A Business Startup Guide for Choosing the Right Technologies

A business startup in itself comes as a great display of its values and prepositions. The concept of “startup” is all about conceiving an innovative idea and then getting taking it up to a higher execution level and reap the results. All these; however, depending on the technology which is picked by the business administrators, which may give a powerful start and ongoing scalability to run the business operations with a proper technology toolkit.

In broader terms, a technology stack for any business is an inventory of software including programming languages to develop a website or mobile applications, a database to store information, and support for hosting, etc. When you start with a business for which one needs to go through various steps, the real issue is of choosing the apt, reliable, and solid technology to meet the objectives. Here, we will discuss a few essentials for the startup business owners in terms of picking the right technology.

Developing a talent pool

With a big number of technology tools available in the market, the technology stack choice may become an intensive debate and must be based on the most competent units. The technology choices should be made by an experienced technology architect and not the mere developers or administrators. The users may suggest a tech stack which they are familiar or with instead of the most effective solution from a business point of view.

However, remember that the technology stack should not be taken as gospel. One should learn the requirements in-depth and try to find a middle-ground in terms of time and cost. It may be difficult and costly to replace a team member in light of technology. So, it is always worth to ask to assess the expertise of the team members in terms of technology tools to make a final decision.

For example, putting a Dot Net developer into a Java development stack doesn’t make any sense. Instead, if it is only some minor technology utilities which your team member has not expertise, it can be easily patched.

Technology platform

There are two most appealing houses not to choose for you as web and mobile. There are more than a dozen factors to be considered to find which could be ideal, but still, it may remain as a controversy. In fact, whichever choice you make, it won’t negate the other fully as both of these needs to be healthily co-exist in the modern-day technology gadgets.

The solution is to now the end-product of your business well. You should be aware of what and why it stands for and how to leverage it at best. Is it best to have your application a naturally looking mobile app, if in case it can be operated through simple swipes like authenticators, messengers, food ordering, or taxi services, etc.)? On the other hand, if the application requires many tons of options for filling data, more precise clicks, etc. for the best user experience like managing forums, torrent tracker, or movies platform, then web version can be a winner.

Business database, database migration, and security

The database is the heart of any online business. You may have come across Microsoft Excel and may agree to the usefulness of this stool to store and manipulate data effectively. Similar to it, the databases like MySQL or MS Access also helps you store digital data in tabular forms as tables with rows and columns. However, unlike MS Excel, the featured database is packed with a lot of advanced features to enable users to add and retrieve data using different criteria, do cross-reference of data with other databases, perform the most sophisticated calculations, and also use the tools for data visualization.

It is important to set up the startup business databases in a structured manner from scratch to ensure usability and scalability at a later stage. For organizations to ensure effective database management and security, it is advisable to avail the service of expert DBAs like RemoteDBA.com, which is fully worth the money spent on their services. There are desktop databases and server databases for startup businesses to choose from.

Some of the major desktop databases are:

  • MS Access
  • FoxPro
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Paradox
  • Lotus Approach

Desktop databases are much cheaper than server databases, being suitable for the low-intensity databases accessed and updated by a single person and one at a time.

Server databases are:

  • MS SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • MySQL
  • IBM DB2
  • Cloud-based Azure etc.

Compared to desktop databases, server databases are much powerful and multi-functional. You can customize them easily through programmer-friendly APIs. For bigger web applications, multiple users may have to access and edit the data, so server database is advisable.

Database security

Security is a crucial part in database administration as data is the most valuable asset of businesses and hackers out there may try to steal it. Poor database management practices also may lead to corruption of data and loss. As databases grow bigger, they also become more vulnerable, and you need to enhance the protection with the help of a firewall, digital signature, and malware protection, etc.

Technology trends

Despite the various options in the market, the startup businesses can still see the patterns as to certain technology tools being preferred over others when it comes to administering the startup projects successfully. Here, let’s have a quick over of some of such latest technology startups tend to consider in their stack in 2019.

  • Programming languages: Python, PHP, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go
  • Frameworks: Angular.js, Node.js, Django
  • Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB (NoSQL)
  • DevOps: GitHub, Docker
  • Servers: Apache, NGINX
  • Business tools: Trello, Slack
  • Utilities: Google Analytics

All these general overviews about technology stack for startup business we discuss actually only touches a minor fraction of the actual technology combinations one can consider to forge a system. Whether you choose .NET, Java, LAMP, RAR, or MEAN stack, one should take into consideration the scope and size of the future projects too as many a time it would be more important than the real perks offered by the aforementioned tech stacks.

