Since the news of the third lockdown, many business owners have shut their doors and employees have once more found themselves either working from home, or furloughed. Whilst an end date has been announced and it is almost a light at the end of the tunnel, it is still important to ensure that your business premises is completely safe whether no one is there, or if you are working on reduced staff.
Unfortunately, many closed shops, pubs and restaurants are being targeted for their alcohol and money as it is seen as an easy target in the eyes of criminals.
Following this rise in cases, UK Police are urging businesses to reinforce their security measures to prevent their businesses from being targeted.
In the following article, written in partnership with Brunel Fire & Security, leading Security Company Bristol, we will cover some of the most important security tips to help you deal with the security risks and have the peace of mind that your premises is safe.
Review your Security System
Making sure that you regularly review your security system and run a range of tests can be vitally important, especially as we are in lockdown. In fact, some systems allow you to do this remotely, meaning that you won’t have to travel unnecessarily.
If you are worried that your business premises is vulnerable to intruders, then it is important to speak to an expert, who’ll be able to advise you on the best security system for the space.
Consider Access Control Privileges
Access control systems can be an incredibly helpful method of dictating who does and doesn’t have access to your business premises. Such a system will allow you to revoke and set varying levels of access to different staff members. Therefore, you can allow only staff and personnel who are required to enter the business to have access, reducing the risk of potential theft.
Installing a CCTV System to Deter Crime
CCTV cameras are an excellent way to deter theft, especially those which allow for remote viewing and motion detecting. These systems are associated with reducing vehicle crime and property crime.
It can be a good idea to reposition cameras, if necessary, to cover both entrances and exits.
Keep The Space Lit
A great way to make your business premises look less empty is by keeping lights on within the building and around the perimeter. In fact, some building management systems will allow lights to come on with a timer system, making it much less inviting to potential intruders.
Ensure There is a Shutdown Checklist
If you still have employees visiting the building, or even if you are popping in yourself, to ensure everything is in order, it’s important to have a shutdown checklist. This will ensure that before the last person leaves, the building is left in the safest position possible. This checklist can include items such as;
Turn off all appliances,
Switch off all computers,
Turn on the alarm system,
Turn on lighting timers,
Turn down the thermostat.
Check Your Insurance and Make Sure Contact Information is Correct
It is important to take the time to read over and review your insurance documents to make sure that you have all of the necessary coverage that you need.
Also, make sure that, in the event of an alarm going off, relevant contact information is up to date and the individual listed is fully aware of their responsibilities and what they will need to do. Ensure that the person chosen is also in the vicinity of the building and has reliable means of accessing the business.
The current situation is already difficult for businesses, and the last thing you need as a business owner is a security breach. Such a situation could impact your business hugely and after all, prevention is always much better than a cure. We hope that the above tips have given you some idea as to how you can strengthen your business security measures and further protect both your staff and your premises as a whole.
Look close. Your best solution is inside your ecosystem.
Instead of toiling for days, take help and invest your resources that can be a game-changer in your startup.
There are multiple tools and software that can give the first boost that your venture needs. Following are some of the best-performing ones.
Top 5 Tools to Invest in Your Startup
There are two significant factors that determine the success of a startup. How you utilize your 1) time and 2) money. Since both are scarce for a startup, it makes complete sense why you need to growth-hack your process.
Following are a few tools that can help you optimize both your resources alike.
Ideation tools
This is the make or break point of every startup. No matter how disruptive your idea is, your idea isn’t going to manifest if there is no market to serve.
This could be your best business advisor at help in real-time. No matter what stage you are in your entrepreneurial journey, decision-making will shape your career. It ensures ambitious entrepreneurs like you have access to valuable advice from industry experts. It connects you with industry leaders from across the globe. This Community of experts can help you overcome any challenge that you might be facing. Whether it is growth hacking or fundraising, market research, training, or product building, this is a must-tool in an entrepreneur’s handy box.
It helps you keep track of your idea and always stay linked to its bigger picture. From validating seed ideas to sharing your vision, you are in control of everything. Germ helps to reiterate your business idea with time with a blueprint to follow with real-time support. You can develop actionable strategies with your why’s, what’s and how’s at the heart of everything you do.
Javelin speeds up the complete ideation workflow for lean startups. This is a one-stop solution for customer and market discovery.
Javelin helps you turn your idea hypothesis into concrete facts through validation. It allows you to find your target customer, their pain points, and most importantly, your product-market fit. This means validating your products is an absolute breeze.
