Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The October 2020 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Tendul Raj

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A serial entrepreneur, Tendul Raj is on a personal mission to develop a culture of entrepreneurship, helping start-ups achieve their full potential as well as ] expand existing companies. His overall mission is to foster a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities across the world. In fact, he has built a career revolutionizing the financing industry across the globe and he currently consults and advises for a range of multi-million dollar companies.

Born and raised in Pondicherry, Tendul’s entrepreneurial journey started when he was 22. Soon after graduating from college, he started planning to start his own company. During the crucial stages of starting his new business, Tendul experienced sleepless nights for several weeks as he worked tirelessly day and night establishing the new company. Finally, after all the struggles and hardships, Nextazy Solutions Pvt Ltd was born. He also decided not to limit Nextazy with just a single vision – he wants Nextazy Solutions to provide blockchain solutions and AI-related services.

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

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

Currently, my team and I are working on two big technologies – Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. I was so driven towards Blockchain technology that I decided to provide Blockchain-related product solutions and services. AI is my new favorite. It has been three years since I developed an unconditional bond with AI. Learning AI helped me grow my business and myself.

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

All social media platforms are good. Each platform follows different algorithms and has its own advantages and disadvantages. I always prefer Instagram and Linkedin to increase brand awareness.

I use Instagram not only for brand awareness, but also to convey my ideas, innovations, messages, showcase the work we’re doing, and above all interact with interesting people. And I prefer Linkedin to connect with other businesses and like-minded people.

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

I do have experiences in paid advertising like Google ads, social media ad campaigns, sponsored content, and other things. I suggest that emerging businesses should make use of paid advertising for better reach.

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

When I started Nextazy, I made sure that all my strategies were unique and innovative. My priority is always customer satisfaction and that way my brand’s reach increases overtime. Even today, I tell my colleagues that if you can drive one potential customer towards you, driving a hundred will be a piece of cake.

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

Businesses these days are getting more customers, but they are not providing quality services. This should change. Each business needs different marketing strategies to prosper. But one strategy is common for all and that’s customer satisfaction. In our company, we work for the betterment of customers and this has been working well for these many years.

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

I would say the toughest circumstances rather than the toughest decisions. Due to this Covid-19 pandemic, working from home has become mandatory. Since it’s a new thing for most of my people, it was difficult to maintain and increase productivity. Besides, keeping them motivated was also tedious initially. But luckily, this has reduced greatly by now.

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

I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but money mistake, there’s only one and that’s hiring the wrong people. Actually, these people are not wrong. They are just not suited for our environment and work culture. Unfortunately, I’ve repeated this mistake again and again, which cost me a lot of money.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to step foot in deep-sea research. Many governments and private firms are already indulged in outer space exploration looking for habitable planets and other things. But most of the Earth itself is yet to be discovered. More than 90 percent of our oceans and seas remain untouched. I’m pretty sure there are so many fascinating things down there. I want to explore and enjoy them.

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

Your past does not define your present or future so I will not disturb my past by changing anything, rather, I would just enjoy every single moment. I will be more and more confident in keeping my next step, those that made me who I am today.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Two things stand apart as the best advice I’ve ever got. One is, whatever you do, whether it may be personal or business, do it 100%, and never back down. Second, help others to build their path. Motivate them, stand with them, and never turn your back on them.

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

“Don’t let others convince you while choosing an idea.” Newbie entrepreneurs these days find it difficult to motivate themselves. They hide in the comfort zone, which will eventually break. First, I advise all newbies to come out of their comfort areas. The real struggle begins there. There will be countless failures, insults, frustration, mistakes, and too many other things to handle.

But always remember the things above are temporary. You control the construction; design it as you want it to be. When it comes to business, I would say only one thing: focus on the end-users’ perception, instead of focusing on yours. It’s the only way your business will shine.

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8 Effective Ways To Drive More Traffic To Your Website

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Every company or business has its own website or online portal because it is important to keep track of every person who visits your website because each person could be a potential customer. So, how exactly and effectively can you attract more customers to boost your site traffic? Below is a tell-all guide on how to be successful in driving more traffic to your website.

A simple secret to help you in your endeavour is to follow the trade secrets that work for your closest competitors. Why would you want to waste time trying to experiment with new techniques without knowing if they will work for your company, industry, or domain? The following techniques will explain to you how to “steal” their keywords and backlinks in order to leapfrog traffic on your website. All you have to do is follow the steps enumerated below:

1. Your website functionality: You need to make important and effective tweaks on your website and use the maximum number of tools available online to boost your ranking among your competitors.

2. Competition: Find out who your real competitors are and who can turn out to be tough competitors in the near future. Keeping close tabs on this information can give you a good perspective about what you have to do to stay ahead of them in the rat race.

3. Keywords: SEM Rush is one of the best tools that help with the researching of keywords. Using the appropriate keywords can increase your website traffic by increasing the number and frequencies of hits to your site.

4. Organic Rankings: This will give you an insight into the most remote areas of your closest competitors and using this information, you will know where exactly to increase your focus.

