Taking Your Business to the Next Level in 2 Simple Steps

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Grow Your Business|Taking Your Business to the Next Level in 2 Simple StepsNow your business is well and truly past its stage of inception, you’re probably wondering what you can do to step it up a notch. You don’t want your company to flounder as a startup for the rest of time; you want to see it grow and prosper. In this instance, it’s important to note the fact that businesses do not grow on their own — they need their owners to steer them in the right direction. This means, then, that if you want your business to be a leading force in its market, it’s down to you to do something about it.

Here’s how you can take your business to the next level in two simple steps:

Make the most out of SEO

SEO might be a difficult concept to get your head around, and you may even feel a little intimidated by it at first, especially if you’re not particularly adept when it comes to online marketing, but it’s probably not as complex as you think it is. It’s just a measurable and repeatable process that sends signals to search engines. Still confused? Quite simply, the SEO process involves:

  • Ranking your website as high possible;
  • Reaching more customers;
  • Generating more leads;
  • Making more money;
  • Taking your business to the next level.

It really is that simple. If you do find yourself unable to grasp the concept of SEO, however, be sure to turn to a professional that knows their way around this industry, such as the SEO Company Birmingham dlzDigital. Their industry expertise will be sure to get your website the exposure and traffic it needs to see you earn more money from your online exploits. With all this extra cash, it will then be a lot easier for you to take your business to the next level.

Hire with due diligence

When it comes to the task of hiring new workers, if you take careful and reasonable steps throughout the whole process, you will be sure to avoid committing the worst offense a business can commit: employing a bad egg. These kind of lazy, unmotivated workers will do nothing but waste your business’s time, money, and resources. If you were to allow this to happen too often, you would stand no chance whatsoever of being able to take your business to the next level, as your business would always be dragged down by poor work and missed deadlines.

In order to hire with the utmost due diligence, you should:

  • Never make impulsive decisions… take a breather, weigh up your options, and then go ahead and decide
  • Ask your current employees who they would like to see you hire
  • Always value candidates that are committed to their career and the industry as a whole
  • Test for analytical skills during the interview process
  • Give interns a go — they might be diamonds in the rough, but if you dedicate your time and effort to them, they will be willing to repay the favor

If you’re serious about taking your business to the next level, you have to be willing to put the two top tips listed above into practice.

We Answer the Top 9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials Packaging

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Ship Hazardous Materials|We Answer the Top 9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials PackagingFor companies that regularly ship hazardous materials, there is a lot to consider to ensure that their products are not only shipped safely, but that they also follow government regulations about where the product is being shipped. When considering how to ship hazardous materials that need to be sent by your company, it is wise to research and compare different shippers to see who is following the current regulations, previous client feedback, and most economic pricing. If you are trying to find out information about shipping hazardous materials, consider these nine most commonly-asked questions about hazardous materials packaging listed below:

9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials Packaging

Companies typically have many questions when it comes to how to properly ship hazardous materials. Below is a substantial list of common questions that companies may be wondering before deciding on the right shipper of hazardous materials for their business. In order to learn more about shipping of hazardous materials, visit www.clsmith.com.

What Are the Different Classifications of Hazardous Materials?

There are several different classifications of hazardous materials that companies need to be aware of. Class 1 is for Explosives. Class 2 is for Gass. Class 3 is for Flammable Liquid and Combustible Liquid. Class 4 is for Flammable Solid, Spontaneously Combustible, and Dangerous When Wet. Class 5 is for Oxidizer and Organic Peroxide. Class 6 is for Poison and Inhalation Hazard. Class 7 is for Radioactive. Class 8 is for Corrosive. Class 9 is for Miscellaneous. Each classification indicates a different level of risk when transporting a hazardous material. It is important to be aware that not all shipping companies work with every classification. It is wise to ask the shipping company which classes they work with to ensure that they are an ideal fit for the products that you need shipped.

