Saturday, May 30, 2020

Starting a Side Business While Juggling a Full-Time Job Do It This Way

Starting a Side Business While Juggling a Full-Time Job Do It This Way Imagine youre leaving the office and heading home.It was a really tough day. Thank goodness its over. Now its time to enjoy these few precious hours of freedom. Do things you actually want to do. UntilTomorrow. When the 9-to-5 grind starts all over again.If youre like most working humans, you dont have to imagine...Honestly, how many times have you spent your lunch break staring out the window, daydreaming about quitting your dead-end job and starting a business of your own?Wouldnt it be amazing to become your own boss? Bring your ideas to life and lead your business to success?Maybe youve even had some Eureka! moments already, discovering ideas, all of which could well be your tickets to freedom.Theres the first problem:Money.Lets say you quit your job to build the business of your dreams. Starting a business isnt cheap. So now that youre freshly out of work, how will you fund your venture?Heck, what about even paying the bills? After all, your business wont become profitable overni ght.Hm. Maybe quitting your job isnt a good idea, at least not yet. Youll need that consistent income to get your business off the ground.So now theres the second problem:Time.How can you manage your full-time career while starting a side business? Where will you find the extra hours and energy? When will you sleep?I can tell you from experience: Its possible.Difficult, but doable.When I launched my college and career consulting business Transizion, I was still working full-time. I had the idea for months, but I still hesitated. My fears were the same as yours: time, money, the potential failure.You know this well-worn phrase:A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.Cheesy? Perhaps. True? Oh, very much so.Eventually, I stopped making excuses and took my first step.Below, youll see some practical advice so that you can take yours, too.It all comes from my personal experience (and mistakes I learned from!).1Make a CommitmentBefore youre ready to start a side business, youve g ot to commit. Juggling a full-time job and a startup is a huge challenge. It requires serious sacrifices.So if you arent 100% committed, youre likely to give up when the going gets tough. (And it will get tough.)Ask yourself if youre truly ready to say I do to limiting:Relaxation (e.g., Netflix, mindless scrolling on your phone, staring into space)Time spent on your favorite activitiesTime spent with your favorite peopleYour social lifeSleep.Your business must be a priority, especially in the beginning. You will have to make financial sacrifices and give up your social life.And whats worse:Youll have to make sacrifices most of the time.Youre going to run into problems on weeknights and weekends. Problems will surprise you at inconvenient times.So youll have to sacrifice even more.Your commitment will be tested when challenges arise out of nowhere. But keep in mind that anyone can solve problems when they can plan for them.This also means youll need to learn new skills and manage you r time on the fly.I call this putting out fires. Problems and challenges will always be there. Its your job to deal with them using your time and expertise.Even after you put out these fires, youll be exhausted during your free time.Sometimes, youll feel too overwhelmed and anxious to do anything when youre free. During these moments, your commitment will keep you going. Youve decided to embark on a difficult journey, and youve decided to see it through.If youre prepared to make these sacrifices and stick to them, youll be much more successful.2Get FeedbackAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about two-thirds of businesses survive two years, and half survive at least five years. One-third make it to the ten-year mark.Long story shortBusinesses fail.But yours doesnt have to.Forbes gathered info from 101 startup founders on why their businesses failed.The number one reason?Lack of a market need for the product/service, according to 42% of founders.Honest feedback is the best w eapon against your business meeting this same fate. We all think our ideas are awesome. But will other people buy what youre selling?Start with your own network of friends, acquaintances, and mentors. Ask for brutal honesty. If their response is, Wow, that sounds great! dont just smile and pat yourself on the back. Ask, Why?Liking your product isnt the same as buying it.Measure the strengths and weaknesses of your offering. Get in-depth feedback that you can actually use.Interview your audience to determine what problems they have that your product/service can solve. How can you be more helpful? What makes your product or service different from others they use?After gathering enough data, its time to be honest with yourself. Is there a market for your product or service? Will your business eventually be profitable?If needed, make adjustments before going live with your business. The worst case scenario isnt going back to the drawing board. Its investing tons of time and money into a product or service that no one wants to buy.3Know YourselfYour time is limited, so youll need to maximize it. Doing so requires that you know when and where youre most productive.When you need to put in those extra hours, should you stay up late or wake up early?Personally, my brain seems to function much better in the morning. This was especially true after I had already completed my nine-to-five shift. I preferred waking up early to put in some time with my side