Category: Business

  • The Marketing Huddle — Top Marketing Blog for Small Business

    The Marketing Huddle — Top Marketing Blog for Small Business

    We are in the post Covid-19 era and let me be really honest with you — Marketing is no longer the same. Many of us are affected badly with the turn outs from Covid-19 and we even see many small businesses closing down / downsizing across the globe.

    I’m going to sugar coat it because it is already bad. There must be something that small business owners can do right now, right?

    The truth is, yes. If you are affordable, you can work with digital marketing agencies with your marketing needs. Or you can spend time and effort to learn more about digital marketing.

    Either way, you need to do something and right now … to keep your business afloat long enough.

    Introducing The Marketing Huddle

    I came across TheMarketingHuddle.com in expired domains and I was intrigued to build my blog database. What other thing can I do than to create a marketing blog dedicated for small business owners?

    The Marketing Huddle Marketing Blog for Small Business Owners

    As you can see, this blog is brand new (with less than 10 posts) and I have no plans to place any ads on it for now. Yes, a few affiliate links and that’s much about it.

    And hey, it is not running on WordPress!

    The Marketing Huddle is created on Ghost CMS (works just like Medium) and I’m loving it right now.

    What can I expect from The Marketing Huddle?

    The Marketing Huddle is created as a marketing blog for small business owners. As a consultant myself, I came across dozens of entrepreneurs and business owners who are struggling to keep up with the latest marketing related news.

    The blog serves as a free publication site focusing on marketing related matters with some detailed case study write ups (like this case study on WaaS business model).

    Apart from that, there are also free content such as daily, weekly and monthly online marketing tips specially crafted for small business owners.

    It doesn’t matter if you are doing it inhouse or want to train your team, this is one blog not to be missed!

  • What To Do If Your Employer Goes Bankrupt

    What To Do If Your Employer Goes Bankrupt

    Life is full of uncertainties, but sometimes, we are caught off-guard. Take the example of your employer declaring bankruptcy. Most of the time, nothing prepares an employee for their employer to go out of business. When this happens, employees are left wondering what they should do moving forward. The good news is that as an employee, there are steps that you can take when your employer is affected by insolvency proceedings. It pays to be in the know, and this article helps you understand the steps you can take when your employer declares bankruptcy.

    What Happens When an Employer Declares Bankruptcy?

    Bankruptcy occurs in a situation where a company or employer can no longer pay its debts. The debtor can voluntarily declare bankruptcy. Alternatively, they can be forced into it by one of the creditors of the business. If this happens, they hand over their non-exempt property to a licensed insolvency trustee (LIT) who is tasked with selling and distributing the money to Creditors.

    A majority of bankruptcies fall under consumer bankruptcies, meaning that most of the debts are not business-related. If the debtor’s assets are worth below $15,000, the case is processed under summary administration. This kind of situation is easy to handle because creditors do not need to meet. Creditors cannot take a debtor to a court or continue any hearings if the case is dealt with as a summary administration. Secured creditors can take ownership of assets that they hold a security. While there are clear paths for creditors to follow when dealing with a bankrupt business, many employees have no idea where to go if their employer declares bankruptcy.

    What Happens to Employees?

    Before a company considers filing for bankruptcy, the employer must have gone over a list of options regarding what they can do. Many companies consider finding a trustee that will help them evaluate their situation, so they know what they will lose once they file for insolvency. With a trustee, the employer understands what will happen to their employees and even the contractors in detail.

    The first step that takes place once an employer declares bankruptcy is that a trustee is appointed over the company that faces insolvency. This trustee has several duties, including liquidation of the employer’s estate, so that the creditors can be paid. The creditors are notified of the bankruptcy as well, and the assets of the bankrupt person are protected. The trustee then runs the company, even though it is insolvent. Many times, contracts with third parties and employees end up terminated. Interestingly, some key employees may retain their positions or get rehired because they are essential to running the company or safeguarding their critical assets.

    What Should the Employee Know?

    As an employee of a bankrupt business, you are protected under the Wage Earner Protection Program. Debts are paid to creditors according to the federally legislated BIA. If the employees have a wage claim, they are considered to be creditors. The steps to be taken next depend on whether these employees are in a union or not. If it’s there, they will be represented by the union, and the matter is solved. If the employee were not part of a union, the employee would have to deal directly with the trustee appointed for the company.

