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  • Advice For Getting Started In Data Science

    Advice For Getting Started In Data Science

    Few career paths are proving to be as popular right now as data science. Many young people are setting their sights on a career in this field, while many professionals are transitioning from other fields to data science, and it is easy to see why. In addition to being named “the sexiest job of the 21st century” by Harvard Business Review, data scientists also benefit from a role that is in demand, secure, well-paid, and with great flexibility. There are certainly many perks to a career in data science, but it can also be challenging to find success in and become competitive. With this in mind, read on for a few tips that should come in handy for aspiring data scientists.

    Focus On Math & Statistics

    First, you need to ensure that you have a strong foundation with your math and statistics knowledge. It is impossible to succeed in data science without very strong mathematical and statistical skills, so you either need to focus on these areas at school or develop your knowledge yourself (online courses can be a great way to do this).

    Learn To Code

    Coding is also essential, and this is something that you should develop as soon as you can. However, when you are getting started, it is often recommended that you focus on just one programming language and achieve a high level of knowledge in this so that you do not spread yourself too thin. Once your career begins to develop, you could then start to look at learning other languages too.

    Work On Pet Projects

    When you are embarking on a career as a data scientist, it is important to start applying what you are learning and try to gain some relevant experience. Working on pet projects by applying data science to aspects of your life can help you to sharpen your skills, build up a portfolio (more on this to come), and build your confidence. It can be hard to get your foot in the door when first getting started, but when you can show your projects as evidence of your skillset, it suddenly becomes much easier to secure work.

    Enter Competitions

    Leading on from this, you will also find that data science competitions can be a smart way to build your experience, create relevant contacts and sharpen your skills. These competitions are becoming increasingly common as the world of data science continues to grow, so it should not be too hard to find one near you or online, and it can also be a fun way to learn and improve your abilities.

    Network At Every Opportunity

    To find success in data science, you will want to build a large professional network, and you should begin doing this as early as possible. As you might imagine, a lot of networking takes place online in today’s day and age, but you should also make an effort to attend events because you create stronger connections that can lead to new opportunities. Additionally, make sure that you maintain this network by keeping in touch with people – social media is the perfect way to do this.

    Immerse Yourself In Data Science

    In a field like data science, you need to commit to it and have a passion for everything relating to data. This means that you need to immerse yourself in data science even in your spare time, which you can do by reading blogs, engaging with online communities, listening to podcasts, and reading industry publications. Additionally, keep in mind that data science is constantly changing and improving, so you will also need to continuously keep your skills sharp and current.

    Earn A Data Science Masters

    To attract employers and achieve high success levels with your work, it is important to earn a data science masters. This will use a combination of statistical and computing technologies and equip you with the key business skills to solve organizational problems with data science. In addition, there are data science programs that can be taken entirely online, making it much easier to fit into your schedule and ideal for those working and focusing on building their career.

    Create An Online Portfolio

    By this point, you should be building up a portfolio that you can store on your professional website. You need to keep this updated with all relevant work experience, including any references and testimonials from those you have worked with. Employers need to be able to see your skill level, experience, and what you are like to work with, so you need to build and maintain your online portfolio.

    Work On Communication Skills

    Technical skills are obviously important, but you will not get very far with a career in data science if you do not have strong communication skills. You will spend a lot of time communicating with clients, including listening to their needs and presenting your ideas. You will also need to be able to work as part of a team and communicate with those in different departments to your own. This means that communication skills are critical, so you may want to work on these if you currently feel that this is an area where you lack confidence.

    Start Applying For Jobs

    It is then a matter of putting yourself out there are applying for jobs. You can use job boards to find vacancies online, sign up for recruitment agencies specializing in data and tech roles, email companies you would like to work for and ask around in your network. When applying, make sure that each application is tailored to the company, and be sure to do your research prior to any interviews.

    This post should be useful for anyone who is looking to start or wanting to transition into a data science role and hopefully help you get your foot in the door. By following these starting points, you will gain the foundation skills that you will need to develop so you can succeed in your future career.

  • How to Mine Cryptocurrencies

    How to Mine Cryptocurrencies

    California gold prospectors occupied Sacramento Valley in early 1848 in a feverish gold rush, shaking the New World upside down. As news spread of the gold nuggets and easy fortune, miners flocked to California in droves to try their luck. Some 170 years later, modern digital miners equipped with graphics cards and specialized Bitcoin miners dig for cryptocurrencies from the comfort of their homes. What has changed, you might ask? Well, aside from the historical context, currency, and technology, it’s a similar tale in many ways: a group of people in search of easy and quick wealth. Stick around if you’re curious to see how the whole system works. 

