, Author at MoneyCentral Magazine

Top 5 Ways To Raise More Funds For Your Business In 2022

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Finding the required capital to build their enterprises is one of the most challenging issues entrepreneurs confront. Startups must cope with various charges, whereas established organizations must fund development and working capital. Because money does not grow on trees, you may fund your business in multiple ways.

We will love to see your business flourish and make a big difference, which is why we’ve listed five specific ways to raise more funds for your business in this article.

1. Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping is a popular way to raise money for a business. This entails gathering together any personal assets you may obtain to fund your firm. Using what you have rather than borrowing or generating money is a good strategy in many circumstances. In fact, several entrepreneurs continue to bootstrap their businesses until they become successful.

This can be advantageous since it eliminates the need for large loans and monthly payments. Investing some of your own money generally makes investors and lenders more inclined to cooperate with you.

2. Family And Friends

If your money is insufficient, you can turn to those closest to you. Before pursuing external finance, this is frequently a practical first step. Because they are less likely to demand tight repayment conditions or high-interest rates, family members and friends may be simpler to persuade than anonymous lenders. They are the best sources of funding for the business.

Borrowing from friends and relatives entails its own set of dangers. Your connections may suffer if the enterprise fails or takes considerably longer than expected to return the debt. Before approaching your friends and relatives for funding, you should complete a business strategy. In this manner, you can explain exactly what you’re doing and how you’ll generate money for them.

Ensure that you have all of the loan conditions written out. This contains the amount you are receiving, the interest rate, and the needs and deadline for repayment.

3. Angel Investors

Angel investors can also help you to raise more funds for your business. Angel investors are groups or individuals that put their own money into the enterprises of others. They stand apart because they prefer to invest in firms in their early phases of development and are constantly on the lookout for the next business to invest in.

Angel investors have backed many of today’s most successful technology businesses, including Yahoo and Google. An angel investor is regularly somebody who has made progress in one region and looks for new possibilities in a similar field or different organizations. Angel investors might not only provide funding to get your firm off the ground, but some may also opt to advise you. They may also use their current industry relationships to open doors for your company.

4. Crowdfunding

Since the 1990s, businesses have used the internet to promote and sell their products. However, during the previous ten years, the internet has also become a new source of finance, and it has become one of the most acceptable methods to raise more funds. This allows you to obtain cash from websites where investors worldwide may support your business.

You will be asked to start a campaign, set a fundraising goal, and provide rewards for donors who pledge a particular amount of money, such as early access to items, discounts, etc. You then generate funds for the campaign over a set period.

5. Loans

Banks and other financial entities can provide loans. This is one of the oldest ways to raise money for business growth; however, many people dislike it. To obtain a loan, somebody may ask you to demonstrate that you have begun developing traction and making money. You may also be required to show a thorough business strategy.

Lenders can be confident in your capacity to repay loans, including interest, based on your company’s financial projections.

Final Words

There are several ways to raise more funds. Entrepreneurs must assess the pros and drawbacks of several funding alternatives to determine which one offers the most flexibility at the lowest cost. There are several choices for funding your business, so don’t be disheartened if one does not work out. You may quickly get the financing you need to take your business to the next level by exhibiting diligence and resourcefulness.

5 Surefire Tips To Set Yourself Up For Success Every Single Day

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Do you feel unsatisfied with your life or career? Maybe you’ve been on the road for years that just doesn’t seem right. Take some time to think about what is most important to you. Whatever your definition of success is, there are some daily routines that might help you attain it. Success, on the other side, does not come without work. When we have a good attitude, we can do so much more. Here are five things that will set yourself up for success every day.

1. Make A Morning Ritual For Yourself

Creating a morning routine that you complete every day upon awakening is one of the most efficient strategies to set yourself up for success every day. Choose activities that will help you feel focused and balanced so that you may start your day from a position of inner peace (Yoga, Breathwork, meditation, journaling, and stretching are great ones to play around with.) Your morning routine might last as little as five minutes or as long as an hour.

2. Consume Healthy Foods Throughout The Day

That’s not to mean you should abandon your good eating habits after breakfast. While there is no such thing as a perfect diet because everyone’s body is different, it’s safe to say that most of us function best when we consume a lot of plant-heavy, unprocessed meals. Add healthy foods daily routine to become your best self.

3. Follow A Schedule

Set limits on how much time you spend working and, more significantly, avoid working every day as much as feasible. Its obvious that set goals and achieve success. Make time to exercise, meditate, cook, spend time with loved ones, get some fresh air, and do whatever else is essential to you. This will make you more efficient and effective when you spend time at your desk and help you to set yourself up for success.

4. Avoid Procrastination And Multitasking

Concentrate on one activity at a time and give it your undivided attention. Put your phone in another room when you’re working, so you’re not tempted to check social media. Don’t check your email when you’re out with pals. As a consequence, you will feel a lot more productive and empowered.

5. Move Around Often

Moving your body may provide you with the energy and confidence you need to succeed in all aspects of your life. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym every day; focus on one sort of action that you love and stick to it.

