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Four Stories to Success: Starting Your Own Business

ABC Staff
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Four Stories to Success: Starting Your Own Business

Not many people would say they lack ambition. The urge to succeed is embedded in all of us. From children to elders, all individuals measure personal success according to their own inner criteria. Unfortunately, most people fail to realize their full potential due to a complex set of reasons, but most often that set consists of only a couple of elements. Lack of ideas and absence of courage are usually the ones responsible for holding you back, but what happens when you take those two out of the equation?

If you are exploring your possibilities and are looking for a way to break free from the closed corporate system and dive into the ocean of self-employment, we are here to provide a list of helpful items you’ll need to consider if you wish to start your own business.

The Right Mindset

The first thing you need to do is actually convince yourself that this going forward solo is a good idea. Studies show that majority of people that actually have a potentially lucrative idea are afraid of stepping out of their comfort zones out of fear. At the heart of it hides not the fear of failure as you might think, but rather the fear of success.

Fear of success is actually very common. When one individual decides to try something, he is met with two opposing outcomes: either he will fail, or he will succeed. Now, we generally spend too much time thinking about failing that the notion of success is far from our minds. However, as we overcome the obstacles and approach the goal, we are faced with the frightening thought: “What if I actually do this?”. So logically, after so much time spent focusing on the negative aspects, failure becomes a constant, even safe option. Winning becomes something that now scares us even more.

To get out of the vicious circle, visualizing situations in which you were successful is one of the best strategies that you can use. Keep reminding yourself why you decided to do this in the first place and find a reliable source of motivation. If you believe in yourself and your goal, you become practically invincible, and that mindset is one of the key components of success.

Profitable Field

The era of capitalism and mass production brings forth countless products and dense marketing spaces. To sell something never seen before, you will have to incorporate an extra layer of creativity not only in terms of advertising but the individual product as well. To put it simply, sliced bread has gone stale.

The matter we would like to address is the choice of field of work coupled with accompanying advertising. Intense marketing strategies focus on selling products and services that directly affect us precisely because they are not selling the product as much as they are selling a lifestyle. The perfect example is Apple and the world-famous motto ‘Think Different’. From the beginning, the company focused on selling items that may be only pieces of electronic equipment, but each device represents something much bigger than just a phone or a laptop. The entire brand promoted the idea that you are unique and if you want to be different – you’ll want something that resides in its own league. Ironically, today Apple is one of the most recognizable companies in the world, with iPhones being the preferred choice for a mobile device for billions of users.

That is why it is important to create a unique outline for your product, calculate where and to whom you desire to sell it, and devise a marketing strategy that completely fits the entire concept.

Of course, you do not need an actual product in order to achieve success. Considering that you now have the internet as a medium, you can explore infinite fields and professions and try your hand at lucrative jobs you never knew existed before.

One such lucrative idea is affiliate marketing. If you are drawn to this branch of business and wish to dive a bit deeper, affiliate marketing is a great place to start. Essentially, affiliate marketing brings a lot of money through promotions of other companies’ products. It is present in all spheres and industries, especially in entertainment and iGaming, where some of the top UK online casino establishments work with elaborate affiliate networks.

Possibilities are endless; you only need to choose what you wish to do.

Business Structure and Plan

Once you make a decision about your line of work, industry, and product, you will need a firm structure that will enable you to put it all into motion.

A solid, bulletproof business plan is vital – this will be the foundation of your business venture. Most start-up businesses fail during their first three years of existence precisely because the structure and planning were not based on reasonable goals. Failing to predict potentially harmful circumstances is one of the first obstacles – an obstacle many individuals fail to notice. Take your time in devising your plan.

It needs to be precise, so do your homework: research your target market, work on your marketing strategy, formulate your product, and most importantly, devise a reasonable funding goal.

How to create local buzz around your new franchise

ABC Staff
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How to create local buzz around your new franchise

As it comes closer to opening a new franchise, the thought of marketing the launch and business has to be front and centre. While franchisees benefit greatly from the assets provided by the brand, they need to catch the attention and interest of their local customer base. Your franchise, employees, and technology may be ready, but a vital part of the launch is getting your potential customers or clients ready too.

