Tips on How to Make Your Own Business a Reality

Many people throughout their lives will have that light-bulb moment, you know the one, when an idea hits you for an innovation or an enterprise that you think could work. The sad truth is that far too many people don’t follow through with their ideas which can lead to regrets later in life or the possibility that someone else will come along with your idea and make it a success. There are many reasons why people won’t indulge their ideas and turn their dream into reality, whether it is fear, a lack of confidence or simply a defeatist attitude that stops them from doing this. If you fall into the bracket of having a fantastic idea and you’re not sure how to follow it through, then here are some tips on how to make your own business a reality.

Don’t Fear Failure

Almost every business or product that has been taken to the market has suffered setbacks along the way, these set backs are not failures, far from it. In fact, set backs are exactly what you need in order to perfect your craft, business or product and in a way, they should be welcomed. The notion of not trying something out in case you fail is one that should be dispelled from your mind, just go for it.

Research and Plan

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65% of start-up business’ fail in their first year, the reasons for this are usually a failure to understand the market and the competition and an overly optimistic financial forecast. Before you even consider heading into the marketplace, it is imperative that you understand your target customers and the competition that you may face. Spending time on this in the beginning is the difference between failure and success. From a financial standpoint, you should always have a full and realistic plan for income and expenditure in the first year, the best approach in year 1 is to be frugal and sensible with how and where you spend your money. Small business loans are a great idea when you are starting out but make sure that you borrow within your means as if you fail to do so then this will bring added pressure to your business.

Make Friends

Creating a community of support around you is one of the most important things you can do for your business, regardless of what field you are entering in to. Whether it be making contacts within advertising or people higher up the food chain than you, if you create these contacts in then beginning then they will pay you dividends in the future. Remember to offer help and support to others if you wish to receive the same thing in return.

Take Advice

You may well think that your idea is the best thing since sliced bread, while this may be true it is important that you never become arrogant in your decision-making. Always seek help and advice from others who either know you well or know the marketplace well. The wisest businessmen and entrepreneurs out there make the best decisions because they seek counsel and you should be no different, even if you are convinced of a certain path or strategy, you should always bounce it off someone first to see if they can see any cracks or holes in your plan.

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The Growing Importance of Security Guard Service

Today, now more than ever, security is a real priority in everyone’s lives. There are many more threats to the general safety of people in areas that may never have been considered risks before. As a business owner or operator of any type of building, part of your responsibility is to make your residents, employees, customers and visitors feels as safe as possible all of the time. Situations can change in an instance nearly anywhere and it is important that you have the proper security measures in place to help deter potential thefts and other activities. All of this has made security guard service more important than it has ever been before and has more locations looking into using the security officers Houston, TX has to offer.

Security at Many Locations

In the past, it seemed like the only places security forces really seemed necessary were at places like banks and certain office buildings and complexes. Even security at malls and retail areas seemed to be limited at best. Because of all that has occurred over the last fifteen to twenty years, there are many more potential threats that can affect people in areas never considered as security risks before. Because of this, you are much more likely now to see security services at places like schools, government offices and facilities, malls, apartment buildings, places of worship and the like. Security is no longer something relegated to executives or areas that contain valuable or sensitive information. Just having the proper security presence at these places can act as a deterrent to theft, trespassing, potential sabotage and other issues.

Using the Latest Available

Because there is a lot more use of technology today when it comes to potential crimes and illegal activities, security services must be vigilant in learning how to use technology of their own to prevent actions. Security guards today are now highly trained in the uses of a variety of technology and equipment that can help them to do their jobs more effectively. This includes the latest in surveillance equipment and communications and tracking so that they can properly patrol and protect different areas. Because technology can be used in so many different ways as methods of theft and destruction, you need to have the right security systems and officers in place to deal with situations, react and respond quickly and appropriately. The right security service with the best technology will help to detect potential problems before they can fully develop.

