BUZZlight – The World’s First Wearable ID Badge & Recorder – Launched on Kickstarter

Business

High quality recordings with a simple design. Use in conferences, or in your daily life.

MUNE, a startup dedicated to improving safety in the workplace, announced its plan to launch the world’s first wearable ID badge & recorder – BUZZlight – on Kickstarter. BUZZlight is a wearable recorder in the shape of a wearable ID badge. Notably, BUZZlight is discrete, and capable of recording at a moment’s notice.

Usually, the times when we need a recorder the most are in pressing, emergency situations. Normally, we have to use recording applications on our devices that require multiple steps to access, or we have to carry around a bulky recording device. But BUZZlight looks just like an ordinary ID badge, except now there’s a record button on the back. This makes recording really simple and discrete; just slide the button up, and you’re ready to start recording.

You can also use BUZZlight to record import meetings at work. After all, nothing beats a personal audio recorder when you need to take note of what was said at a meeting. You can wear BUZZlight around your neck, or even clip it to your belt or pockets to suit your style and level of discretion.

BUZZlight offers white, black, and beige color options that blend in with work attire. It also boasts a slim, 0.20 inch design that fits most standard ID badges. BUZZlight uses a thin casing made of PC-ABS plastic for lasting durability, and performed will in heat and humidity tests. The urethane coating enhances the grip and useability of the product, as well.

The instructions and design are simple, but the recording quality is crystal clear. For recording quality assurance, MUNE tested their product based on metrics such as frequency response, dynamic zone, directivity, and signal-to-noise ratio, ensuring that BUZZlight performs well in a variety of conditions.

To access your recordings, just use the cable shipped with the device to connect it to your computer.

BUZZlight comes with 16 GB of internal memory, letting you save up to 300 hours of recordings. Also, the long battery life means 2 hours of charging is all it takes for you to get up to 6 hours of continuous recording. BUZZlight also doubles as a USB memory device, letting you store other documents along with your recordings. You can also insert an RFID tag into the holder, letting you tap into security doors, process transactions, and more. In addition to the product and case, BUZZlight also comes with a charging cable, manual, USB plug, and protection film.

When asked about the story of BUZZlight’s development, MUNE said, “We heard so many stories of bullying, sexual harassment, and even violence in the work place, and wanted to offer a simple and convenient solution… After a lengthy R&D process, we came up with BUZZlight – the world’s first ID badge recorder.” BUZZlight has launched on Kickstarter this February.

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10 Smart Moves That Will Increase Your Business Financial Flow

Business

Small and medium-sized businesses fight a constant battle to have enough cash flow to meet their financial obligations and invest in those things that will help their smaller businesses turn into large ones. 

Because they generally lack sophisticated tools and dedicated departments for money management, there is often money left on the table from their business efforts. 

But even with fewer resources available, smaller companies can still generate and collect more revenue consistently. They only need the following roadmap to follow to get the job done.

1. Understand How Cash Flows into Your Company

The first step is to understand how your company generates cash. What are your main sources of income? How do they pay you? Is their payment terms the most beneficial to your company? If not, can the terms be adjusted to be more beneficial? If so, you can generate revenue more quickly and remember time is money. 

2. Offer Discounts for Early Payment

Offer your customers discounts on their invoices when they pay them early. This could bring money more quickly into your company. 

3. Understand How Money Flows Through Your Company

When you receive payment on an invoice, does the money get moved through your organisations efficiently? Are you paying late or taking additional employee time because of delays within your organisation? If so, remove these, and you have created the equivalent of a new revenue stream. Understanding cash flow is vital from early on.

4. Create a Sensible Expense Budget

Works with your financial person to set an expense budget for your company. Base things on where you need to get costs and see how possible it is. This might take some time but could yield great results. 

5. Go On a Cost-Cutting Spree 

Look at all of your business expenses and determine which ones can be reduced or eliminated. Put your focus on those fees that are recurring monthly, quarterly or annual expenses. Can you minimise any of them?

Have you reviewed their use recently? Look at your health and other insurance policies, for instance. Can they be adjusted? New and more cost-effective business insurance policies can be cheaper, and offer better coverage for your business. Also closely examine utilities and any subscriptions you have. Can changes in habits cut these bills?

6. Reconfigure Your Sales Department

If sales are a problem for your company, you should shake up your sales department. Consider placing them under a new manager for a short period, or you take over sales to see where the problems are. Sometimes a new face and style can create magic. 

7. Increase Online Marketing

Many companies do not realise the power of online marketing today. SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, websites and blogs can be very effective and acquiring new customers and increasing cash flow quickly.

