7 Self-Improvement Goals That Will Make You Happier And More Motivated

Always remember that as long as you are alive, there’s always time to change your ways and succeed in life. You alone have the power and the opportunity to do what you want and be the person you want to become. If you want to improve yourself and achieve your goals, you should follow these self-improvement tips.

• First and foremost, you need to accept the fact that you need to be able to take full responsibility for your self-improvement. You need to know your true self, the things you’re interested in, and how you’re going to actively pursue them. If you don’t have any idea where you are heading, then you’ll probably just end up where other people want you to go.

• You need to set realistic goals and stick to these objectives as well as find ways to achieve them. Such a thing, however, is not enough.

• Learning continuously is also important. There are skills and techniques that you can adapt to improve your life. Never stop learning. Many people know how important this tip is. You need to continue learning in order to succeed.

• Look for effective ways to learn new things and improve your skills. Realizing the power of learning can encourage many people to become better in various ways and achieve what they really want. Keep in mind that if you learn new things enthusiastically, you’ll achieve self-growth and succeed in living a more content life. You will become happier and live the kind of life you have always wanted.

• You also need to change your bad habits. There are many times when a person’s life is dominated by bad practices. If you really want to become a better person, you need to change these habits and stick to the positive changes you’ve made.

• Being persistent is also important. Some people give up too easily. Always remember that your perseverance will serve as the driving force that will encourage you to do things you think you cannot do.

• When you focus on a goal, it is important to keep your mind on it. Don’t let yourself get distracted by other goals. Many people cannot focus on anything related to work for a long period of time. It is difficult to do especially since our culture is full of reasons and distractions that force us not to bother a lot with attaining real success.

There are plenty of excuses you can say that can stop us from doing anything productive. If you want to improve yourself and achieve your goals, you need to prioritize every action. Even when you’re not seeing any major progress yet, you should still keep going towards the completion of your goal.

As long as you keep at it – you’ll reap the rewards in the end. There are self-improvement books that provide life-changing ideas and advice that you can integrate into your life. Discover and learn things that can benefit your pursuit of self-improvement. Always remember that learning new things can do you a great favour. Continuous education will certainly help you succeed.

How To Make Money Online Just By Answering Surveys (Yes, You Read Correctly)

The idea of learning how to make money online may seem a bit challenging for some, especially when you are a bit skeptical about all the possible ways that are offered online. However, there are a lot of legit ways on how you can make money via the internet and earn a lot of money effortlessly. All it takes for you is to find the right place where you can get the job.

One of the easiest and most popular ways on how to make money online is through answering surveys. You just need to answer the surveys from popular companies in the most honest way possible. These surveys are given to people like you for the companies to know the areas where improvements must be done or the areas or things that they are doing right.

Most of the time, surveys would only include a few questions while there are some that would take at least an hour or two. Once you are done, you can submit the answered survey and then get another survey and get paid for every job you take. What makes it really interesting is that there are some companies where you can choose the kind of surveys that you can take or pick a survey that pays more than other surveys.

What Makes Taking Surveys a Great Option for Making Money Online

What makes taking surveys a great option for making money online is the fact that companies want to get honest answers from you. This means that whether you have positive or negative answers, these answers are welcome. Also, you get paid whatever your opinion is. There is no right or wrong answer with the surveys. You just have to answer in all honesty and companies will be more than willing to pay you for it.

The main goal behind every survey is to give the company honest feedbacks that will help them find ways of improving their products or services. At times, they get new ideas from these surveys and even introduce new generation of products that can answer all of the concerns you have provided in the survey.

Where to Take Paid Surveys

For you to get started in this type of job, the first thing that you must do is find a company or a legit website where you can sign up and take surveys. There are a lot of websites where you can get paid surveys and some of them are:

Swagbucks

This is a very popular survey company that gained high ratings from its survey participants. The convenience and accessibility of the site is what made most participants love it. They also provide a high level of privacy and a decent payout process that allows participants to get their payout easily.

Vindale Research

Among the reputable companies that you should not miss trying is the Vindale Research. Their participants gave them an overall rating of A due to their impressive accessibility, payout schemes and a lot more.

These are just some of the top survey companies where you can sign up and earn around $5 to $75 per survey. You just have to be familiar with how everything works and get started in your new source of income.

