Category: Entrepreneurship

When beginning your own business, it is natural to be intimidated. You may be unsure of how much money to invest in various components or be afraid to announce the new venture. One way to help make the transition from launch to confident entrepreneur is to take notes from the adventurous and indomitable attitude that abounds in nature.

Fake it Until You Make It

This is popular advice for anyone who is nervous about trying something new for a good reason – it works. It is also a common tactic used in the animal kingdom. There are many animals that will change their shape to attract a mate or prevent an attack. The fur of a feline can stand on end sometimes doubling the size of the animal when it becomes afraid. This is to make itself appear larger and less susceptible to the perceived threat. Other animals have similar tactics such as the cobra, the puffer fish, toads, and the great horned owl.

The lesson here is: you don’t have to be the biggest business in your field to look as though you are a force to be reckoned with. There are several ways to accomplish this. Professional business cards, website, and email address all indicate a company that has structure and purpose. Even if you are running the entire operation out of your home, you can appear to the world as professional as a competitor with downtown office space. If you want to further the illusion and keep your home and work addresses separate, you can opt for a virtual PO box address.

Weather Patterns

Take some time to learn about various weather patterns in other areas of the world. You will notice that weather patterns are constantly fluctuating within a given area and vary greatly from region to region. This is very similar to the way trends come and go within a given niche and can be completely different from one industry to the next. The wonderful thing about weather is that it changes and by paying attention it is possible to prepare for adverse conditions.

In the business world, this means following all of the industry leaders, trends, and news. This can be done on social media, following trade publications or websites, and through various networking efforts. This can help you prepare for incoming trends and know when it is time to adjust your strategies and business plan.

Save for Winter

Unlike modern humans, animals do not have the luxury of going to a local shop and ordering food in the middle of winter. Instead, they use a variety of ways to prepare themselves for times of shortage. Small animals like squirrels hide acorns and other nuts to sustain them through months of snow. Bears stuff themselves for months and use that fuel to help them wait out the long months until the abundance of spring arrives.

Businesses all go through seasons. During the spring and summer sales are great and cash is abundant. Fall may bring forth a slower time of reflection and revision and winter consists of the weeks or months when sales are slower than expected or even nonexistent. It is important to put funds aside during the bountiful months so that when the winter arrives you are able to survive without panic and unmanageable stress.

Take time to observe the natural world and find inspiration from species that have taken millennium learning how to go with the flow. Once you begin to notice the similarities between the business world and that of nature, it becomes less intimidating and easier to confront and solve issues as they arise.

 

For those looking for a challenging and cutting-edge job, the nuclear energy industry may just be the field for you. Nuclear jobs are available not just here at home but all around the world, giving people plenty of options either in civil or military nuclear energy. With that said we’ll take a look at the top five nuclear energy jobs for those new to the field, and for those who have been working in it for years. Keep in mind there are many other positions in the field outside of these top five.

Instrumentation and Control Technician

The Instrumentation and Control Technician has the job of testing, calibrating, reworking, fixing, and making modifications to the controls and instrument systems in the plant. Typically, a high school diploma is all you’ll need as you will then be trained by the employer. There are professional certifications you can get as well, which can help you land the job.

Chemistry Technician

If you’re looking for a job that uses a variety of skills, with a high dependency on math and chemistry, the chemistry technician path may be for you. Your main role in this job is to measure and then record the radioactivity and chemistry levels. In order to break into this position, you’ll need your high school diploma with an emphasis on math and chemistry, plus two years of experience, and on-the-job training.

Radiation Protection Technician

This is another vital role in the plant, as the radiation protection technician is responsible for measuring and recording the levels of radiation. There are other aspects of the job as well, which is why on the job training and two years’ worth of experience is required. After all, they are the ones responsible for keeping everyone safe when it comes to radiation levels.

Mechanical Technician

The mechanical technician has an important role at the plan as it is up to them to make sure that the structure and components are intact and reliable. This can require maintenance jobs as well as preventative measures. Along with your high school diploma, on-the-job experience is required. You may also need your Associates Degree, and there are exams you will have to take.

Reactor Operator

The reactor operator is definitely one of the more stressful jobs in the field. This one requires a high school diploma, a Bachelor’s or Associates Degree, one year of training, and five years of experience. Not only that, the person may need to have an operator licence depending on the country. Just as the job title suggests, the person is responsible for working the controls on the reactor, following all the proper procedures, and recording everything in the log.

