Five Market Research Tips From Stock Pros

Full Editorial on July 23, 2020

The stock market can be exciting and rewarding, but you need to make good decisions and be careful with market research to make investments that will pay off. It takes a lot of hard work to succeed in the stock market, but with dedication and hard work, you can make a lot of money in the stock market without taking unreasonable risks. Here are some tips to help you succeed.

Market Research Tips

1. Pick Index Funds Over Individual Stocks 

It can be exciting to pick out individual stocks to invest in, but the truth is, this is a perilous way to play the stock market. It is entirely possible that you will have a lot of success picking individual stocks, but the chances are that sooner or later, you’ll experience some significant setbacks. 

It is almost impossible for an individual person to anticipate all of the aspects that go into a business’s success or failure. You may think a company is doing great based on the variables that you’re aware of, but there could be variables that seem entirely unrelated that have significant repercussions for the company that you’ve invested in. 

For this reason, its best to choose index funds that diversify your investments. You can still choose a specific sector for your investment, but you won’t have to worry about the dramatic swings of individual stocks. 

2. Don’t Love Risk? Invest in Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are much safer than investing in individual stocks. These investments are simple, even uninteresting, but they’re perfect for casual investors who don’t want to take high levels of risk. No matter what kind of investment you make, you’ll be taking some risks, but mutual funds are much safer than other options. 

3. Look into Macro Research

Macro research takes much more data into account than most other forms market research. All kinds of data sets are considered to help researchers form an overall concept of the stock market at large and how world events shape any particular stock, stock index, or industry. 

Macro research offers some of the best of the stock market by considering all of the global aspects that go into how the stock market performs. 

Higher-Risk Market Research Tips

Do you want to make an investment that can pay off richly, even if you have to take a significant amount of risk? It can be a lot of fun to diversify your portfolio with a few risky investments. If they pay off, awesome. If not, you’ve already budgeted to lose the money. Here are some riskier investments that offer high returns. 

4. Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency has skyrocketed. As the world continues to become more globalized and commerce across the globe becomes more necessary to stay competitive, cryptocurrency offers an excellent opportunity for global commerce. 

You won’t have to worry about international fees, transaction fees, or exchange rates using cryptocurrencies. Even if you’re not interested in using it yourself, cryptocurrency can be a solid investment. Be sure you conduct crypto market research, preferably with the help of a professional, to choose the right cryptocurrency for you. 

5. Individual Stocks

Want to live dangerously? Choose a stock that you believe in and invest money that you can afford to lose. Cutting edge industries, local businesses, and companies that you love are great options for individual stock investments. 

Make The Stock Market Investments that Work for You

Make an investment with a risk level that you’re comfortable with, at a probability for payout that makes you feel confident. Whether you choose a mutual fund, an index fund, or take a risk with single stocks or cryptocurrency, enjoy investing. Working with a professional can help you pick a good direction to go with your investments and set your mind at ease when investing. 

3 Technologies Improving the Transportation Business

Full Editorial on July 9, 2020

Transportation businesses are in exciting times, as technology is making transportation safer, faster and more efficient. And when your business is delivering packages, supplies or goods, it’s even more important that technology is incorporated to lower accident risks and keep inventory safe.

Businesses are starting to incorporate the following technologies into their businesses to improve safety:

1. Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is the future of driving, and it connects vehicles through networks. Vast networks, in the future, will be able to impact our daily driving. Some of these technologies are already making transportation safer, and this is done through:

  • Route planning. The ability for GPS systems to determine the best route is helping many transportation businesses already. Google Maps, for example, is able to indicate when traffic is slow or accidents have occurred on a desired route. Head-up displays are also being offered to help direct drivers along routes.
  • Accident prevention. Sensors are being incorporated into vehicles, sensing danger and potential collisions to react to them. For example, vehicles can override the vehicle’s controls, stopping the vehicle if it detects an imminent collision. Lane change sensors are also identifying objects in a vehicle’s blind spot, allowing for safer lane changes and merging.

Collision detection systems, in 2009, were found to provide a 7% reduction in accidents for basic forward-collision warnings and a 14% to 15% reduction when automatic braking was provided.

