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Privacy

Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have Nothing to Hide: Unveiling the Importance

by opijayasinghe

Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have Nothing to Hide: Unveiling the Importance

In my over two decades in the IT sector, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the erosion of privacy isn’t just a hypothetical scare; it’s a reality. The argument “if you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to fear” simplifies a complex issues. It’s not about hiding; it’s about the right to control what personal information is out there.

Henry James’s 1888 concerns to today’s digital age, the invasion of privacy has morphed, but the essence remains: privacy matters because it’s about our autonomy. The false tradeoff between privacy and security presents a dilemma that overlooks the nuanced importance of privacy in a democratic society. Sadly most do not understand the long term repercussions of not taking privacy seriously. They willingly overshare anything and everything on social media, including their most intimate private details. These can include travel plans, children details, relationship highs and lows and much more. As a person who has been witnessing the deterioration of one’s privacy throughout the years, seeing some of my friends and aqantiance social media feeds gives me butterflies. Ultimately, all of this information is controlled by third party tech giants.

Living a cabin in the woods or modern society?

Let’s be real and pragmatic about this topic. Unless you’re willing to live off the grid, without being connected to the net, there will be amount of privacy which you will have to give up. The question I want to explore in this article is, how much fits within your risk tolerance by providing you as much information as I can. It is important to not only think about yourself but also your children and future generations.

The Fundamental Right to Privacy

Understanding that privacy is a fundamental right is crucial. It’s not a luxury or a bonus; it’s a cornerstone of our freedom. This right allows us to live, think, and express ourselves freely, without undue interference. At its core, the fundamental right to privacy is the bedrock upon which the edifice of personal freedom and autonomy is built. It enables individuals to navigate the complexities of modern life, providing a sanctuary where thoughts, beliefs, and personal experiences can flourish away from the prying eyes of state surveillance, corporate data mining, or societal judgement. It underpins our very sense of self, allowing for the development of an inner life that is our own, not one shaped or defined by external forces. Moreover, privacy is not just about the individual; it’s a societal pillar that supports the democratic process. It ensures that citizens can participate in public life, express dissent, associate with others, and engage in political activities without the chilling effect of surveillance. This right is fundamental in fostering a vibrant civil society where ideas can be exchanged freely, and democracy can thrive.

The Philosophical Underpinnings of Privacy

The philosophy behind privacy is deeply rooted in the concept of individual autonomy. It’s about having the space to develop our thoughts and personalities without being under constant scrutiny.

Privacy allows individuals to freely explore their beliefs, values, and personal identity without external interference. Without privacy, there could be a stifling effect on intellectual and emotional growth, as well as a potential for manipulation and control by others. Some of us are seeing the early days of the erosion to our privacy now, though it may take years, if not decades for the masses to open their eyes.

Once privacy is taken away, it’ll take a revolution to get it back! 

– Opi Jayasinghe

How Privacy Upholds Human Dignity

Privacy is intimately linked to human dignity. It safeguards our innermost thoughts and feelings, allowing us to choose which aspects of our lives we wish to share and which to keep to ourselves. This choice is a fundamental aspect of respecting ourselves and others, serving as a foundation for trust and integrity in our relationships. The choice which most people make is it overshare their inner most personal aspect of their lives with the world, freely without a second thought of a long term impacts. Having said that, it’s their right to do so but also the rights of others to remain private.

Various legal frameworks have been established to protect our privacy. These laws are meant to shield us from unwarranted intrusions and ensure our personal information is handled respectfully. However, I believe everyone should take personal responsibility for their own privacy.

Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds. – John Perry Barlow

Global Privacy Laws and What They Mean for You

Around the world, global privacy laws like the GDPR in Europe provide a blueprint for protecting personal data, reflecting a growing understanding of privacy interests. These laws empower us by granting rights over our data, such as the right to access, correct, and delete our information. They signify a shift towards recognising the value and importance of our privacy in the digital age. However, just because it’s a law, doesn’t mean big tech companies like Facebook will do their part to protect their user data.

Social Media – Facebook’s Privacy Milestones

  1. 2018 Cambridge Analytica Scandal: After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where the data of millions of Facebook users was improperly shared with a third-party firm, Zuckerberg admitted to mistakes in protecting user data and pledged to make changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
  2. 2019 Privacy-Focused Vision: In 2019, Zuckerberg announced a “privacy-focused vision” for Facebook, emphasizing the importance of private communication, encryption, and secure data storage. He said, “I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won’t stick around forever.”
  3. 2021 Apple iOS Privacy Changes: In response to Apple’s iOS privacy changes that require apps to ask for user permission to track their activity across other apps and websites, Zuckerberg criticised the move, claiming it would harm small businesses and the ad-supported internet ecosystem.
  4. 2022 Facebook’s Privacy Initiatives: In 2022, Zuckerberg announced several initiatives to improve privacy on Facebook, including end-to-end encryption for all messaging services, enhanced privacy controls, and greater transparency in data collection and usage.
  5. 2023 Congressional Testimony: In 2023, Zuckerberg testified before Congress about Facebook’s privacy practices and expressed a willingness to work with lawmakers to develop appropriate regulations to protect user data. He said, “I believe that regulation can provide clarity and certainty for the internet, and I am open to working with Congress on the right kind of rules for our industry.”

Despite these commitments, companies like Meta, parent company of Facebook has failed to keep it’s users data safe, time and time again.

As we delve deeper into the digital age, the spotlight on privacy intensifies. Our every move online can be tracked, stored, and analysed, making privacy more vulnerable than ever before. These could be social media websites, shopping or apps on your phone.

If you’re serious about minimising the risk, there are simple actions you can take to limit the over reach of these tech companies. One technique is known as browser isolation, meaning you have several browsers installed on your computer. You only use one browser for one specific purpose like visiting Facebook.

I learnt this technique from Rob Braxman, therefore it’s only fitting that you hear it from him personally.

Should I use a VPN?

Short answer is Yes. You can read a full description as to why in this article about the Best VPN. Never get connect to a public wifi without a VPN and never use a Free VPN.

The Pervasive Nature of Online Surveillance

The pervasive nature of online surveillance today would have alarmed even George Orwell, signifying a severe lack of privacy. Our digital footprints are constantly monitored, often without our knowledge or consent, transforming privacy into a precious commodity. Therefore, by us putting some safeguards in ourselves, it helps reduce our online exposure.

Big Data and the Commodification of Personal Information

The era of big data has turned personal information into a commodity. Companies mine and analyse our data to predict our behaviour, often selling these insights to the highest bidder. Have you ever thought about why Mark Zuckerberg would pay $19 billion dollars for Whatsapp, an app which is virtually free for its users? Why did he do this when he can create his own app for a fraction of the price? Have you ever heard of the phrase, “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” All of the metadata from Whatsapp is being used by Meta to sell you more products by building a digital profile of you. Targeted ads are just the tip of the iceberg, revealing how deeply our privacy is compromised for commercial gain.

Grok Answering on how many data points Facebook has its users.

Yes, I do see the irony here because I’m using one Social Meida AI app to get information on another. At this stage, I trust Elon Musk. This may change in the future but he hasn’t done anything yet to undermine this trust.

Have you ever noticed that you’re casually mention to your partner that you’re wanting to buy a new pair of shoes for your daughter’s birthday. This might be verbally or via a Whatsapp message. That night you jump on Facebook or Instagram to find that very same product is now being targeted to you. Coincidence? No, this is exactly why Zuckerberg bought Whatsapp and integrated all of the apps under the one umbrella – Meta.

