If you are aware of the developments in technology, then you have probably heard about Artificial Intelligence (AI). For a lot of people, it’s too complex or high-tech so they don’t really pay a lot of attention to it.

In fact, even small businesses don’t think much of AI. They believe that only big tech companies like Apple and Google can utilize it. However, that’s not true.

AI has numerous benefits for small businesses. It’s something you cannot ignore if you want to stay ahead of your competition.

Today, open-minded businesses have started using AI to create a business logo, respond to emails, comb the Internet for leads identification, help customers with chatbots and a lot more.

If you have not seriously considered AI automation for your business yet, then the following 5 reasons can surely convince you.

Enhanced Bookkeeping

There are plenty of AI tools designed specifically for bookkeeping that you can use. While many offer help with the basic data entry tasks, some are more advanced and can easily perform many roles. You can use it in reading and preparing invoices, set invoice reminders, release payments on schedule and more.

So, instead of expanding your accounting department, you can invest in an AI bookkeeping program which is more affordable and highly useful.

Lead Nurturing

No matter how skilled your sales reps are, they will always have limitations.

For starters, one can handle only a certain number of leads at a time. Secondly, they need a certain amount of time with every lead to learn about their personality, pain points, opportunities for connection building and many other aspects that are required for their nurturing.

However, with AI automation you can take the entire process to the next level and benefit from increased productivity.

An AI program designed for lead nurturing can read and respond to the emails of your prospects using a list of set messages and the Natural Language Processing technology. It can also go through the past conversations you have had with your leads to pinpoint important bits of information. Most importantly, it can work 24/7 since it can function without human intervention.

Online Customer Support

A number of studies have found that customers find it more comfortable to inquire about the services or products of a company through messaging, especially via online chat as opposed to voice calls. However, hiring a full-time customer executive can be expensive for a small business. Again, this is where AI automation can be a great option.

Not only AI-powered chatbots are highly popular today, you can also find some highly affordable options easily. You can install one of these on your website so that when your customers need some information, it will be readily available. In addition to that, having AI-powered chatbots can also make your website more attractive.

See Also: How To Boost Your Business with Influence Marketing Chatbots

Cheap but Quality Branding

Usually, it’s hard to find quality and affordability at the same place. However, AI automation seems to have changed that.

This is because it can help you with your company branding in many ways and at modest pricing. There are companies like Tailor Brands that offer an entire suite of branding tools- from logo creation to social media banner creation at a fraction of the price that you would pay to a graphics designer.

Intelligent Personal Assistants

You are probably already familiar with virtual personal assistants, such as Apple’s Siri or Microsoft Corona. Today, a new range of similar assistants is emerging and they are even more intelligent and more suitable for businesses. For instance, there is Amy from x.ai that can arrange meetings for you or Pana that can arrange your travel.

AI has matured enough today that it can be utilized in different ways in every industry. It’s now easily available at affordable costs, too. If you haven’t considered using one for your business, it’s probably the right time to reconsider your strategy.

 

The post 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider AI Automation for Small Business appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Tiling is a job I’ve always really enjoyed. It’s satisfying seeing the wall gradually disappear beneath the flow of tiles. Once you get into a groove, this activity almost becomes therapeutic.

However, before you can get into the groove, you’ve got to make sure that your surface is prepped and ready. Otherwise, you might find your groove or your tiles falling a bit flat.

You can tile over existing tiles or paint, but this can lead to problems. It will put too much weight on your walls and create an uneven surface. How you prep your wall depends on what is already on it.

Here are some tips you can use:

Prep

First things first, cover everything nearby in dust sheets to protect them from bits of paint, globs of filler and splashes of paint remover. This includes your floor and pieces of furniture.

Make sure the area is well ventilated and wear eye goggles to protect your peepers from particles. It is also essential that if you are doing anything that involves tearing into your walls, you must turn off the mains electricity at your home.

See Also: Eye Safety In The Workplace: Effective Ways To Protect Your Vision

Wallpaper

Remove the wallpaper by wetting it with a sponge first. Using a putty knife, start pushing at its edges. Once you’re able to get a solid grip on one edge, start pulling it away with your hands. You can use the putty knife to loosen it when needed. You can also use the sponge to make it wetter if you need to.

It doesn’t matter if you’re less than gentle with it. Remember, you can easily repair any gouges and scrapes on the wall with filler.

The next thing to do is to sand the whole wall with medium-grade sandpaper to make it a rough surface. Tiling grout requires an uneven surface to grip better. If your walls have been painted before being wallpapered, then look at the next step.