No franchise can successfully launch without notifying the relevant consumers that it is open for business. And while you might have the help of your franchisor for general brand marketing in terms of content and creative, you’ll need to create some local hype around your new franchise to get people walking through your doors. Here are some simple tips to get the buzz going, written in collaboration with F45 Training.

Sneak peeks

While the general public may know the bigger brand, they might not know one is opening up on their doorstep. A sneak peek is the perfect way to let them know without revealing too much. By only showing a sneak peek to the community, potential customers will  start thinking about you before they’ve even stepped inside. Whether it’s a short video clip of a section of your shop or studio on social media or a taster of your product as people pass by, it will generate interest.

Local influencers

Social media is the perfect platform to find relevant influencers (with a decent number of followers) who would be keen to talk about your franchise. While this can cost you a significant amount of money, a little bit of upfront capital won’t hurt if it gets the word-of-mouth strategy up and running. With well-known Facebookers and Instagrammers spreading the news, your new franchise won’t only gain some much needed attention but also an element of trust and legitimacy in what you offer.

Opening deals

An opening deal is an easy way to give consumers a reason or the motivation to sign up or walk through your door in the first place. If you’ve bought an F45 franchise for sale, for example, you could make a good first impression and gain vital initial interest by offering a discount or first free session. When people start getting in touch or stopping by to find out about your deal, you and your staff can  share more information about your service. This builds upon the initial interest, and allows you the chance to further sell what you have to offer.

Generating some local buzz around your new business shouldn’t be left to the marketing efforts of the broader franchise. Your franchise will be situated in a specific location and home to a unique  consumer base–your launch should be tailored to spark their attention and interest. Creating this buzz need not be expensive. With the help of some local influencers, a good opening special, and a sneak peek for locals, you will generate some much-needed awareness.

The US-China Trade War and the EU Market

ABC Staff
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0
The US-China Trade War and the EU Market

Does the China-US trade war impact the European market and to what extent? Take a look at this Vestle UK article and gain new insight.

The US-China Trade War and the European Market

If you haven’t been living in a cave for the past few months, then you must know that the trade war between the United States and China has been escalating after a long period of on-again, off-again. You don’t need to be a financial analyst to figure out that this trade war is going to have a substantial impact on the economies of both the US and China, and that both sides likely stand to lose a lot in the exchange.

If you thought, however, that the US and China were the only ones affected by the trade dispute, think again. When giants collide, everyone gets squashed and one of the first casualties could be the European Union. Let’s take a quick look into the possible impact of the conflict on the European economy.

The current trade war creates new risks for Europe

Europe has strong financial ties with the US and every damaging action to the US economy could quickly trickle down to the European economy. How come? Well, many companies in the US depend on China for both sales and growth, and if they experience losses, so will the European companies that are connected to their business. Meanwhile, any European company that has strong ties with China will find itself between a rock and a hard place. It can cut its ties with China and experience losses or continue dealing with the Asian superpower and risk being shunned by the US. It’s a lose-lose situation for European companies who have very little interest in the current trade war and not much to gain from it.

Global economy doesn’t like uncertainty

We live in an age of globalisation and when large economic players experience difficulties, the global economy is not likely to escape unharmed. More specifically, the current conflict can be seen as a significant threat to global economic growth. If the tariffs weaken the economies of the US and China, it could hamper the demand for various goods from the rest of the world – including Europe. That, in turn, could impact European consumers’ incomes.

The market has feelings

While it’s tempting to see the market as a combination of charts and numbers, every trader knows that the market also has sentiment, and market psychology is certainly a factor to consider. The continuing trade war has no set boundaries. Every decision adds to economic uncertainty all around the world and can quickly affect traders worldwide, Europe included. True, some so-called “safe-haven” instruments have historically benefitted from market uncertainty, but this is not likely to contribute to large European companies, since stocks historically tend to react negatively to market instability and uncertainty.  

Is there an upside?

