Starting a business: 5 key issues

Starting a new business is an exciting and challenging endeavour. To make a business a success, several things are important. These you can take into account, to get the business off the ground in the right way. Below are five things you can consider when starting a new business.

Business plan

Having an idea for a business is great, but it is also important to have a business plan. This will help you establish your goals, vision, strategies and financial projections. A well-thought-out and elaborate business plan gives direction to your business. Furthermore, it serves as a guide when making important decisions. A business plan includes market research, competitive analysis, marketing strategies and a detailed financial plan. This way, you will not face any surprises and you will know where your business stands.

Legal and administrative aspects

When starting a business, there are several legal and administrative aspects to consider. Think about registering the company with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK), applying for permits and arranging the right insurances. It is hugely important to understand and comply with the legal requirements and obligations. This will ensure that your business operates on a solid legal footing.

Financial planning and capital

Proper financial planning is essential to the success of your new business. It is important to have a detailed understanding of expected income and expenses. In addition, you need to have a realistic idea of the capital required to start and run your business. You may need to explore financing options such as loans, investors or grants. This will help you obtain sufficient capital.

Marketing and branding

An effective marketing and branding strategy is crucial to putting your business on the map and attracting customers. Identify your target audience, define your unique selling proposition and develop a strong brand identity. It helps to use different marketing channels such as social media, online ads, content marketing and networking events. This is where you can promote your business and build brand awareness.

Furnishing the workplace

Furnishing your workplace is an aspect that is often overlooked, but it can have a big impact on employee productivity and well-being. Create an inspiring and functional workplace that suits the needs of your business. Provide office interior, such as ergonomic furniture. Sufficient light and a tidy place will help boost the work productivity too.

How to cut costs when giving your buy-to-let property a make-over

Maintaining a buy-to-let property is far more of a headache than financial gurus would have you believe. While it can be a great source of passive income, managing a rental property involves a huge amount of hidden costs that eat into your profit margin, keep you invested in the day-to-day functioning of the property (rather than enjoying your ‘passive’ income), and even lead you into financial hot water.

What’s more, as you cycle through various tenants, it is inevitable that you will have to give the property a make-over at some point to ensure it looks fresh, attractive, and worth the rental price you are asking for.

Thankfully, you can definitely cut costs when you are giving your rental property a make-over – it just requires a little ingenuity on your part. For example, you could focus on making changes that look the most impactful – such as painting walls and hanging interesting prints – which don’t actually cost much money.

Furthermore, you may want to use cost-effective transportation services, which can reduce your overhead costs when moving fresh furniture into the property. Here are some great tips for giving your buy-to-let property a make-over on a budget:

Use cost effective transportation methods

When you are maintaining a rental property, one of your most expensive tasks will actually be the process of shifting old, worn furniture out of the property and moving new furniture into it.

The reason why this costs a significant amount of money is because of the transportation methods you may need to use to complete the process. For example, you may have to hire a van, truck or even ship items across multiple states or countries.

This can become eye-wateringly expensive, so why not look for the most cost-effective transportation methods. If you need to move furniture long-distance, then LTL freight shipping is a sensible option. This is because less-than-load freight is cheaper on Shiply, due to the fact that you aren’t taking up the whole capacity.

Buy good condition second-hand furniture 

Following on from the previous tip about refreshing the furniture in your rental property every so often, you shouldn’t blindly buy brand-new items because you presume they will have the biggest impact.

In fact, if you are on a budget, then fitting cheap new furniture actually has a negative effect. Your tenants will no doubt recognize the pieces from their local home stores, and it will tell everyone that you have penny pinched.

Instead, why not search for high-quality (or even designer) furniture on the used market? By doing this, it will look like you have invested a lot of money in expensive furniture, and they will likely be items that the tenants have not seen in countless rental properties before.

Focus on cheap, high-leverage changes

The best way to give your buy-to-let a make-over on a budget is to focus on the cheapest yet highest leverage changes. What this means is that you want to start by repainting walls in bright, impactful colors, hanging interesting prints that give your property more personality, or simply rearranging the layout of furniture in different rooms. By making these small, cheap changes, you will make a big difference to the look of your house without breaking the bank.

