Category: Career

Starting up a business takes a lot of hard work. You’ll need to spend countless hours of your time creating your website, registering your company, posting on social media, writing quality content, organizing your finances, finding customers, and working on your product or service. It takes a great deal of dedication and patience to see it through, and in the early stages, it will take over your life.

But with such a colossal time commitment, there’s a good chance you’ll have to fit your business around another job. It will take a while before you make serious money from your business venture, so you’ll need a reliable source of income to keep you going. But this raises a serious challenge of time: how can you find the time to set up your business when you spend eight hours a day working for someone else?

It might seem impossible to be an entrepreneur and an employee at the same time, but many people do make it work. You just need to be smart about how you use your time and adopt some clever strategies to be more efficient. To get you started on your business journey, here are four tips for starting a business while employed.

Be organized

Your available time will be limited, so you need to make the best use of it as possible. For this reason, you should plan out your time comprehensively. Create a weekly planning diary as well as a more detailed daily one for specific tasks. Write down exactly what you want to achieve in this time and when you will achieve it during the week. This will keep you focused on the most important task and allow you to be more efficient with your time.

Find a more flexible work arrangement

Can you ask your boss for more flexibility in your work? Perhaps you could work from home a couple of days a week? This will give you a lot more extra time in the day as you can avoid the commute and fit in business tasks more easily around your job. If not, maybe you could find a part-time job that affords you more free time, such as bar work, blogging, or a delivery driver job (https://www.shiply.com/us/delivery-driver-jobs). 

Use your breaks

Even when you’re working eight hours a day, you will still have free time to carry out business tasks. Although you shouldn’t anger your current employer by shunning their work for your own, you can still use your lunch break and commute to make important phone calls, send emails, and work on your website. Just make sure you are discreet about it.

Establish boundaries

If your employer clocks on that you are working on your own business, they are likely to monitor your work activity more closely. For this reason, you should never work on your business during work hours and never using work devices. Although your focus might be elsewhere, you still need to work hard for your employer, or you might end up without a job.

It’s only getting harder for the average person to make ends meet. The state of the world and the way we live and conduct business is changing, and you need to stay on your feet to stay ahead of the game. 

Most people will find that they’re barely just making enough with their day job, and this is why is about that time you start to consider doing something else on the side. If you’re hesitant about taking this step, we’re going to give you 6 good reasons why you should consider a side hustle. 

It’s Never Too Early or Too Late to Save

Different people live within different circumstances, and life has its ups and downs, so you can really never be too certain about what the future holds. One thing is for sure though, there’s never a wrong time to start saving– and you should do it whenever you have the chance. When you start working on the side, you’ll soon be able to put something aside for your savings, no amount is too small, and this is extremely important to do. 

Find Out What’s Out There

You grew up getting an education and you ended up going down a career path and here you are. The great thing about getting into a side hustle is that it exposes you to what else is in the market, and what is hot, especially where you are. If you live in Canada, for instance, then you need to get online, ask around, and read reviews to see what is hot in the job market at any given time. The best way to earn money online is to first discover what is in demand at that time, and try to get yourself involved in this. There may be things that appeal to you, but don’t pay off that much, and you’ll find that this can be just a waste of your time. 

Develop Your Skills

When you try your hand at something that you don’t do in your day job, you’re actually adding to your roster of skills. We often get so caught up in the daily stress of our jobs and home that we convince ourselves that we simply don’t have time to do anything else. Once you push yourself to start working on a side hustle, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that you do have the time, no matter how much it is, to learn something new and develop new skills.

Have a Backup Plan

Soon after you get your feet wet and realize that you can do more than what you’re doing for a career right now, you’ll actually open up a world of possibilities. By having work on the side, you can consider switching to a different career, or at least live with the comfort that if something goes wrong, you’ll always have a backup plan. 

This is especially important given the state of the world right now. After 2020, the nature of business in itself has changed, and everyone is on the edge of their seats, worrying about whether they’ll be able to get a raise, bonuses, or just get laid off altogether- so a side hustle, if nothing else, is safe. 

There’s Potential For Passive Income

There are many side hustle options out there. These jobs actually have the potential to give you passive income while you’re doing nothing. For instance, if you decide to start writing blogs and they do really well, you can start earning passive income through ads or through the product or service that you promote, so this is definitely something worth looking into. Other examples of side hustles that can bring in passive income are dropshipping and affiliate marketing. 

