Reginald Chan

Category: Business

  • How To Come Up With A Contract That Will Protect Your Business Interests?

    How To Come Up With A Contract That Will Protect Your Business Interests?

    Business contracts are devised to protect the interests of all parties involved in a trade. The client ensures they get the quality of work they’ve paid for, and the party offering their services ensures that they won’t be scammed. If any of the two parties break the terms and conditions of their agreement, the other party can use the contract to hold them legally accountable. There are a lot of clauses that should be included in a contract to protect your business interests. If it’s your first time signing or creating a contract, here’s what you should do to protect your rights and business interests.

    Write it Down

    One of the fatal mistakes anyone can do, whether as a business, freelancer, or contractor, is to take the other party’s “word” for it. Business exchanges done on words are promises are only a recipe for disaster. Although you can legally enforce an oral contract, it will be much harder to prove the exact terms, conditions, and clauses. Once you finalize discussions and negotiations, be sure to get everything down in writing, after which both parties should sign the contract. That’s the best way to prove everything you’ve agreed upon and hold the party at fault accountable. 

    Outline Important Clauses

    While you’re writing the contract, you’ll probably be focused on outlining everything you have discussed. Surely, you should start with outlining the most important clauses for your business. This includes all terms, conditions, and requirements you need to fulfill your part. However, there are a few important clauses that may slip your mind yet are essential to be included. To have a complete idea of what should be included in a business contract, be sure to look up templates for similar contracts. Once you have all your business interests well-defined, outline the clauses and send a draft to the other party to review. Be sure to highlight the clauses that can be negotiated and the non-negotiable ones. 

    Discuss Workflow and Payment

    One of the clauses you might forget to write down is the work process. Negotiations often focus more on pricing and services and less on work processes and workflow. Whether you’re providing or receiving the service, be sure to go into details about the specific services offered and the pricing of each service. If certain amends require an additional budget, be sure to set that straight in the contract. If you have multiple business partners, using a contract management software or website can be a great way to manage contracts and set reminders. It’s common for business owners to forget contract expiration dates when using manual resources, so such a tool will greatly optimize your process. 

    Cover Different Outcomes

    It’s normal for obstacles to rise in the field of business, and that makes discussing different scenarios crucial in any contract. Take the time to brainstorm with your team everything that can go wrong and the best possible damage control for every specific situation. While certain outcomes can be amended, there should be a few lines that can’t be crossed. Moreover, be sure to include termination clauses that work for both parties. It’s also wise to consult an attorney while drafting the contract to protect yourself against liability in case the mistakes are from your party’s side. 

    Protect Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

    You’ll have to share a lot of confidential information with your business partners, none of which you’ll want to be leaked or used against you – during or after the contract’s duration. To protect your confidential and private information, you should add a confidentiality clause that restricts the use of your information without authorization on your part. Likewise, you want to protect all intellectual property from being used without authorization. Whether you’re purchasing the rights of ownership from the service provider or want to hold onto your intellectual property rights after offering the service, this clause will protect your business. 

    Use Simple and Clear Language

    Once you start looking into contract templates, you’ll come across a lot of jargon that doesn’t make any sense to you. While some terms are necessary to be included, like “parties”, “hereafter”, and “hereto”, a lot of the legal jargon can be substituted with simpler terms you can understand. Whether you choose simpler terms or stick with complicated jargon is up to you, but keep in mind that you’ll be held accountable if you make mistakes due to choosing terms you didn’t understand. 

    Landing a business deal is a cause for celebration, but amidst all the excitement, you mustn’t forget that a deal is never complete without a contract to back it. A contract will serve as definitive proof in case either party fails to hold their end of the deal. That’s why a contract must never be taken lightly; you should make sure that it covers all the clauses that protect your business interests without putting you at the risk of liability. 

  • Where Can You Buy Inexpensive Original Art?

    Where Can You Buy Inexpensive Original Art?

