Tag: business News

How to Ensure Love Doesn’t End Your Business

Surely you have ever heard that mixing love and business is not a very good option, which is not necessarily true, since the success of a business will always depend on how its owners manage it and not on their kinship.

The simple fact of starting a business is a great challenge that generates fear, and if your idea is to start with your partner, this can become an even greater challenge, which few dare to try. According to figures from the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Annual Report, approximately 34% of entrepreneurs are afraid of failure.
So that this does not happen to you, it is necessary that you take into account the following tips, which will be very useful when starting a business together with your partner:

1. Define objectives: before starting your business, it is important that you define the objectives you want to achieve in the short, medium and long term, as this will help you to have a guide for decision making.

2. Make a budget: it is essential that from the beginning they consider what expenses they will have month after month and that they keep an updated record of their income and expenses. To do this, I recommend you download the Monthly Budget format for free, with which you can significantly improve your business finances.

3. Establish their functions: discuss and agree on what functions they will have, the position they will carry out and the specific and general objectives. This will help them to have a better organization and avoid conflicts.

4. Separate personal finances: when they have defined what functions they will perform, it is necessary that each one has a salary assigned, since one of the worst financial mistakes they can make is to take the money that is destined for the business to pay your personal expenses.

5. Emergency fund: they must take into account that if they decide to work in the same business, all income will depend on a single source of work, so if the business stops operating, the income of both can be seriously threatened. For this reason, they must have a cash emergency fund that allows them to cover at least three months of their monthly expenses and which they only use for a true emergency.

Remember that love should not be an impediment for a business to grow and be maintained, undertaking as a couple can also bring you great benefits that improve your relationship. The only thing that must be maintained is communication and organization.

By: Alejandro Saracho

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TEDx Talks

Community growth expert and business mentor Best-selling author and business strategist Jadah Sellner believes that all business is personal, and that love has a very important role in the workplace. Why You Should Listen: At no other time in our history have humans been so connected — and so lonely. And companies that can tap into our innate need to be part of a tribe will stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

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The bad taste question about Covid that everyone in Westminster is asking | Boris Johnson | The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com – Today[…] lost a loved one will not like to hear that politicians and their backers are conjecturing that the vaccination programme will be a shot in the arm for the prime minister’s popularity […] The vaccination programme offers succour to the public that a conclusion to the crisis is in sight […] Boris Johnson never passes an opportunity to boast that the UK has “the fastest vaccination programme in Europe” […]0

Our Training Department Ltd on LinkedIn: OTD: what we’re looking forward to in 2021. http://www.linkedin.com – Today[…] Mass vaccination programmes are being rolled out […]0

No meta-analysis in SMA treatment: Turkish doctor http://www.aa.com.tr – Today[…] He went on to say that all vaccination programs must not be neglected “To me, from a pediatrician’s point of view, SMA babies are no […]0

Upstract default.upstract.uc.r.appspot.com – Today[…] COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria, COVID-19 vaccine Algeria begins their vaccination program using Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine […]N/A

Discharge Planner Full Time, Variable (Culver City) job i… jobs.frontend.la – Today[…] ] DODGER STADIUM MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION SITE TEMPORARILY SHUTS DOWN AFTER PROTESTERS BLOCK ENTRANCE One of the largest vaccination sites in the country temporarily shut down Saturday because dozens of protesters blocked th […] The Los Angeles Fire Department shut the entrance to the vaccination center at Dodger Stadium about 2 p […]0

Pakistan set to get AstraZeneca, Sinopharm shots – myRepublica – The New York Times Partner, Latest news of Nepal in English, Latest News Articles myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com – Today[…] Faisal Sultan, the prime minister’s special aide on health, said the vaccination will start next week […]0

Viral Genetics – Medical Microbiology http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Today[…] During viral vaccination, the replicating virus will express the specific immunogen […] It is expected that after vaccination with the recombinant vaccinia virus, the bacterial or viral antigen (immunogen) will be produced […]6

LAC | DPH | COVID-19 Vaccination for Healthcare Workers publichealth.lacounty.gov – TodayHow you get your second dose depends on where you got your first dose: Pharmacies Note: You can schedule an appointment yourself through the appointment webpage*, but please be aware: Appointments can be difficult to find due to limited vaccine supply. The same type of vaccine should be used for both doses. Only make an appointment at a location that is offering the same vaccine as your 1st dose. If you do not remember which vaccine you got, look at your white vaccine record card, electronic vaccine record or referral letter. Then look at the table on the appointment page to see which locations offer which vaccine. *If you have a disability or have difficulty using a computer, you can use the Call Center. Call 1-833-540-0473 between the hours of 8am and 8:30pm. We are expanding capacity at the call center but please note that there are long wait times.  Please note that all available appointments are listed on appointment webpage. The Call Center does not have access to any additional appointments.25