Workflow Automation & Everything You Need to Know!

Workflow automation is the use of technology to automate the processes and tasks that make up a business workflow. This can include automating routine tasks, such as data entry, sending emails, and updating spreadsheets, as well as more complex processes like project management and customer relationship management. workflow automation software can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and free up employees to focus on higher-level tasks.

What is Workflow Automation?

Workflow automation is the use of software and technology to automate business processes, from simple repetitive tasks to more complex and multi-step workflows. The goal is to streamline the flow of work, eliminate manual steps, reduce the risk of errors, and increase efficiency. Workflow automation application typically includes tools for designing workflows, triggering events, routing tasks, and reporting on performance.

Benefits of Workflow Automation

Workflow automation offers a wide range of benefits to businesses of all sizes, including:

1. Increased efficiency: Businesses can free up employees to focus on more important and value-added tasks by automating repetitive tasks.
2. Improved accuracy: Automation reduces the risk of human error, which can lead to costly mistakes and inefficiencies.
3. Faster processing times: By automating workflows, businesses can reduce the time it takes to complete a process, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
4. Better collaboration: Workflow automation can help teams work together more effectively by enabling real-time communication and reducing delays caused by manual handoffs.
5. Cost savings: By automating workflows, businesses can reduce the need for manual labor, leading to cost savings.

Examples of Workflow Automation:

There are many examples of workflow automation across various industries, including:

1. Finance: Automating invoice processing, payment approvals, and expense management.
2. Human Resources: Automating employee onboarding, performance evaluations, and benefits enrollment.
3. Marketing: Automating lead nurturing, email campaigns, and social media scheduling.
4. Sales: Automating lead tracking, customer follow-up, and order processing.
5. Customer Service: Automating ticket routing, customer feedback, and follow-up communication.

How to Implement Workflow Automation

Implementing workflow automation involves several steps, including:

1. Identify processes to automate: Start by identifying the processes that are best suited for automation. Look for processes that are repetitive, time-consuming, and error-prone.
2. Design workflows: Once you have identified the processes to automate, design the workflows using a workflow automation tool. These tools typically include drag-and-drop interfaces for designing workflows and pre-built templates for common workflows.
3. Choose the right automation tools: Choose the right tools for your workflow automation. Look for tools that integrate with your existing systems, are easy to use, and have a good reputation in the market.
4. Test and refine: Before rolling out your automated workflows, test them thoroughly to ensure that they work as expected. Refine the workflows as needed to improve performance.
5. Roll out automation: Once you are satisfied with the workflows, roll out automation across your organization. Ensure employees are trained on the new workflows and any necessary changes are communicated effectively.

Challenges in Workflow Automation

While workflow automation has many benefits, there are also some challenges to consider. These include:

1. Resistance to change: Some employees may resist change, particularly if they are used to manual processes. It is important to communicate the benefits of automation and involve employees in the design process.
2. Integration challenges: Integrating workflow automation with existing systems can be challenging, particularly if multiple systems are involved.
3. Lack of expertise: Some organizations may lack the expertise needed to design and implement effective automated workflows. In these cases, it may be necessary to seek external help.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, implementing workflow automation software can significantly impact a business’s productivity and effectiveness. By streamlining routine tasks and complex processes, companies can reduce errors, save time, and increase their capacity for growth. Security is a critical feature of WMS. WMS can provide features such as user authentication, role-based access control, and encryption to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

How to Build and Manage Your Own NFT Collection

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are stored and tracked on the blockchain. They are unique and cannot be replicated or replaced. In recent years, NFTs have gained a lot of popularity, and people are now collecting them as a form of digital art or investing in them. If you are interested in collecting NFTs, this article will give you a comprehensive guide on building and managing your own NFT collection.

