Category: Business

Hard work pays off in the long run. After spending years studying in school and working your way up the corporate ladder to the ultimate position, you have much to be proud of. After working so hard for years to finally reach your goal can be a very proud moment but can also be stress-inducing. When you become a prominent leader within a company, there are more responsibilities that you did not have before. This article will identify some things you should consider when you become a top leader in your organization.

 

Because business is always evolving, it is important that prominent leaders invest in covering themselves should something go wrong with the company. Whether you work in the public sector, private industry or for a non-profit, d&o liability insurance is a must-have these days. You may wonder why you would need to invest in this type of coverage. Some industry leaders have shared that due to the constant change of laws and regulations, that having insurance is a good thing to have in your back pocket. When you are not protected by this type of insurance, your business assets, as well as personal property, could be at risk should you have a lawsuit brought against you.

 

Other reasons to invest in liability insurance is to protect yourself from having to spend your net worth on a legal team, settlements, or judgments if you find yourself in trouble. Many do not realize that things such as but not limited to alleged acts, breach of duty, misstatements, neglect, errors, or other things committed by directors who may find themselves involved in illegal or civic proceedings are covered by this type of insurance. Just make sure that you include this type of coverage when selecting your liability insurance policy.

 

Make sure that your policy includes legal representation. Doing so could save yourself a great deal of strife and money should you find yourself in the middle of a legal battle. The cost of going to court can be huge and not one that you likely have saved up for. If you invest in preventing the worst, the chances are that you will have insurance that will cover your legal expenses should you have a lawsuit filed against you.

 

Whether you are new to business or you are working your way up the corporate ladder, it is always a good idea to look ahead to the future so that you can be completely prepared for whatever comes your way. Many prominent leaders are choosing to invest in liability insurance to protect themselves from the ever-changing laws and regulations that are common within many industries. Depending on the insurance coverage you select, you can feel confident in being safe-guarded from something as egregious as a lawsuit or an employee complaint. You have certainly worked very hard to climb the ladder to get to a prominent position within the company you work for. While it may cost you money now, preserving your net worth and your position within the company by purchasing insurance coverage can be a lifesaver in the long run.

As the owner of a business, it is your job to decide what kind of values and attributes it is going to bring to the table. Ethos is very important for new companies. These days, customers are especially concerned about what their brands think and feel. They want to know which causes they stand behind and what changes they are trying to make in the world.

However, all of these things start on the inside, with your company culture. The policies, rules, and guidelines which govern everyday operations are also what shape behaviours. So, if you want to build a team which is dynamic and creative, you’ve got to provide the right environment. The first step is to re-evaluate your office routines.

This guide to fostering creativity within the workplace will give you some advice on the best ways to shake things up.

 

Don’t Be Afraid of Change

Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that the traditional working model isn’t the most efficient way to run a business. Forcing employees to sit in one spot, every single day, with little freedom of expression is counterproductive. It leads to a ‘watch the clock’ attitude, rather than a true focus on the work. Fortunately, companies like Servcorp New Zealand are helping businesses to embrace new and exciting routines.

 

Respect the Individual

Take the trend for remote working, for example. It restores trust to the manager/employee relationship by encouraging workers to select their own routines. It isn’t logical to assume that everybody performs best in exactly the same conditions. Some people thrive in a conventional office environment, but others excel when allowed to work from home. With so many flexible office solutions available in New Zealand, there is room for all kinds of different approaches.

 

Provide the Best Environment

Whether you have a fully remote team or a rotating desk strategy, you still need a hub; a central meeting point where all of your resources can be accessed. It is up to you to decide how this environment functions because you don’t have to make it a traditional office. Virtual workspaces are highly creative. They contain a full roster of ‘pay as you use’ services, within a beautifully designed coworking suite. They affordable, efficient, and very flexible.

 

Make Yourself Visible

It is easy to forget that, as the owner of the company, you are viewed in a different way to everybody else, whether you like it or not. Instead of challenging this perception, work with it and focus on being a supportive presence. Often, the only thing which employees need to start sharing their ideas is affirmation. So, be present and visible. Talk to members of staff, spend time with them at the office, and show your workforce that you acknowledge their effort.

