Category: business coach

Protecting Your Business Bubble: Could You Be Doing More?

Scott Asai6 Comments

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In some cases, it’s not possible to avoid disasters in business, but often, there are steps you can take to protect your company and minimize risks. In this guide, we’ll take a look at some strategies you can employ to shield your business and reduce the risk of unexpected incidents or threats. 

Maintaining a safe working environment

No matter if you work in an office, a store, a restaurant, a warehouse, a construction site or something totally different, there will be hazards in your workplace that need to be assessed. Health and safety should be a huge priority for your business, even if you work in a relatively “risk-free” industry. If there are health and safety oversights and somebody gets hurt, it could be devastating for your business.

Especially if you work with chemicals or other hazardous materials, your working environment’s safety should be taken even more seriously. Processes like Ambient Air Sampling and regular health and safety assessments can ensure you are doing everything you can to reduce risk.

Securing physical premises

If you own a store, a restaurant or a bar, or you rent a warehouse that is full of stock or an office packed to the rafters with technological gadgets and gizmos, it’s essential to ensure your premises are secure. Commercial properties can be enticing prospects for thieves looking to seize items with high street value. Consider investing in security measures and deterrents, such as alarm systems, outdoor lighting and CCTV, or hire a security firm if your premises contain expensive or sought-after products. In addition to investing in robust security measures, it’s also essential to ensure that you have insurance. If your store is broken into, and stock is taken, for example, you should be able to make a claim. 

Strengthening cybersecurity

Cybercrime is one of the most significant threats to businesses today. It is often assumed that it’s only large corporations that are on the radar of cybercriminals, but small businesses are also a target. If you don’t already have rigorous policies and watertight plans in place to prevent security breaches, now is the time to investigate measures you could take to protect your business and your customers. Many companies store personal data, and breaches can contribute to lost revenues through downtime and a loss of consumer confidence. If you don’t have an IT department, it’s worth considering working with an agency that offers consulting, IT support and data security and disaster recovery services. Having access to expert advice will provide you with peace of mind and ensure your networks, systems and devices are secure. It’s also beneficial to provide staff training to help employees spot the signs of scams and to ensure they understand policies related to network security, working from home and using personal devices.

Protecting your reputation

Did you know that over 80% of people now check reviews and ratings before buying products or choosing service providers? In an age where online feedback can make or break you, it’s vital to be proactive when it comes to protecting and improving your reputation. Prioritize customer service, reward loyalty, make sure you deliver on the promises you make and try and set your business apart from others. Connect with customers through social media and personalized emails and showcase the human side of your brand. Supporting good causes and initiatives that are relevant to your business is an excellent way to give back and to enhance brand image. It’s also important to look after your employees, to be honest and open with customers and to address complaints or negative feedback promptly.

Business owners will always face challenges, but disasters are not always inevitable. Protecting your business bubble can help to save money, enhance your reputation and increase your chances of survival if an unexpected obstacle or incident threatens your future.

5 Popular Packaging Materials For Ultra-Durable Transportation

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The importance of good packaging material cannot be overruled in any business. Regardless of the purpose, choosing a packaging material is necessary for a myriad of reasons. For example, good material protects the products from harmful environmental degraders and keeps it fresh and in good shape for the consumer to use.

Besides, every packed product seems more captivating when it comes in appropriate packaging. For example, candies and packed snacks come in printed packaging which is highly lucrative to the buyers. Similarly, different products come in different packaging.

At this note, it makes sense to know the types of materials that can be used. For this reason, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular packaging materials used in the industries for transporting products.

1. Plastic

One of the most popular and widely used packing materials in a plethora of industries is plastic. Its high resistance to loading and extensive durability are amongst the leading reasons for its widespread use. Besides, plastic can also be easily molded into different shapes and sizes as per the requirement, making it one of the most economical materials as well. Some of the industries that regularly make use of plastic packaging include food and beverages, chemical and textile industries, and many more. Plastic could be seen around wrapping almost every product, either at the exterior or in direct contact with the product. For example, clear plastic bottles are used for packing soft drinks and other beverages. And the primary reason for this is to improve the visual appeal of the product. Likewise, most of the electronics come wrapped in bubble wraps or plastic sheets for additional protection against moisture and transitional bumps.

