Author Archives: June Mcdonalid

What Inspires Me to Start and Run a Business?

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If you asked me about what I wanted to become a few years ago, being a businessman was the last thing that ever came to my mind, but after discovering the benefits derived from business, I fell in love with business, and nothing can come between me and business. In fact, the idea never crossed my mind, and I never considered it to be such a massive source of income. The irony is that I did not become a medical doctor or a university professor, which I desired to be, out of ignorance, that is. So, how did I find myself in the business world never to regret? Well, it was because of pull factors (for instance, a Self Serve Beer counter). I mean, you can give a lot of other options a try, and craft beer is definitely one of the main factors I myself would be pulled towards a business especially if they serve chill beer and have a Chilled Freight to deliver it to their business fresh! I say so because I only have good things to say about starting and running a business. Nothing pushed me at all.

Furthermore, due to recent advancements in software, it has become a little easier for businesses to run smoothly without any major setbacks. For example, starting a retail business could be the best option, but it requires a significant amount of effort and labor on the owner’s part. As a result, to overcome these minor setbacks, businesses have begun to rely on smart retail iot platforms like Vantiq to stay competitive (let alone get ahead) and steadily expand their reach, rather than the traditional database-centric approach. Enterprises are gradually shifting toward real-time applications, which operate in real-time, sensing, analyzing, and acting on streaming data as it occurs. In contrast, a database-centric application consumes data and stores it in a database (cloud or on-premise) for future analysis.

Financial Security

Everyone, including myself, dreams of making moolah. But not everyone understands that there is no better way to make money than starting and running a business. While there are people who believe in pursuing career paths and employment, I can tell you for sure that money is in business. Tell me one of the richest people in the world that does not run a business. From Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffet to Mark Zuckerberg, Bernard Arnault, and Larry Ellison, all these people run businesses, and they are employers rather than employees. So, what better way to make money than operating a business? I know of my 10 friends who decided to pursue careers in different fields, including law, medicine, engineering, and teaching, but none of them has even half the bankroll I have. I’m not boasting, so don’t get me wrong. All I want is to help you understand that a profitable business will bring in money.

Job Security and Flexibility

Forget about being employed by a big firm or the government; running a business simply means being self-employed. With my restaurant, I have job security that I could not find elsewhere. I work on my own terms, and there is no single day I have ever been worried that anyone can dismiss me since I’m my own boss. Instead, I hire and fire. I appear at my hotel when I want, and no one questions me. My schedule is as flexible as you could ever imagine, and I do what I want as long as it is in the best interest of my business. I can implement my business concepts without worrying about what others might think. From adopting new bar menu ideas to establishing a new branch, I can take any decision that could take my business to another level.

The Need to Address a Need in My Community

One of the reasons I started a restaurant business is because there was a shortage of restaurants in my local town, while the demand for the same was so high. By addressing the needs of people in the community, I feel that I’m adding a lot of value to the lives of people in my community, as well as visitors. And while I don’t run a first-class restaurant, I’m hoping that I will get there someday, since the writing is already on the wall.

Another need in the community which I feel I’m helping address is unemployment. My local town is a populous urban area with lots of educated, jobless youths. Thankfully, I have employed at least 30 of them and I plan to increase the number once the business grows to accommodate more workforce. Having been born and raised in a poor family, I understand what unemployment means. My parents did not have a stable job themselves, but thank God they managed to raise me with the meager wages they earned working on other people’s farms. It is a story I never want to delve into. So, the least I can do is to create jobs for the jobless.

It Keeps Me Busy

If there is one thing I hate (sorry if ‘hate’ is a harsh word) is being idle. It is not healthy at all. With my business, the fact is that I’m always busy, doing this or that. Thus, I’m rarely just sitting and relaxing the whole day unless it is completely unavoidable. As a matter of fact, sedentary life is not healthy at all and can result in lifestyle health problems, such as being overweight and stressed.

Surprising Small Business Trends to Look Out for in 2021

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2020 was the year that changed everything.

