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Working from home: finding your niche as a virtual assistant

According to business experts Paul and Sarah Edwards, and a long list of other publications and experts, virtual home assistance is a booming business. Wikipedia defines a virtual assistant as an independent contractor who provides virtual assistance in the form of administrative, technical, and sometimes creative services to clients, typically other independent entrepreneurs, and individual and small business practices, such as that of a lawyer or real estate agent. . Virtual assistants work from their own home office, which is why it has become quite a popular and growing profession. Today there are around 5000-8000 virtual assistants around the world. Common modes of communication and data delivery include the Internet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and fax machine. In other words, it is very similar to an assistant who is telecommuting or telecommuting.

There are many reasons why business owners, especially those who work from a home office or telecommute, are hiring virtual assistants. In a home based business, what do you do when you need help? After all, you can’t do everything when you work from home. You could hire someone as an employee. However, you probably don’t have a place to put them in your home office. Plus, having an employee means needing health insurance coverage, payroll taxes, legal obligations, and not to mention higher utility bills. A virtual assistant will take care of all these problems because virtual assistants are probably working from home too! Some virtual assistants earn up to $38,000 per year working full time. In the world of work, this would be good pay for an administrative assistant or even an executive assistant, especially when you factor in the savings on transportation and childcare.

So what are some successful virtual assistant careers? What jobs exactly do employers need from a virtual assistant? They are: bill payment, data processing and management, transcription services, bookkeeping, proof reading and editing.

Bill Payment

There are two types of bill payment businesses. The first is a virtual personal assistant. In this case, the customer has all invoices mailed to a PO box near you as your virtual personal assistant. Next, you set up a checking account with payment authorization for both the customer and yourself. As invoices are prepared for payment, it notifies the customer how much money to deposit in the account. Then the bills are paid. In addition, if it is available at the customer’s bank, it is possible to use online bill payment services. An accounts payable virtual assistant will provide the same type of service to businesses. A small business will outsource bill payment to you and make sure the customer maintains good credit by paying all their bills on time. Often it is possible to combine accounts payable with accounts receivable. In this situation, the virtual assistant is not only in charge of paying the bills, but also depositing checks into the client’s bank account and sometimes even collecting past due accounts.

Data processing and data management

Various things can be included in data processing and management. The following are some examples where this would be useful. After collecting business cards throughout the month, they are mailed to you as a virtual assistant. It then enters the data into the customer database and returns it as an email attachment. This would also work if your client sent you emails of new leads and you entered the information into a contact database. An insurance agent can fax you the information for the new owner of the policy. You would then enter the information into the customer’s database, zip the file, and send the database to the customer as an email attachment. As a virtual assistant, you would also prepare and send a standard confirmation letter to the policyholder. Tracks the policy’s annual expiration date and, on the expiration date, sends a reminder email to the insurance agent. Another possibility is to help a client who is preparing a drop shipping and needs to verify the legitimacy of their database. The database is sent to the virtual assistant via an email attachment. He then calls each name on the phone and checks that the name, spelling, title, and address are correct. Sometimes clients really need you to build a database by researching names and contact information within pre-specified criteria.

transcription services

Transcription is the process of converting voice-recorded reports to text. Many clients can use a virtual assistant for this. An example might be a lawyer sending you a microcassette overnight for you to transcribe. Then he would write the report and send it to the attorney via email. As a virtual assistant transcription service, you can also receive a phone conversation that needs to be recorded and then typed up and sent to everyone involved. A client can dictate letters and memos on cassette, CD or MP3 format and send them to you for writing. Authors sometimes use this type of service to obtain a typewritten copy of their work.

Bookkeeping

Accounting is the record of all financial transactions made by an individual or organization. The organization can be a business, a charity, or even a local sports club. Accounting may be keeping records of what is bought, sold, owed, and owned; what money comes in, what goes out and what remains. Although this position follows the rules of basic accounting, you do not need to be an accountant or have accounting experience. As a virtual assistant bookkeeper, you could be responsible for writing the daily books, which would consist of purchases, sales, receipts, and payments. The bookkeeper is responsible for ensuring that all transactions are recorded in the correct journal, vendor ledger, customer ledger, and general ledger. Typically, a business scans its business documents and uploads them periodically to a secure location or to an online accounting application. This allows the bookkeeper to work remotely with these documents to update the books.

