Could You Be A Better Entrepreneur?

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | Could You Be A Better Entrepreneur?

The answer is probably ‘yes’, and the most successful entrepreneurs know that. You need to be confident and aspirational if you want to build a profitable business, but you also need to be humble enough to accept your flaws. If you can continually pinpoint the weaknesses of your company and your leadership skills, then you’ll be able to continually develop solutions which improve your business. It’s up to you to make that happen, however. Simply hiring professionals and delegating responsibilities isn’t enough. You have to guide your team. You have to help them to become as invested in your business as you are. Could you be a better entrepreneur? Probably. Here are some ways in which you could make that happen.

Do your research

Do your research if you want to become a better leader. No entrepreneur knows everything, though many of them give that impression. You can outwardly present the image of an all-knowledgeable business owner, as long as you’re inwardly aware of the fact that you need to continuously learn new things to keep up with the ever-changing business world. Make it your goal to read entrepreneurial books regularly. This will help you to keep your knowledge fresh, even if some of the things you read are things that you already know. The best business leaders keep researching. That includes your target market, of course. Talk to consumers. Learn about the mistakes being made by you and your competitors so you can develop innovative new ideas to win over potential customers in your market.

Keep taking training courses

You should also keep taking training courses if you want to be the best possible business leader. This goes beyond conducting research to learn more about the business world and your particular target market. This is about developing your technical knowledge so you can be more than just a delegator. You might want to consider doing online sales training. You probably have a sales team at your company, but you could help to guide them with more efficient sales strategies if you understand how it works. To be a good leader, you have to understand the different aspects of your business. Take training courses in web design, business finance, and other areas to help the different departmental teams which keep your company running.

Talk to your employees

If you want to become a better leader, then talking to your employees would be a good place to start. Your members of staff could tell you what improvements need to be made to the business. They could give you advice regarding your style of management and the structure of your business’ daily operations. Remember, being a good leader isn’t about doing things on your own. It’s about being a good team player. That means you have to be able to listen to your workers.

In turn, your company will be able to improve because you’ll be pooling the collective creativity of your team members together. This is essential to your growth as a leader, too. Additionally, if you respect your employees, then they’ll respect you, as well. Effective leadership is all about being respected in the eyes of your staff members. Otherwise, whilst they might still appreciate your role as their boss, they won’t feel as if they’re being led by you. That could affect the productivity levels of your workplace, so don’t underestimate the importance of talking to your workers.

How to Get SQF Certified: The Only Guide You Need to Read

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article | How to Get SQF Certified: The Only Guide You Need to Read | SQF CertifiedCurrently, there are over 30,000 food and beverage processing plants in the United States.  That’s according to the latest data from the Census Bureau’s economic census in 2012.

Any establishment that’s involved in the production, manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, distribution, or selling of food or beverages should have a rigorous and reliable food safety management system. One of the surest ways to guarantee food safety is by becoming SQF certified.

SQF certification is highly recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. It’s the chief production certification in the manufacture, distribution, and agent management of food. By becoming SQF certified, you’re demonstrating your commitment to providing your supply chain and clients with products of the highest quality.

In this comprehensive guide, we tell you all you need to know about SQF certification, including how to get certified. Read on to learn more.

What Is SQF?

First off, SQF stands for Safe Quality Food. The SQF program is a food safety management certification scheme that controls food safety risks. The program is developed and managed by the SQF Institute.

As soon as you’ve finished implementing your food safety management system, a third-party certifying body audits and certifies it.

Why Should You Get SQF Certified?

Over the years, an increasing number of food establishments have been taking on the challenge of obtaining SQF certification. But what is SQF certification good for? Below are four reasons.

To Build Trust

The modern consumer only buys food they trust. Retailers and foodservice providers refrain from selling products that don’t guarantee their customer’s safety. Having an SQF certification, therefore, can help put your clients’ minds at ease.

To Manage Risk

A robust food management system enables your company to manage food safety hazards effectively. You get to create an environment where you can consistently produce safe products.

To Retain Current Customers

An increasing number of companies want their suppliers to become certified as well. To remain competitive and retain existing customers, food companies are now taking SQF certification very seriously.