Taking pauses during the workday to go for a bit of stroll around the block can help give your mind a rest and refresh your body. Often, the best ideas arrive when you’re on the move and away from the computer. Moving around is the best way of setting up for success.

Final Thoughts

Make the productivity mentioned above ideas a part of your routine. Practicing these consistent behaviors will assist in setting the tone for a good day. If you follow these suggestions, you will notice your physical and emotional health benefits. We are confident that these suggestions will help you live a better life.

The City of Sydney and NSW Government are planning to help small business owners bounce back from the pandemic

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Experts from some of Australia’s most established and fastest-growing companies have joined forces with the City of Sydney and the NSW Government to help small businesses, creatives, retailers, and hospitality owners bounce back from the pandemic.

The City, in partnership with the State Government, is hosting a series of nine webinars that will guide businesses on how to sell online, create cost-effective branding solutions, and use the big platforms to accelerate growth.

The Reboot 2022 Small Business Series kicked off on the 29th of March and featured experts from some of Australia’s most successful companies including RedBalloon, Shop You, news.com.au, and Eucalyptus.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the initiative will help support businesses to develop new, innovative ways of thinking and working to ensure they can prosper and grow post-pandemic.

“The past two years have been extraordinarily challenging for our retailers, businesses, and the hospitality sector and recovery will take time, adaptability, and the willingness to consider new ways of doing business,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’ve engaged industry experts and developed a series of webinars that will help these businesses to upskill, learn and navigate a path forward in a post-pandemic world.”

With a focus on digital content skills and growing customers and brands, the webinars will provide inspiring stories and practical examples to help businesses learn, innovate and grow in 2022.

The Reboot series is proudly supported by the NSW government’s Business Connect program which provides advice and support to help businesses get off the ground, adapt and grow.

Minister for Small Business Eleni Petinos said the partnership between the City of Sydney and the NSW Government will expand opportunities for small businesses to access support through the Business Connect network.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, their importance in providing jobs and services to the local community cannot be overstated,” Ms. Petinos said.

“Business Connect has helped almost 44,000 businesses since the program began in 2017. It provides a network of accredited business advisors who provide expert, professional and independent advice on how to run a small business.

“With webinars on topics such as driving growth and nailing your marketing, the Reboot series is highly relevant for small businesses as they move on from COVID-19 restrictions and the challenges of the past two years, including the recent floods.”

The series includes:

Brand Building, Naomi Simson, co-founder, RedBalloon

Content that drives clicks – Lisa Muxworthy, editor-in-chief, news.com.au

26 April, 12 pm–1 pm

Creating content and getting your content out there is not easy. Learn to build an audience and create content that drives attention and customer conversions, which content drives the biggest click-throughs, and how to pitch to media. 

How to create storytelling content that really connects – Wayne Quilliam, Aboriginal artist, and digital creator

3 May, 12 pm–1 pm

In a digital world, storytelling is the stuff high-growth brands are made of. To stand out, a great brand, product or service is not enough. Learn the importance of stories in the digital world, how businesses create their stories and how to translate stories into imagery and video online to capture attention. Nailing your marketing mix – Sandradee Makejev, founder, St Frock, Kelly Slessor, CEO, Shop You and Sina Klug, founder, Nutie Donuts

10 May, 12 pm–1 pm

To drive more sales and grow your audience, the guest speakers will give advice on which channels, content, and audience growth strategies they have used for success. Learn about some of the biggest challenges they have faced due to growth as well as some of their most successful campaigns. The speakers will share insights into how to grow followers that love you, which channels should you invest in , and insights into conversion, content, and paid advertising. 

The digital word of mouth: growth with Instagram – Mya Nichol, Instagram expert and coach

17 May, 12 pm–1 pm

Learn the secret of the Instagram algorithm and how to grow your social media channel. With the average person spending 142 minutes a day on social media, learn tips from the expert on how to accelerate your business.

Driving growth with online search – Kelly Slessor, CEO, Shop You

24 May, 12 pm–1 pm

Learn about search, Google My Business, search engine optimisation (SEO), driving traffic, and generating more leads. Participants will also learn how to land on the front page of Google, use free and paid digital marketing and how to improve visibility.

Growth hacking – Tim Doyle, founder, Eucalyptus 

31 May, 12 pm–1 pm

Learn how Australia’s fastest-growing companies are accelerating their customer base and get insights on how to effectively market your business and grow your customer base quickly.

“There’s no better time to start a business than right now because of the access to technology and customers online,” Kelly Slessor, CEO ShopYou said.

“As part of the Reboot series, we’ll share with businesses and start-ups the wealth of information and research online that can actually help make a business more sustainable and successful.

“The series has been curated to ensure that participants can learn practical tips and have a plan or ideas they can take away and implement. This is a great opportunity to learn from and interact with some great minds who have set up or worked in small business and worked their way through the challenges to success.”

For more details on the Reboot webinar series, visit whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Medianet

The 4 Types Of Influencer And How Brands Successfully Work With Each

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Influencers can be broadly split into four categories: mega-influencers, macro-influencers, micro-influencers and nano-influencers; with the differences between the four categories being so much more than just their amount of followers and how much money they command for promoting a product, service or offering on their social platforms.

