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7 Ways to Maximize Efficiency When Training New Hires - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Training new employees is just as vital as choosing the right candidate. An efficient employee training program will guarantee that a new hire will be prepared to begin their positions. A good training program is important to make the new employees feel more comfortable with your company and ensure alignment of strategies and goals as you begin your relationship. Every training program will differ depending of what type of business you operate. 

Here are a few ways you can make you training more efficient:

Have Different Training Techniques

Each of the new hires you are going to train has a different kind of learning style, and to help them improve, you should offer various training techniques. Prepare activities and materials such as team building activities, video presentations, technology-based orientations and learning management software. Having different kind of training methods can make it more fun and engaging for new employees.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

Most training techniques and methods are always planned so take advantage of possible training opportunities that come your way. Let the new hires experience hands-on experiences such as shadowing a fellow employee to see how they work, or sitting in a company meeting so that they may ask questions they may have. Lesser formal connections are proven to be less stressful and overwhelming such as a deliberately planned training session.

Ask Help From Current Employees

Giving each and every new hire the attention they need while focusing on the training is difficult. What you can do is to divide small training tasks to trusted current employees so that they can help free up time to focus on primary training content. It is crucial for the company staff to know the new hires because it fosters peer relationships among colleagues. Additionally, giving current employees more responsibilities help them feel more appreciated and trusted to perform at a high level.

Awareness of Differences in Skill Level

Each new hire will have different skill sets, dependant on their education and work experience. Today, this has become more obvious as modern technology has become a critical part of every company. Without knowing what skill they are proficient in, you might spend too much time training a new employee who already has a lot of experience in that field. That time could be better spent on training their weaknesses.

Provide Resources

Put together a list of useful resources for new hires to explore such as annual reports, the company’s webpage or some of your latest marketing materials. Previous reports from the past are also useful tools to help someone better understand the company’s history and goals.

Find Time To Be Available

Remember that if you are new at something, it is natural for anyone to get confused. Find time to make yourself available to check on your new hires. Ensure to gather feedback from your new hires on how their training is going. Encourage the new hires to ask questions on how to promote your business or on tasks they don’t fully understand yet. This will make them more comfortable and feel they are really part of the team.

Be Fun

It is crucial that your new employees have efficient training to become effective in their respective positions as fast as possible. But it is also important that they feel engaged within your company. Socializing is important in making a new employee feel they are needed in the team. Experts say that heavy training content makes it boring. You can accompany your training methods with competitions and interactive training games related to the content. Executing the training process as a game gives new hires motivation to compete which leads to increased retention and understanding of the training materials.

Starting a new position is always stressful, but as a manager you must help your new hires grow comfortable with effective training. Give time to help new hires feel welcome and appreciated. Give the right support as they learn the perks of their new position. Delivering an efficient training at the very beginning makes employees more likely to stay engaged with their work and your company. It will also help them understand their role and what is expected of them. The perfect way to welcome new employees is to provide them with a comprehensive training that is guaranteed to make a good first impression of your company.


The Importance of a Skilled Project Manager on Job Quality - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Behind every smooth and successful building project is an excellent plan that goes way beyond basic designs and simple task organisation. The more detailed and inclusive your building strategy is, the less likely you are to experience complications in the future, and there are professionals out there who specialise in not only the planning of the project, but who also oversee and fine-tune the project as its being carried out.

Project Managers Work with You Closely

Project management begins with an in-depth consultation where your project managers work with you to get the full scope of your project.

Once they understand all of the details, including budget, scale, type of work, and your design preferences, among other things, they can get started developing a plan. Budgeting is a major part of project development, and your project managers will have the knowledge and the resources to ensure that all aspects of your project are completed in the most cost-effective way possible. Rest assured that you can find a skilled project manager in Gloucestershire who is willing to put in the work to make sure your project runs smoothly and gets completed to your specifications. 

Project Managers Keep Everything Organised

From locking down contractors to making the sure that the project is being carried out legally and with compliance to regulations, your project managers ensure that every detail is considered and dealt with. 

Whether you are simply renovating a single room in your home, or you are building an entirely new structure from scratch, there can be a great number of variables at play, and if you are unfamiliar with all of the steps, it’s easy to make mistakes and create unnecessary complications. Professional project managers are extremely precise with their work, so you can count on every detail being accounted for. 

Staying by Your Side Until Completion

Project managers stick with you throughout the entirety of the project and can even arrange for testing of various equipment to ensure that everything is in order upon completion. 

They will typically stick to the original plan as closely as possible, but they are more than capable of making adjustments as it becomes necessary. Project managers oversee the construction of buildings and the installation of various systems, ensuring that everything remains up to code. 

By taking advantage of this resource, you secure the success of your project and ensure that mistakes are kept at a minimum. Project managers also strive to maximise efficiency so that the project gets completed as quickly as possible, and they also practice excellent communication so that you are always up to date on what is happening in regard to your project.

5 Tips on How to Choose the Right Digital Agency for Your Brand - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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One of the most difficult tasks when looking to promote your brand, rather business is choosing the perfect digital marketing agency for your business. Currently, there are thousands and thousands of marketing agencies available which all claim to offer the best services and generic benefits that are required by your business.

However, the problem comes in when you have to select one among the very many that exist. Keep in mind that each digital marketing agency claims to be super transparent and offer the best customer care services. On top of all that, the choice of the agency is like a choice of a high-end watch which is essential to your personal style and have to highlight your personality and self-confidence.

Now, taking all these facts into account, the question is, how do you go about picking the perfect digital marketing agency that suits your brand? Well then, here are five great tips that when adopted and implemented should help you find clarity in choosing the right kind of agency to partner with.

1. You need to understand and clearly define all your needs

First time working with an agency can prove a little difficult for very many individuals. Proper and rigorous preparation is also key in order to expedite the process and avoid time wastage. You need o to have a clear definition of all the roles played by the agency in promoting your business.

Independent of whether you are reshaping your business or looking to venture into new territories, you need to properly understand and clearly define all your needs. Homework is key in such a case. You also need to understand that if the homework is not thorough and in-depth, you could as well be preparing a recipe for disaster.

The best approach to this situation is making a well-thought list of all the services that are needed from the marketing agency by your company.

2. List all your prospected agencies

Google is one very powerful search engine. With the relevant criteria, you can search for the right kind of agencies that can provide for all your needs. The next step is to have a list of all the prospected agencies including their respective official websites. After that, you can visit these websites one after another to clearly understand their ideas and practices.

3. Extensive and in-depth Research

After shortlisting all your prospected agencies, the next step is performing an in-depth research on each and every one of them. If at all possible, you need to talk to some of their clients in order to weigh their services and properly understand the company. Don’t give up. If you can’t find anything on the company, dig deeper until you do.

4. Study their Strategy and Audit Report

The best way to deeply and properly understand the skills and creativity brought to the table by a specific digit agency is going through their audit reports and strategies. The audit report plays a great role in giving you insights on the agencies marketing capabilities and strategies. These are very useful in determining whether that the right company for you or not.

5. Interact with the Team

After getting satisfied with the research on the brand, the final step to deciding whether or not to partner with them is meeting with the team. This will give you a one-on-one experience in how the agency works both from a creative, as well as a business point of view. Also, make sure to ask and clarify all the relevant questions before leaving their office.

Conclusion

In conclusion, throughout the whole vetting process, you need to keep in mind that it is your company being talked about. That means that you have to be very thorough in every measure you take. Well then, all the best as you work on your brand.

How Rajesh Padinjaremadam Built A Successful Technology Consulting Firm in the Heart of Silicon Valley - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Rajesh Padinjaremadam, President & CEO at Rapid Value Solutions that provides IT consulting services for companies all over the globe joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Rajesh Padinjaremadam discuss the following:

  1. You started your company in 2008 and have since grown it to 450+ employees. Can you share 1 approach you’ve used to grow your company?
  2. On your website, you say you “Punch above your weight class.” Can you give me more details on what that means?
  3. You’re located in Silicon Valley and you have clients all over the world. What is the secret to getting these clients?
  4. I read in an article that you have a unique philosophy on hiring junior people. Can you share that with me?
  5. What’s your vision for RapidValue Solutions? What do you want to achieve in the next 5 years?