5. Building links: You need to go through the websites of your closest competitors so see their link building processes. Tweaking it to your advantage will ensure more traffic flowing into your own website.

6. Advertising: Compare all the strategies by your top three or top five competitors and see what works in your domain or industry. Use the same strategy to suit the needs of your website and those of your customers and potential clients as well.

7. Social media marketing and management: The largest number of hits happen in social networking domains due to a large number of people present in this space. It is also easier to carve a niche for yourself in this space since it gives you more space for creativity and innovation.

8. Reporting tools: Use such tools to generate important data about your website and where you can channel your attention in order to stay at the top of the ranking charts.

SEM Rush is a tool that helps you with improving the traffic to your web site. This tool helps you to zero in on the most common comprehensive words related to your domain and business. Using these words on your website and blog will automatically increase the number of hits to the website thus, considerably increasing the traffic. This, in turn, means that you will have more potential clients who will later turn into loyal customers.

Search engine traffic makes a big difference as the browsers will naturally go in for the website at the top of the search list since it is closest to what they are searching for. With this tool, you can understand the drawbacks of your website, its speed, and areas of improvement. Collect benchmark data to give you a better idea about the closest competing website to compare with your own. Remember that more paid searches might cause a drag in the speed of your website. Organic searches being higher in number compared to your paid searches can help in the ranking of your website analytically. Also, check the number of keywords that are distributed in the blog and content section as keywords when placed strategically will help your website have a better rank in the search list.

Following the tips above can help attract more organic traffic into your website – all you have to do is be consistent and committed to your goals.

Entrepreneur Spotlight: Introducing Dr. DL Wallace – The CEO Of Success Training Institute

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Dr. DL Wallace is a Soft Skills Training and Development Expert with more than 20 years of experience in employee development, entrepreneurial development, organizational efficiency, and business strategy.

He is currently the CEO and founder of Success Training Institute (STI), the worldwide leader in superior soft skills training. Founded in 2012, Success Training Institute is an award-winning, education technology company based just north of Dallas, Texas. It currently serves colleges and universities, workforce commissions, school districts, and corporations from various industries. The customized learning platforms developed by STI include pre and post-assessments, individualized learning plans, access to data and analytics, and more. Their services are geared towards corporations and individuals looking to improve personnel through training in compliance, leadership, problem-solving, team building, customer service, and more.

Success Training Institute offers plans for entrepreneurs, college students, sales and HR professionals, and more. Priced to fit almost any budget, certifications can be earned in weeks, and most see improvements within days. Success Training Institute offers online programs designed to empower the workforce. The power-packed, 8-minute video segments can be taken on demand and have been proven to make immediate impacts on productivity, positivity, and efficiency on behalf of employees at all levels who complete the training.

Success Training Institute also offers college students the opportunity to increase their marketability after graduation through its Virtual Internship Programs. Students who are selected earn soft skills certifications to boost their resumes, earn extra money for college, and can work remotely.

Success Training Institute is recognized as a Top Innovator in Education Technology and cutting edge online training. With original content, unique and proven instructional method, and an evergreen library, STI is changing the professional landscape for students and companies worldwide.

MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Dr. DL Wallace to discuss the hi journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

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

I was inspired to launch the Success Training Institute in 2012 when I was the Executive Director of a Charter School I founded. During this time, I noticed the challenges new teachers were having interacting with students, parents, and each other. It became readily apparent that college didn’t equip them with the soft skills needed to succeed in the real world. Therefore, I developed and tested a soft skills curriculum on these educators and it worked even better than I expected. It literally revolutionized the culture, morale, and productivity of two campuses in the inner cities of Dallas/Fort Worth. It worked so well, we tested on our students and their parents. We got the same great results. I embraced the opportunity and the rest is history.

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

As a Black-Owned Minority Business Enterprise, we always feel as if we’ve got to be far better than the competition. Therefore, we’ve developed partnerships with numerous state agencies. We customize programs for colleges and universities, public and charter schools, local workforce boards, and more. By tapping into the vast government market, it has opened many doors for our company and given us added credibility. Also, we’re the only Ed-Tech company in the space that offers home-based business owners and other professionals the opportunity to earn money with us by referring retail and corporate business. Our Affiliate Program has helped us expand to other countries and keeps our pipeline filled with leads.

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

Our company is active on Facebook and Instagram. However, we’d like to do even more on social media because we realize the power of those platforms. Some people rely on social media for their news and information. We have plans on becoming much more active as our nation and the rest of the world to heal from the recent civil unrest and the global pandemic.

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

We’ve had so much success with our Affiliate Programs and word of mouth that social pay per click campaigns have not been on our radar. Recently, we hired an organization to focus more on ads and we expect it will do well because of the growing need for online soft skills training.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

Our company has seen great success with our philanthropic initiative that provides a soft skills training scholarship to the less fortunate when our paying clients earn certifications. The Global Success Initiative allows all our customers to participate in the betterment of our world. We are the only company in the world that offers a one to one match with education! Imagine unlocking the door for at-risk teens, families in poverty disabled veterans, and others to grow just by earning certifications that improve your own life and career. This initiative has really enhanced our brand, our credibility, and fulfills our mission.

