Business

Throughout his professional career, Agam Berry has turned into an expert in digital marketing. Currently the co-founder of Quantified Commerce, he has helped the business reach new heights every single year.

With so much knowledge about Internet marketing, we were fortunate to talk to him and to get some insight directly from the source.

What attracted you to the internet marketing industry?

I have always been interested in technology, and that probably stems from growing up with a lot of access to computers. I actually studied mechanical engineering in college, but I’ve always had a thirst for learning about Internet marketing since I was a kid.

Once Quantified Commerce really started to take off, I fully immersed myself in the industry. It has worked out pretty well so far, but there are always new things to learn.

Would you describe yourself as an entrepreneur?

I guess by definition I am an entrepreneur, although I don’t think I’ve ever actually called myself that. It just seems a little bit weird for me to go around saying I am.

I will say that I took a lot of risk going all in with Quantified Commerce. I felt like there was really something special brewing, and I wanted to see where it would go. In a way, I guess you could say that I became a true entrepreneur after getting a taste for it early on.

If you had the chance to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I’ve been pretty fortunate to go to different parts of the world already in my life, but there are still a lot of regions I would love to get to. I’ve spent a little time in Spain, but I would love to do a full trip to that region. Maybe see a few of the major cities in Spain, and then perhaps take a weekend trip to Portugal. I would love to go to that part of the world when the weather is nice to be outside.

Do you read for pleasure? What’s your favorite business book?

Unfortunately, I definitely don’t read as much as I would like to. It can be hard to read for pleasure with so much going on. With that said, the last book I read that really stood out for me was Good to Great by Jim Collins. As someone running a company, it gave me a lot of insight on what makes a great company and what holds others back. Hopefully, I am starting to apply some of what I read to Quantified Commerce.

Which business leaders do you admire the most?

I was a huge fan of Steve Jobs growing up, and I still admire him for everything that he did for Apple. He really set the standard for this age.

I also have to give credit to one of his biggest rivals, if you will, in Bill Gates. It might seem crazy to name those guys together, but they both brought great business ideas to their companies. They might not lead the exact same way, but they did so very effectively. There is a lot to learn from both of those guys, no matter what type of computer a person prefers to use on a daily basis.

The beat way to keep up with me is follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Thailand is quickly establishing itself as a prime location for startups and entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. However, with office rental rates in Bangkok continuing to rise, professionals, freelancer and digital nomads alike are seeking out more flexible office solutions in the Thai capital. Premium providers are stepping in to meet the growing need for more flexible office solutions, giving those doing business in Thailand more options than ever before.

Virtual offices are starting to become more popular as workers and business owners try to find a way to save costs and add flexibility. You no longer need to be stuck in a traditional office setting, locked into a long-term lease paying high office rental rates. With a premium virtual office in Thailand, you get to access some of the best tech, locations, and communities in the world for one affordable monthly rate. You can operate your business from anywhere you like while still enjoying all of the advantages that a prestigious office address can provide. As a small or mid-sized business, all the tools and infrastructure that you need to stay current, relevant, and competitive in your industry.

Continue reading to learn how a virtual office in Thailand can benefit your business and put you on the road to a successful future.

Virtual Reception

As a business owner, it’s critical that you are always on top of everything, including calls, messages and managing your mail. Hiring a fulltime receptionist and can put a huge dent in your business finances but with a premium virtual office provider, you get your own receptionist to answer all those calls so you can focus on the important things. Your calls can be directed to your private number or they can simply take a message for you. They will also manage your mail, freeing up even more of your time. Let your provider take care of all the boring stuff while you set your business up for success.

State of the Art Technology

Nowadays, it’s crucial that you have access to the most up-to-date technologies to allow your business to be efficient and effective. Premium virtual office providers offer the best of the best technology to make your business more efficient, productive, and profitable. You no longer need to shell out thousands of dollars on tech to keep up with the competition. Your virtual office will be fully equipped with the latest equipment to make everything lightning fast and extra secure.

Office And Meeting Space as Needed

The best virtual office providers also have real estate dedicated to providing office space and meeting rooms for all of their clients. Thailand has a wide variety of these spaces, including coworking spaces, that you can either reserve in advance or use on a first come first serve basis. This completely eliminates your need for traditional office space and all the expensive monthly bills that come with it.