8. Pause Spending in Non-Critical Areas

Is your company engaging in projects that are costly, yet non-critical? If you are in dire need of cash flow you should shelve any non-critical projects until your cash flow improves. This will free up extra cash for you now. 

9. Hire Temporary Workers

When you make a new hire, you must train that person which costs money and takes time. You must then assume the costs of their being an employee. Instead consider bringing on completely trained workers from an agency. They can start immediately, and you don’t have to put them on the payroll as a full-time employee. 

10. Delay payments to Your Vendors

This is an option of last resort because your vendors are so valuable. But if you must, let them know that you are going through a cash flow crunch and you need to pay them late. Tell them exactly when you can pay them and offer a small interest rate to them if you can afford it. This is not something to do often, but in a desperate situation you might have to go for it.

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How to Save Your Finances by Filing Bankruptcy

Business Finance

Although it may sound counterintuitive, there are several situations where filing bankruptcy is the best possible choice to save your money. If you’re drowning in debts, being harassed by debtors and don’t know what to do anymore, you should consider taking this legal action.

Most people dislike the idea of bankruptcy since it feels like a dishonorable choice. However, it was created with the intention of aiding businesses and individuals who couldn’t repay their debts and wished to start with a clean state of their financial status instead of spending a significant time attempting to clear the obligations.

In the US filing for bankruptcy is much easier than other countries and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in most situations.

If you’re in a problematic financial situation, you might want to read the following article to get a grasp of why proceeding with bankruptcy could help you.

What Options are Available?

There are several legal proceedings you can file to start bankruptcy, each one depending on your status. Always ask for the assistance of a qualified and experienced lawyer to determine how you’re going to proceed.

One of the most sought actions by individuals is the Chapter 7 bankruptcy, also known as straight bankruptcy. With this proceeding, you’ll be able to discharge all your debts in exchange for selling some of your property and excess assets.

Yes, you will lose some of your priced items and depending on the case even property, but in exchange, you will save thousands by getting rid of debts and stop that never-ending cycle of fighting every month with debt collectors and having to cut all your expenses.

How to File for Bankruptcy

With Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you’ll have to head to court and present your case, including information about your financial situation.

It’s highly recommended that you hire a lawyer to assist you through the process and present your case at the court. The chapter 7 bankruptcy process isn’t exactly simple and will require knowledge of the legal system to get the best results.

Consequences of Bankruptcy

The crucial advantage of this process is discharging all your debts, leaving you free of obligations towards your debtors.

However, most people are scared that bankruptcy ends up with you losing all your property and assets, losing all your credits in the present and future, and leaving a bad reputation in your credit score.

The truth is that it’s only partially correct, depending on your financial status you may keep some of your property that is exempted according to local law. You will lose all your credit cards, but if you restart your finances and make a plan, you might be able to get most of them back in a year or two.

Although your credit score will suffer, if you’re already drowning in debts bankruptcy will leave you with plenty of room to grow after discharging your debts, and you’ll be able to regain most of your reputation fast enough.

Stop the Cycle of Debts

Loans, credits, mortgages, the increasing price of essential services, and over a dozen more types of debts are always concerning the minds of millions of Americans every day. Stop living month to month struggling to see which debts you’ll pay this month and which ones will only get worse.

Seek the legal advice of an experienced lawyer to find out if bankruptcy or other legal proceedings are beneficial for you and can end the cycle of debt collectors harassing you every month.

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What You Should Do If You Have An Accident At Work

Business

Accidents at work happen all the time and very often the consequences can be very severe for the victim, who in most cases is not at fault. This is something which I have personal experience of and two years ago I was involved in an accident involving a fork lift truck, which had not been stored away properly. During this difficult time I was thankful to be able to count on the wonderful legal team at the Dolan law firm, who managed to bring about some justice for me.

Naturally you will hope that you are never involved in an accident in the workplace, but it is worth being prepared and knowing what to do, should anything happen in the future.

Assess the Injury

Naturally your first step will be to review the damage and seek medical assistance if needed. All workplaces are obligated to have a first aid kit on site and if it is more serious, you should seek medical attention at the nearest hospital.

Reporting the Injury

Under employment law, all businesses are required to have an accident log and you must fill this in at your earliest possible convenience. The reason why it is better to do this as soon as possible is so that you can give a lengthy account about what happened, without forgetting any details. If anyone witnessed the accident take place, you should ask for them to add their version of events to the accident log, in order to get a fuller picture of what took place.

