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Work from Anywhere with these 8 Tips

blogswikiadm — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 13:27:11 GMT

Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst & https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst Who says you have to work from an office in order to be able to get anything done? Things are changing rapidly in the workplace, and many people are choosing to work remotely rather than being stuck inside a stuffy office all day. They are also choosing to work at non-conventional hours, and thanks to modern technology, they are able to do so easily. If you would like to be able to work from anywhere and not have to be in a traditional office setting, read on to learn eight tips that can help you to be able to work from pretty much anywhere. 1) Find Local Hot Spots – You are going to need to have an Internet connection when you are working remotely, and if you are not planning on working in a home office, you need to find out where you can connect. So, take a trip around town and find out where all of the hot spots are located. 2) Create a Work Bag – When you are working from locations other than the office, you need to know that you have everything that you need to work with, the same things that you would use in your office. Set up a work bag that has all of the most necessary items for your job, including a laptop, laptop plug, phone, phone charger, pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. 3) Upgrade Your Tech – If you really want to be able to work on the go, you need to have reliable tech, including at least one extra rechargeable battery for each of the devices that you use. That way, you will always be able to work, and you won’t have to worry about running out of battery power right in the middle of something important. 4) Go from Day to Night – When you are not working conventional hours, it means that you could be working with clients late into the evening. It is a good idea to get into the habit of wearing outfits that can go from day to night without your having to go home and get changed. Put a few accessories into your work bag, so you can dress up any outfit. 5) Know Where You are Going – Something else you need to be prepared for is transportation. Go around town and map out the area where you plan to be working. Then, figure out if things are within walking distance. If not, find out about local transit schedules, where buses and subways stop, the quickest routes from point A to point B, etc. 6) Always Have a Notepad – You never know when you are going to get a brilliant idea, or where inspiration is going to come from. That is why it is a good idea to start carrying a notepad around with you at all times. That way, you can jot down ideas and notes any time. You can also use an app such as Evernote to help you organize your thoughts. 7) Block Out Distractions – When you are doing your work at a coffee shop, restaurant, etc., there are going to be a lot of distractions. You need to find ways to block those distractions. One idea is to get a headset so you can listen to music that isn’t going to distract you. Or, if necessary, get yourself some earplugs. 8) Be Productive During Downtime – There are going to be times when you are waiting for clients, waiting for an airplane, etc. Use this time to your advantage, and start being productive during downtime. You will be surprised at just how much you can actually accomplish in a few minutes.

Join startup founders and business angels for the 9th edition of Startup&Angels Sydney!

blogswikiadm — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 10:28:22 GMT

We are excited to invite you to the 9th edition of Startup&Angels in Sydney, sponsored by Microsoft! An exclusive and relaxed networking event between startups and angels hosted by Australiance & Wombat Capital on Thursday, 8 March at WeWork Pyrmont (100 Harris Street) from 6pm to 9pm. It will be once again the perfect opportunity to discover the founders of promising startups while networking with fellow investors and entrepreneurs and tasting amazing products.

Use 'MICROSOFT18' for $5 off your ticket!

REGISTER HERE

If you want more info, check our website at www.startupandangels.com and follow us on our Facebook page.

We look forward to meeting you there!

The Newest Cryptocurrency Trend: Privacy Coins - What is it and how you can benefit from it?

blogswikiadm — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 09:36:25 GMT

Guest post by Janya Eighani - Principle Solicitor at Lehman Walsh Lawyer

Is it really a private coin given the fact that blockchain technology is a decentralised system?

What are Privacy Coins?

Cryptocurrency investors are not limited in their choices. There are hundreds of cryptocurrencies and at least 39 of them have a market capitalisation of over US$1billion. However, not all cryptocurrencies provide the same level of anonymity for those who use them. Regular cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, provide a certain amount of privacy due to their nature as mechanism of exchange protected by cryptography. However, despite the ability to use a pseudonym to shield one’s identity, access to a blockchain ledger allows transactions to be viewed publicly. If personal details can be matched to an IP address, use of cryptocurrencies can quickly become observable. Certain businesses, such as Elliptic, operate as analysts of Bitcoin capital flows, demonstrating the relative visibility of Bitcoin payments. Privacy coins, as their name suggests, offer users the ability to keep their transactions truly incognito. There are a number of privacy coins on the market, such as Monero and Dash, that use various methods allow their owners to remain anonymous. Advanced cryptographic techniques operate to keep the currency untraceable, while transaction locations and amounts can be protected by distributing the transaction between large numbers of data addresses.