To Broaden Your Market Reach

The top multinational manufacturers and retailers now demand that companies that supply them with products become SQF certified. If you’ve been thinking of doing business with these large companies, getting certified is an excellent place to start.

The SQF Certification Process

So how does one get SQF certified? Below is a step-by-step guide.

1. Understand the SQF Code

The first step to achieving SQF certification involves learning about the program and the SQF Code. There are many ways to do this. Below are some suggestions:

  • Take an online training course on how to implement SQF systems
  • Train yourself using SQF documents available for free online
  • Visit a licensed SQF training center to attend a course on implementing SQF systems
  • Attend a seminar or information day on SQF certification
  • Take an online exam on implementing SQF systems

2. Register Your Food Company With the SQFI Assessment Database

Now that you have a good grasp of what the SQF program and Code are all about, it’s time to register your company with the SQFI assessment database. You’ll need to pay a registration fee based on your company’s gross sales. You can check out the registration fee structure online.

3. Appoint a Chief SQF Practitioner in Your Company

An essential SQF requirement before certification is for your company to have an individual who’ll serve as the internal expert on SQF. You may need to organize for SQF training for one of your employees to take up this role.

4. Choose the SQF Certification Level

Generally, companies can choose from three levels of SQF certification.

  • Level 1 is meant for low-risk products: this level incorporates essential food safety controls
  • Level 2 is a fully certified HACCP food safety scheme that is benchmarked by GFSI
  • Level 3 involves a comprehensive implementation of the safety and quality management systems

5. Getting Quotes from SQF Certification Bodies

This step entails contacting a reputable SQF certification body to get details of the certification audit and get quotes.

6. Conduct a Pre-Assessment

This step aims at identifying any gaps that may stand between your food safety program and the level of certification you desire. A pre-assessment can be done by your SQF practitioner or an external SQF auditor. While this step is optional, it can significantly benefit your company.

7. Book an Audit With a Certification Body

There are licensed SQF certification bodies scattered around the country. Choose one near you and contact them for an audit of your company.

8. Go Through Certification Audits

Once you’ve settled on a credible certification body and invited them to audit your company, they’ll focus on facility assessment and document reviews.

What Next?

Upon the completion of all the steps above, the SQF body will now make a certification decision. If your company achieves a “C-complies” audit rating or higher, you’ll be awarded an SQF certification.

How Does Long It Take to Get Certified?

The preparation for SQF registration can be quite involved. You’ll need to build a food safety management system, document that system, and implement it within your organization. On average, it takes between 8 and 12 months to get ready for certification.

Of course, the time frame for certification may be longer or shorter than the average, depending on your company’s specific circumstances.

Once your facility has been audited, you’ll get a certification decision from the SQF certification body within 45 days. After you’ve been certified, you’ll get a certification number from the SQF Institute. This number is unique to your organization’s site.

SQF Certification Costs

The process of achieving SQF certification comes at a cost, both in terms of time and money. We already mentioned that the preparation for SQF certification could take up to a year. In this section, we’ll tackle some of the areas you’ll need to spend money on.

An SQF Practitioner

As stated earlier, every organization that wants to get SQF certified must have an internal SQF practitioner. That practitioner must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a full-time member of staff in your company
  • Have gone through a HACCP based course
  • Have a good understanding of the SQF code
  • Know how to implement and maintain Agricultural And Manufacturing Best Practices
  • Understand the requirements for implementing and maintaining the SQF system.

You can consider hiring an expert who’s already certified and has industry experience or choose to appoint one of your existing personnel and train them. If you choose the latter, you’ll need to budget for the training and certification expenses. Factor in how much you’re going to be paying the employee in terms of SQF practitioner salary.

An SQF Consultant

You may be wondering why you have to pay an SQF consultant when you already have a full-time SQF practitioner in your company. Well, chances are your full-time SQF expert will need assistance when developing an SQF program or in perfecting certain aspects of the program. This may require you to engage the services of a third-party consultant.

The costs of hiring an SQF consultant can vary. Typically, consultants charge you hourly rates based on their level of experience. The final cost will depend on:

  • The scope of the project
  • How elaborate the process is
  • How much your internal SQF practitioner can accomplish without third-party help

Re-Certification Fees

After you’ve obtained SQF certification, you’ll need to get re-certified every year to remain compliant. The cost of recertification varies according to the size of the facility, the number of HACC plans you have, and how many employees you have.

