Blog

Top 10 Quality Tips To Overcome Ableism in The Workplace

Ableism, like all prejudices, is a sickness that plagues everyone. 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depression, Manic Depression, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Autism, and more are some of the most common disorders and diseases that you and (or) your coworkers live with on a daily basis. You wake up with your disorder and deal with the suffocating thoughts of anxiety and depression or the frustrating, physical challenges of moving from bed to bathroom with MS, then you complete small wins– checking off each task one by one on your to-do list, and head to work, only to encounter more adversity in the form of microaggressions, stereotypes, and outright prejudice.

This prejudice does not only affect those who are differently-abled emotionally, but also financially since they experience a wage gap, earning 37% less than their peers who are not disabled. They also have more difficulty finding employment with only an estimated 20% of those with disabilities having jobs. The workplace should never be a space that we or anybody is wary of entering, so today, we’ll be presenting you all with tips and tricks on how to overcome ableism while at work and also how to support your disabled counterparts.

Focus on Diversity

One of your main goals as an individual with a disability should be to find a place that prioritizes merit alongside diversity and inclusivity in their hiring process. The more inclusive a staff is, the higher the chances that your future co-workers are aware of and (or) open to learning about your disability.

Prioritize Inclusivity

The number of employers that actually hire those with disabilities is bleak. Therefore, take the lead and hire those with disabilities; you’ll be at the helm of change in the workplace.

And as noted in this HuffPost documentary, if you do hire a person with a disability, you’re serving yourself, as well as them, since, “the retention rate is really high” for those with disabilities at work.

Listen and Learn

Know that it’s okay to ask questions, BUT, only if they’re not invasive and rude. For instance, if your co-worker has a disability that affects their workmanship and is trying to find a way to be more efficient at their job:

1st Ask them if they would like your support.

2nd Understand how their disability impacts their work.

3rd Be mindful of how you’re communicating with them. Understanding a disability is different than living with one, so never speak to them as if you truly know what they’re going through.

4th Offer advice when you can, but ultimately, listen, learn, and just be there for them.

Educate Those Around You

This can be easier said than done with the number of misinformed people out there who rarely listen to others, but take baby steps with them and you’ll see progress in the long run.

For example, Brooke Grossinger, who is Deaf and an engagement manager for Sorenson Communications, a company that provides technology and services for Deaf and hearing people to connect recognizes that “The more knowledgeable people are in the hearing community, the more accepting they will be.” Thus education is in many ways how you can create a better world for yourself and those like you.

Don’t Make Assumptions

Relying on what you expect from different types of people is prejudice 101. We know that it can be tempting to assume that a co-worker with a disability is:

• Tired
• Confused
• In need of constant support and care

However, more often than not, these people are functioning just as well as you. And if they’re in need of your assistance, they will ask you for it.

Build a Support Network

The times when everything seems to be crashing down around will be the times when you’ll need people the most to support you and to be a sounding board for you. These people can be friends or family, but it is helpful to have someone in the workplace to have your back and vouch for you if your name’s being tossed around behind your back.

Avoid Pathologizing Language Like The Plague

The easiest and worst thing you can do is to relate “weird” or “unusual” behavior with mental illness and frailty and fatigue with physical handicaps. This is ableism at its worst, making unreasonable assumptions based on a laymen’s understanding of a disability.

Enjoy The Small Victories

Poet, philosopher, and philanthropist, Gift Gugu Mona says that “[She] may not have avoided certain wounds in my life, but [she] does appreciate these scars because they are a constant reminder of [her] victories.” This is to say that, pain and victory are intertwined, and that while you may be feeling sad, ashamed, or hopeless now, at another time in your life, you will have achieved greatness.

While the TEDx speaker above, Mehrnaz Bassiri, understands that small wins are life-changing because, “once a small win is accomplished, forces are set in motion that are in favor of another small win and another small win,…” Therefore, recognize and appreciate these small things, because they’ll have a domino effect that will lead to greater, more grandiose achievements.

Recognize The Individual

While disabilities can physically and mentally affect the people around you, there is no way to predict how they’ll behave or who they’ll turn out to be. Get to know them as a person first, before you rely on preconceived notions and biases about their handicap.

10 Facts That Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Success of Buzzfeed

There’s no question that Buzzfeed is one of the most popular media platforms out there.

It attracts people of all ages, with its bubbly, kid-friendly quizzes on its main site, while it also appeals to adolescents and adults with its more mature content found on its alternate site, Buzzfeed Reader. As such, there are quite a few things that our entrepreneurial readers can learn from this company.

Variety

This media conglomerate hosts a variety of content on various platforms.

• Unsolved for horror buffs.
• Tasty for their audience of muckbangers and food aficionados.
• Buzzfeed Reader for serious types who want to keep up-to-date on the news.
• Buzzfeed Celeb for viewers who want to see their fave celebs vibing with their co-stars.
• Worth It for prudent people who want to see if buying a $250 meal of sushi is worth more than buying a store-brand version of the same meal for only $3.
• As/Is for women and femme types who want to be informed on beauty, fashion, style, and the female experience.

Engagement

Nowadays, people aren’t passive. They want to be a part of all the cool trends and movements going on, and Buzzfeed meets them on this with tons of polls and quizzes and even allows readers to write for the site by pitching to the editor.

Relatability

Buzzfeed provides people with creators and content that they can identify with, such as videos on having crushes in the workplace, making weed brownies, and, of course, countless videos on the awkward moments that we’ve all experienced.

