Archives for October 2021

Running a business is not easy. Creating a successful business is even harder. There are many challenges to starting and growing a business—finding the right people, financial management, keeping up with the market, and more. 

But ever since the pandemic hit in early 2020, more small businesses are appearing despite a volatile market and economic uncertainty. Many people are taking the opportunity to start businesses in COVID-19 friendly industries and digital solutions. 

As the business magnate, Warren Buffet once said, “Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful.” Sometimes, businesses created amidst adversaries can flourish better. 

But before you start your own business, here are some quick entrepreneurial tips to help smooth the bumps along the way.

Keep Detailed Financial Records

Running a business can be backbreaking and exhausting enough without the complexity of filing taxes each year. So make sure you have the process handled correctly right from the very beginning. 

You will need to keep a thorough and accurate record of the transactions and expenses throughout the year to file your tax returns correctly. Failing to do so might put yourself and your company at risk. To avoid this, consider hiring a trusted accountant to get the job done while you have more time and headspace to focus on what truly matters for your business. 

As a small or medium business, the last thing you want to do is give your hard-earned business income to the government. Luckily, there are some tax deduction strategies to reduce your taxable income. An increasing number of governments are offering special incentives for R&D expenditures. 

Suppose your business is focused on expanding and researching, and developing to innovate new products or services. In that case, you can consider asking your accountant about the R&D tax credit claim using R&D software. 

This tax credit is eligible for businesses of all sizes and not just for major corporations with an expensive list of R&D activities qualifying for the credit. Doing this can not only grow your business but help reduce your tax payables.

Connect With Your Audience

For business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses, you want to make social media your holy grail. Solving your customer needs and exceeding expectations is what drives business growth. This means connecting with your customers where they are and establishing a stronger connection with them through meeting their needs.

Besides, interacting with your audience is essential as it positions your business as a brand that cares and takes time to deal with customers’ feedback and problems. You can try putting up a poll or Q&A session on your Instagram or post a Facebook story for better reach and engagement.

Let’s say you are running a home baking business. You could ask your audience or followers what problems they face while baking cupcakes or cakes. Then, reply to the questions with proper solutions or suggestions to the problem they stated. Doing this will reinforce your authority as a business with experience and boosts audience trust towards your business. 

Rank Your Customers 

If you’re a small business just starting out with a few clients, then you might know your customers by their name as every order or purchase means a lot to you. You can take this information to another level by ranking your customers based on key attributes. 

Let’s take one attribute, “spend the most”, then generate a list of the customers. This way, you will be able to contact them for feedback, and if the response is good, they might even reorder!

When you follow up or provide an excellent after-sales service, it portrays that your business genuinely cares about your customers. In return, they have a higher possibility of becoming your loyal customers. 

Returning customers are more valuable than new customers as you can count on them on days without sales. They are the customers who you should be rolling out the red carpet for your “A-list customers”. At the same time, you should also have a B, C or even a D list of customers as you can convert these prospects into your future customers. 

To make this process easier, you can try out some accounting software that will allow you to sort your customers based on their purchases quickly. By investing your time and resources into this process, you can expect some long-term and valuable customer relationships that will pay off. 

The Bottom Line 

As a small business owner starting out, you will need to wear MANY different hats, and it will take a toll on you at the end of the day. 

Regardless, like anything else in life, you have to put in the time and more effort than others to reap the benefits of running a business. Our advice is not to focus on the short-term gains but instead look for the long-term. Perseverance and patience is key to a successful business!

The human spirit is resilient. Out of the gloom and doom of Covid-19, with the help of the internet, new lives are emerging and new industries are flourishing. Shut-in, for months, in isolation, initially drove people crazy, some literally. But at the same time, it has triggered intense introspection and self-discovery. Hidden physically, people presence on the internet exploded. C.S. Lewis said, “We read to know we are not alone”, and the pandemic has shown us that we also write to reach out and connect with others.

In the past, under the traditional publishing model, books were generally written by established authors who had already won prestigious book prizes and awards, or at least published and sold their books. Now, with e-books and self-publishing the norm, anyone with a good story can publish a book. Even established authors like Salman Rushdie and Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk have hopped onto the self-publishing wagon. 

Building the Foundations

Publishing your first book can be daunting, but it’s actually not as hard as you might think.