business before heading to work.You also need a comfortable workspace. Some people find that theyre too distracted at home and prefer to work at a local coffee shop or library. I like working at home, as long as my desk is clean and organized.When youre working from home, I also recommend dressing up as if you were heading to the office. This will keep you from getting too comfortable. Dressing up in professional attire will also give you the right mindsetyoure ready to work and accomplish your goals.Figure out what works for you. Give your best hours to your new business and build a productive workspace.4Create a Daily ScheduleRight now, youre energized and excited by your new endeavor. But eventually, the daily grind of your full-time job will drain you. As you sit down to work on your side business, youll think, Maybe this could wait just one more day. I deserve a break.A daily schedule keeps you focused and disciplined. It also helps you budget your time, which is another way to maximize your daily 24 hours.As you build your schedule, you may realize some activities need to be cut. Remember the commitment you made and prioritize whats most important to you.For me, exercise is key to keeping my energy levels up and my mind clear. I fit time into my daily schedule for the gym and jiu-jitsu training, in addition to working on my business. And to avoid burning out, I make sure to budget enough time for sleep.5Use Time-Saving ToolsLook for tools and apps to help you conserve time and energy. A few of my favorites are:Trello, to manage content writing and client projectsSlack, for quick communication with team members (no more cluttered email inboxes)Stripe, to process payments without waiting for checksGoogle Drive, to access documents from anywhere.Sure, technology can limit your productivity. But it can also increase it. Embrace any tools that keep you organized and save you time.If you want to get some extra tips on everyday time management (plus, a list of the coolest productivity apps out there), see: Professional Project Managers Share Their Productivity Hacks6Budget RealisticallyOf course, time isnt the only commodity you need to budget. Youll also need to budget money.Starting a side business is tough, so you need to be realistic when creating your budget. They say you have to spend money to make money. When youre building a new business, its true.Assume that you wont have any business revenue for at least the first 12 months. At first, your money will go into building the business and paying off invoices and credit cards.All of Transizions first-year revenue went to paying content writers and compensating lawyers for drafting contracts. And some of it went down the drain after I made mistakes.7Learn from Mistakes, Celebrate ProgressSpeaking of mistakes, youre going to make them along the way. Its inevitable. Its also human nature to dwell on our mistakes and get discouraged.When youre trying to grow a business, you cant have this mentality.Focus on what youre learning each time you make a mistake. The mistakes Ive made have also taught me some of the most valuable lessons about business.Here are some mistakes I made and the lessons I learned:Mistake 1: When I first started, I was too focused on selling the product I envisioned. I didnt listen to my prospective customers, which cost the company money and time.Lesson: Today, we send customer review forms and host feedback sessions with our clients. This has helped us create helpful solutions for ha ppy customers.Mistake 2: When we began marketing, I didnt place enough emphasis on SEO and content marketing. The company left lots of money on the table as a result of my mistake.Lesson: Now, we invest lots of time and energy into creating in-depth college and career guides for our customers. Its how we build trust with them.Mistake 3: As the business began to pick up, I wanted to do much of the work on my own. I was hesitant to hire new talent and give up control of important projects. This mistake ended up costing me hundreds of hours of time that could have been spent on other projects. It also increased my anxiety.Lesson: Hiring great people is important. So is keeping high standards for client work. Its important to trust your team members to get the job done.You will make critical mistakes that cost lots of money and time. Youre only human.What counts is how you respond.Write down what youll do differently next time and move on. Failure is a natural part of success, and you c ant let it shake your confidence.When you make progress, celebrate it! Get excited about the steps youre taking, no matter how small they are. This keeps you motivated and focused on your ultimate goal.8Keep Business Expenses SeparateFrom the start, split your business and personal expenses. Get a business card and open a business account.This makes filing taxes easier and keeps your accountant happy. It also helps you maintain a clear, organized budget. As your business spending grows, youll want to monitor it closely. Youll also want to see (and celebrate) when your business starts turning a profit.Sowhat do you think?Today, Transizion is growing quickly.It took a long time, but discipline and commitment pay off. Weve helped over 2,000 professionals and students thus far.Ive used the advice I gave you to grow my business while working a nine-to-five.Now, its your turn to skip the regrets and pursue your dream!Are you ready to turn your business idea into a reality? What do you thi nk will be the biggest challenges? How will you overcome them?Id love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

