganized, and frustrating? With a few simple tweaks, you can turn your office into a place where you perform at your best.

Here are a few that can be implemented quickly and relatively effortlessly:

1. Choose the Right Room

Optimizing your home office begins with selecting the right room. If you have an apartment or small single family home, you might not have a lot of options. That’s okay, you can make do with what you have. But if you have more square footage and a few different rooms to choose from, you should be strategic and discerning. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Location. Be intentional about where the room is located in the home. Position it as far away from main living areas (like the kitchen or living room) as possible.
  • Orientation. If you live on a busy street and there are lots of distractions on the front of the house, it would be smart to position your home office on the back side. You also want to think about the orientation of the room in relation to the path of the sun. (More on natural light in tip number five.)
  • Size. Think about how much room you need. Ideally, it should be large enough to create a couple of different “zones.” This means a place where you work, a place to store office items, etc.

Again, you might only have one room that can be used as an office. That’s fine! The key is to work with what you have and to choose the best option available.

2. Use a Dual Screen Setup

No matter how quickly you can open up tabs, minimize applications, and switch between programs, working within the confines of a single screen is inefficient. Adding a second monitor could increase your productivity by 20 to 30 percent. That’s huge!

A second screen is inexpensive, easy to install, and provides a whole host of benefits. It allows you to comfortably keep two, three, or even four different windows open at once without having to minimize and maximize. It’s something everyone can benefit from.

3. Select the Right Chair

An office chair seems like a small detail, but it can dramatically improve your comfort and productivity. Rather than buying the cheapest option you can find at your local office store, shop around for one that supports proper ergonomics.

As you shop for a chair, look for companies that have a wide selection and a positive reputation for providing exceptional customer support. BTOD is a great example. They have more than 1,000 positive reviews and are known for standing by their products.

4. Invest in a Standing Desk

Even with the right office chair, there’s something to be said for standing up. By investing in a standing desk that can be raised or lowered with the flip of a button, you can avoid staying idle in one position for too long at a time. Set a reminder to stand up for at least 10 minutes out of every hour. (It’s even better if you can switch off and do 30 minutes of standing for every half hour of sitting.)

The same thing goes for a standing desk. Purchase from a company that has a solid reputation and can be trusted should there be any issues.

5. Get Natural Light

Artificial light – particularly fluorescent lighting – is harsh on the eyes and can lead to eye fatigue, headaches, and other unwanted side effects. Natural light, on the other hand, provides a host of benefits – including a boost in productivity.

In a study conducted by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), multiple Walmart stores were analyzed. The stores were identical – same layout, geographical area, etc. – except for one key difference. Some stores had skylights and the others did not. Guess what? The sales in the skylit stores were 40 percent higher than the sales in the stores with harsh fluorescent lighting. PG&E concluded that natural light increases productivity and revenue.

6. Simplify Design and Decor

Stop repeating the silly idea that the messiest people are the most creative. While messiness may work for unhinged artists, it’s not something that goes over well in a business setting. If you want to increase focus, limit distractions by decluttering and simplifying your office decor.

Make Your Home Office Work for You

A home office is a very personal space. It’s basically the opposite of a cubicle in a corporate office space. It’s yours and you can do with it whatever you please. The key is to continually strike a balance between optimizing for productivity and designing for beauty. And the great news is that there are an increasing number ways to do so without compromising on either front.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/house-and-home/6-tips-for-optimizing-your-home-office-space/

4 Ways to Align Your Privacy Policies with Your Digital Transformation

Businesses of all kinds frequently adapt their technology to meet growing needs, but the pandemic has been especially influential in causing businesses to undergo complete digital transformations.

The global pandemic caused many businesses to encourage their employees to work remotely, and doing so has brought with it a number of challenges. One of the main challenges is how to make sure that your privacy policy falls in line with that digital transformation.

As businesses have undergone abrupt shifts to remote networks and hybrid workforces, studies predict they will continue to be affected for at least four years to come, so it’s important to make sure now that your business during your digital transformation.

Here are four important ways you can align your privacy policies to keep your business secure during remote work and other technology adaptations:

1. Conduct An IT Risk Assessment

The main issue when making changes to your IT is that you need to know what risks are being increased by those digital adaptations. The process of identifying, defining, and mitigating those risks is called a risk assessment. In this process, you should make sure to answer three vital questions:

  1. What are the company’s most important IT assets? In other words, what data is most important to how the organization functions?
  2. What are the processes for handling, storing, and sharing that data?
  3. What kinds of threats could affect business functions and your ability to operate properly?

Answering these questions will be an important start to the process of conducting an IT risk assessment. These assessments are critical in identifying potential areas where data loss could occur, where downtime could be reduced, or where your systems are non-compliant with industry regulations. 

After a risk assessment, you can put into place stronger policies for dealing with those risks and for mitigating the likelihood of them occurring in the first place. This includes enhancing your privacy policies, which outline the safest ways for employees to handle sensitive data.

2. Establish or Update BYOD And WFH Policies

With people increasingly working from home, you need to make sure that your Bring-Your-Own-Device policy and your Work-from-Home policy are up to date with any digital changes you’ve made within your organization. 

For example, now that many of your employees are likely working remotely, you need to ensure that your remote employees have clear policies that outline how and where they can use personal or work devices. They should also be instructed on appropriate tools and software they can use, as opposed to programs that may not be safe.

