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Balancing your personal life and your work life isn’t easy. Let’s just put that out there. Some days, it feels like the world wants you to sprint a marathon. You’re juggling deadlines and meetings, and then, oh wait, your best friend’s birthday is coming up, and you’ve barely texted back in weeks. Sound familiar? Don’t worry. We’ve all been there, and you’re not alone. The good news? It’s not impossible to thrive in both. Let’s chat about how to make it happen.
Define Success for Yourself Okay, first things first—what does success mean to you? Forget what Instagram, your coworkers, or your mom’s best friend’s daughter say. Seriously. Maybe for you, success is hitting that promotion and making time for a Sunday hike. Or it’s being financially stable while still having game nights with your family. Pinpoint your own version of success, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong. The Power of Prioritisation Here’s the thing: you can’t do everything, and that’s okay. So, figure out what matters most. For me? I live by the rule of setting non-negotiables. Like, “I’m not missing dinner with my family unless the building’s on fire” is kind of non-negotiable. You’ve got to pick your battles. And if saying “no” feels awkward, practice in front of a mirror. (No shame—it works!) Time Management: The Great Equalizer Ah, time. It’s always running out, isn’t it? But here’s a tip: stop chasing it and start owning it. Have you heard of the two-minute rule? If something takes less than two minutes—like replying to that email your brain keeps nagging you about—just do it. And, hey, if you’re someone who loves lists, apps like Notion or even a trusty notebook can keep you sane. It’s all about figuring out what clicks for you. The Role of Health in Balance Let me ask you something. How’s your sleep? If your answer is, “What sleep?” then we’ve got a problem. Everything feels harder when you’re running on fumes. Make sleep a priority, move your body (even if it’s a ten-minute stretch), and maybe, just maybe, skip that third cup of coffee. You don’t have to be perfect—just be kind to yourself. Your body will thank you. Delegate and Outsource You’re not a superhero, okay? Stop trying to do it all. If you can delegate tasks at work or hire someone to mow the lawn at home, do it. This isn’t about laziness; it’s about making space for what really matters. Save your energy for the big stuff—the things only you can do. Trust me, it’s worth it. Cultivate Relationships Let’s talk about people. Work is great and all, but your relationships? They’re the secret sauce to a happy life. Make time for the people who make you laugh until your stomach hurts. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. A quick coffee date or even a FaceTime call can do wonders. And when you’re with them? Put your phone down. Be there. Really, be there. Continuous Learning Here’s a fun one: learning isn’t just for school. Want to try pottery? Go for it. Thinking about brushing up on skills for work? Even better. If you’re curious about ways to make your business pop, find out more about web design—a fresh look can go a long way. Whatever you do, keep exploring. It keeps life interesting. Infuse Creativity into Work and Life Work doesn’t have to be boring, and life doesn’t either. Add some color to both. At work, find ways to make even mundane tasks feel rewarding—like turning a tedious spreadsheet into something that tells a story. At home, experiment. Try cooking a meal you’ve never made before or rearranging your furniture just because. A little creativity can spark joy in unexpected ways. The Art of Reflection Take a moment to pause. No, seriously. Stop reading this for five seconds, and just breathe. When was the last time you asked yourself, “How am I doing?” Reflection doesn’t have to be formal. It could be jotting a few thoughts in your notes app or chatting with a friend about your week. The point is to check in with yourself. Celebrate what’s working and tweak what’s not. Strive for Integration, Not Balance Here’s a little secret: balance is overrated. What if you could blend work and life instead of keeping them separate? Like,maybe you love running, and you start joining charity runs organized by your company. Your kids can also help you brainstorm ideas for that big presentation. Look for ways to connect the dots instead of dividing your time into strict boxes. Accept Imperfection Let’s keep it real—you’re not going to get it right all the time. And guess what? That’s perfectly fine. Some days, work will take over, and others, you’ll need to cancel a meeting because life happens. It’s all part of the journey. Cut yourself some slack. You’re doing your best, and that’s enough. Gratitude Makes a DifferenceYou know what’s underrated? Gratitude. Seriously, when’s the last time you paused and thought about the things you’re grateful for? Even the little stuff counts—like your morning coffee or the way your dog greets you like a rockstar every time you come home. Gratitude can shift your perspective. Write it down, say it out loud, or just feel it in the moment. It reminds you that even when life feels messy, there’s still so much good to appreciate. Take Breaks Without Guilt Let’s talk about rest. Real, guilt-free rest. Not the kind where you’re checking emails during a Netflix binge. I’m talking about stepping away and giving yourself permission to recharge. Whether it’s a walk outside, ten minutes of silence, or an afternoon off, breaks aren’t just nice—they’re necessary. You’re not a machine, and pushing yourself to the brink doesn’t prove anything. Rest isn’t lazy; it’s smart. Treat it like the essential ingredient it is. 
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Conclusion
Life’s not about nailing a perfect 50/50 split between work and play. It’s about weaving them together into something that works for you. There’ll be trial and error, for sure. But with a little self-awareness, some planning, and a whole lot of compassion, you’ll figure it out. One step at a time.
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Building an inspired and motivated team is crucial for any business. When employees feel energized and valued, they are much more likely to contribute creatively, stay committed, and achieve goals.
Here are five ways to keep your team inspired and performing at their best: Foster Open Communication Encouraging transparency and open dialogue is essential for maintaining team motivation. Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and feedback. Conduct regular check-ins and team meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page and provide opportunities to address issues promptly. When employees see that their input is valued, their sense of purpose increases. A great way to encourage open communication is to implement an open-door policy, allowing your employees to come to you at any time to discuss issues, concerns, or achievements they would like to share. Set specific times when they can knock on your door and meet with you, and make sure to communicate your availability clearly. Provide Opportunities for Growth Offer training programs, mentorship opportunities, and workshops to show that you are invested in your team’s professional development. Employees with a clear path for growth within your organization are much more likely to stay long-term, remain engaged, and feel inspired. Regularly discuss their career goals and offer tailored development plans that align with their aspirations. Celebrate Achievements Recognition plays a significant role in boosting morale and keeping your team inspired. Whether it's a shout-out during a team meeting or formal acknowledgments like Employee of the Month awards, celebrating wins—big or small—makes employees feel appreciated. Highlight both individual contributions and team accomplishments to foster a positive culture built on mutual respect and recognition of hard work. Equip Them with the Right Tools Your team needs the right resources to succeed. From software to reliable equipment, ensure that employees have the tools necessary for effective teamwork. For businesses that rely on mobility, investing in dependable transportation can make a significant difference. For example, Vauxhall vans offer both efficiency and reliability, ensuring your team can get jobs done effectively, whether delivering goods or moving to different locations. Encourage a Healthy Work-Life Balance Overworking your team can lead to burnout, which is detrimental to any business. Encourage employees to take necessary breaks and establish boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Offer flexible schedules or remote work options to improve job satisfaction. When employees feel that their personal time is respected along with their contributions, they are more likely to bring their best selves to work. Conclusion The key to long-term inspiration in a motivated team doesn't happen overnight; it requires consistent effort, adaptability, and attention. By creating a supportive environment, celebrating achievements, and equipping your team with the necessary tools, you can cultivate a workplace where employees feel inspired to give their best effort every day. As your team grows and faces new challenges, remember that their needs may change. Stay attuned to these changes and seek feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. This way, you can make the necessary improvements to ensure your team feels supported, fostering loyalty, creativity, and dedication. 