It Can Actually be Fun

We’ve long forgotten that it really is possible to enjoy what you do for work. Side hustles, besides everything else, can be so much fun. It’s exciting to challenge yourself to do something new, and it’s not a heavy commitment, so you don’t have to stress about whether you can do it or not because it can be a short-term trial if you like. Being able to have that control takes the miserable stress out of the situation and allows you to enjoy the process.

All the points mentioned here should be more than enough to get you started on your side hustle journey. If you’re under the impression that you simply do not have time to do this, guess what? You always have an hour or two to spare in your day, and in many cases, this is all it takes. You won’t regret it because there really are no negative points to getting a side hustle. 

Harassment comes in many forms and most of us have, unfortunately, encountered it. It is usually first experienced as rough child’s play and bullying in school, but it may continue to follow us later in life. Some will have it with their acquaintances, others with their family or colleagues at work. Whatever the surroundings – abuse should never be accepted.

Apart from standing your ground and directly confronting the abuser – a more sophisticated, yet very effective response is taking legal actions. Recognizing your situation and knowing who to consult with is the first step towards an effective reaction.

Are You a Victim of Abuse in the Office?

Abuse in the workplace is a long-lasting problem and as much as 13% of men and 12% of women have been affected by it in the US. Some forms of it are rather self-evident, such as a superior harming you physically or yelling at you, while other forms are more hidden but will hurt you in one way or another.

Being forced to work overtime while not being adequately paid, a common problem in the hotel and restaurant industry, is sometimes shrugged off as a minor thing but is, in fact, a serious offense and should be dealt with as such. Psychological pressure that comes from mobbing is also frequent and there are various ways you can fight against that too. 

And to top it all is – discrimination. A very debated topic but also a very present one, being discriminated solely for something personal and which doesn’t affect your work is also abuse and should always be brought up to HR, or the court if it cannot be solved elsewhere.

Overtime

Any hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek count as overtime when an employee is a non-exempt employee. This is, as stated in the link above, defined by law and all overwork time is supposed to be paid at least 1.5 times the regular hourly pay. If you suspect you are not being given your fair share you could contact an unpaid overtime lawyer in Nashville. But confronting your boss about it should be the first step, as it may be a simple mistake on their behalf.

In the HoReCa sector, a common scenario is being asked to stay after closing hours to clean up the establishment, even though your 8 work hours ended when the bar closed. As the boss doesn’t count the extra time needed to tidy everything up they will likely not pay you what they are due.

Mobbing

Usually a collective effort by a group of colleagues against someone who they dislike, mobbing is the cause of many serious problems. It is often seen in office workspaces where many people are working together in a tight space yet have the time to spare for such mischief.

After being mobbed at work people will start feeling left out or even paranoid, sometimes to the point of acting aggressively to people on the streets. The pattern comes in the form of subtle and obvious comments or verbal acts that make a person feel unwanted or that their work is in some way humiliating or worthless. The bullying is sometimes done even by the superior, a manager, or employer, in which case it may be wrongly interpreted as criticism instead of mobbing.

Even though it is very hard to be proven, as is with most passive-aggressive behavior, those who are abused in this way should consult a human resources department, or a psychologist, to help them recognize it as mobbing and act accordingly. 

Discrimination

In diverse countries such as the US, there are many bases on which someone could be discriminated against. Race, age, sex, and religion all come into this foul play and it is a serious legal issue. Being rejected from a job just because you are African-American or a woman, for example, even if you have all the required qualifications, is outright discrimination and should be treated as such. 

Legal actions can be taken as the anti-discrimination laws are very strict on the subject. If you have evidence for such behavior you can file a lawsuit against the employer.

Taking abuse is never OK, even if you think that accepting your boss’s rude behavior will be rewarded in any way. Ending up with unpaid overwork time or psychological damage is the only sure thing you can get out of such scenarios, and keep in mind that everyone should behave professionally, if not friendly, in the office.

Work is not playing, but neither should it be abuse.

Taxes are something that the average person hates. It’s a way of helping put money back into the government, but most people see it as a means of losing their hard-earned income on the promise of a return, which isn’t much in the way of a prize. If you talk to business owners, however, taxes become even more of a tedious aspect of being an entrepreneur because of the staggering amount of rules and regulations that are much less commonplace than it is for the average person.

They’re a part of being a business owner, but there is quite a lot to know about business tax and law. One aspect that is not usually at the forefront of the minds of people in sales and uses tax bonds, which is a unique part of being a business owner. This is especially important for businesses operating in retail, leases, or rentals, and it’s imperative that someone in business knows this. Here is what you need to know about sales and use tax bonds.

What are Sales and Use Tax Bonds?

