The Challenges That A Start-Up Face

The odds are against most new businesses starting in the UK. According to the ONS, more than half of businesses fail within the first three years of operation. And that was before challenges like COVID-19 were even being considered!

To stand the best chance of survival, budding entrepreneurs might look to the example set by those who’ve previously enjoyed some success. Among the more inspiring stories is that of Adam and James, two childhood friends who, having collaborated printing flyers for nightclubs at university, decided to go into the business of providing print services via the internet. The resulting company, instantprint, is still going strong a decade later, providing a wide variety of products including booklets, flyers and posters.

In an interview on the company’s site, they identified several of the challenges that thwart many new businesses, as well as the solutions which helped the business to get around those challenges.

Keep Track of Costs.

If your business spends more than it makes, then it isn’t viable. During the early years, instantprint would cut heating costs, and the two founders would wear outdoor clothing, including coats and hats, at their desks.

You should always be on the lookout for where you can get something for nothing. But be aware – some freebies might be more trouble than they’re worth. Adam’s dad offered them some free carpet tiles, which the two were happy to accept. The only problem was that they had to go and rip them up themselves from a unit in Yorkshire. “We set off at 6 o’clock in the evening, thinking we’d be home by 11 o’clock at the latest,” said Adam. “We got down there, started pulling up these tiles – and it took us forever. We were there until about 1!”

The lesson here: always know what you’re getting yourself into!

Know When to Outsource.

James and Adam recount an episode where they spend a month and a half fitting a kitchen for the second building they were in. The project consumed all of their free time, and with the benefit of hindsight, they now recognise that the time might have been better spent working on the business itself, and bringing in a specialist outsider who was actually good at fitting kitchens.

Check the Website.

Another costly lesson came early on. The two didn’t get any orders for an entire day. Having initially put this down to bad luck, they decided to check the website. They discovered that the button to actually place an order had mysteriously vanished. Ever since then, they’ve checked the website regularly for faults.

Don’t Rely on One Person.

If the business can’t function without the expertise of one person, then it’s inevitable that said person will start to burn the candle at both ends. At instantprint, this happened when a printer stopped working – but Adam was the only one who knew how to fix it, and, having worked through the night, he went home and fell asleep with his phone battery flat.

Hiring and Retaining.

Without the right staff, no business can flourish. Success in the long-term therefore depends on creating the right hiring process. This should be one that not only identifies staff with the skills and talent, but also those whose outlook meshes nicely with the culture of the business. Employers who don’t have a clear conception of the qualities they’re looking for are likely to struggle to bring the right workers. “Hire people based on attitude, not just skills,” says James. The latter can always be picked up along the way.

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4 Things To Know Before Investing In A Mutual Fund

When you are looking to grow your personal wealth, you have many options that you can consider. Each of these options will carry with them a certain amount of risk, as there is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to investments. That being said, with the right guidance and consideration, you could very well stand to gain a desirable return on your investment.

One of the more popular investment options out there is that of the mutual fund. When you choose to invest in a mutual fund, you can achieve a high return with minimal risk. However, before you actually make an investment, there are a few things that you should know about the mutual fund that you are considering.

1. Fund Administration.

There are a number of different administrative tasks that might need to be handled when it comes to the fund you are considering. Jobs like financial reporting, shareholder reporting, net asset value calculation, and regulatory filings will need to be taken care of by someone who knows what they are doing. For this reason, before you invest in a mutual fund, you should make sure that you know who is handling these tasks and that they are doing so for the right price.

The fees associated with administrative tasks of this nature can pile up quickly. Your best course of action is to make sure that the person who is handling them is doing so for a reasonable price. The right mutual fund administrator will be able to give you peace of mind when it comes to the completion of these tasks.

2. Past Performance.

When you are looking to invest in a particular mutual fund, you will want to research the past performance of that investment. Even though past performance is no guarantee for how a fund will perform in the future, it can give you a good indication about what your expectations should be. This research must naturally be coupled with additional research into the other factors that will affect a fund’s performance in order to give you the clearest picture possible.

3. The Diversity of the Fund.

Mutual funds by nature are a rather diverse option for investors. This is because the money that is pooled from investors is then used to purchase a larger number of stocks and bonds which will hopefully perform well enough to grant those investors a high return. There are, however, several types of mutual funds that you can choose to invest in. In doing so, you give yourself the option to keep your assets even more diversified, a practice that tends to yield the best returns overall.

4. Risk.

As with any investment, it is important to understand the risks associated with investing into a particular mutual fund. People generally invest in mutual funds because of the higher potential for a high return, but that doesn’t translate into a guarantee. If the risks associated with an investment don’t align with your financial goals and needs, then it is best to look elsewhere.

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7 Proven Tips To Fail Proof Your Startup Conveyancing Business

Regardless of the popularity of buy and sell sites nowadays, the fact is that when it comes to complicated transactions involving large sums of money, people still prefer to go to the experts.

However, that doesn’t mean that starting a conveyancing business is set for automatic success. As with any industry, you’ll need to learn and apply different tricks in order to achieve success in conveyance.

Here are some tricks:

1. Make Sure You’re on the Registry.

Conveyancing is a regulated profession with the Australian Institute of Conveyancers National being one of the most popular associations for those in the profession. If you intend to make a success of this business, then make a point of getting registered through the association. Many clients today have the foresight to check the list of registered conveyancers in their area, which means that not being registered can be a red flag against you. Hence, keep your membership up to date and even offer the information when conversing with prospective clients.

2. Stick to an Area.

While you may be tempted to go far and wide for conveyancing, the fact is that different cities have different regulations when it comes to transfer of real property. Requirements in Glenferrie may be starkly different from requirements in Melbourne. When starting, try to confine your practice to a specific location before working your way outwards. This will help you better learn the local laws and create a network that will smooth out future transactions.

3. Develop Your Communication Skills.

Conveyancers are often the common denominator between the buyer and the seller. You may think you’re only concerned with technicalities, but much of the job involves talking to both the seller and the buyer in order to arrive at a happy settlement. You need to be able to establish good relations with either parties so that afterwards, the two would walk away feeling as though you’ve lobbied on their behalf. Remember – not everyone is familiar with the technical side of buying and selling real estate. Hence, you need to be able to explain this process in a way that the parties can understand.

