Category: Content

Covid-19 has affected the way we work. Working from home or remotely is nothing new since technology has allowed it to be more mainstream. Many companies moved to have employees work remotely to save on overhead and expand their hiring pool before the unprecedented pandemic sheltering measures were in place. Working from home can significantly benefit both the employee and the employer, but as with anything, there are advantages and disadvantages to working remotely. Here are four advantages and disadvantages to working remotely.

Higher Attendance Rates

Working from home has higher attendance rates due to the normal reasons people can’t come into work being removed. Whether it be an illness that has you feeling okay enough to work but could be contagious to others or having to take care of your kids at home, working remotely removes these as work obstacles. Due to the removal of stressful morning routines and commutes, people are happier and more ready to work. Along with that comes the disadvantages of having distractions and being pulled away from work to deal with them since you are in the home, but that can be overcome with some discipline and boundary setting.

Higher Production

Those in the workforce often produce more and higher quality when they are comfortable in their work environment, and working from home can provide that comfort. However, if you get too comfortable, you may start finding yourself losing your motivation. It is imperative that if you work from home, you have a place to do, which is separate from your household. It is also important that though you should dress comfortably, you should also steer away from pajamas or what you lounge around in when binge-watching your favorite series. Your mentality has a delicate balance between production and shut down, and you need to be mindful of it.

Tax Breaks

You can write a portion of your bills off on your taxes when you work from home. This could mean more money in your pocket at tax time. This tax cut can be especially true if you use your equipment and supplies though many companies still provide equipment and supplies to those working from home. To take advantage of these tax breaks and write-offs, you should hire a professional accountant or tax preparation expert. These professionals will ensure you get the maximum tax benefits and write-off from working at home. Even if you use company equipment and supplies, you can write off part of your mortgage or rent, utilities, and internet services. 

Saving Money

There are several ways you can save money by working at home. The first and most apparent savings in gas money due to the lack of daily commute. You will also save on lunches and clothing allowances. You can also save money on your yearly budget when you can write off your household costs. While you will save money by working remotely, you have to ensure you don’t gain in other ways. You need to watch your health as being at home can make you eat more and be less active. So it would be best if you focused on discipline when it comes to your health, or you can find yourself gaining weight or getting into unhealthy habits.

More Time with Loved Ones

Not working in an office will give you much-needed time with your family and loved ones as you will interact with them when you take breaks. You will also get more time by cutting out the commute, which in some cases adds an hour or two to their workday. It is shown that time with loved ones is good for mental health and overall happiness. The only disadvantage is that you may not get some much-needed breaks from your family or loved ones we all need on occasion. So while this is an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage depending on who you cohabitate with and how they fit into your life. 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

A subprime mortgage contract is one that is ordinarily given to borrowers with low FICO scores. These loans are used when a traditional home loan isn’t offered because it sees the borrower as having a more likely than-normal risk of defaulting on the credit. Loaning establishments charge interest on subprime contracts faster than on prime home loans to make up for conveying more risk. These are regularly movable rate contracts (ARMs) too, so the financing cost can conceivably increment at determined focuses as expected.

Subprime doesn’t refer to the financing costs regularly connected to these home loans yet instead the FICO rating of the individual taking out the home loan. Borrowers with FICO financial assessments under 600 will regularly be left with subprime contracts and their relating higher loan fees. It tends to help individuals with low FICO ratings to hang tight for a while and develop their financial records before applying for a home loan so that they may fit the bill for prime credit.

The financing cost of a subprime contract relies on four variables:

• FICO rating
• The size of the initial installment
• The number of late installment wrongdoings on a borrower’s credit report
• The kinds of misconducts found in the report

A subprime mortgage is a loan to buy a house, specifically for borrowers who do not meet the standard mortgage criteria. Subprime is a description of the creditor, and is an indicator of poor credit ratings, usually 600 and following. Prime customers describe borrowers with a credit rating of 700 and above.

Because of the higher risk with low credit scores, mortgage lenders charge higher interest rates on a subprime mortgage than on a standard mortgage. Although there is no competition in this industry, the rates are consistently higher than those available in traditional financing.

Within the subprime mortgage industry, two product lines are exclusive to this market; Adjustable-rate mortgages and 100% financing. An adjustable-rate mortgage is when the initial interest rate is close to first for a certain period. After that time, the rate increases for the rest of the life of the mortgage. The options are 28.02 – two years at an introductory interest rate and 28 years at a higher rate – or three years at a lower rate and 27 years at the highest rate.