Correction and proofreading

Proofreading traditionally means reading a proof copy of a text to detect and correct any errors. Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for presentation through proofreading, condensing, arranging, and other modifications. These are other sources of income for a virtual assistant. A client might be putting together a marketing brochure or website and needs help with copying. So then I would review and edit any marketing literature. A client might be a writer and has prepared a manual that needs to be edited. A virtual assistant can format, proofread, edit, and grammar-check documents and then return them to the client via email as an attachment.

Now that you have an idea of ​​what are some popular work from home business opportunities as a virtual assistant, how about a little help? There are work-at-home business opportunity kits available to help you start your own virtual assistant business. Remember, working as a virtual assistant has many other benefits besides earning money from home.

So go ahead and quit your day job sooner than expected! Become that entrepreneur you know you can be! Will it be easy money? No. Will you be able to make a living while taking control of your own future? Yes. Critical information about the Virtual Assistance industry is available to you right now. Spend no more time racking your brain on what to do next, find a work-at-home business guide.

How to Promote Your Business on Facebook

Regardless of whether your business is small or large, Facebook is an online platform that you cannot ignore when it comes to promoting our business. The modern trend is that most consumers search the web for even local businesses, most of which are on Facebook. In addition to its position as the largest social networking site due to its large number of registered users, the site puts at your disposal a good number of features that you can use to promote your business effectively.

Promoting your business on Facebook requires you to create a business landing page, which will serve as your social networking site. Although it is similar to the traditional Facebook profile page, this one will be specifically for your business or brand. Since it is from the page that you will be interacting with potential customers, you should create it in such a way that it reflects your business or brand.

Creating a Facebook business page is certainly not enough when you need to promote your business. You need to start by connecting with Facebook users. Facebook provides you with the “Create Audience” tool located in the admin menu of your page. The tool allows you to invite both your Facebook friends and email contacts who have the option to follow your page. In addition to your friends and email contacts, you should advertise your Facebook Page URL through other means to get more followers.

There’s really no point in gaining followers if you don’t keep them engaged. You need to create relevant content that your followers like, share and comment on. Posting relevant content on a regular basis will have the positive effect of attracting more followers as it is shared, which will in effect increase your chances of making sales. Engaging your followers is not limited to creating relevant content. The Facebook Bid Tool is a valuable tool that you should use to attract customers. The tool allows you to create redeemable coupons that your followers can use in your store.

One of the most effective ways to promote your business on Facebook is to create Facebook ads. Facebook actually provides you with the necessary ad creation tool complete with a monitoring tool that you can use to monitor the performance of your ad(s). Although you pay the same, the cost is minimal. You actually indicate how much you are willing to pay for your ad(s). In addition, Facebook gives you the opportunity to choose the users you want your ads to reach and the geographic location, among other important factors.

Without a doubt, this is a simple and straightforward way to promote your business on Facebook. However, while doing so, you should be aware of the fact that Facebook advertising is all about relationship marketing. Therefore, you should not expect to start making profits instantly. Your initial goal should be to gain a significant following that you can rely on for a long-term business relationship.

Fatal flaws in your business plan

A business plan is the blueprint that guides aspiring entrepreneurs as they build their new business ventures. From 2008 to 2010, I taught a 20-week business plan writing course at an SBA-affiliated women’s business development organization. We met for three hours each week and the students wrote their plans week by week, guided by the lessons.

When evaluating a business concept, unrealistic expectations or wrong thinking could creep in and undermine planning. Enthusiasm for the idea can distort one’s ability to see potential obstacles. What follows are scenarios that budding entrepreneurs should be aware of.

unrealistic expectations

While it is sometimes true that using yourself as the ideal customer is a good idea, given that you understand the value and availability of that product or service, you could misunderstand the size of the market and the traction that can be achieved beyond a select group of true believers.

Insufficient information

Confirm the need for your products or services when you do your research and check the number of potential customers who have the money and are motivated to buy from you.