It is needless to reinforce the importance your MVP has on the long-term success of your startup. From idea validation to product-market fit, your MVP can give you a lot of rich insights.
Following are a few tools that can help you launch your MVP as fast as today.
Managing design projects have become really easy with Foyr. This tool helps to complete designs two times faster and what’s more, it helps to enhance productivity levels by helping maintain a steady workflow of projects. Do away with all other complex tools and move to Foyr and see your unique design ideas transform into realistic renders.
Pro Tip: If you’re in an architecture and design industry vertical, there is a colossal difference in your go-to prototyping tool. Sketchup is a good option. However, if you want to try a good Sketchup alternative, you can always try. The goal here is to team up with the tool with which you are most comfortable using every day.
Building user-friendly websites Balsamiq is a true genius of user interactivity. If you’re at the stage of building low-fidelity wireframes, Balsamiq can help you achieve all your customer experience goals.
3. Launch tools
Launching a startup is a big deal for any startup. After all, it is the first test that your product passes through to find product-market fit. A lot of preparation goes into this.
From ideation to customer mapping to execution, multiple factors altogether make a successful launch. However, to give you traction, the following are a few lists of tools that can keep you on the right track.
With ProductHunt, you can never go wrong with your product launch. It is one of the best platforms to get your product in front of your audience.
What’s more, you can get the very first reviews about your products from tech-savvy enthusiasts. Having an operating mechanism a lot like Reddit, the website allows you real-time insights to see user comments and votes towards your product. The best part is that its massive community of testers willing to try out your product. This means you can get the first set of reviews about your product within a few hours of launch.
If you plan to do a pre-launch promotion of your product, Beta List is your best choice. This unique platform is developed to give your startup the ultimate traction for a successful launch.
But that is not the best part. Putting your startup idea in front of a community of savvy business enthusiasts is its real USP. This not only renders you valuable feedback but lets you develop an unfair advantage in the long run.
Helping over 3,000 startup founders fill the market needs gap, this platform uses qualitative and quantitative research to develop a product that your audience loves.
An early-stage buzz about your startup often leads to a short-lived surge in the sales funnel. Although this cannot be a long-term strategy, it has a high-value impact on short-term sales, something a startup launch always covets. It is your DIY press kit developer. This user-friendly platform makes PR look so easy that you have no reason not to engage more eyeballs in the digital space.
4. Marketing tools
Building a great product is one thing, and marketing it successfully is entirely another. Infact, as your venture grows, your marketing endeavor can often look like developing another completely different product. Taking help here is the smartest decision you can make. Automating marketing tasks not only streamlines your process but makes room for efficient strategy development.
Following are a few tools that can help you in your marketing venture.
Almost all businesses today consider data as the most crucial element of their decisions. Attest is precisely built to help you with this point. It simplifies the process of collecting useful customer data and makes market research efforts easier for everyone. With Attest, you get access to a variety of templates that will help you do your job effectively. Some prominent examples are the brand tracker template, jobs to be done survey template, etc. These templates are carefully designed to perfection and makes you redefine your market proposition by providing important insights.
This is the master tracker of your website traffic. It not only allows you to test your strategies but also provides a superior user experience. But the true power of Google Analytics lies in campaign monitoring.Planning and executing campaigns is super easy and fast, which keeps your campaigns agile.
5. Finance management tools
Managing finances might not be the reason you started a startup. But keeping the monetary flow in control is one of the critical points of keeping your startup running smoothly. Without money, your startup can’t float. To make this unproductive yet high-importance task easier for you, we’ve a few suggestions of tools.
If your startup idea is facing procrastination because of lack of capital, Foundersuite is your troubleshoot. This platform ensures that startup fundraising does not stay a monster anymore. Bringing structure, speed, and efficiency improves founder-investor relationships.
What’s more, it’s an in-built CRM tool that helps manage your investor funnel, a searchable venture capitalist database, and an investor updater tool for efficient monthly progress reports.
Gust is another strong alternative to Foundersuite.
This is your one-stop startup invoicing and accounting solution. Automating financial tasks like organizing expenses, invoicing, payment tracking, and follow-ups, FreshBooks keeps your startup accounting process fast, secure and convenient. Its integration capabilities with Mailchimp, Paypal, Basecamp, and Zenpayroll make it even more coveted.
InDinero is a strong alternative to Freshbooks to consider. The cloud-based accounting software’s on-demand CFO feature is what distinguishes it from the rest.