    What is Bitcoin?

    One of the most searched terms on Google ever, “What is Bitcoin,” might seem like a no-brainer, but most people don’t know much besides the name. The most famous cryptocurrency was conceived by a mysterious figure going under the alias Satoshi Nakamoto back in 2009. It has since revolutionized the monetary system and shaken up the financial world as we know it. To start from scratch: while fiat currencies depend on a central authority – a bank or a government – to set up their value and monitor transactions and balances, Bitcoin is decentralized and transparent to each and every user. 

    As a regular customer, you definitely cannot sneak a peek into a bank’s ledger. Bitcoin transactions are stored on a transparent chain of ledgers called blockchain that everyone can access and track. There aren’t middlemen nor central authorities to oversee and charge fees on your transactions or balances. With a peer-to-peer network at its core, blockchain enables all users to exchange cryptocurrencies anywhere in the world safely. 

    How to get Bitcoin?

    We’ll have to get you all the way back to the beginning of our story. You see, nowadays miners are also bankers of a sort. They work at verifying the transactions in the blockchain and are rewarded for their ardent work with tokens. The mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto conceived this convention and the transparent transaction logs to prevent the so-called double-spending problem, where crafty individuals could replicate digital information to spend the same coin more than once. 

    Now, before you start digging for virtual gold, you’ll have to get the proper equipment. Here things change depending on what currency you are after. Bitcoin has long since stopped being mineable without specialized devices built specifically for that purpose, but other cryptocurrencies are mostly mined through graphics cards. What you need is either a specialized “Antiminer” for Bitcoin or a “mining rig” consisting of one or more graphics cards, a CPU, RAM, ideally SSD or NVMe storage, and, of course, a power supply (PSU) for other types of cryptocurrencies. You want to get graphics cards and a PSU that are as power-efficient as possible, as mining can spend a lot of power, which will drive up your electricity bill.

    Let’s start mining

    Now that you’re all up and running, and fully equipped, here’s what you need to do to fill your virtual sacks with bitcoins. Your mining rig is supposed to, along with other rigs in your mining pool (if mining BTC), guess a random 64-digit hexadecimal number, or hash, that solves an equation generated by the system. Once that happens, you get to update the public ledger and are rewarded with a fixed amount of cryptocurrency to compensate your time and effort. “Cool! Where do I sign up?” – you might think ecstatically.

    It’s not that easy. The more miners join the race, the more difficult it gets to solve the math problem; thus, today’s mining went worlds apart from what it originally was back in 2009. There is also the issue of market regulation. You see, there are a finite number of Bitcoins in the world, and once they are all mined out – that’s it, there will never be any more. This and the increasing miner count are the reasons why the “mining difficulty” keeps rising and one of the reasons why the price of BTC keeps growing.

    This whole crazy tech race has been slowing down recently, but the price volatility of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is still running wild. However, more and more people opt for cryptocurrency and a decentralized monetary system independent from governments and banks. If you decide to venture on a mining journey, keep in mind that you’ll have to store your Bitcoins somewhere. You can use numerous Bitcoin wallets, such as Coinbase, Bitcoin Core, Airbitz, and many others. As each wallet has public and private encryption keys, you can rest assured that they will store your BTC safely.

    What if I’m not into mining?

    If mining isn’t your cup of tea or sounds too complicated, worry not; this is not the only way to get BTC or other cryptocurrencies. You can buy cryptocurrency with fiat money or trade it on a cryptocurrency exchange. You can have people pay you for goods or services in Bitcoins or even earn them by shopping or publishing blog posts on crypto-related websites. Whichever method you choose, we hope you’ll enjoy your cryptocurrency venture and that it will turn out to be a profitable one.

  • Business in the USA: business registration, self-employment

    Business in the USA: business registration, self-employment

    To start a business in the United States, you do not have to register it. The main thing is to pay taxes, which are calculated from profits, not total income. There are a total of 6 forms of business in the U.S., each with its advantages and disadvantages.

    This is just information that is based on personal experience. If you need professional advice, of course, you should consult a lawyer, and if it’s about taxes, you should consult an accountant.

    Is it necessary to register a business if a person is a freelancer?

    There is no short answer to this question. It is not necessary to register a business, not only online business, freelancing, working as a hairdresser if one cuts hair at home, as a photographer if one is self-employed. If you work for yourself, it’s called self-employment, you don’t have to register a business in that case.