Taking Evidence

Another supporting piece of information which you will need is some photos or video of the accident taking place. The best case scenario here is that there was a security camera that recorded the accident, if this is the case then speak with the security team or manager, to set aside this piece of evidence.

Track Symptoms

Not all injuries are apparent straight away and especially not in the case of concussion or whiplash, popular problems after a slip or trip. In order to give an accurate representation of what you are suffering, it is important that you track your symptoms for the following weeks after your accident has taken place.

Financial Tracking

If you’re forced to pay out for anything after your accident such as medical supplies or hospital fees, make sure that you have a not of how much this cost. Conversely, if you lose any money as a result of your accident such as loss of income, you should also track how much you have lost in the days and weeks after your accident.

Lawyer Up

Finally you should make sure that you consult a legal team that deals specifically with personal injury claims. Making a claim against your employer is not just about claiming compensation for what you have lost, but also to ensure that protocols are put in place so that the same thing doesn’t happen to anyone else in the future.

Let’s hope it doesn’t happen to you, but you should be sure that you know what to do if it does.

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4 Marketing Strategies Your Business Should Be Using

Business

As a business owner it can be difficult to decide upon where you should be investing your money and it is of course important, that each cent which is spent is heavily scrutinised. All investments or purchases should be done with the idea to further push the company towards growth and higher sales and one of the best ways of doing that is with marketing.

It is no surprise that one of the biggest reasons for the failure of a company in today’s world, comes down to the fact that they refused to invest money in marketing and this should serve as a cautionary tale for any business owner. Marketing is the best way for your company to grow and succeed and here are 4 of the most vital strategies which your business should be using.

Trade Shows

Trade shows provide you and your business with a fantastic opportunity to show off its products and services. Within these shows you will be competing with other businesses to show off who you are and what you do and it is vital that you put in the preparation work that is required to really wow people at the shows. Companies such as ExpoMarketing can help to provide you with unique and custom designed displays which can really help you stand out in a  trade show. Get your display right, perfect your pitch and you could see a real boost in the amount of sales which your company is making.

Social Media Marketing

With so many millions of people using social media everyday, this is a crucial area for you to market your product and your business. Here you have two choices, to either invest in ad campaigns which promote your business throughout the social media world, or you use your social media profile as a free marketing tool which helps you connect with a wide range of new and existing customers. Social media gives you the chance to promote your business and most importantly, to interact with your customers directly.

SEO

This digital marketing strategy aims to get your business on to the first page of the search engines when customers search for keywords that relate to your business. Consumers rarely look past the first page of search results which is why it is so important that you invest in this strategy. SEO can help you to grow your brand, sell more products and you can also use it to stay one step ahead of your competition.

Promotional Marketing

At its core, promotional marketing is about giving something away at a reduced price, to encourage people to spend their money with you. The internet age has made this easier than ever and you can offer something as simple as a voucher code on a popular couponing site, which customers can redeem at your business. The idea is that you lose a little money to entice the customer in, wow them with your products to motivate them to come back and pay full price next time.

There are many more marketing strategies which you could use, but these are the most important.

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The Pros and Cons of Working from Home and the Office

Business Shopping

Companies are asking workers today for longer hours which means that they get less time for their families. When you take the typical 8 to 10 hour work day and then add in the commute time, there’s barely enough time to get home, check the kid’s homework, have a meal, and read bedtime stories.  Weekends are spent trying to make up for lost time during the week, and sleeping.

Employees are very concerned about the lack of time they have for their families, and companies must now offer options that allow some employees to stay at home during the workday, and do their work there.

Employees looking to work from home, are presented with a new set of circumstances they must deal with in order to get their work done effectively and on time. The home environment is very different than the office and many find they need an adjustment, for them to get up to speed. What are the differences between working at home and working in the office?

Time Management

Pros: When you work at home, there was no one looking over your shoulder and constantly badgering you. You can take a break if you need, go to the restroom, get some exercise, and even take a nap. This type of work schedule might make you much more productive as opposed to what typically occurs in the office.

Cons: The downside is that with no one making sure that you get your work done, if you are not very disciplined, your productivity can fall off a cliff, with more napping than typing. You really need to be disciplined and be a good time management person.

Distractions

Pros: When you work from home you can control the amount of distractions in your environment. You don’t have to be concerned about the person in the next cubicle talking too loud on the phone, telling bad jokes, or interrupting you when you are in the middle of something important. Your focus can be 100% on the job at hand, and again your productivity can skyrocket.

