Monthly Archives: October 2017

How to Get Startup Capital

Loans are usually given based on your credit rating. If your credit rating is good, then your chances of securing a loan for your business are very high. However, what happens when your credit score is not in a good standing and you need a loan for your start-up business?

For the financial institutions, they usually have two ways of addressing your case: either they reject your application or else charge you a high-interest rate for the loan facility. Well, you cannot be sure of this situation especially when you desperately need that money to get started.

The key to receiving any funding for your startup business is usually pegged on a number of factors. One of them as already mentioned is credit rating. Other factors may include your vision and value proposition in your current business pursuits.

There are business owners who didn’t have a good credit but still managed to get funding for their businesses. While that is possible, it is always advisable for you to repair your credit score in order to qualify for these loans and most importantly help you get better terms. Meanwhile here are a number of options to consider if you have bad credit.

  • Venture Capital. This is usually gotten when an investor offers to give you money in exchange for equity in your business. The investor may also want to have an active role in the making of your business decisions. If your startup business has a high-growth potential, your chances of getting venture capital are too high. This is a commonly used method of investment by wealthy individuals. If you have a brilliant idea, they will be willing to invest in it. To qualify for this funding, put in place your business plan and any other relevant material that will help investors to conduct due diligence on your startup.

  • Grants. Grants are funds given out that need not be paid back. The only catch for you is their source that is usually from tax dollars. This means that you have to restrict the funds to the use for which they were issued to you. These can mostly be accessed from local authorities and non-profit organizations.

  • Your close associates.  Look at your inner circle of family and friends. If you are able to get something from your personal savings, friends and family can be of much help. These people won’t look at your credit rating to lend you some money. All they need is to be convinced that you are trustworthy and responsible. Trust is your only security in this scenario. The only risk that may arise is damaging social relationship should you fail to pay back.

  • Crowdfunding. There are several crowdfunding platforms from which you can form a campaign for your startup business. After launching your campaign, you make an effort to raise the funds you need for your business from the crowd. What this means is that, investors accredited to these platforms will contribute to your business campaign in exchange for some form of equity in your business.

  • Personal Loans. People who have been in business for about a year or two can easily get funding for their business because they can present their cash flow records. However, you can get a personal loan for your startup business from some lenders. Some will be very strict on your credit score while others will be lenient if you agree to pay the high rate of interest imposed on bad credit business loans.

  • Microloan. The Microloan program was formed and funded through the Small Business Administration to help aid business with expansion and startup costs. These types of funds are usually given to non-profit intermediary lenders, which are community-based and provide help in addition to the money you will receive. You can use the money for supplies, for buying machinery, furniture or as working capital among other uses.

The Bottom Line

Even if you have a bad credit score, you still have loan options for your startup business. Don’t worry if you have fallen into this predicament and you fear you might not get the money to get started. The most important thing in such a situation is to get your idea well-refined and polished to win the attention of investors. Don’t allow your credit report to weigh you down. Focus on your business idea and make people have confidence in it. Once you succeed in doing so, they will be willing to give you the money to get going.

 

Easy Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work

Motivation is something that is not easy to find. There are some days you feel energetic and psyched to work, and some days you don’t make any progress no matter how hard you try. Since you have to get the work done, you have no any other choice but to find motivation. Here are a few tips that can help you get motivated.

Don’t Overthink

Many people tend to overthink when they are handling a difficult task. They start to think that they might not be able to complete the task on time, let alone finish it correctly. If you want to motivate yourself, don’t spend too much time thinking about how difficult or impossible it is to handle a task. Instead, think of how fulfilling it would be to do that task and how proud you will be once you complete it.

Create Small Goals

We all have goals we want to achieve at work or in school. Such goals can be overwhelming and demotivating if they are big and require a lot of effort to achieve. In order to get the motivation to pursue big goals, break them into smaller pieces. Handle each piece one at a time and don’t proceed to the next one until you complete the one you are currently handling. Breaking goals into smaller pieces make them simpler to achieve. You will also get the motivation to achieve more goals and feel a sense of accomplishment once you complete all of them.

Talk to Yourself

Never underestimate the power of self-talk. By talking to yourself, you feed your mind with instructions and information it needs. If you encounter a difficult task or feel lazy to work, say something like “I can do this thing perfectly” or “I have the knowledge and energy to complete this task on time.” Doing so will reprogram your mind from a state of despair and tiredness to a state of optimism and motivation.