3. Understand How Employees, Vendors, and Partners Use Sensitive Data In Your Organization

Keeping a close eye on sensitive data is vital, and a big part of that means knowing exactly how every person in your organization uses and handles it. That includes your employees of course, but also any vendors you use or business partners you have.

For employees, as previously mentioned, you should have clear privacy policies for how and where they can access and store data. For the vendors and partners, it’s wise to have a contractual agreement regarding how they are allowed to use your company data and the consequences if it is mishandled. 

4. Work with a Reputable IT Company

The best way to ensure your privacy policies are being continually adapted to meet the growing needs of your organization is by working with a reputable IT company. These experts can help you understand best practices for revamping your privacy policies to reflect your new working conditions, whether they are remote, onsite, or a hybrid of the two. 

With an IT company to work alongside you, your privacy policies can fall in line with your digital transformation, ensuring that the future of your business is safe and secure.

With these four strategies, your business will be on the fast track not only to protecting sensitive data during these unprecedented times but to future-proofing your company for years to come.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/tech-and-gadgets/4-ways-to-align-your-privacy-policies-with-your-digital-transformation/

Provide Better Customer Service with Chatbots

Improving customer service is essential in increasing sales in any business. In most cases, businesses that deliver excellent customer service have a higher chance of reaching success as they obtain higher revenue.

Today, many businesses have embraced artificial intelligence and machine learning techs in their operations. Chatbots have now become a vital tool in streamlining and optimizing the customer experience.

If you are looking for a modern and efficient way to provide better customer service, you can’t go wrong with AI chatbots. 

Here is how a chatbot can enhance your customer service experience:

Boosting Communications with Customers

Most businesses struggle to know their customers better and understand what exactly the type of services they need. Thus, the employees are unable to provide spotless customer care service.

However, the case is different when you have automated customer care chatbots. Chatbots driven by AI are exceptional as they can merge data about a specific customer, learn their inclinations, to build a personalized experience for them.

Chatbots will also improve the relationship between customers and a brand as they can give detailed information to customers. 

All you have to do is to ensure that you program your chatbot well to ensure that it can respond to customers instantly with your brand’s voice. 

If you would like to implement chatbots into your system, you can get relevant guidance from Oraclecms.com on how to go about it. 

Allowing Brands to Provide 24/7 Customer Support

Generally, customers are happy when they get information whenever they need it. But customer representatives are not always there all the time. 

This is where chatbots come in to save the day. Chatbots will be at all times, be there for your customers to answer their questions.

Customers will get instant responses to their queries any time they want without having to wait for long.  After all, not many people can be patient to wait for several hours to get a response to their queries. 

By providing more precise and straightforward responses, chatbots can help to reduce the overall volume of chats and email inquiries.

Eliminating Language Hindrances

One of the most common issues in customer interaction is friction in communication. Communication gaps hinder the relationship between customers and employees from time to time.

While it is impossible to have an all-knowing staff, who will perfectly understand and predict customers’ needs, chatbots will be sufficient.

You don’t have to risk losing your potential customers because of the language barrier. Implementing chatbots in your communication system will help in solving this issue. 

Chatbots are virtue agents as they operate on Natural Language Processing (NPL) standards. NPL enables them to learn varied expressions and languages with efficiency.  

Since they are powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, chatbots can make capable and accurate answers to customer queries. 

Personifying Your Brand

Chatbots are significantly flexible, and this allows them to interact with customers at many levels, unlike staff would.

They act as the customer’s major resource for technical support and account management. Chatbots can also be programmed to provide personalized information to customers at certain levels.

Chatbots are automated with a variety of conversational tones, including friendly, humorous, precise, as well as technical. This will encourage your customers to keep coming back to re-interact with the brand. 

Reducing Human Error

Apart from saving time and operational costs, chatbots can also reduce human error in your communication system. 

Since they have vast access to information about the brand and customer’s relationship with the brand, chatbots will communicate to your customers with precision.

Unlike human beings, chatbots do not forget. Their consistency and accuracy are great ways to spice up your customer care service department. 



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/provide-better-customer-service-with-chatbots/

Jason Hope: Is This Common Creature the Key to Human Longevity?

Aging is one of the most universally understood processes. It impacts humans, animals, and every living organism on earth. While the process of aging is a biological occurrence, it can render various negative impacts. Aging can elicit impacts on an individual and societal basis. For years, thought leaders in the anti-aging and longevity sphere have been conducting vital research. They hope to minimize the negative effects, burdens, and risks associated with aging. Revered futurist Jason Hope dedicates his time, efforts, and focus to propel the field of anti-aging, longevity, and the future of tech-aided wellness. Through innovative research techniques, this community elicits evolution in modern society.

Personal Concerns Associated With Aging

On a personal basis, aging becomes problematic when it begins to impact functionality, happiness, and overall wellness. A reduction in energy associated with aging can impact mental wellness. It can trigger reductions in productivity, activity levels, and social engagement. These limitations in mobility will then further exacerbate other physical ailments, creating a snowball effect. Common aging-related creators of physical ailments include a decrease in brain functioning, reduction in energy levels, and weakening of muscles and skeletal systems.

Elongating the appropriate functioning of these systems can assist individuals on a long-term basis. An avid supporter of longevity research designed to ward off the physical ailments caused by aging, Jason Hope supports the notion that individual longevity can be achieved at the cellular level. By warding off the physical signs of aging, individuals can enjoy the benefits of being active, energized, and engaged.