4. Develop Tech-Savvy Techniques.

Understand that the market has shifted when it comes to real estate. People today prefer to go online in order to find what they need. To be successful, you need to slip right in the middle and be able to create a platform that attracts the online sellers and the online buyers. Set up a social media page, create a website, or start a gallery that showcases your services. Learn to be flexible and allow clients to pursue online transactions as far as legally possible if this is what makes them comfortable.

5. After-sales Service.

What really makes a conveyancer stand out from the rest has to do with after-sales service. Let’s say all the papers have been filed, the transfer has been successful, and you’ve been paid your standard fee. Do you just disappear off the air? Of course not! You should give yourself one final chance to reach out to these clients and perhaps thank them for the successful transaction. This really creates an impression and a good impression means they’ll happily talk you up to anyone they know who’s looking to buy or sell. There’s nothing like word of mouth marketing to really boost a business.

6. Keep the Updates Coming.

Always update your clients with respect to ongoing transactions – even if they didn’t prompt you to give them one. Updates give a sense of assurance that something is happening or that the transaction is moving forward. Through emails or SMS messages, you can get this done quickly so that it won’t interfere with your day to day activities. It’s a simple gesture, but it’s the kind that will be memorable for clients.

7. Update Yourself.

Note that updates can also refer to you. After all, the legal situation for real property transfers changes from time to time. As a conveyancer, it’s your duty to know what these future changes are and communicate them to your clients.

Conclusion.

Whether you’re starting as a conveyancer or just looking for one you can trust to handle your real property, you’ll find that the profession demands a very subtle balance between the technical and the personal. It takes time but with proper practice, you can be the conveyancer of choice in your chosen locale.

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[Interview] Nir Bashan, Author, Entrepreneur, And Leading Business Coach On Creativity

Nir Bashan is the founder and CEO of The Creator Mindset LLC, where he teaches business leaders how to harness the power of creativity to improve profitability, increase sales, and make work more meaningful. His clients include AT&T, Microsoft, Ace Hardware, NFL Network, EA Sports, and JetBlue. His creative work has been recognized with a Clio Award and an Emmy nomination. His new book is “The Creator Mindset: 92 Tools to Unlock the Secrets to Innovation, Growth, and Sustainability“.

We speak with Nir Bashan about the role of creativity in business.

In what ways are business leaders discouraged from using creativity?

Business leaders are discouraged from using creativity because we have been drilled in analytics and logic from a very young age. We are discouraged from using creativity, and instead encouraged to use numbers and analytics and data to help define our world.

It starts subtly at first and then grows into a roaring crescendo. When we were young, a cardboard box looked like a castle or a fortress or a time machine. Yet today, that same cardboard box looks like, well, a cardboard box. We have lost our way to tap into our imagination–at horrible ramifications. When a business problem presents itself in a way that analytics cannot solve, we choke. We stumble. We fail. And that is why we so badly need creativity in business as we struggle to stay alive in this COVID-19 day and age.

Why do you describe creativity as a tool?

Creativity is a tool just like anything else in business. It is like a CRM or a piece of equipment or a status report. We just need to learn how to use it as we do so many other business tools. And here’s the secret, that’s not really a secret but we can call it one if we want: Anyone can learn how to be creative. It starts with remembering that voice inside us from childhood that tells us what we need to do. Our gut sense is creativity yearning to get out and help us solve that problem, which could be, oh say, the inventory stacking up right now in the Toledo warehouse.

Can someone drilled in analytics and logic begin to train their mind to think in a creative way?

The answer is a resounding yes! YES! Shout it from the rooftops. It’s time to stop wondering why our best laid plans go to waste. It’s time to stop wondering why our best efforts are not happening the way we want it to. It’s time to stop wondering why we cannot get our business or careers to where they need to go. It is because we are not using our full mind to attack the problem—and unite our thinking into one super computer capable of balancing both the creative and analytical parts of our mind.

What are some tangible and bottom-line benefits of applying creative solutions to business problems?

The first tangible I see while consulting with companies to help improve their creativity is in sales. I see tangible success here quickly. What ends up happening is that the sales pipeline gets redefined not by analytics because that’s what the pipeline was already defined by and thus got as far as it could go. But I see the pipeline beginning to get defined by creativity. When applying the fundamentals of creativity, the pipeline begins to take on a new life. There is no question that is not worth asking. There is no stone left unturned. And through that process, we begin to awaken permission to fail. Permission to explore. Permission to grow. And with a heaping of creativity at every step, whether it’s exploring new billing models or a different approach to proposals.

How can embracing and practicing creativity make you a better person as well as a better leader?

Embracing the principles of The Creator Mindset will help you become a better leader. They are anchored in principles that essentially cost nothing. Not one penny.  ut here’s the thing: Not practicing them can cost you everything.

Cornerstone creative principles like empathy, courage, listening, and humor have a wonderful altruistic impact as well as improving sales and revenue potential — they just might make you a better person, too. Because when you learn to think with your entire brain — your full thinking potential — you learn that there are no boundaries that will stop you from getting where you need to go.

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5 Reasons A Unifying Vision Is The Key To Successful Remote Working

by Joe Curcillo, author of “Getting to ‘US’: Discover the Ability to Lead Your Team to Any Result You Desire“

As of the end of 2019, there were over 26 million people who worked at home on an average day, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number jumped by millions during the pandemic, and many of those people will continue working remotely well into the future. In fact, some industry experts predict that the future of business is working remotely. As business leaders scramble to figure out how to successfully lead a virtual team, one expert explains how all they need is a unifying vision.

Having a unifying vision is going to make all the difference. Rather than trying to navigate your way through such a drastic change without having a plan, choose to have a unifying vision. I’ve helped many people with theirs and it’s what has helped their company become even more successful with their team working remotely.

Working remotely has left many business owners and employees feeling stressed out, hesitant, and unsure how to be successful. While it’s understandable, because millions of companies are venturing into new territory, it is crucial that they have a good plan in place if they want thrive. A unifying vision is the blueprint that helps ensure virtual workplace success.

Creating the vision is the key factor that will help businesses to thrive despite the changes and challenges. With it, businesses will be able to engage their millennials and other team members, as well as gain the leadership skills they need in order to succeed.