Premium Business Address

Along with all the other benefits of using a premium virtual office provider, you will also be provided with a prestigious address for your business. With an address in a prime office location, your business will have instant credibility and respect in the local business community. An exclusive Thailand addresses will help you to gain the respect of your customers and can help you to build positive business relationships with investors and other companies in your niche.

Virtual is the New Normal

In Thailand, more and more businesses are taking advantage of virtual offices and all that they have to offer. A virtual office can save you time, money and hassle, allowing you more time to focus on your business operations and growing your company into a serious entity. With a premium virtual office provider, you can quickly propel your business to a new tier of success.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

As events like conferences have a bit of a serious undertone, there’s usually a lot of planning and meticulous arrangements that take place. This sometimes involves a few months of strategy, meetings, ideas, and a lot of legwork because you want everything to run as smoothly as possible. Planning any kind of event is usually very tedious and requires a lot of dedication and precision because every event entails several important things. This is why every planner should have a team.

Putting a team together helps your planning, and since you’ll be delegating, you wouldn’t have to micromanage every single little thing. However, with all the really big parts of a proper conference, most planners miss some small but important things. Here are a few:

Do a Proper Layout and Arrangement

Everything should, as much as possible, be planned to the letter. You should plan your venue properly so you know which sessions will be held where. Also, there should be a clear description of where tea breaks, breakfast, or lunch would be taken and it should be easy to access and should have enough space to contain your attendees. This is usually something you have to figure out before you lock in on a venue. Your venue should also not be hard to find as you don’t want attendees spending too much time searching. Use VenueFinder to find the best venues around the area you have in mind. You can easily search for Edinburgh conference venues, for example, if Edinburgh is your preferred location.

Sessions Must Be Described Properly

Sometimes, planners assume that everyone who attends a conference has all the required knowledge about the subject matter to be discussed. However, this isn’t always the case. As much as there are people who might know even more than the speakers at the conference, you always have to assume that there are others who know next to nothing. Describing the sessions properly helps them decide which ones they would be attending.

Plan Breaks Properly

Try to put in enough breaks at just the right intervals so people don’t have a need to stand up and walk around or use the restroom. A good idea for this, for example, is to make sure that your plan doesn’t break too long after a tea break or a meal. If you don’t do this, people will be forced to move around at random intervals to ease themselves. Not only does this disrupt the flow of the event but it can also be very distracting to the speaker.

Use Music

Music is a great way to set the mood for a conference and keep everyone very relaxed. It can be used to let people know it’s time for a break or that said break is over. It could be playing in the background before a session starts or even before the entire program is to begin. It doesn’t really have to be anything serious. Just soft music playing in the background can really help the mood.

These are some of the things event planners miss while planning conferences because they are focused on some of the major things. Those things are very important but specific care should be taken with other things like the ones listed here.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

As we live in a world that is now digitalised, most businesses deal with huge amounts of data, whether it be financial records, product-related data, or simply day-to-day management of staff. It is so important for data to be kept and managed securely for a business, as it is almost as important to its success as the actual product or service your business offers. However, with the vast amount of data that comes in every single day to a business, it is easy to get confused or overwhelmed as a business owner. This does not have to be so as there are many ways to manage your business’s data even as it grows and expands. On the surface, managing data might seem like an uphill task, but it doesn’t have to be. Some tips to better manage your business data are as follows:

Backup 

Besides the actual collection of data, perhaps the most important task a business will have when it comes to the handling of data is the secure and efficient storage of it for future reference. Few things could potentially cripple a business more than important files, documents, and other data being permanently lost due to carelessness, accidents in the office, and so on.

To prevent this, it will be in your best interest to opt for cloud-based services from a business like Memset. These services will make sure that all your business information and data is backed up by a cloud service and easily accessible whenever you need it.  Typical storage methods such as CPUs have a limit to how much they can effectively store at any given time. Cloud-based services do not have that limitation. As such, they should be seriously considered for any business looking to better manage their data.

