Squeaky Clean: How To Clean Up The Different Types of Carpet Stains

Every awesome house has a carpet inside it somewhere. Whether it’s in the living room or the bedroom, a rug is there to provide safety, beauty, and charm. A lot of times, a carpet faces a lot of roughing up as it puts up with a lot of factors that can gradually increase its deterioration.

One of the most dreaded things that can happen to your carpet is a horrible and stinky stain. You and your guests won’t see it immediately, but you will surely notice it eventually. And when you do, it’s important that you know how to approach it.

Below are the different types of carpet stains and how to effectively remove them.

Wine Stains

Hosting a house party is a common event that a lot of us do. A party is fun especially when it has music, food, and drinks. However, all the fun goes away when it ends, especially for those who have to clean up after.

Imagine this: You wake up and walk around the house, seeing the aftermath of an epic party. You then look down at your carpet and see the biggest stain.

How to get rid of em’:

Most wines are red or purple and are hard to miss once it stains your carpet. Time is of the essence when dealing with wine stains.

It’s better to deal with them when they’re fresh by using a small rag wet with hydrogen peroxide. Rub it vigorously, being careful not to spread it even more. Afterward, use a spray bottle with warm water and some detergent to finish the job.

Writer’s Note: You can apply the same steps when cleaning up blood stains.

See Also: A Quick Guide on How to Clean Up Blood Spills Properly

Pee and Poop

The poop that our furry friends leave behind is always a huge and smelly mess. Sometimes, poop isn’t the only problem because our pets also pee on the carpet or any furniture. When their pee dries up, it forms yellow botches and is quite pungent.

And it doesn’t stop there. Pets can also throw up on your carpet leaving a similar stain and smell behind.

How to get rid of em’:

If the stain or mess is still wet, try blotting it with white paper towels until the stain and moisture are absorbed. Be careful not to rub it in as it can quickly spread if done the wrong way.

Keep blotting it carefully until the stain is gone and the area becomes dry. If the stain is all dried up, try moistening it so it’ll become softer and smoother to clean up. Whether it’s dry or wet, a stain will smell.

To eliminate the odor, try using vinegar mixed with warm water and spray it on the stain. You can also substitute vinegar with detergent, lemon juice, etc.

Bubblegum

Most kids and some adults love chewing gums which could mean a bad sign for your carpet. When bubblegum hits your carpet, be ready for a sticky situation. Gum sticks to the fibers of your carpet, which mean carelessly removing them can damage your rug permanently.

How to get rid of em’:

One of the most popular methods of removing gum on your carpet is to put a ziplock bag full of ice cubes over the gum. When it’s cold or frozen, use a sharp object such as a knife to scrape away the gum carefully.

Another method is to use cleaning solvents and applying it on a cloth. Rub the cloth on the gum and slowly remove it by rubbing vigorously. Be careful in using solvents as most solutions will stain certain fabrics.

Takeaway

No one wants a carpet that has a large, visible stain on it. And for sure, no one wants to notice a carpet that reeks of poop and pee. However, although it may sound horrible, staining your carpet is a reality that most of us face.

Don’t lose hope. Whether it’s poop, wine or an annoying piece of chewing gum, rest assured that there are methods that can quickly remove the stain and stench away from your carpet. You just have to know the different types of carpet stains so you can properly address them.

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11 Reasons Why Health Insurance Is Crucial In India

India has a booming tourism market with more than 7.4 million people visiting India in 2016 alone, and a projected growth of 10.26 people in 2017. These numbers continue to climb, and people are drawn here for the colorful and different cultures, the breathtaking scenery, and the famous landmarks like the Khajuraho Temples and the Taj Mahal. With this increasing tourist trade comes the rising need to have good health insurance. Whether you live in India or if you’re traveling to it, you need health insurance for a variety of reasons. If you’re curious why you’d need health insurance to travel to India, read on.

Why Health Insurance is Important in India

Coverage in Remote Areas

India is a beautiful country, but it has many rural and remote areas that you may travel to as you explore. Think of the medical facilities in the area. How would someone get to you in an emergency? If you have an accident or get sick in these remote areas, you may have to be airlifted to the nearest medical facility. A single trip in an air ambulance can cost between $12,000 to $25,000.

Water Quality

India’s water quality is one of the worst in the world, and this increases your chances of getting sick while you travel through or stay here. Even though hospital costs are roughly less than $300 per day in India, this can still add up quickly. If you don’t have health insurance, this can come out of your pocket. Also, any medicines or treatments you get will come from your pocket.

Road Accidents

Each year in India, over 150,000 people are killed in car accidents. This works out to roughly 400 people dying per day, and it’s more than triple the number of people who die each year in the United States. Having health insurance can help to protect you in the event of an accident on the road. Even if you don’t receive emergency services, it can give you greater peace of mind.

The State of India’s Healthcare Program

The percentage of India’s national budget that is spent on the healthcare sector is one of the lowest in the word. This makes it very difficult to get in and see a doctor for a routine visit or if you have something minor going on. Having health insurance when you’re in India means that you’ll have coverage if you have to do to an emergency room because you can’t get into a regular clinic. 

Access to Preventative Care

No matter where you are in the world, access to preventative care is a huge perk of having health insurance. Having the right insurance gives you access to vaccines, check-ups, screenings, and more even before you meet your maximum deductible. These preventative care services do vary by insurance company and plan, so always double check before you make an appointment.

Make Appointments Quicker

In India, the healthcare system is taxed, and this can mean that you wait a long time to see your primary care doctor or a doctor in a clinic setting. Clinics can legally turn away people who don’t have insurance in preference to people who do have active health insurance. Having insurance can lead to an overall healthier population because you can get access to care when you need it.

Cheaper Insurance Rates

More and more people are getting insurance in India, and this can lead to lower insurance premiums for everyone. The insurance companies are able to negotiate better rates for the hospitals and doctors, and this means lower deductibles and copays. It also creates a competitive market and insurance companies will lower their rates to compete with each other.

Financial Security

As we mentioned before, India’s hospital stays are relatively inexpensive compared to the United States. But, the average hospital stay is 4.5 days per visit. If you’re hospitalized in India for 4.5 days, you’ll typically spend around $1,350. This is enough to set many people back and drain their savings. Insurance can give you financial security because it can cover most or all of this cost.

See Also: 5 Financial Emergencies Everyone Must Be Prepared For

Growing Pharmaceutical Industry

India has an aging population and a growing pharmaceutical industry. Currently, India is on track to be the sixth largest pharmaceutical sector in the world by 2020. If you have health insurance, you can use it to purchase your prescriptions at a low or no cost to you. This is especially important for the aging population because they tend to have more daily medications.

Chronic Diseases

The number one disease that is responsible for the most deaths in India is heart disease followed by COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Insurance can cover these conditions, especially if you plan to move to and live in India. In the United States, the average cost for a severe heart attack is around $760,000. This will cost you less in India, but it’s still over $100,000.

See Also: 10 Habits That Can Prevent Heart Disease

Pollution Levels

India is one of the top counties in the world for bad air quality. This means that you will breathe in pollution when you’re outside and inside. If you have respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD, you can end up in the hospital from the pollution levels triggering your respiratory conditions. Insurance will help to cover the costs of a hospital visit due to the pollution levels. These 11 reasons highlight why it is critical to have health insurance if you’re planning to travel to India or if you already live there. Not only can it give you financial security, but it can help you live a healthier and happier life.