Buzzfeeders are just like us.

Modesty

Along with relatability is the platform’s modesty. No matter how much the platform and its content creators have grown over the years, they still remain humble and down-to-earth. For instance, you won’t find Julissa Calderon or Curly Velasquez showing off their wealth or acting like they’re above their fans. In fact, they fangirl just like us, during their celeb interviews.

Celebrity

It’s no secret, that many of us watch Buzzfeed for its sometimes kitschy content, as well as for the numerous celebrity interviews. And on its sister Youtube channel, Buzzfeed Celeb, you’ll find several actors, actresses, singers, Youtubers, and more answering questions about their lives, movie roles, and more thanks to the platform’s hilarious questionnaires.

And we can’t forget about how they complement their celebrity content with the cutest of puppies!

Relevancy

Buzzfeed remains up-to-date on all the news, whether it’s political stories involving the president or governmental leaders or features on the latest in literature, as well as trending celebrities, movies, and t.v. shows.

Importance

Despite popular belief, Buzzfeed isn’t just for laughs. The media outlet continuously provides readers with life-saving content on mental and physical health, in addition to resources for help with common disorders and diseases, respectively, e.g. major anxiety, depression, diabetes, endometriosis, and more.

Diversity

Thanks to #BLM, #ALM, and several other movements, diversity is now at the forefront of society. People want to be informed on important matters like racial equity, the wage gap, and they want to understand terms like microaggression and white guilt. But more than anything BIPOCs want to see themselves in the media. Buzzfeed provides all of this and more.

Comical

One of the best parts about Buzzfeed is that it doesn’t take itself seriously. While you can find serious news-related content on the platform, there’s also a host of polls that can guess the type of man or woman you’ll marry based on your favorite type of burger, salad, or another entree. They bring a lot of levity to the harshness of life.

Credibility

Throughout their content, you’ll recognize a few experts in the field of cooking, physical and mental healthcare, and more, so people seek out this platform for the facts, as well as the entertainment it provides.

PR “Public Relations” and 5 Incredible Things That Every Entrepreneur Should Know About It

Anybody who’s on social media is in some way involved in PR or public relations, whether by leveraging likes with the perfect edit of a photo or building followers with curated content that creates FOMO (fear of missing out). 

However, with so much of our lives and businesses on social media, it’s easy to lose favorability with our followers, by posting an image that offends some or by writing a post that rubs others the wrong way. Nevertheless, there are professionals out there that can prevent this worst-case scenario, so we will be informing you all, particularly business-oriented readers, what PR is and how a PR professional can best be used to build an appealing image of you for your audience.

What is PR?

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) defines PR as, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” But in laymen, it’s simply the business of persuasion. These professionals are trying to convince an audience to buy into or support your product, platform, or achievements.

People who specialize in PR are storytellers. They advance your image, by shaping it in such a way that it’s favorable to your audience. Think Olivia Pope, how many times has she saved President Grant or another professional’s image, by spinning a tragic or humiliating event into a positive message?

These individuals are always prepared and have an arsenal of tools on hand:

• Social media
• Press releases
• Advertisements
• Email campaigns
• Newsletters
• Speaking engagements

Types of PR

There are 7 types of PR:

1. Strategic Communications

This is the overall job of a PR professional. All their efforts are informed by their understanding of your own goals or the goals of your company.

2. Media Relations

It’s crucial for PR professionals to put you in a good relationship with the media, so they can proliferate ideal messages about you. Media relations often come in the form of press releases and pitching interviews with media outlets, so you can be exposed to your desired audiences.

3. Community Relations

While media relations is sometimes considered to be the end-all-be-all of PR, community relations is just as important. Directly communicating with your audience through your own platform (e.g. your company blog or polls on your social media) allows these professionals to gain considerable feedback from the people they need it from the most.

4. Internal Communications

Human resources and internal communications are like two sides of the same coin. They both work towards making your employees happy, by getting their needs meet and understanding areas where you can better support them. Achieving this increases your advocates and lessens the chances of negative reviews and gripes people may have with you, as an employer.

5. Crisis Communications

Despite popular belief, crisis communications comes into play before the crisis occurs. It’s important for PR professionals to have a crisis communications plan and a strong relationship with the media and stakeholders, so they can rely on it during an actual crisis.

The example below shows a clear and dependable crisis communications plan:

6. Public Affairs

PR professionals who have a keen interest in politics will engage with politicians and legislative officials to develop a relationship between their clients and the government. These relationships are greatly beneficial to you since they can provide mediation in matters of trade and corporate communications (i.e. how businesses and organizations communicate with internal and external audiences).

7. Online and Social Media Communications

In the age of the internet, it’s incredibly important for PR professionals to be adept at social media communications and to be involved in such activities as building relationships with brands, blogs, and the social media platforms that are most effective at generating positive stories about you.

PR Vs. Advertising

The key difference between public relations and advertising is credibility. Wherewith advertising a PR professional pays a third party to promote you and thus loses legitimacy, public relations is earned. PR professionals have to seek out and persuade writers and editors to write a positive story about your product, platform, or brand. Thus, the story is authenticated by a reliable external source.

The example here shows the difference between the credible PR vs. the doubtful advertisement:

Positive PR

Positive public relations is simply the end goal of a PR professional’s job. They want to build confidence and trust in others for you.

Negative PR

Though seemingly counterintuitive, negative public relations does have its benefits. Negative PR helps build your audience by driving fans and followers away from a competing individual, company, or brand and towards you. This is done by drafting and publishing negative stories about the competition.