2. Tin

Another common material for packing products is tin. You must have seen it being used for packing soft drinks and hot and cold beverages. Bears, coca-cola, and other beverages could be easily found packed in tin cans. Apart from this, ready-to-eat meals are also quite popularly packed in tin cans. The widespread popularity of this material is because of its high resistance to allergens and atmospheric contamination. Besides, high-pressure packaging is also highly supported by this material. This is also the reason why most of the ready-to-consume packed food items come in tin packaging.

3. Corrugated Paper

Plastic and tin are both responsible for environmental pollution to a large extent. According to a study, if all of the plastic waste is to be mounted, the pile would rise as high as ten times the height of Mount Everest. Strange! Isn’t it? To replace some of these issues and offer a more environmentally friendly solution, the paper is now being widely used as packaging material. And surprisingly, the paper is also highly durable, or at least is comparable to plastic to some extent. For example, Gaylord boxes, which are made out of corrugated cardboard sheets, are strong enough to bear hundreds of kilos of load in one go. Experts at TheGaylordBoxExchange.com explain that boxes made out of corrugated cardboard do not pollute the environment. Additionally, these paper boxes can be reused several times before they can be discarded.

4. Glass

Though not as popular as plastic or paper, glass is still used for packing around one-third of the total FMCG products. The reason why glass is preferred for packing these products is its high resilience to chemical disturbances. In other words, glass is chemically inert and does not change the chemical properties of the products packed within. High chemical resistance also makes it highly suitable for packing medicines and laboratory chemicals. The only problem with glass is its fragile nature, which is also the reason they need to be handled with extra caution.

5. Wood

Last but not least, wood is also one of the widely used packing materials. It is highly durable, environmentally friendly, and is also sourced naturally. Moreover, wooden packages can be reused several times before needing major repairs. However, wood is mostly used only where protection against bumps and accidental hits is needed. For example, when moving bulky furniture from one place to another, wooden boxes are usually used to brace the furniture together and keep them safe from breaking during the transit.

There are many other packing materials such as fiberglass, felts, and even cloth bags which are now gaining traction in the market, rapidly. However, these materials would still be the leaders, mostly because of their economic feasibility and high durability. That being said, the industry insiders believe that there are still more innovations to appear in the field of packaging materials. And surprisingly, these innovations are to be witnessed in both the existing and new technologies. Only time will tell, what the future holds for industries and what new materials would come up.

Taking Your Business Forward Means You Need More Help!

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If you are looking at taking your business forward on the market, then it’s important to understand that you’re going to need some help. It’s not possible to do everything on your own, and when you are taking those next steps for the company, you’re likely going to need more help than you’ve got right now. Seeing as that’s the case, you might be wondering exactly what kind of support you’re going to need, and that’s what we’re going to be looking at in this article. Keep reading if you want to find out more.

Marketing

The first thing that you’re going to need is marketing help because you need to advertise to more people. If you have a small department right now, it might be best to expand this by a few people just to get some new ideas in the mix. You don’t want to be using the same things that you’ve been using up to this point. We know that they have worked in the past, but they might not continue to do so as people can always get bored and don’t stay interested in the same thing for very long. That’s why you need something new and exciting to keep your business moving forward, which is where fresh eyes come in.

Think about all the different tactics that you could be using to engage with your audience. There are the traditional methods such as through TV, handing out flyers and leaflets, as well as online methods such as social media and using your website. Make the most of everything on offer and find someone who knows what they’re doing to pilot this.

Accounting

Something else that you’re going to need help with is accounting. Now, finances can be hard at the best of times, but when you’re moving your business forward, you’re likely going to be expanding, meaning that things are only going to get more complicated. So, instead of trying to handle it all yourself, you’re going to need to hire someone who knows what they are doing, has knowledge of things like enterprise accounting software, and won’t let things slip through the cracks. You never know, they might even be able to give you some advice about what you can do to save money in certain areas!