The Thin Line Between Convenience and Intrusion

In the quest for convenience, we often overlook how much we’re giving up. The line between helpful services and privacy intrusion is blurring, challenging our perceptions of both. As I’ve continued to mention in this article, Social media has played a huge part in this. Some of us are old enough to remember, Friendster and MySpace. Those early days it was basic the basic photos, maybe adding a tune you like and something glamorous for the bio. Now with constant status updates, people choose to update every bit of their existence, so it’s available in the public domain.

The ownership of content published on social media can vary based on the terms of service of each platform. Typically, the original creator of the content retains ownership over their creation. However, by posting content on social media platforms, users often grant the platform a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, and display the content. This means that while the user still owns the content, the platform can use it within the scope defined in their terms of service.

How Advertisements and Personalised Content Affect Your Privacy

Advertisements and personalised content, while sometimes useful, underscore a significant privacy tradeoff. By tailoring content based on our online behaviour, companies not only influence our choices but also intrude upon our private thoughts and preferences.

The Broader Consequences of Ignoring Privacy

Ignoring privacy has broader consequences than we might realise. It sets a precedent that undermines our freedoms and paves the way for a surveillance society.

The Slippery Slope: When Small Privacy Invasions Lead to Bigger Issues

Small privacy invasions can quickly snowball into larger issues. Once we become desensitised to minor breaches, it becomes easier to accept more significant invasions of our privacy, thus making the concept of personal privacy all the more critical to uphold.

Case Studies of Privacy Breaches and Their Impact on Society

Looking at case studies of privacy breaches, we see their profound impact on society. Victims often face not just personal repercussions but also broader societal distrust, highlighting the critical importance of safeguarding our privacy.

Privacy as a Collective Concern

Privacy should be viewed as a collective concern, not just an individual one. Protecting privacy safeguards not only our personal freedoms but also the fabric of our democratic society.

Why Your Privacy Matters to the Community and Future Generations

In my two decades in IT, I’ve seen a troubling trend: the erosion of individual privacy. This isn’t just about us. When the government gathers or analyses personal data without stringent checks, it sets a precedent. The nothing-to-hide argument pervades discussions about privacy, but it misses the point. Data-security expert Bruce Schneier and legal scholar Geoffrey Stone have highlighted the broader impact. It’s not just about what’s hidden; it’s about maintaining a society where privacy is respected. Our actions today shape the norms for future generations, emphasising why every individual’s privacy is crucial for the community’s collective well-being.

Empowering Yourself: Strategies for Protecting Your Privacy

Switching to privacy-focused alternatives is easier than many think. In a world where our data is currency, taking control of our digital footprint is empowering.

Technological Tools and Practices for Enhancing Privacy

So if you want to live in the modern world but still not give up all your data and privacy, what can you do? There are simple ways to install out of the box, often open source applications which will dramatically reduce your exposure and increase the level of privacy that you have.

  • Brave Browser instead of Chrome. It’s built on the chronimum infrastructure which means you can install Chrome extendsions without any issues.
  • Signal instead of Whatsapp – Works exactly like Whatsapp but even the metadata is encrypted.
  • ProtonMail instead of Gmail or Outlook – By design, email itself is not 100% secure but using ProtonMail, you’ll get pretty close.
  • Brave Search instead of Google of Bing – Brave Search work great as there’s no bias of filter applied to the search results and your search history is not kept by a 3rd party tech company.

Simple changes can significantly impact our online privacy. Opting for tools like Signal instead of WhatsApp, Brave Browser over Chrome, and ProtonMail rather than Gmail or Outlook Mail, alongside using a VPN, are steps anyone can take to safeguard their digital life.

brave browser iconSignal - privacy based messaging appbrave searchproton mail - privacy based email
List of Privacy Based Apps and Tools

Encrypting Your Digital Life: Simple Steps Everyone Can Take

Encryption is our friend in the digital age. It sounds technical, but it’s quite simple to implement. By encrypting our communications and data, we build a digital fortress around our personal information. This isn’t just for tech experts; everyone can use tools like VPNs and encrypted messaging apps to protect themselves. It’s about making it harder for our data to be exploited without our consent.

Advocating for Stronger Privacy Protections

Advocacy for privacy protections is crucial, as Daniel Solove and other scholars in the field have demonstrated through their work. It’s not just about personal action; it’s about collective change.

How to Engage with Policymakers and Influence Privacy Legislation

Engaging with policymakers might seem daunting, but it’s essential for stronger privacy laws. Start by getting informed on privacy issues. Then, reach out to your representatives with clear, concise messages about why privacy matters. Joining privacy advocacy groups can amplify our voices. Together, we can push for legislation that respects and protects our right to privacy.

A Vision for the Future: Reclaiming Our Right to Privacy

A future where our privacy is valued and protected is possible. We must work towards this goal as a society. There are politicians and other bureaucrats who constantly try to take this away in the name of “your safety”. Those of us who lived through the Pandemic of 2019 know very well how they tried to ‘protect us’ all from a virus which had a survival rate of 99.9%. First time in human history where healthy people were locked down.

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Ben Franklin

Envisioning a World Where Privacy is Valued and Protected

In my vision for the future, privacy is a cornerstone of society, respected by individuals and institutions alike. This dream isn’t out of reach but requires collective effort and a shift in how we view our digital footprint. We may have very little control over how social media companies and tech giants treat our, but we can actively decide what information we willingly hand over to them. These include our precious memories with our innocent children to our travel plans, locations and highlighting our low points and vulnerabilities for the world to see.

The Role of Innovation in Ensuring Privacy-Friendly Technologies

Innovation plays a key role in securing our privacy. By developing and supporting technologies that prioritise user privacy, we can protect our personal information from unwarranted access. This isn’t just about creating new tools; it’s about ensuring that privacy is a fundamental aspect of all digital products and services. Once it becomes an important requirement from a consumer perspective, this becomes a selling point for software and tool creators.

Building a Privacy-Conscious Society

Building a society that values privacy starts with each of us. By understanding the importance of our personal data and taking steps to protect it, we set a standard for privacy that future generations will inherit.

Education and Awareness as Key Pillars

Educating ourselves and others about the importance of privacy is crucial. Awareness leads to action. By spreading knowledge about how to protect our personal information and why it matters, we empower individuals to make informed decisions about their digital lives. This knowledge is a powerful tool in the fight to reclaim our privacy.

Read more: Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have Nothing to Hide: Unveiling the Importance

Q: Why does privacy matter even if you have nothing to hide?

A: Privacy matters because everyone deserves to keep their personal information private, regardless of whether they have something to hide. It is a fundamental right to control who gathers or analyses personal information about you.

Q: What is the “nothing to hide” argument?

A: The “nothing to hide” argument is a common retort against privacy advocates. It claims that if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t worry about your privacy being invaded. However, this argument is simply not valid.

Q: Who are some notable figures who advocate for privacy matters?

A: Some notable figures who advocate for the importance of privacy include data-security expert Bruce Schneier, legal scholar Geoffrey Stone, and privacy advocates like Rob Braxman, Daniel Solove, Naomi Brockwell, and Edward Snowden.

Q: Can privacy be invaded even if you have ‘nothing to hide’?

A: Yes, privacy can be invaded regardless of whether you have something to hide. Everyone should be concerned about their privacy being compromised, as it is a basic human right.

Q: Why should you worry about privacy even if you claim to have nothing to hide?

A: Even if you claim to have ‘nothing to hide,’ there is something wrong if you are not concerned about your privacy. You deserve to keep your personal information private and secure.

A: Legal scholar Geoffrey Stone refers to privacy as a fundamental right that should be protected. He emphasizes the importance of privacy even if individuals claim to have ‘nothing to hide’.

