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18 Sep 2021
Sticky Post By Posted in Finance Permalink

A Beginner’s Guide to Staking Polkadot

Sticky Post By On September 18, 2021

Is staking crypto safeThere’s greater to crypto the choices extra you examine. While many new investors are inquisitive about trading and shopping for cryptocurrencies, a small group is getting cash passively with the aid of counting on evidence of stake techniques. But with something so notable, the choices anticipated query of its safety comes into play. Does staking crypto suggest your money is covered and secured? We check some of the choices professionals and cons to provide you an idea of whether or not staking is worth doing.

The execs of staking crypto The difference between Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake is apparent. Instead of the use of the choices users’ computer machine, PoS allows users to keep their cryptocurrencies into a pool and get rewarded while new successful transactions are made.As an investor, you don’t need to sacrifice or search for extra strength assets to earn. You can make cash via PoS by staking your crypto and wait until you get rewarded.

It’s electricity and cost-efficient since you don’t need to do anything in any respect apart from letting the system use your crypto as coverage. This also method that the choices miners won’t must use high-priced equipment to make a contribution more than they could have enough money.Another gain of PoS is that the algorithm permits the formation of blocks randomly, now not like PoW, where miners have to use the most luxurious device to locate the choices “nonce” — a single actual number to create a block.PoS is truthful from the choices attitude of an investor.

There’s no want to inform which is a greater effective tool (as utilized in PoW) to decide how excessive the choices bonus is. The distribution of rewards is equal.The accurate aspect about PoS is that it has a excessive level of protection. The process of creating blocks or conducting transactions on blockchain poses some dangers. What PoS ensures is protection from 51% vulnerability to attacks.Remember that community individuals have to strategize their actions to preserve cash of their wallets.

With a high-protection level, you’re confident that you may enjoy minor to zero attacks.Staking allows you to choose from a huge variety of cryptocurrencies to stake. There are famous options, which include the choices quite popular Polkadot to others like Dfinity and many more. A first-rate strategy to keep away from losses from staking is to have masses of options, which can diversify your funding.Having a plethora of options to pick out from allows studying and making more.

You can pick the best ones based totally on your profits. You can also set other standards so you can higher pick what to do with your cash.One of the main motives humans stake is for the choices rewards. Staking provides profits relying on how massive your stake is. For example, in case you stake 1% of the total coins issued, you’ll get a 1% bonus. This bonus is equally disbursed to the holders. You get a truthful quantity based totally to your contribution. So, the bigger your stake is, the more bonuses you may get.

The cons of staking crypto Although we’ve noted a excessive degree of security in staking, a hundred% protection isn’t always assured. For you to reinforce the safety, you still have to activate 2FA. Using vfxAlert software (enquiry) program that you think is reliable is greatly encouraged. Staking crypto doesn’t always bring about wins. Price volatility is your enemy here. Even if you take all protection measures to keep your wallet stable, you may nonetheless lose cash or now not advantage in any respect if there’s no momentum anymore.You can’t positioned all your cash in staking if the token mentioned has limits.

Normally, cryptocurrency tasks set barriers to keep their intention. After all, it’s not going to be a “pool” anymore in case you own one hundred% of it. This prevents buyers from getting greedy over one cryptocurrency. Final mind One of the maximum critical elements to staking nicely is safety and protection. Crypto is a volatile marketplace that may be rocky for investors. This is why staking effectively can only be executed by using trusting within the right validator.While there are numerous staking carriers out proper now, the marketplace is still sparkling.

Companies like RockX had been made to help traders compound their crypto assets with smarter staking.

18 Sep 2021
Sticky Post By Posted in Finance Permalink

crypto exchange with low fees

Sticky Post By On September 18, 2021

gregorynlarl.onesmablog.com – http://gregorynlarl.onesmablog.com/how-to-successfully-trade-binary-options-and-cryptocurrencies-in-Philippines-Can-Be-Fun-For-Anyone-38872294; Jesse Powell: Yeah. Trace Mayer: You understand, in which there may be a will, there is a way? Jesse Powell: Yes. Trace Mayer: So, like, what are a few different matters that is probably actionable for the target market to do? One aspect I’ve noticed with Kraken (first-class bitcoin change), there is a whole lot of, you may say security features, which might be like the Easter eggs. Jesse Powell: Uh-huh. Trace Mayer: Can we talk approximately some of those? Like, due to the fact loads of people do not know what they don’t know and that they don’t know that they do not know it.

Jesse Powell: Yeah. PGP E-mail and Bitcoin Security Trace Mayer: So, like, what are a number of the safety capabilities that are there for the very protection aware that someone simply might not be privy to? Jesse Powell: Yes. Some of the things you want to take for, kind of, superior settings. PGP encrypted e mail is to be had. So all of the automated updates that you get from the choices change, from password reset e-mails to exchange notifications to investment deal with adjustments.

