Category: Tips and Tools

You deserve the best

It is very difficult to get ahead in the academic world, and it is even more challenging when you have to communicate in a different language. In general, preparing an academic or scientific article for publication in a peer-reviewed journal is not an easy task. It is essential that your content be sound and engaging. This means that the language in which your paper is written must be intelligible and accurate in order to effectively communicate the complex information you attained in during your research.

Academic editing services are beneficial to native-speaking writers and are almost mandatory if English is your second language. Using an academic editing service will enhance the quality of your language, remove errors and ensure that the common academic conventions are met. Importantly, using an academic editing service allows ESL researchers to be assessed based on the substance of their ideas and not by their innate ability to write fluent academic English. Your ability or inability to write in English should not limit your success as an academic. This is precisely why academic editing services exist.

When you hire an academic editor you deserve the best. This means that the editor should be a native-English speaker and have a postgraduate degree. You make sure that these two qualifications are met by the editor you hire. This will ensure that you receive the highest quality edit, which is what you deserve.

Benefits of hiring a native-English speaking editor

An editor is trained to excel not only in correcting the language problems, but also in understanding the logic, structure and organization of the writing. If the editor is a native-English speaker you can be sure that your editor is a language expert.

• Native-English speaking editors are better qualified to appreciate the idiomatic use of words and expressions and can also understand the use of clichés (which are common in the English language) and figurative expressions.

• Native-English speaking editors easily see past the content of the words and catch misspellings, spot stray thoughts and smooth out the rough phrasing in order to polish the writing.

• Editors who are native-English speakers make suggestions to help with word flow and explain word usage issues and standard writing practices. Importantly, when the ESL author reviews the document, he or she can see how the editor changed the wording and corrected spelling errors. Ultimately, this allows the ESL author to further develop his or her writing skills.

Benefits of hiring a native-English speaking editor with a postgraduate degree

Even for native speakers, English can be complicated and confusing. There is increasing pressure for ESL authors to publish in English, which can be overwhelming task for even the most self-assured wordsmiths. The common worries, when it comes to writing, include the content, the proper English word usage and the syntax. They are all very important, but in addition to ensuring that your editor is a language expert, you should expect that your editor have experience editing and proofreading documents in your field or subject area. As an academic writer you are probably in the process of attaining your postgraduate degree or have already achieved a masters or Ph.D. degree. Therefore, you should expect that your editor also have such a degree. At this point in academia, ideas are expressed, experiments are explained and thoughts are conveyed. The ability to do such requires a postgraduate degree if one expects it to be high-quality work. An editor with a postgraduate degree has already been trained to produce such work and will help you achieve the same.

• An editor with a postgraduate degree, especially a Ph.D., has undergone rigorous and thorough training as a thinker, scholar, reader and writer.

• During their course work, editors with postgraduate degrees usually have to write several fully researched and documented academic papers and often take comprehensive written essay exams.

• Editors with postgraduate degrees had to write a dissertation, which is a fully researched and documented study that is often hundreds of pages long.

• During the process of attaining their postgraduate degree these editors had their writing scrutinized by a committee of PhDs before being awarding their degree.

The best edit

Clearly, ESL authors have to consider many issues before publishing their work, and the most pressing of which is language editing. Ultimately, if they hire an editor who is a native-English speaker with a postgraduate degree they can be assured that they are going to receive the best edit possible. In the end, this type of high-quality editing will also contribute to the ability of an ESL author to enhance his or her writing skills, which will in turn advance his or her career.

If you’ve got an amazing idea, then you’re going to need money to make it a reality. Sometimes, people have access to the capital they need. But most people will need to get help from investors. If you want to know how to get investors interested in your invention, then read on!

Progress from the ‘idea’ stage

People talk a lot about the value of an idea. But the truth is that an idea is really only worth so much. An investor isn’t going to be that interested in an idea alone. You need to take it further. Look into prototyping. Do some market research. Get it tried and tested. Execute! Investors are looking for great ideas that have been well-executed. Preferably, they also want something that’s protected by the law. If you’ve got a patent for your idea, then it’s already a bit more than an idea. (At that point, it’s actually a semi-tangible asset that might be worth something!)