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to wreak havoc on a global scale and social and political unrest reaching unprecedented heights, the world has undergone some significant adjustments over the past 12 months.

For example, there has been a significant move to online shopping with many consumers being enticed by the convenience and the apparent safety of ordering goods online. Many consumers have also been shopping online using special offers in order to save money (see here for an example of some), as dispensable income for some households has lowered during the course of the pandemic.

Although the total impact of 2020 on the worldwide economy is yet to be revealed, small businesses have found new ways to thrive during these times of hardship and adversity.

For instance, did you know that according to Google, worldwide searches for ‘support small business’ doubled in comparison to 2019?

Whilst the factors that attract consumers to online shopping work well in the favor of large businesses. More consumers than ever before seem to be shunning large corporations in favor of supporting independent, locally run businesses.

Consequently, although human contact has been severely limited as a result of the coronavirus restrictions, a lot of people have felt compelled to support local organizations during these times of strife.

Moreover, with freedom of movement severely limited due to enforced lockdowns, most people have been left with no other option but to pay their local businesses a visit for essential goods and services.

So, with this in mind, let us discover some small business trends to keep an eye out for in 2021.

Health is Wealth – The Rise and Rise of the Health Industry

With almost everyone looking for new ways to boost their mind and body, it is not a surprise that some health-related businesses have seen a rise in demand as a result of the pandemic.

From vegan cafes and restaurants that have adapted to takeaway culture, to a boom in natural products such as CBD skincare, health-focused customers are increasingly judicious about where they choose to spend their money.


Customers are actively looking for goods that reflect a healthy lifestyle more than ever before, so businesses selling things like CBD products are becoming a lot more popular. Cannabis in general has boomed in the past few years, with many successful online businesses satisfying customers everyday. With websites that sell cannabis to tutorials on how to make honey oil – the industry has taken off. As marijuana is becoming more accepted worldwide, entrepreneurs are jumping on the band wagon to find their fortune in the next big thing. Perhaps more entrepreneurs should consider selling some CBD vape products as there is a huge market for these products. If this sounds ideal, you can look here to see some white label CBD options. This might be more effective for some businesses, so consider looking into that option.

Put simply, it is no secret that fighting off a deadly virus requires a strong immune system and therefore products that can boost overall health have soared in demand.

Home cooking and baking is well and truly back in business, with bloggers helping amateur chefs to finally get to grips with the culinary basics through tasty and nutritious recipes.

Additionally, in 2021 natural beauty products are going to experience a premium update, with consumers seeking out well-designed and affordable luxury skincare from small, natural brands.

More Businesses Will Use Social Media ‘Stories’ to Connect with Audiences

With almost the entire population spending more time at home and on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok, small businesses have had to adapt to an expanding digital audience. Services such as live streaming have been incredibly popular, especially when they incorporate the use of real time messaging to encourage live discussions and interactivity.

One other social media tool that small businesses will be using more of to promote their products and services in 2021 is stories.

Although originally introduced by the social media platform Snapchat in 2013, stories allow social media users to compile images and video content into a chronological story. As a result of their widespread success, stories are now a default feature on most social media platforms.

What makes a story unique from a newsfeed post or a direct message is that the content itself disappears after 24 hours. This in the moment approach makes them seem more authentic and connectable to an audience.

Correspondingly, if you want to convey your message, alongside live streaming, stories are a fantastic way to build an authentic voice and connect with followers. Simply posting images of products, how-to style tutorials, and a swipe up link to buy is all it might take to initiate sales.

That being said, due to their short and ephemeral nature, it is important that businesses use stories creatively to grab the attention of a viewer and stop them in their tracks before they move on to the next story.

Customer Service Will Become Increasingly Personalized and Will Embrace the Move to Online

In 2021, providing a customized customer experience is key.

However, with so many businesses only operating on a click and collect basis and in an online capacity, what can small business owners do to show customers that their custom is valued?

One way that online businesses can harness the potential of their website is through providing product suggestions that relate to previous purchases.

For example, if your business sells kitchenware, additional kitchenware items might be of interest to your customers.

