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10 Essential Tools For Entrepreneurs and Startups

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Ideas can strike anytime. An idea may wander in your thoughts waiting for the best time when it can be implemented. A process of thought in your mind can be worth millions. In the present era idea and innovation is they key for a successful business. Addition of new game changing ideas, thoughts and young entrepreneurs are making the business world more dynamic and human life simpler and easier. If you can earn money from your hobby, then what can be a better and more satisfying job than that? You are your own boss, you manage your own money and you have more time for your friends and family!

When a group of colleagues or students think of a startup they are initially not much organized. Often people start with a hobby and when they observe that they have started making good money or money equivalent to their salary they plan to make it bigger and take it to another level, taking it to a complete professional platform. At this one needs to be professional and should create a professional environment that keeps the team motivated and give them the feeling of working on a big change. To help with this we are going to list some ten tools which will definitely help you in managing and running your startup.

1. Dedicated Contact Numbers

A visible complete office address, professional website and a dedicated line number can make your business look more professional and established. For examples having a toll free easy to remember number or 0845 numbers in case you are in UK can help your customers to connect with you without spending much. While having a toll free number will help your customers to connect with you for free, a 0845 number will help your customer to connect with you by paying only for a local call no matter wherever you are. A number of companies are available to provide you dedicated numbers hosted on their telecoms network making it sit on  top of your existing numbers. Thus, avoiding any need to install additional lines. You will also get additional features like call statistics, disaster recovery and online call management.

2. Wave

Wave is a very famous free tool that helps you be your own boss. Wave can help you with invoicing your clients and get paid by them, Accounting, managing Payroll and receipts and personal money management. Wave provides everything for free, only the Payroll feature is paid where they charge $1 per employee. You can connect your banks directly with Wave and it will help you keep a track of your transaction, your earnings, and will tell you where you stand financially and how you can manage it. All the features of Wave are inter-connectable, i.e any money earned through invoicing will automatically be updated in the accounting tool, similarly any bank transaction you make will be updated there. No need for manual entry, although Wave provide manual entry feature for those who are uncomfortable connecting their bank with the tool.

3. Skype

Skype has proven its supremacy when it comes to VoIP. It is quick, free and connects you with your team members around the world whether they are on computer or mobile. After the recent purchase of Skype by the Microsoft it has been nicely embedded in latest Windows OS and Windows Phone devices. Skype is available for almost any platform, not just Windows. There are a number of apps supported by Skype that can enhance its ability to be used as official communicator for your company. There are apps that provides complete PBX (Private Branch Exchange) solution. With Skype you can record your calls, divert your incoming calls to another number or voicemail, call people on their mobile or telephone for a very low price, etc.

4. Cloud Storage

Today with improvement in mobility and degree of freedom we need our data where ever we go. It will cost a lot of space if we start copying everything from our computers to tablet and mobiles and then a lot of effort to keep them on sync. Here comes cloud storage in picture. You can store your file on the online servers and access them, make changes and do whatever on any device. You can also share your documents with your team members and can give them authority to make changes as well. Dropbox is a famous cloud storage provider. With its free 2 GB space and desktop apps you can keep your systems at sync and upload files on the server so that you can access on other devices. Google Drive and Microsoft Skydrive are one step ahead as they provide essential Google Docs apps and Microsoft Office web apps respectively for creating and editing documents, spreadsheets and notes. When it comes to storage and costs, Skydrive is slightly better as it provides 7 GB of free space when compared to Google Drive’s 5 GB and Dropbox’s 2 GB. Also when it comes to extending your storage, Skydrive with its yearly plans comes to be cheaper. You can extend your storage capacity by 500 MB for free in Dropbox by inviting your friends to use it.

5. CrowdFunding

Often you have great ideas that when implemented can bring a good change and generate a large amount of revenue, but to implement such an idea and convert it into a startup requires some investment. If you do not have money to invest and if bank is unavailable to provide you loan, then crowdfunding is the solution for you. As the term suggests it is a platform where crowd (individual people, investors or companies) can fund your idea (can be anonymously) if they really like it. In return you can either give them momentos or gifts or a part of your profit when your business will be a success. There are a number of online services like Kickstarter and Indiegogo which can provide you robust platform to get started and raise money for your idea or cause.

6. Mailchimp

Often you disregard communication and service mails from websites and uncheck “send me communication and promotional mails” while signing up for a service, but there are people who do select it. Interested people want to hear what is new with your company, or when can they expect a new exciting announcement from you, or may be you will provide discounts and offers directly to their inbox to keep them engaged. Never undermine the power of emails. Even if you are not sending any such mails at present, it is a good idea to at least have contact information of your regular readers/viewers/customers as anytime in future you might require to send them a communication mail. For this reason Mailchimp is there to help you out. It can build a list of your customers for you and can help you to contact them with appealing email templates. This service is free up to 2000 customers and sending 12000 mails per month.