You may have all these e-mails encrypted when we exit to you. Trace Mayer: Now what might be an advantage of that? Jesse Powell: Well, let’s say any individual manages to compromise your electronic mail account. They make an try and reset your password. Well, when you have -thing on there, they probably would not be able to do it. But in case you — let’s assume, you did not have two-element on your account, they tried to reset your password by using sending a restoration e mail to your email account.

If your e-mail was encrypted, they wouldn’t be able to decrypt that email to peer how to get better the account. So they might additionally must compromise your machine or your — Trace Mayer: Or your non-public key — Jesse Powell: — non-public key. Yeah. Trace Mayer: — for your GPG. Jesse Powell: Right. Trace Mayer: And, like, alternate notifications, like, in the event that they compromise your email account and that they see that you, like, withdrew 1000 bitcoins from Coinbase.

Jesse Powell: Uh-huh. Trace Mayer: And it comes from Coinbase like this open e mail and, guy, they know you are sitting on some coins and they recognize the choices address you’re sitting in right. Jesse Powell: Now they recognise to dig a little deeper or just like take a seat in your account for a while and attempt not to assist you to realize that they — Trace Mayer: That they’re there. Jesse Powell: — are there and watch for you to reveal those coins to them.

Yeah, so — Trace Mayer: Yeah. So, I mean, that is just like a kind of PGP you are just sending up this additional barrier for each person who’s, like, lucky enough to, like, hack your electronic mail. Jesse Powell: Yeah. Or who occurs to work at the email company that simply loves to snoop around. Trace Mayer: You recognize, Coinbase or Kraken (nice bitcoin alternate) could actually have malicious customer support employees or some thing.

Jesse Powell: Sure. Trace Mayer: You know what I suggest? Like, this enables protect in opposition to such a lot of one-of-a-kind potential security vulnerabilities. Jesse Powell: Yeah. So I could pretty advocate anyone the usage of Exchange or — to simply use PGP for email, period, for the whole thing for all email. I’m going to try to use it as tons as feasible for the whole lot. And it’s not too hard to do, I suppose. G-mail certainly simply launched some kind of plugin.

17 Sep 2021
Sticky Post By Posted in Finance Permalink

definition of crypto currency

Sticky Post By On September 17, 2021

We explain “how cryptocurrency works.” The intention of this guide is to train novices about blockchain and digital currencies (like Bitcoin).Below we simplify things to make a somewhat complicated system less difficult to understand. Do a website search, Google search, trading signals or see the hyperlinks underneath to learn more about unique standards.What a brand new consumer wishes to recognize: Cryptocurrency is more or less the choices equal of the usage of PayPal or a Debit Card, besides the numbers on the choices screen constitute cryptocurrency in preference to dollars.

All a new user wishes to do is set up a Coinbase account or download Robinhood or Cash App to get commenced. With Coinbase users can buy, sell, ship, receive, and store Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ether, and Litecoin (Coinbase presents an all-in-one wallet, broker, and change provider making them a one-stop-shop for new users). With Cash App users can buy, promote, send, obtain, and shop Bitcoin.Get $5 in Bitcoin When You Sign up For Coinbase: Get $5 loose Bitcoin at Coinbase only for signing up https://coinbase-consumer.sjv.io/b3b0gk.The basic standards are: To use cryptocurrency, you don’t need to apprehend it (any extra than you want to recognize the choices monetary machine to use a debit card).

However, if you want to understand cryptocurrency you want to apprehend the choices idea of digital foreign money, the choices idea of blockchain (both as a public ledger of transactions and a technology), and the choices concept of cryptography. After all, cryptocurrency is a digital currency, wherein transactions are recorded on a public digital ledger referred to as a blockchain, and each technique along the manner is secured by using cryptography.

The goal of this page may be to help you recognize these items and the way they join.Cryptocurrency works a lot like bank credit on a debit card. In each instances, a complex gadget that problems foreign money and records transactions and balances works backstage to allow humans to ship and acquire currency electronically. Likewise, much like with banking, online structures may be used to manipulate money owed and circulate balances.

The most important distinction among cryptocurrency and bank credit score is that in preference to banks and governments issuing the choices currency and retaining ledgers, an set of rules does.What is cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency is great notion of as virtual foreign money (it only exists on computer systems). It is transferred between friends (there’s no intermediary like a bank). Transactions are recorded on a virtual public ledger (known as a “blockchain”).

Transaction statistics and the choices ledger are encrypted using cryptography (that is why it is referred to as “crypto” “foreign money”). It is decentralized, that means it is managed by means of customers and laptop algorithms and no longer a critical government. It is distributed, which means the blockchain is hosted on many computer systems throughout the choices globe. Meanwhile, cryptocurrencies are traded on on-line cryptocurrency exchanges, like inventory exchanges.

Bitcoin (usually traded under the choices symbol BTC) is one in every of many cryptocurrencies; other cryptocurrencies have names like “Ether (ETH),” “Ripple (XRP),” and “Litecoin (LTC).