What are Cryptocurrencies and 3 Ways You Can Capitalize on This Amazing Currency

What are cryptocurrencies is one of the topmost searched Google queries and for good reason too. 

Cryptocurrency has seemingly made its way into the cultural zeitgeist overnight, thus making millionaires out of the lucky few millennials that were gutsy enough to invest in this unknown medium of currency. Seeing the success others have had with crypto, many have tried to get into it but were overwhelmed by all the names and jargon that came with it, so presented here is a short and sweet cryptocurrency for dummies: the basics of this powerful currency–what it is, how people are capitalizing on it – and how and why you, yourself, can easily get involved in it and maybe change your life.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a type of virtual currency created in 2009 by the pseudonymous person or group, Satoshi Nakamoto. It’s the only kind of decentralized currency (i.e. there are no governmental controls), and it runs on blockchain networks. Its value is intensely transient, due to the swinging change in supply and demand.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, and there’ll only ever be 21 million of it in existence.

Blockchain Networks

Blockchain is a shared public account that facilitates and records every crypto transaction in such a way that prevents the original data from being altered, deleted, or hacked, thus enabling high security for both traders of the currency. The blockchain keeps track of all digital wallets, the amount of currency within each, as well as verifies the owner of each spender, and records proof of new ownership of crypto.

Simply, the blockchain is what allows this medium of currency to work without a central authority.

Public Keys

Both public and private keys are crucial to using cryptocurrency and are made available when first initiating a transaction or as simple as clicking the Receive tab in your crypto wallet to generate a public key. They enable you to send and receive crypto, and they fit together as a pair.

They also are a large chain of alphanumeric characters, as seen below.

A public key enables you to receive your cryptocurrency from a sender. This key that receives the currency is usually in the form of an address or a compressed version of a public key. Therefore, you can share your public key with anyone.

Ex: Over the years, many content creators have included their public keys for their address in crowdfunding campaigns, so those with cryptocurrency can gift them Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other forms of cryptocurrency.

Private Keys

While a public key allows you to receive your crypto, a private key allows users to access and spend and prove ownership of your cryptocurrency. In many ways, it’s similar to a password because as a public key encrypts or prevents access from the currency a private key enables access to it.

A private key, though coming in the form of an alphanumeric code, can also come as a:

• 256 character binary code
• 64 digit hexadecimal code
• QR Code
• Mnemonic phrase

A word to the wise: Do not share your private key with anyone. Sharing this key thereby hands the reins over to others and allows them to spend your cryptocurrency anyway they please. And being that a private key is astronomically long and difficult to remember, it’s important to keep it safe by buying an offline device to keep track of it, like a digital wallet.

Cryptocurrency Wallet

While an actual wallet holds cash, a digital or crypto wallet does not hold your cryptocurrency. Your currency is kept on the blockchain. Nevertheless, the wallet is critical in getting involved in crypto since it stores your private keys, and thus keeps your cryptocurrency safe and secure.

There are three types of wallets:

• Hot Storage ( software) Wallets
• Cold Storage (or hardware) Wallets
• Paper Wallets can generate physical copies of keys in the form of QR codes, as seen below.

Hot Storage wallets are accessible via an internet platform like Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms. While cold storage wallets are downloaded and usually exist offline on a USB device or similar software. Dash Qt is an example of cold wallet software.

Digital Signature

During a transaction request, the private key is used to sign off and authorize a transaction. From there, a mathematical message is sent to prove that the coins have come from the owner. In many ways, the digital signature is like a regular signature, just with higher security to prevent tampering when it moves from sender to receiver.

Capitalizing on Cryptocurrency

Now that you have grasped the basics of crypto, you can invest in it and maybe even capitalize on it. However, don’t expect to become a billionaire overnight. Profiting off of cryptocurrency is a long-term game, and most cryptocurrencies fetch high returns when held for long periods.

Below are some of the best strategies to make a pretty penny on cryptocurrency:

Investing

Considering how fast the crypto market is growing, now more than ever is the time to invest in it. However, because the crypto market is so volatile, the best way to get a good return on it is to diversify your portfolio.

Currently, there are over 10,000 types of cryptocurrencies, but they can be narrowed down into four categories:

• Currency Bitcoin was the first of this type for its main use as an alternative form of currency. The original goal was to expedite cross-boarder payments and make them cheaper.

• Asset Stablecoins are considered assets since their value is derived from external sources (USDT value is influenced by the US dollar).

• Object Cryptocurrencies of this sort were intended to finance special projects aimed at fixing world problems (Terra or LUNA is projected to make e-commerce accessible to the common man).

• Meme or Joke Coin Despite having no specific purpose, these funny coins are valued at $33 billion (Shiba Inu and Dogecoin are a few examples).

Earning Interest

Like money held in a savings account, you can earn interest on your cryptocurrencies and also use them throughout several parts of the world.

Buying and Holding Crypto

Similar to earning interest on your cryptocurrencies, you can hold off on selling your crypto until prices rise, so you can make a profit off of it. This is one of the most common methods of capitalizing off of this currency. This requires buyers to be able to identify the price fluctuations of coins.

Ex: Bitcoin and Ethereum are favorites amongst buyers since their price fluctuations are a bit easier to expect and thus a safer investment.

10 Best Branding Tips

Branding has grown in recent years, due to the advent of the internet and the growing use of social media by companies.