With the greater emphasis being placed on security today, it makes it all the more important that you choose the right security company to work with for your own facility. When you are looking for the best security services in Houston, you have to contact Mustang Security and Investigations. They have a great deal of experience in working with all kinds of facilities and industries and have officers that are highly trained for any situation to help you offer the best security possible.

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Tips for promoting your freelance business

How do you promote your freelance business effectively? ... photo by CC user FirmBee on pixabay

Photo by CC user FirmBee on pixabay

There could be any number of things that have led you to this point: eschewing the traditions of an office routine and following the same 9-5 weekday pattern. Maybe you’d like to be sat somewhere hot with a cocktail in hand while creating cool content, or you would like to explore IT freelancing to spend more time doing the things you love.

Whatever the reason, just because you possess the aptitude and desire to be working freelance, it is by no means a straightforward switch, and you may be left wondering how you will make the leap from unknown to in demand, and how to achieve this as quickly as possible. Luckily for everyone involved, there are a number of ways to make the dream a reality.

The best place to begin the journey is with the basics. Once you have a well-defined strategy and an essence of what sets you apart from everybody else trying to make their way in your field, you can commence in earnest. Starting local is never an option to be underestimated. Word of mouth rumors can spread faster than you can imagine, and a good review from a few trusted sources can lead to a huge spurt in business demand.

This helps to build your initial client base, and if you play it right, you can guarantee yourself a starter income to keep you ticking over while you scout elsewhere for further opportunities. If you are aiming to offer services worldwide from a remote location such as your home, word of mouth will only get you so far. Mastering your online promotion is vital to increasing your potential. Explore all of the different social media pages and figure out which ones you think best suit your business. Once you have an idea of your preferred platforms, create a profile and see what interest you can generate.

Social media is not the only tool of online promotion of course, and there are many other websites that may offer a huge client base for you to get in touch with. If you are a budding writer or have other online work you can showcase, it is vital to create a portfolio so everyone can see what you have been working on. Websites are easy to set up these days, with many host sites that do all of the design work for a reasonable fee.

Specialist fields can sometimes be difficult to break into, and there are several companies that specialize in helping to get your name out there to find more work. If you are a contractor, going through an umbrella company can really help promote your business, as they do all the searching for you. This allows you to concentrate on what you do best.

As always when starting a new venture, it is unrealistic to expect these things to instantly click into place, so don’t be too disheartened if there is no immediate uptake. Keep plugging, ensure you retain an element that sets you apart from the rest, and you could have the job you’ve always dreamed of.

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How To Use The Internet To Grow Your Local Business

Ensuring your business is successful no doubt takes up most of your time. Your business is your lifeline; its success affects your quality and way of life, on top of providing you the cash you need to pay the bills, put a roof over the family’s head and pay for food. Making sure your company survives and grows means having a great product or service on offer, offering high-value prices, boasting excellent customer service and standing out in the crowd.

In this increasingly competitive economy, marketing your business is arguably more important than ever. Small businesses may not be looking to get themselves on prime-time TV, but they should be looking to market their business effectively if they want the maximum potential return on investment. Even small, local operations can find themselves increasing profits through online trade and often find a great website can transform a small operation into a national one.

Local Internet Marketing

Utilising internet marketing, in all its forms, should be a top priority for local businesses in the UK. Customers are searching for all types of businesses and when they’re looking to buy, local searches are commonly used. By this, we mean people are searching for specific businesses in specific areas, and that’s why Thomson Local is the go-to place for local business advertising. This company is used by millions of customers in the UK, and they generate millions of online referrals and deliver millions of directories to households and businesses. Thomson’s goal is the same as what yours should be; to attract business from as many potential customers as possible.

Using the Internet to Get Found By Customers

Getting your business onto online directories is a no brainer, but to unlock online sales to the maximum potential and really watch your business boom, you should be utilising numerous channels of internet marketing. If you get to grips with what you need to do and, in time, master the art, internet marketing can be extremely cheap – oftentimes free – but you should always seek advice where you’re not sure to get the maximum return on your efforts.