If we had to look for a bright side, we could point out that growing supply can be good for consumers. It is possible that with more goods diverted from the US and China, the prices of certain products might decrease, but it’s hard to assess if this will happen and to what extent.

Also, short traders might see a silver lining even if the markets experience turmoil since, as Vestle UK specifies, CFD traders can always choose to short or long their position.

There are many other factors involved

We hope we don’t need to tell you that in such a complex situation there are many other factors that could affect the performance of the European economy. For starters, President Trump is also threatening to impose tariffs on vehicles imported from the European Union, and the European Union has already prepared a list of imports from the US that could potentially face higher tariffs in retaliation. Also, with growing internal tensions, Brexit, debts and immigration, Europe has a lot on its plate, and it might be difficult to assess the exact effect of each factor separately.

It is clear though that the European economy has many challenges and that the US-China trade war is not going to make things better. How will it all end? Only time will tell.

 

The materials contained on this document have been created in cooperation with Vestle UK and should not in any way be construed, either explicitly or implicitly, directly or indirectly, as investment advice, recommendation or suggestion of an investment strategy with respect to a financial instrument, in any manner whatsoever. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 59.5% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Any indication of past performance or simulated past performance included in this document is not a reliable indicator of future results. Full disclaimer: https://www.vestle.co.uk/legal/analysis-disclaimer.html

Finding money in an emergency, safely

Claire James
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Finding money in an emergency, safely

Almost everyone finds themselves strapped for cash from time to time, but it can often be hard to prepare for the worst, even if you’re financially sensible. There’s no one way to get money quickly, and the best method will always depend on your individual circumstances. Factors like how much money you need, how quickly you need it, and the state of your credit history will all need to be taken into account. As such, you’ll need to consider all your options before deciding on any one path.

1. Borrow money

Perhaps the quickest and most reliable means of raising emergency funds is by simply borrowing money, especially if you need a significant amount. There are many different ways to do this, but you’ll need to be wary of some of them. Payday loans, credit cards, and overdrafts have notoriously high rates of interest, while secured loans lend money against assets like your home or car, which can put them at risk if you can’t pay them back.

Your best option could be a personal loan, which gets you a lump sum that can be paid back in instalments. They can be obtained quickly, making them ideal if you need large amounts of money in a hurry. Personal loans aren’t secured against any assets and you are also able to set how long it will take to repay them.

However, while interest rates on personal loans aren’t typically as high as other borrowing methods, you could fall into further debt if you aren’t careful. Lenders won’t usually let you borrow less than £1,000, or for fewer than 12 months, which means you could end up borrowing more than you need, or are able to afford. Furthermore, a low credit score could stop you from obtaining a personal loan altogether.

If your credit score is a problem you could opt for a guarantor loan, but you must be comfortable affording it. This is a loan where somebody you know agrees to make the loan repayments if you don’t. While your own credit rating will not be taken into account, your guarantor will themselves need a good credit score to be accepted. Since this is a serious financial responsibility, that person should be someone that you know and trust.

The Amigo Loans guide says there wouldn’t be an impact on the guarantor at all, providing you keep up with your monthly payments. Only if you miss a payment and no alternative arrangement can be agreed would a guarantor need to make a repayment towards the loan.

2. Take an odd job or two

Finding short-term work is easier than ever, so you could instead advertise yourself for an odd job to raise extra cash. Sites like TaskRabbit let members advertise ad hoc, part-time roles that anyone can take on, such as cleaning, flat-pack assembling, handyman jobs, and even personal assistant positions. All you need to do is sign up, complete training and information sessions, and you’re good to go. Another useful site is Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelancers. If you are trained in areas like programming or design, Fiverr is a great place to find freelance work, while also offering one-off data entry jobs to users with a more generalised skill set.

You could even take on more unique work instead. For instance, you can get paid to look after pets in your area, with some sites enabling individuals to earn up to £1,500 a month for simply walking dogs. Other options include completing online surveys for market research companies in return for cash, or becoming a mystery shopper who reviews different restaurants and shops.