    As a general consumer of art, you may be wondering why original art is so expensive. For most people, buying and collecting art is not a prioritized goal or wish. However, original art is priceless. Countless hours spent behind an easel, a sketchbook and now even a computer, original work has a huge global market for unique pieces. This, unfortunately, drives the price of art higher.

    For your creativity and pure pleasure, having original artwork around your home may be the best thing you ever decide to invest in. If you might be questioning whether you’ll ever be able to afford high-quality original artwork, this article is for you.

    Ultimately, it will be important to remember that there are specific things you can do to purchase original art. And, the short answer to whether you will be able to get your hands on some is: of course! 

    Understanding the market

    As explained by some as a “winner takes all” global art market, there is an extremely pricey demand for popular art, and the artist’s name and reputation behind the finished product. Due to increased demand, the small number of artists end up competing for extraordinary profits, driving the price even further. However, for most living artists, life is not glamorous; and the reality of being showcased in a gallery is not the norm. Most artists’ artwork can be affordable, but remember the place from which you choose to buy.

    As a first-time buyer, you may be overwhelmed at the apparently enormous budget you will need to begin your art collecting journey. This is why we have put together some resources as to where you can buy inexpensive, but original art!

    From the outset, it’s important that you understand the wide range of original artwork that is created, and specifically, their diverse mediums. Along with the classic oil and acrylic paintings that may have first come to mind, other types of artwork include Canvas, photography, wall art, sculptures, and even limited-edition prints. This should immediately broaden your mindset around which type of art is accessible to you. 

    Buying online

    As previously hinted, there seems to be high demand for a fewer number of artists. But, there are hundreds of thousands of artists who are struggling to sell their original art, pay their bills, and spend their precious time creating masterpieces! Thankfully, there are now a host of platforms supporting independent artists. With artists from around the world, you can affordably buy pieces that are ready to be shipped directly to you.

    Have you been to an art fair?

    Another fantastic way of getting your hands on inexpensive art is by attending local art fairs. These fairs, unlike gallery visits or prestigious events showcasing artwork, are meant for the non-wealthy person – to enjoy and consume art. There may even be original art festivals that could entice you to put yourself on the market to buy art. 

    Consider estate sales

    Interestingly, what most people never consider is estate sales in your area. When a deceased individual has left a home full of items belonging to their estate, sometimes the heirs do not want the pieces. And in this case, an estate sale may include extremely unique or even special original artwork – like hidden treasures. The professionals behind https://www.truelegacyhomes.com/estate-sales/escondido-ca/ explain that if you’re searching for an eccentric or distinct piece of artwork to stand out in your apartment or house, there may be no more as interesting of a place than at estate sales. Venture on an interesting excursion with your partner or friend, you may be surprised at what you return home with.

    The last consideration is that there are an inordinate amount of hobbyists and part-time artists who are selling their artwork at much more inexpensive prices than full-time artists. Due to their reduced dependence on their income from selling their artwork – from having another job –, their rates may be very attractive.

    The value of original artwork, even if it may currently be inexpensive, is highly likely to increase over time. One study found that auctioned paintings, drawings, and prints appreciated annually at almost 4% between the mid-50s and 2007. This value was in today’s U.S. dollar terms and shows the potential for the artwork that you purchase now to only become more valuable.

    Though some people may say that it isn’t worth the money, search to find inexpensive art that makes you feel at ease with what you’ve spent. Besides the potential investment you might be making in your art collection, you will receive enjoyment by just looking and appreciating your personally owned art every day.

  • 4 Tips for Starting a Business While Employed

    4 Tips for Starting a Business While Employed

    Starting up a business takes a lot of hard work. You’ll need to spend countless hours of your time creating your website, registering your company, posting on social media, writing quality content, organizing your finances, finding customers, and working on your product or service. It takes a great deal of dedication and patience to see it through, and in the early stages, it will take over your life.