Rajesh Padinjaremadam is an entrepreneur and an innovator who is immensely focused on emerging technologies like cloud, mobility and Internet of Things. An expert on digital solutions and trends, Rajesh has successfully conceptualized and implemented technology driven solutions for multiple industries.

Website: www.rapidvaluesolutions.com

Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RapidValue
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RapidValue

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Synergy: 6 Personal Finance Tips That Bleed into SMB Tips - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Even after years of large corporate merger after merger and nationwide businesses populating cities across the country, many Americans still want to own their own business. 

A 2015 Gallup Poll found that two-thirds of the U.S. population was employed either part or full-time. When asked whether they’d prefer to work for someone else or start their own business, 57 percent said they’d prefer to start their own business. Yet the same poll found just four percent of the working population had their own business and employed people. 

A big reason for the disconnect is debt. Those with debt aren’t able to borrow as much money and can’t afford to take on more financial commitment and risk. Many people who are in a better position to make their dreams a reality lack the financial literacy to run a successful business. However, personal financial excellence and small business (SMB) success have more to do with each other than typically thought. Let’s discuss some evergreen tips for success on both fronts.

Balance a Budget

If you can’t balance a budget, how will you ever balance your SMB’s books? Eventually you could be big enough to employ a full-time bookkeeper, but this isn’t realistic when you’re starting out. When learning how to create a realistic budget, don’t focus on arbitrarily restricting your spending. Instead, think about your goals and work backward. 

Change Your Credit Behavior

There’s over $1 trillion in collective credit card debt in America, according to a recent study by WalletHub. Unlike medical debts or what feels like mandatory student loans, credit card debt is usually accrued through a debtor’s own poor behavior. Many SMB owners get into trouble early in their operation when they finance unforeseen costs and the debt snowballs out of control. Changing behavior toward credit goes hand in hand with realistic budgeting. When we know our long-term goals and what we currently have, we’re less likely to dig ourselves—or our business—into a hole with unwise financing. 

Understand How Credit Profiles Work 

In the finance world, you’re only as good as what you’ve done lately. When it comes to starting a small business, your personal credit report matters. If you have unpaid collections on your profile or a history of late payments, that could impact your ability to get a small business loan. Conversely, borrow too much for your business that you can’t pay back, and you could impact your ability to secure housing, buy or lease a car, or even get a job (should you be on that route again). 

Pay Off Debt

Here comes the hard part. It’s one thing to learn about budgeting fundamentals, disciplined credit spending and how you appear in the eyes of lenders. It’s quite another to use these details to change your financial situation. Taking on large credit card debt is like willingly getting into quicksand. The high monthly interest rates will bury you if you cannot make enough headway on them. Whether you have to enlist the help of a non-profit credit counseling agency or leverage debt relief services, the quicker you get out of crippling debt, the healthier your financial prospects become.

Prepare for Disasters

We never know what’s coming next. Any number of things could occur to jeopardize our finances. But most Americans don’t have savings even to cover a $1,000 emergency let alone weather a severe financial storm. Per CNBC, 65 percent of Americans save little or nothing at all. 

And part of financial preparation is adequate insurance. If you don’t have a tailored car insurance policy and your vehicle is essential, what happens if it gets totaled? What if our normally healthy bodies develop a condition that suddenly requires monthly doctor’s visits? 

As a small business, what happens if a natural disaster strike? What if your shop is vandalized? A good insurance plan is essential, but so is a disaster-relief plan, which can limit your business’ downtime post-emergency and save the confusion and inefficiency that results from making decisions following a big event. Regardless the policy or disaster relief plan though, nothing replaces the cold hard assurance of an emergency fund.

Never Stop Learning 

Great minds never stop learning. Even if you feel confident about your financial literacy after implementing the above steps into your lifestyle, there’s most certainly room for improvement. Make it a regular part of your week to read quality finance publications. In a piece for BizJournal, Andrew Housser, financial thought leader and CEO of Freedom Financial Network, recommends four publications that specifically focus on small business owners:

  • Small Business Development Centers — Training, counseling and technical assistance administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
  • Money Smart for Small Business — Financial literacy training by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and SBA. 
  • SCORE Association — Nonprofit organization offering financial literacy tools in the Finance and Money section of its website.
  • 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy — Website offered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

By integrating the above tips into your life, you’ll be better positioned to achieve your long-term personal finance goals and finance a healthy small business.

5 Ways of How to Stay Motivated as You Build Your Business - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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As a business owner you are probably a person that’s driven by nature. The sheer fact that you form a company in the first place is probably linked to the fact that you wanted to make your own decisions and be your own boss and therefore it will come as no surprise that you already possess qualities related to being driven and motivated. That said, even the most energetic and driven amongst us can feel low when things may not be going so well (either personal issues or something linked to the business). At such times it’s crucial that you are able to re-motivate to ensure that you make the right decisions for your business in order to make sure it succeeds.

For this reason, we will provide you with 5 ways of how to stay motivated as you continue build your business. 

  1. Don’t Forget the Purpose

It’s important to always think back to why you started your own business in the first place – where did the dream begin? Being a business owner is not only about being able to do things the way that you want, it’s also important to remember how it feels when your business is succeeding and you can see your ideas and hard work pay off. 

Always take time to reflect on what you have achieved and how far you have come when you hit difficult times. It’s also important to bear in mind that in order to be successful you are bound to hit setbacks along the way. 

  1. Take Pride in your Achievements

We all need to see progression in order to keep motivated. For this reason, it is worth setting small, achievable goals which can be met weekly or even monthly. These goals allow you to see what you have achieved and will help to boost your confidence. As time passes, you will begin to see your successes and then be able to make these goals more and more challenging. 

  1. Learn from Challenges and Obstacles 

A common reason for a lack of motivation is down to feeling like you’re sinking when something unexpected challenges you and throws you off track. Instead of feeling disheartened when this happens, consider challenges and obstacles as a learning curve and a way for you to adjust and modify your business strategies. The best policy is not to let challenges affect you and instead welcome them and start to see them as an opportunity for progression. 

  1. Don’t Forget ‘Me’ Time

Especially when starting a new business, it’s easy to get lost in the world of work and forget about yourself and the importance of taking time out to unwind and do the things that you love. As a consequence, you may start to feel demotivated, as your business has begun to rule your life. For this reason, it’s crucial to set aside quality ‘me’ time where you have a chance to relax and spend time doing what you enjoy. You will find that when you are relaxed and your batteries have been recharged, you will be more effective and be able to focus better when you are at ‘work.’ Clearly, this will have a positive knock on effect to your business in the long run. 

  1. Mix Up Your Approach

When something is going well, it’s not unusual to then get into a routine. The issue with routines is that they can cause boredom which leads to a lack of motivation. If this is the case for you then you may need to mix things up a bit and look for new ways of doing things.  Reflect upon your normal procedures and consider new ways/ systems/ideas that you could adopt which would shake things up and reignite your motivation. 

Ultimately, when all is said and done and you are feeling de-motivated, always reflect upon why you decided to go into business in the first place. Remain as positive as you can and take on the advice that we have provided to ensure that your business continues to succeed and you continue to stay motivated and enjoy doing what you do!

5 Signs You Should Buy A Business In Alberta - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Buying a business can be a fantastic investment. You can become the owner and operator of your own business, and avoid having a boss, manager, or supervisor – and you’ll benefit from equity in the business, as well as plenty of income.

But running and owning a business is not easy. If you’re not ready to work overtime, put in the effort to build your company, and work closely with other professionals, you may not be ready for the responsibility of buying a business in Alberta.

So, how do you know if you should invest in an Alberta business for sale? Here are a few signs.

1. You’ve Got Enough Startup Capital To Spare

As a rule, you should only purchase an Alberta business for sale if you have enough money to spare that its failure won’t ruin you financially – and you should avoid buying businesses on credit. 

It’s tempting to buy a business by taking out a loan, or to pour all of your life savings into a business, in hopes that you succeed. But, despite your best efforts, your business may not always be an unqualified success.

