John Smith Tech Specialist

Five Basic Tech Terms that Make Running a Business Safer and Easier

From plumbers to roofers, boutique owners to marketers, using technology comes with nearly every job. Even if you’re large enough to hire an IT professional to do a lot of the work for you, it’s still a good idea to know some of the basics. Not only can it help you avert disaster, it can also boost your confidence when using technology, making it more likely that you’ll learn more efficient ways to use your computer.

If you’re a tech newbie, but you’re interested in learning more that makes running your business safer and easier, start with these five tips.

IP Address

As is the case with many of the terms on this list, you have probably heard of an IP address before without knowing exactly what it is.

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, is a number that is assigned to every device that’s connected to a computer network. Even single computers that are connected to the internet have an IP address, but networks of computers in the same building also use this concept to communicate with each other.

Other devices count too! From tablets to cell phones, you may find that you’re managing many more IP addresses than you thought.

Do yourself a favor and start managing IP addresses that are used by your business. Using an IPAM program provides you with a centralized repository so you can create an inventory of networks, subnets, and IP addresses for more accurate records.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

If you haven’t heard of a virtual private network, you may have heard it used by another name. A VPN enables you to access the internet securely. It can shield your browsing activity from prying eyes that are common on public Wi-Fi systems. Businesses use them to connect networks together, but they are also used to access local networks remotely, protect important information, and bypass internet censorship.

VPNs can easily be downloaded on any device and activated or deactivated, depending on your needs. There are many providers to choose from, so do a little research before choosing one that would work best for your business.

Firewall

If you aren’t really sure what a firewall is, you aren’t alone, but it’s important for every business to have one!

Firewalls aren’t just for large companies. Every business should have one to prevent cyber-attacks, especially because 60 percent of small businessesdon’t survive one.

A firewall prevents unauthorized connections and malicious software from accessing your system and stealing important information, like customer credit card numbers. In addition, it can be used to prevent illicit activities by employees. When used the right way, it can also help you learn more about how your network is used, which can really come in handy when allowing employees to work from home.

A firewall can be enabled on computers and systems, but you can also use hardware to keep your network secure. You can find firewall devices that can be used alone or in conjunction with software options.

Cloud Hosting

Just because you’re storing some documents and pictures in the cloud doesn’t mean you know exactly what it can do! With cloud hosting, you can do even more.

The cloud can store data, freeing up space on your computers, but it can also host websites and apps. The benefit of using the cloud is the fact that you can store data for programs across multiple servers instead of storing everything on a single machine. This can make your website and app faster and more secure.

Many different hosting plans offer different services and benefits, so do your research to find the one you want to try.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation sounds like one of those things that big businesses use to post ads on the internet. It can be, but it’s great for smaller businesses too!

Marketing automation simply means making certain marketing actions automatic. A few that can work for even the smallest of businesses include:

Content on social media
Abandoned shopping cart emails
Email newsletters
Content posted to a blog

There’s a ton to learn about running a business, most of which don’t really have anything to do with the reason why you opened your doors in the first place! However, having at least a basic knowledge of complex concepts, like technology, can make a huge difference in how easy it is to run your business and how secure your information is. Let these terms encourage you to learn even more about the world of IT to make your business even better.

5 Tips for Better Data Science Workflow

In a field like Data Science, it’s hard to find the solution to all your problems. Data Science is implemented by many industries to improve performance in present projects by connecting different data sources, monitoring, modeling, and reporting the progress of their project team.

There is no one-fits-all solution to improve your data science workflows and produce better results. You cannot apply old models and outdated methods to every project and expect better results. You have to design new strategies based on the project requirements and expected results out of it.

Data Science is a complex field and requires a lot of skills, experience, decision-making, team-building, and patience in order to be successful. It’s imperative that you work on different projects and learn how to implement the skills you’ve learned. Some of the Best Data Science Courses in India teach you the right skill sets and create better workflows to improve your results.

There are different ways to optimize your approach and improve the project workflow. Below are a few suggestions to improve your Data Science workflow:

Break-down your Project into Phases

Following the traditional top-down approach for your Data Science projects could sometimes be overwhelming. The wrong strategy might even compromise your ability to reach your goals and performance. To solve this problem, you can break down the project into phases and get a clarified idea of what should be done. You can divide the project into four main phases:

Phase 1: Preliminary Analysis

In this phase, your main objectives should be gathering the data, setting goals, requirements, preparing SRS, and clarifying the objectives. Data Scientists often skip this phase, but it’s an important step to get productive and efficient results.

Exploring the Data

The second phase includes data cleaning and transformation. Based on the requirements, you should assess and analyze the data by asking the right questions. This is because some projects require you to process huge amounts of datasets, which consumes a lot of computational resources and time. So, its important that you prepare your dataset accordingly.

Data Visualization

Data Visualization refers to the process of converting the processed data into visuals such as graphs, charts, plots, maps, etc. This process makes data representable and easy to understand by non-technical people.

Knowledge Discovery

The fourth phase in this process is knowledge discovery, where you decide which algorithms and models you should apply on the dataset to get best results. By dividing your work into phases, you can gain more insights on a project and complete the complex tasks with ease.