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5 Tips On Getting Ripped Without A Gym

Getting ripped without a gym is possible. It starts with making some changes in your daily routine. Follow the tips below and you won’t only enjoy a better physique but you’ll be able to save a huge amount of money on gym memberships, too.

Take a walk in the fresh air

Nothing can be as refreshing as an early morning walk or an evening walk. Taking a walk to breathe in the fresh air while gazing at the green trees or the clear sky and enjoying the chirping birds can be totally magical. It can have a positive impact on both your mind and body.

You can plan your walk routine as per your work schedule. A good 30-minutes walk is all you need to stay fit and healthy.

Try home workout

Home workouts are a savior for new moms who can’t leave their babies at home and for people who are too lazy to go to the gym. There are online yoga and aerobics video you can easily follow in the comfort of your home as per your convenience.

Take your time in learning the routines and once you mastered them, you can increase the intensity of your workout. This is extremely effective in shedding down the extra pounds.

See Also: Yoga and Health: From Better Mental Health To Improved Sleep Quality

Play your favorite sport

Rain or shine, I love playing badminton. This instantly boosts me up and it’s also a change from my usual exercise routine.

Spend a couple of days a week to play your favorite sport. You could either grab your cricket bat to play your all-time favorite cricket or spend some time playing basketball.

No matter which sport you play, it is sure to contribute to your fitness.

Eat healthily

Research suggests that a person’s overall fitness needs to involve 70% diet and 30% exercise.

If you think eating healthy is boring, it isn’t. Once you get used to it, there’s no looking back.

So, watch what you eat. Dump the French fries, burgers, and pizzas. Substitute them with vegetables, fruits, and grilled meat. Make your plate balanced and colorful. Fill it with 50% protein, 30% fiber, 20% carbohydrates.

These changes can have great results in the long run. See for yourself.

See Also: Foods That Will Help You Keep Your Family Healthy

Other alternative ways

Burn your calories by doing house chores like cleaning, mopping, washing, and dusting. These aren’t easy tasks but you’ll end up burning more calories than usual.

Ditch the lift at work and take the stairs. Switch your commute and walk to the nearby supermarket to shop for groceries. These activities can help you stay fit and strong.

With so many alternative ways, why would you need a gym? Sounds sane, isn’t it?

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What Should Be Your World Cup Drink This Summer?

The World Cup is in full swing. What better way to celebrate it than by drinking the traditional cocktails from the countries participating? For each of the 32 competing countries, there is a cocktail or mocktail to whip up to celebrate their culture and cuisine.

Whether you’re a football fanatic, a fairweather fan or an unwilling supporter who can’t seem to avoid being dragged along to watch the footie, there’s no better way to celebrate (or tolerate) this year’s tournament and get in the ‘spirit’ than with a cultural cocktail in hand.

Throwing a World Cup party? Add a touch of class and impress your guests by mixing up a batch of cocktails.

Here’s what you’ll be drinking for the next few matches.

Senegal v Colombia

For Senegal v Colombia, you’ll be drinking an exotic combination of Jus de Bissap. It’s a refreshing mocktail made of pineapple juice, lemon juice, dried hibiscus, vanilla extract, ginger, and orange blossom. It also has the somewhat stronger Carendals – aguardiente with soda water, lemon juice, and fresh strawberries.

Japan v Poland

For Japan v Poland, there are some fairly strong cocktails on the menu. Samurai Rock is Japan’s offering. It’s made by mixing sake with lime juice. For Poland, it’s the Zubrowka and Apple. It’s a lethal combination of Polish vodka mixed with apple cider.

England v Belgium

For the all-important England v Belgium match? You’ll be sipping a classic Pimm’s Cup where you add Pimm’s and lemonade with lots of fresh fruit and mint. You can also try the Black Russians to wake you up. It’s simply vodka and coffee liqueur.

Panama v Tunisia

For Panama v Tunisia, mix up a batch of Seco Sours. It’s Seco Herrerano, strawberry syrup, and lemon juice topped with lime and mint. You can also try the Arab Springs. It’s Boukha, lemon juice, and grenadine topped with ground cardamom, mint leaves, and pomegranate seeds.

Which cocktails will you be drinking most frequently?

Certain nations have performed better than others throughout the World Cup’s history. This means that as the tournament progresses and more and more teams get knocked out, the cocktails from countries like France, Spain, and Brazil are likely to be on the menu most often!

That sounds like a rather ideal situation, given that France’s national cocktail is the delicious Mimosa. It will transport you to Belle Paris and the banks of the river Seine.

Spain’s is the fruity Sangria which will bring to life visions of the beautiful Costa del Sol and Brazil’s is the tangy Caipirinha that can transform even the dreariest of days into a sunny day on the busy streets of Rio!

Other favorites from around the world

Here are the other national cocktails which you need to try out, too.

Australia’s Fairy Floss Windmills

This playful cocktail consists of vanilla vodka, strawberry floss, elderflower liqueur, apple juice, and cranberry juice with a twist of lemon.

Denmark’s Anaconda

Shake together cachaca, Midori, lime juice, and pineapple juice to create a fruity cocktail that tastes like a fruit cocktail!

South Korea’s Grapefruit Soju

The clue is very much in the name but this cocktail is a delightful combo of soju and grapefruit juice.

Serbian Rakija

Prosecco, Rakija, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice make up this Serbian thirst quencher.

Switzerland’s Champagne St. Moritz

This fancy aperitif is a recipe of gin, champagne, apricot brandy, and orange juice.

Make this World Cup a round-the-world trip of cultural cocktails. And of course, since the World Cup is being hosted in Russia this year, it’s only fair that each match should also be accompanied by a toast of vodka. Get either a straight or mixed with ginger ale to create the nation’s Moscow Mule.

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Four Tips On How To Choose The Best Credit Card For You

With so many banks and credit cards now available, it can be quite confusing how to choose the best credit card for you. But did you know? Credit cards are as different and unique as the people who use them. There are credit cards that match people who fly frequently, shop at certain stores, and so on. You can narrow down the perfect credit card for you with these simple steps:

Step One: Know Your Credit Score

Nothing can put a damper on your credit card search like getting denied. Credit cards have minimum credit requirements you need to meet before your application gets approved. Depending on where your credit falls in the spectrum, this can limit your choices. Your FICO credit score is made up of several factors. It ranges from 300 to 850. A good credit level is 650 and above. You can get your free FICO score once a year from Annual Credit Report.com and monitor it through Credit Karma. When you know your credit score, it’ll give you a good idea of the types of credit cards you can apply for.

See Also: 4 Ways to Start Building Great Credit

Step Two: Choose the Correct Card Type

There are several different types of credit cards available. You want to pick one that suits your lifestyle, so you get the most use out of it. Most credit cards fall into one of three broad categories:

• Cards designed to help you fix or improve your credit score.
• Cards that are designed to save you money on interest.
• Cards that are designed to reward you for using it.

Cards to Help Improve or Fix Your Credit

If you have poor credit or if you’ve never had a credit card before, you’ll start with this category. Secured cards are a popular choice to help rebuild your credit, and you can usually upgrade to a non-secured credit line after a year. You do pay a refundable deposit to open the card. Student cards are great for college students who are just starting to build their credit.