The experts at performance marketing platform Affise have analysed the four different types of influencers, looking at the benefits of working with individuals that fall under each term, whilst providing expert tips on how brands can successfully utilise partnerships and make the most out of collaborations with each:

Mega-Influencers

Mega-influencers usually have a following of at least 1 million and most often fall into the category of ‘celebrity’, with many of them being actors and actresses, musicians, reality TV stars, comedians or sports icons. The other type of mega-influencer is the social media influencer like @zoella that have worked their way to the top of the social ladder after years of connecting with their audiences and in turn, gained their own celebrity status and normally other entrepreneurial business ventures along the way.

Benefits of working with a mega-influencer?

1. Instant brand awareness

One post from a mega-influencer – especially if it’s organic content – has the ability to elevate a brand to new realms of fame, and will make your offerings a hot topic amongst followers and fans looking to emulate their favourite influencers lifestyles.

2. Massive followingsYour product or brand has the opportunity to reach millions of people and potential new customers that you’re currently not able to tap into. You also have the opportunity to grow your own social followings significantly with a well-executed mega influencer collaboration, especially if you make the choice to work with individuals who share similar core beliefs and focuses to your brand.

3. Diverse audiences

Due to their large following, mega-influencers usually have very diverse audiences that have aligned with them for a multitude of different reasons. This allows you as a brand to connect with a totally new range of audiences and demographics through the partnership.

4. Less time consuming

One post from a mega-influencer, although likely to cost you a significant amount of money, can achieve instant results for your brand, which makes it an appealing option for brands that want effective results but don’t have the time to put into an influencer marketing strategy.

How to work with them?

Understand the need for mega influencers – Outline the reasons behind why your brand and influencer marketing campaigns require the presence of a mega influencer.
Choose your mega-influencer wisely – If you have a particular influencer in mind, it’s important to gauge if and why they are right for your brand. You can do this by analysing their content, looking at the types of brands they are currently working with, the tone of the content they are promoting and the type of audience they are already successfully targeting with their paid promotions.
Be prepared to pay the price for a mega-influencer – Collaborating with a mega-influencer can be extremely costly, so it’s important to evaluate your budget and set a realistic cost likely to be accepted by your influencer and their wider management team who will be communicating on their behalf.
Set a clear brand objective and brief – If your mega-influencer is fully aware of your objective it will help them to post the right type of content that will create the desired message and (hopefully) results you are expecting from the partnership.
Cover all areas – When using a mega-influencer the magnitude of the detrimental impact to your brand if the collaboration goes wrong is huge, so it’s important to give your influencer clear instructions on the promotion to avoid any social blunders.

Macro-Influencers

Macro-influencers have a lower level of fame than mega-influencers but are still very popular and famous on social media with a following of 100,000 to 1 million followers. This type of influencer has usually built up their social media presence over a matter of years through continuously sharing content and building connections with their audience, a good example of this is the Mancunian style blogger @meganellaby (222k followers).

Benefits of working with a macro-influencer?

1. Large following

A macro-influencers large following allows their message to have a wider reach and present your brand’s message to a number of potential new customers.

2. Highly professional

Due to having built their career on the basis of brand collaborations, macro-influencers have a highly professional approach to brand partnerships, making them an ideal and straightforward choice for many brands.

3. Easy to work with

Macro-influencers are extremely easy to work with and need little guidance as they already know what they’re doing and what’s expected of them from a brand, making the process smooth running with minimal effort required brand side.

4. Trusted

After continuously connecting with their audience for years, their following often feel like they’ve been on this journey of growth with them and have a lot of trust in the macro-influencer and what they promote, especially when promoted content looks organic and fits in seamlessly amongst their platform’s current aesthetic.

How to work with them?

Find the perfect match – A macro-influencers audience follows them solely because they love the content and community they have curated from scratch. So when collaborating with a macro-influencer, it’s a good idea to partner with one that shares similar interests and core values as your brand.
Do your competitor research – Macro-influencers often promote a variety of brands and ads on their social platforms as it’s their primary source of income. It’s therefore important to do your research into the influencer you’re choosing to ensure they aren’t working with any competitor brands.
Prepare your budget – Whilst macro-influencers aren’t as expensive as mega-influencers they can still come at quite a hefty cost depending on their level of fame, followers and engagement, so it’s important your budget can accommodate this before contacting any mega-influencers.
Decide your goals – Are you looking for brand awareness, engagement, conversions to sales? It’s important to be clear about what you want to achieve from a partnership with a macro-influencer upfront. They are highly professional and will be very experienced in making the most out of what a brand needs, so be clear on your intentions.

Micro-Influencers

One of the most common types of influencer is the micro-influencer, an example being @BronteKingg with 53.1k followers who posts about fashion, beauty, and all things university-related as she’s the founder of @galswhograduate.

This type of influencer is a common choice amongst brands due to them being extremely cost-effective and having a more engaged and niche following. Their communities are usually smaller, at between 10,000 and 100,000 followers, but they have fiercely loyal, dedicated, and often regional followings which can benefit brands immensely.

