Life as a business owner or entrepreneur can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. On the one hand, there are few things more thrilling than running your own company, where you get to choose your own hours and decide how much you want to charge for your products or services. On the other hand, running a business means taking on a lot of stress. Sometimes, you won’t know for sure how much you’re going to earn on any given month.

To help you launch your business with no regrets, we’ve put together some quick things that you need to know before you start running a company. This blog will help to guide you through the first few months in your new venture.

1. Your Business Plan is Crucial

In today’s fast-paced digital world, a lot of would-be entrepreneurs assume that they can get by without any business whatsoever. After all, business plans take a lot of time and effort, and if you’re keen to jump straight into action, you might assume that you can simply make things up as you go along.

Business plans are useful for a range of reasons. First of all, they ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting into from day one. When you write your business plan, you’ll figure out how much money you need to earn, and how much work you’ll have to do to earn a reasonable income. Additionally, your business plan will also be crucial when you decide to pursue funding from investors and banks.

1. Passion is Crucial

The best businesses solve a significant problem in the marketplace. If you can design a product or service that other people genuinely need, then you shouldn’t have too much of a hard time selling your product. However, it’s not enough to merely have a great idea. You also need to be passionate about whatever it is you’re going to promote or sell.

While there’s more to a great business than just passion, it’s your commitment to your niche that will help you to keep going when times get tough. Since any business can have its ups and downs, make sure that you’re getting into something that you can genuinely commit to from day one.

1. Know Where You’re Going to Get Funding

Money is crucial in any business. There’s the cash that you’re going to make from your customers and clients, and then there’s the money that you’re going to need to invest into your organization tog et it up and running. As they say, sometimes you need to spend money to make money.

Unfortunately, unless you’re a very lucky person with a lot of extra cash, the chances are you won’t have enough cash to simply fund your company out of your own pocket. This means that you’re going to need to speak to a bank about getting a loan. Remember, when you’re searching for the right business loan, compare your options online. The lower your APR, the less you’ll have to pay out each month when you have other expenses to deal with.

1. Be Ready to Get Some Help

Even if you plan on running your business as a one-man band, to begin with, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need help to thrive. Most business owners start off on their own, then hire other people and contractors to fill the gaps in their skillset. One of the most obvious professionals you’re going to need to begin with is an accountant.

Managing the financial and tax-based side of your company can be very difficult, particularly when you don’t have any experience with tax law. An accountant will help to keep your books on track, so you don’t have to worry about explaining mistakes to the IRS when it’s time to send off your tax returns.

1. Be Prepared for Anything

Finally, as exciting as it can be to run your own business, it’s also a nerve-wracking experience too. You need to go into it preparing for anything – including failure. Remember that things won’t always go according to plan with your company, but if you can stick to your guns and continue working on your strategy, you might be able to pull ahead again.

Sometimes, running a successful business is about knowing how to push forward when the going gets tough. Other times, you might need to understand when it’s time to step back and change your strategy. Be flexible and be ready for anything.

Learning through play is one of the most effective forms of education. Different toys and games hone cognitive and motor skills and stimulate creative thinking.

By giving your children the right toys, you can expedite their emotional and linguistic development. Games can teach children to deal with adversity and challenge, as well as being gracious in defeat as well as victory. Here are 5 great educational gift ideas for kids that you don’t want to miss.

Subscription Boxes

Monthly subscription boxes for kids are a great way to spark a child’s interest in a topic. There are boxes available on subjects like science, nature, engineering and art. There are even specifically-designed sensory therapy boxes for children on the autism spectrum.

Every month your child will receive a box packed with activities, reading material, games and arts and crafts on their chosen subject. They are a great way for children to learn about the world and have fun doing it.

Lego

Lego has been a permanent fixture in children’s toy chests since the bricks first went on sale in the 1940s. They have managed to stand the test of time in the constantly shifting world of children’s toys because both kids and parents love them.