    The only thing you have to do is pay taxes on all your earnings and provide proof of income.

    How do I have to prove my income?

    First of all, you need to collect all available documents confirming your income. This document is called a tax return and is issued once a year, which shows your income for all that time. But all this takes time and can be very stressful for you. Therefore, you can use online sites that provide accounting services with payment tracking, which will save you time. To understand more about this issue, try to check this blog post out today.

    When should I register a business, and why should I do it at all?

    First of all, a business registers for legal protection, and second, for taxation. In terms of taxation, it is much more profitable to be self-employed, but in terms of legal protection, it is not. Suppose you have a gym, and if it’s not registered, as a business, but just as a sole proprietor, legally you won’t get anything for it, you can maintain it, pay taxes, and no one will tell you anything.

    But, for example, someone was working out on a simulator, the simulator broke down, fell, and broke the person’s arm. The person sues you for having faulty exercisers and being hurt because of it. If the court finds you guilty and your gym was not registered as a business entity, then everything will be taken away from you. For example, if a person wins a million dollars in court, then they will take away all of your property, your house, seize all of your accounts, and you will be left with nothing. But if your gym was registered as a business entity, it turns out that legally you are separated: you – is one thing, and your business – another.

    Then if that happens, the maximum they can do is totally seize the business, take away all your business accounts, but everything that concerns you personally-your house, personal accounts-will be left untouched. That’s why when people do more or less serious business, rather than just working for themselves, they prefer to register a business to protect themselves from things of that nature.

    How can I register my business?

    In America, it’s very easy to do. It can even be done online, and in just a couple of weeks you will receive all the documents, and you will be able to work already. First of all, you need to choose a legal entity, after that you need to register the name of the business. There are many sites that help you register a business.

    Each site has different rules and laws, so I can’t be specific about prices and laws. It all varies from state to state. For example, in New York, if a business doesn’t make anything in a year. If you incorporated a business but you don’t have any income, you pay nothing. In California, even if the business doesn’t earn anything, you still pay nothing, but it’s registered, you have to pay $800 a year.

    So each state has different rules, laws, and prices, so it’s best to look at websites that help you register your business. If you have a more or less serious business that you want to register, you plan on having investors or you plan on hiring people, if you have intellectual property, etc., it’s probably best to do it with a lawyer who can tell you correctly what contracts to sign. In addition to the registration itself, you may need more legal help than if you just register some small business.

  • Online Businesses That Are the Most Profitable: Options To Consider

    Online Businesses That Are the Most Profitable: Options To Consider

    Many online businesses are the most beneficial. The key is knowing what you want and how much of it you need. If you want to make a lot of money, but don’t have an idea for your business, then plenty of options are available to help get your imagination going! 

    Online Trading 

    Online trading is one of the most popular ways to start making money – companies make billions of dollars in transactions. Besides, there are numerous options available for trading online, so there is something out there for everyone.

    The first option is through Trade Forex or trading on a stock exchange. There are various ways of going about this, but you can buy and sell shares in a company via an online platform. You should not confuse it with day trading, which involves pulling out money from an investment after only one day rather than holding onto them for an extended period.

    Another option is to start an online business and sell products from your website. You can do this by selling other people’s products as a third party for commission.

    As you can see, there are many options available to making money online, but each one requires an investment in terms of time and money.

    Selling Digital Products 

    Selling digital products is quickly becoming the most profitable way to run an online business. There are many options for people who want to sell digital products online, and most of them require no start-up costs.  

    However, if you’re interested in getting started as quickly as possible – or if you’d like a more robust business model – there’s nothing wrong with starting your subscription site. Starting your subscription site is a great way to offer products you create and deliver over time.

    Freelancing

    Freelancing is a way to work on your terms and grow your business as a part-time hassle. You can set up your schedule, take time off when you want to, and charge what you think is fair. It’s an increasingly popular way for people who like working at home. 

    The good news is that you can get started with almost no upfront costs. The bad news is that the field has fierce competition.

    Blogging

    If you have a passion for sharing your thoughts and opinions on the web, then blogging may be an ideal way to make money online. There are many different blog publishing platforms available today that will allow you create a website or blog including WordPress , Tumbler and others . 

    Dropshipping 

    Dropshipping is a business model that enables any individual to start their own ecommerce store without overhead costs or inventory. The seller does not keep goods in stock, but instead transfers orders and shipment details to either the manufacturer or another third party supplier who then ships directly to customers. 