How private are they?

Not all privacy coins provide the same level of concealment. Certain currencies, such as Zcash, continue to use blockchain to authenticate their transactions and can still be traced to an IP address. On the other hand, Monero operates by using dealings that are conducted via throwaway accounts, so that although Monero is exchanged via the blockchain, no traceable link is left to find the users. A further level of privacy is provided by the use of ring signatures to hide the amounts used. Whether true secrecy on the blockchain can be achieved has been questioned. Advances in cryptography and mathematics are touted as providers of greater security and privacy. However, they may yet be accessible. Privacy technology used by Zcash and Monero relies on elaborate digital associations between multiple transaction verifiers. This places dependence on the other links in the verification process. Users of privacy coins may still find themselves unsure about whether their activity remains opaque.

What is the law concerning transactions made using cryptocurrencies?

There is no comprehensive legal regime for digital currencies. Yet despite cryptocurrencies being relatively new to the general public, some attempts have been made by regulatory authorities to track the identities of users. The current legal framework for regular monetary transactions is primarily aimed at anti-money laundering. The US Bank Secrecy Act (1970) requires that all financial institutions are registered and provide identification of their customers and dealings. In 2013 it was noted that these requirements extended to ‘virtual currencies’, including any blockchain transaction. Driven primarily by concerns over taxation and the use of cryptocurrencies as a tool of criminal activity, potential regulation has had a destabilising effect on the crypto market. The US Government Accountability Office, an investigative body for the US Congress, has written a report in which one of its stated aims is to provide information on the names of account holders and the amounts of cryptocurrency. In Germany, a capital assets tax on cryptocurrency transactions has been proposed, however, it relies on voluntary reporting of income by users themselves. It is clear that the potential value of privacy coins may be tied to the requirements stipulated in future government regulations of digital transactions. Should the policing of private cryptocurrency users be tightened, privacy coins may well end up losing value.

8 Resume Tips for Applying to Startups

blogswikiadm — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:18:05 GMT

Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst & https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst When you are in the market for a new job, it is likely that you are going to have several different resumes, especially if you are applying for different types of jobs. After all, you need to tailor your resume to the job you are seeking. For instance, if you are applying to a startup, you may do things a bit differently than you would if you were applying to a company that is better established. Startups have different objectives, and you need to craft a resume that is going to show them that you can help them meet those objectives. Here are eight tips for crafting a resume that is going to help you get a job with a startup. 1) Highlight Yourself – You need to them that you have the experience needed to help take their startup to the next level. Don’t forget to mention accomplishments on your resume. For example, if you have worked with other startups, make sure that your resume includes your accomplishments with startups. This is going to show that you have the ideas, and skills, to help a new business succeed. 2) Show Your Experience – Many startup owners want to see that potential employees have worked for bigger companies, and that they have done so successfully. Not only will they know that you have what it takes to get the job done, they will also have bragging rights, because they can tell others that their new employee worked for so-and-so. 3) Use the Right Keywords – Before you create your resume, research the companies you are applying to. Find out what their missions are, and then use the keywords that are going to get you noticed, because they relate to what the companies are all about. This is going to show potential employers that you are exactly what they are looking for. 4) Keep it Simple – A resume should be simple and to the point. No potential employer wants to have to wade through a bunch of gobbledygook in order to get to what they really want to see. If they can’t find what they are looking for within a few seconds, your resume will likely not be considered. Keep things simple and to the point. 5) Use the Right Fonts – It is very important that you stick with simple fonts that are easy to read. Common resume fonts include Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman. Try to stick with just a couple of fonts. The more you use, the more cluttered your resume is going to look. Fonts for headings should be different from the body font, and should also be larger, and bold. 6) Create an Online Presence – These days, most employers, including startup owners, are doing a lot, if not most of their hiring online. So, you need to make sure that you have a good online presence. You need more than a resume, and what you do online can add to your credibility. Create a LinkedIn profile to connect with your peers, get involved in conversations, create an online resume and portfolio, etc. 7) Show Your Passion – It is not enough to just show that you have the right skills for the job. You also need to be able to show that you have the knowledge and the passion to want to take the startup to the next level. For instance, if you are in competition with another applicant who has the same skills, it is your passion for the industry that is going to get noticed. 8) List Your Hobbies – You may not realize it, but your hobbies may play an important role in your being hired with a new startup. They want to know that you do indeed have a life outside of the workplace. This gives you things to talk about in the workplace other than work, and your hobbies may involve skills that can translate to your job.