Kids love them because they are fun. Parents love them because they allow children to unleash their creativity. They teach children basic engineering principles, hones fine motor skills, and the kits teach them how to follow instructions.

Walkie-Talkies

Role-playing is a good way of building effective communication skills. Seeing a child convey the world they are imagining inside their head to another child is a beautiful thing to see.

What better way to encourage communication and role play than with a two-way walkie-talkie? Your children will have endless fun creating imaginary worlds and scenarios in which the walkie-talkies are essential and required.

Snap Circuits

Last year I saw a Snap Circuits Electronic Discovery Kit for sale online and bought it on a whim. It ended up being a real win, and one of the few toys that comes out of the toy box again and again.

It is basically a child-friendly circuit, complete with batteries, snap wires, switches, music and speakers. It comes with instructions on how to build more than 100 circuits, including a doorbell, a lamp, a flying saucer and a police siren.

Snap Circuits give children a basic understanding of electricity and how it works, starting them off by building a simple circuit with a light and building up to more complex projects like a replica circuit board for a TV.

Science Kits

Nothing quite captivates the mind of a child quite like potions. There are now plenty of kits on the market allowing children to make their own eye-catching potions through basic chemical reactions.

The chemicals used are always child-friendly and non-toxic, like baking soda, citric acid or cabbage powder. As your child becomes more intrigued and capable, there are also plenty of more specialized science kits, including microscope sets, perfumery sets and even a science kit that lets them make their own ice cream.

Science kits are a great way of showing children the science behind everyday activities because they allow them to learn by doing. Instead of a teacher explaining how ice cream is made, they get to get stuck in and do it themselves. This creates a more meaningful and memorable learning experience.

The time to set our clocks back is coming soon now that the long days of summer are over. Smartphones keep most of us on time no matter if we are springing forward to Daylight Savings Time, or falling back to Standard time. But, for some of us, if we don’t pay attention, the jump by an hour may come as a sudden surprise regardless of whether we live by our smartphones or not.

While I’m preparing for that move back an hour as winter arrives, I need to find a way to help my kids become accustomed to the time change too. “Alphamom” has thought of a few ways to get your kids involved in the time change routine by exploring the fun of Daylight Savings Crafts. The process of catching onto what may be a difficult concept for many kids can be more easily broken down with an educational and creative art activity.

My favorite idea from this website is the Spring Forward cards. The same concept can be applied for Fall Back to Standard Time. Print out these little cards for your children to decorate and pass out to friends and family.

DIY Fall Back Reminder Cards

What You’ll Need

• Cardstock
• A printer
• Pipe cleaners
• Markers, crayons, pencils, gel pens, or paint
• Anything else you’d like to use to decorate such as glitter glue or stickers
• Scissors

Card Assembly Steps

1. Using a word processing or other appropriate program on your computer, create a template for a small card that your children can decorate. The template provided by Alpha Mom features the words “Spring Forward!” at the top, and a reminder at the bottom: “Don’t forget to set your clock an hour earlier on Sunday.” You can follow the same pattern but with wordage that’s appropriate for Fall.
2. Print your template out and cut out the cards.
3. Let your children cut out small circles and create clocks to attach to the cards.
4. Wrap pipe cleaners around a pencil or pen to create a spring/coil effect
5. Glue or tape the pipe cleaner to the front of the card and the back of the clock to create a bouncy, springy effect.
6. Let the kids decorate the clocks and cards with crayons, markers, stickers… whatever inspires their creativity

Tips for Extra Punches of Originality

An easy way to give this particular craft some colorful flare is by using unconventional materials or effects that fit with a fall inspired theme.

Go Bold With Black

If we’re getting ready for shorter days and longer nights, why not accentuate that theme with black paper and vibrant neons or metallic writing materials? Mystery Metallic Gel Crayons are a beautiful way to decorate a pitch dark night sky made from black coloring paper. A card made with these pops of vibrant, glittery color will be sure to get everyone in the mood for fall while giving them a reminder card they won’t forget.