Most people online are building their own brands to sell something, whether it’s a product, an idea, or a movement. Thus, developing a brand can make or break a business, so we will be identifying the best methods to build a brand that attracts a faithful audience. 

What is a brand?

A brand is more than a colorful, tastefully made logo; rather, it’s your audience’s idea of who you are.

Businessman, billionaire, and former CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz said it best,  “If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the band.” Your brand is your values, how you come across when you communicate, and how your audience experiences your company – how your employees speak to your customers, the kind of environment you set your company in (e.g. brick and mortar store or an online business), the type of content you publish on your company – and whether that experience is good or bad determines if they will accept or reject what your company has to offer. 

Deciding upon all these factors that determine your brand is an extensive, long process. But you have time to make it great. 

What is your brand?

There are three questions you must ask yourself to understand your brand identity: what does your brand offer to the world; why is it appealing; what makes your brand stand out?

Answering these four questions will be the first step towards building a story and a marketing strategy for your brand.

Who are your competitors?

Now that you know what your brand is, you can determine who your competitors are. Knowing who your competitors are and understanding how they failed or succeeded will better inform you on the following steps in this list.

Find three to four competitors and fill out a spreadsheet or even a notebook on your competitors:

Once you have gathered this information, answer such questions as:

• Who are your competitors’ target audiences, which audience can your brand best identify with, and how can curate your products to this audience?
•  Has their position statement evolved over the years, and if so, why?
• What is their marketing strategy, and how can you make one that is of better quality?

Answering these questions will better help you develop your brand identity.

Who is your target audience?

Drawing back on the last step will help you recognize your target audience. For example, the question asked previously: which audience can your brand best identify with will help you understand who your target audience will be. If you’re selling shoes that’s user-friendly for disabled people, your target audience will be people suffering from multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer’s, and more.

Thus, your brand will be The brand for people with limited abilities.

Don’t make the mistake of saying you’re trying to reach everyone. You can’t please everyone, and it’s a waste of time trying to do so.

What position will your brand take?

Recognizing your target audience is a critical step in building a brand as it guides you on the choices you’ll make in the future. One of those choices will be your brand position. 

Determining whether you’re going to be an elite, high-priced brand or a brand that’s of simpler quality and affordable will all be a part of your position.

Developing a brand statement will be a great way to easily grasp your brand position. Included in your statement should be:

• What you’re offering
• Who you’re offering it to
• Ethics of your brand

Ex: “We’re an affordable shoe company that sells products for all abilities.”

This statement will go on to inform you on how you sell your brand and how your brand speaks to your audience. 

The key to brand position though is consistency. Consistently presenting your brand on all media platforms will determine if your brand will be as relevant as Nike and Adidas or as irrelevant as their off-brand versions.

What is your name?

Coke, Band-aid, Nike, etc. What do you think of when you think of these companies? What feelings does these names inspire in you? These may all be names of different companies, but when it comes down to it, the most successful companies have names that tell a story and provoke us to buy from them.

When coming up with a name for your company think of:

• Alliterative names e.g. Dunkin Donuts and Bed Bath & Beyond
• Founder names e.g. Jordans and Fenty
• Evocative names e.g. Disney and Marvel

The name that’ll work for you will depend on your brand identity, target audience, and position. However, to streamline this process, you can always infer the types of names your competitors adopted and what worked for them may work for you.

Make sure to also create a name that’s available for online use and trademarking.

What’s your look?

Now that you’ve made it this far, it’s easy to jump ahead and start making a logo and begin advertising your company. However, you first need to establish a look for your brand. Will it be dark and powerful like Nike’s or bubbly and friendly like Sketchers?

What you decide will influence packaging, the uniforms your employees will wear, and how you’ll depict your company on all media platforms.

How do you want to design your logo?

Now the real fun begins! Designing the logo is essentially designing the face of the brand; it’s the thing that people use to identify your company. Nike has its check mark, Adidas has its pyramid, and Puma has its puma, so a logo can be a symbol, a geometrical shape, or even an animal. Think long and hard about what you want your logo to be, because it can be hard to and even detrimental to change, and it will just as important as your name and found everywhere your brand is, including packaging, websites, and advertisements.

Present your brand to the world.

You now have a solid foundation for your brand, so the only thing left is to show it to the world. Be sure to broadcast your brand everywhere, not just online, but even the places you wouldn’t think of like in your customer service. Minding how your employees represent your brand is essential to retaining your customer base.

Keep track of your brand guidelines.

Once your company is up and running is can be difficult to keep track of what’s what, so be mindful of documenting everything you’ve done so far: your brand identity, how you’ll stand out from the crowd, your demographic, your position, your name, your look, and your logo.

Google sheets will be your best friend when it comes to this, so researching the best ways to draft up your documents and spreadsheets will save you time and energy in the future.

Ever wonder what people search for online most often besides Pizza Near Me? Here is a list of the top things that people constantly search for

Pizza near me

This is one of the top searches online. Americans love pizza, so if you have a pizza business, you have an opportunity to read Kai on Google search engines.

Breakfast near me

People are too busy in the morning to make breakfast even though you’d like to go out and relax on the weekends, so this is another option for restaurant service.

Liquor stores near me

Hopefully, as an entrepreneur, you’re not out looking for this regularly because this could be a sign of a problem, but this is something that people constantly search for and is in the top 40 and if you OWN liquor stores looks like you will never be out of business.