Cons: if you do not have an environment at home that you can control, it can become very difficult for you to get your work done. Screaming children, a nosy mother or mother-in-law and the stay-at-home spouse who is constantly asking you to take a break, can all work against your productivity goals. For this reason you need to make sure that when you work at home, your family understands your need for focus. The best option is to work in a quiet room with all of the necessary business tools and furniture at work needed for you to do your work, and a door that locks.

Commute Time

Pros: When you work at home you can mute is from your bedroom to your kitchen to get a cup of coffee. No worries about traffic jams, long lines at the gas station to fill up your car, and worries about finding a good parking space. With no time needed for commute you can spend more time working. You also save money on fuel and car maintenance.

Cons: Many people use the commute time to prepare themselves for work. This 15 minutes to an hour can be very valuable and many use that time to go over upcoming job tasks, creative ideas, and important issues around company projects. Without this preparation time, you might find it hard to get started in the morning.

There are many pros and cons for working at home, or working at the office. The key is to understand how to make each environment the most productive. As more and more employees choose the working at home option, they need to also understand how to best maximize the environment so both they and the company wins.

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Reasons Why Crowdfunding Should Be Considered when Starting your Van Business

Business

Starting your Van Business can be tough ... better get some crowdfunding on your side

When seeking for funds to start a business, there are many options available. One option that regularly gets ignored is crowdfunding. This piece takes a look at major reasons why you should consider crowdfunding when starting your van business.

It is Inexpensive

With crowdfunding, you only need to create properly drafted campaign messages for your audience on the crowdfunding platform. There are no long meetings to navigate and you don’t have to travel half around the country to meet prospective investors. You can completely run a campaign on your own, using money saved to take care of other important aspects of business such as buying van insurance for business and advertising.

Your Business Remains Yours

Many sources of income for a new van business will involve giving up some stake in the business to the investor. Crowdfunding removes this problem. Of course, there needs to be some form of value for backers to be able to invest in your campaign but you only need to worry about fulfilling the offer promised instead of worrying about shared ownership of your business. As a van business, possible offers could include 50% off rates for a specific period of time, free services for a specified number of days in a month for backers, and more.

Build a Loyal Community

With a properly organised crowdfunding campaign, you can create a community around your business. Instead of starting from scratch to source for clients, you will already have a small army of backers ready to spread word about your new van business and help you get it off the ground.

Get Actionable Feedback

You may have created a quality plan for your new van business but direct feedback from backers can help you fine tune the business plan for an improved shot at success. Similarly, when your backers see you approach to taking valuable advice on-board it can lead to more display of goodwill which will encourage other backers to invest in your business.

Easier access to additional funds

If your van business gets off the ground and backers can see tangible progress being made, it is easier to source for a second round of funding. The extra funding campaign doesn’t have to be expansion-related to be a success. Investors are more likely to put in money into a business when there is enough and traceable traction.

So as you plan funding for your van business, do not make the mistake of ignoring crowdfunding as a source of business capital.

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Uses of Sand in The Construction & Building Industries

Business DIY / Home Improvement Knowledge Guide

sand

Sand is often used as a contraction material within the building and construction industries. It’s usually supplied as back run sand, beach sand, white mason sand, utility sand, filtering sand, septic sand, fill sand (aka sand fill), concrete sand and mason sand. Here we’ll discuss and expand on each of these sand types and their specific uses within the construction and building industries.

Back Run Sand

This is type of sand can either be quite coarse or fine, and is usually used as concrete mix for either fence posts and patios. The colouring is usually a mixture between gold, beige or tan.

White Mason Sand

White mason sand is a specific type of mason sand that is used in specific applications such as mixing with mortar and concrete when laying bricks or white blocks. This sand is favoured for this application as it leaves a nice white mortar line between the bricks.

Mason Sand

Mason sand comes quite coarse, and like white mason sand it is primarily used to mix with concrete and mortar to lay bricks, blocks and stone. Unlike white mason sand, general mason sand comes in a variety of colours brown, white, beige, grey or tan.

Concrete Sand

Concrete sand is quite coarse as it is used for mixing with cement for larger applications. It is also often used in septic systems due to its coarse texture.

Fine Utility Sand

Fine utility sand is usually used as a back fill around utility piping. It is quite fine compared to most other sand we’ve discussed, making it the perfect option for placing around fragile underground pipes. Other applications include being used to back fill trenches and to fill sand bags.

Utility Sand

Utility sand is also quite fine and is primarily used for the exact same applications as fine utility sand.