Try Metallics for Fall Flare

Another stunning way to decorate your card for adults and children alike is to use Modern Metallics Colored Pencils. Use glimmery reds, rusts, and golds to highlight the crispness of fall colored leaves. Or try covering the card first in a misty background of sparkly color created by Sparkle Watercolor Gel Crayons before adorning your card with fall leaves on top.

Whatever method you choose to create the look, these cards are the perfect way to teach your children about the complicated concept of Daylight Savings time. And they’ll have a ton of fun passing them out so that you and all of your family and friends will be reminded and prepared!

Buying a Rolex requires some research. After all, you will be spending thousands of dollars on one of the most treasured timepieces in the world and there are many models to choose from. There are so many details that will shed more light on why a particular Rolex model is distinctive from the rest. The mechanisms used by Rolex are also state-of-the-art and knowing about them adds to the wonderful experience of choosing your timepiece.

Before we get into the details, ensure that you are always browsing for watches in reputed sites like Frost NYC  Jewelry which have large collections and a great support staff.

Rolex is just one of many famous luxury watchmakers that have been in business since the early twentieth century and there are much older ones too. Some of the well-known ones are Cartier, Omega, and Patek Philippe. There is no objective way of choosing the best – they all make the greatest timepieces in the world. In fact, even luxury brands that usually deal with apparel and accessories are pushing out expensive watch lines. There are a lot of beautiful watches out there but if you are looking for a cultural icon, then the Rolex wins that category hands down.

Brief History of Rolex

24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf was a visionary. When he set up his firm in London in 1905, he had a vision that wristwatches were going to be the next big thing – provided the right innovations were made. In 1910, a Rolex wristwatch received the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, an accolade granted by the Bienne’s Official Watch Rating Centre. In 1919, Rolex moved to watch country – Switzerland. The change of base to Geneva would spur some of the greatest innovations in timepiece history.

The Oyster changed the industry forever. No longer was the wristwatch a dainty indulgence. The world’s first waterproof watch made the news when it was worn by Mercedes Gleitze when she swam across the English Channel in 1927.  The Perpetual Movement is the other great gift from the house of Rolex. A mechanism that ran from the natural movements of a person’s wrist, the Perpetual was the cutting-edge watch of the day. Rolex popped up in the history book once again in 1933, worn by the first aviators who flew over Mount Everest.

Rolex developed a reputation of being a company that tested its products in the most extreme conditions. In 1935, from motor car racing circuits to explorations across the world, the Oyster found its way into the outfit. It was a staple in the famous speed record-breaking sessions by Sir Malcolm Campbell, including the famous Bluebird drive in September 1935, when he broke the 300 miles per hour barrier at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. In 1945, Rolex introduced Datejust, which showed the date on the dial and also sported the exclusive Jubilee bracelet.  

Post-War Innovations – The Age of Professional Watches

By the post-war era, with the economic boom and the major advances in telecommunications and transport, Rolex started having a worldwide presence. The 1950s saw the release of many tool watches or professional models. Flying, diving, mountaineering, and scientific exploration were the disciplines for which Rolex designed timepieces. Oyster Perpetuals were part of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s expedition to the summit of Mount Everest. The Rolex Explorer was created to celebrate this momentous occasion of human exploration history. The Submariner was introduced for divers and then transcontinental flights became a reality, Rolex introduced the GMT-Master, developed with inputs from Pan Am. These were the glamorous days of aviation and the GMT-Master was sported by navigators and aviators of all the top airlines in the world.

The innovations kept on coming. The Day-Date was available only in gold and platinum and showed the day of the week fully spelled out along with the date – a first for wristwatches. The Day-Date is often considered the favorite Rolex for leaders, business tycoons, and diplomats. The Milgauss was a watch that was developed to withstand very strong magnetic fields, confirmed by CERN, the most advanced particle physics laboratory on the planet. The Lady Datejust was released in 1957, yet another milestone of the Rolex story.

