Author: Nibletz Staff

It’s not an uncommon thing, having problems in business, but for every entrepreneur starting a company there is another one who is putting their business out to pasture. But every business leader has their fair share of trials and tribulations, and when it comes to running a business, there are things that even the greatest leader will encounter all too often.

Finding The Right Resources

It’s the never ending struggle between cost and efficiency. We can always argue that we are able to do more with less, which is correct to an extent, but we need to make sure that the fundamental resources we have in place are the top of the line ones. From our staff members to outsourced companies, we need to make sure that they are the cream of the crop. After all these things are in place, your business will be more successful, and therefore far easier for you to run. Looking at it from the technical perspective this is the necessary framework that needs to be in place from the offset. So if you don’t have the right IT solutions for businesses in place you are opening yourself up for a huge heap of trouble. You will be more susceptible to cyber attacks which is the digital equivalent of an open goal. Make sure that you have the right technical resources outsourced if you cannot supply them in-house. Your staff, especially in the structure of a small business, need to work together and individually, which is a very difficult thing to get right. Because your company needs to thrive on its relationships, you need to make sure that every piece of the jigsaw fits perfectly.

Managing Your Funds

It is something that a lot of small businesses tend to neglect, not having much focus on their cash flow but if receivable collections are draining your finances, it means you’re not going to be able to keep your business up and running. The main way to get ahead of this is to make sure that you are financially front loaded, or if that’s impossible, you need to pull together all of your cash reserves to meet the financial obligations as and when they arise. Startups and small businesses are usually the first ones to buckle under the pressure of poor cash flow management. And it’s in these circumstances where hiring professional help is not just a good idea, but it is essential. If you don’t have good knowledge of the lending climates, it leaves you at a severe disadvantage, so when it comes to cash “being king” it is never truer than in a difficult financial climate. You need to make sure you have the right people on side.

If you can tackle these two massive issues, that are two sides to the same coin, you will be able to get to the core of what your business needs to function properly. But don’t think it will happen overnight, these things take a lot of time and, yes, these issues will crop up once in a while. But once you have learned the best methods to tackle these issues for your business you will encounter them a lot less.

Trading online can be awfully tricky. There are many stats online that support this fact if you’d like proof. Don’t let these things put you off though; you just need to make sure you know the right things before starting. Here are 3 things to know before you start trading online:

Choose The Right Company To Trade With

There are many online trading companies, so you need to make sure you choose the right one to trade with if you want the best results. You need to get the right facts and date to make strong investment decisions. Do some research on a company’s reputation to start with, then read reviews from other investors and traders. Knowing how popular the other company is with users will help you to decide.

Look Out For Hidden Costs

Make sure you always look at the fine print so you’re aware of any hidden costs that could throw you off. For instance, some people have to keep a specific amount in their account balance monthly or they are charged a fee. Some mistakes can be expensive, so you need to be aware of what to expect.

Look Out For Commissions

Trading online is much cheaper than paying for a broker. Paying for commissions for every transaction isn’t ideal. Do lots of research so you know what sort of commission a company will take.

Are you interested in the stats mentioned earlier? The infographic below can give you a pretty good idea of what to expect:

credit to BrokerNotes

Most startups have very limited or no funding at all. It could be several years before you can consider your business a success, making enough money to keep everything afloat. During this time, it’s usually best to avoid spending as much money as possible. Things like large offices and expensive employees are out of the question, but you still have work to do, making it hard to live without these components. To help you out with this, this post will be going through some of the areas of your startup which can be handled by people on the outside. With the purpose of hiring as few employees as possible, you should be able to save loads, and it’s a lot less effort, as well.

Computing And Networking

Computers and networks site at the heart of most modern companies. These tools open the doors to a wide array of different possibilities for a business, from being able to store huge amounts of data securely to communicating with clients across the world. Of course, though, with all their benefits, computers can also come with a lot of issues. Handling these issues isn’t always easy for a startup, as this field is an expensive one. Below, you can find some of the areas which can be handled cheaply, without hiring any employees.