Benefits of working with a micro-influencer

1. Affordable

Collaborating with a micro-influencer is a more affordable way for a brand to work with an influencer, due to their smaller following meaning their collaboration costs are lower. Often, if a micro-influencer is passionate about your brand, product or offering, they will accept payment in the form of a gift.

2. High engagement rate

If you’re looking for a high engagement rate from the partnership, micro-influencers usually have a higher engagement rate than bigger influencers. That’s because they are much closer and more engaged with their audience, often responding to direct messages and comments and developing personal friendships with their ‘fans’.

3. Credible and trusted

Micro-influencers are deemed trustworthy and credible by their audience due to the majority of their content being organic and them not collaborating with too many brands, this makes them a great choice to begin a partnership with due to how authentic the content will look amongst their feeds.

4. Niche audiences

If you want to target a specific audience then micro-influencers are the gateway. They will usually have a topic or category their content falls into that their following is interested in, this can be anything from mental health, fashion, baking, gardening, home interiors, parenting or travel.

How to work with them?

Establish a connection – You need to develop a connection with them before you begin working with them. Show your interest by following them on social media first and engaging in their posts as a brand before you promote your own product or partnership to them.

Define the collaboration – It’s important to be clear on the type of content you want them to create, from an Instagram video to a TikTok, and that they have an understanding of who you are as a brand.

Create a campaign-specific hashtag – One way to run a successful micro-influencer campaign is to create a hashtag and work with a lot of influencers to promote your products using the hashtag. This is a great way to tap into a lot of different audiences and get your brand trending.
Longer collaborations – When working with micro-influencers, longer partnerships are more successful than one-off promotional posts. Their audiences are more likely to engage with the promotion if they see the influencer consistently discussing your brand or product over a period of time.

Nano-Influencers

Newly recognised as an important influencer on the scene is the nano-influencer. This type of influencer is very close to the small community they have built and whilst their audience is significantly smaller than other influencers with only 10,000 followers or less, they have arguably the most engaged audience. @carlajian and @kandiewanderlust are great examples of nano-influencers that have their own niches and highly-engaged audiences. @carlajian (8,503 followers) is a mommy and wellness blogger that regularly discusses both topics on her posts, whilst @kandiewanderlust (8,129 followers) is a travel blogger that combines her love of travel with her signature pastel colour scheme that’s primarily lilac on her social platform.

Benefits of working with a nano-influencer

1. Authentic

Due to nano-influencers building a close relationship with their following, their posts are considered to be more authentic and trusted, making the promotions they deliver appear to be of genuine interest to the influencer.

2. Low cost

As nano-influencers have smaller followings, they also have a lower price point for collaborations, making them a low-cost way for you as a brand to work with influencers.

3. High engagement rate

Nano-influencers have a first-hand relationship with their followers, which results in a much higher engagement rate, as their following views them almost like a friend and is supportive of their content.

4. More flexible

Nano-influencers are more flexible to the terms and conditions of the partnership you are presenting as a brand, making them easier to collaborate with.

5. Go the extra mile

As many nano-influencers are quite new to partnering with brands, they will often go above and beyond to create high-quality content that will really impress the brand they are working with.

How to work with them?

Finding your nano-influencer – You can search for your nano-influencer on social platforms by using niche-specific hashtags, for example searching #nanoinfluencer followed by the word travel, to find influencers in that category.
Give more guidance – As nano-influencers are newer to partnering with brands, it’s important that you plan your collaboration in detail, defining the offer and your overall expectations from the partnership.
Instagram takeovers – This allows the nano-influencer to take over the brand’s social media channel, posting stories and posts as themselves, alongside advertising the takeover on their own channel. This is a great way to generate new followers for your brand and help your brand connect with new audiences.
Convert them to brand ambassadors – As nano-influencers haven’t usually taken part in many partnerships previously, it’s a great opportunity for your brand to turn them into a brand ambassador, growing your brand and theirs together at the same time.

Source: www.affise.com

This article was sourced from a media release sent by Sophie Clinton @ JBH

Photo by George Milton from Pexels

Meet The Woman Behind The Cover Of The March 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Dr. Tanisha Denise Manning

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A veteran entrepreneur, Dr. Tanisha Denise Manning, better known as “Wonder Woman,” is an inspirational game-changer with an impressive resume. She has built a career dedicated to public service – leveling the playing field for some of the most at-risk youth in various communities. She’s a “Light” combat veteran, a highly sought-after author, a motivational speaker, a Holistic Health practitioner, an International certified birth doula, a 1st HBCU (Historically Black College and University) certified life coach, a certified yoga instructor, a Forensic fingerprint and mortuary expert, a Juvenile Justice Advocate, a former deputy sheriff, as well as an active humanitarian. No wonder she was dubbed as “The Wonder Woman Life Coach” by Source Magazine in 2014 and featured as “The 2018 Wonder Woman of San Joaquin County.”

Raised amid rampant gang violence and poverty in South Stockton, California, Denise managed to claw her way out of poverty through sheer willpower. She overcame hardship and loss and actually succeeded where failure was almost a certainty. Thus, her life is a shining example of what the human spirit can endure and achieve as long as there’s determination and willpower.

