Blogs,Business,Business Opportunities

 

Blogs, Business, Business Opportunities If you are planning to move to or from Chennai then it would be better that you hire packers and movers in Chennai so that you can experience a better move and leave all the packing and moving work to them. But the thing is that if you are ending the lease or you are selling the house, you should always leave it in tip-top condition. The cleaning checklist for your move depends on the size of your house and how clean it is already. Here is the checklist that is going to be very useful for you in cleaning your house: 1. Removing all your personal items The first and foremost thing that you have to do is to remove all the personal items from the house. This includes everything starting from the furniture to the items that you have kept on the shelves. 2. Clean the floors Vacuum the floor properly once before you live. Make sure you vacuum closets, stairs, nooks and all the places in the house that are difficult to reach so that you can clean everything in the house that you have with you. 3. Wipe and dust everything once Use some liquid cleaning solutions and a roll of paper towels or clean cloth to wipe down kitchen countertops, bathroom shelves, bookcases, doors and windows and all such places in your house that can accumulate some amount of dust. 4. Clean all the cabinets as well Make sure that you clean inside all cabinets. You never know what gets accumulated in your kitchen cabinets like food crumbs; vegetables and the like so it is better that you clean them first and then move further. 5. Clean the appliances As time passes by you will see that all the appliances that are made of stainless steel are covered with markings and some prints. If you can use spray or vinegar then you should also do that because it cleans the surface where it gets accumulated. 6. Scrub and clean toilets, sinks, showers and bathtubs Once you’ve finished vacuuming and dusting, roll up those sleeves and start on the bathrooms. All toilets, showers, bathtubs and sinks should be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned. Any mould, rust or mildew should also be eliminated from the bathrooms before moving out. 7. Clean out closets When you have packed all your clothing and accessories, don’t ever forget to wipe down closet racks and hanging rods. Make sure that you hang all the rods properly and double-check that all personal belongings have been removed from there. 8. Remove all the nails from the wall If your landlord or buyer has asked you not to remove the nails, hooks and wall anchors that are placed on the walls, then you should remove them before the move. 9. Don’t leave any holes in the walls Once you have removed all the holes from that wall then make sure that you remove the nails as well so that you can protect them and then you should protect them for better convenience. 10. Give a touch-up with paint When you remove the nails and anchors from the wall then they are supposed to be touched up with the help of paint so that you can pack them properly. Once you will give them a touch up then the walls will not be untidy or uneven if you have done it properly. 11. Clean your freezer properly It is very important to clean your freezer properly and remove all the contents that are present inside it. If you have a disinfectant spray then it would be better that you wipe it properly. It would be better if you remove all the remaining crumbs present in your freezer. 12. Wipe the stove as well As we all know that there are a lot of residues that get accumulated on the stovetop so you should clean it properly. In case you have the gas range with you then you should also clean the area that is present beneath the stove as well. Then you can also make a cleaning solution so that you can clean it with it and then wipe it with the help of a damp cloth. 13. Mop floors When you have finally completed doing everything then it is the best time to mop the floor so that all the dust and dirt that might have fallen on the floor while cleaning then it will remove things for your own convenience. Have a happy and safe move!

 