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

For us, marketing begins and ends with relationship building. We take the time to get to know our potential clients. We spend time with them and cultivate a long term relationship that ultimately leads to a long term contract. Also, the success of our Affiliate Program has been a major boost; mainly because of the earnings potential of members can earn just by referring those in their circles. Our commissions on corporate deals range from 10% – 30% and those checks are impressive.

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

Expanding our business overseas was a tough decision. The countries that need our product most have the greatest problems with internet connectivity. Additionally, laws and regulations in other countries are much tougher than those in the US. However, we could not deprive people of the chance to enhance their lives and grow their incomes by acquiring the soft skills they need to succeed.

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

Most of the time when business leaders think of money mistakes, we tend to focus monies that were spent unwisely. However, we actually learn just as much from what we don’t spend. One of the things I would change is not spending more money by adopting cryptocurrency policies. We’re finally turning the corner in this area. However, if we would have spent the money on the technology required to accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin two or three years ago, we’d be experiencing historic returns on our investment. We know now.

What new business would you love to start?

Training is one of my deepest passions and I’ve always wanted to teach others how to train. Therefore, we launched a new division of our company that allows professionals to become certified soft skills trainers. It’s 100% online and we even help them with leads on training in live settings. We’ve made it affordable and offer all the support to help our certified trainers succeed. It’s a great way for life coaches, public speakers, educators, and others to earn money with this valuable new skill. I’m excited to live out another chapter of my dreams.

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

It may sound like a cliché but I have no regrets about any aspect of the journey with Simply Success. The lessons I’ve learned along the way were priceless and helped our company improve. In business, you either win or you learn and every learning experience is a necessary one if you want to grow. Thomas Edison learned valuable lessons from each failed attempt at the lightbulb. Like Edison, every lesson got me closer to the groundbreaking company we have today.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

One of my mentors told me: “Whatever you do best, do most.” This advice helped me focus on leveraging my training and professional development skills. Doing this consistently led to the birth of the Success Training Institute.

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

Three Things. First, take the time to organize. Write your plans and goals, do your homework, and identify your resources. Organization is time-consuming but well worth the effort. Next, don’t be afraid. Fear limits your ability to focus, take risks, and make aggressive decisions. Move with confidence and never with caution. Last and certainly not least, don’t quit. Business success is very similar to running a marathon. Most people have the physical strength to run 26 miles with the proper training. However, many lack the mental toughness to keep running. Business success is based on our ability to keep running.

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5 Daily Scheduling Methods To Bring More Productivity To Your Day

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Productivity is probably this generation’s biggest dilemma. The rising numbers of freelancers and entrepreneurs indicate that more and more people are choosing to work outside the regular 9-5. But outside any supervision or deadlines, they often end up wasting a major chunk of their time distracted with technology, calls, relationships, etc.

After some initial damage, they sense the need to be more productive if they ever want to achieve their goals. According to a study, only 50-60% of a regular workday is productive. There are numerous blogs, articles, courses, and books that claim to help you achieve the “perfect schedule.” But the reality is, there is no one-size-fits-all method when it comes to productivity. What works for one person could be a total disaster for someone else.

To give you an example, let’s compare some of the most successful leaders of our generation. Elon Musk wakes up early and spends his first 30 minutes answering “critical emails” while drinking his coffee. Zuckerberg doesn’t wake up early but maintains a morning routine where he works out or goes for a run, eats breakfast, and gets dressed before heading to the office. Richard Branson wakes up at 5 am, gets in some cardio before breakfast with the family.

As you can notice, there is no set path to productivity. It’s what works for you the best that matters. Some of the techniques with a proven track record in upping productivity are listed below. It will take some effort and consistency to figure out the right combination and stick to a schedule until it becomes a habit.

Start your day early

There is a reason why this gets featured in most of the productivity articles, courses, and recommendations by successful entrepreneurs. Starting early gives you a head start. You can use the additional 1-2 hours to accomplish tasks like your work out or mindfulness exercises along with one task that you think is important. It could be checking emails or responding to connections. Whatever it is, it will bring a sense of accomplishment and set the tone for the rest of the day.

Create a morning routine and stick to it

There is no hack to productivity. It is a matter of habit and intuition. And building a new habit takes willpower and consistency. It requires some initial motivation before the result presents itself. Some say it 21 days to build a habit while others vouch for the 90-day rule. Whatever it takes you, you should be motivated enough to put in the work.

Use Time-blocking Method

Time blocking is probably the most widely used productivity method. It requires you to break your day in 40 mins to 1-hour time slots dedicated to specific tasks. A time block method will have slots for following up with connections and scheduling calls and meetings. By blocking tasks into slots, you can achieve great productivity with the time block method.

Avoid unnecessary decision making

You must have seen the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg wearing the same type of ordinary clothes every day. It is not a coincidence but a planned strategy to avoid decision burnout throughout the day. You can choose what decisions are best avoided so you can focus on getting things done.