When it comes to public service, Denise is undoubtedly in a league of her own. She has worked diligently for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, advocating for youthful offenders and creating their first re-entry and mentoring program in Tallahassee, Florida. She has established and facilitated several creative writing and poetry classes for young offenders already in the criminal justice system. In fact, Denise implemented the first poetry creative writing classes in Orlando, Florida, Killeen, Texas, and Stockton, CA, and has received numerous commendations for Outstanding Distinguished Service.

Back in 2015, Denise opened her business, “Pretty Lady Boutique.” The boutique provided services for women and housed a mentoring non-profit for teenage girls. She took to local schools and created “Pretty Lady Sisterhood” – she became the first in the city and school district to incorporate and implement a mentoring program for high-risk teenage girls. Because of her extensive public service, she has been featured for community service leadership in several print and online publications, television as well as various organizations and universities.

Fast forward to today, and Denise currently has over thirteen years of military service in the United States Army under her belt. She holds degrees in Criminal Justice Administration and Business Administration, and she has received an Honorary Ph.D. in Theology and Spiritual Counseling. Denise has also worked with various police departments in fingerprint analysis, crime scene processing, and violence prevention strategies. She holds membership in several prestigious social and civil organizations where she has been recognized as a Visionary Pearl and Charter President and she’s currently a Master Counselor/Life Coach. She’s also a new mother to a beautiful baby boy.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Denise to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about your life coaching journey since you’re a pioneer in the field?

Coaching and counseling was always a calling in my life. While deployed to Baghdad during Operation Iraqi freedom, I made up my mind that I was going to become a life coach; however, years prior, I had implemented programs and held coaching groups in local detention centers for high-risk youth. My passion for helping high-risk youth drove me to implement mentor coaching programs for state departments of juvenile justice, local city governments, juvenile detention centers, and federal correctional facilities for women.

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

There’s no better feeling than creating something from the ground up without someone telling you what you can and cannot do. I remember working a job and realizing I was giving them all my creativity for pennies. I didn’t particularly appreciate feeling used. I was motivated by freedom – the freedom to create, serve, and give back without restrictions.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

The need and passion for helping others. Being the person I needed when I was a troubled youth or young woman who was in need.

It has come to our attention that you made history as one of the first women to obtain a Master’s degree in “life coaching” – can you tell us more about this?

I started coaching before it became popular and saturated with people that didn’t have life experience or education. Life coaching degrees weren’t offered until 2016-2017, and I jumped on the first outstanding accredited program.

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

Overcoming the fear of doubt. Understanding that oftentimes your worst enemy and worst critic is yourself.

You recently trademarked “Venting Session” as a service in your private counseling practice. Why did you feel the need to trademark this service, and what makes this service so unique?

Many people don’t want, can’t afford, or don’t trust therapy. I’m an advocate of therapy; however, I also understand that sometimes you just want to get something off your chest, get some unbiased advice without the hassle of insurance or high copays. Sometimes you need to talk to a professional with no strings attached, someone that relates and can identify with your situation. Someone other than your relatives or close friends – that’s me. Venting session is a 45-minute session that offers more than a space to let go but a space to heal and be heard, become grounded, and get a clear perspective on what’s next.

The Perfect Side Hustle For You, According To Your Star Sign

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By Michelle Baltazar

Are you destined to be an influencer? Hint: Your side hustle might be written in the stars.

Ever wondered why some people just ease into podcasting while others make ideal virtual assistants? Our personality can dictate which side hustle will come naturally while others are a pain.

For example, if you’re a perfectionist, video live-streaming will just do your head in. But if you’ve got a sense of adventure, you’ve got YouTuber written all over your future digital career.

To find out your perfect side business according to your star sign, check out these fun musings from Psychic World and you decide:

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Become a freelance blogger/ghostwriter

The best writers are those who tell a story with their thoughts, in a uniquely identifiable way. That’s what makes Aquariuses perfect for the job of freelance bloggers or ghostwriters – they are rebellious, free-spirited, eccentric, and revolutionary.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Become a graphic designer
The ethereal Pisces will love to be able to make money from a creative side gig. Their love of escaping reality through art/design can translate into a great moneymaking side project.

Aries (March 21 – April 19): Become a streamer/YouTuber
Rams will be up for anything adventurous. An Aries is a self-driven natural leader so will thrive at the chance to create their own content online. Whatever the theme, their playful personas are bound to attract interest from the get-go.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Invest in stocks
Tauruses are laid-back but resilient. They like to play the long game, and their focus won’t falter as they fine-tune the perfect stock investment technique.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Livestream virtual events and games
These social butterflies will be feeling the impact of social distancing. What better way to stay connected with friends, millions of others and earn from it? Grab one device to play with, another to video chat with, and get playing!

Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Become an online tutor/teacher
With schools closed in New York until April 20th, there are many people with a lot of spare time; cancers will jump at this opportunity to help. Their compassion means they are well-suited to become an online tutor, helping children who are off school and those wanting to learn something new.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): Become a TikTok/Social media influencer
The coronavirus lockdown is the perfect opportunity for Leos to refine their already influential online presence! These theatrical divas love to be front and centre – and the opportunity to earn from the comfort of their own home is a persuading factor.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Become a virtual assistant
More than ever before, companies need help to stay afloat. Becoming a virtual assistant for struggling businesses will work in favour of Virgo’s hardworking, systematic and methodical nature.