BDO Profession Levels Guide

BDO Profession Levels GuideBDO Profession Levels is a method of leveling up your character. These levels only have a small impact on the game's economy, but it's still worth it to try them out. Some professions that you can unlock at higher levels include; blacksmithing, miner, and an alchemist.When you start playing BDO, you're going to need to make some decisions about what kind of skill tree you want to build around. First, you have two choices; Survival and Combat. The skill trees that go with these two professions tend to be very different, but still flow with each other.Since the game has so many different mechanics in it, it would be very difficult to describe everything in this guide. There are too many variables in place that we just want to point out one by one.Before going into the actual leveling process in BDO, we want to tell you that the items you get in the game are very important. You need to figure out where you're going to buy all of your resources. This can be tri cky. You can buy the basic items that you need right now, or you can always sell them later on.A good place to find the basic materials for making an item is right now. The easiest way to do this is to go to the auction house. Once you figure out where you want to get your materials, you can go there and buy it in bulk and save up.Another good place to go when it comes to survival is a trade hub. If you're in the middle of a war or just really desperate for some resources, you can find better prices. It's a good idea to keep an eye out for these hubs.The only problem with buying them in bulk is that you will be buying a lot of raw materials for your items, which is what makes the gems come in handy. For that reason, we suggest you only buy a few of each for now. If you buy more than you should, you're just wasting time and it's a waste of resources.Once you have your character leveled up, then you can move onto BDO Profession Levels. The highest level that you can get is 30, and tha t's the highest.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Why Self-Confidence Leads to Success at Work

Why Self-Confidence Leads to Success at Work The best part about being human is that we have a choice in what we think, how we feel, and  how we choose to act. And being confident, is an essential component for anyone looking  for success in their career. Confidence at workplace is knowing what you’re good at and the  values you provide to the organization. In reality, self-confidence is often an important asset  than skill and knowledge, or even experience. Anytime we step into the zone of certainty and  confidence, it gives us a sense of power, strength and help us to evolve as a better person. As  with everything in life, being confident or timid, happy or sad are all choices. Learning how to direct and be conscious about our choices- what we think, how we feel and  how we act are the ingredients required to be confident in life especially in your workplace.  Choosing to approach any problem you face with a focus of being confident, can create an  energy that can assist you far beyond your imagination. That is why if you don’t want to make  the choice to pursue your goals with confidence and self-assurance, you don’t get what you  want. To accomplish your goal in life, you need to understand why confidence at work is key to  success. The drive to start anything, anytime Confident people don’t think much, they execute their work quickly. They are not shy about  striking out any new ideas that can lead to progress in the organization. Confidence allow you  to stand up for yourself in a consistent manner even when those around you are still pondering  or does not speak for you. Self-confidence is reassuring others Self-confidence create trust. Everyone wants to be able to trust the people they do business  with. And to project trustworthiness, you must project confidence by believing in yourself and  your values. Henry Ford said, ‘whether you think you can, or you think you can’t- you’re right.  Lack of confidence leads to setting the goal bar too low, and mediocre results. The ability to work out of comfort zone Being assertive makes it easy to become comfortable with the work habits and how you  manage your everyday work. Confidence help you to push yourself out of your own comfort  zone and show that you can face challenging situations with poise. Whenever there is change  happening in any organization, other individuals always look for someone that goes with the  flow in a positive and confident manner. Being self-reliant enables you to show how you can  handle any situation and come out of it successfully. Confidence builds healthy relationship Confidence is imperative when it comes to establishing healthy relationship with the fellow-workers. When you are confident about what you do and how you take decisions, people  around can trust you especially when they want any advice related to the work. As your  suggestion and decision counts, you eventually command the respect of your peers and get the  rewards you deserve. The 4Cs to make you confident in life It is essential to learn to be confident, in order to be successful in everything you do in life.  However, there are certain factors that play major roles to help you achieve your self-assurance. Commitment Being committed is an important component of getting what you want and where you want to  be in life. And when you want a smooth path, better job, more money and healthy relationship,  being committed directs you towards that path. However, commitment is a choice. Clarity If you are not clear of what you want, you go nowhere in life. Envision your goal and be detailed  about it. For instance, if you have a job interview for the position you have dreamt since a long  time, plan your day ahead â€" meditate, prepare for the possible questions, come up with ideal  vision of how you want the interview to go, what will you wear and many more to add. See and  feel what you want before it happens. Consciousness Being conscious means being aware of what’s working and what’s not. It also means being clear  about and committed to your goals. Being conscious means being consistent at all times. Consistency Everything in life demands consistency. Once you know what you want in life and have a clear  plan, make your choice consistent. Your plan should be able to keep you accountable and on  the right track with your intentions and goal. 2