Most Important Beauty Tips Every Woman Must Know   Fitness, Health As the connective materials (fibroblast) come into the hurt region, they start mending the spot by creating bovine collagen. Often acne (bad acne scar laser) surgical marks result in the cutis concave or chorus behindhand, an impossible red-coloured business owner that will not diminish. This bad acne scar procedure needs to be specifically completed by a dermatologic cosmetic surgeon. This calls for options like the substance, trichloroacetic plaque created by sugar, salicylic acid solution or lactic p. Visit here to learn more about skin-related problems and their solutions. Regardless of if the scar issues originate from an accidental injury or from surgery, scarring may be undesirable if they’re in an evident place on the human frame. Just after this sort of acne breakouts scar removing cures skin needs to heal and appear simpler. Keep yourself watered. There are only some of the places where acne breakouts show up but it's frequent in other areas of the body like the rear and upper body. Now, healthcare and healthy strategies can reduce the appearance of keloid scar problems, hypertrophic surgical marks, and atrophic scar problems, which are quite normal. There are also certain natural scar dishes that could be invaluable for treating acne scarring, including ice cubes dice scar cure, sweet scar treatment method, white wine vinegar for zits scar cure, tea leaf shrub oil, organic extra-virgin olive oil, and almond oil. Abnormal disintegration can result in additional destruction of the skin and is an entryway for hazardous microorganisms that causes furthermore disease. Get more natural health and fitness tips by following this link. There are actually all-natural strategies to scar lessening that work equally efficiently for every scar treatment item. In order to clear away your scar issues, you will need to take off the old skin tone to advertise new dermis progress. It’s observed in people with many sebaceous follicles in the dermis particularly the confront. Hop Over To This Site The good news is, that you will discover treatment possibilities accessible to individuals who have small and even larger keloid scarring. Which is often elevated by causing compact, but essential adjustments to your diet, as a method to further accelerate the restorative healing of scar problems. so if you’re searching for instantaneous success you’re just in for discontent. More positive aspects would be experienced with a TCA Remove to include much better circulation and flow to epidermis muscle that energizes the creation of new pores and skin cellular material. Educated skin experts learn how to assist you to stay clear of the possibility of unwanted side effects or additional complications. Consuming a lot of many fruits, coupled with fruits and vegetables may help in ridding yourself of acne scar eradication. Tretinoin can establish quick and positive modifications in your skin layer, but because it’s a properly sturdy material, it puts on underneath health oversight. Click here to get detailed information on beautiful skin. Its combined efficiency assists not only to take out acne breakouts but in addition to clearing out the scar problems remaining by earlier types. But, similar to the previously referred to bad acne choice helmets, we are seeing much fewer scientific studies done to demonstrate whether or not one of the helmets on this variety is in fact significant for hatred zits. With these therapies the epidermis is not injured so there isn’t a downtime as soon as the cures. A Microderm remedy exfoliates the skin by nearly fine sand-smoking the uppermost skin tone stratum. Trigger the production of natural antimicrobial proteins. Did you know about the varieties of pimple scar removal treatments which you can use for your confront to get rid of acne? If you need to learn more, follow this link to get beauty tips for women. The moment it dried out, rinse your skin with chilly waters. Obtaining pimples is one of the most awkward and stressful encounters anyone experiences throughout teenage life. Balanced, all-natural food is probably the finest resource for any person trying to learn how to eliminate acne scars

 