Human Resources

Finally, you need a human resources team, and if you don’t have one right now, either get one quickly or outsource this need. These professionals are there to keep you on the right side of the law when it comes to your employees and handle any disputes that you might be having or could have in the future. It is essential that your business has this help because you don’t want to be on the wrong side of a lawsuit for wrongful termination or something along these lines.

General Admin

General administration tasks like scheduling, document management and ordering supplies are key to keeping a business organized and efficient. If you’re struggling to keep your business organized, consider whether it might be worth talking to a professional consultant like David Shulick. They may be able to recommend organizational tricks, software you should be using or ways to automate/delegate these tasks to help make admin easier and aid the smooth running of your business.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand that taking your business forward means you need more help, and what exactly this help is. Good luck, and hopefully you get yourself sorted quickly!

5 Ways to Promote Your Small Business to Reach New Customers

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As a small business owner, you must set both long and short-term goals to help you develop a thriving business. One of your most important goals is to reach for more customers. Why? This is because a growing network of clientele means more business opportunities and higher returns thus giving your brand the chance to grow. Here are five ways you can expand your customer base:

1. Create a Free Google My Business Account

Many businesses – large and small – usually set up Google My Business accounts because it’s free and when used properly, can be a very powerful marketing tool. Another advantage is that by setting up an account, your business will be easily discoverable even if you operate in a physical store/business location. This is because prospective customers are more likely to search for information related to your business online. Plus, you will see a boost in your business’s credibility. A study found that businesses with accurate information such as its opening hours, website links and reviews on Google are twice as likely to be seen as trustworthy to potential customers. 

2. Direct Mail Marketing

When you hear direct mail marketing, you are more likely to think along the lines of ‘outdated’ and ‘junk mail’. But direct mail is more than just a form of unsolicited advertising, it’s still an effective way to reach out to new clients and statistics support this claim. Direct mailing accounts for the largest portion of advertising spending ($38.5 billion) in the United States. Including your potential customer’s name can increase opening rates by 135% and 39% of consumers try out a business for the first time because of direct mail. Successful advertising agencies design various direct advertising packages and advertising costs for businesses looking to reach out to new shoppers and direct mail advertising is an example of this. Perhaps it’s time to re-think your stance of direct mail marketing.

3. Have a Business Website

Having a regularly updated website will help you stay one step ahead of your competitors. You will have easier access to new customers through the widening of your business’s radius thereby expanding your market, response rates and feedback between you and your clients will be more effective as having a website allows two-way communication to take place. 

4. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing involves using social networking sites to connect with your audience to build your brand, drive sales and increase your business’s website traffic. Many social media platforms come with analytical tools that provide you with insights such as audience demographics, peak periods, number of post views and clicks to guide you on how to plan a strategic, correctly targeted advertising campaign. 

5. Word of Mouth Marketing

Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing is still relevant because people are more likely to make purchases based on the recommendations of their close friends and family. If you are dedicated to building relationships with your clients, you will more likely see boosts in your WOM marketing tactic. Plus, WOM works for small businesses with tight advertising budgets.

These are some of the ways through which you can promote and grow your small business into a successful and profitable venture. No matter what service you provide, ensure that all your goals should have your customers – old, new or potential – are at the forefront.

Make the most of promotional products. 

Another effective way in which you can bring in new customers or raise your brand’s profile is by designing some promotional products – i.e., products that are customized with your brand’s name, logo, or contact details. This can help spread the word about your company and the kind of services you offer – though it is important you chose your promotional products carefully. You should ensure that they reflect your brand and the type of services you offer. For example, if you run a company that sells stationery – promotional products such as branded pens and notebooks would be a far better choice than a stress ball. 