5 Things To Keep In Mind Before Quitting A Job To Become A Full-Time Entrepreneur

If you’ve just decided to make that leap into entrepreneurship, it is important to make sure that you are successfully prepared to do so.

By following our tips on creating viable plans as well as making sure that you trust yourself, we will explain the 5 most important things to consider.

Keep reading to make sure you become successful in this business venture!

Leaving Amicably

Once you make that all-important decision to quit your job and pursue your own career in entrepreneurship, it is important to retain the relationships that you have made. It is usually a bad idea to leave a bad footprint in the business world, as you never know what your future will hold.

For example, showing decency by handing in your resignation within plenty of time gives your employer enough time to make alternative arrangements in hiring someone else. Furthermore, you may actually need to come back if all else fails, it is always great to have a plan B!

Trusting Yourself

Before you make that big jump and resign, you really need to believe in the potential success of your idea. You need to make sure that this idea has the potential for a great turnaround opportunity for you.

You can do this by undertaking some market analysis, allowing you to see how difficult it may be to pursue your goal, by considering things such as any barriers to entry that needs to be considered, whilst also running some financial statistics on the viability of the execution of your idea.

Financial Planning

Running some financial statistics is an extremely great idea to ensure that you won’t run into many problems in starting up your business. If you have a list of things such as fixed costs and variable costs already in your repertoire, you are more likely to be able to use this money in a much more efficient way, increasing your chances of success.

It is also important to run some numbers on the period between launching your business and leaving your job and making sure that you have enough money between this gap to be able to pursue your ideas. If not, it may be worth considering your plans at a later date.

Gain Perspective

Understanding alternate opinions is a great choice to consider when launching your business. Those doubts that a parent or a friend might have could be extremely valuable in allowing you to understand the pitfalls of your own ideas. This outside perspective is likely to make you more aware of these, increasing your chances of success entrepreneurially.

Successful Preparation

Finally, whilst financial planning is important, it is crucial to consider an overall plan to promote the chances of business success. Producing a step-by-step plan on how you aim to achieve things at certain times can make your mind much clearer, allowing you to be more organised and thus promote the chance of entrepreneurial success.

5 Professional Skills You Need To Master In 2021 For Professional Growth

Knowing how to grow in your professional life might seem daunting. Not many people know that all the tools they need to do this are already in their possession. Each person has the potential to succeed professionally, but only a few do. Make 2021 your year for professional growth by mastering our top 5 skills listed below.

  1. Motivation

The simplest, yet most effective skill you need to develop is self-motivation. When you’re motivated, you show up and do your work. Motivation can initiate, guide, and help you maintain goals. To be motivated in your profession, you need to have a personal drive to achieve work-related goals. Staying committed to this desire, being ready to act upon it, and being optimistic that you will reach it even when some rocks are thrown in your road, is the key factors to staying motivated.

  1. Flexibility

When you’re flexible, you’re valuable. No matter where you are professionally, challenges and obstacles are bound to show up on your doorstep. Even when your career is rigid, unpredictable events can come knocking any day. You should always be able to adapt and adjust easily without compromising the quality of your work if professional growth is what you’re looking to achieve.

  1. Initiative

Don’t ever sit around during work hours doing nothing. When you have nothing to do, find something to do! Being proactive and taking initiative will have a great impact on your professional growth. When it comes to your career, taking initiative can mean more than asking for extra work. Doing more than what is expected from you and identifying future problems and working on solving them is a great step in the right direction, but you can also grow this skill by working on your career plan, your confidence, requesting feedback on work already done or sharing ideas for improvement.

  1. Time Management

One of the best skills to develop is time-management. Successful careers require effective management. Knowing how to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines can push you further than you might think. Effective time-management also includes setting time aside for breaks. Relaxing every now and then will give you a much needed-boost and prevent you from getting stressed out which will be detrimental to your growth.

  1. Leadership

Never make the mistake of thinking that leadership skills should be reserved for senior-ranking professionals. Leadership includes the ability to inspire others and everyone should be able to do this if their end-goal is success. Whether you have leadership in the form of patience, empathy, and being a good listener or are able to take risks and make decisions, developing the skill unique to you can improve your professional growth drastically.