Use Proper Hardware and Software Tools

Speed and efficiency are two of the most important aspects for any project that an organization looks into. If your team doesn’t have the right tools, they will not be able to produce the best results. Therefore, it’s imperative that you have the right software and hardware tools to ensure the optimal speed.

If your project requires extensive rendering and visualizations, then you need more resources to improve the performance of your models. Programming languages like R and Python are the best suited for Data Science applications. You can learn the programming languages through an R course and implement them in your projects.

Involve People with the Right Skills

Your team decides the date of your projects and how it’s going to roll on the expectations. A small yet skilled team will limit the outside influences and produce efficient results in the given time-period. Data Science projects involve the use of various technologies and skills. Therefore, assign the right skills to the right people and improve your project workflow.

Select Appropriate KPIs

Selecting the appropriate Key performance indicators(KPIs) is one of the challenges of data Scientists while planning the projects. A KPI may look promising from the outside, but it may not perform well in the background. So, you should analyze what will be the results after using a KPI and discuss with your team members.

Organize your Project Directory and Documentation

Another factor that affects your project workflow is your project directory and documentation. So, organize all your packages, datasets, and program files in directories. Also, you can create a github repository and enable the team members to easily access your project files. For further improvements, you should create separate directories for a smoother workflow.

Final Thoughts

Hope this blog helps you find the nuances affecting the data science project and help you improve its workflow. The key is to break down your project in individual sections and design the best strategy for it. A strategic workflow results in higher returns and better efficiency.

Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats Businesses Should Guard Against In 2021

The rise of digital and information technology has created a new headache for businesses across the world. Just in the year 2020, the FBI states that cyberattacks grew 4x times as compared to the earlier years. To give you a rough estimate, the agency states that businesses cumulatively lost more than $1 Trillion because of cyberattacks in 2020 alone.

Needless to say, both these numbers are expected to rise in 2021 with the pandemic creating newer opportunities for cybercriminals. Before businesses can put in place measures to protect themselves against such threats they need to be informed and educated about them.

In this article, we look to discuss the top five cybersecurity threats that businesses should guard against. If you are a business owner or a CEO looking to put in place effective security and guarding mechanism then you should read this article till the very end.

List of the Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats Businesses should guard against in 2021

Phishing Attacks

The nature of phishing attacks has become so advanced that you will never know that the security of your system has been compromised. Experts state that phishing attacks are targeted mainly through emails.

We get emails from unknown ids and click on the links that are shared. This allows the hacker to establish a connection with your system and transmit malware. We must try to avoid clicking on links that are unfamiliar on emails at all times.

Ransomware Attacks-

By planting ransomware, cybercriminals try to extort money from businesses. Data suggests that the average cost of a ransomware attack is somewhere in the range of $4.5 Million. This means that both data and money can be extracted by engineering a ransomware attack.

Criminals plant ransomware with the intention of blackmailing the organization and steal sensitive customer information on the dark web. As you can imagine, this can destroy the company and lead to its closure. Companies pay up for fear of the breach going public.

Insider Attacks

Remote working has become a need of our times. However, when employees are working remotely the same cybersecurity disciplines that characterized an office space are absent. We are using personal systems, smartphones, and unsecured networks to gain access to data.

There is a reason for the four-fold growth in cyberattacks. A majority of them take place because of remote working vulnerabilities. Using effective certificate management, secure VPNs, and training employees concerning updating security software can help in mitigating this.

DDoS Attacks

DDoS or Denial-of-service attacks have become the chosen option for attackers ever since the pandemic started. A DDoS attack works by flooding the server or the mainframe by creating a huge flood of traffic. This results in the server crashing under the impact of so much traffic.

As soon as the server is down, hackers seize the moment to plant malware or ransomware. Businesses are not even aware that a DDoS attack has been engineered and simply mistake the issue for the downtime of a server. This is a sophisticated attack that needs adequate protection.

Cloud Attacks

With businesses moving their operations to the cloud, hackers are having a field day identifying cloud solutions that have limited security. Cumulatively, the cloud business is expected to grow threefold and hit nearly $300 Billion by the end of 2021.

If you have been following the news, you would have read how Blackbaud, a cloud solutions company was hacked and the data and millions of customers and businesses were released on the darknet. Businesses need to be careful when selecting a cloud solutions provider.

The Bottom Line

The nature of cyberattacks is only going to become more advanced with the passage of time. It is high time businesses realize that credible investments in cybersecurity programs are the only way they will be able to protect themselves against attacks and infiltration. If you want us to share any of the threats in detail, let us know in the comments section below.

Blockchain Beyond the Hype – What is the Value?

After weeks of stagnation, Bitcoin (BTC) finally crossed the $ 60,000 mark and hit a new price record in mid-April 2021. The cryptocurrency recorded its highest market value to date, worth $1.19 trillion.

The news boosted the price of Ether (ETH), which also reached a new historic high. In 2021, Bitcoin has already accumulated a 117% appreciation, driven by the growing institutional demand and inviting more people to buy bitcoin.

Tesla and MicroStrategy, for example, made billion-dollar purchases of crypto throughout 2021. Right now, digital currency is scarce while there is a lot of demand.

However, all this success raises an important question – behind all the hype, what is the real value of blockchain technology?

