Business

Big Data. It’s a term that most entrepreneurs have heard. But not all really understand what it means. One could be forgiven for shrugging it off as just another buzzword. The kind that come and go through the office like that squashed and forlorn looking Danish that nobody wants to eat. If you’ve had enough of blue sky thinking, red flags, bottlenecks, growth hacks and customer journeys Big Data is one more digitally-savvy platitude that you could do without. You prefer plain speaking, honest, transparency and clarity. After all, that’s what you’ve built your business and your brand upon! You wouldn’t want to bamboozle your customers with flashy sounding slogans, so you don’t expect them to permeate your operations. You want straight talk only in your boardroom.    Image by … [Read more...] about 5 Ways Big Data Can Cause Big Problems

Planning for the future within a business takes a lot of forward thinking, and making sure you’re always referring back to the drawing board to keep an eye on your goals. After all, the world of business can throw a lot at you, and being flexible is the number one skill a small operation like yours needs to have in your arsenal.  So, the future is coming and coming fast - what are you going to do about it? Well, here are some things to keep in mind over the next few months, to make sure you’re on the right track. Rethink Your Business Plan A business plan isn’t set in stone. It needs to be redrawn every few years or so, to ensure you’re always using a relevant plan to the world around you. But how do you change a business plan without completely ruining it or losing track of where … [Read more...] about Planning For The Future Within Your Business

No one wants to be “hopelessly unrealistic,” in the sense of being seen as delusional, and wasting time and energy running in circles while achieving nothing. Nonetheless, there’s a good argument to be made that the more serious risk for the majority of people is actually dreaming too small, and daring too little, rather than the reverse. In business, as in life, the dreams and ambitions that motivate us the most will tend to be some of the grandest and most seemingly “unrealistic,” rather than the ones that seem like they are easily within reach. Here are just a few reasons to dream big, and to dare – in business as well as in life.   Once you start taking the initial steps, the way ahead will often reveal itself to you     There are all sorts … [Read more...] about 3 Reasons to Dream Big and To Dare

If you hope to improve, you have to know what it is that’s pulling you down. It can be hard to move forward otherwise, as the issues that blind you will always drag your feet, and ultimately, you’ll lose motivation to continue. That being said, sometimes issues are very clear and present, but knowing how to tackle them is a difficult thing. If you’re an alcoholic, for instance, going ‘cold turkey’ is the opposite of the advice you need, as it can cause some very real health concerns, and perhaps become lethal.  So, not only do we need the motivation to execute the plan, we need the forethought to craft it. Furthermore, we need to avoid any and all temptation to cut corners. If you have an addiction, for instance, there is no ‘quick fix’ to help you out of that. It will take worth, … [Read more...] about Taking Positive Steps Towards Resolving Personal Errors

Whether you want to move into the career of your dreams, get into peak physical condition, or move homes, there are almost certainly dreams that you have which you very much want to accomplish, but which currently seem a bit out of reach. When it comes to being able to shape your destiny in the way and in the direction you want, it helps to have certain tips and tricks up your sleeve that can make you more effective, in general. Here are a few tips for more effectively shaping your destiny.   Determine the direction you want to head in, and then work consistently to begin a “positive spiral”   Whether you want to set about finding the right employer so that you can feel content and fulfilled at work, or whether you want to achieve any number of other … [Read more...] about 3 Tips for More Effectively Shaping Your Destiny

  When you’re running a small business, you’re going to find yourself with a whole lot of work on your hands. It takes all sorts of tasks to keep things up and running. You’ll have to focus on product development to have something to sell to your customers. You’ll have to carry out market research to find out whether your product is worth sending into production and whether it has potential to be profitable. You will need to carry out advertising and marketing campaigns to raise brand and product awareness. You’ll have to create a site to sell from. You’ll have to manage and dispatch orders. You’ll have to deal with customer queries. You’ll have to process refunds and complaints. The list goes on and on. So, it’s not all too surprising that you may begin to feel overwhelmed. … [Read more...] about Areas of Your Business You Might Want to Consider Outsourcing