Caltex Australia Launches Slingshot Accelerator To Spark Innovation Program

blogswikiadm — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 10:56:21 GMT

Guest Post.

Caltex is looking for the next gen of disruptive businesses for its Spark Accelerator Program

February 2017: Caltex Australia, the nation’s leading transport and fuel supplier, is today launching Caltex Spark, a new innovation initiative that will see them work closely with Startups and entrepreneurs. Spark, a 12-week Accelerator Program designed in partnership with Australia’s leading corporate accelerator, Slingshot, will enable Caltex Australia to disrupt its own business model and look for ideas to improve convenience, mobility, retail offers and efficiency. Spark is an opportunity for Startups and entrepreneurs to work with Caltex Australia, a trusted iconic Australian brand. Caltex Executive General Manager of Convenience Retail Richard Pearson said, “At Caltex our purpose is to make life easier for our millions of customers. “With Spark we’re looking for ideas that do just that - disrupt and challenge our existing model to take us in new directions and drive accelerated future growth. “The convenience and fuel market is highly competitive and in today’s digitally connected and on-demand economy, we must work harder than ever to win customers.” Through Spark, founders will have access to the scale and experience of Caltex resources, with the reach of over 1,900 retail and convenience locations and over 3 million customers a week as well as the opportunity to work closely with the Convenience Retail and Fuels and Infrastructure businesses within Caltex. Caltex Executive General Manager of Fuels and Infrastructure Louise Warner said, “Caltex plays a unique role in providing transport fuels and other everyday needs for our broad range of customers across Australia and New Zealand. “Historically, we have adapted to consumer needs from the development of cleaner more efficient fuel options, unmanned fuel stops in remote locations through to newer initiatives like The Foodary and Fuel Pay. Caltex also plays a key role in servicing small and large businesses across Australia be it in mining, marine, transport or aviation. We do this so effectively through our expertise in managing integrated and complex supply chains, particularly in remote locations. “We are interested in businesses that help us find new ways and connect with our consumer and business customers. We are looking at things like new modes of transport, food on the go and how we can create a frictionless customer experience,” she said. CEO of Slingshot, Karen Lawson, said Caltex Spark is an opportunity for Caltex Australia to collaborate with the best and brightest Startups, who at the same time can benefit from Caltex’s unique understanding of consumers. “With the rapid pace of innovation, the possibilities for retailers and fuel suppliers is endless. We’ve already begun to see the impact of ride sharing, autonomous vehicles, drones, easy payments, big data and logistics solutions, but we’ve only really begun to scratch the surface when we consider how these can be harnessed by a business-like Caltex.” “With the current price of oil, intensifying environmental concerns and the anticipated arrival of driverless cars, the question we need to answer is ‘what does the future of fuel retailers look like’?”, she said. Caltex Spark is looking to invest in Startups and Scaleups (later stage businesses) with the following themes:

Mobility – Help us create, find and deliver new solutions for Australians to get from A to B in smarter and safer ways.
Retail – Help us improve our retailer offering by making it more accessible, with quality food and products and services you might use every day.
Convenience – Find ways to leverage technology for smarter and more convenient every day customer experiences.
Efficiency – Help us improve every facet of our operations, from supply chain and finance through to customer service and marketing.
Amaze us – Tell us what tools, products or services will help us be more innovative.