Q: How do advocates argue against the ‘nothing to hide’ argument?

A: Advocates argue that those who attempt to claim they have ‘nothing to hide’ cannot withstand scrutiny. The argument fails to understand the true value and significance of privacy.

Q: Why is the ‘nothing to hide’ argument flawed?

A: The ‘nothing to hide’ argument is flawed because it disregards the importance of privacy in preserving individual freedoms and rights. It fails to recognize that privacy matters regardless of having anything to hide.

 

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InvestingWealth

Cathie Wood Tesla Predictions and Automations

by opijayasinghe

Who is Cathie wood?

Cathie Wood is the founder, CEO, and CIO of ARK Investment Management, a thematic investment firm focused on disruptive innovation. She is also the host of The Disruptors, a podcast produced by ARK in partnership with Business Insider.

Wood has been investing in disruptive companies for over two decades. In 2014, she launched ARK with the goal of providing investors with access to the most disruptive companies in the world.

Today, ARK has over $50 billion in assets under management and is one of the fastest-growing asset managers in the world. Wood is a recognized expert on disruptive innovation and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Barron’s. She’s also has been ranked by Barron’s as one of the “World’s 100 Most Influential Women in Finance” and by Forbes as one of the “Self-Made Women Billionaires.”

 

Why is Cathie wood famous?

Woods has been credited with correctly predicting the rise of several companies, including Tesla, Netflix, and Amazon. She has continually gone against the grains and this has worked in her favour with her fund outperforming most investment management firms.

Her fame comes from the fact that she’s been courageous enough to boldly make her predictions public in her podcast, media and interviews. You could say that’s pumping her own bags.

In 2020, she was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Business” by Fortune magazine. So she’s definitely got the influence and she’s brilliant at leveraging this to her advantage.

 

Is Cathie Wood selling Tesla?

Wood has been a long-time advocate of Tesla and its mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. In 2020, she increased her stake in the company to over $1 billion.

Critics have accused Wood of being too optimistic about Tesla and its ability to meet its production targets. However, she continues to stand by the company and its prospects.

Cathie’s firm specializes in investing in disruptive companies. To date, her famous investments is in Tesla, Inc. (TSLA), an electric vehicle and renewable energy company (incase you’ve been living under a rock).

Wood has been a strong supporter of Tesla, and her firm has been one of the biggest investors in the company. In the past, she has sold some of her Tesla shares, but it’s not clear if she is currently selling any of her shares. It’s possible that she is holding onto her shares for the long term, or she may be selling some shares to take profits. Only Wood knows the answer to this question.

She goes into detail about how Tesla will completely take over this space. This is infographic which illustrates her views.

 

Tesla Predictions by Cathie Wood

Download PDF

Is Cathie Wood a billionaire?

Yes, Cathie Wood is a billionaire. As of March 2021, her net worth is estimated to be $1.9 billion.

Wood has been a major force in the financial world, and her influence is only growing. She is a true visionary, and her ability to spot trends and invest in companies that are changing the world is unparalleled. She has made some incredibly successful investments over the years, and her track record speaks for itself.

There is no doubt that Cathie Wood is a billionaire. She is an incredibly successful investor, and her net worth is only going to continue to grow.

When did Cathie Wood first buy Tesla?

Cathie Wood first bought Tesla in May of 2013 when the stock was trading at $92 per share. She has been an early and vocal supporter of the company, and her firm has continued to buy Tesla shares even as the stock price has risen to well over $700 per share. In fact, Wood has said that she believes Tesla could ultimately be worth $4,000 per share.

Does Cathie Wood own Coinbase?

Yes, Cathie Wood’s first does owns Coinbase. She is also a member of the board of directors at Coinbase.

As of May 2021, Ark Invest owns 5.36% of Coinbase, making it one of the largest institutional investors in the company. Wood has been a vocal advocate of cryptocurrency and #blockchain technology, and her firm’s investment in Coinbase is a bet on the future of the digital economy. Coinbase is one of the leading exchanges for buying and selling cryptocurrencies, and its platform is used by millions of people around the world. With Ark Invest’s backing, Coinbase is well-positioned to continue its growth and play a major role in the future of digital finance.

Does Cathie wood own bitcoin

Cathie Wood has been a major advocate for bitcoin and blockchain technology. In an interview with CNBC, she stated that she owns bitcoin and believes that it is a “transformative technology.” Wood has been a driving force behind ARK’s investment in bitcoin, including its recent purchase of $1.5 million worth of the digital currency.

How to invest in Cathie Wood Ark?

Ark Invest is a cutting-edge investment firm that offers a suite of ETFs that target disruptive companies and industries. One of their most popular ETFs is the Cathie Wood Ark ETF, which invests in companies that are leading the way in innovation and disruption.

To invest in Cathie Wood Ark, you can buy shares of the company through a broker or online trading platform. You can also invest in Ark’s exchange-traded fund (ARKW) or mutual fund (ARKFX).

Disruptive innovation for growth (and volatility)

Disruptive innovation is a term used in business and technology to describe an innovation that changes the way an industry or market functions. The term was first coined by Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen in his 1997 book “The Innovator’s Dilemma.”

Christensen defined a disruptive innovation as one that brings a new product or service to market that is significantly different from what is currently available, and that ultimately displaces the existing market leader.

In recent years, the term has been applied to a wide range of businesses and technologies, from electric vehicles (Tesla) to online education (Zoom).

While disruptive innovation can lead to growth and new opportunities for businesses, it can also be a source of volatility for investors. For example, in February 2021, shares of Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, fell sharply after Tesla announced it would no longer accept bitcoin as payment for its cars.

Ark Invest, an investment firm specializing in ETFs, has launched several “ARK” ETFs that focus on disruptive innovation. The firm’s founder, Cathie Wood, has said she believes the global economy will undergo a “massive reset” in the next five to 10 years as a result of disruptive innovations.

To Your Success,

Opi

 

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Crypto

What is Xen Crypto? Don’t miss the Xen Crypto by Jack Levin

by opijayasinghe

What is XEN?

XEN aims to become a community building crypto asset that connects like minded people together. If you are a seasoned OG or simply Crypto curious, XEN has the lowest barrier to entry through its unique tokenomics. Fair Crypto Foundation is designing XEN as a universal cryptocurrency to achieve the original mission of Blockchain, following the Blockchain Tenets of decentralization, transparency, counterparty risk resistance, peer-to-peer value exchange and self-custody. Its unique tokenomics focuses on the mass market adoption with the lowest barrier to entry compared to the rest of coins on the market today.

Who created XEN?

Xen Crypto was created by a guy called Jack Levin and he does come across as a genuine guy. Obviously that comment is very subjective but for what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem to be doing it for the money. How do I know this? Xen, unlike most Crypto out there has a market supply of Xen when it launches, meaning zero coins to begin with. It’s up to you and me to Mint these coins into existence. Jack has gone many hours of podcasts prior to the launch so feel free to check out these videos online.

How to buy XEN?

You can connect your Metamask to https://faircrypto.org/xen and start minting.

Here’s a great video which will give you a walkthrough.

Why should I mint XEN?

The only way to get yourself some Xen crypto in the early days is actually to Mint it yourself. The good news is that it’s only going to cost you whatever the GAS fees are at the time. Later down the track you’ll be able to buy these from various DEXes.

What is the supply of XEN?

The initial supply of Xen will be zero to begin with. Yes, Zero! It’s up to us to Mint these coins into existence.

Where can I get a copy of the Whitepaper?

Here’s the link: https://faircrypto.org/xencryptolp.pdf

Listen to the Audio version of the Whitepaper Below.