Expanding your skillset can never backfire. Whether you use these skills for professional growth or in your personal life, being able to adjust, show leadership in asking situations, stay motivated and take initiative all while making the best use of what time you have, is what will make you stand out amongst the rest.

5 Reasons Why the Right Location Can Make or Break Your Business

When planning to start a new business, one of the first things to consider is where to launch it. Location, after all, is one of ‘The 5 Critical Elements to Make Your Business a Smashing Success’ — and for good reason. It can very well spell the difference between success or failure, and here are five considerations to show you why:

Access to the Right Talent

The geographic location of any company is important in attracting and retaining the right workforce for your business. For instance, it was a driving factor for Jeff Bezos to locate his second Amazon headquarters in Northern Virginia. The region was revealed to have the largest concentration of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) workers in the country, and ranked as the top state for education, alongside Massachusetts. So, when deciding on your own business location, do some research on the current and future trends in the employment landscape in the area, and see how it can benefit your specific industry.

Business Requirements and Regulations

In choosing a business location, you’ll have to compare different state requirements and regulations, and determine which one would be the most favorable for your business. For instance, states like New Mexico, Delaware, and Wyoming don’t require new LLCs to submit the names of their members upon registration, which means they can be very good choices for those who want a little more privacy. Other states, meanwhile, can have extra requirements when registering. Case in point: The New York LLC publication requirement means that new businesses must publish a copy of their articles of organization in two separate newspapers within 120 days of registering. Although very much doable, it’s an extra cost that entrepreneurs must account for in the early days.

In terms of tax laws, Wyoming and South Dakota are the most tax-friendly states for businesses, as they have no individual income tax, corporate income tax, and gross receipts tax. Meanwhile, New Jersey is the worst state in terms of taxes, with the highest individual income tax rate in the country, along with high corporate, sales, and property taxes.

Cost of Living and Doing Business

A huge factor in choosing the right business location is its affordability. Real estate costs are the second largest expense for businesses, right after labor costs. Cities like New York and San Francisco are known for their expensive rent and food, so many entrepreneurs avoid settling down there if they can. Speaking to the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index can help determine the most affordable states in terms of essential needs and real estate costs. For example, among the least expensive states in terms of housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare are Arkansas and Texas.

Brand Visibility

Location can also influence the ability of a business to market itself and what competition it may face. For example, choosing a business address in Manhattan can change the perception of your business, as you’ll be able to tie your brand with the financial success and high growth commonly associated with the area. However, other key considerations like affordability and tax laws must be considered, too. So, it’s up to you and your financial plan to weigh up which factor will favor your business more.

Access to the Right Suppliers

Depending on the nature of your business, access to the best suppliers in terms of price and quality is another factor to consider when choosing the right location. Speed of delivery can have a huge impact on the productivity of your operations. This is why even though real estate and cost of living can be cheaper in smaller towns or cities, not every business is lining up to start operations there. The closer you are to the right suppliers, the faster your products and services can reach your intended markets — and the better it will be overall for you.

All in all, choosing the right location for your business depends on finding the right balance among these five factors. If some of them are conflicting, decide on which ones are more important to you and your business, and which disadvantages you can live with.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The February 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Ryan Evans

Ryan Evans is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, public speaker, and family man. In the early 2010s, as his first entrepreneurial venture, Ryan founded a technology company that he grew to multiple locations, employing dozens of people. After a successful executive transition there, he was appointed as the Global Operations Director for a billion-dollar multinational corporation where his focus and passion were on strategic planning, global growth, and training. He was successful in growing that business to more than three million global affiliates before leaving to start his next venture.

In 2017, Ryan founded Elamant International and successfully launched the company in more than two dozen countries, spanning five continents, including massive action throughout Africa and Asia. Today, Elamant is stronger than ever with revenues of more than $200 million and growing.

Ryan has been featured in multiple publications as well as online resources, video channels, blogs, and forums. He has spoken in person and virtually to millions of people around the world. Ryan has been married for 17 years and is a devoted father to four amazing kids. MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Ryan and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

My beginnings actually typify the American Dream. I grew up in the Midwest and always envisioned accomplishing great things. However, like so many others, I didn’t know how those dreams would become reality. I got my first taste of entrepreneurship while owning a local software company. Although I was featured in regional publications for my work, I knew I had the capacity to do more.