29 Nov 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in News, News and Trends Permalink

4 Future Trends That Represent Massive Opportunity

Sticky Post By On November 29, 2020



5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Staying on top of trends is how entrepreneurs succeed. I love reading and researching data to understand what’s to come. Sure, no one can predict the future — yet, but excited for the time when AI will do that for us — but trends are our best bet when it comes to projecting where business is heading.  

Not many years ago, we were predicting the rise of something called a smartphone and becoming comfortable with the idea of wide-scale digital subscription services with monthly fees and cars that drive themselves. Now the iPhone and Netflix are part of our everyday lives. Let’s take a look at four new trends that represent massive opportunity.

1. Ghost kitchens are the food of the future

Accentuated by Covid, ghost kitchens, also known as delivery-only restaurants, are where food service is headed. The concept is popping up everywhere, from Barcelona to New York City. Uber-popular, fast-casual chain Chipotle just rolled out its first ghost kitchen. Speaking of Uber, ex-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick just raised $130 million for his ghost kitchen concept, according to The Wall Street Journal. If this doesn’t foreshadow that ghost kitchens are the future, what will?

But, can this bare-bones trend turn into big dollars? Research firm Eurometer has estimated that ghost kitchens could be a $1 trillion business by 2030. These kinds of restaurants offer a streamlining effect like never before — with no waiters or flashy interiors, the inherently cut costs ultimately give the customer the same food at cheaper prices. This space is still relatively new and represents lots of opportunities to focus on hyperlocal regions.

Related: Why Most Ghost Kitchens Will Fail in 2021

2. Car companies are scrambling to offer more autonomous and electric vehicle options

More than ever, consumers are making ethical purchases and looking to reduce their carbon footprint. The intersection of those two ideas is electric and autonomous vehicles.

Tesla’s Cybertruck, a futuristic-style truck with a stainless-steel exoskeleton and reported sports-car level performance is a prime example of why going electric and autonomous is where the car industry is headed. The fact that a truck can offer both a 2.9 second 0-60 mph acceleration and 500 miles of range shows its potential. After all, the Ford F-150 certainly can’t offer those numbers.

The rest of the car world sees the opportunity as well. Even the notorious gas-guzzling Hummer is being reintroduced as an electric vehicle by GMC. If that’s not a sign of the future, what is? 

3. Cloud storage overtaking traditional disk-based storage 

Stacked hard drives and overloaded computers are a thing of the past. Popular services like OneDrive and Dropbox offer cloud storage services for consumers across the globe. One service, pCloud, is heading the trend to take things a step further. Touting themselves as an external hard drive, after installing pCloud on your computer, everything stays totally in the cloud, unlike OneDrive or Dropbox. Plus, you can now choose the data region, where your files and personal data are stored either in the United States or the European Union. This is great for privacy protection and speed of data delivery. 

And, in a security-challenged world, where seeing 2.2 billion accounts breached is commonplace (as reported by CPO Magazine), pCloud offers pCloud Crypto, a service that encrypts user content along with client-side encryption — essentially meaning that the users’ files are encrypted on their device before they are ever transferred to the pCloud servers. With pCloud Crypto, not even pCloud’s administrators can view files. The future is secure, and pCloud is leading the charge while making room for massive opportunity in the space. 

4. 5G makes the widely unavailable available 

The incredible speed that 5G offers introduces a whole new ball game for people and businesses that rely on digital communication — so, essentially everyone. How about this for some future Sci-fi forecasting? Seadronix is harnessing 5G power to develop autonomous ships. The company is using AI to enable vessels to travel unmanned using cameras and sensors. 5G enables the devices to work together in real-time to avoid obstacles and make necessary adjustments to avoid crashing. 

Related: The Future of the Entertainment Industry Beyond 2020

Really, 5G is about making what’s already semi-available through 4G and WiFi widely accessible and easy to integrate through blazing-fast speeds. While we’ve heard more about 5G than seen results so far, when 5G does ramp-up, expect augmented reality to become the norm, movies to be downloaded in seconds, and latency to drop to near zero. See ya later, buffering and hello an exponential amount of opportunities, thanks to the fastest computing power we’ve ever seen. 

Time marches on, whether we like it or not. Trends like 5G, autonomous vehicles and ghost kitchens are a natural evolution in our habits as consumers and sellers. Who knows, in 10 years, maybe we’ll be predicting 6G and flying humans.



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23 Oct 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in Growth Strategies, News Permalink

4 Tips for Holding Onto Customers During the Pandemic

Sticky Post By On October 23, 2020



6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


As soon as crap hits the fan, most businesses look at what services to cut (to drop costs) or how to sell more (to generate more revs), but the most important and sometimes overlooked segment is figuring out how to retain and keep your current customers. For every founder, customer retention should be the name of the game. It’s more important than sales because it’s easier to keep a customer than to find a new one. In fact, acquiring a new customer can cost up to five times more than retaining an already established one. Unfortunately, in the age of Covid-19, many businesses (especially startup founders who have lower margins for error) are struggling to maintain profits and drive sales. 