To your success

Opi

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Wealth

Blueprint To Building Wealth

by opijayasinghe

The Blueprint To Developing Wealth

I recently got a call from a now ex-tenant asking if I could be his mentor. The young chap is in his mid 20s, nice guy but not coachable. I’ve had a number of lengthy chats with him previous which have gone nowhere. Completely a waste of both of our time but he didn’t know it.

On this occasion, I didn’t pick up his call as I was busy that day. Three missed calls later, I get the message asking me for career advice.

His situation is not unique. There are so many young people in this position looking forward to career advice. A blueprint to wealth. What they’re really asking me is, how to their earn money or , how to do their earn a quick buck. To Build wealth property, it can’t be done overnight. Setting up ones personal finances needs a great deal of thought and planning. Investments done half hazardously are certainly better than none, but why not go the extra miles and learn to become a proper investor. This way, you’ll be building your wealth long term you’ll have a portfolio which you’ll be proud of in your twilight years, even not much earlier.

Below are 7 Steps To Wealth Building I sent through. Some sentences may come across harsh I prefaced the email by saying, I have to be brutally as I’m coming from a place of growth. I want this person to succeed. My previous message of sugarcoating had made no impact at all. Therefore, I had to take a more direct approach.

7 Steps to a Wealth Blueprint: the Keys to Financial Independence

Talk less, Read and Listen More

1. The reason why I’ve decided to message instead of talk on the phone is, you talk more than you listen. This is not just you, it’s general human behaviour. However, in most environments, highly successful people listen far more than they talk. Therefore, this is a behaviour that needs to change.

I recommend you read Les Giblin – Skill with people. Read this every week for a year until it becomes part of you. It’s a very short read. Everyone who has read this book has gone far in life.

I also recommend a book by Florence Littauer called Personality Plus. This will give you a glimpse into different personality types.

If you don’t like to read, then try audiobooks. I use https://www.scribd.com/ (which is like Netflix for audiobooks). If it’s not available on Scribd, then I buy the book with a credit on https://www.audible.com.au/

Try your best to go through one book each week. You’ll be a completely different person in a few years.

 Get a High Paying Salary AND/OR Start a Business

2. Determine which field will make you the most money within the next 5-10 years. Since you’ve almost completed your Pilots courses, this would be your first starting point. Get your foot in the door with an employer and start climbing the ladder as quickly as possible. If it’s your dream to be a pilot, then go for it but make sure there’ll be potential for a high salary.

You can use such websites like https://www.hays.com.au/salary-guide/salary-checker to check for salaries.

OR

You can start a business. You mentioned the HVAC business as an option. If you start small, but treat your customers right, ask for reviews, you’ll be able to grow exponentially.

 Stop Valuing the Opinions of Others

3. You’ve got a habit of taking to heart the opinions of others who add no value to your life including friends and co-workers. From this moment onwards, take 100% responsibility for your life and completely ignore the naysayers. These people are not going to pay your bills nor will they be there to cheer you on when you’re successful. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be upto you!

Until you master this skill, there’s no point looking into the Corporate world. Focus on the points mentioned on #2.

Baby Steps with Dave Ramsay

4. In the short term, listen to Dave Ramsay’s advice and pay off all your debts (assuming they’re all bad debts).

Bad Debt = Debt which is not making you money, and it isn’t tax-deductible.

Time to Graduate with Robert Kiyosaki

5. Start saving more than 10% of your income. If you’re living at home, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to save 50% or more of your income.

Only then, start taking the advice of Robert Kiyosaki and start investing in real assets.

Real Estate, Shares and with much research, precious metals and cryptocurrencies. Make this a long-term play. Not a get rich scheme.

Read the following:

When you’re ready to buy your first property, give me a call. There’s so many options but I can shortcut this learning curve. No point discussing this now.

Build Yourself a Game plan with Brian Tracy

6. In short, determine where you are today. Write down where you want to be in 5 years time. Then write down the steps you need to do to get there.

– Watch the Brian Tracy video I sent you

– Keep a positive mindset. When you have negative thoughts, all you’ll attract is negativity into your life and it becomes a reality. Have that positive mindset and you’ll go far!

– Listen to this everyday for a few months. It’ll change the way you think!

The Strangest Secret in the World by Earl Nightingale

Learn to Prioritise by not sweating the small stuff!

7. Lastly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Before you do something, really think if it’s a good use of your time. This might just be a personality trait but really be conscious of this. I see so many people waste time talking and pondering over things that simple doesn’t matter or at least, it should be so insignificant, they really need to put it behind them and move on. Has someone scam or ripped you off? Have you lost money on a bad deal? Sure, I’ve lost tens of thousands of dollars making foolish decisions. However, if each one I’ve learnt a lesson and moved on to make much more. I’ve become smarter with my money and more importantly, my time.

To Your Success

Opi

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flowlu CRM
CRM

Flowlu is a complete all-in-one solution to enhancing your Daily Operations

by opijayasinghe

Companies looking to get a comprehensive platform, that allows them to operate every aspect of their business, need look no further than Flowlu. This platform contains the essential online tools to handle a variety of tasks including project management, invoicing, and mind maps. With the help of these tools, businesses discover that they can tackle bigger projects, prioritize tasks, track workloads, and handle sales funnels in one location.

Which Industries Benefit from the Use of Flowlu?

Small to medium-sized businesses in the IT, consulting, building and construction, and creative sectors find the platform allows them to centralize their processes and get projects in order. A user can monitor project progress, ensure they meet key milestones, and remain under deadline and within budget. The platform helps establish time estimates for different tasks to ensure this is the case. Thanks to the functionality of this program, businesses of any size can move their company forward.

What Can the Program Do?

With this cloud-based CRM program, teams can manage processes starting with lead generation all the way to the sale. Features of the program include lead and contact management, invoicing, sales pipeline management, and financial management. Users can track uncompleted tasks, log meeting and phone call notes, delegate tasks, and view sales funnels.

The program offers advanced reports that highlight the steps of the sales process in distinct colors. Personalized invoices remain effortless and include client data pulled from the program. Furthermore, this platform integrates with popular apps that the company may already use, such as Zendesk, Google Drive, PayPal, and Skrill. The business will not need to invest in new programs, and train employees to use them, thanks to this ability of the program.

Plans

Companies have several plans to choose from. Two users may access Flowlu at no charge and receive up to 1GB of storage. The businesses choosing this free plan receive access to the customer relationship management features and expense tracking. They benefit from one template and one knowledge base.

Nevertheless, most companies find the program beneficial and decide they want to provide more employees with access. If you choose the team plan for eight users, you will receive up to 10GB of storage. Additionally, with this plan, you can access more features. Besides the features found in the free plan, users of the 10GB plan receive access to three templates, two knowledge bases, email integration, time tracking, and more.

Medium-sized companies might need additional features. As a result, they may opt for the 50GB business plan to receive them. For example, companies choosing this plan receive unlimited knowledge bases, and custom fields, in addition to the features seen with the smaller plans.

The professional plan allows 25 users to make use of the program and includes 100GB of storage. As with the 50GB plan, all features from lower plans come with this option. However, users choosing this solution receive a custom logo and advanced reporting as part of their monthly fee, which runs $119 a month.

The last option, known as the enterprise plan, allows all employees within an organization access to the platform. This plan comes with 1000GB of storage, and the company receives a custom domain. This plan sets a company back $199 a month, but the benefits of using the platform more than make up for this fee. Pricing plans are billed annually, and all options include a free trial, so businesses can experiment with Flowlu to see which level will most benefit their organization.