Paint

If this paint layer is quite old or you have reasons to believe that it might be lead paint, then get a professional in to deal with it. I cannot stress that enough. Anyway, if it’s a nice non-lead based paint, then go ahead and remove it. There are a couple of ways you can go about vanquishing paint from your walls.

Start with a scraper. Use the edge of the scraper to score diagonal lines in the paint. This will expose edges in the paint shell to make scraping off easier. Drag the wide area of the scraper across the paint in all directions to remove as much paint as you possibly can.

Get rid of any other paint with paint remover. Wait for it to dry, then use a filler to make it an even surface. Sand the wall with a medium-grade sandpaper to create that rough surface for the grout.

Plaster

If there is only plaster on the wall, then the prepping job becomes much easier for you. Simply skip straight to the filler stage, making sure you create an even surface. Then, sand it with a medium-grade sandpaper to make it rough for the tile grout to latch onto.

Existing tiles

It might be surprising for you to learn that you don’t actually have to remove existing tiles from your wall if you’re going to be adding new tiles. Just make sure that all of your tiles are in good condition. If not, then replace any cracked tiles with other tiles or wallboard. Wash the tiled wall with TSP to ensure a clean and non-greasy surface.

If you don’t have enough replacement tiles or if the tiling is too damaged, then you will have to remove the tiles before you put on the new ones. This is when you start the demolition. Again, make sure that mains electricity is off.

Cut into the grout between the tiles with a sharp utility knife and then get to work with a hammer and chisel. Get the chisel into one of the tile’s edges and hammer the end to force it under and the tile away from the wall.

If you want to keep the old tiles, then make sure you’re careful and make the floor padded for when they fall off. If you aren’t going to use them again, then just go ahead and hammer away to your heart’s content.

That is how to prepare a wall for tiling. Your wall is now prepped and ready for your new tiles. You have a level surface with just the right amount of roughness, perfect for tile grout to stick onto. So, that’s half the job done. Make yourself a cup of tea and have a sit-down. You’ve earned it.

The post How To Prepare A Wall For Tiling appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Performing preventative maintenance on your roof can make your life a lot easier. Many of today’s repair orders could have easily been avoided by a simple roof inspection by the homeowner.

However, some people aren’t comfortable climbing a ladder and standing on top of a roofing system. If you are one of those people, it’s a good idea if you can get your roof inspected by a professional. It will be less costly than waiting for an actual problem to happen.

With that in mind, let’s have a look at the most common inspection techniques you can actually use.

Cracks

Sloped roofs are the most common residential structures since they easily repel rain with an associated gutter system. They are mostly required by homeowners’ associations with strict building guidelines.

The surfaces considered here are mostly composite shingles- the most common roofing surface for residential homes. Finding broken shingles can even be done on the ground, as it is really easy to spot a missing shingle from even a few yards away.

Cracked shingles may be a little more difficult to spot, so getting up close and personal may be the only way to go. You will see a dark seam on the outside. When you get up close, be sure to peel it back the best that you can and see if it has any give to it.

It should not fold or crease as you peel back; it should remain sturdy. Anything less than a solid, seamless shingle should be considered cracked or damaged and should be replaced asap.

Leaks

Another part of the surface that can be cracked is the caulk around the base of the flashing. Inspecting the flashing seals are extremely important as these are the number one cause of leaks over time. You may also notice some rusted spots on the caulk, which can result in cracks shortly so make sure to repair and replace quickly.

The rubber boots are the pieces around the vent pipes, mostly near the apex of the roof. Check to make sure that there aren’t any cracks in these pieces either, as there could be a significant leak resulting from such instances.

Replacing these parts can be a bit difficult, so consider calling in a professional should you spot any issues.

Decay

Finally, you could find organic growths on and around the roofing surface in the form of moss, algae or mold. This indicates that there is decay occurring on the plywood that supports the shingles.

Plywood can become decayed if exposed to too much water, so any areas with cracked or missing shingles are usually a good place to look for such decay. Decay can’t only damage your roof but it can also affect someone’s health if gone unchecked for too long.

Final Thoughts

If you are hesitant to go up and do your own roof inspection, don’t do it. The fear of being up there can paralyze your balance and result in injury. You may want to hire someone else to climb atop your home and do the roof inspection.

In fact, a great way to get this inspection done correctly is to request a roofing quote by a local roofer. This may sound a bit expensive but it’s actually not. You can actually end up saving more if you do.

And if your local roofer finds a problem, he can give you an estimate of the severity of the damage as well as the overall cost of the project.