  • Social Media Marketing – You might be a traditional family-run business that’s been operating just fine for decades, and you might not be an avid user of Facebook yourself, but these days everybody is using social media, including your customers. Many people spend hours browsing through the social media feeds and millions of people check their feeds periodically through the day. If you attract followers to your page, you can share news about products and promotions that will be read by potential customers. Plus, they may share this news to others. You can respond to queries and complaints instantly to bolster your customer service, and if your campaign is a success, you can watch your customer base grow.
  • Having a Good Website – When people are searching for your business online, it’s important that you have a website for them to find. Online directories can help your business get found by local customers, but nowadays, they’ll want to find more than just a phone number and a location on a map – though both of those are completely necessary. They’ll want to take a look at your website and get a first impression of how professional your business looks. They’ll likely want to be able to look at products or have a general read of what your business is about. It’s also extremely likely that many of them will want to buy products from you online. Most of your competitors will be doing it, so having a website nowadays is crucial to staying in the marketplace.
  • Search Engine Optimisation – Just making a website is like putting a drop into the ocean. The internet is flooded with existing websites and new ones are created in abundance on a daily basis. Standing out in the crowd is what will bring your website success, and this is achieved via good search engine optimisation. Google among other search engines have a very complex system of deciding which websites are most relevant to user searches, but you can help your website reach the first page and attract more viewers by publishing content regularly, bearing in mind keywords your customers may search for and making sure they are featured in your text, building relationships with other businesses who can help spread the word of your website, and –as aforementioned – being featured on online directories and running successful social media campaigns.
  • Content Marketing – Many people are now immune to the hard sell. People don’t want salesman knocking on their doors and they don’t want to read articles on a website that focus solely on attracting their custom. People browse the internet at their own leisure, and as such, would prefer to read a more engaging article with useful information. Guest blogging and placing blogs on your own website, which explain things or provide a solution to a problem, can help build trust with potential customers and lead to future sales. Many businesses find success attracting new followers to their social media profiles by sharing related industry news and not always focusing on advertising themselves.

All of the above may be hard to master for new or inexperienced users, which is the reason so many businesses are around to help you market your business locally using the internet. Investing in one of these companies could be a good idea, but getting your business on Thomson Local really is a must. This company’s purpose is to get you found and it works with many partners to do just that, but it’s still important to remember other vital ways to attract new business using the internet. Social media marketing, having a great website that is search engine optimised and producing high quality content will all help you take your business into the future.

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Eyelash extensions can be cheaper with Groupon

If you’re into cosmetics you’ve probably heard about how much cheaper they can be when you travel to foreign countries. In places like Asia, South America and Central America, the cost of salons, spas and such places is dirt cheap compared to back home!

But it’s not impossible to find affordable cosmetic salons here at home too. While these places generally charge more than in other countries, the trick is to find discounts online before showing up. For example, you can buy all kinds of coupons from Groupon offering up to fifty percent savings or more. Check out these deals for eyelash extensions in Houston to see what we mean.

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Groupon’s now offering big discounts on Harmon Audio gear

Many travelers spend lots of time traveling on planes, trains, buses and automobiles, and it can get pretty dull while doing so. We all love to travel, but the actual ‘going there’ part can be quite boring.

To keep you from dying of boredom it’s important to have some sort of entertainment, or at least have some music to listen to. Luckily for you, we’ve got a great tip. Harmon Audio has just teamed up with Groupon.com to offer a range of discounts on its best audio gear, including MP3 players and other items. Check out their page today!

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The Countries With The Fastest Internet

Countries With The Fastest Internet

Thinking about living the life of a digital nomad? Or maybe just need to get some work done while on vacation? Well check out this list to see the countries with the fastest internet. While it is often hard to determine who has “the fastest” internet due to many variables such as averages, cities, and wireless; these a few nations that stand out for the outstanding and cutting edge dedication to high speed internet connectivity.