What Constitutes Suitable Packaging?

Many times, companies have a great deal of knowledge when it comes to manufacturing their hazardous materials; however, they don’t know how to package them. There are many packaging regulations surrounding hazardous materials because some packaging forms can melt if there are highly dangerous chemicals involved. When a company is unsure about packaging, it is best to outsource packaging to an external vendor that has extensive knowledge about what is required for the particular hazardous material that the company is producing and ultimately, needs to transport. Remember, that improper packaging can have substantial safety issues in the long-term. Companies should be careful with this in order to avoid employee liability lawsuits from harm caused by hazardous materials that were improperly packaged.

How Should the Containers Be Labeled or Marked?

Labeling a hazardous material is something that should be considered with care. There needs to be a diamond sticker, but there also needs to be certain information on the diamond. First, the classification number needs to be designated along with the United Nation’s four-digit code designation is a recommended approach. The label should also have some indication of which direction to store the container saying, “This side up.” Putting the container upside down is a major potential safety issue, which is why having this label on the package is imperative at all times.

How Frequently Should You Be Training Your Team?

You should be periodically training your team about new regulations in your industry. This is particularly true for those that are transporting hazardous materials. Transporting hazardous materials is risky and particularly if you have individuals driving large trucks, they have to be trained. If your organization has new employees, they need to be trained in order to work with hazardous materials. This is very important to follow government regulations. Many popular training subjects when it comes to hazardous materials are: Function-specific Training, Safety Training, Security Awareness Training, Driver Training, and Security Plan Training. It is important to regularly assess what your training procedures are to be sure that you are following current or new government regulations.

What Can You Do to Manage Your Risk?

Risk Management should be something that is at the forefront of your strategy when your business involves hazardous materials. There are many potential legal issues that can arise when you are working with hazardous materials. The first issue is related to the packaging. If you are not packaging your products correctly, you can be sued by your employees or your clients. If you are shipping your products incorrectly and there is an accident, you can also be sued by parties involved in the accident and your employees. In your warehouses, if you do not have safety protocols in place, then you can also be sued. Being aware of what safety regulations are required to work with hazardous materials is paramount to your business’ success. From the beginning, it is wise to have clear Risk Management objectives in place to avoid higher costs and legal liability.

What Is the Difference Between Shipping Hazardous Materials via Air vs. Ground?

Deciding to ship your hazardous materials via air versus ground can make a substantial difference in your cost. When you are shipping items by air, the cost will be calculated by the weight. Many times, hazardous materials are quite heavy, which means that shipping by air will be far more expensive. This is particularly true if you are shipping hazardous materials in large canisters. Shipping by ground is a much better option for longer lead times. When shipping by ground, the cost is calculated based on the volume of the shipment. This is why shipping by ground can save a considerable amount of money. The key when deciding about shipping hazardous materials by ground or air is to know the lead time of the order and how much the hazardous materials weight. Shipping higher volumes by ground usually lowers the shipping cost a great deal, which is why many companies opt for this option.

Can I Ship Hazardous Materials Internationally?

It is absolutely possible to ship hazardous materials internationally. What is important to understand is that the United Nations does have a code index about what designations need to be on the containers with the objective of promoting safe international trade. This means there are regulations in place to assist with orders that are shipped internationally. Oil is a great example of this. Oil is a hazardous material because, if combined with fire, it can be explosive and cause substantial damage. Oil is regularly shipped all over the world through following strict protocols. Shipping internationally is the reality now. One of the best shipping rates for hazardous materials can be found through shipping by boat.

What Environmental Regulations Do I Need to Be Aware of?

Environmental regulations are relevant when considering working with hazardous materials. Some products are harmful for the environment and have legislation protecting them. Other products are beneficial for the environment and are able to be recycled to reduce waste. It is important to check the regulations by jurisdiction to see which products need to be used sparingly in order to follow environmental regulations and avoid common pitfalls.

What If My Products Are Going Across State Lines?