Support

Users benefit from the knowledge bases offered with Flowlu. However, not every answer is found in these knowledge bases. Therefore, Flowlu offers a LiveChat service where attendants are available a certain times. In the event there are not, you’re given the email option for support.

Flowlu or Nifty PM?

With many programs to choose from, companies want to know why they should choose Flowlu over other programs. Nifty PM serves as a good example of this. Nifty PM allows for collaboration with guests, and clients, while offering more storage than Flowlu. Nevertheless, it lacks many of the features seen with Flowlu. For instance, invoicing is not available with the Nifty PM platform, which is why business owners might choose to look elsewhere. The invoicing feature is present in the Flowlu platform.

Flowlu or Company Hub?

CompanyHub benefits businesses focusing on sales, as it offers features not found in many all-in-one programs. For instance, territory management and one-click quotes come with the Accelerate plan offered by this provider. However, it comes with a hefty price tag. The business pays by the user, rather than benefiting from a plan that allows for unlimited users for one set fee, which can result in a higher fee. For this reason, many companies opt for Flowlu instead.

Flowlu or Basecamp?

Companies might find they benefit from Basecamp when first starting out. However, they quickly outgrow the program, especially when they expand and take on more clients. For instance, Basecamp does not allow for custom task workflows, a feature seen in Flowlu. Tasks either fit into the to-do or done category. There is nowhere to place tasks that are in progress, which some users may find annoying. Simple team collaboration is where the program excels, but anything more advanced requires the use of another program. This is where Flowlu fits in. The one benefit of Basecamp is its lower prices on plans. Companies must decide what takes priority, their budget or features.

Current users love Flowlu. They talk about how the platform helps to streamline workflows. They also love the calendar functionality and the ease of using the apps. However, these serve as only a few examples of the countless things users rave about with this program. Many users find the ability to comment and tag anything, within the platform, to be a significant benefit. Also, users often mention that they have shared the platform with others because it has been so helpful to their organization.

However, they find certain aspects of the program to be annoying. For instance, users would like to be able to change the title of a box in the contact description. That functionality would be appreciated, according to some users. Customization options, independent of pre-built workflows, are something users would like to see in future updates as well. Overall, they love this program and find that the countless benefits far exceed the few drawbacks.

If you have yet to try Flowlu, now is the time to do so. Take advantage of the free trial to find out if this all-in-one platform is right for your needs. Most businesses discover it is what they require to take their organization to the next level.

Verdict About Flowlu CRM

Truth be told, this would be overkill for a solopreneur as it boarders on not only a CRM but a ERP which focus more on business operations rather even more so than the customer perspective. However you have a vision of growing that company in the next few months and years and you’re serious about this, then Flowlu might be a great option to consider.

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Automation

Integrately: Your One Stop Shop for Application Integrations

by opijayasinghe

The Need for Apps as an Online Business Owner

If you own a business, and have an online presence, it’s absolutely imperative that you have a variety of apps to keep things running smoothly. These apps can range from email to accounting software, and everything in between. Using these apps can help ensure that your business is successful. If you set up automation, using certain apps, it allows you to have a more hands-off approach, so you can focus on other areas of your business. However, with so many apps out there, making sure they’re all active (and running well) can easily become overwhelming. 

In addition to having the apps themselves, many business owners want to set up certain functions to help the apps work together. In order to do this, it generally required some sort of third-party software. Considering the variety of apps that may be used to run a business, it may require users to have a variety of software programs to get them all to work together. This could result in spending quite a bit of money, just to make sure your productivity apps were working well together.

Enter: Integrately

I’m sure many of you have heard of Zapier. Integrately is essentially the same concept. It’s a software company that allows you to easily integrate all of your apps. Integrately eliminates the need to have several third-party software programs to automate all of your apps.  Integrately is operated by the same people that run CompanyHub, so you can be confident that you’re getting an incredible product from a reputable company.

Despite being a relatively new company, they’ve had incredible growth so far. According to Integrately, they currently offer over 200,000 app integrations, all of which can be activated with one click. If they happen to not have an app that you use, they have a super easy remedy. They run off of a voting system, of sorts. On the page where all of their apps are listed, they have a button where you can essentially nominate an app. As a result, they’re constantly adding new apps based on customer’s needs.

How to Use Integrately

Integrately is incredibly easy to set up and use. I started using Integrately to replace a similar software that just wasn’t quite meeting my needs. I find Integrately much easier to use, and also less glitchy than some of its competitors. Even if you’re not incredibly technical, you’re sure to be able to use Integrately with ease.

Once you’re signed up, the homepage will ask what apps you want to connect. They have a really fantastic search feature to quickly locate the apps you use. Once you select the apps, you can set up rules as to the flow of the apps. This step also takes you through any additional customizations that you may want or need. Once you have completed the customizations, Integrately will take you testing to make sure the apps are working correctly. After testing is successful, you can make the app automation live.

That’s all there is to it. It’s really that simple to set up and get everything running.

Integrately Pricing

As previously mentioned, similar app integration software can be quite expensive. Integrately offers very reasonable rates, especially when you think of everything you’re getting. On their pricing page, they also show a comparison as to what Zapier offers for pricing and the number of tasks. I believe that’s a pretty nice feature as it saves you from having to do extensive research as to the competitor’s plans and what they offer

They currently offer four different paid pricing plans, so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs. The plan tiers that they offer are Starter, Professional, Growth, and Business. All of the plans include things like premium support, webhooks, search, check condition, modify data, etc.

The Starter plan runs $15 per month and normally gives you access to 3,500 tasks. However, they are currently doing a special offer, which gives you access to up to 14,000 tasks. The Starter plan includes things like 20 automations and five minute update time.

The Professional plan runs $29 per month and normally gives you access to 10,000 tasks. However, currently, they are offering access to up to 40,000 tasks with this plan. The Professional plan includes a two minute update time, rather than five minutes. It also gives you access to unlimited automations.  While the feature is not available quite yet, auto-replay will also be included with this plan.

The Growth plan runs $99 per month and gives access to 30,000 tasks. Like the other plans, they are currently offering a special offer. This offer gives you access to up to 150,000 tasks. In addition to what’s included in the Professional plan, the Growth plan allows you to set up unlimited users and folder connections. They are also in the process of setting up shared connections, which is a feature that will also be included in this plan.

The Business plan runs $250 per month. It gives you access to 100,000 tasks. With the special offer, that they’re currently doing, you get access to up to 700,000 tasks. The plan also includes everything that the Growth plan offers.

In addition to the special offers giving you access to more tasks, Integrately also gives users a 14-day free trial. This gives you plenty of time to test out the service and make sure it’s a good fit.

Give It a Try!

I’ve personally been using Integrately for a few months. It truly has made my life so much easier and has been a total time-saver. I would definitely recommend giving it a try as it’s not only super easy to use but also pretty reasonable.

 

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Best Webinar Platform comparison
Webinar Platforms

What is The Best Webinar Platform?

by opijayasinghe

Webinar Platform is the Best Weapon

Webinar software remains one of the best weapons a company has in its arsenal of tools, as it allows businesses to connect with others in an easy-to-use format. However, with many platforms to select from, business owners often question which will best meet their needs. Numerous factors determine the answer to this question, from the purpose of the webinar platform to the price.

The best way to test a webinar software platform is to hold a meeting using the program. Doing so provides users with the opportunity to compare features, try the different settings, and see how user-friendly the program truly is. What criteria should be used when comparing each of these products to find the best webinar platform?

“We have technology, finally, that for the first time in human history allows people to really maintain rich connections with much larger numbers of people.”
Pierre Omidyar
Founder of eBay, American billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and software engineer

Webinar Platform Criteria to Look For When Making a Purchase

Qubely blocks is added to the Gutenberg editor as soon as you install the plugin. You can start using it as any other Gutenberg block. Add ready blocks using the plus sign where you’ll find a new section of blocks under the Qubely icon.

“You cannot get anybody to do something if they’re not paying attention to you.”
Brian Carter
American author, speaker, marketer, comedian, and CEO of The Carter Group, a digital marketing and advertising agency

Marketing Features IS The Way To Win

Good marketing features remain essential in a webinar platform along with engagement features. What many individuals new to webinars assume is attending a webinar resembles watching a long video or movie. Nothing is further from the truth. Webinars need to be live, interactive, and engaging. However, the most essential tool in any webinar platform is a live chat feature.

Landing Pages Can Be Game Changer

Additional features to consider when comparing webinar platforms include the ability to build different pages for specific purposes, such as a confirmation page and a registration page. An excellent program offers this feature, is visually appealing, and is customizable to meet the business owner’s unique needs.

Automated and Evergreen Webinars

Consider investing in a program that offers automation or evergreen features. Programs of this type allow the user to create a webinar that looks and feels as if it is live, engaging, and interactive when it is actually automated. Business owners love how helpful this feature is in marketing funnels.

Additional Factors to Take Into Account When Making this Choice

Price plays a role in any business purchase, and this includes webinar platforms. Finally, don’t overlook stream quality and reliability when making a choice. Businesses and other institutions such as schools and Universities want large crowds to benefit from the webinar, and the program must be able to accommodate these large numbers. As such, room size becomes of great importance when comparing programs to ensure all planned webinars can be held on the selected platform.

Participants should easily be able to join the webinar, see and hear the speaker, and have good quality videos when doing so. Screen sharing remains crucial in these meetings, and users shouldn’t find it difficult to download or install the program and features or refresh their browsers regularly.

Price of Webinar Platforms

While this should never be the deciding factor when choosing a webinar platform, it must factor in the decision-making process. However, individuals often struggle with comparing platforms based on this aspect. Pricing plans typically vary based on room size, and business owners should anticipate paying more to accommodate larger groups.
Expect to pay approximately $15  a month for Zoom Meetings, the cheapest option available of the programs analyzed, although this does not include Zoom Webinars. Individuals with a budget of around $50 find options such as Webinar Ninja and Zoom Webinars are offered. For $80, additional options open up, including Easy Webinar and Big Marker. There are most costly offerings, including Demio for $99 a month.
GotoWebinar stands as the most expensive option of the ones examined. Sadly, users find they truly don’t get much for the price they are paying. While Goto Webinar is reliable, that is one of the very few things that the program has going for it. For this reason, it’s best to research other options, with Big Marker being a favorite with most.

Must have Features of a Webinar Software

Webinar platforms only benefit a company if they offer the features the company needs. For this reason, many companies focus on ClickMeeting initially thanks to its countless features. The platform truly excels in this area, but it continues to lag behind other programs in every other area. For instance, the reliability and stream quality of the produced webinars are less than stellar.
Webinar participants often cannot see or hear the speaker, and some find they have to constantly refresh the site. This becomes frustrating as the participant may be missing out on vital information and isn’t getting their money’s worth by taking part in the webinar. This explains why it is critical to take each platform on a test run before making a commitment.
Webinar Ninja had similar issues and lacks implementation when it comes to the program’s engagement and marketing features. Sadly, this platform has an even bigger issue that most business owners find is difficult to overcome.
Technical issues plague this platform, ranging from extremely poor stream quality of the video to unusability of the finished product. Users won’t want to stay for the remainder of the webinar if they encounter technical problems that cannot be easily resolved, and they won’t want to return in the future to see another webinar. One bad experience is enough to make a person look elsewhere for the products and services they need.

Programs That Fail to Deliver in Most Cases

Individuals frequently find Webinar Easy to be promising at first glance, especially those looking for a platform capable of accommodating large groups. Once they begin digging, however, they discover it is lacking in a variety of ways as well. Not only are the landing pages outdated in terms of their appearance, but the program overall also isn’t user friendly. Demio, another program many business owners consider, lacks the features needed to justify its high price.
Zoom is great for those in need of a budget webinar platform but don’t expect engagement or marketing features. While it is reliable, the user interface isn’t friendly, and the overall feel of the platform is very corporate.
Crowdcast focuses on social engagement, and users looking for a webinar platform with marketing features will find this option doesn’t meet their needs as a result. The same is true of those looking to host webinars for hundreds of people. Users looking for a platform geared to teaching or coaching, however, will like this one.

Outstanding Choices for Webinar Platforms

Big Marker, in contrast, offers the features most users want and need at a price they will love. This platform works for sales webinars, group coaching, one-on-one meetings, and more. In addition, automation features come standard with the program. While Big Marker doesn’t excel in any one particular area, it’s great at all aspects of webinars and meetings. This makes it the ideal choice for most.

WebinarJam offers the features businesses want and need when it comes to marketing and conversions. Multiple offers may be presented at various times throughout the event, and users can incorporate scarcity factors along with countdown timers to encourage action on the part of the participant. These are only some of the many features business owners might find to be of help to them, and the platform also allows users to do on-boarding and coaching webinars, among others. However, this company doesn’t offer payment plans, which might make it unaffordable for countless businesses.

Why Big Marker?

When it comes down to it, WebinarJam and Big Marker remain the two best options for most business users. However, in a head-to-head matchup, Big Marker comes out on top. Why is this the case? What does it have that WebinarJam doesn’t?

Big Marker offers meeting room capability along with text/email chat interaction. Businesses find this to be of great help when they need to respond quickly and ensure their clients or customers receive help in a timely manner. However, these are only two of the features found in Big Marker that are lacking in WebinarJam.

Imagine being able to collect emails from FBLive or import a time-stamped chat. Both features exist in Big Marker but are missing in WebinarJam. With the help of Evergreen, Big Marker users find they can choose a future date or add “Just in Time” to their webinars and meetings.

During the event, Big Marker attendees may connect via phone or computer and the player screen can come with no branding. These options aren’t available with Webinar Jam. Nevertheless, the lack of these features isn’t enough to make many companies turn away from WebinarJam and choose Big Marker. It’s the support options offered with Big Marker that ultimately lead many businesses to choose this platform over the others available today.

Companies choosing Big Marker discover they can access support through live chat, phone, email tickets, and remote IT support. In addition, the provider offers live and video training options. Compare this to WebinarJam which offers limited support options. In the event a client needs assistance when using this platform, they must obtain it through live chat or an email ticket. Although WebinarJam does offer video training, live training is not available at this time.

Conclusion

More companies today find they need to interact with suppliers, clients, employees, and more using available technology. Face-to-face meetings simply aren’t possible for a variety of reasons, and companies must ensure they can communicate with others in a timely manner. Webinar platforms make this possible, but only when the right platform is selected for the needs of the particular business. Using the information above, a company finds it can choose a platform that allows them to grow and thrive during difficult times.
If there is any uncertainty as to which platform to use, Big Marker is the answer. It offers features not found in many competitors at a price any user will love. Check it out today while still researching the others, as doing so ensures you find a platform you love and will want to use now and in the future.

Additional Information

Shane Melaugh from Active Growth made a great video comparison of the key players in webinar software market. Well worth watching.

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Booking AppWordpress Plugin

Best Online Booking Plugin for Hair Salons and Hairdressers

by opijayasinghe

Last year I started working in a new firm, completely on the other side of town to which I had worked previously. Due to the nature of my work and the number of projects I had running on the side, it made sense for me to get to know the local area and it’s amenities. One service I needed to find urgently was a quality hairdresser; aka barbershop near my new work.

I decided to go for a stroll during my lunch break to get a feel for the area. As I came across several barbershops, I walked in and enquired about their charges for a men’s haircut. Thank goodness I was standing because if I had been sitting, I would have fallen off my chair. Outrages prices!

A couple of days went by and I asked one of my colleagues at work. He mentioned a babershop and told me to book some time with Ricky. I didn’t have a clue where this was so I grabbed the name and searched online to get a number. When I entered their website, I found a button which said “Book an Appointment”. I was pleasantly surprised as this would save me a phone call.

    1. I clicked on the “Book an Appointment” button.
    2. Selected the day I was interested in getting my hair cut
    3. Selected the type of service, in this case a Haircut and a Beard Trim
    4. Then selected Ricky from the dropdown list of employees.

I was blown away, not because it was anything fancy but because it was so easy. This little experience stayed with me until recently as I’ve always thought, what a great little plugin this is as every hairdresser should have one.

Not only will this make this easier for their prospective customers but it’ll saved hours of phone calls which means instead of the employees answering calls, they can focus on what they do best. Styling snd cutting hair.

So it was by chance that I came across this piece of online booking plugin/software; actually it’s a WordPress booking plugin with an amazing user interface; not only for the customer but for you as the client too. Get the Drum Roll going… I present to you

WP Amelia – your all in one robust booking engine for your wordpress website.

Wordpress Booking platform person holding buttons

What is this booking app different?

There some key distinguishing features of WP Amelia which sets it apart from its competitors in the market.

  1. It is a Wordpress Plugin – this is a huge benefit because chances are that your website is running using the Wordpress architecture. Today, almost 34% of the entire Internet is powered by Wordpress. Source: https://www.buildthis.io/growth/wordpress-stats/ You might not even know this but if you are running your website on Wordpress, installation of this online booking plugin is relatively straight forward.
  2. Amazing User Interface – this is so for not only your customer; ie the people looking to book their hairdressing appointments online, but also for you as the backend user. So both the front end and the backend is designed with the user in mind.
  3. It really is competitively priced – if you’ve got the one single site, its only at a cost of USD $59 or at USD $189 for lifetime access. Firstly, think about if you’ll continue to remain on the Wordpress Platform. In all likelihood, you’ll probably remain on a Wordpress website for the next feasible future but really think about it and see if this small investment is right for you. Below are the pricing for WP Amelia. If you’ve just got the one website, it’s a simple decision to go for the Onetime lifetime access of USD $189.

Annual Pricing

WP Amelia Online Booking Plugin Annual Pricing

Lifetime Pricing (Onetime payment)

WP Amelia Online Booking Plugin Lifetime Pricing

How do I check if my site is running on Wordpress?

If you don’t know for sure, you can easily check if you’re currently running a Wordpress site.

Step 1. Goto your website, right click on any blank space and click on the “View Page Source” button.

Step 2. Press Control + F (PC) or Command + F (Mac) and type in Wordpres. If you have multiple references coming up like the image shown, then in all probability, you’re running a Wordpress website.

What features does this online booking plugin have?

Rather than me trying to explain it, watch this 60 second video to get some insights on how this tool could work for you.

Check out https://wpamelia.com/pricing/

My Must Have Bonus

If you end up buying Amelia though https://wpamelia.com, let me know via the Contact Us and I’ll provide you with an amazing plugin which backs up your website at a frequency you set directly to your Google Drive Account. It’s so easy to setup and it worth USD$99.

    • Export and import to and from Google Cloud Storage
    • Use on any number of websites that you own
    • Backup scheduler with hourly, daily, and weekly options
    • Unlimited Extension include
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How to use the 6 Steps (Hacks) To Achieving Success As A Real Estate Agent
Local Business

6 Steps To Achieving Success As A Real Estate Agent

by opijayasinghe

Being a real estate agent is hard work! Well, funnily enough this statement actually depends on the individual. The average person doesn’t know that being a real estate is very similar to running your own business. Even if you’re employed by a company, much of the onus is on you to pay your dues early, work long hours and “get the word out”.

Those the Director of a company may advise you of certain things they expect from you and may even pay you a retainer (an average wage); the real money comes in via listing and selling a property. Of course there’s other fees that come in too like marketing and property management fees but the real meat and potatoes is made after the sale of a property.

So when you’re starting out, what the best way to do this? There are seven six key steps which I’ve noticed that every successful real estate agent does to build their career. This is by me working closely with agents both from a Vendor and Landlord points of view. How do they do it and tools they use to excel and go beyond the norm.

  1. Leverage your inner circle of contacts – Reach out to your immediately friends and family; especially with those who have a large network and let them know that you’re in the game. Advise that services you offer and what areas you cover. If they’re a true friend or family member; of course they’ll take the time to help you low. Please remember that this is the low hanging fruit get this step done in the first two or two. After the phone call, send them an email with your details and ask them to like your social media page.
  2. Marketing at a 10x levels – Part of paying your dues is to allocate some time everyday to drop flyers but there’s a catch. You have to add your own spin to it. Every week, each of us can get up to a dozen flyers in the mail from real estate agents. You have to do something really unique to stand out from the rest. This can not be your standard DL size flyer. Her are a few ideas:
    • Write the owner what appears to be a hand written note
    • Attach a suitable flyer to their front door instead of dropping it in the letter box
    • Along with your contact details, add the valuable information on the flyer such as Contact Details of local and state Emergency services or even a popular recipe to your local demographic (e.g vegan paella). Something that will entice the home owner to keep the flyer on their fridge. Oh yes, make sure the flyer has a magnet on the back.
    • Use bright coloured envelops to grab their attention to open and view your marketing material
    • Drawing of a famous cartoon character that their children can colour in and with a bit of luck, their parent will hang on the fridge. Obviously this will have your contact detail somewhere in the corner. Here’s a link to some great resources of children’s drawing packs.
  3. Be omni-represent – In a world where peoples attention is so short and being stretch in so many areas, you need to be the one shinning star which is always hovering. Obscurity will be the death of your real estate business/career. One cavet is that I’m not saying that you need to be on every single social media platform. However, find the platform where your audience is that concentrate on that. If most of your target audience is on Twitter, dominate Twitter. As Grant Cardone says, “I’m going to make twitter my little b**ch”.
    • Once you’re consistently producing content for one platform, then you can use the power of technology to expand. Tools such as SocialBee or MissingLettr to syndicate your content from one platform to many. This is by far the most effective way. Even more effective from a cost point of view than hiring a Virtual Assistant let alone Personal Assistant.
    • Another leg up would be to create effective sales videos as not many estate agents do this. There’s a powerful tool called Content Samurai which has tailor made templates for real estate agents. You’ll be able to bang out
  4. Be consistent to compound your results – If you had a choice between working hard and working consistently; which would you think is the better option? Obviously try and do both but if you had to choice one, working consistently will always win due to the law of compounding. Doing call phone calls 1 hour per day would be better than doing 7 hours on a Saturday. To do this, you can continually build your prospect list and maintain it. Keep diligent notes about each prospect such as their name, current situation, something personal you spoke to them about in the previous encounter. To track this, you can use something as a simple spreadsheet or software solution. I personally use a tool called OutPlay which is extremely powerful.
  5. You control your brands by being pro-active – Control your online reputation by actively seeking out happy buyers and sellers to leave a review. Hopefully these are all positive but ensure you guide them on what needs to be done. From a buyer or sellers point of view, this should be a no brainier if you’ve guided and made the entire journey a pleasant one from your first contact to, signing the contracts and through to settlement. You DO NOT want to be one of those agents who completely forgot about your buyer or seller once the contracts are signed. You should actively be engaged throughout the entire process leasing with the conveyancer and making the process and seamlessly as possible. In term for your efforts, you will receive an unbiased positive review which will compound and make your job easier and easier as the months and years add up.
  6. Leverage and scale up – last step is for you to start putting in measures for your business to run like a well oiled machine. Optimize to maximize your efforts so you can scale up and create an empire. In fact, you don’t have to wait until the end to do this but doing things initially the manual way will help you make decisions on whether that task should be:The trouble with honouring traditions - the roast beef story