Get networking

Do you know any other inventors? Do you have friends who are fans of this sort of product, or who work in a relevant industry? Do you know any business owners who have ties with innovative and daring investors? These are the kinds of people you need to get to know. Start getting social! Build up a solid network of people like this. It will make it much easier to find the people you’re looking for. (Note: You’ll probably want to patent the idea before you actually tell anybody about it!)

Work with a third party

Getting an idea prototyped, protected, and prepared takes a lot of time. But if you want capital to take this invention further, then you’re going to have to get developing. Ensuring quality might require you working with a third party. There are companies out there who help people with ideas develop their products. Inventionhome is an example of such a company. What’s more is that the backing of the right company can actually help impress investors.

Develop a business plan

Some people expect investors to do all the heavy lifting. It’s true that investors are often able to bring invaluable business expertise to an enterprise. In fact, there are investors out there who specialize in this and will work with entrepreneurs who have no business sense. But this may result in you handing over a bigger share in various deals than you’d like.

The fact is that many investors prefer to work with people who are business-savvy. Developing a business plan relating to your invention can help you show that you are just that. What’s more is that it helps you show off the true potential value of your idea. Investors definitely need that sort of information!

Crowdfunding

Of course, you could always get a basic prototype developed and then take to the Internet. Crowdfunding sees you go straight to the people you hope to be eventually selling the product to. Many great inventions have seen the light of day thanks to backing from Kickstarter users. But Kickstarter isn’t your only option. Whatever platform you choose, you have to make sure your idea is presented in a clear and exciting way. Do it right and your idea could even go viral. Nothing helps funding more than virality!

With a growing population and plenty of pressure being applied to make people consider the environment when they throwing things out that they no longer need, this means that there is a good way to make money from their unwanted trash.

Recycling is now an established part of how we have to behave responsibly towards protecting the environment, which means that there is a potential business opportunity to consider.

Get yourself a suitable vehicle like a RAM 3500 pick-up truck and also learn what it takes to start a recycling business. In no time at all, you could be profiting from other people’s trash.

Many different opportunities to recycle

Recycling is big business and if you decide to start your own recycling venture, there is a wealth of different opportunities to tap into.

You could offer to help recycle paper products, plastics or e-waste to name just a few examples.

Obviously you will need to understand what is expected from you and how to recycle the various items in the right way, according to industry requirements, but there are definitely areas to exploit where you could conceivably carve out a niche recycling business, and quickly become the go-to person in your area.

Out with the old tech

A good example of the potential of recycling would be the case of electronics.

Gadgets and machinery are constantly evolving and being updated, which means that there is almost always a pile of old tech that needs to be collected and re-purposed wherever possible.

You could offer to collect all of these old electronic items and subsequently follow the required procedures for getting them recycled or at least some of the components that could take on a new lease of life.

Potential for profit

One of the big questions that anyone considering the idea of starting a recycling business will want an answer to, is why recycling can be so profitable?

Quite simply, it is the fact that there are some serious government targets and restrictions that businesses have to adhere to, meaning that you will unlikely be short of customers who need help meeting their recycling obligations.

Consumers are becoming more demanding when it comes to recycled products and environmental responsibility being demonstrated by companies they are considering buying from.

This means that you could be providing a much-needed service where there is plenty of potential for repeat business as well as good prospects for solid profits.

What to recycle

There will be capital costs involved if you are planning on setting up a recycling center, and there are different processes involved depending on what you are going to offer to recycle, which is why it is a good idea to decide on whether you want to concentrate on a nice area of recycling in particular.

Construction waste, aluminium cans, plastic products and even rubber, are just some examples of where there is a constant and growing demand for recycling services.

So if you want to recycle your work outlook, there is money to be made handling other people’s trash.

Paige Kerr is a environmentally conscious woman who, some might say, has taken things too far. Currently in the process of building an eco-home, she has also given up plastic; no small feat! Read her ideas on going green and looking after our planet at a variety of places online.