Cards to Save Money on Interest

If you plan on carrying a balance from month to month, you may want a card that saves you on interest. Try to find a card with a 0% APR introductory offer paired with a lower monthly interest rate. If you have a lot of debt, a balance transfer card can give you a small reprieve from interest while you pay down your balance.

Cards to Reward You for Using Them

If you plan to use your card on a regular basis and don’t carry a balance from month to month, a rewards credit card is a good choice. You typically have to have very good credit to get these cards. They offer perks like cash back or points that you can redeem. These rewards add up when you use your card.

Step Three: Ask Questions to Narrow Your Choices Down

Now that you know where your credit is and what the broad credit categories are, it’s time to ask yourself a few questions. They’ll help you narrow your choices down even more.

Secured or Student Cards

1. Does this card allow for upgrades?

• Make sure that whatever secured or student card you choose offers an upgrade. When your credit score reaches a certain point, you can upgrade to an unsecured card or a card with a better interest rate. It’s easier to upgrade automatically with the same lender, and they don’t all offer upgrades.

2. What fees will I pay?

• Secured cards typically have a deposit amount ranging from $49 up to over $1,000. The average deposit is $200, and this is your line of credit. Most of them don’t offer rewards, so make sure that you have no or a very low annual fee. The interest rates are higher as well so plan to pay your balance off each month.

3. Does the card report to all three credit bureaus?

• The entire point of these types of cards is to help build your credit. They can only do this if they regularly report to all three credit bureaus. Look for one that reports to Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Low Interest, Balance Transfer, or 0% APR Cards

1. Are there ongoing rewards?

• Many cards that offer a 0% APR period also have ongoing rewards. It’s a good idea to check and see if you’ll get anything extra for using your card. A generous sign-up bonus is good too.

2. What’s the interest rate and how long is the 0% APR?

• Look for a card that has a 12 to 18 month 0% APR introductory offer. You also want to pay attention to the ongoing interest rate. If you plan to carry balances, you want this interest rate to be as long as possible.

3. Is there a balance transfer policy?

• Many balance transfer cards require you to transfer any balances to the card within two months of the opening date. They also give you a set amount of time to pay the balance off before interest starts stacking up.

Rewards Cards

1. How do I usually spend money?

• The goal is to match your spending habits with your rewards. This will help you maximize them. Some cards offer rotating categories when they give you a larger percentage back. Other cards give you a flat-rate reward.

2. How fast can I earn rewards?

• Ideally, you want a card that can earn rewards at a quick rate. Look for a card with a higher percentage back. Also, pay attention to the amount you need to redeem your rewards and whether or not they expire.

Step Four: Choose Your Card

If you’ve matched a card to your lifestyle, congratulations. If not, here are a few final considerations that can help you get the most out of your card.

Secured or Student Cards

• Automatic credit limit increases and upgrades
• Deposit gains interest over the life of the card

Low Interest, Balance Transfer, or 0% APR Cards

• Get additional tools like an online portal, debt payoff planner, and alerts
• Waived or no late fees or penalties

Rewards Cards

• Lower redemption amounts with flexible redemption options
• No foreign transaction fees or expiration dates on rewards

See Also: 9 Valuable Credit Card Perks

Choosing a new credit card is a science, and we’ve given you a a step-by-step guide on how to choose the best credit card. Use your new card responsibly, and you’ll be able to build your credit and enjoy the rewards.

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Feeling Stuck In a Rut? Here’s How to Change Your Focus

You’re in a rut and you’re having a hard time understanding how to change your focus. Things aren’t going your way and they haven’t been for a while.

It’s a work problem you can’t seem to solve, a blank page you can’t seem to face or a bad break up you just can’t get over. You overanalyze and analyze as you descend deeper into a mental entropy, focusing on nothing but me, me, me. You try to figure out how to fix it or, at the very least, forget about it for a minute, but you still can’t.

Don’t worry, you will. You just need to know how to change your focus.

Understand that your conscious mind can’t think this problem away. It wasn’t made for it. Every time you try and fail, it’s like trying to teach your goldfish how to climb a tree. In order to break the loop, you must first understand that personal suffering is an extended focus on one’s self. Shift that focus and the suffering will end.

Shifting The Focus

When you are in a rut, shift your focus on others. Offering help to acquaintances, friends, and even strangers can reduce the impact of daily stressors on your mental health and emotions. Such activities take you out of your head and into the present.

Laboratory experiments conducted by Elizabeth B. Raposa of the school of medicine at Yale University carried out a study in which 77 individuals used their smartphones to report on their daily experiences and feelings.

The participants were provided with an automated phone reminder each night to prompt them to complete their daily assessment in the 14-day study.

They were required to report on any stressful events they encountered each day across several domains. It included interpersonal, finance, home, health, work, and education. They were also required to report on any helpful activity they took part in each day.

At the end of the 14-day study, it was well proven that helping others boosted the participant’s well-being. A higher level of daily positive emotion, as well as better mental health, was associated with the helping actions.

Each helping behavior also affected the way different participants responded to stress. Individuals who recorded lower helping behaviors reported lower positive emotions and greater negative emotions in coping with their day.

Taking Action Right Now

Below is a list of things you can do right now to shift your focus and get out of your rut.

1. Call or text a friend or family member and ask if they need help with anything.
2. Start being aware of your day. Hold the elevator door for the person behind you instead of just pretending to. Smile at the cashier in the market and pay them a compliment because it costs you nothing. Focus on consistency and not on the size of each act.
3. Pay for a stranger’s coffee at the café.
4. Write a thank you letter to someone you haven’t talked to in a while but made a big impact on your life.
5. Help someone else out with their idea, dream or goal even if it has nothing to do with you.

Lastly, it is important to remember that giving does not mean letting people walk on you. While we all make sacrifices sometimes, only give what you can and maintain a sense of self-worth and integrity above all else. That’s how to change your focus in life.

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How to Rewire Your Brain for Success

The brain is an incredible organ. It is constantly regenerating and renewing itself while absorbing the information being thrown at it. However, not every piece of information it absorbs is positive or even correct.

For example, if you fall down in public and feel embarrassed, the thought “I’m an idiot” pops into your head. Your brain will absorb it and form a neural pathway. This pathway is the connection through which neurons send their signals from one part of the brain to another.

And as more things cause embarrassment for you, the stronger that pathway becomes to the point that it affects how you live your life.

What if you utilize how your brain works naturally to promote productivity, happiness, a sense of self-worth, and success in your workplace? The results will amaze you.

What Am I Talking About?

What I am really referring to is something called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a therapy used by mental health professionals all over the world. CBT is an evidenced-based therapy that assumes changing harmful thinking can lead to an ultimate change in behavior. Even further, more recent versions of CBT focus on changing a person’s relationship to harmful thinking. It rewires the brain and those aforementioned neural pathways to initiate a change in behavior.

This kind of practice can also be described as ‘mindfulness’. It involves focusing on the present moment and acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings while noticing one’s relationship to those feelings. It is much easier to change one’s relationship to feelings and circumstances when they are acknowledged.

Does This Even Work?

The Harvard Gazette recently published an article outlining a study done on the effectiveness of using the above techniques to change one’s brain with respect to depression. I believe this to be interchangeable with anxiety, stress, or even a lack of productivity in one’s life.

