In the current times we live in, technology basically influences every aspect of our lives. It is no doubt that as the world keeps getting competitive and businesses rivaling each other to see who gets to and stays at the top, technology somehow seems to be at the pivot of it all. It impacts our entertainment, how we socialize, and even the news. Face it; it is not unusual to find someone sitting on a corner somewhere reading the news using his/her phone. Life has become a lot easier thanks to technology and the important role it plays in our everyday lives. Here are some of the interesting, beneficial factors and roles technology has played in our lives.

1. Automation

Technology is the go-to problem-solver if you are looking for the best way to save time. These days, time is limited in just about every business you are in. Gone are the days when people had to drive all the way to the bank to make direct deposits or pay fees or for utility bills. You can now do all of these things by merely pressing a button on your phone or computer. Automation technology has also made life a lot easier as you no longer have to worry yourself about any recurring expenses. All you have to do is set the said amount to be transferred from your account at your requested intervals and let the automation process do the rest. More and more people are now adopting the automation of their finances due to its convenience.

2. Creating a Budget Plan

Creating a budget is the first step that you have to take if you aim to manage your finances and be financially free effectively. But managing to create a good budget successfully is a lot more difficult than it sounds. Luckily, you can now find countless numbers of budgeting apps online and on smartphones that you can use. Most of these budgeting apps have even categorized the financial options to make the work easier for you. All you need to do is input the data and follow the records. Most of these budgeting apps also come with synching features which allow their users to access them from any linked device.

3. Comparing Prices

Thanks to technology, you no longer have to stick to the fixed store prices that you see at the market stores. The internet has made it easy for consumers to compare the prices of almost everything in the market. If you are exposed enough and use the internet to compare item prices, there is almost no chance that you will be overcharged. You will be able to identify the best prizes and deals and order for goods from them to save you some extra pennies.

4. Going paperless

Gone are the days when you had to visit your mailbox every day for your monthly financial reports from the banks. Or even wait you’re your utility bills to be sent via the post office. Everything is now done online, and you can easily access your bills and payments through your emails or the service provider’s portals and websites. Also, you no longer have to deal with large heaps of papers cluttering your offices with nowhere to put them. Thanks to the scanning machines which you can use to store any documents online and access them whenever you want.

5. Easy to access loans

The rise of online banking has seen to it that applying for, and the approval of loans is a lot simpler than before. You do not have to visit the bank to get a loan anymore. You can submit your Lendgreen loan application from the comfort of your home using your computer or smartphone. Even phone calls make loan application and approval process be a lot simpler.

When forging steel or metal, there are three primary ways in which the forging process can go. However there are subsets to each of these forging processes, and in this article, we have taken the liberty to compile a list of the three (well, four really) forging styles out there as well as go over their unique subset styles to better understand how stainless steel corner guards are forged.

And here you may have thought it was a relatively simple procedure that involved very little to forge and create something with steel.

The 6 Forging Process Types For Creating Stainless Steel Corner Guards

# 1 – Impression Die Forging

This process is also known as closed-die forging as this process takes two metal alloys or the same metal alloy that has a specific imprint or die on their surface and brings them closer. This is a very versatile forging process as in this process a person can forge several metal alloys together.

# 2 – Cold Forging

The cold forging process is a very encompassing process in a sense there are several things that the steel or metal, must undergo before it is ready to take a form or take on a shape.

Some of the steps involved are:

• cold drawing
• cold heading
• coining
• punching
• extrusion
• thread rolling

and there are still other several procedures involved when creating the shape.

This is a rather lengthy process, as many of the other styles on this list. But the results are some of the most creative and most visually splendid steel designs to come across.

# 3 – Open Die Forging

This process is called the open die forging because it is not, the metal, confined laterally by impression dies during the whole forging process. In this process, the metal works by getting the metal to take on the firm of a particular shape.

# 4 – Seamless Rolled Ring Forging

The Seamless Rolled Ring Forging process takes the metal you want to forge and places it in a rolling process which fires the metal into a rectangular shape. In this state, it is much easier to form and bend the metal into whatever way you may desire.

This process of metal forging is excellent for:

•  energy generation
• mining
• aerospace
• off-highway equipment
• and other critical applications

# 5 – Press Forging

In this process, the forging process works by adding pressure to the metal. It is a rather slow process but a more versatile process as you can forge the metal while it is hot or while it is cold. This process, however, is by no means as fast as some of the other steel forging methods on this list.

# 6 – Upset Forging

This forging process is done in particular kinds of machines and is one of the most advanced ways to forge metal.