Site Preparation Costs

The biggest chunk of time and money goes to preparing your site for SQF certification. Generally, you must ensure that your physical building and the equipment you use pose no physical, biological, or chemical contamination risk to your final product.

Some of the things you’ll need to invest in include:

  • Suitable materials for various surfaces—the materials you use should not be corrosive—similarly, they shouldn’t be easily breakable or wear down, ending up in the ingredients or final product (avoid copper, wood, glass, and rigid plastics)
  • Proper floor drainage—if any of your processes involve the use of water you need to set up drains at the right places to let the water leave (bacteria and other pathogens thrive in damp conditions)
  • Ease of cleaning—keep potential contaminants away from your surfaces and equipment (in part by ensuring the materials used for your surfaces and equipment are easy to clean)

Other site preparation costs involve ample lighting, proper ventilation, enough storage space, and appropriate water quality. The site must also be able to keep the final product safe from pests and other contaminants from the outside environment.

Getting SQF Certification Is Good for Your Business

Getting SQF certified isn’t something that only giant suppliers should do. Every organization that deals with food can benefit from this certification. The SQF Code helps you boost your food safety management system, which is good for both your business and your clients.

Would you like to read more great content like this? Please keep visiting our blog.

5 Lenders with the Best Title Loan Interest Rates in 2020

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article | Title Loan | 5 Lenders with the Best Title Loan Interest Rates in 2020When you have a financial emergency, you tend to make desperate choices. Car title loans can provide you with some immediate cash for your emergency.

Not all title loan companies have the same policies, though. To make the wisest financial decision when seeking a title loan, you need to find the company with the lowest title loan interest rates.

To stay financially healthy and learn more about the top five title loan companies with the lowest rates, keep reading.

Low Title Loan Interest Rates

Title loan interest rates vary as low as 25 and as high as over 100 percent. The rates may seem extreme, but lending companies understand the risk they’re taking, and they ensure they receive back what they lend by having higher than average interest rates. Plus, you typically do not need to submit a credit check before you apply for a title loan.

Considering the fact that one in five borrowers lose their vehicle after obtaining a title loan, you must search out the best title loan company with the most flexible plan and lowest interest rate.

1. Choice Cash Title Loans

When you do not understand how to get a title loan, you need a company with superior customer service. Choice Cash boasts of such service.

Choice Cash Title Loans also has competitive interest rates and zero hidden fees. They pride themselves on their flexibility with customers from the first payment until the end.

If you need an automobile title loan, Cash Choice makes sense as your first shopping stop.

2. Money Mutual

Money Mutual claims to be the largest online lending market place. This company offers short-term loans up to $2,500 and has an online marketplace of lenders to choose from.

Especially if you have bad credit, Money Mutual works well. Unfortunately, Money Mutual is not available in New York or Connecticut.

You cannot easily find title loans that don’t require the car, but Money Mutual may have your solution. In fact, because of their online nature, Money Mutual will provide title loans without seeing car quality.

3. CreditLoan

CreditLoan options start as low as $250 and reach up to $5,000. So if you need just a little cash and know you can pay it back quickly, CreditLoan makes sense.

They offer same-day approval and will deposit the cash right into your account. CreditLoan allows you to refinance title loans, where you use your car as collateral.

4. Highway Title Loans

Like the other lending companies, Highway Title Loans boasts of low rates and fast turnaround. Highway Title also accepts clients with bad credit, but they do have limitations. They provide loans title loans only in Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Utah.

5. Max Cash Title Loan

Max Cash provides loans of as much as $50,000 in a single business day. Max Cash is not just a single company, but they work with many lenders throughout the country to help you find the best interest rate.

Max Cash requires all borrowers to be US citizens or permanent residents. You also must be 18 or older and have a regular source of income.

Be Smart, Shop Around

Now that you understand the different title loan interest rates available, you can make an informed decision. If you’re not sure what a car title looks like before you go into a car title lender’s office, you can find a car title example through a simple web search.

Keep visiting our site for helpful, financial information.