Avoid working late

If you are serious about productivity then don’t make the mistake of working late into the night. Take your mind off work in the evenings. If you have a hobby, this would be a good time to indulge in it. Why is it so important you ask? To be productive the next day.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The September 2020 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Guruji Shrii Arnav

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Few people embrace change with ease and move effortlessly across situations that may be as varied as can be. It probably comes from an assiduously cultivated capacity to evolve and grow. And to look at different circumstances as opportunities for growth, just clad in different garb! Guruji Shrii Arnav is someone who conducts meditations in ochre robes with as much as ease with which he makes his way in a boardroom, sporting a Zegna suit.

Sought after by global tycoons, world leaders, life coaches, celebs, key decision-makers, and also the normal folks in day to day life for his guidance and wisdom, Guruji’s life is a shining example of serving with humility and wielding success with compassion.

There were some great accomplishments early on for him indicating that mediocre wasn’t for him – from being an academically brilliant student to winning the Competition Success Review Mr. Super Brain Contest in the year 1999, a prestigious competition held then at the national level in India.

Never one to shy away from breaking the mold, he let go of a conventional and logical career choice in high finance, he took on a spiritual commitment and initiated his endeavours to start an organisation that would help individuals overcome obstacles of different kinds, optimise life and experience greater joy.

He set up his web presence as early as in 1996 with a single page on Yahoo Geocities which migrated to his website astromandir.com in the year 2000, fully functioning as an e-commerce site and accepting web-enabled payments – this at a time when the internet in India was a novelty!

In 2008, when the entire world was reeling with the recession and a global financial crisis, he took a bold decision and launched www.Gemstoneuniverse.com, a web portal providing the top quality natural, treatment-free, precious gemstones.

His vision paid off and the site now has a monthly reach of 4 million unique targeted viewers including those on social media. The online retailing business of astrological gemstones has undergone a tremendous makeover and even more impressive reach and acceptance. He is widely credited with revolutionizing Gemstone e-commerce and standardizing Gem Therapy worldwide.

He is the author of the magnum opus on jyotish gemstones and planetary gem therapy – “The Secrets of Jyotish Gems: A Guide to the Fundamentals of Sacred Astro Gemology of India” which was published by Har-Anand.

It is a book that has met with great success, being well received by the gemstone and gem therapy aficionados. The book was first released by the former President of India, Hon’ble Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, and several heads of state and dignitaries worldwide.

Guruji Shrii Arnav is a beacon, a Vedic Guru who chose to illumine the path of true knowledge for all who are willing. However, his aura and acclaim are not limited to the extensive Vedic knowledge or spiritual abundance that surrounds him. He is also an entrepreneur who is at complete ease with the tide of the times and has a phenomenal grasp of a wide array of skills.

While the term Vedic may have Hindu connotations, his unique way of weaving the universal wisdom into the thread of particularistic traditions has established a deep connection between his ideas and an audience of diverse religions and nationalities. It is amazing how people relate to him with absolute ease and comfort. Guruji Shrii Arnav has found international acclaim and has followers across the globe who, have been touched deeply by his compassion and ability to positively influence and affect their lives.

He helps people of all faiths and backgrounds to seek answers to the most complex questions of their lives. He uses the knowledge and practical wisdom offered by the Vedas and other spiritual texts, complemented with the scientific detail provided by gemology, astrological charts, and his own spiritual capacity – to prove successfully the power of varied specific factors combined together that can positively affect every individual’s life.

Here are some candid answers from the man sporting many hats:

COVID has turned the world upside down. How are you and your organisation coping with it?

Forces of nature and unprecedented events have occurred time and again and history is replete with incidents. True, that it has caught the world unawares and put all of us in a bind but human beings have survived because of adaptability. We are also learning and adapting to new ways. There’s an increased use of technology and the digital medium has become the star.

The good news is that we have not had to lay off anyone, we’re taking care to ensure the well-being of the people who work in the far-flung mining areas as well. A successful entrepreneur always ensures that a fire situation doesn’t arise. And this can be done by adopting the 7R’s/ 7R Model – Rapid action, Remote functioning ability, reasonably risk-free activity/ initiative, real value delivered to clients, reputation, result orientation, readiness for any challenge. These are the values that I and my organisation believe in and follow, ensuring success.

What strategy do you adopt for marketing?

“A successful entrepreneur always ensures that a fire situation doesn’t arise. And this can be done by adopting the 7R’s/ 7R Model – Rapid action, Remote functioning ability, reasonably risk-free activity/ initiative, real value delivered to clients, reputation, result orientation, and readiness for any challenge.”I think that any company’s or individual’s performance is the best and most effective marketing. A demonstration is definitely better than instruction. Doing something and bringing tangible results rather than messaging only is a bigger validation of what an organisation is all about. It inspires more confidence and credibility. If you look at Gemstoneuniverse, we have then been awarded the top exporter of natural coloured gemstones in our state consistently for the last 10 years.