Dr. Gaelle Desbordes, an instructor in radiology at Harvard Medical school and a neuroscientist, began practicing mindfulness and experienced great benefits. As a scientist, she wondered how it could benefit others and how the process could be documented.

What is amazing about her study, outlined in this article, is that she could visually see a difference in scans of patients’ brains before and after they practiced mindfulness and the change seemed to be there to stay.

See Also: 7 Ways Mindfulness Can Unlock The Door To Your Authentic Life

What Does This Mean For You?

Even if you are not struggling with something as serious as depression or PTSD, utilizing a tool or practice like mindfulness or CBT could really make a difference to your success as a person. It’s possible that you have some thought patterns cycling on a daily basis that are hindering your success in work or your productivity on a project.

I truly believe that taking inventory of your daily thought patterns can tremendously help you. You can begin by pinpointing something in which you have a physical hiccup.

Do you struggle with deadlines and procrastinate until the last second? Do you eat healthy all day and binge on all the unhealthy foods right before bed?

Whatever your goals or scenarios are, write them all out as they pop into your head.

See Also: How to Deal With Depression: 22 Things You Need to Try Today

For example, if you struggle with procrastination, your thoughts surrounding this issue may be one or a few of the following:

• I feel overwhelmed.
• I want to do a perfect job so I fear to start the project.
• I’m not good enough.
• I dislike my work and do not want to begin the project.

You probably have a lot more thoughts or reasons for feeling such way. So, sit with yourself for a few minutes and really think about them before writing them out. Choose one that you deem is harmful to your productivity and write down why it shouldn’t be that way.

In Conclusion

Now, you know how to rewire your brain for success.

The next time you are procrastinating, revisit what you’ve written and it’ll create the positive changes you want in your brain. It will file this new information and override the old, ultimately changing your behavior.

I hope you find this information helpful in your quest for a more productive, happy, and successful life.

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How to Ace Your Job Interview

In October 2009, at the end of the Great Recession, unemployment hit 10%. Finding a job was hard. Many people, especially recent graduates who lacked experience, ended up taking part-time jobs or working in a field that didn’t actually require a degree.

Unemployment has been falling slowly and steadily and it’s now down to 3.8% but many people are still struggling to find work.

Why Is It So Hard?

The hiring process isn’t what it used to be. In the United States, from application to the final hiring decision, getting a job takes 23.8 days. That’s only if you’re actually successful in getting hired.

Add in a couple of rejections along the way and the process can easily take 6 weeks or more. The more specialized the position you’re seeking, the longer it’ll take for you to get hired.

Hiring new employees isn’t what it used to be.

With online job boards attracting more applicants and easy online applications, recruiters have more resumes to sift through than ever before. Most big companies use algorithms to sort through resumes, looking for the most qualified candidates.

Algorithms might speed up the process but they also make it harder for individuals to stand out. They also make it less likely that recruiters will take a chance on a less qualified but driven candidate. If your resume does make it past the algorithm and onto a recruiter’s desk, you face the next hurdle.

Before, job seekers used cover letters to stand out from the crowd, sharing their less obvious qualifications or passion for a particular company. Today, many job seekers don’t bother writing a cover letter and most recruiters don’t consider it important.

These changes in how open positions are filled aren’t just hurting job seekers; recruiters are finding that, despite the stacks of resumes, they still have a hard time finding qualified candidates. And with millennials job hopping more than older generations, there are more applicants despite low unemployment.

See Also: 6 Interview Hacks That Are Sure To Land You The Job

What Are People Looking For?

Whether it’s compensation, work environment or work/life balance, satisfaction is one of the primary reasons employees leave. At the same time, recruiters want qualified candidates who are proactive “doers” as they are a better investment for the company.

The best time to show that you are a doer is during an interview.

How to Be A Doer

Step 1: Be The Linchpin

We’ve all heard the aphorism, “It’s easier to get a job if you have a job” and in this case, it couldn’t be more true. The best way to show what you can do is by doing it. Show up early, be open to feedback, and be organized and self-starting.

Keep up the quality of your work and show that you’re a great team player. Then, ask your coworkers to be a reference for your next position.

Step 2: Prepare for the Interview

When you finally land that interview, your work is far from done. Knowing how to ace your job interview involves more than planning the right outfit. Research the company’s website, learn about its culture and values and pre-plan any questions you want to ask in the interview.

Review the job listing and think of ways your experiences showcase the skills they’re seeking. Understand the industry and competitors.

If you have any connections on LinkedIn that worked for the company, check in with them and ask for advice and information.

Step 3: The Perfect Interview

Most recruiters use multiple interviews to gauge whether a candidate is a good fit. The first screening or phone interview will probably just to review your resume and confirm your interest in the position. This is a great time to learn more about the company and ask any questions you may have about corporate culture and values.

Face-to-face and follow-up interviews will be more in depth. Most companies focus on behavioral interview questions to gauge whether you’re the right fit for the company. Knowing the company culture before you walk into the interview can help you answer these questions.

And remember, if you don’t have a perfect answer, you can always give a hypothetical one. Tell how you would do things differently now that you have more experience.

Learn more about how to ace your interview from this infographic!

Source: Human Resources MBA

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The Top 4 Best Alternatives to Paypal for Business

Paypal is the biggest payment gateway out there and there’s no doubt about that. It is the most famous online payment system in the world to the point that people associate the word “payment gateway” with Paypal. It offers a nice, clean and very comfortable service within a click and makes everything possible. You know the score.

However, Paypal is not the only payment gateway out there and it is not even the best of the bunch. Sure, it dominates the market but it doesn’t mean that the competition is just slacking around. There are competitors and they rapidly evolve and try to outplay the big guy.

Before we get to the best alternatives to Paypal for business, let’s explain its problem first.

Paypal is a victim of its own marketing. Over the years, Paypal was hyped as the one and only super payment gateway and people believed in that idea. However, the reality is not exactly like that.

Paypal is good for basic transactions. It is serviceable for slightly larger sums but when it comes to a commercial operation with diverse payments and schedules, it gets clumsy and barely usable.

Another thing that raises concerns is security. Paypal is not very good at it. There are holes in its security systems that enable account hijacking and account blocking and that is not something you want to experience. Imagine the consequences of such glitches in your business.

Who are Paypal’s Competitors?

Diversity is the key to success in eCommerce operation. You need to have a set of options for your business and you need to give your customers several options to perform payments.

By using only one payment gateway, you are seriously limiting not just yourself but your customers, too.

With that, here are the best alternatives to Paypal for business you should consider.

Stripe

Stripe is a heavy hitter. It came late to the party and turned the tide on its side simply by being handsome and charming. Jokes aside, it is one of the biggest competitors to Paypal because of its smoothness of operation and security.

Stripe is really easy to integrate into any kind of website. In addition, it avoids redirects and performs the entirety of operation on your website. It gives a larger degree of control over the operation and that is particularly calming for a businessman.

Stripe’s greatest asset is its fraud detection system. It consists of thorough credibility checks, comparison with blacklist databases, and analysis of activity. It guarantees that no one ever will succeed in wrecking your account.

Stripe’s fees are standard but chargebacks are lower than Paypals.