Also, make sure you understand the buying process. Who gives the green light to the sale? What is the sweet spot price range? Lastly, where are potential customers getting these products or services now?

access to clients

Customer access is everything and some target industries or customers seem impenetrable. You can identify the right customers, understand how your products or services fit their needs, and know how to price and deliver them. But if potential clients don’t have the confidence to work with you because you lack the backing of a trusted source, you’re going to starve.

Overestimating cash flow

Typically, businesses will not achieve desirable gross sales or show a net profit in the first year of operations. Businesses that require high start-up costs, in particular, will require long start-up periods. The business plan should recognize the potential for negative cash flow and demonstrate how fixed and variable expenses will be covered during that time. You must know how inventory will be financed, payroll covered, and office rent paid.

When writing your business plan, it is strongly recommended to make conservative financial projections. Customer acquisition may take longer than expected and the size of your purchases may initially be small. Also, it is possible for a business to be profitable on paper and still experience cash flow problems if customers do not pay on time.

Underestimating start-up costs

Developing a reasonable estimate of how much it will cost to start the business is essential. You should be prepared to cover the cost of all permits, equipment, inventory, and personnel needed to conduct business. If you plan to hire employees, it’s important to have a good idea of ​​your minimum staffing needs early on (you can hire more as income increases).

Magical thinking business model

The business model illustrates how your company will become profitable. Thoughtful interactions between marketing, financial, and operations processes will promote and maintain profitability, and you need to plan how they will occur. The business model describes the core functions of the company.

Likewise, the value proposition of your products or services must be articulated. Consideration will be given to the overall marketing strategy and the selected tactics and resources that will promote the value proposition (intellectual property, patent rights, key relationships or capital). Sales distribution channels will be detailed.

Get to plan B (2009), by Randy Komisar and John Mullins, details the key components of the business model and advises business plan writers to segment their models into subheadings:

  • The revenue model, to describe what you will sell, your marketing plans, and how you expect to generate revenue

  • The operating model, to detail where you will do business and how day-to-day operations will work

  • The working capital model, that is, the cash flow requirements of the business. Understanding cash flow helps you know when money will be available to cover expenses like rent and payroll (it’s different from income). A company can generate adequate income (sales) and still suffer from cash flow problems.

Your business model will keep you organized and your priorities realistic. Issues like quality control, accounts receivable collection, inventory management and identifying strategic partners will mean much more than your number of followers on Facebook, for example. Best of luck to you and your new business!

Thank you for reading,

Kim

Your Debt-Proof Christmas by Mary Hunt – Personal Finance Book Review

Late Thanksgiving recently joined Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday as part of the early holiday shopping frenzy. As November dawns, Christmas advertising is already appearing online, on television, and in print.

Before you get caught up in the commercialism of the season, take some time to remember the true meaning of the holidays. They represent a time of rest, reflection and joy.

Personal Finance author Mary Hunt strikes an excellent balance between meaning and merchandise in her book, “Debt-Proof Your Christmas,” built on her own story of going into debt for Christmas shopping more than 20 years ago. .

Hunt acknowledges that there is no single solution to celebrating the holidays, as he shows readers how to have a cash Christmas and avoid the bills that will soon follow in January. Among the many topics he covers are gift-giving, holiday entertaining, and home decorating.

It is imperative that you prepare and plan for the holidays to avoid racking up seasonal debt. The best separator to deter getting emotionally overdrawn on vacation is time. “While you’re not emotionally involved is the time when you can think more rationally.”

Hunt’s holiday-celebration-worthy thoughts include:

Attitude. “How you celebrate and how you pay for the Christmas holidays is completely in your control if you make that decision,” says Hunt.

Courage. You may be single, a couple without children, or financially struggling, and part of a large family, and you are expected to buy gifts for each relative. The solution is to develop the courage to give as you want, not out of guilt or expectation. Spend what you can on what you want, not what others say you should. Get creative with gift-giving.

cash in envelopes. Set an amount that you will spend on each gift recipient and place that cash in an envelope. When the money runs out, it runs out and so does the purchase of gifts for that person.