Dietary Aide PRN job in Boca Raton, FL | Artis Senior Liv… jobs.frontend.la – Today[…] ] DODGER STADIUM MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION SITE TEMPORARILY SHUTS DOWN AFTER PROTESTERS BLOCK ENTRANCE One of the largest vaccination sites in the country temporarily shut down Saturday because dozens of protesters blocked th […] The Los Angeles Fire Department shut the entrance to the vaccination center at Dodger Stadium about 2 p […]0

HOT JOBS & COOL JOBS: CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE WANTED/SALES/WORK FROM HOME YONKERS NY USA http://www.e-physician.info – Today[…] INTERVIEWS for Customer Service/Call Center RepsWORK FROM HOME Customer Service reps needed for NY Vaccination Project […]N/A

Oregon Coronavirus Update content.govdelivery.com – Today[…] OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information […] OHA’s dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated today […]4

Coronavirus live updates: Anti-vaccination protest shuts down mass vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium http://www.sfchronicle.com – Today[…] Mass vaccination site at Dodger Stadium shut due to anti-vaccination protest: A combination of anti-vaccine demonstrators and far-right groups gathered at the entranc […] Alameda County plans mass vaccination sites at Coliseum and Fairgrounds: County officials said they plan to launch high volume vaccination sites at Oakland Colisuem and the Alameda County Fairgrounds by mid-February with hopes o […]N/A

Coronavirus live updates for Yorkshire with new lockdown rules set for March and social distancing could last all year http://www.examinerlive.co.uk – Today[…] “This is actually dubbed heterologous vaccination, a long word, but it basically means vaccinating you with two different products […] “demonstrated complete protection against Covid-19 related hospitalisation and death, 28 days post-vaccination” […]3

Health Insurance News: How much critical health insurance cover do you need? | Health Daily Report | RobinsPost News Network http://www.robinspost.com – Today[…] you still catch COVID-19 and can you infect others? How long do you need to take precautions after vaccination? WHO’s Dr Kate O’Brien answers in Science in 5 […] top scientists said the move would not stop transmission of the virus and that required effective vaccination programmes in all countries […]0

The golden era of aviation is heading for terminal decline http://www.telegraph.co.uk – Today[…] “[The Government must] do the vaccination programme right […]1

Pétition · Keep Haslett Public Schools instruction online for the remainder of the year · http://www.change.org – Today[…] will go home to partners, parents, grandparents, or siblings who may not yet be eligible for vaccination, who are high risk or immunocompromised, or even both […]10

Digital Print Specialist / Center Associate job in Oakwood,… jobs.frontend.la – Today[…] ] DODGER STADIUM MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION SITE TEMPORARILY SHUTS DOWN AFTER PROTESTERS BLOCK ENTRANCE One of the largest vaccination sites in the country temporarily shut down Saturday because dozens of protesters blocked th […] The Los Angeles Fire Department shut the entrance to the vaccination center at Dodger Stadium about 2 p […]0

Libsyn Directory directory.libsyn.com – Today[…] another episode! On this episode :  Let Me Break the news [Comment on news feed] Brexit, Covid19 vaccination and death tolls : Is Boris J […]0

How many coronavirus cases have there been in your area? Use our tool to find out http://www.telegraph.co.uk – Today[…] western country to begin administering the coronavirus vaccine, and Government hopes that mass vaccination could help slow the infection rate, particularly among the vulnerable older generation […] Mr Johnson has pledged that the NHS is committed to offering a vaccination to everyone in the top four priority groups by Feb 15. In total, 250 active hospital sites, 50 vaccination centres, and around 1,200 local vaccination sites – including primary care networks, community pharmacy sites and mobile teams – will be set up […]N/A

Dubai paying the price for tourist lure http://www.nwaonline.com – Today[…] ” Meantime, the UAE has embarked on an aggressive vaccination campaign, setting itself a target of having 50% of its population vaccinated by the end of March […] It’s easy to reach a vaccination rate to 60% or 70% […] “If people need vaccination, they should have that vaccination, irrespective of their status,” said Scally […]0

COVID-19: B.C. not following Manitoba plan to quarantine all domestic arrivals | Vancouver Sun vancouversun.com – Today[…] Despite COVID-19 vaccination setbacks, B […] Article content continued At the start of the vaccination program Henry said 150,000 doses would be administered by the end of this month, starting wit […]17

Surgical Technologist job in Livermore, CA | Stanford Healt… jobs.frontend.la – Today[…] ] DODGER STADIUM MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION SITE TEMPORARILY SHUTS DOWN AFTER PROTESTERS BLOCK ENTRANCE One of the largest vaccination sites in the country temporarily shut down Saturday because dozens of protesters blocked th […] The Los Angeles Fire Department shut the entrance to the vaccination center at Dodger Stadium about 2 p […]0