The challenge comes with operating it. In order to make Stripe work, you need to know a thing or two about programming. That isn’t that much of a problem if you think about it for a moment.

Square

Square is probably the most radical payment gateway out there. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t skew the principles of the economy. Instead, it offers services that feel absolutely different from any other payment gateway available.

For the lack of a better word, Square is “Stripped-down” or “no-nonsense” payment gateway. That is what makes it so attractive to an ever-growing audience.

From the user experience perspective, Square is very similar to Paypal if it was cleaned-up and dropped weight. It is faster, smoother, and more elegant to use.

In terms of service, it is a reliable and trustworthy gateway. If there is something wrong, don’t worry as its customer support service will be the ones to handle it.

Authorize.Net

Authorize.Net was there from the very beginning of eCommerce on The Internet. It saw it all and it knows a couple of tricks. As one of the oldest payment gateways active today, Authorize.Net has the benefit of having the time-tested trust.

One of its major assets is security measures. Authorize.Net is a perfect gateway for those who have a paranoia about online transactions.

In terms of UX, it is really user-friendly. You can do whatever you need if its legal. The tools for structuring payments are easy to handle and there are many additional settings that help with nuances and scheduling.

However, Authorize.Net is not cheap and that is a major turn off.

Braintree

Braintree is a division of Paypal that is a much better fit for eCommerce payments.
The best thing about it is how easy it is to handle very different types of payment. Just a couple of clicks and you can get your thing done.

Another great thing is integration. Unlike Paypal that needs some tweaks in order to fit the website, Braintree fits every type of site like a glove.

Fees are standard but in exchange, you get more features to play with so this is definitely a win. However, there might be some complication regarding technical adjustments.

Conclusion

Paypal still stands tall in the payment gateway segment, but there are worthy competitors who have something else to offer. For business owners, that is a good thing.

The nature of the competition in the payment gateway segment is beneficial for every involved party. It jumpstarted rapid evolution, increased the overall quality of services, and deepened sets of available features.

As such, the variety of options available is inspiring.

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Choosing Brand Colors: How to Pick The Best Hues For Your Business

Color plays a crucial role in helping us evaluate and classify objects within seconds. If you think about how long you normally scan someone’s social media page before deciding if you want to check out more, you’d probably agree that choosing brand colors is critical.

Since the human eye is capable of distinguishing approximately 10 million colors, you have to be on point with your choice. When your chosen color fits your brand, your audience is more likely to instantly connect you with your services or product.

In making a choice, here are a few pointers to help you out.

Think of your medium

Before you start checking out various hues, think of the medium you will be using the most.

Curalate 2013 study showed that subdued, light and less saturated images posted to Instagram get considerably more likes than more saturated or dark counterparts. Images high in contrast and saturation prevail in print advertisement.

Decide if you want to energize or soothe

Cooler colors tend to soothe while warmer ones have a stimulating effect. It may seem easy to choose between putting your audience to sleep and keeping them wide awake. However, you need to be cautious in using red.

If your personal brand color is something close to red hot, it can overstimulate and exhaust your potential clients, employers or business partners.

Moreover, humans have evolved to pay attention to bright contrasting colors as a way of evading predatory fauna and poisonous flora. So, while bright orange or yellow against black can feel magnetizing for a second, they can also cause stress and tension fatigue long-term.

Pick a hue

When choosing brand colors, look for what’s used most often in your industry or take a bold stand and use something uncommon.

Imagine an oil company using a green logo and marketing materials. That ought to get a second look but before taking a leap like that, ask yourself if that’s really the kind of attention you are looking for.

While you definitely should do an in-depth research, let’s look at a few common examples to get you started.

Green is associated with freshness and life as it is the prevailing hue in nature. Organic and eco-friendly brands, as well as environmental organizations, use this color to emphasize their commitment to the cause.

Blue is associated with trust, stability, and science. It’s becoming a popular choice among consultancy firms, banks, and research institutions. It is also widely used for any brand that’s related to water.

Yellow is the color of the fun, summer, and sun. You can find it mostly in the entertainment industry to convey the joyous nature of a brand.

The color red typically represents power, passion, leadership or activity. It draws instant attention, making it excellent to use as a recurring accent in all your brand advertisement.

Brown and earthy tones are associated with a relaxed feeling. Pastels, meanwhile, add an ephemeral and tender feel.

Here is a Crello Instagram template artboard that you can browse for professionally designed examples of color choices for dozens of businesses.

See Also: 5 Instagram Tools That Can Boost Brand Performance

Make sure it’s universally applicable

Arguably, being consistent with your brand color is as important than why you choose a particular color. Use it for all your brand’s online presence and promotional items. Think how your online and offline brand materials will look like in the selected tone.

Don’t choose a color that doesn’t suit you or simply isn’t ‘you’. You will be the one seeing your brand color the most, so let it reflect your uniqueness.

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Healing from A Heartache: How to Stop the Pain for Good

Someone you really love goes out of your life. You lose a part of yourself and your heart fills up with frustration, anxiety, and worry. At times like this, you think only about one thing- how to stop heartache?

Well, how to deal with it?

If physical pain is the pain in your body, then emotional pain is the pain in your soul. The healing process may take a little more time and effort. It’s a hard thing to go through. And, unfortunately, almost everyone knows what it is but not everyone knows how to move on from it.

Here are the best ways to remove emotional pain and feel free to enjoy life again.

Feel Your Pain

Emotional pain will vanish if you accept it. It seems so obvious but actually, it is the most difficult part of the healing process.

Let yourself experience some suffering for a little while because it’s normal to feel sad after breaking up with someone you loved. In such way, you can reboot and prepare yourself for something new.

Change Your Routine

A lot of things will remind you of your failed relationship.

To lessen the pain from such memories, you have to change your life a little bit. Change your habits, try new things or the way how you do things. Move furniture in your flat, listen to the new trend in music, and so on.

Let’s start right now as there isn’t any room in your new life for the person who broke your heart.

Communicate with People

Don’t ever try to live off the grid after breaking up. Conversely, you have to spend more time with your relatives, friends, and people who can really support you during this crucial phase.

You can help someone in need or those struggling with pain, too. It’ll give you the chance to spend time away from your grief and self-pity.

Try Meditation

Meditation is a good technique to stop emotional pain. It heals your soul and clears your mind of negative thoughts, which weaken your emotions and hurt your being. Through meditation, you’ll reach a pleasant state where you can visualize yourself happy, loving, and joyful again.

It allows you to reverse the physiological effects of your painful heartbreak, get rid of toxic emotions, and reopen the possibility of a new relationship.

Final Thoughts

Heartbreak is terrible and there’s no doubt about it!

However, it is in your hands to make this period a little bit easier. Don’t bet on a quick fix because you’ll need time to recover. Cure your heartache and realize that there’s no turning back.

Life goes on. Accept your pain but don’t dwell on it. Meditate to reprogram your brain but don’t withdraw into your shell. With those things, you’ll easily know how to stop heartache.

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7 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Own Happiness And What You Can Do About Them

A lot of people want to be happy, smile, and have fun in life. This means that these people are not yet happy. Otherwise, you didn’t want to be happy, right?

What a lot of people don’t take in consideration is that they have the power over their own happiness although it doesn’t always look like it.

In this article, I will help you become conscious of ways you’re sabotaging your own happiness and how to fix it.