3. Sell unwanted possessions

In the Marie Kondo era, there’s a lot to be said for getting rid of things that don’t spark joy. But why not take to Gumtree or eBay to make some money in the process. A safe and easy way to make a quick buck, selling your unwanted items allows you to declutter the house effectively and lucratively, with best-selling items including old furniture, used game consoles, and baby gear.

With e-commerce growing steadily over the last few years, the easiest way to sell possessions nowadays is through online consumer-to-consumer sites. Anyone can sign up to these sites and put their belongings up for sale right away, making them a simple way to shift your neglected items. There are also item-specific platforms you can use—for instance, musicMagpie sells electronic goods while WPDiamonds will buy unwanted jewellery

Even with the proliferation of e-commerce sites, you could still sell your stuff the old-fashioned way by signing up to a car boot sale to flog your belongings in person. With numerous car boot sales throughout the country, you should be able to find one near you.

The main drawbacks of going down this route are that it could take days or weeks before you see any return and that it totally depends on whether people are willing to buy your stuff. What’s more, the returns may be minimal if what you have lying about aren’t worth much, or are in poor nick. However, if you have time and some potentially valuable items, it could be a useful way forward.

Effective Fleet Management for Companies

Claire James
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Effective Fleet Management for Companies

In modern economy, the management and coordination of the company fleet plays an increasingly important role – for tax reasons, but primarily to decrease the costs of operation.  Conditions for an effective fleet management lies in an ideal vehicle deployment to avoid downtimes and empty running. Another relevant factor in this context is the lack of appropriate spare parts – they help to keep the fleet in an optimal state so that all vehicles can be used on demand.

There is no clear definition of fleet management.  Generally, the task of a fleet manager comprises the management, planning, operating and monitoring of fleets of different types of vehicles belonging to a company.  The main task – and most of the potential inherent in fleet management – concentrates on the coordination and specification of routes.  Thus, problems may be uncovered early or circumvented entirely.

Digital Fleet Management for More Convincing Results

More and more, the fleet manager of a company profits from modern technologic advancements – in particular fleet tracking systems based on the Global Positioning System (GPS). Consequently, technology matter in the day-to-day activities of a fleet manager and it enables companies to apply a new and more efficient way of managing their fleets.

The system itself aims at achieving additional economic benefit by working more efficiently. Each vehicle is endowed with a GPS-transmitter which transfers vehicle data to a web server of the company.  By installing further sensors, other valuable information about the current state of the vehicle and the driving manner can be collected.  With a special software, these data are subsequently analysed and evaluated. This software also offers real-time monitoring which makes it easier for the fleet manager to react to unexpected situations.  Moreover, he may keep track of all activities.

To perform fleet management remotely via one single platform facilitates its operation. Today, most of the tasks associated with the management of company cars are digitised. Especially telematics, i.e. the combination of the two science disciplines telecommunications and informatics, proved to be a reliable assistant to make fleet management much easier and more reliant.

A GPS-fleet tracking system is used to

  • provide all necessary information to the fleet vehicles
  • ensure the communication between the drivers and the company
  • offer a basic, functional design
  • provide the opportunity to integrate further functions
  • ensure that the vehicle follows the best route

Digital fleet management links GPS data with web-based applications on company servers.  This reveals important information needed to organise the very best driving tour – aiming at saving time and money for the company.

Fleet Tracking Features of FleetGO

There are many providers for GPS-assisted fleet management systems on the market. FleetGO has developed a highly innovative and reliable fleet tracking system which offers additional features such as

  1. Real-time tracking of all vehicles

To optimally schedule the routes of all vehicles, the fleet manager can see in real-time where the company cars are currently located.  With these data, he can optimally plan the routes of the respective cars, if need be rescheduling the driving activities.

  1. Creation of a trip log

The tracking system registers all vehicle activity, all trips, routes and locations are logged compliant with the statutory regulations. All movements are entered into a list which are easy to read and easy to interpret.

  1. Track all activities

Use the tool to track driving times, the number of trips or idle time. All activities are recorded. For analysis, simply print out the spreadsheets and reports which include the respective details concerning time, driver and vehicle.