Anomalous influenza seasonality in the United States and the emergence of novel influenza B viruses | PNAS http://www.pnas.org – Today[…] Anticipating the timing of influenza A and influenza B epidemics could improve vaccination schedules, so that individuals have protection throughout the influenza season […] Our findings have clear implications for optimal vaccination strategies […] Fry, Waning of influenza vaccine protection: Exploring the trade-offs of changes in vaccination timing among older adults […]N/A

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Coronavirus live news: Germany eyes legal action over vaccine delays; WHO team visits Wuhan wet market | World news | The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com – Today[…] The World Health Organization called on the UK to halt their vaccination rollouts after vulnerable people and healthcare workers have been inoculated […] the world are vying to post the best “vaxxies” – selfies of the moment they receive their Covid-19 vaccination […] the offer of the country’s group of Catholic bishops to help in the government’s coronavirus vaccination drive, which is struggling to persuade many Filipinos to get the shots, Reuters reports […]1

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‘Devastating impact’ of COVID-19 leads to 79% drop in passengers at Shannon Airport – http://www.clareecho.ie – Today[…] Also vital is the accelerated and successful rollout of the national vaccination programme” […]1

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3 Ways To Dominate Your Market

My area of expertise is in leadership development using the philosophy of Lean Six Sigma, in other words “process improvement strategies”. 

Now join me on the journey I call A Tale of Two Companies: One business allowed its workers to be engaged by making improvements that allowed the customer to be first in mind. The second created an environment of “it’s not my job” eliminating employees from using client-first thinking. Now you might ask, “How can the customer not be first?”

Many believe Lean Six Sigma is solely for engineering and manufacturing companies. That’s the first misconception. This managerial approach is built on the premise of eliminating wasteful elements and focusing solely on the customer. Having taken that quick glimpse of Lean, as an entrepreneur, you can now see that this philosophy applies to all businesses. Every business operates in what Lean practitioners call SIPOC, (Suppliers, Input, Processes, Output and Customers). Understanding that small segment of lean thinking will open the door for you to look at the three ways to dominate your market. 

Related: Define Your Brand Identity in 3 Steps

How can I hinder?

Meet Office XYZ, a Dental Facility that has a small staff of 5-7 individuals each having their unique jobs when dealing with patients. I called this facility to make an appointment for my mother and was told they needed to verify her insurance and would call back once they received the approvals. Two weeks went by before I realized I had not heard from anyone regarding the insurance verification.

I called the office and asked to speak with the individual that was to call back, whom we’ll call Kelly. I was informed that Kelly was out of the office and had been ill for the past two weeks. My next question was: “is she the only person that verifies insurance?” The response was affirmative and I then asked to speak with a manager. I was told Kelly was the manager. Let’s stop here because now we enter that well-known rabbit hole of “it’s not my job.”

Related: Trends That Can Move Your Business Forward in 2021

How can I help?

Meet Office ABC, A Pizza Company with a similar-sized staff. One night I called for a pizza. Upon placing the order I was told my meal would be about 30 minutes. Half an hour on a Friday evening? This company operated far differently than the first. When I placed my order something incredible happened, I received a text with the following message:  “We’re making your order. It’s all coming together now. The kitchen staff is busy with your order making sure everything is just right.”

A few minutes later I received this missive: “It’s on the way. The driver has left the store and will be at your location shortly”, followed with, “Delivered! Time to eat. It’s been our pleasure serving you”.And it was within the time promised by the associate. 

The “go and see” mentality

These two very different experiences gave me moment to pause. Did Company XYZ know about the importance of “lean thinking” and did Company ABC know they were using the lean six sigma philosophy in their operations? Did the leader of Company XYZ actually walk the process to see if there were any wasteful elements that allowed their service to lack the three main components of customer first thinking: quality, speed and delivery? And what about Company ABC, did that leader utilize the concept of Gemba, meaning “go and see” to improve their value stream and get to the point where they asked what their customers appreciate?

When exploring Lean Six Sigma’s methodology the first step is to find the root cause for the identified waste. Then you move into seeking what the customer defines as quality, you determine the speed of getting your customer the item or rendering the service and you seek an appropriate method of delivery.

Focusing on the three lean strategies

One can’t assume to know what the clientele defines as quality unless they have actually been asked. In Company XYZ it is evident that no one took the initiative to seek input through surveys, focus groups or used any feedback techniques. There is a concept in the Lean lexicon called (VOC) Voice of the Customer. It simply means find out what your customers want and are willing to pay for. This is where you will find that notion of quality.

In the tale of Company ABC, you can attest to the fact that quality for their customers, myself included, is hot pizza, and being notified as to what’s going on with their order. How did they come to know and implement this into their operations? After receiving such great service I had to call and speak with one of their leaders. I was informed this is how they compete as a reckoning force within the market. 

