How will AR Technology Disrupt the Workplace?

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geoffrey-byruch-arAugmented Reality (AR) is an extension of Virtual Reality (VR) that has taken its own form. You can view digital information on top of the real world, such as placing a screen with extra details about a sign or a product while still seeing the real world on your screen. 

AR is all about delivering information with ease, but what specific benefits are out there? Here are a few ways that AR will disrupt the workplace as we know it.

Warehouse Management Made Easier

Where should this box go? Which aisles have which products? Even though robotics are also disrupting warehousing, there are still times when a manual, human touch is needed.

To figure out where certain items are in a warehouse, you either need a map or a catalog of some sort for reference, or a lot of time to get familiar with the layout. With AR, you get a much better reference.

Instead of constantly looking up and down at a plain text reference or a map that needs to be confirmed, an AR screen can display the location and details in real-time. An example AR technique would be to tap or click a device to open more information.

You could search for an item and get a map on the screen that would point in the right direction. You could also select an object or area in front of you to see what is stored or to see information about the object.

Training and Quality Control During the Job

When working on a job, visual cues are important. Knowing where to cut, drill, place items, or otherwise manipulate the work can be boosted with AR.

AR designers would be able to create a virtual display of the work, and show the worker how they should move with the task. This can use both VR and AR, since the image can either be moving and virtual or simply a still image to follow.

When a worker sees how it should be done, they can make an attempt and compare the final results. Step-by-step videos can be played on screen as well, as AR can inspire other technology areas to create other ways to help workers.

For more information on AR’s benefits to the workplace, contact a business technology consultant.

Tips For Leading A Multigenerational Team

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Employees representing different generations often do not agree on many subjects and ideologies. However, occasionally, individuals of varying ages need to work in conjunction to perform certain tasks or complete specific projects. Leading a team of persons comprised of the old, young and middle-aged can prove challenging. However, the task might be easier provided the leader adheres to the following suggestions:

Do Not Assume

Executives overseeing multigenerational employees are strongly cautioned to avoid rendering preconceived assumptions. Age differences amongst employees does not guarantee that staff members are incapable of working together. Leaders should allow relationships to develop and execute adjustments when circumstances warrant.

Embrace Differences

Effective employers of multigenerational staffs will encourage the embracement of differences. Employees, like people in general, are different. Reputable leaders realize that the differences people possess can prove valuable in any number of ways. Effective executives will also convince staff members to accept each other’s differences for the good of the team.

Establish Common Ground

Everyone possess differences and similarities. Unfortunately, however, the discrepancies are typically the viewpoints that garner the most attention. Successful multigenerational team leaders will instead focus on establishing common ground. There is a good chance that all employees share similar aims such as the desire to perform well, reaching specific goals, being part of a successful team and advancing in their careers. Executives who foster an environment where these commonalities are stressed stand a greater possibility of helping individuals of varying ages see past their differences and demonstrate a willingness to work together.

Promote Communication

It is understandable that frustration and confusion might develop amongst groups comprising different ages and other backgrounds. That said, effective leaders will foster an environment where communication is encouraged. In many instances, providing employees a forum to voice their concerns brings festering issues to the forefront but also increases the possibility of identifying viable solutions to such issues. On a simpler scale, communication is often the first step to forging relationships, especially amongst people with differing backgrounds.

Respect The Contributions Of All Parties

Many people, successful leaders included, might fall into the trap of valuing one employee’s contributions over another. For example, an older superior might trust the word and opinion of seasoned employees more than younger staff members. Such actions could precipitate resentment and greater divide. This potentially harmful pitfall can be avoided by valuing everyone’s contributions.

Entrepreneurship Trends: 2020

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As we move into 2020 and begin to cast an eye to the future of entrepreneurship there are a few principles that nobody can afford to overlook. The rise of AI, growing concerns over climate change and the ability of the market to respond to shifting political and economic realities are all influences that every industry will have to address. Whether these represent challenges or opportunities for you and your business in 2020 and beyond will depend on how you plan. Keep an eye on these trends as you move forward.

Specialization
The era of the big, sprawling business model is coming to a close. Businesses that hope to be able to weather the storms that come with shifting economies and rapidly changing political situations will need to do so by focusing on one or two things with laser precision. In order to maintain growth while playing it safe, businesses are forced to find ways to remain light on their feet.

Optimization
Increasingly, entrepreneurs are using technology to trim the budget and make their operations run more efficiently. This trend doesn’t show any signs of abating, going into 2020. For entrepreneurs that means utilizing technology to make your operation more responsive, less wasteful, and cheaper to operate than traditional start-ups. This includes using productivity software that allows your team to collaborate more efficiently, regardless of their geographic location.