At any time, the cloud-based platform provides the fleet manager with dashboards and reports to remain be up to date.  Moreover, the respective fleet manager gets the chance to adapt the type of the collected data to the company needs.

Hair transplant in Turkey and stem cell treatment

ABC Staff
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Hair transplant in Turkey and stem cell treatment

When we talk about aesthetics, baldness is one of the great insecurities that affect the male population. Many men suffer when they discover that they’re losing hair volume although they try to stop it without any positive results. Alopecia is inevitable and, in many cases, causes a drama. Luckily, clinical advances allow men to recover the lost hair following specialised treatments, like the ones offer in Capilclinic, in Turkey.

Turkey has become a benchmark in health tourism in Europe, not only because of the high quality of their medical services, but also because of their reduced price. They’re pioneers in hair transplants applying the latest technologies and the most modern hair transplant methods.

Stem cell treatment

In Turkey they’re using the most advanced technology applied to medicine and, in cases of hair transplant, one of the most prominent methods is the stem cell treatment. It consists in extracting the regenerative cells located in the abdominal fat and, after cleaning and concentrating them, they are activated using natural proteins. After that, the patient receives an injection in the capillary tissues with these cells that have been activated.

This medical treatment is totally innovative and was born thanks to the latest advances in regenerative medicine and the use of microinjections of cells obtained from the patient’s abdominal fat. In this way, we managed to increase the proportion of regenerative cells in the skin.

This treatment is especially recommended to treat those patients who suffer from diffuse alopecia.

The diffuse alopecia is a type of alopecia in which there is a gradual loss of hair. Sometimes, this loss is the consequence of some diseases that cause hair loss. In these cases, patients who want to undergo this treatment do not have to shave their hair, something that for many of them is very important at an aesthetic level for their desire to maintain their hair while the entire process lasts.

This therapy regenerates at the same time that it improves not only the quality, but also the density of the skin of the scalp significantly. We will be able to stimulate capillary growth and standardise the cycle of hair follicles and we’ll finally get a greater volume of new hair growth. One important aspect of this treatment is that the results are permanent.

FUE Sapphire technique

This is a hair graft technique and, as we all know, sapphire is one of the four most important gemstones in the world, so we can say all the treatments in which this mineral is used for surgical instruments are a luxury.

The most outstanding aspect of this sapphire treatment is that we obtain an extremely natural result. This is possible thanks to the blades that allow the doctor to make really precise incisions in the skin and obtain a perfect angle to place the hair follicles.

It should be noted that in addition to gaining naturalness, with this transplant the process is completely painless. This technique not only reduces pain considerably but also makes it possible to implant grafts in really small areas without causing damage to existing follicles.

How to organise finance to maximise profit

Claire James
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How to organise finance to maximise profit

All businesses share the need to
maximise profit. Whether those profits go into your own pocket, into the pockets
of shareholders or are earmarked to be ploughed back into the business, the
greater the profits, the greater the measure of your business success.

So how can you maximise your
profits? Once you have identified and measured your key profit drivers, you
should be able to develop strategies to grow them. So
the most obvious way to make your business more profitable involves looking at
ways to increase income – usually in the form of sales revenue.

But it is not the only way to
improve the financial wellbeing of your business. You could increase your
profits without putting on a single extra sale if you can decrease your costs.

Cost cutting needs to
be done carefully. Done wrong, and it will result in penny pinching that can
alienate employees and customers, and even make it look as though your business
is in trouble. The professional approach is to look at your competitors and
benchmarking your business to see where you can save money.

The forgotten costs

Making savings can mean many
things. Changing to more efficient lighting could reduce your energy bills.
Finding new suppliers who can provide the things you need at a keener price
night cut your monthly outgoings.

But there is a class of supplier
which is often overlooked on cost-cutting drives. Your financial providers. The
chances are that your business has borrowings, which can range from the finance
to buy your premises and equipment to various forms of funding designed to keep
your cash flow positive.