The need for speed

Being the fastest in your field has a huge impact on your market.  As you can tell from the visit with Company XYZ speed played no major role in what they deemed as important to customers. Two weeks to verify insurance is beyond an acceptable practice. And, by the way, I failed to mention that I did speak with another person, upon request, who did call back within 24 hours to inform me that they did not accept the insurance.  Yet I waited 2 weeks for something that could have saved me both frustration and aggravation. Speed and convenience are major players in our buying experience.

Company ABC, epitomizes the importance of speed. On each text message I received that time stamp of delivery was also listed. Today there are ample services to ensure your customers get items and services in a speedy manner. This company has a system in place that allows employees to know time schedules for various sizes, as well as any increase in time based on selected toppings. Have you looked at your level of quickness, while keeping the high standard of quality appreciated by your customers?

Why is the method of delivery so important to your customers? Is it easy to obtain your product or service? Delivery in its simplest form equates to how a customer receives your product or service. Simple right? Company XYZ’s delivery was neither exceptional nor satisfactory. The level of professionalism of their staff created an angst for the customer and therefore any method of delivery they deemed appropriate was subpar. There was no option as to whether they could email, text me or call me. Based on their performance I don’t think any of those options would have changed the outcome.

Related: Entrepreneurial Takeaways From 2020 to Guide Your Next Big Move

Company ABC created a delivery method that allowed me to select how I wanted to receive the product. They of course deliver in their vehicles, but I had an option to have it delivered to my door and left in an appropriate place, to have them ring the doorbell and I receive it face-to-face or contactless, it’s in the trunk and I come out and retrieve it. This allows the customer to select an option.

We have just visited two companies:  One eliminated waste and the other added to it. Which business are you? 

By: Sheryl Mays Entrepreneur Leadership Network Writer

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Forbes Cryptocurrency Awards 2020: The $3 Trillion Bitcoin Marketing Campaign

For the first time ever, we are publishing the Forbes Crypto Awards. Not everyone will be happy they’re on the list. Fed chairman Jerome Powell takes the honors as our person of the year: In a pandemic year when the Fed printed so much stimulus money that the central bank saw its balance sheet nearly double in size, our Forbes Awards judge Anthony Pompliano of Morgan Creek Digital credits Powell with running a “$3 trillion marketing campaign for bitcoin.”

Here are our picks for the best products, the most intriguing people and the most interesting trends in crypto this year.

Our inaugural Forbes Crypto Awards were selected in consultation with Anthony Pompliano, who helps manage two crypto funds at New York City-based Morgan Creek, which has $1.5 billion in assets under management, as well as his own recently launched endeavor, Pomp Investments.

The Forbes Person Of The Year In Crypto: Jerome Powell

In an attempt to prevent the U.S. economy from collapsing under pandemic pressure, Powell had the U.S. Federal Reserve buy up a record amount of treasuries, effectively printing more than $3 trillion in new money and nearly doubling the central bank’s balance sheet. Venture firm Pantera Capital called the infusion “two centuries of debt in one month,” creating an environment in which previously skeptical investors including Wall Street whales like Paul Tudor Jones and Stanley Druckenmiller started taking cryptocurrency seriously. “I think Jerome Powell did the things that he and his colleagues believed were the best things to do in the short term to mitigate pain from the pandemic and economic crisis,” says Pompliano. “But in the pursuit of mitigating short-term pain, they were highlighting for everyone, from retail investors to the largest institutions in the world, what was going to happen over the next decade or two.”

Best Product: Square’s Cash App

In August 2018, Jack Dorsey’s payments giant Square, now valued at $96 billion, was among the first mainstream enterprises to allow bitcoin purchases in all 50 states. Bitcoin has proved a real boon to the company, which generated $1.6 billion in revenue from the asset in the third quarter, an 11-fold increase year over year. “I tend to think that new users give a good signal for something that is usable,” says Pompliano. “Not just by the crypto enthusiasts but by the everyday person, the mainstream.”

Most Intriguing Newcomer: Michael Saylor

Among a slew of names that bought bitcoin for the first time this year, perhaps none were more surprising, or made a bigger impact, than the CEO of struggling MicroStrategy, a Tysons Corner, Virginia-based business software firm. Over the course of five months starting in August, Saylor revealed that his smallish outfit, which competes against giants like Oracle and SAP in data analytics, had bought $475 million worth of bitcoin. That made bitcoin the publicly traded company’s biggest treasury asset. While Citi recently downgraded MicroStrategy as a result of the extremely aggressive play, Pompliano thinks it’s exactly that audacity that makes Saylor so intriguing. “He came out of nowhere,” says Pompliano. “And he has not only lit the bitcoin and crypto world on fire, but he has very quickly ascended to be one of the top bulls in the way he talks about what he’s doing. There’s no hedging in the way he talks about it; there’s no surrender.”