Community Concerns Associated With Aging

In addition to the personal concerns related to aging, stressors are placed on communities, and on the human species. Humans within today’s society have longer life expectancy than in generations past. However, this doesn’t mean they are able to be fully active and productive members of society. An abundance of aging individuals within a society can place a burden on the community. Aging populations can require vast assistance. They may need financial assistance, as well as physical care. This can create a burden for an entire healthcare system, community functionality, and workforce.

Diseases Caused By Aging

Physical manifestations of aging are responsible for the onset of many diseases. Degenerative in nature, some of these diseases progress through a lengthy period, diminishing quality of life. The presence of these diseases also places a financial burden on the individual and the community. Aging-related diseases include Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes. Jason Hope, a long-time supporter of the SENS Organization, credits the group with crusading for the elimination of such diseases. The SENS Organization looks to regenerative medicine to combat age-related bodily damage. This focus on rejuvenation biotechnology aims to replace damaged tissue with healthy tissue, restoring normal function. The body’s optimal functionality can then effectively ward off age-related disease.

The Comprehensive Approach To Aging And Disease

Rather than focusing on alleviating the symptoms and progression of each disease, the comprehensive approach aims to increase longevity. Through this wholesome approach, scientists aim to prolong overall wellness. Successfully warding off negative aspects of the aging process can allow individuals to thrive. It can produce significant financial effects, as individuals are able to work longer, and require less financial assistance. This approach to anti-aging can increase the quality of life for individuals.

Prolonging The Aging Process

In the quest for longevity, scientists look for the connection between aging, DNA, gene manipulation, nature, and technology. From applying stem cell therapy to researching the effects of light, experts look for innovative solutions. Propelled by contemporary technologies, Jason Hope voices the importance of pursuing groundbreaking experimentation. Marrying science and technology, many longevity experts utilize tech-based resources to produce insights that can be applied in the real world.

Understanding Mitochondria

As the central “organ” of each cell, mitochondria produce energy within the cell and the organism they power. By changing energy found in nutrients into ADP-adenosine diphosphate, mitochondria generate energy. Mitochondria also play an important role in the aging process of organisms. Various studies suggest age-related illnesses are related to mitochondria not being able to produce energy efficiently.

In order to implement this knowledge into use, researchers are looking at the use of the so-called anti-aging protein. Composed of AMP-activated protein kinase, the anti-aging protein champions mitochondrial functioning. By enhancing the efficacy of mitochondria in the human body, it can be surmised that increased longevity can occur. The enzyme also impacts cell development, and the proteins responsible for gene activity. These functionalities increase the general lifespan of mitochondria, a potentially vital connection to long-term vitality.

Studying Worms

Aging and longevity studies have previously provided fruitful results when examining yeast, rodents, and monkeys. Now, researchers are excited by findings associated with aging studies conducted on worms. Roundworms were recently found to have an elongated life expectancy associated with the chemical VRK-1. The VRK-1 chemical acts as an extra booster for AMP-activated protein kinase, the anti-aging protein responsible for increasing mitochondrial life span. 

The roundworms examined in this study normally have a life expectancy of 14 to 21 days. Genetically modified roundworms, with elevated levels of the chemical VRK-1, showcased an increased life cycle of 23.7 days. This is a significant increase in life expectancy, shown with consistency amongst the sample group. Similar studies of human cells and the presence of VRK-1 have elicited the same results. Though the experiment only featured simple human cells, rather than complex humans in their molecular entirety, the promising results showcase a possibility to be effective amongst human studies.

This breakthrough study examines the biological and chemical culprits associated with aging. It can provide unparalleled insight into viable options to reverse the aging process, and assist with longevity goals. As scientists and thought leaders work to create viable longevity interventions, these inaugural successes provide a blueprint for expanded action. According to anti-aging thought leader Jason Hope, the success of the roundworm experiment lends another victory in the quest for human longevity.

Successful anti-aging techniques have the power to transform entire communities financially. They have the potential to impact the daily lives of countless individuals. These initial successes can soon be the answer to the problematic issues associated with aging. The goal isn’t to eradicate the aging process itself but to elongate the process, and minimize the negative effects of aging. 

Jason Hope

Find Jason Hope on LinkedIn for more

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrhope



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/science/jason-hope-is-this-common-creature-the-key-to-human-longevity/

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

A Guide to the Yacht Brokering Sector: All you Need to Know

If you have a real passion for sailing and you happen to be looking for a sound business investment, why not combine your love of sailing with business and start your very own yacht brokerage? As with all other industries, there is a wealth of information online about the yachting industry, and in this article, we will outline the business of yacht brokering.

What is a yacht broker?

When a person wishes to buy or sell a yacht, they would make contact with a yacht broker, who would either offer to advertise their vessel, or if you were looking for a yacht, they would source vessels for you to view that were in line with your specifications and budget. Of course, you would need to build a reputation, and if you already have connections in the yachting fraternity, even better, as this will help you become established.

Yacht Chartering

This is an optional side of the business, and many yacht brokers do offer this service, one such example is Yacht Sourcing, a leading yacht broker with global connections. They are the go-to people for buying and selling yachts of all sizes, plus they offer a competitive chartering service that is fully comprehensive, whether you want to rent the vessel only, or would like a fully crewed yacht. As a broker, you would not need to own any yachts, as you are a middleman between yacht owners that wish to offer their vessels for charter and the client who is looking to charter a suitable yacht. You would receive an agreed commission from the owner when a yacht is chartered, and if you have agreements with many yacht owners, you can offer a varied selection of vessels, with or without a crew. This would involve charting all vessels, recording when they are vacant and when they are in use, and this database would help you to match the client with the perfect yacht.