In the last decade or so, the internet has made self-publishing much easier. If you can write the content, there are expert tools available for formatting your book that will add the professional touch and make sure your launch is successful. Tools like this are worth it, because the difference between a professionally presented book and a PDF exported from your computer cannot be overstated. It is a small expense that will pay off big time when you’re trying to market your newly published manuscript.

In terms of file formats, the most common ones accepted by publishers at the moment are, in order of use and preference: epub, pdf and docx. You don’t need to worry about this too much though, because there are also many free online conversion tools where you can convert your documents into the format for the platform you wish to publish on. Self-publishing is so popular now that there is no shortage of YouTube videos and online guides to using the various programs available. Most publishing marketplaces also offer free publishing guidelines and these are easily accessible and downloadable for reference. Remember that they want your book, so they are here to help you!

Next there is the front and back matter. The type of matter you will need and include depends mostly on the genre of your book: fiction versus non-fiction. Do your research on the matter needed for a book. This page provides a good overview of what you will likely need to include. The matter needed for a book comes under the topic of “book design” and is a vital part of making your book look professional. 

The Nuts And Bolts

There is a lot more to know about self-publishing. Included in book design are the little elements that come together to play a big part in making your book a beautiful reality, and not just a book you self-published.

First comes the form—this decides the structure of your page—and this should be replicated on every page to look uniform and neat. This means choosing the right margins, understanding bleeds, and choosing the right headers, footers and page numbers. It will also include getting your indents, spacing and rags correct. This can be tricky to understand, and is a place where professionals can add a lot of value.

The font also determines how friendly and readable your book is going to be. The font should allow the reader to have a smooth and enjoyable time reading what you have written. There is always a temptation to be different, to stand out and every author wants that. But in the book world, it’s the content that matters. Don’t try to be fancy—pick something simple and readable.

Finally, remember to acknowledge everyone who has helped you with your book. This is important, as it helps portray you as human to potential readers. As well as those who have helped you professionally, consider thanking your friends and family especially if they have contributed thoughts and ideas to your book.

All this may sound a little daunting initially, especially if it’s your first book. I was nervous when I took my first step as well! But stick with it. In the beginning, everything may seem difficult. After the first time, it will be a breeze.

There are many online graphic designers and professional editors that can help out, and software available as mentioned above. Whatever you choose to do, just get your first book out. You will be really glad once you have.

The term ‘podcast’ was coined by Ben Hammersly in 2004 in an article he wrote for The Guardian newspaper as a portmanteau of ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’ . Although the medium first appeared in the 1980s (known as “audioblogs” at the time), it began to become more popular in the early 2000s with the rise of the internet broadband and portable audio devices. Nowadays, the podcast has since grown to become a powerful medium. A 2021 survey has found that there are approximately 14 million in 2020 in the United States alone and future projections only foresee this number increasing for good reason.

After all, whether you’re looking for a dulcet female british tone discussing the latest in current affairs, a soothing african american male voice reading an audiobook or the winding musicality of a texas accent giving a lecture on regional linguistics, the podcasting industry is a wide and varied marketplace with hundreds of thousands of shows covering everything from politics to movie reviews to health and wellness just ripe for the picking (and listening). 

One could argue that AM/FM radio fulfills a similar role. However, the ever increasing number of listeners shows that the medium has carved out a special place for itself in spite of its more commercial and polished counterpart. So what is it about the medium which has captured the ears of listeners?

Ease of access

In this digital age, audio streaming platforms are booming. Spotify alone has over 40 million monthly listeners in just the United States and podcasts have been a staple piece of entertainment offered on the platform since 2018 and continue to maintain their relevance.

With the increased usage of portable digital devices capable of streaming audio such as handphones, tablets and smart speakers, such digital platforms have become the go-to destination as they are essentially an all-in-one stop for audio entertainment. 

This widespread accessibility has in turn has given podcasting a space to truly flourish. While most people on these platforms still opt to listen to music primarily, podcasts are easily accessed through the search engine or the recommendations page. As such, the rise of popularity of such platforms also means a rise in exposure (and consequently listeners) of podcasts. 

Intimacy of the experience

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the radio revolutionised the way we consume and enjoyed entertainment. It provided a relatively cheap way for communities to bond over shared entertainment and often featured beloved personalities such as comedians. More importantly, the appeal was that it felt like an intimate experience as the radio host was speaking “directly” to the listener. 