As mentioned, a business that is operating in retail (selling products), leasing property or products, or renting property and products, is often required to ensure that a business will pay taxes on the revenue they make from these sales/leases/rentals. This bond is useful in helping ensure that the business is reliable in paying the taxes on time, and you can find more info on how it relates to the role of proving that they are responsible and credible in the act of doing so. Sales and use tax bonds are intended to help assure the state taxes will be paid and collected in the proper amount of time.

Types of Sales and Use Tax Bonds

Sales and use tax bonds come in many different types but are all related to the taxation of products and goods sold. Here are some of the most common types you will find for a business:

• Motor Fuel 
• Customs
• Fireworks 
• Tobacco Products and Cigarettes
• Alcohol, Liquor, or Beer

These are commonly taxed products sold every day that need to be made tax by the business, and thus, pay the taxes to the government. The bond acts as the license to collect these taxes, but sometimes they are not needed and can be posted with a general sales tax bond. It’s important to understand the role of your business and its sales.

Why is it Important?

The government needs to be sure that a business can financially sustain itself beyond revenue and be able to pay back taxes in an orderly fashion. Covering the cost of filing for bankruptcy is not in the interest of the state or federal government as it costs them billions every year. It’s also very important that many of these products sold are taxed regularly because of the high volume that they are purchased in. 

Does Every State Have the Same Rules?

No, the short and simple answer is that not every state has the same rules regarding sales and use tax bonds. It would be common to find a bond required for the sale of liquor in many states, like Texas, but in some states, this is not a requirement. It’s also important to note that many states may require a different kind of product tax issue instead of a sales and use bond. Posting the general product sales tax is enough in some places, while in others there is no requirement at all. 

How Much Do These Bonds Cost?

Another good question to ask is how much the bonds cost, which is also a variable answer depending on the state. In Missouri, the bond must be equal to double the monthly average on sales and taxes. In other places, like New Hampshire, there are no state taxes at all which means there is no requirement to pay either, even though a permit for sales tax still must be acquired. The varying cost also has to do with acquiring the bond as well. The bonds are issued, usually by surety companies, which deal with agencies that help spread your application to as many companies as possible to help you get approved. Often, there is also a payment of a premium, which is a percentage of the total bond amount.

Sales and use tax bonds are not the most common knowledge for the average person and many business owners, but it may be a crucial step in opening up a legitimate business. It also helps ensure the government’s trust in the ability to pay back taxes in a proper manner, as well as a sign of faith in a business’s financial credibility.

As a writer, it can be easy to fall victim to your own work ethic and become swamped with a high workload. This can be an overwhelming ordeal, and so writers need to know how they can reduce their workload and how they can effectively manage their workload. 

Rebalance Your Workload

If you find yourself in a position where you can’t keep up with your workload, and this is a consistent experience for you, then you should consider rebalancing your workload. Doing this will vary depending on how you are employed. For example, if you work for a company, and have someone managing you, then you need to talk to them, explain the difficulties you are having regarding your workload, and ask them to readjust it for you. 

Often management will not realize if you are swamped, and if you continue suffering in silence, they will assume that all is okay. If some of your workloads get reassigned then you will be able to focus properly on your writing, without the niggling bit of stress in the back of your mind. 

If you are a freelancer it can be tempting to take on as much work as possible, but often this can lead to burnout and poor quality of work. Consequently, this will lead to the possibility of redoing work and disappointing clients. So try to create a structure for yourself to follow, a routine that will not allow you to take on more than you can handle. A balanced workload makes for a happy writer!

It Is Okay To Say No

This is very important to remember. Too often people feel like they can’t say no, so they accept project after project, responsibility after responsibility, until one day they crack. As a society, we have this tendency to fear the word no as if it will bring us shame and disappoint others. The reality is, that no one will really care if you say no, because honesty and clear communication is essential in the working world. 

Once you say the dreaded word once or twice, the feelings of anxiety around the word will gradually just go away. It loses its power the more we say it. If you do not have the capacity to take on anymore, that is okay.

Be Realistic

The bottom line is that it is important to know your limits as a writer. Set yourself and your clients’ realistic expectations as to what you can do. It is far better to be able to hand in one piece of work that has had your full attention, as opposed to five pieces that were rushed and poorly written because you were not able to concentrate. 

It’s natural to want to exceed expectations and work hard to impress your clients and make more money, but it’s a fine line to walk, and you can easily fall into the trap of producing a poor quality of work and burning out. 

Be realistic to yourself and understand that we all have limitations as to how much work we can do!