Computers

Getting your hands on all of the computers and other hardware your startup needs will be the first challenge you face. This sort of gear is pricey, and a lot of companies will want to use new equipment. Affording this will be a great challenge, and could be impossible to justify to any investor’s you have. Instead of buying this, it’s much better to borrow someone else’s, as a startup. Loads of manufacturers, like Dell, offer leasing services for their business range of products. This will keep your systems up to date, while also ensuring you only have new tech.

Support And Networking

Once you have a big collection of computers to work with, you can start to think about the support you get when using them. Along with this, you’ll also need someone to help with your networking, if you want it to be secure. There are loads of companies out there which offer IT support, computer repair, and networking services on an hourly basis. This ensures that you only pay for the computer help you need, while also making sure you always have access to it. Hiring a professional to handle this area for you would cost a small fortune.

Accounting

Next, one of the biggest things on the mind of any business is the money they make. Unfortunately, though, to be able to handle finances like this, most people will study for several years. Hiring a professional accountant is off the table, thanks to the price, and most business owners won’t want to go out and learn this skill for themselves. Instead, you need a way to have this work handled easily while also avoiding high costs. Accounting software offers this, enabling you to handle your finances by yourself. This sort of tool can calculate all of the metrics a normal accountant would show you, including the taxes you have to pay for your work. Along with this, some can even be extended to help with payroll and other essential jobs.

Some startups will want a little more financial protection than this, as it’s hard to be confident when all of the pressure is on your shoulders. Like your IT support, though, this doesn’t have to be handled by a new employee. Instead, you can have this part of your business handled by another company. Accounting services exist everywhere, with loads of different options available. This makes it nice and easy to choose a service which works for you both financially and in day to day use.

Human Resources

Of course, you can’t eliminate your employees altogether, as most companies have to handle too much work for one person to deal with. Dealing with recruitment is never an easy task, though, as the process comes with a whole load of legal and regulatory paperwork. Large companies will often have entire departments dedicated to this kind of work. But, as a startup, you won’t have this resource available to you. Below, you can find two tools which will make this easier for you.

Recruitment Companies

When you’re trying to find a new employee, making job adverts and going through applications is a large part of the job. If you dedicate yourself to this, you won’t be able to spend time working on other parts of the business, potentially losing money. Instead of taking this approach, using a recruitment agency could solve the issue before it starts. Lots of companies like this offer flat rates to find a new employee for you. So, it won’t cost a small fortune, even if it takes a long time to find someone.

HR Tools

Once you have some people working for you, the job of the recruitment agency will be done, and you will have to start managing things yourself. To help you with this, there are loads of software applications out there which are designed to handle HR. Like your accounting software, this sort of option will be easy to use and learn. But, it will have the power to carry out tasks even a professional would struggle with.

Web Design

Along with most modern companies using computers and networking in their work, a lot will also have a website. This sort of resource gives you a portal to the consumer world, enabling you to reach out to your customers without having to pay for expensive physical advertising. But, to make sure your website is effective, you first have to make sure that it’s been designed well. A lot of companies use DIY website building tools, nowadays. These tools are often very lacking, though, and won’t produce something worthy of showing to your customers and clients. Of course, you probably won’t want to hire a web developer to work for you, either, as this would be very expensive. So, a middle ground has to be found.

The perfect option to help you here is a self-employed web developer. In most cities and towns, this sort of work is very popular amongst small businesses, and you can find examples almost anywhere. Depending on their experience, you will get different levels of pricing from designer to designer. Looking at their past work, you will be able to get a good idea of the skills they have and the level of quality found in their work. Along with this, though, you could also think about reading some testimonials or reviews from other customers.

Freelance Workers

A lot of the work your business does will probably require specialists to handle. From the products and services you provide to the maintenance of your hardware and software, professionals will be found in most businesses. Of course, though, in the modern world, recruitment is nearly never your only option. Below, you will find two examples of methods which can be used to hire freelance employees. This sort of recruitment is always much cheaper and easier than hiring permanent workers, as you won’t have to deal with the legal side of recruitment.

Contracted

It’s likely that some of the work you have to get done will be very regular, requiring employees to work several days a week to get it done. In this case, hiring freelancers to work from home could be your best option. With a basic contract which doesn’t tie you down, you’ll only ever have to worry about paying your freelancers. Finding employees like this can be done through recruitment drives you handle yourself, on free websites.

