Home Blog Page 666

NaijaVibe, Daily Dose of Entertainment for Africa!

0

Who We Are

NaijaVibe is an entertainment site where you get all things entertainment first!

NaijaVibe covers music and entertainment news from all across Africa. Since our beginning, we have maintained a top entertainment spot for Africans to find breaking news stories. With unparalleled reach, NaijaVibe has become a go-to destination for Africans for its unique blend of celebrity interviews, lifestyle coverage, and popular entertainment news.

Also, NaijaVibe is your place where you can connect with influencers, trendsetters, and your ideal consumers.

What Sets NaijaVibe Apart?

The entertainment industry is a hard nut to crack when setting yourself apart from the competition. But, NaijaVibe knows their job well, and there are a boatload of reasons why you should join us…

Reliability: It’s harder to find out and track every latest happening all over Africa but even harder to find out which information sources are reliable, but NaijaVibe does a great job providing reliable information to its visitors. Also, we have a great team of editors who verify everything we publish.

Ease of Access: We are your one-stop entertainment site where you’ll find everything about entertainment in the form of blogs, videos, and podcasts.

Get the Best News from Nigeria: We cover lifestyle, entertainment, and news from Nigeria. Additionally, we cover different events, festivals, and film festivals in the different cities of Nigeria. Believe it or not, there’s no better site than NaijaVibe that covers the different aspects of Nigerian life so beautifully in one place.

Our Mission

At NaijaVibe, we are on the mission to be an entertainment hub for Africa where you find all the latest entertainment news, trends, and other stuff before they are revealed anywhere else – that too at your fingertips!

Our Story

NaijaVibe is the only entertainment platform Africawide that focuses on putting its finger at the pulse of entertainment.

NaijaVibe was founded with two main objectives…

To provide news on what’s trending in the world of entertainment in Africa and beyond and ensure that Africans know what’s trending all over Africa.

We eat, sleep, breathe entertainment, and thrive on delivering the latest and greatest news in the industry, improving what you should know, and bringing creative ideas to the table.

This same approach made us popular all over Africa. And, today, we are honored with 1.5 million monthly visitors on our site, and we are humbled and proud at the same while announcing that we are one of the top sites of Nigeria that you’ll come across with regards to entertainment. 

The massive exposure became the motivation behind conceiving another worth-implementing idea – CONNECTING pop culture lovers regardless of where they belong.

We have a huge online presence that will help you reach your ideal clients the quickest way and will provide you with the exposure you’ve always wanted (and deserve).

CEO of NaijaVibe

Stephen Nzurum is the CEO of NaijaVibe and manages the whole platform to ensure that his audience get authentic and engaging content. Stephen is also the author of two books, “Start a Small Bussiness Online” and “Nigeria Music Streaming Market: Stream Music In Nigeria”.

Stephen Nzurum aka Dj Stiphbami, his latest body of work is titled – DJ STiphBami – Beats and Juice (BJ 2021).

NaijaVibe.net • Instagram • Facebook • Twitter • LinkedIn • YouTube • NaijaMP3s.com

Want to stay in the know about what’s happening in Nigeria or all over Africa?

Head to NaijaVibe – you won’t be disappointed!

3 Factors To Consider Before changing the bank

0

Consider moving business banks. Whatever you decide, take your time.

May you want to consider changing the bank? You don’t want to be fooled into believing it’s easy.

While it may seem like just another task, transferring banks might be more involved than you think. Your payroll is tied to your bank account, and you may have several automated withdrawals. It’s not necessarily a trivial task.

For some business owners, it may not be worth the bother; for others, it may be. Maybe you need a more extensive bank. Perhaps you dislike the customer service and want a more responsive bank. Maybe your present bank charges high maintenance costs.

But there might be a lot of difficulties and hidden fees involved. So, if you’re considering changing banks, here are some factors to think about.

#1. Accounts with credit cards

With your bank, you most likely have a merchant account where your revenue from credit card transactions is deposited, as well as a separate account where your transaction fees are deducted. The simplicity with which you may rebuild a merchant account at a new bank might vary based on the bank you choose. However, for some business owners, it may be a significant source of frustration.

#2. Payroll

Your payroll provider can handle most of the hassles associated with transferring banks, so that’s a given. However, you may still be required to use the internet or make a phone call to complete your task. (When McDonald switched banks, she contacted her payroll firm because she had three employees.)

What’s up with the aches and pains? For that reason, if your employees get their paychecks by direct deposit, you or your payroll provider will need to ensure that the new bank knows your employees’ account and routing information.

Forms for authorizing automated payments or direct deposits may also be required. Prepare in advance, so your employees don’t discover they haven’t been paid when the time comes.

#3. Time

Time is money, as they say. You may want to consider changing the bank, but is it necessary right now? Especially if you’re the one performing the work rather than a CFO or an accountant, you might be better off waiting until things calm down before making a decision.

Wrap Up

Don’t allow the difficulty of moving banks to deter you from making the transition. If you need to switch banks, you need to change banks immediately. Although moving banks can be a hassle, with careful planning, you may reduce some of the stress that can accompany the process.