Eventually, the Internet of Things will have vehicles that “talk” to each other, offering predictive measures to avoid accidents. A vehicle, operating in front of another may be able to alert vehicles around it that it needs to stop abruptly, causing all of the vehicles around it to react as needed to prevent a collision.

2. SmartDrive

SmartDrive is a distracted driving database with over 200 million risky driving events logged. The sensor is able to help businesses understand the behaviors of their drivers. Distracted driving killed 3,477 people and injured 391,000 in 2015, and SmartDrive is able to help dispatchers and drivers:

  • Identify risks
  • Identify hazards

How? The sensors use video and compare it to incidents within the database. Real-time data and alerts are provided to fleet managers so that they can take the appropriate actions in an attempt to stop an accident from occurring.

SmartDrive provides you, the business owner, with an insight into the driving habits of your workforce when you’re not around to watch over their every move.

3. Predictive Maintenance

Large-scale transportation businesses are starting to incorporate what is called “predictive maintenance analytics” into their fleets. IBM released a paper on the topic. Predictive maintenance is able to:

  • Reduce downtime
  • Anticipate service interruptions
  • Improve the quality of the maintenance performed
  • Enhance safety
  • Increase productivity

On the large-scale, preventative maintenance has been used on Italy’s railway operator Trenitalia. The railway moves 2 million passengers a day, and using predictive and dynamic maintenance models has helped decrease service and maintenance costs by 8% to 10%. Availability and reliability also increased.

While predictive maintenance may be a costly addition to a small transportation business, it’s an addition that can save large-scale transportation businesses a significant amount of money in maintenance and repair costs.

What Is The History Behind US Military Medals?

Full Editorial on June 29, 2020

America is the land of the free because of our military heroes. Throughout the entire history of the United States of America, soldiers have given everything in the name of the red white and blue.  

Chances are that you have also probably had an encounter with one of these heroes.  

While there are ways they are celebrated collectively, such as through designated public holidays, there are also ways in which the military awards individuals who define what being a hero is. 

What better way to commemorate an American hero than by giving them a physical representation of the gratitude America has for them. 

 US military medals are a way to honor both the individual and preserve the history of the military. 

Just like the history of the United States, the history behind these heroic medals is quite impressive and just as important to understand. 

So what exactly is the history behind these medals that you ned to know about?

When did awarding of US Military Medals begin?

For as long as the United States military has been around, it seems as if there have always been some sort of military medal to award individuals with. In fact, military medals in general have long been a part of history. Back in the day, before the United States of America existed, other civilizations would award their war heroes with necklaces, bracelets or leather lappets to display their heroism. 

In America, military medals were first formally recognized by the first US President George Washington, who created the Purple Heart to honor soldiers who were injured in combat during the American Revolution. But medals of merit in the military only really became established during the American Civil War.  

Why do soldiers where their US Military Medals?

Back in the day, soldiers often wore their decorations on the left side of their uniform to act as a shield to protect their heart. However, it was not until the Spanish American War where military medals were authorized to become part of the official US Military uniform. 

When did US Military ribbons replace US military medals?

It is no surprise that military medals are big and take up quite a bit of space. And, they are heavy. By World War 1, the US military started replacing medals with ribbons to showcase honor and valor from combat. Not only did it allow for more to be worn but made the uniform look much tidier. From there, the ribbon bar became a thing, with a different ribbon bar representing different achievements. 

Are US Military Medals still important today?

Absolutely! Today, the medals and ribbons that a soldier wears mark their status in the military and give others a quick snapshot of their rankings and accomplishments. Even for those that are no longer serving, it is common to see them still proudly display their decorations to show the dedication they had to their service and their pride in the US Military. Some members even have so many awards that when they wear their entire collection on their uniform, they are told they are wearing a “scrambled egg and fruit salad”. 

A soldier fights long and hard before being awarded a coveted colored medal or ribbon. Each one has a special significance for their service, but all represent the incredible sacrifice they have made for their country and fellow citizens.  Getting a medal is not an easy task and is one of the proudest honors an American can receive. 

US Military Medals are a cherished part of the country that go out to the most deserving people and should be preserved with dignity and respect forever.

What are the NFL Free Pick Predictions?

