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Reasons Why Skipping a Degree Course May Be a Good Idea

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University used to be the step you take after high school. There was hardly any way to wiggle out of it.

Not so anymore.

Indeed some of the opportunities that were previously reserved for University graduates are now available to non-graduates.

If you have been wondering why more and more people are skipping university, here are some of the reasons behind this trend.

1. There are other Equivalents

While a university degree is not the end-all, be-all, higher education is still unquestionably important.

Luckily, there are varied options today.

It gives one a broader perspective on things as well as the tools to adapt to an ever-changing world.

Alternatives such as apprenticeships and TAFE qualifications can still lead to high-paying jobs.

2. It’s Expensive

Australia attracts scholars from all over the world, thanks to its revered education standards and school systems. The downside, however, is that these institutions are expensive.

For most students, this means taking out student loans to be repaid once one gets to a certain level of income in the future.

While student loans are a great solution to help one get into college, you graduate with the thought of an unpaid loan hanging above your head.

To avoid this, young people are opting to take online courses and other forms of higher education that are significantly more affordable.

Instead of working to repay expensive loans, later on, tuition funds can be put towards purchasing a home or other large ticket items.

3. It’s Not for Everyone

There are specific career paths that absolutely require a University degree to succeed in. Some do not.

This means that for some people, going to college is not as instrumental as it would be to others. For these reasons, skipping university and getting a head start in their goals makes more sense.

For example, someone with a passion for baking and would love to go into entrepreneurship would rather much forego university and spend those 3-4 years perfecting their skills, opening their business, and learning the ropes.

 

4. You Can Still Land Great Jobs

Many blue-chip corporations are increasingly looking to hire for skill.

There are fields in which an apprenticeship or vocation training is deemed more highly than a University Degree.

Apprenticeships and vocational training aim at teaching practical skills to be used to solve everyday problems in the business world. And indeed, employers are looking to hire people who can create solutions.

In this regard, people can forego university, take up other training models, and still get similar opportunities to jobs with high pay.

5. Networking is Much Easier

Another plus for going to university used to be the socializing and networking potential.

Here, students would create and build long term networks that would support them in both their personal and career lives.

The internet has changed this.

Online courses have come a long way from what we had in the past where students would get course files, and that would end at that.

Today, an online course also provides avenues for learners to work collaboratively in group assignments, class discussions, and so on.

These classroom relationships can easily morph into personal friendships that provide the same support and networking potential that people that went to university form with their peers.

University: Yes or No?

Unfortunately, this is not a simple yes or no question as several factors must come into play when deciding to attend or forego university.

However, not getting a university degree is no longer handicaps your career or future as it once did.

Explore your options, network put in some hard work, and you will enjoy the life you always dreamt of.

The crucial role of technological input in modern business

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When it comes to running a successful business, there is no getting around the fact that it is a job that demands constant attention to detail and intricate involvement on every level possible. These days, modern businesses are functioning and thriving at an all-time high, and a massive part of the reason why that is comes down to the fact that technological innovation has well and truly impacted the modern business landscape for the better. Of course, the goal of technological influence is always to improve an aspect of life as we know it, but the simple truth is that sometimes certain technological innovations have more of a profoundly positive impact across the board than others.

Today, the landscape of business is one of the most tremendously impressive landscapes in the world. There is an incredible amount of determination and hard work that goes into bringing these landscapes to vibrant life. There is something to be said about the businesses that are willing and able to take their approach to the next level by introducing and embracing modern marvels like technological influence. More than ever, technology is present in business in fresh and exciting ways that are challenging, if not near impossible, to come to terms with otherwise.

Respecting the balancing act of entrepreneurship

The art of entrepreneurship is one that is well and truly involved in a tremendously impressive inclination towards the ongoing evolution and improvement of a business model. Being an entrepreneur is never an easy job, and it is so incredibly important that all entrepreneurs, no matter their background, are entirely dedicated towards the cause. It is a balancing act that never seems to come to an end, and it is a balancing act that is significantly important when it comes to successful and long-lived business in this modern era.