You may get an auto loan from a dealership, a bank loan for an apartment, an installment arrangement for a new phone with just one click, and you may want to consider changing the bank. Is this something you’ve heard before? One or more significant loans and several smaller ones are all weighing heavily on the shoulders of the average borrower.

You may grow accustomed to using a loan agreement palette if a specific bank continues to do so out of habit. Moving a loan or loans from one place to another might lower borrowing expenses and consolidate many loans into a single one.

How HR can spread company’s values within a company

0

Businesses and to develop their personalities as well. Company culture is usually strongly associated with this personality. As core values, goals, and principles, predefined by the business managers and owners, are the essential features of such a personality.

But while the executive leadership and business owners may have a deep understanding of the company values, a vital task of a good HR is to ensure that this understanding trickles down to all employee levels.

There is a direct interdependence between understanding and sharing company values and working toward company goals. Here are several actionable tips to make even an email signature generator communicate your values to every single employee within the company.

Find a place on the corporate website

Company values are guidelines and shared beliefs that help people effectively work together toward common business goals. From a business perspective, a clear set of company values helps to make decisions easier and sets a particular tone in communication and relationships with employees and customers.

Therefore, finding a place for a company’s values on the corporate website is an excellent option to make sure they are well communicated to both. Creating a business is similar to creating a community. If you want it to function well, you need to share a standard code.

The company values define who you do business with and who you do not. Therefore, it is always better to make this point clear right from the start. The more clearly and openly you state your company values on the corporate website, the more accurate and committable they become for the employees.

Add a banner to the internal email signature

Emails signature is a powerful tool often underestimated by people. An average office worker daily receives 121 and sends 40 business emails. Thus, the company business correspondence is an excellent way to communicate the company values inside and outside the company itself.

Your image is your selling point, so why not use it to benefit from inner company culture? Thus, the incorporation of the ad banner into internal signature systems can considerably contribute to value awareness.

For instance, an inspiring quote shared using the corporate signatures system creates a lasting impression and strikes an emotional chord.

Humans are emotional. Therefore, they tend to remember things that have emotional appeal. Many businesses have already experienced the benefits and proved the efficiency of this hint. Numerous email signature examples are demonstrating an elegant yet powerful utilization of email signature banners for brand values spread.

Promote them through all internal communication channels

Creating a positive company culture and workforce is essential for proper business functioning. After all, a diverse workplace and an appealing corporate culture can attract top talent, engage and retain the most productive employees.

Building a sense of corporate values is a challenging task. However, it always starts with simple actions. Internal communication gets vital in this process. Consider applying the following strategies:

  1. Use messaging to encourage collaboration.
  2. Ensure a direct communication line between leadership and employees
  3. Keep all conversations on one platform
  4. Encourage feedback.

Thus, there are tremendous opportunities to communicate and promote corporate values via internal communications tools, which employees use to share ideas, give and receive feedback, set and assign tasks.

Conduct regular employee training

To successfully promote your corporate values throughout your organization it is essential to incorporate them into every employee-related process. To help your values stick to the employees’ minds, some time, effort, and training will be required.

Formal training on core values is a simple way to make sure your employees are adequately onboarded right from their first day. Besides, putting effort into this process shows the company appreciation and respect for its values and every employee.

For instance, if teamwork is one of your corporate values, planning team-building training is an excellent way to emphasize the importance of this value. The values of tolerance, diversity, and inclusion may be promoted via such training as well.

The employees of organizations who undertake training often feel like a supportive and friendly work environment. This encourages the feeling of being valued and welcomed. As a result, you get more productive, loyal, and motivated employees eager to learn and improve for the company’s benefit.

Make your values visual

Making your core values visual is the most efficient way to make them memorable and strongly associated with the company. However, to make them popular with your employees, you need to think of the places with high traffic or the objects often used within your work environment.

Making your values a prominent feature in the workplace will keep them at the forefront of the employees` minds. Here are some actionable ways to promote your values in the workplace:

Printed materials

In the world of digital everything, printed materials can still make a difference, especially when we are talking about the office working environment. There are several simple tips to consider before putting printed materials into action:

  • printed materials are a direct reflection of your business values, therefore avoid cheap, low-quality, or simply meaningless printing.
  • focusing solely on the will hardly bring the desired effect. Make your values something like bullet points and recognizable phrases, not just logos, and images.
  • creativity is the only reliable way to make the message comprehensive and catchy.

Corporate merch for employees

Picking corporate merch for employees is not as it seems to be if you want to promote your company values. The secret is – focus on the why behind the product. Make sure you pick an item that somehow relates to your company values, not just because it is good-looking or valuable.

Thus, if one of your company’s values is sustainability, make sure your corporate merch relates to a sustainable promotional products group. 

Conclusion

The company values reflect the spirit of the company in general. Crating, reinforcing, and keeping up to date is an ongoing process. What is more important, to successfully promote the company values, HR specialists need to spare no effort and work creatively.

If you are looking for some fresh ideas in revealing the company values, start with writing an action plan following these tips. And don`t forget to add some personal touch and creativity so that everything would work great.

ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR OFFICE FURNITURE IN THE UK

0

We are specialists in supplying office furniture online to businesses and offices across the UK. We offer a wide range of items including desks, chairs, tables and more at affordable prices. If you’re looking for an online marketplace for office furniture in the UK then look no further than A1 Office Furniture!

Our furniture for sale is available in a range of styles and designs to suit your individual taste. If you’re looking for something contemporary, we have light oak desks with black detailing that are available in various shapes including L-shaped and U-shaped options. We also stock other office essentials including filing cabinets, storage solutions and bookcases so please get in touch if you cannot see what you are looking for.

This means that everything we sell will last a long time in the office without losing any of its quality or comfort. We also have plenty of ex-corporate items including restaurant furniture for sale, perfect for businesses that are looking to create a stylish yet professional environment.

The items we offer are all listed at affordable prices so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank when outfitting your office or business with new furniture.

A1 Office Furniture online is a family-operated business that has been up and running very smoothly. We have nearly three decades of experience in supplying and installing  office furniture, so you can be confident that you are purchasing items from experienced professionals who only supply the highest quality pieces.

Our wide range of office furniture is available for delivery across mainland UK so please enquire about costs if you would like us to send anything your way.

All of our items are affordable but you don’t have to sacrifice quality to find what you’re looking for! We carefully inspect everything before it is put on sale so each item has been tried and tested by us at A1 Office Furniture. To learn more about the process of supplying and selling office furniture in the UK, please get in touch. A1 Office Furniture have a wealth of experience so you can be sure that we know what we are talking about!

We have a huge selection of furniture to choose from so finding the perfect pieces to buy will be easy for you. We also offer our customers great discounts on each product, so if you’re looking for cheap office furniture online in the UK then look no further than A1 Office Furniture!

Benefits of using online A1 Office Furniture marketplace:

  • A wide range of products available
  • Same day delivery nationwide
  • Guaranteed quality and furniture for less cost than high street prices.

Our quality assurance team tests every product before it is sent to customers, so you can rest assured that your items will be in perfect condition for you to use straight away.

Our quality assurance team tests every product before it is sent to customers, so you can rest assured that your items will be in perfect condition for you to use straight away.

our furniture  company staff are highly motivated, high quality workers who care deeply about what they do. We make sure you always get exactly what you need to maintain your facility in top condition.

We’ve worked hard to gather the best suppliers and manufacturers across UK to provide you with best-in-class service at unbeatable prices . They come highly recommended because they share our dedication to quality and value.

Your satisfaction is important to us so we do everything we can to make sure every purchase is exactly what you ordered and everything it should be. But if you do need to return your items, we’ll make it as easy as possible for you.

We hope you find this site a useful source of information about us and the products we sell . We have worked hard to build a company that our customers can have faith in, so please let us know if you have any questions or comments, and we’ll do our best to help.

For online marketplace for office furniture in the UK visit A1 Office Furniture where we have a wide range of products available to order today!

DURABLE USED OFFICE CHAIRS IN UK BY KINGS OFFICE FURNITURE

0

If you are looking for durable, used office chairs in UK then look no further. Kings Office Furniture is the leading supplier of quality office furniture to businesses and offices around the world. We have a wide range of new and used office chairs that will suit your needs perfectly.

At Kings Office Furniture, we understand that every business is different and consequently there is no one-size-fits-all approach to office furniture. Instead, our professional team provides customized solutions to ensure your workplace runs as smoothly as possible. We will work with you to find the ideal floor plan for your office, which includes arranging space for the correct number of work stations, includes allocating an area for storage and creates a layout that is ergonomically suitable for your employees.

Once you have approved the design there are plenty of ways we can customize office furniture to suit your requirements. You can choose the fabric, color and finish so it matches with existing décor. We have all of the essential furniture items required by an office, including filing cabinets, bookcases and coffee tables.

Our range of used office chairs is constantly being updated with fresh stock that has been sourced from businesses across the UK. You can browse our catalogue online to find the ideal model for your business. If you have any questions or would like help finding what you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact us today.

Benefits of buying used office chairs in UK:

  • Meeting your budget.
  • More variety to choose from.
  • A wide range of quality products available for you to select from, which means you can find the perfect chair for any size and type of workplace, with all the options to match your needs. There is no need to settle for the first chair that you see.
  • Buying used chairs is eco-friendly, because it reduces your carbon footprint by helping you minimize your waste.
  • We supply only quality office furniture that has been refurbished and tested thoroughly before being offered to customers at highly competitive prices. Our refurbishing process ensures that your office furniture is of high standard and will give you great value for money.
  • Our used chairs come from professional companies with a range of new models available on the market, so if any employees are looking to upgrade their chair, they have an opportunity to do so without having to fork out a lot of money.
  • If you need some advice on choosing the correct chair for your office, our professional team are on hand to answer any of your questions. Many customers choose to use this service so they know that their new chairs will perfectly suit their requirements.
  • We can help you refurbish your old chairs and make them look like new again, if you would prefer not to purchase a brand new model.
  • Buying used chairs is one of the most cost effective choices you can make, especially if your budget is limited.
  • We put together packages that give your office an entire new look at reduced prices for all types of furniture items. You can choose to refurbish or buy new items; it all depends on what suits your business the best.
  • We source chairs from a wide range of different sources. Once we have finished with them, they are checked and tested thoroughly before being sold to our customers, so you can be sure that the quality is always top notch.
  • Our range includes leather and fabric models, which look great in any type of workplace setting. This means you can have elegant chairs for an office that provides services to clients, or simple plastic ones that are easy to clean for a busy factory floor.
  • We carry all of the essential items required by any business, including desks, filing cabinets, bookcases and coffee tables .
  • If you are looking to save money on your next purchase but do not want to cut corners when it comes to quality, we can help you find the office furniture that will perfectly suit your requirements. Buying second hand items is a cheaper option than buying new and investing in top of the range products.
  • We only supply high quality refurbished chairs that have been carefully tested and checked before they are offered for sale to our customers.