Smart personalization engines provide a tailored online shopping experience that reduces background noise and distractions and instead provides customers with everything that they could possibly need in one place.

Ultimately, although 2020 was an incredibly tough year for everyone, adaptation has proved to be crucial for small businesses.

Above all, to stand out from the crowd, clear communication between customers and employees is going to be vital.

With the majority of remote workforces showing no signs of returning to the workplace just yet, embracing the online environment will help small businesses to succeed in 2021 and beyond.

What other small business trends do you think are going to emerge in 2021? Get in touch and let us know your thoughts.

Mistakes I Made With My Start Up Business

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A wise person almost always learns from their mistakes. I like to think that I now fit into this category after making many mistakes with my online business start-up. I wish I had gone online to find sites like Salesforce to help me out in getting started. Perhaps sharing these may help you avoid them if you happen to be embarking on a new online business venture.

The Wrong Business

My first mistake was made even before I got started on the internet. What I did do right was the research to determine what type of business would meet a need. I came across several ideas. None of which were anything that I knew much about, but I figured I could learn.

While I had some business ideas something was lacking. It took several weeks of trying to make myself buckle down to learn about this business before I realized what was missing. It was passion. I didn’t have a personal interest in the business category I had chosen. For example, I had discovered that selling car electronic items could be a lucrative online business. However, I don’t have any knowledge about electronics and I have very little interest in them. As a female, I tend to leave all our electronic needs up to my husband. I now realize that I had just lost several weeks trying to learn about something that I had no interest in. I realized with this lack of interest in would be a real challenge for me to be enthusiastic about selling these.

  • Lesson Learned? If you are going to start an online business pick a niche that you are passionate about.

-Setting Up The Website

I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about computers and assumed that I would have no difficulty starting a site. After all, I did know the basics. I knew I needed a domain name, a hosting company, and a platform for operating my website. How hard can it be to launch a business website? This was my second mistake and I realize now a should have had a look online for assistance in developing my website.

  • The wrong domain name

I was so excited about choosing a domain name that I barged right into this without giving it any real thought. Then I realized something. If I were going to pick a name for a brick and mortar business, I would put a great deal of thought into the name and the signage. The domain name is equal to this. It is just as important. This is the name that people were going to recognize my business by.

I choose the first domain name and it was charming and memorable but had absolutely nothing to do with my business. Fortunately, I only paid a few dollars for this, and I soon set out to purchase a new domain name that was much more appropriate.

  • What is hosting really about?

Moving onto my third challenge was assuming that I knew everything I needed to know about hosting. It is just a matter of choosing one of the more well-known companies that offer the lowest prices. Wrong. There is a lot more to it than that. Learn from my mistake and take the time to understand what the different packages are and exactly what they will do for you. I am the type of person who tends to go with the biggest and the best. In this case, I wanted the biggest package the hosting company had to offer, which of course, was the most expensive. Later on, when I became savvier about an online business, I realized this was not necessary. I could have started with a much smaller hosting package and upgraded when needed. I would have saved myself some money had I done this.
Thinking back on it, I could have made some smart choices with my internet plans as well. I do get a feeling that there might have been better packages and bundles like the ones from AT&T, Verizon, suddenlink internet plans (among others, of course) who have partnered with third-party service providers like HighSpeedOptions.

  • Global payments

Honestly I didn’t really put a lot of thought into this one and mostly assumed that the hosting platform would do a lot of the conversions and processing for me. However a friend later told me about the software found here https://fastspring.com/global-payments/ that helps you to process global payments that will allow you take your business to an international level. Isn’t hindsight a beautiful thing…

  • Lesson Learned: Walk before you run.

Launching The Website

In this segment of starting my online business, I felt quite proud that I didn’t make too many costly mistakes. I made several that were time-consuming and delayed my business launch for about six weeks.

The Biggest Mistake Of Them All

By the time I launched my online business, I had realized that I had made a lot of mistakes. With the most important ones being the ones I have just discussed. However, at the time of launching, I didn’t realize that I was about to make the biggest one of all.