    But with such a colossal time commitment, there’s a good chance you’ll have to fit your business around another job. It will take a while before you make serious money from your business venture, so you’ll need a reliable source of income to keep you going. But this raises a serious challenge of time: how can you find the time to set up your business when you spend eight hours a day working for someone else?

    It might seem impossible to be an entrepreneur and an employee at the same time, but many people do make it work. You just need to be smart about how you use your time and adopt some clever strategies to be more efficient. To get you started on your business journey, here are four tips for starting a business while employed.

    Be organized

    Your available time will be limited, so you need to make the best use of it as possible. For this reason, you should plan out your time comprehensively. Create a weekly planning diary as well as a more detailed daily one for specific tasks. Write down exactly what you want to achieve in this time and when you will achieve it during the week. This will keep you focused on the most important task and allow you to be more efficient with your time.

    Find a more flexible work arrangement

    Can you ask your boss for more flexibility in your work? Perhaps you could work from home a couple of days a week? This will give you a lot more extra time in the day as you can avoid the commute and fit in business tasks more easily around your job. If not, maybe you could find a part-time job that affords you more free time, such as bar work, blogging, or a delivery driver job (https://www.shiply.com/us/delivery-driver-jobs). 

    Use your breaks

    Even when you’re working eight hours a day, you will still have free time to carry out business tasks. Although you shouldn’t anger your current employer by shunning their work for your own, you can still use your lunch break and commute to make important phone calls, send emails, and work on your website. Just make sure you are discreet about it.

    Establish boundaries

    If your employer clocks on that you are working on your own business, they are likely to monitor your work activity more closely. For this reason, you should never work on your business during work hours and never using work devices. Although your focus might be elsewhere, you still need to work hard for your employer, or you might end up without a job.

  • 6 Good Reasons Why You Should Consider a Side Hustle

    6 Good Reasons Why You Should Consider a Side Hustle

    It’s only getting harder for the average person to make ends meet. The state of the world and the way we live and conduct business is changing, and you need to stay on your feet to stay ahead of the game. 

    Most people will find that they’re barely just making enough with their day job, and this is why is about that time you start to consider doing something else on the side. If you’re hesitant about taking this step, we’re going to give you 6 good reasons why you should consider a side hustle. 

    It’s Never Too Early or Too Late to Save

    Different people live within different circumstances, and life has its ups and downs, so you can really never be too certain about what the future holds. One thing is for sure though, there’s never a wrong time to start saving– and you should do it whenever you have the chance. When you start working on the side, you’ll soon be able to put something aside for your savings, no amount is too small, and this is extremely important to do. 

    Find Out What’s Out There

    You grew up getting an education and you ended up going down a career path and here you are. The great thing about getting into a side hustle is that it exposes you to what else is in the market, and what is hot, especially where you are. If you live in Canada, for instance, then you need to get online, ask around, and read reviews to see what is hot in the job market at any given time. The best way to earn money online is to first discover what is in demand at that time, and try to get yourself involved in this. There may be things that appeal to you, but don’t pay off that much, and you’ll find that this can be just a waste of your time. 

    Develop Your Skills

    When you try your hand at something that you don’t do in your day job, you’re actually adding to your roster of skills. We often get so caught up in the daily stress of our jobs and home that we convince ourselves that we simply don’t have time to do anything else. Once you push yourself to start working on a side hustle, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that you do have the time, no matter how much it is, to learn something new and develop new skills.

    Have a Backup Plan

    Soon after you get your feet wet and realize that you can do more than what you’re doing for a career right now, you’ll actually open up a world of possibilities. By having work on the side, you can consider switching to a different career, or at least live with the comfort that if something goes wrong, you’ll always have a backup plan. 

    This is especially important given the state of the world right now. After 2020, the nature of business in itself has changed, and everyone is on the edge of their seats, worrying about whether they’ll be able to get a raise, bonuses, or just get laid off altogether- so a side hustle, if nothing else, is safe. 