Automotive Cyber Security: What Threatens People’s Lives

0

Hacking car autopilot

The development of information technologies has accelerated the growth of all spheres of the economy. For the automotive industry, the creation of autopilot systems has become one of the key areas. In this context, ensuring automotive cyber security is one of the major challenges manufacturers face. Let’s take a closer look at the current state of autopilot’s reliability, whether AI can be trusted ​​to control your car, and whether it is possible to safely drive on modern roads.

Today’s situation

Today, self-driving systems are not only devices that give drivers some tips but also control units that fully release a person from the need to drive a vehicle. Many years of experience in the aviation industry played a significant role in the appearance of such tools. However, creating an autopilot for land transport turned out to be more challenging since there were many more factors to consider. Some of them are difficult to analyze, for example, the behavior of other drivers on the road.

Currently-produced vehicles are unique cyber-physical systems. That means a built-in autopilot must not only be resistant to internal failures but also protected from outside interference. Researchers providing cyber security assessment services conduct increasingly sophisticated tests of such systems.

Nevertheless, at any major conference on self-driving systems’ development, one can hear a report on newly identified vulnerabilities. Not all car manufacturers pay attention to them, which leads to ignoring severe problems for years. At the same time, there remains a threat to the life and health of drivers and passengers.

Periodic media reports of accidents involving self-driving cars have undermined public confidence in these systems. Over the past five years, it has decreased from 64% to 53%.  The study results, conducted with about 23,000 respondents worldwide, were presented in December 2020 at the latest Urban Mobility online forum.

How countries introduce autopilot systems

The use of self-driving systems brings economic advantages, improves road safety and vehicle handling, minimizes the load on transport networks, and improves infrastructure. All this allows us to speak of the industry’s development priority and the need to work out and modernize technical standards, techniques, and regulations.

In most countries, the law still requires a driver to be behind the wheel of an autonomous vehicle. That is mainly due to unresolved technical and legal issues. Both car manufacturers and state authorities are not yet ready for the full-fledged introduction of self-driving vehicles.

So, in 2020, 53 states, including members of the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and African countries, approved common rules for self-driving vehicles of the third level of driving automation. In such systems, even when the autopilot is turned on, a person must be there in the driver’s seat to take control in an emergency. The agreement stipulates the speed at which the vehicle should drive on autopilot mode (no more than 60 km/h), the mandatory presence of a black box in the car, and other conditions.

The tests of the systems specified above are actively being carried out in Russia too. In March 2020, the country’s government approved the Road safety concept that took into account the introduction of self-driving cars. According to Sber Automotive Technologies’ press service, such vehicles are given all necessary permits to move on public roads.

Current threats

As follows from the latest sociological surveys, respondents are scared by the likelihood of the autopilot’s technical failure. These fears are not unfounded: now and then, North America and Europe’s media publish reports of accidents involving self-driving systems.

For example, in 2018 in California, the navigation device of a Tesla car failed to detect the lane lines on the highway. The car accelerated instead of braking and drove into a concrete barrier. That resulted in the death of a 38-year-old Apple engineer. Many still remember the accident in Russia in the summer of 2019 on the Moscow Ring Road. Then the system didn’t identify an obstacle, which led to a collision and subsequent vehicle fire.

The danger to the driver and passengers can also come from malefactors. Employees of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel carried out a series of experiments and discovered vulnerabilities in Tesla autonomous cars. One of the latest studies has shown that anyone can deceive them by projecting an image of a road sign on an advertising billboard.

A projection of just 0.42 seconds has appeared to be enough to cause the system’s malfunction. Experts developed a special algorithm that automatically identifies the area of an image undetectable to the human eye in the course of a drive. That made it possible to mask the phantom sign in the video effectively.

The technology can also be provoked with stickers, graffiti, or projections of specially prepared images, such as pedestrians, trees, poles, etc. Some owners of autonomous cars note that the risk of an error increases in the dark, when driving is the most dangerous.

Moreover, one doesn’t need expensive equipment and other devices to disrupt the system’s operation in the ways described above. After all, digital billboards are easily subject to cyber attacks. A potential malefactor with the necessary skills only needs to display the right image on the screen to provoke a collision on a busy highway.

