It’s never been easier for ambitious individuals to pursue their dream of launching a new startup. The growth of the digital world means you need very little initial investment to begin building a company in some cases. You can even start putting a brand together while you’re still working in your 9-to-5 job, provided you’ve got the dedication and an internet connection. Of course, just because the barrier to entry to entrepreneurship isn’t as high as it used to be, doesn’t mean everyone will automatically be cut out for running a startup. Since failing to run a successful business can leave you out of money and confidence, it pays to do your research and ask the right questions before diving in head-first. Here are some of the questions you should always ask before you launch your startup business. Do You Have a Valuable Idea?When you’ve got a business idea you’re passionate about, it’s difficult to believe it could be anything other than a massive success. Unfortunately, too many would-be startup owners make the mistake of diving into business development, without really testing the value of their business concept. Examining viability will save you from a lot of heartache and loss in the future. To determine whether you’ve got a good business idea in mind or not, start by doing your research. Look at your target market and ask yourself whether there’s a demand for the product you’re selling. How well are your competitors doing, and what are you going to do differently so you can outperform them? Is the interest in your idea going up, or trailing off (common with short-term trends)? Testing your idea for viability will show you whether you should really be focusing your attention in that area. It’s also a great way to make sure you’re prepared for when you need to present your business to potential investors. Good research will give you some handy figures to share, like how much of a profit you can expect to make, and how much you need to earn to break even. Are You Prepared to Do the Work?Being an entrepreneur behind the next big startup isn’t all about amazing business meals with investors and incredible brainstorming sessions. There’s a lot of work involved in bringing a new idea to life, and you’re going to need to be prepared for the stress. Many of the world’s leading startup owners started out working insane hours, every day of the week. You should get some tips for stress-free success from other entrepreneurs under your belt so you can reach for them when you are feeling stretched especially thin. You may need to compromise on other areas of your life to make your dream a reality, including your personal life. There will also be moments when it’s much harder to stay motivated and focused on your goal. In these moments, you need to have the determination to keep pushing forward. Ask yourself how invested you really are in this new business concept? What’s going to keep you from giving up when things get tough and you’re struggling to make any money? You can’t just be prepared to keep working to keep the lights on each day either. You’ll need to be committed to constantly improving and working on your business. This could mean taking courses in your spare time to improve your skills or working endlessly on tasks you don’t enjoy. Are You Financially Prepared?Aside from being mentally, emotionally, and academically prepared to survive in your new business environment, you’ll also need to ensure you have the right financial resources. It’s easy for people who are new to building businesses to forget about all the expenses actually involved in running a startup. You’ll need to pay for everything from real estate to technology, software, programs, marketing, and even staff members. Although you can start your business on a relatively lean budget these days, you’ll have to spend something to bring your company to life. With that in mind, it’s worth planning exactly how much it’s going to cost to start your company and keep it running for the first few years. You’ll also need to be prepared to barely take any cash out of your business to pay yourself for a while, this means ensuring you have the right amount of savings. Sorting out your own personal finances can be a great way to prepare for the challenge. A personal loan from a private lender can lower your monthly payments if you use it to consolidate debt, which means you can free up money for the business. You can also look into better budgeting practices, and living frugally by searching for savings wherever you can. Launching Your Own StartupLaunching a new startup can be a terrifying and exciting concept at the same time. On the one hand, you’ll have an opportunity to pursue a career building something you genuinely care about. Even Elon Musk had to start somewhere. On the other hand, you’ll be exposing yourself to a number of challenges most average people don’t face. Make sure you’re prepared to handle the work involved with launching a startup before you jump in. The post 3 Questions to Ask Before Launching Your New Startup first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger 3 Questions to Ask Before Launching Your New Startup
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The idea of every entrepreneur working day and night to bring their vision to life is inspiring, but it’s also pretty unrealistic. Most people aren’t so financially independent that they can quit their jobs to dedicate their time to launch a business. Although creating your own company from the ground up is as demanding as a full-time job, most of the entrepreneurial process doesn’t come with a paycheck. So, you may feel like you can never start your business because of your necessary job. That’s not true. It may require some creativity and extra hours after your shift ends, but you can still achieve your goals without missing a paycheck. Here’s how to do it. Start Your Business as a Part-Time OperationRather than trying to immediately take the leap from employee to self-employed, you might want to scale back. When you work part-time in your company, the startup costs and stress drop significantly. You also still get to have the peace of mind that stems from a stable job with a salary and all its benefits. If you don’t have the savings to supplement your income for several months, then you shouldn’t be handing in your resignation letter just yet. A company is more likely to succeed when its founder has stability and security in their own life. Just imagine trying to juggle all the stress of launching a company with the added anxiety of unpaid bills and housing insecurity. Don’t Work on Your Company at WorkUsing a work computer to work on your business could violate your contract. In most cases, anything that is developed on-site and on company time falls under intellectual property. This means you could lose ownership of your own creations if you spent your time building them instead of doing your job. When you’re at work, be present and perform your duties to the best of your ability. Leave your entrepreneurial genius for after-hours. Time management will become your best friend. You may decide to wake up one or two hours earlier, which means going to sleep sooner if you don’t want to be a zombie all day. You don’t have to sacrifice your health to become a business owner. However, you should be willing