Found Online

Some of the work you need to have handled won’t be so regular, though. For example, you may have a large order which you won’t be able to complete in time and need someone to handle the digital side of the project for you. In this case, using a website like Freelancer, you’d be able to find a professional to do the work for you, without having to pay for legal fees or a recruitment agent. This method of employment has become incredibly popular in recent years, with loads of people starting to work this way. This gives businesses access to a wealth of professional resources.

Over the next few years, your business will grow and change a lot. During this time, the way that you handle jobs like these can have a huge impact on your future. Instead of pushing things back or leaving them for another day, it’s always best to take this sort of work head on. This way, you’ll never be left without the power to grow, and will have the chance to take on every opportunity which comes your way. Hopefully, this post will inspire you to do just that, avoiding little issues later on. Most small businesses will only get one chance to grow. So, if you’re still working on these areas when that chance comes, you could easily miss it. This is a very easy way to land yourself in business limbo.

When your business is involved in manufacturing a product, you will be aware of the laws in place to ensure that your product meets quality control. The initial days of starting a manufacturing business are mainly spent on research, and quality control is a big part of that research to help you to avoid mistakes that can easily be made in the manufacturing process. You’ll already be aware that setting up a manufacturing business is a big commitment financially and the challenges you could face may feel insurmountable.

To be able to get off the ground as a small manufacturing business, you need to be able to move smoothly in your chosen area and avoid making mistakes. Unfortunately, mistakes are easily made in any industry, but in manufacturing they are particularly dangerous. Ideally you have a large support network in place for your business, but if not, it may be a good idea to get that in place as soon as possible. We’ve listed for you some of the most common mistakes made during the manufacturing process!

1. Employees using the wrong materials or using the wrong processes with the materials is a common and detrimental mistake to make in manufacturing. The consequences aside from the fact materials would be wasted, is the cost! You would need to bring in a company like Quality One to help with identifying the failure. It can also lead to a loss in the confidence of your customers, as you wouldn’t be releasing products in a timely manner.
2. Staff that fail to track the status in quality control of the materials can mean your company ends up using materials that aren’t up to the standard you would usually use. The product failures and recalls this can lead to can be costly in terms of replacing materials and have legal consequences that your company doesn’t need to deal with if possible.
3. Accurately recording information should be a given for any business, but failing to record materials as soon as they arrive can lead to inventory errors and the unnecessary ordering of further materials. This costs time and money that you should not be spending and even though employees aren’t necessarily ones who make this mistake, any delays could arise when failing to record the information and receipts. The way around this is to ensure tight controls of records for materials and deliveries; this way, there are no issues in delays.
4. Even the smallest mistake of picking the wrong materials can make a difference and lead to inventory errors. Shipping replacement materials costs money and time, neither of which you can afford to lose.

The mistakes that are made in the manufacturing process can make a huge difference to efficiency of your company and you can end up wasting a lot of time and money. Look here at how you can employ LEAN processes to your business so that you can tighten up your manufacturing procedures. It’s not an easy industry to be involved in, but it is one you need to run carefully!

Leverage new tech tools

 How Much Will the System Cost?

Conventional wisdom says that technology is a sure-fire way to success. Abid Afzal Butt, on LinkedIn, believes that technology has an impact on everything from decision making to expansion. If you don’t think this is true, the numbers are pretty revealing. In 2017, 77% of companies rely on technology for success. However, there is one problem: quantifying the impact of tech isn’t easy. Therefore, it is not easy to figure out the actual effects, positive or negative. Businesses need to know whether their plans are working, which is why measuring the ROI is essential. To uncover the truth, here’s what you need to do.

Use A Basic Formula

The good news is that there is a simple formula which will help you figure out whether the investment is good or bad. Even better, you don’t need a degree in mathematics. The trick is to keep it basic, which is why you only need concern yourself with three things: ROI; cost, and net gain. The equation comes to ROI = net gain/cost. All you need to work out this equation are the relevant values and costs, which shouldn’t be difficult.

Hire An Accountant

There will be people whose math skills stop short at equations. Mathematics is one of those subjects you get or don’t, and it might not be your forte. If this is the case, don’t continue without professional help. Although it is fulfilling to tackle the problem alone, you could do more harm than good. Quite simply, the numbers which come from the equation will be the ones you use to decide on the investment. If the figures are wrong, you could pull the plug on a piece of tech which was helpful. With an accountant, you can be certain the numbers are correct.