Introducing technological input into a business

The key to longevity and success for modern businesses is to work with technological innovations (among other aspects and points, of course). This was mentioned earlier, but the importance of including and embracing technological influence in a modern business cannot be overstated. The rest of the world is moving increasingly in the direction of a digital future. What that means for businesses specifically, is that they are now in a position of essentially having to transform the way they approach growth, by means of technological advancement.

Consistently thriving and elevating the business

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Thriving and consistently elevating a business takes a lot of determination and hard work. This much is glaringly obvious, and it is also incredibly important to not that the influence of technological power in modern businesses is making this task easier than ever. Whether it is incorporating an automated novated lease calculator for company vehicle utilisation, or expanding a business by creating and building upon an online presence, the point is always, and without exception, the same: success in business these days is at least partially hinged on the business in question’s willingness and capability to embrace technological innovation.

10 Office Waste Management and Reduction Tips

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Australia is one of the world’s strictest countries when it comes to recycling and waste disposal. Unfortunately, despite most of us adhering closely to laws concerning waste recycling, we are still in the midst of a full-blown recycling crisis.

In any case, we can all still do our part to help offset the effects of the ongoing issue. The key is to reduce the amount of waste we produce so that less needs to be processed. Given that commercial establishments are some of the biggest waste contributors, it makes sense to start there.

Here are some ways your office can be part of the solution:

1.) Consider renting rather than buying some equipment

Many workplaces only need to use certain types of equipment occasionally. Photocopiers and projectors, for instance, are not likely to see daily use in most small offices. Rather than storing these onsite, where they may deteriorate with disuse, it may be better to simply rent infrequently-used equipment as needed.

2.) Invest in long-lasting fixtures

On the other hand, you’ll want to invest in more durable versions of the types of fixtures and equipment you do use. For instance, it may make sense to spend a little more on chairs if they are more likely to last longer. This can significantly cut down on the fixtures and equipment that you would otherwise have to write off every year.

3.) Ask vendors to reduce packaging

If you purchase certain supplies in bulk, ask your vendor to provide you with these without the individual packaging. Also, try to see if they can ship the items in reusable containers that they could take back and refill.

4.) Reuse durable office supplies

Folders, binders, poster board, and other similar items that could be used more than once, saving them from an otherwise premature fate at the landfill. Envelopes could also be reused if adhesive labels are used for the addresses.

5.) Only print reports on demand

The paperless office might not yet be a reality, but there are now plenty of digital alternatives to paper for many applications. Email and app suites such as MS Office and Google Drive make the use of paper for reports and other documents redundant in most cases. Try to discourage the use of paper unless specifically asked for.

6.) Provide reusable plates and utensils

Disposable plates and utensils are by far the biggest source of rubbish at most offices that use them. Traditional utensils and china tend to be a far more ecologically sustainable choice. Just make sure you can provide facilities for washing them thoroughly.

7.) Rent skip bins to handle higher volumes of waste

In many cases, the local rubbish collection services may not be able to adequately handle the volume of waste produced by your workplace. To improve sanitation and to ensure recyclable materials are sent to the right facilities, it’s often best simply rent skip bins. Skip bin rental services typically quite flexible and can rent out different types of bins depending on the volume and type of rubbish. Be sure to use a skip bin price comparison site such as Skip Compare to find the best long-term rental rates in your area.

8.) Optimize your mailing lists

Take some time to clear out duplicate addresses and long-unresponsive customers from your mailing lists. This will not only cut down on your paper consumption but will also help streamline your marketing expenses as well.

9.) Choose less wasteful landscaping

Choose native plants that don’t require too much maintenance or produce too much waste. You may also consider having a rock garden or some exterior artwork instead, especially if your office is a more arid area.

10.) Try bokashi composting for food scraps

If your office does have a garden, bokashi can be a good way to bring down your landscaping costs while reducing the amount of food waste that has to be hauled off. Bokashi is a traditional Japanese composting method that uses the bacteria naturally found on different types of grain bran to break down food scraps and other non-putrid biological waste. It produces a high-quality organic fertiliser that is almost odour-free, which makes the method an excellent fit for residential and office settings.