to put your hobbies and leisure on the backburner for a while. Between getting jobs done, running a household, and working on your company, there won’t be a lot of free time for Netflix. Find Ways to Get CapitalBeyond your own savings, look for opportunities to get capital. The more money you have, the sooner you’ll be able to say goodbye to the 9-to-5 hustle. In addition to applying for a personal loan or home equity loan, you might want to sell your life insurance policy. When you settle your life insurance policy through a life settlement, you can get four times more than when you surrender to the insurer. Read more about the process of choosing a private buyer and getting the most for your policy in this guide. Don’t qualify for any of the above? That’s okay. Consider opening a high-yield savings account or asking friends and family to contribute to your business fund. Keep Working Until Your Business Is SustainableYou don’t need to quit right away because you’re earning money from your company. Even if you manage to get sales or clients, most businesses go through stages. The lifecycle of a new business can pick up rapidly and collapse just as suddenly. You don’t want to put all your hopes and means of survival into one source of income yet. Play it safe, save as much as you can, and wait it out until you’re certain you can keep your success going. There are some lines of work that require you to go all-in, though, which can make the balancing act moot. For example, if you dream of opening a bakery, then you can’t put in 40 hours at a desk job and still get your food establishment to take off. There will have to be trade-offs, but you should only take calculated risks when it comes to your financial security. In some cases, you may not need to quit your job, but you will have to be available at any time. Clients won’t want to wait four to six hours to get a response to an email, and customers won’t be happy if you don’t ship their order for days at a stretch. You have to build your business around your current life, not contrary to it. Be an Employee at Work, Not an EntrepreneurYou do not have to forget the importance of entrepreneurship in your life, just find a way to compartmentalize it and be an employee while at work. Sharing your ideas and plans with colleagues could come back to haunt you. Someone may decide to let your employer know that you’re working on something, and this could give the impression that you plan to leave soon. If the company suspects you aren’t fully committed to the position you’re in, it can create tension and possibly even threaten your career. Make sure you also avoid utilizing any company resources to build your own brand. This means no suppliers, vendors, or other professionals you have access to for your job should be made aware of your personal professional ambitions. The post Can You Work and Start a Business at the Same Time? first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger Can You Work and Start a Business at the Same Time? The food and beverage industry has changed since the world went through a global pandemic that left people terrified they would one day head to the grocery store and find nothing but empty stretches of shelves in sparse-looking aisles. This was a reality for many shoppers during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak and added with the desire to avoid high contact surfaces and close proximity to other shoppers, consumers were glad to turn their sights to others options for their groceries. E-commerce food and beverage companies capitalized on this preference and society collectively stepped into the new wave of food distribution known as the direct-to-consumer model. Rather than supporting third-party distributors or middlemen through in-store shopping, D2C businesses are selling their products straight to the customers. Perhaps you are most familiar with this new business model from meal subscription boxes that are delivered straight to a person’s doorstep on a weekly, monthly, or even semi-weekly basis. Meal kit boxes like Blue Apron, Green Chef, Nature Box, and Hello Fresh have risen in popularity in the last year. Hello Fresh now owns the top spot for meal kit subscriptions, as it is currently the #1 meal kit company in the world. Hello Fresh Founder and CEO Dominik Richter have spoken out about the way the Covid-19 pandemic radically accelerated the success of D2C meal subscription boxes, and he doesn’t anticipate that high to disappear any time soon. “As consumers considered new ways to get their food, social distancing needs led many to experiment with digital food retail channels for the first time. While grocery store shelf shortages were resolved in a couple of weeks, they set in motion lasting changes,” said Hello Fresh Founder and CEO Dominik Richter. “Increased cooking at home is here to stay – it is not a pandemic-era fad that will simply drop off after six months…[the forward momentum of remote work] points to more occasions for consumers to cook at home – and more demand for products and services to fill that need.” The success of the D2C food and beverage industry is that it is built around a need that will never disappear: the need to fuel your body. And with priorities shifting to time spent at home with loved ones, the act of spending time cooking with others has become a focal point for families. D2C products sent straight to one’s house in various states of preparation save time. “D2C meal kits are in such high demand because of how convenient they are,” says Jacques-Edouard Sabatier, Co-Founder, and CEO of JOW. “People have realized they want to spend as much time with their loved ones as possible, so any unnecessary routines, such as physically going out to the store to complete the shopping, can be cut. Meal delivery saves time in so many ways: planning meals, shopping, prepping, and cooking–the time of the whole process is significantly reduced when a meal delivery service is used. At JOW, we recommend a personalized menu based on your individual details like household size and dietary restrictions and provide meal options that once selected lead you to the choice of simply adding the correct amount of each ingredient to your online cart. Then, your order is delivered directly to you. It’s the simplicity that sells these days.” People love D2C meal delivery because of the way it removes the barrier of not knowing what to shop for and how much to buy. For anyone who has ever aimlessly wandered around a grocery store, searching for inspiration about what to make for dinner, the meal delivery method is an appealing change. “The beauty of D2C food and beverage delivery is the way it teaches customers: teaching them how to eat right as far as portion sizes, healthy meals, eating enough nutrients from the various food groups, and showing the importance of high-quality ingredients. People have made it known that they not only want to avoid in-store shopping without purpose, but they also want to be taught how to eat to fuel their bodies,” says Seb Evans, Co-Founder of Banquist. Direct-to-consumer food delivery also caters to unique food sensitivities and needs. Consumers who follow diverse lifestyles such as veganism, the keto diet, an organic diet, or a paleolithic diet, can be overwhelmed with finding ingredients and meals they can eat. Rather