The cost of this finance might
not be forgotten – it will make a serious impact on your bottom line – but the
possibility of reducing that cost may be overlooked when you are thinking about
cutting costs elsewhere.

This may be because it is easy to
believe that your arrangements with financial suppliers are fixed, and that you
are tied in. Nothing could be further from the truth

You can change your financial
providers, just like any other supplier. And that means you can cut the cost of
one of the biggest drains on your profitability – your monthly repayments to
lenders.

Getting a better deal on your
finance

You may feel that business finance can have a
lot like firefighting. Any finance will do when you need to keep your business
afloat – but like any distress purchase, the lending you arrange in an
emergency will be expensive.

Having the right strategy and the right finance
in place before a crisis could help avoid the need for firefighting in the
first place.

So there are two ways to organise your finance
to maximise your profit. Plan ahead to find a better deal when you need it –
and switch to a better deal to replace your existing arrangements by
refinancing.

Planning ahead

A clear view of your financial needs will make
it easier to plan ahead and to secure the funding you need at the lowest
possible rates and the most favourable terms.

Look at the operational challenges you face:

  • Staffing costs
  • Premises and
    overheads
  • Materials costs
  • New technology
  • New challenges
    from competitors
  • The need for
    marketing – especially online
  • Obsolescence of
    plant and equipment
  • The need to fund
    growth

Once you have identified the particular
business challenges that you need to answer, you need to look at the most
appropriate type of funding for each one.  It is rarely just a matter of
arranging a generic business ‘loan’. Each type of challenge can have a
different solution.

Getting the right solution for any given
business purpose is vital because it means lower costs. For example, if you
need a new vehicle, you should probably
look at an asset finance solution. Leasing or HP will have lending secured on
the equipment itself reducing costs compared with a generic loan.

There is a wide range of specific financial
solutions designed for buying premises, for dealing with problems with cash
flow, for customers who pay late, for unexpected tax bills and more.

Once you have identified the financial
challenges, the next step is to identify the most cost effective financial
products to answer them. The key is to do this before your need for finance
becomes acute. Having the chance to shop around,  to get the most
appropriate form of finance and even to play different lenders off against each
other to get the best deal can make major savings on the monthly repayments
your funding need will generate.

The benefits of planning ahead don’t stop with
reduced costs.  When you need for finance as part of planned expansion,
you will already know exactly what that finance will cost, simplifying your
decision-making process. When an emergency does come along you have a lifeline
ready and waiting, and when you see an opportunity, you will know exactly what
it will cost you to grasp it.

Refinancing  to cut your existing costs

If you
realise that you have a business loan or loans with a high rate and repayments
you may be able to cut them by refinancing. Refinancing is simply the process
of replacing an existing loan with a new financial arrangement. The new loan pays off the current debt.

You will be
faced with a new debt with a new lender, but your new debt should have better
terms or features that are a better fit for your business, and which will
improve your financial position.

Lenders vary
greatly in the interest they charge. By refinancing to a lower rate, and
perhaps to a more suitable type of loan, it may be possible for your business
to save on interest costs. However, you can also refinance your borrowing into
a longer term.This could reduce your monthly outgoings by giving you longer to
repay.

If you have
several loans running at once, you may be able to consolidate them into a
single loan.

Getting help

Of course, few people running their own
business can expect to be an expert in finance, so whether you are planning
ahead or dealing with some expensive decisions in the past you may find things
easier with some expert help. Business finance has moved on a great deal in
recent years. Getting the best deal is no longer simply a matter of calling on
your bank manager and relying on their generosity. The fact is that since the
financial crisis many banks are a lot less helpful to small businesses than
they once were. Fortunately, there are now many specialist and alternative
lenders who will be keen to do business with you.

Of course, not all lenders will be able to
offer the funding you really need, and only one will be able to offer you the
lowest price. The final step in getting the finance you need to build your
profits may be to call in a business funding expert who can look at the entire
business lending market to find the solutions that are right for you and your business.