7. Website/Blogging Tool

It is very important to have your online presence whether your business require direct online involvement (like e-commerce, online journalism) or not. Having your company online connects you with your potential customers who may be out of your reach in the real world. Customers can find you and easily contact you online. Wix is a platform that can help you create free and beautiful website for you quickly without any requirement of coding. When it comes to online customer engagement, you need to have an updated blog about your company, containing updates, offers, communication etc and anything that is official. WordPress and Blogger are two most popular and powerful blogging platform. Whatever you write is available for everyone and can generate even more potential customers as blogs are indexed by search engines and they can be shared on social media websites generating more views and expanding your reach.

8. Domain name and Professional Email

When you have created a website and blogs for yourself, you need domain name and professional email. Just like point number one that we discussed, having a professional domain name www.somecompany.com and then directing it to your website and having professional email [email protected] can make your business look more professional and established. Godaddy is one such popular service that can provide you domain name and email Id for your company. You can even chose Google apps and that can buy you a domain via Godaddy or any other service and provide you its premium email features on Gmail.

9. Personal Productivity

You have a lot of ideas and things in mind but you forget one thing while doing the other thing? You note down at your desk or on papers creating a lot of mess and clutter. Often startups do not exactly start with an office space you might have your own private space and your team members might have their own. So if you are at any other location you will not be able to access or refer to your notes that you had pointed down on the papers or on the desk. There comes Evernote to help you. Again it is a multi-platform application and you can use it on your mobile, tablet, and computer no matter what operating system you are using. It can capture anything from your ideas, your thoughts, and anything that you think might need to be referred later. When you need to refer to your notes you do not have to search in the clutter of paper, but all you have to do is type some search keywords and Evernote will present you your notes. You can even share your notes, ideas and collaborate on project with your teammates. A similar service exclusively for Mac and Apple products is Omnifocus. If you are already using Skype and Skydrive, then you can use Microsoft Office OneNote, another service by Microsoft like Evernote.

10. Hootsuite

It is the time when almost every company is trying to make their presence on social media bigger. It not only keeps you connected with your followers and customers but also extends your reach to potential customers. Social media is not about time pass and killing time when moms used to scold their kids for wasting a lot of time on Facebook. Today it is a virtual market and with the help of customized Facebook pages you can even sell your products. Hootsuite is an application that can help you manage all your social network profile at ones. In a free account you can add up to five social media profiles. You can not only post, track each posts, respond to notification, view analytic, but also schedule posts. Scheduling a post at night can help you target the people on the other side of the globe even when you are asleep. keeping your social media pages active 24X7.

Editor | The World Reporter. An economist, IT specialist and a post graduate student from Romania.

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Learn English quickly and effectively with the Callan Method

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In a world where all countries and cultures are interconnected, learning different languages has become mandatory. To do so effectively, you should try the well-known Callan Method, with which you’ll easily master English in less time than you imagine.

The learning of the English language has gained great importance in the job and academic world due to the globalization our society has experienced and the fluid communication constantly occurring between all countries. Due to these factors, and if you want to grow as a person, mastering English is crucial and something you must do to increase your opportunities in the current world. Therefore, it’s best to explore efficient methods to learn it, and one of them is undoubtedly the Callan method.

The Callan Method is totally different from conventional methods for learning English, and it has shown to be effective for those who decide to start their journey of learning this language.

What is the Callan Method, and how does it work?

Since ancient times, many language teaching methods have been developed with different approaches and types of progressions, of which one of the most effective is the Callan Method. Developed by Robin Callan in the 1960s, this method stands out for its intensive approach aimed at quickly and effectively imprinting the language into the student’s brain.

This is achieved because it is based on fundamentals such as repetition, constant real-time practice, and immediate correction of any error. With this method, students are constantly exposed to oral questions and answers in English, with repetitions of the same and, above all, error corrections.

Upon entering one of these classes, you will quickly notice the difference from a regular English class. The teacher will be speaking in English at a natural speed, and you won’t touch a pen or paper throughout the entire lesson, but rather respond to oral questions and participate in structured conversations.

Thus, the Callan method mainly emphasizes improving fluency in speaking and the auditory ability to understand the language, skills that will be tested in real-life situations. Repeating this a sufficient number of times results in a student with fluency and confidence in the language, ready to face the world in English and engage in advanced conversations with native speakers of this language.

Benefits of the Callan Method

This method, unlike many others, offers a variety of advantages for students that make it stand out from the crowd and position it as one of the best, as studies have confirmed that with this method it is possible to learn English up to 4 times faster than with any other.

One of these advantages is the fact that when you start studying with this method, you don’t learn grammar but rather dive straight into the world of English. This might sound counterproductive, but it’s quite the opposite, as it allows you to start familiarizing yourself with the sounds and vocabulary, even as a beginner.

Furthermore, being based on a primarily oral learning system, you will improve your fluency in speaking and your listening skills will progress effectively and rapidly. These two skills are the ones you will use the most in real life, so the Callan Method is perfect if you want to go to an English-speaking country.