Yachting Experience

It would be very difficult to be a successful yacht broker with no sailing experience, and if you do have a sailing background, this would be very helpful. Building on your sailing connections is an essential aspect of setting up your business and your reputation is everything, right from day one, and while it might take a few years to become established, if you are client-focused, your business will grow. Of course, you can’t do everything yourself, no matter how tempting it is, and here is an informative article that examines how the entrepreneur should delegate tasks to manage their business more efficiently.

Selling Yachts

A major aspect of your business would be selling yachts, which means you will need a good digital marketing plan that outlines how you intend to reach potential buyers. You would need to record the details of all vessels in your catalogue, with images, video and written descriptions of the vessel, including all technical specifications, and liaise with owners regarding viewing. Your marketing plan would include attending the many boat shows around the world, where you should have a stand to represent your business. Expect to invest heavily in your marketing, especially at boat shows, where potential buyers would be found, and customer service needs to be 5-star, as you are dealing with wealthy people.

5-Star Hospitality

The yacht broker must offer a standard of luxury when meeting potential clients, which would involve plush offices at specific ports, preferably in several prominent areas of the world, such as Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the east coast of the US, perhaps based in Miami, Florida, which is one of the yachting centres of the world. If you are based in the UK and would like your business to be UK registered, here is some useful information from the UK government website regarding setting up a business.

Yacht Maintenance

All marine vessels require maintenance and luxury yachts are no exception, which gives you another service to offer yacht owners. The owner would contract the maintenance and if you have skilled people working for you, plus mooring facilities, you can offer yacht maintenance and repairs, on an annual basis. You would need access to at least one crew, as there would be times when the client wishes you to take their yacht from a port to your mooring facility, and that could be quite a distance. A yacht owner, might, for example, have their yacht moored in Australia and wishes to commission you to collect the vessel and sail it to Southeast Asia, where the maintenance will be carried out.

Providing an Exclusive Range of Services

As a yacht broker, you would have several sectors that you cover and your organisation must be geared up to offer the very best service to any client that has a need regarding yachting, and building and developing a successful yacht brokerage is not something that will happen overnight, indeed, it takes many years to build a client base.

Now that you have a better idea of what is involved, you can make your plans to set up your own yacht brokerage, and hopefully, this will be the start of something big.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/a-guide-to-the-yacht-brokering-sector-all-you-need-to-know/

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: Could It Prevent Future Pandemics?

From the disappointment of health systems to monetary systems, the Coronavirus epidemic indicated how nations, policy administrators, and global institutions are incapable when it comes to dealing with emergencies.

The loss of information, apparatuses, medical assistance, and specialists across nations and landmasses meant that we were ever playing catch-up with the disorder.

With approximately 6 million people contaminated and five hundred thousand dead, the world prevails presently thinking about how to avoid such an epidemic from occurring in the future again.

Many specialists, professionals, and reviewers are focusing on mortar explanations in the form of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and blockchain technology. The bitcoin business is implicated in the crypto world. Know further here: crypto business

In this dissertation, we will peek at how blockchain technology and bitcoin could be our tremendous possession while fighting against identical tragedies in the future.

Blockchain, bitcoin and the want for a borderless world

After almost three months into the coronavirus difficulty, several states that the absence of coordination among countries was the main reason why the problem was moving the staircase.

Various others point out how a common supply and logistics line with the capacity of transferring cash, faculty, secure evidence and data could be very beneficial. If you want to invest in bitcoins, start today with bitcoin evolution login

Fortunately, or unhappily, human entities already had entry to bitcoins and blockchain technology for the last twelve odd years. The truth that nationwide administrations and international institutions chose to do triviality with it simply exhibits their short-sighted needs.

If blockchain and bitcoin had been approved before the epidemic, we would have existed eligible to target the following pain facts-

  1. Secure and incorruptible progression of data and evidence.
  2. Quickly and enrolled in financial marketing to purchase PPEs, masks, sanitizers, etc.
  3. Expanded partnership across countries.
  4. Better allowance and logistics improvement and maintenance.
  5. Decentralized and self-governing hierarchies with no room for political manipulation.

Are any world organizations working with blockchain to curb coronavirus?

China has always been at the vanguard of specialized improvement. It has realized that to fulfil a true world super energy it wants to master the tardiest and most cutting-edge treatments.

Hence, it’s no wonder then that China is the world’s only province to execute blockchain-based remedies to the coronavirus epidemic.

Various Chinese organizations, both in public as well as a personal sector are utilizing blockchain to organize between various divisions and clergies.

We can detect blockchain petitions in the proportion of relaxation material, (PPEs, masks, face shields, sanitizers, etc) as well as in world donation towards the disaster.

Among the private corporations, Acer is a considerable representation of a brand utilizing blockchain to trace, identify, and revise global data on coronavirus.

The company has formulated a new stock, “hash log “which uses data and statistics from organizations like the centre for disease control (CDC) and world health organization (WHO).

Can bitcoin and blockchain prevent the epidemic coronavirus

The accurate answer to this topic is no. Thus, the significant thing is that no one wants it to do so.

What bitcoin and blockchain could attain would be to illustrate the first cord of string defence against such an epidemic in the future. You might say that they will help us importantly raise our debate preparedness.