Use cash and you’ll be a more disciplined shopper, bound to find the best deals.

Gift cards. The rise in gift card handouts in recent years leads Hunt to emphasize that they are not the same as cash, but specific store credit subject to that store’s rules and policies. Tips for giving gift cards from Hunt include:

  • Give a gift card when it tops the recipient’s wish list, not at its own convenience.

  • Please note that many gift cards begin to lose value as early as six months after activation.

  • Avoid giving gift cards to children, because they are too abstract. Give cash instead.

outlet stores. Point of sale has become its own brand of retail experience, which requires smart shopping. Hunt’s outlet shopping tips include:

  • Wait for the big sales. The points of sale follow the same hours as the regular stores, with the best offers during the main festivities.

  • Ask sales associates if the merchandise is premium, name-brand, or lower-quality merchandise made specifically for the point of sale.

  • Ask about the off-season merchandise in the back of the store available at rock-bottom prices.

Family traditions. Traditions give families the assurance that even in uncertain times, in the midst of a changing world, there are some things they can count on to stay the same.

One suggested tradition is to collect twenty-four books that align with your family’s values ​​and beliefs for the holidays. Wrap up the books, and starting December 1, let your kids select and open a book before bed and then read it together.

Search surveyed readers for their favorite holiday books (Christmas and Hanukkah) and list the twenty-four most popular titles.

Hunt’s website readers share their inspiring stories of how they personalized their holiday celebrations.

One family opened a box of memories, encouraging members to contribute thoughts about the past year and hopes for the future during the holidays. Each Christmas Eve relative opens the box and reflects on their previous entries.

Debt-Proof Your Christmas features a treasure chest of holiday-enhancing websites, including an organization that distributes gifts to children in dire straits around the world, and a user-friendly site that lets you bid on unclaimed items in debt rooms. stolen police property. Touristic centres

Hunt advises on Christmas tips and charitable contributions. “The most reputable charities spend no more than twenty-five cents for every dollar donated on administrative costs.”

If you’re inspired by affirmations, Hunt offers nine to help you avoid holiday debt, including: “I’ll look out for December 26, when I intend to wake up knowing Christmas is paid for in full.”

Debt-Proof Your Christmas will reign as your go-to for a meaningful, debt-free holiday season all year long. Discover Hunt’s tips now to boost his ability to experience a cash Christmas this year.

To organize your Christmas and simplify your holidays, visit Organized Christmas.

5 steps to facilitate project management

Do you want to impress your client? Does project management cost you more than development? change it. There are many theories about project management. Some of them are rigid, some are fluid. Now I will tell you the 5 most important steps that you must follow so that your projects are carried out without problems. These methods are best suited for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and virtual assistants.

You must first identify that time, people, and materials are the 3 resources that must be managed to complete a project within a defined scope of quality, cost, and time. Managing a project becomes difficult if it is not pursued strategically. We need to make proper use of time, people, and materials to complete the project in the estimated time, cost, and quality.

Ok, let me walk you through the 5-step strategy for successful project management.

When you’re ready to start a project, take the time to think about solution options for your project. Put them on a piece of paper.

Plan your project: Depending on resources and time availability, prepare a plan.

Divide and conquer: Divide the number of weeks the project lasts into days. Divide the number of days into hours. Divide and assign tasks within allotted hours.

Start running: Start executing the plan. Executing the plan is the most important step. Be sure to execute the plan as planned.

Status Tracking: Daily status monitoring. Communicate with your employees daily regarding status updates. If something goes wrong while executing the plan, reschedule the to-dos to complete the project on time.

Use advanced collaboration tools: Use advanced collaboration tools to implement project management successfully. Collaboration tools save you time and money in the execution of your projects. I personally recommend a collaboration software called Collaborate. I use this project management software to share files, documents and chat with my clients.

Import Basics: Top 10 Quality Points When Buying From China

It’s lead paint on a children’s gift toy. It is a computer mouse that can seriously shock the user. It seems that each new day brings a wave of product recalls and safety alerts regarding products coming from China. Importers and distributors of promotional products are just as susceptible as retailers to the disastrous effect on business and reputation that the distribution of a dangerous product will bring. As more of us in the promotional products industry deal with suppliers from China on a daily basis, the following strategies can serve as a guide to ensure that you receive only the highest quality products from abroad.

10. Know who you’re working with: When you buy goods from China, it’s often hard to tell if you’re working with a factory, a trading company, or something in between. When it comes to product and quality issues, it’s critical that you know exactly who you’re working with and that the relationship is transparent to all parties. If you are not working directly with the factory and the supplier cannot give you satisfactory answers about the product, then they are inhibiting the sourcing process for you and you should reconsider the relationship. If you are having difficulty identifying who you are working with, you should contact a company that specializes in China Supplier Verification.

9. Keep emails short, sweet, and to the point: I have great respect for the amount of English used by local Chinese staff, having never lived in an English-speaking country. However, based on my business experience in China for over 7 years, I will tell you that your China-based supplier most likely understands only about 50% of what you write in emails. Keep this in mind the next time you start a lengthy explanation or suggestion to a foreign supplier. English is not this person’s first language. Keep your emails simple and your instructions clear.

8. Payment to Chinese Suppliers: Bank Transfer (W/T) or Letter of Credit (L/C)? – Having a secure and well-communicated payment agreement before placing your order is beneficial to both parties and one of the parameters of a relationship that fosters quality. Unless you have a long-standing and trusting relationship with your supplier, L/C should always be your preferred method of payment. If you have not used an L/C before, contact your bank’s business department for assistance.

7. Save money and headaches with a third-party quality control (“QC”): Working with a third-party quality control company in China allows you to take advantage of the experience of companies whose mission it is to ensure that the quality of the products meet certain standards. These companies provide services like product inspection, factory audit, and laboratory testing. The service is generally available at a flat rate that can offer great value in relation to the total cost of your purchase (approximately $350 to inspect a shipment of goods). The best-known companies in China that provide quality control services are InTouch Services, Bureau Veritas, and Intertek Testing.

6. Confirm your production schedule – don’t be fooled! – Receiving your order from China on time is just as important as receiving the correct product. Chinese factories are notorious for ramping up production that is less important (to them) when a more profitable order arrives. Quality issues are more likely to occur as a result of the supplier rushing to catch up on the promised schedule. So make sure you ask the right questions and get answers via email. These questions include: a) When will production begin? Being 50% done? Complete? Send? (Please confirm that these milestones are being reached) b) Have all the raw materials for this order arrived at the factory yet? What about all the packing materials?

5. Don’t be afraid of the phone – you can only get in touch with email. When you go back and forth with a foreign supplier, does it sometimes seem like they just don’t “get” you? The time difference can be a nuisance, but don’t let that stop you from arranging a conference call with your provider abroad. Online telephony like Skype, which almost everyone in China is familiar with, makes it easy and free to communicate with contacts in China. Although this may not work for a supplier with a low level of English, I suggest you never order if you haven’t had at least one phone conversation.

4. Check raw materials or risk it all – It is absolutely integral to the quality of your product that you know exactly what materials are being used and request documentation from the supplier that the materials are safe. The US continues to see recall after recall of products that have been made with substandard materials. For example, if the item you are purchasing is white plastic, you must ensure that the white plastic meets general flammability standards. If the item is likely to come into contact with food, make sure it is food grade. You should assume that the factory you are buying from in China will use the cheapest materials possible unless you specify otherwise. Insist that your provider provide you with written verification. The FDA and other US organizations have regulations about which plastics, metals, and other materials can be safely distributed. If your vendor is unable to verify this, please contact a third-party quality assurance company for guidance.

3. Samples are worth a thousand photos: When working with China, you should insist on getting samples as often as possible. Do not accept excuses unless there is a serious obstacle (ie no mold). Be sure to label and store these samples correctly, and each time you receive a new sample, carefully compare it to the last one you received. Never confirm to a factory in China that production can go ahead until you approve a pre-production sample. You will be able to catch a large number of quality issues before they happen simply by implementing this process.