Borrowers often plan to repair their credit during the two or three years of the lower interest rate and then refinance with a traditional lender before the higher rate comes into effect. Credit scores can be improved by maintaining a good payment history, paying bad debts, or allowing time to pass bankruptcy, or the proposal of consumers to be removed from the report.

The mortgage financing at 100% allows the borrowers to make no payments but instead finance the mortgage’s total cost. It will enable borrowers who cannot save the minimum deposit of 5% of the purchase price to buy a house.

Although not unique in the subprime mortgage industry, longer terms have increased the number of borrowers who qualify for mortgages. A traditional mortgage is in the U.S. it is 25 years old. However, lenders have offered mortgage terms up to 40 years to reduce monthly payments to an affordable amount for a larger group of borrowers. This long-term significantly increases interest payments throughout the life of the mortgage.

Subprime mortgages have a higher default rate than standard mortgages. Besides, subprime mortgage lenders often charge additional rates to qualify and include buyout clauses. A penalty is due should the mortgage be paid ahead of time by refinancing with another company at a lower interest rate.

The subprime mortgage industry aggressively markets its products to consumers. A common practice is to blanket a specific neighborhood with information and sales presentations aimed at consumers who are unaware of their credit score.

Well-qualified buyers can agree on a subprime mortgage based on the presentation of sales. However, they would qualify for traditional financing. This practice is very common in ethnically concentrated areas, where traditional lenders systematically deny borrowers credit.

• Borrowers who can not meet the terms of their mortgage can face a bank foreclosure.
• Subprime mortgages are made to borrowers who can not obtain a traditional mortgage because of their credit rating.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Every responsible adult should have savings in their budget, but the truth is most people don’t have anything saved, nor do they budget. There is a psychology to budgeting and finances that has people worried they would have to give up a lot or make significant changes in their lifestyle to stay out of debt and go further in the budget to save. Most hard-working adults live paycheck to paycheck with no safety net and don’t think there is anything they can do to change that without giving up what they are working hard to do.  

While making a budget is crucial, it is just the beginning. There are many areas where you can make changes or try new ideas that will boost savings without living a boring life with no fun or luxury. Here are three ways you can make your savings account grow.

Rework Your Bills

Many people don’t realize they can renegotiate some of their bills. Even utilities. What? Yes, you can negotiate almost everything. Call your utility companies and see about paying a fixed amount usually taken from an average of past bills for that address. If you overpay the actual bills by the end of the year, you get money back, or if you used more than expected, you might have to pay the overage at the end of the year. If you are diligent about keeping it within this fixed amount, this can save you big! If you are a good driver, you can get insurance companies into a bidding war to get your business. They want customers paying in premiums that are low risk ever to make a claim. They will make excellent offers to get you. You can also call your cable company and ask for the deals they offer new customers. If they say they won’t give that to you, their loyal customer, let them know you will go to another company. You can do the same thing with your phone carrier, find out what offers they have, and negotiate them yourself. 

The bottom line is, you should try reworking all of your bills, getting better interest rates after you have been paying on time for a period, or getting fixed payments. The most that any company you are trying to negotiate with can say is no, but maybe they will help you boost your savings.

Better Banking

Your banking institution will generally offer you bank accounts that will cost them nothing. Do your research and make sure you look into every type of bank account provided. Some bank accounts offer debit cards using cash or higher interest savings or checking accounts. Don’t settle for the plain bank account with no frills you are offered. Research and save! 

The recent trend is banking institutions offering what is called a hybrid checking account. This checking account is a checking and savings account in one, and it provides a higher interest rate. This will add up, especially if you steadily deposit into this account.

Good Investments

You are thinking you barely make enough to cover bills. How can I even think about investing? There are a few ways. First, if your company offers a 401(k), contribute as much as you can. If your company matches a certain percentage, contribute that amount, so you get the most bang for your investing buck. Micro-investing is a trend that is also an easy way to invest when you don’t have a lot of wiggle room in your budget to invest. These spare change investment apps won’t make you rich or able to retire early. What they will do is give you the money you can use to pay down debt or put into more significant investments.