Blockchain’s Real Value – Transforming the Concept of Sharing Economy

Companies like Uber or Airbnb are identified as part of a sharing economy, but they are a success precisely because they share nothing. Actually, these companies are service aggregators. But what if Uber or Airbnb were an application distributed on a blockchain?

Airbnb could be called B-Airbnb, or Blockchain-Airbnb, for example. Then, you would find a place to spend a few days, using only a Blockchain-based database, without intermediaries.

You could automatically create a Smart Contract with the landlord, appear on-site, open the door, and a partial payment would automatically be recorded in the contract. Then, at the exit, you would simply close the door and the full payment would be sent and recorded.

When you reunite blockchain technology and sharing economy, there is no need for a company like Airbnb to act as an intermediary, as everything could be done by the interested parties themselves.

Next Level Solutions for Supply Chain

Nowadays, the supply chain represents a $64 trillion market around the world. However, there are still many problems that plague the sector, especially in terms of logistics and processing speed.

In this sense, blockchain technology could revolutionize the supply chain, reallocating and organizing all the data to expedite services and upgrade the trading experience as a whole. Solutions like CargoX aim to solve this issue, making it a good investment opportunity because its cryptocurrency price could rise in the following years.

Essentially, the supply chain is not more than different people doing transactions and trusting each other. This way, if they could have a shared network with each other’s transactions, companies that do not have money to pay suppliers would pay by their own network of suppliers.

Simpler and Smoother FinTech Mechanisms

Despite the numerous upgrades in the last decade, the fintech sector is still too complex to deal with.

For instance, let us say that someone uses a credit card to pay for a product in a certain store. Then, a set of messages is sent to several different companies, each with its own computer system, and days later the message comes back with the account being settled.

Blockchain could easily solve this type of problem, eliminating all the time and bureaucracy required in the settlement of simple transactions.

In such a case, the solution could be eliminating the necessity for parties/entities to assess the risk of each transaction with the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts, without any cost for each action and delay in the process.

Ensuring Public Matters Actually Matter

Blockchain can change the people’s viewpoint on democracy, ensuring that government entities are less corrupt and less expensive.

Blockchain technology allows governments can become digital platforms. Dubai wants to be the first government to run entirely on Blockchain, and the Estonian government has transferred the identity of several citizens to a blockchain network.

Nowadays, several companies believe in the blockchain revolution to provide better services to society, such as CarbonX.

CarbonX’s idea is simple – if a company can benefit financially by reducing its emission of gases into the environment, so can an individual. Using a company exclusive token, CarbonX collects carbon credits, which users can eventually exchange or sell as if they were a digital currency.

Another problem that could be easily solved through blockchain technology is the voting subject and the electoral system as a whole.

That way, any vote could be taken online if based on Blockchain, as only this technology can guarantee the security of a vote since registration is immutable. This would end major voting problems around the world (e.g., Trump vs Biden controversy).

Blockchain Beyond the Hype – Final Thoughts

Definitely, blockchain technology is not just another hype train. Although blockchain is a technology associated only with cryptocurrencies and financial transactions, it goes far beyond that.

The benefits offered by technology surpass any temporary trend. Over time, people generate more and more data and the number of digital services only increases, meaning that organizations in all segments will need to adapt to survive the new world.

NY suggested banning crypto for years, what should we wait for?

In recent times, you have probably heard a lot about digital currencies. Multiple cryptocurrency exchanges offer to buy crypto, attracting with the chart showing the rate Bitcoin to Dollar. People are discussing whether cryptocurrency is a good investment, or whether it may appear to be a bubble going to burst as compared to the Tulipmania of the 17th century.

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), have seen significant price growth and user engagement, however, there are concerns about the long-term effects of pervasive cryptocurrency adoption. Many critics and environmental activists, in particular, have raised questions about the energy usage of digital currency mining, which may lead to an increase in carbon emissions of greenhouse gases, consequently resulting in climate change.

New York power plants

Recently mining activities have taken place in tiny upstate towns such as Dresden and Alcoa. Financiers hungry for Bitcoin have converted old power plants that torment these towns with crypto mining operations. In certain scenarios, the plants deliver some electricity to the system when using the remainder to supply their mining operations. They’ve been profitable for the factory’s new owners.

Namely, Dresden’s Greenidge power station launched a campaign to significantly expand its operation with four new buildings, each designed to accommodate nothing but the servers appropriate for this type of mining, expanded wall to wall. The proprietors aspire to double the plant’s efficiency by the end of the year and improve it to 500 megawatts by 2025.

In 2020, the power plant in Dresden, New York, was mining approximately 5.5 bitcoins per day. Greenidge Generation Holdings, the plant’s parent company, is anticipated to go global this year through a merger deal in the United States.

This made the government focused on the digital currency impact on the environment.

Without delay, New York state legislators investigated that the amount of carbon dioxide issued due to the Bitcoin mining surpasses drastically all allowable emission rates. What is Bitcoin mining? How it proceeds? Is it harmful to the environment and population? Read on to find all the answers.

Bitcoin mining

Bitcoin has had a significant effect on energy usage. Its consensus algorithm is based on a practice known as proof of work, in which miners contend for the opportunity to add transactions in a block on the chain. They compete to resolve complex mathematical problems in order to do so. The Bitcoin protocol aims to limit block generation to once every ten minutes. To accomplish this, it must make the mathematical problem more complicated as more miners join the network, increasing computing power. As Bitcoin becomes more popular, proof of work makes the total processing power on the network increase.