 

Always Ask Questions

Ultimately, the easiest way to learn about your workforce is to ask questions. If you want to know how to improve the office environment or what tools employees need to perform better, go directly to the source. Just make sure that you’re ready to listen to what they have to say first. Accept feedback with an open mind (particularly negative feedback) and make it clear that all opinions are welcome. If you disparage or dismiss, they simply won’t share again.

 

Why Creativity Comes with Trust and Honesty

It isn’t easy for a business owner to invite criticism of their methods, strategies, and approaches, but the key to success is fearlessness. Strengthening and improving the company must be your top priority and, if you have to make changes to do it, embrace them. The world is a diverse and exciting place and it belongs to those who wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

It would be nice to believe that nobody was out there trying to pull the wool over our eyes; nice to believe that every penny being earned was honest. But it isn’t.

Con-artists exist the world over, attempting to swindle unsuspecting people out of their hard-earned cash.

The tradesmen industry is one such area that has seen a slew of con-artists join its folds since the very concept of offering manual labour work as a contractor was invented. As a result, scams are rife in the industry, which is very unfortunate. The tradesmen craft is an important one and honest tradesmen are a vital resource that keep many homes from falling apart.

If you need to find a tradesman, yet are concerned you might get scammed, you’ve come to the right place. To help keep yourself from becoming the one in every ten that falls victim to a financial scam, here are common tradesmen scams to look out for:

 

1. The Fake Authority

When you arrange for a tradesman to work on your property, perhaps the first thing you’ll do is ask for his or her credentials. After all, if they have the authority of a legitimate organization behind them, they are surely bound to be legitimate themselves.

This is absolutely true. Kind of.

Having a reputable authority backing up a tradesman is perhaps the strongest indicator around that they are up to the job. However, this is something scammers are keenly aware of.

They know people trust a lanyard and a fancy-sounding organization, so they do one of two things:

• They make up an authority and/or;
• They pretend to be part of an authority they aren’t

The trick here is to never take anyone at face value. Always check their credentials. Find out if their authority is legitimate and, if so, do they really belong to it? Some trades are easier to check out that others. Those that work in gas, electric or water (including plumbers) need to be part of a governing authority in order to operate, but other industries are less tightly moderated — gardeners, handymen, builders, etc. Always do some digging before you agree to having work done. If you ask a tradesman for time to check out their details, they won’t mind, if you ask a con-artist for time, they might immediately reveal themselves without even having to bother with the research.

 

2. The Cash Upfront Routine

It is a rare thing to pay for something you haven’t yet received. With a few exceptions, you pay for pretty much everything after you’ve got whatever you are paying for — a meal, a phone, a car, a month’s work out of an employee. Why, then, should you pay upfront for a tradesmen’s work?

This is a very common, very simple scam: The ‘tradesman’ con-artist requests that they be paid upfront. The reasoning can be vague or complex; from having to leave before you return home, to having problems with previous customers to entrench business policy that is “out of their control”.

This is a big red flag. We do not live in the 90s anymore; money can be transferred at the drop of a hat from anywhere in the world. You do not need to hand over the money because they may not be around to get paid, nor should there ever be a policy which demands payment prior to work.

An honest trader has no need to be paid upfront, as they know they’ll get their money once the work is done. But what if you refuse to pay? Well, they have your home address. It isn’t difficult to dispute a case when you can send the police to their person’s front door.

You, on the other hand, are in a tough position if you pay, only to discover the work that has been completed is sub-par, or perhaps has not even been carried out. A scamming tradesman can seemingly disappear off the face of the earth, leaving you out of pocket and perhaps worse off than you started.

 

3. The Door-to-Door Problem

A common scam employed by a number of con-artists is the door-to-door method.

The process is simple. You receive a knock at your door, a supposed tradesman you’ve never met stands on your doorstep. They then offer you work on your house — roofing repair, guttering, electrics, etc. — right then and there.

Usually, these types of con-artists are gifted in the art of talking as well as scamming, and may try to catch you out with promises of low prices and a quick job. Sometimes, the tactics get more aggressive. They may make claims that the work needs to be done urgently or you risk problems with your home. They may even claim you have legal obligations.

So why is this a scam? Can tradesmen not go door-to-door looking for work?