To help with that, I’ve created some quick tips to help other founders retain customers and drive revenue amidst this moment’s obstacles.

Related: How to Create a Winning Employee Retention Strategy

1. Maximize customer loyalty programs 

Customer loyalty programs are incredibly important for small businesses, for whom the individual is much more than “just a number,” an epidemic of thought that plagues many large-scale corporations. The reason people go to small businesses is to feel valued, so reward that inclination with excellent reward programs.

One great example of an effective reward program is REI’s Co-op membership. Upon joining, users receive 10 percent back on all purchases and annual dividends, as well as special pricing on rentals; they can even enjoy exclusive member events.

My favorite loyalty software is Glue, which is ubiquitous and automated. I’m a huge fan of automating anything you can, so long as it doesn’t lose the personalization, which is exactly how Glue works. They use a dedicated CRM, website visitor tracking, payment integrations and unique IDs to keep everything organized and automated. Their platform sends out personalized messages across various platforms to help you retain and provide value to your costumes, including discount codes and even gift cards. Now, in the midst of a pandemic, is the time to get creative and innovative with how you’re going to approach retaining customers. 

2. Leverage new software made for Covid

I love software and leveraging it to make my businesses better. As soon as Covid hit, most SaaS products offered a discount to founders. Even most of the accelerators provided resource kits like this one from Techstars, and there was a flurry of new software specifically created to help founders during Covid. For example, Vcita offers an all-in-one business–management application for startups that includes scheduling and payments. Their new “Packages” feature enables businesses to bundle several of their services together and sell them as a package deal to consumers at a discounted price. The main pro here, in my opinion, is flexibility –– allowing your customers to pre-select the services each package contains, or letting them mix-and-match as they wish. (This is especially useful during Covid when businesses are scrutinizing budgets.) Imagine letting your customer choose their own budget and pay what they’re able to pay. 

3. Use social media to answer complaints and stay in the consumer’s mind

Social media has become even more valuable in the midst of Covid because the world is now spending more time online during lockdown and quarantine. Too many founders neglect social media as a marketing and customer-retention tool, still. Apps like Twitter and Instagram allow your businesses to stay in front of the eyes of the consumer daily, and thus, in the minds of the consumer when they have a purchase to make. It’s as simple as a couple of posts a day. Further, social media allows for a type of efficient customer service never seen before (i.e. your customers are just a message away), and their problem can be solved in minutes if you’re able to catch the messages as they come in.

Nike is a great example of this in action. They have a dedicated Twitter account, @Team Nike, specifically for customer support that works seven days a week and in seven languages. When a customer mentions Nike’s main twitter handle @Nike with a customer-service request, @TeamNike jumps in to help. Even though Nike is a huge company, one major leg up startups have is their ability to focus on the individual. Nurturing every relationship will inevitably payout. Offer easy access to support emails, online chats and phone numbers. Make having your consumer’s voice heard as easy as possible, and leverage social media to do it. 

4. Deep customer onboarding  

Consumers have to be sold on your services, and a one-time purchase is generally not enough to make them a long-term customer. What’s the solution? Hold their hand the entire time they’re a customer, and onboard them in a way that makes them feel like they’ve been invited into your business family. Zappos has preached this mantra for decades now.

Thank them for becoming customers, offer help, even provide discounts for future purchases (everyone loves saving money, and it’s a great way to earn an upsell and increase the lifetime value of each customer). One great example of an effective onboarding process is from Ring, the home-security company. After signing up for an online home-security account, Ring sends customers consistent emails to account holders with helpful tips and product set-up instructions, which is a brilliant move, because the more comfortable a consumer is with how a product works, the more likely it is that they’ll either re-buy or purchase similar products in the future. Onboarding is another lost art that can help you retain customers.

Related: 10 Reasons Why Good Customer Service Is Your Most Important Metric

Chaos creates opportunity, and this crisis is no different. With any luck, these tips will reduce churn and increase retention –– even during a pandemic.

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02 Oct 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in News, News and Trends Permalink

Michael Jordan’s New NASCAR Venture Is Another Slam-Dunk Business Move

Sticky Post By On October 2, 2020


The NBA icon and mogul shows yet again that true leaders forge ahead and create opportunities that change the culture.

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4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


For most people, being a billionaire, Hall of Famer, greatest-of-all-time player, NBA franchise owner, brand owner and sometime actor would be enough to fill up a day. Not for Michael Jordan.

Last Monday, news broke that MJ teamed up with NASCAR stars Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace to form a new NASCAR team. It’s not a headline you might expect. But in 2020, it actually fits perfectly. 

“Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity, and there have been few Black owners…the timing seemed perfect,” Jordan said in a press release announcing the partnership. With the news, he will become the first Black principal owner of a NASCAR squad since Wendell Scott in the early ‘70s. 