While all of the tools and software mentioned above can boost your per capita productivity, they cannot guarantee success. The most critical job of your startup depends on you. Tools can only help you achieve your goals in record time.
Stay mindful of every stakeholder that your business comprises. Be it your end customers or investors or startup development team, how you manage your people.
436,000 fewer consumers in 2020 switched energy supplier for better tariff amid pandemic
More than 50% of UK homeowners could be saving by switching from variable to fixed tariffs, totalling £2.6 billion in potential savings nationally according to Free Price Compare
Regionally the biggest collective savings to be made are in the South East at £345 million
With a price cap rise in April, variable tariff customers advised to switch to fixed rates
For the first time in six years, national figures show there has been a decrease in the number of UK homeowners changing their energy supplier to switch to a more competitive tariff, to lower their bills.
During 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 436,000 fewer consumers* making savings on their energy bills via comparison websites such as Free Price Compare – with the months of March through to December revealing a significant reduction in the amount of households switching provider compared to 2019.
This trend is surprising as the uncertainty of COVID-19 would lead many to believe consumers would be tightening their belts wherever possible, saving on costs in all areas of everyday spending.
With more than half of UK customers** still currently on an unnecessarily expensive variable energy tariff – a trend that has remained unchanged for the last five years – if everyone switched now to competitive fixed rates, utilising a comparison site, then collectively over £2.6 billion could be saved*** and instead pumped into local economies in times of need.
Regionally, the biggest collective savings to be made by customers switching from a variable to a fixed tariff are in the South East (the area covered by Seeboard) – at potentially over £345 million – whereas, in the entirety of Scotland it is just £85 million. For all regional statistics***, including the average annual bill of a fixed tariff versus a variable tariff in each region, visit: https://freepricecompare.com/home-energy/covid-19-impact-on-uk-energy-market/.
Director at Free Price Compare, Shailesh Ramani, said, “Switching energy provider to obtain a competitive fixed rate is a quick and hassle-free process, which can save most individuals an average of £318 if they are switching with us from a standard variable tariff. However, in the UK, so many homeowners are seemingly hesitant or reluctant to change supplier. It’s incredible to think that approximately £2.6 billion could be saved, if as a nation we were all aware of just how easy it is to switch and save.
“2020 was certainly a very difficult year for many, with COVID-19 having a negative impact on many household incomes. Although you would think this might mean more consumers reviewing their regular spending and monthly direct debits, when it comes to switching to cheaper energy tariffs with an alternative supplier, fewer people were doing so last year – in fact over 436,000 less than in 2019. This trend seems to be continuing into 2021, and could be purely because consumers have more important things on their minds than energy bills – despite the fact that savings could be considerable during such uncertain times when many of us are also working from home using more gas and electricity.
“With the recently announced price cap rise for default tariff customers now coming in as of the beginning of April, consumers are being urged to switch from a variable to a fixed tariff as soon as possible to avoid the higher rates and yet more costly bills.
“Currently some of the best deals on the market are dual fuel tariffs with E.ON, and I would encourage any homeowner to spend the five minutes it takes to look into, with no obligation, what they could be saving on a fixed tariff via Free Price Compare – the site that compares more energy suppliers than any other comparison website in the UK.”
To find out more about how to switch energy provider, in order to secure a more competitive tariff, go to www.freepricecompare.com.
Admiral Markets Review, published on the Traders Union website by financial experts and analysts, contains the fullest scope of information about all areas of activity of the broker: its trading conditions, investment and bonus programs, offers for partners and other features.
In Admiral Markets Review, you can find broker analysis by criteria and popularity dynamics among its customers, compare the broker’s key trading conditions with those of the competitors, look through customer reviews and trading conditions of Admiral Markets: minimum deposit and leverage, spread and minimum lot, order execution speed and peculiarities of working with the company.
Traders read Admiral Markets Review on the Traders Union website, as it is where you can find the fullest, most authentic expert information about the company in one place.
Admiral MarketsReview — methodology of broker analysis
Before publishing a detailed broker review, Traders Union financial experts study the company’s website, test registration and opening of trading accounts, perform trading transactions and check whether the real trading conditions on the account with the broker correspond to the ones the broker has published on its website.
In other words, Traders Union specialists conduct not only an external audit of the broker, but also perform an internal inspection of its services – this kind of serious professional approach to preparation of Admiral Markets Review by Traders Union guarantees that the information is up to date, which attracts attention of the beginners and professional traders.