Choosing the right NFTs

When it comes to collecting NFTs, it’s important to choose the right ones. It’s important to do your research and be aware of the available different types of NFTs. The most popular types of NFTs are digital art, collectibles, and gaming assets. It’s also important to consider the liquidity of the NFTs you’re interested in. Some NFTs are more popular than others and can be sold more easily.

Setting up your NFT wallet

Before you can start collecting NFTs, you will need to set up an NFT wallet. An NFT wallet is a digital wallet that is used to store and manage your NFTs. You will need to choose a wallet provider compatible with the type of NFTs you plan to collect. A wallet like OKX can provide a place to store your digital assets. You will need to ensure that your wallet is secure and that you are the only one who holds the private key.

Tips for buying NFTs

Once you’ve set up your wallet, you’ll be ready to buy NFTs. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Research the types of NFTs available and decide which ones you’d like to collect.
• Understand the different marketplaces and platforms where NFTs are sold.
• Ensure you understand the pricing models and fees associated with buying and selling NFTs.
• Keep an eye out for discounts and deals.
• Consider joining an NFT community to learn from experienced collectors.

How to manage your NFT collection

Now that you’ve started collecting NFTs, it’s important to know how to manage your collection. Here are some tips for managing your NFTs:

• Create a spreadsheet or use an NFT tracking platform to keep track of your NFTs.
• Make sure to store your NFTs securely.
• Consider diversifying your NFTs by investing in different types of NFTs.
• Monitor the market and stay up to date on the latest trends.
• Take the time to research and understand the different types of available NFTs.

NFT buying and selling strategies

Once you’ve built up your NFT collection, it’s important to have a plan for buying and selling your NFTs. Here are some tips for buying and selling NFTs:

• Understand the different types of NFTs and the potential of each one.
• Consider diversifying your NFTs by buying different types of NFTs.
• Monitor the market and stay up to date on the latest trends.
• Take advantage of discounts and deals when buying and selling NFTs.
• Understand the different pricing models and fees associated with buying and selling NFTs.

Conclusion

Collecting NFTs can be a great way to diversify your portfolio, invest in something tangible, and show your support for the artists, creators, and developers who are creating original and innovative digital works. With the right knowledge and strategy, you can be well on your way to building and managing your own NFT collection.

 

Should you develop your store with Shopify Plus?

Shopify is a well-known platform among the big and smaller e-commerce players. For those who need more control over the development process, the platform offers Shopify Plus. What are its advantages, and what possibilities does it bring? 

 

Not that long ago, before the e-commerce boom sparked by the pandemic, the online store owners would pay attention mainly to their offer. It needed to be competitive to stand out – that rule applied in the traditional sales, and so it applies in the digital one. Depending on the target group’s needs and values, the e-commerce businesses would choose the value to emphasize (usually, either quality or price). And that would be it. 

 

But now, when the e-commerce sector is so stuffed, it’s much more tricky to keep the conversion rates high. The offer still matters – but the way your online shop is built is essential, too. With Shopify Plus, the possibilities in this field are much broader. You can adjust the store to the needs of your users and your own, integrating it smoothly with your system in order to improve performance and data exchange.

Benefits of Shopify Plus

 

Let’s take a look at Shopify Plus’s unique features through the prism of the benefits for your company. 

 

• higher conversion rates due to the easy creation of discount scenarios with Shopify Scripts and cross-border sales with Shopify Payments
• better reputation among users and lower financial risk due to the highest level of security with Free Extended Validation certificate
• safe and distributed access due to the option of unlimited employees’ accounts and the administrators’ control over the access
• better efficiency due to task automation with Shopify Flow
• the advantage over the competition due to the priority access to beta functionality

 

Since the tools mentioned above are customizable, you can adjust your store to the client’s expectations, what increases the probability of conversion. All you need to do is to take advantage of the data on your users’ behaviors. Thanks to Shopify Flow, the user experience can be introduced in no time – the tool observes the users’ decisions and creates automatic responses to them.

Shopify Plus – for who?