Libra (September 23 – October 22): Teach a language
The exquisite taste of a Libra needs an exquisite side job to match. Teaching a language is an intellectual fit that also fulfills their need to please and help others.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Write eBooks

Often misunderstood and extremely enigmatic, a true Scorpio’s thoughts would make a fascinating eBook to read, and a perhaps lucrative online side hustle to have!

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Become a podcaster
The Sagittarius has had a few adventures in their lifetime, and always has a million stories to tell. What better way to entertain listeners, and earn themselves money, than re-telling these stories on a podcast?

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Learn to code and build websites
The strong Capricorn can conquer anything before them. Their unwavering focus, and (slightly obsessive) workaholic tendencies mean the technical challenge to learn how to code can make for potentially high yields.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. If you want to be a podcaster, YouTuber, graphic designer, and blogger, go for it!

Source: The Australian Filipina

Forget Get-Rich-Quick. Here’s How to Get Rich Slowly But Surely.

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By Michelle Baltazar

Are you stingy or generous?

I figured for any financial advice to be effective, it has to involve absolutely no sacrifice on my part. Zilch. Nada. I put my hand up for reading finance articles that tell me if I don’t buy that $3.50 cup of takeaway coffee in the morning, I’ll be able to save $875 in a year.

Excellent! But then I’ll be miserable for the entire year, too, so that advice ended in the bin, right next to a discarded coffee cup.

This article will tell you how to save money you don’t see. There are many ways to do that, but I’m keeping it to three based on your age bracket.

If you’re 20 and under

Tip no. 1: Honestly? Don’t even worry about it. Chances are you’re working at a fast-food chain earning about $15 or so an hour. By the time the weekend rolls in, your paycheque will be just enough to buy that t-shirt you’ve been eyeing for ages. What’s the point? Squander $40 on a t-shirt that’ll make you feel good while you’re wearing it? Or put it in the bank and feel miserable? Hey, that make-up kit is on sale… bargain!

So the tip is if you decide to live your teens with no financial compass whatsoever, you’re not alone. Besides, you’ll have your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s to be financially responsible. So make the most of your youth while you still have it!

Tip no. 2: Alright, so you’re one of those who do want to save up. Brilliant! Use the power of compound interest. Put simply, the sooner you start saving, the better off you’re going to be.

For example, if you save about $10,000 by the time you’re 18, then you will have 100 times as much, or around $1 million, by the time you retire (as long as you make 10% per year). The calculations get complicated because you need to factor in many things, but the bottom line is that the sooner you start saving, whether it’s $1,000 or $10,000, all you have to do is let time work for you.

That’s the lazy girl’s guide to saving. Don’t scrimp. Just put money in the bank and promise yourself that you won’t cash it in until you’re in your 50s. Let the power of compound interest make you a millionaire.

Tip no. 3: Study hard. It’s going to be tough to ask you to develop a finance strategy when you’re trying to sort out your relationship strategy or ‘how to move out of home’ strategy. Studying hard means, you’ll be setting yourself up to get a high-paying job straight out of university. Or at least have more options ahead of you.

Studying hard also means you’ll be cooped up at night rifling through reams of notes instead of being out with your friends – and spending money.

If you’re in your 20s and 30s

Tip no. 1: Stop thinking of your tax return day as a shop-till-you-drop day. Put the money aside and consider it your savings for the year. Easy. When your savings hit $5,000, put it in a high-interest savings account and forget about it.

If you happen to be earning so much that you have to give the Australian Tax Office (ATO) more money, don’t worry. It just means you’ll have more money to make through tax-deductible investments or some form of salary package. But that’s the subject of another article.

Tip no. 2:

Buy a property as soon as you can.
Talk to your parents if they can help you.
Shop around for a good home loan deal.
Go on a ‘chicken noodle soup’ diet for six months for the deposit if you have to.

One of the best decisions I made was buying my first property at age 24. I wasn’t ready, but circumstances forced me to sign the dotted line. You don’t have to be 100% sure that you can afford one. Even if you’re only 70% there, the rest will work itself out. The key thing is that property prices, on average, double every seven years, so even when house prices are high, they can only get higher.

Of course, given the housing prices are down right now, you could wait a while until they hit rock bottom. You could save tens of thousands if you got the timing right, but all that waiting might make you change your mind. Mortgage boots today or tomorrow is no less painful. Just bite the bullet and see the fruits of your labour in seven years.

Tip no. 3: Have at least one business failure under your belt. If you look at BRW Rich200, a list of the country’s wealthiest families and individuals, you will notice one trend: most are not rich through inheritance but hard work. One thing most of them have in common? Bankruptcy at some point in their career or at least one business venture that failed before they struck gold.