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Anyone who starts up a business does so because they feel they can make plenty of money. They’ll look to help people out and solve problems for certain target markets, but the idea is to grow and build. If you’re not making any money as a business, then you’re not going to be anywhere near success or prosperity.
In order to reach success, you have to ensure your business is geared up for success. Nobody stumbles upon success whenever they start a business. Some might be humble and say things that make it look as though they were extremely fortunate, but the fact is that they put in the effort and prepared accordingly. They had a philosophy and a way of doing things – and they stuck to it. None of it was an accident. Here are a few ways that anyone can ensure a small business can go from treading water to reaching the next level: Make Sure Your Mindset Is Geared Towards Prosperity And Nothing Else Before you even think about making changes or upgrades to your business, you’ll have to make sure you have the right ideas in your mind – and in the minds of those around you. If you have a broke mindset and a negative mentality, the chances are that you’ll never reach the stages you desire. You have to make sure that you’re in it for the long haul, too. It’s not just something you can achieve if you’re constantly thinking about failing or canceling plans. Get into the right headspace and you can achieve pretty much anything. Ensure You Have The Perfect Workplace You cannot get things done if you’re not situated in the best possible place. You don’t need to be in a high-rise building with the best equipment, but you need something that suits you and what you’re hoping to achieve. Make sure you’re able to get things done each day in this area and that you’re actively looking forward to heading in every single morning. This kind of importance can’t be stated enough. Prepare And Plan For Pretty Much Everything A business plan acts as both a guide for everyone, but also as a way of encouraging investment. Make sure you have everything detailed so that you can follow along and create a wonderful company. You’ll, of course, have to amend a few things along the way, but the core value and ideas will likely remain. You’ll also have to prepare in terms of the workplace and how everything is set up for everyone. Organize the workplace, ensure you get some eicr testing to avoid any electrical issues, and make it clear that there’s a set way of doing things. Bring In The Perfect People For Every Situation A good business cannot run without good people. You have to make sure that you have good personalities as well as those who can do the job(s) properly. It’s not all about their qualifications and experience, of course. Make sure you have good, honest people who can work well together and create a fantastic atmosphere. Know Exactly Where Things Are Going In The Long Term People who only think in the short term tend to run into all kinds of problems. They also will never really see a business with longevity. You have to think long term and consider what’s going to happen in the coming years in order to really make it work well. Knowing how things are going to be further on down the line allows you to make the right kinds of impactful decisions. Possess A Wonderful Online Presence And Platform A lot of work these days is done online. When people want to understand more about what you’re doing, they’ll head online and do a little more reading. If you’re not there to be read about or your pages are of low quality, you’re not going to be very impressive. Make sure you’ve got the online side of things sorted out. Get Lawyered Up And Protect Every Eventuality You just never know what might happen when it comes to the world of business. One day, you could be fine. The next day, you could be in a terrible place – all without realizing you’ve made huge mistakes. A business lawyer will be able to defend you or help you to go on the offensive if you feel that is the case. They’ll also be able to help you set up your business without running into any legal issues along the way. Learn Everything There Is To Know About The Marketing Side Marketing is incredibly important in business because you need to get people on board. It doesn’t matter how amazing your work is, nobody will part with their money if they don’t care about you. Business is about making relationships, and marketing your product or service is what will make those relationships flourish. Ensure You Have Insurance So That You Can Avoid Disasters Things will eventually go wrong if you’re in business long enough. Sometimes, you run into issues that are nobody’s fault. For instance, you could be dealt a blow by a natural disaster and it could destroy plenty of what you have going on. Financially, you could be ruined if you don’t have insurance backing you up. Create Contingency And Continuity Plans There will be situations where things go a little wrong. If you’re around long enough, then the chances are that you’ll run into all kinds of issues that require a little downtime or that make you feel a little stressed out. If you have no contingency plan or no business continuity in your setup, then the errors are going to be felt a lot more. Sometimes, you’re able to simply carry on as usual due to contingency plans that have been put in place years prior. The biggest and most successful businesses are able to sniff out every single issue and make sure things can run even if those flaws become bigger problems.  Image credit: Ivan Samkov from Pexels If you love spending time on your DIY projects, you are certainly not alone! Seeing your creations coming to life and being appreciated by others can be a source of endless satisfaction, pride, and joy. And, if you have already turned your passion into a successful side hustle, the chances are that you have also improved your finances through your skills.
After all, according to recent surveys, the average side hustler takes home an average of £6,300 more a year! But what if you are ready to take things to the next level and turn your passion into your main source of income? With the steps below, you can transform your side hustle into a profitable, successful business. Start outsourcing non-core tasks As you begin to expand your operations, it is important to start considering the importance of relying on a team of experts. However, if you are just at the beginning of your journey towards founding a successful business, you might be operating on a shoestring. In this case, there are some non-core areas of your business that you can outsource to increase your chances of success. Some of the best tasks you should outsource and leave in the hands of experts include marketing, accounting, logistics, and shipping. Outsourcing these tasks can help you focus on your creations and ramp up production. Find suppliers you can trust When handling a side hustle, you might have the time to source each individual item and choose every material. While in the beginning, hand-picking your supplies can give you a competitive edge, as your operations grow, you will need to find suppliers you can trust. For example, if you rely on industrial adhesives to bring your DIY creations to life, you will need to find a supplier that keeps up the highest quality standards, delivers on time, and meets your specific needs. Invest in marketing Marketing is a pain point for all new business owners: you want your business to be known and popular, but all you would want to focus on is your creations. While this is completely understandable, you don’t have to choose between marketing your business or finding the time to fulfil your existing orders. Instead, make sure to partner with an expert marketing team and allocate a consistent budget to deploy your marketing strategy. Keep track of your finances When transitioning from side hustle to a business, it is important not to leave behind your finances. Indeed, starting a business might require an initial investment and finance management. Don’t forget that poor cash flow forecasting is the main culprit behind 80% of business failures! If you are unsure about how to manage your finances, working with a specialised advisor or accountant can help. Continue improving your skills The success of your DIY business purely relies on the quality and uniqueness of your creations. So, make sure to keep up your competitive edge by investing in yourself! Learning new techniques can help you stay ahead of the competition in the long run. 
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Are you an entrepreneur with a start-up frame of mind? If you are preparing to create the company of your dreams and open a brick and mortar establishment, there are a few things you will need to do before you officially open up shop.
Furnish the office After securing your company’s new location, it is time to outfit it with Office Furniture. The easiest way to obtain everything you need is to find one store that can provide you with the essentials to work well. Partnering with a company that offers Planning and Design services means you will have professional space planning options at your fingertips. They will guide you in designing and setting up the office to maximize or renovate the existing floor plan. They also offer architectural design changes as appropriate, so you are not just moving into the new building, it will be designed with your dreams in mind. Some furniture that you will need right away are:
When furnishing your office, buy furniture that will last for years and stand up to daily use. Quality furniture is worth the investment because you will not have to waste money and time by buying it twice. Keep things clean You probably will not have the time to clean. Hiring a professional cleaning company is an effective way to ensure everything is done right. Here is a video from a cleaning service offering information on their best practices.
