Using your mobile technology to build your business

Businesses are becoming smaller in size, and hopefully with some planning, they can become more nimble within their environments. Many have been displaced within recent time and with their resources being limited, they need to have ways that they can get up to speed quickly. How can they do this, and do it well? This time, more than any, is when consideration needs to be given to the acquisition and use of mobile technology. 

The presence of so many different types of mobile technology in the market place gives rise to a diverse set up applications for a significant number of business opportunities. 

Many businesses are now functioning semi-remotely. Despite resources being scarce, there are mobile tech hardware and software that can help businesses gain traction within their chosen markets. There's literally no excuse not to function competently. 

Here's why:

• Smartphones can cost more than laptops/desktops and are versatile in their applications and dexterity of  functioning while the businessman/woman is on the move. 
• There are paid and free apps that enable the businesses to do the work of entire offices while on the go; and the available platforms support this process. 
• Delegation is easy and reliable. 
• Collaboration is easy, reliable and functional.
• Response rate is almost instantaneous. 
• Document management was also mobile complete with the virtual filing system(s). This is largely due to the memory capacity on most devices. 
• Backup systems are in the cloud making it absolutely difficult to lose information. 

Now that you are aware you have the technology. Here are some things that you need to be aware of:

• Changing devices is easy as information updates are instantaneous when you log in with you profile credentials. 
• Backups/Restoration is easy and reliable. 
• Your contacts are readily at hand should you need to make contact with them. 
• You can process invoices, refunds and track your bookkeeping activity directly from your mobile devices. 
• There are endless security services to protect your data. 
• You can easily manage your devices from your administrative panels and the information they can access. 
• You can see your schedule at a glance. 
• There is seamless integration between devices which means you can continue working even on the move. 
• There is talk to type technology so that you don't break stride with your productivity. 
• You can access movies and music should you need to gear back for a break. 
• There are a plethora of courses, workshops, and webinars to keep you in the know as you seek out more knowledge. 

No excuses are available any longer. Use your preferred mobile technology and get busy on building and developing your future and safeguarding your livelihood and that of those you care about. 

Check our website bladesandbladesconsultancy.com for continued posts and updates. Hope this helps move you in the direction of your most dominant thoughts of success. 

Organizations with notable contributions to Small Business

In my years of business development, I have come across a number of entities that have given assistance to the development of SMEs over the years. However, I have found that they are some that stand out more than others not only for their assistance, but for their consistency of effort.

In this instance, I will focus on those that are located within the island of Barbados. I would hope that they will take note of this post and endeavor to continue to great work that they have done over the years. To explain the services of each one would result in a post that would probably bore the reader. Therefore, if you have any knowledge of their services or industries that they operate within you will know that they are exemplary in their offerings:

Telecommunications

• LIME - for all their services and packages

 Banking and Finance

• Scotiabank
• First Citizens Bank
• City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union

Technical Assistance and Mentoring

•  The Barbados Investment and Development Corporation [BIDC]
• Caribbean Export
• The Barbados Youth Business Trust 
• The Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme
• Science and Technology

There was a time that a lot of support came from

• The Barbados Coalition of Service Industries [BCSI] 
• Republic Bank 
• CIBC First Caribbean International Bank

Conference and meeting facilities

• The Hilton Barbados
• The Barbados Yacht Club
• The Courtyard by Marriott
• The Accra Beach Hotel 
• The Coffee Bean [more for meetings] 

 Power

• The Barbados Light and Power 

Water

• The Barbados Water Authority 

Permissions

• The Town and Country Planning Office 

Ongoing Education

• The Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic [SJPP]
• The Barbados Community College [BCC] 
• Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity [BIMAP] 
• The University of the West Indies [UWI] 

Incentive creation and positive functional taxation policies that facilitate economic growth

• The Government of Barbados with their Bright, Lucrative, Policies 

We want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your various contributions to SME development within Barbados.You will note that mentioning SMEs does not mean entrepreneurs, but small businesses that drive the tangible sustainability of the economy. Thank you for your outstanding efforts.

Why Work?

Lately, it appears that there's a toss up between getting a job or starting a business. The thing is starting a business is becoming so academic that there are now definitions as to who is / isn't an entrepreneur. The discussions are now spinning out as to if the business is designed for growth / just the lifetime of the owner complete with further drilling down of all the surrounding factors.

The various analyses have lead me to a question that I don't believe many people seriously ask themselves. I say seriously since the default answer regardless of whether they are looking at working for themselves / someone else seems to stem from being able to pay bills.

I have been alive long enough to see the spending power of currency shrink. Once upon a time, $x would have enabled you to take 2 or more trolleys to the check out counter of most supermarkets. Nowadays, that same $x would allow you to look through the trolley of goods and see the floor beneath. In other words, the trolley would not even be half full and the money's already gone. May I hasten to add that you still would not have been able to purchase everything that you needed.

So why work? 

• Is it enough to say we want to be able to pay our bills or should we be able to have at least some discretionary income? Governments don't seem to think so as they think of taxes of every type to acquire our often hard earned money with nary an incentive to encourage spending that would result in money making opportunities. Not everyone wishes to engage in squandermania. 
• Will we ever break the cycle of more month than money? 
• What are we doing to build our financial IQ so that we can spot and capitalize on opportunities?
• The days of one job and employment loyalty are a quickly fading memory of the past. Everyone's tuned into the station WIIFM [what's in it for me]. Yet the biographies of the rich and laden with stories of how much they give, and the fact that the more they give the more they get. 
• Athletes and entertainers are paid lots of money for doing one thing well. Yet many of us try to do many different things often unsuccessfully. When will we learn the power of focus. 
• What do we gain from work? Do we work because we want to or because we have to? The difference in answer will assist in determining our attitudes towards our work. 
• Is it only about the money? Many people are going to work so numb nowadays, seldom giving any serious thought to their work unless they hear that it, work, is threatened with cessation. 
• Is owning a business better than working for someone? The answer for this all depends on you. I have met people who have been quite successful in both situations. Their success stems in a large part from their attitudes. 

Various people have different reasons as to why they should work. For the others who are unsure, identify why you do work, decide if this is what you want to do with regards to making your contribution. Then make the adjustments in your life to find your true calling. Once you've take these steps you'll be crystal clear in your mind as to why you should work. Today find your Why for Working!