That’s why it’s always good to only buy a business that won’t ruin you if it fails. Chances are, it won’t fail, and it will be a great investment – but you don’t want to risk it. Only invest in a business if you have plenty of capital to spare.

2. You Understand The Industry – Or Can Become An Expert Quickly

If you have worked in a car dealership for 20 years, would you leave your job to start a window cleaning service? If you were a chemical engineer for decades, would you quit in order to start your own restaurant?

No, you wouldn’t.

While there are exceptions to this rule, it’s still a good one – you should only purchase an Alberta business for sale if you already understand the industry, and the basics about how it works. If you have years of experience in a particular area of business, it’s best to apply that by purchasing a business in that industry.

The only exception would be if you think you can become an expert in a business quickly, and develop a comprehensive understanding of your competition, products, industry, and other such aspects of running a company. 

3. You’re Ready For A Lot Of Responsibility

When you own a business, you own a business. There’s nobody else you can turn to blame if something goes wrong, and you can’t appeal to a higher power. Your employees will depend on you for their livelihood. Your clients will depend on you for high-quality services and products.

It’s a lot of responsibility – and while some people thrive in this environment, not everyone can handle it. Know yourself, and understand if you can handle the responsibility of being a business owner.

4. You Can Put In Extra Hours  

While your business may not take up too much of your time in the long run, you are going to be working overtime for months – or even years – after you buy it, to ensure that everything is operating smoothly and profitably. Make sure you’ve got time to spare, and that working some extra hours will not ruin your personal life.

5. You’re A Good Leader (Or Good At Delegating) 

If you’re a good leader, you’ll be more easily able to work with others, and streamline the process of purchasing a business, and becoming the new owner and operator. Charisma and confidence go a long way.

However, even if you do not think you have great leadership skills, you can still buy a business – you’ll just have to hire someone else who is a great leader! By delegating your responsibilities, you can ensure that your company has great leadership.

Recognize These Signs? It May Be Time To Buy A Business! 

Buying a business is a huge responsibility, and it’s obviously a very complex process. But if you recognize these 5 signs that you may be a great business owner, you may want to look for an Alberta business for sale now, and find a business broker who can help you invest in a local company! 

Determining Which Instant Pot You Need - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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To run an efficient kitchen, it is necessary to have a certain set of items present and prepared for use. Of course, this includes very basic items such as spoons, bowls, measuring devices, pots, pans, and utensils. However, there are also quite a few appliances that must be present. This includes the classics such as an oven, range top, blender, crockpot, toaster, microwave, and several others. In recent years, it has become necessary to have even more appliances to handle very specific areas of cooking. This often includes a waffle iron, a griddle, dehydrator, and several others. There have been many new and amazing appliances invented in the past few decades. Among these new, shiny, and incredibly useful appliances is the instant pot. This device is very similar in design to a crockpot, but is much more efficient. Not to mention how many different types of food you can use it for. What used to take all day to prepare, now only takes a few minutes to get the instant pot ready and then a matter of minutes or hours for the pot to do its job. The length of time required will vary depending on the type of food you are preparing, but nothing takes over a few hours to prepare. Now that the instant pot has become so integral kitchens everywhere, there are more models than ever before. Each model has its perks, but not everyone will be right for each person. Now that you have decided to purchase an instant pot, it has come time to decide which model is right for you. Here, you will find a list of popular models along with their pro and cons to help you make an informed decision.

Here is a list of popular instant pot models.

  • Duo – This model is considered to be one of the most popular models currently in production. It ranks third in popularity. This particular model does not work with the Instant Pot Smart app, though it has many benefits that compensate this. While all instant pots can make a wide variety of different foods, this model even has the ability to make yogurt. It also has two pressure settings, high and low, as well as slots in the handle designed to hold the lid so that you do not have to rest it on a countertop or something similar.
  • Duo Plus – This is an updated model of the Duo. Whereas the Duo was a 7-in-1 cooker, the Duo Plus is a 9-in-1 cooker. This model has new features and settings including an egg and a cake setting. There is also a new “sterilize” feature. The updated display allows the user to easily determine if the beeping alarm is turned on or off, if the pot is heating correctly, warming time, and so much more.
  • SMART + App –  This particular model is very similar to to the Duo plus, but has the advantage of functioning in conjunction with the Instant Pot Smart app. This app allows the user to control and dictate many features of the pot directly from their phone or other mobile device. This includes the temperature, and the length of the program. The app connects directly to the instant pot via a bluetooth connection. There is no other device that provide this level of control.
  • LUX – This is a 6-in-1 model that is very popular. It is basic model and is considered to be the economy version. This model is not compatible with the smart app, nor does it have a low pressure setting. It also does not have the ability to make yogurt. This is a very useful tool, but it does not have as many features as other models.
  • Ultra – The biggest pull for this model is its incredible level of customization. The timer can be set anywhere between one minute and six hours. The pressure can be set on high or low. Delay timers can be engaged. Also, the keep warm setting can be set to automatically engage at a predetermined time. This is one of the most versatile models as it is a 10-in-1. This means that this model has all of the features from all of the previously mentioned models as well as new features.
  • GEM – This model is completely different from every other instant pot model. Unlike every other model, the GEM does not have any pressure cooking settings or functions. While this model is a multi cooker, it is incredibly similar to a slow cooker in nature. This model can perform the following functions, stew, bake, roast, steam, slow cook, saute, and rice cook. At one point, this particular model was recalled due to a manufacturing error.

If none of these options sound like what you are looking for, there are several store exclusive models that may be to your liking. First, there is a QVC exclusive called VIVA. This is essentially the third version of the Duo. It is often referred to as the Duo V3. This model has all of the same features as the original Duo with a few new additions. This version has an egg setting as well as a cake setting. It also features the sterilize setting from the second version of the Duo.  The second store exclusive if specific to Costco. This model is called Nova Plus. This is a hybrid model of the Duo and the Duo Plus. Even though this model is marketed as a 9-in-1 it only has seven functions. Several of the features that were added to the Duo plus, are removed from this model. This includes the egg and cake settings as well as the sterilize feature. Also, there are different sizes to choose from. There is a three quart, six quart, and an eight quart.

There are several things to look at to make the decision easier. The two main considerations are price and functions. Most people have very specific needs when it comes to using an instant pot and this is generally one of the main deciding factors. If you do not need many settings, a LUX or Duo will fit your needs, but if you are looking for a wide range of functions you will want a SMART or Ultra. Price is another very big consideration. In general, Instant Pots are not cheap, but different models and different sizes have different price tags. If you are on a tight budget, a three quart LUX will be your cheapest option. Also, be sure to choose a model that will fit the size needs of your family.


Burma Inc.: What makes a Superstar - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Desmond Tan, Owner and Founder of Burma, Inc., a restaurant group comprising three locations in the Bay Area; an Amazon best-selling cookbook; and a compelling charity called Future Superstars which supports children’s education in Burma and the Bay Area joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Desmond Tan discuss the following:

  1. Can you tell us about your life story?
  2. Can you tell us about the restaurants?
  3. What exactly is Burmese cuisine?
  4. I know you have an Amazon best-selling cookbook: Why is it so successful? And, what is your favorite recipe?
  5. Can you tell us about Future Superstars?

Born in Yangon (formerly Rangoon), Myanmar’s largest city, Desmond Tan arrived in San Francisco’s Richmond District at age 11, in 1979, as one of four children with their two parents. The family had less than $200 in their pockets and spoke only limited English. 

As for many immigrant children, there was a fairly tough “settling in” stage which resulted in a strong lifetime drive for success. Desmond was pursuing an accounting degree at San Francisco State University when his father died; Desmond chose to leave school to support the family. After a few hard-scrabble years things were back on course, and Desmond was recruited by Lehman Brothers. This jump-started a career which went on to include stints as a corporate head hunter; a consultant for the international banking industry with particular focus on India, Taiwan, and Mexico; and a nursing recruiter focused on the Philippines. On the side, Desmond bought and sold real estate.