Your 20s or 30s are the best time to dream big because even if you fail, you still have time to recover and pursue something else. If you leave it any later, you might not be foolish enough to brave the odds. Nine out of 10 businesses fail, but the one business that does might just put you on the Rich200.

If you’re in your 40s and 50s

Tip no. 1: Check your super. In the early 90s, the government introduced a new law that requires all businesses to set aside the equivalent of nine percent of their worker’s salary in a so-called superannuation fund. The rationale at the time was that millions of Australians weren’t saving enough for their retirement, and their future pension might not be enough for their needs. Not enough for a country that rates itself as first-world.

While you may regard super as ‘invisible’ money because you can’t get your hands on it until you retire, it is ‘real’ money. More importantly, the government has introduced new rules last year which give people better tax rates and more money (under a so-called government co-contribution scheme) if they divert their savings out of their savings bank account and into super.

The tip? Find out if you have one or more super funds and merge them into one account. Check the website of your current super fund to find out more. You’ll cut down your fees and have more savings come retirement.

Tip no. 2: Check your super. This is not an error. It’s worth saying twice because statistics have shown 90 percent of people don’t bother. Do two things: find out your superannuation account balance and find out if you have one or more super funds.

Your decision to ignore this advice can make the difference between watching polar bears aboard an Alaskan cruise or watching polar bears at Taronga Zoo.

Tip no. 3: Stay away from ‘get rich quick’ schemes. Statistics show that those in their 40s and 50s are the main targets of con artists simply because many baby boomers have ‘lazy’ assets lying around. This could mean the main home, investment properties, or shares inherited from working in a company. Many would also have tens of thousands in the bank just waiting for an ‘investment’ home by this time.

In the last two years, many Australian investors have been caught out by the collapse of property companies such as Westpoint, which promised much higher interest than its rivals. It turned out the company was using the money from ‘new’ investors to pay off the ‘old’ investors. It didn’t help that some financial planners were getting a lot of commission for recommending the company to their clients.

The lesson? Don’t squander your life savings on investments that sound too good to be true.

Money tips for all ages

Managing money is complicated. Studies show that the Australian tax system could be simplified. Superannuation is too complex to understand. Saving money is difficult when there are many products to choose from, and fraudsters are only too eager to con you.

Against that environment, there are three things you can do to get rich slowly but safely:

Let ‘time’ do all the hard work.
Buy an asset as early you can and, as unexciting as it sounds.
Find out more about your super.

Oh yeah, don’t max out your credit card. But who am I kidding?

Source: The Australian Filipina

The 4 Most Vital Elements To Know About Online Marketing In 2022

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Let’s face it, online marketing is always evolving. There will always be changes in the manner that people make transactions through the Internet, which means that online marketing can also change along with it.

In order to go along well with the possible changes in the virtual marketing procedures, you must know the essential elements that are guaranteed to lead you to a successful business endeavor online. The following are the most vital elements to know about online marketing for an efficient business venture online.

Market knowledge

Prior to endeavor online, you should first know your target audience. The moment you have effectively learned who your target market is, it will be easier to start for you at that point. Once you already identified the market that you will deal with, it will improve your chance of learning about the marketing strategy that you will use in your business. Market knowledge is the foundation of any marketing technique whether doing an online or physical transaction.

Responsive website

A responsive website is composed of images, videos, and other important elements of an operational website. Your site should have a series of capturing leads that can help you gain potential customers that you might not be expecting at first. A website can be compared to a virtual brochure wherein you will have a catalog of your products and services. Having your own website will surely help in establishing a good business identity for your business.

Content

Your content means a lot in online marketing. In most cases, a business can easily be identified through its content which is why it is necessary for you to come up with high-quality content. Internet marketing is a broad area in the virtual world wherein you are most likely to encounter a series of competitors in the same niche as yours. A business has a higher possibility of getting known in the market because the content is easier to contribute online.

Quality design

Aside from the fact that you need to have quality content for your site, it is as well essential for it to have a creative design to attract potential customers. A good design for your website is a great investment that will give you higher chances of increasing the number of your audience. You should make it to a point that you invested in quality design to make it more comfortable for your customers to deal effectively with you. Paying attention to great design is a way for you to arrive at the best results for your business.

Learning about these elements of online marketing is the first step towards a successful marketing plan over the Internet. Making money online goes on a careful procedure in order to increase your sales at the end of the day. When you work on each of these elements, you will be able to produce more sales and revenue by the end of the year. In this case, you can call your business truly a success.

Photo by Canva Studio from Pexels

3 Real Ways To Make More Money In 2022 (In 10 Days)

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By Michelle Baltazar

If one of your new year’s resolutions for 2022 is to sort out your finances, you’re not alone. The Coronavirus pandemic brought on drastic changes in our ability to maintain a secure job, earn extra income and start (or keep) a new business.

But there are ways you can make 2022 a better year by following these two simple steps – in 10 days. The best thing to do is to spread the tasks over several weekends.

Tip #1 Start a weekly savings budget. Time required: Two-three days

Technically, you can prepare this budget in a couple of hours or less, but to avoid the anxiety, allocate a weekend or two. There is also a difference between an expense budget (how much you spend) versus a savings budget (how much you save).

