Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | Business Ideas for EntrepreneursStarting up a business requires a lot of dedication and consistency and should be kind in mind that there many chances that your business would fail. Even people with have an idea what business they want to open they come across many hurdles of how to implement or execute it. There are many factors which are the prerequisite to start something on your own, one needs to be practical when coming up with an idea and should able to withstand the situation if the business would go down.

Furthermore, some ideas are authentic and fantastic, but the execution of it would be a long and challenging task. Some of the areas which people can adopt to do part-time jobs are online businesses. This method helps to earn more money along with doing their existing jobs. It is very beneficial for the people who cannot leave home due to their responsibilities, and different circumstance can easily make money and their time productive. The business which can be executed from anywhere is online trade. As in today’s time, the world of global shipping is very diverse and quick. This article will assist the new people who have a business idea, or they are planning to do something of their own. Besides, this article will categorize a different kind of business into four broad categories to help people to get an idea about what type of business they want to pursue or what is appropriate or adjustable for them to carry it along with their other tasks in routine.

List of Business Ideas

  • Home-based business ideas
  • Small business ideas
  • Self-employment ideas
  • Fresh ideas for business.

Home-based Business Ideas

Writing Blogs

Blogs are one of the first business entity which comes with the invention of the online data. Blogs are the sources through people learn or take advice. It has been seen around 4.4million blogs posted on the internet every day, which is increasing as the entire publishing area is shifting towards the online world model. Though there is no doubt that the competition is excellent, still there are places for the new people in this industry. The first thing one needs to figure out before getting into this business is to decide which genre they want to write on. For instance, lifestyle, business, beauty, finance and many others. It is important to note that people who are planning to come in the online business need to know the usage of search engine and complete knowledge of other social media platform. Secondly, buy a domain name and develop a website which must be mobile-friendly and responsive. The last task is very crucial for any business to succeed. The content of your website is considered very important, mostly when approaching the business of your product or service. One should give the maximum time for creating the content. While writing the content of your website include only those things which is relatable to your products and selling strategies. Additionally, the keywords play a role to come in the top priority of the search engine. Which implies that your website would get more visiting and ultimately in result a profitable and sustainable business.

Video Logger

Once people get to a certain amount of subscriber on their channels, earn an enormous amount of money through different companies and organization to promote their cause or product. To start it by deciding what kind of videos you would like to display to the audience. After figuring out the video content, it is necessary to see whether the idea is relatable which the market or the viewer wants. It is essential to be truthful and responsible for the content you are putting up online, as this is available to the mass and can hurt people if it is not appropriate. Though this business requires a lot of patients and consistency. As not all people get famous overnight as we have seen in our last decade in the online arena.

Freelance

The importance of freelancer can be understood from every third person in the UK working on a contractual basis. This work does not compel people to restrict them from doing their other business. People can carry out the task according to their timings in a given deadline and return, get the money for their expertise. The essential requirement to do any freelance work is one should be professional in what he is aiming to work in. The professions which offer high fees are web designing, content writing, development of software etc. There many online freelance companies available online to get into. Where one needs to develop a decent profile and upload the information related to the work you offering and experience. It is imperative to acquire position reviews to get more job in the form of gigs.

Dropshipping

This kind of ecommerce is very appropriate for people with less investment and capital as in this online selling, one does not buy the product upfront but instead upload the supplier on their website and buy it from the supplier if someone order it forms your website. It reflects that you do not require a warehouse or money is not bound with stock you have bought. So, people who want to step up the business with less money can utilize this method to earn money online. Also, it is vital to keep in mind to put up only those product which is in demand and has the least depreciation cost. Dropshiping is all about the right timing and proper selection. It is critical to consider only those supplier who is reliable and quick because it would give a negative impact on your business if the buyers cancel their order before the arrival of the product. Besides this, the advertisement for your service or product is an essential factor to make your product seen to the mass audience. In these days, Facebook, Instagram, twitter comes in rescue for the problems related to the promotion and awareness of your business to the potential buyers.

Conclusion

To conclude, starting up a business is only for those people who have the patience and consistency. Because there are big chances of failure or business going down. Though, once one has completed or fulfill the prerequisite of starting up a new business and remain committed to his work, unprecedented success could be achieved. Plenty of options are available to pick your idea for your business that you can do passionately. At least, there is no comparison of satisfaction one gets from something you have created of your and get the chance of becoming a boss of your own.