An honest tradesman can indeed go door-to-door looking for work, but they don’t try and force you into an immediate sale. If they are working in the area, they’ll let you know if that is the case, giving you contact/business information and providing details on services offered. There are also a number of regulations in place designed specifically to protect the public from dodgy door-to-door salesmen. These include mandatory cancellation rights, access to refunds, receipts, invoices and more. If a tradesman is unwilling to follow regulations, they aren’t really a tradesmen.

A scammer isn’t interested in spreading the word or coming back later. They want a quick, whirlwind affair where they can get in, do some ‘work’, make a quick buck, and leave. This type of trader cares not for quality (why would they, if they are just going to disappear?) and is unlikely to provide long-lasting work.

The idea here is to cut corners, do things quickly, and make that money, leaving before anyone can figure out what you did wrong.

You do not want to be in the position where you cannot contact a tradesman about the work they have completed — tracking down a cowboy tradesman is not easy. You also do not want to agree to work on the spot, instead making sure you are getting a good deal. Doorstep scams are notoriously common, and should never be considered.

 

4. The Mystery of the Missing Quote

You’ve met a tradesman and you find them to be genuine enough; perhaps you have a reference or you just get a good feeling. They seem qualified, they’ve got everything going for them, but they won’t offer you a quote. No matter what other signals you’ve been getting up to this point, this tradesman is almost certainly a con-artist.

A quote allows you, the paying customer, to get a good idea of whether or not the work being done is affordable and competitive to other tradesmen’s pricing. Without a quote, you cannot know if you are getting a deal that you can afford or that is fair.

Scammers don’t want to give you a quote, however. If they give you a quote, their plan is unlikely to pull through. They might lose you as a customer and they can’t force you to overpay. Therefore, they will try to avoid providing a quote.

Quoting is an industry standard; all honest tradesmen will give you a quote for their work. Quotes can sometimes change slightly — maybe an additional part was need, although the tradesmen should always tell you beforehand — but it is a relative figure that gives you all the information you need to make the right choice. If you don’t get a quote, who knows what the bill may end up being? If they won’t quote you, find an actual tradesman.

Almost everyone has experienced some financial troubles throughout their life. The key is not to surrender to the stress and dim perspectives this situation might bring but look out for a solution, sometimes even with the help of a professional. One of the most often misfortunes resulting from financial struggles is the possibility to lose your home. Usually, if you are more than 60 days late on your mortgage payment you will get a letter from your lender with a notification what will follow. Initially that will be warnings and suggestions how to renegotiate your mortgage but eventually things will go worse if you don’t take measures. Don’t worry – even if you are already served with a foreclosure, there is a way to work through this if you seek professional help. Consulting a foreclosure attorney on your home status is the best action to take. They will give you proper advice on what is the best road to take for your specific situation and will definitely help you avoid scams. Below you can find three main tips on how to recognize and avoid foreclosure scams.

 

Know the procedure

The first thing to do when faced with the possibility to lose your home due to foreclosure is to get to know the procedure. It will be useful even if you just browse the internet to get some basic knowledge of what you should expect. You can read about the different options – such as filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can find some stories of success that will encourage you, but most important of all – you will know more or less what lies ahead of you. There will be some legal terms that you will come across, so you can write them down and ask your counselor or attorney about them, as the next step is to seek professional advice.

 

Always consult a licensed professional

When you are faced with a foreclosure, don’t rely on occasional internet adds to direct you to the best company which can help you but seek professional advice. Even in the letters you receive from your bank about the late mortgage instalments you are advised to seek help and call the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is good to find a reliable attorney who is specialized in this sphere and who will give you proper legal advice. There are many good professionals who even offer free consultations to start with. A good counsel is worth a lot and a professional in the field will give you the best advice for your personal situation – sometimes it might be to surrender the house, sometimes it will be how to keep fighting to keep it. It is all up to the specific case.

 

Recognize some of the most often schemes used

It is also important to learn about the most often scams that are used in your state or region. Here again the internet can come handy – search for the house related scams that were reported in the news and what were the schemes used. Your attorney can also give you some examples. Some of the most often scams are:

• A well-dressed gentleman or lady comes to you pretending to represent the foreclosure department of your mortgage company. They offer a special payment scheme to stop the procedure, whereas you either pay a big lump of money upfront or send monthly installments for a shorter period of time. At the end of the day your money never reach the company and the scammer runs away with them.
• You are contacted by a local agency who claims to be working in your interest but actually they prevent you from taking real action and buy your home at the auction organized by the bank
• You are approached by a stranger, who claims to be specialist in foreclosure and asks for your deed as a security for stopping the process or for arranging a better loan

The overall conclusion is – never trust strangers and never give them money or your property documentation. Always double check if they are really representing your bank, attorney or other authorized agency.

Does it take you a long time to build your resume? If that’s true, then you need help. What you really need is some ultimate resume building software that automates everything for you.

What’s Taking You So Long?

There are many reasons why you may have trouble building a resume. In many cases it’s because you have a hard time trying to get the right format so that it looks just right. You may not know how to use the templates in your word processor, or you find those templates boring.

Another reason is that you’re not exactly sure what info you need to put in the resume. If you have a long job employment history, you may not know exactly how you should present your previous employment.

There’s also the matter of the cover letter. How do you write one? Should you even include it? Finding the answers to these questions can take a very long while.

How Does It Work?

So how do you get to build a resume in 5 minutes? It’s actually easy. It’s just a matter of several steps.

1. Find the right online resume builder. This should be easy to use so you don’t waste time. It should be free too.
2. Pick the right template. Usually you choose between classic templates and the more modern ones. You should pick one that matches the personality of the company you wish to join, and that also suits your own personality as well.

That means if you’re applying to a more “conservative” company such as a bank, law firm, or hospital, you should pick among the more traditional formats. If you’re hoping to join a new hip artsy startup, a more modern template may be better.

Of course, if you’re applying to different banks, then you can choose a separate template for each one. That’s so they don’t think you’re sending the same resume en masse.

1. Put in your info. These will include your name, contact info, prior jobs, and educational history.
2. Write a cover letter. Some employers like cover letters because they get a better sense of who you are from it. The software should enable you to write this quickly.
3. Save the document. Nowadays it should be saved in PDF format, so you can send it online. But you should also have it stored online so you can change things and make updates whenever you want.

It should also be password-protected, so that only you can make the changes on your resume.

That’s it. It really is that easy. All you need is the right template and the proper guidance on what info to put in, and it saves you a lot of time and effort. You end up with the right format for your resume, and you have it in PDF form as well.

That’s why you need the ultimate resume building software. It helps direct your energies towards putting in the right info. You’re not bothered by trivialities such as making columns in MS Word. Now you can concentrate more on your job hunt instead.

A property is still one of the most sought after investments at present. Whether it is to put a roof over your head or for profits when you decide to buy one for reselling purposes, purchasing a property involves a lot of money, thus, requiring a lot of thought and research before diving in head first.

 

The Internet and social media open up a huge variety of properties to choose from. Now, just by sitting at home, you can check options available for you. You get to review the area, its pros and cons, and all the possible incentives you could get by purchasing it. Less hassle, less time wasted, more productive.

 

The downside however, is that, the more choices you have, the more confusing it gets. Since this is one of the major decisions you’ll make in your lifetime, it is worth finding the best property to invest in.

 

Quality of the Property

The first thing you should ask yourself when buying a property is, “Why is it for sale?” This is the starting point and the crucial part that could shoot down the possible success of your investment. This is where thorough research is needed, among others.

 

It is a must to know why the property is for sale in the first place. If it is a house, conduct a background check, research on the history and components of the house. Is it for sale due to some unrepairable flaws? Compute all the needed repairs for the house and weigh if the benefits outweigh the cost.

 

Price is often an indicator of quality when it comes to a property. A property being sold at an extremely low price could be a red light that something is wrong with it. Find time to explore all aspects of the building. Extended parts of the main building, for instance, garages and barns if any, are often overlooked because the focus is usually on the main part of the building. Check on the garage door and its components, for instance. If in doubt, call the experts in the area for assistance. Some offer free check-ups for such.

 

Neighborhood

One of the important aspects in investing in a property is the location of the property. Is it a good neighborhood? Is it near schools, supermarkets and other amenities? Is it the area promising?