Around that time, Desmond and his former wife, Jocelyn Lee, used to visit a Burmese restaurant on Clement Street twice a week: it was the only place Desmond could find the salty, sweet, sour Burmese food that he grew up with. According to Desmond, it was a solid place that served good food; when the owners looked to retire in 2000, Desmond and Jocelyn bought it and became restaurateurs. Though neither of them had any formal training in the food industry, Desmond found that the work-ethic, entrepreneurial streak, international outlook, knowledge of finance, real estate acumen, and interest in caring professions that he had developed in his past jobs all contributed toward their restaurant’s success. Desmond explains: “As an immigrant, I always had to be better than my peers in order to compete. It taught me to always be learning, and that everything worth earning takes sacrifice. It made me person who is most comfortable in uncomfortable places.”

Today, Desmond’s restaurants include two Burma Superstar Locations (Alameda and Oakland), as well as Burma Love in San Francisco’s Mission District.  Known for their bustling tables, the sizzle of onions and garlic in the wok, and a wait time so legendary that customers start to line up before the doors even open, Burma Superstar is a Bay Area institution. With influences from neighboring India and China, as well as Thailand and Laos, Burmese food is a unique blend of flavors, and all of the menus include the iconic Tea Leaf Salad; Chili Lamb; Pork and Pumpkin Stew; Platha (a buttery layered flatbread); and Mohinga, a catfish noodle soup that is arguably Myanmar’s national dish. The group’s next location, Burma Club, is set to open in 2018 near the Mint Building in the Mission.

In 2008, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) contacted Desmond as they had an influx of Burmese refugees who needed jobs. Desmond was happy to help: though most were from rural areas and had limited experience in the modern world let alone in a restaurant kitchen, they were eager to learn and work. Desmond said that he “learned a lot about refugees and immigrants from that experience, including the relationships between the more than 135 different ethnic minorities. “Mr. Nang Khan (‘Afu’) Cin was our first hire through the IRC: he started from the absolute bottom, washing dishes, and is now the kitchen manager at Burma Love.” Mr. Alex Naitun (‘Nin’) Thawng, another refugee, had a similar story and is currently the kitchen manager in Oakland. 

In May, 2013, Desmond and Burma, Inc. established their 501(c)3 non-profit, Future Superstars, which focuses on helping children who are motivated yet not achieving their potential due to lack of resources. One of their principal projects is a classroom that the charity built for a Burmese orphanage: finished in 2016, it is already attracting some of Burma’s best teachers; the next is to build better housing for the teachers. Another, closer to home, is the annual scholarship program for Bay Area high school students: in 2018, five students will be awarded $4,000 each to help pay for to either college or vocational school.  

In March 2017, Desmond launched his first cookbook, Burma Superstar: Addictive Recipes from the Crossroads of Southeast Asia (Ten Speed Press), which was co-written with Kate Leahy, photographed by John Lee, and an Amazon “Best Seller.” Each of these nearly 90 recipes were streamlined for home cooks of all experience levels, and none call for special equipment or long lists of hard-to-find ingredients. Richly illustrated and peppered with essays about the country and its food, this inside look at the world of Burma Superstar is a seductive glimpse of this jewel of Southeast Asia.

Desmond is a founding board member of the San Francisco-based USA Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, as well as the the San Francisco Yangon Sister City initiative. In late 2017, he was featured by and with Anthony Bourdain for Roads & Kingdoms / CNN video series, The Perfect Dish (a sister to Parts Unknown).

Websiteshttps://www.burmainc.comhttps://www.future-superstars.org

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burmainc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burmainc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/burmainc

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The top 3 reasons to invest in Oil and Gas Production Reporting Software - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Oil and gas production is not an easy business. Field employees and the senior managers have a lot of work put on them to ensure that everything goes as planned.

Remember that one business mistake that one makes while in the field can cost the business negatively, which is something that every pumper wants to avoid. However, human error is something that we cannot evade regardless.

An emergency requires everyone to attend to that matter in the field and ignore other businesses that are not urgent. To ensure that your company enjoys maximum benefits, you need to invest in a suitable reporting software.

Here are three reasons that will make your get the app as soon as possible.

  1. Reduce cost and maximize profit

When oil prices decrease, oil companies have to bear, also, with a reduced amount of revenue that they will receive in that month. Thus, as a way to make sure that you maximize on income, the company has to find ways to minimize the cost of operation.

With the reporting software, both the field managers and the people at the office can monitor how each well is performing using detailed charts. The pumper can also leave notes and comments on every trend seen on the chart.

The software will be at the core of ensuring that all the pumpers are accountable and each site continues to perform up to the set standard of your company.

  1. Reduces human error

Any business owner understands that a slight mistake in data entry can bring a significant adverse effect in the whole firm. Thus, you will not obtain accurate data on critical aspects of the firm. With technology, you will be able to deal with such problems because they are almost inevitable.

The reporting software is suitable for rectifying and noticing data that the human eye would pass or ignore. It alerts users on issues that they need to give priority. With this technology, it means that there will be fewer times when you will delay making decisions, especially those that are vital.

We cannot go to the next point without noting that humans can be careless sometimes, especially in the way we handle data. The software ensures that everything remains organized and that they will always have information on their devices at all times.

  1. User friendliness

As you move from one system to another, business operations can delay because of significant factors such as teaching staff on how to use the app, and transferring all the information into the software. On the other hand, a user friendly system does not need many days to learn how to use.

The reporting software takes a few minutes to understand how to use. Individuals on the field can send information to the office with ease, and as soon as they install the app. Note that the installation process is also quick, as the app takes a few minutes to be ready for use.

In addition, the apps are portable. It means that the field guy does not have to wait to get to the office to register their findings, no. The reporting software is accessible on tablets, which means it is efficient for business.

Be sure to consider the Greasebook App for your oil and gas production reporting software. The developers provide the clients with tablets that have the app already installed.

How To Hire The Right Land Subdivision Surveyor - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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If you’ve got a large parcel of land, and you’re looking to sell it to a development company – or the government has offered to buy it out – chances are you’re wondering how to subdivide it.

To do so, you will need to hire a land subdivision surveyor. These surveyors take detailed measurements of your land’s area, and can help you subdivide it into smaller lots for sale.

If you do not want to sell all of your land – or you want to maximize profit by selling multiple lots – you will have to subdivide it. So, how can you get started with the process of hiring a land subdivision surveyor? In this guide, we’ll give you some helpful tips that will help you do just that! 

1. Establish A Budget Based On The Size Of Your Property (And Its Condition) 

You’ll need to know how much you can spend on a surveyor – before you actually hire one. Most surveyors will give you a quote, but having a budget in mind will help you avoid “sticker shock”, and ensure that you’ve got enough capital to afford the survey.

One thing that is often quite confusing when it comes to subdivision surveying is that the cost of a survey varies widely among different regions and areas, and it also depends on the condition of your property.

For example, a surveyor will likely charge less in a highly-populated area, and if your property is well-groomed. However, if you live in a more remote area, they’ll have to travel further, and if your property is overgrown, or otherwise difficult to get through, the cost will be higher.

For large parcels that are 5 acres or larger, most pros charge by the hour. You can expect to pay somewhere between $50-$220 per hour – more, if the survey crew requires two or more people, due to the size of your property. Also, you can often get lower rates for extremely large surveys, due to economies of scale.

2. Check That Your Company Is Registered With The State Licensing Board

You do not want to hire a surveyor who is not properly licensed by the relevant state licensing boards. Different states have different regulations regarding things like:

  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Road size and width
  • Types of corner marks to be used
  • Allowable elevation changes

And other such guidelines that ensure your lots adhere to local and municipal zoning regulations.

To check and make sure that your surveyor is properly licensed, you can consult the State Licensing Board in your area. Each state has their own website for surveyors and engineers – and you can check with them to ensure that a prospective surveyor is licensed.

3. Know How Long A Survey Will Take – And Be Patient 

A land survey involves multiple steps – and it can easily take days or weeks, based on your property, and the company you hire.

This is because surveyors must do initial research before even examining your property – such as going to a local municipal office and reviewing deeds, accessing documents at the courthouse, investigating potential property conflicts, researching the history of your property, and more. This process alone can take a few days.

In addition, physically surveying the property is a multi-step process. The surveyors must record information about fences, iron stakes, walls, and other such information and compare it to court records.