Disruptive Innovator: Caitlin Long

This former head of Morgan Stanley’s pension advisory group was once a rising star in traditional finance. Then, after helping write cryptocurrency-friendly laws in her home state of Wyoming, she was unanimously approved for one of the state’s new bitcoin banking charters in October. “She is disrupting the traditional regulatory framework,” says Pompliano. “And obviously, she was very instrumental there. But then to go build a company, to leverage those rules? I look at that as disruptive in a unique way.”

Outstanding Firm: Ark Invest

After experimenting with many different crypto strategies over the years, Ark’s CEO and chief investment officer Catherine Wood has shuffled most of her ETF firm’s direct bitcoin exposure into a single fund dedicated to “innovative” assets. But a number of other Ark ETFs have indirect exposure in the form of stakes in Silvergate Bank, which banks cryptocurrency businesses; Square and PayPal, which let their customers use bitcoin; and Nvidia, the Santa Clara, California-based computer chip manufacturer whose hardware has long been favored by many bitcoin miners. It’s working: Wood’s flagship fund is up 150% this year, and Ark’s assets under management have skyrocketed to $15 billion. “Cathie is one of those people who she’s not known just for bitcoin, so we kind of dilute her impact,” says Pompliano. “But she believed early; she was the first institution to really kind of go after the GBTC trade. She’s been right. She’s been right about a lot of stuff.”

Catherine Wood
Catherine Wood Eli Warren for Forbes

Annus Horribilis: Libra

Libra exploded onto the cryptocurrency scene in June 2019 when Facebook announced the project would use the blockchain to create a single asset backed by a number of global currencies, including the dollar, the euro and the yen. The original idea was that the Libra would be managed by payments giants like Visa, PayPal, Mastercard and Stripe. But U.S. lawmakers pretty much immediately freaked out, calling Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Capitol Hill to explain his work. Most of Facebook’s best-known payment partners quickly backed out.

Invest $500 and get $2500 in a week completely legit

After many compromises to the original vision, a watered-down—although possibly still successful—version of the currency, now called Diem and backed one-to-one by the U.S. dollar, is scheduled to launch next year. “They, me and everyone else underestimated how swiftly and how powerful regulators and governments can be when they decide to attack,” says Pompliano, who worked at Facebook 15 years ago. “In terms of the absolute height of promise, possibility, etc. to the current state, that delta, I don’t think that we’ve seen anything fall as hard as Libra.”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images

Forbes Forecast: Bitcoin corporate treasuries

MicroStrategy purchased $475 million worth of bitcoin this year and now has plans to raise another $650 million to purchase more; Square invested about $50 million into the cryptocurrency; and New York City-based asset manager Stone Ridge revealed it owned $115 million worth of the asset. Now that financial giants like Northern Trust, managing $1 trillion worth of assets, have revealed plans to help institutional investors safely custody crypto, it’s a trend that is likely only going to continue. “I think that we will see very, very, very large companies—Fortune 100-, Fortune 500-type companies—putting bitcoin on their balance sheet in 2021,” says Pompliano.

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Michael del Castillo

Michael del Castillo

I report on how blockchain and cryptocurrencies are being adopted by enterprises and the broader business community. My coverage includes the use of cryptocurrencies and extends to non-cryptocurrency applications of blockchain in finance, supply chain management, digital identity and a number of other use cases. Previously, I was a staff reporter at blockchain news site, CoinDesk, where I covered the increasing willingness of enterprises to explore how blockchain could make their work more efficient and in some cases, unnecessary. I have been covering blockchain since 2011, been published in the New Yorker, and been nationally syndicated by American City Business Journals. My work has been published in Blockchain in Financial Markets and Beyond by Risk Books and I am regularly cited in industry research reports. Since 2009 I’ve run Literary Manhattan, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to showing Manhattan’s rich literary heritage.