During the so-called ‘audit’, the following criteria of the broker are checked:
● Technical. The broker’s website is studied: functionality of the Personal cabinet and the speed of operation of the broker’s services are checked.
● Trading. The broker’s trading platform is tested: its operation, features, instruments and additional features and possibilities.
● Service. Contact is established with the broker’s customer support: each channel of communication is checked for different issues; the speed and quality of responses of the support team are recorded.
● Financial. The timeframe for deposits and withdrawals is studied: payment systems the broker provides access to are checked, presence of non-trading commissions and their size are established.
● Legal. Regulatory documents of the broker are studied: client agreement, regulation on trading transactions and charging swaps, conditions of earning bonuses and the rules on filing claims.
Conclusion
Admiral Markets Review by Traders Union is regularly updated and published in different languages, which attracts traders from all over the world.
The key objective of Traders Union is to create an independent broker review, in which the traders will be able to find the fullest expert information in one place, without spending time on independent studying and checking of all services of the brokerage company.
Become a member of Traders Union and get more latest information about Forex brokers!
For any surgeons working in a busy hospital, medical indemnity insurance can be one of the greatest investments. This kind of policy has been something that professionals have been relying on for years now but there are still some people who have never heard of medical indemnity insurance or don’t understand the benefits.
To clear things up, we thought we would cover what medical indemnity insurance is and discuss some of the benefits. Read on to hear more about this.
What Is Medical Indemnity Insurance?
If you are completely unfamiliar with the concept of medical indemnity insurance, then you should know that this kind of policy is there to protect a surgeon if somewhere were to go wrong. This can include things like claims for physical or mental harm when they are treating a patient. In simple terms, you will find that medical indemnity insurance will cover claims of medical malpractice and it can cover a range of other things.
What does it cover?
When you find out more about medical indemnity insurance, you start to realise just how many different cases it can cover. Some of the things that this kind of policy will cover include medical malpractice, professional indemnity and liability for any slander.
As a surgeon, your reputation is also very important and so many medical indemnity policies can help you to protect this and ensure you keep your job. Of course, each policy will be tailored to your circumstances and some cover more than others.
Why Do You Need It?
There are tons of reasons why a surgeon requires medical indemnity insurance including the fact that they are dealing with another person’s life. Many patients who go into surgery are very ill and could potentially die on the operating table. This can create a very high-pressure environment and while surgeons are trained to deal with this, mistakes do happen. In this case, medical indemnity insurance would typically cover any claims.
Additionally, medical indemnity insurance can also give surgeons peace of mind when they are doing their job. If they needed to worry about potential claims and losing their job each time they went into surgery, they might not be willing to take risks that could save someone’s life.
There Are Exceptions
Like any kind of insurance policy, medical indemnity insurance does typically come with some clauses and exclusions. It is vitally important that surgeons who take out this kind of policy read all of the terms and conditions so that they know exactly what they are agreeing to. The last thing you want is to think you are covered to do a certain kind of procedure, only to find out that your policy excludes this.
Reading the terms and conditions on any contract is important but when you find out more about medical indemnity insurance, you will realise just how many exceptions there can be.
Find the Right Insurer
Now that you know a bit more about medical indemnity insurance and some of the benefits that it provides, you should consider investing in one of these policies, if you need it. Many surgeons will be required by their place of work to have a policy like this in place but not all policies are as good as each other.
Take a look at some of the options and find an insurance provider who will go above and beyond to ensure you are covered to do your job. Don’t fall for clauses in the terms and try to find something that is affordable. This way, you’ll be able to put your patients first without risking your career.
Invoicing is a task that many small business owners dread. It’s paperwork-heavy, and clients don’t always pay on time. This leads to cash flow problems down the road and even more headaches. However, a strong invoicing and payment collection process is essential for small business growth.Thanks to advances in digital solutions, invoicing isn’t as much of a headache as it used to be.
Small businesses should back their digital solutions with solid invoicing processes. Follow these 7 tips to ensure smooth cash flow and a process that you can rely on.
Get a signed contract
How can you ensure your clients follow your payment terms and treat you professionally? It all begins with setting expectations. Verbal and other informal means of agreement might seem like the friendly thing to do, but they result in headaches down the road.
Spell your terms explicitly in a contract and have your client sign it before beginning work. By doing this, you’ll ensure that expectations have been set. You’re also projecting a professional image to your clients and are protecting their rights.