Jordan — worth $2.1 billion according to Forbes — has enough money to last a lifetime. Yet, his willingness to forge ahead for new audiences is striking. Perhaps because to him, everything is an opportunity (or competition). And this latest challenge will help him reach new audiences while changing the culture and disrupting established norms. 

Related: Michael Jordan Gets Into the NASCAR Game

In fact, Saint Louis University Professor of Marketing Dr. Brett Boyle thinks this moment has the potential to change NASCAR much in the way Tiger Woods changed golf when he came on to the scene. In an interview with CNBC, he reflected on Woods’ career, saying, “You saw younger people get interested in golf…[and] when somebody sees somebody like them in a sport, then they start thinking about themselves playing that sport…this may increase minority interest in NASCAR.”

Strong leaders know how to push boundaries and leverage their leadership capabilities to induce change. Before his death, Jordan’s NBA heir apparent Kobe Bryant was authoring children’s books and teaching valuable lessons of character within his writings. Danny Trejo did this in Hollywood by taking his tough-guy mentality and previous prison experience to forge a path that was not previously seen for returned citizens. Jay-Z did this in the corporate world by parlaying his street smarts and bending the business world to his acumen. Jordan knows all of this, and his mission is to forge ahead as true leaders do. 

“NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more,” Jordan noted in his statement. “In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing.” 

It’d be tough to bet against Jordan and company on this one. Over the last 20 years, since his professional basketball retirement, he’s:

  • Become majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

  • Been ranked by Forbes as the 20th-most powerful celebrity worldwide.

  • Been Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

  • Named Chief Wish Ambassador by Make-a-Wish-Foundation.

  • Awarded a 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom.

  • Released a book, became the majority owner of a golf course and restaurant, and became co-owner of an automotive group.

That’s among a slew of other successful ventures. Still, Jordan’s decision to enter NASCAR is another striking example on his part of a leader pioneering to find a new audience and change the culture of an established sport — something many will likely follow suit in doing.

One of Jordan’s most impressive abilities is attracting big-name sponsors (e.g.  his newly established relationship with online sportsbook Draft Kings). Surely, Jordan has sponsorships in mind for his NASCAR team, and as an anonymous source told CNBC, “If you’re a corporation, wouldn’t you want to support Michael Jordan and Bubba Wallace as they try to promote positive change?”

Related: 4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Be Relentless Like Michael Jordan

Jordan’s M.O. is to break new ground and promote unique partnerships, and there’s a lot that can be learned from that — especially today. Mining the same well won’t produce results forever, so it’s imperative for entrepreneurs and businesses alike to follow Jordan’s lead and branch out for the betterment of themselves, their business and everyone around them, including society as a whole. 



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12 Aug 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in News, Small Business Survives and Thrives Permalink

The Secret to Sustainable Growth Is Identifying Trends Ahead of Time

Sticky Post By On August 12, 2020



6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Entrepreneurs have to walk a tightrope. Every day, we focus on keeping customers happy and making sure our businesses are running smoothly. (I share daily tips in my newsletter on my website.) But we have to balance that daily grind with looking ahead. Envisioning what customers may need in the future — most times before they even know what they’ll need — is the secret to sustainable growth. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has left thousands of businesses across industries struggling. No one can be sure how and when the economy will rebound, and more than 100,000 small businesses have closed forever, according to The Washington Post. It is now more vital than ever for founders to be flexible, ready to pivot, more daring and a bit more visionary. 

I recently heard about SimplePractice’s story of product vision. Howard Spector’s foresight is one reason the electronic health record (EHR) platform is experiencing a growth surge during the pandemic. Spector, the cofounder and CEO of SimplePractice, studied to become a therapist when he saw the existing EHR systems on the market were complicated, incomplete and poorly designed. He built SimplePractice to combine the solutions practitioners need, such as scheduling, documentation, billing and client communication, in a single, beautifully designed and affordable platform.

Related: Technology as the Way Forward: The New Normal

Telehealth was on Spector’s radar, but demand was low. He and his team revisited it periodically. A couple of years ago, they started to see more standalone telehealth apps coming out and decided to add it to the platform. “I realized we should get out in front of this, so we prioritized it on our roadmap,” says Spector. “If we didn’t, we’d be suffering right now.”

SimplePractice encouraged its customers to use the video-enabled feature to ensure continuity of care for patients in rural areas or for patients who couldn’t get to an appointment because of traffic, storms and the like. About a quarter of SimplePractice’s clients took advantage of the service SimplePractice — until the pandemic.

Since then, almost 90 percent of customers have adopted telehealth. SimplePractice customers went from using five million telehealth minutes per month in January to 144 million in April. “We’ve also seen a massive spike in new customers beginning in March, and we believe it was primarily driven because we had telehealth integrated into our platform,” explains Spector.