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Conclusion

In most cases, keeping office waste under control isn’t just a matter of reducing the business’s environmental impact, it’s usually quite financially sound as well. Given the many waste disposal issues facing Australia, reducing and repurposing the waste we create before it’s sent out to processing facilities seems to be the smartest solution.

How to Get the Best Deal at Car Auctions in NSW

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Buying cars at auctions can be quite a fun activity; you get to enjoy the thrill of bidding and at the same time, you may score a good deal. Many people are increasingly attracted to buying cars in the auction, especially because cars generally go for better prices.

Auctions are also great for buying rare cars that you might never find anywhere else. Many people with unique cars prefer to sell them on auctions. In auctions, people can bid and compete and this can potentially drive the price up.

However, for you to get a good deal, you have to know the ropes of the auction business. The following are four things you can do to get a better deal buying cars at auction.

Avoid getting emotionally involved

This is a fundamental principle in the auction business. For you to get a good deal, you must ensure that you don’t get emotionally engaged with the product. Getting emotionality attached to the product might excite you, which means that you will end up overbidding.

You, therefore, should take each deal as it comes and only gets in at the right time and at the right price. If you like a car, but the bidding drives the price beyond what you planned to spend, you should pull out.

Do proper research

Doing proper research helps you to not only understand how the auction process works but also how you can save money. Before you attend an auction, you must research what type of vehicle you want and how much it averages in price.

Knowing the average market price will help you to place a fair bid. Without doing proper research, it would be hard to know the real value of a car. As a result, you may end up overpaying for it. Researching also helps you to ensure you buy an authentic product because you are able to verify the information provided by the sellers.

Don’t get in too quickly

For the most part, an auction is like a mind game. Bidders drive the price up, waiting for the others to give up. To get the best deal, one should not jump into the bidding war. You should wait for the early bidders to show their cards and see who the real bidders are.

Even if you spot a car you like in an auction, you should hold back your enthusiasm. Show other bidders that you’re not willing to go up on a war. Once they cool down and lock in their bids, now you can make your move.

Watch the crowd

Most people who buy cars from online auctions do it in the comfort of their office or home. In the auction house, the mood is usually a little hyped. This often makes people excited as they enjoy every bit of the experience. You should be on the lookout for such bidders because they enjoy bidding wars and can quickly drive the price above the roof.

Watching the crowd also helps one to understand who the genuine buyers are and who are there just to drive the price up. Being able to read the crowd is a luxury that people who buy cars from online auctions don’t enjoy.

Finding car auctions in NSW is easy. Just Google car auctions NSW and there will be tens of offers for online as well as physical auctions. Remember, always bid with your head and not your heart.

5 Tips on Handling Disputes with Your Business Partner

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Starting a partnership is a delighting time, filled with celebrations of successes, shared vision, and new challenges. During the great times, especially when the business is really booming, keeping a close relationship on the ground while still running a business is so easy. However, what do you do when you don’t agree with your business partner and the honeymoon is over?

The one certainty with close relationships is that disagreements may arise. At the time, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, and get emotional, particularly when money is on the line and stakes are high.

Partnership disputes don’t have to throw the business into a tailspin. In this piece, we have outlined five tips that will help you contain disagreements, find a resolution, which leaves your business, and partnership, safety intact.

1. Plan ahead

Consider getting a formal partnership agreement, if you don’t have one, and review it. It should include:

• Guidance to follow when dissolving the partnership.

• The process of handling cash.

• Responsibilities and roles of each partner.

• A dispute resolution terms and procedures or clauses to follow when you are not in agreement.

Additionally, try to cut topics that you know will likely lead to conflict down the road.

2. Have a listening session

This is where each individual agrees to sit and keenly listen to the other’s opinion and position, without reacting or speaking, for a set time – normally around three to five minutes. It is a useful tool for giving each side insight into the other partner’s position and cooling tempers.

In a business partnership, all that matters is how each partner feels once the dispute is resolved and not who wins. If there is a side that feels resentful and marginalized, that result can likely poison the business, and the partnership, over time. It is remarkably useful to practice active listening as it can ease an ongoing tension and make every side feel heard.