It’s not all tech.
Not every great idea or exciting start-up comes from somebody who knows how to code. While learning to code is still a useful and lucrative skill, increasingly we are seeing crossover partnerships in which great thinkers are pairing up with great programmers, engineers, or otherwise tech-savvy people to create flourishing businesses. Entrepreneurs shouldn’t feel wedded to IT or AI. Sometimes simple, analog thinking is the most revolutionary and sustainable way to go.

Finally, the future seems to be increasingly including AI, and that can make some people nervous. While the increased use of AI in almost all industries is a trend that entrepreneurs will have to contend with, it also offers its own set of opportunities. AI is more than a trend, it’s a conversation that the world is having about the future to work.

Three Ways To Become A Better Leader In The Next Decade

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Every year, like clockwork, millions of Americans make essentially the same 5-10 New Year’s Resolutions. Getting in shape, eating healthier, saving money or spending less tend to make the top of the list year after year. This year, however, why not think outside the box and resolve to be a better leader? Here are three ways to become a better leader in the next decade.

Use technology

Being a good leader means setting a good example. That includes things like being on time to important meetings and remembering important dates without prompting from others. Actually using the organizational and time-management tools that technology offers can help you rely less on others to remind you of things in order to set a better example for them instead.

Seek out both negative and positive feedback

There is no doubt that we all love hearing about all the things we do right but not very many people have the same desire to hear about all the things they do wrong. If you don’t know what you are doing wrong, however, you can’t fix it. There is no improvement without negative feedback. While positive feedback may feel good, negative feedback may actually be far more valuable. That being said, you also have to develop a thick skin to allow you to absorb negative feedback without allowing it to weigh you down or make you feel like a miserable failure. Feedback is what you make of it. If you learn to think of feedback more like the results of a medical test and less like a personal attack on your worth and value as a person, you will be able to use the feedback you get far more effectively.

Learn to speak less and listen more

The longer you live, the more experience you gain. The more experience you gain, the more valuable your opinion becomes. The more valuable your opinion becomes, the more tempting it can be to offer it every chance you get. It is important to remember, however, that no matter how educated your opinion may be, it is still just an opinion. In addition, there will never come a time when you have learned everything there is to learn nor to have made every mistake there is to make. The more you learn to listen, the more you learn. Not only that but listening can actually help you benefit from the mistakes of others so you don’t have to make them all yourself.

Stop Believing These Myths About Online Marketing

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geoffrey-byruch-onlineYou keep up to date with researching digital marketing. You are trying your best to get it all right. But could some things you’re doing be hurting your business instead of helping it? It’s more comforting to believe that would be impossible, but we all know how easy it is to spread misinformation on the internet. Not only that, but a lot of the things we read are outdated. Or simply believed by someone who had success with it one time and didn’t understand that it was a fluke. 

There is a famous quote from Mark Twain where he says that it’s not the things people are ignorant to that are the problem, but the things we think we know that aren’t true. 

Before this thought makes you panic, it will be okay. The more you know, the better you can run your business. Everyone is bound to fall into traps with misinformation at some point. Digital marketing is a lot of test work until you find the things that work for our business. 

If you’re struggling to make progress, it’s time to question some of these digital marketing myths and change your tactics going forward. 

“Social Media Doesn’t Matter For My Business”

A lot of people mistakenly believe that social media only matters in some industries. In fact, social media is becoming more important to customers. If it’s important to your customers, then it’s important to your business. 

“Search Engine Optimization Is a One Time Job”

A lot of people want you to believe that you can hire an SEO expert to go over your website once and then be done with messing with it. In fact, the algorithms search engines use to determine your page rank are updated daily. You website should have new content added to it regularly, that will also need to be optimized. The best way to get the most of your SEO efforts is to analyze how effective they’ve been and then tweak your site to continue getting better results. 

“Content Doesn’t Matter”

Despite how often digital marketing experts say that content is king, many believe that doesn’t apply to their business. It applies to every website. Yes, yours too. Content marketing is essential for visibility and reaching your audience. 

“If It’s Not Perfect, Don’t Post It”

You certainly want your site to be good and represent your business well, but perfectionism isn’t necessary, especially because we can only guess at what perfect is. Come up with something that works, post it, and then test it. Your data will tell you if you should do more.

“People Don’t Buy On Mobile”

This is one of the most important digital marketing myths to stop believing. You should optimize your website for mobile. You should think about mobile users every step of the way. More users are relying on their tablets and phones than ever before and the trend is only growing. Yes, they are converting while on their mobile devices. If they are on their phone, they want to easily be able to fill in your forms and complete a purchase on your site without having to switch devices. Always make it easy for your customers to convert.