    The Wage Earner Protection Program is responsible for the reimbursement of eligible employees for any unpaid and deserved monies including wages, vacation pay, termination pay and severance pay that the employer owed them after the declaration of bankruptcy.

    As an employee, the first step would be to file a proof of claim with the company’s trustee, and the request should be filed with Service Canada within 56 days of the bankruptcy date. Service Canada is the body responsible for making payments under WEPP. The trustee is not liable to make any payments to the employee.

    Service Canada is also entitled to the dividend payments that the receiver or trustee makes to the employee on the amounts paid by Service Canada. The federal program compensates employees for amounts of up to $3,000. Wages include salaries, commissions, vacation pay, compensation for services, and severance pay. Payments that fall within ss 81.3 and 81.4 of the BIA should be considered when considering employees who should be compensated upon bankruptcy.

    Declaring bankruptcy comes as a shocker for many employees. It is mostly unclear to the public about what should happen to the employees once their employer declares bankruptcy. While the stipulations are clear for creditors, it is not so clear for employees. In this article, however, an employee learns how the law protects them and how they can claim compensation that should be theirs.

  • Quarantine Survival Kit At Home And Remote Workers [Complete Guide]

    Quarantine Survival Kit At Home And Remote Workers [Complete Guide]

    Are you stuck at home with the government-imposed lockdown? Or maybe, you are self-quarantine at home? Don’t worry, I was forced to be at home in April 2020 when the Malaysian government improved a strict movement control (essential travel restriction with a 10 kilometre radius). That’s when I decided to start my self quarantine survival kit.

    “​Important note: Everything will not be normal when you are staying in one place for a long time. Keeping stock of the right (and essential) products will keep you sane … at the very least.”

    Here’s my survival kit during a home quarantine.

    What should be included in a home quarantine survival kit?

    Home quarantine is one of the most common forms of quarantine. This happens when the state you in is imposing a lockdown (either full or partial). Here are the top items you need to have in your survival kit.

    Reliable Laptop

    I’m a stay at home dad who works using the Internet. Therefore, having a reliable laptop is critical for my personal financial survival!

    When you are quarantined at home, you can either opt to work from home (if your company permits) or find some small business ideas to generate cash during this downtime. As I had been working online since 2004, I had created multiple income streams using the Internet, thus, having a good laptop is critical.

    Self-isolation, quarantine or movement restriction may last longer than most of us expect—so, be ready for the new normal!

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    Strong Internet Connection

    The best laptop is not useful when you have an unreliable Internet connection. Get a good Internet connection and you should well be working properly at home (or watching Netflix).

    Cookies

    I’m not going to lie to you. Staying at home (like 24 hours a day) for 3 months can really make a person go crazy. I stock up cookies at home to ensure that I could enjoy the snacks at any time of the day.

    On-Demand Movies

    Yup, you hear me loud and clear. I’m guilty of spending 2 hours a day with movies. Hey, I work 5 hours a day and I strongly believe in work-life balance.

    Subscribing to on-demand movies are great ways to stay sane and have a good time at the comfort of your couch.

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    Fresh clothes

    One of the most important quarantine kits is to have a nice range of fresh clothes. There is nothing better than wearing clean clothes at home!

    During my time quarantine, I prepare 10 sets of clothing that I could rotate and use. And trust me on this—wearing fresh clothes during quarantine is the best single thing you can do to make you feel good!

    A Loaded Credit Card

    Shopping during lockdown used to be challenging in the past but thanks to technology, online shopping is no longer an expensive experience. With a loaded credit card, you can easily do shop at home and get the items delivered to you the next working day.

    In Malaysia, we have Shopee and Lazada which offer next day delivery. If you are in the United States or in Europe, there are Amazon and eBay to start with!

    What should be included in a work survival kit?

    A work survival kit is slightly different from a home survival kit. A work survival kit will include work-related tools to help you be more productive at work, even when you are working remotely.

    Productivity Apps

    Productivity apps help me to be more productive on a daily basis. These apps help me to order things I need to do on a daily basis.