than spending hours examining the nutrition guide on various products in-store, D2C businesses tailoring to unique food needs remove the hassle entirely by creating meal plans suited for even the most restrictive diet. “At Uprising Food we offer superfoods that are low carb/keto, paleo-approved, gluten-free, preservative-free, dairy-free, and added sugar-free because we understand that people want to feed their bodies only the best ingredients,” says William Schumacher, Founder, and CEO of Uprising Food. “We understand that people desire to eat healthily but that this looks like more than just getting enough vitamins and nutrients. D2C food offerings such as ours are a lifesaver for anyone who’s looking for products that allow them to fall back in love with their favorite foods.” Jeremy King, CEO, and Founder of consumer research website Attest have surveyed the research in order to understand the widespread impact of the direct-to-consumer food and beverage industry. “D2C makes [consumerism] something that you control yourself and gives you huge advantages, particularly when you add large datasets,” said Jeremy King, CEO, and Founder of Attest state…“ There are lots of people doing interesting things here but the main themes are: taking away awkwardly; adding sustainability; adding customization and choice where you never had a choice before; jobs to be done; the simplest form of marketing; crazy new stuff; just making it easy to try new things. The traits are the interesting things to copy, not the business model. The traits make these brands distinctive and I think that’s the fun part of them.” His mention of the sustainability aspect is a huge selling feature considering that the target audience for food and beverage subscriptions is millennials. This generation has outlined that a top concern of theirs is sustainability. However, many millennials will admit that they don’t know how to meet the requirements of total sustainability in their eating on their own. They are pleased with the concept of allowing experts to take care of this for them. “D2C food distribution options are not the same as going to the supermarket and buying the same ingredients; D2C companies offer novelty products and this is a huge part of their appeal. You’re shopping for meals and ingredients online and suddenly you’re supporting a more environmentally friendly alternative, and being sent the right portion sizes to allow for no food waste, plus you’re caring for yourself in addition to the planet because you’re receiving fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients,” says Charlie McKenna, Chef & Founder of Lillie’s Q. Sustainability also looks like shopping in a way that is more environmentally friendly. Removing all the unnecessary non-eco-friendly inclusions of shopping such as packaging is a major appeal of subscription boxes in particular, along with any D2C company invested in the planet. Subscription boxes that pack produce straight into cardboard, biodegradable boxes skip unnecessary packaging and plastics, which consumers notice and appreciate. “At JOI we care deeply about our environmental footprint. Every action taken today will impact the future of the planet, but as a majority, we decide if it will be in a positive or negative way. At JOI we take pride in the measures we follow in order to be a sustainable food source, but we also feel it is the least we, and any company, can do. We have created products with reduced packaging waste, less food waste due to the long shelf life of our powder-form plant milk, and a reduced carbon footprint from not shipping heavy water weight due to our add-water formula,” says Hector Gutierrez, CEO of JOI. And of course, sustainability includes striving for less food waste. The United States Department of Agriculture has estimated that 30-40% of food is wasted per year. Millennials are a generation dedicated to doing their part to cut back on waste, and one easy way they know of that provides this change is D2C food companies that focus specifically on this mission. Subscription boxes like Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods, Perfectly Imperfect Produce, and The Rotten Fruit Box make it their goal to cut back on food waste by salvaging and selling the produce that doesn’t look uniform enough for grocery stores and is therefore thrown out, perfectly fresh and usable. “The younger generations, in particular, starting with millennials, are concerned about statistics surrounding food waste. They are dedicated to making the differences needed in the world by purchasing products that should never be discarded in the first place,” says Nicholas Vasiliou, CEO of BioHealth. Millennials and the generations following are also not enamored with sugary, processed foods, and are willing to put their funds into purchasing healthier options of their favorite sweet treats from childhood. “There is a lot of necessary research and information today regarding the damaging effects of too much sugar, sodium, and saturated fats in your body,” says Melanie Bedwell, E-commerce Manager of OLIPOP. “That doesn’t mean people are boycotting the foods they grew up eating, but rather that they’re seeking healthier alternatives. OLIPOP is a new kind of soda that tastes the same as your childhood favorites but with only 2-5 grams of sugar, with the inclusion of 9 grams of fiber and microbiome and digestive health support. We know your body can’t always handle treats the same as when you were younger. Our solution is to offer better-for-you alternatives, and believe me when I say there is a high demand for this.” Although there is a desire for healthier versions of the foods they love, consumers don’t always know how to shop for this healthier lifestyle, and often appreciate guidance from brands they trust. “People are in a sense looking for someone to tell them how to eat to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. They want to know what to eat but also what specific products to purchase that will fit into their goals. Subscriptions that offer a variety of different healthy products are the perfect way for small brands to spread the word of their products. When people are purchasing subscriptions of their favorite products, they are expressing commitment to a lifestyle and to the brands they love and trust to care for their bodies,” says Ben Teicher, President, and CEO of Healthy Directions. There’s no way around it, direct-to-consumer companies are more convenient for the customers than putting their time towards shopping, meal prepping, and recipe researching. This is one aspect that D2C companies capitalize on. “With the offering of products shipped or delivered straight to a person’s residence, businesses are selling ease as much as they are selling their actual products,” says Chris Vaughn, Founder, and CEO of Saucey. “Saucey offers alcohol delivery in 30 minutes or less, with an extensive collection of brands and products available. Our customers love how their drinks are delivered directly to them, and they don’t have to worry if they’ve already had a few drinks when they order because they never have to leave their house.” With delivery comes an added benefit of not needing to shop around for a particular brand or product. “If the customer wants to find JuneShine Hard Kombucha, rather than searching