My big break came when I was Marketing Director for an international company and was instrumental in taking it to unprecedented heights. I realized then; I could do even more. The company I currently own, Elamant is drastically different from the other ventures. However, the experience I gained over the years prepared me for this moment.

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

I’ve been very blessed to travel the world during my time in Asia, I developed the skill set of connecting with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Succeeding as an entrepreneur is all about finding ways to build and maintain relationships. When I discovered my ability to connect with people from all walks of life, that’s when I began leveraging more effectively.

How did your life look before being an entrepreneur?

Boring with a capital “B”. Ask a lion what life looks like in a cage or a tiger what life looks like not being able to hunt. Entrepreneurs have a spirit that must be unleashed, and we’ll never be satisfied with any other life.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

Helping others reach their full potential. Freedom means different things to different people and for me, it means living to your capacity. Anything less is bondage. I’m motivated by the thrill and challenge of showing people they can even when they think they can’t.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Unpredictable. Every day is different. Every challenge is unique. You wake up with a plan and have to be adaptable enough to change those plans quickly because you don’t always know what a day will bring. That’s what makes the journey so exciting for me.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

Making a difference, blazing a new trail, and leaving a legacy. Business is all about those three things. I want people’s lives to change as a result of them connecting with our business. I also want to do things that have never been done before; either by bringing an existing product to a new market or a new product to the masses. I also believe business is most successful when it achieves longevity. I want my great grandchildren’s children to benefit from the work I’ve done.

What do you put your success down to?

Perseverance. No matter what, I won’t give up on my dreams. Our company logo is an elephant. Our motto is we are unstoppable. Elephants are not fast animals, but they travel great distances because they persevere. They live longer than most creatures in the wild and they have no rival. That’s the pattern for me!

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

First is great partnerships. You never have to “do it all” when you have great partners. Next, is great products. Customers appreciate something that works even better than expected. They want value for their hard-earned money. When you have a great product, it builds loyalty and consumer confidence. Lastly, is a great passion. If you don’t like or believe in what you do, it will soon show. By having passion, you’ll always feel like your vocation is a vacation.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

Maintaining focus is the most significant challenge any entrepreneur faces. It’s hard to have a one-track mind when you wear multiple hats. For me, I’ve overcome this challenge by delegation. I work to shift the workload to qualified members of the team in order to keep my mind on the main thing as much as possible.

Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?

Yes. There are times when it seems that no one “gets it” the way I do. Therefore, I find myself working in the late hours of the night or early mornings to be true to my vision. It’s great to have a strong support system. However, the saying is true: it’s lonely at the top.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

People need leaders. When you realize that one sentence, it will change everything. Leadership is not just something you do, it’s something you MUST do. Imagine where countries would be without presidents or where a basketball team would be without a coach. Leadership is a responsibility. Once you embrace the role of leader, it’s a lifetime responsibility.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

Reliable training. College will never be able to prepare the entrepreneur for running a business. Therefore, small business owners need proven resources they can access from their mobile devices to equip them for the demands of being their own bosses. Ironically, we’ve got just the tools to help them. Stay tuned!

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The January 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Bryan Legend

Bryan Legend is an Australian self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, and the founder/CEO of Clever Defi Pty Ltd. Legend is literally living up to his name as he’s conquered the Cryptocurrency world; a niche that drives uncertainty to the minds of most investors and entrepreneurs.

For the period of 8 years that Bryan has been in Cryptocurrency, he’s mastered the art and craft to near perfection. An embodiment of strategic planning and execution, Bryan has hit gold in this field with his innate crypto-oriented mindset, the evidence of which can be seen from the successful start-up companies he has created from scratch, complemented by his estimated net worth of roughly 2.6 million dollars.

The crypto industry has experienced substantial growth over the past few years, making millionaires and billionaires in the process. “Crypto itself isn’t going anywhere, but most Crypto’s are. What I mean by that is the future of Cryptography and Blockchain is here to stay, but 99% of the Crypto projects that exist today won’t be around in the near future because they are simply not geared the right way in a decentralized manner”, Bryan remarked.

As an entrepreneur, Bryan is one of the most brilliant minds among his peers. In retrospect to his beginner days, it’s been evident that Bryan Legend has always had the inbred ability in sales and an unmatched intuition in negotiations. Bryan Legend dropped out of high school at an early age to pursue higher goals, and he discovered these brilliant traits in his early 20’s and nurtured his gift to productivity by training others in ‘the art of the sale’; employing a direct approach to sales with proven results.

