How to Expand your Business into China

China is the world’s second largest economy, and is due to continue expanding, so it makes sense that businesses want to capitalise on the investment opportunities the country presents. With a population of over 1.3 billion, breaking into the Chinese market is attractive to almost every business, but there have been a number of famous companies that have tried, and failed, to expand in China.

This could be due to a lack of knowledge in how to localise and launch a business in China, or it could simply be because there simply isn’t a market for the company. According to the program director at Chinacelerator, a company which helps startups bridge the gap to the east Asian market, Oscar Ramos: “Ninety-nine per cent of companies who want to access China as a foreign company, shouldn’t.”…

Continue reading

Tips for Attending Industry Conferences

So it’s time for your first industry conference, and you’re not sure what to expect. You know that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people in your line of work will be gathered in one city for a few days of panels, trade shows, and schmoozing.

If you want to make the most of the experience, keep a few things in mind.

Industry conference

Communicate

This is the biggest thing you can do at a conference. Don’t just hang out with your small group of coworkers; get outside your comfort zone.

When you get up in the morning, you should have a list of things you want to accomplish that day.…

Continue reading

How to Best Prepare Your Business for a Natural Disaster: 6 Crucial Tips

The recent storms to hit the United States have been all over the media the last few weeks. Hurricane Harvey dumped enough water on southern Texas in a week to supply New York City with drinking water for sixty-nine years. That is a massive amount of water to fall in less than a week. And then there’s Hurricane Irma:

If you are like many small business owners, you are more than likely wondering how to best prepare your business for a natural disaster like Hurricane Harvey or Irma. Now is a great time to review the plans your business has in place for when a natural disaster occurs in your area.…

Continue reading

Boost Your Laundry Business With These 4 Smart Tips

The main reason why so many people invest in running a laundry business is because it’s a relatively safe and lucrative venture. However, its appeal is also one of the reasons why so few laundry businesses make it big –the safe and simple route can only take you so far.

Laundromat

Successful entrepreneurs know that a business hinges on its owner’s ability to make calculated decisions and accept risks for the sake of higher returns. The next time you find yourself looking at a stagnant rate of profit, consider these four examples of how you could take your business to the next level:

1.

Continue reading

Why Everyone Needs a Flexible Working Schedule

Being shackled to a dead-end nine-to-five job isn’t exactly what every high school or college graduate expects after wrapping up their student life, but such is the grim reality we face, given that most companies still mandate their employees to operate under these circumstances.

Flexible working

There is no room for compromise and definitely no potential for growth if one were to choose this career path, even if one were to decide to jump from one traditional company to another. The glass ceiling will always be there.

Flexible working, more control

But the times are changing, and so, too, are business models, with work-from-home structures and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) on the rise.…

Continue reading

Do You Have Someone Who Manages Your Parts Data? If Not, Here are 4 Reasons Why You Should

As an electrical engineer, your primary goal is transforming clients’ ideas into functioning electronics. However, in designing a BOM for a project, you’ll need to manage your parts to ensure you have every requirement. Most electrical engineers admit that it’s hard to focus on product design while managing BOM parts at the same time.

Parts data management

Poor management of parts leads to lengthy delays in production, unexpected cost increases, and, production of faulty electronics. Hiring a professional who manages your parts data ensures you benefit in the following ways.

1. Keeps an updated list of prices

If your Bill of Materials (BOM) contains hundreds of parts, it will take you a lot of time to cross check the price of each listed part.…

Continue reading

Does Mindfulness Training Have Business Benefits?

Buzzwords come and go in the corporate world. Many are short-lived fads championed and then dropped in a matter of weeks, but occasionally a workplace trend comes along that stands the test of time. Mindfulness is the latest buzzword to infiltrate the corporate world, and this one is here to stay.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that focuses attention on breathing as it flows in and out of your body, allowing you to think and feel sensation more clearly. This method of mental training is growing in the West, and is following in yoga’s footsteps to become a billion dollar industry.…

Continue reading

What Are KPIs, And How Can Consultants Help You Target Them?

Every business has indicators that aid in determining how a company is doing regarding meeting set objectives or measuring employees’ accomplishments after a given period. These “measurables” are achieved using Key Performance Indicators, KPIs.

Measuring KPIs

The use of high-level KPIs, for example, depicts the overall performance of a business while low-level KPIs are focused mainly on sales, marketing or customer care. KPIs generally cover the following areas:

  • Business indexes
  • Finance
  • Return on investments
  • Customer retention and satisfaction
  • Ticket analysis
  • Call times
  • Back order rates

Each KPI is unique to a sector and determining each level goes a long way in understanding how an enterprise is faring.…

Continue reading

How Will Divorce Affect Your Business?

They say it’s smart to keep personal and business relationships separate, but when you’re married, you and your spouse become one in every way – including business. If your “I do” turns into “I don’t” in the future, what will happen to your company?

Here’s how a divorce may impact your business.

Business couple

Divorce and Business – Your Ex May Become Your Next Business Partner

Depending on the state you live in, your ex may become your new business partner when the divorce is finalized.

The way in which assets are divided in a divorce depends on state laws. A business is considered an asset, and it may be classified as either marital or non-marital property.…

Continue reading

The Advantages of Shrink Labeling

In the last few years, stretch and shrink sleeves have captured a considerable portion of the global label market. But what brings about this rise in demand? Well, it can be attributed to their attractive look and versatility. Customization can also be made very easily during the sleeve label manufacturing process, which allows for more flexibility.

Shrink labeling

There are several types of labels available on the market, such as in-mold labels, roll fed labels, foam labels, etc. The most popular remains the heat shrink sleeve label. In this article, we’re going to describe some of the major advantages of shrink labeling over other methods.…

Continue reading