Decorate the space
Adding artwork and other aesthetics to your new office space is a fun part of the process when starting a new company. You can do almost anything you want to reflect the vision of the company that you want the world to see. Let the design process follow your personality. Incorporate the company’s logo and colours into the layout scheme. This will serve to solidify the brand’s name and unique details within the staff and customers’ perceptions. Add potted plants of varying types and sizes. Select varieties that are easy to care for and will survive in whatever lighting is available. Assign someone to water the plants as part of their work responsibilities. Brown, wilted, and abandoned plants may reflect poorly and connote an air of neglect. Provide sustenance Being at work all day means a lot of things. It can equate to uninterrupted hours of productivity. Perhaps it equals deeper relationships with co-workers. One thing that time at work certainly means is making sure you and your team are well fed. Offer an assortment of teas and biscuits for the requisite tea time. Consider investing in an espresso or coffee machine. The availability of healthy snacks will leave your employees feeling good about themselves without the unfortunate sugar crash that will inevitably occur from eating junk food. 
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Be excited about your new endeavour. You have worked hard. Get ready to welcome new employees and customers into your office and show the world what you can do.
 Image credit: Kevin Ku from Unsplash In today's fast-paced world, time is a precious commodity. We all want to find ways to save time and get more done in less time. If you're a business owner, this is especially important. You need to find ways to streamline your processes and make your business more efficient. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips that will help you save time in your business and help you succeed. Automate as much as possible Automation is key to saving time in your business. There are many tasks that can be automated, such as customer communication, billing, and even social media posting. By automating these tasks, you can free up your time to focus on more important things. Even everyday tasks can be automated, like rota auto scheduling. Many different software programs can help you automate your business processes. Do some research and find one that will work best for you and your business. Delegate and outsource Another great way to save time in your business is to delegate and outsource tasks. This can be anything from hiring a virtual assistant to handle customer service to using an online platform like Fiverr for simple tasks like graphic design or social media marketing. By delegating and outsourcing, you can focus on the most critical tasks in your business and leave the rest to someone else. This will help you save a lot of time in the long run. Simplify your processes Simplifying your processes is another excellent way to save time in your business. Streamlining the way you do things will help you get more done in less time. There are many ways to simplify your processes, such as using templates, creating checklists, and automating repetitive tasks. Take some time to sit down and assess your current processes. See what can be simplified or streamlined. By doing this, you'll save yourself a lot of time in the future. Set priorities and focus on the most important tasks One of the best ways to save time in your business is prioritizing and focusing on the most critical tasks. This means knowing what needs to be done and when and then focusing your attention on those tasks. There will always be distractions and things that come up, but if you stay focused on the most important tasks, you'll get more done in less time. Take breaks and take care of yourself Finally, one of the best ways to save time in your business is to take breaks and take care of yourself. When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it's essential to step away from work and take a break. Go for a walk, relax, and clear your head. It's also important to make sure you're taking care of yourself physically and mentally. Eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep, and find ways to reduce stress. By taking care of yourself, you'll be able to work more efficiently and get more done in less time.  Image credit: Arek Adeoye from Unsplash Following these tips will help you save time in your business and help you succeed. Automate, delegate, outsource, simplify, set priorities, and take care of yourself. By doing these things, you'll free up your time to focus on the most critical tasks and get more done in less time.
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Getting to be your own boss is a great feeling, but if you want to hold onto that, you need to know what it takes to reach success. A business can only last so long before it starts to fall behind, and you need to make sure you’re making the necessary changes to ensure that you keep an income coming in. The success of your business will depend entirely on what you’re willing to do, and what you’re capable of achieving as a leader.
Your image First things first, when you’re building your business, you’re going to need to worry about your image the whole time. Everything you do will be seen by the public, and you want that to reflect positively on you. If you’re not looking after your image, it can come back to bite you later down the line; even if you’ve since changed how you handle things! If you want to grow as a business, you should be doing everything you can to ensure that your audience sees you as a positive figure in the market, rather than a business that should be avoided. Keeping a positive image as a business involves how you carry yourself throughout the day and the values that your business holds to your employees. The presentation can take you a long way, and working with worn and dirty equipment is something that will lead your customers to draw their own conclusions. Even in the industrial fields, people will their own standards; so even things like mining equipment cleaning is a necessary service. It’s not just about what you do as a business, but the impression that you’re giving off to potential customers. Your flexibility There are always going to be changes in the market, and some things that are popular one day can be completely forgotten in the next. Market trends are something that you need to be able to keep up with, and neglecting them can be troublesome for you and your business. You want your customers to be loyal, which means it’s up to you to ensure that your store or service is still desirable to them. If your competitors are using new tactics and products to beat you on the market - you could start to see a dip in customers over time when you haven’t adapted. Your approach to finances Managing finances is a core part of running and building a business. As complicated as it can be, it’s an area you’ll have to spend a lot of time and effort on. Make sure you know what you’re doing with this. A lot of this involves figuring out how you can afford to start and grow your business. Thankfully, you could be eligible for small business grants, and these could take a lot of the stress off your shoulders. Being willing to listen There’s so much that goes into being a good leader, and it’s not going to be easy to get used to it if it’s a new experience for you. When you’re in charge of a team of people, you’re responsible for making sure that everyone is on the same page, and working to their strengths; while also making sure you’re maintaining strong workplace morale. There’s no better way to be a good leader than listening to your employees, even if it’s things that don’t usually concern them. Taking advice from others when you are unsure of the answer yourself might be humbling, but it’s important to learn from other people’s experiences.  Image credit: Pixabay from Pexels Success is not going to come knocking on your door, waiting for you to answer. Instead, you have to go out and find it yourself. Many factors contribute to success in business, but one of the most important ones is having a good strategy. This blog post will help you figure out if you're on the right path or not.
Do you know what your company's mission is? A mission statement should be concise and easy to read. It should also clearly communicate where the business came from, what it does, who it serves, how much value you receive for your product or service and why you do it in the first place. If you don't include this in your mission statement, you should take the time to have it now. Do You Have a Clear Vision? Having a clear vision is not only crucial for company leaders but also for employees. Suppose your team doesn't understand where they are heading, and their purpose; work can become very frustrating. Everyone on staff should be working together towards the same goal. Is Your Business Mobile? With mobility now being such a massive part of our everyday lives, the way that businesses communicate with their customers has changed. If you have not considered how your business will connect and share across multiple channels, then it's time for a change! Working from home is also becoming more popular. Do You Have a Clear Strategy? A good company strategy has been thoroughly thought out and will help bring your vision to life. However, if you don't have a great team yet or need assistance with developing a business plan, hiring an expert can be beneficial. Are You Working With the Right People? Working with the right people can make all the difference in achieving success. If you have hired employees that are not a fit for your team culture or business model, they will be more of a hindrance than anything else. Instead, make sure you hire and build an environment full of highly motivated individuals who believe in what it is that you're trying to do. Hiring a Branding Agency can cater for this too. Does Your Business Provide Value? Successful businesses offer an exceptional product or service and deliver it in a way where customers feel good about their purchase. If you've done the proper research, then you should know what exactly makes up high-quality goods and services within your industry. Are You Staying Customer Focused? To achieve success in any industry, you must remember that the customer is your number one priority. Their wants and needs drive business, so keeping them in mind at all times will help make it easier for you to meet expectations. If there's ever an issue with a client or they seem unhappy about something, then take care of the situation quickly before things get out of hand. These are just a few of the many factors that contribute to business success. If you're looking for more tips and tricks, then be sure to read this blog!  Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pexels If you’re an introvert, you could be forgiven for thinking that the world of business is not for you, but if you’re ambitious and you want to a company for yourself, you should not let your introversion put you off.