The most important thing here is that you pay attention to the condition of your roofing system and perform preventative maintenance whenever possible. This will ensure a long life and an ease of any larger concerns down the road.

See Also: Roof Issue: Why Metal Is Better Than Asphalt Shingles And Tiles

The post Roofing Inspection Checklist for Homeowners appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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One of the scariest things that can happen is a robocall alerting you to the fact that student loan forgiveness program is on thin ice. It’s such a predictable tale of terror – people were promised a decade ago that if they made payments based on their incomes, the remainder of their debt would be wiped out in a decade.

It seems that the program is on the chopping block and people are in a panic. They entered into these agreements in good faith, executed their end of the bargain over the past decade only to see their balances increase, thanks to unfettered interest rates.

Now, they have no recourse and many will have to start the cycle all over again. Is it time to talk about student loan forgiveness?

Student Loan Forgiveness Horror Stories

Clerical errors that aren’t even your fault can keep you in debt for life if your debt is in the student loan category. The New York Times recently reported a story about an Oregon man named Jed Shafer who discovered- after eight years of his 10-year payment plan- that his loan servicing firm failed to enroll him in the program he asked to be enrolled in.

The $70,000 he’d paid in that time period had not put a dent in his loan principal balance. And he’s not the only one who spent the last decade spinning his wheels.

Even the folks in the correct repayment programs are worrying that they might not be out of the woods yet after announcements of their programs’ probable cancellation.

How Many People Are Affected By Student Loans?

The short answer is almost everyone. Even if you don’t carry a student loan balance, chances are you know someone who does.

But even if you don’t know a single person who carries a student loan balance, student loans are an invisible drag on economic recovery. Black Friday is just around the corner. It’s called Black Friday because that’s when retailers get their ledgers into the black after being in the red all year long.

But people who have a student loan debt, a debt category that is second only to mortgage debt in America, spend far less money during the Holidays than everyone else. These are people in their supposed prime earning years who should be otherwise contributing to the economy.

• 61% say they spend less on gifts
• 39% say they spend less on travel
• 28% say they spend less on charitable donations
• 28% say they spend less on Holiday gatherings

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

The bottom line is this:

The only way to survive student loan debt is to not get into it in the first place. Sure, there are people who dutifully made maximum payments and got out of their student loan debts by living in their parents’ basements and working two jobs.

But, for many people, especially those who find that making a living wage isn’t as easy as you were led to believe at college orientation, the payments are too big and the paychecks are too small. It may be too late for Millennials. However, younger generations should heed their warnings: no amount of student loan debt is safe.

What Needs To Be Done?

If you already have student loans, don’t count on forgiveness programs to bail you out. You could end up like countless others paying minimum payments while your balance continues to grow. Pay as much as you can each month, including additional principal payments.

The key is to reduce the balance, not to wait around for someone else to do it for you. Take a second job if you have to or find an employer who will pay a portion of your student loan debt as part of your compensation package. Your future depends on it.

See Also: What Can Employers Do About The Student Loan Crisis?

If you are a student looking at schools, stop. Go to a state school or a community college. Apply for work-study programs. Do not go to a private or for-profit college or university. You don’t need it. Consider becoming an entrepreneur to fund your school expenses so that you can work your schedule around school.

The problem with student loan forgiveness is that it is a tremendous economic burden. All that debt has to go somewhere and it’s starting to look like Congress has declared a collective “not it!”. Time will tell if anything meaningful will be done about the student loan crisis. Until then, learn more about the case for student loan forgiveness from this infographic.

Source: refinancesstudentloans.net

The post Is There Going To Be A Student Loan Apocalypse? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Beards have made a comeback lately and they’re the ultimate fashion fad. The wail of those who cannot grow one can be heard from light-years away but sadly, there is no cure in sight as of yet.

Those who can easily grow a beard have their own problems: the difficulties that arise in choosing the perfect beard style. While any style can do as long as you are happy with it, your beard must complement the shape of your face.

Here is a brief guide to help you pick the right beard style for your face shape.

Triangle shape

If you have a triangle-shaped face, you have three options for your beard: Mustache and Chin Strap, Balbo and Mustache and Goatee. Even though it seems that Chinstrap + Mustache requires the least of attention, it’s actually the other way around.

Due to the shape of the beard, you’ll have to shave a larger portion of your face in comparison with the goatee and the Balbo. It also takes more time to trim the hair, so the chin strap is even and thin, as it should always be.

Oblong shape

Mutton Chops are manly but they don’t actually go all that well for everyone. They mostly fit those who have an oblong face shape.

If you get tired of tending them, you can always upgrade to a Full Beard. Although your face shape can get pretty restrictive when it comes to that type of beard, it’s not impossible to grow one.

You should also consider growing an Anchor or a Handlebar and Chin Puff. Both of these look great on an oblong shaped face, too.

Rectangular shape

Full Goatee, Full Beard, and Chin Curtain are three options you have if your face is rectangular. We daresay the Full Beard is the best because full beards are the coolest.

An Extended Goatee requires a lot of tending. If you’re the kind of guy that runs around all day long, you might want to opt for another style. Taking care of it is really time-consuming.

A Chin Curtain is basically an extended form of the mutton chops.

Diamond shape

In this case, you have four options: Goatee, Balbo, Full Beard, and Chin Strap + Mustache. If you’re not sure yet, you can try them all out.

A Balbo, for example, can be turned into a goatee. A full beard can be turned into a chin strap. Basically, you can experiment until you find the style that fits you best.

Keep in mind that these styles require time and effort. On the bright side, you can easily take care of them using a straight razor.

The goatee is by far the easiest style to take care of. It doesn’t take much effort to do as well. You can just shave your cheeks with a few strokes of the razor.

You can also try to grow a Sparrow or Zappa. A Handlebar and Chin Puff or Anchor are great, too.

Round shape

Patch, Chin Strap, and Goatee are three of the styles that look good on a round face.

The patch or Soul Patch is practically not a beard, but it is apparently treated as one. If your hair grows painfully slowly, you can choose to go with the patch and just extend it to a full-blown goatee. The chin strap is pretty cool, too, and it’s actually perfect for a round face.

Bandholz is among the lushest and most amazing beards for round faces ever. It takes a lot of maintenance but it’s totally worth it.

See Also: 5 Steps to A Happy Beard

Conclusion

Beards are fantastic, but unless you’re having a full beard, you’ll have to make time to trim it so that it doesn’t go out of shape. In this light, the classic full beard will never be too overrated.

We hope this short guide here was of some help in your endeavor to cover your face with a glorious beard. Just keep in mind that it will necessitate a lot of care on your part.

The post The Modern Man’s Guide to Beards: How to Choose a Beard That Fits You Perfectly appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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If you want to protect your online privacy and prevent unwanted people, such as government agencies and advertising companies, from tracking you and using your private information to their advantage, there are a few ways as effective as VPNs to do it.

However, not everyone is really aware of what they really are and their advantages. To help you out, we’re here to discuss how to set up a VPN and how you can start using it.

How do VPNs Work?

As the term suggests it, a Virtual Private Network or VPN is a network of servers you can connect virtually (using the internet instead of a physical connection) to enhance your privacy. It does this by encrypting all the traffic that comes from your device and then rerouting it through one of the servers that compose it to mask your online trace.

Each part of the process presents a benefit for the user. The encryption of communications between the user and the VPN makes it impossible for Internet Service Providers and other eavesdroppers to snoop on your online activity. On the other hand, tunneling your connection through a VPN server makes websites think it is the server that’s accessing them when it’s actually you who’s doing it.

That offers you two benefits:

First, this prevents the website from tracking information about you coming from your device. You’d be accessing every website as if it were the first time you’re doing it and advertising companies would be unable to tailor ads for you.

The second benefit of tunneling is tied to the location of the server. Servers located in different countries allow you to access web content as if you were connecting from the same location of the server. This lets you access content from websites that isn’t available in your region.

Clear and Easy Way to Set Up a VPN

To use a VPN, you have to find a provider of the service online. This is perhaps the hardest part of the process since there is a very wide variety of VPN services available online. Not all of them are equally good and some of them may even end up doing more harm than good.

We recommend you use one of the following providers. We have already tried out and verified the quality of their service.

• NordVPN
• VyprVPN
• PureVPN
• ExpressVPN
• IPVanish

After you’ve made your pick between them, all you have to do is follow these steps:

Purchase a Subscription

The first thing you have to do after you’ve picked a VPN service provider is to buy one of the subscription plans they offer. Keep in mind that the longer the subscription time you buy, the more value you’ll get for every penny you spend.

Download and Install the Software Client

Most VPN providers will ask you to download their software in exchange for letting you connect. This software client contains all the options you need for a safe connection that suits your needs.

Adjust the Settings

After you’ve installed the software, you have to open it and configure your connection to your specific needs. Most of these settings will come preconfigured for the most common and convenient settings, but you might want to tweak it a little bit.