Protecting Your Business From The Threat Of Cybercrime

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StrategyDriven Risk Management and Managing Your Business Article |Cybercrime|Protecting Your Business From The Threat Of CybercrimeThere are many threats to each and every business the whole world over. You might look at your company and think that just because you are only a small operation, then you won’t be at risk. But there is one thing that is a fact, cybercriminals do not discriminate.

Whether your business is worth billions, or you are a sole-trader, you are likely to come under attack. You might currently be facing several attempts each day. Although, depending on the type of business that you operate, this could be considerably more.

What Effects Will A Cyber Attack Have On Your Business?

In the event of an attack, and the very least, cybercrime will cause your websites and services to suffer from downtime which will have a financial knock-on. The outcome will generally be much worse.

You might end up losing customer data, which will result in mass-identity theft. You may face fines from the government if the breach could have been prevented, and you might face legal proceedings from affected customers.

All in all, you are likely to lose a lot of money and face severe damage to your reputation. It might all result in you going out of business completely.

How Can You Protect Your Business?

There are many ways that you can protect yourself. Firstly, you should make sure that you are following the best practice guides for data protection in your specific industry. If you are handling customer or client information, you have a duty to ensure stringent measures are in place to protect the data. Where you are working with data that is particularly sensitive, for example, financial information or even medical records, you may have additional regulations to adhere to because of the increased risk that you face.

One of the best ways that you can ensure that you are fully protected is to use the services of an IT specialist or a Managed Service Provider. You can learn more about the various services that an IT support team will be able to provide in order to help your business to protect itself.

What Measures Can You Take In House?

Keeping your business safe from cyberattacks is something that everyone in your business should be doing. It is so important that you should create policies and procedures around the threat, and implement a whole raft of training measures to ensure your team understand the risks and know how to take measures to keep your business safe.

Change passwords often. If your team are all changing their password every month to something that is new and unique, you will be able to minimize the risk of front-door access to your systems via stolen passwords.

Train your staff on phishing emails. Your team need to know not to click on links in emails, even if they look legitimate.

Use multifactor logins. By including a biometric element or a personal question as a secondary stage of any login, you can minimize the risk of anyone but the correct user logging in.

Never share passwords. Every employee needs their own unique login. If people share logins, it increases the risk dramatically.

Selling Suburbia to Millennials

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | Selling Suburbia to MillennialsMillennial homebuyers aren’t the traditional real estate clients. The latest information from the National Association of Realtors has millennials looking to get away from high urban rent rates and more toward the suburbs to find the perfect single-family home. While these individuals are wanting to move away for hip urban neighborhoods, they don’t want to give up their active lifestyles.

Moving into Hipsturbia

According to a recent trends report, “hipsturbia” is fast becoming the desired location for real estate hunters. Not only that, but developers like Aubrey Ferrao will find new income potential when they make investments into the cool suburbs that millennials are looking for. These new developments are looking for affordable homes that offer a vibrant downtown location within walking distance, but also have a variety of retail shopping locations, restaurants, recreation, and public transit options. The professional Aubrey Ferrao designs are looking to create this experience in the newest developments in Florida, but this trend is sweeping the nation. In spite of the fast-paced diversity of city life, millennials are migrating to outside the city limits and looking for a life that is much quieter but still has a slight city feel.

The Expanding Trend

The first reports on “hipsturbia” came back in 2013 when the New York Times reported that more people were moving to the vibrant communities that were just outside city limits. This trend has moved into major metro areas across the country, with communities like Santa Clara, CA being just one of the few bustling suburbs moving to add passive recreational space alongside new developments. Near Chicago, communities like Evanston still allow for a quick transit time into the heart of the Windy City but have invested in retail opportunities and rooftop bars to keep the local residents engaged in the community. Deep in Atlanta, suburban communities are using mixed-use developments that are within walking distance of housing to attract young workers to the location. Even smaller markets like Charlestown and Tempe, AZ are expanding their “hipsturbia” options.