Most people know they have to set aside a certain amount off their wages for bills and other expenses but not many put together a weekly savings budget – and that’s a big difference.

I’m not saying this is going to be easy but it’s absolutely worth the effort. There are many budgeting spreadsheets available on the internet but I recommend this one from the government as it means you’re not giving away your financial info to a third-party service provider (unless you don’t mind this!).

Step one: Go to Budget Planner and work out your expense budget as indicated in their spreadsheet. It’s alright if you can’t fill the spreadsheet completely. If you can at least cover your major expenses, then you’re already a step ahead of most people.

Step two: Once you’ve filled in the spreadsheet, you’ll know how much money you have remaining. From this amount, you can work out your weekly savings budget.

Step three: Hey, if this is all too hard, to begin with, nominate a savings amount and stick with it for the year. Even a small amount, say $50 a week, works out to be at least $2,000 for the year.

Tip #2. Check your superannuation. Time required: One-two days

Again, you don’t need two days to do this, especially if you’ve already downloaded your superannuation app. But if you’re scratching your head and wondering what ‘superannuation’ even means, your future self will thank you if you swap an hour of a Netflix episode with an hour of googling the term.

Here’s a link to a government website to know more: How Super Works

The actual tip here is that by the end of this exercise, you should be able to answer two important questions:

What is the name of your superannuation fund?

What is your superannuation account balance?

If you can answer both of those questions easily, well done! You’d be surprised how many people don’t know these very basic details about their super.

Tip #3 Subscribe to Money Magazine for their twice-a-week free newsletters. Time required: Less than five minutes

Full disclosure: I am the editor-in-chief of this magazine so, of course, I’ll recommend that you subscribe to it but I can’t tell you how many hundreds, even thousands, of dollars I have saved simply from reading tips from the finance experts we feature over the course of the year.

You can also choose to subscribe to any other finance newsletters or websites. It doesn’t matter as long as you do subscribe to at least one finance-related resource in 2022. Financial literacy can do wonders for your wallet.

The main thing though is that you don’t invest nor give your money to finance schemes that sound too good to be true. If they are offering you unrealistic returns, it’s most likely a scam.

There you have it – three tips to kick off your financial journey in 2022. There’s so much more than you can do but I believe in the power of three when it comes to completing tasks, big or small. By ticking these three goals first, you’re more likely to gain confidence in your financial acuity.

Source: The Australian Filipina

Finalists Officially Announced For The Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future Awards

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The Australian Women’s Weekly, in partnership with La Trobe Financial, is proud to present our six outstanding young finalists, selected from a competitive field of entrants in the ninth annual Women of the Future Awards.

Since 2013, the awards have been helping exceptional young women aged between 18 and 34 develop projects that transform lives. This year there was a spectacular array of impressive entries, with strong themes around disability, conservation, and consent.

The Women of the Future Finalists are:

· Hannah Diviney of Missing Perspectives (NSW), a global publishing platform that seeks to address the marginalisation of women and girls across news, media, and democracy decision-making on a global scale.

· Camille Goldstone-Henry of Xylo Systems (NSW), a cloud-based platform to connect, track and manage conservation projects.

· Angelique Wan of Consent Labs (NSW), a youth-led not-for-profit organisation that revolutionises the discussion around sexual consent, harassment, and assault.

· Mannie Kaur Verma of Veer Foundation (VIC), an organisation that works to prevent domestic violence and support victims in marginalised communities.

· Molly Rogers and Emma Clegg of JAM the label (VIC), a clothing brand born out of the need for inclusive clothing for young people with disabilities.

· Martina Ucnikova and Jessica Smith of She Runs (WA), a not-for-profit that supports women’s political and civic participation through the power of education and connection.

Their incredible stories are showcased in the December issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, on sale Thursday, 4^th November. In addition, each finalist will appear in a new a six-part series on podcast Short Black with Sandra Sully. Each Tuesday from October 26, the 10 News First acclaimed journalist, presenter and women’s advocate sits down with these emerging young entrepreneurs and campaigners to talk about their passion and determination to help make a difference.

The Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Nicole Byers, said: “This year, we had a record number of entries and I am proud to announce our six finalists. They are inspirational, they all do incredible work, they are committed, smart, and full of excellent ideas and they’re shaping the way to help create positive change for a better future.”

The finalists will be flown to Sydney to attend the prestigious Women of the Future event on December 1, a much-anticipated date in the diary of some of Australia’s most influential and change-making women. The overall winner will be announced and receive more than $100,000 in cash and prizes to assist in reaching her business goals.

The panel of judges tasked with choosing one winner for the awards this year are: Ita Buttrose (AC OBE, Chair of the ABC); Yasmin Poole (Youth Advocate and Plan International Australia Ambassador); Julie Bishop (Australian National University Chancellor and Former Foreign Minister); Narelda Jacobs (Network 10 presenter and journalist); Tanya Plibersek (Federal Shadow Minister for Education and Women); Nicole Byers (Editor-in-Chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly and group Publisher Women’s Lifestyle & Food at Are Media); and Caterina Nesci (Director of ESG and International Partnerships at La Trobe Financial).