3. Do not rush to judgement

For many Operators and owners of a small company, each decision can seem deeply personal, and large. When your business partner disagrees with you on a problem that is essential to you, it can be easy to switch into a battle mode.

Always remember the larger picture; you both entered into this business partnership because you shared a vision. If you genuinely value your business partner, you have to appreciate his viewpoint on the issue at hand, even if you do not agree with it.

4. Don’t be afraid to get help

A neutral third party can really help warring partners find a solution to their disputes. Meditators are usually trained to handle conflicts of all kinds, meaning that using one can result in a faster resolution and cleaner dispute. A mediator will also ensure that none of you is feeling ripped off when leaving the negotiating room or table.

Sometimes, hiring a professional business lawyer or mediator may not sound appealing. If that’s the case, consider using a colleague or friend, though the individual you choose should be trained in handling conflicts, and fully neutral.

5. Get legal advice

Consider getting legal advice, if resolving partnership disputes with an external mediator or on your own doesn’t seem to work. A commercial litigation lawyer in Sydney like Streeter Law Firm will set out your obligations and rights in the conflict and can aid avoid you having to take your issue to court.

Conclusion

Disputes are a given, but you cannot lose sight of the bigger goal or objective: to resolve partnership disputes as amicably and effectively as possible, for you and your business partner to keep running a growing and healthy business. The above tips on handling disputes with your partner will definitely help you both to work together towards your goal of finding success.

Sydney Success – Why More Entrepreneurs Are Choosing Coworking In Sydney

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Business, like the economy in general, is a dynamic process. Things are changing all the time and to be successful one must keep a close eye on trends and changes in market conditions. Responding to new developments and adapting to circumstances is key in order to perceive opportunities for cost-minimisation and profit-maximisation.

With the changing nature of the Australian working world, new tools and technologies are popping up to benefit businesses in a variety of industries. Opportunities for coworking in Sydney on Miller Street are one such option. Exploring and leveraging shared office spaces like these for your own company can allow you to gain a leg up on your competition in many ways.

Let’s look at some specific reasons why more entrepreneurs are choosing coworking in Sydney.

Cut Back On Fixed Costs

Coworking represents a significant change for workers coming from a more traditional office environment. In the past, businesses had their own buildings or office floors and some still do today, but the trend now is towards shared office environments. These traditional offices came with a large price tag that was often unnecessary. Much of the space in such a building often sits underused or wasted entirely.

Coworking can allow your business to cut back dramatically on these fixed costs. For a fraction of the price of renting out an entire office complex, you and your team can enjoy space in a shared office environment instead.

Find New Factors Of Production

You might be thinking that even if the above point were true, traditional office environments offered easy access to necessary factors of production such as basic office infrastructure. If this is a concern for you, then know that finding a high-quality provider of coworking space will give you access to facilities for printing, scanning, and copying, as well as a high-speed internet connection, included in your monthly rate. Avoid the hassle of having to deal with separate utility providers each month.

Eliminate Invisible Barriers To Entry

One of the invisible barriers to entry in today’s business world is gaining recognition in your industry in order to achieve success. In the past, proving yourself by building momentum and convincing investors took time. Now, using the prestigious address of a premium coworking space, you can rapidly gain prominence and give a great first impression. Enjoy the ability to use a recognised address on your business materials and become an instant player in your field.

Use The Insights Of Behavioural Economics

Behavioural economics has many useful insights that are readily observed in the laboratory of the coworking space. For one, you will find that your productivity rapidly increases in a shared office environment. The Hawthorne effect shows that workers are more likely to focus on their tasks if they believe that someone is watching them even if someone is not. Let the informal surveillance of your coworking colleagues keep you on task rather than wasting time procrastinating while working from home.

Use Your Comparative Advantage

Coworking also offers many opportunities for you to use your talents and skill set, your comparative advantage, in exchange for the services of others. Taking the time to get to know your colleagues in your coworking space and offering to exchange expertise can lead to interesting collaborations and serious business partnerships.