    Some of the best productivity apps are:

    RescueTime App

    RescueTime is a cool time tracking app I used recently. This tool tracks my activities and how many times I visit a specific website or task either on mobile or desktop.

    RescueTime is a free to use app and if you need more features, there’s a paid version that you can subscribe to either on a monthly or yearly basis.

    ​Click here to try RescueTime for free!

    Encrypted USB Drive

    If you are working for a large organization, using an encrypted USB drive is an important tool to stay safe from hackers and keeping relevant content away from everyone easy access.

    If you are looking for a good encrypted USB drive, here are some of the best I recommend you to use.

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    Office Wear

    Working remotely is the ‘new normal’ when it comes to post-Covid19. However, do you know that you can keep yourself from negative distraction when working at home just by wearing office wear?

    Gift Basket

    If your team is working remotely during self-quarantine, sending gift basket to your peers and colleagues are great moves to build bonds. After all, everyone loves gifts, right?

    Gift Card

    If sending gift basket isn’t your style, sending gift card is also a good move. Last month, I send some gift cards over to my clients as a gesture of appreciation. This helps to create a positive relationship between you and your clients!

    What’s Your Quarantine Survival Kit?

    Now, it is your turn. What’s your favorite quarantine survival kit? Tell me in the comments below and let’s discuss further!

  • How You Can Easily Make Logo Online With DesignEvo

    How You Can Easily Make Logo Online With DesignEvo

    Brand awareness is on the rise. A good-looking logo is often impressive. For example, the Apple logo is an apple that has been bitten. The Nike logo is presented in a swoosh. What if you need to make a good-looking and impressive logo? DesignEvo is a practical logo tool that allows you to design a good-looking logo without hiring a designer.

    What is DesignEvo?

    DesignEvo is a logo design software developed by PearlMountain. This software allows everyone to handle logo design easily and get the best design experience.

    DesignEvo’s Key feature in briefly:

    • 10,000+ Logo templates are available for reference
    • More than one million searchable icons
    • Hundreds of file fonts and shapes to choose from
    • Powerful editing tools: crop, resize, rotate, layer management, copy, cancel/redo, etc.
    • Most Element in the template could be edited

    To have a better user experience, you might need to register a DesignEvo account.

    Register Account

    DesignEvo account registration is straightforward, as long as you use your Facebook or Google account to log in. Even if the registration is completed, of course, you can also enter your email and password to register. After registration, you will be asked about your group identity and occupation and a confirmation will be sent. Register to the email address you filled in. After verification, press the “Free Design Logo” button to start your design.

    And since you have registered the account, and click Make a Logo,  then you would be directed to the logo selecting page. So here, you can choose a template to customize. Also you can start from scratch.

    Choose a template

    Choose A Template With DesignEvo

    Choose A Template With DesignEvo

    Designing a logo from scratch is a headache for the average person, and DesignEvo provides intimately and categorizes more than 10,000 templates. Just select the template according to the theme you want to create and start designing your own logo.

    The operation guideline

    When entering the editing page, DesignEvo will jump out of the guide interface to guide the icons and fonts you can use and the location of the download button after the design is completed.

    Add icon

    Click the Icon tab on the left bar, and some popular search icons will be displayed. Click one of the sample: Circle circles to have many styles for you to choose. Tap and hold the desired icon and pull it to the right You can add icons in the editing window, and you can set the color of the icon, horizontal and vertical flip and transparency, and you can zoom in or out.

    Choose font

    Choose A Font With DesignEvo

    Choose A Font With DesignEvo

    How can a good-looking Logo get fewer fonts, DesignEvo has hundreds of fonts, including Classic and Art, to choose from, click the text on the left side to find the font you like, then select the text in the editing window Then press the font you like on the left.

    Add shape

    The operation of adding a shape is the same as adding an icon. Select the shape you want and add it. It is also a good choice to put a beautiful frame on it.

    Choose background

    If you think the set background is not good for your logo, then you can consider changing the background too.

    Download your logo

    After going through the above difficulties, the logo is finally designed. Finally, press the green download button on the upper right to download the file back, but the free version only provides 300 x 300 size and transparent background image files to download. If the pixel is bigger, you need to buy the paid version, and if you want to apply for a trademark or copyright, you should purchase the Plus plan.