The Commute Crisis

In addition to the assumption that suburban life was more dull and static than thriving city life, people originally put off moving outside of the city because of the distance and commute. Just like people have found out that small communities have the same charm and attraction as what they find in a big city, they are also finding that the commute isn’t really a sticking point. People start looking at an area because of the easy commute into the city, but once they settle in, the commute isn’t such a big deal. There are so many people with telecommuting positions or only needing to go to the city once a week for work that distance doesn’t discourage people from looking outside the city for work. They find that their businesses can grow just as well outside the city as it can within.

More Than Millennials

While millennials are the largest population fueling the growth in these popular suburban areas, there is a surprising amount of interest by the empty-nesters. Rather than moving toward the city once the children have grown and moved on, empty-nesters prefer to stay in their communities where everything is still within easy access. These couples also feel that it is a great location to have their grandchildren come and visit, in addition to being able to take part in age-related activities through the well-grounded and bustling community.

For a real estate investment that will offer much of the attraction of city life, moving into “hipsturbia” could be a great opportunity. You can find just about everything you need close to your home, and you won’t have to give up the lifestyle you are used to.

Workplace Depression: This is How to Tell Your Employees Are Depressed

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StrategyDriven, Business Management, Mental Health, Work-Life Balance,You’ve always dreamed of having happy, hardworking employees that grow your brand every day…

…But life happens.

Sometimes employees are upset or not working as hard as they once did, whether because of personal problems or unfortunate social situations.

As their leader, you may wonder how to tell if your employees are showing signs of depression.

Keep reading to learn how to identify workplace depression along. We also offer a couple of tips on how to approach a depressed worker.

The Signs of Workplace Depression

Depression in the workplace may be difficult to look out for, especially if your Bachelor’s degree isn’t in psychology.

Depression is not balling up and crying in a dark corner or isolating yourself in a cubicle and never talking to people.

Types of depression can range from a state of low moods to immense hopelessness and everything in between. These states of being can strongly impede cognitive functioning and working relationships.

The constant negative thinking patterns brought about by a depressive mood set can welcome in unhealthy thoughts, including suicidal ones. Depression can be a very personal mental health issue that is hard to spot in certain individuals.

However, the Mental Health Foundation has provided guidelines for employees, coworkers, and friends to look out for:

  • Physical signs of self-harm (such as seeing scarring on the wrists)
  • Decreased appetite
  • Loss of interest in once exciting things
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Persistent states of sadness
  • Fatigue and decreased energy
  • Anxious tendencies
  • Comments about death and suicide
  • Strong statements about hopelessness

A general lower state of being may seem to plague your employee.

These signs can come to fruition in different ways. Once productive employees may suddenly start missing deadlines. Once excited employees may no longer have anything to say in meetings.

It is a general rule of thumb to look for major behavior and productivity shifts, as these could be indicators that it’s time to seek psychology and counselling services to address potential underlying issues.

Unhealthy Workplace Situations

While the workplace environment may not exclusively cause an employee to become depressed, conditions within the workplace may not be doing much to help a depressed employee.

Having your employees work long, irregular hours will only encourage the fatigue and tiredness that come along with depressing thoughts. Working these excruciating kinds of hours also makes it difficult to have a life outside of work, not to mention the lack of sleep that often comes with irregular, demanding work schedules.

Having a routine that is – perhaps – too scheduled may also contribute to depression in the workplace. Overwhelming redundancy in workplace operations may not be stimulating enough for some employees.

Making projects or due dates that are too challenging, or maybe even impossible, also lends to an upsetting workplace environment. It is always important to recognize employee strengths and be sure to help your employees grow and learn without having goals that are overly strenuous.

All businesses have to deal with difficult situations, which may or may not involve difficult customers. Handling these situations may be part of an employee’s daily tasks, but it is important to support any employee that is enduring any sort of heat for any issues with or complains about the company or its products or services.
The goal is to create a productive yet supportive workplace that recognizes hardworking staff.

What Happens When Depression Goes Unnoticed?

As depression unfolds over time, small behavior changes follow. Then, major shifts of behavior changes follow.
These shifts could bring major consequences, which could include unsafe decision-making, poor communication, and even dramatic lash-outs.

Depressed employees may start missing deadlines or stop producing quality work. They may not be properly dressed or start coming later and later. They will be less dedicated to the company overall because of the war going on in their mind.