Above all, you should try to use promotional products that are highly functional – something that your potential customers would actually like to use. Otherwise, they will likely end up in the bin. Another great idea for a promotional product could be a t-shirt or similar item of clothing. You can easily knock up a design that promotes your brand and then work alongside a screen printing company to turn your ideas into a reality. Again, the clothing design must be simple and stylish – as this is a far more productive way of promoting your company than designing something that makes your customers feel like a walking billboard.

Outgrown Your Business Premises? Here’s What To Do Next

Scott Asai1 Comment

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Are you one of the fortunate ones that have seen a boom in business in 2020? Maybe the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t affected your business in any negative way. Maybe you have been one of the businesses that have been able to – or has had no choice – adapt by switching up their manufacturing process and producing something new to help with the fight against the virus. This is how many manufacturing businesses stayed afloat during the height of the pandemic, buy turning their hand to making PPE or ventilators.

Whatever the reason for your growth, if you are have outgrown your existing business premises, here are some things that you need to take into consideration.

Are there any production processes that can be done off-site?

Have a look at your production process and see if any of it can be outsourced to a third party and done off-site. While having something such as Plasma Spraying done elsewhere will obviously cost you, it will be a lot less expensive than moving premises or extending. It also gives you the chance to focus on other aspects of your process. 

Sometimes moving to a whole new site is necessary or can be the cheapest option, but it can also be a huge upheaval. You have to look for somewhere new that is big enough, that is suitable and in the right location, and finding something that does all of those and is within your budget can be a challenge. If this is the case, why not look at expanding your existing premises? Of course, there are other things that need to be thought about – can your business cope with the disruption that an extension and building work can bring? Is the cost of the work going to weigh up positively in the long term against the cost of moving?

Is the location suitable?

For this point, we are going to assume that you have made the decision to move rather than outsource or expand. One of the most important things to think about when moving is the location. 

Location is important for many businesses. It may be that you need to be highly visible., so need to be right next to a busy highway or in the center of a major city. Maybe you don’t, and you can take advantage of more space and lower rates on an out of town space. However, consider whether potential customers, vendors, and deliveries/pickups can get to you easily – access via major transport routes is a necessity. Also, consider your existing staff. If you are thinking of moving, you need to think about whether it is still in reasonable traveling distance for them and if they can access the site easily via public transport if necessary. If you don’t think about this, you could find yourself hit with the additional costs of hiring a new workforce and training them all up.

Making the decision to expand or move can be an exciting one –  it usually means business is going well and that’s a great thing. However, weigh up the pros and cons of all options before settling on something.

When Is It Time To Be The Boss?

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The dream? The dream is to be the boss of a successful and fulfilling company that makes money and doesn’t have to worry about pleasing or appeasing others. 

The reality might be different. As an employee, you’re always working for somebody else and improving their bottom line, no matter how high up the ladder you climb. Of course, you want to make a move, but you don’t know when or how.

The latter is something you’ll learn in the future. Firstly, you must recognize the time to strike. Here are four signs that you are ready to be a boss.

You’ve Had A Taste And Want More

There’s no doubt that certain jobs are full of freedom and independence. Whether you get to decide your work schedule or don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, you’ll love the fact that you’re quasi in charge. Sure, marketing jobs may require you to report to a line manager now and then, yet mostly, you get to ride around in your car with a slogan on the side and the open road as your office. If you love these aspects of your current position, it highlights your desire to push for the career traits that you only find in management roles.

Climbing The Ladder Isn’t Satisfying

Previously, you loved nothing more than attempting to climb the corporate ladder and reach the top of the organization. Currently, the idea isn’t as fulfilling. There’s a lot of jumping through hoops, and you’re beginning to realize that you don’t get much in return. Plus, are the extra responsibilities and pay bump worth the hours you have to put in once you get promoted? According to the statistics, the answer is a firm no. Around 43% of the workforce is freelance or self-employed because they don’t subscribe to the traditional methods of working. The gig economy means you can be a leader.