Here, you will find a few things that can help you succeed in business even if you are an introvert: Choose your business wisely If you’re an introvert and you want to be successful in business, then it makes sense to choose your business wisely and ensure that it is introvert-friendly, For example, if you choose to set up a web design business, you could spend most of your time alone working on code or if you start a food contract company, you could spend a lot of time in a small team developing products for consumers, rather than attending lots of meetings or having to be out there on show all the time. Choose a business that meets your pace and you will be just fine. Embrace it It might seem like being an introvert is a downside in the world of business where networking and drawing attention are seen to be so important, but the fact is, introverts have their own skills and abilities that are just as valuable, For instance, introverts tend to be far more perspective to their environments, which means you may be more easily able to read the needs of your customers and improve your products and services to beat the competition. Network the way you want Networking is generally pretty important for successful business owners, so it may seem like a real sticking point for you as a potential business owner, but it really doesn’t have to be. You just need to find a way to network on your terms, which could include participating in message boards and online chats where you feel more comfortable. If you do attend physical meetups, just stay for a short while, meet the people you want to meet, and retreat to the solitude of your hotel room for a while before you’re ready to go again. Delegate The greatest thing about running a business in the 21st century is that it has never been easier to delegate tasks to the abundance of freelance workers at your fingertips. So, if there are things you absolutely don’t want to do, you can always delegate them to a competent third party who is maybe a bit more extroverted than you. Partner up Something else you may want to think about is going into partnership with someone who is an extrovert. That way, you get the best of both worlds and you can both play to your strengths while eliminating your weaknesses., This will need to be someone you trust and who has the same vision as you, but if you can find this person, it could be a good way to be successful in your business. Being an introvert is totally normal, so don’t let it hold you back from achieving your business dreams.  Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels The last year has been hard for a lot of people and a lot of businesses. Some businesses have closed some of been close to not being able to reopen and others have had to adapt very quickly to make sure they are able to trade throughout the lockdown period. As things start to ease and restrictions start to become less and fewer businesses are taking the opportunity to get back on track and continue to thrive going forward looking forward to a fantastic summer. There are a few different things businesses will need to be doing to make sure that they can continue to grow and keep their customers coming back as well as attracting new ones over the next couple of months.
Cleanliness Is Key One of the things that a lot of people will be concerned about is the cleanliness and safety of going back into the world and back of the shops and businesses. Showing your employees and your customers That you really care about their safety we’ll encourage them to come back time and time again. What of the things you can do is have a branded hand sanitiser station at the entrance of your shop or office so that when anyone comes into the premises they will now have readily available hand sanitiser as well as potentially a mask station where they can get a mask if they don’t have one and have their temperature checked to make sure that they and everyone else is as safe as can be. It will create a safe workspace in the post-pandemic era. It will also promote good hygiene levels throughout the business as a whole and having a branded hand sanitiser available is now the first point of safety for any business. Keep Creating Content Throughout lockdown, a lot of businesses have been trying to improve the digital content in lockdown. If they’ve not been able to trade, keeping active online has been one of the top priorities to make sure that people don’t forget about them. It has also given businesses time to improve the quality and type of content they are posting on their social channels and looking to help increase their following and engagement. Social media is important for any business and post-pandemic is just as important as it can help people decide whether or not they want to go to a particular restaurant or shop as they will look to see if these places are obeying the rules and looking after their customers. Use Influencers To Your Advantage Bloggers and influencers are a great way to get your message out to a wide audience and we have as well as getting a trusted and reliable voice to share their views and experiences they have with your business. Using them post-pandemic and while things easing is a great way to showcase the safety measures you’re putting in place to make shopping or working with you is safe and easy I will not put anyone at risk. If you aren’t sure where to start on work and bloggers or influences there are loads of agencies that have databases full of people who are great to work with.  Image credit: Hivan Arvizu from Unsplash Corporate events are a fantastic way for businesses to connect with customers and clients. They can range in size and scale, be formal and informal - making a nice change from your business’ day to day work.
But as corporate events can cost a lot of money, you need to make sure that the corporate events planned by you are effective and successful. Effective planning is a must to ensure the smooth running of your event, and if you want to know more about planning successful corporate events, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips to help you make a success of your corporate events. Set clear aims and objectives Corporate events should have aims and objectives to help them deliver something for your business. From generating interest in a new product or service, to encouraging new business from clients, you should have a clear idea about what your event is setting out to achieve. Focusing on why you’re having an event and what you’d like the outcome to be will guide your planning to help you deliver the most appropriate type of event. Be meticulous with your planning Planning a corporate event is no easy task. Having detailed plans in place will help you to cover all the key elements such as your venue, catering, entertainment, etc. It can help to work backwards from the date of the event to ensure you have key dates in place to engage with suppliers and secure confirmations. Working from a checklist can be an effective way of planning your event, while corporate events planners can be very useful for arranging large-scale events. Think of new and exciting ideas How can you make your next corporate event different to the rest? If you want to make an impression on your guests and secure a positive outcome for your business, then thinking of new and exciting ideas can set you apart. There are all kinds of corporate events ideas you can use to connect with different types of audiences, helping to make a lasting impression. Use each event as an opportunity to try something different to stop your events becoming stale and uninspiring. Connect with your guests after the event Following up with guests after the event is important for your business. It can help drive sales and interest in your business, and keeps your business on their radar. Investing in branded merchandise for corporate events can make sure guests take something away with your name on, while follow-up communications to thank attendees for coming can add a more personal touch. Be ready with your email marketing strategy to follow up with attendees to help generate new leads even after the event has ended. Corporate events can give your business some great results, helping you connect with customers and clients in a way that’s not possible through other communications channels. The right planning can help you make a success of your next event, ready to help your business make a lasting impression.  Image credit: Content Pixie from Unsplash We all have days when things don't look like they're going to work. Days when the sky is falling, and the universe is punishing you.