Bryan is a firm believer in branding, a concept on which his business success is built upon. He believes that the way people perceive your company is a direct reflection of how they will engage with you. “Always put emphasis on your brand image by building a trusted name in your industry and making sure your customers come first.”, says Bryan.

With widespread attention from interested parties scattered from around the globe, Bryan’s company, Clever Defi Pty Ltd, is into Decentralized Finance (Defi), with the goal to shake things up’ in the financial industry.

CLEVER DEFI is an innovative new DEFI Protocol that works on the blockchain by automatically distributing set interest payments to eligible beneficiaries of CLEVER Token (CLVA). Storing your wealth offers to pay much greater interest rates than primitive bank technology, which is far outdated.

“I believe that all financial institutions and financial products should be designed to appropriately ‘suit up’ for the rapid change the digital age is bringing upon us. We are offering more decentralized services whereby giving the empowerment to users, and the public is where my total focus is now toward.”, said Bryan of his company’s services.

MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Bryan to discuss more about his company and his journey as an entrepreneur here’s what went down:

What would you consider as your greatest accomplishment as an entrepreneur?

Being able to work for myself and pave my own path by not having to follow anybody else’s rules is an inborn need and being lucky enough to be semi-retired at the age of 37 is something to be grateful for as my main accomplishment. Also, I have always been very materialistic at heart so being able to afford a few expensive toys isn’t such a bad thing either.

What do you think makes you successful in your field?

If I believe in something whole-heartedly and set a goal to accomplish it because of that same belief, I will find myself giving up all other life priorities and dedicate my sole efforts to accomplishing that task. Namely, starting a new business concept or enterprise.

I will give 110% focus on doing everything in my power to make sure it is successful and being productive with my time allows me to navigate those waters. Not getting distracted with any outside events that would cause me to lose focus and not letting the sight of that goal until it is complete, allows me to stay motivated throughout the whole process.

Can you tell us more about CLEVER DEFI? What is it all about?

Clever DeFi is the first truly decentralized protocol giving power to the many, rather than the few, and offers a new decentralized finance (DeFi) token with an innovative design that uses Blockchain to distribute secure interest payments to holders on a 14-day cycle. Each cycle offers up to 11% compound interest and with all 888 scheduled cycles to complete in just over 34 years. Clever Token (CLVA) has been programmed to meet a forecasted average ROI of 80.60% per annum.

It can be looked at as the new, improved, and smart way to store your wealth.

How long did it actually take to develop CLEVER DEFI?

The idea concept was initially thought of by myself in an entrepreneurial brainstorming session in early 2019. Not long after the first stepping stones were put into place by putting together the building blocks of what was to become as CLEVER. The name brand CLEVER speaks for itself and commands an expectation from the public that the protocol is smart, all-knowing, and intelligently designed.

Architecturally, there has been a lot of involvement from developers in constructing the programming code that goes in hand in hand with deployment of the CLEVER Protocol that has taken many weeks of rigorous testing and auditing to make sure it proves to be exactly what we say it is and does what we say it does.

How can we get more information about CLEVER DEFI?

The easiest and best way is to visit https://clva.com, where you will find all the information to learn more or perhaps invest.

5 Effective Sales Strategies And Tactics to Close Deals Faster

In a world where generation after generation we have been raised to obtain a good-paying job to support the family, a man’s personal pursuit for happiness had to be put on the back burner. Today, things are so much more different than anyone could have imagined. With the advancements in technology and the World Wide Web, societies began to morph, and new ideas paved the way for new opportunities. Entrepreneurs began emerging with the tools now available for them to research, communicate, and market their ideas.

Now you have the chance to be your own boss and actually have a shot at turning what you love to do into a paying job. However, your success can’t be achieved alone. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it definitely wasn’t built by one man. No matter what your new business endeavor is, you may at some point need to deal with investors, business partners, clients, and consumers. You depend on these entities to support your endeavor, but you have to win them over first. In business terms, you have to “close the deal” and come to an agreement on something.

Clients agree to pay a specific price for a service or product you agree to provide.

Investors agree to fund an idea that you agree to pursue.