We will only have to stop for the successive few months to behold whether the benefits and purposes of bitcoin and blockchain technology are moving to be put into action by countries.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/discover/blockchain-and-cryptocurrencies-could-it-prevent-future-pandemics/

Reasons to send flowers to your loved ones

Sending flowers to someone you love is the most precious moment as it shows how much you love them. Flowers make your day wonderful and enjoyable. If anyone is busy in his or her life and even doesn’t have time to speak, then sending flowers is the best option to show their love feelings that relate to them. Flowers are perfect for every occasion whether it’s your loved one’s birthday, anniversary, get well soon, and so on. On birthdays, mother day, father day, wedding anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, or any other occasion you can send fresh flowers as these are best picks to show your love. Even flowers play a vital role in someone’s life and you can even send flowers to your loved ones regularly.

Here are some reasons why people sending flowers to their loved ones.

  • Express your love

Sending beautiful and fresh flowers to someone you love is the best way to express your feelings. You can send a bunch of fresh flowers to show how much you love him/her. You can send flowers not only to your loved ones, but your parents, siblings, or friend. You can either choose any kind of flower to convey your heart feelings along with an exact meaning.

  • To apologize

If you have fought with your loved one and want to apologize to her/him, then sending flowers is the perfect option. You can send flowers along with a sorry card, which is the easiest way for your apology. Sending flowers shows that you care for that person and you are sorry for what you have done.

  • Make your loved one smile

If you notice that your partner is not feeling good or having any kind of stress regarding their work, send them a bunch of flowers to make them cherish and put a cute smile on their face. Sweet and blossom fragrance of flowers will change your loved one’s mood and they will feel much better.

  • Celebrate any day with someone

Are you thinking about your parents’ marriage anniversary or your partner’s birthday? You are confused to send them a gift they like the most? You can celebrate someone’s special day by sending flowers along with your best greetings. Make your day special with your parents, friends, or your loved ones, and celebrate the day with beautiful flowers.

  • Impress someone with your love

Do you have a loved one but don’t know how to impress them? If yes then nothing to worry as sending flowers to someone you love is a perfect way. It shows your feeling that relates to that person you love. Send them a bouquet of red flowers to impress them along with a love note. Also, invite her/him for a cup of coffee at their favorite café. Trust me that someone will be impressed by the way you send them flowers and will accept your coffee date.

  • Show your condolence

At times, you feel bad for your loved ones but don’t have words to say. It can be a death or an accident. In such a bad situation, you can send flowers to your loved ones to show your condolence.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/lifestyle/reasons-to-send-flowers-to-your-loved-ones/

How High-Quality Seals Can Boost Your Bottom Line

Sometimes it is the little things that make a big difference. When it comes to industrial manufacturing, it is the small rubber seals and o-rings that can have a direct impact on your company’s bottom line. If you are looking for ways to save money, your machinery will benefit from high-quality, durable components. 

Your supply chain should be a priority, as inferior products from overseas companies can result in downtime and might even be a safety hazard. Seals may be small, but finding the right solution will be good for business.

Efficiency of Machinery

Industrial manufacturing companies often rely on expensive, heavy machinery. As these tools and equipment are subjected to a significant amount of wear and tear, replacement parts will usually be required over time. It may be tempting to buy low-cost rubber components overseas, but the appeal of short-term savings could be putting your machinery at risk.

When you use poorly made seals, it could have an impact on the efficiency of your operations. Inferior seals could cause leaks, crack easily and decrease the power of your tools. If you support your machinery to work to its full potential, it will save you money in the long term.

Quality Reduces Quantity

When you invest in premium rubber components, they will last longer. Pressure, extreme temperatures, chemicals and vibrations are hard on seals, and they need to be able to withstand the demands of the job. With premium seals, there will be fewer issues so you can minimize costly, time-consuming repairs.

Superior rubber seals and components can be customized to ensure they are the perfect fit. When you use a local supply chain, you know you will be getting materials that meet strict standards. 

Increased Safety

Rubber components can be critical to the safety of your machinery. Often they will be used to prevent leaks and support the daily functions of your tools and equipment. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for overseas shoppers to experiences problems with their rubber purchases. 

For example, the products could contain hazardous materials or be defective. When they are being shipped from international destinations, you can’t be sure what you are getting, and this could put your staff at risk. As world events can happen without warning, and shipping can be subjected to long delays, you might not be able to get the parts you need. Having to repurchase these components will cost money and time.

Fewer Unexpected Repairs 

Durable rubber seals can reduce the need for repair and replacement. When you get the right, tight fit, you will generally be able to stick to the scheduled maintenance timeline. 

If your rubber components falter unexpectedly it can disrupt the entire manufacturing line, causing downtime or shutdowns. In this situation not only will you miss out on productive days at work, but it could lead to delays in customer orders.

Seals Can Be Good for Business

Clever industrial manufacturers understand it is important to choose quality parts for their machinery. Even the smallest seal can make a difference in efficiency, productivity and frequency of maintenance.

Having a local supply chain has added benefits as the turnaround will be quicker and you will have safe, tested components. To keep your business flourishing you need to be able to access quality parts with minimal fuss. If you want to boost productivity and grow your industrial manufacturing company, it is worth putting some thought into selecting the right seals from a local brand.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/at-work/how-high-quality-seals-can-boost-your-bottom-line/

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

6 Steps to Building a Community Around Your Brand

Creating a loyal following around your brand nowadays is crucial if you want success in the long run. A business with a decent fan community that is always there to support it, waiting for new products, is a business that has solid cornerstones. This foundation consequently vouches for good marketing opportunities and efficient marketing efforts.

