Category Archives: Business

The Critical Difference Between Stock & Forex Trading Industry

Guest post in our financial series. Enjoy! – Kimberly

Investing in stocks and forex is a popular way to make money, but many need to be aware of their differences. While both markets offer potential rewards for savvy investors, understanding the key differences between stock and forex trading can help ensure you choose the one most suited to your goals and risk tolerance.

In this article, we’ll cover what these two industries involved, compare them side by side, review some of their pros and cons, discuss how they work together as part of an investment strategy – if at all – and much more. But first off: are you interested in better understanding which form of investing best suits your criteria? Read on and find out.

Overview of Stock and Forex Trading

Stock and forex trading are two of the most competitive financial markets in the world. Both markets require a deep understanding of every detail, from global economic trends and current events to interest rates and corporate earnings. Stock trading is focused on buying and selling shares of publicly traded companies. Market and industry trends and individual company news influence it.Continue reading→

How To Be A Compassionate Hybrid Leader

Although it’s not a particularly new concept, hybrid work setups have become a growing trend in industries across the world. In fact, because most offices have resumed normal operations, up to 74% of companies have said they’re either already using or planning to adopt hybrid setups. This comes as no real surprise considering that studies prove that organized hybrid work is beneficial to output and creativity. These comprehensive studies were based on a diverse range of industries and business scales, which further underscores how hybrid work is the happy medium for both companies and workers.

That said, hybrid work is not without its challenges. For most office leaders, one of the top concerns they have with this model is the lack of access between themselves and their teams. This has led some bosses to worry that their team culture may suffer or their employees will feel isolated. Conversely, 77% of surveyed company leaders have found that compassion can benefit both people and profits. Therefore, while hybrid does reduce face-to-face interactions, leaders can (and should) still exercise compassion through this particular medium. And here’s how:

Image ref: Pexels

Show your employees you appreciate them

While you shouldn’t just toss out empty praises for the sake of it, you shouldn’t hold back on showing your employees appreciation either. This shows employees that you value them and recognize the adversity they’ve overcome so that it empowers your hybrid team no matter how challenging the transition may be. That said, to underscore the sincerity of your appreciation back up your words with actions. This is especially impactful for teams that work mostly remotely as it shows that you appreciate everyone fairly.

To show employees appreciation virtually, say “thank you” through meaningful gestures. This can include sending decorations for home offices, planning a virtual hangout to unwind, or gifting food delivery cards. Through such well-thought-out executions, you show that your appreciation comes from a place of compassion which is inspiring for many workers. In fact, surveys reveal that while 46% of employees left jobs because they felt under-appreciated, 79% said feeling appreciated gave them a boost professionally and personally.Continue reading→

Why Hire a Design + Build Firm for Your Kitchen Remodel

Contributed article in our home office design series. Enjoy working from home! – Kimberly

For homeowners who wish to move with the times and see the hottest design trends come to life in their personal space, embarking on a kitchen remodeling project is a special and exciting time. It is an eagerly anticipated event because every detail has been carefully planned, and they want the project to be executed with the same attention to insta-worthy detail.

They want to ensure that everything goes smoothly from start to finish. From the financial perspective, they want to know they are getting the best possible value. From the technical side of things, they want to hire a contractor who will honor their wishes and follow their exact specifications.

Map Ref: The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn

A kitchen remodeling project is a serious endeavor, but when carried out by a team of professionals, it is well worth the wait and effort. And that is where the design-build concept comes into play. Design-build firms offer a comprehensive service, taking care of both the design and the construction phase of a project. 

So why are design-build firms the preferred choice, especially in the high-end market? What do they have to offer that makes them a cut above the rest?Continue reading→

Shocking Ways Personal Brands Will Make You a Better Leader

Guest post in our leadership series. Enjoy! – Kimberly

Shocking Ways Personal Brands Will Make You a Better Leader creates a thoughtful perspective on the future of leadership development.

After decades worth of studying leadership development and career advancement, there is a powerful truth that presents itself. Anyone in a leadership role that wants to be a better leader should understand this basic principle. Shocking ways personal brands will make you a better leader is the easiest way to command attention from a team regardless of how many people you lead.

Let’s look at leadership from two main perspectives. The first perspective is the individual perspective. This is otherwise known as a personal brand. The second perspective is the collective or team where each individual contributor adds to the greater whole. Somewhere in the middle is where it seems to go off the rails. Good leaders can get distracted when they need to keep it simple. The shocking truth is that being a better leader is easier when you focus on personal brands. Here’s how we do it!

The basic objective in leadership is to get the individual contributors to effectively and productively work toward the common goal with less effort. Turning this complicated task into a simple solution is easy. The right approach leads to simplicity. Let’s consider the shocking ways personal brands will make you a better leader by focusing on personal brands.

Shockingly Simple Ways to Use a Personal Brand to Lead

Anyone in a leadership position may already know the difficulty that comes when leading teams of individual contributors. The bigger the team, the more difficult the task. Using a simple approach repeatedly makes you a better leader.Continue reading→

Wire Fraud and How to Prevent It

Contributed article in our cybersecurity series. Enjoy! – Kimberly

The advent of new technologies and the widespread use of the internet have allowed scammers to access and steal personalized information with the aim of using it to commit fraud. One of the most common forms of internet scams is wire fraud – preying on thousands of people every year who fall victim to these kinds of manipulations. Unfortunately, people are often caught by surprise and end up wondering how they fell for such scams.

Therefore, it’s imperative to know how to recognize wire fraud and protect yourself and your personal information from potential fraudsters.

Map Ref: Blackhawk Bank

Continue reading→