It might be harder to close the deal with one person over another, but the one thing that they all have in common is the fact that they are just humans, like you. One thing to remember is that if you can capture someone’s attention in a positive way, they are more likely to want to back up your idea. This brings us to the first way to seal the deal with your investor or client.

Believe in Yourself

Investors especially look for someone who can convince them that the idea is worthy and a solution. If you have a great idea but lack confidence in your execution for bringing your idea to life, you’ll quickly lose their interest. Your goal is to convince your investors that you believe wholeheartedly in your pursuit. Your enthusiasm and energy play a big role in how you can convey this.

Most of the decisions that we make as individuals are based on some level of personal preference. The next four ways that can help you close a deal related to capturing the attention of investors and clients by appealing to their senses and emotions

Visual Appeal

What we see affects how we think and feel. A presentation can highly benefit from visual stimuli, such as blueprints, logos, graphs, or sketches. Whatever it may be, giving your audience something to look at will keep their mind on the concept of your idea. There is even proof that specific colors can enhance our mood, thus affecting our decisions.

Verbal Appeal

An art form in itself, being able to eloquently communicate through language to your audience is a quality that will surely impress anyone. It’s a common human characteristic that we judge others based on the way they word things and their tone of voice. Also, don’t try to overpower a conversation. Always ask for feedback or input from whomever it is that you are speaking to.

Emotional Appeal

We see it everywhere in advertisements on tv, in magazines, and on billboards. A situation is presented to you that makes you feel an emotion. This same concept can be brought into luring a client to your product or service. Be careful not to lean towards a sad or upsetting reason to try and convince your audience.

Logical Appeal

Facts and data talk. People like to see evidence of success or at least why you believe you will succeed. Doing your research on competition, consumer data, location, and product/service practicality are like science to the business mind. It looks like clear evidence to them as to why you believe you can succeed.

Each of these ways can stand out on its own if utilized in the right way to highlight your idea as an entrepreneur. Create your game plan and find an angle that you want to use to grab the attention of your audience. Typically, within the first ten minutes, an investor or client has already made a decision in their head on whether or not they want to close the deal with you. It’s not always about the final statement. The willingness for your audience to close a deal is a culmination of their entire experience with you.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The December 2020 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Rodney Foster

Rodney Foster is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar wine company known as “Edelheiss Wine” – he’s also a famous cast member of the hit TV show “Marrying Millions” which airs on The Lifetime Network.

The idea for Edelheiss Wine came about while he was on a vacation in St. Moritz, Switzerland after attending an event called Polo Snow Cup on Ice. Before he traveled to Switzerland, a colleague previously mentioned to him that he should try a certain wine in Switzerland that they typically serve warm like hot tea or coffee. The second day he was in Switzerland he eventually found a restaurant that serviced this type of wine – it was called a “Mulled Wine.” Rodney has never tasted warm wine before until his first visit to Switzerland so he wasn’t sure how he initially felt about it.

Mulled Wine didn’t really impress Rodney initially, but after the second and third time he tried it – that’s when something clicked. He fell in love with the wine and that’s when he started thinking of ways to bring Mulled Wine into the US soil. He also wanted to create mulled wine but using better ingredients as well as making a more organic version.

The next step was to create a name for this product. A contact Rodney met in Switzerland suggested the name “Edelheiss” – it was supposed to be a twist to the white flower that grows in the Alps of Switzerland and which is called “Edelweiss.” That same contact introduced Rodney to his brother in law who was very knowledgeable about wines. He met the brother in law via Facebook – they immediately clicked and that person eventually became Rodney’s business partner.

His new business partner sent Rodney a family recipe to recreate the wine according to his taste. After much experimentation, Rodney’s mother’s suggestion of adding some peach brandy to the mix took the wine to another level – it became a Fortified Wine which many people can enjoy at just room temperature in a wine glass but then you can also heat it up like a mulled wine and eve make Sangrias with it.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Rodney to discuss his journey and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Due to the pandemic, Covid-19 protocols, and mandates, our team has developed various social media campaigns to heighten our online presence utilizing all platforms. We are participating in virtual wine events, zoom interviews for Edelheiss Wine, sponsoring celebrity’s events on zoom, and promoting the brand on Lifetime’s Marrying Millions television series. We also executed a relaunch, rebranding our entire product line ( Signature Red, Sparling, White, Sparkling Rose’ and Riesling) and our website, www.edelheisswine.com.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

We use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, we are about to start using Tik Tok, and Snapchat. One of the main ways we increase brand awareness is by word of mouth.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

Our experience with paid advertising has been a pleasant one. Paid advertising has brought awareness to the brand. It works perfectly for our current and potential clientele.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand?