What are the four common types of blogs?
Internet, Business
Personal blogs  One of the blogs that are a pioneer in the blogging industry and famous among the women's communities is personal blogs. The first type of blogging started with a personal blog in the late 90s. Personal blogs started when people penned down their own blogs by sharing their stories, advice, thoughts, and opinions. Among all other types of blogs, the most traditional form of blogs is personal blogs. The audience gets to know about the personality and traits of the blogger in their blog posts. Personal bloggers don’t follow any protocols or abuse any rules for blogging. A personal blog can be about their political views, hobbies, skills, and passions. Bloggers of this type can make blog posts related to any topic. A personal blog can be built by signing up for a domain on a particular website. You can write blog posts by publishing them on the internet. Readers get to know about their opinions, political views, passion, hobbies, or anything related to the blogger’s daily life. Readers can know more about your blog, and web traffic will increase when you share the link to your own blog post. Business blogs  Business blogs are oriented specifically toward business-related purposes. Business bloggers write about their work and earn their living by writing the topic on these blogs. The main reason for a business blog is to generate more leads for gaining more business profit. This blog helps to make more customers. Business blogs are professional as compared to personal blogs. These blogs contain writings that follow industrial trends and promote their particular business. The business blog posts are aligned to the industry standards strictly. For instance, an e-commerce business blog can start with how to increase sales in e-commerce. The main aim of business bloggers is to generate leads and then store them from the audience. Business bloggers prefer writing engaging posts in their blogs to promote their business. You get a potential lead when a visitor signs up on your mailing list and makes a successful business transaction. Niche blogs  In niche-based blogs, particular topics are covered rather than targeting different topics. These blogs include content marketing blogs, movie blogs, basketball blogs, car racing blogs, music blogs, Java blogs, health and fitness blogs, food blogs, etc. If you want to begin your career by becoming a professional blogger, start your journey by making a niche blog. This blog type is built around a specific area of interest or passion. With time these blogs get better, and you start gaining more revenue. To make a successful niche blog, you need to discover what niche you’re passionate about and define your targeted audience. It is done based on likes, age groups, gender, demographics, dislikes, etc. The next step is creating niche content and then promoting your niche blog post to the audience. This will fetch you more success than personal or business blogs. Affiliate blogs  To generate income through affiliate marketing, blogs are built known as affiliate blogs. If you generate a portion of the sale amount, then you’ll get a small percentage of the sale amount. Affiliate bloggers write product reviews, which makes readers buy those specific products via affiliate links. You can get a small kickback if you make a transaction. Affiliate blogging holds a significant value in the blogging community, and around 81% of brands make affiliate programs for improving marketing. 84% of bloggers make affiliate marketing posts to grow more customers.

 

Benefits Of Listening To Music While Studying   The idea of listening to music while studying is a very common one for students. Some students may be surprised to learn that it can actually help them study and retain information better than they would without the sound. Dopamine and memory information processing occurs in many areas throughout our brains and most people experience some degree of memory formation when learning new things. When you listen to music while studying, it helps to activate multiple parts of the brain at once. Simply put, having both auditory stimulation along with visual information being processed by your brain can help improve memory retention. The dopamine released during this process is partly responsible for helping us remember what we are doing and why. Dopamine is released when you are doing something that's enjoyable to you, especially when it brings on some type of pleasurable reward. You remember better while listening to music because your brain releases dopamine every time it hears new information, which makes you want to listen more intently and therefore remember it more clearly. This explains why some students have a hard time focusing on their studies, as it is usually not an enjoyable process for them. If you can put yourself in a good mood whenever you need to study, it will help improve your memory and attention span. Your brain doesn't remember meaningless information as well as it does the things that mean something to you. Put yourself into a good mood by listening to your favourite music, and you'll find that it's much easier to focus on what you need to learn. The music doesn't have to be loud for this process to work either. If the volume is too high, it can actually make you even more stressed while studying because of all the other extra noise. When you study, try to play the music that is instrumental without any words being sung along with it. This will help improve your concentration because you won't have anything to distract you from the information that's being presented. Another thing that can help improve memory retention while studying is listening to low volumes of different types of music. For example, try listening to classical music one day and soft rock another. This creates a different mood in your brain that will help you learn what you are being taught. Listening to music makes studying more enjoyable for many students. When you study in a good mood, you remember information better. Music helps activate the different parts of your brain that are responsible for storing memories and improving concentration. This is why having music on when you need to focus can improve memory retention by up to 15%. If you want to make studying more enjoyable and remember things better, try listening to music. You will also learn that you improve your creativity as well as allow yourself to relax more when you listen to music as opposed to not listening at all. Finally, you will learn to study in a way that is more appropriate for your brain type.

 