Starbucks near me

This seems pretty obvious, and it makes perfect sense Starbucks is everywhere, and you don’t want to Drive up, and down the street looking for one randomly it’s great to know where they’re located

McDonald’s near me

This is surprising considering fast food is not the best food, but McDonald’s has the most expansive breakfast menu, so it is pretty easy to see that some people want a quick meal I don’t want to pay a lot to Bing go to McDonalds.

Fast food near me this lens itself

People want easy and fast food, apparently.

Urgent care near me

This also makes perfect sense when you have a small emergency you don’t want to go to the emergency room and pay a lot less than you to pay at the hospital. This is a perfect place to go. Urgent care businesses have exploded over the last few years.

Dentist near me

Now this one’s surprising since most people hate going to the dentist, so I would assume that this is an emergency where somebody’s in dire pain and needs to see a dentist.

Gym near me

Do you own a gym(s)? This makes sense people don’t like to use hotel gyms and may not have anything where they live in an apartment complex, and so they’re looking for a gym to go to

Sushi near me

People love sushi no matter where they are they’re going to try to find it

Parks near me

This is an interesting one for the entrepreneur who probably wants to get a break since most of us are very busy and don’t have time to sit around the park so perhaps this one is for exercise or for a break.

Ice cream near me

Considering you could probably get it at the grocery store, this is odd for people to look for, but perhaps they want an ice cream shop over grocery store-bought ice cream if you own an ice cream shop, you’re in luck.

Postal office near me

As it’s getting less and less important for people to mail things, this is an interesting one and as many post offices are closed but there are people still looking online for the post office system.

Apartments near me

This makes perfect sense because anything that’s listed already has a lot of people looking at those apartments, so perhaps this is for the person who wants to find something that’s not in the listed papers. This person is probably looking for hidden gems. So if you’re an entrepreneur with rentals, perhaps you should consider doing an ad on google in your area over posting in the local apartment sites.

Costco Near Me

People who love Costco love Costco, and they know exactly what they’re looking for bigger smart TVs (lol). Costco’s are not easy to find but they are pretty much in most big cities in America.

Coffee near me

Do you have a coffee shop? People are not just looking for Starbucks; they are looking for coffee in the morning PERIOD. So if you have a coffee business, your chances to rank high on Google are pretty good.

One of the most incredible and frustrating things I could expect with my business was finding the right dream team.

It took me years to do it, which completely stifled my growth because I was doing most of the work.

I would find someone to train them. They would do well for a couple of weeks to a month, and then either they would quit, or they would slip up, and I would end up repeating the process over and over again, starting over. After a while, it became a job trying to find people to do it. Then I came to realize something significant.

It was not just them, it was also ME

Not only was I looking in the wrong places but other factors played into me not finding the right team.

Here are some useful tips to help you as they have helped me finally put the right people in place and have a sustainable business.

The tremendous benefit is now I have free time to do the things I need to do to build a better business.

Change your mindset – find your Dream Team

Changing the way you think about the situation is paramount to your success. This is utterly important because it’s so easy to become very negative when you can’t find the right people.

You start to get frustrated and lump everybody into the same pile.

I’ve done it, and I’ve heard other people do it too, saying things like “Millennials aren’t worthy, and they’re very arrogant and stuck on themselves, and they don’t want to do the work.

If you say this enough, you will only incorporate those kinds of people into your space.

To attract the right people, you have to improve your bandwidth and positivity to “I think I will find the right people this time I’m confident about it” instead of “It’s so hard to find the right team” or “Finding the right team is impossible.” The adage is true, “What you think about you bring about.”

Where are you looking?

If you’re looking on craigslist or other like-minded sites for your employees for people to work for you, you’re already behind the 8-ball.

With all due respect to craigslist, you’re not going to find the cream of the crop there.

Craigslist does no homework for you, so you must do all your due diligence.

Chances are it’s not going to work out for you. Any site that charges a minimal fee or is free to post an ad is going to give you what you pay for … nothing.

Keep that in mind that when someone is serious about finding a job, they’ll pay to be listed, which will help shorten and legitimize the process for you.

When I posted on Craigslist, I got everything I DIDN’T want and DIDN’T ask for. I have horror stories and pure comedy stories to tell about posting on Craigslist.

I can tell you one. A woman told me she would give me an extra week’s work if I paid her upfront. I didn’t even know her, but I was not that stupid.

She explained that she had to pay for her Motel 6 room and was about to get kicked out and needed to pay her bill. It didn’t happen and was never going to happen, but that’s the quality of people you will find on Craigslist. She would have taken my money, and I would have never heard from her again.

One site I HIGHLY recommend for looking for people is Indeed. Indeed does a majority of the work, but they also make you accountable as well as you have to set appointments via video or via phone.

I love the details for people applying everything from WordPress experience to research to writing and their background and cover letters. People looking for work can’t just post anything, and they have to back it up.

When you see people via video, you get a better feel of where they’re coming from. I can’t speak highly enough about Indeed; that’s where I found my team ultimately.

Pull yourself away temporarily – find your Dream Team

If you’re too involved in your business, it’s like being in a pot of hot soup; you’re just an ingredient, and your perspective is not fresh.

You have to pull yourself away from it take a short vacation or a break to determine how you can improve. This is not just when it comes to finding people but it comes with improving your skillset and mental health.

Having a team in place will help you grow not having a team in place will keep you stagnant.

Ask people who have established businesses how they find their Dream Team

After I complained, one business owner told me why I couldn’t find the right team. She stated you never will as long as you don’t keep looking, and that’s just what you’re going to have to do.

You’re going to have to keep looking until you find the right people, and she was right.

