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Showing posts from October, 2021

It's Time to Replace Your Apple TV Remote with One That Makes Sense

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  Apple is well-known for being an innovator in a number of spaces. From mobile phones to earbuds, Apple is constantly changing the way we interact with technology. With Apple TV, it pushed its way to the forefront of the streaming conversation and even gave the world Ted Lasso. But despite all that good, Apple has cursed the world with the Apple TV remote. Function101 The Siri remote is interesting in concept but, arguably, is disastrous in execution. Too sensitive with its touch controls and confusing as all heck with an excessively minimalist design, Apple TV's one drawback has long been the stupid remote. However, you don't have to deal with it anymore. The Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV/Apple TV 4K is here to save your streaming experience. Designed with traditional remote control buttons that we've all grown accustomed to, this clicker makes navigating Apple TV easier than ever. The infrared remote requires line of sight to your Apple TV, but it works from nea

Your Key to Valuable Online Courses for Life

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  Being a successful entrepreneur means doing your own professional training. Reading books, watching videos, and attending conferences can all be strong and accountable professional training tools for those who are managing your own business and brands. And, if you'd like to do the bare minimum — beyond doing nothing — then that might suffice. PlayUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI  Skip Ad Wes Hicks/Unsplash But, if you're looking at how 62 percent off U.S. billionaires are self-made, and wondering what they did to differentiate themselves, then you might want to consider some more modern and evolved resources.  One of the most comprehensive and consistently growing educational resources for self-made entrepreneurs available today is this StackSkills Unlimited: Lifetime Access subscription. It's on sale for just $59 (reg. $299.99). Using this purchase, you will be able to learn and discover new skills and push yourself to realize your full potential with access to over 1,000 premiu

Sun Unleashes Large Solar Flare Which Could Lead to Spectacular Auroras This Weekend: Experts

 A large coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to collide with the Earth’s magnetic field on Oct. 30 following an incredible solar flare eruption on Thursday. Video Player is loading. VDO.AI The sun unleashed an X1-class solar flare, its most powerful kind of flare, on Thursday. It peaked at 11:35 a.m.EDT (1535 GMT), according to an alert from the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). A coronal mass ejection (CME), also known as a solar storm, occurs when a large mass of plasma and highly magnetized particles violently eject from the sun. Large CME’s can contain up to a billion tons of matter and can get accelerated to large fractions of the speed of light. When the Earth is in the direct path of a CME, these magnetized and charged solar particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, producing geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) that can potentially disrupt communication satellites and long-distance cables that provide the world with the internet. A direct hit with the Eart

Balancing These Two Things Is the Key to Employee Retention

 As someone in the business of careers and job search, I’ve spent much time observing and contemplating the Great Resignation and the Great Relocation — movements that are fundamentally upending employment patterns and mindsets and creating what some regard a workforce crisis. Video Player is loading. PlayUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI  Skip Ad One could debate how we got here at length, but for me, the issues stem from two key concepts: value and trust. Having experienced 18-plus months of disruption, uncertainty and, in many cases, personal trauma and loss, people are hitting the reset button and reassessing absolutely everything. One of the questions they’re asking is, “Why should I even think about working for a company that doesn’t make me feel valued, and in many respects, doesn’t embrace and reflect my core values?” Related: The Antidote to a Toxic Culture Is a Culture of Trust -- Here's How to Build One “A-ha” moments Don’t think that people who’ve experienced these “a-ha” moment

How to Better Strategize Your Marketing

 As a small business owner, time is elusive, and too often marketing tends to fall to the back burner. Owners are so busy running businesses, honoring family commitments and the million other things they need to do on a daily basis that this vital effort gets short shrift. Yet the simple truth remains: if you’re not marketing a business, you’re not growing it.  Here are some essential steps to that end. Set goals Take a minute to step back and ask what you’re trying to achieve. This will help determine where to spend marketing effort. Do you want to drive more traffic to a website? Need a better conversion rate? Are you trying to create brand awareness? Knowing what you’re trying to accomplish will dictate the appropriate marketing strategy.  Know who you are targeting, and find unique messaging Relevance is one of, if not the most important aspect of Search Engine Optimization. People have a better chance of finding you if your content is relevant to them. So, who are you targeting, a

How to Scale Your Business Using Google Ads

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  While ad tech entrepreneurs may want to avoid the duopoly like the plague, many entrepreneurs stand to gain from marketing on Facebook and Google. Just take a look at some of the high-level Google stats: PlayUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI Firmbee.com/Unsplash People who click on an ad are 50 percent more likely to make a purchase. Online search ads increase a brand's awareness by up to 80 percent. Google delivers an average of 8:1 return on investment. Google may be a problem for ad tech entrepreneurs, but for others looking to grow their brands and sell products online, the proof is in the pudding. If you're ready to start scaling your advertising on Google, check out The Google Ads Marketing Bootcamp Bundle. It's on sale for $15 (reg. $600).  This three-course bundle is led by Faisal Ahmed Siddiqui (4.1/5 instructor rating), an experienced entrepreneur who has worked with more than 50 multinationals, brands, companies, and business partners. Over the past decade, he has spent