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Altcoin Buzz

Ethereum ETH Price Performance (+7%) | TrustSwap VISA Integration with Connect Financial | Crypto.com Weekly DeFi Update | Litecoin LTC SegWit Adoption and Lightning Network Updates | Binance, SushiSwap and Cover Protocol (-97%) Hack Updates | GreenPro +101% After $100 million Bitcoin Investment Fund | MicroStrategy Stock NASDAQ: MSTR Is Up +12% | Marathon Patent Group to purchase 70,000 Antminer S-19 ASIC miners for $170 million from Bitmain | Forbes 2020 Crypto Awards | Polkastarter tweeted about the listing date of $XED on Polkastarter | REN Protocol $sUSD and $sBTC Updates #bitcoin, #ethereum, #crypto, #greenpro, #microstrategy, #litecoin, #REN, #BTC, #ETH, #LTC, #NASDAQ 🔷 ALTCOIN TRADING SIGNALS – https://t.me/AltcoinBuzzChat 🔥 TOP CRYPTO NEWS – https://www.altcoinbuzz.io 🚀 FREE NEWSLETTER – http://eepurl.com/dnIEz1 🔶 TWITTER – https://twitter.com/altcoinbuzzio 💡 FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/altcoinbuzzio Cryptocurrency And Bitcoin Visa Card – GET $25 FREE ON ► CRYPTO.COM https://platinum.crypto.com/r/ab *Code is AB Trade On Binance! ► https://www.binance.com/en/register?r… *Code is UAMKZ47P Trade On AAX ► AAX EXCHANGE https://www.aax.com/invite?inviteCode… CRYPTOCURRENCY MARKET PRICES AND DATA ► COINGECKO https://gcko.io/altcoin-buzz 🔺 NOTE If you use the above referral links, we receive a commission at no additional cost to you. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 2:10 Ethereum ETH Price Performance (+7%) 3:35 TrustSwap VISA Integration with Connect Financial 4:45 Crypto.com Weekly DeFi Update 5:36 Litecoin LTC SegWit Adoption and Lightning Network Updates 6:32 Binance, SushiSwap and Cover Protocol (-97%) Hack Updates 9:33 GreenPro +101% After $100 million Bitcoin Investment Fund 13:46 MicroStrategy Stock NASDAQ: MSTR Is Up +12% 16:54 Marathon Patent Group to purchase 70,000 Antminer S-19 ASIC miners for $170 million from Bitmain 17:32 Forbes 2020 Crypto Awards 20:43 Polkastarter tweeted about the listing date of $XED on Polkastarter 21:10 REN Protocol $sUSD and $sBTC Updates References: ETH video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZzNm… TESLA video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKjE1… Jeff Kirdeikis interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DqXd…https://twitter.com/TrustSwap/status/…https://trustswap.medium.com/trustswa…https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/cryptocurr…https://twitter.com/cryptocom/status/…https://twitter.com/litecoin/status/1…https://twitter.com/cz_binance/status…https://twitter.com/binance/status/13…https://twitter.com/binance/status/13…https://twitter.com/JulSwap/status/13…https://twitter.com/AlexSaundersAU/st…https://cointelegraph.com/news/cover-…https://twitter.com/binance/status/13…https://twitter.com/blockfolio/status…https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/…https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/grnqhttps://seekingalpha.com/news/3647521…https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/…https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/MSTR?…https://twitter.com/mokamoto/status/1…https://www.globenewswire.com/news-re…https://twitter.com/ForbesCrypto/stat…https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeld…https://twitter.com/Exeedme/status/13…https://twitter.com/renprotocol/statu…

These Decision Making Tactics Can Help You Formalize Your Process and Make Better Choices

Entrepreneurship is, in large part, reliant on decision making for success. After creating your business plan, you’ll have a blueprint for what you want your business to be and how you’re going to develop it; but moving forward, you’ll be faced with countless tough decisions. On a small level, how do you want to prioritize your day? How are you going to negotiate this deal? On a larger level, who are you going to hire for this position? How will you challenge this new competitor? How are you going to pivot the business to escape bankruptcy?

It’s no surprise that some of the best entrepreneurs also happen to be the best decision makers. They’re able to take any decision, big or small, and address it in a way that’s both objective and appropriate. That doesn’t mean they make the right call every time; we all make mistakes, and successful entrepreneurs are no different. But over time, their decisions tend to lead them in better directions.

Related: How to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills and Make Better Business Decisions

So what actionable steps can you take to make smarter decisions in your business?

What is a smart decision?

First, we have to define what a “smart” decision is. Smarter decisions tend to have a few things in common:

  • Objectivity. Good decisions are objective, based on facts and logic.
  • Stoicism. Decisions shouldn’t be influenced by raw emotions (in most cases).
  • Full information. The more information you have, the better.
  • Alignment with goals and values. Good decisions should be aligned fully with your company’s goals and values.

How can you achieve these qualities in your decision making?

Reduce decision fatigue

Decision fatigue is a simple psychological concept that many of us underestimate, but the more decisions we make in a given period, the weaker our decision-making abilities become. Over time, we become bogged down with stress and distractions, and ultimately make worse decisions for ourselves and our businesses. This even occurs with tiny, seemingly inconsequential decisions.

Many famous entrepreneurs and leaders, including Barack Obama, Richard Branson and Mark Zuckerberg, have strategies in place to reduce decision fatigue by stripping away unimportant decisions. For example, you might wear the same thing every day or have the same thing for breakfast. It may not seem like much, but over time, making fewer decisions each day can make you a better decision maker.

Get all the facts

As a leader, it’s important to be decisive, but it’s also important to have all the facts before you move forward with any decision. Are you sure that all the information you have is accurate? Are there any details you might be missing? What are the alternatives?