When you go for more significant investments, make sure you have paid down your debts and first an emergency fund. Your priority should be getting out of debt and having the ability to cover emergencies and loss of income, then investments.

Conclusion

The truth is any changes, large or small, can help boost savings. These three ideas are simple and don’t cost you significant changes to your lifestyle or spending. Try them out, and when you see how easy it is, you can get bolder, and before you know it, you will have great retirement savings to rest upon.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

It seems innovations are taking the world by storm. In our ever-changing world, there is no denying you must prioritize growth every step of the way. After all, the world is your stage, and nothing should stand in your way from your dreams becoming a reality. Whether becoming the entrepreneur, you have always dreamed about or leaving your nine-to-five job, think big! Nothing should come in your way of achieving your goals. Take a stride through the memory lane and see how much you have conquered this far. Take pride in your efforts and keep that stamina up to expand to new and better horizons.

Are you motivated enough? Now, please look at our guide to become an entrepreneur and live out your dreams!

What is Your Project Idea?

Before you proceed with anything, it is necessary that you have an extensive idea of your project concept. You may want to jot a few questions down on paper. For instance, what would be my business? Why should I start my business (my mission)? Where do I see myself in the next few years, etc.?

These questions will keep your goals and plans aligned and give you a more in-depth awareness of what you are trying to achieve with your business.

Define your Niche

Now that you are done defining your project idea, you may delve into the nitty-gritty. This analysis should include your product’s niche market, target audience, customer base, etc. This is where your flush out your business concept. Do not avoid attending to your intuitions. This will only keep you restrained, and you will find yourself confused throughout the process. Take care to do proper research and plan accordingly—every detail matters.

Plan Your Goals Beforehand

Planning keeps you on track and focused. It helps you align your steps while ensuring you are not missing out on anything. From organizing your goals to setting a foundation for your business’ vision and mission, proper planning of your goals is exceedingly essential.

Have the Right Mindset

When starting a business, having the right mindset is quite pertinent. You must be optimistic but vigilant to avoid any inconveniences. Additionally, it is crucial that you hone your risk-tolerance skills. The truth is that you are, most likely, not going to make any profits in the initial stages. In fact, you may not even make any returns in the first few years. So, you must be sure not to put yourself under any additional stress. You may also consider having a side hustle to make ends meet. Chances are, with patience and the right strategies, you may only unveil success for both your business and you.

Promote Your Business

Your public image is everything. However, it is no walk in the park, and you must be highly adaptive if you wish to reap benefits from proper advertisement. With the rise of digital marketing, you may hop onto the bandwagon and enjoy the returns from this innovative way to promote your brand. From utilizing the right marketing platform to the devising the right campaigns, you may find yourself only steps away from having your venture turn into a skyscraper.

Adapt to the Latest Tools

In today’s world, innovation takes center stage. Adapting to the latest tools and technologies can make a world of difference in the success of your business. Ensure that you are incorporating these advancements to meet the needs of your business. This will surely benefit you in the long run.

Bottom Line

Starting on an entrepreneurial venture is no easy feat. Your decisions and strategies must be the best you can offer, and still, there is uncertainty. However, with proper research, planning, and the implementation of helpful tools, you will be well on your way to achieving success and the career of your dreams.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

When you have an accident at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits depending on the state you are in. These benefits will cover your medical expenses, pay for your time off, and protect your job when you are out if the accident requires medical leave. It can even cover some compensation if you have permanent damage due to the accident. Workers’ compensation will only provide coverage if the workplace can be found negligent or at fault. Here are seven tips for a successful workers’ compensation case.

Act Fast

No matter what state you are in, almost all claims have a deadline to be filed. This period begins when the incident occurs and varies according to each state and according to the claim type. This time limit is called the statute of limitations. This statute of limitations is in place to ensure that a person can’t come at any time to make a claim months or years after the accident. Therefore, you must plan to act as quickly as possible. There are some exceptions for going past this period, but even with great cause filing a claim after this timeframe can make it more challenging to earn the compensation you deserve. 

Another issue to consider is that a lawyer needs time to study the case in detail and prepare an appropriate legal strategy. The more time you give your lawyer to prepare, the better chance you will win your case if the case requires a lawyer’s intervention. 

Get Witnesses

If you have an accident at work and there are witnesses, be sure to take note of these people’s names and their contact information: colleagues, supervisors, contractors, and anyone who can attest to what happened will help successfully settle your case. Some cases are straightforward and easy to determine, while others are more complicated and require witnesses to help get it resolved successfully. 

Consult a Doctor

The most important issue is your health and well-being, but going to the doctor will also serve as evidence in your favor. As soon as possible, please make an appointment with your doctor, whether for a follow-up after an emergency room visit or an initial appointment to determine damage. Remember that some injuries may seem mild at first, but then they become complicated and could even endanger your life if not treated. Also, keep in mind that if you do not receive medical help immediately, the insurance company could use that as evidence that your injury “was not so serious” and could reduce your chances to win your workers’ compensation case.

Write Down the Incident Immediately

As you know, insurance companies are, in the end, a business and will always try to find a way to reduce your payments. One of the things that they will seek for this purpose is the consistency of statements made regarding the incident. To avoid inconsistencies, it is crucial to write down the incident’s details as soon as possible. If you cannot write, have someone you trust to record the incident for you. The vital issue is that you have a record of the incident while it is fresh, and you have the information to review so you can remain consistent in the details. 

Be Aware of What You Sign

It is typical for the insurance company to ask for a signed authorization to access your medical documents, which is reasonable provided it is closely linked to the issue in question, that is, the injury for which you are seeking Worker’s Compensation. If the insurer asks for access to documents unrelated to this injury, do not sign anything. They may be looking for more reasons to avoid paying their compensation using their past medical history, for which they could use evidence of past injuries or use of alcohol or drugs. If you are unsure or do not understand well what you are asked to sign, do not do it until a lawyer reviews it first. 

Do Miss Any Appointments or Treatments

If you do not attend your doctor’s appointments or treatments, the insurer may decide you are cured or no longer need treatment. This determination could be used as an argument to cut back or deny your benefits. If you find it difficult to get to an appointment or treatment, be sure to reschedule as soon as possible. It is important to take it very seriously and be disciplined, as the insurance company is interested in proving that your injury does not merit compensation.

Find A Lawyer 

In some cases, injured people find themselves in complicated situations that are not easily settled. You should consult a lawyer you can trust as soon as possible to ensure you are fully compensated for your accident and any subsequent injuries. Understandably, most people are not litigious. However, if you are injured while doing your job, you should be covered if it was no fault of your own, and a trustworthy lawyer will ensure that your compensation is the maximum you deserve.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Most startups come with a meager budget while remaining promising. Every new startup has the potential to create influential revolutions in their respective industries. These startups can cascade into societies at a local and global level. We live in a world of fast dynamics, where millions of businesses launch each day. This makes it challenging to select one market for our startup to enter.

With significant venture capital investments, this year’s top industries include financial services, health care, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and transportation. The core reason for such industries to outstand in their progress is startups’ continuous efforts and funding. By merging with other startups, they can offer modernized services in the global business market. This way, other startups, markets, and big businesses level up their operations.

We have listed some domains that offer startups the opportunity for massive growth this year.

Artificial intelligence – AI

Artificial intelligence is a modernized technology that converts manual tasks into automation. Its market’s impressive growth has been increasing by the projected percentage of 55.6% between 2017 and 2027. This industry provides an associated price for AI technology, which is highly expensive but worth the share. People.ai has increased its earnings by around $60 million using sales team performance guidance and other such improvements.

This way, many startups become an integral part of this industry. For example, a local startup in Amsterdam uses artificial intelligence through an affiliated partner’s financial support. Another example is an artificial intelligence startup used to recognize lung cancer has earned $10 million for the industry. The artificial intelligence industry is ever-increasing and always finding other ways to improve its operations.

Virtual reality – VR

Virtual reality is typically relevant in the gaming industry or games department. This market has quite a strong connection with modern technology, and it is growing at an extremely fast pace. Its’ influence has expanded to other domains such as real estate, education, mental illness treatment, sports, recruitments, medical training, military training, and more.

The popularity of the virtual reality industry also increases with technological advancement at an international level. The company Varjo makes resolution products for the human eye, similar to the professional industries’ quality, and their revolutionary implications live up to their claims. With additional incentives, the VR market will make $120.6 billion by 2027.