Podcasts take the intimacy that radio listeners experienced and dial it up a notch. Especially since we often listen to them on personal devices and using our earpieces, this creates a uniquely personal touch to the listening experience. 

 In this modern age where everything is capable of being edited with the click of a button, concepts such as “genuineness” and “relatability” are highly valued. Since podcasts are usually independent productions, podcasters do not have to face the same scrutiny or conduct themselves in such a politically correct or formal manner as their radio counterparts do. 

Therefore podcasters are able to to express their views in a much more relaxed and personal manner. This unfiltered manner of delivery has allowed the medium to become popular with today’s youths.

Wide range of topics

If you have an interest and you want to listen to someone talk about it, there’s probably a podcast channel out there with someone talking about it. If not, there’s little to stop you from starting your own podcast about said topic.

Podcasting is relatively simple to start. All one needs to start is an audio recording device, basic editing skills, a platform to upload the episode onto and a topic they want to talk about. The accessibility of the medium has opened the doors of spoken word entertainment to  just about everyone from established online personalities (such as Youtuber Stephanie Soo) to the everyday layperson with the gift of gab. 

Therefore, topics that usually would be considered taboo or frivolous or just too niche to garner coverage from a dedicated radio station find a home in podcasts instead. This allows for more diversity in discussions and consequently attracts a wider range of creators and listeners to explore the medium. 

Podcasts have become an increasingly popular mode of spoken word entertainment. In the ever changing landscape of media consumption, the podcast has managed to secure a place for itself by combining the intimacy of a radio broadcast with the freedom of expression that internet mediums so often afford. Only time will tell, but this unique medium will likely continue to appeal to listeners across a wide range of backgrounds and demographics for years to come. 

When you were a child, there were few things better than playing Monopoly, UNO or other games with your parents, cousins or friends. Now that you are an adult, you may be wondering what to do with your game collection. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways that you can answer your own question.

Keep Your Collection Intact

One of the nice things about board or card games is that the rules generally don’t change over time. Therefore, if you had fun playing something as a kid, there is a good chance that your own children will enjoy playing it as well. Furthermore, assuming that you were able to learn the rules in a timely manner, there is a good chance that you can teach your kids to play it with no problem.

In fact, it’s likely that your kids have played classic games such as Monopoly, UNO or checkers with their friends, at school or with their grandparents. Therefore, there may be no need to spend time rehashing the rules. Instead, you can simply take the game out and play. Of course, you are welcome to create your own UNO rules or create variations on any other games that you have played in the past. Doing so may make it more enjoyable for your children or other guests to play more than once.

Another good reason to keep your game collection intact is that it could appreciate in value. This may be especially true if you have a board, set of cards or specific game piece that is difficult to find. During the first part of the 21st century, video games made in the 1980s and 1990s became popular among collectors. Therefore, even if you are a younger adult, your old games may already be worth more than they were just a few years ago.

Donate Your Games to Charity

There are millions of children who don’t have access to the games that you may have been able to play while growing up. Therefore, donating the ones that you aren’t using to charity can be an easy way to have a positive impact on a young person’s life. Generally speaking, charities will accept any games that have all of the pieces needed to play even if they aren’t in great condition. If a formal charity will not accept your games, you can give them to a local family directly.

If you do donate items to a charity that has a 501(c)(3) designation, it may be possible to deduct the value of those items from your taxable income for the year. However, it is worth noting that this is only true if you itemize, and in most cases, your donation won’t have a value of more than a few dollars.

Sell Your Games at a Garage Sale or Flea Market

Selling used games at a garage sale or flea market can be a great way to earn money while clearing space in your home at the same time. In most cases, people are looking for deals at these types of events, so you shouldn’t expect to sell your old games for more than a few dollars. If you have reason to believe that you have a vintage item that is especially valuable, you’ll want to liquidate it at auction or look for a collector who is willing to pay its full market value.

Give Your Games to Your Kids or Grandkids

As a parent, you’ll likely spend most of your life handing things down to future generations. The same is generally true if you become a grandparent. At some point, the best decision may be to simply let your offspring take ownership of their favorite games and allow them to go wherever they do. This can be an excellent way to ensure that your house doesn’t get too cluttered while also ensuring that future generations will have just as much fun as you did with your collection.