Interact With People who are Working Hard

In order to get the motivation to work and pursue your goals, you need to surround yourself with people who are working just as hard. These may include classmates, coworkers or any other group of like-minded individuals. Such people will push you and give you the motivation you need to work harder.

Be Focused

It is very difficult to work if you cannot concentrate on the task at hand. Remove all distractions within your vicinity, such as books, mobile phone and clothes lying around to enable you to concentrate. Let other people know that you need to concentrate and that you won’t be available to respond to their demands. Make it clear to them when you will be available to listen to their requests and demands.

Be Positive

We all fear to fail. However, failure should not define who you are or stop you from trying. You need to do whatever is required of you to achieve your goals, regardless how many times you do it. Focus on what you can do better, rather than what you can’t. Building your self-esteem and motivating yourself to work harder is all about identifying your strengths and building on them.

Celebrate Your Achievements

You need to acknowledge all the milestones you are making, despite how insignificant they might be. Recognize small things like being on time in class or completing your assignment on time and congratulate yourself for the achievement. Doing so will motivate you to do more and encourage you not to give up no matter how difficult things might be. It also helps you see how brilliant you are.

Partner With a Friend

If you have a question or project you don’t understand, you can collaborate with your friend. Taking a collective pride in a difficult project can increase your motivation. Just make sure you get someone who is like-minded and hardworking. 

Keeping a Clean Office: Hacks for a Sanitary Workplace

We spend most of our daytime in the office. Therefore, it is important to focus our attention on keeping the office clean as we do to our homes. A clean office effectively prevents several occupational illnesses and creates an environment in which employees feel fresh, energetic and ready to fulfill their mandates. A clean office is also a happy place and welcoming to the clients.

While exceptional green and highly effective cleaning solutions may not be available like they do at home, there are still ways you can keep the office clean. Here are some of the office cleaning hacks.

Telephone keypads, calculators, and keyboards
All devices with keyboards have lots of crumbs and dirt hidden under the keys and crannies. With time, you will even find some keys jamming. You can clean off the debris by the use of the air dusters and then wipe off the surface with a dry piece of cloth.

If you do not have an air duster, you can use your hair dryer to blow off the dirt. Ensure that it is set in the cool setting to avoid burning your keyboards. For the very stubborn debris, you can use cotton swabs with toothpicks to dislodge them.

Displays, screens, and monitors
Switch off all your screens and wipe them down with the use of a damp microfiber cloth. There are also wipes specially made for the certain display screen. You may spay a little warm water on a soft paper towel and wipe away all the grease, fingerprints and other smudges.

Avoid using any cleaner that contains acetone, ammonia or alcohol. These substances strip the screen of its protective coating. Most antibacterial wipes have alcohol as one of their ingredients. Avoid them as much as possible.

The coffeemakers
Nearly every office has a coffee maker. However, few ever think of thoroughly cleaning the machine. With time, the spills and smudged coffee make the coffeemaker unhygienic.
Use special cleaning supplies that come with the coffeemaker if there are available.

If the supplies are not available, consider using powdered dishwasher detergent. When cleaning the coffee pot, let the detergent lie there with hot water for an hour. On emptying the pot, you will not be required to scrub it as it will be a clean as new.

Worktables, desks, and counters
These surfaces are best cleaned with antibacterial cleaning agents and disinfecting wipes. There are specially made napkins and paper towels to take care of spills depending on the liquid spills on these tables. The kinds of materials used for the surface also influence your choice of cleaning materials. For example stone is cleaned differently from marble or ceramic tiles.

However, if these cleaners are not available, you can use baby wipes can also work right. Keep a packet with at your desk to take care of dust and little spills here and there. You can also use them to wipe your mouse and keyboard clean every morning before starting your workday. You can also use them to wipe your phone clean if it looks smudged.

The microwave
The microwave is probably the filthiest appliance in the office. You will find spilled gravy, food leftovers, and sauce all over its floor. If there is food that has spilled to the floor of the microwave, take a bowl of water and warm it in the microwave for about three minutes. The vapor loosens the dried food making it easier to wipe it off.

The microwave should be wiped clean every few days. In addition, to get rid of strong smells, consider putting a few drops of orange essential oil into a bowl of water and warm it for a while. This will dissipate the smell.