Plenty of Exciting Opportunities

For those looking to break into an exciting and constantly evolving industry, nuclear energy jobs could be ideal. These tend to be on the high end where salary is concerned, and there are opportunities for advancement along the way. With that in mind, many of the jobs carry a lot of stress and responsibility with them.

You’ve probably heard the catch-phrase “the riches are in the niches” in the context of online marketing, but it’s also true for a traditional career.

If you’re someone who enjoys talking to people and helping them with their needs, then you should consider a professional career along those lines. Additionally, if you’re good with numbers, then you might find a career in the financial industry both emotionally and financially rewarding.

One niche career that might suit you well is becoming a mortgage loan officer. Let’s take a closer look at the type of work it involves, how to get fully credentialed, and how to grow your own business through some astute marketing.

What Does A Mortgage Loan Officer Do?

As a mortgage loan officer, you will assist your clients to get a loan for their home or business. After you assess your client’s need and inform them about loan requirements, you will research the best loans for them. You can niche down your business even more by becoming an expert in commercial or consumer loans. Before you create your own mortgage business, you should work for a credit union, mortgage company, or commercial bank to get experience. While the average salary is about $75,000, you can acquire the knowledge and experience to earn a six-figure income.

A Quick Guide to Starting a Career as a Mortgage Loan Officer

Here is a step-by-step guide to becoming a mortgage loan officer.

Step #1. Earn your bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or economics. Your degree should be able to help you analyze businesses’ finances, read financial statements, and understand basic accounting principles. Your coursework should include economic and business statistics, finance, mathematics, and accounting. Also take courses that can help improve your interpersonal skills like psychology, mass communications, and public speaking.

Step #2. Get Experience. You may not be given a job as a mortgage loan officer fresh out of college, and may have to work your way up the ladder of a banking career. Once you have some experience under your belt, you can then start pursuing loan origination work.

Step #3: Acquire Job Training. The banking or financial institution you work for will offer a variety of job-training opportunities. Be sure to take full advantage of company-sponsored training, whether it is learning how to use a new type of software or getting skilled in underwriting.

Step 4: Obtain Licensure. You must get licensed as a mortgage loan originator (MLO) to become a mortgage loan officer. This will require that you do 20 hours of coursework and pass an exam. The exam itself will cover a national component as well as one for the state you live in. Finally, you will need to pass a credit and background check.

Step 5: Become Certified. Technically speaking, certification is not necessary, but in practical terms, it can be helpful for securing employment. Both the Mortgage Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association offer certifications. For instance, the American Bankers Association offers certification as a certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA), a certified lender business banker (CLBB), and a certified financial marketing professional (CFMP).

3 Ways to Grow Your Business

As a mortgage loan officer, you need to get good at marketing your business, mastering lead generation by understanding buyer motivation. You should market your business even if you work for a financial institution that has a marketing department as this will help you make more sales.

Here are 3 ways to generate more leads:

1. Deploy direct marketing. 

Create an email list that educates your subscribers about the mortgage business. You can build this email list by adding prospects and clients you meet in the course of business or by advertising your newsletter.

What should you send in these emails?

Here are some ideas:

• White Paper.A link to a White Paper pdf. that will help educate your subscribers about some important things they might want to know about mortgages.
• Case studies. A case study will describe how a person got their mortgage. It covers everything they went through — the process, pricing, and challenges. This will give you subscribers an idea of what deals can be financed.
• Articles. Send out articles on timely topics related to the mortgage business.

2. Give talks.

You can give talks based on what people would like to know about getting a mortgage. You can start by giving talks at service clubs like Lions or Rotary, and when you get good, you might be invited to speak at conferences.

3. Start Networking.

By joining various organizations, from Meetups to Chamber of Commerce, you will be able to mingle with business people and tell them about what you do and how you can help them.

Although the minimum requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, most employers will require you to have a bachelor’s degree in economics, finance or business. You will be required to get a license, and you have the option of additional certification. While licensure is compulsory, certification is voluntary. When applying for a job, experience is not necessary, but preference is given to those with two to five years of experience. High earning mortgage loan officers are thoroughly knowledgeable about mortgages, loan origination, and common policies of financial institutions. In addition, they are good decision-makers, have excellent interpersonal skills, and are great communicators.

 

The difference between failure and success in the beverage business is often tons of hard work, vision and, most importantly, the right decisions based on the right advice.

And while your passion for beverage entrepreneurship may trend one direction or another, what really matters is how you leverage practical know-how and existing advice in your journey and make it work for you.

On that account, mentioned below are the considerations to make when you consider beverage entrepreneurship. You’ll see that some of them are simple mottos, but they can have a significant positive impact on your business.