A new industrial unit is a big and important investment, so you need to get it right. If you choose the wrong place, it will cost you dearly, especially if you have to move again. However, you need to make your decision quickly so that your business can move on to the next phase.

Here are five useful tips to help you to make the right decision.

Location, location, location…

Your unit should be in the right place, or else it won’t work for you. You need to be close to a busy area, one that you can get a lot of business from. Industrial units in West Molesey are in a great position, for example, as they’re not hemmed in by city centre congestion, but they’re near enough to London and all its amenities and transport links.

Think ahead

If you’re a growing company (or if you hope to be…), then you need a space that will give you a bit of growth room so you don’t have to pack up and move a year or so later. A managed unit which can offer you a bit of extra room might be just the ticket. Alternatively you might have to downsize, so again, managed premises can help you to do that without having to move.

Look for security

Good security is vital to any business as you already know. If you have to store your finished products onsite you need to know they won’t be stolen or damaged. The same applies to your premises and equipment – you need to keep it safe and sound. Finding your own security can be expensive, so a good idea is to find a unit on a managed complex where security is part of the deal. Look for a manned desk, patrols and CCTV at least.

Make sure you’re accessible

If your customers and clients have to visit you onsite, it’s important that they can get to you and park without difficulty. It’s even more important that lorries and vans can load and unload with the minimum of fuss, so look for somewhere with tailboard loading facilities and a free car park.

Once you’ve found that, make sure there are train stations and motorways nearby, as well as a port or airport if you ship internationally. Of course this is related to location, but you have to look within your ideal area and if you’re torn between two or three places, the logistical advantages could help you to decide.

Look for any extras on offer

Following these tips should make finding an industrial unit easier, but why stop at just the unit? There will be some complexes that offer some extra perks or services, or at least a shower room and kitchen. You should also make the effort to get to know the other businesses in the complex, as they may be able to provide discounted services to you (and you to them, of course), or introduce their clients to you.

We live in incredible times. It’s now possible for mumpreneurs to earn great livings from the comfort of their homes. However, at some point in time, you might consider the option of finding an office space. It will help your business appear more professional – and give you space in which to grow into.

There will be room for employees, and you could even end up being closer to your customers. But let’s not beat around the bush, here. From the very second, you decide to leave the home office and move into a rented place; it’s going to cost a lot of money. So, read on to find out how you can trim those costs and keep more of your profits to yourself.

The right office

First of all, it’s vital to understand that moving into an office can have a dramatic impact on your profit margins. Rent is never cheap, wherever you end up, or how much your business is growing. But there are some simple things to consider for your office move if you want to save some money. First of all, consider sharing space with other businesses. Many co-working environments are springing up all over the country, and should be your first port of call. If you do decide to go it alone, avoid the traditional, central locations. Everyone wants a primary business address, and this causes the prices to skyrocket. Instead, be clever about your position. Sometimes, a small office block just off the center can be a lot cheaper than on the main drag, while still giving you all the benefits.

The right equipment

When you move into a plush new office, it can be tempting to fill it up with brand new equipment. However, there is no need for all this expense. Furniture can be picked up from thrift stores or the likes of arnoldsofficefurniture.com, rather than new. PCs and electrical equipment can all be bought refurbished from manufacturer’s outlet stores. And when your gear arrives looking brand new, you will understand there is no need to buy new. You can save anything up to 50% of the cost by looking into the used markets. It just makes sound financial sense.

The right services

Business rates can be expensive, no matter which utility providers or services you choose. But the key is to stay on top of your current deals. Take switching services such as power2switch.com, for example. They can help you find the best deal going in your region for electricity. You can do the same for gas, maintenance, and a whole host of other essentials. It’s also worth thinking about forgoing a traditional phone service. Again, it can be expensive for businesses, but as long as you have broadband, you can use a VoIP service instead.

Given the costs of renting and running, an office can be so much greater than working from home, try out some of these ideas. They will help you keep more of your profits, and improve your bottom line. Good luck with the big move!