Hire a cleaning company
It is good to have a professional cleaning company take care of your floors, windows, doors, and corridors. If the office is small, you can call them once in a while. Professional teams have the tools to clean stubborn stains and reach some of the third to reach areas of the office. Asking for professional help is also the best solution when dealing with pest and vermin infestation.

A clean office is a healthy office. A healthy office leads to healthy employees. Healthy workers are productive workers. Use the above hacks to keep the office spotlessly clean.

How to Manage Your Money in Your 20s

Many older adults look back at their spending and saving habits in their younger years and can think of numerous things that they would have done differently if they had only known better. Some of these financial steps may have resulted in better financial security, the option to retire earlier and more. As a young adult yourself, you have complete control over many aspects of your financial future, but you may not be doing everything you can to achieve a great outcome. When you take smart steps to manage your money properly, you may not have the same regrets in your later years that many older adults currently have.

Create and Follow a Budget

A budget is one of the hallmarks of financial well-being. You must know how much money you earn regularly as well as how much money you spend regularly. Without knowing these factors, you may easily spend more than you make and rack up debt in the process. A budget outlines all sources of income and all expenses. It may change from month to month because of non-recurring expenses, and the best budget may include a financial plan for the next three to six months or longer. Use your budget to make financial decisions and to avoid falling heavily into debt. You can also use your budget to find expenses that you can reduce or even eliminate to save money going forward.

Keep Credit Card Debt Under Control

Many young adults accrue a substantial amount of credit card debt in the early stage of their adult lives, and this massive amount of debt may take decades to pay off. In some cases, young adults get so accustomed to living off of credit cards that they continue to rack up debt well into their 30s, 40s and beyond. Credit is an excellent tool that can help you to build a great credit rating. When used thoughtfully, you can even get cashback and enjoy other benefits. However, you need to focus on paying all debt off as soon as possible. Ideally, you will pay off any debt that you accrue in full within a month or less.

Refinance Your Education Debt

Using student loans to pay the high cost of a college education is common, but this unfortunately means that many young adults enter the workforce burdened by substantial student loan payments. You can refinance student loans to obtain a better rate and term. You can even potentially consolidate all of this debt into a single loan. Some people have six or eight loans, if not more. It can be a challenge to keep track of all of these payments, so consolidating them can enhance money management efforts and can help you to avoid letting a payment or two slide through the cracks every now and then.

Save and Invest as Soon as Possible

Saving and investing are often not priorities for young adults. A common line of thinking is that young adults have decades of working years in front of them, which is plenty of time to save and invest. However, for the moment, they may be more focused on enjoying life, buying furniture and items for a house and more. When you learn more about the time value of money, the benefits of compound interest and how dividend reinvestments can work in your favor, you may be more included to start saving and investing as much as possible and as early as possible. These elements can all come together to help your money grow faster and to potentially reduce the amount of money that you may need to save and invest in your later years in order to achieve your retirement goals.

Regardless of what your current salary is and what your living expenses and debt balances are, you can focus your attention on each of these critical points to improve your financial situation now and for years to come. When you get a better grip on finances earlier in your adult years, you may pave the way for financial security and many other benefits later in life. Now is the ideal time to review your financial status and to make thoughtful changes to all aspects of your money management efforts.

Tips on Choosing the Best, Top-Rated Home Appliances

Household appliances are some of the biggest investments you will make for your home. Whether you are renovating, building a new place or moving, you have to be careful when furnishing your kitchen. The type of appliances you stock will determine your home’s efficiency, appearance, and cost-effectiveness. Buying home appliances today is a cause of frustration and fear for many homeowners given the numerous choices available out there.

Do you jump on the stainless steel range bandwagon or do you get each piece separately? Which eco-friendly brand best suits your needs? Should your kitchen appliances match the interior décor? All these considerations make it difficult to settle on one item. Therefore, having a few ideas on what to look for in top-rated household appliances can prevent common mistakes.

Tailor to Your Needs

If you want a refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher that will serve its purpose without requiring an upgrade after only a few years, know what your needs are beforehand. Don’t start looking at kitchen appliance catalogs before understanding what works for you. If you are a big family, for instance, the refrigerator should be large enough to accommodate your groceries and leftovers. Think long-term as well like if you have many guests to cater for during the holidays or host weekend parties regularly. Consider your washing habits when picking washer-dryer machines and dishwashers. If you rinse dishes before putting them in the washer, for example, then a heavy-duty cycle will not be your highest priority when buying one.