all over at multiple stores they simply have to go to the “Find Us” link on our website and we locate a store that has our products in stock. It’s the most convenient way to shop, and lets customers know where they can find us since our products might not be sold in the particular local grocery chain where they regularly shop,” says Justin Chan, Growth Manager of JuneShine. There you have it, the wide expansion of offerings that the direct-to-consumer food and beverage industry offers. Based on the current climate and the success of D2C food companies, our projection for the industry’s future is rapid, steady growth for this business model and structure. As long as companies keep listening to their audience’s desires for sustainability and healthy options, and continue to make the process of ordering and delivery simple and easy, the D2C model will be the growing future of food. The post What to Know About the Disruption in the D2C Food & Beverage Industry first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger What to Know About the Disruption in the D2C Food & Beverage Industry The idea of successfully launching a business internationally may seem daunting and overwhelming. While it certainly has its challenges, it also has enormous rewards and benefits. This is because it allows you to diversify your investments, explore new markets, and generate more revenue and profits. At the current rate of technological advancement, rapid innovation, and fast-paced globalization, starting a profitable business abroad has become increasingly achievable. With the right strategy and research, you can take advantage of countries that have a business-friendly environment and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. To help you achieve this, we have highlighted some of the top tips that are essential to launching a successful business internationally. Get The Right DocumentsRegardless of where you wish to launch your business, it is important to get the right documentation by checking the requisite visa requirements. For instance, if you plan on starting a business in the US, you may have to apply for a temporary business visa, also known as the B-1, unless you qualify for the Visa Waiver Program which allows citizens from certain countries to visit the US on a business trip for 90 days. Similarly, if you wish to start a business in the UK, you will have to choose between an innovator visa, investor visa, or start-up visa. Generally speaking, expect to pay a visa processing fee and allow at least a month for your visa to be processed. Additionally, when applying to an English-speaking country, it is helpful to have your important documents translated. Consider professional and certified services that provide authentic birth certificate translation or education transcript translation. This can help contribute to a successful visa application. Focus On Your Business PlanDeveloping a business plan can help you narrow down your goals, business offerings, marketing plans, operational factors, and financial needs. It is essentially the make-or-break feature of starting a successful business. As the blueprint of any profitable business, your business plan should be properly structured, well-researched, and address both investor needs and customer requirements. This can help you secure finances and identify target audiences. You may also benefit from quantifying your evidence to clarify the rationale behind entering a particular market. As a rule of thumb, consider your business plan as a strategy document that lays the foundation of your business objectives, future milestones, and business operations. Once you have this figured out, you will automatically be able to think of innovative ways to disrupt the market. Get To Know The MarketStarting a business abroad means that you have to familiarise yourself with the market. This requires a deep dive into customer preferences, understanding demographics, and recognizing cultural differences. Conducting market research will enable you to better understand local trends, needs, demands, and perceptions, enabling you to tailor your market strategy to customer preferences. It will also allow you to better serve the customers so that you are able to get a larger market share and increase your overall revenue. Consider hiring a market research firm to determine the viability of your product or service based on macro-segmentation and micro-segmentation. This can allow you to fully and accurately obtain the relevant data in order to make smart business decisions. Familiarise Yourself With Business Rules And RegulationsAs you begin your business journey abroad, you have to be mindful of the fact that there may be specific laws, rules, and regulations that you will have to follow. As a first step, you will have to register your business by obtaining a physical address, choosing the most appropriate legal structure, and fulfilling all tax obligations on any earnings. For instance, in the US, you can register your company as a limited liability company or C-Corp, while in the UK, you can set up your business in seven different ways, depending on your business structure and needs. At times, you may need to review industry-specific regulations, get the appropriate licenses and permits, and ensure strict compliance to be successfully operational. You can consider hiring a lawyer to walk you through these requirements so that you don’t have to incur any liabilities. Final ThoughtsStarting your overseas business is an exciting experience that can contribute to your personal and professional growth. It can help you become more agile and resilient by enabling you to adapt to rapidly changing environments and building your business acumen. With the right kind of proactive planning, you can successfully develop these qualities and set yourself up for success. Just remember to carefully analyze all the important and relevant factors before entering into the international market. Good luck launching your international business! The post Top Tips To Succeed In Launching Your Business Internationally first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger Top Tips To Succeed In Launching Your Business Internationally Discover essential information on how to streamline and simplify your recruitment process. It can become more accessible and more efficient. Here’s what you need to know! The use of modern applications to streamline and simplify the recruitment process has increased exponentially over the last few years. This welcomed development has helped efficiently recruit candidates. But there are other factors involved when streamlining the recruitment process. One often overlooked but crucial in simplifying the recruiting process is the candidate’s experience. Most organizations ignore this aspect, forgetting there are two parties involved in the recruiting process. And therefore, to maximize the recruiting experience, both parties must actively take part. This post will explore how putting the candidate’s experience a priority and using the right software will help streamline the recruitment process. Map Out the Timeline For the Recruitment ProcessThe first step to take when recruiting is to map out how the recruiting process should go. Before recruiting for a position, you want to make sure you are aware of the following.