You Adopt A Work Persona

In the office, it’s not rare for people to have a work persona. This is a character that you play because it helps you to be successful. It has nothing to do with who you are, yet it’s what employers and peers want to see, so you do it regardless. Unfortunately, not only is pretending to be somebody else stressful, but it’s also unproductive. As a boss, you can be who you want to be, and accept your workers for who they are, as you set the tone.

The Itch Can’t Be Scratched

You’ve tried to remove the thought from your mind, yet it won’t go away. You’re not alone as more than 60% of Americans want to own a business at some point in their careers. And, lots of them are realizing their dreams as they move out of corporate America and into the self-employment arena. Please don’t push your feelings down and keep them bottled up. If you experience an emotion strongly, you must listen to it.

Otherwise, you’ll miss the opportunity to do something fulfilling. Isn’t that scary?

Viridian Wood Tables

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Restaurants are not just a place where people come and have their meals, anymore. In recent years, these places of public gathering have gained a lot more value than simply catering to hungry customers. And surprisingly, the interiors of a restaurant has a lot to do with this trend.

If you’re a restaurant owner, you must realize the importance of interior design for your dining area. It not only should be inviting for the diners but also be engaging enough to keep your customers entertained.

For this reason, we’ve compiled a few tricks that you can use to improve the impact that your restaurant has on your customers. Of course, the better your interior designs, the more your restaurant business will flourish. After all, nobody likes to dine at a shady, rickety restaurant.

Floor Planning should be functional

To a certain extent how you arrange your dining area has an impact on how efficiently your staff can operate. For instance, there should be clear passages for the waiters to be able to attend and deliver each and every corner of the restaurant. At the same time, the seating area should have ample dining room for a good number of diners. Of course, you may lose customers if they couldn’t find a seat every time they visit your restaurant.

Besides, it would be a lot easier for your staff to move around if you could arrange the seats and tables to create spacious alleys in between. Particularly, during the busy hours, it would be great if your staff has ample space to move without bumping into each other. Likewise, this is also true with your diners- they can move around and adjust their chairs for a comfortable seating experience.

Creating an invigorating ambiance

It’s not only the arrangement but also the ambiance that invites your guests to your restaurant. Proper lighting, light music in the background, and the colors that you imbue into your restaurant- all make a difference. For instance, some of the well-known restaurants include an open kitchen into their dining area, often called a live kitchen. Imagine your guests could see how their food is being prepared. The sight would not just intrigue them but would also increase their appetite, which is once again a good sign for your restaurant business.

Similarly, the types of lights and shades that you install also have an impact. You can choose from dull to bright strobe lighting effects. Dull lights would induce romantic and friendly chats into your diners, whereas, strobe lights would invigorate active participation in dancing and other such activities. Likewise, the type of ambient music would also make a difference to the mood of your diners.

Furniture ideas that make dining experience comfortable

Apart from the seating arrangement and the visible effects, there’s one more thing that can influence your customers- the type of furniture. Essentially, your furniture should be comfortable. It has been noted that uncomfortable seats and dining areas can refute the diners from having a satisfying dining experience.

There are plenty of furniture ideas available in the market. From sofa sets to the classic wooden furniture, there are myriad of options to choose from. For example, these Viridian Wood Tables, made out of reclaimed wood are a perfect fit for restaurants that offer a refreshed classic taste to their customers. Likewise, there are matching chairs, also made out of reclaimed wood, that can complete the set. The point here is, you should choose a motif and follow the theme to get the maximum profits out of your investment.

Maintaining proper ventilation and air conditioning

It needs no saying that a place that is ought to be crowded, such as a restaurant, needs a highly efficient ventilation system. Without proper ventilation of air inside the restaurant, the diners may soon begin to feel nauseated, which won’t be good for your restaurant business. Moreover, the fumes from cooking can be toxic at times, if not exuded from the environment properly. This makes it all the more necessary to have an efficient ventilation system in place.