Understand Your Space

The area where you will be fitting appliances matters a great deal. Each component has to be appropriate for the space available. The refrigerator is especially a big space eater, so if you are not careful with measurements, it can mess up your whole kitchen. Measure the depth, length, and width of the space where you will install the microwave, oven, and washing machine among others. The measurements will help you to pick the right size and capacity of your appliances. Write them down and give at least an inch in margin for clearance. You have to be able to move the appliance in or out when needed without having to take out your entire cabinet. Some appliances like the fridge will need space for proper airflow as well. Work out the layout to match the look of your home.

Budget Accordingly

Buying the best top rated home appliance ensures that you get durability and functionality. Additionally, if you ever sell your home, these appliances will add value. Homeowners have a number of brands that offer quality kitchen appliances. However, some of them can be pricey, and you could end up spending more than intended when furnishing your home. Be sensible about the amount you will spend on different appliances but don’t limit yourself too much. Be wary not to compromise the quality of the product for just to stay within budget. It is useful to make price comparisons when looking at your options. Find stores that offer discounts or promotions, especially if you are buying more than one. Most people start saving for home appliances well in advance that they have flexibility when budgeting.

Get Expert Help

A little professional assistance goes a long way particularly if it’s your first time shopping for kitchen units. Even when you have your budget and requirements, making the final decision can be overwhelming. A salesperson from a reputable home appliance store who has experience with appliance shopping will narrow down your choices. Find someone who will talk to you about the different features in each appliance, how one top-rated brand differs from another, which products would suit your family needs, and so on. Even with hours of research, you could miss some things about household appliances that a seasoned professional will educate you about. You can also use some online resources that offer objective buying guides for customers.

Shopping for home appliances should not be a rushed process. With the hundreds of quality brands on the market, you have to give your decision some time. Arm yourself with information before you walk into a store to avoid misinformation from pushy salespersons. In today’s increasingly environmentally conscious world, energy-rated appliances are a priority for homeowners which is why they are some of the best. Always consider the efficiency and energy savings that an appliance offers before bringing it home.

Guide to Troubleshooting Your Appliances

Owning your own home with dozens of appliances at your disposal is part of the American dream. Wake up in the morning to appliances automatically brewing your coffee and warming the home. However, these modern conveniences become a problem when they break down. There’s no reason to call an expensive professional when you can troubleshoot the appliance yourself. Consider these simple tips so that you can prolong the appliance’s life and save money simultaneously.

1. Check the Power Cable

A common issue with any appliance is a faulty power cable. Unplug the appliance, and take a close look at the cable and plug. No frayed wires should be visible. Any breaks along the length are suspect because even a kinked wire within the cable contributes to power issues.

Go a step further by pulling out a multimeter. These handy devices are smart investments that work on multiple projects around the home. Check the continuity between the plug and appliance. This connection verifies if power has a clear pathway from the plug to the interior components. If it lacks continuity, swapping out the cable is probably your fix.

2. Clean the Filters

Several appliances in a home have filters attached to their fans and other components. The gas furnace has a filter that captures particulates as they enter the system. Clean or replace the filters on a regular basis. Dirty filters only create obstacles to the moving air. In severe cases, the system shuts down entirely when the air cannot move in an efficient manner. Get familiar with your appliances so that filters are quick and easy tasks to complete for any household member.

3. Look for Leaks

Laundry washers, dishwashers and refrigerators have the ability to leak. Observe these appliances on a regular basis because the leaks can go unnoticed for a long time. Use a flashlight to look under the refrigerator. Some leakage occurs because of condensation, but this moisture should evaporate away. Puddles on the floor aren’t normal. There may be a blocked pipe or cracked evaporator. Don’t forget to evaluate your hot-water heater too. This tank can leak over the years as the water corrodes the metal cylinder.

4. Observe the Switches or Buttons

Every appliance has some control panel that centralizes its operations. Take a close look at the main switches or buttons. Consider any broken or loose sections. Many of today’s appliances require an entire swap of the control panel if there’s an issue. Older models often have small parts that can be replaced. Don’t force a switch or button into a different position. This short-term fix will soon break, which leaves you with a nonoperational appliance.

5. Learn About Reset Buttons

Certain appliances, including the garbage disposal, have reset buttons. When there’s a blockage or power surge, the appliance’s circuitry sets off the reset button. In a second, the appliance no longer operates at your touch. It may seem entirely broken. Look for a red or black button on the appliance’s main body. Press it, and start the system up again. If the problem has been cleared away, the appliance works normally once again.