Even though the core Bitcoin developers appear to be devoted to the proof of work, the competing network Ethereum, which offers ample functionality, is gearing up to switch to a proof-of-stake mechanism. This method replaces miners with validators. It significantly helps minimize energy consumption when compared to proof of work.

Bitcoin mining impact on the environment

Bitcoin mining has drawn the New York government’s attention due to the massive carbon emissions associated with the use of electricity to power operational activities running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to Digiconomist, the global mining footprint is around 53 megatons of CO2 per year, which would be equal to all of Sweden’s emissions. As for now, it takes 1138 kWh of energy to process a single bitcoin transaction, which is equivalent to the energy needed to run a single US household for 39 days (According to the Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index). Upstate New York has recently become a major source of mining operations.

New measures taken by the legislative

New York state legislators have introduced the law that would prohibit cryptocurrency mining activities for three following years.

Bill S6486 aims to halt the centers assuring the process of mining digital currency until the investigation of the ecological impact is completed. The analysis would have to showcase that mining centers would not have an impact on the country’s carbon emissions targets.

The bill states: “Virtual currency mining centers represent an industry that expands in the State of New York. Often, they are located in abandoned or transformed fossil fuel power stations, along with inactive power stations”.

The aims of the NY government

Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act issued by the state is aimed at environmental purification. Thus, the government expects that New York will downgrade in CO2 emissions over 1990 levels by 2030. By 2050, that figure should have achieved 85 percent, with net-zero emissions in all sectors of the economy.

In addition, it’s mentioned in the new bill that in case crypto mining operations continue, they will augment the energy consumption level causing a greenhouse effect. This will breach Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

The legislation is applicable to both current and planned mining operations. The review would include an analysis of any negative effects on water, air quality, or wildlife, in addition to a cumulative impact assessment on greenhouse gas emissions.

What is more, citizens could leave their comments on the situation during 120 days. The feedbacks will be included in the total review.

What to expect?

The initiatives are in their beginning phases, and the bill has only recently been sent to the environment committee of the United States Senate.

It happened at a time when a handful of countries around the world are weighing up the impact of Bitcoin mining.

China’s Inner Mongolia region, which was home to one of the world’s largest BTC mining hubs, officially unveiled the decision to close existing operations and prohibit new projects from launching.

Nevertheless, experts warned that this could lead to mining operations going in shadow in order to avoid detection by officials. Although Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, have argued that Bitcoin enhances renewable energy development, the problem right now is that it is hard to determine the number of mining operations that are environmentally friendly.

What Are The 10 Benefits of Entrepreneurship Degree for Students?

What is an Entrepreneur?

In the world of today people are inclined to work for many different companies, and if you are acquiring an education chances are that you are looking to work at a job that pays well. Probability states that you are looking to work for a fortune 500 company that offers an above average pay, incentives and amazing healthcare services.

A job that allows you the comfort of working limited hours and spending the rest of your time doing whatever you love. The current education system and the requirements of the society, followed by the pressure of responsibilities has resulted in people unable to take risks. With an entrepreneurship degree you can earn a lot more for yourself and find many benefits that can positively affect your lifestyle.

In a job regardless of the efforts you put in you will be getting the same fixed salary and the majority of the profit from the company is taken home by the boss or the owner. What people have forgotten is the ease and relaxation of working for yourself. The word entrepreneur no longer has the effect that it once did, however the truth is that the most successful of us are those that have taken risks in their life.

An Entrepreneur is someone who has taken risk while establishing a new business in the market. In most cases it is a small scale business that works in providing products or services to the normal consumer. With the rise in its popularity many universities and educational institutes have started to offer an entrepreneurship degree to students.

Is it worth having your own business?

The biggest problem that people have when trying to have an independent business is that people are scared to take risks. The many companies and the society have highlighted the risk so much that people have forgotten about what an entrepreneurship degree can really get you if things work out. There is so much to opening a new venture than meets the eye. The skills needed and the mindset that you need to have is extremely important. It’s like finding the end of a rainbow, it’s no piece of cake but there is definitely a pot of gold at the end. With an entrepreneurship degree you can have all the knowledge needed to kick start the next big thing. You can be your own boss, create your own team and become the brand people trust.

What is an entrepreneurship degree?

An entrepreneurship degree is much like any other degree that you might find at a leading educational institute. The degree is especially designed with a curriculum for those students that wish to pursue their career by starting their own business. Much like how any degree prepares you for the real world applications the academics have in the respected sector, an entrepreneurship degree provides you with all the knowledge that you may need. The knowledge is a part of the customised curriculum that gives you the skills you need for a successful business. The skills that you acquire and develop in an entrepreneurship degree equip you for your life, and provide you with skills such as team management, team work, presentation. It also teaches you the basics of business management and marketing along with giving you a good knowledge of how to handle supply chains.

Becoming a full time entrepreneur is one of those careers that is becoming popular day by day. Students are realizing the potential in an entrepreneurship degree and what it can do for their future. Due to the fact that the curriculum offers a wide range of skills to the students, it has a lot of real life applications making it perfect for students. With an entrepreneur degree, people can have more than one option in their life. You can always work to increase your business, and even work at a firm if you change your mind later on.