SimplePractice continues to amp up the offering and has recently added a waiting room and screen-sharing capabilities. “Our work is never done,” he continues. “We’re always looking ahead at what’s next, what features our customers are asking for, and what features our customers need. We’ve intentionally created a very entrepreneurial culture that honors the individual’s ability to be adaptable and creatively problem solve.”

The lesson here is to learn how to spot industry trends and invest time and energy into these trends, even if it’s just to test them.  

Related: Telemedicine is Laying the Roadmap for Healthcare’s Future

Bringing disruptive models to new industries

Visionary founders sometimes get the idea for their businesses by applying the thinking of disruptive companies in other industries to their fields, which is especially true in economies of despair. Think 2008-’09, when Uber adopted the taxi model and paired it with tech. Or when Venmo took PayPal’s approach and made it more user-friendly and mobile-centric. That adoptive tack is paying off for the founders of Jurny, a smart tech solution in the hospitality industry, and Vooks, a streaming platform for animated children’s books. 

Watching how companies like Airbnb, Uber and Postmates used technology to enable shifts to on-demand services inspired Jurny cofounder and CEO Luca Zambello to explore bringing that business model to hospitality, an industry that has been slow to adopt new technology. While interviewing the two on my Entrepreneur podcast recently, I learned how Zambello and his cofounder developed a technology that helps hotel and multi-family building owners increase efficiency and profitability on vacant units while streamlining operations to give guests a simple way to plan and enjoy their stay with limited interaction.

For property owners, Jurny acts as an end-to-end managed service that includes interior design, sourcing and installation, marketing, cleaning management, customer support and security. Guests use the Jurny app to find available units, choose dates, book their stay, check-in, check-out and access everything they need during their stay. 

Both founders are frequent travelers who loved the idea of being able to go from booking to check-in in seconds without having to wait or interact with anyone. That contact-minimizing solution has been ideal for people traveling during the pandemic, and Jurny’s revenue has been four times higher than the industry average. The company’s tech-first experience enables them to address social distancing measures and reduce potential contact points. The lesson here is that you don’t need to create a revolutionary new business model to disrupt an industry. Disruption can be copied from other spaces. Find industries that are outdated and apply a proven model to that industry. 

The timing has also been great for Vooks. CEO Marshall Bex, former creative director for Nike, got the idea for a Netflix-style platform for children’s books after noticing his daughter didn’t like reading but enjoyed watching videos. Bex and his three cofounders — including Shannon Bex, a multi-platinum recording artist (Danity Kane) and TV personality (Making the Band and So You Think You Can Dance) — launched Vooks about two years ago as the world’s first streaming platform bringing storybooks to life through animation.

Related: Hotel Experiences Are Going to Be Completely Different: Ritesh Agarwal

Vooks quickly gained fans from educators to celebrities — a recent shout-out came from Michelle Obama. Since the pandemic started, it has really taken off. Vooks has seen record monthly growth in subscribers and daily users. It now has about one million registered users across 175 countries. Educators at 95 percent of elementary schools in the U.S. and Canada are using Vooks. The lesson here is to look for problems that people in your current sphere of influence are having. This takes the ability to be observant and skill to create solutions to existing problems. 

While all of these companies have had their growth accelerate unexpectedly over the last several months, it’s a good bet to assume they will continue to succeed. Their founders have proven they can quickly respond to changing circumstances and spot opportunities, and the loyalty their products have gained with customers isn’t likely to end when the pandemic does. The new normal for entrepreneurs is there is no normal. You must stay agile and pivot as needed. 



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23 Jul 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in News, News and Trends Permalink

Inclusivity Is More Than Just a Buzzword; It Is the Future of a Healthy Global Economy

Sticky Post By On July 23, 2020



5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


The world is a crazy place right now. Between the global pandemic gripping everyone’s attention and worldwide protests following the tragic death of George Floyd, we’re in the midst of what feels like a massive, revolutionary sea change when it comes to diversity and equality. Jia Wertz, filmmaker and founder of Studio 15, a fashion-forward women’s brand that specializes in South Asian inspired collections, was a recent guest on my podcast (episode to air soon). And she specifically raised the need for more prominent representation of South Asian culture in the U.S. through business and fashion.

As she explained to me, “Even though the South Asian (also known as desi) population –– consisting of individuals with ancestry from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives ––  in the U.S. is 5.4 million, you wouldn’t know it by watching your favorite TV shows or shopping at your favorite stores. Historically, South Asian people have rarely been represented on television, in marketing campaigns or even in the business world. With the U.S. population being approximately 331 million people, the South Asian community only represents about 1.6 percent of the country’s population, but even still, the portrayal of the South Asian people in film, television and business doesn’t even meet this low threshold.” 