2. Don’t wait, inspect! – Just about the simplest, least expensive, and most efficient way to eliminate quality issues with your China-made product is to inspect it BEFORE it leaves the factory in China. Such an inspection is best arranged with a third-party QA company (mentioned in #7 above), but it can also be arranged with your own staff in Asia or your agent’s. You should insist on seeing an inspection report in English (including photos) documenting the process.

1. Product Quality Control Checklist: Poor communication during the ordering process is by far the root cause of most quality issues with China-based suppliers. One surefire way to drastically improve this communication is with a product quality control checklist. The quality control checklist is a multi-page document that details in writing all the important aspects of the items you are purchasing. It’s best to create it with the help of a third-party QA company that specifically offers this service, but you can create a simple and effective one yourself by following the points below. For more information on how to create a QA checklist, check out Quality Wars, which is my blog on QA. The key points that should be included in this checklist are:

a) Item details (item number, SKU description, etc.)

b) Content and Packaging

c) Color

d) Barcodes

e) Appearance and Function

f) Specifications and Special Requirements

g) Photos

 

Make sure you have this document professionally translated into Chinese and make the QA checklist your starting point for discussing production and quality with your supplier. You may find that you don’t have many of the details that the quality checklist requires. If that’s the case, I suggest you create the template and send it to your vendor for completion. There is no shortage of promotional product companies now working directly with foreign suppliers. With all the horror stories we hear about failed import orders, you can set yourself apart by being able to consistently deliver excellent quality. Your clients will no doubt appreciate your due diligence and your ability to speak intelligently about your focus on quality.

 

 

Backpage Newcastle is the best alternative to Backpage!

Are you struggling to find an alternative site to backpage because backpage is seized. Then don’t worry, we have found the best alternative to backpage which is “backpage Newcastle”. Here you can post free classified ads to promote your business and get more exposure for your business. Backpage Newcastle provides you with a platform so that you can improve your reach simply by posting your ads.

Backpage Newcastle provides you with a wide variety of categories list so you can choose your preferred categories to promote your business. There are several categories including automotive, buy/sell/trade, community, dating, jobs, local places, musicians, real estate, rentals, and services. Backpage Newcastle not only provides a platform to post your ad but also provides a platform where you will get everything you want at your nearest location. any website is very easy but looking for a good website to post your business now is not that difficult so just search this site or just click on the website given below and make your business reach the world. here you don’t have to pay much and with this you can earn more and more money by moving your business to different corners of the world. anyone from any class whether rich or poor anyone can grow their business.

On the site, you just have to select the location and cell or things in that particular area. This type of website is easily available to you and is very popular among users who are doing business very fast with the world.

is the site that tries to provide customers with the best facilities possible and make them happy with the results. it is the place where if you sell any business or buy any then you come back again and again here.

Even Backpage Newcastle users consider themselves one of the best sites for posting classified ads similar to Backpage. Don’t worry, we found the best alternative for you which is “Newcastle backpage”. BACKPAGE NEWCASTLE is a free classified ads posting site that provides you with various features to get more exposure for your business. Backpage Newcastle is considered to be one of the best sites as compared to other sites like backpage. Therefore, for those who want to improve their business outreach, https://www.bedpage.com/backpage-newcastle-australia/ is highly recommended.

Breast cancer remains key one in eight

As we close out the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to bring home the stark reality of this sobering statistic. As a twenty-year breast cancer survivor, it amazes me that the proportion of people who get breast cancer is still one in eight. This is exactly where I was when I was diagnosed in August 1994. I find it amazing from two different aspects. They are simply: “why isn’t the ratio higher?” and “why is it still so high?” It’s not a deep premise to write… but I think you’ll understand and appreciate the premise as you read on.

First, let’s address my “why isn’t the ratio higher” question. For many years, the proportion of women who got breast cancer compared to women who did not get it increased more and more. Occurrences skyrocketed from the time I was born to the time I was diagnosed in 1994. There are many proven reasons for that to be the case. Some of these reasons are:

  • Around the world we began to eat more hormone-laden and/or processed foods in the mid-20th century.
  • During that same period, more women received hormone replacement therapy than ever before.
  • We were exposed to more environmental toxins than ever before in the first 40 years of my life.
  • The population as a whole was being subjected to more cosmetics and/or personal care products that contained ingredients with an estrogenic effect.