Particularly regarding communication protocols and encryption algorithms, you’ll want to use OpenVPN and 256-bit AES encryption, respectively. These are the most reliable settings you could wish to have on a VPN, so they are the ones we recommend you to use. If you’re curious, you can look up any other settings online before messing with them but do this with extreme caution.

Choose a Country

After you’ve dealt with the technical details, it’s time to choose the location of the server you’ll be connecting to. This is important if your goal is to bypass the region lock of a website.

For instance, if all you want is to be able to access Netflix’s full library, then you’ll want to connect to a server in the US. VPN services usually let you decide this using a drop-down menu on their software.

Connect and Enjoy

After all this, you’re ready to hit the connect button and start browsing the web as you’d normally do. You’ll now be completely anonymous to the websites you visit. Your ISP won’t be able to monitor your online activity, too.

It’s only responsible for us to spread the benefits of VPN usage to contribute to a safer internet. They are a very powerful tool that helps you protect your online privacy and that of your loved ones.

The post How to Set Up a VPN appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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We all (I hope) know somebody who is a great storyteller. My friend Nick is a great example. He’s shy and somewhat reserved, but when he’s with a group of people and goes into “storytelling mode”, he lights up. He takes center stage and somehow knows just the right way to wind us up, put us in suspense, build the tension and deliver the punch line to make us laugh, cry or feel inspired just about every time.

Storytelling is an art and a superpower. Like I said, my friend Nick is a relatively shy person, but he lights up the room when telling a story. People at dinners and parties always walk away wondering “who was that guy?”

Telling great stories is one of the single greatest hacks to leading a group, connecting with new people, being memorable and becoming a charismatic person.

So, how to be a great storyteller? What is the secret to telling great stories?

In this article, I’m going to assume that you have a basic understanding of storytelling. If you miss this stuff, no hack or twist will be able to make up for it.

The Basics

“The Story Arc”

The story arc is the path your story leads down.

Does it build up? Does it create tension? Is there a good twist or punchline to end the story?

Generally, building up involves sharing the details. The tension is where things get interesting (i.e. what is the conflict?). The end of the story or the punchline usually has a twist on the tension or releases it.

Basic enough? Good.

Let’s get into some tactics that you can use to amp up your now basic story.

Build-Up

Go into feelings

Say you’re building up a story. Generally, you want to introduce the characters and setting. It’s also very helpful to talk into present tense or what I call “storytelling mode” where you enter your own story and take the people around you with you into your world.

Now that you’re in your world, how do you or the other characters feel?

Remember how your middle school teachers would tell you “show not tell”? They were actually giving you a brilliant storytelling advice. Let’s break down two examples in the build-up to a story.

Ex. 1. “So Johnny and I were going to the store the other day and saw my ex-girlfriend.”

Ex. 2. “So yesterday, Johnny and I are going to the store to get some chips. We’re listening to Bob Marley and it’s a super sunny and beautiful day. I’m feeling pretty good. I’m walking down aisle 9 and BAM! Jessie, my ex, is right there, also looking for chips”

This is already dipping into the “tension” aspect of building up a story, but do you see the difference? Example two is in the present tense. There, the character is showing and not telling.

A simpler way to break this all down is just to say: Paint a picture.

Hooks to keep people engaged

Before the big punch line or twist ending, it’s good to wet people’s appetite. Whether it’s a funny story and you want to make people laugh or it’s an inspiring story and you want to keep a little tension, there are several different hooks you can use throughout the “tension” phase to keep people engaged.

Act out a character

Even if someone is speaking Finnish and I’m across the café, I can tell if someone is acting out a character.

For some comedians, this is their whole act. If you want to see examples, I highly recommend that you search for “Chris D’elia Germans”.

Acting out a character cues people to pay attention. It lets them know that you are exaggerating someone’s personality. You can even play a character of yourself by voicing your inner monologue at the time! This can play a role in the build-up, too.

Some tips: Go all out. It doesn’t matter if your accent is horrible. Go stand up, move around and use props. If you are acting out a character, you essentially get to make your own rules. Some people may be worried about offending other people, but if you do it with a smile on your face, people will know that you’re not serious.

What I recommend: Don’t overuse this. You can just use this technique if you are building up your story or if there is any part with dialogues you don’t want to summarize.

The Punchline

Ah, the most important part of any story.

Good punch lines can make mediocre stories excellent. Bad ones can ruin stories and make people never want to listen to you again.

To be clear, if you want to know how to be a great storyteller, you should first know the punchline of your story before you even begin.