To her point, the most famous South Asian person on television in the 1980s and ’90s was Apu from The Simpsons, and his voice was performed by Hank Azaria, a white male actor, which only reinforced racial stereotypes. But in recent years, we have finally begun to see a shift in this area, as comedians and actors such as Mindy Kaling, Riz Ahmed, Kumail Nanjiani and Hasan Minhaj have risen to fame and become household names. Minhaj even headlined the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner and delivered a bold 30-minute speech that got people talking.

Related: StartOut Pride Economic Impact Index to Help Quantify Value of LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs

This increased visibility of South Asian Americans in pop culture was far overdue. One of the factors that could have led to the culture being more widely seen across business and media is that the community grew roughly 40 percent between 2010 and 2017. 

“As a first-generation immigrant raised in Canada and living in the U.S. since my 20s, I rarely saw anyone that represented myself or my culture on television or as the face of my favorite brands,” said Wertz, who is of Pakistani descent and immigrated to Canada with her parents at a young age. “I’m happy to finally start seeing some South Asian actors and models being represented in the industry recently.”

She continued, “As it relates to business, I saw a gap in the market and a demand for fashion that was different, unique, and represented a large group of people who were in between two worlds — first-generation immigrants who relate to both North American culture and their ancestral roots — which is where the inspiration for our Desi Collection came from. We make a concerted effort to work with South Asian models as much as possible, it’s important to keep this momentum we are finally seeing moving forward.”

The fashion industry hasn’t historically been very representative of the South Asian population and has received criticism for not leveraging its visual power to help change perceptions around the world. According to a Fashion Spot report, which tallied Spring 2017’s 299 shows and 8,832 model appearances in New York, London, Milan and Paris, Asian models only represented 7 percent of all who walked the shows.  

Inclusivity is critical for business growth across the board, no matter what industry. When the end consumer feels represented and can identify with the people they are seeing in ads, on television or running the companies they do business with, they are more likely to engage.

More pointedly, inclusion is a true growth opportunity for businesses — equally important as personalization in today’s business landscape. Embracing diversity allows people to voice different perspectives and new innovative ideas to be generated, all of which can only lead to a better end result. 

To that end, Kuldeep Sah Gangola, a documentary filmmaker and instructor at New York Film Academy, comments that, “As the South Asians find their place in the nation’s ever-changing tapestry, the second-generation south Asians are building on the success of their parents and hence becoming a significant part of the western culture itself. This indeed has provided a very special blend of South Asian values and traditions which have given rise to the portrayal of this culture in the media as well.” 

Related: The Washington Redskins’ Overdue Name Change Teaches a Powerful Lesson on How to Lead

Blending the experiences and talents of different individuals can be very powerful. Businesses that make consumers feel included on an individual level will have a major advantage. The great news is that diversity is getting far more attention than ever before, but there is still a long way to go, and hopefully, the industries will keep moving in the right direction. And I, for one, am excited to see what the future holds. 



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17 Jul 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in Growth Strategies, News Permalink

5 Must-Have Resources for Anyone Looking to Make Money Online

Sticky Post By On July 17, 2020


Here’s a quintet of books, courses and other content that will unlock the secrets to leveling up.

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As a serial entrepreneur, I love building and creating. With businesses varying from agencies to SaaS and everything in between, I enjoy focusing on the tech space. I also love figuring out how to make my money generate even more money. Once you learn how to do it, it becomes the greatest business game you can play. 

In this quest for diversification and accumulation, I have become mildly obsessed with creating and selling courses geared towards teaching others how they can disrupt the online world in their own way (while making money the entire time). My first course, “How to Build a Million Dollar Website in 60 Minutes with No Code” (not to be confused with my latest book, The New Rich) has been an awesome foray, but I have also found other great resources by various entrepreneurs and business owners across the world focused on how to make money online. 

Here are my top five must-have resource picks for anyone looking to make money online that I’ve personally undertaken or read. 

Related: 5 Books to Read Before Starting Your Business

1. “Reloaded Hustlers Field Manual” and five other relevant courses including “Twitter Money” by Chris Johnson. I’m a big fan of how Chris approaches business. His courses are a no-bullshit guide on how to leverage the internet, find the right products, build community, sell online, price correctly for the most profit, create an email marketing strategy, build an online store and more. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a practical guide on how to make money online. 

2. “How to Buy, Grow, and Sell Small Companies” by Ryan Kulp. This online course is all about walking you step-by-step through the extensive process of business acquisition. With six incredibly detailed modules and more than $3,000 worth of bonus content in contract templates, this is a great resource for anyone looking to acquire a business for the first time. 

3. “Monthly 1k” by King Sumo himself, Noah Kagan. “Monthly 1k” is an online course with action-based steps and community accountability, and it’s a perfect resource for those driven to turn ideas into business plans. Throughout the course, you will learn exactly what you need to focus on in order to make a business idea reality — and hit that 1K-a-month goal. 

4. “No Code MVP” by Bram Kanstein. For those who don’t learn well by sifting through thousands of words of text, this video course is ideal. Not only is it packed with tons of practical lessons, but it allows budding entrepreneurs to learn all the mindset, tools and processes they’ll need to turn target customers into paying customers (without any necessity to learn code).