    Affiliate Marketing 

    Affiliate marketing is a common type of online business in which you advertise someone else’s product on your blog. Then, you get paid when someone clicks on the link and makes a purchase. 

    Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to jump in quickly with no experience or money. Still, it’s essential to understand that you’re not creating something new – you are promoting products for other people.

    Conclusion

    When it comes to online businesses, there is no one size fits all. The most lucrative ventures are those that align with your passion and skills! 

  • 4 ways you can use stickers when marketing your startup

    4 ways you can use stickers when marketing your startup

    Are you on the hunt for new ways to generate exposure for your startup and hit your growth targets? Do you want to try out low-cost alternatives to traditional advertising? Have you read about sticker marketing but are not quite sure how it could work for your business?

    Then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will talk you through the best and easiest ways to use stickers for your marketing. With these tips, you can create a buzz around your newly founded business, while reaching new customers. Sounds good? Then let us get started. 

    1. Add free stickers to every order

    One of the best things about stickers is that they are very cost-effective. The price for popular vinyl stickers drops dramatically when you buy them in bulk. This makes them the perfect add-on to every order or purchase without exceeding your advertising budget. 

    Through this, you can tap into the secret marketing power of stickers. Despite being rather low cost, they have a very natural appeal. When given under the right circumstances, stickers are not considered to be an advertising tool. Much rather, they are perceived as a gift. 

    The giving of gifts is a long-established marketing strategy because it ignites positive emotions. These emotions will be associated with your business, increasing the likelihood of a repurchase. 

    Moreover, gift-giving also evokes a psychological reaction, the so-called rule of reciprocity. The receiver of the gift feels the subconscious need to return the favor. In this particular case, this can take the form of a purchase, a recommendation or even a post on social media. 

    2. Brand your packaging 

    Your customers’ journey extends beyond the point of purchase, so your marketing efforts should not stop after a completed sale. Instead, you need to keep the promise of high quality and customer appreciation way beyond that. 

    A quick Google search shows that the term “unboxing” results in 123,000,000 hits. This proves how important the post-purchase experience is for your customers. For you, this is a great opportunity to turn every single step of the experience into an interaction with your brand. 

    Use logo stickers, labels and thank you stickers to communicate with your customers post-sale and show them that they have made the right decision. 

    You can even use different sticker materials to represent your brand values. Are you selling a high-end luxury product? Use a premium holographic label to highlight the quality of your product. Is your business all about sustainability? Then give biodegradable stickers a try. These are great alternatives to traditional sticker and are available as white and transparent stickers right here: https://stickerit.co/us/eco-friendly-clear-stickers/.

    3. Generate brand awareness

    Your marketing efforts should also focus on potential customers. The best ways to reach these are at events and through social media. 

    Stickers make the perfect stand-out business cards, ideal to hand out during events. You do not want all the people you have met in person and had conversations with to forget you as soon as they leave the location. 

    Using stickers as business cards makes sure your startup will stick. Whereas traditional business cards get lost in wallets or end up in the trash, your sticky card can be applied to their laptop, ready to go whenever your services are needed. 

    You are, of course, not restricted to offline channels. Reach out to influencers within your niche and send them a range of your logo and marketing stickers using the many effect materials on offer. 

    Not only are you likely to see your stickers on their stories and feeds, you also have the chance to turn these influencers into brand ambassadors. Just imagine your logo as a phone or laptop sticker for everyone to see! 

    4. Try guerrilla marketing

    You have probably come across this term before, but maybe it had little to do with marketing. The term guerrilla traditionally refers to a type of warfare fought by civilian groups against the orthodox military. Their tactics made use of their small size and centered on speed, agility and the elements of surprise.

    Marketing can replicate these features by creating unconventional advertising strategies which aim to catch potential customers off guard and generate an interaction with a brand. 

    This is perfect for startups and small businesses, as such campaigns do not rely on massive budgets. Instead, they need creativity, time and energy. 

    Guerrilla marketing is very versatile. If you want to give them a try, a Google search will do wonders. However, stickers are the easiest and fastest way to action such a campaign and reap the rewards of guerrilla strategies. Using stickers, you can cover much ground and get your brand message seen by as many people as possible. 

    And remember: the more original your design and placement, the more likely people are to share your campaign all over social media as well!

    We hope that these four tips inspired you to give sticker marketing a try and take your startup to the next level. If you have any questions or more tips you would like to share, we would love to hear from you in the comments below.  