Put Your Games in Storage

Let’s say that you believe a game is going to be worth a lot of money in the future. However, let’s also say that you don’t want to sell it because it has sentimental or some other type of value. To ensure that it doesn’t lose any of its financial value, you should consider keeping it in a storage facility where it will be safe from harm. Most facilities keep rooms at a consistent temperature and humidity level, which means that they are less likely to decompose or otherwise be damaged.

If you are like most people, you probably have a stack of board, card or other types of games somewhere in your house. Instead of letting them gather dust, you should strongly consider donating, selling or otherwise allowing others to use them. If you have kids or grandkids of your own, you should consider playing with them to ensure that future generations can appreciate your collection as much as you do.

Starting a new business can be an overwhelming undertaking. While there are many things you need to think about, promotion should be one of the first. Getting the word out there that you are starting a new business and connecting with potential customers is crucial if you want to survive and grow.

Thanks to advances in technology, there are more potential ways to promote a business than ever before. Unfortunately, some are not effective and can end up wasting your time and costing you money. Here are some ways that have proven to work when you are just starting out.

Create Your Google Presence

One of the most important things you can do is make sure you are showing up on Google when people search for services related to your business. You also want to make sure if people search for your business in particular that they are getting accurate information on your address, phone number, hours, etc. You can create a free Google business account to give you more control of how you appear on their site. Also, you should have a website that gives people more information on what you do and how to contact you, which brings us to…

Create a Website

Your website may very well be the first impression you are making on potential customers. Unless you consider yourself incredibly tech-savvy, you may want to get help from a web design agency to make sure your new website is attractive and easy to navigate. Your website gives your customers a chance to get to know your personality, as well as why they should choose to do business with you.

Understand SEO

Google has a complicated algorithm that determines where you rank in their search results. Ideally, you will make it onto the first page when anyone searches terms related to your business. Google also has the ability to incorporate location-based results. Even if you are not making the top results overall, it is worth it to climb the ranks of local results. Incorporating the right words in the right places can help you climb the SEO Melbourne ranks, for example, if that is the market you are trying to appeal to.

Get Good Reviews

Encouraging customers to leave a review, particularly if they have had an excellent experience, can help your business grow. Word of mouth is still an integral part of developing a customer base, even though it has mostly moved online. Many people check the reviews when deciding between companies. While having positive reviews on your own website is nice, it is more important to get them on sites like Facebook and Yelp. These sites take steps to make sure that reviews are legit, and they can also increase the amount of exposure you are getting.

Monitor Your Reviews

You are not able to control how everyone reacts to you and your business. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, people will feel compelled to leave you a bad review. Responding to these negative reviews and trying to resolve the issue may make the customer change their tune. Thanking people who leave positive reviews can also help build up your brand loyalty. It gives potential customers the impression that you are dedicated to your business and building relationships.

Make a Facebook Page

Currently, Facebook is the largest social media site out there. It is a great place to promote your business and get more exposure. How exactly you will want to make the most out of Facebook will depend on what your business is. At the very least, you want to make your page a place that people can learn more about your services as well as reach out to you to get their questions answered.

Increase Your Social Media Presence

On top of Facebook, you can use sites like Twitter and LinkedIn to get your business name out there. If you are selling a product, an Instagram account where you can show off your products is also a good idea. It is also an effective way for everyone from landscapers to hairdressers to show off their work. Again, these are ways to increase your word-of-mouth exposure and give your customer base a better idea of what exactly you have to offer.

Try Direct Mail Advertising

Although the internet has taken over many aspects of life, there is still some value to going with old-school advertising methods. Letter, flyers, and even postcards can help people in your area hear about your business and what it offers. It is not considered the most cost-effective method because it is harder to target a certain portion of the market. That said, it sometimes reaches people that do not spend much time online.

Finding the right way to promote your new business is crucial to long-term success. Many of the methods mentioned above do not cost money. If you have the budget, bringing in experts that can help you get your name out there is worth it in the long run.

It’s never too late to start working on yourself. Whether you’re in high school, college, or already in the workforce, there always are numerous ways for you to upgrade your résumé and develop new skills. When it comes to getting hired, employers are usually very picky and seek individuals with excellent cognitive and problem-solving skills. 

This gives them the peace of mind that their employees meet specific standards and are capable of handling any obstacles that might hinder their workflow. Unfortunately, getting hired becomes a lot harder without these skills which often results in job seekers missing great opportunities.