 

Diligence and Innovation: A Brief History of Entrepreneurship in the US

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geoffrey-byruch-rushBartering and sales comprise the cultural fabric of the USA. Early in our lives, we look for one another’s strengths and unique qualities that indicate talent and interest. This is what one will bring to the negotiation table and exchange it for dollar bills. Then, the currency is spent on improving skills whereby one can eventually charge a premium price. The entrepreneur takes this exchange to the next level still.

Recognizing others’ positive regard for their talent, skill, or invention, the entrepreneur develops a plan to expand reception for greater profits. Several well-known developments identify this spirit of innovation and determination; the Gold Rush of 1849, the Wright Brothers’ airplane and Henry Ford’s automobile assembly line.

~ Gold Rush of 1849 ~ New Jersey carpenter James Wilson Marshall, while working at the Sutter Mill in what would become Sacramento, California, discovered gold nuggets. Throughout 1849, hopefuls traveled from all over the world to try their luck at finding some for themselves and became known as the ’49ers. By 1850, the surface land was practically depleted of the gold rendering it unreachable by commoners’ means. By then, the population of the area had soared.

Many industrious individuals and families who may not have dug up a golden nugget, managed to successfully plant roots for their own businesses that catered to the daily needs of the lucky ones and the determined. The Gold Rush of 1849 lends testament to the entrepreneurial snowball effect when people pursue a promising venture.

~ WRIGHT BROTHERS ~ The Wright Flyer successfully sailed the winds for 59 seconds on December 17, 1903. It was the product of years of toil and experimentation by Wilbur and Oliver Wright and many others around the globe who had tried during similar periods, answering the call to contests and challenges no doubt engendered by venture capitalists of their day. Production, research and development and sales were nothing new to the Wright brothers. Though neither of the two finished high school, they had jointly owned a news publication and a bicycle repair shop that they had established themselves. They also sold their own bike model. They later relocated to Paris, France where they fulfilled orders for their plane for a price.

~ MODEL-T FORD ~ Henry Ford, T.A. Edison’s next door neighbor in Florida, produced his first assembly line vehicle on December 01, 1913. Fittingly enough, his innovative idea developed from observing the processing of slaughtered animals for human consumption and wheat grain processing; namely, the assembly line format and the conveyor belt, respectively. Because it was the first Ford vehicle built on the assembly line, the Model-T Ford became the most abundant and the most popular. Its initial price was $850 and it was only available in black. Henry’s goal was to make it available to a wider market share by producing more of them without compromising quality.

Changes in Online Marketing Strategy Since 2010

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geoffrey-byruch-marketing2010In a world where digital marketing updates every day, how could you create an effective marketing strategy? Since 2010, several changes have transformed digital media, which led many businesses to disappear.

There have also appeared success stories from entrepreneurs who adapted to the new program grew even more. These are the major updates that have changed paid advertising and content marketing, and we are explaining how you can use them for your advantage.

Advertising Tool Modifications

Before 2010, there weren’t as many marketers as they are today. You could post any information with the right keywords, and Google would position your page with little advertising required.

Even though this no longer happens today, it is not necessarily a problem as long as your company is differentiated enough. Email marketing is the sector that has experienced the most intense changes for the last nine years, increasing the price of customer acquisition ridiculously.

What if we could drop the advertising costs again?

Digital marketing will not go away, and going backward is not an option. What we can try is reducing competition to almost zero.

The way lead-generators work today has changed into a model more beneficial for the customer in the long term. Depending on the connection established with the visitor, it may become a recurrent customer that pays you off after a certain time.

You can use this as an advantage to beat new sellers by knowing what the average ROI of your email list is. This information is a reference to set your advertising budget and outbid the competition.

Content Marketing As The Top Priority

Content Marketing is the invisible force that generates leads for your email lists, followers for your social media, traffic for your website, and sales for your company.

You can create these connections with your visitors by sharing content that looks interesting, includes useful information, and interacts with the reader.

The newest trends in content marketing will be the creation of online social communities, online video streaming for mostly Q&As, games, and surveys, among others.

For long-term strategies, the best content is the one that makes the visitors experience better with every new visitor that discovers your brand.

Debunking Common Myths About Entrepreneurial Leadership

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geoffrey-byruch-mythsWhether you are an entrepreneur or not, limiting beliefs can stop us from being successful. Most of these statements are not easy to prove wrong, which keeps some entrepreneurs stuck in their careers.

How many times have you heard this expression? ‘Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you are right.’

We base our actions on the perception of ourselves, which depends on our beliefs. We will present some of the most popular statements that struggling entrepreneurs make, so you can avoid them and build your empire.