The last thing that these people need to hear is that they’re fired.

They need support. They need help. They need someone to care.
There are many ways that you can go about supporting these employees and turn your work environment around.

What You Can Do As Their Boss

The number one thing that you should make sure of as a boss is that your staff is comfortable. If they aren’t comfortable, good work will not be done.

Vulnerability in the workplace is one of the biggest challenges for all businesses. Being open with your boss about your mental health – especially if your thoughts aren’t positive – is nearly impossible to do. There are many fears about termination or judgment that circle around the idea of sharing mental health in the workplace.

The number one thing you can do is to put an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in place. EAPs are fantastic for giving your employees a place to voice their personal problems, whether these involve issues at home or at work. Learning more about EAPs is important to establishing a healthy working environment and giving a platform for your employees to get the help that they need.

Having staff members who are trained in identifying signs of depression and other mental health issues is also a great idea to ensure you’re supporting your team. These professionals will be able to spot the signs and help your employees before something goes wrong.

Along with preventing the unhealthy workplace situations that we discussed earlier, it would be beneficial to encourage regular, clear communication overall. Stress builds up over time when expectations aren’t being met or not even being set. Communicating your wants and needs while taking their wants and needs into consideration is important for a smooth-running business.

Overall, the best thing you can do is support your employees. You are their leader in the workplace.

Moving Forward

As you carry on with your business, it is important to know how damaging depression can be. It is important to remember that depression is a complex chemical imbalance, and it is not the employee’s fault or your fault.
Be sure to support your employees and provide the mental health resources that they need. These resources may even be useful for you in times of trouble.

Remember to reach out and support your team, especially when facing possible workplace depression. You’re all in this together.

The Average Cost of Advertising and Marketing for Small Businesses

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |cost of advertising |The Average Cost of Advertising and Marketing for Small BusinessesThe cost of marketing for small businesses depends on many factors.

Every small business should be allocating some of its resources to marketing, either digital or otherwise. If you don’t, you’re not giving your company the best chance to succeed.

Why? Because you’re not appealing to as many customers as possible. Today, we’re going to talk about the cost of advertising for the average small business.

It’s important to remember that every field is a little bit different. An auto mechanic will spend a different amount on advertising than a retail chain. Let us try and help you come up with a budget that you’re comfortable with so you can grow your business.

Percentage of Revenue

A small business will normally spend a certain percentage of their total revenue on marketing. This is called the “5% rule”. But, depending on what kind of business you have, how much revenue is coming in, and your goals, you can expect to pay between 4-12% of your total revenue.

Small businesses and companies that are just starting out tend to allocate more money towards marketing because they need to build their customer base. When you’re an established company, you can expect things like brand recognition and reputation to carry your sales numbers to an extent.

While this “rule” applies to the average small business, you don’t have to adhere to it. If you feel comfortable spending more on advertising and you’ve got a good marketing team in place, it can pay huge dividends. In the end, it’s up to you as the business owner to decide how much money you want to spend on advertising.

The Cost of Advertising: Where to Put Your Money

Deciding how much money to spend on advertising is one thing, but the more important part is figuring out what to spend your money on. In today’s (mostly) digital world, you’re probably going to want to allocate most of your marketing resources towards digital marketing.

While offline marketing practices are still effective in many ways, most businesses rely on an online approach to find new customers. The world of digital marketing is both huge and complicated, so you’ll need to do your research to learn the ins and outs.

Many companies end up hiring digital marketing firms like Elysium Marketing business marketing to deal with things like web development and search engine optimization. There are things you can do yourself on the cheap, like social media marketing and content creation, which are both integral parts of digital advertising.

How much money you put towards each platform depends on your business. Retail companies thrive on social media interaction, while those in the services find content marketing and SEO more valuable.

If you hire a marketing service, you can discuss your financial situation with them and come up with a specific plan to suit your business.

Advertise the Right Way to Make It Worthwhile

When you look at the grand scheme of things, the cost of advertising isn’t huge for most small businesses. If you do your marketing the right way, a small amount of money can generate a lot of capital through new and returning customers. Focus on putting the right money into the right things and watch your business grow.

Did you enjoy this post? Come back and visit us again at Strategy Driven to learn new ways to improve your approach to business.