Invest In Analytic Software

Clever entrepreneurs will realize that they can’t work out the return on their investment until they have the facts and figures. This sounds obvious, yet it is something lots of companies don’t have, even in this era. With an embedded BI program, there is no limit on the amount of data you can collect. The software acts like an analytics program, relaying the info you need in real time. As long as you set it up properly, it is possible to control the data you collect from various sources. If business intelligence doesn’t sound like your thing, Google Analytics is still popular.

Think About Added Value

Sometimes, a business has to focus on things other than money. For example, a piece of technology might not have an immediate financial impact, but it could in the future. Everyone knows tech smoothes out business processes, making them more efficient. The same goes for employees, too. When a company increases its output and efficiency, it will create less waste and create more. Simply put, the profit margins will skyrocket. Apart from efficiency, think about communication and teamwork, too.

Measuring the return on a piece of tech is not simple, but it is possible. By following these tips, you can now figure out which investments are worth your while.

Some of the biggest companies in the world have been made who they are today, with the superior help of international talent. Freelancers from around the world, have given their skills and time to making mundane products into some of the best in the world. Innovation is crucial for any small business because it’s a way to keep in line modern trends, not just for product development but financially to stay within budget. Many entrepreneurs, make it their task to make sure their business is being run by the latest protocols and making sure that innovation in technology, tools, marketing, and services is at the heart of what they offer to customers. However, very rarely does the importance of being modern and contemporary get mentioned when it comes to staff, and this is the challenge startups face today. Getting the best talent from around the world is sometimes overblown to look like a difficult task to accomplish, but with a few short guidelines, you too can innovate your business in more ways than one.

Work technology

Every business let alone a startup should be utilizing the most modern technology on the market to make sure their business is keeping up-to-date with customer demands. If you haven’t already, your central computer systems should all be interlinked with a dashboard or work interface. The staff you employ can be set tasks daily, without the need for meetings every morning to decide what targets need to be achieved. There are layers of authority in such technology as managers and lower staff have different abilities which you can assign. Thus the hierarchy at work is transferred digitally into the workstation.

Utilize international talent

Freelancers from all over the world should become a part of your normal search for new talent. There’s just no getting around it so accept the fact that different countries are brewing differing kinds of millennial workers. The tech industry is incredibly innovative in the United Kingdom, while the art and graphics skills are mainly coming from mainland European countries such as Italy, France, and Germany. As an employer, you can get these freelancers to come work for you after contacting someone like Dallas H-1B employment visa attorneys. Foreign workers with the best talent, the willingness to relocate countries and live frugally to be a part of the next best thing in entrepreneurship, should be treated as a priority. Business immigration into the U.S. is given a more biased preference because productivity is always in the minds of politicians.

Be a part of the discussion

At no other point in time has it been easier to communicate with the shared voice of business, and it’s never been more important either. The global crash of 2008 has shown the world of business that keeping in contact with each other, can not only protect you from hidden trends dangerous to your company but allow you to innovate in ways to avoid a crash hurting as much. Go to industry exhibitions which have transformed from a geeky little gathering of now, thousands of people attending them, from all over the globe. Innovation first starts with a conversation, and being a part of the discussion on the world stage is where great ideas are formed.

Stay ahead of the curve and learn to appreciate that innovation comes in more forms than just the practical sense. Utilize and harness the talent of young professionals from all over the world, and don’t stick to domestic talent pools. Listen and communicate with the wider community in your industry to stay on top of good and bad trends.

They say that you should do what you love, but many times people fail to realize that what they love can actually provide them with an income. Many people love to write, but few really think it’s an option that’s available to them. You can apply the same to food. You often see people light up with enthusiasm when they’re talking about their latest recipes or the latest health craze that they’ve made part of their life, but they don’t always grasp that they can make an income from their passion. If you’re one of these people, we’re here to tell you that yes, you can, in fact, make your living this way. Here are five career idea for foodies!