Beach Sand

Beach sand comes in a variety of colours, ranging from beige, grey, brown and tan. This type of sand is often used when building patios or verandas, playgrounds, sandboxes and sometimes even creating fake beach settings.

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How to Hire the Best Talent

Business

How to Hire the Best Talent

We all want our business to have the best of the best when it comes to talent. Here are some tips on how to hire the best talent to make sure your company succeeds.
How to Hire the Best Talent
Think High-Tech
Whether your business is traditional or tech, you need to use the latest technology what hiring if you want to hire the best talent. This means using proactive recruited, building relationships with candidates like you would customers and consider using a Talent Management System, While sites like LinkedIn can be useful it may be better suited to go through professional candidate placement forms if you are looking for the best of the best.

Play Hard to Get
If you want to attract the best talent, don’t look desperate. Quality candidates who see your brand spamming every adword and social media platform looking for new employees each week will get the impression you can’t keep employees. That is why you need to present an attractive and confident brand. Do things that make high-level talent come to you. This includes the obvious like salary and benefits but also reaches far beyond. A highly talented candidate wants to work in a place where they are challenged and involved in creative and cutting-edge projects. They are also looking for a flexible and fun work environment. Countless big companies have lost out on incredible talent due to antiquated dress code and schedule policies. Remember, if you build a great work environment the talent will come to you.

Look Beyond the CV
A college degree isn’t everything when looking to hire the best talent. Look beyond past work experience and education, though while important they don’t paint a full picture, this is only one way to look at talent. If you are looking to grow your business you need to surround yourself with creative, high-level thinkers, who are passionate about their work. This means asking candidates about what they do on their free time, are they involved in relevant clubs and activities that confirm their passion for their field.  Are they truly interested in the job or just doing it for the paycheck? Also be sure they are good communicators and can work in a team because at the end of the day even the most “qualified’ candidate is only as good as their communication skills. A resumé is a good way to get one angle on applicant but it is far from the full picture. Consider going bowling instead of an interview, it may sound wacky but it will give you a much better sense of the person you are looking to have join your team.

So remember if you are looking to hire the best talent, utilize technology and professional agencies, make your company a desirable place to work, and don’t see an applicants CV as the end-all in the process. We hope these tips on how to hire the best talent will help you staff your organization with the cream of the crop. Good luck with your new candidates.

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Leave No Space Untouched! How Signwriting Helps Your Marketing Campaign

Business

Do you know How Signwriting Helps Your Marketing Campaign?
Photo by CC user dominicspics on Flickr

There are many different ways to spread the word about your business to new potential customers who could help your business grow. The latest method of marketing that has taken the world by storm is, of course, online marketing, which has grown rapidly since the online world has become immensely popular. Your business really needs an online presence if it’s going to compete with the well-known brands, though other forms of marketing can still be extremely effective.

Advertorial signs provide a great way to let people know about your company and what it has to offer. You could place your adverts on large billboards located around the city centre to capture the attention of local customers. Alternatively, you might want to place signs on bus stops and train stations to attract those who live in your immediate area. You may benefit hugely from placing well-written signs on company cars to get the word out there about your business. However, you need to make sure your adverts look great because otherwise, they’ll simply convey a lack of professionalism.

Due to the need to make signs look amazing, many businesses choose to utilise the services of signwriters in Perth. The professionals have created signs so many times that they know exactly what works and what doesn’t, but you still need to make sure you find a company you can trust.

The experts found at http://www.totalsignco.com.au are commonly utilised because they have a track record of success and make it their number one priority to make sure your signs make an impact. Below, this article will detail a few things professional signwriters can do for you.

Why You Should Utilise the Professionals

You may think that you could save a bit of money by creating and printing your own signs, but you need to be aware bad-quality graphics will only stand to hamper your business. Here’s why it’s usually a good idea to utilise the services of experienced professionals when it comes to signwriting:

  • They will make your writing and graphics stand out – The professionals will work with you through every step of the creation process to ensure you love your signs, which promise to make an impact when they’re printed.
  • They know what works – You might not know where the best places to advertise are or what the best mediums to hold your signs may be – this is one area where the professionals can be of great assistance.
  • They know everything about the latest design techniques – If you’re going to compete in the modern world, you can’t let your signs look old-fashioned. Let the professionals create advertorial signs that will bring your business into the 21st century.

Finding a Company You Can Trust

There are lots of companies offering signwriting services in the Perth area, and that can make it difficult to choose the right one for your needs. However, if you go with a company that has extensive experience and a proven track record of success, you can expect your sign marketing campaign to make the impact you need.

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