The quality of your product and service is equally important. Gemstoneuniverse ensures that only the ethically sourced, conflict-free gemstone is made available to the clients so that they enjoy their gem completely.

I also believe that the people I hire are the biggest marketing mechanism for my business. Each one is a veritable brand ambassador living the core value and principles.

What is a big challenge that you have faced professionally?

Well, the gemstone industry and quite specifically the coloured gemstone industry is quite unique in nature and as a result, its challenges are also quite different. Gemstoneuniverse is engaged in the trade of natural precious, treatment-free gemstones which effectively means that we are looking at the top two percent – that is the highest grade gemstones.

In this scenario, communicating colour on the internet across various devices and displays becomes a veritable challenge. Understand that you have an exceptional precious mineral commodity and each variety of mineral responds differently to light. A ruby will behave differently as compared to an emerald. A Chrysoberyl cat’s eye needs to be captured differently and so does a pearl. Each hue, each tone must be communicated through an exact picture/video to the client.

I am quite happy to say that despite the inherently challenging nature of the coloured gemstones, today we have the best pictures and videos on the Internet providing the viewer with the best image and videos, quite comparable to what a gemmologist may want to look at!

What is your advice to entrepreneurs or individuals interested in creating wealth or looking at sustained growth?

The one piece of advice to achieve this objective is to believe in these three words –niche, niche, niche. There is tremendous wisdom in specialising in a definite area. It is all about achieving mastery in that ONE thing and you will be able to reap great benefits. When you bring exceptional value to a client, the client might just stop putting the price ahead of value. This is when you have commanded his or her complete attention as well as loyalty. If you have entered into the mind space in such a manner, you will have cemented your position.

What are the future plans for Gemstoneuniverse?

Gemstoneuniverse already has a global footprint but we are looking for establishing physical stores in different parts of the world. We would also be interested in strategic partners who can leverage our expertise and help expand the business globally, while at the same time upholding our core values. There is an ambitious plan of starting the Indian Institute of Gem Therapy and also on cards is a foundation that will assist in making a hospital offering free service and also a meditation Centre.

What is a spiritual message that you would like to give out?

There is no one size fits all formula that can be handed out to soothe humanity. The one thing though that works universally is that Love Heals. With love, compassion, and empathy there is a lot that can be achieved.

Each individual is unique and therefore the suggestions made for the well-being and growth of every individual are unique too.

I would like the readers to check out the latest book by our Senior Director and Life Coach Abhijita Kulshrestha, Cosmic Sutra: A handbook of Healing, wherein 7 minutes of your day are required for different meditations and affirmations along with spiritual exercises for a period of 108 days.

These 108 days can be the key to powerful personal change! You can follow Gemstoneuniverse by visiting our website: gemstoneuniverse.com 

You can also follow us via social media:

Instagram: gemstoneuniverse
Facebook: gemstoneuniverse
Twitter: gemuniverse

Youtube: Gemstoneuniverse

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4 Affiliate Marketing Tips for Beginners

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Starting your own business can be an overwhelming experience. However, we now live in a world where building a business doesn’t need to be so overwhelming anymore. If you’re looking for a much simpler way to start your own business but with very little capital needed, then you should definitely consider affiliate marketing. Basically, this is where you promote other people’s products and services and in return, you earn a commission from helping out. You just need to find a product you want to endorse, promote it to other people, and you can earn money for every sale that you make. Since there are plenty of affiliate products and services available today, you need to find a unique product or service to promote. Just remember that your desire and determination to succeed are also equally important if you want to succeed as an affiliate marketer in the long run.

Find High-Quality Products

You need to choose high-quality products or services if you want to become successful as an affiliate marketer. If what you’re promoting is of high quality; then chances are, the customer support and supply chain process of the company you are promoting are also of high quality which will give you credibility as a marketer.

Choose Something You’ll Get Value From

You should always choose a product or service that you can see yourself using or getting value from. It should be an extension of you. The program you are affiliated with should offer value for all your efforts. You should also look for a program that provides valuable free gifts. Remember that online reviews and feedback can make or break your business. Once customers get free gifts, they will no doubt be impressed and give you great reviews in return.

Look for a Niche Market with Big Problems to be Solved

You should always look for a niche market with significant problems to be solved and provide a quality solution to these issues. If you are able to fix a problem, especially the big ones, you will gain the trust of your customers and that is no doubt a big plus for your business.

Variety of Products

Look for an affiliate program that offers a wide range of products so that you can encourage your customers to keep coming back for more. Variety helps build a solid fanbase, which is definitely good for business. For instance, if the affiliate program is offering ebooks that discuss weight loss, it is also a good thing if it provides supplements and exercise equipment. So, you should pick an affiliate program that offers a wide range of products so that your customers will also most likely recommend you to their friends and colleagues.