Writing Your Way To Free Meals

You’re already waxing lyrical about food to whoever will listen; why not put those thoughts down onto paper and become a food critic or journalist? It’s a competitive industry to break into, so don’t expect overnight success, but if you’re knowledgeable about food and know how to craft a purring sentence or two, then with hard work and a pinch of luck it might just be your meal ticket. You don’t need anyone to give you the opportunity, either. Just start your own blog, writing about whatever aspects of food that interests you. Bonus: reviewers often get to eat at restaurants for free!

More Than a Chef

Of course, being a chef is the obvious career choice for people who love cooking up a storm. You might have to start small, working wherever you can get a job (restaurants are always looking), but if you show enough dedication to the craft and can concoct your own recipes, you’ll quickly find yourself working up the ladder. Bonus: if you’re a chef, you can pretty much land in any city around the world and find yourself a job. Food knows no boundaries!

Your Own Cooking Roadshow

Cooking for another person’s business is good: cooking for your own business is better. If you have a type of cuisine you’re particularly good with, look at starting your own street food business. These are everywhere right now, and they’re surprisingly easy to get started. All you’ll need is a truck, the essential professional kitchen equipment, a quirky name, and bags of energy. If your food is good enough, people will like it – and from there, the sky’s the limit. Bonus: you’ll be your own boss, and can go wherever you please.

Niche Products

Thanks to hipsters and people who appreciate quality goods, artisan products are everywhere. If you’re a dab hand at making jams, peanut butter, – or let’s be honest, just about anything – then you can bottle up your goods and get them on the shelves. Bonus: you’ll be dedicated yourself to one craft, which studies have shown is a key to happiness!

Expert Advice

If you’re more interested in the relationship between food and the body, look at becoming a food nutritionist. With the current emphasis on eating and living well, you’ll always have someone willing to pay you for your expert advice. Bonus: As a freelance worker, you can pick your own clients and hours.

Here’s to eating well!

As an inventor, creator, or designer; you’ll already understand the importance of timing when it comes to getting your bright idea out on the market. To have a successful startup with something you’ve crafted, you’ll need to ensure that you take all the required action needed to make it a success. An exciting idea, and a gap in the market will always help to get your company off on the right foot; however, more business savvy is needed nowadays to secure a permanent place on the market with your product. The following are some areas that you’ll need to consider if you’re on the cusp of bringing your design to fruition after plenty of hard work.

Can It Be Manufactured?

You may have spent months and years designing a product; however, if you can’t find a way to produce it on mass, it’ll remain a pipe dream. Look into where you’ll need to source each component or material from and think about the team you’ll need to make a quality version of your designs. Do you have the equity to invest in a manufacturing company? You’re going to need one unless you have all the equipment at home; which is unlikely. Find a reputable company who will produce your items, and ensure that you can access them with ease so that communication remains strong throughout the process.

Is It At Risk Of Copycats?

Once you know where and how you’re going to produce your design; you’ll want to make sure that it stays under your company name or brand. It’s worth finding reputable patent attorneys early on in the process to help eliminate the risk of businesses with more power from poaching your hard work. It’s vital that you’re the first to market with your particular item; so do all you can to ensure that nobody else can get their hands on it. Record every step of the process and ensure you have the right legal advice at each step of the way.

Do The Right People Know About It?

When you’ve secured the manufacturing process and the legal rights to your product; it’s time to let the right people know about what you’ve created. Trade shows, networking events, and startup seminars are a great way to hit your target buyers. There will be people from businesses who are looking to buy relevant items that suit their brand; if you think you fit well within another business, make sure you get the chance to speak with their representatives and buyers.

Can It Evolve?

You’re a fresh startup; this means you’ll need to be prepared for criticism and change. Don’t ignore the advice you receive from any industry experts; if more than one person has raised an issue, then it’s likely to be one. You can feel too protective and precious over your design; be prepared to evolve to suit buyers and the current market, and you’ll ensure that you’ll make an impact when you launch, and you’ll be heading for success.

Here, we’re not going to look at the building blocks that make a strong brand. To put it simply, a powerful brand needs a good message that’s smoothly communicated, it needs relevance to its target market, and it needs some amount of market positioning. That’s the brand itself. But a good brand alone won’t win you all the leads and grow revenue. It needs an eye on the more practical applications of the brand to really have its impact. Consider the crafting of the brand itself to be the fuel of your marketing, but here we’re going to look at the nuts and bolts of the machine that really get it working.