You Let Other People Put You Down

Did your partner talk to a girl/boy you were feeling jealous of? Or did someone upset you by saying you did something wrong?

These are signs that you’re putting other people in control of your emotions. If others are in control of your feelings, you’ll feel like you’re on a roller coaster you can’t get out of. I understand that some behaviors are annoying and that there are other people in your life, but you can still be an entirely separate person from them.

I used to respond with a lot of emotions to what other people say or do. One day, I realized that it didn’t even matter if I didn’t answer. And let me tell you, it feels so good not having to respond to what other people say or do. Just mind your own business.

How To Take Control

If someone says or does something, it doesn’t mean that they’re such a person. It’s just a behavior that’s performed by that particular person. When you are aware of that, you’ll be able to separate the person from his actions.

People have their own lives and they should be able to do what they want. Everyone has a reason why they do something and it’s hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

So, mind your own business and live your own life. If people want to make fun of you, great. If people want to make fun of you, they have their reasons.

You’re Not Living The Life You Want

When I was 17 years old, I was working as a warehouse worker at this company for 3 months. I did not see my job as a significant one and it wasn’t hard to do. However, I found out that there was a very negative atmosphere there.

One time, I went to the canteen for a break and I heard these men, around the age of 50, talk to each other. “We only have to be here for 17 more years guys, then we can finally leave,” one said.

I was shocked.

These people didn’t like their job and were almost working there their entire lives. This guy just said he wanted to keep doing this for his lifetime (at that time) until he could go and retire.

From that day on, I made the decision to always be in tune with myself and make my decisions based on that.

If you’re living your life not the way you want and you’re not doing something about it, please take action. The only things you’ll regret in life are the risks you didn’t take.

“Suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”

How To Live The Life Of Your Dreams

This is actually a pretty simple (not easy) process. First, you have to find out what you ultimately want in your life. Then, you start working towards it. Along the way, you’ll find out how you’ll get there.

You’re Not True To Yourself

This is a thing I really try to focus on in my life. It’s about being really honest with yourself about your feelings, values, and mission. Telling yourself what you’re feeling and communicating them to others can keep you accountable.

A lot of times, people talk about things but do the opposite.

For example, my dad tells me all these life lessons but he’s not living up to any of them. He used to say to me that aggression isn’t a solution to a problem but when something goes wrong, he gets mad.

“You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?”

At the end of the day, there will be times when you have inner conflicts. I always say to myself that I would never give up but at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, I had to give up several ventures because they just didn’t work for me.

You’ll have to find the middle ground here and not beat yourself up entirely because you didn’t do what you said you were going to do.

If you are not true to yourself, you’ll likely feel a little bit bad about yourself and this can affect your happiness. Being true to yourself means keeping your values in mind while also considering the situation.

How To Be True To Yourself

You can be true to yourself by accepting full responsibility for your life. Everything that happens to you is a consequence of your actions and thoughts.

This means that when something happens, you should always ask yourself first what you’ve done that lead to this outcome.

By taking full responsibility for your life, you’ll have all the power over your actions, thoughts, and feelings.

You Talk To Yourself In A Negative Way

Something I, as a perfectionist, struggle with a lot.

Do you ever notice that you’re talking yourself out of something or saying to yourself that you didn’t do enough?

This is something that happens to a lot of people. Although we may be very confident about ourselves, there’s always this inner critic that’s talking sh*t.

Telling you that you’re not good enough, that you’re not meant for something or that you’re not worthy of someone.

You and I both know this is utter nonsense but at the moment, it seems very legit.

If you continuously talk yourself down, you know what it’s going to do. If you didn’t do much on a given day, or so you think, you’ll beat yourself up and say you’ll have to catch up the next day.

The next day, it will be even harder because it’s impossible to do 2 days of work in 1 day. It will lead to negative self-talk again. This opens up a cycle of negative self-talk which will only make things worse. You’ll never be proud of yourself this way.

How To End The Inner Critic

To end the inner critic, you’ll have to go through a simple step-by-step process I outlined below for you.

Step 1. Identify what your inner critic is talking about and where it comes from.

This is something separate from the real you as you only believe it because your inner critic is telling you over and over again.

Step 2. Accept that this is not the real you and change the belief you have about yourself.

Is this voice saying, “I’m ugly”?

Change it and say to yourself that you are freaking beautiful and do it with as much passion as possible. Even if you don’t believe it yet, force yourself.

Write it down if that helps.

Step 3. Repeat it consistently. Write the opposite of every inner critic’s beliefs down. Read or speak it over and over to yourself until you feel better about yourself.

Step 4. Reflect on the belief now. Do you still believe you’re ugly? Keep telling yourself that you’re beautiful because you are beautiful!

See Also: 9 Baby Steps To Happiness For The Naturally Gloomy

You’re Comparing Yourself To Others

Especially if you’re on a journey to success, you’ll look up at a lot of people who have something you want to achieve.

It’s really common for people to compare themselves and it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make. As you and I know, everyone is different and we live different lives.

If you compare your level 1 with someone else’s level 100, you bet you’re going to feel sad about your current situation.

It’s going to make you feel utterly miserable about yourself.

How To Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

If you look at it from a mathematical standpoint, what do you think the chance is 2 people live the same life?

Having the same kind of parents and environment. Having the same experiences in life.

Even Siamese twins have different experiences.

It’s just impossible to have the same things as someone else.

With this in mind, you need to accept yourself as you are and that your life journey is different than any other life journey.

You need to go through the things you’re going through to become the best version of yourself.

Everything happens for a reason.

You Never Ask For Help

Do you always do everything on your own? Thinking you can solve everything alone?

When you’re experiencing a lot of problems, emotionally or any other way, and you don’t ask for help, you’ll have to deal with everything on your own. This is a robust process which can lead to a lot of stress and unhappiness.

Why You Should Ask For Help

Even the happiest people in the world need others to help them. If you take a look at His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, he’s got a whole team of people advising him in his choices as a leader.

People who take care of his website, planning, etc.

He also talks about relationships being a vital part contributing to someone’s habits in his book ‘The Art Of Happiness’. Having people around you can really help you through the tough times.

You can reach out to them and ask them directly for help or just for company.

One thing you shouldn’t do is isolate yourself. If someone asks you to go out, go out with them. Being with another human being can make you feel consolidated.

You Keep Thinking About The Past

Do you always remind yourself of the mistakes you made with a person you still think about from time to time? Or are you blaming yourself for something that has happened in the past?

If you’re living in the past, you miss the good things that are happening right in front of you. You’re keeping yourself in a negative state of mind by focusing on something that already happened.

The past is past and it can’t bring you anything. The present is your only moment and opportunity to be happy.

How To Be Present

Pause.

Breathe.

Look around. Absorb your environment, thoughts, emotions and whatever else is there.

Observe, smile, and let go.

That is all you have to do to become present.

You could call it meditation or whatever you like.

See Also: Happiness Techniques From Around The World That Can Change Your Life

Conclusion

I hope you now understand the ways you are sabotaging your own happiness and how to fix it.

You deserve to be happy.

I think it’s vital to become happy so that you can spread your happiness to others and make the world a better place.

It’s up to you now!

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How to Stop Being Lazy And Workout

Are you too lazy to get your butt to the gym?