One of the best benefits of affiliate marketing is that you can promote as many affiliate programs as you want. This means that your earning potential is big as well. Some people give up their 9-5 job to focus on their online business. Another benefit of affiliate marketing is that you don’t need to leave your home just to promote a product or service. Even if you are in your pajamas, you can still work and sell online because you can promote the program on your website or social networking sites. Some affiliate programs even provide their affiliates with a website where they can promote the products or services.

7 Practical Steps For Managing Your Credit Card Responsibly

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While it’s true that credit cards can come in handy when you get caught cashless on certain instances; but then it’s also wise to take note of the fact that excessive use of credit cards can only lead you into the path of going straight down the drain of having a bad credit history.

Therefore, it’s important to be smart when it comes to using credit cards and managing your debts associated with it so you don’t find yourself in much deeper trouble in the long run. It’s obviously very easy for anyone to acquire large debts through credit cards; but, it’s extremely hard to get out of a credit card black hole once you’ve been eaten by it alive. That said, here are some tips to consider when it comes to managing your credit cards wisely.

Only use one card

You don’t really need a lot of credit cards because it will only result in a lot more repayments to various banks and credit card companies. Typically, most people would use cash advances from one card to pay the debt in another. The thing is, this system will only make your financial condition much worse because managing multiple debts can be time-consuming and even confusing; not to mention there’s the hassle of managing multiple credit cards.

Always pay the monthly balance of your credit card in full

It’s always good practice to pay the monthly balance of your credit card in full so that you don’t end up paying unnecessary interest. However, just in case unforeseen circumstances occur that you have no control of; then, at least have your debt paid within a maximum of two months – no more, no less.

Opt for another alternative

If you find yourself always maxing out your credit limit each month then a much wiser alternative would be to apply for a personal loan which charges lower interest rates compared to credit cards.

Have a card calculator handy

It’s always a good idea to have a card calculator handy if you deem that you can only pay the minimum amount required for each month. This way, you will be able to determine how long you’ve still got to pay off your debt. Furthermore, take the time to talk to a financial advisor who will be able to help you manage your credit card in a much healthier way.

Be very cautious of cash advances

While there may be some interest-free days available within your credit card plan; unfortunately, that doesn’t cover cash advances. Keep in mind that no amount of payment will ever be able to pay off cash advances as long as there is still an outstanding balance on your credit card; meaning, any balance you have on your credit card must be paid off first. Also, your benefit of having interest-free days will most likely be forfeited anyway until you pay off your cash advances first.

Always keep the fees down

You need to learn when to use your credit card so you can avoid getting hooked with unnecessary swiping; this way, you will only have a lesser amount to pay for your monthly dues. You must make it a point to always pay in full and on time to avoid any unnecessary charges piling up which can lead to financial downfall.

Look for alternatives in making payments

To date, people have the option to pay either over the phone or online. These routes are obviously much cheaper compared to paying over the counter.

5 Demand Generation Best Practices to Boost Your Brand’s Awareness

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Building a long-term relationship with your customers is as tough as keeping your product in demand. We are all aware that the industry trends come and go so as an entrepreneur so you need to be able to sustain this rapid change.

To be successful in your chosen field, you have to maintain your brand awareness no matter how many large competitors come your way. Following these five practices will help you sustain the challenge and succeed in the long run.

Be consistent in proper communication with your customers

Always be attentive to your customers. As soon as your customers start to express their thoughts about your business, you need to respond as soon as you can so that your customers can feel that their concerns are being heard. This will help you produce the right product that your customers need. A customer will feel happy and satisfied whenever he/she receives the exact product he/she ordered and it arrives without a delay. Especially when the order is packed neatly and every piece is in good condition. This will urge him/her to reorder again and refer you to his/her friends and family.

Provide exceptional customer service

Handling a simple customer query can greatly affect your customer’s decision to buy your product. Aside from this fact, doing an extra mile for the customer will also let him/her feel they are truly valued. To ensure the order arrives correctly, make sure you keep in touch with your customers so you can also check if they encounter any problems associated with their order.

By doing this, you can provide an effective resolution in the early stages. Providing good customer service is a continuous process because your customers may change their minds instantly if you are not able to meet their expectations before, during, and after your transaction.

Be innovative and creative

Both of these qualities can produce a brand that is always tempting to the eyes and attracts the attention of your buyers. Millennials are always looking for new things. From the product you first use at your startup, never be afraid to perform an experiment so you can discover new things to improve your brand. You can always use the same product because you have already built your reputation with that one. You just need to be creative to enhance it so it continues to stand out among other trends.

Learn new sales strategies

Offering tempting promotions can be one of the best sales strategies you can incorporate into your business. This is the traditional way most entrepreneurs are still using because it is proven to be effective. Just make sure the discounts you offer will still generate an income though. You can also use other marketing channels to get better results and maintain your status in the industry.