Thinking that now that my site was live, traffic would flock to it. I hadn’t even considered any form of marketing. I soon discovered that this wasn’t going to happen. I set out on the next segment of my business journey to get my brand known.

Hopefully, now that you know about these common mistakes you will be able to avoid them.

Three Reasons We Need SEO Marketing More Than Ever

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Search engines such as Google have recorded so much information about us. For instance, Google knows the physical locations we frequent the most and what commodities we are more likely to buy online. It means that there is a personalized data graph for each one of us who uses the internet. How search engines perceive value from online content means a lot for SEO in 2021. That is why we need to optimize the presence of our brands over the web which includes all digital channels and media uploads, using companies similar to this Denver seo marketing company to help us achieve this. How Google ranks our content could be the secret to our business success this year.

Today, it is not just about our website design. We have to be aware of everything we are putting out there about our business and should be using tools such as this link management software to make sure we are in control of everything our brand shares. It’s been shown that the web content and how it interacts with search engine result pages is what now matters the most. The biggest question we should be asking ourselves is, “are we telling a good story about our business online?” To become SEO professionals, we must understand the complexities behind titles, sub-titles, natural language processing, and how they relate to Google rankings. Keyword frequency aside, we can maximize on Google Natural Language and other similar SEO tools to improve our brands’ presence online. Here is why we cannot neglect search engine optimization this year.

1. We Have a Responsibility to Make the Internet Useful

As search engines get smarter, we need to think beyond keyword search. Let’s not get it twisted, though; keyword optimization is still necessary. But the most important thing is the relevance of the blog headings to the queries and intent of internet users. At Google Discover, keywords do not play a significant role. One of the best ways to optimize the visibility of content for Google Discover is to establish a brand identity in graph knowledge and its relation to the topic. We need to be tracking the performance of our brand in Google’s knowledge graph API. Then we can hone in on SEO strategies that go beyond publishing captivating content to drive traffic in the knowledge path. As we figure out our topics, let us plan how to connect the target audience with the right information. By doing this, Google will always direct more traffic to our websites.

2. AI is Moving at a Rapid Pace

We are on the verge of innovative technologies spearheaded by rapid processing powers and big data upsurge. Wireless capabilities have enabled more cloud computing, advanced algorithms, and mobility. No technology is going to be as disruptive as artificial intelligence in the next few decades. Marketing and sales departments are focusing on AI more than other areas of a business. But how can we leverage AI to produce relevant web content and optimize link building? Today, Google Maps and geolocation apps have become essential tools for travelers and shoppers.

Moreover, the rise of voice searches for ‘near me’ queries is closely connected to Google Maps results. Google utilizes AI that tends to be optimized using text annotation tools to produce accurate results when users search for local businesses in real-time. Cell phone users are mostly addicted to voice search technology. These are opportunities we need to leverage, so our companies are not left behind. When writing blogs, it is better off we use a conversational tone. When search engines process the users’ queries, they can predict the most relevant results to satisfy the user’s intention through machine learning and AI. Depending on the reaction of internet users, Google can improve on the results next time.

3. User Experience Has Taken Center Stage

When we mention user experience or UX, we are putting the consumer first. Currently, UX has a prominent effect on Google rankings. Search engines use real-life user-centered metrics to determine user experience. The metrics are known as Core Web Vitals and calculate the interactivity, website load times, and content stability while loading. User-centered metrics report to the search engine algorithms how our websites perform in terms of usability, load times, and accessibility via different devices and operating systems. If we can nail this, our business sites will be granted higher online visibility. Pop-ups, overwhelming graphics, and complex themes can adversely affect Core Web Vitals. These elements are not only intrusive but time-wasting for end users.

Businesses that are planning to thrive in 2021 must continue to focus on search engine optimization. Despite the global pandemic, this is a period of opportunities for our online businesses. We have a fantastic chance to expand revenue streams through digital platforms. Improving the odds of higher rankings on local searches is a must. Apart from traditional SEO tactics, let us not forget about the growing AI concept, Google’s knowledge graphs, and user experience (UX).