The Beginner’s Guide to Conference Call Etiquette

ABC Staff
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The Beginner’s Guide to Conference Call Etiquette

Regular face-to-face meetings can be time-consuming, over-crowded and, when they’re poorly planned, just downright unproductive. Unfortunately, such poor planning has become a staple feature of many in-person meetings, with hosts often struggling to coordinate schedules, book adequate meeting spaces and set clear agendas.

Through an online conference call, however, businesses can eradicate many of these damaging factors, instead allowing team members to collaborate through the simple click of a button. Instead of wasting time waiting for late arrivals or dealing with the common distractions which plague traditional meetings, modern web conferencing ensures meeting sessions become much more efficient and productive.

However, these platforms can only become truly effective if all attendees follow the accepted protocol and etiquette. If you aren’t aware of the rules (or just fail to acknowledge them), then conference calls can quickly become just as distracting and unproductive as those inefficient face-to-face sessions. So, what are the conferencing rules you need to know?

Join on Time

Since you don’t have to worry about any lengthy travel times or traffic delays, there really is no excuse for being late to a conference call. In fact, most web conferencing platforms will now send you reminders as to the time and date of an upcoming call, so you can’t even claim to have forgotten about the session.

By turning up late, there’s a high probability that you’re not only delaying the start of the call, but also frustrating many of your co-workers. After all, forcing them to sit around and wait for you is a monumental waste of their time; even though you might be having a particularly busy day, you need to remember that your colleagues are likely just as pressed for time as you are.

In fact, it’s always a good idea to turn up a few minutes before the scheduled time. This ensures you aren’t scuppered by any last-minute technological hiccups, while also giving you a chance to speak with other early-arrivals and properly introduce yourself. Since a recent study from LoopUp (a leading conferencing provider) showed that 63% of calls are delayed by problems with conferencing tools, showing up early should be considered a top priority.

Make Sure You’re Prepared

Of course, being on time is simply the minimum requirement of good conferencing behaviour. In addition to your timely arrival, you also need to make sure you’ve read through the agenda beforehand so you can join the meeting fully prepared. There’s simply nothing more frustrating than the sound of a colleague frantically rifling through papers for information, so you should always be properly organised for an important conference call.

When you aren’t prepared for the discussion and try to think on your feet, the conference call will soon become incredibly unproductive; since you won’t have the information required to help the team come to any informed decisions.

Minimise Background Noise

For many conference callers, distracting background noise is undoubtedly their biggest frustration. The rustling of papers or murmur of a busy coffee shop can quickly drown out the voice of the person trying to speak, leaving attendees straining their ears to figure out exactly what’s being said. When there’s a large number of people involved in the call, the multiple sources of background noise can reach almost deafening levels; inevitably leading to damaging miscommunications and inefficient sessions.

Fortunately, web conferencing platforms allow you to mute yourself when you’re not talking, meaning that you can prevent any background noise coming from your end. When everyone on the call successfully follows this practise, then attendees can enjoy crystal clear audio and perfectly understand how the meeting is progressing. However, you also need to make sure you remember to unmute yourself when it’s your turn to speak!

By following these simple behavioural tips, you can ensure that conference calls become much more productive and ultimately avoid wasting any time.

Cyber Security Tips for Remote Workers

ABC Staff
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Cyber Security Tips for Remote Workers

With remote working on the rise both as a full-time option and an occasional change of pace for those who benefit from flexible working, it brings along a whole new set of challenges for both employers and employees.

One of these new challenges is the issue of cyber security. If you are a remote worker yourself, or someone who employs remote staff as part of your workforce, here are some useful cyber security tips.

 

Invest in Training

Remote workers can often be forgotten about when it comes to train. However, when it comes to cybersecurity, they can be the most vulnerable ones in your organisation. This means that cyber security training is not only recommended for remote workers but should be seen as essential. With so many cyber treats target emails and third party sites used by employees, it is vital that both your central employees and those working remotely are properly trained on how to spot any suspicious activity and common traps set by cybercriminals.