Tips For Improving Productivity

Improving your productivity will make you feel as though your workload has decreased! As a result of this, you’ll feel more in control of your workload, even if it remains the same.

1. Use a clipboard manager such as ClipClip
2. Prepare a to-do list every night for the following morning
3. Have realistic to-do lists!
4. Stop aimlessly scrolling through your phone
5. Take regular screen breaks, whether that’s to get up for some exercise or even to just go to the bathroom. 
6. Work in a clean space. A cluttered desk leads to a cluttered mind!
7. Set routines

The Pomodoro Technique

Chunking is another method that writers use to improve their productivity. One well-known method of chunking is the Pomodoro Technique! It is a time managing method that breaks up your working day into twenty-five minute periods of working followed by five minutes of a break. After doing this around four times, you then are rewarded with a longer break of fifteen to twenty minutes. 

This method works because our brains need breaks, and our attention spans cannot last over long periods. A lot of people found that they were more productive by working in short bursts of time. 

All in all, reducing your workload as a writer does not have to be a stressful ordeal! Whether you are a freelancer or working for somebody else, it is important to set realistic expectations for you. Having a more manageable workload increases your productivity, quality of work, and mental wellbeing.

Digital marketing is a career involving online sales and advertising. So much of the world is digital these days that digital marketing, a profession that didn’t exist 30 years ago, can now be a highly competitive and lucrative business. Today over half the world has access to the internet and therefore has the capacity to shop and browse products online. There are many facets to digital marketing, all of which can influence how much money a digital marketer can make. This makes it essential to learn digital marketing as mastering these strategies can open doors to lucrative opportunities in the ever-expanding online marketplace. Let’s take a look at what digital marketing is, how you can become an expert in it, and how profitable it can be.

What Is Digital Marketing

First, we think it is important to explain what digital marketing is and how it is done. A digital marketer understands the best ways to get people’s attention online. They will use a combination of various marketing tactics such as blog posting, targeted advertising, social media, and more to create unique marketing campaigns for brands and products. This can also include various other skills such as networking, web design, artistic design, and much more. Basically, it is the job of a digital marketing professional to ensure the right consumers see the right adverts online. It has largely overtaken many of the more traditional advertising spaces such as billboards, posters, and print advertising.

Training in Digital Marketing

There are now many ways you can train in the field of digital marketing. Steve, a digital marketing professional over at be your maverick said, “With so many online courses and training centers dedicated to the field of digital marketing, it has never been easier to learn the skills required for a digital marketing professional.” It has become such an in-demand profession that many people now offer remote and classroom-based courses in digital marketing. These courses will cost a small amount but could lead to a rewarding career in the field as you learn the skills and tricks of the trade.

What Skills Do You Need?

There are many skills required to be a successful digital marketing specialist. Some, you will be able to learn on a training course, while others you will need to develop yourself. The key skills you can learn through training include coding and technology skills, design software skills, SEO utilization, and understanding of online advertising platforms like Google’s AdWords. On the other hand, there are many skills required that can’t necessarily be taught, such as great communication with clients, being a flexible worker, or being highly organized. Many digital marketers work alone so need to be able to juggle plenty of tasks and clients in one day.

How Much Money Is In Digital Marketing?

So, the real question. How much money can be made as a digital marketer? Is it a good career choice? In short, yes. But, there are many variables when it comes to a career in digital marketing. When starting out as a digital marketer, the simplest way is to join a marketing agency as a junior or associate marketer. In these roles, the salary can start anywhere from $25 to $40,000 depending on the location and size of the company. A digital marketer in Manhattan, for example, may have a much higher starting salary than one in a small town. 

As you progress through the ranks of a digital marketing agency you can certainly earn more money. A senior marketer or digital marketing manager could push up to a salary of $60,000 which is a great salary. And, if you end up an executive in the firm salaries can go as high as six figures. Of course, to reach this level, you will need to be an expert digital marketer, people manager, and creative lead.

Self-Employed Marketers

There is another route into earning good money as a digital marketing manager; self-employment. As a freelance marketer, you can charge differing rates for different projects. Many first-time self-employed marketers charge low rates with smaller clients to gain experience, and as they develop, they can charge higher rates. Without a firm behind you, it can be hard to gain clients and experience. But, as you grow, you can charge as much as a huge firm would charge and take more of the profit for yourself. You will need great client-facing skills to develop and grow as a freelance marketer, but can expect to earn a high salary if you are successful.

As you can see, it is a lucrative business and well worth stepping into. If you think you have the necessary skills to be a digital marketer, maybe it’s time to take the leap. If you do, we wish you the best of luck.