Doing all of this gives you a clear picture of what you expect. Make provisions for unexpected changes during the recruitment process, and don’t feel discouraged if it doesn’t work well the first time. Experience will only make you better. It is best to document all of this down for future reference. Creating the Ideal CandidateAfter drawing up a mental image, the next thing is identifying and sourcing out the right person. If you do not understand the job details, ask the department manager or employee. When putting out a job description, you cannot write what you don’t understand. Alternatively, you can ask the manager to write the job description for you, but they may also forget to mention a function or other vital details. As the recruitment personnel, you can join that department and observe a meeting or a workday, talk to the staff and talk to the manager. Doing this puts you in a position where you can communicate what the department is looking for in their ideal candidate. You can create a checklist so you can tick it through as you fill in the Job description. Another piece of information to watch out for is how these jobs are evolving. A simple search on the job board site should show how various job descriptions for a particular job title have changed. Getting software to help with this process is also a plus. Creating the ideal candidate will help in finding the right applicants. In-House RecruitmentAfter creating your ideal profile, you can decide to look at in-house recruitment as an option first before sourcing out your candidate. Tell the staff about the job opening and share the job description with them. If the employees are happy with the culture and pay, they will recommend the job opening to family and friends. You don’t have to go out to get the right person. Sourcing out the Right CandidatesIf you cannot get the right person in-house, then you can go out to carry out the search or do both simultaneously. This phase is where your company first contacts candidates and where your company leaves its first impression. Sourcing means attracting candidates to the company, and your company can source candidates from different places. The popular areas are Job boards, social media like LinkedIn and Twitter, and the company career website. It is essential to go into the details with the Job description to attract a qualified and suitable candidate for the job. Some items to be included are:
These headings are what should be present on the job post on the various platforms. Aside from posting jobs on different sites and social media, you can also search for talents yourself via recruitment tools. With any simple online tool as, for example, SignalHire, you can find the desirable applicants on platforms like LinkedIn and GitHub. Approaching your talent is also an excellent method because you can carefully pick prospects who meet your criteria. Make The Registration Process Candidate FriendlyIf the candidate is registering through a portal, make sure the process is straightforward and not complicated. You can test it yourself to see if it crashes, hangs, or delays when uploading your documents. And make sure the website is mobile-friendly because most job searches and applications today are done on a mobile device. A frustrating process may see you lose some qualified candidates at this stage as most of them will apply for several jobs and not your company’s alone. Timely Process With the Help of Recruitment SoftwareAfter attracting your candidate, processing them starts right away. This stage should be fast but efficient, and so you would need the help of recruitment tools. Some that can help include the following: ATS (Applicants Tracking system): This tool is essential for two reasons. The first is it is efficient at screening through thousands of resumes to bring out the ones that qualify for the next stage based on keywords used. The second is it is fast and timely. So you can share the results with the candidates faster. The second point is important because the quicker the candidate knows where they stand, the better the candidate views the company in terms of candidate experience, whether or not they made it past that stage. Video Interviews: Video interviews have been catching stream for the last decade, but it’s the last two years that have seen them skyrocket in use. The aftereffect of the pandemic and the convenience of communicating from any location means you can easily interact with the candidate. This tool saves time on transport if traveling from another region or trying to get a feel for the candidate without paying for their travel expenses. Communicating with the Candidate on Every ProcessCommunication is an essential part of the recruitment process as it can make or break a candidate’s experience. The recruiter or HR should keep in touch with the candidates at every point of the candidate’s journey. There’s nothing as nerve-wracking as waiting or feeling ignored. The means of communication should also be clear with the candidates, so they know where to look for their information. Communicating after every stage and in-between stages helps to calm nerves and improve the candidate experience. Giving constructive feedback is welcomed if the candidate asks for one, and if not, especially if they did not get in, it’s better to wish them luck in their future endeavors. If you see the candidate as a prospect despite not getting the job, adding them to a list of potential hires for future recruitment exercises will help. Final ThoughtsIn conclusion, streamlining the recruitment process will involve the fusion of being available to the candidate and using the recruitment tools effectively to achieve the goal of employing a new prospect. Keeping the candidate’s experience in mind is having new dormant salespeople in the labor market to promote the company. Candidates talk to each other, and so a fast system that communicates well and gives feedback is a system that works for both the company and the candidates alike. The post How to Simplify and Streamline your Recruitment Process first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger How to Simplify and Streamline your Recruitment Process Working and doing business in the cloud is pretty common these days. Microsoft Azure is a versatile public cloud platform that offers plenty of options when it comes to deployment. Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service are all available within the service’s framework, making it incredibly useful for a variety of business applications. Whether you’re using it for analytics, software solutions, or everyday business applications, Azure has a lot to offer. One key aspect of using Azure involves container instances and keeping them secure. Here’s a quick guide to four ways to do exactly that. Understanding Microsoft Azure ContainersContainers are essentially a bundle containing an application’s code, config files, and libraries. It’s a self-contained system that enables developers to deploy applications across multiple environments. When you move an application across different environments, configuration issues and other differences might prevent that program from running properly. Containers are similar to virtual machines but much more versatile. When using them in the Microsoft Azure environment, keeping them secure is extremely important. Safeguard Your CredentialsProtecting your credentials is probably one of the most important things you can do to secure your azure container instances. Think about it this way: your containers are going to proliferate and spread across several regions/clusters within Azure. Logins, passwords, and tokens need to be secure to set it up so that only authorized users can access them. So how do you go about maintaining credential security? There’s a lot of common sense involved, but the key is inventorying credential secrets and then using management tools especially for container platforms. You’ll also need to encrypt databases and create role-based access. Following a few basic precautions for your credentials can prevent compromise or other issues in the long run. Use A Private RegistryIn computing, the registry is essential to a computer’s function. It allocates the machine’s resources, provides a location for custom settings, and much more. In Microsoft Azure, the registry lets you build, store, and manage aspects of your container. This could be images of the container or artifacts inside of the private registry covering all deployment methods. Using a private registry allows you to retrieve container workloads quickly. You can also use role-based access and scale the registry to your needs, whether it’s a small project or a global application (a single registry can serve multiple hosts regardless of location). Since a private azure container registry handles Docker images and other related formats, it can be very versatile over time. Use A Security ProgramWhen it comes to securing azure container instances, you can always use a specialized security program. Some software solutions exist to help keep container instances more secure. By incorporating the software solution into your Azure activities, you can help secure your containers better. How? Using a security program with your containers requires injecting the security libraries into the image code. This effectively creates built-in protection for the container image itself. Once the container is deployed, it’ll communicate with the security software’s dashboard so you can see what’s happening as it’s happening. In this manner, you can block malicious code from entering your containers and understand the nature of any threats from the dashboard. It’s easy, convenient, and self-contained, ultimately bringing an additional layer of security to your Azure container instances as you deploy them. Check LogsKeeping tabs on your logs is always a good practice. Logs provide key insight into events and other pertinent information. Finding information via logs requires first obtaining/generating log analytics security credentials, followed by deploying a container group. After a few minutes, your log files will appear in your Azure portal. As you peruse the logs, you can query them for specific events using language similar to the following: ContainerInstanceLog_CL | where (ContainerGroup_s == “mycontainergroup001”) | where (TimeGenerated > ago(1h)) Logs are a useful way to monitor your Azure container instances after they’re deployed and to help find any potential security or function issues as you work. The post 4 Ways To Secure Microsoft Azure Containers Instances first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger 4 Ways To Secure Microsoft Azure Containers Instances Marketers and entrepreneurs need newer and innovative ways to reach customers in the digital world. Indeed, social media marketing and content marketing still rule, but OTT solutions are increasingly used as customer acquisition tools. Did you know that OTT platforms are rapidly substituting traditional TV channels? Are you one of those considering launching an OTT service? Now is the perfect time to do so. Yes, it will be a challenge to create and popularize your brand in this already competitive and crowded market. Launching an OTT platform might take a lot of extensive planning, hard work, and capital. However, if you work heads down, making a sound business plan and developing fail-proof marketing strategies, then you’ll have your platform up and running quicker than you assume. What is an OTT platform?So what is OTT? An OTT is the opposite of cable systems, which distribute video or audio content using Multiple Service Operators. As an alternative, the system utilizes internet signals to send its end users’ video and audio services. A good example of an OTT service is Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, and so forth. Audio OTT providers involve Spotify, Deezer, and Tidal. Such services have become so famous, which has withered profit margins for cable systems since users have switched over to online-based systems. What makes it a good investment?Recent statistics demonstrate that OTT video revenues worldwide are anticipated to reach twofold by 2025. That indicates how well the current players in the OTT market are doing with their entertaining and unique brands. What the future holds promises for those interested entrepreneurs. So, it is high time that you understand that video streaming services are no more a dangerous game. They’re part of an established market and have substantial potential for growth. Indeed, OTT has transformed the way people consume media content, and the credit certainly goes to the user-friendliness and scalability of the platform. It’s run by innovative technologies like AI that have only made using that service a hundredfold simpler for all users. We can safely tell that the media industry’s future is online streaming services as to how customized and still advanced. With OTT, you can’t simply control the OTT content but have the option to choose how to let the income stream flow. Also, you can enjoy opportunities that aren’t accessible to regular cable Pay-TV subscribers by establishing an OTT platform to cater to their requirements. OTT platforms also enable content creators to directly reach their audience. If you’re thrilled to take the plunge, then it would be appreciated to know the key considerations you need to keep in mind before launching your OTT service. How to create your OTT platform business plan
Keep in mind that how you market your OTT service will come down to your audience. You will need to pick strategies that concentrate on where their attention is and adding much value upfront. Here are practical tips to help you get started:
The cost to create an OTT platform differs, but the answer is that it can be reasonable and is worth tapping into. Check the average cost of outsourcing a design and development team for one device through a freelance or agency team. Making an app on numerous devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and more could cost more than a million dollars. The benefit of a custom app is having each capability and feature your heart desires. Moreover, a full-service agency includes initial user research, marketing strategies, and design and development, which is a good service for knowing your end-users and implementing smart marketing strategies. It will also help to understand that constant costs would incur for app updates and maintenance.