 

A property which is located near malls, gyms, public transportation, parks, and other attractions are often an invitation to investors. Having a property in the area could mean possible investment growth as well as double, if not triple value for your property in the long run. Be on a lookout for neighborhood that could be a hot spot for criminal dealings and activities. This automatically reduces the value of your investment. As such, it is important to survey the neighborhood before investing in it.

 

Potential of the Property

What are you planning to do with your property? For one, you could choose to develop it to be just a shelter for you and your family or serve as a bnb or a small inn for travelers.

 

Choose the right builder for your property, a good decorator, people well-known on the field. Stick to your budget but do not scrimp on the quality of materials. There are materials that are relatively cheaper where the quality is not compromised. Explore all possible extension of the house, from the landscape to the garage. Integrate modern design that makes an impression on the house like remote access on the garage or sensor lighting system that increases the security as well.

 

Job Availability

In choosing to find the right property to invest in, it is important to check on the availability of jobs in the area. Your property will not be patronized if it is located in an area where jobs are scarce. No one wants to drive many miles every single day just to get into their respective jobs as this would incur an additional cost to their daily spending,

 

A property that is within a stone’s throw away of busy and flourishing streets would mean low vacancy rate and high property value.

 

Property Taxes

If you are planning to rent out your property, you should be well aware first of the property tax you are facing. Taxes do not have fix rates and it differs in different places. In investing, you should be informed of the amount you are going to exhaust on tax. The tax you pay for your property should not exceed the profit you gain for using your estate as either a rent out or a commercial space.

 

In investing, there is a great need to explore all corners before throwing your money in it. The future success of the property lies on thorough research and wise calculation of moves – things an investor should not overlook.

 

Of the many things we do think about and often pertaining to our homes, our motor vehicles, our office etcetera, the thought of window replacement regrettably is not top of mind. Yet all of the spaces and places we frequent daily, like our offices and homes, have one thing in common. They have windows!  In fact, we only ever seem to think about the replacement of windows when it’s non-negotiable to have them replaced.

But have you ever wondered what the consequences are to not having windows replaced timeously? Well, here’s some things you may not know, however, once you do, it’s certain that necessary window inspection and ongoing condition assessment will be conjured.

High energy bills are the most obvious signs to getting your windows checked. With the infiltration of cold air in winter and warm air in summer, you will be compelled to turn up the heating and cooling systems in your home. This directly impacts your utility bills, which influences your household expenditure and also subtly impacts other critical elements like the environment. That’s the “silently” fundamental thing about windows. They are part of your space and “world” and they are seemingly grossly under-estimated for their important role.

You may, however, ask what are some of the other tell signs which one can immediately rely on without engaging the expertise of a window specialist that necessitates window replacements? Some obvious signs are when you sit close to your windows in winter and it’s cooler than the rest of your home. How about when you touch the windows glass in winter and it feels extremely cold to touch or the opposite in summer where it’s extremely hot to touch.  The other immediate tell sign is when frost builds up. The worrisome part of daily window frost build up is when it melts, turning into dripping water, the threat of wall and floor damage over a period of time is very likely.

The next best time to know when to replace a window is when frames start to show signs of rot. Without treatment available for the immediate stages of wood depreciation, it may be opportune to relook the repair with a total window replacement. This influences the aesthetic appeal of the home through optional newer designed window replacements, it resolves secondary consequences as outlined above and, it allows for eco- friendly installations that contribute towards your household’s environmental responsibility.

Window replacement also allows smaller businesses to evolve and thrive with small to medium projects. This may seem irrelevant but when considering what a big part of one’s day includes the existence of windows, the need for window specialists is directly proportionate to the number of windows we are faced with daily.

While windows and the need to know when to replace them, how to assess their condition and the impact they have on other areas seem irrelevant, it’s perhaps time to note that windows are indeed the “windows to the world,” and in saying this, it’s paramount to know when to have yours replaced.

About the author

This article was provided by www.ApexWindowWerks.com, a window repair and replacement company. If you know it is the right time to repair your windows, then Apex Window Werks is your best choice. Visit their website for more details and feel free to get in touch with them to schedule an appointment.