There Are Many Other Styles Of Forging

There are many other styles of forging, and it would be a good idea to do more research on forging as we are sure you will be blown away at the many different styles out there.

Industrial trash compactors are becoming increasingly necessary in industries that try to avoid having a lot of clutter from the waste material that they produce. It is very cost effective to have an industrial trash compactor to help with waste management. It is the business of any organization to ensure that they have enough space to expand and put other important materials and appliances.

Anyone that has ever seen a dump site knows that it is a complete waste of space that would otherwise have been used to do something productive. It is therefore important for industries and businesses to invest in industrial trash compactors to save on space and maximize profits. Here are the things that you should consider when looking for an industrial trash compactor.

When it comes to the issue of hiring a good office cleaning Toronto company, there are many things you need to look into. It is not always an easy task. But if you manage to do it right and land a great commercial cleaning company, you can end up developing a mutually beneficial partnership for many years to come. Here are some crucial questions that you need to ensure you have answered by the commercial cleaning company that you plan to hire.

1. Is The Staff Well Trained?

The level of service that the commercial cleaning company’s employees will offer depends entirely on the training they had. Plus, the tools that they use and how they use them are dependent on their employee training. That is why it is necessary that you ask this question. To know the level of service to expect the cleaning service workers to deliver.

2. Do They Have Insurance Cover?

Ensure that you only work with an office cleaning company that is not only insured, but also protects you should anything go wrong while their employees are working in your premises. Check for coverages like general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance, and the automobile liability insurance among others.

3. What Additional Services Do They Offer As An Office Cleaning Company?

It is critical that you also know of any other cleaning services that the office cleaning company offers aside from just mopping floors. Check whether they even clean windows, clean carpets, and any janitorial services.

4. What Is Their Years Of Experience?

Knowing the duration of the time that the office cleaning company has been in service is also an important factor to note. There is absolutely nothing wrong in dealing with a young cleaning business. But then, there are a lot fewer risks involved if you work with a cleaning company that has been in the business a lot longer and has an excellent cleaning record.

5. Rates and Charges?

This is the all-important question as it touches on finances. So, don’t just stick to knowing the rates. You can also ask why the company is charging such rates. Know exactly what you are going to be paying for; the kind of services they will offer, the number of workers they will allocate to work in your premises, etc.

6. Do They Have Referrals?

Great professional cleaning companies will always have referrals that you can use to assess the company’s work. So, unless you are the cleaning company’s first customer, ask for at least two or three referrals. You may learn valuable information from some of the references about the cleaning service.

7. Do They Have Partnerships With Other Companies?

This question will let you know whether the cleaning company has enough experience to work with your business. If they work with other companies in the same field as yours, the better. You will know that they can handle the job.

8. Will you have the same cleaner/s continually maintaining my facility?

It is also necessary to know whether you will be having new streams of cleaners coming into your business premises or just a few long-term cleaners. If the company offers long-term repeat cleaners, the better as they will have a better understanding of your facility as time goes by. So, they will be able to meet most of your requirements.

9. Do They Offer Weekend and/or Night Office Cleaning Services?

Part of the reason why you want to hire a commercial office cleaner, is so that you can have more time and energy to focus on your business. Making it unreasonable to hire a cleaning company whose employers can only work during office hours.

10. Do They Have Staff Supervision?

You also need to know whether the workers assigned to clean your offices will have a supervisor or someone who manages them. Someone who you can also report to in case of an issue. Look for a cleaning agency that actively oversees its workers and not waits until when there is a complaint to act.

As of now, it goes without saying that as time goes by, more and more people are venturing into the courier service more of package delivery. And with good reason as the services provided by most of the reputable courier Toronto services are just remarkable and have transformed a great deal. Thanks to technology and the changing times.

But then again, with more people and businesses now opting to use courier services, you also realize that more people and businesses end up getting tangled in simple mistakes that can lead to package delays. Sometimes, it may cost them their packages. It is for that reason that you are reading through this article today; looking for some of the costly mistakes that you can make when using the courier services and how to avoid them. Here is a list of some of the common mistakes to avoid.

1. Opting for The Cheapest

It is only natural to want to spend a few bucks on things like making a parcel delivery. But going for the cheapest courier service provider’s services can come sometimes work against you. In as much as cheaper services will look like a great deal, only look for, and use the courier provider that will deliver your parcel on time and undamaged.

2. Parcel Destination

It is also vital to check and know the location of the service provider that you intend to use. Most courier service providers claim that they do parcel deliveries globally. But some may not be honest with that statement. Some courier providers lack the necessary equipment and experience to do global parcel deliveries. Your parcel may end up being delivered late, damaged, or not delivered at all.