Leaders Shouldn’t Show Expose Their Weaknesses

People know that nobody was born being perfect. Yet, we use to see experts as someone who doesn’t have to improve their skills anymore. If a master makes questions and listens to others, he could not be a leader. It cannot be further from the truth.

People who have fewer flaws are the ones who have exposed many problems over their careers. Being an entrepreneur involves exposing fifty weaknesses at the same time. The person who solves the biggest problems becomes the leader.

An expert has to reinvent oneself and spot his weaknesses before a competitor comes and outworks him.

Entrepreneurs work in the business

Working in the business is quite common among beginner entrepreneurs, who are working on the service in person. The problem with this approach is the lack of leverage. Each person has a customer capacity to deliver the best quality results. Since resources are limited, any customer acquired after that limit will make the customer experience worse.

You should work on your business as a CEO, which involves using your capacity to lead a team of experts. Qualified human resources and automated software have almost limitless capacities, being able to serve as many clients as necessary.

In short, the executive leads the team, and the team offers the service to the public.

There can only be one leader

The purpose of every leader should be turning the team members into leaders for their own team. If the entrepreneur wants extraordinary results, the team should not limit to follow the fixed objectives. It is vital to have leadership values such as initiative, over-delivering, communication, and management.

The Importance of Transparency in Entrepreneurship

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There are many factors that go into having successful entrepreneurship. Aside from time and dedication, there must be a large degree of transparency. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to be completely open about your business’s performance, history, motivations, operations, and other information. Offering more transparency in these areas encourages consumers and even investors to be more loyal:

 

Social Media Transparency

One of the easiest and most convenient platforms to be transparent with consumers is social media. This is the best place to share personal thoughts and ideas to connect with consumers. Social media is also a great platform to learn of the likes and dislikes of those interested in your products or services. Nowadays, many people use social media platforms for questions, comments, and reviews. By having an active role in your social media platforms, you are better able to access the wants, needs, and constructive criticism.

 

Transparency From Within

Although remaining open and honest with consumers is very important, it’s equally imperative to be transparent from within your business. If your employees don’t feel the company is transparent with them, then they’ll have a hard time portraying transparency to the marketplace. Be open about the progress, risks, and opportunities of the company. This will encourage employees to be transparent and passionate about business operations to consumers. 

 

Distrusting Corporate Business

Over the years, the public has grown a bit distrusting of corporations. Many don’t feel corporations are often completely honest with their customers. To aid this, it’s important for businesses to gain back their trust. In order to do this, it’s imperative to be as transparent as possible. As an entrepreneur, you need to show that your main goal isn’t just about making a profit and make it a point as to why customers should trust your business. 

 

Make Information Available

In today’s day and age, everyone expects information to be available in seconds. If information about your company isn’t available with just a few clicks on their laptop or phone, customers will be less interested in your business and feel you have something to hide. In order to avoid customer distrust, be as open as possible and have your businesses information at the ready. 

As transparency becomes a larger demand in entrepreneurship, many more companies must make it a priority. The future of business will see companies becoming more open about their operations and motivations, building greater trust with their partners, investors, and customers.

Handle Entrepreneurial Stress like a Professional

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geoffrey-byruch-stressIn being an entrepreneur, you have to learn to juggle many different ideas, projects, and tasks all at the same time. This must all be done while you are also trying to build up your own company and create success within your business. One of the significant issues that come into play when entrepreneurs are dealing with multiple things at one time is stress.

Stress is something that hits us all in different ways when we have too much on our plate. The way we handle stress is essential to whether we are successful or not. Not managing your stress can lend itself to a great deal of failure in the entrepreneurial world, and your business will suffer because of it.

Understanding the effects of stress and what causes stress are the first steps to success and also healthily dealing with stress. When you are stressed, your mind automatically begins to think negatively and therefore, shuts down the possibilities of innovation and utilizing your brain to its full capacity. The best thing you can do is realize you are indeed stressed and make a choice to think positively with a small amount of stress. This way, you will continue making plans and ideas that will push yourself and your company forward.

Another way to handle your stress is by removing unnecessary worry. A lot of times, entrepreneurs and business leaders take on a lot at once, and many times, they worry about things that are out of their control. Take the time to make a list of everything that is currently on your mind and stressing you out. Then go through and either delegate things to others or shift your focus from the things that aren’t yours to handle to the issues you can personally deal with.

Instead of continuing to take on project after project or even more clients than your company can handle, just to grow your business, only take on what you can complete right now. If your business is not ready for the influx of clients, then do not take the extra work onto your plate. The same goes for projects. Learn to delegate and take work off of your plate and give it to others who have the extra time to do it. This removes the continued downward spiral of work piling up on top of the work that is already there. It will also help to remove that stress for you.