Here are 5 reasons having a vision is the key to having a successful team that is working virtually:

1. It gives your team a leg up in succeeding, rather than being a statistic.

It gives your company the most important tool that it needs. By having a vision, your team will have less stress and you will feel fully empowered.

2. It’s important that teams learn to work with people of all generations if you want your team to be successful.

It helps bridge the gap between generations, bringing everyone together for a common purpose.

3. If your team doesn’t have a common purpose they are all working toward they will feel hesitant and lost.

Every team needs focus and direction, especially when they are working remotely. A unifying vision helps provide the focus and direction the entire team needs, so everyone is on the same page and knows what is expected.

4. Many teams don’t realize they people in the wrong role until they create a unifying vision.

The clarity that it brings helps to ensure everyone on the team is in their proper role. When this happens, efficiency and engagement will be where it needs to be.

5. With everyone on the same page, every company can build an unstoppable team.

Whether your team is working remotely or all in the same office, it’s the plan that will ensure that they are a cohesive team that will lead your company to success

It’s certainly a challenging time for many businesses, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use this time to make things even better,” added Curcillo. “Every business I have helped with creating a vision has went on to be highly successful. It helps ensure success as we move into the future of business and have our teams working remotely.

 

Bestselling author, business coach, lawyer, mentalist and motivational speaker Joe Curcillo helps companies to thrive by focusing on the idea of having a unifying vision. He has helped countless business leaders to improve their effectiveness by adopting and carrying out the mission. He specializes in helping companies to tap into the power of their millennial employees and bridge the gap between generations. He is author of “Getting to ‘US’: Discover the Ability to Lead Your Team to Any Result You Desire“.

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Advice For New Entrepreneurs

Have you just started a new company? That’s exciting. But a brand new company needs special attention, and if you seek for success you should be patient.

In this article we serve you some great advice to help you make it as an entrepreneur. 

Build a team that shares your visions.

“Great people make a great company” – it’s quite simple, but you will need a staff that shares your visions. But not everyone is like you and different people with different mindsets and creativity levels can be the perfect combination for you new company. But you have to look for passion. Also you need to take the time to interview people thoroughly to ensure that they fit the vision, culture and share your values. You also need the perfect platform and for that you can use Candeno. You can complement with social platforms like LinkedIn – here you can get further informations about potential candidates. 

Build a solid business plan.

Now we need to take a step back – planning plays a crucial role in any business success and a business plan is a good place to start. You need to define your skills, what you offer and why that is unique. You also need to make a ‘growth plan’ – how can you develop your business in the coming years?

Don’t be afraid of mistakes.

Starting your own business is an constantly ongoing process and you need to growth and learn in time. Even the bravest people needs to learn new stuff on a daily basis – and that’s okay. It’s important to enrich yourself with both practical and emotional skills. But how? Teach yourself new skills – how to software programme or how to make marketing on social media. 

You are the new player – don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You are the new player and therefore you don’t know it all. Not even half of it. There are loads of resources out there for networking, knowledge and sharing – and if you need advice you have to reach out. Connect with people on LinkedIn and Facebook, and don’t be afraid to ask then for help.

*Sponsored content 

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How To Read A Paystub: A Beginner’s Guide

There’s nothing more exciting than opening your first paycheck. Your hard work has paid off and it’s time to see what you’ve earned!

But what happens if you don’t know how to read a paystub? Your excitement can quickly turn to confusion especially if you don’t know the difference between gross wages and net pay.

In fact, you pay taxes several taxes, so be prepared to see multiple deductions.

If you’re wondering how to read a paycheck stub then keep reading for an easy to understand breakdown.

How to Read a Paystub.

Some things your pay stub will include your name, the dates you were paid for, the exact amount of hours you worked, your gross wages, any deductions you pay into, what your employer contributes, and your net pay.

Gross Wages.

These wages are the exact amount you can expect to be paid prior to any money being withheld. If you earn $10 an hour and work 40 hours a week, your gross wages for that week would be $400.

Net Pay.

The cash remaining from your paycheck after deductions and taxes are removed equals your net pay. This includes medical, dental, vision, retirement, pension contributions, taxes, and any other expenses you have deducted from each pay period.

Tax Deductions.

Each paycheck will have several different types of taxes withheld. These include federal income tax, state income tax, local income tax, and FICA.

Local income taxes help each county and contribute to unemployment and state disability.

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) is deducted to help pay senior citizen’s Medicare and Social Security benefits. It uses your social security information to track the amount of money you have contributed for when you yourself will need Social Security benefits.

Retirement Funds.

Depending on your industry you may have other deductions such as retirement or a pension. These may include a 403(b) and a 401(k) as well as Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP).

Health Insurance.

If you receive insurance through your employer you will see your contributions deducted from each paycheck. These deductions are typically divided equally throughout the year.

Additional Deductions.

No matter where you work, your company uses a pay stub template to help calculate your deductions. In addition to gross wages, net pay, and various insurance premiums, they’ll calculate any additional deductions.

If you have a life insurance policy through your employer, you can expect to see this deducted from your paycheck.

When your first begin a job you will be given a W-4 to complete. You will have the opportunity to claim your allowances depending on whether or not you are married, single, have children, and so on.

Even if you have a family you can choose 0. Choosing 0 means the maximum amount of state and federal taxes will be withheld from your pay.

Choosing 1 means you will get fewer taxes deducted, which in turn equals more cash in your immediate pocket. You do, however, run the risk of owing the government money at tax season.

Bringing Home the Bucks.

Now that you know how to read a paystub you’ll be well-prepared every time you cash your check. The lines of deductions will no longer look confusing and you’ll know exactly what you’re making and where your money is going to.

Be sure to check out our other informative articles and never be without the most up to date information. Whether you’re interested in books, gadgets, or general resources, we’ve got you covered.

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What Do Web Developers Do Exactly?

The job outlook for web developers is better than many occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the job market for developers to grow by 13 percent from 2018 to 2028.

The average job growth is only 5 percent.

Web development is a good industry to get into but what do web developers do, exactly? Let’s find out.

What Is a Web Developer?

A web developer is someone who writes the code that makes a website or web service do what it does. They’re programmers, but instead of writing applications like a word processor or games, they write for the web.

A web developer created every website you read, social network you belong to, and web app you use. They make the internet the useful tool it is.

The 3 Layers of Web Development.

There are 3 types of web development:

1. Client-side
2. Server-side
3. Database

Client-side means code that runs in your browser or on your computer. Server-side is code that runs on the webserver before it sends the information to the browser. And database coding is the connection between the website and the underlying information in a database.

Skills and Knowledge Required.

Many people think of a developer as an introverted, socially awkward “geek” that spends all their time banging away at a computer keyboard.

This couldn’t be further from the truth though. Web developers need to have a wide range of skills and knowledge, including:

• Knowledge of various coding languages such as C+, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and HTML markup
• Client service and support
• Project management
• Effective communication skills

Developers need to work with engineers, sales and marketing staff, customer support staff, and even CEOs and other executives so they need to understand far more than how to code a website.

Types of Web Developers.

When a company is choosing a web developer, one of the main things they need to decide is what type of development work they need to have done.

Front-end development is the client-facing work that a visitor to your website sees. This is the most obvious component of web development for most people.

Back-end development is the foundational work that makes a website operate. This isn’t as glamorous as the client-side development but it’s every bit as important, if not more so.

Full-stack web developers handle all aspects of the development process – front-end, back-end, and everything in between. Web programmer salaries vary based on the amount of work they’re doing so full-stack developers logically make the most.

What Do Web Developers Do? A Wide Range of Things.

As you can see, the answer to the question “What do web developers do?” covers a lot of ground. And one developer can have a much different range of responsibilities than another, depending on the type of work they’re doing.

If you’re thinking of getting into web development, prepare yourself to spend the rest of your career learning and growing.

Was this article helpful? Be sure to check out the rest of our site for more interesting articles about business and entrepreneurship.

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How To Create A Software In 7 Simple Steps

Did you know that roughly 75 percent of all software projects fail?

If you’re looking to develop some software, you may not know how to create a software project that will be successful. Do you need to have a good spec sheet? Maybe it all comes down to hiring the best developers?

Read on, and you’ll learn the basics of developing a successful software project. If you’re looking to create the next killer app, these tips will help you get your idea off the ground.

Let’s begin!

1. Determine What You Want.

When creating a software program, you first need to decide what you want from your product.

If you don’t go through this process, you might create something, only to realize that it isn’t what you want. You’ll then need to start from scratch, and this can cost a lot of time and money.

When creating a plan for your software development project, you need to consider several things.

To begin with, you want to list out some of the basic features your program will have. Ideally, you want to describe these features in as much detail as possible, as this will help minimize confusion.

You might also want to sketch the user interface of your software project so that developers will know how it should look. You don’t have to draw a masterpiece, as a rough sketch is more than enough.

You may also want to define the kinds of platforms your software can be used on. For instance, are you looking to create an app that works on iOS devices, or do you want a web-based application?

It can also be a good idea to find apps that are similar to what you’d like to create. You can then mention these apps to the developers, thereby giving them an idea of what you want.

2. Finding Developers.

Once you know what you want, the next step is to find developers that’ll help you make the product.

Finding developers is one of the hardest parts of this process, and you need to be careful. That’s because there are many developers to choose from, and vetting them can be a difficult task.

When looking for developers, one option is to go to a freelancing platform.

On this platform, you need to provide an outline of your project, and then developers will bid for the work. You can then go through each of these developers to determine which one will be right for you.

Note that on a freelancer platform, you can see the past work of a given developer if you click on their profile. Their profile will also include the ratings that other people have left for them.

All this information can help you work out if a given developer is right for your project.

Note that if you go down this route, you might end up working with someone that is another country.

This can make communication difficult as it can be expensive to call them using your mobile phone. Plus, you might even find that your existing mobile phone plan doesn’t allow you to make international calls.

Luckily, you can overcome this issue by investing in a cheap virtual phone number.

With a virtual phone number, you just have to buy minutes, and then you can make international calls. The cost of these minutes is often less than what you’d pay if you were using your regular mobile phone plan to make international calls.

3. Hiring a Development Agency.

If you want to build a particularly complex piece of software, it can be a good idea to work with a software development agency.

That’s because a development agency will have a large number of people in their company, and so your project will benefit from this vast skill set.

You can find a local development agency by searching the phrase ‘software development agency’ alongside the name of your state. Note that it’s better to use the name of your state rather than your local city, as this will give you more options.

When you come across a promising development agency, you should ask to see past examples of their work. This past work will help you determine if they have the correct skillset for your project.

If you’re want to protect your idea, you might want to ask the software development firm to sign an ‘NDA‘ before you discuss anything. Most software development firms are used to doing this, and so it shouldn’t be a big deal if you make this request.

4. Improving Your Software.

Once you’ve released your software product, you need to think about how you’re going to improve it over time.

For instance, you’ll need to respond to user feedback so that people continue to use your software. If you don’t do this, people might abandon your software and use a competing solution instead.

You’ll also need to make sure your software works with the latest operating system updates.

If you don’t do this, your software might ‘break’ whenever there is a new update. Thus, people won’t be able to use your software, no matter how much they like it.

Luckily, most developers offer an aftercare plan for your software project. If you invest in such a plan, your software will remain popular and functional for years to come.

Do You Know How to Create a Software Product?

Before you read this post, you probably didn’t know how to create a software product. However, now that you’re at the end, you should hopefully understand the basics of making a software product.

Creating a piece of software is an incredibly complex task, and there are lots of moving parts. You need to make sure you keep a close eye on everything because if you mess something up, your project could fail.

Of course, managing all this complexity can be a hugely stressful experience. Yet, if you find a way to manage this stress, nothing will stop you from creating an amazing piece of software.

Would you like to read some more content like this? Please go to our blog to see some of our newest posts.

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CEOs Predict Where the Future Of Alternative Lending Is Headed

In the wake of the Great Recession of the middle 2000s, the alternative lending industry exploded.

Recognizing that people just weren’t being offered traditional lending opportunities as often or as eagerly as they were before (for obvious reasons), new alternative financing organizations stepped in to fill the void.

These kinds of services also took advantage of the dramatic explosion of financial technology being pioneered at the time, solutions that have gone mainstream in just the last 10 years or so and have changed not only the alternative lending world but the traditional lending world too.