 

There are a few subscription models that Shopify users can choose from. Shopify Plus Agency will be perfect for those who:

• want to build various online stores – with Shopify Plus, you can operate 9 instances within one license
• you want to automatize and coordinate the promotional campaigns in a convenient way – the Launchpad app available in this model allows you to do so
• you want to improve the shop’s performance – customized Shopify rest API makes it load much smoother and faster

To get familiar with all the possibilities of this platform, check Decathlon Shopify case study.

The Real Benefits of Maintaining Your Furnace: What You Should Know

Not many people know this, but having your furnace maintained regularly is one of the best things you can do to keep it running – and to avoid any costly repairs or breakdowns later on. The fact is that when you schedule maintenance checks for your furnace, this will ensure that any issues can be resolved early on before it becomes too late. It doesn’t even have to take long – and a checkup once a year will suffice for furnaces. Ideally, your furnace should be looked at as soon as possible – in other words; there’s no better time than the present to have it checked! And it’s ultimately better to rely on a technician when there isn’t an emergency rather than have a full-on crisis. But what else should you understand about regular maintenance? Here’s what you should know about the real benefits of maintaining your furnace.

Peace of mind and safety

There’s nothing compared to having true peace of mind, especially if your HVAC system has been adequately checked for safety. Of course, heating systems are not generally risky to operate – and besides, most have built-in features that ensure safety in operation. But if your furnace isn’t well-maintained, you could have issues. For instance, a furnace that doesn’t have the proper care could develop cracks, and a crack on the heat exchanger is dangerous as it can result in a carbon monoxide leak. It is a problem often faced by old furnaces rather than new ones, yet still, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Energy-efficiency

Another benefit you will get when you have your furnace checked and maintained regularly is energy efficiency. It’s normal for your furnace to go through wear and tear, especially if it has more than a few year’s operations. But what isn’t normal is the loss of energy efficiency. The good news is, with proper maintenance, your furnace can retain about 95 percent of its efficiency throughout its lifespan, as a furnace repair service Aurora IL such as McNally HVAC is quick to confirm.

Dependability and reliability

It is often seen as the most significant benefit – and rightly so. If you have a well-maintained furnace, it follows that it will be dependable – and you can rely on it no matter the season. You don’t have to worry that your furnace will suddenly break down or suffer from a major failure – or worse, not function at all. As part of your maintenance package, your furnace will undergo a thorough and complete inspection, and all its parts and components will be examined and cleaned. If anything needs to be replaced, it will be done before it worsens.

A longer lifespan

When your furnace is checked and maintained regularly, you are helping prolong its lifespan. Buying a furnace is no joke – it could very well be one of the biggest expenses for your household or business. So ideally, you would want it to last as long as possible – and work efficiently, too. When your furnace is functioning well and is checked regularly, it can last up to 15 years, maybe longer. An annual tune-up or inspection gives your furnace the best chance of lasting longer.

Image attributed to Pixabay.com

 

 

 

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Benefits of Renting Laptops for your Business

Capable and efficient tech, such as laptops, are now an essential part of running any business.

With a countless range of business operations completed using digital processes, laptops are great for allowing for the collection of accurate data and stats, quick calculations, instant communications, and so much more.

Whether you’re looking to kit your new business and its staff out with new, highly capable laptops, or you are hoping to replace the current devices as they have become slow or outdated, the solution may seem obvious – purchase new ones.

However, this comes with a number of inherent risks, as a purchase is a final decision, and if there are issues to be had with the devices in the present or the future, it makes it much harder to remedy the situation, including getting your money back successfully.

This is just one of the many benefits of taking the alternative route and renting your business’s laptops instead. Read on to find out why renting laptops is the most proficient way of securing the best tech for your business.

Try before you buy

Renting your business’s laptops gives you and your employees the chance to try out prospective devices, whether from Lenovo.com or another big tech brand, before being tied down by a final purchase.

This gives you the freedom to experiment with different devices if, for whatever reason, a rented device does not suit the required parameters for your business operations.

While it is a perfectly reasonable option to rent a device indefinitely if that’s what works best for you, it’s at least a great preliminary step to take before taking on considerable expense with a batch laptop purchase.