10 Benefits of an Entrepreneurship Degree

According to a research carried out by website valley it is without a doubt that the entrepreneurship degree has many advantages for all its users. Along with the numerous benefits that it can provide you with here are 10 that standout and will definitely have you interested in getting yourself an entrepreneurship degree.

1. Get creative

As an adult you might lose creativity and start to feel like a robot, repeating the same cycle every day. With an entrepreneurship degree you will be forced to think creatively in order to innovate your business, while at the same time stay in touch with the creativity in you.

2. Learn Management

Management is a key skill that can be used in all areas of life. With an entrepreneurship degree you are bound to get the management skills that you can apply to your life in many different ways.

3. Be the leader

Leadership skills will provide you with many advantages and perks in your real life. Unlike being a boss of a multinational firm, having an entrepreneurship degree will teach you how to work in the field with the people rather than only give out instructions.

4. Know The Technicalities

With an entrepreneurship degree you will have the benefit of knowing what you are talking about regardless of whether you decide to have your own business or work at a firm.

5. Strengthen Marketing

When it comes to branding services one of the most important areas is marketing. With the benefit of learning the different types of marketing you can become the best at what you do. This benefit will allow you to truly excel in all parts of your corporate life.

6. Tackle Uncertainty

There is a lot of uncertainty when you are running your own business, tackling them allows you to develop the skills to tackle uncertainty in your own life. With an entrepreneurship degree you can use these skills the way you see fit.

7. Identify Problems

One of the greatest benefits of having an entrepreneurship degree is that you are clearly able to highlight problems, and label them. You can be faced with long term, or short term problems and develop skills to think on your feet.

8. Expand and Meet Demand

As someone with an entrepreneurship degree you will have the benefit of knowing how to meet supply in accordance to the demand. It will help you in many different scenarios in your life, business or even a job.

9. Give Back

When you are a business owner that has started to see success you need to make sure that you are giving back to the world. It is not necessary that you give back in the medium of payments, as long as you are making a difference you can do whatever you want. You can look for ways to be environmentally friendly, and make sure that you are doing everything you can for a sustainable business.

10. Dream

One of the greatest benefits of an entrepreneurship degree is that you are able to continue dreaming even as an adult. One of the things that we lose while growing up is the ability to dream. We are knee deep into responsibilities that we start to look for logic in our dreams, when the entire purpose of dreams is to have no barriers. By being an entrepreneur you are able to dream and find whatever it is you wish to achieve.

6 Ways to Grow Your Business in the Post-COVID-19 World

As the world is going towards a post-pandemic era, it is easy to guess that nothing will be the same again. Gradually every sector moved online and began conducting business there. What does this mean for your business? Will you have to find a new business model to work with? Do you have to change strategies, or do you shift the model you have to suit modern times? As you find your new footing in this post-pandemic world, it is equally important to explore how you can expand your business. After all, what is better than a stable economy and a pandemic-free environment to give your business the boost that it needs. Here’s how you do this:

1. Make Online Platforms the Norm

Don’t run with the assumption that in a post-pandemic world, you’ll return to your old ways of running a business. It would help if you accepted that online working is the new norm, and it’s here to stay. Build a virtual model that allows you to work to build. Conduct all business-related meetings over zoom. Use online marketing to reach out to your customers. These include newsletters, webinars, videos, and social media. Add contactless service as part of your business model. These will entice more customers to look in your direction, especially those who like the new business model.

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2. Build a Strong Remote Team

It is about time to build a strong remote team. Apply innovation and creativity to run your business. Use apps like Microsoft team and Google meet for communication. Delegate each worker their roles and responsibilities. Remote working allows you to get workers from across the globe. It can help your business gain recognition internationally. You will save on operational costs and can use it to expand your business instead.

Building a strong team is essential for your business growth. Apart from making the team, you may also upgrade yourself by getting further education. Suppose you have a desire to lead your organization more effectively. In that case, it’s a good idea to equip yourself with the latest business trends. If you have a bachelor’s degree, it’s an excellent idea to opt for an executive MBA online to gain strategic expertise. Online education helps you in getting a degree while doing your daily work.

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3. Leverage Empathy in Marketing

Empathy goes a long way. As the world heals, your consumers are also in the process of healing, so extend some empathy towards them. Talk about how you understand how times have been difficult, and you hope they’re doing well and safe. Customers will feel acknowledged and not think of your business as another money-grabbing scheme. To create a feeling of empathy, create ads that are all about consumers and helping them find the product they want. Keep discounts for every purchase and send personalized emails of hope and well wishes after buying a product.

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4. Work with Investors

The post COVID times are when business is in the recovery process. You already know that the pandemic was a cause of great economic stress. So many companies collapsed, and now there is room for more. Investors are always on the hunt for the next big business to funnel their money. First, you need to make sure you have a good business plan in hand. It will help if you have leads on marketing, sales, and consumer success that you can include in your presentation. Build a clear and comprehensive business plan that will persuade them to invest in your business. Find unique factors about your business that make it stand out. It would be best to show them that they could get a higher return on investment.