Air conditioning is another must for your restaurant. While ventilation would recirculate the clean air inside the restaurant and help remove the smoke and fumes, air conditioning would help keep the ambient environment cool and comfortable. Imagine your guests sweating while having their meals. Surely, it would be disappointing for your guests to be having their meals in such an environment. Plus, it is also unhygienic for your restaurant.

Designing the restrooms

Restrooms are probably the most neglected feature of any public place. And noticeably, these are also one of the most influential factors affecting the business, especially for a restaurant. Apart from having a sufficient number of restrooms in your restaurant, you should also invest a little in their maintenance and cleanliness. Clean toilets and bathrooms are also an inviting factor for your diners.

You can also put up some state-of-the-art toiletries and fixtures to make your guests feel appreciated. This might sound a bit odd, but it’s absolutely true. If you’ve ever been to a restroom in a multiplex or a shopping center before, you’d realize that they not only keep their restrooms clean but also put in some decorative pieces. You can step further by installing green plants that should refresh the atmosphere inside the restrooms.

The restaurant business is probably one of those that needs very least marketing in order to guarantee returns on investment. That being said, however, without proper design elements a restaurant is nothing more than a mid-day meal shack. So, maybe indirectly, but there are a few marketing hacks that need to be followed by restaurant owners. And interior design is probably one of the most important of these indirect marketing tactics.

In the end, it is your vision that pays off for your restaurant business. If you really wish for your business to grow, and you wish to open up a chain of restaurants, then you must follow a theme for your restaurant’s interiors. Or otherwise, you can choose to keep them simple but not too bland. Of course, as you already know your interiors are the key to improving your customers’ satisfaction.

Four Signs That You Need to Start Hiring Specialists in Your Business

Scott Asai2 Comments

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Starting your own business can be a breeze if you know where to start. The internet has an infinite library of resources to search through and learn from, and there are plenty of services that can help you establish a professional online presence in just a couple of days. With so many easy ways to start a business, it’s no wonder that more and more people are looking to start their own small business as an alternate career path or secondary source of income.

However, while starting up a business has never been easier, it introduces another problem; competition.

Now that there are more startups than ever, it’s getting hard to stand out from the crowd. In fact, most new startups crumble after a couple of months since they fail to get customers and set expectations that are far too unrealistic. So in this post, we’re going to talk about four signs that you need to take it slow and start hiring professional assistance to grow your business.

  1. There are areas of your business that need to grow, but you’re not sure how

There are always going to be certain areas of your business that you just don’t understand very well. For example, you might have a grasp on how to be a great leader and delegate to improve productivity, but that’s not going to help in terms of marketing. If you feel like there are certain weaknesses in your business, then it’s a good idea to hire a specialist to fill that gap.

  1. You’re having trouble sourcing for a particular thing in your business

While a lot of new startups are completely focused on net-based business models, there are still plenty of companies that rely on a physical workspace and specialized machines. This could include anything from a floating roof tank for petroleum storage to a heat press for a t-shirt printing business. If you have certain types of equipment that are far too old or complex for you to understand, hiring a specialist is the smartest thing to do.

  1. Your business has become incredibly inefficient over the past few weeks or months

It’s usually quite easy to spot inefficiencies. Perhaps your team isn’t meeting quotas, maybe they’re always distracted or perhaps they’re taking much longer on simple tasks than you would’ve expected. If you feel that your team has grown inefficient over the past few weeks or months, then you may need to start hiring specialists to grow the team, educate your current staff and grow your business.

  1. You keep losing and hiring staff, costing you incredible amounts of money

A lot of people don’t realize that firing and hiring staff is expensive. That’s why a lot of companies focus on trying to retain their employees by hiring specialists that know what they’re doing. While highly skilled, they also demand higher salaries for their expertise. However, this increased cost pales in comparison to the cost of firing, re-hiring and retaining someone from scratch.

8 Reasons Coding for Kids is Not Just Another Fad

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Is Coding a Fad?