1. Protect Your Manufacturing Investment

If you’re planning to set up a manufacturing facility to create and deliver beverages, make sure you do something to protect your investment. Remember, your machinery will depreciate if you don’t take measures to safeguard it from wear and tear.

Fortunately, wear blocks and other similar products are available to protect your investment via steel backing plates and other materials that get zero wear when experiencing abrasive flow. Such products manage the composite in severe conditions that are known to cause composite cracking. With options like these, you can make your units shatterproof. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about your machinery undergoing physical damage. Also, external casts will safeguard internal components from dust.

2. Give a Thought to Scaling

From the start, adopt the mindset that your idea could really work. This would help you take measures for scaling when they matter the most. In other words, do branding based on your potential to scale from the very first day. And instead of counting on co-packing facilities, be manufacturing-oriented, and get everyone on board when it comes to production from the early days.

And as you give a deep thought to scaling, avoid being a me-too. The thing is, the beverage market is highly competitive, so you won’t be able to survive in the long run by copying others. Therefore, do something creative, something different. Don’t try to fit an existing idea in your brand identity. Unique branding kicks in at scale, often leaving entrepreneurs surprised.

3. Know About Competition & Looming Challenges

It’s likely that a majority of new beverage companies will pop up as you start your venture. The small-to-medium sized beverage manufacturers and distributors will be your competition, not the large industry giants. Research about them to make sure that you’re able to employ sustainable practices to support business continuity. One thing you can do is keep innovative tactics for the future, and scrape along with your competitors for a year or so.

Also, analyze the challenges you’re going to face in this market. For instance, distribution can be a menace. Limited shelf space, crowded market, and consolidation among beverage distributors will give you headaches. Furthermore, you won’t be able to expand easily without hiring someone to sell on your behalf as it was doable in the past. A decent marketing plan needs to be in place if you want to survive in the industry.

To conclude, you need to take the following considerations into account and develop a roadmap to get a decent payback on your efforts. The key lies in planning ahead, reducing the cost of scaling, and falling in love with your product (the main selling point).

Do you have to try and eat a piece of a hot pepper in order to know it’s hot? No. Why not? Because somebody in the past already tried to gulp down an entire jalapeno pepper and it did not go so well. Therefore, others learned from that mistake and decided to use it in smaller amounts. The same principle of learning on the mistakes and experience of the other people has been around forever. It can also be implemented to small businesses. Here are the 5 mistakes that you need to avoid to stay afloat.

Introducing Every Single Novelty There Is

New technologies are important and you need to make sure that you are up to date. If your competition is using something, sooner or later, you will be forced to try it yourself. It will stop being a perk and it will turn into a standard. However, that does not mean that you need to accept just every single piece of equipment and software you are offered. Pick only the things that obviously facilitate or boost your work efficiency. Even then, purchase only if you are provided by a demo period. You can never tell if it really works until you try it first.

Expanding Too Soon

A good start and a financially successful period may get you thinking about expanding. However, it is not reasonable to expect that a business twice as big will bring profits twice as high, right away. Expanding is a big investment and it doesn’t mean that it has to go smoothly every time. Profits can be less than expected, so it can end up setting you back rather than improving your position.

Miscalculating Optimal Workload for Your Employees and Yourself

At times, you may feel that adding a little bit more on an employee’s plate will make them more efficient without putting in much more effort. However, that can add up very quickly up to the point where it hurts your business. Eventually, the quantity of the work will reflect poorly on its quality and there are no small businesses that can make compromise on their good service or products.

Not Developing a Proper Financial Plan

An effective financial plan is an essential factor of your business survival and success. You need to make it realistic and flexible. Many people find this quite challenging, so it is always advisable to hire a professional for this type of work. Once you have a plan, you need to stick to it. Being flexible about it is good, but even that flexibility needs to be within reasonable limits.

Letting Go on the Money Owed to You

Your business depends on your earnings. You invest time, money and work hours into your business, so if you do not have the money paid back to you, you will soon lose everything. Therefore, if there is one thing you need to think about – it is the way you deal with the payments. All your deals need to be written down and turned into solid contracts. In the worst case scenario, you will be able to hire an agency to deal with debt collection in your behalf.

A lot of businesses failed because of these mistakes. Some of them succeeded despite them. In both cases, it is best to be aware of them and learn from them.

About the Author

Dan Radak is a marketing professional with ten years of experience. He is a coauthor on several websites and regular contributor to BizzMark Blog. Currently, he is working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies.