20 Cool Jobs for Unconventional People (No Matter How Old You Are) | Life Hack

October 3, 2018October 2, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

At a certain point in my life, I thought I would be a scuba instructor. Bronzed and toned, living care free in the Maldives mingling with fabulous people. It seemed like a perfectly original undertaking that suited me. After all, there I was just finishing my dive master training on the tepid shores of Costa Rica.

Top of the list for cool jobs, right?

But considering a new instructor garners an annual salary of $20,000 USD, there were bolder (and more financially sound) paths to pursue. Yet I was inspired. Inspired by the water, the physical activity, the challenge and learning. That was 15 years ago. I went on to continue to wear numerous hats in a life of unique jobs.

Awesomeness TV founder Brian Robbins named Nickelodeon president | Fast Company

October 2, 2018October 1, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Viacom has named Brian Robbins as head of Nickelodeon, the once-pioneering kids-TV cable network which has been struggling in the ratings lately as it’s faced challenges from both Netflix and YouTube and their seemingly endless supply of children’s programming. Robbins will be moving over from Paramount Players, a division of Paramount Pictures that specializes in creating content related to Viacom’s major brands, including Nickelodeon, BET, and MTV.

The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, shows how Viacom sees Nickelodeon’s future in increasingly digital terms.

Why Millennials Are Struggling With Mental Health At Work | Forbes

October 2, 2018October 1, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Americans do not take mental health seriously enough. According to the NIMH, as many as 45% of mental health cases go untreated in this country, at a total potential cost of $147 billion per year.

These statistics are devastating and also not widely known — but they’re not terribly controversial. What is controversial — or at least uncomfortable — is the idea that millennials suffer from more mental health issues than any previous generation. This challenges some of the common assertions that millennials are entitled, lazy and lack a work ethic or respect for The Dollar.

Could it be that they’re simply more susceptible to a world in transition?

Looking for Venture Capital? Avoid the 3 Biggest Pitch Deck Mistakes | AllBusiness.com

October 1, 2018September 30, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Most entrepreneurs know they should avoid the obvious mistakes when creating their pitch deck: pitch is too long or not clear, it says there are no competitors, etc. But what a lot of first-time entrepreneurs do not know is what venture capitalists are actually looking for.

In a way, VCs are like clients. You’re trying to sell them on your idea and vision for your company in exchange for their investment. That means you need to understand what they are looking for. Your customers will not buy from you if your product does not solve their problems. And if your business does not meet a VC’s minimum criteria, they will not invest in you. It’s just that simple.

It Takes 191 Days for a Company to Realize There’s Been a Data Breach | Small Business Trends

October 1, 2018September 30, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Cases of unauthorized persons stealing or accessing sensitive small business data like intellectual property, employees’ personal information or even financial records have been rising.

What’s sad is that when a data breach occurs, companies take an average of 191 days to realize it has happened, according to a recent report highlighted by TekMonks, a global enterprise software development and IT services company.

This slow response to cyber-attacks is alarming. It puts small businesses in a precarious position and demonstrates a dire need for cyber-security awareness and preparedness in every business.

Oh No You Didn’t! 3 Tips for Employee Fraud Prevention | Business.com

September 28, 2018September 27, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a small business owner, you might be well-versed in fraud prevention. However, many employers fail to realize that fraud can happen anywhere, by anyone – including your own workers.

No matter how close your team might be, or how careful you are when recruiting, you should always be prepared for fraud by employees. Here are three employee fraud prevention tips for employers.

Magic of Physics Makes This Fridge Chill Food Without Fans or Electricity | Digital Trends

September 28, 2018September 27, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Coolers are big business on Kickstarter, dating back to the multi-function Coolest Cooler, which racked up an epic $13 million in pledges several years ago. Now a new refrigeration system has landed on the popular crowdfunding platform — and it’s missing one big feature. What feature is that? Just a little thing we call the need for electricity!

Amazon opens new store, 4-Star | Business Insider

September 27, 2018September 26, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon is letting its customer ratings do the talking at its new store.

Called Amazon 4-Star, the new concept will stock items that customers have rated four stars or above, on average, according to a blog post announcing the store. That means it will include only the best of the best; Amazon says the current assortment averages 4.4 stars.

It opens Thursday in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.

Think Differently About Success | The Startup Magazine

September 27, 2018September 26, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The ability to create success starts with a mindset that aligns with taking action, learning rapidly and adapting to change. Successful people think differently about success. It’s not all about your IQ or the kind of car you drive. True success is having a growing network of people you know how to tap into, achieving fulfillment in what you do, and being able to see opportunity everywhere.