After all, a contract protects you from a lack of payment and protects them from receiving shoddy work. A strong work contract is in both parties’ interests so always make sure one is signed.
Think about your payment terms
Most small businesses set payment terms based on their cash flow needs. This process makes sense on the surface. It makes it easier to project cash flow. However, what is ignored is that clients pay according to their schedules and are unlikely to prioritize your cash flow needs when paying.
Smaller clients usually pay quickly, but larger clients that have more involved payment processes take much longer. It’s no good sending out invoices with Net5 payment terms when you know that a large client will pay after 14 days no matter what.
Therefore, think through your payment terms per client. Create terms that are easy for them to follow, and you’ll have more justification to follow up on late payments. Tailoring payment terms to clients doesn’t mean granting lengthy credit periods. It means taking their needs into account along with yours and setting the right expectations.
Use discounts and penalties
The thought of using a late-fee penalty will probably give you shivers and might get you thinking that your clients will go somewhere else. However, remember that you have discretion on whether you need to enforce them or not. You can always give a long-time customer a pass.
However, it’s best to set expectations right from the beginning with new clients. The presence of a late payment penalty communicates that you’re serious about receiving your payment. You’ll find that your new clients will treat you more professionally, and their chances of defaulting or delaying payments will be lesser.
To smooth delivery of the late fee penalty, include an early payment discount as an incentive. Balancing an incentive with a penalty presents a balanced picture to your clients. If you have to charge a penalty, you can always point to your early payment discount as proof that you gave them the opportunity to avoid hefty fees.
Remember when to invoice
Most small businesses present invoices right after delivering their products or services. However, in some cases, monthly retainers might be in place, which bundles all services into a single invoice. Plan your cash flow ahead of time by reviewing all of your invoicing schedules.
It’s helpful to specify payment schedules into work contracts so that you always know when you need to invoice a client.
Use digital solutions
These days there are a variety of tools you can use to manage the payment collection process. You can create a professional invoice using a free invoice generator, save customer details, and track payments easily. Most invoice generation programs allow you to automate payment reminders to your clients via email or text message.
Some businesses still use Excel to create invoices and think they’re using great technology because these invoices are saved “in the cloud”. However, you’ll still have to track all of them manually, and settling disputes can be a headache.
For example, if your customer misplaces your invoice and wants you to resend it, it’s good to have an automated solution that does it for you. Digital solutions also allow you to create dependable audit trails that you can easily verify and reconcile to your bank statements and accounting software. The result is better cash flow prediction and working capital management.
Make it as easy as possible to pay
Give your customers as many payment options as possible. One of the hurdles to timely payment is the need to activate special payment procedures. By giving your clients as many options as possible, you remove these hurdles and collect your money faster.
Payment processing solutions can help you provide a single payment link attached to your invoice, and your clients can pay you using any method they choose.
Store secondary contacts
A common problem that results in delayed payments is the client’s primary payment contact going on vacation or going out of the office. In such cases, following up on payment statuses becomes a problem. It’s best to identify and record the name of the secondary payment contact.
By doing this, you’ll ensure there are no hurdles for you to clear in case your primary contact faces an emergency.
Smooth processes, faster payment
Invoicing is often thought of as a back-office process but it has a direct bearing on your cash flow. Set clear expectations and use these 7 tips to collect payment smoothly from your clients. You’ll be viewed as a professional and will find that your payments will begin arriving promptly.
Robotic process automation has the potential to completely change the way businesses work. Gartner predicts that RPA software revenue projected to reach $2 billion in 2021, which is an increase of almost 20% from 2020. What’s more, the RPA market is predicted to grow at double-digit rates through to 2024. Robiquity explain more about the impact RPA can have on businesses.
The challenges of RPA
Implementing RPA can have huge benefits for businesses of all sizes, but it’s important to have the right foundations in place. This allows the software, or robots, to use the data in order to correctly automate the necessary processes. Without this, it can be difficult to achieve standardisation to ensure inputs are as they should be.
Scaling up RPA should also be undertaken carefully. Consider beginning with simple RPA first before widening the automation scope and introducing additional technologies.
Thirdly, successful delivery is everything when it comes to RPA. Without a smart and proven model, you may not get the results you’re hoping for from your automation solution.
RPA could change the way businesses work for the better, but what difference could it really make?