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5. Cut Down all Unnecessary Expenses

The pandemic may have helped you realize what unnecessary expenses are in your business. As you move to a post-pandemic world, it is an excellent time to get rid of them. Try contacting more automated systems in your office. It can be using AI and machine learning to connect with your clients. It means you can send out more automated messages, answer their questions and make sure they can make transactions successfully. Automation will help you cut down production costs and help you focus this money on your customer satisfaction. You can also visit your marketing strategies and study which ones were virtually useless.

6. Build an App for Your Business

You may have noticed that many businesses and the service industry have an app. Sure, people still use websites, but if a website has an option for an app, customers readily switch over. So why not create an app for your business. You’ll be reaching a larger demographic than you did with your website. Your business will be accessible, convenient, and most likely more in use. Apps are also much easier to maintain. They’re mobile-friendly, leverage SEO, and also give you a chance to compete for rankings in app stores. Suppose you’re a business for aspiring BnB. You can create an app that uses location and budget to give consumers personalized lists. It will also help you stay on top of your competition.

Wrap Up

The post-pandemic phase is an excellent opportunity for you to grow your business. Understand that remote working is the new norm, so you must build a business that accommodates that notion. Build a diverse team that would help you towards success. Find out what investors are willing to offer for your business. Extend an empathetic hand to your consumers. Cut back on any unnecessary cost and funnel it towards your business. Finally, create an app that would give you an edge over your competitors.

Why are businesses going to crypto?

Before COVID-19 barged into our lives, crypto and blockchain were the hottest buzzwords in the business world. Now, even though corona is making headlines, crypto has not altogether disappeared from the limelight.

In fact, studies show there has been a considerable increase in the number of businesses using cryptocurrency. According to Deloitte, more than 2,300 US businesses accept Bitcoin and other digital currencies. They’re being used for investment, operational, and transactional purposes. you can now send and receive bitcoin instantly using a trustworthy wallet.

The question that entrepreneurs are asking is why are so many businesses going crypto?

And that is what we will answer today. This blog takes a closer look at the shift towards digital currencies.

So let’s begin by exploring the benefits of crypto that are alluring enterprises into using these digital assets.

The benefits of crypto

There’s always been a great deal of speculation about crypto ever since it was created in 2009. But due to pandemic conditions, there seems to be a stronger incentive towards the use of virtual currency.

If you’re a business owner who is considering using crypto, you need to know what it can bring to the table.

Here’s a list of some of the ways digital currency can help your company:

1. Decreased transaction fees

With credit card transactions, banks are the intermediaries, and they charge a fee for their services.

But this is not so with digital currencies. As you probably already know, crypto is built on a decentralized form of transaction. Thus there are no third parties involved. So if you accept crypto in exchange for products or services, one of the greatest benefits is that there will be no direct processing costs. Forrester’s research reveals that this allows merchants to save considerably on fees, unlocking a whole new customer base.

However, it is important to point out that you are likely to be charged a small flat fee for your wallet account if you’re a merchant selling online.

2. Faster payment

Unlike credit card payments that could take days to clear, crypto transactions can be completed almost immediately. For you, that means you have access to payments within minutes.

Moreover, crypto offers options that are simply not available with payments made in fiat currency.

For instance, organizations now have access to information in real-time and, therefore, accurate revenue-sharing data. This enhances transparency within the business, which facilitates back-office reconciliation.

3. Less risk

Crypto payment options reduce risk by lessening or eliminating issues related to fraud or mistakes. Moreover, security is better through the blockchain. Often consumers have concerns about making large online transactions, such as those who want to buy a car or a house. Crypto enables simple, real-time, and secure transactions that can facilitate your business dealings.

Additionally, crypto sales are final, and charges cannot be negated after the transaction is complete. As an entrepreneur, this means you have more financial security.

4. Better access to global customers

The speed at which companies are expanding the globe already signifies the need for a single currency that overcomes international boundaries. Businesses with overseas clients show a greater interest in cryptocurrency because they no longer need to deal with fees or currency exchange rates across borders.

For many startups, this is the perfect way to conduct business and gain a competitive advantage.

Companies may attract new customers through this additional mode of making payments, which could help boost their bottom line.

5. Improved business image

The fact that you accept crypto as a form of payment signifies that you are a step ahead of the rest. A company that embraces emerging trends is deemed one that is ready to face the future.

Again, this could provide access to a newer demographic of customers. Cutting-edge clientele that values transparency in their transactions is sure to be drawn to your business.

6. Increase in the size of transactions

You can use this opportunity to generate new sales. First-time crypto investors may be interested in spending the returns on their investment. And they could be attracted to your business because they prefer to pay with crypto.

But the cherry on top of the pie is that Forrester’s research noted that buyers who plan to pay with cryptocurrency tend to spend more than other customers. According to their study, 40% of customers who pay with crypto are new customers. More importantly, their purchase amounts are twice those of credit card users. That means that adding crypto to your offerings can help increase the size of transactions for your business.

7. Access to new capital

Often online startups offer ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings). You can think of them as the more advanced version of stocks but more as tokens specific to a particular company.

ICOs are popular among startups that want to raise additional funds. This can help them create more products and offer more services.

But an ICO can also help your business achieve greater overall gains. For instance, if people are motivated to buy your tokens, the value of the tokens will climb. As its price increases, your stance in the commercial landscape becomes stronger. This signals more people to invest in your company.