    To sum up

    The advancement of technology makes people more and more convenient. In the past, designing a logo required spending money to ask an art designer to design. Now DesignEvo is really convenient. Go to the website and simply edit the logo to get. The free version is easy to use if you want to use it for yourself. However, if you have a large image output, it is better to buy a basic package to download a large-size image.

    The logo represents the brand symbol of your personal or company identification. If you have a budget, please ask the graphic designer to design. If you don’t have too much budget, consider using DesignEvo.

  • Language Learning Tips For Non-English Speaking Students

    Language Learning Tips For Non-English Speaking Students

    Studying in a university or college of an English speaking country is a dream for many students around the world. Lots of people from different countries make this dream come true every year. Universities of the USA, Great Britain, or Australia are hospitable and always ready to provide an international education seeker with an opportunity. It has got many indisputable advantages, like:

    • Good career perspectives;

    • The highest level of given knowledge and competence;

    • An opportunity to dip into a new culture and to make many international friendships;

    • An option to become the most wanted employee in the homeland or a state of studying.

    However, there is one problem that is waiting for every international student: everybody will expect your perfect command of the English language, both written and spoken. The issue of making the English language better will never lose importance. That is why we have decided to make this tiny post with some tricks and tips about learning English and its proper usage while you study. Who are we? We are an international academic service called DoMyPapers. Find us to find the only adequate answer to the question, “Where can I pay for my assignment to get it done quickly and perfectly?” The best writers are ready to lend you a helping hand during your international studies. 

    How to Study English Properly for Being a Good Student?

    Your future occupation, specialization, and department do not matter when it comes to using English to study. You are likely to face such assignments as essays, coursework, speeches, tests, etc. In other words, you will be obliged to pass through some creative work that requires a broad knowledge of general English and its peculiarities. How to improve the situation?

    1. Read a lot of different books and pieces of literature. The more books, journals, stories, popular blog posts, and newspapers you read, the better you know how professionals use their language. In our age of the Internet, it is easier than you think. For your studies, you must know the differences between different English styles, how and where to apply them properly. 

    2. Focus on grammar. You may not know all the English words, but you must understand the proper rules of sentence building and word formation. Mistakes in tenses, plural forms of the nouns, prepositions, participles, etc. will put your poor knowledge to the spotlight. Get an excellent textbook and pay much attention to grammar, as it is difficult to comprehend it only from “natural” speaking.

    3. Get yourself a lexical and synonymic dictionary, where you can when and where a particular word can be applied. The English language is one of the richest in the world. Due to its international nature, a large number of roots, and a significant number of people speaking it, English has got lots of polysemantic words and notions that can be conveyed by lots of words. Some of them are appropriate for everyday use, and some are not. Proper word choice is one of the main features that distinguish language styles. Without background that every native speaker has, you need the dictionaries for basis. 

    4. Try to dip yourself into the language environment. Being abroad, try avoiding your mother tongue as much as possible. Refuse reading your native authors, turn off a TV or radio channel for the foreigners, forget about your native segment of the Internet. Surround yourself with the English language even if you can barely understand a word. Literally, in one week, you will feel the situation getting better. In several months, you will be able to understand the meaning of the information. 

    Make some friends among native English speakers. You can do it, as you can hardly find a person not interested in communication with a person originating from the other culture. Having a friend who can correct your spelling or understanding a complicated word or phrase is a significant advantage.

    What Do You Need to Avoid When You Study and Apply English?

    Unfortunately, a lot of international students common mistakes that spoil their skills and make them look strange. Here are some things that you should avoid facing the application of the English language:

    • Do not use too many idioms. Many people love English idioms for being picturesque and exciting. They love learning them by heart and putting them everywhere. Phrases are not ordinary happening in the majority of the English language styles. Even in colloquial language, people are not likely to use them.

    • Watch your pronunciation. Yes, in English, the phonetic rules are very complicated and strange. Many words with the same syllables sound differently. However, a good accent will help you to make a good impression and help other people understand you. In your studying, this feature is a must. 

    • Do not make yourself a scheme. Develop your English studies and try different approaches and tricks. Try writing little texts, hire a tutor, participate in a debate club. Be as liberal towards methods and hungry for new challenges as you can. Do not limit yourself to get all-embracing command of English.