    There’s Potential For Passive Income

    There are many side hustle options out there. These jobs actually have the potential to give you passive income while you’re doing nothing. For instance, if you decide to start writing blogs and they do really well, you can start earning passive income through ads or through the product or service that you promote, so this is definitely something worth looking into. Other examples of side hustles that can bring in passive income are dropshipping and affiliate marketing. 

    It Can Actually be Fun

    We’ve long forgotten that it really is possible to enjoy what you do for work. Side hustles, besides everything else, can be so much fun. It’s exciting to challenge yourself to do something new, and it’s not a heavy commitment, so you don’t have to stress about whether you can do it or not because it can be a short-term trial if you like. Being able to have that control takes the miserable stress out of the situation and allows you to enjoy the process.

    All the points mentioned here should be more than enough to get you started on your side hustle journey. If you’re under the impression that you simply do not have time to do this, guess what? You always have an hour or two to spare in your day, and in many cases, this is all it takes. You won’t regret it because there really are no negative points to getting a side hustle. 

  • How to Easily Improve Your Business Online?

    How to Easily Improve Your Business Online?

    If you are a new business owner, you might find it difficult to build a strong online presence. This is because the online market is highly saturated with thousands of businesses in the same niche competing for the audience’s attention. If your startup is still in the early stages, it can be hard to focus on the big picture, manage all aspects of your business, and develop an effective online marketing strategy simultaneously. Fortunately, there are fast, easy, and effective ways to achieve satisfactory results online. Read through our article to find out how you can easily improve your business online. 

    Large Local Listing Services

    You can register your business on large listing platforms like Google Places to make it more accessible and visible on Google searches. This will also allow it to show up on Google Maps, making it easier for people to find your physical location. The registration process is very easy; you just have to fill a form and register and verify your business through an email confirmation. Yahoo! Local is also a large database that is powered by Yahoo. It will also boost your search visibility and is totally free of charge. Another similar service that is quite easy to use is Microsoft’s Bing. 

    Social Media

    Nowadays, any business can receive exposure in no time using the correct tools. Many people become online sensations overnight, all thanks to social media. To make use of everything that social media has to offer, you need to fully invest time and effort in your social media marketing. As a business owner, you probably don’t have time to explore different social media platforms in-depth, which is why you should hire a social media agency to help you achieve desirable results. Social media specialists know how to effectively incorporate ads and promotions on your social media platforms. They also use advanced marketing tools such as analytics and demographics to reach your target audience in the right place at the right time. 

    Start a Blog

    Starting a blog can help you reach potential customers through the web. For instance, if you sell plant fertilizers, you can write a post about how you can boost the growth of your home plants. Find a way to create attractive content that is somehow related to the products or services that you offer. Not only is it a way to promote your business, but it also helps you connect with your audience and build a strong relationship with them. Blog posts will also help you reach your target audience more easily. Figure out what your target audience is interested in and produce impressive content about it. The most important thing about developing a blog is staying consistent and providing the audience with frequent updates. The quality, accuracy, and relevance of your content are also of significant importance. 

    Multimedia

    Visuals are highly attractive and can improve your online presence if you use them correctly. Find a platform, such as Youtube, to upload intriguing media that is relevant and related to your business. Feel free to produce more than just ads; just make sure that the content is captivating enough to grab the attention of your audience. Link back to your website, social media, or even blog posts. 

    Search Engine Optimization

    Using SEO for your website can work wonders for your business online. SEO will help you attract and reach new customers, generate new leads, and find customers who are searching for similar products or services. It creates more web traffic and when done correctly, it attracts relevant traffic to your website. SEO significantly improves conversion rates, increases brand awareness, and helps you stand out from your competitors. It is a cost-effective marketing solution that will generate long-term results and help you grow your business. 

    Press Releases

    Many innovative businesses, or the ones who have come up with creative ideas or solutions heavily rely on press releases to boost their online presence. Press releases are a great way to attract potential customers and grab the attention of the public because it makes your business recognizable. It makes them feel like your business is unique and has something different to offer, which is why it must be newsworthy. Depending on your location, many online magazines and media outlets take pride in local brands and businesses and wouldn’t mind picking up on it. Play on your business’ unique selling points and show the world what you have to offer. 