Made for the darkest depths of the Mariana Trench, the Rolex Deep Sea Special was another great achievement for the most adventurous watch company in the world.  The watch was attached to the Trieste, a bathyscaphe that was submerged in the deepest depression on Earth and it came up unscathed from the high pressure – more than 10,000 meters below sea level. The Cosmograph Daytona was a watch designed to celebrate the endurance required in the 24-hour Daytona race. One of the fascinating features of the Cosmograph Daytona was a bezel tachymetric scale that allowed the calculation of average speed. The Explorer II was introduced in the 1970s and was used for polar expeditions because of Rolex’s famed reputation for hard testing and robust mechanisms. 1985 saw the introduction of 904L, mentioned below. The sailing world rejoiced in 1992 when Rolex introduced the Yachtmaster, made for maritime indulgences and exploration of the rough seas. In 2012, another icon was released – the Sky Dweller.

This is just a scratch on the surface of what Rolex means to so many adventure and scientific disciplines. Here are some big reasons why the Rolex watch you plan to buy is absolutely special.

Everything In-house

Rolex is the only watch brand that has an in-house supply system for even the most common parts. They have their own type of steel and in-house gold and metal foundries. Today all horology enthusiasts are aware of the famous 904L – the steel that Rolex watches are made of. The Rolex variant of 18K rose gold is not available anywhere else in the world – you will find it only in a Rolex watch.

Completely handmade

Although Rolex uses a lot of precision technology to make their parts, there is still a very prominent human role in the manufacturing process. All the parts are assembled by hand. What we see as a complete product is a complex combination of different mechanisms and machinations – all patent technologies that are put together by hand. It takes on an average, a year, to make one Rolex watch.

Designed for a purpose

Rolex watches have a huge appeal because they have never been built as aesthetic compliments for an outfit. A Rolex is designed with a specific purpose in mind – it can be described more like a beautiful tool than just a fancy accessory. A Rolex watch encapsulates lifestyles that speak of adventure and exploration. You have watches modeled for aviators and dive watches made for the harsh conditions of the sea. The Datejust is one of the most celebrated lines of Rolex watches. The Yachtmaster and Daytona Rolex models are also made for specific purposes. The specific purpose of each Rolex model is made a reality by one of the best precision science labs in the world. A lot of research goes into the different extreme conditions that a Rolex watch may be exposed to, from high altitudes to a pressurized atmosphere. The parts and mechanisms are designed keeping in mind the purpose of the watch – not just the final features.

Rolex Watches are accessory-friendly

We usually associate luxury timepieces as being the finished product not to be tampered with. But Rolexes are made to be very accessory-friendly. Using different straps is the most common way to completely change the way the watch looks. Instead of the chain or leather straps, you can also add a Rolex bracelet or fix a different bezel to your main piece. Always get such changes made in a top watch store that is familiar with accessorizing and offers guarantees on your very expensive investment.

Rolex Watches as an investment

Watches from Rolex have high vintage value. The classic Submariner is expected to appreciate by 5% a year and there are many other models which have a very high value. A Rolex watch is not just a collectible that is appreciated by a niche audience. It is a brand that commands a following across the world. From a diplomat in New York to a club owner in Bangkok, the value of the Rolex watch is appreciated and acknowledged by everyone. Therefore if you are looking for a watch with a strong resale value and a recognizable brand, Rolex has to be your choice.

A Watch that Charts Human Achievement

From the heights of Everest to the darkest trenches of the ocean, Rolex has found its way there. It has accompanied the greatest human journeys of the 20th century and also created an industry niche in a discipline dominated by the best. Buying a Rolex is not just an expensive indulgence, it has a deeper meaning. Resplendent in design and a result of unique manufacturing processes, built from the best materials and boasting the precision only found in scientific instruments, a Rolex is a great gift for yourself or a loved one. It is a gift that lasts generations. Learn more about this most iconic of timepieces and bring one home.