Using Property Investments to Build Financial Security

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Most often, those who want to build their financial security will consider investments. At the same time, many people like myself may be nervous about getting involved in investment because they are worried about the risks. Some consider themselves to be risk-takers and are far more open to a variety of different types of investments. I am not so daring but I wanted to consider property investments. These can be a little more secure, but they still do come with some risks. This type of investment goes beyond investing a few hundred dollars, which is a possibility when investing in stocks.

Types of Property Investments

When I was thinking about a property to invest in, I found there are two major considerations. Is the investment for short term gain, or is it for the long term? Or, in most cases, it can be both.

Short Term Gain

I did realize that when purchasing my first home, that this was my first investment experience. However, I was not going to realize the financial benefits from this in the short term.

Those who buy a house that they are not going to live in often do rent it. This is where short term profit can be realized. There are pros and cons to this type of investment.

Passive income: Renting a house like this is considered to generate passive income. The rent proceeds can be used to pay the mortgage and any other expenses that come with the house. Ideally, enough rent should be charged to glean an immediate profit from this property. But even if it doesn’t, then the investment is still a good one but has a long-term effect. There are a few other ways that you can generate passive income. For example, you could invest in stocks, or start a blog or video channel. For more information on how to start your passive income, you could check out this article: Passive income for beginners, or similar ones on the web. It may help you through this endeavor of yours.

Long Term Gain

As a rule, property increases in value as time passes. This can be a slow process in many cases but still a lucrative adventure, particularly if there are no immediate needs for the property to return an immediate profit.

Some people will buy a primary residence and then live in it for several years. When the time is right, they will sell it at a profit, allowing them to upgrade to a newer or bigger home. Some may invest in a second property, such as a vacation home, with two intentions. One is to use it for their immediate pleasure. Then secondly sell it when the property value has become substantial. This is what I felt was the best investment approach for me.

For the Retirement Years

One great way to save for the retirement years is to buy a home in the younger years and then hold onto this for several years, not selling it until it’s close to retirement time. A substantial profit can be realized from the increase in appreciation of the home. By this time in life, many couples are now on their own and are ready to downsize anyway.

Commercial Property

Another option is to invest in commercial property, and the same basic concepts can apply. Immediate gains can be realized from the rent then a profit when the asset is sold. Although you do need to be thinking about the other expenses that come with buying a commercial property, for example, you may want to update to commercial metal roofing because this is less likely to be damaged, even from storms. Therefore, it will cut down expenses further down the line and make it more attractive to future buyers. So, you need to be thinking about your improvement budget so that you can sell the property for much more.

Making Careful Choices

Those who are seriously looking at property as an investment really want to do their homework. If they invest in the rental property, they want to be sure that they are buying rentable property. You’ve to make sure that the property you’re investing in doesn’t come under the expired real estate listings. If at all it comes under the said listing, do quick research as to why the property got expired. You may be able to get the place you wanted in a much affordable rate if you know the downfall of the property you’re investing in. It’s okay to buy a home that may need some work before renting, but the costs have to be weighed against the potential profits. If fixing it up will bring higher rent and make it easier to rent, incurring these initial costs may be worth it. It means paying attention to what is going on in the rest of the neighborhood. For example, it would not be practical to turn a home into a luxury home in a low-income residential area.

I learned that when investing in property, decisions should not be made in haste. There is always the thought that a delay may create the loss of a good deal. But, moving too quickly without doing proper research can create a financial disaster. A brainstorming session with a property consultant could be a wise decision to make in this regard. If you are looking for properties consultants London, you could contact firms like Address Property Consultants, who could help you find a suitable and efficient solution for your property investment queries.

Be Prepared

Keep in mind that there are a lot of responsibilities that come with being a landlord. This is not the type of investment that one makes then forgets about it. There are lots of things that must be considered before actually purchasing a piece of property.