Personalized nutrition

More consumers demand a more personal design, from investing, watching, listening, buying, traveling, and whatnot. The personalized nutrition domain is gaining remarkable progress and will make almost $50 billion in the upcoming years. Due to this, the industry is attracting the attention of big investors.

Suppose you take an overview of the customized world, with all its’ variations and demands. In such cases, this may spark the interest of other companies whose services would benefit from personalization. These trends open doors for startups and improve the global market’s business proceedings.

Blockchain

This market faces multiple structural, political, behavioral, and more challenges. However, its usefulness is being recognized by more and more companies in many different markets. For example, the company BITCLIQ is the first business in the fish industry to use Blockchain. The supply chain industry is leveraging from Provenance startups since it offers sustainability, accountability, transparency, and more. This industry even strives to eradicate the use of paper money.

All in all

More startups are leveraging many different markets to benefit both the startup and the market itself. The core reason for such industries to outstand in their progress is startups’ continuous efforts and funding. By merging with other startups, they can offer modernized services in the global business market. This way, other startups, markets, and big businesses level up their operations.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Buying a home is not something to take lightly. It is a decision that can be both exhilarating and stressful at the same time, as it is a significant financial commitment in somebody’s life. Many people undertake this commitment, which raises the question: how is this purchase achievable? The process has certain hindrances, just like any other major operation. You must stay sharp and keep a lot of things in mind. Many people struggle to become homeowners after spending much of their lives renting homes. Still, they are ready to take the big leap.

Consider the pros and cons to see which is better for your financial status and what works best with your current lifestyle.

Advantages of purchasing a house

Some advantages to purchasing a house include:

Mortgages establish equity

We have all most likely been told that we are wasting our time on rent payments. Renting creates zero productivity for your financial wellness. In America, you are expected to pay monthly rent right after signing the property sharing contract with the homeowner. If you ignore your rent payments, you must then shift your residency to a new rental, which creates debt.

A mortgage is compiled of a principal amount and a down payment. All of these expenses are equal to the rate of homeownership.

Renovations are completely your responsibility

Renovating damage caused by renting your home is not productive to the homeowners or the renter. Most renters cannot even pin something on the wall without seeking permission, as such incidents increase the property owner’s expenses.

You will enjoy owning a home much more when it comes to renovating your space. In most cases, renovations needed due to damage increase your rent. Additionally, there is the option for homeowners to increase the property’s value by making renovations. As a renter, you cannot enjoy such benefits.

Disadvantages of purchasing a house

Here are some disadvantages to purchasing a house:

To many hindrances

The home purchase process has many hindrances, such as moving your residency from one place to another. This process is typically more expensive than shifting residences as a renter.

Another hindrance one faces as a homeowner is a mortgage. This long-term commitment may be burdensome during times of financial difficulty.

Not to forget, loan default restriction is another issue homeowners face. You may minimize or get a fixed loan on a new house as a loan default.

Possible financial loss

There will always be a fluctuation in American property prices when it comes to the real estate field. Purchasing a home may be a little risky for some in terms of investment. Let us say you find a house priced at $200,000. The selling price will depend on the market’s real estate changes. The situation gets worst in times of desperation. The situation can be the opposite in the case of renting a house. Keep in mind that the house equity does not apply to the renter. So, in the case of house renting, you avoid the risk of purchasing a depreciating property.

All in all

Purchasing a new house is a major responsibility for anyone who can offer the investment in the name of ROI. If you decide to take this risk, be sure to weigh the pros and cons before making any decision. You must consider your financial status and monthly budget, as well as your lifestyle.

You must also consider your capacity regarding mortgage, interests, renovation, and maintenance payments. Additionally, waiting for your current lease to end before purchasing a home is always a smart decision.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Data is becoming easily accessible and even more easily distributed, making it harder to protect your intellectual property (IP) or product notions from theft and replication. Whether you are a multinational company, or a beginning-stage startup, safeguarding your intellectual property should be one of your top priorities.

How to Protect My Intellectual Property?

You can guard your production’s valuable content, ideas, and products by following some vital steps. With the help of these, you will lower your chances of dealing with intellectual property theft and give yourself protection even if someone steals your IP.

It is vital to secure your company’s intellectual property (IP). Those who have not invested in protecting their intellectual property due to the process seeming complicated or expensive end up losing their rights by failing to safeguard their designs and inventions.

What is Intellectual Property?