Top 4 Benefits of Television Advertising!   Advertising, Marketing, Business Planning a campaign can be difficult as it needs a lot of things that need to be kept in mind before framing a television advertisement. Well, television is a medium that is known to be a primary medium for grasping video content to many viewers. Although, with the arrival of many new mediums of advertising, like social media ads, etc., people's interests have seen a serious shift. This makes it even more important to put the effort into a television ad so that it can impact the users in the same manner as the social media ads. The very first thing which is essential while framing a social media ad is to be clear with the message of the ad. You as an advertiser need to be very sure and particular about the message which you want to make reach the audience. As an ad is an expensive medium for showcasing your brand to your audience, it becomes necessary to choose the content, timing, and target audience wisely. So, that you can reach the right audience at the right time. Today, in this blog you will be guided about the advantages of television ads so that you can have greater results with high turnover. Top 4 advantages of running a television ad! 1. Helps in attracting a large audience Well, a television ad reaches millions of homes and with that, it reaches thousands of minds. This can be helpful for your brand as it not just influences a large number of people towards your website but also compels them to take the decisions related to buying. The biggest advantage of a television ad is that it compels the audience to see the product even once and this is possible only when your ad is framed in a very interesting and engaging manner. 2. Visuals and sound go hand in hand When you are choosing graphics for your television ad, do not forget to choose the right sound effects. This is because a soundtrack makes a lot of difference in a video ad. It makes the audience stop and looks at the ad instead of leaving too soon. It also helps your audience to understand the message more deeply. Along with that, keep the pitch of your advertisement neutral and not too promotional. Why? Because people would not want to see promotions but engaging content. 3. Empathize with your audience As per a television commercial production company, if you frame a television ad in such a way that engages your audience and makes them relate to your ad, it proves to be the biggest factor for audience retention. Retaining your audience is a very tedious task and hence just making your content move in such a direction that makes your audience laugh, cry, happy, sad and thrilled. This way they will come to your platform again and again in search of more such content. 4. Build the brand’s legitimacy and reliability Well, when you advertise on a platform such as television, your audience thinks that you are an authentic and genuine brand. However, they might not trust the other mediums too easily as television is better than other platforms, any day. So, with the help of television ads, brand recognition can be done easily and with guaranteed results. Final Takeaway! Well, a television ad can be an expensive medium but it plays a vital role in taking the brand to the next level. If you are just starting up a new venture and want to gain rapid growth, then opting for television advertising would be the most feasible decision.

 