5. Make — Bootstrapper’s Handbook by Pieter Levels. This online handbook is for those who like to do things on their own terms. The “make” book is filled with continuously updated information on how to start small and grow big, including the best tools, processes, systems and ways to grow your projects. The indie hacker and solopreneur crowds comfortable with rolling up their sleeves to get down and dirty on their startup will have met their match with this ebook packed full of useful tips and tools.

Related: 19 Books to Read to Be Successful in 2019

While there are plenty of resources (both free and paid) to find on the internet, when you stumble on the right course, book or app for you, finding your niche in the online money-making world can becpme simple. It is important to note that there is absolutely no cure-all for getting money without work, and if you are falling for resources that tout as much, you’re running down a scamming path. 

The savviest entrepreneurs are the ones who are constantly learnin, being coached and taking courses. Using the resources I’ve named above is a great start to realizing just how far you can take your ideas, startups, and it’s another essential path to acquiring monetizable skills. 



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23 Jun 2020
Sticky Post By Posted in Adapt to Bounce Forward, News Permalink

How to Navigate the Volatile Business-Funding Environment

Sticky Post By On June 23, 2020


Tips for getting the loans and investments you need as the economy reopens.

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Debt is extremely cheap nowadays. The federal government and Federal Reserve are injecting trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy, which means entrepreneurs can access loans at historically low rates. (In March, the Fed cut interest rates to zero.) And I don’t know what you’ve heard, but angels and VCs are still active. 

Moreover, the $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law on March 27 is extraordinary legislation that attempts to avert another Great Depression. (The 1930s crisis saw 25 percent unemployment.) Last month, nearly 10 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits, and that’s after millions more were turned away by clogged application systems.

Because of the huge expansion of the money supply, companies have financing options at a time when some economists say the jobless rate could soon approach 20 percent. Former Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen recently said unemployment is now at least 13 percent and that gross domestic product (GDP) will decrease by 30 percent.

Related: Tech Entrepreneurs and Mentors Help Students Join Tomorrow’s Workforce

Washington’s intervention to spark a weakening economy, 70 percent of which is driven by consumer spending, includes $500 billion in loans to businesses and local governments. Businesses can get a tax credit up to $5,000 per idle worker for keeping him/her on the payroll during the pandemic. 

There’s extra funding if your business belongs to a hard-hit industry. For example, healthcare firms will be awarded $100 billion in grants, while airlines will get $58 billion in loans and grants. Finally, employers and self-employed individuals can defer the 6.2 percent tax on wages that fund Social Security. 

More help could arrive as Trump is pushing Congress to cut the payroll tax for companies and employees. Even though I’m of the mindset that you should sell and build to increase revenue, I still know there’s value in getting the support that you need. Here are tips for business owners who are seeking funding during the lockdown.

Use idle time to research government loans

More liquidity means record-low interest rates. Small businesses can use cheap debt to pay bills, employ Americans and keep doors open. You may have a great product or service, but still go bankrupt for lack of cash. When taking out government loans, like Economic Injury Disaster Loans, it helps to be organized.

Felix Polanski, a partner at the banking platform CreditPilot, recently explained in an email interview that entrepreneurs should research loans aimed specifically for small- and medium-sized enterprises, elaborating that, “Most small businesses don’t have enough liquid reserves on hand to handle even two weeks of expenses. It’s imperative to leverage loans like the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program so that owners can get cash as soon as possible.” (The SBA program gives incentives to businesses to keep workers on their payroll.)

To see all options and expedite the borrowing process, you may want to call the bank where there’s an existing line of credit. “Do your homework because there are numerous options,” says Polanski, whose Cyprus-based venture works with mobile network operators (MNOs) who then provide mobile banking services to subscribers. “If you go with the option of turning a loan into a grant, make sure you can meet the requirements. And if you use payroll services like Gusto, info can be collected very fast.” He also adds to submit all paperwork as soon as possible.

“Entrepreneurs should be wary of big banks that offer credit products,” says Zon Chu, CEO of Constant, a peer-to-peer lending platform. “Traditional financial institutions have grown inefficient and greedy. They lend depositors’ money for interest, but keep most of the profits. And they charge high fees when selling complex products that confuse rather than inform borrowers.”

Related: 10 OG Prison Tips to Get Your Mind, Body and Soul Right During Quarantine

There are other ways to increase working capital without a bank loan. According to attorney Mat Sorenson, the stimulus “increases the dollar amount you can loan yourself from your own 401(k) … and also creates a penalty-free early distribution rule whereby IRA or 401(k) account owners … can take a penalty-free retirement account distribution.”

The $2.2 trillion in stimulus money and the Fed’s quantitative easing are designed to increase employment. Business owners have access to cheap cash in today’s challenging environment. The bottom line is the bottom line –– get money. 

 



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