A community provides access to some of their most loyal consumers and once a business realizes who the ideal consumer is, there is more maneuvering space for improvements and adjustments when it comes to the customer acquisition approach.

A strong fanbase can be built in more than one way. Many strategies usually combine online fan engagement with products that solve real problems.

To separate the wheat from the chaff, below we have listed essential steps, strategies, and tips that will help you build a strong community around your brand.

But first, define what your brand is about

When people decide to follow a certain brand, they only do so when they see consistency and potential for greater things.

Many business owners use tools that generate mission statements. However, some of these are too general and provide little to no information.

Take a look at this statement:

‘It is our duty and mission to provide access to diverse service to stay relevant in the world of tomorrow.’

A statement such as this one does not say much about your business and what you are passionate about. Almost every business can say something along those lines and claim it as their mission statement.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to build a brand around the mission statement such as the one above. And that means that you can’t attract a huge consumer base.

Before you can start building up a loyal base of consumers around your business, you need to clearly state what your business is about and how you are contributing to a higher good.

For instance, one car-hailing company from East Europe built its brand around the mission for a better and healthier environment. Their main goal before and during the early stages was to make every street less polluted and the air clearer. People recognized this effort and saw how they were working towards that goal in reality by including eco-friendly and electric cars in their fleets.

So, the first thing you need to do is to determine what makes your mission unique and how your services or products are supporting it.

Email marketing is an important tool

a person typing something on a laptop

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Email marketing can be utilized both to acquire and engage people. That is what makes it critical to the success of your brand’s community.

With no active dialogue and member participation, communities fail to meet the expectations of organizations. Good engagement and a stable number of reinforcements enable a company to build a healthy and successful community.

That is why you should take advantage of email marketing. If you want to add new people to the community, do not hesitate to run a cold email campaign.

However, you need to be wise when it comes to creating these messages. Your cold emails should not be too long or introduce too many ideas. Keep them concise and clear and do not highlight too many things, since you don’t want to confuse your readers.

Also, make sure that you have someone check the messages for grammatical errors before hitting the send button.

Once you manage to build decent followership, you have to maintain the trust that is established through engaging newsletters. Listen to your customers and understand how crucial their needs are. Showcase that you are going to act on the feedback you receive.

Your email messages should be consistent, but the focus is all on your customers. Encourage your customers to reply and consider their opinions too. By putting effort into community engagement, you will be recognized as a brand that truly cares.

Send newsletters

mail boxes in the US

Image by Anne-Onyme from Pixabay

Hopefully, you already have an email list of people who have shown interest in your brand. Now is the time to get them used to your company newsletter

Sending newsletters is great due to several factors:

  • A newsletter is a beneficial mode of communication that helps create trust between your business and your customers. Every new edition of your newsletter improves this trust as you share more about yourself and your organization.
  • Newsletters boost the reputation of your business because you provide readers with content that is both informative and entertaining through quality newsletter writing. This way, you are showing readers how knowledgeable and considerate you are.
  • If your newsletter content is well written, your audience will look forward to the next issue. This will work great with other marketing efforts you make.
  • E-newsletters are a great way to get some traffic to your website. Carefully weave in special promotions that reward readers and give them more reasons to visit your website.

As you can see, sending newsletters is a very effective way to build relationships and create a community around your brand. Keep in mind that the content you send should feel exclusive. 

After all, who doesn’t like to feel special?

Referral marketing

If you produce good content, you only need good contacts to start with referral marketing. Leverage content and contacts together and not only will you have a powerful community-building strategy, but you will also boost loyalty and establish your business as an authority.

Referral marketing runs on actual human contact such as word of mouth and that leads to community marketing. Referral marketing creates communities for brands and benefits them in the long run.

There is more than one way to build strong and loyal communities through referral marketing.

However, you need to remember a few important things before you start with this marketing strategy:

  • Personalization results in stronger connections! Some businesses use referral tools to send personalized messages to their friends and families along with the invites. Customers prefer personal messages from actual people over generic marketing emails.
  • Put people first instead of treating them only as customers for your referral program. Make them feel like special individuals, not just a sales figure. That way, they will feel truly valued.
  • Use adequate tools. When you start setting up your referral marketing strategy, you should add a contact picker along with a referral program software tool. With it, your customers will be able to input email addresses without having to type names and email addresses, or leaving your website to look up their contacts.

Make the membership valuable

Consider these factors that make joining a certain community valuable for customers:

  • Emotional safety
  • Boundaries
  • A sense of belonging
  • A common symbol system
  • Personal investment

The community you are trying to build should make members feel safe. When people feel safe, they have no problem sharing something with members of the same group.

Members should feel that they are accepted and that they have earned their spot in the community you have built. Also, they need to understand the group’s social norms and how they can communicate.

To knit these factors in your new community, consider using these strategies:

  • Define clearly and enforce moderation standards.
  • Encourage the development of inside jokes and memes.
  • Limit membership to a select group who have achieved a certain reputation.
  • Give top users benefits such as free products, discounts, invites to secret events, and so on. The key here is that the membership needs to feel exclusive.

Network in person

This is another effective method to build a community for your brand. In spite of the digital world we live in, networking face to face and making connections with people in real life is still very important.

This is done by attending conferences, workshops, meetups, and seminars. There are many events of this kind, so you don’t have to worry if you will ever get a chance to spread the word about your brand.

The benefits of networking are numerous. You will raise your profile, build your confidence, but also form real and potentially deep relationships.

Just look for meet-ups or other events in your industry or area. Many companies specialize in hosting events of this kind.