Full Editorial on June 28, 2020

The NFL is easier one of the world’s most popular leagues to bet on. Thousands if not millions of fans cheer for their favorite teams and star players throughout the seventeen-week regular season and all the way through one of the most important and heavily anticipated events of the year: The Super Bowl. 

With the advent of live streaming and online betting on the rise, the NFL is more accessible than ever to bettors. In fact, with states beginning to pass measure to legalize sports gambling, it is only going to grow in popularity over time. 

With that being said, there are many people entering the exciting world of sports betting but unfortunately have no clue as to what they are getting themselves into. They have not the slightest idea as to what a point spread is or how it is made, they are unaware of the different kinds of bets you can make before and during a game, and they have no understanding on how to manage their money – yikes! 

In addition, many novice bettors do not realize that they can get their hands on free pick predictions, but what exactly are they? If you are interested in learning a thing or two about NFL sports betting, then stay with us and keep reading below. 

What is The Point Spread?

Before we go any further, it is very important that we first cover the basics: the point spread. An individual who sets the line or point spread is known as an oddsmaker. The oddsmaker is responsible for always setting an opening line, which is simply just a number that he or she thinks is the fairest value that will get equal action from both sides. These highly trained professionals that study every aspect of the game inside and out are usually successful at setting a number that gets a little bit of money from each side. Once the oddsmaker sets the number, the public will begin to put money on a side which tends to influence the line, especially if a lot of dough is going towards one specific play. But if you are new to betting, how do you know where to place your bet?

What is an NFL Handicapper?

Sports handicapping is simply the practice of gamblers and spectators trying to predict the outcome of a game to place a winning bet. NFL handicappers are essentially betting geniuses that live, eat, and sleep all things NFL. If you are new to placing bets, it might be a good idea to explore working with a handicapper. These specialists understand point spread and will measure the probabilities between two teams to help you place a strong bet. In addition to providing you with the knowledge needed for a successful betting season, great handicapping services tend to offer perks such as free picks predictions for being a client.

Free Picks Predictions

There are dozens of ways to bet on the NFL whether you are talking about point spreads, player props, parlay tickets, over unders, daily fantasy sports or even scoreboard squares – betting options are limitless. However, if you are new to the scene, it might be a good idea to start with NFL free picks predictions prior to diving in headfirst. By doing this, you can get your feet wet without robbing the bank! Free picks predictions are essentially betting tips given to amateur sports bettors from professional sports handicappers. Look for a company that has a high success rate and good reviews to make sure you are not wasting your efforts. 

Gambling on your favorite NFL teams and players is fun! If you are thinking about exploring the vast world of NFL betting, we suggest starting with free picks predictions until you get the hang of things!

Presentation Skills Training For Successful Business Leaders

Full Editorial on June 12, 2020

If you want to be a successful business leader, then yo u are going to need to dedicate yourself to developing many skills. Things such as raising capitol, managing your finances , and presentation skills are all abilities that you must become proficient in. Unfortunately, many young entrepreneurs are ill-prepared when it comes to giving presentations. Because of this, their venture struggles because they are unable to deliver a speech that helps them with investors or at the major conferences.

Imagine this…A successful looking entrepreneur strides confidently into a conference room, sets up a tri-fold display and a flip chart, boots up his laptop and checks to be sure the projector equipment in the room works with his laptop’s software. He watches confidently as people begin to enter the room because he is positive he has a fantastic looking presentation and he is more than prepared to give it.

Another entrepreneur rushes into a conference room at the last minute and fumbles to set up his presentation in front of an impatient audience. His props look more like a grade school project than business materials and, after twenty minutes of struggling with the projector equipment, he finally makes a halting start on his presentation. 

Obviously, even if his ideas weren’t as good, the first entrepreneur made a much better impression on his audience. However, all is not lost. Presentation skills training can help the second entrepreneur give better presentations in the future. According to the Coaching Institute, when business owners invest in coaching and training, they are more likely to succeed than those who do not.

Presentation Skills for Nervous Speakers

Some small business owners can make amazing charts and put together fantastic PowerPoint presentations. No matter how much they practice their presentations, though, these business owners are not confident public speakers and don’t have the skills they need to get their ideas across to their audiences. For these people, public speaking skills training could make a big difference.