  • Real Estate Business: How To Boost Traffic And Increase Revenue

    Real Estate Business: How To Boost Traffic And Increase Revenue

    Real estate agents need to plan properly to complete their tasks without slaving away at work or being interrupted by irrelevant matters. Carrying out marketing strategies requires the same planning. To properly plan your marketing strategy, you need to learn more about the industry and competition in order to spot opportunities. To get this done, you need to have the tools to analyze the real estate business. If you’ve made the decision to start your own real estate agency but haven’t found a way to boost your business, implement these real estate strategies to attract more potential clients and increase your sales opportunities.

    Digital Marketing

    Real estate portals invest in digital marketing heavily, invading Google’s homepage when someone searches for a house for sale or rent in a specific area. As evidence, a recent study conducted in the UK shows that 47% of the population had used a real estate portal in the past 12 months. One of the disadvantages of digital marketing is that people usually don’t scroll past the first page of Google search results. Statistics show that the first page receives at least 75% of the clicks and the first link receives 33% of the clicks. The advantage is that you can join the competitors and use their position to acquire more visibility on the platform. That’s why digital marketing is a great tool for any real estate agent or professional in the industry because it can make your brand visible and allows you to display your real estate catalog outside of the website.

    Webinars for Lead Generation

    You may have heard of webinars; they are free online video conferences where experts provide valuable information on specific topics in exchange for names and email addresses. Webinars are one of the most effective inbound marketing techniques. Attracting users who may be interested in your business offer great lead generation opportunities to develop your brand and make your business stand out. Generating adequate leads has to do with users who are genuinely interested in your product, leaving their contact information, their name, and email address.

    This type of marketing occurs when potential customers actively seek solutions to problems through products or services and come to your business voluntarily. This is a far cry from outbound marketing, where your target customers may not be looking for your services in the first place. To host a successful webinar, find a proper theme that attracts your target clients, promote the webinar before posting it two weeks earlier, and use social networks and email to publicize your webinars.

    Email Marketing

    According to a study by eMarketer, email marketing is the number one driver of customer loyalty for 80% of marketers. Hence, one of the main goals of any content marketing strategy is to generate potential customers. Email marketing is a channel for direct and personalized communication with the users that allows you to stay in the minds of your customers and further improve the relationship you have built with them. Sales experts always advise focusing on winning customers instead of selling. Don’t just focus on selling through email content; gain subscriber trust first. Remember that once your database grows, you will not be sending manual emails. Marketing automation tools can help you send automated simple emails, organize and section your subscriber list, create catchy emails in minutes, and send bulk emails easily.

    When developing real estate email marketing campaigns, not only is it important to plan the content of the email strategically but also to determine when and how often to send emails to customers.

    Virtual Tours

    Your prospective client does not want to waste time and wants to know enough information before they visit the property they like in person. The best way to get a complete and detailed view of the property is by doing virtual tours since they can help potential customers understand the real situation of the estate in question. By doing this, you not only have an advantage over competitors, who only show their properties with photos, but also make valuable use of your time and resources. Meeting your clients in person is more profitable because they know the property beforehand and may be interested to finalize the sale once they decide to pay a visit. 

    Alternatively, if you’re too busy or simply don’t have the necessary resources, hire a professional to get the job done promptly. Create 360° videos or photos, use special software to create engaging virtual tours from 360º photos, or use drones for virtual tours. When clients use their mobile devices, they can drag the image with their mouse or fingers to view the whole picture.

    Local Images

    As a real estate agent, you are not just selling or renting a house, but an entire region or town. Show off the best features of the area using high-quality photos of local landmarks and well-known sites to attract people to want to live in that location. A property that is surrounded by greenery, parks, or beautiful nature will surely appeal to nature lovers. Additionally, if the property you’re selling is circled by shopping malls or schools, families with kids are most likely to be drawn to buying it.

    Choosing a Niche

    If you have fierce real estate competition in your region, you may consider choosing a niche. Make your business the go-to real estate agency for pet owners, divorced people, or families with children. Make a name for yourself regarding a specific niche. That way, people can memorize your company easily, especially in busy neighborhoods.

    Your real estate company doesn’t have to depend on referrals to close deals. Facebook and Instagram ads are not enough to boost your business. If you’re looking for different ways to drive more leads and traffic to your corporation, you have to implement other marketing strategies. Now is a good time to take advantage of the current real estate market recovery and apply efficient strategies that can improve your business greatly. A studied marketing plan can help you attract loyal customers and increase your property sales.