Our tactical approach to ensuring brand awareness of Edelheiss Wine is engaging with customers on social media, in-store tastings, hosting virtual tastings, and other intimate experiences. We are always exploring ideas to promote the brand. We stand out because we have immersed ourselves into mainstream media, maintaining a high-quality product, and remaining culturally-driven.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Marketing that worked for Edelheiss throughout the years is again social media, publications, t-shirts, hoodies, and simply educating people about wine and about the Edelheiss brand, specifically.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The toughest decision I had to make within the last year was deciding to buy my business partner out of Edelheiss Wine. Our goals and drives were not the same. We no longer shared the same ideals and passion to drive the brand forward.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

One of the money mistakes I made growing Edelheiss is not using FedEx, UPS, or any Air Freight to ship a large shipment of Edelheiss Wine. I mean not to ship 20 cases or more, it’s just too expensive.

What new business would you love to start?

Though I am in the process of starting my own Hemp Vodka and other infused beverages, expanding into food pairing opportunities with my current brand, I am also preparing to launch my production firm to produce my own documentaries/reality shows for television and also my own Luxury Lifestyle brand.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

If I could go back in time when I started Edelheiss Wine, I would just not listen to people who would make decisions when it comes to when I have to pay for services. A lot of decisions I made in the past were learning lessons and some failures, but that’s how you grow from those mistakes.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I was given was to do your own research. This allows us to be educated about our approaches and ventures, but also saves us so much time and money.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Do your research on what is it that you are going to do or create. If they are going to create a product look into where the funds will come from if you don’t have a pot of gold to pull funds from.


5 Ways to Manage Your Physical And Mental Well-Being During COVID-19

The world has certainly been turned upside down over the last couple of months. These unprecedented times have tested people and the impact of the pandemic will be seen for a long time. This has, however, given people a good opportunity to get to grips with their physical and mental wellness. If you are someone who exercises regularly then you will understand how important it is to a human being’s stability. Our emotional status is often very closely linked with our physical state.

Think about it, if you have a stressful day at work it is compounded by any physical ailment you may be experiencing. Stress is exponentially increased when we are out of balance with our bodies and the current situation has led to a lot of stress going around. We need to make sure that we are keeping tabs on our physical and mental well-being. This article will give you 5 tips for maintaining yourself during a pandemic and hopefully teach you to deal with stress a lot easier.

Here are 5 steps to get you going throughout the day:

Step 1: Wake up and make your bed.

Step 2: Eat a well-balanced breakfast.

Step 3: Take a moment to plan your day (without using your phone or technology).

Step 4: Pick a time to put on your exercise shoes and do it.

Step 5: Put on your shoes.

You do not have to be lifting weight or going for 2 hour runs every day. Simple exercises with simple movements can have a massive impact on your health and mental state. A good rule of thumb is that you should aim for half an hour of exercise every day. Regular exercise has proven to increase your brain’s ability to process serotonin and norepinephrine. These are the hormones in your brain that manage your ability to deal with stress. Simple exercise and getting the blood flowing can have a tremendous impact on your mood and stress levels. Another vital impact of exercise is that it will give you more energy. It may seem like a contradiction but the more energy you use, the more you actually have. If you spend all day on the couch your body will become accustomed to that lifestyle and you will find it harder and harder to get up and get going. During a pandemic, it is absolutely crucial that you keep your energy levels up because it is hard enough to deal with a lockdown in a normal state, doing it while feeling tired and lethargic is much harder. Give yourself the boost you need by training your body and your mind.

Maintaining a healthy mindset is so important at this time. Everyone is dealing with the pandemic in different ways and you will find that those who are able to cope with the hardships are probably those people who have regular exercise routines. Taking care of your body creates a positive atmosphere and you will find that your mental state improves with each day that you spend on the go. You do not have to become a world-class athlete; you just need to get your body moving. Even a simple walk around the block can have massive effects on your well-being.