Closing thoughts

As many companies are transitioning to the digital landscape, they are looking at crypto as a new way to conduct businesses. This new virtual currency is backed with a great deal of potential. Moreover, it has the power to evolve the financial structure within corporations as we know it.

However, going crypto may not be the ideal solution for all companies. Whether you choose to incorporate it into your offerings or not depends significantly on the nature of your business, the services/products you offer, and your customer’s preferences.

If you do decide to go crypto, you need to begin by developing a road map of your company’s future.

As with any technological implementation, you must have a well-thought-out plan. Some of the aspects you should consider may include the following:

How do you intend to introduce crypto into your business offerings?
What partners will the company need in order to deal with crypto?
What security measures will the company need to integrate?
What additional resources will the company need? What expertise might be required?

This endeavor may be a challenge for many businesses. However, the key is to evaluate your progress and monitor long-term vendor performance.

Conclusion

Coronavirus has impacted industries all across the globe. The latest trend includes the building of interesting products surrounding crypto by new companies.

While issues like regulations, liquidity, and scams are some matters that entrepreneurs- and consumers- worry about, governments around the world must take appropriate measures to regulate the digital currency before it enters the mainstream.

At the moment, as the use of cryptocurrencies evolves, businesses both large and small are evaluating whether they should jump on board. However, this is only the beginning of their struggles.

The real challenge for business owners is knowing how to incorporate cryptocurrency into their organization effectively.

Web Development Workflow For Beginners: How The Funnel Works

Table of contents

What Is A Web Development Workflow?
website development workflow key Steps:
Modern Web Development Workflow
The Coding Phase
Git – The Version Control System
CI/CD Services & Hosting
FTP Tools & Web Browser

Today, a good website is one of the crucial factors for your business success. A KPMG report shows that over 50% of potential buyers tend to check a company’s website before purchasing a product.

Hence, it’s essential than ever to create a well-structured website with a good design, highlighting all the crucial information your potential customers might be looking for.

Best Web Development Frameworks

What Is A Web Development Workflow?

A web development workflow is a process that comprises all the necessary steps for creating a website. A website isn’t only about the aesthetics or beautiful visuals – it’s more than that, from planning to deployment.

For example, let’s say you are a university student. You would not begin an assignment without a proper plan. Sure, you can hire a professional university assignment help expert or science or other homework helpers for the task. But sketching a work plan would boost your productivity and fulfil your target if you choose to work on your assignments independently.

Likewise, a modern web development workflow is the stepping stone of the development process. It gives you a clear picture of all the steps to create a proper project timeline and communication plan for your teammates.

website development workflow key Steps:

Simplifies planning
Allows you to anticipate challenges and make informed decisions.
Saves your time and money
Increases productivity and cross-functional activities
Helps to improve team members work quality and consistency

Developing a new website can be daunting, but if you know the time, budget and your role in the process, you can create a website as per your expectations.

Pro Tip: Work on some web development exercises
to polish your current skills before moving forward with a project.

Also, you can take up a web development course to enrich your knowledge.

Modern Web Development Workflow

In modern web development, the introduction phase involves all technical activities. The programmers write codes, system engineers set up different servers, and the database engineers work with various data models.

The Coding Phase

By now, the developers have all the necessary resources and data to build and test different features. They break the process into two distinct parts – frontend and backend.

The frontend is mainly related to HTML, Javascript, CSS, and so on, which the browser interprets when a user opens the site.
On the other hand, the backend is everything to servers and scripts written in different programming languages like Python, Ruby, PHP, .Net, etc.

Developers also maintain databases such as MySQL and Microsoft SQL to store user-related data and website information.

Git – The Version Control System

Git is the version control system developers use to track any changes in the code. It enables the users to create different branches for the project, evaluate the code’s previous versions and sets a standard for a project’s version control.

Even though Git is the highest standard for version control, it is highly effective for storing in cloud services like Bitbucket or GitHub. Having your source code in the cloud will enable your team to access the code (the latest version, of course) from any system with good internet connectivity, making it easier for them to work on with the same code without damaging it.

CI/CD Services & Hosting

Once the developers have stored the code in Bitbucket or GitHub, they should use continuous integration and continuous delivery services for automating the deployment process. CI/CD services check the code stored in the GIT and deploy it to the hosting environment after passing all the tests.

After completing the configuration, CI/CD services use the cloud Git repository code for testing before deploying it to the live server. The hosting provider allocates space for the reserved domain or website to view it in the browser. Often, they also create database structures using shell scripts through SSH connection.

FTP Tools & Web Browser

Not all developers rely on Git or CI/CD cloud services to transfer codes online. Although it is not a recommended method of deploying codes online, many developers also use FTP or SFTP to transfer files to the live servers.

Once the code is on the live environments with an allocated domain name, users can access the website or application from their preferred browsers. When a user requests a page or a website, the server receives the request from the user’s browser. It then triggers backend scripts, essential for generating the particular page. The frontend program such as HTML and Javascript then interprets and displays the result to the user.

In case of any changes, the developers can follow the same procedure to make changes in the local repository first and then to Git. Thereby making CI/CD services changes and deploying new code on the live server.