All of this has resulted in a significant amount of growth for this industry, growth that financial leaders and CEOs are predicting will only continue to grow. Here are just a few bits of inside information relating to where influencers in the alternative lending industry feel of these kinds of businesses are headed.

Great Potential for Profitability.

One of the most influential CEOs in the alternative financial world, Daniel Wessels, has watched carefully as the alternative lending world change from a predominantly peer-to-peer lending sort of landscape to something completely different.

Today, institutional underwriting services have found ways to create their proprietary platforms and lending solutions rather than work directly with those P2P solutions. This has streamlined and simplified the alternative lending space in a lot of ways (while shaking up the landscape of P2P options), but it also helps major companies, investment organizations, and hedge funds to jump headfirst into the alternative lending world as well.

Daniel feels that alternative lenders are going to be able to benefit from some of the most attractive yields and short duration opportunities in the lending space as more and more major institutional organizations get involved.

Big Data is Driving Innovation.

It’s impossible to overstate the impact that Big Data has had on pretty much every business and industry on the planet today, but the impact that it has had on the financial technology world has been nothing short of transformative.

Alternative lenders (driven by savvy CEOs that are very forward-thinking) are no longer sticking to the rigid “old-school” method of determining an applicant’s creditworthiness.

Sure, traditional credit scores and the information released by the national credit bureaus are still important – but it’s nowhere near as important as the Big Data these companies use to make even more informed decisions on a case-by-case basis.

The proliferation and aggregation of Big Data have allowed alternative lenders to pull from disparate sources of information that on the surface don’t look like they’d have a whole lot to do with the creditworthiness of an individual to create more specific and custom-tailored “applicant profiles”.

This has allowed these alternative lenders to cut down significantly on instances of default, not only helping them to find better applicants and to approve more intelligent loans but also to improve their profitability as well.

New Industries are Opening Up.

One of the most impressive things about alternative lending is that it isn’t “scared money” the way that some financial packages from institutional lenders have become.

Alternative lenders are helping to fuel big businesses and game-changing industries in fields like cannabis, for example, something that traditional banks are still shying away from because of the federal rules, regulations, and laws that make it “technically” illegal.

Without alternative financing organizations willing to jump headfirst into these kinds of businesses we wouldn’t see the type of growth we are seeing right now. Of course, these businesses are also enjoying some pretty incredible profitability because of these advantages – advantages they are going to continue to expand upon while institutional money remains handcuffed.

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9 Ways To Deal With A Coworker Who Doesn’t Like You

by Meysa Maleki, author of “The Conflict Resolution Grail: Awareness, Compassion and a Negotiator’s Toolbox“

Whether a coworker doesn’t like you or you perceive that you are not liked by a coworker does not change the end result – the work environment will be toxic. You will view any further comments or action by this coworker through the lens of hostile intentions as opposed to situational causes even if at times, it may only be your perception that they intended to harm you. The end result is more toxicity in the work environment and undoubtedly home environment as you take your spillover emotions home with you. It affects the bottom line, your productivity, and the productivity of the organization.

Remember not everyone has to like you. The goal is not to be liked. In fact, people who are focused on being liked, oftentimes, put the relationship ahead of solving the problem and getting their own needs met. Over time, they become bitter and unhappy as they lose self- respect, without being effective. The goal is to ensure you remain productive and happy at home and at work despite the adversities that life throws your way, including hostile co-workers.

Here are nine ways to deal with a coworker who doesn’t like you:

1. Remind yourself that you are not at work to be liked by everyone and if someone doesn’t like you, it is more about them and their unaddressed mental projections than it is about you. Even if it is about you, it does not matter.

2. Keep your eye on the end goal, which is to be both productive at work and happy and fulfilled at work and at home.

3. Become self-aware of how you may be interpreting all their behaviours through the lens of hostile or intrinsic attributions as opposed to situational causes. When you were met with their cold stare in the lunch room was it because they had just been told by their boss that they had not performed as well as expected or because they have it in for you and they are not afraid to display it. How you interpret someone’s motivations affects the conclusions you reach about them and their behaviour towards you.

4. Assess the power dynamic and build leverage. Oftentimes when someone openly displays their dislike of us, it is because they perceive us to be less powerful than they are and they, therefore, think that they can. Who has more leverage, you or them? If they have more leverage than you do, then you need to build power. For example, find powerful allies within the organization. This will help build leverage as you increase your perception of power in their eyes. Build power through building your knowledge, level of competence at what you do, and fostering trust. Knowledge and competence within the organization and gaining both the respect and trust of your boss and other coworkers will also undoubtedly tip the power equation in your favour and provide greater leverage when you ask for what you want. The more power you build, the less likely the coworker will act in a hostile manner towards you.

5. Be prepared and ready to act on your own power. Power is a potential. The expression of that power is assertive self-expression or advocacy for your own rights, without stepping on someone else’s toes.

6. Unpack how their behaviour is affecting you and your work. Make a list of each problematic behaviour by the coworker. Next to each behaviour, write out your “power” behaviours to address them. A power behaviour must result in getting the other side to contract for a behavioural change. How do you do this?

(i) Describe the problematic behaviour to the unfriendly coworker”

1. Adopt a fact-based approach. Draw on objective facts. Objective facts are not up for debate. Your subjective interpretation of the facts would be.
2. Describe the problematic behaviour Just the way it is. That is, don’t let your fear of how it is received affect the content of what you say. Chris Agrigs of the Harvard Business School has coined the term “easing-in” to refer to situations where we try to soften a message by delivering it through subtext. Do not soften the message.
3. Instead, be tactful with the tone and delivery of your message.

• • That is, take out the emotional undertones
  • Take out the judgment and subjective language
  • Drop generalizations

(ii) Express your feelings and thoughts about the problematic behaviour using “I” statements, which are about you and not the other person.

(iii) Specify the behavioural change you are seeking. What is it that you want the other side to do or to stop doing.

(iv) Spell out the consequence, which is not intended to punish the other side, but only intended to meet your legitimate needs.

(v) If they are not ready to contract for your behavioural change, be ready to execute your Plan B. Your Plan B again is not about punishing them, but standing up for what is right. For instance, as a consequence of last resort, when the coworker continues to behave badly, you will need to report them and their behaviour to your boss or to the human resources department of your organization and be prepared to ask that they impose a consequence proportional to the bad behaviour.