The need for the interaction of self-driving vehicles with each other is also a risk. The networks are designed to analyze the optimal traffic schedule, speed within the flow, distance, route, etc. In a real-case scenario, they can become an easy target for hackers.

Self-driving car manufacturers are dealing with safety issues in different ways. For example, in 2014, Tesla launched its Bug Bounty program. The company is willing to pay researchers up to $15,000 for vulnerabilities found in autopilot systems. Tesla’s official website even has a Hall of Fame of those who contributed to improving the safety of this manufacturer’s vehicles.

Uber began experimenting with self-driving systems in 2013. Safety experts Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek managed to lock the brake pedal, turn the wheel, and in some cases even accelerate the car – all this via an Internet connection. For example, they successfully tricked the collision avoidance system in a Toyota Prius, which activates the brakes. The researchers also turned the wheel in a Jeep Cherokee (which was going at 80 mph) by remotely turning on the parking mode.

Autopilot technical features

The level of risk of hacking may differ depending on the system’s design. According to Charlie Miller, an expert in cyber security services, phantom attacks are mainly faced by self-driving vehicles using video cameras. On the contrary, cars with installed laser rangefinders controlling distance and speed have a reduced likelihood of outside interference.

The systems for determining fake signs and obstacles (Ghostbusters and analogs) can be used to solve the above problem of self-driving vehicles with video cameras. Their operating principle is based on recognizing illumination around the object and analysis of the “context of space.” That minimizes but doesn’t eliminate the risk of hacking.

Experts from Trend Micro and Linklayer Labs note that manufacturers won’t be able to fully protect their cars from hacker attacks, even by getting rid of emerging system vulnerabilities. The reason for this is the use of the outdated CAN protocol that unites all components and sensors into a single network.

Mikhail Lisnevsky, a representative of the Softline group of companies, emphasizes that modern self-driving vehicles use the same CAN bus. The difference is that previously, to access it, one had to access the interior, but now one only needs to use the update channel. The introduction of a great number of additional sensors, automated mechanisms, etc., also complicates the protection.

In Charlie Miller’s opinion, the danger is also represented by the OBD2 diagnostic connector, through which one can give commands to the car systems. This can become a problem for driverless taxis, where a malefactor can easily gain access to the interior and dashboard. To improve the situation, the expert suggests the methods used for secure infrastructures: mutual authentication of individual components and internal segmentation. It is also necessary to develop an intrusion detection system that will alert the driver in case of anomalies in the internal structures (a prototype of such a system was demonstrated by Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek in 2014).

System development trends

The world experts’ forecasts regarding the future of the above technology can’t be called optimistic. On the one hand, the cost of self-driving cars is expected to decline in the short term. According to Igor Levitin, the aide to the Russian Federation president, one vehicle’s price will be from three to five thousand dollars. On the other hand, the large-scale availability of such transport will inevitably lead to new ways of hacking the system.

That means ensuring road users’ safety will require constant modernization of traffic regulations and infrastructure and the emergence of new trades. Among them are a Driving Situation Scriptwriter, Specialists in Information Security, Data Analysis, Driverless Car Maintenance, etc.

Yet today, we can speak of the complexity of collecting and processing data coming from the system. Intel analysts suggest that during a trip lasting about 1.5 hours, a vehicle equipped with autopilot will generate no less than four terabytes of information.

Storing data about the operation of sensors, traffic, geolocation, etc., requires enormous computing power. This information must also be well-secured. Blocking access to important data for security purposes will limit the capabilities of vehicles connected to the network.

According to The representative of Cognitive Technologies, it is necessary to develop a certified and regularly updated mechanism in such a situation. Otherwise, manufacturers have to eliminate the possibility of external control of the autopilot.

Over the past years, the problem of adversarial examples remains relevant. Modern neural networks haven’t yet learned how to identify deliberately distorted data accurately. That regularly leads to difficulties in recognizing objects.

The integration of self-driving cars with an intelligent transportation system creates opportunities for the emergence of new vulnerabilities. This, in turn, increases the risk of successful hacker attacks. A representative of the StarLine association reported that work on creating high-level protection is carried out by both large private companies and the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

The future of car autopilot

Today, technologies for protecting self-driving cars are developing much more slowly than hacking tools. The development of any driverless system model takes several years. During this time, ideas that were progressive at the beginning of research often become critically outdated.

Self-driving car manufacturers can help address emerging automotive security issues. To that end, they need to regularly collect data on discovered vulnerabilities, quickly troubleshoot, and share such information with the professional community. For this purpose, in 2014, the Auto-ISAC – global Information Sharing and Analysis Center – was created.

Experts in cyber security consulting services believe that a car ecosystem’s comprehensive protection will shortly be available. Thus, the main task of future cyber immunity will be to block the access of malefactors to the car’s primary units, even if they hack the accessory components and reach the diagnostic connectors.

How Does An Interest Rate Work On A Loan?

0

A lot of people don’t understand how loans work. The concept is pretty simple. You need a lot of money upfront, and you can’t get it. Then, you go to the bank, sign some papers, and the cash flows in your account the next day.