Participants will also have the opportunity to access exclusive Spark partner offers from the world’s biggest technology companies valued over AUD$500,000 including AWS, Adobe, Microsoft BizSpark Plus, IBM, SalesForce, HubSpot, SendGrid, MYOB, Xero and more. Caltex Australia and Slingshot will kick-off the international search for entrepreneurs on Tuesday 13 February followed by a roadshow, in which potential applicants can learn more about the program and meet the team:

Melbourne Monday 5 March
Brisbane Tuesday 6 March
Sydney Wednesday 7 March
Auckland Thursday 8 March

Interested parties can apply at: spark.caltex.com.au

For more information and media requests: Susannah Binsted Media and Capital Partners susannah.binsted@mcpartners.com.au +61 448 895 553 Amanda Fisher Caltex Australia axfishe@caltex.com.au + 61 409 323 137 About Caltex A proud and iconic Australian company, Caltex (ASX:CTX) is the nation’s leading transport fuel supplier with end-to-end operations in refining, importing and marketing our premium fuels and lubricants. With a history tracing back to 1900, Caltex has safely and reliably fueled the needs of Australian motorists and businesses for more than a century. Caltex aspires to be the market leader in complex supply chains and to execute our ‘Freedom of Convenience’ strategy for customers through our network of over 1,900 company-owned, franchised or affiliated sites in Australia and New Zealand through Gull NZ. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter @CaltexAustralia - Caltex.com.au About Slingshot Slingshot is Australia’s leading corporate accelerator program, working with clients such as Qantas, Lion Group, SEEK, Hudson, HCF, ING Direct, the NSW Government, the QLD Government and UTS. Last year Slingshot also launched a new platform, CoVentured, to connect corporate Australia to a growing community of Startups and Scaleups. Founding corporates on the platform included Westpac, Woolworths, Optus, Australia Post, Energy Australia, Lendlease and Tabcorp.

Is Scrum the Right Thing for Your Startup?

blogswikiadm — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 10:48:40 GMT

Guest post by Jug Babić, marketer at VivifyIdeas. When compared to any other kind of historical business entities, startups come across as almost surreally unique. They are often founded based on little more than an idea; with a nebulous customer base that is susceptible to instantaneous changes of heart; with fragile business models and limited business and management know-how of the founders; and a general atmosphere of uncertainty that still does not dissuade entrepreneurs from giving it a go. In such "hostile" environment, startups need all the help they can get to build a viable product that will provide at least some kind of stability for the company. More often than not, the road to this viable product and the solution to the majority of aforementioned obstacles is found in a structured way to manage the product development process. One possibility is the scrum framework and, today, we will be talking about what makes this approach one that holds huge potential for startups.

Scrum 101

Scrum is a work management framework that was first mentioned in a Harvard Business Review article in 1986 and by the turn of the century, mostly due to the work done by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, scrum adopted a relatively defined structure that made it one of the most popular approaches to agile project management, especially in software development companies. As a framework, scrum features clearly defined roles and events with the goal of allowing for a flexible approach to software development (not exclusively) where tight-knit, cross-functional teams collaborate closely to deliver smaller, demonstrably completed iterations which are completed in boxed time frames - sprints that last between one and four weeks (usually two). By adopting the premises that no product can be absolutely correctly defined beforehand and that requirement changes are inevitable, scrum adopts an approach where transparency, inspection and adaptation enable an efficient and agile software development process. Furthermore, scrum teams become better over time thanks to the open approach to communicating about obstacles and possible ways to improve their functioning. Already, you can see how much of this can be helpful to startups, but let's break it down.

Quick Release and Early Feedback

One of the most common and devastating problems that startups encounter is finding out that their product is just not what the people want. They spend months or even years working on the first release, only to find out that their product solves no one's problems or does it very poorly. In scrum, one of the tenets is speeding up the release process by finishing deployable iterations as frequently as possible and getting them in front of the users. As a result of this, a startup can put out a working version of their product (not a complete one by any standard) which allows them to get early feedback. With this early feedback, they can find out what the users think about the functionalities that their product features already and which path they should take in the future. That way, the startup can abandon work on stuff that no one works early in the process and minimize time wasted on unwanted features.