Here is a simple easy way to pull off a punch line:

The Twist

You’ve built up the story and there’s some tension already. What unexpected thing can resolve the tension or produce more of it?

Here are some examples from my life:

Happy Ian goes to a grocery store, sees his ex and runs out from the grocery store to avoid being seen.
Nervous Ian sees a pretty girl at a café, waits for half an hour to talk to her. When he finally musters up the courage to talk, her boyfriend comes in.
Ian is in a conversation he wants to leave. He’s looking for a way out but gets invited out to lunch. He says yes because he’s being nice. (Note: this would be said with the understanding that it doesn’t resolve the tension. That’s what’s funny).

Once you see “twists” in everyday life and you are comfortable doing a “build-up”, you will be able to conjure up a story about pretty much anything.

Action Step

Didn’t think you’d get away just reading this, did you?

I want you to think of and write down the three parts (build-up, tension, punch line) to three different possible stories that happened to you recently.

Now, for each part, write the corresponding hack.

Write down your “feelings (show not tell)” for the build-up. Write down a character you can act out for the tension. And finally, write down the twist that resolves or adds to the tension.

You can do this pretty quickly. Now you should have three pretty solid stories.

The last step? Use one of them today.

That’s right, I want you to find an instance where you can share your story with someone today. Whether it’s with a total stranger or your mom, it doesn’t matter. The idea is to start working on your storytelling muscle.

 

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One downside of being an entrepreneur is clients who pay late or not at all. Small business owners are most likely to face this problem. It’s usually because they are unsure about how to pursue these clients.

Are you a small business owner tired of having your invoices ignored? These tips can help you deal with a client refusing to pay an invoice.

Contact the Client

Email your clients and remind them that you haven’t received payment. If they don’t respond within a week, then send a follow-up. The person responsible for invoices might have been out of town, had an emergency or accidentally deleted the message. You can also try contacting them via social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).

However, if these methods yield no results, then it’s time to place a phone call.

Talk to the client. You may need to call every day for a month and act like an absolute pest, but hey, you need the money. Make sure to leave a voicemail each time, explaining that the invoice is past due and you want to resolve the issue. This is a good time to ask if there was a problem with the service or product you provided. If the answer is no, then they should have no problem paying.

Offer Options

Sometimes, clients put off paying their invoices because (1) the payment method is inconvenient or (2) they’re having trouble with the payment system. In this case, often all they need is a friendly person to reach out and guide them through the process. If there is a problem with the system itself, offer another way they can pay you.

The client may also put off paying their bills because they’re having financial trouble. Be flexible in this scenario by working out a payment plan (a certain amount per month over a certain time period) or requesting a good faith payment now and the rest later. When you’re understanding with your clients, they’re more likely to stick around.

Settle for Less

If worst comes to worst, you can discount the bill. They’re likely to jump at the chance to pay less for the service and you’ll get money in your pocket sooner than the alternative. You may want to avoid potential future invoicing headaches by dropping the client, though.

Hire a Collection Agency

Emails, phone calls, and reminders have gone unanswered. In this case, business to business collections is a possible solution. A professional collection agency could contact the client and attempt to get your payment. This type of agency deals exclusively with business debts.

As long as your debt is business-related, then this type of agency can be your next best option. If you’re hesitant to go that far, a warning letter from a lawyer generally elicits a speedy reply.

Small Claims Court

Small claims court allows you to present your case directly to a judge. Some states, such as Michigan and Nebraska, don’t allow lawyers in small claims court. If you live in one of those states, then it’s mandatory for you to represent yourself. But, in most states, legal representation is an option.

The cost of hiring a lawyer for small claims court is usually not cost efficient, so most people choose to represent themselves. However, using an attorney instead of a debt collection agency can result in a quicker resolution to the outstanding debt and the preservation of your business relationship.

Each state sets its own limit for the maximum amount you can request. The limit can be anywhere from $2,000 up to $10,000. Check with your state to see if your claim is eligible. If your claim exceeds state limits, then you need to file your case in another court.

See Also: How to Sue in Small Claims Court

Moving Forward with Problem Clients

Once the client has finally made the payment, you may want to make some adjustments to how you bill them in the future. For example:

• Ask for a pre-payment or retainer, especially for larger projects.
• Make them sign a contract before getting started. That way, if they go AWOL, you have a more straightforward route in place to go after them.
• Ask for payment based on project milestones rather than dates. This makes sure you’re paid in full before the project is finished.

Conclusion

In a perfect world, you’d get every invoice paid in full and on time. in reality, however, you have to take action against a non-paying client. So, don’t hesitate to ask for the money you’re owed; you’ve already earned it.