Create sales metrics

A sales report can help you evaluate the aspects of your product which still requires your effort and attention. This is a smarter method to help you analyze if your sales strategy is effective or not. Your sales metrics also allow you to determine the marketing channel which contributes more to your revenue and which one should be eliminated if it is not working effectively. This is also helpful when you have other sales plans to promote additional income for the company.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The August 2020 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: The Amazing Armand Peri

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If you’ve ever been bullied, you’d know first-hand what kind of negative long-lasting impact it can cause the victims. To be a successful entrepreneur requires not only a powerful motivation and passion but also an ability for overcoming setbacks. But setbacks can come in many shapes and forms and one of the most common forms of setbacks experienced in adolescence is bullying. Although the negative effects of bullying are lengthy and can continue well into adulthood, some entrepreneurs have found that negative experiences have had positive effects on their adult life because it allowed them to be more capable to overcome the many challenges they eventually face in their own ventures.

One such entrepreneur is none other than the incredible Armand Peri. He was once a seventeen-year-old student who used to be bullied a lot but he made a definitive decision to do something about it. He decided to get into weights so that no one would mess around with him anymore and two years later, he was rewarded for all his hard work with a first-place title in the teenage division of “Mr. New Jersey” which then led to winning the heavyweight division in the same competition two years later.

Armand Peri was originally born the son of Portuguese parents who emigrated to the U.S., settling in New Jersey when he was just 12 years of age. One of his early memories was hearing his mother tell him that they [the family] were “not born to be rich.” Rather than accept this as his inevitable destiny though, he was motivated to create his own mantra for success, and it taught him one of his most crucial life lessons: the importance of setting goals and then taking well-thought-out steps to achieve said goals.

Armand’s first goal was achieved when he was recognized and lauded for his accomplishments in the bodybuilding arena. He also won a National Talent Search, was introduced to President and Mrs. Reagan and he even had his work displayed in a prestigious national gallery, as well as in the New Jersey State Gallery of Art. To state that Armand is an overachiever is an understatement.

Armand worked his way through college, first as a bouncer, and then eventually a dancer for a male entertainment revue. This decision to take on these dancing gigs was actually pivotal in his life and would ultimately bring him success and enable him to start his own company. Armand saw an opening in a niche market that felt right and he decided to fill it. He created Hunk-O-Mania, a high-end male revue and strip club for women in New York City. He focused on every aspect of building a reputation, not just for the exotic male dancers but for the entire staff – waiters, security, and ticket takers alike. Having been a dancer himself, he was uniquely positioned to run this enterprise, understanding the psychology behind it and making customer service and satisfaction on every level the top priority. This was undoubtedly what ensured his success right from the start.

Fast forward to today and Armand is now a successful entrepreneur, investor, artist, author, and motivational speaker. His venture has grown and expanded nationwide to Atlantic City, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Savannah, Greensboro, Raleigh, Baltimore, Washington, Austin, Houston, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, Charleston, and Nashville. In his book “Unparalleled Success,” which was published in 2019, he shares his recipe for that success. He’s also frequently engaged as a motivational speaker. His genuine desire to help others to achieve true success, while keeping the focus on their professional and personal well-being, is what inspires others to find their own path to victory.

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

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

Struggling to find a place in life as an immigrant kid, I was constantly bullied throughout high school. After enduring many years of negativity from my classmates, I decided to approach weightlifting with laser-like focus and became determined to transform my physique. However, my goals were met with many obstacles as my family struggled financially at the time and I was unable to purchase a gym membership nor was I able to buy the necessary foods to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. I overcame these obstacles by working at my school gym and was able to lift weights there three times a week. On Sundays, I would commute almost an hour each way from my home in New Jersey to Manhattan to work out at a commercial gym. At the time, commercial gyms were sparse and not as popular as they are today. But, by staying focused and determined, I was able to gain the weight I needed and eventually competed in my first bodybuilding competition where I went on to win Mr. Teen New Jersey.

I applied the same level of determination to other aspects of my life, including business. While in college, I met another fellow bodybuilder named Joey V and noticed that Joey was driving around campus in a new Corvette and constantly wore new clothes. I became curious and approached Joey one day and asked what he did for a living. He too was an aspiring bodybuilder but he also worked at a male entertainment revue called “ESCAPES” in Long Island. We hit it off and Joey introduced me to the world of male revue shows.

I was working part-time as a bouncer at the time but this job put me in many dangerous situations and I knew it was a job I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Once I started working at ESCAPES, I began making more money in two hours of dancing than I did working eight hours as security at a nightclub. I quickly left the security job and danced Fridays and Saturday nights and did side-gigs for three to four other entertainment agencies during the week. After finishing my education, I became a freelance architect renderer while working at ESCAPES on the weekends. Eventually, I made more working part-time as a male entertainer than working full-time as an architect. I saved up my earnings and started my own company in 1998.

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

I am constantly pushing and educating myself-

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

Yes, it does work but SEO (search engine optimization) works much better…

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

My main tactic is to show people via social media posts and customer reviews how much fun my clubs are; Hunk-O-Mania nightclubs continue to receive acclaim as the largest and most successful male revue nightclubs in the world from various news and media outlets. I founded the first Hunk-O-Mania nightclub show in 1998 in New York City and the show has now expanded to over 25 cities including Chicago, Las Vegas, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlantic City, Orlando, Tampa, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

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

To lay people off due to COVID 19.

