Business Lessons

Business Lessons from My European Adventure

european adventure

A few weeks ago, I did something I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to do – fly to Europe, and visit Hungary, the birthplace of my grandparents. My daughter and I spent two weeks in Budapest, with a day trip to Vienna, Austria and another day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia thrown in for good measure.

If you ever get a chance to visit another country, especially another continent, I highly recommend it. The experience was amazing. I loved hearing the Hungarian language again. My grandmother and mother spoke it, but the only times I would hear a lot of it would be at Christmas when we visited my grandmother’s church and ate dinner at the church hall. I also kicked myself for never learning more than a couple of words like kicsit (little), lánya (girl), and köszönöm (thank you).

Coming from the United States, a young country by European standards, I marveled at the centuries old churches, medieval castles and even Roman ruins! I also learned much about Hungary’s dark history. The country was on the losing side of two world wars, and was controlled by the Soviet Union after World War II until 1991.

One of the sites we visited in Budapest was the House of Terror Museum. The building in which the museum resides was used both by the Nazi Party and after the war, by the Communists. The museum details how both the Nazis and the Communist Party interrogated, tortured and killed thousands of Hungarians in the basement of the building. This video gives a good overview of the museum:

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How Small Businesses Can Prevent & Recover from Data Loss

data lossBy Lucy Reed

Your data is what allows you to succeed as a business. However, if you’re like a lot of small business owners, you’re not taking the right steps to protect against data loss. According to Small Business Trends, 58 percent of small businesses are ill-prepared for data loss.

5 Reasons Your Business Could Lose Data

You might think data loss is something only big businesses need to worry about. After all, who would target your small business with a cyberattack? Not only are small businesses targeted by cyber attacks at an alarming frequency (according to USA Today, 61 percent of breaches in 2016 hit small businesses), but there are other ways your business could suffer a data loss:

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How to Create More Abundance in Your Life and Business

abundance
Would you like more abundance in your life and business? I think most people would. I can always use more! 🙂

I’m going to share some strategies on how to do just that in this article. But first, let’s define what abundance is, so we’re on the same page.

Merriam-Webster has 3 definitions for abundance:
1) an ample quantity
2) affluence; wealth
3) relative degree of plentifulness

I think many people equate abundance with wealth. But money alone won’t make you happy. (Even though some people think so!) I believe having an abundance of peace, love and joy along with that money makes for a full, rich life.

I’ve been helping business owners create a profitable online presence through SEO copywriting and other online marketing strategies for nearly 10 years now. In that time, I’ve struggled with abundance, and have seen many of clients do the same. I’ve come to believe that one of the reasons for this is that many people have some unconscious limiting beliefs that are holding them back.

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The Hidden Costs of Running a Home-Based Business

home business costs
By Kevin Conner

Starting a home-based business can be a great endeavor that changes your life for the better, but setup can be a massive effort that will require proper planning, some investment, and a lot of your time.

Part of that is budgeting and determining your costs, and we know you’re doing your research. That being said, there are some hidden costs that you might not immediately consider. In this article, we want to point out some of the most common hidden costs you should be planning for sooner or later, so a minor issue doesn’t become a business-breaking dilemma.

Home Office Space

You’ve probably already factored this cost in, but what level of dedication have you already put into it? Do you have a clean, clear and well-lit room to work in, or a corner of a living room where you are prone to distractions? We promise that you won’t be able to easily bear with the latter for too long, at least not in a way that allows you to live up to your potential.

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Getting Your Start in the Gig Economy with 7 Simple Tips

Gig Economy

By Lucy Reed

As the cost of living keeps rising, more and more people are turning to gig jobs to generate income. A gig can be temporary, short-term work or a long-term financial solution. Whether you want to earn a little extra money on the side or find more permanent freelance work, there are a few pieces of advice you’ll want to keep in mind to get started and be successful in setting up your own gig-based business venture. 

Build a Budget You Can Live With

If you’re working a gig simply to earn some extra cash, you may not need to worry about a budget. But if freelancing is your sole source of income or you need to pay off bills, you’ll want to set some pretty strict budget rules. Unlike those weekly paychecks, gig income can be inconsistent, and clients may not always pay on time. Exercise caution when spending and be sure to tuck some funds away for slow periods.

To stay within your means, take advantage of the many free online business tools that will help you launch and promote your business. For example, Oberlo offers a business name and slogan generator, logo maker website calculator that can help give your new company a professional look and show you how many people are visiting your website. You can also create a free website via services like Wix and Weebly, or simply create a Facebook business page to get your name out to your social circles and beyond.

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