3. Choosing the wrong courier service provider

Not doing enough shopping around for the best courier service provider that delivers your type f parcel can also cost you. Remember, different courier service providers have specialized in different parcel deliveries. Courier service providers also offer different delivery options that if you do not look into, may affect your parcel delivery. Most courier service providers provide same-day deliveries, next-day deliveries, and even international services. But it is critical to note that not all of them offer these services. So, choosing a service provider who deals in same-day or next-day deliveries to deliver your package across the world will cause you some problems.

4. What Is The Level Of Service Delivery?

Like with any other industry, the level of professionalism in the courier service differs a lot. If you choose any courier service without checking their professionalism, you may end up using a service provider with a bad reputation and end up losing your parcel, or it gets damaged along the way. There is also the likelihood that it will not be delivered on time.

5. Considering The Different Costs

The courier service industry is an ever-growing business, and it is currently packed with hundreds of service providers to match the growing demand for the services. This makes the competition so stiff which also attributes to the significant difference in their rates. If you fail to utilize this option, then you may end up spending a lot of money to transport your package when you could do the same with another service provider offering lower rates.

 

For many businesses today there is a lot that is required of them. Not solely in the realm of offering amazing products but in the sense of responsibility. Many people view companies as the sole reason for many environmental problems across the planet, and that is not too farfetched an idea.

As a result, many businesses are now taking responsibility for their companies action, and this is a good thing. Even a small business can lead to doing something positive for the planet, and it can all start with their product packaging.

If you have a small business and are looking to do to something good for the environment then here in this list, we have taken the liberty to compile a list of six ideas that you can start to implement in your product packaging part fo your business.

6 Environmentally Great Ideas To Use In Your Product Packaging Designs

# 1 – Replant Trees

Now, this is something that many people can do, and this is something that many businesses, especially those that harvest wood for their products is doing nowadays. Planting trees are relatively easy, and more importantly, you give something back to mother earth.

Planting trees not only secure that the planet has enough trees to produce this fantastic thing called oxygen…which we need to survive, but it also is a great way to equal out the number of trees that are being planted against those that are being harvested.

# 2 – Donate To A Cause

A small percentage of the money you get from your marketing can be used for a cause that you think is worth fighting for. This will show your customers that your business is a good and decent business that has a purpose. And a company that has a cause can also influence others to take up that cause.

# 3 – Animal Cruelty-Free Objects

There is a growing consciousness amongst many people who are becoming ethical vegans. Whatever your product maybe if you are creating and producing them without harming or using animals that could also be a great thing for your comonay as many animal activists are becoming more prominent in society.

# 4 – Reusable Bottles

Manufacturing plastic bottles are not only devastating to the planet, look at how much plastic is dumped in the seas and oceans, it is also a huge waste of material and money. Giving your customers (as a gift) a reusable bottle can be a great gift and something you can make part of your business model.

# 5 – Recyclable Products

Much like our previous entry using recyclable products reduces the amount of material you need to use. There is a massive amount of sea and ocean pollution, and this is because many companies and people throw their materials away instead of reusing them.

# 6 – Raising Awareness

Simple. Raise awareness about the environment. You can leave a pamphlet or leave a little article on your website discussing how important it is to take care of the environment. You can also give tricks and strategies that people can use to help the environment.

The world has with it over 7 million professionals who are currently unemployed. Some have given up in life while others are still looking for work. If you fall into the unemployment category and are currently reading this article, then you must be looking for some of the traits that employers look or in new employee recruits. Majority of employers when using the Predictive Index and behavioral assessment when recruiting tend to look for specific skills. Well, luckily, you have come to the right place.

You need to realize that to most employers consider personality traits of their employees to be just as important as their technical skills. That being said, here are some seven personality traits that all employers usually look for and that you can use to increase your chances of landing a job in most businesses.

1. Can play well with others

Your ability to play well with others is one of the most vital personality traits that hiring managers are always looking for. It doesn’t matter if you are an expert at the job itself, if you can’t play well with the other employees then it doesn’t really matter.

You should know that often times, you realize that technical skills are far easier to tech compared to the interpersonal skills. Can you easily hold a conversation with your other employees while smiling and also positively interact with everyone else? If so, then you might have a couple of points over your competitors for the job.

2. Has integrity

 

Talking about integrity, you need to realize that it covers just about everything from knowing better not to lie in your resume or steal someone else’s lunch. Trust and integrity play among the most crucial deciding factors when it comes to improving your chances of winning a position in any business as a new employee.

3. Eagerness and capacity to learn

People will always tell you that there is no end to learning. And the same goes for your career as well. You will also come to realize that even the realistic hiring managers use this process to choose the best candidate, from their long list, especially if the position/s that they are looking to fill need industry knowledge. The actual capacity to also learn is crucial as well as you will realize that beyond the skills that you already have, there are other skills and functions in the business that you may not have been exposed to yet.

4. Persistence

Hiring managers are looking to find the candidates who have the persistence and dedication to want to tackle all and any challenge brought to them. This simply shows that you are a self-starter and that you won’t need to be constantly monitored and pushed to perform. A persistent employee should be able to look at a problem from many different angles and attempt to solve it no matter how hard it is.

5. Positive attitude

A candidate who has a positive and optimistic outlook towards work has a much higher chance of being hired and the rest be left out. Bad mouthing your previous bosses is a terrible mistake that you must never make an interview no matter what you are applying for.

6. Enthusiasm for the role

Being enthusiastic about the role that you are going to be offered is another bonus point when it comes to having a chance to be employed in a new business. Employers are looking for candidates who are eager to advance and have a career drive to want to achieve more within the business and role in the business they have been offered.

7. Loyalty and commitment

Hiring managers are especially looking for the candidates who have a strong potential of staying loyal and committed to the business for the long-term. No employer is looking to hire a job hopper which has become the new job norm in the past years.

Something quite ironic is how many businesses usually only wait until earth day to show or do something green. But the fact is that you really don’t have to wait this long. You can even opt to make your business go green permanently through effective business management consulting. Ultimately, you will realize that it actually makes a lot of business sense and promise a better business performance improvement.

You will find proof when you look at most of the businesses that have incorporated the earth-friendly practices and notice that they are more likely to increase staff productivity, improve their overall relationships with their clients and communities, and save money.

This article will be sharing with you eight ways you can use to make your business eco-friendly.

1. Gauge your current water and energy usage

It’s only natural that you need to take inventory of all your data and how far you’ve gone before you take any steps to try something new. An implementation consultant will help you to know exactly how far you’ve gone and how much you’ve achieved with the old way first. This way, you can easily know what works for you, and also compare how the new way, the green way can compare to the old way in terms of production, cost-efficiency, and just every other aspect of the business altogether.

2. Switch off unused appliances

Appliances that aren’t being used at the time always need to be turned off. Until up to the point where it will be needed. You should also try and incorporate this idea with your employees as well. Apart from making your business eco-friendlier, this step will also save you a lot of money which you would be wasting on unutilized energy. It’s also just plain common sense.

3. Put computers to sleep

Sometimes you may find that you can’t just turn off your computers simply because there are many unsaved data or other work-related stuff. But still, you can put them to sleep or hibernate them when they’re not in use.

4. Replace standard light bulbs

You can also decide to replace the standard light bulbs you are currently using the ones that are eco-friendlier like compact fluorescent or LED lights. These bulbs may be more expensive when you compare them to the standard ones but at the end of the day, they consume less energy plus last very long which, in turn, saves you a lot of money and electricity.

5. Power your office using alternative energy

There are many alternative sources of energy you can use to power your office like the solar power, geothermal, wind, plant matter, etc. which can all be used to generate green power. Switching to alternative power sources is a costly move but it ends up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Plus, it’s also eco-friendly.

6. Plant trees

You can help aid the green movement by planting trees as well and help reduce the amount of carbon levels in our environment. Trees absorb and use the CO2 and release the much needed oxygen. You don’t even have to be an expert gardener to plant a few trees around your office.

7. Use public transportation instead of other alternative transportation means

You can also try and reduce the number of vehicles plying the roads. It all starts with you and slowly other members of the company will follow suit. This is another simple way you can encourage an eco-friendlier environment.

8. Upgrade and donate

You will not only be helping mother earth but other members of the community in need. Upgrade all of your business appliances to their greener versions. After that, you can donate the older ones. It may be a costly process, but a much-needed one at that as it will save you money especially on maintenance at the end of the day.

Going green can be easy. You just have to put your mind to it and take the first step towards it and slowly see your fellow workers follow suit as well. You don’t have to everything at once. It can be a slow process aimed towards a greater goal.

It is every entrepreneur’s dream always to be as innovative and creative as possible and come up with new ideas that haven’t been discovered yet, but will contribute towards the well being of everyday human life. Thus, comes Elon Musk, an accomplished entrepreneur who believes he is self-driven and highly motivated to accomplish tasks, ideas, and routines from inspiring leaders. Elon explains that he even prioritizes his top three tasks every morning.