The visuals

Nowadays, it seems like most unique branding visual styles have been explored or used to some degree. There’s no doubt that it can be harder to find a style that’s unique to your branding alone. But that’s not such a terrible thing. We’ve created a brand language that allows your business to express itself in terms already known by the audience. For instance, if you want to create a visually striking brand identity, sometimes market research showing your branded materials or prototype packages to your potential customers can help you nail down the kind of brand image they’re most comfortable with. While you want to stand out, you don’t want to go too far and create brand imagery that communicates nothing to your audience.

The voice

Imagery is important, but it’s not the most important force in online marketing nowadays. Content is king, as they say now. You don’t necessarily have to produce a ton of content to stand out, but rather, finding a distinct voice for your brand can give it that extra sense of personality. For instance, in business 2 business industries, it’s more sensible to go with a brand voice that demonstrates authority and professionalism above all else. On the other hand, if you’re branding a lifestyle business like travel or food, then evocative, emotional brand voices can be much more tantalizing to the audience.

The name

This is one of the easiest parts of a brand’s identity to get wrong, and one that many companies still do. The name should, first of all, be recognizable and easy to remember. If you’re using online marketing, like most businesses are, then you should also ensure that you can easily acquire a domain name that fits the business’s name. Expertise from sites like Nameperfection can help you break down the science of what different styles of names evoke, whether you want it to be cutesy, catchy or cool. The name very much has to be tied to the brand, after all, not something distinct and different. If you want a brand that feels comforting and emotionally warm, then you’re not going to communicate that very well if your name sounds rigid and formal by comparison.

The platform

Where you build your brand matters as much as the materials you use to build it. When it comes to the online world, building your own site is an essential way of using whatever imagery, content, and formatting you like to design your very own brand display. Social media networks offer more restraints on the expression of your brand. At the same time, they’re valuable tools so learning how to work well within those restraints is crucial. For instance, lifestyle brands might use the visual appeal of their products and focus more on sites like Instagram compared to other brands. If you do, then Econsultancy’s exploration of different ways to use the format can show that there are a variety of ways to use the channel to fulfill different goals.

The connectivity

Another use of social media is, of course, to get others involved in the brand. The message, the imagery, and the name are only as powerful as the people who believe in them. Focus on building a community around your brand to give it the public prestige and the positive social proof of its place in the world. Your community doesn’t have to consist of just your customers and brand fans, either. It can also include partnerships with other businesses that offer a greater platform to share your content and latest news, often in return for the same favor. Of course, you need to be careful with who your brand associates with. If you espouse one value and you’re sharing content that espouses the exact opposite, it harms the consistency and thus the trustworthiness of your branding.

The confidence

Marketing the brand doesn’t all take place online. It takes place in conferences, at trade shows, in one-to-one meetings, and customer support phone calls. A sense of personal charisma and confidence in the business and the brand is crucial if you’re in a front-line role. People simply listen more to a confident speaker and are more likely to believe what they say. You might not necessarily get the Steve Jobs effect in every single startup, but you can have a great impact on how the brand is perceived.

The good

Finding your values are part of the initial development of the brand message. But acting on those values are how you reinforce that brand. For instance, many business owners are recognizing the importance of their corporate social responsibility and how it affects the consumer’s impression of them. Finding the right causes to cross-promote with and work with through services like Engage For Good can help you live up to the promises that the brand makes. Otherwise, certain political or social values you claim to have are going to look like little but lip service to the consumers. It’s also been shown that a company engaged in public good also tends to have more motivated, engaged employees.

The points above should help you plot out the transformation from a brand into a real marketing force to be reckoned with. It’s easy to get caught up in the power of belief in the brand without really implementing it in a way that’s going to catch the target market. Don’t let that happen to your business.

As a startup starts to make a profit, your role in the business must change. There is simply too much to do for one person to manage. So you start hiring. You might engage a couple of part-timers from a pool of associates and friends. Over time, you might even take on a couple of managers and some contract staff. Unfortunately, nothing stays the same for long. Your business is growing, and more opportunities are presenting themselves. What happens now?