Get A Monopoly On Momentum

Coworking spaces are ideal for bringing life back into your work and providing it with a sense of meaning. You can reap all the benefits outlined above while improving your motivation and productivity at the same time. Look for a premium provider of coworking space in Sydney and get down to maximising the potential of your business.

Things to consider while choosing multichannel ecommerce software

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Many online business stores limit themselves by selling products only on one website such as Amazon, which can result in loss of revenues. There are several marketing channels which provide opportunities for increasing sales in online business which ultimately help to generate more revenues. However, it requires the right platform to reach more customers with a quick turnaround time. Businesses willing to employ a multichannel strategy should focus more on selecting the right platform for meeting essential needs. Moreover, it will help a lot to grow business significantly to obtain optimal results.

Multichannel ecommerce software for online business

Listing products on many ecommerce channels will consume more time if done manually. A multichannel ecommerce software allows online business stores to sell their products through various networks easily with the latest features, all while automating the process. In fact, it allows businesses to get more leads after listing their products. On the other hand, overselling may lead to penalties and other problems while utilizing the software. Not all software products are the same and a business store should consider certain important things before investing money.

Here are some key aspects to look out while selecting a multichannel ecommerce software solution.

1. Customizable features

It is important to select a platform that comes with customizable features for gaining more advantages. This, in turn, helps to run a business successfully with automation and human-tech support.

2. Ease of use

Business owners who want to control their sales should make sure that the ecommerce software comes with an editing tool. They should find a software support team that can correct things like typos. The multichannel platform should also provide the option to edit product details that can then sync with the listing channels so that they don’t need to be manually updated.

3. Data management in listing

Data management is the most important factor to consider while choosing a multichannel platform. It is necessary to select the best software that will copy current product listings into other channels. A multichannel platform should include images, descriptions, specifications, and pricing when uploading the data.

4. Inventory syncing

Inventory syncing is another thing to consider while buying a new multichannel platform for ensuring optimal results. It is a crucial feature that is needed for an effective listing management system to sell one-of-a-kind products.

5. Multiple sales channels

Large online business stores should choose a platform which supports multiple sales channels that will benefit them significantly. Some software can support many different channels or a large amount of product listings.

6. Shipping

Shipping is the next important thing to consider when buying a new multichannel platform for an online business. This is because a store should make sure that a product reaches a customer on time through established logistics provider after placing an order.

7. Customer service

Anyone who wants to sell products through multiple channels should select a platform that offers personal and individualized customer support. As such, there are many options available on the market to do so, and ultimately good research will ensure that you are able to get the best multichannel ecommerce software solution for your business.

What do you need to become a profitable trader?

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Many traders are concerned about the required timeframe to become a profitable trader. They try to get a basic idea of how much time it takes to become a proper trader. It must not be the main concern of the rookie trader. Instead of thinking of the timeframe to ensure a decent profit, you need to think of the trading quality. It is necessary to think of the trading plans. If not you, someone else will take your place with an improved trading mindset. He or she would work with a proper trading plan. There can be a good risk management plan for the trades. With the two important things for the trading business, it is possible to manage a decent profit from the trades easily.

All of it is not possible unless you ask the right question related to becoming a profitable trader. In this article, we will discuss the necessary aspects of trading properly. You will get the idea of preparing a proper plan for the trades. Besides, you also will get a decent idea of risk management.

Take care of the risk exposure properly

To become a profitable trader, you will need a proper risk management plan first of all. It will improve a proper trade setup for the executions of the trades. The risk management plan helps you to create a proper order for the trades. Being concerned about the safety and security of the trading business, the traders think of the least investment into the trades. Then they also decrease the investment with simple leverage. You need to know a decent risk management plan so that the risk exposures get a consistent setup every time of executions.

If you use a 1% risk management policy and leverage it with a 1:10 ratio, it will be good for your business. It helps to work with a proper position sizing. From the influence of decent risk management, you will also think of decent profit potential. So, the market analysis will be easy for you to handle. With all things covered for quality execution of a trade, it is possible to expect a decent profit. Make sure you use the best SaxoTraderPro trading platform to filter the best trades. Keep things simple in trading to reduce the risk exposure.