Greater Adaptability and Better Prioritization

No product goes from the initial idea to the finished product without any changes. There are simply too many factors that influence the journey of a product and, for startups, this is even truer since they work on products that have not been done before and there are very few lessons to learn from other people who tried the same thing. This is where scrum is particularly good as it is based on incremental work in short sprints that usually last two weeks. In such a framework, it is possible to adapt to new realities (technical, marketplace, financial) very quickly. By enabling this, scrum helps startups change course in time and avoid catastrophic outcomes. Scrum also addresses another issue that startups often encounter when developing a product - prioritization. Namely, startups sometimes tend to go off on a tangent and spend inordinate amounts of time on ideas that should have been handled further down the line and with much less time spent on them. This often causes a snowball effect where a few wrong decisions interrupt much more of the process down the line. With scrum's insistence on constant inspection and communication, the chances of this are reduced and with its iterative approach, wasting time on non-critical work is minimized.

Developer-Friendly Environment

Let's be honest – startups are rarely able to pay serious money to the people they employ. In fact, quite the opposite is usually true, especially in the early days. When this limited compensation is paired with an environment that is not particularly developer-friendly, it can lead to unhappy and unproductive teams that end up mailing in their work. Scrum puts developers first (although some people who have had experience with bad scrum will argue this) and helps build an atmosphere where people can have their say, work to the best of their abilities and, perhaps most importantly, improve their skills. Namely, scrum values transparency and honesty and encourages developers to openly say what they can and cannot do, how much time they need to do it and what the things are that are preventing them from putting in their best work. Developer teams set their goals for sprints and they hold themselves responsible for meeting those goals. Since daily communication is also an integral part of scrum (daily scrums), this promotes exchange of ideas and allows team members to seek out help from their colleagues in a way that doesn't make anyone feel uncomfortable. The end result of this close-knit structure is that people grow their knowledge much more efficiently and become better professionals. In startups, this can be a huge thing.

Where to Start

Before doing anything, it is important for startups (founders, teams) to remember that scrum is not a dogmatic methodology or a practice that has to be followed to a T. It merely serves as a framework within which a startup can find the best way to work and deliver a product that will find and amaze its audience. There are a number of organizations and websites where you can find out more on the different concepts and ideas associated with scrum, as well as learn the best ways to adopt them. Scrum.org and Scrum Alliance are definitely the best starting points. You will also want to talk to your team and find out their opinion on scrum. There is little point in trying to push the concept on people who will not get on board as this will greatly diminish the potential beneficial effects adopting scrum can have on your startup. If everyone is on board, you can check out free scrum tools like VivifyScrum and give it a test run. It is important to point out that it takes some time before scrum starts showing results, especially if no one on the team used it before. Remember, it is all about becoming better in small increments.

Instead of a Closing Word

Finally, if you find out that scrum is not working out for you despite everyone being engaged and committed, there is nothing wrong with that. Scrum is not a silver bullet that works for everyone. It is an option.