Public speaking classes are available at community colleges, universities and business schools worldwide. According to the professional public speaking website Keynote Speaker, a business person looking for public speaking classes that will help improve his or her presentation skills should look for classes through a business school or a seminar geared toward business people. 

However, if no business classes are available locally, he or she will still be about to learn general public speaking skills in classes geared toward college students who aren’t going into the business field.

Visual Presentation Skills Training

Even the smoothest speaker needs a few props to get his or her point across. If someone who works in a big corporation lacks the skills to put together a wonderful presentation, he or she can just pass the job on to someone else.

Unfortunately, since most small businesses have a handful of employees, if any, this isn’t always an option for many entrepreneurs. This means that knowing how to make their own visual presentations is essential. Besides the traditional colleges and seminars, busy business owners can try taking online training or can contact their local public library to see if classes on using presentation software are available.

Once entrepreneurs who decide that they need to brush up on their presentation skills begin to look for help, there are many training options. They can find the help they need on local college and university campuses, through business schools and seminars, or even on DVDs.

Tips on Dealing With Speaking Jitters

Full Editorial on June 11, 2020

If you want your business to be recognized in a crowded field that is saturated with hundreds of new startups each day, then you are going to need to learn the art of public speaking. It’s no secret that many CEO’s and thought-leaders are turning to the stages of TED or attending major conferences in their industry to give a presentation so they can position themselves as an authority.

However, many entrepreneurs will not seek this opportunity because they are deathly afraid of giving a public speech. In fact, 75% of the public are afraid of speaking in public mostly because they don’t want to make a mistake or be seen as incompetent. We recently interviewed Chris Johnson of the professional speaking website MotivationalSpeakerz.com and asked him about this and here is what he had to share with us:

To the average person, says Johnson, “Apart from poisonous snakes, making public speeches is the most frightening thing in the world.”

Johnson confesses that he remains nervous even after having made hundreds of speeches and presentations. However, he is not quite as nervous as he used to be. He says: “The only people who don’t seem to be nervous, in my experience, are those who are the most tremendous bores.”

Hints From Johnson on Clinching a Sales Presentation

Nerves are not only common, they are natural. As a matter of fact, nerves appear to improve the quality of presentations. Nerves are a manifestation of the fact that the presenter cares. And because he cares, he tries harder.

So how can the presenter learn to live with his nerves and minimize the stress? Johnson describes three ways:

  1. “First, remember that no client comes in hoping to see a poor presentation of lousy work. He is looking forward to seeing a good presentation of excellent work. So he is not to be feared.
  2. Second, unquestionably the best way to combat nerves: be better prepared. Whenever I am going to make a presentation I have rehearsed in my mind several times how it is going to go. I even go to the extent of visualizing the audience’s reaction (which is always enthusiastic!).
  3. And third, get mentally prepared and do whatever you can to create a positive mindset. I enjoy reading positive and quotes from websites like Motivation Ping as I find that they put me in the right frame of mind before giving my presentation.

I have anticipated all the things that might go wrong. I have considered what I will do if the audience turns out to be difficult in some way. I will have reflected on the type of people that are going to attend. I will have mastered my material.

 Finally, I find it useful to spend a little time – maybe only three or four minutes – on my own, to compose myself.”

Treat the Creative Work with the Respect it Deserves

Nerves are bad for the creative work too. Johnson says that the presenter must not “rattle” his way through a piece of work. After all, it’s the creative work that tends to get clients excited. It is the physical manifestation of everything they have paid out and will pay out money for. Therefore, the creative work must get it its due.

If creative work is good, then it can stand a fair degree of explanation as to why. If the ad executive who is making the presentation cannot explain why, then maybe he hasn’t thought things through properly; or, even worse, the work just doesn’t make sense.

How to Deal with Presentation Nerves

Although it is natural to be nervous before a presentation, it is a good sign as the nervous presenter tries harder to succeed. Chris Johnson shares two tips on how to conquer presentation nerves.

The first one is to remember that the client is not some kind of monster. He is only eager to see some great creative work since he is paying for it.

Secondly, the presenter should be fully rehearsed and prepared.