If you to offer the convenience of OTT service to your customers, you need to find a trustworthy and reliable OTT service provider. That solutions provider is a company that works with TV broadcasts and provides the management and technical platforms required for a dependable OTT-business platform. A skilled and experienced company of video encoding professionals can create products and software for OTT projects. Select a specialist that can offer both cost-efficient and professional consultancy, so you don’t have to look more if you need to determine and assess your OTT requirements.
After you have determined your target audience, set your budget, and found a reliable OTT solutions vendor, you can then move on to the development phase. You can pick from a wide array of options to create the app, user interface, and website. For instance, you can either do it yourself, outsource it to an app developer or get third-party hosting from established platforms. The latter offers a series of options for you to choose from, and you can evaluate every service provider to pick the best one.
With OTT streaming platforms, you can deliver globally or pick to stream in certain geographic regions. Analytic reports which can be personalized for relevant metrics help in leveraging demographic trends. Pictorial and graphic representations of your analytics data offer quick and simple analysis that can be utilized to enhance user experience.
You can refer to the data collected about your target demographic by learning the market and choose the right pieces of unique content that viewers will value. That’s an excellent source to determine what blend of regional and local content your OTT platform should provide, getting premium content and accommodating exclusive rights for content, which drive viewer engagement. Take note that content licenses keep your platform’s uniqueness and widen your customer base at the same time.
For a much direct user engagement experience, web users of your OTT service platform can influence built-in forums to initiate conversation between subscribers or audience. You can also pick to make some or all of your forum boards private to subscribers only. You see, establishing your own OTT platform may be challenging, especially if you’re just a beginner. To help you navigate this process, you must find a professional streaming solutions provider. Final thoughtsBuilding an OTT channel has become simplified substantially with third-party systems that can handle your content easily. You can still go for the entire process, offering you more control of the type of platform you are creating. That option is creating the system from scratch, either on your own or through the help of a developer. Whatever the case, thinking thoroughly about how you plan to monetize it is essential. The post What is an OTT Platform and How to Use it For Your Business Plan In 7 Steps first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger What is an OTT Platform and How to Use it For Your Business Plan In 7 Steps Standardization is nothing new for businesses. It has been used for years in manufacturing, operations, human resources, finance, and even sales. It means unifying the different ways an organization solves the same problem across several stages or branches. Process standardization helps businesses be more efficient, remove ambiguity, and provide quality control, ultimately improving quality and productivity. That being said, this article will take a look at precisely why and how process standardization helps you scale your business by improving your company’s quality and productivity. #1 Using Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)Businesses in any industry can benefit immensely from using written instructions to describe how employees perform a task or activity. Known as Standard Operating Procedure, these in-depth rules help organizations standardize processes by providing step-by-step instructions that anyone can follow. This way, leaving very little uncertainty around what needs to be done. SOPs allow companies to secure consistency of their work and the quality of their products to satisfy their customers. When there are no procedures in place, it is easy for employees to forget key actions, make mistakes, and gradually reduce the quality of what you produce. Moreover, SOPs can eliminate many issues that can slow down essential business decisions. Having an SOP, on the other hand, makes it easier for employees to follow directions and get things done right. #2 Taking Advantage of Employee Engagement ToolsEstablished practices such as employee/manager reviews or feedback surveys or sessions are valuable for securing employee engagement in teams of all sizes and growth stages. And while it might be tempting to craft your own surveys, we strongly advise you to use customizable templates made possible by employee engagement software. This type of software allows you to automatically send out anonymous surveys to your employees, that can help you to:
Ultimately, implementing standardized feedback processes will enable you to retain your best employees and secure your company’s overall quality and productivity. #3 Improving Customer Service QualityCustomer service is one of the most crucial aspects of any organization. Without it, it is almost impossible to be profitable in the long run. Standardizing processes in this department can greatly improve the response time to customer queries and concerns. For example, you can standardize customer service procedures like ensuring product availability, responding to repeat customer queries, instructing callers to troubleshoot software, and even safeguarding branding consistency. More importantly, every approach you want to standardize needs to have a corresponding, separate SOP. This way, you will ensure that your customer support representatives provide consistent quality service and that your customers receive consistent quality care. #4 Data StandardizationAs competition increases, the need for businesses to enhance performance while reducing costs is now driving demand for more use of data and detailed analytics. Still, even though data helps companies understand and improve business processes to reduce wasted money and time, many organizations struggle with how to process and best use data? And this is where data standardization processes can help. Data standardization is transforming data taken from different sources and various formats into a consistent form. The primary goal of implementing data standardization processes is to ensure that data is consistent and clear so that anyone in your company can access and utilize it in their work. By using data standardization, your marketing department, for example, can quickly compare and contrast the value of leads, lead sources, marketing assets, marketing tools, ad costs, and so on. This way, they will be able to bring better-informed decisions and provide forecasts with greater accuracy. #5 Reducing Operational CostsHigh operational costs can largely influence a company’s short and long-term profitability. Standardizing processes, whether as simple as creating service