The post Client Refusing To Pay Invoice? 5 Ways To Deal With Non-Paying Clients appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Substance abuse can affect your life in more ways than you imagine. I was an addict for the greater part of my teenage years and a chunk of my adulthood and it cost me a lot of opportunities. It got to the point where I thought I would be a failure my entire life.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case at all.

My substance abuse started when I was only 9 years old. I got drunk at a family party on some liquor I stole from the kitchen while my parents weren’t watching. It only got worse as time went by and I got hooked on other substances. I started with marijuana and slowly moved on to more hardcore drugs.

At 23, I got sentenced to two years in prison and that was when I realized I had to change. I had to get clean.

As soon as I got out of prison, I checked into a rehab. After completing my treatment, I found a job which I started getting really good at very quickly. I was working too hard. I had no energy and was constantly under a lot of stress. The anxiety and depression this situation caused me led me to relapse.

There I was, at 27, feeling like I had wasted my life, feeling like a complete failure.

But I didn’t give up.

I went back to rehab, determined to fix what remained broken the first time I was there. When I finished my second treatment, my AA sponsor encouraged me to take some classes at a community college. I took an HTML course and found out I was really good at it. I took some more courses and started acquiring more and more knowledge.

Fast forward to today, 9 years later, I own a website development company. I’m successful and happy. There were many elements that helped me achieve this success.

I want to talk about one key aspect that I think is highly overlooked: energy.

Not having enough energy to complete a task or a project can interfere with your long and short-term goals, so I want to share something with whoever is reading this right now. These 5 tips are the best ways on how to stay energetic. They ultimately led me to my success.

Reduce stress

Anxiety is common among addicts and this results in high levels of stress. Studies show that there is a correlation between anxiety and fatigue since both use up a lot of energy.

When you’re under a lot of stress, even if you’re well rested, you will feel physically and mentally exhausted. This can interfere with your productivity.

So, the first thing you need to do in order to be more energetic is to reduce stress.

There are many ways in which you can achieve this and it’s important to note that you will not get an immediate result. You have to keep working on it in order to start feeling more relaxed and energetic. What worked for me the best was meditation.

It’s a very simple practice that anyone can try. It only takes you a few minutes every day.

Get enough, good quality sleep

Not sleeping enough or not sleeping well can make you feel tired throughout the day, no matter how many cups of coffee you drink to try to make up for it. This can result in less concentration and mood swings throughout the day.

While the general rule is to sleep approximately 8 hours each day, everyone is different and some people may need more sleep than others.

I always had trouble falling asleep and I would wake up several times during the night. Sometimes, I wasn’t able to fall back asleep.

If you can relate to these problems, there are a few things you can do that may help you. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule (waking up and going to bed at the same time every day), can help regulate your internal clock. Also, it turns out that the effects of caffeine can last up to 12 hours, so try eliminating coffee from your diet after 3 p.m., so it doesn’t give you any troubles falling asleep at night.

See Also: Five Ways of Overcoming the Problem of Getting Sleep

Exercise regularly

You should be exercising regularly for a number of reasons. For one, it can improve your overall physical health. It can boost your confidence, make you happier and make you more energetic. Exercising helps your lungs and heart work more efficiently, resulting in higher energy levels. In addition to this, it creates discipline which is also an essential element of success.

The best part is you can choose any type of exercise you like. I chose hiking since I love being surrounded by nature and being reminded of how beautiful the world is. You can start with small routines and build up from there. Soon enough, you’ll start noticing results in your energy and mood.

Eat healthy

Our diets today consist basically of processed foods and sugar, which don’t have any essential nutrients. These foods can cause fatigue among many other health problems. You need to identify your eating habits and if you recognize you’re not eating healthy enough, make some changes in your diet.

Leafy greens contain antioxidants, which are great for boosting your energy. Also, high-protein foods such as beans, eggs, and lean meat can help stabilize your blood sugar levels. These types of food are great for keeping you energized and preventing cravings throughout the day.

This doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in your favorite junk food every once in awhile. I still eat fried chicken once every two weeks. I just keep it measured.

See Also: Foods That Will Help You Keep Your Family Healthy

Do what you love

The way I see it, there is only one way to experience higher levels of productivity and success and that’s by doing something you love. There’s no point in making a lot of money if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing.

True success is loving what you do. So, I strongly encourage you to find something you’re really passionate about and give it everything you’ve got.