You have a couple of choices when things start to ramp up for your business. You can develop and fully utilize the employees you already have. Or you can start hiring people that already have the experience and training necessary, albeit with a different company. Neither option is ideal, but every company that enjoys success will face it. So which is best for your business at this point in time?

Recruit

It’s important not to be put off by the recruitment process. As expensive and long-winded as it might seem, there are many shortcuts and clever hacks to reduce the impact on your business. Start by centralizing your HR provision. You might use HRMS software that can easily track and present your current employees as well as applicants you’re considering for new roles. This saves you an enormous amount of time. It can also reduce your need for a dedicated HR manager or third-party recruitment agency.

Recruiting new talent into your business helps to bring in more experience. You might acquire market insights that you don’t already have internally. Fresh inputs and ideas can help your business to grow in new ways and can help your current employees look in new directions too. Ultimately it gives you the opportunity to delegate tasks that are clogging your schedule. It gives you the chance to hire specialists that can perform those tasks quicker and more efficiently than you.

Restructure

Restructuring is all about change. Some of your current employees might not react well to change. However, a restructuring that is sold as a career opportunity might encourage more positive reactions. You might restructure by moving personnel up into more responsible positions. Adjust the job title and add some cash to their salary and you’ll have very happy employees.

For the most part, you are looking for current staff members to take on more tasks without adjusting their pay band. This will be more difficult to acquire a buy-in. It’s important you balance the move by taking some tasks off their workload. The purpose of this might be to move certain personnel into more specialist areas rather than offering them a general role. Remember, any drastic change to their work title or duties might require Union notification.

The best approach to both recruitment and restructuring is to discuss it openly with existing employees. You might be pleasantly surprised by how involved some personnel might be willing to become. If they volunteer to take on the tasks or agree to swap duties, then you’re unlikely to need to spend a great deal of time managing this. Which would you choose?

It’s not just the market that startups have to fear: it’s crime too. And with businesses being the target of about 20 percent of total crime in the country, it’s a serious threat. According to estimates, offenses by the general public cost businesses in the region of $120 billion a year, representing a significant drag on their bottom line. So what can your business do about it?

Secure Your Equipment

When thieves target your business, they’re not after everything you own. Usually, they just want the high-value items. Your office desks and chairs are probably safe, but your electronics (and other portable devices that can be easily wiped and sold) will be on their target list. The best strategy to protect your equipment is to use tagging and record any serial numbers in a central database. For other large valuable equipment, consider fixing it to the walls or the floor using non-standard bolts so that it is difficult for criminals to find the right tools to release it.

Protect Your Data

Your data is a target too. If your company collects valuable information about customers or has a proprietary database that other companies might want, then thieves will target these so that they can pass them onto other people. Plus, even if your data is specific to your firm, you could suffer a ransomware attack where thieves demand money for the release of your data.

Protecting data well isn’t an easy task and will probably require the assistance of external professionals. However, there are things that you can do right now to up your game. Try compartmentalizing your network so that individual members of staff can only access areas on an “as needed” basis. This will help to minimize risk because even if a criminal gets access to one person’s account, they can’t then use that to collect files from the rest of the system.

Use Vandalism Countermeasures

Vandalism can represent a serious cost to businesses in some neighborhoods. Even in wealthier districts, vandals can still strike during protests and riots. Because of this, it’s worth using anti-vandal paint wherever possible and graffiti film for windows. These measures dramatically reduce the cost of vandalism by providing a cheap and easily-replaced protective layer between the vandals and your property.

Conduct Regular Security Audits

Security isn’t a fixed parameter: it’s something that changes from day to day, week to week. To begin with, your employees might be following your security protocols, but over time, they may get lazy and decide that they are no longer important. What’s more, the criminals themselves will change tactics in response to your countermeasures. Startupdonut recommends that businesses conduct an internal audit of their security measures at least once a year and train their staff on how to protect their business, what to look out for and how to recognize potential criminal activity.

Prevent Employee Theft

Employee theft is a serious issue for many companies. It’s a good idea to conduct background checks on every new person you consider hiring and potentially to do on a yearly basis with your current employee base. You never know what might have happened in a persons life that will alter their focus or moral standards.