7 Tips for Building Brand Awareness for Startups

blogswikiadm — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 09:03:48 GMT

Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst & https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst One of the toughest things for a small business owner is to get their name out there and create a good reputation. If you have a new startup, you need to find ways to create brand awareness. You want people to know about you and your business, so you need to come up with ways to make that happen. Then, you need to keep the momentum going, because building your brand is not something you only do in the beginning. You need to continue with branding for the entire life of your business. Today we are going to take a look at seven things you can do to build brand awareness for your startup. 1) Know Your Target Market – One of the first things you need to do is figure out who you are marketing your brand to. Every business has a specific target market, or ideal customers. These are the people who you are going to need to reach out to and promote your brand. Once you know who your ideal customers are, you will be able to figure out ways to connect with them. 2) Connect on Social Media – Now that you have figured out who your target audience is, it is time to start connecting with them. Find them on the social media that you use the most, and start interacting in conversations with them. Ask questions, answer questions, and take part, always following the guidelines of any given group that you are interacting with. The more you interact with them, the more you will get to know each other, and they will begin to trust you. 3) Get Outside Help – There are plenty of companies that specialize in helping startups get noticed and build their brand. For instance, TrafficBox.org is a great tool to help you get visitors to your website, generate new sales, and help your business to grow. A digital marketing agency such as TrafficBox can take care of content marketing, SEO, conversation optimization, online PR, web design, social media, and much more. 4) Get into Video Marketing – A trend that is becoming more and more popular with startup owners is video marketing. There is so much that you can do with this, and you can be as creative as you like. Host webinars or live events to launch new products, host tutorials that are going to help get you noticed as an authority on your niche, etc. Always answer questions in real time, so your audience feels like they are really connecting with you. 5) Keep Content Fresh – Whether it is on your website or social media, it is important to always keep your content updated and fresh. People don’t want to read the same stuff over and over again, so you need to find things that are related to your startup that are going to keep your target audience interested. If you don’t have new and interesting content, they are likely going to move on to something else. 6) Invest in SEO – We can’t stress enough how important it is to use SEO (Search Engine Optimization), so you really do need to budget for an SEO solution. The SEO experts will conduct an SEO audit, to see how people interact with your social media platforms and website, and then start working on a plan that will get your brand noticed online. 7) Collaborate with Others – When you collaborate with another business, there are benefits for both of you. This is a great way to increase brand awareness for both companies, and to help you get into new markets. Look for companies that are related to yours, but not in direct competition. For instance, if you are a photographer, talk to framing companies about promoting each other’s services.

8 Strategies to Improve Collaboration in Your Startup

blogswikiadm — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 09:32:48 GMT

Guest post by Jane Hurst, http://www.lifehack.org/author/jane-hurst & https://blog.getresponse.com/author/jane-hurst

If your startup involves a team, you need to make sure that you are using various strategies to improve team collaboration. Your team is essential to your business, but if everyone isn’t on the same page at all times, there is not going to be a lot of productivity. Each member of your team is a part of the whole, and if everyone isn’t collaborating at every step of the way, the team could very well end up falling apart. Let’s take a look at eight strategies you can use to improve collaboration in your startup. 1) Build Trust Your team is virtually a group of strangers, so it is going to take time for everyone to get to know and trust one another. You can help this along by having your team take part in various activities that will help them get to know each other, and trust in each other’s work. For instance, plan some team-building activities, both in and out of the office, so everyone can get to know each other on a more personal level. 2) Teach them How to Collaborate Many people don’t really understand how to collaborate, and it may be something that your team has to learn. This isn’t going to happen overnight, but there are things you can do to speed up the process, including having them take part in activity-based training courses together, role-playing (trying each other’s jobs), and using a variety of collaboration tools. 3) Create a Comfortable Space Your team needs to have a space where they can work together comfortably. If they are working in a cramped conference room, it won’t be long before tempers begin to flare. While they do need to work together, every member of your team needs to have his or her own space. Make sure the team area also has a lot of white board space for notes and ideas. 4) Create Conflict Believe it or not, conflict is necessary in order to be productive. Through conflict come some pretty great ideas. Your team may argue at first, but if they have been given the proper tools and skills, they will learn to trust each other’s ideas, and even if they don’t agree, they can work together to straighten out any conflicts and be more productive. 5) Help them to Connect It is important for your team to be able to connect with one another in order to collaborate effectively. Make sure that you give them all of the tools that they need to be able to do this. For instance, you can use HD video conferencing to ensure that all team members, even remote workers, can be together at meetings. 6) Teach a Growth Mindset Your team needs to be able to believe that they can grow and prosper, and in order for them to believe this, you may need to teach them a growth mindset. This is what gives people the drive to get things done and get past any obstacles that might be in their way. They will get out of their regular roles and learn how to make changes in their careers so they can grow. 7) Create a Team Charter Once you have gotten your team together and they have gotten to know each other better, it is time to create a team charter. This is an outline of the team’s purpose, goals, and roles that each team member is supposed to play in order to achieve the goals of your startup. 8) Offer Executive Support The team is a representation of the company’s top executives, so it is important that they receive executive support. As an executive, it is your responsibility to support their social relationships, show that you can also take part in the collaborating, and create a “gift culture”, which is where employees actually get something out of their interactions with both executives and colleagues.