 

Keep Communication Secure

Whether you are a remote worker yourself, or someone who employs remote working staff, emails are probably the most common way that you will be communicating with the rest of the team, as well as any clients you may have contact with. As such, you’ll want to do everything to ensure that this channel of communication is secure, and that important files are safeguarded by the use of encryption software.

You can ensure that your emails, and any attached files, are secure either by invest in encryption software or by using a virtual disk drive. By using a virtual disk drive as a server, you can be sure that any company communication and files are safe as long as the drive remains locked. Forward Secrecy (PFS), also known as Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) is another cybersecurity measure you should look to implement in order to keep your channels of communications secure between remote workers and the central office.  

 

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Virtual private networks are simply put a lifesaver when it comes to cybersecurity measure and the remote workforce. Like virtual disk drives, they allow for the secure transmission of company information. VPNs allow users to send and receive data securely, even across public networks. This offers remote workers an extra layer of protection on everything from data they transmit to web sessions and even personal information – or, in this case, sensitive company information.

 

Be Wary of Using Unsecured Connections or Public Wi-Fi

One of the perks of being a remote working is the freedom to spend your working day anywhere with an internet connection. This does, however, mean that remote workers are often using public Wi-Fi and unsecured connections, which is a major red flag from a cybersecurity point of view. The use of these networks leaves devices vulnerable, making them easy targets for cybercriminals. As a remote worker, you should only ever use secure connections or request that your employer sets up a VPN for you to use. As an employer, you should set out a clear remote working policy. Within this policy, you should offer guidance on the safe and responsible ways in which remote workers should access company networks and highlight the fact that using public Wi-Fi should always be seen as a last resort.  

 

Make Two-Factor Authentification (2FA) Standard

The use of two-factor authentification (2FA) is quickly becoming standard practice in most workplaces so it makes sense to implement its use for remote workers too. When using 2FA, employees must first enter their password as they usually would in order to access the company system or any work-related accounts.

Individuals should already be familiar with this process as companies like Paypal and Microsoft have already introduced 2FA for the use of the customers. By introducing an additional security step – which most people will already be familiar with – you can greatly reduce cybersecurity problems.

Chinese brand “Joeone” was the only designated menswear brand at the official dinner of Cannes Film Festival

Elliot
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Chinese brand “Joeone” was the only designated menswear brand at the official dinner of Cannes Film Festival

In recent days, the Cannes Film Festival has gradually drew to a close. During the entire event, Chinese films and Chinese filmmakers became an integral part of the Cannes Film Festival. In the main competition units, the Chinese film “Wild Goose Lake” has received a lot of good comments and evaluations, and the Chinese stars on the Cannes red carpet have also been widely concerned by the world fashion Circle. As a most popular Chinese entertainer in the international market, Li Guangjie’s appearance on the red carpet has triggered a new “Chinese tough man fever”. As the most favorable role in China’s science fiction work “the wandering earth”, Li’s handsome appearance and good body shape, and the gentleman image of “tetsuo” will become a totally new trend in the field of international fashion.

According to the report, one of Li Guangjie’s fashionable dresses is “little black pants” specially designed by the Chinese brand Joeone. Different from other clothing products with single function, little black pants is featured by fashion variety, which can match all scenes, and become a fashion leader and technical representative of international charm.

At the just-concluded “Chinese and French cultural Night” dinner, Joeone also won the title of “the only designated menswear brand” for Cannes official dinner, which was the first time that China’s domestic brand accessed to the world’s important fashion hall–the Cannes Film Festival authorized. Mr. OLYMPIA AWARDS GELLINI, President of the Global Film and Television Union, mentioned in an interview that the choice of Joeone men’s clothing was a fancy as it is a famous garment enterprises in China, with good quality and craftsmanship. This is probably the highest praise for the Chinese brand Joeone, because there was a strong chemical reaction between the French the most picky one about fashion and Chinese brands.

As a factory in the world, while people from all over the world are used to made in China, we seem to ignore the fashion charm that Chinese itself upholds and creates.The combination of Joeone’s little black pants and Cannes fills the imagination gap of this part, but also allows the whole world to witness the extraordinary performance after the collision of Chinese fashion and world fashion.

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