7. Be mindful of your toxic emotions. Toxic emotions can throw you off your game. Despite the coworker’s bad behaviour, you must remain self-aware. Observe your negative emotions as they arise and choose constructive responses notwithstanding the way you feel. This requires a tremendous degree of mindful practice. If you prepare ahead of your confrontation and take the above steps, your toxic emotions are less likely to take control of you as they arise. Don’t take attention away from their bad behaviour by behaving badly yourself.

8. Power behaviours are about setting realistic boundaries for yourself and making sure it is understood where you draw the line and what the consequences are if others try to violate them. Again, imbue your consequence with positive intentions. You do not mean to harm the other side. However, you protect yourself against harm by them. That is your legitimate right.

9. Rely on “Confidence Building Measures” or CBMs as appropriate. These are tokens of good faith that you extend based on what research calls “the law of reciprocity.” That is, your gesture of good faith is reciprocated in kind. You offer some help with their next project in the hope that they will equally return the favour. Over time you build trust and slowly rebuild the relationship. Don’t extend them foolishly. Do so wisely and strategically as appropriate.

 

Meysa Maleki practices as a family lawyer and accredited mediator at Maleki Barristers, in Toronto, Canada. Her fascination with the complexities of interpersonal and human dynamics led to a career of fighting for justice, with training at Harvard Law School’s Negotiation and Leadership Program, and a family mediation internship at the Toronto Superior Court of Justice. She is author of “The Conflict Resolution Grail: Awareness, Compassion and a Negotiator’s Toolbox“.

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Rejecting The New Normal

by Rohan Thambrahalli, the Founder and President at UpstartWorks

As businesses around the world return to work, leadership teams are tasked with deciding how best to reopen for their customers, their employees, and their values. Some of these changes, like face masks and temperature checks, are sensible and often mandatory measures meant to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Yet so many of the other adaptations companies have implemented come from a well-meaning but misguided belief in “the new normal.” Following 2020’s shift to remote work, virtually every business adapted in ways they’d never previously thought possible.

Now, it’s time to take those lessons from the telecommuting era and apply them to the way we work together – without losing what makes your company unique. Here’s how.

Re-Meet Your Team.

The unexpected switch to telecommuting, which seemed to happen almost overnight, put many employees and managers in a position they’d never experienced before. One-to-ones and performance reviews suddenly needed to happen online, where confident direction and meaningful conversation could be undermined by slow buffering speeds. Team collaboration – once the hallmark of every open office – became a matter of sending the right Slack messages at the right time, bearing work status updates in mind.

That’s not to say remote work doesn’t have its benefits. Many employees report feeling more productive than ever before, and if that’s the case it’s a win-win for your company. Yet here’s the tricky part: How do you know whether your employees prefer working from home or not?

Social distance has given us all a chance to reassess how we work best. Zoom meeting interruptions and connectivity issues aside, some workers may be discovering for the first time how their home office contributes to their work flow. Others may be silently praying for the day they can return to your local office and reconnect with their team.

There’s no blanket solution to meeting the challenges of work in the age of a pandemic. By reaching out to your team members and assessing their view on your reopening plan, you’ll gain better insights into how best to move forward by bringing everyone aboard, even if your team remains dispersed.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

Companies around the world had big plans for 2020, from Olympic sponsorships to international trade shows and new product launches that would make competitors green with envy.

It’s easy to lament the loss of these events, even as many of them have been reproduced online. Yet it’s the events that don’t gain media attention that your employees likely miss the most. Team-building exercises, company dinners, and group outings have all fallen by the wayside.

Virtual reunions have made for a suitable stopgap while we settled into our remote work styles, yet as the summer months approach, it’s not enough to leave employees with little more than a ‘maybe next year.’ A hands-off attitude toward team morale never builds the camaraderie you need to thrive, and sends a weak message from leadership.

Again, it’s all about doing what you can, and making sure employees both understand and are involved in the process. If that means a virtual reality summer barbecue, then great – just make sure the rest of the team’s ready to grill.

De-Emphasize The Tools.

The days when entire startups ran on GSuite don’t seem that far behind us. Now, we all rush toward the latest tool that may offer us a hint of teamsmanship. An ever-changing array of Zoom backgrounds doesn’t change the fact that we’re stuck at home, and novelties like VR chat can only distract us from what we truly miss: that feeling of being together in person.

The apps and software we use are only as good as the people working behind them. While these tools are valuable, without a motivated, dedicated team to drive them, they’re just pixels on a screen. Rather than trying to find that one perfect app, it’s better to let employees work with what they have, then give you the suggestions for where to improve on remote workflows.

Creating an employee-focused work environment is nothing new for startups with high aspirations. The only thing that’s changed is deciding how to emphasize company values in light of the challenges 2020 presents us. Rejecting the new normal is about finding that balance – then letting your employees find their best path forward to renewed collaboration.

 

Founder and President of UpstartWorks, Rohan Thambrahalli has made it his goal to develop a culture that embodies the builder who delivers best-in-class value to customers and partners. UpstartWorks is Rohan’s greatest personal and professional achievement, it was his vision from the beginning to start a company that could provide vendors the reach, technology, scale, and capabilities to compete with the best brands in the world.

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How To Successfully Choose Your PLM Software

Product Lifecycle Management software – or PLM software – facilitates the design and manufacturing process of a wide variety of products and is especially relevant to the cosmetic industry. The use of PLM in cosmetics addresses all internal processes, from raw material sourcing to formulation, to administrative compliance.

Not all Product Lifecycle Management software solutions are created equal, as they often revolve around one specific need (such as contract lifecycle management) or are developed to match the requirements of one industry in particular. Others opt to offer an all-encompassing program. This is why selecting the right type of product can be crucial to truly reap the benefits of such a complex tool.

What Is PLM Software?

Most companies have much to gain from centralizing, securing and sharing information efficiently. They also look to automate processes and to standardize their internal methods. This allows them to come up with more defined strategies, to coordinate communication within the company and with external actors and to make the most out of what they have already created and learned. In the cosmetic industry, for which Coptis provides prominent software solutions, complex regulations govern every aspect of the manufacturing and distribution processes. At the same time, they have an obligation to innovate on a constant basis in an environment where competition is omnipresent.