It doesn’t matter how bad you think things are as long as you’re willing to try. We all have the chance to be successful. Reducing stress, sleeping well, exercising, eating healthy and doing something you love are just some of the best ways on how to stay energetic for your goals.

If I could do it, I’m certain you can do it, too!

The post 5 Really Simple Tips On How To Stay Energetic For Your Goals appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Most of us agree that car repair can be costly. Every time you take your automobile to a repair shop, you are forced to part with some amount of money.

There are different categories of car repairs. Major repairs need to be handled by people who are well-trained in handling various issues that affect cars. The other category is the minor repairs. Although you can seek the services of a mechanic, you can do most of them on your own.

Here are some of the basic car repairs that you can handle to save money.

Changing oil

Oil ensures that your car engine operates smoothly and lasts for long. As a car owner, you need to check the oil levels of your car on a regular basis.

You can change your car’s oil without seeking help from experts. In fact, it is one of the fundamental skills that any car owner should have.

Changing your car’s oil involves a few steps. First, you will need to remove the drain plug. Secondly, unscrew and empty the oil filter. After that, fix the plug into its original position, remove the filler hole cap then pour fresh oil. It’s as simple as that!

Jumpstart a car

You don’t need specialized training to know how to jump-start your vehicle. Any car enthusiast can do this simple task and save on the repair costs.

It is necessary to jump start the car if its battery dies. All you need is another vehicle whose battery has the same voltage as yours. The good news is that most car owners are always willing to help each other to solve this problem. The first step is to connect the jumper cables from a Samaritan’s battery to yours. While doing so, ensure that both the vehicles are off.

Changing spark plugs

We all know the critical role that spark plugs play in a car. These are small but essential devices found in the cylinder. They are responsible for powering your car.

Your car’s spark plug can wear down once your vehicle covers a specific number of miles. Once that happens, you need to know how to fix it on your own.

Locate the exact location of the spark plug, remove the connecting wire and then remove the faulty spark plug. In its position, put the replacement then fix the plug wires to their respective positions.

Changing a flat tire

This is another necessary basic car repair practice that you need to know. Since you’ll never know when and where you will have a flat tire, you need to be prepared. Changing tires is always classified under life-saving skills.

First, you will have to lift the car off the ground using a jack stand. After that, remove the lug nuts and then the flat tire. Put your spare tire into position and wrench the lug nuts back to their place.

Changing brake pads

Brake pads can be the only thing that will stand between you and what would have been a nasty accident. This is because brake failures cause most accidents, so you should ensure that your brake pads are always in excellent condition.

Changing brakes is not an expensive or complicated process. You can do it and save money on car repair. The procedure of changing brake pads is almost similar to that of changing the tires.

Once you remove the wheels, remove the slider bolts and the older brakes. Fix the new brake pads and secure them in position using slider bolts

Changing car battery

A car battery can die when you least expect it so be sure to routinely check the state of your battery. This will help you know if you need to get a replacement soon.

To change your car battery, remove all the covers then disconnect the negative cables. Shift the clamp from the battery post and then disconnect the positive wires. Remove all the screws and replace the old battery with a new one.

Removing scratches from the car

Although it may appear to be a minor aesthetic problem, it can end up costing you some good amount of money. After all, you would like your car to have the best appearance and would pay any amount to achieve this goal.

Did you know that getting rid of scratches is another basic car repair that you can do at home?

To execute this task, you need to find out the depth of the scratch first. Secondly, sand-scratch and clean the area. Apply some rubbing compound on the scratch. Use the same compound to polish the area and then wax it. With these steps, the scratch will be eliminated.

Replacing the wipers

Do you really have to pay an expert to repair your windshield wipers?

Save yourself from this unnecessary cost by executing the repair on your own. The poor performance of your wipers is likely due to broken blades. To repair them, simply lift the wiper from the windshield and press the small tab to allow the blade to come off. Replace both wipers and you’re good to go.

Replace air filters

Most car owners tend to overlook air filters but they are as important as the other parts of a vehicle. The filters protect your car’s engine from dust and other solid contaminants.

Their effectiveness tends to degrade with time, which makes replacement inevitable. To do that, you need to find the exact location of the air filter and then remove it. Clean the air filter housing before you insert a new filter in it. This basic car repair can save you a good amount of money.

From the article, it is clear that you don’t have to attend any class to perform basic car repair and maintenance. The tips above can help you save money that you would otherwise spend on a mechanic to handle your car’s issues.

See Also: Necessary Steps When Teaching Your Teenager to Drive

The post Basic Car Repair Everyone Should Know appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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