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

Reinvesting most of my profit instead of only a portion!

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

I would believe in myself more and I would not waste any time getting started!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Never Quit on yourself and your dreams.

Can you tell us more about your latest book?

Absolutely, the purpose of my book is to give back to society and inspire someone to pursue his or her dream as I did! Throughout my journey of becoming successful, I made a lot of mistakes but learned a lot with each setback and I am trying to prevent my followers and readers to avoid these same mistakes I made.

What kind of research did you do for this book, and how long did you spend researching before beginning this book?

The book is based on my personal experiences dating back to my teenage years – the journey I made to achieve my success made this book possible. I wanted to write a book that was short and to the point.

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

Bring value and originality to the marketplace and your success will be undeniable.

For more details about Armand please visit his website on www.armandperi.com. You can also follow Armand Peri on social media via these links:

Instagram:  lifeperiway
Facebook: ArmandPeriBodybuilder
Twitter: armandperi
Website: armandperi.com
TikTok: armandperi

3 Powerful Visualization Techniques To Change Your Life Forever

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What do you think is the difference between a dreamer and a doer?

One word: confidence.

Let’s face it, if you’re confident that you’ll eventually achieve your goals because you are willing to do whatever it takes to get there then you will no doubt achieve it. However, if you’re not confident about yourself and you don’t think your plans will pan out then you won’t really feel the need to take any further steps to achieve your goals.

Confidence is the key to making something of yourself. It’s having the inner confidence that whatever happens around you, may it hail or shine, your confidence remains rock hard. If you believe in yourself that you will eventually achieve your goals, you’ll reach it. One of the most effective ways of achieving your goals is through Effective Visualisation.

So what is Effective Visualisation?

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a big-time celebrity who used the power of visualisation to achieve his bodybuilding goals.

Schwarzenegger didn’t just go to the gym every day and worked out, he actually visualised his success. He said “I had this fixed idea of growing a body like Reg Park’s. The model was there in my mind; I only had to grow enough to fill it… The more I focused in on this image and worked and grew, the more I saw it was real and possible for me to be like him.”

Schwarzenegger conditioned his mind and convinced himself that he was capable of achieving his goal, he firmly believed that he would be able to do it and that’s exactly what happened.

He also said, “What you do is create a vision of who you want to be – and then live that picture as if it were already true.”

This is the power of Effective Visualisation.

You need to visualise your desired result over and over again as if it had already taken place. There’s no room in your head for doubting yourself and your capabilities because if you do this, you are unconsciously sabotaging your success.

Effective Visualisation is a technique that’ll help you get over the barrier of self-doubt. You need to visualise and actually see yourself achieving your goals and you need to envision how you’re going to do it in the most detailed manner as possible. The more you visualise your success, the more it’ll transcend to reality because the power of the mind, if harnessed the right way can make a huge impact in your life.

What do you think is the difference between a successful person and a loser?

It’s two words: mind power.

The big reason why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer is because the rich people have such a powerful mindset – they are willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top and they can already see themselves right at the top even though they’re not even there yet. They condition their minds over and over again to the fact that no matter what happens, they will eventually achieve the results they want.

Here are 3 effective Visualisation techniques you might want to implement in your life:

Be in the moment

If, for example, you have a meeting with some prospective sponsors, you need to visualise yourself going into the meeting and winning that pitch. What do the potential sponsors look like?

What does the meeting place look like?

Can you picture the surroundings?

Can you hear their voices?

Imagine how calm and collected you are going to be when you firstly visualise yourself going to that meeting and shaking their hands. Imagine the potential sponsors intently listening to your pitch. By doing this simple practice, you’ll be able to go that meeting with rock hard confidence because you’ll be able to transcend that imagery into real life since you’ve gone over the scenario in your head over and over again.

Focus on you

Besides visualising the surroundings, you need to effectively visualise yourself going into that meeting.

What clothes are you wearing during this meeting?

Is your posture on point?

Do you look confident enough to secure the deal?

How calm and collected are you?

How is your tone of voice during the pitch?

Are you injecting a sense of humour to make the sponsors feel more comfortable with you as a person?

Have a backup plan

Visualising yourself nailing the sponsorship is definitely a must, but you need to also have a plan B just in case things don’t go according to plan – at least you have a backup plan. Having a plan B or even a plan C will be good for you in the long run because it enables you to be a bit more prepared. Think of possible ways the potential sponsors would react negatively to your pitch and then think of ways in advance that you’ll be able to address their concerns.

Practice how you would react to their negative response and then repeat that scenario in your head over and over again so that when the time finally comes and they react negatively to your pitch, you’re 100% confident that you have the answers they are looking for because you have visualised this scene a number of times.

In conclusion

Your goal here is to strongly instill the experience you want in your mind so that this will transcend into real life and you’ll be able to embody the version of yourself that you know in your heart can be.

You need to make sure you note down everything you see and hear in your head and go over it again and again. If you can do this, you’ll be well on your way to nailing down that life-changing pitch.