5 Tips for Creating the Best Website Content Strategy   Advertising, Business, Marketing See Why Now’s A Great Time To Update Your Website – And How Designing a website that drives conversions by giving potential customers what they want can be a long, difficult process. Among other things, it’s got to look great, the user interface has to be just right, and you have to find ways to say everything that needs to be said with as few words as possible. Believe it or not, even after two decades of designing websites, creating something that checks all those boxes still feels like no small feat. It requires patience, dedication, and a suite of specialized skills that’s nearly impossible for one person to master. So, I want to share some of what I’ve learned over the last 20 years. In this article, I’m going to explain how you can design the most effective website content strategy and ensure your website is on the right path, instead of on the road to nowhere. How to Create the Best Website Content Strategy 1) Do a Brand Analysis Just like a house, a great website content strategy requires a proper foundation. 1)So, the first thing you need to do is an analysis of your brand. This is the foundation upon which every part of your website is going to rest. A comprehensive brand analysis will be made up of many different aspects, including an assessment of your target audience(s), your unique selling points, and the pain points of potential customers. Here are some questions you should ask yourself when conducting the analysis of your brand: Who are my main competitors? What are the characteristics of my ideal customers? How can I establish an emotional connection with this audience? Which words can I use to establish that emotional connection? What types of images can I use to evoke an emotional response? Why should someone do business with me instead of my competition? What specific problems can I solve, or needs can I fulfill for my ideal customers? What are some of the struggles, obstacles, or problems potential customers are facing? You should go into as much detail as you can when answering these questions – the more information, the better. Then, once you’ve conducted this analysis, you’ve got everything you need to start creating your content. 2) Be Specific One of the most frustrating things for business owners is trying to figure out how to convey the right message in a way that’s succinct and straightforward. When we write or design something, it always seems to make sense to us, but no matter how captivating or concise we may think it is, what really matters is the perception of potential customers. This is why an initial brand analysis is so important. It’s a way to get inside the heads of your ideal customers and try to understand things from their perspective. For example, recently, my team and I have been working on a website for a payment processing company. One of the things we want to draw attention to on their home page is what sets them apart from the competition. But in our rush to push these points, the fact that this is a website about payment processing ended up getting buried, and we had to go back to the drawing board. So, make sure to be as specific as you can, and don’t ever assume your audience will understand what you’re trying to convey just because it makes sense to you. First and foremost, you need to consider things from the perspective of potential customers. There are countless things to consider when designing an effective website content strategy, so if you want to know more, this blog should provide some additional insight. This article will give you several things to consider when it comes to your website content, especially as it relates to search engine optimization concepts, including header tags, local search, and more. 3) Be Concise At this point, you’re probably wondering, “Why is it so important to be concise?” Well, I’m sure many of you are aware of Microsoft’s notorious study on the human attention span, but for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, let me explain. Back in 2015, Microsoft Canada conducted a study that attempted to analyze people’s attention spans through a combination of a series of games, a survey, and neurological research conducted using electroencephalography to monitor brain activity. The study had several key takeaways, but what ended up getting all the attention (and Microsoft ended up getting all the credit for) was actually data from a research institute called Statistic Brain that Microsoft referenced in the study. According to that data, the average human attention span is about eight seconds, which is, at least according to Statistic Brain, lower than the average attention span of a goldfish. In other words, you’ve got about eight seconds to capture a potential customer’s attention before they click away from your website. With that said, when you’re creating the copy for your website, you should try to restrict your writing to one-sentence paragraphs wherever possible. As sad as it is to say, people just don’t like to read, and when they see a huge block of text, their eyes are going to glaze over, they’re not going to read it, and you’ve already lost them. So, when you’re writing your website content, make sure to be as concise as you can, and in general, try to use as few words as possible. 4) Focus on Your Customers A favorite faux pas of many a business owner is to make everything about them and their brand. I’ve seen countless websites that read like this. They talk about how much the brand is dedicated to its mission, how much they love their customers, and how great their products and/or services are, but they fail to put any focus on their customers. As Donald Miller said in Building a StoryBrand, “The customer is the hero, not your brand.” Our client Yvonne of Douma Leadership immediately addresses her target audience with a promise of helping them with their business outcomes. This simple statement is one of the most powerful messages I’ve ever received, and it’s helped me to redefine the way I think about marketing. I’m not saying it’s bad to create a mission statement or discuss how you started your business on an about page, but the fact of the matter is very few people actually care about your company, its values, and how it got started. At the end of the day, what customers want in a website is something that puts the focus on them and tells them what you can do for them – what problems you can solve, what needs and desires you can fulfill. For most people, everything else is pretty much irrelevant. So, when you’re designing your website content strategy, try putting potential customers in the spotlight, and position yourself as the guide that’s going to help them on that long, arduous journey towards fulfilling their needs and desires, or solving their problems. 5) Conduct Keyword Research When you’re trying to target your ideal customers, nothing is more important than keywords. You can analyze your brand till the cows come home, be as succinct and specific as possible, and put the spotlight on potential customers all you want, but if the right people aren’t finding your website, all those efforts will be in vain. Luckily, once you’ve done your brand analysis, a lot of the work is already complete, as you’ve already defined your target audience(s). But now that you know which audiences to target, you’ve got to figure out what they’re searching for, so you know what keyword phrases to use. There are many tools you can use to conduct this keyword research, and whichever one you choose, the principles remain the same. First, you choose your target audience(s), and then you find out what they’re searching for. Next, you have to consider how that relates to your business and think about how you can inject those keyword phrases into your website content. But don’t be too broad. For example, if you’re a Vancouver-based plumber, and your target audience is made up of people who are looking for a plumber in the Vancouver area, it doesn’t make sense to target the term “plumber”, as this is way too general. Instead, what would make more sense is to target a much more specific phrase, like “plumber in Vancouver” or “Vancouver plumbing service”. In any case, no matter what keywords you’re trying to target, make sure to use them sparingly and inject them into your content in a way that is grammatically correct and sounds natural. Does this seem like too much work for you to handle? Designing an effective website content strategy can definitely be overwhelming, but when you work with a professional website marketing company you don’t have to do everything yourself. We can help design your website content to ensure your ideal customers can easily find you online.