In the United States, commerce is defined as “within a state” or “interstate commerce.” This is important because states have their own regulations and statutes that have to be consistent with what is set out by the federal government. When transporting hazardous materials across state lines, it is important to be aware of what each state’s regulations are to avoid excessive fines or lawsuits that could occur resulting from accidents or faulty packaging. It is also important to consider which states your shipper will be passing through if you are shipping by ground to be sure that you are in compliance with any and all regulations.

Final Remarks

Shipping hazardous materials is something that if not done well, can cause companies enormous lawsuits. It is important to carefully research the kind of hazardous material that you are looking to transport, and which companies work with that classification of hazardous material. Then it is best to get a comparison of prices to see how your shipping could vary by ground or by air. It is also important to roll out an extensive training program for your staff. By doing so, you will be able to lower your risk of accidents happening due to lack of knowledge regarding local regulations. Before packaging the hazardous materials that you are looking to sell, assess whether your company has the ability to realistically follow requirements and ensure safety risk reduction. If the answer is no, outsource your packaging efforts to an experienced packaging company. This way, you can be sure you have the proper packaging that is labeled according to industry standards. Choosing the right transport company to transport your hazardous materials is one of the most important decisions that you will make. By finding the right company to work with, you will be able to maximize your products, but also limit your potential legal liability in the long-term.

Improving Your Workplace Productivity In Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Workplace Productivity|Improving Your Workplace Productivity In BusinessIt’s key that workplace productivity is at it’s very best, all the time. Any dip in productivity and the business growth and success will suffer as a result. There are, however, a number of changes that you can make across your business to ensure that the organization continues to work at maximum speed. Here’s how to improve your workplace productivity in business.

Invest In Technology

There are a lot of software and systems that now exist thanks to the advancement of technology. It’s hard to believe that this wasn’t something that existed so predominantly as it is now. A lot of businesses are putting a budget towards investing in technology to help improve workplace productivity. As an example, task management software can be very useful for those working in teams to avoid miscommunication and those individual staff members who are taking on the slack of others. There are many other systems that now exist, including mobile device management for better asset management. This helps with monitoring and managing devices that your staff have, which can certainly come in useful when staff members have any IT problems that halt their work.

Hiring Valuable Staff

Whenever you hire someone new for your business, they need to bring something to the organisation that’s of value and can help with improving the productivity levels. One of the reasons why productivity is lacking may be due to the fact that your staff are working more than their fair share. This can make them feel like they’re being taken advantage of, so if you have the budget to do so, hire someone new. However, make sure they tick off the requirements in terms of adding value to the company but also that they’ll work well with your current staff. Particularly if there are different departments within the organisation, you want to ensure that they’ll get on well with colleagues because if there’s a dislike amongst others, that can also impact the level of work that gets done on a daily basis.

Create The Right Environment

Your staff are probably working in the same place every day for however long they decide to stay within the company. Obviously, you want them to stay for as long as possible, but a poor work environment can seriously affect the happiness of the organization. A few ways of creating the right environment include:

  • Open spaces but also a selection of private spaces and offices to appeal to all members of staff. Everyone has a preferred way of working after all.
  • Creating a naturally lit space using natural light and ambient lighting. Natural light has a particularly positive impact on your mood.
  • High-quality appliances and work stations are always appreciated because it means that they can work at full capacity without having to deal with IT problems or furniture that’s uncomfortable to sit on or work at.

The right environment isn’t just within the office space, it could also be by offering flexible working. This is a scheme that businesses across industries are trialling because it offers staff the ability to take time off or to work from home remotely. They don’t have to take off vital annual leave for doctors appointments or household emergencies.

Create Reasonable Goals & Objectives

For a business to continue moving forward and hopefully in an upwards trajectory, creating goals and objectives on a regular basis is a must. However, these goals and objectives need to be reasonable for what staff can achieve with the skills, budget and time scale they have. Working under immense pressure can end up affecting the health of staff, and that can eventually have a negative impact on your business. These objectives should be dished out by managers or heads of departments who have a clear understanding of what’s needed. That way, there’s no confusion about what staff are given in terms of these goals or objectives.