Digitize your data

The conversation about backing up your business data cannot even be had unless the data in question is being digitized. Believe it or not, there are still businesses in the 21st century that keep data solely in hard copy form, which is extremely unwise as such data can easily be lost, damaged, or stolen. If your business were in this situation, it would be best to begin digitizing all your files and make sure all data is collected digitally rather than manually in physical form. This could go a long way in saving time, energy, money, and most of all, making sure your data is secure and easily retrievable.

Segment 

As much as your data should be stored in a digital and secure manner, it is also important that it should be collected in an organized manner. Rather than having all data jumbled together in collective files, it is best to have dedicated folders for each type of data such as one for receipts, one for invoices, and one for payroll-related information.  This will cut through the confusion of having a massive amount of data and will instead offer an organized and easily understandable database for your business.

Managing your business data in the 21st century does not have to be an uphill task. Follow the above steps to make sure that your business data is kept secure and organized at all given times.

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Everybody wants to advance their career, but not everyone wants to admit that they don’t have the skills necessary to make the leap. You might think you already have what it takes to deserve a higher salary, but do your resume and portfolio reflect that belief? There are many courses and certifications you can pursue to improve your eligibility as a job candidate in almost any field, and many of these qualifications are useful across all occupational fields.

The question isn’t whether you have the capability to advance your career; the question is whether you’re actually going to follow through with it. There’s never a one-size-fits-all solution to career advancement – it really just depends on what you’re trying to accomplish and which occupation you’re interested in. However, here are 10 steps you can take in any industry to advance your career without committing to a lengthy degree programme:

1. Take a Business Management Course

Completing a business management course is one of the best ways to obtain certification that proves you’re a qualified candidate for managerial jobs. Of course, such a strong credential provides the obvious benefit of making you eligible for more prestigious and higher-paying jobs within any company. If you’ve reached the point in your career where you’re ready to start pursuing management level positions, why not learn more about earning a qualification in business management?

2. Create a Career Mission Statement

Before you rush out to enrol in courses and earn certifications, take some time to write a detailed mission statement for your career. This document will be an organised collection of career goals and aspirations. What kind of salary do you want to be earning 5 or 10 years from now? What fields of study interest you the most? What do you want your finances to look like one year from now? Do you have any saving and investing strategies lined up? These are examples of critical questions you need to be answering in your career mission statement.

3. Build Your Business Social Networking Presence

If you already have a personal presence on sites like Facebook and Instagram, that’s not what we’re talking about here. Social networking for business is a completely different animal. It has more to do with your public professional persona for the sake of long-term career advancement as opposed to scrolling through your FB feed in search of short-term entertainment. While there are plenty of other directories and forums you’ll want to join, start by optimizing your profiles and building your networks on sites like LinkedIn and Google+.

4. Take a Public Speaking or Communication Class

Being a better speaker and communicator will always help in the world of business, regardless of what kind of job you’re applying for. You can complete a public speaking or corporate communication class in just a few weeks or months. Even if you don’t come out of the course feeling like the most confident speaker and communicator, you’ll have a solid foundation to build your skills upon, as well as a qualification that proves your speaking and communicating skills to prospective employers.

5. Complete a Business Writing Course

Most high-level job positions will involve some form of business writing, whether it be responding to emails or preparing written presentations for upcoming board meetings. A business writing course can be completed in 8 weeks and will give you the skills and credentials needed to confidently author business emails, letters, and reports for the rest of your career. If you haven’t already been educated about formal and business writing styles, for the sake of not embarrassing yourself, it’s imperative that you brush up your skills in this area before trying to take on a high-level job position.

6. Revamp Your CV and Portfolio

Maybe you already have all the skills and experience needed to get hired for your dream job, but you don’t have a nicely compiled and formatted CV to prove it. Every hiring manager starts with what they see on paper. A professionally written CV and well-organised, extensive portfolio can go a long way in boosting your employability. You could pay a CV writing service for a one-off revamp, or you could take a resume writing course so you’ll be prepared to apply amendments in the future.

7. Complete a Corporate Leadership Course

If your goal is to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, eventually you’ll find yourself in a leadership position. Thus, logic dictates that learning the art of corporate leadership is a necessary step to include in most career advancement plans. Even if you feel like you don’t need help in this area, it can’t hurt to expand your knowledge of advanced leadership concepts to increase your confidence and proficiency in the workplace.