This is where PLM software comes in as a means of centralizing all relevant data and making it available to the right agents exactly when and where they need it. A user-friendly interface allows users to take full advantage of the solution, and modular options even give businesses the opportunity to oversee and optimize every facet of their products. From conceptualization to formulation, marketing, design, compliance approval and all the way to the product’s disposal, PLM software offers some genuinely practical features.

What Features to Look for When Applying PLM to Cosmetics?

One particularly crucial aspect of cosmetics manufacturing that PLM software solutions can provide added value for is NPD – or new product development. By centralizing all the necessary data, they promote the successful management of such projects.

Where the system truly shines, however, is in cosmetic formulation. Dedicated versions of it feature up-to-date lists of raw materials, complete with all their individual characteristics. This means that users can rely on the software to generate prototypes that observe all compliance standards, thus optimizing an important step in the development of a product. With all previous formulas accessible from the database, modifying existing products is also made easier and shows impeccable traceability. As for regulatory compliance itself, the software is able to ensure that the product meets any country-specific regulations. Compliant PIFs and product labels can be issued automatically, simplifying a typically complex and time-consuming procedure.

Contract lifecycle management automates contract processes, bridging every phase of the project and improving time-to-market. PLM also manages certificates of analysis, regulatory data and more, generating a full Cosmetic Dossier.

Any non-conformity is immediately identified, allowing the R&D department to be proactive. From raw materials to packaging, each aspect of the product is scrutinized, and corrective actions are automatically generated to address any issue instantly and efficiently.

Product sourcing and supplier relationship management are other areas where PLM can prove convenient, making use of digitization to automate exchanges with suppliers and ensure flawless logistics.

Finally, it is paramount to opt for a PLM softwareprovider that fully appreciates the importance of continuous improvement and applies it to its own products. Such companies are dedicated to improving their systems and involve their customers in their decision-making process. Similarly, they aim to offer their clients the right solution for their specific needs and endeavor to cultivate a relationship with them.

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Amazing Ideas To Help You Make The Most Of Traveling Abroad For Business

Running a business involves a lot of work, and one of the best things you can do is to generate a presence for your company abroad. This is really important when you are looking to expand the company, and help to develop your reputation. You are going to need to think about the best ways of taking things to the next level, and traveling abroad for business is one of the best things you can do. 

Traveling abroad is one of the best things you can do to try to promote your company more effectively, and this is something you need to work on. There are a lot of elements that play a part in trying to help you achieve this, and you need to make sure you focus on doing as much as you can.

Here are some of the best ideas you can use to help you make the most of traveling abroad right now. 

Arrange Meetings.

When you travel abroad, it is essential that you make the most of your time there by meeting up with people and having business meetings abroad. Just because you are abroad, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a business meeting. In fact, in many ways, there is even more reason to do this, as it helps you to make a name for yourself and allows you to gradually develop interest in the brand. Make sure you develop a correspondence with people and other businesses abroad before you go and visit them. That way you have a pre-existing relationship to fall back on, and this will help the meetings run more smoothly.

Look at Premises.

Something else to think about, especially if you are looking to lay down roots abroad and start to develop a business presence, is to make sure you look at the right business premises. There are a lot of things that you are going to need to focus on as much as possible, and finding the best possible business premises is something that can play a massive role in helping with this. Try to come up with ideas that are going to help you choose the perfect premises for the company to develop itself on foreign soil. 

Enjoy the Benefits of Travel.

When you are traveling abroad there are a lot of things you can use to help benefit you that will be important for helping the business improve. For instance, choosing the right place to stay during your trip can be essential for the ease of allowing you to continue running your business remotely. You also need to think about finding the best credit card bonus offers that will play a role in helping you to save on travel and make valuable airline savings. 

As you can see, there are some things you can do that will make a big difference to the way you run your business, and to the attention you generate abroad. There are a lot of things that play a role in helping with this, and it is one of the most important components to consider when it comes to running a modern business. Try to get this right, and you will be able to enjoy more success and widespread global appeal as a result.

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All In Or Out? How Business Owners Can Deal With COVID’S Cloudy Future

by Michael Sipe, author of “The AVADA Principle” and founder of 10x Catalyst Groups

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, small businesses have reopened across the nation but certainty and optimism are a long way from being restored.

Spikes in infections in many states, double-digit unemployment, consumer and lender concerns, and steep economic challenges in the wake of a long shutdown make it difficult to forecast if and when many companies will fully recover. Small business owners – many of them baby boomers and in the retirement age range – are in a difficult position trying to decide whether to risk staying in business or sell and cut their losses.

We are in the early stages of a depression that’s going to go on quite a while. Many small business owners are in their 60s and 70s, and they’re tired and beat up. Some recovered from the financial collapse of 2008, but now they’re getting hammered again.

Customers and employees are scared or nervous. The supply chain is a big problem, and there’s this crazy situation where prices are going up because of the shortages, but meanwhile we have a depression because there aren’t enough transactions.

Here are some suggestions to small business owners as they try to sort out their future amidst so much uncertainty:

Quit.

A lot of people are going to do that. And if that’s the decision, they should quit fast. Don’t drag this out. One of the things that happened in the recession of 2008 was people refused to face reality, and it cost them everything, their savings and retirement. If you’re 60 to 70 years old right now and don’t know if you can gut this out another 10 or 15 years, then cut your losses. You’ll have a little nest egg now as opposed to spending all of it trying to bail the business out.

Reinvent. 

If you’re not going to quit, then you’ve got to change. Just slugging it out and hoping it’s going to get better or that it will get back to normal – that kind of thinking is ridiculous. We have huge structural problems as a country. So if you’re going to reinvent, you have to come back to the fundamentals of business. The owner has to back up and say, ‘What are the fundamental concerns of customers we are actually trying to address here?’ And focus energy on those prime areas that are going to move people to pay a good margin for your product. Don’t ask why it’s not easier; ask how you can get better.

Be flexible. 

Given the fluid state of our world, changing some of your business model and processes may have to become a habit. The next thing business owners have to do is realize what they changed today may need to change tomorrow. The innovation has to happen every day. That has a lot to do with listening to customers and anticipating what they would respond to. Engagement with customers and engagement in the innovation process for owners is absolutely critical. If an owner is not willing to try and get that figured out with and for their customers, they’re going to fail.