 

Top Tips To Successfully Become Your Own Boss   Advice, Business, Career More and more people are choosing to leave salaried positions to explore the possibilities of becoming their own boss. During nationwide lockdowns, furlough schemes, redundancies, and a freefalling economy, people have begun to question their worth in society. With many people taking the chance to bring their dreams and aspirations to the forefront of their priorities, we take a look at some of the things you need to consider if you are to start working for yourself. Who Are You? This seems like such a simple question, but one that many new startups forget to ask themselves until it is too late. You need to know who you are as a business, as a competitor, and as a person. Whatever sector your new business falls under, you need to have a clear voice in a busy market so that you don’t get lost in the crowd. Unique Selling Point (USP) What makes you special, and why would consumers choose to come to your business over the competition? Customers are often overwhelmed with options and want to quickly identify which brand to choose to meet their needs. Your product or service does not need to be unique, but the way you sell it should be. Check Out The Competition Whatever your product or service, there will be others out there doing the same thing as you. Before you settle on a business plan, research the market and see what is working for your direct competitors, and more importantly - what is not. You wouldn’t want to enter a running race with a broken leg, so why start a business with the same disadvantage. Understanding them can also help to identify an edge over your competition, allowing you to have the best possible chance of being a success. Understand Your Target Market It is pointless trying to sell beef burgers to a vegan - know your market, and understand your customers/clients. You could be the very best in your field, but if you are pitching to the wrong people you will never make it a success. You need to look at buying habits and on-trend products that could help or hinder your business journey. Before you commit, try gathering consumer feedback and surveys so that you can tailor your business to your clients. Find out what they are looking for and what they are willing to pay. Not only will you find invaluable information, but if you play your cards right you will also secure loyal customers that are happy to shout about you to others. Branding Your brand is everything. You need to be instantly recognisable in a sea of competitors, whether it's your name, logo, catchphrases, or design. If done well, you can become synonymous with your product - like Hoover or Sellotape, or a household name like Roald Dahl or Linda McCartney. Get some professional advice when it comes to elements such as your logo. Having the right image can be the difference between success and failure. Costing Whether you are providing a service or a product, there will be a cost to you, before you make any money. Keep a tight record of every element of cost to your new business so you can accurately reflect this in how much you charge. Take into consideration your time, especially if you are providing a service rather than a product. Understand The Language Even if you are a sole trader that does not need to interact with other businesses, it is important for you to learn the common business terms and policies. Knowing these will give you a better sense of how to push your business forward. If you do not understand the basic terms in business, you run the risk of missing out on vital information, funds, and opportunities. ‘Here I Am!’ What is the point of starting a business if no one knows about you? In this day and age, word of mouth will only get you so far. Today you need to have an online presence in order to cater to the internet shopping culture. When people want to shop for a product or a service, the first thing they do is look online. Getting a website and learning how to maintain it allows you to tap into the worldwide market. Many online services allow you to create a website on your own, or you could seek a website designer to help you. Personal Touch If you are selling a product, it's the personal touches that make you memorable. Sending an item with a handwritten note - or service with a compliment slip - will gain your loyalty and make your customers/clients more likely to purchase again in future and recommend you to their friends. Enjoy Yourself! The road to owning your own business - or being your own boss - can be long and tedious. Stay focused, believe in your product/service, listen to advice, and enjoy the journey!

The Brazen Bull

 

What method of execution in history makes your hair stand on end?

The Brazen Bull.

It was allegedly used as a method of execution in ancient Greece. Frankly put, the Brazen Bull was comprised of bronze, hollow devices shaped exactly like a bull. It had a small door on one side, where you could lock in an unfortunate prisoner. Apparently, the Brazen Bull was modelled to be the exact same size as a real bull, with an intricate acoustic mechanism inside it that would make the screams of agony sound like the bellowing of a bull. When the bull was opened, the victim’s scorched bones “shone like jewels and were made into bracelets”.