Countries With The Fastest Internet
The United States
Let’s start out with the big one. The U.S. has at average speed of over 8.6mbps per second. This is only getting faster as plans for massive fiberoptic are being completed including ambitious plans by Google. Wifi is also abundant and often “free” with purchase at most bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. Due to America’s massive size and diversity, the accessibility and speed of internet can vary greatly depending on your specefic location. Some cities have even began implementing city wide free wireless Internet.

South Korea
South Korea has possibly the fastest average speed at an astonishing 22.1 mbps. This blows away most other countries and sets up an infrastructure to allow for massive economic growth. With close to 95% of the population using the internet, South Korea makes good use of the high speed bandwidth. South Korea’s reputation as one of the countries with the fastest internet is credited to a hybrid approach including  governmental planning, private section competition, a dense urban populace, and a culture thirst for the information, online games, and live streaming YouTube celebrities.

Denmark
This northern European country boats some of the fastest and most widespread high speed internet connectivity in the world. Despite lack of competition, the danish broadband market provides excellent speed and accessibility. Denmark is also leading the pack with wireless broadband with a recent promise of  99% of the population to be covered with 4G (10mbs) in 2015. Denmark also repurposes existing infrastructure such as out of use smoke stacks as antennas.

Northern European and and North East Asian countries  are consistently ranked  to have the fastest internet. The commonalities seem to be small prosperous  nations with urban populations. It is much easier to get all your citizens on a single high speed network when they all live in same city, other developed countries such as China, Australia, and the United States face a more difficult time keeping up due to their size. Also it is important to know these numbers seem to be increasing by the year, so a country with limited internet access today could have wide spread broadband by next year. Also the amount of high-speed cellular data networks is rising exponentially and it is not hard to a imagine an entire world connected by a 4G network.

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The Best Home Workout Programs to Get Shredded

Get Riped

Tired of looking or just feeling bit flabby? There is no reason you can’t be in the best shape of your life regardless of age or excuses. No gym? No problem! Here are some of the best home workout programs to get shredded. Each one makes different promises but they all have one thing in common, sweat. So just because you are at home doesn’t mean you will be on the couch. Be prepared to work hard.
Get Shredded
Shortcut to Shred
Hosted by legend Jim Stoppani this six week program is designed for any skill level and will give you a fat free hard body. No one promises it will be easy though, nothing good ever is right? Jim is gonna kick your butt for six weeks but it will pay off when that butt is hard as ice. So if you aren’t afraid to sweat, give this program a try and get shredded.

Kris Gethin 12-Week Trainer
Kris Gethin (or should we say Get-thin) doesn’t have time for your excuses, in fact that is his matter of fact philosophy: “No Excuses!” While this plan is probably for the intermediate to advance level given its intensity, expect to be in some of the best shape of your life following this 12 week training. Your friends will be asking who your personal trainer is and what gym you have been spending all your time at, having no idea you just stayed at home and were able to get shredded.

P90x
There is a reason p90X has become a household name. Short for “Power 90 Extreme this at home workout was created by Tony Horton and has gained incredible traction in the last decade. This program is suitable for beginners and combines  cross-fit style training with periodization along with a diet plan to ensure you will get maximum shape. The 90 in P90X also shows how many days it will take. While some programs offer a shorter span for results remember patience is a virtue. Follow the P90X program and in less than 3 months you will be in better shape than you ever though.
These are three solid programs if you want to get shredded. There are probably dozens more that work as well but there is one key factor in all of them, hard work. If you want to get rock hard abs, a toned core, biceps the size of pythons, you are going to have to work for it. That means waking up and doing the home workouts everyday. That means ditching the cheeseburgers and maybe doing the workouts twice in a day. So if you think you can handle it, try one of these work outs and be prepared to be the envy of your friends when they see how ripped you gotten.

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Most Successful Entrepreneurs Under 30

Most Successful Entrepreneurs Under 30

Just because you are young doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. Don’t let your youth hold you back rather embrace it and make it an advantage. Here are some of the most successful entrepreneurs under 30 who have changed the rules and already left their mark.

Tyler Haney
At just 27 seven years old Tyler Haney is the founder of Outdoor Voices an active apparel company that has over 8 million dollars in venture capitol. Talk about a big amount of cash for a young person. Tyler is handling is the responsibility and her education in sports and fashion are proving crucial in her new role, running a company.

Shawn Mendes
Shawn is only 17 years old but he already has a envious amount of success. Shawn is a singer and through self promoting videos on Vine he was able to obtain a manager, a contract, and now even a number one single. It just shows you what a lot of talent combined with a self starter attitude can get you.

Jordan Maron
The 23 year old Jordan Maron has made countless YouTube videos reviewing video games. Skeptics would not see this as a career but they were wrong. Jordan has over 8 million YouTube followers and with that many followers you have advertisers eating out of the palm of your hand. His giant online following will ensure his influence and success for years to come, of which he has many!

John Boyega
 Most Successful Entrepreneurs Under 30
This young actor recently starred in Star Wars the Force Awakens, a record breaking film by all measurements. John Boyega is only 23 years old and is likely on track to be one of the worlds most recognizable faces given the insane amount of marketing and promotional products tied to the new star wars movie. This young actor sure knows how to pick his roles and given the success of this film, he will likely have first dibs on acting roles for the remainder of his career.

Matthew Ramirez
A 26 year old Berkeley English Major, Matthew Ramirez has combined the high-tech with the old-school. He has created an algorithm that analyzes writing and automatically provides feedback and suggestions. His software has already been purchased by dozens of schools and looks like it is gaining some serious traction.
These successful entrepreneurs under thirty all have one thing in common, they shot for the moon. Regardless and because of their age they were able to use modern tools to showcase their talents. What to be like them, well first you need to decide what your talents and skills are. The second step is to market yourself or your company using modern social media platforms. Whether you are thirteen or seventy-three it just goes to show you that anything is possible.

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The Best Digital Nomad Hubs of 2016

digital nomad hubs of 2016

Digital Nomad is the buzz word of 2016 and if you are like thousands of people around the world you find the idea appealing.  Working from an exotic location can be a fun, rewarding, and even enlightening experience. With thousands of cities to choose form, here are the best digital nomad hubs of 2016.
digital nomad hubs of 2016


Chang Mai, Thailand
Thailand’s low cost of living, relaxed vibe, and beautiful scenery have made it one of world’s hubs for digital nomads. Chang Mai takes this a step further. This city in northern Thailand offers all the conveniences of a larger city such as Bangkok without the chaos and pollution many are trying to escape. Chang Mai offer affordable housing and daily expenses, high speed inter infrastructure, all while being surrounded by northern Thailand’s scenic mountains and reasonable climate. It is also far less touristy than much of southern Thailand. Combine this with a large convenient airport and you have an excellent choice for one of the best digital nomad hubs of 2016.

Santiago, Chile
Another warm city tucked away in the mountains, Santiago is the perfect place for a creative expat on a budget. This city features a low cost of living and world class amenities. It is also the perfect jumping off to spend your weekend enjoying Chile’s insanely diverse natural splendor, from deserts, to mountains, to penguin rich Patagonia. This capitol city is home to a number of university’s which has sustained a vibrant youth culture of artists. It is also home to a vibrant street food scene. Santiago houses over 6 million people, rich cultural history, great public transport and with a stable economy you may love it so much you could  find yourself transitioning from a nomad to a resident.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This Southeast Asian megacity is often over looked by digital nomads but I’m not sure why. With it’s tropical climate, low cost of living, and access to surrounding beach towns; this modern metropolis is the perfect to spend some time while trekking the world with your laptop. In the shadow of the worlds largest twin buildings and with massive modern infrastructure and ample co-work locations, Kuala Lumpur on of the ideal digital nomad hubs in 2016. So if you have a taste for adventure (not to mention spicy food) put Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on your digital nomad shortlist.

The are just a few of the cities that offer a good bang for the buck as a digital nomad. There are countless more and if you play your cards right you hopefully will get the chance to see most of them. Whether you are just spending a few weeks or end up spending several years; any of these locations will be perfect for your work and travel.

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