Eliminated – some tasks are done because they’ve always been done. It’s either tradition or has been done for so long but no one has really questioned as to why it’s still being done. I recall a great story told by the late Zig Ziglar which illustrates this point. It’s called The Roast Beef Story. The basic premise of that story is that just because something has been done for generations, or something in your company has been done for years, if not decades, it’s okay to evaluate to see if this task is still worth doing. You may encounter resistance but push forward until you find the truth. I have been told that the truth is out there 🙂

  • Automated – The next step is to automate as many of the manual tasks that you currently do so don’t actively need to participate for the task to complete. In the modern era of technology, automation is becoming the norm and should be embraced. As such as paying your bills, rent/mortgage are so easy to automate. You can use tools like https://ifttt.com/ which is putting conditional statements so tasks will execute atomically. Another example is to have automated replies to messages you receive on social media advising your prospect that you’ve received their message and that you’ll get back to them shortly.

G Suite for BusinessUsing canned response on your emails to ensure you’re not writing the same emails over and over again. Hopefully this goes without saying but you should be using a professional email service to send out your emails. If you haven’t got this setup, email has a service for businesses called G-suite. You can click here to find out the details.

  • Delegated – Lastly, as you scale up by delegating all the menial tasks. The best way to do this is to find out what your hourly rate is. As a real estate agent, this isn’t straight forward but guesstimate. Then determine which tasks can you get someone else to do and still be ahead. As tasks as dropping flyers, cold calling, sending out emails and any other admin related tasks such as getting contract or sale ready etc. Spend your time where you bring the most value to your business. If this is cold calling and connecting with potential prospects; make sure you own this and maybe outsource and delegate putting together a leads list to someone else. Fiverr is a great place for finding affordable freelancers to who can lead generation for you.
  • Content SamuraiAnother task which you may want to outsource is creating videos. Remember that sales videos, listing videos and generally property updates has high visibility on social media. You don’t necessarily have create the videos yourself. Much of this can be outsourced; again – to someone on Fiverr. You can even get them to use an application like the one I use called Content Samurai. Use this link to get 25% off. It’s well-worth the investment when you can churn out video after video to dominate your competition and to be omni-present.

Conclusion – So if there’s a key take away from the 6 steps (Hacks) to achieving success as a real estate agent is to take action! Take 10x the action and your hard work will be rewarded, not immediately but over time. Success is exponential, not linear. There needs to be a certain level of deep work in to create the initial work to build up that momentum. If you follow the 6 steps outlined up, your success as a real estate agent is inevitable irrespective of the market conditions. There’ll always be ups and down but as long as you put in the hard yard now but also play smart by utilizing some of the software tools above, you can really thrive. Leverage your efforts

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What is Scribd
Mobile Apps

Why Everyone Needs To Get On Scribd

by opijayasinghe

My story of Scribd

I was having a chat with a like-minded family member of mine which is rare as most friends and family are not into self-improvement or bettering themselves.

This gentleman however like me is continuously always looking to improve himself to be a bigger and better person. We often talk about various software, apps and books we’ve read when we catch up at a family gathering.

We were comparing Real books to Digital books and I’ve personally never caught onto eBooks as I like to hold the physical book when I read. Never the less, he told me he often reads in bed to which I replied, using a Kindle? He said “na man, I use this app called Scribd”. At first I was like, what kind of a weird name is that!

Immediately I mentally turned off because I didn’t want to download another app and secondly I didn’t want to use the tiny mobile screen to read books. I did however decide to download it immediately so I wont often the name as it was a tricky one to remember – Scribd.

I’ve downloaded many mobile apps in recent months to test and play around with and seriously, when I started looking into this on a train ride the following week, I was pleasantly impressed.

Explain, what is Scribd?

The easist way to explain Scribd is, it’s the Audiobook and Digital Books equivalent of Netflix.

What does that mean? It means you can stream and much content as you want each month at a flat fee but you don’t technically own the content. Same concept as Netflix right? You can watch a movie over and over again but you can’t download and keep the content on your hard-drive forever.

Like Netflix, you can download content for a short period of time using your Wi-Fi to save you your Cell-data allowance.

So why is Scribd so good?

If you’re familier with such subscription companies as Audible, you pay a monthly fee to which you are allocated a 1 credit. With that credit, you can purchase an audiobook. You can sample 3-5 minutes of the book prior to purchase but that’s it. If you decide to buy the book, you are stuck with it.

Pro Tip: Don’t buy anything books on Audible prior to checking YouTube to see if anyone has uploaded a copyright free version which you can listen to.

With Scribd, I’ve had the privilege to listen to whole chapters of a book before deciding if I’m going to finish, save it for later or just completely discard it as it got too boring or I got what I wanted from it. Within the past 2 weeks, I’ve done this on dozens of books. It’s like watching a couple of episodes from a TV series on Netflix and deciding it’s not for you and moving onto a Movie or a different show. Now I can do this with Audiobooks and eBooks. Amazing as I love to fully ‘test drive’ before investing my valuable time into pursuing a valuable content.

How does this compare cost wise?

Like I mentioned before, with such services as Audible which are no doubt fantastic, you are purchasing only 1 book per credit. Depending on where you are in the world, this can range from $10-20 dollars. Comparatively, at the time of writing this blog post, Scrib only charges $8.99 for unlimited usage. I’m so impressed with this service. Yes, they do have a free service so and if you use this link, you’ll get 60 days free usage of their premium service. Remember I said to try before you buy. Even if you want to revert back to

Are they any drawbacks to Scribd?

The only drawback I’ve found so far is that, once my phone locks – I can’t seem to control Scribd using my bluetooth controls on my wireless earphones. I haven’t been able to figure this out but I do intend on hitting up Scribd support to get this addressed.

All my other audio applications such as Audible and Blinkst do respond to interactions coming into from earphones. Not Scribd (yet).

This is the only drawback I’ve found so far. Other than that, I love it.

What content does Scribd have?

Truthly speaking, till today I had only used the Audiobooks and Books section. Though it had been right in front of me, I never saw the Magazine, Documents and Music Sheet. Isn’t it funny you only see what you want to see in life.

How much does Scribd cost?

You can browse around and listen to snippets of books and read sections for free. However, to get the true value of Scribd, you do need to upgrade to the premium subscription. I always say this, try before you buy. By default, Scribd give you 30 days complimentary access for you to try Scribd to all of its content for FREE!

However, if you wanted to use my link, this can be extended for 60 days. Yes, so basically two months access to listen to as many books as you want and browse all of the eBooks and Magazines. If you’re like me, you’ll be hooked within days.

Click Here to Try Scribd Free for 60 days.

Conclusion

We live in an age we we buy Coffees everyday, subscribe to Netflix and Cable TV without even blinking an eye. An affordable Coffees can typically be $3-5. If you skip 2 of these indulgences a month, you can pay for your Scribd subscription.

 

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