    Learning English is difficult. However, the final result is worth trying. The first language is not only your way to be a successful student but a way to get a reputation for an intelligent and developed personality. Keep our tips in mind, and do not hesitate to use them. Show some diligence, and the results will not make you wait for too long.

    Charles Backman is an academic writer who willing to help students with their academic writing troubles. Only a few years ago, Charles was sitting behind a desk, and he knows pretty well how it is to be a student. Having passed this way, Charles is ready to share their knowledge with those who are still struggling.

  • Technological Innovations That Have Transformed Business

    Technological Innovations That Have Transformed Business

    Technological innovation has been the driving force behind business throughout history but advancements in the last two decades have really transformed the way businesses operate. Online services, communications, and software are an integral part of every one of our business operations and have enabled big companies to fully synchronize their multiple business locations. Even small businesses use an enormous amount of technology in their day to day operations that would have been unthinkable in previous years. In this article, we explore three of the most innovative technological developments that have transformed modern businesses.

    1. Cloud-Based Digital Signage

    Digital signage has a huge number of benefits for all kinds of businesses and organizations as they can be used as digital menus, to advertise products and services, to create a seasonal atmosphere or announce upcoming events, and especially to advertise new promotions or sales. Traditionally, shops, restaurants, bars, and other establishments would just use paper posters or banners to announce special deals and promotions but digital signs displayed on giant monitors provide far more effective messaging. Whilst these have been around for a few years, businesses with multiple monitors or even multiple locations are now using cloud-based services to synchronize all their digital signs. This has opened up a huge number of avenues that were previously closed to businesses. 

    To understand how it works, consider the Black Friday Sales. Previously, retail businesses would have had to prepare all of the promotional material weeks in advance in order to get it designed, printed, distributed to the various stores which would then have had to be decorated. The experts at www.yodeck.com/raspberry-pi explained that with the introduction of cloud storage linked to digital signage devices, businesses can upload a huge range of multimedia advertising material, seasonal branding, and eye-catching promotional banners, and with just the click of a button, display it on all the monitors in every one of their stores. Not only does this save a huge amount of time and money, but it also enables businesses to instantly change from one promotion or season to the next without a massive overhaul of each individual store.

    2. Web Conferencing Technology

    Web conferencing technology has totally transformed the way that businesses communicate with their clients, employees, and business partners. Modern companies use web conferencing technology to hold international or inter-organizational meetings, to conduct training programs simultaneously in multiple locations, and to host webinars and workshops. Whilst major corporations have been using web conferencing for quite a few years, the CoronaVirus Pandemic made the use of web conferencing widespread amongst companies of all sizes and areas of business. In every country in the world, companies were forced to shut their offices and their employees tasked to work from home, and web conferencing provided an ideal solution for companies to stay operational whilst lockdown and social distancing measures were in place. 

    It is often difficult to predict which technological innovations will become mainstream, particularly in business applications, but it seems very likely now that the success of web conferencing during the CoronaVirus Pandemic will lead to a major shift in business culture. Many businesses were previously skeptical about whether levels of productivity could be sustained if the majority of their employees were operating from home, but it seems inevitable that this will become more and more common in the coming years.

    3. Automated Warehouse Systems

    The incredible rise of Amazon and other enormous e-commerce companies has revolutionized the world of retail. These days as much as 25% of all purchases are made online and that percentage is increasing every year. Whilst Amazon is often criticized for the working conditions in its warehouses, these criticisms may eventually become irrelevant as automated warehouse systems are becoming increasingly popular and widely used. 

    These warehouses totally cut out any need for humans at any stage of the retail process chain. The customer chooses their products online, the retail company’s computer systems identify which of their warehouses is closest or most convenient to ship the product to the customer, and then the product is packed by robots. For now, at least, the product still has to be delivered to the customer by a human delivery driver, but this may change in the future with the development of driverless vehicles.

    The advancements that are being made in every area of technology are truly incredible and there is no aspect of our lives that aren’t constantly being affected by innovation. Technology has become such an integral part of our businesses that even small companies rely heavily on it for advertising, communications, and orders. As technology becomes more and more advanced, it is fascinating to predict how the face of business will change as we move into this new decade.