How Lessons Learned During October's Social-Media Blackout Can Fuel Future Success

 So, you survived the seven-hour social-media blackout on October 4, 2021. It was probably frustrating; you wanted to scroll endlessly to get through another Monday of sending emails and strategizing. Social media gets a lot of flak, and there's no shortage of studies to back up the criticism. For example, a 2018 study out of University of Pennsylvania found a significant decrease in depression, anxiety and fear of missing out (FOMO) when research participants decreased their social media use to 30 minutes or less per day.  But social media is also a powerful tool that allows us to connect when we want and learn on-demand. And the events on October 4 reminded us that we have to be intentional with our time and use of social media.  Related: Facebook Explains What Happened in Massive Blackout: 'We're Working to Understand More' What the social-media blackout on October 4 revealed Here’s what probably happened throughout your day when most social-media sites were down. Yo

3 Ways Leaders Can Step Into Accountability for Diversity and Inclusion

  In the past year, I’ve often heard the word accountability attached to   diversity , equity and   inclusion   ( DEI ). Many leaders feel pressure to have an opinion on and speak to every issue in the  news  cycle. Employees — particularly colleagues of color, women and younger coworkers — are expecting their leaders to understand and address the challenges of  social justice . They’re asking: Add in the complexity around the risks and disparate impacts of Covid-19, vaccinations and mask use, and we’ve got quite the accountability storm. Our relationships with our employees and peers are now pressurized like never before. For many of us — particularly those from advantaged backgrounds — it’s a shock. Some of us are muttering to ourselves:  I’ve never been expected to lead through DEI like this before. Let’s look at what is causing these new expectations of us as leaders. Related:  This Is Why the Days of the All-Powerful, Cigar-Puffing CEO Are Gone Reasons for this new accountability

During the pandemic 8 out of 10 people with disabilities lost their jobs

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  Before the pandemic, 70% of people with disabilities worked informally due to lack of opportunities, according to data from the Paralife Foundation. It is estimated that the number of people in this sector of the population has increased to 80%, according to the Inclúyeme Foundation, an organization that promotes the full inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities through actions with a rights approach, such as support for employment and opening of job opportunities in the regular market. Depositphotos.com This situation becomes more complicated when considering that only some companies have inclusive hiring programs, due to the fact that no greater benefits are offered for operating with these schemes. Tax deductions for companies that offer these types of programs are minimal, which is why organizations prefer to make donations rather than hiring, which reduces the chances that people with disabilities will have more and better opportunities. Although there are spaces that

9 Tips for Startup Hiring

 What’s the most challenging part of starting a company? Some would say it’s finding co-founders. Others might complain about the hassles of legal formation or state regulations. Still, others will insist that it’s gathering seed capital. My answer is simple: finding and hiring great people. Many challenges are associated with building a startup: technology risks, financial hurdles and legal roadblocks. Yet nothing will slow your company down like having the wrong people in place, or even having the wrong number of the right people. 1. Find the right people When you’re starting out with a few founders in a garage or lean office, it can be tough to find great people — and that's when you need them most. This is especially true if you don’t have a name for your company or a track record of success for yourself as an entrepreneur. Hiring the wrong people can be worse than not hiring at all. Someone who doesn’t share your vision or isn’t motivated by your mission will sap time and ener

Why Prioritizing Growth Will Kill Your Chances of Success

 When you’re considering new business ideas, building a digital platform sounds exciting and appealing. There are fewer overhead costs and virtually no limits on growth and expansion. Theoretically, your business can experience fast and consistent growth as long as you keep pushing sales and attracting customers.  PlayUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI Skip Ad In these instances, it can be easy to focus on growth and assume that a sustainable business model will simply come together as you go. The truth is that this mindset will lead you down the path of failure, and your brand likely won’t make it past its first year.  Did you know that 90% of startups fail because of self-destruction? Not competition. Not a lack of interest. Not even funding issues. They fail because they don't start with the correct end goal: sustainability.  (To be clear, sustainability in this context refers to the longevity of your brand, not your eco-friendliness or environmental impact.) It's a common mistake to

An Ant Colony Is the Perfect Metaphor for the Economy. Here's What Else You Need to Know.

 Ants are fascinating creatures. Far more than a simple picnic pest or inspiring hero moving a rubber tree plant, ants are complex creatures that demonstrate the value of teamwork, networks and cooperation. Scientists are only now starting to learn just how complex an ant colony really is and how incredibly intricate and mysterious ant communication is. VDO.AI And the ant colony is a perfect metaphor for what humans call “the economy.” Unfortunately, when most of us refer to the economy, we refer to it as a single, monolithic creature — almost like it has a central decision-making mechanism and a single state of being. We talk about the economy being in good or bad shape. We use terms like bull and bear in reference to stock markets. Academics refer to the desired state of the economy being “in equilibrium.” All of these are poor ways to think about the economy because the economy is not one single thing. Related: How the Rise of the Gig Economy Influences the Workforce Human economic