Finally, the actual survey is performed, which can take somewhere between a few hours and days, depending on the technology used, and the size of your plot of land.

You should ask any surveyor how long they think the project will take – and don’t be surprised if they say it could take anywhere from just a few days – or a few weeks. Be wary of any company that promises the fastest results – they may cut corners, which could cost you thousands of dollars in the long run. When hiring a land subdivision surveyor, patience pays off! 

Follow These Tips – Know What To Expect From A Land Subdivision Surveyor

When selling your property, a land subdivision surveyor is one of the most important elements. So take your time when hiring to ensure you’re working with a great company – and your due diligence will pay off when it’s time to sell!

Top Investment Areas for CIOs in 2018 - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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There’s no time to rest when you’re in charge of keeping your company ahead of the curve. This is the responsibility of CIOs across the country and world. Constantly striving to adopt not only the newest, but most useful, new technologies is a major part of the job. But it can be tricky to know what types of tech paradigm are shifting, and which ones are going to be here today and gone tomorrow. A diligent CIO will keep ahead of these trends and be able to make thought-out decisions based on evidence.

Here are a few of the top investment areas for CIOs in 2018. 

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is often overlooked; but it’s one of the most crucial aspects of any business in the modern age. There’s no room for error on this front. Yet, there are constantly stories of major businesses allowing egregious data breaches on their watches. The Equifax data leak of 2017 is still fresh in the minds of about 143 million consumers who had their data stolen by hackers.

The main issue with cybersecurity is that you can never be totally confident in your system or methods. Threats are constantly evolving in this sphere (a veritable digital arms race), which means your approach needs to as well. You will be most vulnerable to attacks that are new to the world. This means your business needs to take a proactive approach to security. It’s estimated that cybercrime will cost about $6 trillion on a global level by 2021. Investing in cybersecurity will help you mitigate your role in paying a part of that. 

Internal Organizational Tools

Your business won’t run smoothly if employees aren’t all on the same page. In the past, this has been exceedingly difficult for larger companies—especially before the proliferation of the Internet. Recent innovations in software as a service (SaaS) have made this much more approachable. There are a few areas that can be strongly improved by implementing internal organizational tools.

Communication is one of the most crucial layers of a company. People need to be able to get in contact with each other quickly and easily. Plus, they need to have an accessible record of the conversation. Email is okay but isn’t optimal for all applications. CIOs should seriously consider the benefits of a dedicated communication software for the entire company. Workflow optimization is another way software can be implemented on this front. There are several major services out there that allow companies to delegate responsibilities to employees through easy-to-use software. When your company is transparent and organized, it will always run better. 

Data Analytics

It’s impossible to escape the oncoming wave of data. It’s everywhere; and it all means something. The first step for businesses is finding a way to capture as much of this data as possible. Once that has been accomplished, it’s essential to use it to improve operations. Traditional BI and analytics tools are on the way out. The future will be based around analytics tools that leverage artificial intelligence architecture. This allows enterprises to do more, faster than has ever previously been possible. Insights that normally would have taken weeks will be available in a matter of hours with next-generation analytics technology such as relational search. The future of this industry will likely follow the footsteps of companies like ThoughtSpot which enable employees to explore the data without relying on data scientists.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is one of the biggest revolutions to the technology world in recent years. Instead of all data being locally based—it can now be accessed anywhere with a connection to the Internet thanks to the cloud. There are several ways this can be extremely useful to businesses. It can reduce overall costs—as hardware and energy consumption are outsourced to the cloud provider.

It also allows employees to seamlessly collaborate on projects. In the past, people would have needed to constantly send work back and forth if they were working in separate locations. With cloud computing, everyone can access and manipulate the same files from distant places. 

These are a few of the top areas for concern for all CIOs in the near future. There are of course many areas that need to be addressed in this constantly changing technological landscape. It’s essential to always be looking forward or run the risk of your company falling behind. 

Finding Temporary Health Insurance: How to Cover Gaps Up to 6 Months - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Health insurance coverage gaps happen all the time, to folks from all walks of life.

No matter how good you are at planning, all it takes is a layoff, reduction in status from full to part time, or change in your employer’s health insurance coverage options to throw your health insurance world into a tailspin. And that’s not even counting pre-planned events that could complicate your health insurance coverage, like a move across state lines or a decision to go back to school.

Fortunately, covering relatively short gaps in health insurance coverage is doable. Let’s take a closer look at your short-term coverage options and what you need to do to take advantage of them.

What Is Temporary Health Insurance and Who’s a Good Fit?

For an ostensible stopgap, temporary health insurance (also known as “short-term health insurance”) is surprisingly versatile. It’s appropriate for individuals and families in a wide range of situations, including those between jobs, those waiting for marketplace open enrollment periods to begin, and those waiting for Medicare eligibility, says Florida health executive Steve Dorfman.

Importantly, short-term health insurance is medically underwritten. If you’re seeking family coverage, every covered individual will need to meet the plan’s medical underwriting standards.

Temporary health insurance may also elide coverage for pre-existing conditions, according to an AARP explainer. If you’ve been diagnosed with a qualifying condition within the past two to five years, you may not be eligible for enrollment in some temporary health plans. Check with your insurer and with your state’s health insurance regulator for specific information about eligibility exclusion timeframes.

Finally, it bears repeating that temporary health insurance plans generally do not meet the Affordable Care Act’s minimum essential coverage (MEC) requirements. While this deficiency isn’t as relevant to healthcare consumers in the wake of the repeal of the individual mandate, it’s important to keep in mind should the regulatory ground shift again.

Enrolling in Temporary Health Insurance

Under current regulations, temporary health insurance plans can’t endure longer than 90 consecutive days. Though this may change in the near future, it’s important to keep in mind for the time being.

If you anticipate a gap of just 90 days or less, simply apply for the temporary plan that best fits your needs. Some plans begin coverage as soon as one business day after approval; be sure to check on this before signing up.

If you anticipate a longer coverage gap, you’ll need to sign up for two short-term health insurance plans at once. Many insurers allow you to do this without re-applying once the first plan’s coverage expires, though you’ll need to sign two complete sets of application documents. Confirm that the coverage under the second plan begins as soon as the first plan expires.

Before attempting this maneuver, check with your state insurance regulator to ensure that it permits back-to-back short-term plans. Not all states are so generous; if you can only enroll in one plan at a time, you’ll need to re-apply before your first plan’s coverage expires.

One final item to note: like any insurance policy, your short-term plan will require an initial premium payment before it goes into effect. The good news is that short-term plan premiums tend to be far lower than premiums for longer-term plans that offer more extensive coverage. Still, if you’ve been without health coverage for some time, make sure you have sufficient funds to cover that first payment.

Get Your Health Insurance Gaps Covered

Health insurance gaps happen for all sorts of reasons. Some are difficult or impossible to see coming. Once you’ve picked yourself up and begun thinking intentionally about what comes next, it’s time to plug ‘em.

As we’ve seen, covering health insurance gaps with or without foreknowledge is no insurmountable challenge. But you’ve got to take the first step. Here’s to getting and staying covered, no matter what life throws your way.

A Beginners Guide to Pilates Online - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Many people are very health conscious and are always on the look at for a great workout to help them get fit and strong. it is incredibly vital to find a workout routine that fits with your goals, your body type, your schedule, and your needs. It is a common misconception that you can begin any workout routine and it will work wonders regardless of your specific needs. This is not the case. Each workout routine is designed to target very specific areas of the body. Also, each one is for a different need. Some are for cardio, some are for flexibility, some are for core strength, some are for promoting calm, and some are for healing and strengthening. Within each of these type, are subgroups for various parts of the body. To get a full range workout, many people combine several workout routines together. One very popular exercise routine is pilates. if you are interested in learning all about pilates, you have come to the right place. Here, you will find a complete beginners guide to the exercise routine known as pilates.