No matter how much time you have at hand and how much you intend to workout, you are simply unable to do it. Either it’s too hot outside, you have too much work, you can’t afford a gym membership or you have to meet someone – the list of excuses goes on.

But if you are worried about your current physique and want to get fit, being lazy isn’t going to help you.

When you feel lazy, you will always find an excuse not to exercise. However, the truth is that it’s not as straining as you imagine it to be. Manage your time well and you can get a load of benefits with the least effort.

All you need to do is devote at least 20 to 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for working out.

Here is a list of bare minimum workout guidelines and tips on how to stop being lazy and workout

Avoid The Elevator And Take The Stairs

Elevators have made all of us lazy. Do you remember the last time you took the stairs?

If strong, muscular legs are what you want, use the stairs. A simple staircase workout is an effective way to improve your fitness and overall health. It engages the muscles in your legs and with every step you take, your fitness levels are boosted.

It engages your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, depending on the pacing. From lunging through every step or taking skater steps, you can do a wide range of exercises with a staircase.

Walk At Least Once A Day for 15 to 20 Minutes

Whether it is to your friend’s place or to buy groceries, take a walk. You don’t always need a mode of transportation everywhere you go. Just use your legs. This will not only help you cut down on fuel or transport charges but also improve your health.

You can start by using every excuse to walk, like parking your vehicle far and walking the way back, taking your pet for a walk or walking around in a garden. If gasping for breath after a tiring gym session is not your cup of tea, a refreshing walk is what you need.

Become More Active In Sports

If you are someone who is lazy, you will always look for ways to avoid working out. But when it comes to sports, you tend to be enthusiastic, no matter how much physically exhausted you might be.

Enroll in a sports club or a local team of your favorite sport. It works better than spending hours at the gym. From getting your heart racing to boosting your stamina and making you fit, a good sport does it all.

If it is something you enjoy, you won’t even feel the strain while you are burning calories by the minute.

Don’t Sit At Your Desk All Day

Do you have a desk job? Then remember to stand up at least once every hour to walk around, get a snack, or say hello to a colleague.

Sitting all day while hunched over a keyboard is not good for your posture or health. Make a conscious effort to stand up every once in a while. You can use your breaks to get some basic workout done. For example, you can go up and down the stairs, go out for a walk or do some squats or lunges in the restroom.

Workout At Home – In Bed!

That’s right. Working out is not restricted to just going to the gym.

You can stay at home and still get some exercise done. All you need to know are a few basic exercises that you can do even if you are still in bed. You can try hip raises, push-ups, crunches, and pelvic twists.

Those few minutes of exercise will not only make you feel fresh but also boost and energize you for the rest of the day. And you will start seeing results within a few days, too.

These are a few alternatives if you are too lazy to hit the gym. Exercise is something you can do anywhere and everywhere. All you need to do is get your butt moving. So, start today and you will no longer repeat the excuse of being too lazy to be fit.

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How Understanding the Three Little Pigs Can Teach You How to Get Over Procrastination

Are Cryptocurrency And Blockchain Startups Still Possible?

Cryptocurrencies, ICOs, and blockchain startups are popping up everywhere, except on social media. In fact, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have all announced blanket bans on crypto advertising. Companies like Google and Amazon are banning it as well while heavily investing in their own blockchain development. In total, the bans cover 66% of all online marketing channels. If you want to get the word out about your new ICO or blockchain startup, is all hope lost? Not so fast. What prompted this sudden shift? Many think it was a result of Facebook’s recent wave of bad news, with criticisms about fake news and failing to protect users from false information. When Facebook made their announcement to ban all cryptocurrency ads, they claimed the ads were often “misleading” or “deceptive”. Soon after Facebook’s announcement, Google and others began making similar announcements. An alternative theory is that uncertainty about government regulation regarding ICOs has made advertising partners skittish around cryptocurrency. Companies like Snap, Inc, which owns Snapchat, have banned ICOs for this reason, but still allow advertising from exchanges, wallets, and blockchain startups.

Growing Followers First

With so much of the market pushing them out, cryptocurrencies must find a new way to advertise and get their startup seen. Content marketing, a valuable marketing channel for all businesses, is becoming even more essential to crypto businesses who can’t advertise on social media but can publish their own content. Cryptocurrencies are changing the way they advertise by building a following online before their products are even up for sale. The number one rule of content marketing is to increase your product’s visibility. Cryptocurrencies can do just that by creating videos, photos, infographics, podcasts, and blog posts that capture people’s attention. At the same time, crypto companies reach out to their core demographic by posting to crypto-centered forums on Reddit and Slack or writing articles for crypto-centered websites.

See Also: Digital Marketing for Business: Is It A Must?

Borrowing Influence

If advertisers really want to get their project noticed and can’t pay for direct advertising, influencer marketing is still an option. By paying individuals with a strong following to talk about their project on social media, influencer marketing campaigns can get around advertising bans and reach a targeted audience that’s more likely to be interested in what they have to offer. Influencers are only as good as their followers, so always choose people with a big following and a good reputation in finance or technology. Hiring a fashionista to post about your cryptocurrency isn’t likely to sway many followers. And always remember that even though they aren’t official advertisements, the FTC requires influencers to note sponsored posts.

Traditional Advertising

While social media and other web services are banning cryptocurrencies, traditional media is still a viable option. Buying ads in the local newspaper may not be the most effective advertising scheme. However, for crypto companies, ad buys in technology-centered magazines may prove effective. If all else fails, hire an expert for advice on advertising.

What Can We Learn From Crypto Advertising?

Companies in cryptocurrency and blockchain need to come up with new ways to approach marketing. Here’s what we can learn from them:

• Don’t wait until your product launches to start advertising.
• Build an online following from the start.
• Grow your relationship with your followers by sharing blog posts, updates, and ideas.
• Use content marketing instead of paying to advertise.
• Create attention-grabbing content with images, videos, and more.
• Borrow credibility by getting influencers to talk about your project.
• Don’t overlook traditional advertising in print media, radio or television.

Marketing your business without social media ad buys may seem like a daunting task, but many cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups are showing us it is possible. Check out this infographic about advertising cryptocurrency post-ban to learn more:

Infographic courtesy of CoinCentral.com

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How to Start Developing A Fitness Brand

The fitness industry is evolving. In the old days, people would get a gym membership, go a couple of times per week, and that was that. Now, being fit is no longer just about the state of your body. It’s a lifestyle.

Wearable technology companies such as Fitbit are capitalizing upon this heavily. In fact, over $10 billion is spent every year in the United States on fitness equipment alone.

This means there’s a market for people who believe they have something unique to offer the fitness community. Here’s how you can start developing a fitness brand.

Determine Your Niche

The first step in starting your fitness brand is to determine your niche. This basically means you have to decide on a specific product line or target audience. But wait, wouldn’t you want to appeal to as many consumers as possible?

While this idea might make sense in theory, it doesn’t always work. If your fitness brand is super broad, you’re going to be in competition with the likes of Amazon, Dick’s, and other major online retailers. Unless you have something to differentiate to offer, you will likely get buried in this competition.

For most people, it makes more sense to narrow your niche. Start with fitness as a whole and think about your specialties.

Maybe you’re an expert in calisthenics and want to supply premium body weight training tools. If yoga is your thing, you could develop a line of custom yoga mats. Think about a specific set of products that would satisfy a subset of the fitness world upon which you can concentrate your efforts.