6. Remove Blockages

Air movement through any appliance is necessary. Cut off this flow, and you have instant problems. Some appliances shut down altogether without air flow, such as with the furnace or air conditioner. Walk around your home to remove the blockages to your central-air system. Pull boxes and furniture away from the vents. These simple alterations breathe new life into your system while reducing the strain on its internal parts.

7. Consider Level Floors

A detail that’s often overlooked is flat floors. Your laundry system, dishwasher and refrigerator cannot operate well without a level surface. Use a hand level to verify each appliance’s position in the home. Use shims, such as thin wood pieces, to carefully lift or lower an appliance’s corner from the floor. A stable appliance operates without issues over the years.

If you find yourself dealing with a complex repair, calling the professionals may be a better solution. Heavy appliances and multiple failures are obstacles to the DIY repair process. Use your common sense to determine which projects to take on. You’ll be proud of your accomplishments while piecing out the difficult work to expert technicians.

Gift ideas for kids

Whether for the holidays, a birthday, or another special occasion, buying gifts for the kids in your life is a wonderful experience. Getting the right gift can be tricky, though. Television is so saturated with kid-centric advertising for all manner of products that it can be tough to pinpoint exactly what will make the child in your life smile the brightest. Today, we’ll take a look at three gift ideas that will inspire you to inspire them.

Avoid Paralysis by Giving the Gift of Choice

When faced with such a large market of options, as we are in any gift buying situation for a child, we often fall prey to what sociology researchers call the paradox of choice. This simply means that when we have too many options we often default to choosing none of them, or making the wrong decision. In the case of gifting, you may be tempted to resort to the old cash-and-a-card routine. This is an impersonal, unsatisfying gift to give and receive.

Instead of shoving money in an envelope, find out a general interest your recipient cherishes and purchase an appropriate gift-card which will allow them to get something for themselves which they will associate with you for years to come. Money easily gets lost or squandered, but a gift-card will ensure that the money goes where it should. You can buy gift cards to video game retailers for the gamers in your life, store-cards to a sports equipment retailer, or to craft stores for the burgeoning young artists in your life.

Inspiring Creativity

Kids change so much as they grow, but there is one thing children of all ages have in common; they are beacons of creativity. They love exploring their world and reorganizing what they’ve discovered into new and exciting ways through drawing, painting, coloring, and music. While these activities are certainly fun, they also contribute to cognitive and social development.

You can delight younger children with art kits including safety scissors, child-safe paste, construction paper and glitter. Canisters of colorful craft dough are always a delight. Older kids may appreciate something more exciting, like a musical instrument and lessons to help them express themselves. A painting set that comes with everything they need to get started makes a great gift for the artistically inclined teenager. You will enjoy watching their creativity blossom, and through your gift, they may discover a passion for something which will last a lifetime.

Presents that Get Them Moving

Kids have a remarkable capacity for zeroing in on the things they love. In this technologically advanced world, that often means games on their home computers or smartphones. It’s fine to enjoy a video game now and then but studies show that childhood obesity and the associated risks that come from a general lack of physical fitness,are on the rise.

You can help combat this problem in the lives of your own young loved-ones by giving them something which gets them up and about. Sporting goods including balls, tennis equipment, or even dirt bikes will get them moving more while enjoying their time at play. Even season passes to mini-golf courses or laser-tag arenas are a fun way to get them active. They get to enjoy a fun activity while you get the satisfaction of knowing you’ve given them the gift of a healthier life. What could be better than that?

Gifts From the Heart

A child’s world is filled with so many wonders it can be difficult to know how to engage them with a present. If you consider their creative and intellectual growth, need for physical activity, and avoid carelessness in your choices, you will undoubtedly find the right item. These are the gifts that come from your heart; those which don’t just give kids something to hold, but something to do and be.

What to do when your business has been broken into

Having your home or business broken into can be quite traumatic. Walking into your business early in the morning and finding broken windows and a lot of missing things is an experience most can’t forget or forgive in a hurry. Unfortunately, burglary and theft is a problem that a lot of business owners across the world are continuously facing. For instance, in the United States alone, burglary and theft cost businesses more than $1.4 billion annually. Add that up to the rest of the world, and you have yourself a billion dollar industry.