One of the best ways to develop these in-demand skills is by learning a new language. Being multilingual not only makes you a hot target for employers but also rewires your brain and sharpens many of your cognitive abilities. This results in a great positive impact on both your career and daily life combined.

How to Get Started?

It’s easier than you think! In 2021, it’s all about the internet and online communications. Gone is the need to attend a physical classroom and comply with a rigid schedule. Why not try finding discounted online language lessons that allow you to learn at your own pace according to your own schedule. 

If you’re a busy student, in your free time, watching movies and listening to songs in the language you’re trying to learn can help reinforce what you’ve already taken and settle it in your long-term memory. In no time, you’ll be able to start formulating sentences and communicating in an entirely new language!

Learning a New Language Makes You a Better Teammate

During the process of learning a new language, you will get exposed to an entirely new culture and set of traditions. This enhances open-mindedness and makes getting along with others easier. After all, the world is a very diverse place, and by crossing over to new cultures, you’ll be able to connect with more people on a deeper level. As a result, you will have better communication and social skills, as well as an improved ability to operate in a team.

In addition to that, the extra language opens a plethora of international working opportunities. If you like to travel, learning a new language can significantly widen your chances of employment and can also provide incredible opportunities. The recent intense globalization has made multilinguals even more in-demand, especially as big companies continue to look for ambassadors to represent them all over the world. 

Better Cognitive Skills

The brain works hard to parse sounds into words and words into meaningful ideas. Extensive research conducted in this field has revealed that we are constantly on the lookout for incoming words and are always trying to guess what comes next. After a word is recognized, the brain immediately associates with its meaning, explaining why we tend to imagine an object after hearing or saying its name.

Increase your Memory Retention 

It comes as no surprise that those who speak multiple languages are able to fetch and store memories more easily and efficiently. The reason behind this is that language dictates the way we perceive the world and create memories. In fact, research shows that part of the reason why babies can’t remember anything is that they have no vocabulary, and hence nothing to associate their memories with. The wide vocabulary bank possessed by multilinguals allows for more accurate memory creation and retention and makes them faster learners.

It Can Save your Life

As they switch between languages, multilinguals also become masters at quickly shifting their concentration to new tasks without losing focus. This fundamentally boosts their ability to multitask and filter out irrelevant stimuli. In the workplace, this leads to higher productivity and better quality of work, making it one of the top sought-after skills by employers. Even while driving, multilinguals were shown to be at less risk of an accident when compared to monolinguals and were able to more rapidly make critical decisions.

Jump Up the Career Ladder

Because we use it to analyze, connect, and organize our thoughts, knowing an extra language can actually improve our ability to think. Those who speak multiple languages are generally better at math, logic, and critical thinking. They even take a more flexible approach towards problems which enhances their problem-solving skills and helps them think “outside of the box.” 

All of these improvements play a direct role in increasing multilinguals’ overall success and make them appear as better candidates for roles of leadership.

Better Mental Health

It may seem surprising at first, but knowing more than one language can actually make you happier. The stronger bonding and relationships reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety and can help prevent depression. The brains of multilinguals also showed a better ability to self-control along with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

Conclusion

It is never too late to start learning something new. Now is your chance to begin your journey towards not only multilingualism but also a healthy and more successful life filled with great opportunities.

A divorce can be a complicated event regardless of how much a person is worth when his or her marriage comes to an end. However, it can be especially complex for those who are worth millions of dollars or more at the start of the marriage dissolution process. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key differences between a typical divorce and one involving a person of significant financial means.

Individuals Who Have Significant Assets Don’t Always Take Steps to Protect Them

It’s important to note that state law will determine the outcome of a high net worth divorce if the parties involved haven’t taken steps to override those laws. In most states, assets are divided in an equitable fashion absent a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. In states such as California or Texas, property is divided in a 50/50 manner in a final settlement. The lack of a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement may cause a divorce proceeding to last for months or years as neither side may be keen to lose property that could be worth millions of dollars over the course of their lifetimes.

It’s Possible to Challenge an Agreement Reached During a Marriage

It’s important to note that an existing agreement may be challenged in court, and in some cases, a judge may agree to invalidate a prenuptial, postnuptial or any other type of agreement reached while a couple was married. If an agreement is invalidated, its terms will need to be renegotiated either through mediation, arbitration or litigation.