Related: Best Ways to Use Data in Making Decisions

Get to a neutral emotion

When it’s time to make a final decision, you have to remove emotion from the equation as much as possible. If you’re making an impulsive call about an emergency situation, this can be extremely difficult. However, there are a number of techniques that can help you, such as:

  • Walking away. Sometimes, moving to a different physical location is all it takes to shift your mindset. If you’ve ever experienced road rage, you know that as soon as you’re parked, away from the road and out of your car, the situation doesn’t seem so bad. Try walking away and thinking through your decision in another, less intense location.
  • Meditating. Many people swear by the power of meditation. Simply taking a few minutes to reflect on your own state of mind can be enough to dissolve the emotions that might otherwise influence your decision.
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  • Considering the decision from an outside perspective. You can also get a better sense for the objective reality of the situation by considering it from an outsider’s perspective. A common trick is to make your decision as if you’re advising a friend: If one of your closest friends were in this position, what would you tell them to do? You’ll suddenly consider more variables, and you’ll feel more detached from the situation (in a good way).

Talk to other experts

While the final decision is yours, it can be helpful to learn about the perspectives of other experts in this area. Do you have employees or partners who can share their ideas and gut feelings? Do you know of mentors or experienced professionals you can call for some quick advice? If you don’t have anyone to personally contact, you can substitute reading or podcast listening; what do other experts have to say about this situation?

“Good” decisions and “bad” decisions aren’t defined by the outcomes to which they lead; instead, they’re defined by the process used by the person making them. You can make better decisions by reducing decision fatigue, getting more information, clearing yourself of emotion and talking to other experts. This doesn’t guarantee all your decisions will work out, but it will increase each decision’s likelihood of success.

By: Timothy Carter Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor

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14 Tips To Meet Your Financial Goals In 2021

Who among us isn’t ready to bid good riddance to the year 2020? The pandemic has upended life across the globe and that includes creating financial chaos and stress for people of all walks of life. The good news is that 2021 is just around the corner. The bad news is that there will be pandemic fallout to deal with in the year ahead, and that could mean a continued rocky ride for your personal finances.

That doesn’t mean postponing or eliminating financial plans and goals altogether. And it doesn’t mean 2021 will be a bust. Instead, you’ll need to be more focused, savvy, and strategic about money goals in the coming year, which is why we asked financial experts across the country to weigh in and provide tips and insights about how to prosper financially in 2021 despite all the uncertainties that lie ahead.

Related: 19 Smart Ways to Get Through a Recession

Create a Rolling Budget

In times of uncertainty, it’s a good idea to create what’s known as a rolling budget, which is a budget that’s dynamic and changes throughout the year. This type of budget typically focuses on the near term, rather than the long term.

“You can’t always foresee every stumbling block in your financial future, so make sure to keep your budget bendable, not only judging the numbers you see at the moment but also make room for the surprises,” says Roy Ferman, founder and CEO of Seek Capital. “Keep a rolling budget and forecast that accounts for potential fluctuations — positive or negative.”

In other words, budget in a way that accounts for multiple real-world scenarios, says Ferman, creating a plan A, B, C, and possibly even D. “You want each plan fully mapped out as if it was plan A to keep you on top of any discrepancies. Allow yourself to come up with different variations, and allocate for those variations.”

Establish More Than One Stream of Income

Depending on how you define the data, anywhere from 20 million to 30 million people were unemployed or had their income affected by the pandemic, says Marco Sison, financial coach for Nomadic FIRE. To help protect yourself against the impacts of unemployment or reduced income, it’s a good idea to establish multiple streams of income.

“If one job or income stream is cut off, you still have other sources coming in to live off of,” says Sison. “Ideally, these income streams are passive: dividends, rental property, digital side businesses. If your hours get cut, or you lose your job, you can reduce your expenses and live off your side hustles without tapping your emergency fund.”

Budget for Saving

Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying “If you want to make saving a priority, take a look at how you budget. Do not save what is left after spending; instead spend what is left after saving.”

If you truly want to make saving a priority, particularly amid challenging economic times, you cannot plan to simply set aside what is left over, says Robert Johnson, a professor of finance, at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business. “You don’t successfully build wealth by simply taking what you have left after all your expenses,” says Johnson. “We accomplish what we prioritize. Prioritize savings and invest those savings. Saving should be a line item on your budget.”

Develop an Investment Policy Statement

Anyone who makes investments should create what’s called an investment policy statement (IPS) and follow it, says Johnson at Creighton University. “An IPS is a written document that clearly sets out an investor’s return objectives and risk tolerance over that investor’s relevant time horizon, along with applicable constraints such as liquidity needs and tax circumstances,” explains Johnson. “The whole point of an IPS is to guide you through changing market conditions. It should not be changed as a result of market fluctuations.”