The day that feels like a fluke is the day that you have to stop, pause and re-evaluate the plan of attack. If the day didn't feel like a fluke, then you are in no position to make changes to improve your prospects. As a solo entrepreneur, the fluke will always be fluke. However, it is a sign that you are approaching a place where you can start tweaking and changing the way you do things. The one thing that you must be able to do is to look at your current plan and ask yourself, "is this still a viable plan?" If the answer is no, then re-consider your options. If you are alone, then you must make yourself a Board Room. For those of you who don't know what a Board Room is, they are an expert witness (kind of like an attorney, except they sit on the Jury). It is a small room with comfortable leather chairs, where you sit across from the expert witness and ask him/her questions. In essence, the Board Room allows you to get a third person, a neutral third party, to look at your case, objectively, as if you are sitting across from a judge. At the end of the Board Room presentation, you will have learned all you could from your presentation in an environment where you were able to ask intelligent follow-up questions. This may not be the answer you were looking for, but it is the answer you need to get you back on track. So, ask yourself: do I have a plan? If you don't, why not? If you do, is it viable? Can I afford to take the risk? And then, ask yourself: will this plan change if I have a Board Room?  Image credit: Mentatdgt from Pexels If you want to start a business, you’re going to need to find a way to get into that entrepreneurial mindset. Getting into the right mindset is key, whatever it is you want to do. Any great business owner will tell you the same thing. If you’re not sure that you’re in the right mindset yet, below you’ll find some pointers that will help you get into the entrepreneurial mindset in no time. Read on and see what you can do:
1. Find Mentors Find mentors who can inspire you. How do they act? How do they think? You may not be able to pick up on it all right away, but continuously trying to learn from them can help you to adjust your own actions and mindset. They can be people you know in real life who you admire, or people like Tony Robbins. You don’t need to spend a fortune to go to their seminars, unless you really want to. Reading up on their free material and watching their talks online can help you in a myriad of ways, and it won’t cost you anything. 2. Read Books The more books you can read on the subject, the better. Of course, some will resonate with you more than others. Try to read at least one book per month so that at the end of each year you have gotten through 12 books that have helped you to expand your mind. Books like Think and Grow Rich and Automic Habits are amazing places to start. 3. Get Clear on Who You Need To Be Your self image can have a lot to do with how easily you are able to get into ‘entrepreneurial mode’. You can do lots of reading and learning, but if you don’t change your self image, you’re unlikely to actually get to where you need to be. So, get clear on who you need to be to achieve your dreams. What do you need to believe? Who do you need to spend time with? How do you spend your days? Really immerse yourself in this new vision of yourself and then try to become that version of yourself each day. Soon, you won’t need to try and your goals will come to you far more effortlessly. 4. Set SMART Goals Setting vague goals rarely helps anybody. Setting SMART goals can help to give you goals that you can actually measure. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. This way, you know exactly what you must do, can see whether you’re getting to where you want to be, and have a deadline to keep you focused. 5. Work on Your Limiting Beliefs Limiting beliefs are often deeply ingrained in our subconscious, and play a huge part in how we act and what we believe we can achieve. In a way, it ties in with our own self image. Figure out what you believe deep down. You may consciously believe you can be a business owner, but what about subconsciously? If you don’t think you’re smart or cunning deep down, then you may not get to where you want to be. Get to know yourself inside out. 6. Figure Out Your Budget A budget will help you to see what you need to focus on when you get started. You’ll also be able to approach suppliers and start building relationships with them, which can further help you get into the right mindset. Whether you’re looking at a company to provide a carbon steel butt weld or a company to outsource your accounting to, make sure you consider this carefully. You will need to be frugal with your budget to begin with. 7. Stop Being Self Centred A good business owner in this day and age is always people-focused. This means remaining focused on both your customers and your team. It’s time to stop thinking about yourself and how you can benefit and instead think about how you can provide value to the people around you. This is what makes an effective business that can stand the test of time. 8. See Failure As A Step Towards Success Failure doesn’t need to be the boogeyman of business. It can teach you so much about what works and what doesn’t, and should be looked at as a valuable lesson. You aren't going to make it through life without making a few mistakes. Make sure you appreciate these mistakes and learn from them. Don’t dwell on them! 9. Always Keep Your ‘Why’ In Mind Entrepreneurs have a very clear idea of what their ‘why’ is and what they would like to achieve. If you forget your ‘why’ or your personal mission, you could easily fall out of your entrepreneurial mindset. Before making any decision, remind yourself of your why. Write it down so you can see it every day. Making sure you keep it in mind will inform you in many positive ways. 10. Stay Flexible Flexibility is key as an entrepreneur, too. You might be able to get into the right mindset fast, but that mindset might not benefit you forever. Things are changing, across all industries, and they are changing faster than ever. Make sure you’re always prepared to learn and do new things, whatever it takes to be successful. A flexible attitude and way of working is a must in 2021 and beyond, so don’t allow rigid thinking or an inflexible way of running your business. Getting into the entrepreneurial mindset fast might not seem possible to some, but with determination and SMART goals on your side, you should be able to do it in a week or less. This doesn’t mean you’ll never need to work on your mindset again, just that you’ll be in a much better place to start your business venture. It could even be worth changing your idea of what ‘entrepreneur’ means. It doesn’t have to mean a suit wearing, fast decision making, cut throat person who is cut off from their emotions. Anybody can start a business in this day and age!  Image credit: Copper and Wild from Unsplash I've been working with online entrepreneurs for well over a decade now and in that time (and especially during this time) I have learned many interesting lessons and tips of the trade. One of those lessons is the power of having a vision for your business growth and success.
Many of us would much rather "wait and see" what happens than take steps toward our dreams... especially when they're small (like building your own website) and grand (like taking your business from the comfort of home to millions of people looking at your site everyday). In this day and age where there is more information than ever before, you would think that we would rather listen to someone who can show us HOW to build our business and what tools and resources we need but the sad truth is that too many entrepreneurs listen to someone who has all the knowledge... and quit when they discover that they don't know how to do what they want. One other very important factor in getting your business started, is having a mentor. This is not just any old mentor though; in my experience you want someone who has done exactly what you want to do, and exactly how you want to do it... so they will be your sounding board as you learn the skills necessary to get your dream of building your business... going from a hobby into a profitable business. You want a mentor who knows exactly how your business should sound, and exactly how you can get to that point. You want a mentor who knows exactly which tools and resources will be the best for your business. You are going to spend many, many hours working with your mentor and we don't want to find out that the skills and techniques we invest in during our time with them is not what is needed... and you're going to be frustrated because you spent too much time with the wrong tool or technique. So make sure there is someone who lives your dream as much as you do and has gone beyond what you thought was possible! So many entrepreneurs waste their precious time in an effort to "perfect" their business instead of concentrating on creating a business that can flourish without them. And you don't need to spend a fortune to get yourself a great mentor... one of my all time fave's are Mike Friesen (author of "Rich Dad" series) and Jim Collins (author of Bestseller... "Lights Out") These guys are great teachers because they get you working in their business day in day out, not just a one time course where you leave feeling like you've got it all under control. 5. Your passion - what really drives you to become a successful entrepreneur. I want to tell you about a friend of mine who wanted to be an entrepreneur so bad that he would do anything to achieve that dream. And you know what, he's become one... as well as many other entrepreneurs we know. So his passion is real, it's not just something he creates to earn some extra cash. There should be something you absolutely love and then there should be something that drives you to become an entrepreneur. Like wanting to do something that is beneficial to everyone and something that gives you a rush just thinking about it, getting you excited and ready to take on the world. That way you'll get through the first 5 steps easily and then you'll be able to focus on achieving your dreams in the third step. Now get going and create your business today!  Image credit: Geralt from Pixabay Accepting risk is a part of being an effective entrepreneur, and it is one that is hard to square with the idea that business success is all about making the right decisions. Let’s acknowledge here and now that even beginning to run your own business is an endeavour that is wrapped up with risk. You are putting money on the line with no guarantee of success - because that can’t be guaranteed - and hoping that you won’t be one of the 60% of businesses that fail in their first three years.