level agreements, responding to repeat customer questions, or an overall customers journey can help your company utilize the same data models and definitions between different departments within your organization. As a result, it will help you lower production or service costs and significantly minimize trial and error practices. The Bottom LineThe primary purpose of process standardization is to make sure that all tasks and documents in an organization are handled in the same way, even if they are performed by different people and departments. By standardizing both internal and external business processes, a company can secure a higher quality of its work and increase overall productivity. The post Why Process Standardization Improves Quality and Productivity first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger Why Process Standardization Improves Quality and Productivity Playing sports betting online isn’t easy, and with consistent practice and a well-thought-out strategy, you’d likely be able to earn good money. Sports betting has now moved from just brick and mortar to the world of technology, where you can play from any part of the world anytime. Bet on your favorite team, no matter where you are playing from. Although sports betting is now legalized and convenient, it does not mean you can win at every hand. Some mistakes can ruin your chances of winning. As a beginner, it is a must that you know about these mistakes so that you remain cautious while playing. As an amateur player, it is easy to feel tempted; however, one small mistake and you could end up losing a lot. Here is what you should be well aware of. Betting On Just The TeamYes, your favorite team is playing, and you want to bet on them and show support too; however, are you sure they will win? Are they good enough that their winning will help you earn back maximum? These are some questions that you should have answered too when it comes to sports betting. It is important that you focus on the numbers, the calculation rather than the team. When betting, if the bet is lower than what the odds are, then it is considered a value play and you have higher chances of winning and earning more. When it comes to sports betting, it is impossible to win every bet, but playing strategically can make all the difference. Not Having A Basic StrategyThis is another crucial factor that should not be taken lightly. Sports betting is never about luck, but it is all about calculative moves and how you are strategizing each step. Sports betting often leads to moments when you feel your adrenaline pumping and excitement being overwhelming, which could often lead you to make a mistake. Learning sports betting quickly is not an efficient way out. Most sites will often offer you bonuses and promotions; use them to practice your moves. Always stick to your plan, as it is important to analyze every step when placing bets. Overspending And Going Over Your BankrollHaving a sufficient bankroll allows you to play unconditionally; however, it is always a good point to create a budget that allows you to stop unnecessary spending on betting. Keep a weekly, monthly budget and do not go beyond that. You might get tempted but sticking to the budget ensures you face no trouble later. Stop when you have spent your budget for the week. Bankroll management helps you extend the money instead of risking all of it together during a bet on NFL. Not Keeping RecordsThis helps you keep track of all your losing and winning. This assists in maintaining a better chance at winning and changing your strategy, and playing hands accordingly. It will also help you keep track of how much you are spending and getting back. As a beginner, every step matters, and this data can help you in improving yourself in the long run. These mistakes can be easily avoided if you are cautious and follow expert advice. The post Mistakes You Should Avoid When Playing Online Games first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger Mistakes You Should Avoid When Playing Online Games You have found a good online sports betting site, but what next? Sign up surely, but have you wondered about the kind of mistakes you could make while signing up for a sports betting site that could actually affect your winning. Signing up might seem like an easy task, and it is if you are well aware of the mistakes. By avoiding them, you will be able to enjoy the process of signing up. Here is everything you should know. Providing The Site With Fake CredentialsYou play online sports betting to earn and maximize your profit. If you have found a good online sports betting site, you have nothing to worry about regarding privacy and information. You do not have to provide the site with fake credentials, as it would indirectly stop you from earning anything. It’s a waste of time, and if you do not want to be associated with online betting, it has been licensed and authorized in most countries now. If you are still worried, you can check the various gambling laws from all over the world so that you can play confidently. When you provide fake credentials, your information cannot be verified, including your card details and therefore, even if you win, it will not be deposited in your account. Not Taking Advantage Of The Welcoming BonusMost reputable sites will offer you promotions and bonuses upon signing up, which you could use to practice. Many players do not take advantage of this free bonus; therefore, they miss the chance where they could end up earning a lot when played correctly. Sites are always busy attracting new customers, and they offer generous offers to retain them not only when signing up but also if you refer a friend or even win. With this bonus, you can play without even investing your money. All you need to do is calculate the numbers and statistics of the game and make your move. Not Going For A Genuine SiteYou have chosen a site, but have you gone through their terms and conditions, their policy, read the Google reviews, went through their security and transaction methods? While playing Rocket Mortgage Classic odds, it is important to weigh all your available options. A quality site will provide you with immediate authorization and a license certificate. If you do not find the sport or casino game you want to bet on, move to the next option. Compare the bonuses of different sites and then make an informed decision. Not Going Through The Banking OptionsBefore you complete the signup process, you will be given the option to select your preferred mode of transaction. A reputable site will offer the benefits of net banking, card payment, e-wallets, UPI, and others. If you are not sure or accustomed to the payment options the site is offering, move to the next one. When opening a sports betting account, it should not be done haphazardly. Always check a second time to make sure you have entered all the correct information to play hassle-free later on. The post What Mistakes Should You Avoid While Signing Up On Gaming Sites first appeared on Feedster.via Blogger What Mistakes Should You Avoid While Signing Up On Gaming Sites |
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