Anyways, reliability is the key factor to consider while picking up your tech stack for startups. As a rule of thumb, the more matured tools you add to it will ensure the most consistency in performance and make the life of the technology administrators and stakeholder much easier and efficient.

Explore Common Debt Consolidation Mistakes that Must Be Avoided By Single Moms to Effectively Manage Their Debts

Single moms are having greater chances of facing debt, bankruptcy, and lower credit scores. As per the findings of the National Bureau of Economic Research, around 85 percent of the single-parent homes are actually, headed by women and around 42 percent of the total single-parent household is currently in poverty. Most single moms are struggling to run their households smoothly as they need to cope up with housing payments, education expenses, utility bills, clothing, childcare, and food. Most single moms are having a cash crunch and are struggling hard to restore their credit scores and to stay away from opting for bankruptcy.

As a single mom who is struggling to make ends meet and going through a pretty bad financial situation, you need to look for expert debt management and financial counseling programs. If you are facing the problem of the ever-increasing debt burden, you may consider debt consolidation and other effective debt management programs before declaring bankruptcy. Even though the United States debt scenario is pretty grim with debts reaching 22 trillion this month, there are indicators that demonstrate that Americans are trying to make far more responsible debt decisions and trying their best to save some money and get out of debts. As per a study that was undertaken by Bankrate.com recently, we understand that 31 percent of the Americans are having enough savings to run six months of expenses. This is certainly the highest level of savings in the past seven years. This implies that consumers today, are trying to manage debt issues in a much better way and that they are strictly sticking to a monthly budget.

Some Tips to Boost Your Finances & Avoid Debts

Avoid Spending on Credit

You may be easily tempted to spend money that you are not having but you must refrain from using credit cards. Keep in mind that credit cards are cleverly designed for letting you carry a balance. However, it is critical not to forget that interest would be accruing every month or every payment cycle. This implies that you would be compelled to keep on paying for all those unaffordable purchases that you have already made, but also, you would be compelled to pay more over time. Try to make all payments in cash. This would be preventing you from going overboard and spending more money than you actually have.

Look for Credit Building Opportunities

You must remember to build a robust credit score. You must try to keep a specific line of credit accessible and paying off the balance every month would be an effective way of defraying costs for a number of weeks and an effective way of building a robust credit score. Do not think of spending more than you could afford to pay off straightaway in one single cycle. This would be helping you in avoiding accrual of interest and keeping your credit score nice and really high.

What Is Debt Consolidation?

As per https://www.huffpost.com, “Basically, debt consolidation takes debt you have from more than one source, such as multiple credit cards, and combines it into one lump sum. This makes it easier to pay off debt because you are no longer bound to multiple payments and due dates each month. There are two primary ways you can consolidate debt: balance transfers and personal loans.”

Debt consolidation, therefore, is an effective debt management method to stay on top of your current debts. However, debt consolidation should be done with effective professional assistance and expert guidance. Otherwise, you may commit certain debt consolidation mistakes that could impact your credit score adversely. Let us explore some of the debt consolidation mistakes often made by single moms.

Mistake: Failing to Consolidate the High-Interest Debts

One common mistake is to go on consolidating all your credit card debts into one single card specifically in a typical balance transfer way. If you stick to just transferring the balances of some of your cards with higher interest rate directly into a low-interest rate card, you may end up encountering many complications. You would require paying for all the consolidated cards.

Mistake: Not Analyzing Credit Reports

Before you put in your application for a debt consolidation loan, you must assess and evaluate your credit reports thoroughly. Excessive debts or too many errors present in your credit report would be making it really tough for you to effectively take out the debt consolidation loan. You must meticulously examine the credit report and get in touch with the relevant credit reporting agencies in case of any mistakes or discrepancies.

Mistake: Failing to Verify the Debt Consolidation Company

You must not blindly depend on any and every debt consolidation company you come across. You must necessarily do a thorough background check and examine the credentials, authenticity, and legitimacy of the debt consolidation firm before hiring them so that you could avoid unwanted scams.

Mistake: Not Doing Proper Research, Comparative Study or Shopping Around

You need to do thorough market research for grabbing the best available debt consolidation loans in terms of rate of interest and the loan term. You must compare different loans that are available in the market. This would help you choose the loan that best caters to your financial affordability. You must do adequate shopping. Only then you could at once, determine the loan that offers you the lowest interest rate. You must do adequate research and compare the features of a number of loans.

Mistake: Opting for the Wrong Choice

Often you do not devote much time to consider the advantages and disadvantages of different loans. You must keep your budget and financial affordability in mind while making the right choice. You must thoroughly understand the merits and demerits of a loan before opting for it so that you do not encounter any issues afterward.