It’s tempting to think that you won’t be one of those businesses, because you won’t make the mistakes they did. When you face a problem, or a fork in the road, you will simply apply intelligence and make the right decision. This is a comforting thought, and intelligence is certainly a vital part of doing business the right way, but is it foolproof? Let’s look at some home truths about business that tell us what we need to know about how - and even whether - you can think your way to business success. Intelligence isn’t just about what you know If business success was simply a matter of knowing things, then - naming no names here - some of the richest people in the world would never have passed the first hurdle. An important part of achieving business success is not assuming that the world will behave in the way you expect it to. We’ve just spent more than a year in a pandemic having a crash course in the concept of “unforeseen circumstances”, but some people don’t yet realise that not only does the world not act according to rules, it also doesn’t always react in the way you would expect. What you know is less important than how quickly you adjust to new realities. It’s not about what should work, it’s about what does work To make the analogy of business as sport, we can all think of teams or professionals who play the game in a beautiful way. Exciting to watch, constantly innovating, and usually losing in the long run to teams and players who are less beguiling to watch but more efficient. If your goal is business success, you will need to be more like the latter. This means that evaluating your strategy isn’t about reading and digesting the works of Sun Tzu (or even Vince Lombardi); it’s about knowing how to set OKRs and achieve those targets. If you’re producing a healthy balance sheet, by all means you can quote all the great philosophers you want to - but don’t assume that the latter will necessarily beget the former. You can never completely eliminate risk Some people hold the impression that business is a series of binary decisions, and if you just pick the right choice at each interval, you’ll eliminate the threat of things going wrong. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid risk in business by leaning away from it. Nor can you face it head-on and make it submit - you simply need to accept that it is there and work on ways to minimise it; repeat the things that are working until they stop working, and avoid the things that never worked to begin with. Perhaps most importantly, you should be looking to get far enough ahead of the curve that you can afford a few mistakes - because mistakes will happen, no matter how much planning you do. Success in business isn’t just about having the master strategy; a lot of it comes down to adaptability, humility and - in some cases - sheer good luck. It’s useful to know a lot, and to think a lot, but sometimes just recognising you can’t know everything is even more important.  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels Are you exploring new ways to grow your business and strengthen your brand? If so, then you should think about the best ways to use the power of your clients and customers. These are a few of the possibilities that we strongly recommend you consider. Use Their Opinions
First, you should think about whether you can use the opinions and thoughts of your customers. They might be able to explain to you the best ways to move forward with your business. Don’t forget, when you’re looking to improve your company it’s important to move in directions that your customers want to see. No one knows what directions these are more than your customers themselves. You might think that customers aren’t going, to be honest when you interact with them. While this might be the case, there are ways to skirt around this issue, such as by using Mystery Shopping experiences. Here customers get a product to review but don’t know what the brand is and deliver honest feedback. Use Their Content Next, you should think about whether you can use content from customers to your advantage. User-generated content can be helpful because it allows you to connect with that individual customer. It will also help you reach their followers. Don’t forget, that customers are far more likely to trust the word of other clients rather than your brand. User-generated content also makes your business seem more accessible and that’s always going to provide a tremendous benefit. Use Their Reviews Next, you should think about using reviews in your business. Do note that a mixture of positive and negative reviews is far better than zero reviews for your business online. That’s why you should make sure that you are encouraging customers to leave reviews. You should do this after the completion of a sale. Business owners often assume that it’s going to be difficult to get customers to leave reviews. However, this is not the case. The reality is that they will drop reviews if you ask the right way and provide some client aftercare instead of just abandoning them once a sale is complete. Use Their Reach Finally, you might also want to consider using their reach to gain more customers and clients for your business. One of the best ways to do this is through promotional merchandise. The right sponsored merch will be worn and used by your clients. This means that they can effortlessly spread the word about your business. You just need to spend a little time ensuring that the merch is attractive and stylish enough that clients want to use it. You might even want to consider using popular brand items to promote your company in this way such as Nike or Adidas sportswear. We hope this helps you understand some of the key ways that you can use your customers and clients to your advantage. By taking the right steps here, you’ll find that your customers can become your strongest asset and help you grow your business, even in a short period.  Image credit: Chris Montgomery from Unsplash Back in March 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people around the world began commuting to their kitchen tables and makeshift home office nooks, few believed they'd still be there now, nearly a year later. And yet, here we are.
The big question looming in many employees' and leaders' minds alike is, what does it all mean for the future of work? Some argue that the great work-from-home experiment of 2020 will lead to the end of offices forever. Others say the last year, in fact, proved we need offices for the collaboration, the creativity, and simply the excuse to get out of the house they provide. You can find the five top tips we learnt about remote working over at Inc...  Image credit: Fauxels from Pexels If you want to survive and help your business to grow, then you need to make sure that you have a steady stream of business clients. In the old days, this was a case of you simply sending out a flyer or even a postcard. You might have even been able to put your ad in a local paper, but right now, things work very differently. You have to make sure that you adapt to what is around you and you also need to make sure that you are willing to figure out the best way to really get your business on the map. If you don’t then you may find that you end up struggling to get noticed and this is the last thing that you need. Verify Google Business
If you are running a B2B business, then you have to make sure that you are as professional as the companies you are marketing to. Your Google Business Profile is what gives your business the opportunity to show up in search results. It also shows up when someone types in your company name on the internet. Google is getting better at catering to users all the time and this free listing should always be your top priority. Ideally, you would use your business profile to promote your company, not to mention that it also helps to verify legitimacy. You can do this through your very own Google My Business account. When you are able to verify ownership of your company, you can then optimise your listing. This will help you to show up much higher in the search results and it will give you access to much more advertising options. If you are able to show on Google Maps, then this will help you to really make the most out of your local SEO efforts. Print Leaflets and Flyers You may think that this is a very outdated way for you to do business, but this is not the case at all. In fact, printing leaflets and flyers is actually a fantastic way for you to make the most out of your marketing campaign, if you combine it with your other efforts. If you are going down the flyer route then you have to make sure that you incorporate your website and you also need to make sure that you add plenty of digital information. This could include your social media handle, for example. If you want to make the most out of your marketing, then it would be wise for you to use large format printing machines. Implement SEO It’s one thing for you to promote your company, but it is another for Google to promote your company. SEO will ultimately determine your ranking algorithm, so you have to make sure that you put in the work to boost your ranking. If you want to boost your SEO, then you need to add relevant keywords that are based on your location as well as your industry. You also need to make sure that you add them to specific places on your site too. At the end of the day, if you can produce high-quality content with tagged images then this will help you out in the long run and it will also help you to maintain a solid site that brings in business for years to come. 
Image credit: Steven Houston from Unsplash
We all want to work less and earn more, don’t we? It’s the dream, the final step towards that ever-elusive ‘work/life balance.’ And yet, until now, most of us have assumed that it’s a myth. After all, you get out what you put in – everyone knows that!
Unless maybe you don’t. According to recent reports, US workers who put in as many as 60 hours each week were less likely than their peers to have received a bonus in the last three years. Far from being an injustice, this is clear evidence that you don’t have to work yourself into the ground to get ahead. In fact, doing so could be hindering your earnings, and here’s why.
A focus on quantity not quality
When we push ourselves too far to be productive, we fall into a focus on quantity rather than quality. After all, a sixty-hour workweek might sound impressive, but there’s no way you can produce good work for that length of time. Rather, you’re liable to work like a sleep-deprived zombie trudging towards a deadline. And, your efforts will be as flat as your pulse! By comparison, employees who stick to the forty-hour standard may well come in and boss it on the quality front, meaning that their shorter timeframe is worth more than your long one. Which begs the question, why would you bother to work more in the first place? An inability to hand over responsibility If you’re too focused on being the hardest working, then you’re more likely to take everything on your shoulders. This may seem like a valiant effort, but martyrdom is never good. If you’re juggling product development on top of lead generation, you’re more liable to wear yourself down and drop both balls. By comparison, outsourcing allows you to hone your time, and clock off at a decent hour. All with the promise of better results. After all, outsourcing managed IT means that you can get cybersecurity right at last while turning to a lead generation company ensures that time you spend converting is time well spent. Far from a failure, accepting that you can’t do it all is fundamental to making the most possible money from your time.