We hear everyone talking about intellectual property, but what precisely does the term mean? Fundamentally, IP is any product or work that results from innovative thought. Examples are designs, artwork, manuscripts, website content, articles, blog posts, inventions, product names, business names, courses or online programs, or any other original and personal info that aids your business.

If you come up with a fantastic idea, product, or design, you must ensure that no one else has access to it or the right to use it without your consent. The good news is that several federal and state laws are in place to secure IP.

What can you do to secure your IP?

Apply for a Trademark

Register those trademarks immediately as soon as you finalize your business’ name and logo.

Companies occasionally believe that patent protection is the only way to guard and protect themselves. Technology startups commonly ignore the worth of non-patent intellectual property. Though patents can be extremely valuable, they do not necessarily ensure that a firm’s product is the right product and that it will sell. Trade secrets, copyrights, cybersecurity policies, and trademarks can all be forms of IP protection.

Keep Your Business Ideas a Secret

Until you have sufficiently protected your intellectual property, please refrain from talking about it with others unless they have signed a non-disclosure agreement. You must be careful with who you trust. Never promote your idea while in public, especially when working with partners. Sign a personalized non-disclosure contract and speak with a lawyer.

It is essential to know who to trust. Not everyone you are surrounded with can be trusted. Business ideas are a sensitive topic that cannot be shared with everyone. People can either misuse that information or use it for themselves and their own business.

Invest

Remember, until you have officially protected your IP, anyone can take your ideas and manufacture them for themselves. However, your chances of beating content and idea raids are much higher if your intellectual property is secured.

There is much more to intellectual property rights than the three well-known categories recognized by the federal intellectual property law. For instance, trade secret laws help owners keep and protect the inner workings of their ideas. Trade secrets must be commercially valuable, and the owner should rigorously protect the secrets. The government will help the owner and protect trade secrets through criminal laws.

In the same way, expert knowledge can also be intellectual property. For instance, a world expert on statistics can help consult the financial company to improve their risk analysis software. The financial company can then ask the expert for exclusive rights to statistical knowledge for financial applications. Through the signed contracts, the financial company and the statisticians have defined some exclusive rights around statistics knowledge.  

Intellectual property has become some of the most valuable property very quickly. Recognize all the ways available to protect your intellectual property ensure the security of your business or product.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you probably have much more IP than you know. Protecting your intellectual property privilege always includes finding a competent advocate to help you discover and register it but making that investment now will pay off exponentially when building your Intellectual Property portfolio. Protect what is lawfully yours against any matters that should arise in the future.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Did you know that it only takes between 6 and 8 seconds for a chemist to pierce the outer membrane of the eye? In short, it takes seconds for a chemical to cause eye damage. Every industry is subject to eye injuries because every business has chemicals on site. These chemicals could be in cleaning products or materials used in production. Sadly, exposure to chemicals can end a career, and each year, between 7 and 18% of occupational injuries are injuries to the eye from exposure to chemicals. In these cases, there are two types of substances:

Acid substances

An acid is a substance with a pH of less than 7. While many people understand that exposing any part of their bodies to acids can be dangerous, the reality is that acids do not cause as much damage to the alkaline substances of the eye.

When an acid comes in contact with the eye, it “denatures” it by forming a barrier in the cornea that prevents the acid from penetrating the eye’s deeper tissue. However, that does not mean that acid exposure should not be taken seriously and treated immediately to avoid permanent damage.

These are some acids commonly used in the workplace:

• Sulfamic acid
• Sulfuric acid
• Hydrochloric acid
• Hydrofluoric acid
• Nitric acid
• Boric acid
• Phosphoric acid

In addition to causing permanent damage to the eye, if the acid burns more than 2% of the body, the patient runs the risk of suffering from hypocalcemia for the rest of his life.

Alkaline substances

When a substance has a pH higher than 7, it is an alkaline substance. These chemicals are usually lipophilic, which means they can be combined with fats. In this way, alkaline substances penetrate the eye easily and reach deeper tissues.

Here are some examples of common alkaline substances in the workplace:

• Ammonia
• Sodium hydroxide
• Calcium hydroxide
• Potassium hydroxide

Eye injuries classified by severity

As with many injuries, there are many “levels” depending on the damage to the eye:

Grade 1

This type of lesion is the least severe, and the damage is usually in the corneal epithelium. The chemical does not penetrate deeply into the eye. In general, patients with this type of injury can recover their vision entirely without problems.