That said, what should you do when you find your business has been broken into? Well, apart from getting mad and cursing. The following are some helpful tips that should help you recover from a burglary or theft.

1. Call the Police

It is important to call the police immediately you notice signs of a break in. As a safety precaution, you should avoid going inside your business if you suspect a burglary has occurred. For one, they might be hiding inside waiting to harm you. Secondly, you might unintentionally interfere with crucial evidence that could help in police investigations.

However sad or angry you feel about the situation, it is crucial to cooperate with the police. Give them all the information they require and consult with them on the best day or time to reopen the business.

2. Take photos/videos of the scene

Assuming that the business owner is an ordinary civilian, they might not know exactly what clues to look for in a crime scene. This is where one’s smartphone or camera comes in handy. Be sure to take some photos and videos of the crime scene immediately and do not tamper with anything.

Share the pictures with the police since they might spot something that you missed which might help you recover your stolen goods. Make sure to get only the best, most detailed shots because, as they say, the devil is in the details. Here are some scene photography tips that you might find helpful.

3. Take note of the stolen items

After calling the cops and collecting evidence in the form of pics or video, go to your shop to determine missing items. The business inventory book is required for this exercise. If you have employees, involve them in the process as they might note a few missing things that you overlooked.

After doing this, go back to your books and collect proof of ownership such as receipts, serial numbers, and pictures of the items. These can be shared with the police to aid in the recovery process and your insurer to jump-start the compensation process.

4. Clean up and repair damaged items

After the police are through with collecting evidence, it’s time to restore order and get back to business. Unless of course, you have other businesses and won’t suffer big losses if you stay closed. Burglars are usually in a hurry and leave things strewn all over. Rearrange them in their various places and if some are broken, report this to your insurance company or get them repaired or replaced.

5. Carry out an audit and make improvements

There’s an old saying that goes like “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice; it’s on me”. After a theft or burglary incident, it would be understandable if you get angry and frustrated. However, it is important to take this as an opportunity to learn how to secure your business better in future. Actively seek to find out the security failures that made your business vulnerable to theft and find ways to prevent future incidents.

As a precaution, change all your locks and security passwords after a burglary incident. In case it was a failure on your security company’s part, you may have to get another one. As you do so, confirm if they meet the recommended standards of a security company. These include licensing and adequate technological and human resources.

What’s An Office To Do When It’s The CEO’s Birthday?

Many people find it easy to wish their friends and relatives a happy birthday. In such moments, the choice of birthday presents and planning for the day are not an issue in any way. Things fall into place almost automatically without much hassle. However, it comes a time when this special day is for none other than your company CEO. What is an office to do in such a moment when it is the CEO’s birthday? You definitely would wonder whether the option of having the ordinary rectangular cake sitting on a cardboard platter would suffice or even fit the occasion. The thought of even working with the local grocery store doesn’t cross your mind due to the high regard you have for your boss.

So will you just sing the happy birthday song? These are some of the thoughts that run through your mind when faced with such a challenge. This is definitely a good break from work but let it not be just a break but really a good one. You can choose to make it somewhat interactive and a surprise too.

Things to do during your CEO’s Birthday

Birthday dates are usually known. However, the events of the day are not known especially if when there are different groups planning to do something. In that case, you can plan for it and bring out the best about that special day, especially for your boss. Most important to do is doing your homework and test various ideas for your CEO’s birthday in the office. See what will be best to do. Here are important things to consider!

Research well

Compare actions and results of things that were done for a person with a birthday especially that person was a boss. In this light, it is important to note that rewards that are expected don’t turn out well. Therefore, let any gifts be a surprise to your boss. However, think outside the box. Take it seriously and invest time in doing research on what could be the most suitable gift.

The conventional cake-cutting and singing shows a lack of creativity and may produce a boring event. Making the event similar to another you saw somewhere else doesn’t usually bring out a sense of worth both to you and the CEO. The CEO may be tempted to start making comparisons because the similarities with another party they attended elsewhere. Based on your performance that day, he may form an opinion that may not always be good.

Consider the CEO’s Availability and Interests

Your CEO is definitely engaged in quite a number of assignments. Therefore, make sure somebody is aware of their work schedule. Let everyone who will be involved know when the birthday is coming. This will make it easy for all of you to prepare and coordinate the activities of the day to make the celebrations successful.