In some cases, that can happen in a couple of hours or even instantly. After that, for a couple of months or years, the same institution, meaning the bank, will take a bit of your earnings until you pay back the initial amount, plus a little bit of interest.

Well, the part about interest can make or break your loan. Of course, you need the set amount of money, but what’s the deal with the extra? It’s always helpful to know the terms you agree on before you sign the dotted line. Here are some basic things that you need to know.

What is a loan, and how does it work?

A loan is essentially a promise that you will repay a lender that they’ve given you. Let’s say that you have a friend and you borrow a hundred bucks from them. To make them willing to give you the money, you’ll tell them that you’ll give them 105 dollars in a week because you really need a hundred bucks at the moment.

That’s an oversimplification of the process, but that’s the mechanism it’s based on. The bank is an authority that everyone trusts, and you can suffer a lot of consequences if you don’t commit to your end of the deal. They’re connected to the government too, and they can legally take away your car or your home.

The main incentive for them to give you money is the interest they’re going to receive in the future. Everything is explained with legal jargon in the main documents, and you can’t go through them without an advisor or a lawyer. That’s why it makes sense to take the papers home, read a bit online, ask about specifics that you don’t understand, and then give back the documents.

On the same topic, there are two main types of loans. There are secured ones and unsecured ones. The first category is the ones that everyone’s familiar with. You get a hefty sum of money into your bank account, but if you fail to pay it back, the bank is going to take your home.

These are easier for the bank to give out since they have security that they can claim if you don’t commit to your end of the deal. On the other hand, there’s a type of unsecured loans that don’t have anything to back them up.

This makes them much more dangerous to give out, and they put the institutions at greater risk. These are the main factors that influence interest rates. Secured loans have lav rente and unsecured ones have higher rates. That’s a balance to keep the game evened out, which has been backed by years of economic research.

What are other things that influence your interest rate?

The second most important thing that influences the rates is your credit score. Lenders and financial institutions always perform a background check to see how you can handle money. That’s why being fiscally responsible is one of the prerequisites for a good life. It might surprise you to find out that you can check your standings too.

You can go to a lender and ask for a free report once a year, and they’re going to tell you all the terms that they’ll judge you on. If your score is high, then the interest rates are going to be lower. That’s mainly because you have a history of paying back everything on time.

If you pay your utility bills when they arrive, and if you have a history of repaying loans, that makes you an ideal candidate. Plus, you might get a larger budget than you thought. On the other hand, if you’re someone who’s always late with their payments, it would be much better to work on your habits before you apply. There are numerous ways to build up your score, and they’re going to take you a couple of months. 

Is there a formula to calculate interest?

There are a couple of formulas that lenders use to calculate their own profits, and that depends on the type of loan that you need. The simplest one is the easiest to explain. Let’s say that a family member gives you a thousand bucks. Next year, you repay them 1050 bucks.

That’s a fixed loan with a 5 percent interest rate. Compound rates are something that you should avoid as much as possible. This version increases the money owned with each iteration. Let’s look at the same example with a family member.

If you don’t repay 1050 the following year, then the cost is going to increase to 1100. It takes into consideration the principle, as well as the interest rate. For that reason, if you’re in debt, you should try to repay credit cards first. They are the main culprits for having a bad credit score.

Not repaying compound interest is like looking at your money burn in a fire. Finally, there are also variable rates. These are not recommended since they fluctuate with the market. If the economy is going well, you’ll need to pay less money.

If the economy is doing bad, you’ll need to pay more. Since you don’t know what the future is going to look like, it’s best to stick to something fixed and predictable. That will make it much easier to plan beforehand. 

Forex Trading: 3 Key Tips For Scalable-Success

0

Making money through trading is possible, but not everyone succeeds. You have to have a tried and tested trading system, and be willing to learn as you go. And while forex training is the only surefire way to ensure your success in the market, here are three things that are crucial for sustainable growth.  

Set goals, plan a strategy, and stick to it 

In trading, as in life, a well-executed strategy will nearly always beat a random guess. But executing a strategy requires discipline. And discipline starts with setting clear goals.  

Goal setting is critical to an account’s success. So, it is worth taking the time to develop a strategy to achieve your goals. But like any strategy, it works best written down. Here are three simple steps you can take to set, track, and adhere to your goals. 

Define your goals 

Decide what you want to accomplish with forex trading and how much money you need to make. Do you want to work part-time or full-time? Do you have other responsibilities that might distract you from your trading time if you plan on trading full-time? 

Goals are an effective way to crystallise your trading plans, so make sure you set reasonable and achievable profit goals. And stick to them! 

Design a trading plan 

Every strategy requires a specific set of rules. And the beauty of forex trading is that you can set your plan of action. From determining your tools to tracking and recording your activities, your strategy should be all-inclusive. 

Stick to it 

You’ve got the trade plan. You’ve created your checklist. Now you have to stick to it. In order to avoid making costly mistakes, and interfering with the psychology and emotions during your trade process, sticking 100% to your trade plan is one of the most important factors.  

Keep up with daily and weekly forecasts and forex trends 

One of the reasons forex is so popular is that it is one of the few markets where you can make a significant amount from a relatively small investment of capital if you compound your accounts. That’s how so many traders make thousands of dollars a day.  