There were many times I gave up as I stated earlier, after spending so much time training people who didn’t work out.

Still, then again, I was looking at sites like Craigslist for people taking recommendations from friends for people who just needed a job, and I was hiring people who were in between jobs. None of those people will give you the dedication that you need to help your business grow.

Be patient with your new staff – find your Dream Team

What does that mean? It means to make sure they know what they are doing.

Take the time and show them and encourage them to ask questions, show interest in them, and ask them what their goals are and what they want to do.

You certainly want to express how you can help them reach their goals, and that will make them feel more comfortable about supporting you.

Hire people who want to work in your field. This is extremely important and a mistake I repeatedly made, and I hired people who were writers and not career-oriented.

I thought I could teach the right candidates about Radio or how I started in the industry, but they had no interest in Radio, and I no longer did either.

Some of them were in between jobs and their dedication was not going to be there. Hire people who want to work in your field a lot of times that will include young people who are looking for a break or looking for a way to get to the top.

Often, when you have established a business, you can take them where they want to go very quickly.

Reward good work

If one person on your staff does a great job or all do find a way to reward them. Gift cards always work but I’ll do bonuses too. It encourages them to continue doing a great job and enables you to know that you have the right team in place.

You don’t have to go overboard or underboard but be reasonable with whatever you give them.

Find a way to ask for your respect in a nice way.

If they’re not able to make it or if they need a day off let them know they need to tell you in advance there’s nothing worse than being caught off guard. Sometimes things do happen and they need time off but if they can at least let you know in advance, you can plan communication is Key

Communication is Key

Communicate with your staff via phone or email or zooms at least twice a week ask them to send you ideas they have or how you can improve your business. When people feel like they’re a part of the business, they invest more of themselves.

As we get older, we don’t see certain things, but having a young influential staff on board is major because this helpls your business sustain itself.

There’s nothing worse than someone growing old with a business and having all techniques that no longer work killilng the business in the process. I’ve seen it more times than I have cared to see it.

Definitely figure out a way to bring talent on board that is hungry and has their ear to the street for what’s coming next. Once they bring it to you try it out and don’t think you know everything. And don’t think that your way is always the best way as I stated as we get older we become less connected.

The Best Credit Cards For Those With No Credit History

Finding the best credit cards when you’re new to using these cards can be a challenge.

It can also be difficult for those who are wary of credit cards, in general, so we will be informing you on the best credit cards to use to set you off on the right foot and to also have you feeling assured that the cards you’re using are legitimate and trustworthy.

Petal 2 Visa Credit Card

Credit Limit: $300 – $10,000

With no credit history required, an immediate 1% cash back on eligible purchases, and up to 10% cashback at select merchants, Petal Visa Credit Card is for those who want to build their credit history, all the while making money back for every purchase they make. 

There are no fees required for this card, and you’ll have a credit limit from $300 to $10,000. However, if you’re applying for this card with a credit history, keep in mind that it will affect your credit decision. 

Secured Sable One Credit Card 

Credit Limit: $10,000

If you like to shop till you drop, rest assured that the Secured Sable One card will handle all your spending without a killer price tag. The card has a $0 monthly and annual fee and also comes with a 1% – 2% cashback.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Credit Limit: $300 but there may be an increase after 6 months.

Capital One keeps those who are a bit more frugal in mind since all you need is to spend at least $2,600 a year (1.5% cashback on all daily purchases) to negate the $39 annual fee. While cardholders can also be considered for a higher line of credit after only 6 months.

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Credit Limit: $300 or more, depending on your creditworthiness.

For those with no credit history, Capital One’s Platinum Credit Card will have you covered. It has a high approval rating for individuals with limited to no credit history and if you’re approved, there won’t be any annual fees or a required security deposit waiting for you. The only con to this card is that it doesn’t offer rewards, but what you lose in rewards is what you get in affordability.

Discover It Secured Credit Card

Credit Limit: $200 – $2,500

The best-secured credit card (type of credit card that is backed by a cash deposit from the cardholder) for individuals with no credit is Discover it® Secured Credit Card. Unlike many secured credit cards, it has a $0 annual fee and gives users rewards. Each quarter, you can earn 2% cashback on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants and an unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases. 

Also, Discover will double your rewards as a first-year, anniversary present. 

Chime

Credit Limit: $10,000

With no credit check required, Chime’s Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card welcomes those with limited to no credit history to apply. There is no annual fee or interest, so it allows you to build your credit without any unnecessary cost. And Chime reports payments to major credit bureaus, so common purchases like gas, groceries, bills, and subscriptions can increase your credit score.

Still, be sure to pay off your balance each month to have your purchases factor into your score.

Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students

Credit Limit: $5,000

Now here’s a credit card made for student ex-pats. Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students was developed with international students in mind since it doesn’t require a credit history or a social security number. The card also has a $0 annual fee and gives 1% cashback on all purchases. And you won’t experience the headache of dealing with international transaction fees on purchases while abroad. 

However, the eligibility requirements for this card keep a limited few eligible to receive it since only students enrolled in a U.S. college can apply. 

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card For Students

Credit Limit: $500 or more

With a plethora of rewards and a $0 annual fee, this card will have you spending, while also making your money back in droves. Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card For Students offers a $200 cash reward bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening and also will allow you to earn 1.5% cashback on all purchases.

There’s no limit to the amount of cashback you can earn and cash rewards do not expire.