In short, no. Coding is a field that is growing and changing quickly; there is a world of opportunity for young students looking to get involved in the tech world. Opponents to this position might argue that today’s popular languages, like Python, won’t be used ten or fifteen years down the line. So what’s the use in learning these programming languages?

While it is true that programming will continue to advance, it is important to remember that there is so much more to learning a coding language like Python than memorizing syntax and applications. When we teach coding, we teach concepts beyond one particular language. Students gain knowledge about how computers process and “think” about a given problem, regardless of which language they are learning. They gain important intuition about fundamental concepts, like basic control structures (e.g. loops and conditional statements) and algorithms, that will undoubtedly be useful in our highly technological future. Below are 8 of the many reasons why coding for kids is not just another trendy or silly fad.

1. Our world is growing more technological

In the 21st century, we have seen enormous developments in the technology industry. The world is moving in a direction that is both fast-paced and information-centered. Data is quickly becoming one of the most valuable resources in the global economy, and individuals with digital literacy are becoming more valued in the labor market. With all of this in mind, it’s hard to ignore the massive role that fields like data science and software engineering, both largely centered around coding, are going to have. Figures estimate seemingly outrageous numbers – an estimated fifty billion smart devices are projected to be in use by 2020 – illustrating the abundance of technology in our lives.

With such statistics in our near futures, it is clear to see that industries are changing. The internet is a hub of information, applications, e-commerce, social networking, and communication platforms, all of which are designed to increase efficiency, performance, and convenience. As industries become digitized, new jobs are simultaneously emerging. Coding is an asset that will only continue to grow as we move forward as an increasingly connected society.

2. It teaches kids to strategize for unique solutions

Computer science is a highly useful tool beyond its direct applications. As there is rarely one right answer to a given problem, computer science encourages students to create solutions that are unique. For computer scientists, this means that coders have a great amount of leeway to create their own intuitive solutions.

Teaching kids how to code pushes young students to actually learn, not just memorize facts and regurgitate them. It challenges students to critically think about a problem, what they want to accomplish, and how to get it done. There are plenty of kid-friendly coding languages, such as Scratch, that give young students the opportunity to build unique projects using coding techniques. Scratch also allows coders to share their projects with the world. This connectivity can inspire new and aspiring coders to learn from their peers and guide them through more complicated projects and concepts. This collaborative environment also allows students to work together and learn from one another. Encouraging kids to utilize these programs not only teaches them useful skills for computer science, but it also allows them to exercise their creativity.

3. It teaches students to not give up

Most coders will advise, while there is plenty of room for creativity in coding, there is also plenty of room for error. Learning to code teaches students how not to give up on their solutions, but rather to debug their code, even when repeated error messages appear. Coders tease out solutions by using their understanding of computational thinking (see point 6) to isolate any errors and achieve the goal at hand.

That code can always be improved upon motivates coding students to go back and better their solutions, an incredibly valuable skill set to have in general. Code also instills resilience, yet another invaluable tool in the workplace. While programming can feel tedious, frustrating, and difficult at times, the process of problem solving inherently makes for better coders and better students.

4. It can be applied to almost everything that students are learning

Computer science is expanding into every corner of the world, with applications for anything one can imagine and automated services that are permeating thousands of business models worldwide. On top of that, programming incorporates many mathematical concepts, and it can complement the concepts students are learning in their math classes.

Coding also promotes problem-solving, an important skill for any student. Beyond math, students can use code to support other interests they may have. With coding, young professionals’ career options extend across industries. By teaching kids how to code, students will find the confidence and tools to explore aspects of software engineering, data analysis, video game development, and mobile app development – in just about any industry that they know and love.

5. It is challenging and collaborative

Coding challenges young students to explore new fields. Computer science is a collaborative field, allowing individuals to work together to complement one another’s skill sets, and write code that is efficient and intuitive. Students can and often do learn to code in a group setting, so that they can discuss their ideas and learn from each other’s successes. Learning to code encourages students to work together when they reach a roadblock. It promotes collaboration via idea exchange and allows students’ to compare and contrast solutions. Teaching kids about computer programming can be a catalyst for inspiring teamwork and leadership among students.