Why Small Businesses Need to Hire Financial Advisors

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Making concrete decisions that will shape up a new venture into a thriving enterprise without the support of an experienced financial advisor is challenging. You need to have someone to tell you where when and how to spend your money and help you on budgeting. They should help you to grow your business in the right ways and tell you where to invest. Sometimes you can get buildout costs, such as these tenant build out costs in jacksonville for an example, and you wouldn’t know about this without a financial advisor. You need someone who understands what it is like to build a company and how to use those finances correctly, which people can get assistance with and see more about by going onto helpful financial websites such as earlygrowthfinancialservices.com. Setting up both long and short-term goals that are attainable demands input from experts who have gone through similar challenges in the past and have solutions to pressing challenges in the industry. With the right decisions, we’ll realize business financial growth and stability. These experts are so because of what they have built up over time and how they have been able to assist with important and necessary financial situations. Using resources that can be found at https://www.leadjig.com/financial-advisor-marketing/, they are able to appeal and become beneficial to businesses who require the support needed for their operations.

In this article, I’ll discuss different reasons why small businesses should seek the services of financial advisors.

Financial Advisors Make Work Easier

Running a newly built enterprise involves handling different roles that might make us confused. We cannot be the head of each department and expect everything to work as planned without a few hitches. We don’t have to take up the entire load while financial experts can handle important parts of running the business at a small fee. The experts look into the budget, give financial insights, and counsel, ensuring that all financial situations run smoothly.

Financial Experts bring Experience

Although we don’t need to go to school to learn how to run our businesses, working with individuals who understand the market is critical. Financial consultants are trained extensively and are rich in experience gained from handling various clients in different industries.

The financial experts conduct the business assessment, check on its practices, and recommend improvements depending on the business niche. While doing this, proper management of available resources is done in ensuring that maximum returns are generated.

Consultants Identify Complex Challenges Within the Venture

Both employees and the management may not identify problems within the business. Third-party participation in business management ensures that trivial issues that might arise complex challenges at later stages get mitigated early. Financial consultants identify loopholes that could bring losses and recommend changes that will have the problem covered.

Shape-up the Future Plans for the Business

Business goals and objectives shift over time due to market or production change. As such, we forget to change our objectives with time and get caught up unaware. Financial advisors are the first to realize growing markets, new production strategies, and what consumers want. These important details are useful in planning the future of the company and expanding its growth.

Financial consultants are trained to forecast business performance by looking into financial indicators such as technological development, market conditions, and changing competition. This knowledge is vital in strategizing the business future and curbing potential challenges that could alter business growth.

Financial Experts Cut Costs

The primary focus of financial advisors is to use available resources and reduce wastage. The experts create an accounting system that monitors costs and ensures everything is aligned with the set budgets. The system helps in identifying cost variances from time to time and allows individuals to act quickly. This ensures that the costs remain within the provided budgets. Whilst this is obviously beneficial for the business, some might prefer to use some software for this. Businesses can benefit from ProSymmetry software to help them manage their projects and their finances. This might be more beneficial for some businesses.

Conduct Research

New business owners face different challenges every day and this might hinder us from doing various researches that are vital for the venture. Considering that periodic market and product research is key in rapid business development, working with an experienced financial consultant is a must. The professionals meticulously approach taxation and legal matters through research.

The consultants study our financial reports, check on the business market trends, and look into different financing options that can help the business grow. If we need some refinancing, the experts make recommendations on whether we should go for equity or debt-based financing. This is done regarding the business needs and a decision is arrived at after comparison of all options is done.

Help Balance Business and Personal Finances

A business establishment is aimed at improving our financial positions but this becomes cumbersome immediately when the business starts running. We all become too focused on business development and forget to analyze our gains from what is generated in the venture.

Both the owners and the venture should benefit financially in a similar way. Instead of buying more shares into the company, a financial advisor helps us plan for our retirement. We get to save more ensuring that all our eggs are not placed in one basket.

Wrapping Up

Business financial management is not easy regardless of our goals. We need someone to help us manage our cash flow, long-term financial objectives, loans, and identify potential markets. Financial advisors have for long proved useful in managing the financial aspect of a business. Get an affordable expert and salvage the business from its downfall.