Conclusion

Being a single mom is definitely, not a joke. Life is pretty challenging for a single mom. However, they need to be slightly more careful with their finances and debt management strategies. You need to avoid making the mistakes we have pointed out here. You must concentrate on spending judiciously. Always keep in mind that one mistake could prove to be crucial for you and may ruin your finances irrevocably.

How to Create a Budget Travel Packing List

Traveling the Balkans can be a life-changing experience if you’re prepared. When you do it passionately, slowly and enjoying every step of your journey – it´s even better. If you opt for a camper to cruise along the Balkans or the Slovenian coast – renting a campervan in Slovenia can also add to having the unique experience.

When people plan their journey, they often fixate on the cost of travel, accommodation, and nourishment while overlooking the expense that comes with packing a bag.

From medication to sunscreen, simply packing for a trip can be a huge expense. Fortunately, with careful planning and a little budgeting savvy, you can pack for your adventure without breaking the bank. If you really know what you’re doing, you can even pack to help save on other aspects of your trip.

Here are some helpful tips for creating a budget travel packing list.

Assess Your Baggage

 

For the experienced traveler, foregoing the use of a suitcase and being able to keep everything in a backpack is the ultimate goal. To do this, you need the right bag. A few considerations to keep in mind when shopping for a backpack are:

 

  • Size – Will it be accepted on an airplane based on its measurements. Take prices of charter jets into consideration as well.  Check the guidelines of multiple modes of transportation.
  • Support – If you’re carrying around your worldly possessions, you want to be sure the weight of your world is distributed along your back and hips properly.
  • Weight – If your backpack is too heavy to be able to pack enough for your trip and still make the airline weight restrictions, you may want to reconsider your purchase.
  • Access – Does your bag open only at the top, or are there different zippers and access panels that will allow you to get what you need without tearing everything apart?
  • Quality – Read the reviews online and see if anyone had trouble with wear and tear in an unreasonable amount of time. You want something durable.

Depending on your travel goals and length of stay, additional luggage may be a necessity. Rather than dragging suitcases with you, consider using a service that will help you with shipping your luggage anywhere. It will be worth the budget adjustment.

Toiletries

Tiny bottles of shampoo and soap add up quickly. Save some money by purchasing empty travel containers from the local dollar store and transferring some of your products from home. Remember to make cuts where you can. Conditioner makes for a great alternative to shaving cream, reducing the need to worry about an aerosol can.

Not only do tiny bottles of goods save packing space, you can take them in a carry on bag and try to forego taking bulky, costly luggage with you. For a truly economical approach, top up your bottles from the complementary stash of toiletries at the hotels you visit during your trip.

Reusable Water Bottle

Like drinking water at restaurants, bringing a reusable water bottle is a fantastic way to save money during your trip. Believe it or not, bringing your own water bottle could save you hundreds of dollars. Simply fill it up each time you come across a fountain or ask a server at the restaurants you visit to top you off.

A word of caution as you travel: while touring the Balkans you might not run into the same clean water challenges as you would elsewhere, but some areas do present issues. To be safe, make sure you are asking if the water is potable before filling up your bottle.

Laundry Gear

If you plan on staying a few weeks or months, chances are you won’t be packing an outfit for each day of the trip. Bringing laundry gear is not only a great way to prepare for budget traveling, but it also helps drastically reduce the clothing you need to pack. Some must-haves include laundry soap, a travel clothesline, and a dry bag.

Don’t be ashamed to do your laundry in a sink! Hang it on the travel clothesline to dry, and if you must move on before the clothes are entirely ready, throw them in the dry bag and hang them at your next location.

Bedding and Towels

You may think that bedding and towels are standard rights in travel accommodations. In most cases, you are correct. However, many budget hostel options charge extra for bedding and towels and offer ones that look less than sanitary.

Sleeping liners are like a sleeping bag made out of less material. You can get them in a variety of fabrics, including silk and cotton. Like a sleeping bag, they have a closed bottom, preventing anything creepy or crawly from touching your toes at night, which is great if you spend a night camping at Lake Ohrid or along the Slovenian coast.

When you’re packing, avoid spending money on frivolous or excessive gear. Buy what you need and leave the rest at home.

Checklist for Your Wedding

Months and months of planning can make you completely overwhelmed and, due to all that, you may forget some more or less important details. And trust me, you sure don’t want that type of stress on your wedding day. So in order to avoid that, I’ve created this ultimate checklist you can follow.

Vendors

v

Make sure you confirm the arrangements and make sure everyone has the exact directions and the cell phone number to your official contact person.