To fully understand pilates, it is important to know at least a bit about its history. Where it began, how it has evolved, and what its future holds.  This is why the history of pilates is the first subject up for discussion. Pilates is named for the man who created it Joseph Pilates. Mr. Pilates was born in 1880 and died in 1967. He created his exercise system in 1920 and his intended purpose was to aid in rehabilitation for injured soldiers. As he developed his system farther, it began to become quite popular and developed a large following. Joseph Pilates even gave instruction to the famous dancer George Balanchine as well as his entire company of dancers. When Mr. Pilates passed away, his followers, his students continued his work and spread this new exercise system to more parts of the country and beyond. Everywhere this exercise routine reached became enthralled and it kept gaining more and more popularity.

Pilates is all about building strength and stamina in areas that may be weak or injured. While injuries require certain treatments to heal, the area will still be weak after the injury itself has healed. Remember, never over exert an injured area and never begin any type of exercise on the area without first consulting your physician. With that being said, if you have been cleared to begin exercises, pilates provides all of the strengthening and flexibility routines that you will need. If your injury involves a joint, you will likely experience swelling in the injured area. If you are already experiencing swelling, you will want to ice the area and then let it return to room temperature before beginning your Pilates exercises. Regardless, it is a very good idea to ice the area after each exercise session. If your injury has caused tight or spasming muscles, you should definitely apply heat to relax the muscles before beginning your session.

If you have decided to begin a Pilates workout routine, you will need to know what the first steps to take are. There are two ways to study pilates, in a class or by watching a video. Both are perfectly acceptable options depending on your exact situation. It is recommended to at least take a couple of classes before taking on the system on your own. This will give you a chance to work with a professional to ensure that you are learning the movements and poses correctly. If you want to begin taking a class, the first thing you need to do is find out how many classes are offered in your area and where they are located. The best way to do this is with a quick and simple internet search. Simple search terms will work just fine here, use terms such as “pilates classes near me” or ” pilates class in *insert city name here*”. This will invariably provide with a list of local classes. Keep in mind that while cities generally have multiple classes available everyday, suburban and rural areas do not have this luxury. How many classes you have to choose from will be dependant on where you live. Once you have a list of the classes that are offered in or near your area, simply compare their prices, location, schedule, and experience until you find one that meets your requirements.

If instead, you decide that you want to workout in the comfort of your own home, you will need to find some great videos to get you started. Remember, there are some exercises that require special devices, you will not be able to do these at home. There are several ways to get the videos that you will need to get started. Your first choice is to purchase a DVD or Blu Ray disk of an instructional session. The second option is to use YouTube or a similar service to find class videos. When using videos, it is important to remember that there are videos for each level of knowledge and proficiency. Because of this, you will want to ensure that you are using videos designed for beginners. If you plan on using a disk but are having trouble finding what you need, the best place to look is online retailers such as eBay or Amazon. If you are unsure of what site may have the best deal, a quick use of your favorite search engine will be of immense help. Simply search for “beginners pilates DVD” or “cheap pilates DVD for beginners.” The same can be said of finding digital videos as well. Use a search engine to find relevant videos on a variety of sites.

Finally, you will need to make sure that you have the proper attire and the appropriate equipment. While there is clothing that is marketed specifically for pilates, it is not necessary to purchase it to have proper attire. You will need a stretchy form-fitting top, preferably with short sleeves or tank top style. It should be made of a breathable stretchy material. Next, you will need appropriate bottoms. They should be form fitting but should not be tight. They can be long, medium length, or short so long as they keep all important areas covered. They can be leggings, bike shorts, or any other exercise pants that are not loose. As with most exercises, females will want to consider a sports bra while working out, although they are not one hundred percent necessary.

If you would like to learn more about getting started with pilates (or any other aspect of pilates), head over to the Pilates Pal website.

Charity on the Blockchain - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Clay Braswell, CEO and Founder of Commit Good a reward-based charitable marketplace, and fundraising and philanthropic ecosystem built on blockchain technology joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Clay Braswell discuss the following:

  1. Describe Commit Good?
  2. Explain your current campaign, the Currency of Good?
  3. How does one go about registering for the Currency of Good Campaign?
  4. Who are some partners you’ve collaborated with?
  5. What can we expect in the future?

Clay Braswell is the Founder & CEO of Commit Good. A social entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in applying technology solutions to charitable organizations. He has designed and built multiple large-scale enterprise grade applications that have had real-life community impact. He believes the blockchain represents a paradigm shift for charitable giving and seeks to build a global charitable economy. Clay is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Winner of the Colgan Bryan Award for Outstanding Work in Science and Technology.

Commit Good is a reward-based charitable marketplace, and fundraising and philanthropic ecosystem built on blockchain technology. The company is dedicated to creating a system of giving that is transparent throughout all stages of the donation process. Commit Good’s database of organizations spans from the local to the global level to highlight the good that is occurring around the world. Currently listed organizations and non-profits include Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, Ronald McDonald House, and Feed the Children.

Websitewww.commitgood.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommitGood
Twitter: @CommitGood

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Getting Intelligent About Your Intellectual Property - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Anton Leonov, Founder and IP attorney at Trademark Garden, an online law firm specializing in providing intellectual property and general business law services to individuals and small businesses joins Enterprise Radio.

This episode of Enterprise Radio is in association with the Legal Corner.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Anton Leonov discuss the following:

  1. What is intellectual property (IP) and how does it differ from personal or real property?
  2. Why is IP important for small businesses?
  3. What are trademarks, and how are they different from other types of IP?
  4. What types of trademarks tend to be the most valuable to small businesses on a budget?
  5. What is the process for getting trademark protection?

Anton Leonov is an intellectual property attorney with extensive experience in trademark filing and prosecution.

With well over 1,000 individual trademark filings under his belt, Anton has helped everyone from individuals to mid-sized companies obtain and protect their intellectual property rights. Besides filing, Anton has experience in negotiation of license and assignment agreements, and IP litigation, including Opposition and Cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, representing both petitioners and respondents.

Anton is the Founder of Trademark Garden, PLLC, a law firm that serves the needs of small businesses, innovators, and startups, offering a full suite of intellectual property and business law services for simple and up-front flat rates, without any hidden costs or confusing billing schemes. Trademark Garden cuts the fat, and delivers you everything that you need to protect your brand, and nothing that you don’t, with fast and professional services provided by an experienced attorney without the high cost barrier of working with traditional law firms.

Websitewww.trademarkgarden.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trademarkgarden
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trademarkgarden

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Grab Exciting Deals on Daily Essentials Only on Souq - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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Can you imagine your day without the essential daily items? From the time when you wake up early in the morning to the time you go back to sleep, there are hundreds of items that you use every day and cannot imagine your day without them. From toothbrush, toothpaste to soaps and detergents, there are a lot more things on which you are deeply dependent for your survival.

Here Souq comes to your rescue and brings with it the best exciting offers for you on these daily essentials.  All the items that are required for your needs can be easily availed on this site at an affordable price with heavy discount offers. Souq gives you the freedom to choose from the widest range of products.

Here is the list of items that you can avail from Souq under exciting deals.  Hurry up and grab more!

Grab interesting deals through Souq Coupon Code

Dettol Original Skin Wipes – Pack of 3 Pieces (3 x 40’s) 

Dettol brings you the pack of anti-Bacterial Original Skin Wipes that provide the best protection from germs for your skin. These skin wipes are easy to carry and can be used anywhere. These wipes not only provide protection against germs but also moisturizes your skin deeply. Dettol Wipes provides instant clean up and soothes your hands, face and neck. They can be used at home, in car, office or on holiday. Avail this amazing pack of skin wipes under the exciting offers only on Souq.

Vanish Gold Pink Multi-Purpose Cleaning Liquid – 900 Ml

Avail the best formula to fight stains, a bottle of Vanish that cleanses the clothes with the utmost care. It is free from chlorine bleach and removes tough dried-in stains effectively. It ensures the stain-free laundry from the very first time of its use. This 900 ml bottle is a miraculous liquid which helps you in removing all types of stains, ranging from the ones that are clearly visible, including some tough stains, to the smaller stains that might escape your notice during the wash. Vanish Liquid is safe to use on both colored and white clothes. Just add this stain removal liquid to all your washes!