Citi Secured Credit Card

Credit Limit: $200 – $2,500

Citi Secured keeps cardholders safe and secured since it keeps cardholders deposits as collateral to keep you from worrying about paying your balance at the end of the month. It also offers $0 annual and monthly fees. 

However, Discover does not offer rewards, and it requires a $200 security deposit for all cardholders.

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

Credit Limit: $200 – $3,000

Anyone, credit or no credit, is guaranteed to get this card. OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card has no credit check when you apply, so approval is almost guaranteed for you if you’re at least 18 years old with enough money to afford monthly bill payments.

But the Visa has a $35 annual fee and requires a refundable security deposit of at least $200, which will be your spending limit.

How to Use Google Ad Words

The use of Google Ad Words is a marketing strategy that is effective among businesses that would love to get online customers.

This Google service works by allowing the businesses to display their various ads on Google’s search result pages, usually at the bottom or the top of Google’s search engine result page.

If you want to get started on using Google’s Ad Words, the following steps are all you will need to follow:

Step 1: Signing up

The first step will require you to go to the Google Ad Words website. Once you are there, you will need to sign up with the Google account of your choice. In the case where you do not have a Google account, you will be required to create one. This only takes a few minutes.

Signing up

After entering your details, you will then be taken to another page where you will be able to create your first campaign. Once here, you will be able to choose your target audience, your budget, set your bids as well as finally write your ad copy.

Setting up your first Google Ad Words campaign

Step 2: Setting your budget

Setting up your budget is one of the most important tasks when it comes to using Google Ad Words. Being sure to set a daily budget will ensure that you do not go above your set expenditure limits. A great way to determine your budget on a daily is to know the total number of visitors that your landing page can convert into customers. If at all you are starting, you can use averages.

Google Ad Words budget

It has been seen that on average, 2.35% of the total users are the only ones who go by the desired action after they click on an advertisement. By taking into account what the average conversion rate for your industry is, you are now able to decide the amount that you are willing to be spending per visitor. This is simple terms is called CPA (cost per acquisition)

Step 3: Selection of your target audience

Here, you will be able to specify the exact location of the audience you are interested in attracting geographically. The feature makes sure that your ad will be only shown to those users who will conduct a search while using the keywords that you have bid.

Google Ad Words location

When you choose to use the advanced search option, you will be able to get access to ‘radius targeting’. Radius targeting will give you the ability to target a given radius from your selected zip code. Depending on your business’ nature, you may want to target only cities if at all you intend to sell locally or you may opt to target countries as a whole. You even have the option to set the bid adjustments differently per each of your radius targets. For instance, you may want to bid lower when it comes to a thirty-mile radius but higher when it is a ten-mile radius.

Google Ad Words radius targeting

Step 4: Choosing a network

Once you are done with the radius targeting, the next step is to choose either Display Network or the Google’s Search Network. The Display Network works by showing your ads on any of the websites that display ads while the Search Network works by displaying your ads on Google SERPs.

Google Ad Words search network vs display network

It is recommended for the small businesses as well as beginners that they go with the Search network. The reason for this is that your ads will be shown to the users who have specifically searched for the keywords that are relevant and related to your business. The display ads are helpful when it comes to retargeting, branding, and in general, having a lower CPC. In addition to this, they are not question-oriented.

Step 5: Choosing your keywords

Keywords refer to the phrases or search terms that a user puts into the search box for Google when they want to conduct a search. Google will let you choose around twenty keywords that could trigger the chances of your ad appearing on the SERP. You are able to add the number of keywords afterward, so that should not worry you.

Google Ad Words keywords

It is advised that you pick a few keywords that you are positive that they will bring results, as opposed to picking twenty keywords that may only be relevant to a certain degree. With that in mind, you should also be attentive to the keywords and search volumes that you pick. Although the idea of choosing a keyword with a high search volume of maybe 500,000 seems a bit tempting, it may not be the best idea. As it was highlighted earlier in the article, Ad Words works based on a system of bidding. The keywords that have high search volumes are often quite expensive when it comes to bidding for them. Because of this, when one chooses many keywords or those with big search volumes, in the end, it may turn out to be very expensive. You can control this by picking a few keywords that are relevant and that have moderate volumes in terms of the research volumes.

The types of keywords and how to determine the right keyword match

There are four kinds of keyword matches that will be the determining factor of how you would want your ad to get displayed. These are:

• Broad match – On the Ad Words, this is a default setting. Google highlights that it is a feature that will enable your ad to pop up for the searches on phrases that are similar as well as relevant, that include synonyms, both plural, and singular forms, and even misspelling and stemmings. Broad match allows one to reach your largest target audience. However, because the broad match also lets your ads be seen for various synonyms as well as part of keywords, for this reason, your ad may be showing up in various irrelevant results from searches.
• Broad match modifier – This match modifier gives you the chance to have more control. Just by including ‘+’ to the start of the term, you will be able to have it locked in place. It is only when the search term has a word or phrase after ‘+’ that will your ad be able to appear in these search results.
• Phrase match – This gives you more control as a business owner. Once you chose phrase match, your chosen ad will only be displayed in the results for the various search terms that will be in a similar order as that of the keyword you chose.
• Exact match – As you can get from the name, the option will give you the chance to have your ad only appear when a user searches with identical terms to those of your chosen keywords.
• Negative keywords – These are terms that help the enterprise ensure that their ad will not be shown to audiences that are irrelevant. This feature is specifically important if at all you have a service or a product that probably shares keywords with another subject that has no relation to it.