Grade 2

There could be a visually horny haze and some damage to the cornea. Patients who suffer this type of injury can have positive diagnoses, although there may be permanent damage to the cornea.

Grade 3

These cases usually occur when the chemical penetrates deep into the eye, damaging the eye’s corneal limbus and other parts. In many cases, the vision is not fully recovered and, to obtain the best result, the patient must undergo a surgical procedure.

Grade 4

When the eye suffers a grade 4 injury, the cornea melts and may damage the entire eye. This type of injury usually ends in complete loss of vision.

If immediate actions are taken seconds after an accident, the employee can reduce additional damages. Still, employers must do everything possible to provide the employee with the necessary resources and training.

The training should include information on all chemicals that could potentially damage the eye and the location of emergency items, such as washing stations and showers. It is essential to keep in mind that all employees should know where the showers and memory stations are since, in an emergency, they may be temporarily blinded.

What can I do if I lose my sight and cannot return to work?

If you lost your sight in a work accident and cannot continue working, there are several options available:

Workers’ compensation

By law, all employers must have workers’ compensation insurance and, if a work injury occurs, the employee can claim the insurance. In this way, compensation can be obtained for medical expenses and lost wages.

Social Security Disability

Social security disability benefits can offer payments to people who cannot work because of a disability or illness.

Personal injury lawsuits

When an accident occurs due to a third party’s error, the injured worker has the option of claiming the responsible party. The compensation obtained in that lawsuit can help cover past and future medical expenses and lost income and compensate for physical suffering and emotional trauma.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

COVID-19, also known as the Corona Virus, has surprised the world. Existing business owners and entrepreneurs face a massive crisis as everyone around the globe is in quarantine. Brick and mortar shops are no longer generating any profits, and consumers are only availing services that are available online.

Given these uncertain times, business owners will alter their marketing efforts. We’ve put together a list of all the marketing strategies that can help you set your organization apart from others. The first half of the pandemic was not friendly, but it’s time to bounce back in the second half.

Blogging

Let’s start with the basics. Blogging is not a new marketing tactic but offers excellent returns. Suppose you want to keep your current customers engaged while attracting new ones. The reason blogging has stood the test of time is that it is valid and yet inexpensive. Blogs help your business stay apart from others. With enough helpful information, it is a reliable source within the industry.

Local citations

These are listings explicitly designed to aid local searchers in looking for relevant information related to their businesses. Not many business owners know that, but some business citations increase the brand’s ranking on Google. However, you need to ensure that everything provided online is authentic and reliable. Any misinformation can lead to a bad reputation and deter consumers. If you are not using local citations for your business, you miss out on a huge business opportunity.

Social media posts

One primary silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic is that people are more active on social media. They constantly share new information to stay connected to their favorite brands and loved ones. Social media is a great place to connect with younger audiences, as they are quick to respond and always in search of something different.

If you feel like your business has something to offer them, social media is a great platform to post updates and keep them engaged. The best part about social media is that you can start posting stuff and make groups for free. You can also ask for consumer feedback without spending any money.

Backlinking

Ranking on Google search is not natural as so many brands are fighting for their success. Some many different factors and variables require your consideration. One of the top-ranking factors on Google is backlinking. According to a recent study, nearly 66% of the websites don’t even have a single backlink. To make backlinks work, make sure your website is linked with quality and relevant sites and not random, spammy ones.

Google my business

According to 75% of desktop searches, Google is leading other search engines. You can win more leads from your instant places by freely and easily updating Google My Business Listing.

Before getting search results, you can locate a map with three local results under the paid ads. If you want to see your business website among top listings, you must optimize it and fill it out completely. The statics of GMB indicates the audience’s way of engaging with profiles and postings. Also, Google Analytics lets you track web traffic. Email your clients a link to your listings, ask them a request to review, and appreciate them for giving a favorable ranking. Client feedback adds credibility to your company as a word-of-mouth suggestion. More than 50% of customers attract to your business when Google Local Pack shows positive ratings.

Bottom line!

COVID-19 pandemic might be survival for many. It’s only a matter of time before things get back to normal. Until then, it’s your responsibility as a business owner to ensure your business uses the right marketing strategies to ensure its growth today and tomorrow.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.