Use an effective trading plan

From the risk management plan, the pro AU traders will hold the trading money properly. But, the actual execution of the trades will need a proper plan. That is why the position sizing and market analysis needs a proper plan. The traders need to be consistent with every single procedure of trading. Along with the risk per trade, it is also necessary to trade with profit target. When you have a decent profit target like 2R as compared to the risks, use the other strategies for the position sizing. Try to find a proper signal which can satisfy the pip count necessary for your profit target. Also, try to use the fundamental analysis to understand the market condition properly.

After every necessary element is being used for a quality trading approach, you can expect profits. Even if the market behaves the opposite of your assessment, you can handle the losses with proper stop-loss. For a rookie trader, it is the first duty to learn to be safe in Forex trading.

The position sizing is very important

If the traders can define a position sizing for the trades, it is possible to set the stop-loss and take-profit. They are both useful to keep your trading business safe from losses. The stop-loss helps to protect a trading position from losing too much. On the other hand, the take profit helps to be safe when sudden price movement tries to turn your profit into a loss. Both of the tools are good with the executions of the trades but traders need to learn using proper position sizing. If they can learn the best market analysis strategies, it will help them to set proper entry and exit points for the trades. Thus you can use the stop-loss and take-profit properly.

The Most Common Financial Mistakes Made By Startups

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As an entrepreneur, your day is full of finding your way, building and refining your services or products, growing your business and achieving your overall goals.

This can make it hard to keep up to date with all of the daily accounting tasks and the bigger picture finances. This is a problem because some important financial decisions and information can fall to the side.

If you are a financial whiz, you might still have a problem creating a financial plan and managing all of the finances. However, this is something that you need to stay on top of because it will affect the stability of the company and your ability to work towards your definition of success.

You will also need the financials to convince and assure your investors of the viability of the business.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of financial mistakes that a startup can make. Fortunately, when you know what these common mistakes are, you can take some steps to avoid them. Many of them are mistakes that you can easily sidestep.

So if you’ve got your financial startup ready to launch, here’s the mistakes you have to avoid.

Mistake #1 – Miscalculating Or Not Calculating Your Cash Burn

Not taking the time to do this will be a major issue. First, you need to know what cash burn is. The burn rate will be the amount of capital your business will go through each month to ensure it operates. If you do not have a clear understanding of this rate, you will have problems achieving your goals before you run out of capital.

A recent survey of new business owners has should that around one-third of them have underestimated their monthly expenses. Almost 20% of those surveyed also realized that they did not have enough financing for their business. It is very easy to miscalculate your costs and this results in your assumptions for initial capital being off. A good step to take will be to keep track of all the expenses you have.

To calculate your burn rate, you need to create a bottom-up projection that uses real-world variables. If you try top-down forecasting, you could be overly optimistic in your sales predictions and this will lead to an unrealistic expectation of revenue. Bottom-up projections are considered more realistic and will show you how much money you need to keep your business going month after month.

Reforecasting is also important and you need to do this. You will have to take into account variable and fixed costs to continually determine the real state of your business. If you are new to burn rates, it is recommended that more research be done on this topic.

Mistake #2 – Not Understanding Your Marketplace Completely

When you do not completely understand your marketplace, you are more likely to misprice your services and products. You should not calculate your costs and then add the margin that you would like to make. You have to consider your market position as well as the value of what you offer. It is better to start with price and work backwards.

When you calculate this, you need to come back to the marketplace and how it affects the price. You need to know who your clients are, what needs your offering fulfils and what you have to offer. Take a look at your competition and what differentiates you as well as the trends which affect your market. All of this will need to be combined to understand your market and how it affects your business.

Mistake #3 – Hiring And Expanding Too Quickly

The people in a company are one of the largest expenses they have. If you want to keep your costs low, your staff expenses should be the first place you look. A mistake that a lot of startups make is hiring too many people too quickly. Too many employees will drain your funds and affect your ability to keep the doors open.