When a person meets someone in real life, the feeling is better, it seems like the bond is deeper and stronger. Giving others a chance to get to know the real you can lead to building a trustworthy personal brand and forming a community of like-minded people. These individuals will be there for you and you can always reach out to them in the future.

Add this method to your tool kit and do as much as you can to create a community around your brand. However, do not act too spammy neither online nor live.

You do not want people to feel like you are only in it to reap rewards. Instead, be yourself and you will give off feelings of reliability and honesty.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/social-media/6-steps-to-building-a-community-around-your-brand/

Today’s Essentials for a Mobile-Friendly Site

Are you setting about designing a website? You’d be crazy not to make it as mobile-friendly as possible – or even designed specifically for mobile!

In 2020, global internet traffic is over 50% mobile and tablet use, despite the fact that business applications, usually only available on desktop, are chewing more bandwidth than ever before.

But just knowing that you require a mobile-friendly site isn’t enough. Here’s what you’ll need to know to actually design one.

Responsive design

A responsive design does not mean that the mobile website responds when clicked or tapped. Instead, a responsive design is a design that adjusts to fit on any size or size-ratio of screen.

You’ll notice how some mobile sites look cluttered, or have too-large pop ups that cover their screens. These sites do not have a responsive design and are often due to using fixed templates that people have ‘bought off the shelf.’

While templates can be created for responsive sites, that can then be browsed with ease across any device, they must be thoroughly tested first – which can be done through a mobile emulator on a computer when designing the site.

If you are not using a bought template, using a framework like Bootstrap will help you to design a website that is responsive across both desktop and mobile devices.

Mobile emulator for testing

Not all mobile devices are built the same. If you just look at your friends and relatives, you’ll see that screen size and ratios differ widely, as does the age of the device, web browser used, and whether they have updated to latest system and browser versions.

To build the most mobile-friendly site, you’ll need to test across a wide variety of devices and versions. This can be done using tools such as MobiReady, which also comes with free analysis and reports, and Google’s suite of mobile-friendly design tools.

Using iframes

iframes are a specific frame which can be embedded within a website. The name, iframe, is short for inline frame, which puts another document into the main body of the website. One feature of the iframe is that it allows designers to sandbox content.

This is a neat feature because it means that if you are displaying widgets from other places on the web, you can be assured of their security – they can’t allow attacks on your site.

If you are using widgets from elsewhere on the web, then iframes make a great choice.

For instance, most online casinos have a slots component that is a game that wasn’t designed by them, but players can still access through their website via an iframe. This is why you will see the majority of casinos will have Starburst in their slot portfolio.

Keep it simple

The best websites on mobile are those with the least clutter. Depending on the type of website you’re making, you will need to prioritise certain elements and even strip out some others on mobile.

This can include advertising which can end up dominating a mobile site if it hasn’t been designed correctly, which will increase your bounce rate – something no one wants.

If you have a full-on web app, then you may find that a mobile website just doesn’t give you the full functionality your users will need. In this case, you will have to build an app alongside it. This is the case, for instance, with Asana, the task management tool.

Optimize for speed

Plenty of people do not have great data connections on their mobile devices. The way that the web works for search engine ranking is that the speed of loading a website is taken into account. Plenty of people will leave a page if it doesn’t load within a reasonable timeframe, too.

To make your mobile website load faster, consider trimming your image sizes or making them a lower resolution, and eliminating or re-evaluating any other media-heavy elements. Ensure any video or audio on your site is not auto-playing to eliminate user frustration.

Listen to feedback

There are a few things that you can do on launch to help refine your mobile-friendly site afterwards:

  • Make sure that you have feedback channels for users to leave their remarks
  • Watch your bounce rates
  • Keep an eye on loading times
  • See where your visitors are from (and if this is expected or strange)
  • Make sure to test site updates on mobile before rolling them out

With all this information in hand, you should be able to create a mobile-friendly site that’s pleasing for your users, as well as relatively easy for you to manage. While it takes some time and effort, the pay off is certainly worth it!



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/website/todays-essentials-for-a-mobile-friendly-site/

5 Proptech startups you should know about in 2020

You’ve probably noticed that the Proptech sector (translation: property technology) has been gaining traction over the last few years.

This year, the sector is in the spotlight.

It could not have been predicted at the beginning of the year that billions of people across the world would become subject to various lockdown and social distancing requirements. This COVID-19 pandemic is no doubt impacting every industry in some way.

In the real estate industry, it has impacted our ability to buy, sell, rent and use real estate. After all, real estate is a physical asset, and does not lend itself to be dealt with virtually.

Despite, our needs for real estate have not changed.

This is where the relevance of proptech is increasing.

Various proptechstartups across the world are helping consumers and professionals are offering innovate technology to help us deal with real estate.

We’ve scoped out 8startups that are that are helping us work through these challenges.

1. iStaging (Taiwan)

3d Virtual Tours have been available for a while, however restrictions around the world has made it more prevalent. Prospective buyers and renters might not be able to view the property in person and a 3d Virtual Tour is the best way to enable users to explore a property without being physically there.

Traditionally this would involve expensive specialised equipment and software, however iStagingallows you to quickly and easily create 360° virtual tours right from your smartphone. Through sophisticated algorithms, the app converts the images into a 3d model, which can be explored.

iStagingis a great app for real estate agents that want to give potential buyers animmersive VRexperience of the properties.