Think about offering incentives or rewards for their hard work. Perhaps commission on projects or sales is something that’s possible for a business to give. Help them achieve goals that are doable and support them in reaching these goals by offering rewards that will enable them to continue their hard work. It will also help with staff retention, as staff want to feel valued after all.

Have A Good HR Department

HR can sometimes be given a bad name by staff who feel like they’re not being heard or feel like there’s a lack of HR in the organisation. HR are seriously important to any business to make sure that staff feel protected and can approach them, should they have any concerns about other staff members or to do with their role or certain elements of their contract. So it’s good to focus on building an excellent HR department who can help hire the right staff and are able to contribute to retaining your staff for as long as possible.

Offering support to your staff is always something that HR can help with, but it’s also good to set up regular meetings between HR and staff as well as staff members and their managers or HODs. The reason for this is to build work relationships on a professional level so that everyone feels like they can approach someone within the organisation, no matter what that conversation is about. These meetings can help offer support and guidance in trying times, and that allows staff to feel appreciated.

Improving your workplace productivity is something that will never be perfect. So invest in technology because having the latest in software upgrades and systems can improve how fast daily tasks can be completed. Always aim to hire valuable staff and consider current staff members and whether they’ll fit in within the organisation. Create the right environment so that staff will enjoy coming to work rather than loathing it. Don’t forget to create reasonable goals and objectives on a regular basis to help keep the business moving and ensure you have an excellent HR department to offer full support to all staff in the business.

Succeeding In The Food Industry

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Food Industry| Succeeding In The Food IndustryIf you are thinking of setting up some kind of a business within the food industry, there are many different kinds of business which that might be, and many things it might entail. The truth is that the food industry is one of those areas of business which has its own kind of regulations and so on which you need to pay homage to, and that you can’t simply ignore. If you are hoping to make sure that you can succeed in the food industry, then that is going to mean that you are able to know what you need to do and why, which is something that takes a while to get to the bottom of. The fact is that succeeding in the food industry requires you pay attention to a few key things, and in this article we are going to look at what those key things might be. As long as you are aware of the following, success for your business can’t be too far behind.

Getting Your Niche

Just as with many other kinds of business, you are going to need to decide on a niche if you hope for your food business to do well. However, this can actually be much harder than you might think, and it’s the kind of process which can take a long time to perfect too. It might however be that the niche is obvious and presents itself to you easily, based on the fact that you know exactly what kind of food you will be serving, establishment you will be running, clientele you will be serving, or whatever else it might be. These easy ways into your niche are absolutely valuable, as are any steps you can take to ensure that you are going to get there more quickly. However you do it, having a good sense of your niche is essential if you hope to succeed, so make sure that you do this early on.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Food Industry| Succeeding In The Food IndustryResearching

In order to know whether that will work out, however, you are going to need to think about research. Most of the time, you need to look into ensuring that you are going to be able to make enough money and that your business can survive, and that requires a lot of research early on before you do anything. This research is something that comes more easily to some people than to others, and if you are not the kind of person to whom it comes easily, you will want to make sure that you are going to find some help to give you whatever assistance might be necessary for this. The research should ideally indicate what it is that you hope to do with your business, who is likely to respond as a customer and a client, or even a partner, and what kind of profits you can expect in your first quarter or first year. Then there is the research based around the food itself, for which you might need a whole team complete with lab and deuterium, to ensure that your food safety is going to be up to scratch. The more research you do, and the more time you give yourself to do so, the more likely it is that you will be able to make this work out as well as you can.