Beyond the typical generic conversations you would learn in any class, the Callan Method offers structured conversations that encourage you to use new words and phrases in each one, emphasizing learning with each session to make the most of your time.

By receiving corrections from the teacher immediately after making a mistake, not only do you have the chance to correct it, but little by little you gain the confidence necessary to speak and master the language as if it was your mother tongue. So if you are looking to learn English easily, or to further improve your English skills, the Callan Method is definitely worth diving into.

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Know The Differences between Static and Dynamic QR Codes

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In the digital age, qr code have become an integral part of our lives, bridging the physical and digital worlds seamlessly. They enable quick and convenient access to information, websites, and multimedia content. QR codes come in two main flavors: static and dynamic.

In this article, we will explore the differences between these two types of QR codes and introduce you to a powerful qr code generator known as QRFY. We’ll delve into the versatility of dynamic QR codes and how they can be a game-changer for your business.

Static QR Codes vs. Dynamic QR Codes

Static QR codes are the traditional, one-time-use variety. Once generated, the encoded information is fixed and cannot be altered. These are great for simple, permanent links, such as sharing a website URL or contact information.

On the other hand, dynamic QR codes are a dynamic duo. The content behind these codes can be changed at any time without the need to update the QR code itself. This feature opens up a world of possibilities.

With QRFY, you can create dynamic QR codes that offer unparalleled flexibility. QRFY supports hosting various types of content, including PDF documents, images, videos, vCards Plus, restaurant menus, and much more.

Customization at Your Fingertips

QRFY takes customization to the next level. You can create custom QR codes with your logo, color schemes, or choose from predefined templates. This means your QR codes can reflect your brand identity, making them more recognizable to your audience.

Detailed Analytics and Control

With QRFY, you gain valuable insights into the performance of your QR codes. You can track the number of scans per day, monitor user demographics by country and city, and even analyze data on the browser and language preferences of your audience. This data can help you fine-tune your marketing strategies for better results. Plus, you can easily export this information for in-depth analysis and decision-making.

Key Features of QRFY:

  • Dynamic content updates: change the content behind your QR code at any time.
  • Content variety: host PDF documents, images, videos, vCards Plus, restaurant menus, and more.
  • Customization: personalize your QR codes with your logo, colors, or templates.
  • Advanced analytics: monitor scans per day, user demographics, browser data, and language preferences.

QR codes have come a long way from their humble beginnings and are now an essential tool for businesses and individuals alike. With the advent of dynamic QR codes, made easy through QRFY, the possibilities are endless. The ability to update content, track scans, and customize your QR codes makes them a powerful asset for marketing and communication.

Whether you want to share information, promote your brand, or streamline user interactions, QRFY’s dynamic QR codes are the way to go. So, take advantage of this dynamic shift in QR code technology. Embrace the flexibility and control offered by QRFY and watch your QR codes evolve with your needs. Dynamic QR codes are not just links; they’re gateways to a world of possibilities, limited only by your imagination.

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Here’s How to Boost Employee Satisfaction Today

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Pros-for-your-business

If you wish to maintain your employees and positive workplace morale, it is important to stay on top of employee management and know how to improve the workplace to benefit your employees. 

This guide will share the best ways to boost your employee satisfaction and guarantee to make them feel appreciated. 

Use chaplains to improve your workplace conditions

As a business owner, it is essential that you improve and maintain workplace conditions so that employees can feel satisfied while working for your business. Whether you lack support or have a dirty and messy workspace, you will not guarantee to maintain employees’ happiness or keep them working for your business if you do not offer great workplace conditions.

If you wish to improve your fast food employee retention, it is a great idea to use chaplains as they work to improve workplace conditions and measures so employees can feel happier and attain greater job satisfaction. 

Offer rewards for their efforts

It is important to offer rewards to employees for their hard work and effort so you can show that you appreciate and respect them.

A small pay bonus at the end of the month or taking them out for a nice lunch cannot prove to them that you have noticed their efforts and respect them for it, which will encourage them to feel satisfied with your management.

Ask them how they are and offer them support when they need it

As a manager or boss, you might often lack the time or thought to ask employees how they truly are. You might ask them each morning briefly how they have been, which will likely attain the same response. Many people will tell you that they are OK, even if they are not.

Whereas if you sit down with your employees individually and open up an honest conversation, you might find that they are not truly happy inside or outside of work. If an employee tells you this, it is important to listen to them and offer them support so that they can boost their happiness and well-being again which will ensure that they are satisfied at work.

Support their development and provide more training

Another great way to boost employee satisfaction is to support their development and offer them more training. 

Not every employee will want to climb the ladder in your business however there will be a select few who will want to climb higher in your company which will help them gain more success.

Therefore, to maintain and boost employee satisfaction, it is essential that you support their development and listen to their goals so that you can provide the right training for them to reach them.

Using these simple yet effective tips, you will guarantee to boost employee satisfaction in your company today. Simply listening to them, rewarding them and ensuring it to improve your workplace conditions will guarantee that your customers feel more satisfied and happy working for your business.

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