The business has to be infused with a fresh energy and a fresh passion. If you’re not going to quit during these extremely difficult times, that means you’ve got to get back in the game. And you’ve got to play hard, because this is going to be tough.

 

Michael Sipe, author of “The AVADA Principle“, is the founder of 10x Catalyst Groups, which helps entrepreneurs grow profitable and thriving businesses organized on a foundation of Biblical principles. Sipe has also enjoyed a successful 30-plus year career in mergers, acquisitions, and business development as the founder of CrossPointe Capital, a middle market investment-banking firm. In that capacity, he consulted with and evaluated over 5,000 companies and has provided advisory services for approximately a half-billion dollars in business sales involving hundreds of companies.

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3 Ways Content Creators Are Making Profit

We live in a brave new era for content creation.

From artists crowdfunding their living, to young entrepreneurs making entire careers out of their YouTube channels and Instagram accounts, the demand for online content is out there and people are willing to pay.

With that in mind here are three ways that content creators are utilising their online following to turn their talents into businesses and careers.

1. Crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding has really taken off in the last decade or so. Similar to a virtual busker’s hat, sites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe have launched some really inspirational projects.

But when it comes to sustainable crowdfunding, many artists are turning to Patreon. The site’s subscription process encourages contributors to commit to a monthly donation, in return for access to different levels of reward determined by the creator.

There are more than 100,000 creators on Patreon, and it’s not just unknown creatives trying to get their work off the ground. There are some pretty big names using the site.

These include current events commentator Philip DeFranco, who produces his own topical news show on Youtube, musician Amanda Palmer, who has controversially (but successfully) been crowdfunding her career for around the last ten years, and John and Hank Green, who use the site to produce their educational YouTube channel Crash Course.

2. Sponsorships.

They’re called ‘influencers’ for a reason – for many fans online, these people have the ultimate say when it comes to cool.

Venture into the comments section of any Instagram star’s latest posts, and you’ll find a slew of requests for links to buy every part of their outfit, right down to their eye makeup.

So it’s no surprise that brands are clamouring to have their products shown off by the right people on the right channels.

This happens across all social media channels, but YouTubers are often influencers most likely to receive benefit from sponsorships. Its not uncommon to see a video begin with the influencer in question promoting the brand that’s sponsoring them, or even to base a whole video around their sponsor’s product.

This has become something of a saviour for many YouTuber creators in particular since the site has become more selective about which types of content are eligible for monetisation.

3. Subscription.

This is a little different to the Patreon-style model, as subscriptions are service-based rather than rewards based.

Almost everyone has at least one kind of subscription – usually at least a Netflix, Spotify or Amazon Prime.

But GinX Esports TV has a subscription model that looks a little different. The world’s first TV gaming channel, their mission is to bring esports into the mainstream – many people enjoy video games, but how many of those appreciate the digital art of esports?

Their business model exists for the sheer love of gaming, and their content includes programming such as Let’s Plays and Best Of celebrations of their favourite games.

As you’d imagine, they also provide coverage of major esports events for games like League of Legends, Call of Duty, CSGO and Fortnite.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this insight into the business side of content creation!

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5 Stress-Reducing Tips To Build Immunity During Pandemic

by Julie Potiker, author of “Life Falls Apart, But You Don’t Have To“

It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and stressed out during these uncertain times, but numerous studies have shown that stress weakens the immune system. The emotional reality of this moment in history is putting us at risk just when we most need to protect our health. Mindfulness-based stress reduction is one technique to help protect our immune systems while the world continues to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.

Mindfulness is the practice of honing your focused attention and choosing what you wish to focus attentively on. Here are some tips that people at any level of mindfulness experience — from complete beginner to practiced expert — can use to reduce stress in their life and protect their immune system.

1. Relax with a mindfulness meditation.

Start with 12 minutes twice a day — or 20 minutes twice a day if you can make time. Look for guided meditations on Insight Timer or the free Balanced Mind with Julie Potiker podcast on iTunes. Mix it up so that your mind is relaxing into the practice.

2. Make time for joy.

Create a “joy list” and commit to choosing one or two things from it to do each day. To create the list, just let your mind wander for a few minutes with a pen and paper and watch the list grow. Don’t forget to add all life’s little joys, like a warm cup of tea or a bath. Then, when you pick something to bring joy to your day, do so with mindfulness; really feel the good feelings. Take a few breaths to absorb them and enrich the resulting positive mental state. This allows you to push the mental state to a neural trait, making a happy bridge in your brain and building your resilience.

3. Name it to tame it.

Identify what you are feeling and where it is occurring in your body. For example, “I feel stressed; my neck is tightening up.” This practice allows you to use mindfulness to step into awareness and out of the intensity of the emotional state.

4. Ground yourself through the soles of your feet.

Put your feet on the ground and send your attention down to the soles of your feet. How do they feel? Are you in socks and shoes? Barefoot? Cold or warm? Moist or dry? The act of doing this breaks the discursive loop of thoughts and emotions.

5. Practice mindfulness with your food.

Be the observer and pay mindful attention to the way you prepare, serve, and eat your food. Slice and dice mindfully; put your fork to your mouth mindfully; taste and chew mindfully. When you notice your attention being diverted to worrying about what might happen, or ruminating on the latest upsetting news story, gently bring your attention back to what you’re doing. If you can keep your attention here, even for two or three minutes, you will be giving your brain a much-needed break from stress — while simultaneously encouraging healthy eating practices!

When we go through times of crisis, it can feel like we just have to push our way through in order to make it out the other side. It’s exhausting! In times like these, yes, we need stamina… but we also need coping strategies that help to soothe us right here, right now. Mindfulness is a highly effective tool that is easy for anyone to learn and use. It has saved my life in the past when I navigated hardship and chaos, and it has proven to be an invaluable resource during this pandemic.

 

Author and mindfulness expert Julie Potiker is an attorney who began her serious study and investigation of mindfulness after graduating from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of California, San Diego. She shares mindfulness techniques with the world through her Mindful Methods for Life trainings and her new book “Life Falls Apart, But You Don’t Have To“.

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