Elon Musk has identified some of humanity’s most pressing needs and will go down in the history books as the man who took steps towards attempting to save our already dying planet.

Musk has continued to challenge every other scientist’s and person’s perception of things and ideas which, otherwise, seemed to be “impossible” and made them possible and tangible.

Musk likes to get things done and done right for that matter. At only 17, he created a list of some of the things he believed would greatly impact human lives forever. The list entailed:

• The internet,
• Space exploration,
• Sustainable energy,
• Reprogramming human genetics,
• Artificial intelligence.

He is the founder of PayPal, which was the first ever online platform for all digital money transfers. He has an early interest in the internet.

Several years later, Musk would delve into space exploration, space industries, and automobiles. He founded three other companies; the Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity which have all become superstars in their fields. All of these companies were built for one sole purpose, and that was how they could create the needed change for humanity.

1. Space exploration

In 2002, Musk decided to launch a privately-funded venture which was commonly known as SpaceX and with all the success Musk has claimed in his space endeavors; you would be astonished at how he managed to do all these without any formal knowledge in rocketry training.

You can say Musk qualified himself using his gut instincts. So far, SpaceX has hit so many historic milestones and managed to come out victorious I the past 15 years since Musk founded the corporation. In December 2010, the company became the first privately owned corporation to complete, send and return a spacecraft to and from a low-earth orbit. Then only two years after that, the Dragon spacecraft flew to the ISS exchanged cargo for NASA and returned to earth safely. 

2. Space tourism

 

SpaceX has promised to have an unmanned tourist launch to the moon by late 2018 with an estimated $70 million price tag per seat.

3. Tesla Motors

This company, also founded by Elon Musk, also boasts its design for efficient electric cars. In 2003, the company launched in the Silicon Valley with one specific mission; to speed up the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

In 2012, Tesla Motors launched the Model S which was the world’s first electric sedan and was built to be 100% electric. Thanks to Musk, we now have cars that can run on batteries and the solar power energy which has greatly reduced the reliance on fossil fuels.

4. SolarCity

This corporation is set to speed up the process of identifying the use of renewable energy. It was founded by Musk in 2006 and is also set to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to run our daily machines.

You may not know it yet, but cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, New York, and many more cities in the United States are the best and most-established, booming startup scenes that every new business owner would dream to go to. But one major downside of this dream is that all these cities are super-pricey plus the competition is super-steep. One of the main features you have to pay much focus on when starting a new business is the business location. Where is your business going to be located?

What makes a business location attractive?

Nothing attracts young people more than seeing other young people around in the same location, explains Yang. Look at it from this perspective, Seattle wasn’t such a big name back then as it is now. Back before Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon, all big names which have helped it grow exponentially. In Chicago, you will see Groupon which helped it in its capacity to be where it is now regarding rank and location. But overall, Starbucks and Amazon are probably the best brands you can have around your business location.

Why any of these cities may be the next Seattle

1. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh harbors some big company names like Amazon, Google, and Uber which have all helped raise its name in the list significantly. You will also notice the upsurge of universities as well as the increase of driving workforce, which has also made Pittsburgh one of the greatest innovation hubs.

2. Indianapolis

The biggest skyscraper in Indy is about to be rebranded from Chase Bank to Salesforce. The company is currently still checking the tower, the shared workspaces and local retailers, and also the 800 new employees about to be employed in the skyscraper. Indy has also been listed as the 4th best city for all women when it comes to technology based on gender pay game, a study done by Financial tech company Smart Asset. It’s also a test market for the AT&T’s new 5G network. It is also Forbes’ best place for all renters in 2017.

3. Providence

Rhode Island has also managed to create some major investments when it comes to entrepreneurship. For example, it attached GE Digital in 2016, Virgin, Johnson& Johnson, and a renowned Cambridge Innovation Center. It has ranked the number one country for applying mathematics.

4. Columbus

Columbus is currently home to five fortunes 500 companies. It is also rapidly growing in the healthcare industry as well as major players like CoverMyMeds, CrossChx, and Cardinal Health based in this current location. This is the place to invest in and start a business while you still can.

5. Charleston

Charleston has consistently been ranked as one of the best cities in the world repeatedly. It is home to over 250 technology companies with a digital economy that also ranks highly. Studies have shown that this country attracts about 35 new people every day who are looking to invest and start businesses in the country.

6. Chiang Mai

Travel + Leisure named this city the second best in its list of the world’s best cities. Many ranking sites like Tech. Co and Forbes have made interesting cases of Chiang Mai. You can comfortably live on less than $500 a month while in this city of about 1.6 million citizens.