Final payments

A good idea would be to pay your vendors ahead of time. This way, you don’t have to try to remember what you owe to whom on the day of your wedding.

Insurance policy

When you give the final payments to the vendors, have each of them sign a document that indicates they received it. So if anyone tries to claim they weren’t paid, you will have proof against them.

Tip envelopes

If you are planning on tipping someone such as the DJ, wait staff, banquet captain etc., make sure you prepare envelopes with their names on it and fill them with the correct amounts of money you are willing to give.

Some extra cash

Speaking of tips, you might want to show your gratitude to someone who has gone beyond his call of duty. This is why a good idea would be to carry some extra cash with you on the wedding day.

Luggage

lug

If you are staying in a hotel overnight before the reception, make sure you drop your luggage off the night before, or have someone such as a friend or family member drop it off the morning of the ceremony.

Honeymoon packing

Speaking of early packing, make sure to pack your honeymoon luggage as well as all the required documents and passports earlier. This way, you will have one less worry.

Wedding items

Things like wedding favors, cake knife, toast glasses etc. should be delivered to your reception site 2-3 days beforehand so the employees can prepare everything and set the tables on time. A smart move would be to find a trusted friend or family member to get everything to the ceremony site beforehand as well.

Car hire

car

You should ask around to see which companies are trustworthy and check whether the car you hired is only for the bride or for both of you. For my fellow Aussies, I would definitely recommend Queen street wedding & car hire because they are the best around.

Naming the tunes

Your favorite song may already be covered or remade by thousands of different bands or DJs, so make sure you double-check with your band or DJ whether they have the version you want.

Discussion with the photographer

bch

You shouldn’t leave anything to chance. Give the photographer a list of people you want to be photographed together and also talk to them about the type of photos you want to have – vintage style, candid, classic, black and white etc.

Photography schedule

This way, you will ensure that everything goes smoothly. If you and the bridesmaids, for example, have your photos scheduled at 2 pm, be at the location at 1.45 fully dressed and made up. And make sure everyone takes this seriously.

Prepare for the rain

If you’ll be having an outdoor ceremony, make sure you have the tent set up and umbrellas for all the guests just in case.

Gift caretaker

Designate someone to take presents home in advance and give them the house key so you have everything there when you return from the ceremony.

Supervisor

wed

Have someone well-organized arrive early to the ceremony and ensure everything is in order.

Legal documents

Give those to someone responsible in order to ensure nothing gets lost. Some honeymoon locations may give you special perks if you prove that your trip is actually a honeymoon trip.

The end time

Double-check the end time with the venue and give this information to vendors and guests to prevent unnecessary costs of overtime fees.

Finally, a good idea is to also pack an emergency kit for your big day including: hairspray, bobby pins, lip gloss etc. for last minute preps, as well as pantyhose, umbrella, stain remover, tissues and backup copies of your desired music just in case.

Outdoor Wedding – Pros and Cons

Planning a wedding is a beautiful but stressful period with so many aspects to it that it’s practically impossible for one person to do it alone. That’s okay – it’s why there are usually two people doing it. But with so many things going on, it’s easy to direct your focus on the napkins or the flowers when you still haven’t taken care of the venue choice. And a big decision to be made will always be: indoor or outdoor? There are many downsides to an outdoor wedding, but do the positive ones outweigh it?

Pro: Longer guest list

f

Very often, having an outdoor wedding means that it’s easier for people to have a longer guest list and invite more people because there’s no strict restriction on how many people the space can fit. And even if you invite the same number of people that you would in a closed space – it feels roomier. When you are out in the open, everyone feels free and like they have more space.

Con: Weather

d

Let’s address the obvious one. If it was always a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze, very few people would actually have their wedding indoors. But the weather is unpredictable, and you might find yourself running under the nearest shelter to escape a sudden downpour. It’s important to pick the right date and to look at the weather forecast often, but most importantly – you need to have a backup plan. Whether it’s a nearby indoor venue or a large tent that your guests can hide under, you have to take it into consideration. There’s also the danger of some food ingredients melting or the drinks getting too warm if the weather is too hot.

Pro: It’s beautiful

There really isn’t any venue that can compare to a stunning beach wedding or a fairy tale forest getaway. Unless, of course, it’s a beautiful outdoor wedding venue location. It’s good to have the logistics support of a closed object nearby, but everything from the ceremony to the photos will look better if you’re outdoors. Nature is beautiful, and if you allow it to be your wedding décor, you will have the most breathtaking wedding day.