A prenuptial agreement may be nullified if there is reason to believe that an individual agreed to it while under duress. This may be true if an individual was unable to have an attorney review the terms of the contract before signing it. A marriage contract of any kind may be nullified if it contains language that has nothing to do with a couple’s finances.

As a general rule, a custom marriage agreement is meant to address issues such as alimony, property division and other financial matters. Typically, courts will not enforce language related to the division of labor or other matters that are difficult or impractical to enforce.

Divorces Involving Wealthy Individuals Will Usually Include Illiquid Assets

It’s not uncommon for those who have a significant amount of money to have that cash tied up in a medical practice, law firm or other type of business. It’s also not uncommon for wealthy individuals to own homes, commercial properties or land that may be hard to liquidate quickly.

It’s also possible that a millionaire or billionaire will have his or her money invested in stocks, digital currency or other equities that may be difficult to divide without triggering a significant taxable event. Therefore, the parties to the divorce will likely need to work out a deal that allows for assets to be divided at some point after the proceeding comes to an end.

It May Not Be Possible to Divide a Law Firm or Medical Practice

A lawyer generally cannot share an ownership interest in his or her firm with a spouse who does not have a law degree. Furthermore, a doctor who is in private practice generally cannot give equity in the firm to a spouse who does not have a medical license.

Assets Held Inside of a Trust Cannot Be Divided

It’s important to note that items held in a trust are generally considered outside of the marital estate. Therefore, an individual may be able to keep a home, car or other possessions titled in its name. However, if the trust is created in bad faith, it may be ruled to be invalid by a judge.

Ego Can Play a Role in Divorces Involving Wealthy Individuals

It generally takes a high level of self-esteem to be a successful business owner. Furthermore, those who are able to generate a high net worth tend to have a high opinion of themselves regardless of how they were able to generate their wealth.

Therefore, it’s important to understand the role that a person’s ego may play when it comes to negotiating a divorce settlement. A person who may have spent years of his or her life creating a successful business is not likely to want to simply give it away to a spouse who may have stayed at home during the marriage.

In some cases, outside forces may pressure an individual to fight for a better settlement even if that person is able to negotiate a fair deal in a timely manner. These outside influences may include family members, business partners and others who may stand to lose if an individual is forced to part with assets in a divorce.

Ideally, a divorce settlement will allow both parties to the agreement to maintain the lifestyle that they enjoyed while married. In some cases, this may mean that one spouse is entitled to alimony payments, a larger share of the marital estate or other resources to ensure that this happens.

If a doctor makes a mistake while evaluating a patient, there is a chance that the error could rise to the level of medical malpractice. If a hospital refuses to treat a patient because staff members wrongly believe that a patient is exaggerating his or her symptoms, that could be an example of malpractice. Finally, errors made during a surgical procedure or during any other course of treatment may also be serious enough to warrant legal action against a medical professional.

What are the Common Elements of Malpractice?

It’s important to realize that a doctor, surgeon or other service provider isn’t necessarily guilty of malpractice just because a mistake was made while treating a patient. In most cases, it must be shown that a medical provider made an error that should have been avoided based on that person’s level of skill. Furthermore, it must be shown that a medical professional had the tools necessary to make an accurate diagnosis or to perform a procedure in a proper and timely manner.

What If a Patient Withholds Information?

As a general rule, doctors can only diagnose patients based on the information that they are provided. Therefore, if you fail to disclose facts that might make it possible to create a safe treatment plan, your doctor can’t be held responsible for anything that happens because of a lack of information. Of course, a medical professional is generally obligated to review any records that he or she has in an effort to learn about any issues that may arise if a treatment plan is enacted.

You Must Be Able to Give Informed Consent

A doctor is not allowed to start any type of treatment program without your permission. If you do not agree to his or her proposed plan, your physician must create an alternate proposal that better meets your needs or desires. Prior to giving consent, you must be told about all of the possible side effects or negative outcomes related to a given treatment plan or procedure.

For example, you must be told that a medication could cause you to lose your hair or lose a significant amount of weight. If you need surgery, you must be told about all of the things that could go wrong such as passing away while under anesthesia. In the event that you aren’t able to provide informed consent, your doctor, surgeon or other care provider may be guilty of medical malpractice.