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Managing Director Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Managing Director Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Managing Director Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Resume Writing Free Services

Resume Writing Free ServicesIf you are looking for resume writing free services, then you have a lot of options available to you. You can try writing your own resume, pay someone else to do it for you, or you can even hire a professional resume writer. Whichever way you choose, the goal is the same: you want to ensure that your resume is prepared and convincing enough to get you that first interview.But with all these free services, there is a problem. How do you know that you're getting a high quality resume for a low price? This is where the 'reverse check' comes in.If you know someone who has used a reverse check service, they will be able to tell you exactly how good or bad your resume is. They are experts in what they do, so they will tell you. It is up to you to find out if the service you are using is worth the price or not. Remember that there are companies that offer very cheap services because they are trying to make a quick buck.The other big advantage of using a reverse c heck is that it gives you an idea of what it costs to get the same services. When it comes to hiring a professional to write your resume, this gives you an idea of how much it will cost you.The bottom line is, you can get a lot of advice about writing a good resume by reading other people's reviews of free services, and you can get a lot of information about what companies charge to write your resume. There are some good services out there, but you need to use the time wisely.Sometimes you can find out a little bit about a company, but you can also learn a lot more by doing a search for one of the free services that provide free services. Of course, you don't want to pay for service that offers low quality writing. You should pay for a service that offers quality service, but at a reasonable price.Now you may be asking yourself what you can do to find a company that offers professional resume writers. There are places on the internet that will give you access to a service that can h elp you write a great resume, and they will work for a small fee. They do a lot of these, and if you see one that looks good to you, you can sign up for a few months, and then get a discount if you sign up for a year or longer.These are just a few tips that you can use to find an online service that offers the type of service you need. Keep in mind that sometimes the best services can be found on the internet, and if you look hard enough, you can find some of them.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

How I Came to Be an Intense Woman at Work - Cubicle Chic

How I Came to Be an Intense Woman at Work - Cubicle Chic How I Came to Be an Intense Woman at Work Career, Corporate Life, Development August 25, 2016 0 Comments  Dress: Kit And Ace; similar here Vest: Boutique; similar here Mules: Asos; similar hereExperiences in the past have indicated something about my personality, and it’s that I may have a more serious demeanor, especially at work. I even had one person that told it to me directly, that I am an intense person to work with sometimes. Having been an outspoken person my whole life, I’ve taken comments like that as a compliment. That sentiment changed slightly in a recent incident. I had a 1:1 teleconference with someone I was trying to make a really strong impression with, and in the teleconference the video capacity was enabled. For the first time, I was watching myself as I spoke, in a way that I thought exuded confidence. I was mentally gasping at the image of myself on screen â€" I looked SO serious and definitely intense!  Dress: Kit And Ace;  similar here Vest: Boutique; similar  here Mules: Asos; similar here   Dress : Kit And Ace;  similar here Vest: Boutique; similar  here Mules: Asos; similar hereNeedless to say, there is a bit of a gap that exists between the internal visualization of myself and, when I get the chance to get a glimpse of, the way the world actually perceives me. It’s uncomfortable to face this realization, and quite honestly, a bit unsettling.Working in Corporate America for half a decade has taught me a thing or two. Number 1, 2, and 3 are as follows: Your image is everything, your image is everything, and your image is everything. Yes, in case I didn’t make it clear, your image is everything. For me, the ideal image consists of the following adjectives: strategic, conscientious, and poised. The challenge, though, is that I am human and made of flesh. So while I can be strategic, conscientious, and poised, I am also passionate and dogged, and I really do care. So at times I have to be dial up certain qualities, in order to balance out the way I carry myself. As a result , I deliberately try to behave more assured, authoritative, and firm. This is reflected in the following ways:  I am very conscious of something a lot of women fall victim of, something called “Uptalk” â€" where you raise the end of your sentence with an upward inflection to make it sound more like a question/suggestion, rather than a statement or a demand. (It’s a thing, officially called High Rising Terminal, look it up!) I do everything in my power to avoid it.I pay attention to body language. Twirling the hair, sitting in the back of the room, crossing my arms, or sitting in a “minimizing” posture (including slouching, looking down, folding your arms) all indicate the lack of confidence. I do the opposite â€" I sit in the front, sit back and try to relax, make direct eye contact, and speak up toward the front of the room.I keep small talks to the minimum. I have a select group of people that I would consider friends at work, and outside of this circle, I don’t engage in small talks too often. I prioritize being professional and effective over being someone’s pal to chat about the weekend with.When the circumstances are so that I have to pick between making progress and keeping the peace or that “good feeling” environment, I usually default to the former. There are good ways, tactful ways, to create a win-win situation and achieve both, it’s true. But when deadlines are real and decisions need to be made, something’s gotta give. For me, making progress usually wins out.  Dress: Kit And Ace;  similar here Vest: Boutique; similar  here Mules: Asos; similar hereSo maybe, just maybe, in the process of upholding that image as a professional woman, I lost touch with the core of my being â€" the warm, open, caring, and easy-going side of me.Or maybe, just maybe, in the corporate world, room for an individual to exhibit these characteristics is just limited.Or maybe, just maybe, could it be because I am a woman, therefore the trade-off exists? I would definitely be re-visiting this topic soon. What are your thoughts so far?All photography by Natalie Alvarado (Stylenfuse)