But while forex trading certainly has its share of opportunity, it is driven by many other factors, such as geopolitical events, countries’ economics, data releases, and many other factors. And if you don’t know what you are doing, you can quickly lose money. So, you should be willing to put in the work to grow your knowledge and skills.  

Here’s how you can do that. 

  • Leverage the forex market – Forex is a worldwide market, which means you can trade anywhere in the world, which means everyone follows the same rules. So, you can take help from the global community. Since every trader has unique experiences, you can gather a wealth of knowledge from individual and collective insights.  
  • Research your trades – Successful traders don’t just follow market trends; they research those trends, dig deep into the whys and hows, and corroborate it with their learnings to conclude their findings. Above all, they understand the factors influencing those trends to trade their strategies according to the forecasts.  
  • Learn more about volatility – A great way to limit volatility is to leverage knowledge and profile your risks per the forecasts. But for that, you need to invest time educating yourself about this aspect of trading. Since volatility is forex trading 101, expanding your knowledge on this subject and following the trends should be your priority for scalable success.  

Learn to manage your emotions 

When you first start trading, your emotions will control your actions. Call it a newfound passion or greed or fear. Many new traders often end up overtrading and making rash decisions.  

Don’t fret! It is human nature to make emotional decisions, especially when money is involved. For example, countless traders find it hard to resist taking a smaller position, even if the market isn’t moving in the direction they expected. And it leads to significant losses.  

But it is part of the process because as your profits and experiences grow, your trading style is bound to become more refined – sometimes, more conservative. 

That being said, waiting for your emotions to release the reins isn’t the wisest strategy for scalable growth. You need your rationale to take charge of the situation as early on as possible.  

Since emotions cloud your judgment, the first step toward becoming a successful trader is to become disciplined. Here’s how the experts do it.  

Don’t let your ego affect your trading 

When your emotions run high, it is easy to let your ego get the best of you. Your inner voice might tell you that it knows enough about trading to win the markets, or your trading system is foolproof, but decisions driven by ego are only profitable for a short period. This approach can’t be used as a sustainable strategy to move forward as it does not allow you to calculate risks or mind the forecasts.  

Don’t trade when you are frustrated 

Trading is stressful, and this can affect your judgment. It can lead you to make what seem like logical trades at the moment but turn out to be bad decisions in the long run. Get yourself in the habit of taking a break from trading whenever you are frustrated or feeling highly strung. Trust us; you will thank yourself! 

Don’t blame the market for your mistakes 

One of the biggest mistakes traders make is not acknowledging the pattern in their erroneous trading approach. It is natural to make excuses but successful trading is all about holding yourself accountable for your actions. That’s the only sustainable strategy for growth.  

Use charts and data to support your decisions 

Trading can be lucrative, but if you let your emotions get the better of you, it could ruin you financially. So, don’t rely on gut instincts when it comes to money. Besides, the forex community is quite supportive. If you are unable to use data in your trades, you can always ask for help.  

WFH Revolution: How managers can be prepared to navigate a hybrid work model

0

You no doubt know about hybrid-working, the model allowing employees to split their time between remote work and the office. Insider reported that more than 60% of businesses are planning to adopt it post-pandemic to enable staff to continue experiencing the benefits of working from home. “The flexibility of remote working has improved work-life balance for employees and cut down commuting expenses — in many cases it has also boosted inclusivity and hiring from different parts of the country,” says Joe Fitzsimons, IoD senior policy advisor to Insider.

That said, working from home has come with its challenges, particularly around  communication, collaboration and working hours, and for many businesses managing a team virtually hasn’t been easy. But considering it’s set to stay (even just for a few days a week),  management teams need to be equipped to deal with employees working in the office and at home simultaneously. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so businesses must assess individual circumstances and identify best practices. Here we look at some of the ways managers can be prepared for hybrid-working.

1.    Take part in management training

It’s essential that managers are taught the correct tools, techniques and strategies to manage the hybrid-work challenges and ensure business success. For example, remote staff may experience isolation, technology difficulties and productivity issues. Managers also need to have a strong awareness of the psychological barriers employees might face, such as social isolation, mental health issues and an inability to switch off outside of working hours.

A new approach to leadership is necessary if all team members are to work to the best of their ability, regardless of location. It’s not as simple as it once was, but with some training, managers will be able to navigate the hybrid-working world. Take MTD Training’s management courses, for instance, which provide comprehensive content covering all the essentials. Accredited with the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified, some of these classes can even be attended virtually, meaning you can train your staff wherever they are.

2.    Agree upon a hybrid-work model policy

There’s no right or wrong way to implement hybrid-working. What works for one company might not for the other. However, it’s essential for senior management to agree upon a policy that suits their business best. This should cover things like how hybrid-work is to be scheduled, the number of staff who can safely work in the office at one time, equipment accessibility, and cybersecurity measures.