When Should You Hire a Malpractice Attorney?

Ideally, you’ll hire an attorney the moment that you think that a medical professional made an error that led to an adverse outcome. This is generally true even if you don’t have any intent to sue your doctor, the hospital where a mistake took place or your insurance company for denying funding for a necessary treatment. Hiring a medical malpractice attorney is beneficial regardless of how you’d like to resolve the matter because this person will help you avoid making mistakes that might undermine your case.

For instance, your insurance company might ask you to make a statement to determine if it needs to represent its interests in court. The contents of that statement may be used to imply that you somehow contributed to your own lack of care. This may also be true of any statements that you make to your doctor’s attorney or anyone else who may be interested in settling the case for less than you’re entitled to by law.

You may also feel tempted to discuss the matter with friends, family members or social media contacts. The downside to doing so is that anyone who has information about the case could forward it to those representing anyone who is named as a defendant in the matter.

Your attorney will likely advise you to refrain from talking about your experience until the legal process has been allowed to play out. It is worth mentioning that anything you say to your legal adviser is confidential, so you can feel free to discuss the matter with this person.

How Long Do You Have to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?

Another benefit to hiring an attorney is that he or she will likely file a lawsuit on your behalf quickly after joining your legal team. As a general rule, you’ll have two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit. However, depending on where the error was made, you may have as little as 180 days to do so. The statute of limitations clock may be adjusted for those who have mental impairments or were minors at the time an error was made.

If you are hurt while under the care of a doctor or surgeon, you may be entitled to compensation. Ideally, you will hire an attorney to help protect your interests throughout the legal process. A legal representative may take a number of steps to help you obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages related to a medical professional’s negligent acts.

When the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly swept the globe in 2020, most companies and associations immediately switched to an online-based mode of operation. Today, the WFH (work from home) approach has become widespread with the continuous lockdowns imposed by governments and as a safety precaution against the virus.

The idea of online businesses and remote work existed long before the pandemic struck, though it is only in the last two years that it started getting universally popular. Currently, more than 83% of employees work remotely and more than 70% believe that remote work is just as effective as traditional work. Undoubtedly, this sudden yet massive shift will have a profound impact on the future of business and will extend far beyond the end of the pandemic.

Happier Employees

It comes as no surprise that most employees were happy about the switch to remote work. For them, it meant having a more flexible work schedule and an increased level of freedom. This allowed them to break free from their usual routine and get their work done all from the comfort of their own home. Instead of having all employees forced to follow the same rigid office schedule, those who work better at specific times of the day now have the ability to do so at their own pace and find inspiration when it best suits them.

In addition, employees who live far away from the office no longer need to wake up early to catch the bus and spend a long time on the way. This saved time can be devoted to their families, friends, or simply their own leisure. As a result, most employers found that employees who worked from home had better morale and were more satisfied than those who worked on-site.

Digitization

The WFH transition would not have been possible without the internet and personal computing devices. Meetings are now being held on video conferencing services and teams are being efficiently coordinated through specialized software. Undoubtedly, this increased dependence on technology automatically called for more digitization where physical documents and facilities are ditched in the favor of digital ones. Not only does this accelerate online workflows, but it also makes it easier and more sustainable to transfer and manage documents.

Today, it has become pretty common to find businesses and associations that exist exclusively online and possess no physical headquarters. These online businesses are quickly becoming more popular as the need for staff to be in the same building diminishes. For small teams and business owners, operating solely online is cheaper and provides a more practical workflow than a physical office.

Some might argue that online businesses seem unprofessional to customers, but all it takes is a few steps to make a business seem more legitimate. Simply having a website and owning a virtual business address can go a long way in making your business more appealing to customers.

More Sustainable

In the 21st century, caring for the environment has become a top priority. Today, we are on the brink of a global environmental crisis that will have grave consequences if no immediate action is taken. On the bright side, the WFH movement has shown just how easy it is to avoid environmental damage.

After workers stopped taking daily trips to the office and back, carbon emissions from vehicles have gone down drastically. The empty office buildings resulting from lockdowns have also led to a significant drop in electric consumption, further reducing emissions and fossil fuel usage. In addition, the digitization of documents has led to less demand for paper, and consequently less deforestation.