A Gift Isn’t Necessary

The best thing to do for your CEO may not necessarily be buying a gift for him. However, a birthday card would suit the occasion. For a new employee, it would be most appropriate to send the card via email. If you consider going out, involve everyone and not just one particular department.

Party Past the Birthday

Well, there is no problem in having a cake for your CEO and eating it with him. Celebrations in the office come in many fashions and not just birthday. There usually are baby showers, celebrations for employee promotion, and awards for the month or preparing for the festive season. Normally, there are foods and drinks served in search occasions and in that case, birthday party drinks for your CEO’s birthday would be welcome.

Avoid the Extra Frills

Birthdays come with fun activities but in this setting, you may not need to do all of them. If tried, these activities may go way overboard and ruin the occasion in the end. It can be stressful to manage all these events and still continue with your regular office work schedule for the day. Make the celebrations the same as if it was done to any other person in the office regardless of their age. Most importantly, keep off the top extras even if it was not the boss having a birthday.

As an office, don’t just resolve to do nothing when your CEO is having a birthday. This is a great opportunity to strengthen relationships in the office and show your appreciation to your boss. Therefore, consider doing these things to make the day one that you will never forget!

7 Jobs Where You Get Paid To Travel

Most people live a life that’s tethered to one place. We usually only get to travel when it’s time to take a vacation, and for some, the costs are prohibitive. It is possible to satisfy one’s travel urges while earning a living, however, and there are plenty of ways to do it. Depending on your skills and determination to make regular travel a part of your life, you may be able to pursue a job that takes you around the world.

If you have a passion for travel and are willing to work hard, there are numerous career paths you can take to get you on your way. As with non-traveling jobs, the pay scale varies depending on what you’re doing and the skill set that you bring to the table. The good news is that there are opportunities for individuals of all ages, experience levels, and specialties. To give you some ideas of where how you can earn a living while traveling, here’s a list of 7 great jobs where you’ll get paid to travel:

ESL Teacher

If you’ve got a passion for travel as well as teaching, the position of ESL (English as a second language) teacher may be perfect for you. The demand for English teachers abroad is always strong, and you’ll have a wide variety of places around the world to seek employment. If you’re not already a trained English teacher, there are some educational requirements you’ll have to meet before choosing this career path. Once you’re ready, however, you’ll be on your way to a rewarding job that will take you wherever you want to go.

Foreign Service Worker

Unsurprisingly, one of the best ways to land a job that will take you around the world is by checking with the government. The U.S. State Department has a presence in all but three countries, so working for them can be a ticket to virtually anywhere. They have opportunities available that range from internships to diplomatic posts, so there’s plenty of ways to get a foothold if you’re willing to make the effort to join them.

Airline Pilot or Crew

This is perhaps the best-known job that will allow you to travel around the world. If you become a pilot, flight attendant, or engineer, your job will literally be all about traveling. The tremendous upside is that you will get to see many places that you otherwise may never have traveled to. If you’re looking to get involved in the airline industry, there are even industry-specific job boards to help you find work that suits your needs and travel desires.

International Tour Guide

Since you’re not the only one who loves to travel, you can become an international tour guide to earn your living. Many foreign travelers appreciate having a native English-speaker as their guide, so you’ll never run out of potential customers. Since tourism seasons also vary from place to place, you’ll have a great opportunity to establish your business in multiple locations so you’ll be busy year-round.

Travel Writer

As mentioned earlier, traveling just isn’t a frequent occurrence for many people. By becoming a travel writer, you can earn a living producing content that brings the world to them (while living it yourself). Travel writers also are a valuable source of information for people who are planning to travel themselves, since you’ll be letting them know the best places to go and what to avoid. If you can land a full-time or steady freelance position writing, you’ll see the world and get to tell everyone all about it.

Travel Photographer

Like the previously mentioned travel writer position, travel photographers earn a living taking and selling photos of the most beautiful places in the world. Licensing your photos is a great way to earn a living while seeing the sights worldwide. You can sell photos for travel brochures, tourism boards, and even educational materials like textbooks. If you’d like, you can even market yourself as a photographer for destination weddings.

Truck Driver

While not the most glamorous of positions, becoming a truck driver is a great way to make a living while traveling. Truck drivers are in demand across the U.S. and in many other countries as well. You’ll need to train for and earn a commercial drivers license, but once you have it you’ll be ready to hit the road and satisfy your wanderlust. You may even be able to purchase your own vehicle so you can relocate from place to place as you see fit.