Avoid Credit-Card Debt

Credit-card debt is a slippery slope in the best of times. And when the economy is uncertain, it’s best to avoid using credit cards as much as possible. “It’s never advised to spend money you don’t have via revolving lines of credit. And psychologically making purchases via most credit cards makes us a lot less frugal and undisciplined,” says Adem Selita, CEO and co-founder of The Debt Relief Company. “Considering that interest rates are near all-time lows, paying 20% or more on credit-card debt is a terrible financial decision to make.”

Clear Outstanding Debts

One more note about credit-card debt, if you’re able: Wipe out all existing debt. That will be the biggest favor you can do yourself in terms of meeting financial goals in 2021 and laying the groundwork for success (and beyond), says David Meltzer of East Insurance Group. “Chip off your debt bit by bit by paying off a small portion each month,” says Meltzer. “And do some belt-tightening on your spending for the time being. Take a look at your expenses and see which ones you can let go, and which ones you need to minimize, in order to help clear debt.”

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Streamline Your Budget

Study your cash flow, both your income and expenses and outline a realistic household budget, says Meltzer at East Insurance Group. “Your expenses should be exclusively necessities like house bills, groceries, food, mortgage, insurance, and savings,” says Meltzer. “There’s no room for gym memberships and Netflix subscriptions on a tight budget. Most importantly, keep track of your spending. At this point, each cent counts.”

Consider Living Below Your Means

While you’re busy outlining your month-to-month budget goals for 2021 and paring back your spending, you might consider establishing a plan to live well below your means.

“By spending less than you earn, you open up funds to put into a savings account for emergency situations, such as a pandemic, or the loss of a job,” says Mason Miranda, credit industry specialist for Credit Card Insider. “The more you save now, the more financially stable you’ll be later when a crisis hits. Depending on your goals and how much you can save, you could even avoid going into debt and pay for large purchases in cash.”

Prioritize Your Goals and Be Realistic

Prioritizing all of your financial goals allows you to put them into specific categories based on which goals you want to meet first, says George Birrell, CPA and founder of TaxHub. You’ll also want to set a realistic time frame for meeting those goals amid the uncertain economic landscape.

“Setting a realistic timeframe is very important,” says Birrell. “If you set a timeline for one year, but your expenses don’t allow for meeting that timeline or you don’t have the capacity to put in extra work to earn more, you’re not going to reach that goal. Look at it objectively and realistically.”

Set Milestones Toward Larger Goals

Think of a milestone as a smaller goal that helps you get to your larger goal, says entrepreneur Thierry Tremblay, CEO founder of the online database software company Kohezion.

“They are like guideposts on the trail — smaller tasks that you can do to help you stay in line with your overall goal,” says Tremblay. If you fail at various points along the way when pursuing financial goals, think of it as an opportunity to gain valuable insights about things that work and don’t work, says Tremblay. “When you move on to the next goal you’re trying to accomplish, you have an advantage because of the things you’ve learned from your failure,” adds Tremblay.

Start With What You Have

Financial advisers often recommended setting aside three to six months’ worth of income in an emergency fund, which can seem overwhelming if you’re living paycheck to paycheck as many are right now, says Emma Healey, family finance and budgeting expert and founder at Mum’s Money. Rather than giving up on establishing an emergency savings altogether in 2021, simply start smaller.

“Start with what you have. Even if you can only spare $5 a week, stashing it aside to help pad out your budget when times are tough,” says Healey. “It is a decision you’ll never regret. Add more as you can, but the most important thing is to start.”

Automate Your Savings, Debt, and Bill Payments

It’s hard to spend money if you’ve already sent it somewhere else, says Chelsie Moore, CFA and director, wealth management and financial planning for Country Financial. Create automatic debt payments, bill payments and automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account.

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“A little bit adds up over time,” says Moore. “Automatic payments may help you avoid late payment penalties, which are a waste of money, and automatic savings can add up without effort or feelings of sacrifice.”

Meeting your financial goals in the best of times can often be challenging. But when the world is topsy-turvy it can be even more perplexing trying to figure out how to accomplish your goals once you’ve defined them. A personal finance professional can help you navigate the uncertainty and plot a path to success.

“Seek the advice and guidance of a financial professional who has the expertise to assist you,” says Tracey Bissett, CFA and president of Bissett Financial Fitness. “The best way to find one is to seek recommendations from someone you trust and then interview potential advisors to find the best fit. You should feel comfortable talking to the professional and asking them questions.”

Be Kind to Yourself

It’s important to remember as you embark upon 2021, and any year for that matter, that financial fitness is a lifelong journey. “Take small, imperfect actions daily to increase your financial knowledge and movement towards your goals. If you make a misstep, be kind to yourself and get back on track,” says Bissett.

By: Mia Taylor

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