Overcome Cold-Calling Jitters | AllBusiness.com

November 16, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I can remember this moment as if it were yesterday, yet it was over 30 years ago. I sat in my car, parked in front of a prospect where I was planning to make a cold call. But instead of opening the car door and walking to the lobby, I sat there immobilized by my fear of cold calling.

Was I in danger? Of course not! But I was too scared to move. And that’s what sales call reluctance, also known as sales call jitters, can do to you.

If you are just starting out in your new career in sales, or if you’ve been selling for a while but still suffer from cold-calling jitters now and then, here’s how you can overcome sales call reluctance and get the sale.

What Is a Credit Line? | business.com

November 13, 2020November 12, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Learn what a business credit line is, what type of business credit lines are available and when you should use each option.

Lack of capital and cash flow remains a major concern for most small businesses. In fact, it ranked first on the list of top challenges faced by small business owners in Guidant Financial’s 2020 Small Business Trends survey. Many small business owners are turning to a business credit line to address their funding needs.

What is a line of credit?

A line of credit is a way for businesses and individuals to borrow the funds they need to make purchases and pay bills or other expenses, such as employee salaries. The line of credit on a business credit card can also be used as a cash advance.

Amazon Fire TV Stick/Lite Review: Best Budget Streamers | Digital Trends

November 12, 2020November 11, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For some folks, nothing less than the best will do. In the streaming device world, that means an Apple TV 4K, a Roku Ultra, or an Nvidia Shield TV. These set-top boxes run anywhere from $100 to $200, and they’re packed with leading-edge tech to help you get the most out of your 4K HDR TV and home theater sound system.

But what if you’re just looking for an affordable way to add streaming capabilities to your older TV, or maybe you want a device for a second TV in your home?

Does this quest to save some money mean giving up on all of the cool features of the more expensive devices?

Staying Above Water as a Startup | The Startup Magazine

November 12, 2020November 11, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Learn From Those Who Came Before You

Let’s talk about some lessons and strategies that brought hardship and success for businesses we’ve known over the years. Sears, for example, was very successful in the first decades of its establishment. In 1893, Sears was a retail store that set the standard in its industry. The use of the country’s growing railway system at the time gave Sears the leverage needed to one of the best. When cars were becoming more accessible to the American people, Sears had more stores built near major cross streets to be there for its customers.

Be Proactive

Today we are aware that Sears didn’t make the cut, but at the start of its journey, this company was forward-thinking and proactive about being accessible to its consumers. Over time, the leadership of Sears lost sight of its need to be ahead of the game and make decisions that keep them relevant in the industry.

Uber has its highest close since IPO | TechCrunch

November 10, 2020November 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Uber shares surged 7.38% to close at $48.18 following news that a vaccine candidate is 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, and could start coming to market in a matter of months.

The announcement by drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech sparked widespread optimism and helped boost shares across industries that have been weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic, including services like ride-hailing.

Uber’s share pop is notable beyond this one-day vaccine-news boost. This is the highest close for Uber since its public market debut in May 2019. This is also the first time since June 2019 that shares closed above its $45 IPO price

15 Ways to Spot a Toxic Work Environment Before You Take the Job | Entrepreneur

November 9, 2020November 8, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When you apply for a job, you want your resume and interviews to showcase your experience in the best possible light. The companies you’re applying to are no different. From intro calls with hiring managers to the interview with your potential future boss, everyone you talk to wants you to see the best parts of working there — and maybe wants to gloss over the not-so-great parts.

Every job is going to have positive and negative aspects to it, but a toxic work environment could have serious ramifications on your mental and physical health.

In a July article in Harvard Business Review, Manuela Priesemuth, a professor of management at Villanova University who studies workplaces, wrote: “My own research has shown that abusive behavior, especially when displayed by leaders, can spread throughout the organization, creating entire climates of abuse. Because employees look to and learn from managers, they come to understand that this type of interpersonal mistreatment is acceptable behavior in the company. In essence, employees start to think that ‘this is how it’s done around here,’ and this belief manifests itself in a toxic environment that tolerates abusive acts.”

Leadership Lessons From Steve Jobs | Getentrepreneurial.com

November 9, 2020November 8, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Everyone knows Steve Jobs ; or, at least, they know of its existence. Or, of the innovations he made in the world of technology.

Steve Paul Jobs, such his full name, perhaps never imagined the global impact generated by being a leading entrepreneur in the computer world: he was the creator of sophisticated and easy-to-use products, the founder of Apple, a world leader in its sector.

His different biographies emphasize the thick line on his character and the way of leading. Everyone recognizes him for having had visionary ideas, which made momentous contributions in the field of personal computers, cell phones and music in digital format.

Undoubtedly, like all great minds, it is loved and hated in equal measure. Bill Gates , his Microsoft competitor, once noted his admiration for the way of telling and creating empathy between the person (Jobs) and the products through their presentations; and many of those who worked alongside him at Apple in those years remember him as a true genius.

How a Microloan Can Help Your New Small Business | businessnewsdaily.com

October 27, 2020October 25, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If your new small business needs a short-term, low-interest infusion of funds, a microloan could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Microloans can help small businesses launch and grow through small-dollar lending.

Though they’re generally considered a great way to build a credit file for your business, very few lenders in the U.S. offer microloans.

Unlike some business loans, microloans can be used for a wide range of items or needs.

What Is Analysis Paralysis (And How to Overcome It) | Lifehack

October 27, 2020October 25, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever taken so long trying to solve a problem that you just ended up going around in circles? How about trying to make a major decision and just freezing up when the time to decide came?

You might have found yourself gathering too much information, hoping it will help you make the best decision—even if it takes you too long to do so. This probably led to many missed opportunities, especially in situations where you needed to act on time.

Nobody wants to make the wrong decision. However, delayed decision making can have a hugely negative impact on all aspects of your life—from your personal relationships to your career. Delaying important decisions can be the worst decision of all.

Ocean Cleanup launches its first ocean plastic product: sunglasses | Fast Company

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Late in 2019, the Ocean Cleanup crew returned from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with its first load of plastic waste harvested from the ocean during a pilot test of its trash-fighting technology, proving that it could skim plastic off the surface of the water. But then came the next hurdle in the company’s yearslong quest to prove its effectiveness: how to recycle that plastic so it didn’t become waste again.

“It was actually quite a challenge, because this material has sometimes been out there for decades,” says Boyan Slat, CEO and founder of the Ocean Cleanup. “A lot of this stuff is quite brittle, quite degraded. It’s also very mixed. You see half of it being fishing nets, the other half being more rigid objects, like bottles and crates. So turning it into a usable material was quite a journey. When we announced that we were going to do this late last year, we didn’t know whether we could do it.”