Build a Professional Website

Many people are trying to enter the fitness industry right now. If you follow them closely, you’ve probably noticed that their websites are often visually appealing but also usable. Your website needs to match or exceed them.

There are a few factors that go into determining the best e-commerce website builder. Of course, design and user experience should be your top concerns. An e-commerce platform should also offer its users a variety of design templates. These should be easily navigable and provide high levels of customization.

Your e-commerce platform should also provide data analytics tools. These are going to be essential in increasing your sales over time. Referencing your real-time data will enable you to fine-tune your marketing and product strategies.

Figure Out a Social Media Strategy

Social media marketing is essential. You’ll need to generate online awareness to get noticed. Instagram, with its visual interface, is great for online stores. What’s more, consumers are almost always more trusting of individuals than brands.

You can use this to your advantage by working with social media influencers to boost your brand. Find fitness gurus within your specific niche and let them tell everyone how great you are.

See Also: Finding Out the Best Time for Posting on Social Media Sites

Build Your Inventory

Your inventory should be somewhat flexible. Stock more items that sell well and keep only a few of those that don’t move. It’s also important to consider ROI on all of your inventoried goods.

Products that take longer to sell can still be worthwhile if they provide a strong profit margin. Depending upon the nature of your product line, you can also consider using drop shipping as part of your inventory.

This is where you act as a middleman between the consumer and supplier. You don’t have to hold any inventory or make any wholesale purchases. You simply list the gear on your brand’s site. Shipping is all handled by the supplier or manufacturer. This can be a useful option for people who are just starting out and need to conserve capital.

Learning how to start your fitness brand is much easier with the steps above. These concepts will be of great assistance as you are putting together your business.

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Find Your Call: The Best Tips on How to Select the Right Career

“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.”
– Katharine Whitehorn (British journalist)

A quirky take on careers, the famed journalist was not too far from the truth when she remarked about the importance of loving what you do for a living. However, knowing what you love to have as a full-time career is not as simple as, say, receiving a ping on your phone. It is a bit more complicated than that. However, it does not require having bomb-diffusing skills, either.

So, how to select the right career?

To start, you need a plan. Yeah, that’s right.

There is (almost) nothing that cannot be achieved with a help of a well worked-out plan and choosing a career is no exception, either. Here is why proceeding with a plan works out superbly for most people:

• Having a plan lets you think with more clarity and once you start doing that, things will start falling into place.
• A global survey notes that around 88% of employees place job satisfaction or being happy with what they do for a living as one of the biggest factors for having a successful life.
• With the growing demands for skillful professionals in every industry nowadays, having a plan helps you take the right course of action towards the career of your dreams.
• Making an informed choice comes hand in hand with having a good plan for analyzing and applying the factors at play while choosing a career.

For instance, if decorating cakes is what you enjoy, it will be quite a messy affair if you have to work a 9 to 5 desk job at some financial consultancy firm. You should be training to become a pastry chef, or better still, a digital entrepreneur offering online tutorials on decorating cakes!

10 steps to take for choosing the right career

Having a fulfilling career is not only about earning truckloads of money, splurging on fancy consumables or being happy with your job description. Plenty of other factors such as a rewarding work environment, the future of the industry that you choose, and your co-workers will also create the holistic outlook that you have towards your job at the end of the day.

Whether you like to develop software suited for the music industry or becoming a successful blogger is your dream, make sure that you follow these 10 steps. Divided into the four crucial stages of knowing what to do, planning your roadmap, preparing for it and doing it, these 10 steps will help you make the right choice when it comes to your career.

► Knowing

Assessing yourself

Know what you are really good at and no, winning a singing competition back in fifth grade does not make you skilled enough to be a professional singer. However, that is not to say that the only skills you have trained to acquire count.

For example, no one can train you to be jolly or resourceful with high emotional intelligence. But all of these, coupled with smart communication skills, make you a perfect person for the job of an HR personnel.

Look deep within yourself and try to find the things that you rock at and you will be surprised by what the future holds for you.

Researching like there’s no tomorrow

Gather all the information that you can get your hands on regarding the careers that you can craft using your talent, training, and skills. Innate and acquired skill sets both contribute to building an all-around developed person for the job sectors.

You can subscribe to webinars and podcasts relevant to your area of interest to stay updated on the latest happenings in the industry.

See Also: 7 Steps On How to Figure Out Your Career

► Planning

Having a go-to person

Having a mentor or guide to help you course through the troubled times of choosing the right career for yourself is imperative. Get a senior, parent, professor or someone who can provide you with sound advice. It can direct you to your future job or chosen industry. You can also consult a career counselor on this matter.

Shortlisting probable career options

Prepare a list of careers or job roles that you find fascinating. You can research on the Internet regarding the various job domains and roles that your specific set of skills fits.

Make sure you include the jobs that you aspire to have by following an order of preference. This way, you will quickly be able to make the final choice from the list when the time comes.

Setting career goals

At this stage, you must set some professional goals for yourself. Sure, you have not worked a day in your life, but you must have some ideas about what you wish to achieve in the present and future.

Jot down your long-term and short-term goals in a journal to help you assess the kind of career that you need. For example, acquiring a top managerial position in five years could be your long-term goal. Mastering the art of writing perfect business emails within six months of joining a job might be a short-term one.

Looking up courses and tutorials

Search for relevant courses, webinars, online tutorials and podcasts that can boost your skills. Devote some time searching online and offline for relevant classes or training.

See Also: A Guide to Developing Your Career Prospect

► Preparing

Honing your set of skills

After you are done researching and planning, it is time to prepare yourself for the challenges that lie ahead. You will need to pick up more than one specific skill to make yourself one of the most sought-after candidates.

Upskill like a pro using web resources as well as offline ones. If you are into graphic designing, for example, you can try upgrading to a more updated tool for designing.

Acquiring universal skills

Apart from the technical skills in your specific area of interest, make sure that you have stocked up on the universal skills, too. Fit for any job industry, these skills include effective communication skills, emotional intelligence, computer knowledge, acquaintance with digital marketing and the likes.

These skills are much needed for any job domain. They will help you become a part of any organization way faster.

► Doing

Interning all the way

The best way to acquire insightful knowledge about a specific industry is to be a part of it. Your best bet would be to do that as an intern.

It’ll help you learn a lot about tackling the challenges and in making yourself a valued candidate for job interviews later in life.

Learning from varied experiences

Since you will be spending around one-third of your life at work, you need to find a job you’ll be happy to stay with.

Unfortunately, you will need to be brave enough to take the plunge and that involves trying your hand at various jobs before you can finally find the one that speaks to your soul.

With that, the last step in finding the right career is to keep looking and never losing patience.

In Conclusion

It’s okay to not know at first, we got your back.

Of course, you won’t have the answers to everything. However, that does not mean that all is lost. If you are confused or clueless about what you want to do for a living, simply follow the plan that we suggested.

Slowly but surely, you will find that light at the end of the tunnel. Once you decide to go towards it, there is very little in this world that can stop you. Armed with the right knowledge, skills, and resourcefulness, you will be sure to conquer any challenge. Consider all alternatives and make an informed decision. Good luck!

The post Find Your Call: The Best Tips on How to Select the Right Career appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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