Stay up to date

Another highly convenient aspect of renting laptops is that it allows you and your business the ability to stay up to date with the latest laptop devices and technology.

If you were to make a permanent purchase of laptops, it would likely be on the assumption that they would be used for a number of years, and would see constant work that justifies the expense to bring them in.

While it is still important not to waste rental money on a laptop that is not being used, it saves the massive expenses associated with purchasing the top range of devices whenever their release date is announced, as you can simply stop renting one model, and take on the newest device temporarily to try it out.

This means that your business can always stay on top of productivity and efficiency, with the most modern devices at their disposal.

Easily scale

One convenient aspect of renting laptops instead of purchasing is that it is far more flexible than purchasing could possibly be. In an economic landscape that is increasingly uncertain, being able to either scale up or scale down costs on rented laptops means that the business can effectively reduce their expenses in times of need, and boost productivity in times of success.

It is much harder to sell laptops in the circumstance that they had been purchased outright, compared to the ease of cancelling rent and returning the device to the supplier.

 

 

 

The Positive Properties and Characteristics of Oak that Make it a Wonderful Property Asset

Oak has been widely used for generations as furniture, flooring, support structure, and more, and there’s no denying that when you have oak elements in your property, it’s a feature that can add a lot of value indeed. This is even truer if you have older oak elements, like flooring or beams, as these can give your property or structure a distinctive appeal and make it more attractive to buyers. But what makes oak such a significant choice for any home, and what makes it better than other kinds of wood? Here are the positive properties and characteristics of oak that make it a wonderful asset to your property.

Its flexibility

One particularly notable feature and characteristic of oak wood is its flexibility. Not only does oak boast a lot of strength and appeal – but it is also entirely flexible and even more flexible than other types of wood. You can use it for flooring or cladding on the exterior portion of your property, and oak beams have been a popular element in many older structures for years. Speaking of which, if your property boasts older oak beams and they are showing some signs of disrepair or need a bit of restoration, it’s worth turning to experts in beam renovation services who can bring back their former glory without harming the wood. Oak is also more flexible due to its uniform colour and graining, which allows you to use it both externally and internally with ease.

Its looks

Oak is an attractive wood for sure, and it has a unique appearance that makes it pleasing to look at and draws the attention of viewers. The timber is indeed as desirable as ever, and you can use it for both modern and period properties because it suits almost all themes. The colour of the wood looks very natural, and it has a golden hue that will eventually turn silvery over time and make the wood look even more distinguished. In fact, just like wine, oak looks even better with time! The graining of the wood itself will not require staining or waxing, you can emphasise its beauty, and the wood’s texture is also very appealing to any property owner.

Its durability

Everyone knows about the innate strength and hardiness of oak wood, and this is another reason it’s a common choice for many structures. Oak beams, for example, can last for decades and even centuries, and you have probably seen your fair share of oak beams and furniture that still stand and work well today. The reason for its durability lies in its high tannin concentration, and with this, it can easily resist infestation from insects or the buildup of mould or fungi. Compared to other kinds of timber, oak isn’t likely to decay, warp, or rot. You can make the wood even stronger with a unique drying method, which strips the wood of moisture and makes it more resistant to temperature changes.

Whether you already have oak elements or furniture or are still thinking of acquiring them, it’s an investment that’s worth making, bar none. With the wood’s strength, appeal, and durability, you can use it for almost any purpose, and with the correct treatment, it can last for a long time indeed.

Image attributed to Pixabay.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Essential Features in an HR Automation Program

Modern businesses need to keep pace with the changes in business processes, which include HR management. Most companies have deployed HR management software in place, some opting for a scalable solution that will allow the program to grow alongside the company’s growth.

With the number of vendors in the market, choosing the right one may be challenging because the features differ or are labelled differently. Here are some pointers on the vital features to look for when choosing HR management software.

Vital features and primary requirements

You should exercise caution when choosing an HR platform because it will affect the performance and processes of the department. What you should do is do comparison shopping first. Find reputable vendors, make a shortlist, and compare their features using your department’s needs as your guide. Of course, you also need to make sure that the software is scalable.