Nairn’s Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits – 200gm

Feeling hungry? Here we have a delicious pack of chocolate and whole grain oats, the exclusive Nairn’s Dark Chocolate Oat biscuits. This tasty and healthy biscuit contains only 45 calories per biscuit and 40% less sugar than the average sweet biscuit.
Get this pack of tasty snacks at an exciting offer on Souq. Make your hunger worth waiting with this Nairn’s chocolate biscuit.

Nutella Spread, 750 g

Nutella is the most preferred item of all times. It is made up of quality ingredients like selected hazelnuts and delicious cocoa. It makes your taste buds happy with its overwhelming taste. It is free from any kind of artificial color and preservatives. Nutella can be spread over bread, bun, chapati or on any eatable that you prefer. It helps a mom in making breakfast tastier and more enjoyable for kids.
Apart from its delicious taste, it also offers a sensorial experience that creates a moment of joy for the entire family. So hurry up! Get this amazing Nutella spread and make every moment memorable.

Dove Relaxing Ritual Lavender Body Wash, 250ml 

Under the various exciting offers by Souq, the all-new Dove relaxing Ritual Lavender body wash brings a moment of relief for its customer. This body wash is inspired by the beauty rituals of French women. This soft and relaxing cream shower provides you with soothing fragrance pampered as a timeout for body and mind. The best thing about this body wash is that it is suitable for all skin types. It not only relaxes your body but also makes it softer with a beautiful long-lasting odour.

Harpic Power Plus Liquid Toilet Cleaner – Original, 3 x 1L

Harpic is the most popular name among the toilet cleaner product. The all-new Harpic Powerplus is 5X more powerful than the ordinary bleach based cleaners. It will remove even the toughest stains from your toilet. It is the most powerful weapon to fight toilet stains. Its unique thick formula gives you better bowl coverage. It kills all the germs that are hidden even in the most difficult places in its single application. With the Harpic power plus you can ensure your toilet is left thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Gillette Series Sensitive Shaving Foam, 250ml

The brand new Gillette Series Sensitive Skin Shaving Foam provides a close and comfortable shave for even the most sensitive skin. It helps you look more than a gentleman and gives you a very decent image. It hydrates, protects and refreshes the skin with its natural fragrance. The aloe hydrates the skin for easy cutting and enables an incredible glide. It gives you the best shaving experience and is also easily used by the naive shavers.

Air Wick Pure Freshmatic Refill – Cherry Blossom, 3 x 250 ml

The powerful fragrance of Air wick Pure Freshmatic refreshes every corner of your home. It not only covers up bad smell but also provides a decent and lively odour. It actually removes the bad odour and leaves a clean and refreshing fragrance.

The fine mist instantly helps you to eliminate the unpleasant smell and freshens the air so that your home feels inviting and alive. Make your home and your mood soothing with the Air Wick Freshmatic Refill.

What Exterior Building Painting Can Do For Your Sales Numbers - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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If you’re a business owner with a physical location, the issue of exterior building painting likely comes up every few years. You probably see it as an inconvenience, but a fresh paint job might be more powerful than you think. One trend that you often see in business is that little, seemingly inconsequential changes can make a substantial difference in your sales numbers. One of those changes that business owners are often surprised by is commercial exterior painting. Below, we explain why.

First Impressions are Everything

One thing you learn in the business world is that first impressions are everything. If you fail to make a positive impact, you are unlikely to get a second chance. Many business owners that sell a product or service know this, which is why they make sure to treat new customers as well as possible. What they do not know is that first impressions are often made before you even get face to face with the customer. The reason for this is that many of them will form an opinion about your company as soon as they see your building. When they do, they will have a tainted view of your company, or they will pass on you entirely. 

Appearance is Part of Your Brand

When you created your business, you probably spent a fair amount of time and money working on a name and logo for your brand. Next, you created products, services, and company policies to back it up. This was a smart decision because, in the business world, your brand is everything. Unfortunately, the most insignificant factors can destroy its credibility. If your building is dirty or has chipped paint, customers will associate that shoddy appearance with your brand. Once the damage is done, it is hard to change people’s minds. 

Aesthetics Reflect Your Product

Just like with your brand, a bad looking exterior will also reflect on your product. There is a reason why luxury stores spend so much money and time creating an ambiance of opulence. The reason is that products are not just products. Instead, they are made partially by the story people tell about them. If you surround your product or service with a clean appearance, people are more likely to enjoy it, even if the product itself is the same no matter what. 

Increased Productivity

Scientific studies have proven that environmental factors have a significant effect on productivity. That means you need to revamp the interior of your building, but you should also focus on its exterior. You and your employees should feel proud and inspired when you look at your place of work. If your exterior is sub-par, this will not be the case. The result will be decreased productivity for you and your team. 

Authority 

Most industries feature the same hierarchy: A few businesses at the top get the vast majority of the profit, and everyone else fights for the rest. What this means is that you must do whatever you can to become a company with authority. To do this, you need to be excellent in every aspect of your business. That includes the aesthetics of your building. 

Differentiation

No matter what you do, there are probably scores of other companies that do the exact same thing. They may have the same quality of products as you, keep similar policies, and be on your level in every way. In these situations, you need to get creative about differentiating yourself. One great way to do so is to improve the appearance of your business.

If you want to get the most out of your business, everything you do needs to be close to perfect. That applies to the integral parts of your business, such as the quality of your product or service, but it also means optimizing less obvious aspects too. One of those supplemental features is the quality of your exterior appearance. If you are in need of a fresh coat, don’t hesitate to find an excellent provider and go forward with the job. You never know just how much it could do for your business. 

How Sailing Is Changing: The Sailing Virgins Story - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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James Kell, Founder of Sailing Virgins, the world’s first adventure sailing academy for millennials, based in the British Virgin Islands joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest James Kell discuss the following:

  1. Why did you start Sailing Virgins?
  2. Why now?
  3. What does a typical Sailing Virgins experience look like?
  4. Two years in, what have you learned and what changes have you made?
  5. Looking forward, where do you see Sailing Virgins?

James Kell Stats:

  • James Kell is from Sydney, Australia
  • 44 years old
  • Started sailing as a young boy in New Zealand
  • Ran a construction company in Sydney and Shanghai
  • Started a rock climbing company in China
  • Worked for global sailing events company The Yacht Week, as a skipper, then route manager
  • Started Sailing Virgins two years ago.

Websitewww.sailingvirgins.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sailingvirgins
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/sailingvirgins
Instagram: http://instagram.com/sailingvirgins

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The Growth of Internet Use Instils Westernized Culture - Entrepreneur Podcast Network – EPN

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With the development of the modern society, technologies are penetrated deep into people’s lives. They have quickly evolved into a vital incentive in developing not only the global economy, but also other spheres of human activity. It is difficult to find a sphere, which does not use information technology. The internet, in particular, has become an indispensable companion, counsellor and guide for people around the world.

Just a few decades ago, people’s life was much different. High technologies were meant to make the life easier and changed it beyond recognition. People are surrounded by a variety of technological devices that work for them every day, performing all kinds of household and professional tasks, like washing clothes or recording sound. The internet often serves a channel that connects intangible ideas and knowledge with physical devices and people. It is true to say that heavy usage of internet is capable of transforming and uniting cultures, creating homogenous world culture and global society.

Internet is widespread. It is manifested in virtually every area of human life, such as economics, culture, law, politics, education, language, spiritual and moral development. There are three main impacts associated with the growth in internet use. Firstly, following the generally accepted norms of behaviour, commitment to the common cultural values, universal principles of life, the desire to universalize everything. Secondly, naturally growing interdependence, integration of individual forms of social life. Thirdly, the social aspect, which concerns the life strategies of individuals and changes in social relations.

The youth, who is the most vulnerable to external influence social group, is adjudged under the impact of both negative and positive factors of the Internet. The youth, as the primary user of internet, recognizes it as the most outstanding source of information. It is well-known fact that students often use online writing services such as writer-elite.com to make the writing process easier. Young people are particularly susceptible and easily master a variety of technical innovations. ‘Internet has become especially popular amongst the younger generations who have been brought up ‘computer literate’ and are therefore not discouraged by any technicalities associated with it’. In the modern space of the internet, there are many cultural communities. Among them, there is the so-called ‘fandoms’. Young people tend to join them and unite with fans of famous literary texts, series, movies, music artists from different countries. Since the internet has been ‘adopted and integrated into the daily lives of an increasing number of young adolescents in Western countries, scholars and commentators are debating the impact of these new media on the activities, social relationships, and worldviews of the younger generations’. Whether positive or negative, it is clear that the impact internet has on youth culture is great.