The impact of RPA
RPA could become instrumental in how a business operates. It is particularly helpful in freeing up employees’ time by looking after the mundane and repetitive processes, leaving staff to work on higher value tasks.
The implementation of robots and RPA could result in heightened morale amongst your workforce, leading to increased job satisfaction. As RPA can help to streamline those more monotonous tasks, staff can focus on more stimulating and rewarding jobs. Furthermore, RPA can help to remove human error, which may lead to a quicker turnaround and better customer satisfaction too.
In some instances, RPA can assist with marketing, increasing your efforts to deliver tailored content. Creating personalised content for a target audience can take time and manpower, but RPA could automate some of the processes. This includes the likes of monitoring customer activity, or even identifying preferences to help you increase the chance of success in your marketing campaigns.
Preparation and prediction are two crucial elements of running a business, but they can be the trickiest. RPA can use past data to aggregate trends and determine what is most likely to come next, allowing your business to be prepared and ahead of the curve.
Cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, have presented an amazing investment opportunity over the past decade, and the Profit Time Machine calculator clearly demonstrates this in monetary terms. According to a recent article comparing crypto and stock investments, the price of Bitcoin has increased during the last 10 years by a staggering 6 million percent!
The Profit Time Machine shows that if you’d bought just $600 worth of BTC back in 2013, you would now be a millionaire! In fact, $5,000 of Bitcoin bought in 2013 would today be worth a colossal $8 million! These huge gains make Bitcoin almost 400 times more profitable than Tesla, which was one of the best performing stocks over that time period.
Even just looking at recent performance, crypto has still yielded impressive returns compared with stocks in 2020:
Netflix up 66% >>>>> Bitcoin was up 302%
Amazon up 74% >>>>> Ethereum was up 470%
Apple up 79% >>>>> Chainlink was up 528%
“So, if you had invested $1,000 in each of Apple, Amazon and Netflix at the start of 2020, it would today be worth just under $5,150. If however, you had put $1,000 into each of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Chainlink at that time instead, you would now have over $42,000! Therefore, the crypto investments would have made you more than 18 times as much profit compared with the stocks.”
If you’re looking for which cryptocurrencies will make a great investment, analysing past performance is a good place to start, and this handy Profit Time Machine tool will do the legwork for you. All you have to do is select a coin, an amount and any date in the past and it will show you what that investment would be worth now, as well as how those returns compare with stocks.
“If you are tired of asking yourself ‘What if…’ and instead want to get involved in this rapidly growing marketplace, use the Profit Time Machine to justify and inform your decision. The figures speak for themselves, and the crypto revolution is only just beginning.”
As ace investor Warren Buffet likes to put it, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”
The “make money work for you” phrase is an inch away from becoming a cliché. Everybody wants to amass wealth while getting their Zs and waking up with more cash in the bank than they had before going to bed.
There is no silver bullet to achieve this freedom or a magic formula that gives investors a single answer. Instead, there are a couple of methods that you can use in combination to deploy funds and earn returns without putting in any work.
Investors must, however, always remember to assess their risk appetite before putting money into any of these asset classes.
It’s assumed here that investors have the required insurance policy set up prior to investing.
Our recommendations are in order of risk—high risk, high return asset classes listed first.
5 Ways to put your money to work
Invest in (Not Trade) Cryptocurrencies
The buzz around cryptocurrency has recently spiked. It had been building momentum since the beginning of last decade, but it now has enough investor confidence to actually produce massive returns.
It’s recommended to NOT trade cryptocurrencies because their volatility can quite easily leave investors with less money than they put in. Instead, investors should use a fundamental approach. Investors must base their decisions on fundamental factors that drive the price of any cryptocurrency—the biggest price-driver for cryptos is demand.
So, what’s hot right now?
Everybody knows about Bitcoin and Ethereum, but few know about their not-so-popular (at least yet) cousin, Chainlink. Before talking about how to buy Chainlink, let’s talk about why it could be a good way to deploy money.
Why is Chainlink good?
Let me give you some data points and a visual. Here’s how much the Chainlink earned for investors over the mentioned time frames:
The prices can be extremely volatile. If you had invested €100 a month ago, you would now be left with €91.9. If you had invested €100 last year, you would now have €1,113.4. This highlights why investment can be more fruitful than trading.
Chainlink prices only started to gain traction around August 2020. The prices have come down from their all-time-high, which means this could be a good time to open a position in Chainlink.