Going Digital in Real Estate: How to Do It Right

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Going Digital in Real Estate: How to Do It Right

The real estate industry is experiencing massive changes in the digital era. With new online technologies, businesses are improving the overall customer experience while also being more competitive. This means that it is increasingly important to stay up to date and find out things like what a title company does in Florida. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the ways real estate businesses can go digital and reap large rewards!

1. A New Education Landscape

Anyone interested in venturing into the real estate industry needs to be educated. This does not mean that you have to go to school and take a series of courses and get a degree. In this digital era, education is more affordable and accessible. For instance, you can take a commercial real estate course online to become more knowledgeable. Through online modules, you can learn at your pace while completing assignments on deadline.

2. Build a Website

Being digital in real estate is also possible by creating a website, which will help establish your online presence. This is an opportunity to promote the properties that you are selling and to build brand awareness. To build a great business website, start by having a simple, catchy, and easy-to-remember domain name. Make the website intuitive, user-friendly, and relevant. Offer something valuable to the visitors.

3. Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques

It is not enough that your business has a website. Many real estate agents probably have their websites as well. To stand out, pay attention to your search engine optimization strategies. For instance, you need to conduct keyword research to know the search queries your target market is using. This will make it easier to conquer the top Google search results.

4. Start an Email Campaign

Your online marketing strategies will not be complete without tapping the power of email. It is a valuable tool to connect with new leads and to nurture a relationship with your existing client pool. The open rate can be low, which is one of the biggest challenges for real estate companies. Find a way to make emails more interesting and engaging. One of the best ways to do this is through personalization.

5. Tap Social Media

Social media marketing is another good way to use digital trends to promote your real estate business. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are some of the best platforms that you can use. Consider the target audience to decide which channel is most effective in getting your message across. It is also crucial to ensure that you have engaging content for your social media strategies to be effective.

6. Host a Virtual Tour

Gone are the days when giving prospects a tour of the property you are selling could be done personally. Nowadays, you can do it virtually. By using digital technologies, it is easier to give your clients an idea of the property that you are selling. Using 360-degree cameras and 3D rendering are some of the best things that can help.

Digital technologies are changing the real estate industry. As mentioned above, from training and education to hosting a virtual tour, there are plenty of ways you can use the power of digital platforms to succeed in the real estate world.

Increasing Your Sales In Your Business: The Best Ways To Do It

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Sales into your business is always going to be an important aspect and one of the big priorities for your company. After all, the sales you make, be that in products sold or services ordered can be what your business is measured on year on year. So any entrepreneur will always be looking at ways that you can boost those sales opportunities. But have you thought of everything? Here are some suggestions to try that could see you making a boost in your sales figures this year.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Increasing Sales | Increasing Your Sales In Your Business: The Best Ways To Do It

Pop-up shops at events

Many businesses have their website that has a functioning ecommerce system, and also they have perhaps a physical store. But is that your only option? The answer is no. There are many events that you could take your business to. This is getting your business in front of a captured audience, and having a pop-up shop gives you the chance to make some sales as well. You could even buy custom tents to help make your business stand out at pop-up shop events. Thankfully there are payment options that you can utilise to make this even easier for your customers and your business.

Increase in marketing and stronger messages

There is always going to be a need for an increase in marketing if you are wanting to further extend your reach and have your business seen by new people. But it isn’t about when you share and how often you do it, it is also about the content that you share. You need to be more sharp with your content. Include direct links in pictures, take advantage of advertising through social media platforms, and enable your customers to see and be interested in exactly what you are supplying. There are some great articles online on how you can increase your social media strategy to boost sales.

Outsourcing jobs to free up your time

One of the biggest issues business owners face is the fact that they have no time. Often this is because as a business owner, you take on too many tasks to ensure your business runs smoothly. As you start to get bigger, you should consider outsourcing certain areas of your business. Things like accounts or IT management, for example. This will then free up your time so that you can focus on the areas that will make the most difference to your business.

Prospecting new and existing customers

There will always be customers that make enquiries through your website. There will always be people that fail to check out on that last page, and then there will be the customers who have already bought from you. These are prime people, and so you may want to consider contacting them and offering great deals. Repeat business from existing customers by offering a referral or discount code. Asking customers who failed to check out if there was a reason why and solving a problem. This could be a great way to increase revenue.

Let’s hope these options have you boosting your sales this year.