Today, there is a distinct socio-cultural gap between those, who have access to the Internet, and those, who do not have it. The first category of world’s population, often defined as Western culture, gets more opportunities, free and rapid access to information, thus, possess sustainable competitive advantage. Easy access to internet in the developed Western economies makes the dissemination of Western culture, unity and integration of different audiences, and bringing others to a homogeneous world culture possible.

Internet is not simply one of the ways of storing and broadcasting the cultural experience. It is a way of organizing cultural content, which makes a significant change in the architecture of the culture itself. By the scale of its influence on the global culture, the Internet is comparable to the invention of writing and printing. If the traditional literary culture exists on the basis of text, hypertext is a form of organization of cultural assets on internet. In the linguistic aspect, it is a new phenomenon in the textual criticism. Hypertext is a new way of thinking in the language reflection. Hypertext is capable of a significant transformation, shifting to the interpretation of its content in many ways. Hyperlinks allow structuring information.

The effect internet induces on culture can be further resolved into two components. The first is related to the erosion of boundaries of national cultures, overcoming language barriers, the destruction of walls between such forms of culture as science, art, education, leisure, etc. The second one arises from the fact that each person has the opportunity not only passively to accept the content of culture, but also to influence the world of culture. Internet proclaims the birth of a global dialogue of culture, in which each participant has a voice and can affect the overall sound. The phenomenon of internet opens up a new horizon of culture that focuses on global creativity and contribution of each individual.

If the internet was made available to everyone, it would be a tremendous benefit not only to the education system, but also for the culture of the society as a whole. As a result, young users of computer networks would have a number of motives, interests, needs, goals, attitudes and forms of social and psychological activities related to this new space. The growth in internet use creates particular problems that can become global in the new century as well.

Some people oppose the spread of internet basing on the assumption that modern information means have limited social and educational information resources and are focused mainly on leisure and entertainment. They believe that general instability in the society and other factors lead to moral decadence and spiritual poverty in the society. It means that such concepts as compassion, love, respect for other peoples, lose their true essence, instead rudeness, callousness, cruelty, indifference to everything and everyone become a habitual phenomenon. While this opinion contains some truth, people should not forget that processes of moral decline and destruction of human harmony are present not only in the outside world, but also within ourselves. The loss of faith in the ideals by people of the older generations leads to a deficiency of spirituality and sense of national identity in their children. As a result younger generation then gives more value to individual aspirations and goals, demonstrating their beliefs daily. According to Mesch, ‘acting in a media-rich environment and a bedroom culture, the Net-generation or digital natives express different values, attitudes, and behaviours than previous generations’. Thus, there are increasing youth crime and lowering moral and ethical behaviour.

On one hand, internet can play an enormous educational role thanks to its huge audience and effect on the minds. On the other hand, the information society cannot solve the problem of new information culture, the problem of the legal and moral responsibility of the individual. Globalization of cultural and social life increases the share of this responsibility.

One cannot deny that internet gives the illusion of permissiveness, sometimes provoking to manifest the worst traits of character. For instance, there are clubs of suicide, addicts, and terrorists on the Internet. In these clubs, one can order the death, buy a stick of dynamite, or have training of drug stabbing. Also, the Internet is full of various pornography, including the child one. Violence is not forbidden too. These factors contribute to the development of negative cultural assets in the youth culture. Especially when there is anonymity, there is no limit to the possible affects Internet might have on its users and society at large.

At the same time, internet contributes to the development of language. It should be noted that words in the virtual space are often used without compliance with spelling. In chat rooms, forums, texts are written without punctuation, often without capital letters, with many abbreviations and misspellings. The modern youth is trying to communicate in a more simplified, often illiterate language – Internet slang. In the future, this may influence the culture of a whole generation. The language of internet users is also differentiated by age and occupational category, proficiency in computer technology, interests, and preferred activities.

‘In the social web people have found a new way to communicate. Since its creation in 2004, Facebook has grown into a worldwide network of over 1,000 million subscribers’ (Internet World Stats n.d.). Internet, as a special communicative environment and as previously non-existent sphere of realization of the language, has brought new ways of communicating, stereotypes of verbal behaviour, and the existence of new forms of language.

The impact on language should not be only be seen in the negative light, internet also updates language. Many popular sites are the originators of a large number of new words in everyday speech. For example, the term ‘to google’ means the process of finding something. The word ‘like’ is used on Facebook to mark liked announcement or comment. The term ‘avatar’ is photo or picture for a profile on social networking sites. The change in language structure comes together with a growing virtual image of the world. The language used reflects life on the Internet space with its specific features. Obviously, there is a change of values: computer education became more valuable than language study. Thus, it is particularly trendy to speak a simplified language, which is contrary to the rules of customary communication.

Students and schoolchildren are regular users of modern computer technology. They do not always stop at the well-known expressions and try change words from other areas of life, such as music, art, sports and educational activities. Therefore, there are common reasons for the use of slang among young people: inner desire to stand out from the crowd, showing bold and resolute attitude, expression of accumulated emotions, identifying own group of communication, confronting the adult world, boredom and routine, reluctance to be like everyone else, passion for social networking and online games. The last point is the most interesting and confusing to the uninitiated user. Global network influenced the formation of a new sub-section of youth slang – ‘gaming slang’. This slang is gradually transformed into constant use not only by gamers, but also by ordinary teenagers, who feel the need for self-expression. ‘If children are increasingly communicating in an alternative language form, this may have implications for their communication and literacy skills, as it may be encouraging the development of new skills or leading to the loss of others’. Often, young people do not even think about the meaning of the word, the appropriateness of its use, which indicates comprehensive penetration of gaming lexicon in the sphere of mass pronunciation.

The online slang shows low levels of literacy, the reduction of lexemes with violations of the rules of the language, the inappropriateness of using expressions, unsought use of unfamiliar words. Owing to the growth in internet use, the intertextuality of speech began to develop intensively. According to Sourabh and Mansotra, who studied the influence of English language on Hindi, ‘the English language has influenced Indian languages in many ways: it affected the pronunciation of Hindi words. So many English words have been localized in India. Some of the words appear as if they were native Hindi words’. This case is not unique, many languages have experienced the impact of English. For instance, Zuckermann revealed the changes in Chinese language due to the growth in internet use. However, there is a belief that the Internet forces language to grow more rapidly, reflecting the trend of rapid social development.

The change of consciousness of internet user, forming a new network thinking and lifestyle, greatly influences the language situation. Generated by the external reality, the Internet space can exist only with the active human engagement in its creation and development. The language that can be found on the Internet is a real, live, human thinking, which is realized in the form of the text in its new guise that combines not only the verbal utterance, but also the colour, sound, graphics and animation.

Internet is already firmly entrenched in the life of modern society. There is a reciprocal relationship between culture and language. Culture cannot exist without communication, regardless of the communication process. At the same time, communication has its basis in the rules of conduct that are based on cultural norms and values. The internet offers many opportunities to communicate in different languages, access to textual and multimedia information, which promotes general awareness of the world, building skills of interaction with different cultures, establishing causal relationships of various socio-cultural events and general socialization. However, there are also disadvantages of the growth of Internet use. They are primarily related to the youth culture and speech. Internet influences the consciousness of young people in a negative way by providing dangerous information. Moreover, the language of teenagers, who constantly use internet, has changed.

It is obvious that the growth in internet use has affected cultures around the world. It is also possible that Western cultures and English language will permeate even more into other indigenous cultures and lead to homogenous world culture. However, the emergence of the westernized global society may not be quick since many cultures have long historical tradition and their own language that certainly influence how people identify themselves. 

I am a freelance writer. I’m specialized in essay writing on different topics. I like to experiment with different styles and genres. It may be a small high school essay or research. What I like the most about my work is that there is always something new to learn.

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