8. Get Certified in Business Administration

Certification in business administration is one of the primary credentials that hiring managers look for when comparing applicants for high-level job positions. There are many kinds of business administration courses that can be completed in 1-6 months, so it’s not something you have to commit years of your life to. Yet, despite the relative ease of earning business administration qualifications, they provide a lifelong boost to your overall employability.

9. Become an IT Professional

Information technology (IT) professionals are in high demand everywhere, so taking an online IT course will be enough to make you a more desirable applicant for thousands of different job positions. As you continue to progress in the field of IT, you could find yourself earning an excellent salary with hourly wages ranging from £30 to £150 per hour or more, just for managing computer interfaces and hardware. If you’re a complete novice with computers, you may need to start with some introductory courses before you move on to a professional IT training course.

10. Launch a Full-Scale Online Job Search

Finally, once you’ve gotten all or some of the above steps out of the way, it’s time to see what kind of amazing jobs you can find if you really apply yourself on a global scale. Take the geographical and position-based limitations off of your job search and look for the highest-paying job with the most perks. There’s no limit to how many applications you can submit, and with credentials like the ones suggested in the previous steps, you’ll have plenty of job offers on the table in no time.

Will Taking All of These Courses Really Help?

The act of simply taking a course and completing it won’t guarantee that you’ll be viewed as the best person for the job in every scenario, but it will certainly add some shiny stars to your resume that will boost your chances of being hired for any given job position.

To recap all of the progress that you’d make just by taking the 10 steps in this guide, you’d become a business administration specialist with certification as a public speaker, communicator, and/or corporate leader, along with proven business writing skills and a strong social networking presence.

Let’s not forget additional specialisation in information technology and a wonderful CV/portfolio. Altogether, these perks will inevitably contribute towards the advancement of your career in one way or another.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Stagnation is one of the biggest reasons why most restaurants tend to go under. The worst part about it is that it is not necessarily a problem that rears its ugly head straight away – stagnation is often slow, as the revenue hits its peak, and very slowly begins to dip. Once it has started, it can be challenging to reverse, as it is occurring slowly enough that most restaurant owners are not threatened by the change in revenue. Most business owners react when it is far too late to avert the downward spiral.

Fortunately, just because your restaurant appears to be suffering from stagnation does not mean that nothing can be done. After all, a lack of action is the reason restaurants are unable to stem the tide – which means with enough effort you will come out on top. Here are a few easy methods to inject life into a stagnating restaurant.

Focus on attracting different types of customers

Most establishments are fine attracting a particular kind of crowd. However, when that crowd has had its fill and are no longer interested in returning, it can be challenging to get back on track. It is vital to take a pre-emptive approach and add a few recipes to cater to varied tastes. For example, www.kiril-mischeff.com has many different types of meat substitutes to provide for those who like the taste of meat, but are unable to eat meat for one reason or another.

You can also go for coconut cream for an effective dairy alternative. It always pays to have a few alternatives to your mainstay menu – as some of the most loyal customers are often those who know that a restaurant has options that cater to them.

Make updates to your menu – but nothing too drastic

When a restaurant suffers from stagnation, it is common to have a restaurant owner attempt a complete overhaul of the list. While it indeed has its advantages, it is also critical to understand that you will be tossing out both the bad and the good. Instead, focus on improving the recipes, rather than swapping them out. Your new recipes can come from the previous step, to give those with health issues options.

Nothing beats excellent customer service

You can have the best food in town, but if your restaurant is known for subpar customer service, you will not be able to keep your customers for long. As a matter of fact, if you have been receiving poor reviews due to customer service, it is likely that it is the biggest culprit as far as stagnation goes. Do whatever you have to do in order to provide the best services your restaurant can muster. It is often surprising how quickly word can get around of lousy customer service – but the same can be said about the opposite.

It can be extremely challenging to fight stagnation that has already set in for a restaurant, but the steps above will ensure that your business has the best fighting chance of making a comeback. Focus on your customers, update your menu, and improve overall customer service.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Many businesses are going digital to survive in today’s cut-throat market. Despite the popularity and importance of going digital, most companies are not aware of how to navigate the online space yet. Some with big budgets are able to hire in-house digital marketing consultants, but for many small businesses, that is not an option.