You might be wondering, what makes a person scream when inside the bull? A fire is lit underneath the bull, roasting the person inside to death.

However, it’s not all grim and death with the Brazen Bull. There’s actually an interesting and amusing story that goes along with it:

The concept of the Brazen Bull was invented by the well-known Athenian bronze-maker: Perilous, as a way to execute criminals. He presented this idea to the tyrant of Acragas, Phalaris, and also informed him that the screams would sound like the “most melodious of bellowings”. Perilous expected to be rewarded for coming up with this unique method of execution, however, all he got in return was getting tricked to go into the bull and was immediately locked inside. Disgusted by the design, Phalaris wanted to use him to test the sound system of the bull, and thus a fire was set underneath. And thus, Perilous, the inventor of the Brazen Bull, ironically became its first victim.

Before Perilous died in the bull, he was taken out by Phalaris, only to be taken to the top of a hill and subsequently thrown off, killing him.

But the story doesn’t just end here. Phalaris himself was said to be thrown in and killed by the Brazen Bull when he was overthrown by Telemachus.

How do I identify a fake person?

 First, there will be that hello, hi, and how are you doing? Then I saw your picture and you are so pretty! From there he/she will work into I think I’m having feelings for you. BIG RED FLAGS! Next, he will give you a story of some kind of a sick family member who has a child and needs money 💰 to get help with the child.. There are so many companies that can help you with this. WhatEVER you do never send money to anyone on social media. YOU WILL HAVE A BROKEN HEART 💔 and your money is gone.

 

For a More Creative Brain Follow These 5 Steps

Nearly all great ideas follow a similar creative process and this article explains how this process works. Understanding this is important because creative thinking is one of the most useful skills you can possess. Nearly every problem you face at work and in life can benefit from innovative solutions, lateral thinking, and creative ideas.

Anyone can learn to be creative by using these five steps. That's not to say being creative is easy. Uncovering your creative genius requires courage and tons of practice. However, this five-step approach should help demystify the creative process and illuminate the path to more innovative thinking.

To explain how this process works, let me tell you a short story.

A Problem in Need of a Creative Solution

In the 1870s, newspapers and printers faced a very specific and very costly problem. Photography was a new and exciting medium at the time. Readers wanted to see more pictures, but nobody could figure out how to print images quickly and cheaply.

For example, if a newspaper wanted to print an image in the 1870s, they had to commission an engraver to etch a copy of the photograph onto a steel plate by hand. These plates were used to press the image onto the page, but they often broke after just a few uses. This process of photoengraving, you can imagine, was remarkably time-consuming and expensive.

The man who invented a solution to this problem was named Frederic Eugene Ives. He went on to become a trailblazer in the field of photography and held over 70 patents by the end of his career. His story of creativity and innovation, which I will share now, is a useful case study for understanding the 5 key steps of the creative process.

A Flash of Insight

Ives got his start as a printer’s apprentice in Ithaca, New York. After two years of learning the ins and outs of the printing process, he began managing the photographic laboratory at nearby Cornell University. He spent the rest of the decade experimenting with new photography techniques and learning about cameras, printers, and optics.

In 1881, Ives had a flash of insight regarding a better printing technique.

“While operating my photo stereotypes process in Ithaca, I studied the problem of the halftone process,” Ives said. “I went to bed one night in a state of brain fog over the problem, and the instant I woke in the morning saw before me, apparently projected on the ceiling, the completely worked out process and equipment in operation.”

Ives quickly translated his vision into reality and patented his printing approach in 1881. He spent the remainder of the decade improving upon it. By 1885, he had developed a simplified process that delivered even better results. As it came to be known, the Ives Process reduced the cost of printing images by 15x and remained the standard printing technique for the next 80 years.

Alright, now let's discuss what lessons we can learn from Ives about the creative process.