The how to buy Chainlink tutorial is a one-liner: you can buy Chainlink from a cryptocurrency exchange, just like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
I reiterate the importance of realizing your risk appetite beforehand. Cryptocurrency is currently the riskiest asset class. If done right, though, it can make you colossal wealth.
Become a Sleeping Partner in a Business
Next on our risk spectrum are the economy’s money-making machines—businesses. Investing in a business can offer extremely high returns because you assume a lot more risk than investing in a mutual fund or fixed deposit. The smaller the business, the higher the risk.
Another thing to note here is that as a sleeping partner, the investor may not be an active participant in the firm’s day-to-day activities. So, it’s important to come to terms with the fact that you will have little control over the business’ operations.
Let’s nail some basics:
Limit the liability: Partners of a partnership firm are personally liable in case of bankruptcy. It is always prudent to limit the liability while drawing a partnership deed. It’s best to have a professional take care of this.
Due diligence: Businesses can be vulnerable to several kinds of risk including operational and financial risk. Before investors put their hard-earned money into a business, they must analyze the financial statements to gauge the potential return on investment. During the analysis, investors should pay due attention to not just general, but industry-specific risks as well.
Are the partners trustworthy?: As a sleeping partner, an investor will have a minimal role to play in the business. Investors will leave their money in the hands of other active partners. Unless there is trust among the partners, it is unlikely that the partnership will last long.
Owning a business can generate one of the greatest ROI digits for investors in the long run. Take the leap of faith only when you’re completely confident, though. Investment in a business is illiquid, so investors looking for a short-term or liquid investment may want to look at other options in the list.
Alternative Investments
Alternative investments include real estate, art, private equity, and the like. These investments are risky and illiquid. Selling a house takes months, if not years. Given their high risk, they also have the potential to generate mammoth returns.
There is also a barrier to entry with alternative investments because they often require a large amount. This issue has been partly done away with for real estate investments with the growing popularity of REITs, though. Think of REITs as a mutual fund for real estate. They offer liquidity and make real estate investment accessible for small investors.
The latest wave in alternative investments is non-fungible tokens (NFTs). An NFT is a blockchain-linked digital asset that is generated cryptographically. In fact, just 6 hours prior to this writing, Elon Musk (who else!) tweeted out that he is selling an NFT-themed song about NFTs via NFT.
Note that this is not the most ideal category for beginners. Beginners are better off with mutual funds and fixed-income investments. Speaking of which…
Invest in Equities and Mutual Funds
For investors keen on investing in a business while still retaining the ability to liquidate in minutes—equities are a perfect fit.
When you invest in the equity of a corporation, you derive the benefits of the business, and you reserve an option to exit the minute you feel you want out.
Why are equities listed after business in terms of risk?
Equities are high-risk assets too. However, investors can diversify their equity investment portfolio far more easily than they can diversify their business’ product or service portfolio.
Many investment platforms will give investors their portfolio’s standard deviation as a measure of risk. That being said, this is a dynamic number that changes with changes in factors like the country’s economic landscape, industry regulations, or just the market’s “sentiment.”
A shortcut to managing risk
Adriaan Van Ketwich, a Dutch businessman, introduced the world to its first mutual fund in 1774 precisely for this reason. Most investors can’t actively manage their portfolio–some lack knowledge, and some, time.
Mutual funds are managed by qualified investment professionals appointed by the fund house (or AMCs, i.e. Asset Management Companies). They operate under a regulatory framework established by the country’s governing body (FCA in the UK). Put simply, mutual funds pool money from investors and invest it in equities (or bonds). They charge a small fee for this, but it is rarely a significant amount unless your investment is in millions.
Evidently, mutual funds can make smart investors a lot of money:
An investment worth £100 in Quarter 1, 2020 in the Premier Miton UK Smaller Companies Fund would have grown to £240+ in a year. That’s more than a 100% return on investment! To be precise:
That being said, the Premier Miton UK Smaller Companies Fund is a high-risk fund given it invests in small companies, and therefore, the returns generated over various timeframes may fluctuate significantly.
Investors who are wary of the fees charged by AMCs may want to consider investing in Index funds. These funds are passively managed and track a benchmark index, like the FTSE SmallCap.
Invest in Fixed-Income Securities
This is where investors would want their money to be if they’re closer to retirement. Even young investors should have some fixed-income investments in their portfolio to keep the portfolio’s standard deviation in check.