Failure to see straight
It’s also worth noting that, the more you work, the less you can see simple solutions to challenges. And, when this happens, you spend more time developing less satisfactory responses. Switching your brain off sometimes is the ideal way to solve production dilemmas or close leads at last. Much like when we’re falling asleep, our brains often find answers to these things themselves when left to their devices. By comparison, hunching over a desk and considering things for too long will make it trickier for you to reach satisfactory conclusions, as well as taking ever more of that precious time. So, you see, it may sound impressive when you state you’ve worked a sixty-hour week, but is it really the right way to earn more? Probably not.  Image credit: Cleyder Duque on Pexels Any business that sells products has to engage with manufacturing. Whether that’s directly or indirectly. At the end of the day, manufacturing is essential when it comes to bringing your products to life and giving you something to sell. Think about it. Even if you have the best product concept in the world - the best product concept that anybody has ever come up with - it's pretty useless unless you can bring the product to life and offer it for sale on the market. Consumers want to receive something more than an idea for their money. However, manufacturing is a relatively complex process and you have a fair number of options at hand. Whether you offer food products, jewellery, bedding, candles, kitchen accessories, gadgets or anything else you can think of, it’s going to need to go through some sort of manufacturing process and there are countless ways to go about it. Here are a few options alongside a little more information to help you to make the best choices when it comes to your own business and its manufacturing process.
What Is Manufacturing? Let’s start out by settling on what exactly manufacturing is. Put simply, manufacturing is the process of taking raw materials and combining them or joining them together in a way that will create your final product. Anything that comes off the manufacturing production line should be ready to be packaged and sent directly to the customer. It’s your product in its final form. In-House Manufacturing vs. Outsourced Manufacturing The two most common ways of going about manufacturing a product are outsourcing or bringing manufacturing in-house. Now, most small businesses start out by outsourcing their manufacturing, while larger companies with established and in-demand goods tend to bring manufacturing in house. The right decision will fall down to your individual business’ circumstances and needs. But here are a few things to take into consideration to come the right conclusion for you. Cost Your manufacturing process needs to be cost effective. If you are a small business with small means of investing, manufacturing in house can be costly and risky. You may change your mind when it comes to what you’re selling and be lumbered with lots of costly and specific equipment you no longer need. Larger companies tend to have solid demand for their goods and will use equipment and machinery indefinitely, which makes in house manufacturing more sensical. If you know your products will sell, it’s fine to invest in niche manufacturing essentials like carbide tool industries products and conveyor belts. Time Outsourcing tends to save time. You send your requests out and the work will be completed. If you manufacture in house, you need to train staff up. Again, whether this is worth it or not will depend on your business’ circumstances. As you can see, the logical option for most small businesses is to outsource manufacturing. But as you grow and experience success, you may want to consider bringing things in house!  Image credit: Anthony Shkraba from Pexels We spend the majority of your adult lives at work, so it’s vital your career inspires, motivates and rewards you. If you’re unhappy at work, these feelings of discontent and dissatisfaction will inevitably spill over into other areas of your life. By prioritising your professional happiness, you can ensure that your career is as meaningful and fulfilling as other elements of your life. We tend to start thinking about future careers at a relatively young age, whether we want to or not! Teenagers as young as 15 or 16 years old are asked to make major decisions about what they want to do with the rest of their lives. While some people may have a yearning ambition that will stay with them forever, most people don’t. Indeed, you might not even be aware of the range of career options out there when you’re still in your teens or early twenties, right? Fortunately, it is never too late to change your career and do something you truly love for a living. If you’re apprehensive about moving into a new industry or starting over in a new sector, just take a look at these reasons why it’s worth taking a risk: A Job You Love is Less Stressful Although some jobs are naturally more fast-paced than others, a career you don’t enjoy can easily become stressful and overwhelming. When you aren’t particularly motivated to enhance your industry, for example, you might find it difficult to stay on top of the latest developments or be at the forefront of new innovations. In contrast, when you’re doing a job you enjoy, you’re actively interested in how your sector is evolving. As a result, you see potential obstacles as challenges to be overcome, rather than as barriers to your success. This change in your mindset is one of the reasons why a job you enjoy is less stressful than one you don’t, and it’s well worth remembering when you’re weighing up the pros and cons of changing careers. Industries are Constantly Evolving Many people fear starting over in a new industry because they assume, they’ll have to start from the bottom and work their way up. While it is important to gain experience in your chosen sector, industries are constantly evolving, which means everyone is continually learning. The introduction of new technology can revolutionise a sector in an instant, so don’t assume that a lack of experience is going to hold you back.  Image credit: cottonbro from Pexels New Challenges Are Out There
Perhaps you’ve reached a point in your current career where there isn’t really anywhere to go or maybe you’re simply not interested in climbing to the very top of this particular corporate ladder? If so, you’ll be relieved to find that new challenges await you. Taking on a new role in a different industry can unleash the creativity and innovation you thought had fizzled out some time ago. When you’re inspired by your colleagues and peers, and genuinely interested in what you’re doing, it can have a big impact on your mental and emotional well-being. You Have Transferable Skills If you’re worried that the energy you’ve invested in your career thus far will be wasted, don’t be. Nothing can diminish what you’ve achieved in your career and switching to a different sector won’t detract from your success. In fact, your professional experience has equipped you with a whole range of transferable skills that will stand you in good stead, whatever you decide to do next. By choosing to do something you love, however, you can ensure that this hard-earned skills and talents are used to pursue your passion and achieve your lifelong goals. It’s Time for a Fresh Start When people feel apprehensive about changing careers, they often postpone their plans until the ‘right time’. In reality, it’s always the right time for a fresh start, so why wait to do something you love? As 2021 approaches, you can embrace the upcoming opportunities with a ‘new year new job’ mentality. Giving yourself the freedom to seek out new professional challenges will give you the impetus to make positive changes in your life and the drive to enhance your success. Plan Your New Career A career change can enable you to do something you love, but it’s always helpful to have a strategic plan in place. By building a network, gaining informal experience and honing your skills, for example, you can ensure you’re well-equipped to uncover new employment opportunities and secure the job of your dreams in 2021.  Image credit: tookapic on Pixabay Many people dream of starting their own business, they want to work for themselves, they have a great idea that they know people would use or want and they want to make loads of money for themselves without having to give it to someone else. If you’re one of these people who dream of starting your own business, then what is it that is stopping you?