The printing process developed by Frederic Eugene Ives used a method called “halftone printing” to break a photograph down into a series of tiny dots. The image looks like a collection of dots up close, but when viewed from a normal distance the dots blend together to create a picture with varying shades of grey. (Source: Unknown.)

The 5 Stages of the Creative Process

In 1940, an advertising executive named James Webb Young published a short guide titled, A Technique for Producing Ideas. In this guide, he made a simple, but profound statement about generating creative ideas.

According to Young, innovative ideas happen when you develop new combinations of old elements. In other words, creative thinking is not about generating something new from a blank slate, but rather about taking what is already present and combining those bits and pieces in a way that has not been done previously.

Most importantly, the ability to generate new combinations hinges upon your ability to see the relationships between concepts. If you can form a new link between two old ideas, you have done something creative.

Young believed this process of creative connection always occurred in five steps.

1. Gather new material. At first, you learn. During this stage you focus on 1) learning specific material directly related to your task and 2) learning general material by becoming fascinated with a wide range of concepts.
2. Thoroughly work over the materials in your mind. During this stage, you examine what you have learned by looking at the facts from different angles and experimenting with fitting various ideas together.
3. Step away from the problem. Next, you put the problem completely out of your mind and go do something else that excites you and energizes you.
4. Let your idea return to you. At some point, but only after you have stopped thinking about it, your idea will come back to you with a flash of insight and renewed energy.
5. Shape and develop your idea based on feedback. For any idea to succeed, you must release it out into the world, submit it to criticism, and adapt it as needed.

The Idea in Practice

The creative process used by Frederic Eugene Ives offers a perfect example of these five steps in action.

First, Ives gathered new material. He spent two years working as a printer's apprentice and then four years running the photographic laboratory at Cornell University. These experiences gave him a lot of material to draw upon and make associations between photography and printing.

Second, Ives began to mentally work over everything he learned. By 1878, Ives was spending nearly all of his time experimenting with new techniques. He was constantly tinkering and experimenting with different ways of putting ideas together.

Third, Ives stepped away from the problem. In this case, he went to sleep for a few hours before his flash of insight. Letting creative challenges sit for longer periods can work as well. Regardless of how long you step away, you need to do something that interests you and takes your mind off of the problem.

Fourth, his idea returned to him. Ives awoke with the solution to his problem laid out before him. (On a personal note, I often find creative ideas hit me just as I am lying down for sleep. Once I give my brain permission to stop working for the day, the solution appears easily.)

Finally, Ives continued to revise his idea for years. In fact, he improved so many aspects of the process he filed a second patent. This is a critical point and is often overlooked. It can be easy to fall in love with the initial version of your idea, but great ideas always evolve.

The Creative Process in Short

“An idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor.”
—Robert Frost

The creative process is the act of making new connections between old ideas. Thus, we can say creative thinking is the task of recognizing relationships between concepts.

One way to approach creative challenges is by following the five-step process of 1) gathering material, 2) intensely working over the material in your mind, 3) stepping away from the problem, 4) allowing the idea to come back to you naturally, and 5) testing your idea in the real world and adjusting it based on feedback.

Being creative isn't about being the first (or only) person to think of an idea. More often, creativity is about connecting ideas

What is a REIT?

 What is a Reit? 

Investing in real estate can be an attractive way to put your money to work for you - but what if you don't have enough money to buy the property outright? One way to start investing in real estate without the need for a large chunk of capital is to buy shares of a real estate investment trust or REIT.

What is a real estate investment trust (REIT)?

A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that owns, finances or manages properties that generate income. This income can come from mortgage payments, for example, or the rents that the properties' tenants pay. Many REITs specialize in a specific type of property, but others have more diverse portfolios.

With a REIT, you have access to real estate investment opportunities without the need for a substantial amount to actually purchase property or buy into a real estate investment club.

There are publicly traded and non-traded REITs, but the majority are publicly traded. Like any other stock, shares of