Planning It Out

All businesses require some degree of planning or another, and you need to make sure that you are planning your business as well as you can if you hope to make it work out well. Planning your business means that you have to have a clear sense in mind of where it is going and why, along with what you hope to get out of it, and how long you think it will take to do so. A plan should be detailed and clear, and there should be no concerns or possibilities of it having two meanings. You should make sure that you go over it and over it until you have determined exactly what is going to happen, along with a backup plan for various steps along the way too. If you can do that, you will find that you are much more likely to succeed, and that you will be making everything so much easier for yourself too. There is never anything wrong with wanting it to be easier, so this is a great reason to get planning early on.

Customer-Driven

Good food businesses are always customer-driven. Whether you are running a restaurant, a fast food truck, or creating cookbooks, you can be sure that you are going to need to think first and foremost about what the customer wants and why they want it. You need to make sure that they are going to get exactly what they expect, and that they won’t be disappointed. That means much more than ensuring the quality of the food. It also means being aware of the kind of price that they can expect to pay, and ensuring that you keep that as fair as possible. Then there is the customer services side of things, which is important in all businesses, and especially in food businesses where the customer really is king. Make sure that you are focused on achieving all this, and you will absolutely find that it helps your business to succeed.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Food Industry| Succeeding In The Food Industry


Legality

There is a lot of regulation surrounding food, and you need to make sure that you are keeping within the law at all times if you want your business to be successful and to be allowed to carry on at all. Ensuring this is a simple matter of getting hold of the regulations that you need to pay attention to and making sure that you build those things into your working culture. Do that, and you will be able to remain legal at all times, thereby keeping yourself free of any concerns over legal issues and ensuring that you are doing everything in an above-board kind of way.

Common Financial Problems Start-Ups Face And How to Solve Them

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article | Entrepreneurship | Business Financial Problems | Common Financial Problems Start-Ups Face And How to Solve ThemAs an entrepreneur managing a start-up business, there are many common financial issues which businesses have to face. From start-up capital to a lack of investment, there are many potential aspects which can become mismanaged. However, although it may not be possible to avoid these issues, there are ways that you can solve them to maintain your financial security for the future and ensure that your business is least affected as possible.

1. Bad Credit Scores

One of the greatest stumbling blocks for entrepreneurs looking to start up a business is their credit score. A bad credit score can make it increasingly difficult to get loans to increase the funding for your business, among other important aspects. However, a bad credit score is not permanent, and there are procedures that you can follow to increase your credit score, such as bad credit loans. Taking out small personal installment loans for your personal finances and paying it back on time will mean you can increase your credit score and show potential investors that you can manage repayments on a routine basis. Therefore, when you look for funding your business using a loan, you will have an easier time to get one.

2. Lack of Funding

A lack of funding can also be a big hindrance to potential start-ups. Many entrepreneurs look to their own savings accounts to fund their businesses, and you can build up your funds in terms of this by saving a little every month and by choosing a savings account with a good interest rate. If this fails, you should consider getting a personal loan off a friend or family member, as this will be easier to repay and will not affect your credit score. However, if this is not possible, there are many schemes and funds which can help you to increase your fundings, such as government small business funding as well as grants and awards run by investors from large businesses.

3. Invoicing Issues

Another common problem for start-ups is the problem of invoicing. Writing and organizing invoices can become a large issue if your clients are not paying on time or if you have not organized your invoices efficiently to ensure that you know when you are being paid. To solve this problem, you should agree with your clients when you will be paid and create a clause on your invoice, which states this. Not only this, but you should not be afraid to contact your clients via email to follow up on these payments and ensure that you are paid by the expected time.

4. Disorganized Accounting

Many businesses also suffer from disorganized accounting systems, which make it difficult to budget and file your tax return efficiently. To ensure that your accounting is succinct, clear, and updated, you should employ a professional accountant who can help you to clear your accounts and prepare for the end of the tax year. In these cases, you should also consider downloading a business finance app which can help you to track your expenditure, keep copies of receipts and help you to forecast your cash flow and budget in the future.