Studies have shown that more than 300 liters of gasoline and 3.2 metric tons of carbon emissions are saved for every employee who works remotely. In one year alone, the world has seen a significant improvement in air pollution levels where previously smoggy cities are now enjoying a clear sky. This is only the beginning, though. As WFH continues to become more widely spread, promising environmental changes can be expected as we go into the future.

More Inclusion and Better Opportunities

With the switch to remote work, distances don’t matter anymore. Companies that were previously confined to limited geographic areas now have the ability to expand and recruit from all around the globe. Not only does this help in building better teams, but it also provides good job opportunities to those living in developing countries. Previously, making international payments to employees was complicated and slow. Today, instant payment services and new innovations in cryptocurrency make money transfers fast, reliable, and accessible to anyone.

Conclusion

The pandemic has certainly changed our daily lives in more ways than we can count. However, as we continue to advance technologically, nothing can stand in our way. After the pandemic ends, remote work will certainly prevail. One can expect that a hybrid approach combining both physical and remote work will be adopted globally to achieve the best of both worlds.

I need a cup of coffee.

This is the thought running in the minds of 62% of Americans each morning. In fact, coffee is the most commonly consumed beverage in America—even more than tap water.

The global pandemic only increased our craving for coffee, with us being at home for prolonged periods of time. It is hard to just let our new French press coffee maker sit in the kitchen staring at us, after all.

But at the same time, the pandemic also made it more difficult than ever for us to enjoy our morning coffee, due to a supply chain crisis.

The dark days of coffee

The year 2020 may have started at an all-time low for the entire world, but for coffee, it was more than a good year! Well, at least initially. In a stark contradiction, when production all over the world was coming to a halt, Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, harvested its record crop of over 60 million bags of coffee, over a yearly average of 43 million. 

Despite the bumper crop, and coffee being declared as an essential economic activity, Latin America faced serious challenges in harvesting it. The fact that 80% of the world’s coffee comes from smallholding farmers should help explain this. Covid hit Latin America hard, and many farmers and other laborers were rendered unable to work.

Starting with harvesting, there was a delay at every point in the supply chain, from drying, packing, blending, and finally roasting. Not to mention the cargo industry that is responsible to transport all this coffee between these processes, came to a near halt. 

The consumption side of things wasn’t rosy either with restaurants and cafes closing their doors as the pandemic hit. Premium coffee sales took a hit, especially because such quality is mostly consumed in cafes and the buying power of the consumer was compromised beyond doubt. 

Until March 2021, coffee prices were maintained drawing on the coffee reserves. However, with the inventories reduced to a six-year low in March, the prices started increasing in April and touched new highs in August 2021. 

With a 25% drop in the harvest from Brazil in the current year, and the shipping costs almost doubling, we have a seemingly looming coffee deficit upon us. 

Coffee rebounds

Truth is, Coffee is not only on your mind as you wake up, but also on the mind of over 1.6 million people in America who make a living from the sector. From the import giants to your cafe guy serving you coffee next door, it powers a large part of the American economy. 

The good news is that American knows it and is already making a comeback together with the business of coffee. US labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs is funding independent organizations to implement projects addressing the labor challenges in Latin America, thereby improving the chances of a smooth supply of your morning Kappa. 

Yes, the supply of the beans from Brazil does look cockeyed, but other coffee producers of the world look good. Vietnam and Colombia, the second and third largest coffee producers in the world are maintaining their coffee output this year vs last year (Colombia being the second largest provider for American coffee).

Cafes and specialty shops are back in the business, as is the demand for superior quality coffee. The prices for coffee might keep fluctuating for some time though, given a lot of factors – 

• The instability in the availability and price of logistics
• An increase in the cost of fertilizers due to the depreciation of currencies of the main coffee-producing nations
• Deepening financial strain on the farmers preventing them from any kind of investment in the modernization of the farms. 
• Ongoing health and safety restrictions in the wake of further COVID outbreaks and contagion

The boom in demand should solve some of the above-mentioned problems, but some will take their own time. 

The production of coffee needs to be ramped up further, and according to industry giants, the coffee at home segment could still dent the café segment for two to three years before cafes return to their pre-Covid glory. Although given America’s love for coffee and sipping it leisurely in cafes, the tides might turn sooner than expected. 

After all, it is the drink that kept us going through COVID-19, and until the clouds of uncertainty are completely clear, God knows with a cup of coffee in our hands, we can survive anything!