Conclusion

The modern web development workflow process described above may vary by the company and developers working on the project. However, it will certainly give a better idea of the web development workflow process to any new developer. At the same time, I would also suggest you work on some web development exercises before kickstarting your web development journey. With repeated practice, you will become efficient in handling the modern web development process like a pro.

The Top 4 Advantages of Android applications For Your Business in the USA

Android applications have become an increasingly growing and popular business platform. These android applications can be used by sectors, these can be the healthcare sector, payment banks, food delivery, etc. There has not been any sector left that does not use different Android applications. Many android applications software has proven to be extremely effective and is able to fast forward communication processes.

But why should a company choose an android application development? Android applications can come with many advantages for your company in the USA. These applications can help with better customer experience, good visibility, and they can help boost confidence as well.

Android Applications

Android applications have gained a great name all over the world, because of their functionality and the vast availability of user experience. The android mobile application sector has been dominating other sectors and hence has proven to be of the useful ones, android applications have been providing its users with many features, such as a large number of applications that can be built. Android has been providing the most number of mobile applications to its users.

To understand better why a mobile android application development is so useful for different businesses and why more companies should build more mobile android applications.

Why should a company create an android mobile application?

Over time people have developed a habit of staying up with the new technologies coming in different sectors. Some years back if we were to say that a mobile phone will be able to handle an entire software application, you would not have believed us. But now you should. The internet, applications, mobile phones have become so important that if you do not use one, you do not exist for many people. If you use a mobile phone, you know how important they are and it has become a part of our lives.

Currently, mobile devices (especially the smartphone) could be said to have become an additional appendage of our body. These devices are constantly glued to us, we use them the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

Mobile phones allow us to access everything on the internet. We have used mobile phones more than any other electronic device ever. When a person uses mobile phones, the one thing they use the most are applications in them. A survey had proved that people use android applications about 70% of the time they use their mobile phones. If you want to grow your product or brand, you might want to consider developing an android mobile application.

There are many advantages of building your android applications. To get one build, you need to hire an android application developer and discuss all the features you want in your application.

How Are Mobile Applications Used In Healthcare?

Advantages of Android Application Development

1. Easy Accessibility

Android app development services can help you gain easy access to different people. Android applications are built entirely on Java. This programming language can be easily learned at an early age. Making it easy for new companies and startups to use it for their application development.

Android applications can also help new companies in saving time on building extremely difficult applications and only focus on providing the best services. Android application development is one of the fastest ways of growing your product reach. Android applications can also increase the number of users your application reaches.

When companies build their applications they plan a specific budget for the project. Many times people think an android application is cheaper and hence it will not be as good as an iOS application. But this is not true. Android applications are the same amount as iOS applications are. Users get the same experience and more benefits.

You can also get advantages by the number of customers who visit your application. Your applications can give something back to customers. It could be anything from extra points for buying something or a special offer. The people who have subscribed to your website can get more points. If you allow customers to use your application for making any new payments, it will increase your reach.

If you create an application keeping these things in mind, you will eventually gain a large number of users and your android application will grow.

2. Play store availability

Android applications have one of the best platforms available for them to showcase their apps, the Play store. Google play store delivers applications for its users within hours. These applications can be fitness apps, gaming apps, etc. With google play, developers can update their application in minutes only.

Android applications can be easily fixed and developers can keep track of the feedback they receive from customers. For new companies, this is a very good way of changing their software every time a new problem occurs.

Android applications are easy because they can be used on any device. These applications are not too big and do not cause problems with your mobile systems. Uploading an application on google play puts your application in the google application library. This helps the application grow more popular and reach bigger audiences. The more clicks your application gets, the more it grows.

3. Bigger device market

While building an application, developers need to keep in mind how important it is to target a larger audience. The availability of mobile application development services has grown in the last decade. The number of devices that can operate android applications in the market is far bigger than iOS applications, or any other application.

For middle-class people, developing an android application is better as it can be operated on devices that are far less expensive than iPhones. Because the majority of people use android powered smartphones, they can have better access to applications and can grow the reach of one also.

The amount of android application development companies has grown as more people worldwide use Android smartphones. Your android application can easily be connected to multiple devices such as televisions, sound systems, etc. These applications provide more options for larger promotions. There are also small companies providing applications on the play store for android applications, this reduces the level of competition. If someone wants to build an application for iOS software, they will face far more competition with bigger companies.

4. Innovative & Evolving

The android application development market is still open to good global attention. While building an android application you can come up with a new and more innovative feature. The android application developing methods lets developers use the best tools and new technologies to create an application.

Android software gets you newly built, high-end applications, these applications open new opportunities for small business owners. When we talk about android application development we should keep in mind how this platform is still evolving. The android applications are coming in every day with new and more advanced technologies, to provide us with easier solutions. The competition is growing with this also.

When a developer decides to build an android application they have the plus point of bringing in new technologies that no one has ever used before. Many new companies have started building android applications.

If you are planning to develop an android application you need to come up with a strategy to target the right audience. The best applications are only made by forming out a plan first and then working towards achieving it. The application you build should be user-friendly. If you are a startup or a small company, make sure you know what your needs and requirements are for your android application. When you do create one, keep track of all the user feedback. Customer feedback is one of the most important things when you are providing services from an online android application.