Con: Fighting with nature

As beautiful as nature is, it also has some downsides. When the night falls, it can rapidly get colder, and your guests might not come prepared, so have some cardigans and blankets around. Mosquitoes will come biting, so lighting up special candles to keep them away is a good strategy to use. Lastly, you can never know if one of your guests will be allergic to a plant that is abundant nearby. You can ask them in the invitations, or you can go out with an expert to the location to check if there are any plants that are known allergens or that can cause a negative reaction when touched.

Pro: Family-friendly

Two things can happen to kids at an indoor wedding: they will get bored because they have to sit down inside, or they will get irritated by the crowded space and the music that is too loud. But outside, kids can be free to be kids without interrupting any important parts of the ceremony. You can even set up a small play area where they can have fun and be loud without bothering anyone. Extra points if you hire a babysitter to watch them while the adults are attending the ceremony.

Outdoor weddings have so many amazing advantages, and the cons can most often be easily avoided with the right preparation. So, when you’re looking at venues, don’t be scared to look towards the outdoors. Enjoy your wedding with all of your guests under the sun and the stars and breathe the fresh new air of marriage.

The Benefits Of Professional Teeth Whitening

There are plenty of benefits that come with having whiter teeth (and wanting to smile more often). It’s not just about the aesthetic beauty of whiter teeth, it’s about your overall mood and self-confidence as well. Wanting whiter teeth is a common desire, but is it worth the extra cost to get professional teeth whitening at your Dentist’s office instead of opting for over-the-counter methods? The short answer is yes. Over-the-counter whitening treatments or whitening strips that you can buy at your local drug store are not going to yield the same results as a professional teeth-whitening treatment at your Dentist’s office. And this is why you should head over to http://apictureperfectsmile.com/ to check out some professional teeth whitening treatments.

Professional whitening may be slightly more expensive, but it should save you money in the long run since the results are more effective and last longer. In-office whitening with your trusted Dentist is the safest and most reliable way to get that perfect Hollywood smile. If you’re thinking of fixing stained, dull or yellow teeth, you’ll be happier with the results if you seek treatment from a professional. Below are some benefits of opting for professional teeth whitening, along with some general benefits that come with whiter teeth:

Customized Results

Dr. Cowen at Juban Cowen Dental Care reminds us that an in-office, professional whitening treatment is the best way to get a customized treatment plan. For example, if two of your teeth are much more yellow than the others, your Dentist can customize the whitening treatment to ensure those two teeth get extra attention. Only professional treatment can give you the customization and tailored results that you’re after. The drug store brand is a one-treatment-fits-all mentality, and it may not suit your specific whitening needs.

Faster and Better Results

Do you want whiter teeth, as fast as possible? Professional teeth whitening is the best way to get fast and amazing results. Some professional teeth whitening treatments can get you results in an hour, whereas over-the-counter whitening strips can take weeks to garner results. These results might not even be satisfactory after all of that waiting time. Not only will the results of an in-office whitening treatment be faster, but the results will be better (and whiter) too!

It’s Safe and Comfortable

Your professional service includes special attention to your sensitivities. If your teeth are extra sensitive, your Dentist will pay attention to this to ensure that you are comfortable during your treatment. It’s also much safer to get your teeth whitened professionally. You don’t have to worry about risking an over-application or damaging your tooth enamel.

Improved Self-Confidence

Confidence is attractive. Do you know what else is attractive? Someone who smiles. You’ll kill two birds with one stone when you get your teeth whitened because you’ll be more confident and you’ll be inclined to smile more. A beautiful smile is like a magnet – it attracts people all around you, and draws people in. Everyone wants to be around someone who smiles a lot – perhaps you simply need an excuse to smile more? Freshly whitened teeth can be that reason to smile more.

Better Oral Health

Another benefit of professional whitening treatment is better oral health. Your teeth are simultaneously being cleaned and polished with the removal of stains and plaque during a professional whitening session. Therefore, your teeth are getting cleaner, stronger and healthier. This improves your overall oral health, and this also improves your oral hygiene. (Teeth whitening can even improve bad breath!)

You’ll Gain More Trust And Notice Better First Impressions

Recent studies have shown that individuals with whiter teeth are seen as being more trustworthy, dependable, attractive, professional and successful. Whether it’s a job interview, a sales pitch, a first date or an important meeting, your white teeth will give you an added advantage.

A Better Mood

Studies have linked an improved mood with smiling more. Since your beautiful, white teeth will have you smiling more, it’s obvious that teeth whitening treatment can actually improve your overall mood.  The physical act of smiling induces a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain feel-good hormones including dopamine and serotonin. Smiling really is that powerful – it can reduce stress and trick your brain into feeling happier.