The answer is nothing, and while you might be able to think up plenty of excuses to keep putting it off, in reality, the only thing that is stopping you from achieving your dream is you. If this year has taught us anything it is that life is short and you never know what is around the corner. Who could have predicted that 2020 would be spent mostly in lockdown, social distancing, unable to travel and in fear of a failing economy? It sounds like a disastrous time to start a business but in fact, this pandemic is not an excuse and is as good a time as any to start your business. You have the time One of the biggest reasons people give for not following their dreams or one of the things that people complain they never have enough of is time. But this pandemic has given us time. Whether you have been laid off, furloughed, working from home or carrying on your job as normal, it has still meant that there has been less to do and far more time spent in the house. While it looks like there is the hope of a vaccine now, it doesn’t mean the pandemic is over so if there are more lockdowns then perhaps it's time to use them wisely to work on your business. You have the resources The other thing available right now is a talent as well as other businesses who need work. For example, there are small business owners who could help you out, from electricians to logistics consultants, there are people ready and waiting to get their teeth stuck into something good and help you get your business off the ground. There are also so many talented people who have lost their jobs and are looking for work and could be an asset to your business. There is a demand While the world has changed significantly and some things are no longer as important as they once were, on the other hand, there are things such as face masks, PPE, virtual meetings and deliveries which have never been so popular. If your business can help to meet the demand that the pandemic has caused then it's the perfect time to start. You can adapt The great thing about starting your business now is that you can adapt to the new world straight away. You won’t need to make changes as you can have the restrictions and guidelines in place from the off. Your business can be something that doesn't just exist in a post-covid world but can thrive and help people adapt to a new way of living.  Image credit: Canva Studio Running a successful marketing campaign is defined by quite a few parameters. Length, breadth, growth, etc., which are all extremely variable. And in the modern day and age, it seems easier than ever to get a successful marketing campaign off the ground. After all, there’s a lot you can do with just an internet connection and a platform to make good use of!
So who knows when you’re going to hit success with your brand?! But even with your relative prowess in the digital world, is your marketing campaign running as smoothly as you want it to? And if it isn’t, even when you’ve tried to up the ante and your efforts, are you sure that your marketing campaign truly suits you? Let’s go through a few points below to double check. It Depends on What You’re Aiming For Of course, what you’re aiming for in your business is always going to be at the crux of how you run a marketing campaign. You need to know, ahead of time, what you want out of the period ahead, and what success is going to look like when it’s finished running. Will it mean plenty of inbound visitors? Will it mean ranking at the top of a search engine? Will it mean running a lengthy content campaign, to really build up a log of articles to ensure that SEO strategy really goes off? Simply put, to ensure your marketing campaign suits you, decide what you want before you put anything in place. It Depends on the Type of Business The type of business you’re running should always dictate how you set up your advertising efforts. For example, let’s say you’ve just started up a law practice of your own. How are you going to attract people to your business? Running ads on Facebook pages alone won’t score success here, unlike in an ecommerce business, so you’re going to need specialised services in the form of something like Elite Lawyer Management. Some business leaders just aren’t cut out for running communications as well, simply because they didn’t train this way, and that’s important to remember. At the same time, dipping in and out of various marketing efforts could be a waste of time and money, and in the early stages of establishing your business in the market, this could spell very bad news for you. It Depends Who You’re Trying to Reach Finally, you need to think about your audience as well. Who are you trying to reach? Where are they? What do they need from the market you’re within? All three of these questions need to determine how your marketing campaign is set up and run, to ensure it entirely suits you. When you can imagine your average customer, you’ll have something to design content around, and that’ll give you a real launch pad. A marketing campaign needs to be entirely your own; make sure you know what you’re doing, who you’re reaching, and who you are.  Image credit: Madison Inouye from Pexels In an age where we have unlimited access to pretty much everything you can imagine, it’s easy to become tempted to learn as much as possible.
Maybe you feel as though becoming an expert in many fields will benefit your career or business prospects? And in some ways, you’re not wrong to think that- having knowledge in several areas will set you aside from the crowd as well as giving you the personal gratification of learning something new. However, there are several reasons why it’s often good, and not self-limiting to become a hyper specialist. Here are some of them.. You get to become an expert in your field One of the best reasons to focus on one or two areas of expertise is that the more you invest in your knowledge the better. Imagine if an athlete decided that they wanted to spread themselves across more areas of the athletics industry. They decided they want to train, coach, advertise sporting events, and run the ticket desk, too. While all of these things are jobs that are related to the athletics field, the more this athlete does that will take them away from their training and participation in events, the less time and energy they have to focus on the things that set them apart from the others. It’s the same if you’re in marketing. You decide you also want to try your hand at the web design, content writing, accounts, and sales as well. You’ll be spreading yourself too thinly and potentially missing out on some key aspects of the ever-evolving world of marketing. Staying focused on this one area will mean you get to invest all of your energy in becoming the best. You can offer something unique Imagine you’re at a restaurant and the server gives you a 10 page menu to choose your meal from. Not only are you more likely to end up plagued by indecision, but the choice you make may not result in the best quality meal for your time and money. It’s the same in business. If you offer too much, you’re not going to offer the best quality out there. However, if you head to the sandwich bar three doors down the road who offer one meat, one vegetarian, and one fish option with only three kinds of bread, you know that you’re going to get something a bit more special. This expert specialism is what keeps people coming back. Sure, not everybody wants a sandwich all the time, but when they do, they’ll know exactly where to go. It can get even more specific than that, even. Medifit Design and Construct are a great example of a business that takes something that people look for (design agency) with a specialism (for healthcare practices). People looking for those particular services may be able to find a company that will do a good job designing their medical practice, but perhaps none as good as one that will be able to deliver the same attention to detail as a specialist company. This is why becoming hyper specialist isn’t limiting.  Image credit: Burst on Pexels Starting your new business is a journey that will take you through many ups and downs. That said, it is exciting and one which is extremely rewarding. Plus, many people say working for themselves is the best thing they have ever done. When starting your business, there are many things to consider: branding, finances to websites, and funding. Below is an overview of a few things you should consider when starting your own business.
Creating your website Will you be making your website yourself or hire a professional to make one for you? Depending on your requirements, a website will help bring in new customers to your business and allow you to appeal to them in a different way. Before starting your website, make sure you put a plan together of what you will need on it and the type of website it will be, whether eCommerce, or a brochure-like site. Accounts package When running your business, it is important to stay on top of your finances. Using an account package, you will be able to track how you are doing instantly through a click of a button. Not only that, but you will also be able to send invoices and keep an eye on your expenses. By using digital accounting, you can easily allow your accountant access to your books without having to visit them in person. This will enable them to log in and see how you are performing without leaving their office to meet you; it can all be done over a phone call. How will you brand yourself? Logos, brand colors, and marketing materials should all be thought about before launching your company. Your logo is important, as everyone will see first and give them the first impression of your business. Done cheaply, it can be detrimental to your brand. Brand colors can portray a lot about you; if you are a luxury brand, you may want more gold’s and silvers used instead of bright funky colors. By hiring a graphic designer, they can help you with all of this. Testing your idea in the real world If your idea is completely new, how do you know it will work? Before investing heavily in your idea, it’s worth creating some prototypes and seeing how people respond to it. This is a great way to get actual feedback and to get other people’s opinions. Take note of what people are saying is you can use this to develop your idea and make it even better. Will you need investment? Will your business plan require you to need significant investment, or can you gradually grow your business? If you need investment, have you considered how you are going to raise funds? Make sure you do your research and put together a solid business plan to explain each step of your journey and how the money will be spent. Angel investors, bank loans, competitions, friends, and family, there are many ways for you to pitch and bring in some funding for your idea. If you want to save up money prior to starting your own business, then looking at diversifying your income can help you build up a pot to get you up and running. You can get a lodger licence template and rent out a spare room, you can create a side hustle that allows you to save up to have funding available and gain experience in running a company, or you can sell off items you own. Knowing where the money is coming from is vital. |
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