Step 6: Setting your bid

Ad Words uses a bidding model, as has been mentioned above. A bid refers to the money that one is willing to pay for each of the people who will click on the ad. If at all your competitors are also bidding for the same keyword as you, and you want to pay more for each click, your ad will be given more priority and therefore it will show more than your competitors’.

Google Ad Words bids

The first option will allow your Google to set the amount for your bid such that the returns that you get from your budget get fully maximized. If at all you are a beginner, it is advised that you first start with automatic bids up until you get comfortable with the Adword system. However, manually setting your bids is mostly cost-effective.

Step 7: Writing your ad

This is yet another critical part of the process. You are advised to put in a lot of thinking into it so that the ad you put out is very compelling. The message you want to put across should be clear and convincing to the users. Some tips include;

• Your ad should be precise as well as short.
• The headline you chose should be crucial. This is because your ad headline is the very first thing that a user encounters.
• You should have a call to action that is easy to understand. This is what lets the user know what you want them to do. 

The anatomy of an ad consists of;

1. The headlines. Ad Words allow the use of up to two headlines, that have at most thirty characters each.
2. Description. The ad description allows up to eighty characters. Make sure your message is conveyed clearly. If there are discounts available, let them be highlighted here.

Google Ad Words ad copy

Step 8: Creating your ad

Once you are done, be sure to click ‘save’ and then finally continue to the finishing step. Here, Google will enquire about your business as well as the information pertaining to your payment. You will get charged after your set budget is exhausted or after thirty days.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to set up and use the Google Ad Words, there is nothing stopping you from inculcating it into your business and getting to enjoy all the benefits it has to offer.

Best Business Loans For Bad Credit & 8 Tips To Ensure That You Get The Capital Your Business Needs

Finding business loans for bad credit (i.e. credit score of 619 or below) seems close to impossible, without robbing a bank.

However, as the saying goes, “when there’s a will there’s a way”, and there are countless, legitimate ways to build a successful enterprise without the headache of hiring an accountant or being turned away from various banks. Therefore, to help entrepreneurs who are feeling demoralized, we will be giving you all a few tips on how to build your business, despite your bad credit.

Apply For a Loan:

OnDeck

Minimum credit score: 600

Established in 2006, OnDeck offers credit, short-term loans, and an SBA PPP loan (Small Business Administration Payment Protection Program) to all eligible business owners. And if you need help choosing your loan, a reliable loan advisor is available 6 days a week to make sure you get a loan that best suits you and your business needs.

BlueVine 

Minimum credit score: 600

While a younger loan company than OnDeck, BlueVine (est. 2013) this entrepreneurial lender does well by focusing on small businesses and providing them with $250,000 in credit in as fast as 24 hours, as well as accepting applicants that have been in business for less than a year.

Rapid Finance

Minimum credit score: 550

While not a bank lender, Rapid Finance gives eligible business owners various mediums of capital, including credit, merchant cash advances, and bridge loans ranging from $5,000 to $1 million from the Small Business Administration.

However, receiving this loan, like any loan, comes at a price. In addition to paying off the interest on your debt, you may also be required to pay an origination fee or other fees that add to the cost.

Microlenders

Microlenders are usually non-profit organizations that provide underserved entrepreneurs (personal FICO scores as low as 575) with capital. Loan amounts are not particularly large, with it capping out at several thousand dollars. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBS) Microloan Program only goes up to $50,000. 

Kiva is a great microlender that deserves to be on this list; it gives business owners in the U.S. 0% interest loans for up to $15,000 credit. However, business owners must crowdfund their loans from the individuals who lend on Kiva’s platform.

What To Do If You’re Denied a Loan:

Improve Your Credit Score

When applying for a loan, make sure your finances look appealing. For those with a bad credit score, you can increase your score by making payments on time, fixing delinquencies, and paying down balances when possible. And if you notice any errors, dispute them, as soon as possible. 

Decrease Loan Amount

You may need to work with a smaller loan than you had anticipated. If it comes to this, rethink your business plan and find areas where you can lessen expenses.

Develop Creative Solutions

One up Kiva and consider asking friends, family members, private investors, and potential customers to invest in your business. There are multiple crowdfunding platforms out there to help you get started: GoFundMe, Kickstarter, and Indiegogo.

Add Business Partners

If you’re a ‘lone wolf’ and aspire to have your own business, then this may not be the option for you. Nonetheless, adding business partners can redeem the creditworthiness of your business, since lenders can then recognize the combined personal income and collateral of all owners.

Apply For Grants:

BIPOC Small Business Grant by Annuity Payment Freedom

Annuity Payment Freedom provides micro-grants and marketing grants to small businesses. The latter helps to bring traffic to small businesses.

 You can apply for this grant at any time, since these grants are awarded on a rolling basis, with winners announced on the last day of each month.

Black Founder Startup Grant

The Black Founder Startup Grant program was established to provide up to $10,000 to black and mulitracial female and non-binary entrepreneurs in need of capital. The program also accepts entrepreneurs with a legally registered business who plan to seek investor financing to scale.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program

Each year, the federal government awards 5% or more of federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses to support female entrepreneurs by providing them with business management training, counseling, federal contracts, and access to credit and capital. The program was developed to equalize the playing field for all women in business.

Business Warrior Small Business Loans

Business Warrior supports those struggling to get access to capital and offers a combined total of $5 million to small business owners. The program will provide between $5,000 to $50,000 in loans without any high rates, so you can put your energy into building your business, rather than paying off your loans.