Investors may choose to invest in these fixed income securities, as listed in order of risk and return potential, with high-risk securities listed first:
Corporate Bonds (maybe further classified in terms of risk with ratings like AA, AAA, etc.)
The driver of risk and return for fixed income securities is its duration and rating. Duration is a metric used to measure the risk of fixed income securities, while a rating is assigned to fixed income securities by credit rating agencies like S&P and Fitch Ratings.
Double Down on Debt
A penny saved is a penny earned. Always consider the opportunity cost of investing in any securities discussed above. If an individual has savings worth €1,000 that he wants to invest in equities with a target return of 12% p.a., while he’s paying interest at the rate of 20% p.a. on his credit card debt, his opportunity cost of investing in equities is 8%.
In simpler words, using those €1,000 to pay off the debt will leave him with more money in hand than investing that money in equities.
The only place you should put your money in when you have outstanding debt is insurance.
Conclusion
Making your money work has become astonishingly simple over the past few decades. You can invest or redeem your investments at the press of a button, and access information whenever you need it.
Before you hop onboard the investment train, make sure you have the 2 essential elements of the equation figured out: insurance and debt. The first step is to make sure that you have a life and health insurance policy to take care of your family even in your absence. Next, fight out any debt that is eating away your income.
When you have insurance coverage and are debt-free, you can make your money multiply without even moving.
Humerus fracture occurs in the upper arm bone and due to this, it is also known as upper arm fracture. Humerus runs from the shoulder and shoulder blade to the elbow. Surgical treatment of upper arm fracture may involve the use of orthopedic devices like Titanium Elastic Nailing System, Locking Plate, or Bone Screws.
Humerus fractures can be classified into two categories:
Proximal humerus fracture
Humerus shaft fracture
Proximal Humerus Fracture
In proximal fracture of the upper arm, the bone break occurs at the upper part of the humerus. This condition is known to reduce the ability to move the shoulder.
Humerus Shaft Fracture
This type of fracture is known to be a common one. Humerus shaft fracture occurs at the middle of the upper arm.
Causes of Humerus Fracture
Humerus fractures generally occur due to traumatic injuries like falling on the outstretched hand, automobile accident, or injury during sports. Upper arm fractures can also occur due to low-impact accidents, especially in elderly people.
Symptoms
Symptoms of humerus fractures will depend upon the type and severity of the condition. Below-mentioned are some of the common symptoms that are seen in the case of humerus fracture:
Pain at the site of injury
Bruising and swelling
Difficulty during shoulder movement
Feeling of grinding sensation during the shoulder movement
Occasional bleeding in case of open fracture
Inability to use the arm normally in case of nerve injury
Diagnosis of Upper Arm Fractures
After a physical examination and noticing symptoms, the orthopedist will suggest an X-ray to see the exact location where the bone break has occurred. In the maximum number of cases, humerus fracture is easily diagnosed with the X-ray examination, but in certain cases, the doctor may also indicate a CT scan.
If the symptoms and examinations done by the orthopedist indicate that the patient may be suffering from osteoporosis, then a special test named dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry may also be performed. This test will confirm the occurrence of osteoporosis.
Treatment of Upper Arm Fractures
Depending upon the type of fracture, the treatment may be done either surgically or non-surgically. Let us see the treatment of humerus fractures based on their classification:
Proximal Humeral Fracture
In case of non-displaced proximal humeral fracture, non-operative treatment is preferred. This is because, in non-displaced fracture, fractured bone fragments do not leave their position. During non-operative treatment, a sling or shoulder immobilizer is applied with no shoulder mobility for at least two weeks. After that, the patient may be suggested to perform specific exercises for improved and quick recovery. To check the progress of fracture healing, a periodic X-ray examination will be done by the doctor.
In displaced fracture condition, surgery will be done to realign & fix bone fragments using Bone Plates & Screws. Siora Surgicals is one of the top Orthopedic Products Manufacturers in India that offers an international quality range of trauma implants.
Humerus Shaft Fracture
For the initial management of humerus shaft fracture, a temporary splint may be applied to hold the elbow bent at 90 degrees.
In most cases, fracture bracing is applied for treating the fracture without surgery. After three to four weeks, the bracing is replaced with a cylindrical brace that will set the elbow free. With time, the doctor will suggest certain exercises to restore muscle strength and flexibility of the joint.
In severe cases, internal fixation may be done using Bone Plates, Screws, or Elastic Nail. After surgery, the doctor may suggest the use of a sling to ensure comfort and better arm support.
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