Your first step is to assess your business needs. Is it possible for all roles to work remotely for some of the time? For construction workers and medical professionals, for instance, this isn’t doable in most cases. If your office is small, you might need to implement a rota system to ensure the building doesn’t reach full capacity. Then, lay down the ground rules. Is there a certain number of days everyone should be in the office or is it entirely flexible? Are there set days? Is anyone exempt? For example, those with health conditions might not feel comfortable being in the office too often. Clear boundaries need to be set to ensure everyone is on the same page. Other things to consider are communication, meetings, and collaboration. It’s a good idea to send a questionnaire to all staff that covers key components of hybrid-work, as you can use their input to finalise your policy.

3.    Refine your lines of communication

Good communication is the key to business success. For the hybrid-work model to be effective, managers must therefore be clear in refining lines of communication to increase productivity, finish projects on time, and ensure employees collaborate successfully. However, this can be hard to achieve in this model. For example, teams might be impacted by fewer opportunities to collaborate, weak internet connection or a lack of support. The new working landscape must foster alternative ways of communicating in order to survive, such as positive feedback, transparency and a learning mindset.

It’s also important for businesses to implement the right remote working tools, such as Slack, Hypercontext and Troop Messenger so that staff can keep in contact wherever they are. Such apps allow employees to discuss ideas, concepts and problems at work, and help everyone stay on the same page. For this to function though, managers should provide equipment to ensure the physical aspect of communication runs smoothly. High-quality microphones and headphones are essential, as is ironing out internet issues.

4.    Help staff find the perfect balance

Some employees will want to be back in the office more than others, so it’s vital that managers check in with everyone individually to learn their references. PwC research suggests that 68% of executives believe that staff must work in the office at least three days a week to retain company culture, but over 55% of employees prefer remote work for three days —suggesting there needs to be a balance between the two. If you’re wondering what this looks like for your business, getting your staff’s input is a great place to start. It might be that some are apprehensive about returning due to safety, childcare responsibilities or other health conditions.

By having one-to-ones with every employee, you can identify what their ideal working week looks like and support them. Not only do managers need to consider what is best for everyone’s lifestyles, but also for productivity levels. Every staff member is different. Some may prefer to work from home in silence, free from distractions to concentrate, while others thrive in the office atmosphere. This is naturally going to influence how many days people want to come into the office.

The Tax Tips All Small Business Owners Should Know

0

Although there is often a great deal of discussion about corporate taxes and whether they are being lowered of raised, small businesses rarely factor into the conversation. In most cases, people only associate such a financial element with larger companies. However, as a small business owner, this is something that you need to consider as well.

Therefore, if you want to make sure that you are utilizing the current laws and conditions to your advantage, then the tips below will come in quite useful. Here is how you can make the most of the situation:

Hire an Accountant

This may sound like a rather obvious piece of advice, but it is one that bears repeating. At the end of the day, there is no software that can replace an experienced and competent accountant. Therefore, the first thing that you should do is put in the time and effort to find one that is suitable for your business.

Keep in mind that a good accountant will do more than just assist you during tax season. Rather, they will work diligently all year round to keep track of income, expenses, and gross and net profits. They will also be a positive influence on your current and future business plan as well.

Construct an Appropriate Plan

When you run a small business, it is important to actively engage in corporate tax planning throughout the year. Doing this can help you on a few different fronts. To begin with, such an approach can make it easier for you to avoid cash flow problems. This is because you will be able to anticipate your expenditure and earnings for the year ahead.

In turn, this will ensure that you can determine how to have enough money to pay your taxes. One option is to set aside money early on. Or, you can arrange a line of credit. You should also determine whether you can pay quarterly estimated taxes or yearly estimated taxes and if one avenue is better for you than the other.

Identify Your Classification

Do you know which category your small business falls under? This can be rather tricky to figure out because it often feels like the needle is constantly moving. As such, you may find that your company will come under different classifications at several points throughout its existence.

As you can imagine, though, some categories are more beneficial to you than others. Due to this, it is a good idea to constantly examine and revise your position. Depending on which category you fall into, you could end up saving quite a bit of money.

Be Aware of Deduction Possibilities

Last, but certainly not least, do your due diligence when it comes to tax deductions. From equipment to charity, there are numerous possibilities, so don’t let these chances pass you by. Either do your own research or ask your accountant about various expenditures that you could potentially write off.

These are the top tips that all small business owners should be aware of. Keep these in mind and utilize them as needed for profitable results.

  • bitcoinBitcoin (BTC) $ 108,296.00 1.53%
  • ethereumEthereum (ETH) $ 3,756.75 3.15%
  • tetherTether (USDT) $ 1.00 0.03%
  • xrpXRP (XRP) $ 2.44 2.72%
  • bnbBNB (BNB) $ 1,048.81 3.64%
  • usd-coinUSDC (USDC) $ 0.999595 0.02%
  • staked-etherLido Staked Ether (STETH) $ 3,755.51 3.17%
  • tronTRON (TRX) $ 0.294608 0.31%
  • cardanoCardano (ADA) $ 0.578175 5.08%
  • avalanche-2Avalanche (AVAX) $ 17.72 5.14%
  • the-open-networkToncoin (TON) $ 2.23 3.95%
  • solanaSolana (SOL) $ 179.66 2.91%
Enable Notifications OK No thanks