2. Rentdesk (Australia)

While it’scommon to hire a rental agent to manage the whole tenancy lifecycle from marketing all the way to collecting rent, most rental agents are pretty traditional, requiring tenants and landlords to go in and out of their physical office to handle the paperwork.

With various lockdowns in place, none of this is practical anymore.

Rentdesk is solving just this with an online rental platform which allows landlords to advertise their property online and manage all the paperwork and rent online.

Using artificial intelligence algorithms, the platform provides smart and timely advise to the landlord to assist them with any decision making, while helping them navigate the regulatory environment.

The platform costs a fraction of the cost of a rental agent and lets landlords manage their properties from the convenience and safety of their own home.

3. Foxy AI (USA)

As a buyer, not being able to physically inspect properties means potentially missing out on adverse information. This can be a problem as you might end up overpaying for a property or buying the wrong property.

Foxy AI solves this crucial problem by extracting information from property photos. Its artificial intelligence algorithm is able to obtain various bits of information and provide a condition score based on the information it gathers.

While personally viewing property photos lets you determine a property’s match to your personally tastes and desires, letting a computer scan through it can be more objective and it can also identify detail that a human wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

4. Brickowner (UK)

There can be a lot of work involved in buying and managing an investment property.

Searching for the property, analysing it, getting finance, and managing tenants. There can be also a lot of risk involved as typically a property becomes a large portion of the buyer’s wealth.

In an uncertain environment, it might be best to diversify.

Instead of have to buy a whole property, Brickowner lets investors invest as little as £100 into a property in the UK, helping owners diversify risk.

Unlike a property fund, there are a large number of pre-vetted properties that can be selected from, still giving investors choice of property that meets their investment thesis.

The company manages all the letting and maintenance, which leaving the investor to focus on investment selection.

5. Liquuid (Canada)

With economic pain being felt across all industries, the appetite to get into a huge mortgage to buy a house is low. This can be avoided with Liquuid in Canada which lets homebuyers get into the market with a lower down payment. The company contributes a portion of the property purchase cost to the buyer. The owner can either live in or rent out their property as usual. In return for the contribution, when the owner finally decides to sell the property, the owner simply has to pay back a portion of the sale proceeds back to Liquuid.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business-start-up/5-proptech-startups-you-should-know-about-in-2020/

Be Who You Is: Jason Webb, Milwaukee-based Public Speaker Encourages You to Be Authentically Yourself

All of us have an idea of what success in life looks like, and we strive to do what it takes to achieve our full potential. But does it mean that we have to change who we are to fit the ideal image of a successful individual? In this article Jason Webb – a Milwaukee-based pastor and public speaker, explains what it means to be authentically yourself and accept yourself for who you truly are.

I don’t remember much from seminary. I spent hundreds of hours learning Greek and Hebrew, yet most of that knowledge has long since left me. I read dense theological treatises on issues I didn’t even know were issues. I couldn’t recall much of that now.

But there is something I will never forget. It came from a professor who spent more time in the church than in the classroom. He was semi-retired and taught classes like mine just because he loved the students. Each day he would start the class with these words:

“Be who you is because if you ain’t who you is, you is who you ain’t.”

I wish I would have known then what I know now: this was the greatest lesson I learned from seminary. Most of my life I tried to be someone I wasn’t. I tried to be the person people thought I should be. I played the role.

I would make hard decisions for the church because that’s what leaders do and I would tell people that I didn’t care what other people thought of it or if I hurt people along the way.

It was a lie. Even the thought of firing somebody on the staff, even someone who deserved to be fired, left me sleepless at night. I would think of their family and the ramifications of my decision. 

I would cry.

I even convinced myself that I had a different personality than I really do. I thought I was an extrovert. I thought extroverts were the ones that made it in the world. I thought I had to work the crowd, be the center of attention, be “the guy” that everyone was drawn to in the room.

I played the role well. People were drawn to me. I could tell the punch line. I could work the crowd with the best of them.

It just wasn’t me.

And it was exhausting.

Then one day I was with some colleagues of mine on a ministry trip and they said, “I thought you said you were an extrovert.”  I immediately became defensive and said, “I am!” They, who are both extreme extroverts, laughed and said, “You know you haven’t said a word this entire trip. You are not an extrovert!”

I didn’t want to believe them. I had spent my whole life convincing myself I was somebody I was not. I had spent my whole career trying to fit into a role that was not me.

Like David trying on Saul’s armor for battle against Goliath, it just didn’t fit.

Over the last few years I have discovered who I really am, not who I wanted people to think I am. 

I am an introvert.

I am a thinker.

I feel deeply and hate seeing people hurt.

I am me.

For the first time in my life, I am beginning to celebrate that. As I step into who I am, I realize that I find a freedom I never had before. I don’t have to apologize for being me. The world needs me to be me. Fully me.

The best gift I can give to my kids, my church, my friends, this world, is a fully realized me.

And the best gift you can give to your family, your job, your friends this world is a fully realized you.

Not an imitation. Not someone you think you are or should be.

Just you.

Be who you is, because if you ain’t who you is, you is who you ain’t.

About Jason Webb

Jason Webb is a Milwaukee-based pastor and public speaker. Currently, he is a Team Manager and Groups Director for Great Lakes Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Before this, Mr. Webb has established and led multiple churches and non-profit organizations, both domestically and internationally. Jason Webb is an experienced entrepreneur, movement leader, and an advocate for racial reconciliation.



from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/lifestyle/be-who-you-is-jason-webb-milwaukee-based-public-speaker-encourages-you-to-be-authentically-yourself/