6. It teaches students about computational thinking

Whichever languages a student decides to pursue – Python, Java, or any of the long list of popular coding languages today – will help them develop computational thinking. This means that students will learn how to effectively break down problems into manageable parts, observe patterns in data, identify how these patterns are generated, and develop the step-by-step instructions for solving those problems.

Computational thinking and digital literacy are arguably the most important aspect to learning to code at any age due to the huge technological shift in nearly every industry on the global market (see point 1). Establishing a foundation in computational thinking will pave the way for future success in and outside CS related fields. All students can benefit from understanding computational thinking, as it applies to the technological aspects of daily life.

7. It’s good for the brain

Like any good challenge, coding is an excellent way to strengthen young, developing brains. It encourages students to combine their knowledge of computational learning and out-of-the-box thinking to strategize unique solutions.

Multiple studies support the hypothesis that learning to code has real, long term benefits on young children. Researchers have found that individuals who code tend to have reduced odds of getting neurodegenerative diseases in older age. Coders also tend to do better in cognitive tasks, because coding activates areas of the brain that are associated with memory, attention, and logic. Learning to code at an early age supports neural connections in these regions, leading to high performance in other fields, as well.

8. It’s fun!

While we may be slightly biased, computer science is an educational way to bring fun into your children’s lives! Computer science is one of the few fields of study in which students can see the immediate outcome of their work as they build out their projects – by running their code, they get instant, live feedback.

Programs like Scratch and Repl.it utilize software that is kid-friendly and permits students to visualize their projects as they come to life! They can build code that creates a video game or a website and share their work with friends. Developing kids’ proficiency with computer science now will lead to a future generation of coders who have the skill set to advance our world.

This article originally appeared on junilearning.com

3 Things To Look For In An Excellent Business Website

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Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

No matter how big or small your business is, you will need a website to place yourself online. The majority of shoppers begin their journey with a Google search, meaning they find companies through websites. If you don’t have one, you won’t be seen. 

Additionally, it’s not enough to just create a bog-standard business website. No, it needs to have specific features and traits that make it effective. Bearing that in mind, here are some things to look for in an excellent business website:

SEO-Friendly

If a website is SEO-friendly, it means it ranks well in search engines. In essence, it’s easy for the search engine to find the site and categorize the pages into different searches. Therefore, your website will appear more frequently and higher up the search engine rankings. From here, you can bring in more traffic, meaning your website is basically a magnet for leads. An SEO-friendly website will typically have great content that incorporates keywords, an excellent structure, lots of links, fast loading speeds, and so on. As a general rule, the more user-friendly a site is, the more SEO-friendly it becomes. 

Valuable Content

A good website has some content that gives a bit of information to consumers. An excellent one provides valuable content that users can take advantage of. Your small business needs a website that gives as much information to users as possible. Provide all your contact details, business info, service details, and more. Include frequently asked questions to offer instant customer service, and write blog posts to further extend the information you provide. When a website has valuable content, it makes it easier to draw people to it. Not only that, but this helps to enhance your reputation and gain a sense of authority. In doing so, this will build trust with consumers and can make your website convert. 

A Good ROI

Lastly, you have to look for a good ROI from your business website. Essentially, this means that your website generates more money than it takes to build and run it. One way to almost guarantee this is to opt for a proper web design service. As it mentions on https://rsmconnect.com/website-design/, when a website is designed by professionals, it shows! A professional-looking website can attract more attention and bring a whole host of new customers to the party. In turn, this helps you generate a better ROI by gaining new customers and making more money. Also, the advantage of professional services is that you trust experts to build and maintain your website. As a result, they can use techniques and methods that are more cost-effective than if you did it all by yourself. Thus, the cost of running your site decreases as the profits you earn go up. 

The big question to answer is whether or not your website has all three of these things. If you can tick them all off, it means you have an excellent and effective business website. If you can’t, you have to focus on getting all three lined up to enjoy online success.