Friday, May 8, 2020

How Can You Acquire an Irresistible and Marketable New Skillset - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching

How Can You Acquire an Irresistible and Marketable New Skillset - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching Thanks to Amanda Wilks for this weeks guest blog! Please check out her bio out at the bottom. -Coach Wolfgang If you are looking to acquire an irresistible and marketable new skillset, you are most likely trying to change careers. It can be a scary thing to take that first leap to change careers. What if you do not have the required experience to get into the field of your dreams? How do you go about getting that new experience? How do you find out what that is? There are many successful people who made a big career change. Julia Child left advertising and media to publish her first cookbook and John Glenn became a US Senator after his astronaut career. Take the following steps to learn a new trade or skillset and get your dream career. Identify your passion Your first step is going to require some self-reflection. You need to ask yourself: What do you like, dislike? What do you like to do at work? Do you like being in the office or the relationships youve made with your coworkers? What do you like to do in your spare time? Once you can answer these questions, make a plan. You have determined your passion, now what can you do that will encompass your passion and give you a fulfilling career? What education or skillset will you need to get that career? While you are just analyzing at this point, it is scary to think of the leap you will have to take to make the career change. Maybe going to college for a marketable degree and a new skillset at one of the technology schools in Texas is the right path, or check out if there is a way you could volunteer in your desired field. Recognize that your fears and lack of knowledge are your biggest obstacles. Arm yourself with as much knowledge about what your career change will entail, and the leap may not seem quite as daunting. For some, a forceful push, like being laid off, could be the fire under your feet to take the leap, and eventually turn into being the best thing that could have happened. Start by networking connecting Wanting to change careers when you have no idea what you are doing can be a very intimidating thought. The easiest way to open the door to your new career is through networking and connecting. Networking does not mean standing in a crowded room and handing out business cards. You may need a new skill set, so what better way to figure out what exactly that entails than to talk to people who are doing the job that you want? Connect with people. You may not know somebody with the exact job you want, but you have to start somewhere, and you never know who somebody else may know. Start by asking for an informational interview and make sure to ask lots of intelligent and relevant questions. Follow up with the people from your interviews and offer to help in some way. Sometimes, connecting with people can be more beneficial than just sending in your resume and hoping that will get you to the job you want. Most likely, if you are changing careers, you may not have the experience or skillset that the job actually requires. However, the impression that you make while connecting with people could possibly lead to a job, or at least another contact. Get started The best way to begin acquiring a new skillset is to quit analyzing and start to act. Start with where you think you want to go. It is easier to correct the path you are on than to start a new path. Once you take that first step, you will most likely gain the confidence to continue going. How do you take that leap if you cant let leave the stability of where you are now? You hate your job, but it pays the bills; your family is depending on that income. How can you just drop everything and pursue your dreams? Well, the good news is that you do not have to leave your current job right away. You can start to acquire that new skillset before taking that leap of faith into a new career. You can enroll in a part-time college course or take a community education course. Volunteer at one of the companies on your dream list in your spare time. Go for the informational interviews over your lunch break. Try a project out on your own. Dont let yourself get burnt out. Many of us suffer from having all of this built-up excitement and then letting it sputter out because the path is a long one that takes time, and then we sit for days, weeks, even months stalling on acquiring the new skills. Surround yourself with people in the same mindset; you can challenge each other to keep going. Author Bio: Amanda is a writer and regular guest blogger. See more of Amanda’s work on Twitter @AmandaWilks01.