It is not only the recruitment and salary costs that you need to consider. Max Funding’s business loan team explain, “you also need to consider whether you need a larger office with more equipment and supplies for the new staff. There are also some psychological costs that you need to consider such as what will happen to these new people if your business does not grow as it should and you have to let them go. How your investors will take you needing to disassemble your team will also need to be considered. To overcome all of these issues, you need to hire slow.”

Mistake #4 – Hiring The Wrong People

Finance startup Credit Capital state, “a way to save on staffing costs is to hire for potential and not experience. You should not waste your money hiring experience for the sake of having experience. When possible, you should outsource your non-core tasks such as marketing, accounting and development”.

Mistake #5 – Handling Your Finances Yourself

If you have ended the seed round of funding, have many expenses or are earning real revenue, you need someone to manage your finances on a strategic level. A CFO will generally be the best person for this job. If you do not have much financial activity, a CFO might not be the best solution, but you will still need some help with the daily bookkeeping and accounting.

According to Robinson Accounting’s experts, “while you might have the accounting skills needed for block and tackle accounting, it will not be the best use of your time. It is better to hire a professional to help with this so you can focus on the core business. Administrative tasks can take your focus from where it really needs to be. So it’s vital to weigh up whether you’re actually getting value from saving money but losing time trying to do everything yourself.”

This does not mean that you need to hire a full-time accountant or CFO. If your startup is still small, you should outsource these functions and get the support you need on an as-needed basis.

Do you know of any startup mistakes we missed?

Let us know in the comments!

6 Tips for Selecting Folding Arm Awnings for Your Store

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As a store owner, you need to care for your customers all the time. This doesn’t mean offering quality products only but also protecting them from harsh environmental conditions such as sun and rain. Folding arm outdoor awnings are a great way to protect your customers by bringing temperatures down and covering them from rain.

Apart from regulating the temperatures, an awning will also be a great way to market your brand. All you need is to get the one that is customized according to your brand. There are different types of folding arm awnings in Melbourne, and when choosing one for your store, you need to be careful. This article will give you six tips to select folding arm awnings for your store.

1. Comply with the law

The first step before choosing an outdoor canopy is to check the council requirements in your locality. Different states will have different rules, thus checking with authorities in your area is essential. Make sure the design you choose and the message you display on your awning is not against the law. If there is any fee to be paid, ensure you pay before installing the awning.

2. Consider size

The point here is to choose an awning that is proportional to your storefront. This will not only give your shop an excellent look but also save you on the cost. There is no need of getting an oversize awning that will cost you extra dollars and add no value. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to branding.

3. Store design

Awnings have different designs and colours, giving you a wide range to choose from. When you need to get one for your store, picking the one that will match with your store’s design and the colour is very important. By considering design and colour, the two will easily blend and avoid the hustle of repainting your shop. If your store has a protruding roof, don’t forget to consider it.

4. Consider your brand or logo

Store design and colour only are not enough to determine the colour you will choose for your awning. The brand you are trying to display is also a key factor to check on when selecting your awning. The canopy should have the same colour as your brand or logo, and if possible, you can have your brand logo printed on the awning. There are ready-made awnings and custom ones, making it possible for you to get anything you want. Imagine having a green canopy while your brand colour is yellow. It makes no sense!

5. Automatic or manual

Folding arm awnings come in two main types, that is manual and automatic ones. Automated awnings are operated using a remote, and they are easier to retract or wind out. They also have motion sensors which they use to sense excess wind and retract automatically. On the other hand, manual awnings are operated using the crank, and they are more challenging when it comes to withdrawing or winding out. Also, they require more attention as they don’t have motion sensors to sense strong winds.

6. Consider quality

Quality is always essential no matter what you are buying. Melbourne market is flooded with low-quality awnings that are sold at a lower price than the usual one. When shopping doesn’t go for cheaper awnings as they may break down after a few months after installation, costing you more than you would spend if you got good quality. It’s also a good idea to go for customized awnings although they may cost you more.

Summary

There are different types of outdoor awnings in the market, and when choosing one, you should be extra careful. Get your awnings from a reputable seller to get good quality that will last.