Each of these reasons meant that people in industrialized nations were increasing their levels of “bad” estrogen, making them more likely to receive a breast cancer diagnosis. It’s easy to understand why we saw the onset of breast cancer continue to affect more and more women and men during that time.

It would seem that since none of the reasons mentioned above have disappeared, the ratio would be much higher than twenty years ago. (Please don’t think for a moment that I’d like that to be the case. I’m so thankful it’s not one in seven or one in six now.) Yes, there have been a fair amount of natural/organic foods appearing on supermarket shelves. There have also been changes within the medical community regarding whether certain women should receive hormone replacement therapy, but most women still choose to go that route if their doctor suggests it. Now you can buy non-toxic cleaning products or make your own with things like vinegar and baking soda. And, there are more cosmetic and skin care companies that are developing and manufacturing organic and/or “chemically safe” products. they see no reason to make better decisions.

So why hasn’t the ratio increased? From my perspective it is the opposite of my last comment. Many HAVE informed and educated THEMSELVES AND have chosen to change their lifestyles in ways that make them feel healthier and healthier.

“Why is the ratio still so high?” it is the other side of the same coin. At the risk of sounding redundant, lack of information and education is one of the reasons… but it can’t be the only reason. And have you noticed that a disease that used to affect “older women” is now affecting more and more young women? When I was diagnosed 20 years ago at 40 (having discovered my first lump at 38) I was considered “young” for contracting this disease. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Many more women are being diagnosed with this disease in their thirties now. It is these types of statistics that make me look for reasons and answers.

We as Western women are exposed to a horde of hormones from a young age. It is almost impossible to find a premenopausal woman living in the Western Hemisphere who is not saturated with estrogen, unless she has taken very specific steps to reduce her exposure to estrogen-laden foods and products.

I mentioned personal care products and cosmetics earlier. I consider these to be the most egregious exposures because multiples of billions of dollars are spent each year advertising these products. Her main goal is to convince all women that they need another beauty product to remove that last wrinkle. Many, if not most, of these products contain ingredients that are potential hormone disruptors.

Fortunately, as I said before, many of us have turned to safer personal care products, cosmetics, food, cleaning products, etc. But, if you’ve ever watched Shark Tank (one of my favorite shows), you know that one of the constant reasons sharks don’t invest in products, even GREAT products, is the cost and effort involved in re-educating people. people.

We have become accustomed to “the norm”. Unfortunately, that norm may be what keeps the rate of breast cancer from going down.

Do your homework and educate yourself about EVERYTHING you put on you, in you and around you. You don’t need to get paranoid about changes you have no control over, like your work environment, but by making lots of small, simple changes to your own lifestyle, we can begin to see the proportions shift…and change. in the right direction.

Wouldn’t it be a blessing to be able to say that only one in twenty women will get breast cancer in the next decade? It will take a lot of determination on the part of those of us who are informed and educated to get the word out. Beyond that, we all must make the decision to simply change the way we live. It is not good enough to know that we must change, it requires us to go ahead and DO IT! It won’t be easy, but I think we can see a big reduction in the occurrence of breast cancer.

Note that I said “I think we can see a big reduction in the occurrence of breast cancer.” This disease, like most others, will never be completely eradicated. I once had the privilege of sitting on a forum with a well known cancer expert (sorry to say, I’ve forgotten his name). He explained that only a person’s constitution will ensure that diseases of all kinds are always present. He used the example of George Burns who did almost everything wrong health wise and lived to be 100 and then there are those who do almost everything right and only live a little past the half century mark. He went on to say that if George Burns had “done it right”, he could have lived to be 120 years old. By contrast, those who “did it right” and died at a relatively young age might have lived only to their forties if they had lived. like George Burns.

There’s no reason to feel guilty about being diagnosed with breast cancer and fighting against it…not to succumb to it, despite a valiant battle. I can’t say that strong enough… However, I must also say that I feel it is my responsibility to share what I have learned that might help decrease your or a family member’s chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer. .

My heart’s desire is to reduce this stat as low as possible, so… let’s do it!