    Establishing a place for yourself in the market can be extremely difficult. This pressure that comes with running a business, along with the stress of closely monitoring your online presence, can be too much to handle. However, with the right tools and help, you can boost your business’ online presence and performance, and take your company to new heights!

  • Common Abusive Scenarios In The Office You Should Know About

    Common Abusive Scenarios In The Office You Should Know About

    Harassment comes in many forms and most of us have, unfortunately, encountered it. It is usually first experienced as rough child’s play and bullying in school, but it may continue to follow us later in life. Some will have it with their acquaintances, others with their family or colleagues at work. Whatever the surroundings – abuse should never be accepted.

    Apart from standing your ground and directly confronting the abuser – a more sophisticated, yet very effective response is taking legal actions. Recognizing your situation and knowing who to consult with is the first step towards an effective reaction.

    Are You a Victim of Abuse in the Office?

    Abuse in the workplace is a long-lasting problem and as much as 13% of men and 12% of women have been affected by it in the US. Some forms of it are rather self-evident, such as a superior harming you physically or yelling at you, while other forms are more hidden but will hurt you in one way or another.

    Being forced to work overtime while not being adequately paid, a common problem in the hotel and restaurant industry, is sometimes shrugged off as a minor thing but is, in fact, a serious offense and should be dealt with as such. Psychological pressure that comes from mobbing is also frequent and there are various ways you can fight against that too. 

    And to top it all is – discrimination. A very debated topic but also a very present one, being discriminated solely for something personal and which doesn’t affect your work is also abuse and should always be brought up to HR, or the court if it cannot be solved elsewhere.

    Overtime

    Any hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek count as overtime when an employee is a non-exempt employee. This is, as stated in the link above, defined by law and all overwork time is supposed to be paid at least 1.5 times the regular hourly pay. If you suspect you are not being given your fair share you could contact an unpaid overtime lawyer in Nashville. But confronting your boss about it should be the first step, as it may be a simple mistake on their behalf.

    In the HoReCa sector, a common scenario is being asked to stay after closing hours to clean up the establishment, even though your 8 work hours ended when the bar closed. As the boss doesn’t count the extra time needed to tidy everything up they will likely not pay you what they are due.

    Mobbing

    Usually a collective effort by a group of colleagues against someone who they dislike, mobbing is the cause of many serious problems. It is often seen in office workspaces where many people are working together in a tight space yet have the time to spare for such mischief.

    After being mobbed at work people will start feeling left out or even paranoid, sometimes to the point of acting aggressively to people on the streets. The pattern comes in the form of subtle and obvious comments or verbal acts that make a person feel unwanted or that their work is in some way humiliating or worthless. The bullying is sometimes done even by the superior, a manager, or employer, in which case it may be wrongly interpreted as criticism instead of mobbing.

    Even though it is very hard to be proven, as is with most passive-aggressive behavior, those who are abused in this way should consult a human resources department, or a psychologist, to help them recognize it as mobbing and act accordingly. 

    Discrimination

    In diverse countries such as the US, there are many bases on which someone could be discriminated against. Race, age, sex, and religion all come into this foul play and it is a serious legal issue. Being rejected from a job just because you are African-American or a woman, for example, even if you have all the required qualifications, is outright discrimination and should be treated as such. 

    Legal actions can be taken as the anti-discrimination laws are very strict on the subject. If you have evidence for such behavior you can file a lawsuit against the employer.

    Taking abuse is never OK, even if you think that accepting your boss’s rude behavior will be rewarded in any way. Ending up with unpaid overwork time or psychological damage is the only sure thing you can get out of such scenarios, and keep in mind that everyone should behave professionally, if not friendly, in the office.

    Work is not playing, but neither should it be abuse.