Here are some important features to consider.

1. Employee information management. This feature handles the full directory of employee profiles, which usually include the employee’s personal details, salary and job history, tax and banking details, disciplinary history, insurance plans, leave requests, performance feedback, and other fields required by the client. The feature keeps all the information about each employee in one place, linked to the main record, which facilitates reporting and tracking. Adding information to the record becomes easier and faster.
2. Recruitment and hiring process. With an HR software, you can handle employee recruitment and hiring with ease. You have a consistent assistant when screening, recruiting, and hiring additional staff. The software facilitates HR automation for HR systems. The program can help you write job descriptions, post them on multiple websites and track application submissions, which can automatically accept and reject applicants based on the criteria you previously set.
3. Talent management. Look for a human resource management software that includes a talent management feature. This will help you evaluate employees according to your preset criteria aside from the actual interview. The HR software is an integrated system that can access all information about each employee, include the new hires. With the talent management feature, you can do a performance assessment based on the productivity of the employee and other expectations. Depending on company policies, you can find a program that allows employees to view their performance feedback, which means they can see their evaluations immediately.
4. Benefits management. This is an essential feature, which will automatically compute all the benefits and deductions, such as paid leave, overtime pay, taxes, and national insurance.
5. Financial management. Aside from computing employee benefits, robust HR management software should include a financial management feature. The feature handles the base salary administration, and the computation of bonuses, commissions, and other compensation packages automatically.
6. Management of time and attendance. Find the HR management software that can handle shift scheduling and employee attendance to ensure that every department, project, and location has the right number of staff every workday. With electronic timesheets, it is easier to time-track and prepare payroll.

There are several other features that you might need to have when you choose HR management system software. Identify first all the features that your company needs before looking for the most suitable software solution.

 

Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/job-job-offer-workplace-job-search-3258590/

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Starting a Baking Business

There is nothing better than turning your hobby into a business! People love making money from the things they love doing and new baking businesses are more popular than ever. It seems as if everyone knows one small baking business as the number of businesses have increased throughout 2020 and beyond. There are multiple things to consider when starting a baking business, especially if you want to succeed and do well. Keep reading to find out four things you should consider when helping your baking business take off.

Purchase the right items

Starting a baking business is an exciting journey, but it can be rather daunting if you’ve never done anything like this before. This is why we recommend that you do enough research to ensure you are led down the right path. You’ll be putting a lot of effort and money into your business, so you’ll want to ensure you are purchasing the right equipment and investing your money where necessary.

For example, you’ll soon realise that your business picks up and you have more orders coming in than ever before. This is when good items come in handy, especially if you are going to be producing a large quantity of products. You should be investing in items like an electronic weighing scale so that you can measure exactly how much of each ingredient goes into a product on a large scale. This can also help with assuring customers of any allergens in your products. Purchasing the right items at the beginning of your baking career will save you a lot of time when you become stretched for time.

Hire an extra pair of hands

Baking takes up a lot of time, you of all people will know this. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that you should consider hiring some help in the future. When your business grows in popularity, you’ll soon notice that orders pick up and more people are requesting your services. It may even be that your services are requested in larger amounts. With this, we recommend that you recruit staff within your means to help you in your busier periods. You can help train aspiring bakers and even give some younger bakers practical hands-on experience. You don’t want the quality of your products to suffer as a result of doing too much!

Follow regulations

Depending on where you are growing your company, like any other food-related business, you will be required to be certified in following strict regulations and guidance. For example, in the UK, many catering businesses are recommended to have a food hygiene certificate and be trained to follow great hygiene practice. Avoiding cross-contamination is key in ensuring you are providing excellent services and products. This will attract new customers and also give them peace of mind when purchasing from you.

Engage with your customers

As well as playing by the books, it is also your job – as a business owner – to ensure your advertising your business efficiently and effectively. We recommend that you develop an online presence for your brand and engage with your customers at all times.

Follow these steps and do some extra research when starting your own baking business!

Image – Pixabay