Dirty Tricks at Work: Five Ways to Protect Yourself

When people go to work, they often go to play. Surely work is a serious place for many, and I’m not talking about children’s games, but about the serious work of the band of selfish people who are fine to take advantage of their naive colleagues. People who have a strong sense of integrity often find themselves maneuvered and destined to arrive looking at the podium from a distance as the winners display their trophies.

You will be surprised how simple it is to equip yourself with self defense knowledge and skills. Ever since I wrote “21 Dirty Tricks at Work,” I have loved the way avid readers have studied and been able to learn the techniques for winning with integrity.

The priority is to build your awareness. These are some of the most common dirty tricks played in the office…

CreativeMapie: Exaggerate participation in the ideas and good work of others or blatantly steal them while hiding the valuable contributions of the creators.

Development opportunity: The tactic of motivating someone to take on a task, project, or assignment that they could reasonably turn down by pretending it is a development opportunity.

email to the gods: Using email to embarrass or coerce another. This is usually an email coming from a colleague (including true or false information) making accusations of guilt, which are also copied to bosses, directors, clients, suppliers, etc.

So you need to learn to protect yourself. Here are my top 5 tips…

Tip #1: Be curious and ask questions. Don’t ask them accusingly. Make sure you keep it clear and keep asking until you get to the bottom of what’s really going on.

Tip #2: Control your emotions. Sure you might get mad when you see a dirty “Fall Guy” trick coming your way, but if you lose your temper, you’ll have a harder time coping. So keep a cool head.

Tip #3: Try to find out why they are doing it. There must be a reason: what benefit do they get if you fall for it? If you can figure this out, you may be able to implement the next tip more easily.

Tip No. 4: Be constructive. Once you’ve asked a lot of questions, try to come up with some creative win-win solutions.

Tip #5: Try to maintain your own integrity. Don’t be tempted to play tricks on him; chances are they see it coming and are ready to trip you up.

If you practice these tips, you’ll soon begin to realize how quickly you can make progress without getting into an argument. You’ll find that you don’t have to be a victim of office politics. And the more positive action you take, the less likely your more Machiavellian colleagues will play a game with you. So take heart, there is something you can do to stand up to political games and dirty tricks without joining!

5 Common Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Make

If you are buying your first home, you may be excited and nervous. This process can be fraught with complexities. Therefore, you may want to be properly prepared to ensure that you purchase the best home to suit your needs. Below are some common mistakes that you may want to make during this adventure.

1. Not doing proper research

First, you may want to understand your family’s needs and finances. For this purpose, you may want to analyze your assets and liabilities. Once you are approved for financing, you can go ahead and begin your search for the right home. You should also be familiar with your neighborhood. Make sure your neighborhood has quality schools, transportation facilities, and other amenities.

2. Opt for the wrong mortgage

Before looking for the best house, you must be in the best position to negotiate. Make sure you choose your finance package after proper research. You may also want to use the services of an independent finance broker in addition to your bank. These institutions have access to a large number of financial products and lenders.

3. Waiting too long

There is no doubt that real estate prices continue to fluctuate based on the rule of supply and demand. However, if you continue to wait for prices to drop, you are putting your family’s future at risk.

So what you need to do is set your budget considering your future needs. This will help you buy the right house at the right time.

4. Crossing your budget limit

It is not a good idea to go beyond your budget limit. You may want to search for a property that can meet your budget. Even if you like a house, you should only buy it if it is within your price range. After all, you don’t want to get into trouble down the road.

We all want a little more than we can really afford. So no matter what your real estate agent suggests, you should never be tempted. Spending more than you can afford may cause you financial problems in the near future.

5. Fall in love

If you’ve found a home you’ve fallen in love with, make sure the seller’s agent is clueless. Agents are usually very intelligent, so they can read your emotions. If you can’t afford a home you love, don’t pay more than you can afford. You can find a better alternative at the right price.

Long story short, you may want to avoid these 5 mistakes if you’re looking to buy your first home. By avoiding these common mistakes, it will be easier for you to get the right home at the right price. Hopefully these steps will help you get the best deal without making costly mistakes.