There are many digital marketing agencies online that are within a reasonable price range that can help small businesses with the ever-changing Google algorithm, SEO, pay-per-click advertising, email marketing, and social media marketing.

Digital marketing is a wide area that requires professional marketing if a business is to make money from the online market. So, what are some of the reasons why a business needs to hire a digital marketing company to handle their digital marketing stuff?

One gets to leave the marketing to the experts and focus on growing the business instead.

A digital marketing company like Broadplace can handle all aspects of digital marketing, which in turn frees up the owner of the business to concentrate on building new products or services. The company can offer suggestions that make the business perform better with the online market. They are also responsible for hiring and training additional staff such as social media marketers and virtual assistants, among others.

They help one capitalize on a newer market.

Most old businesses are learning the hard way – adapt or die. With the internet, there is a wide audience of people looking for the product or service that one is offering. Most of this audience want to see and understand what one has to offer before they pay for the product or service. This means that the business owner needs experts who can target the right audience with the right sales pitch so that they can stay relevant in today’s business world.

They help create a powerful narrative or story behind the brand.

It is a proven fact that most people online are likely to support a brand they can relate with. This means that one needs a group of experts of a reputable digital marketing company who can work hand-in-hand with the owner to create a suitable story that will touch people. A good story will improve the business’s visibility online and help improve its image to potential clients.

They have the tools and means to ensure success.

It is possible for a business owner to be in charge of the business’s digital marketing, especially when it is just a small start-up. However, it gets harder as the business grows and one person cannot handle the workload. A good digital marketing company has access to some premium services such as keyword research, paid search management, google analytics, and competitor analysis, among other automated tools. They also have key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the performance of marketing strategies with the target market. That means that hiring a good agency can be an asset to the business in the long run.

For every business that aims at competing at a level playing field with the world’s biggest brands, there is no substitute for good digital marketing. This means that one needs to spend some extra money to get some professional advice on how to create a strong brand that people will be interested in online which will definitely translate to sales eventually.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Being a businessman is nowadays more complicated than ever in the past. This is due to the fact that it is so much easier than ever to launch a new business. You can so easily get all the information you need online. However, this does not mean your business will be a success. In fact, most businesses fail. This happens because of a lack of experience and knowledge from the owner or the management team.

Louis Hernandez Jr knows a lot about running a successful business. He understands what has to be done and what should be avoided. While he always talks about the same important things that everyone knows, there are also some extra tips that he often shares. They are presented below.

Always Budget And Keep An Eye On Finances

It is quite simple to open a business without much investment these days. This is especially the case in the event most of the operations would take place online. In many situations all that is needed is putting money into a website. The problem is that you need many things to run a successful business, like marketing and expense management.

As a businessman, you need to budget everything and you have to keep a close eye on your finances. If you lose control, it is obvious that bankruptcy appears.

Networking Is Vital For Success

In business, networking is just as important as when you maintain friendships. Fortunately, the evolution of the internet also made it really easy for us to interact for business, not just for pleasure. As a businessman, it is important that you treat all people you meat as potential customers or business partners.

Try to meet successful entrepreneurs and interact with them. Simply put, make friends in the industry as soon as you can. When you do this, it is so much easier to get help in the future. Your connections can open the doors to numerous interesting business partnerships.

Adapt

Adaptability is vital for the modern businessman. You need to be sure that your budget is realistic, ranging from utility costs to advertising costs. All the pennies you spend count. There is absolutely zero reason to spend thousands of dollars on advertising in the event that no return appears. If this is the case, it is better to just come up with another plan.

Remember that numerous things can impact business growth. It is your job as a businessman to determine what the best option is, based on the current scenario you are faced with. If you do not adapt to changing business conditions, you set yourself up for failure.

Trust Yourself

Last but not least, you are your worst enemy in business. It is so easy to make mistakes but you can get over everything. However, this is impossible if you do not believe in yourself and your abilities. When you start doing business, everything is complicated. However, as time passes, all becomes simpler and simpler. Keep fighting and learning. In time, you gain the skills and experience you need to achieve the business growth you are interested in.