Compliance within the financial services sector is a key function which underpins the integrity and upholds the values of all organizations within this industry. Scott Tominaga is someone who has spent his career in this area and he has played a key role in creating new industry standards when it comes to compliance. We were fortunate enough to watch up with Scott recently at a fintech event, and we were keen to find out more about financial compliance and how someone can get into that industry, as well as what skills and characteristics would be required. If this is an area of finance which interests you, here is what you will need to have in order to break in.

Integrity

The first personality trait really should go without saying and that is integrity, the critical attribute which you will need if you wish to get into this industry. The whole point of compliance is that banks and financial institutions are doing everything by the rule of law and that is why the people who are ensuring that this takes place must be those with the highest standards and the strongest scruples.

Details Orientated

The devil as they say is in the detail and this is never more true than when you are ensuring compliance. If you are conducting an audit or something of that ilk you will be charged with going through multiple documents, searching through fine print and looking for any irregularities or mistakes which have been made. Compliance is very much about the fine print and this is why you will have to be someone who is dedicated to the details.

Love of Finance

Working within compliance is very much about the sector as opposed to having customer relations or the like. This is why you have to be absolutely committed to the world of finance because that is exactly where you are going to be working and operating.Compliance is very much a purist job and that is why you will have to really care about both finance and financial integrity.

Analytical

It is not just the details which you need to keep an eye out for here, you must also understand process and why it is important, and have an analytical way of thinking in order to find irregularities or to question certain behaviors. This will not only help you in making sure that the banks and financial institutions that you are working with maintain their compliance, but it will also help you moving forward in helping those same businesses with new ways of working to guarantee compliance.

This is one of the most important jobs within the financial sector and it is certainly a position for someone with a real love of finance and someone who has an ethical and morally based work attitude and mindset. Do you think that you have what it takes to work in compliance? What skills do you think makes you the best suited?

 

Earning money has always been associated with a typical nine-to-five job. But with the technology taking over a larger part of our lives, more and more people are turning to the internet for financial gain. Whether it’s just passive income or having a full-time job, there are so many ways to make money online that are easy and might even be fun.

Here are five ways to make money online.

Write and Sell an Ebook

If you’re the type of person who likes to write, and you can express your thoughts well with written words, then you can write and sell an ebook online. Since the book industry has joined the digital revolution, the demand for ebooks has grown tremendously. And while the competition is stiff, there’s still plenty of market for writing digital books that teach people about technical topics.

Ebooks can be sold in different channels that give access to a large digital book-reading market like Amazon’s Kindle program or Apple iTunes Connect. Writing a book doesn’t need much monetary investment. However, you will need to invest plenty of time to write and market your product.

Start a Blog

Another way to utilize your writing prowess to make money online is to start a blog. Blogs can earn you big bucks if you do things the right way. Some people say that this online money-making venture can be exhaustive. But for someone who loves to tell stories, it’s a fun way to make money online.

Building your readership is no easy task, and it requires a lot of hard work. However, when you get to that point where you start to gain momentum, things will begin to flow smoothly. Sure, it may look difficult but, if you start now, a year can fly by pretty fast. And the next thing you know, you’ll have a solid following and a little more money in your pocket.

Rent out Your Home

One of the simplest ways to make money online is to rent out your home or a room in your house using Airbnb. This won’t necessarily make you rich but if you have the right place, you could find yourself earning thousands of dollars every month. If you live in a popular tourist vacation spot, then you’re in luck.

You can ask around or research other listings in your locality so you will know the average rate for a house like yours. If not the entire house, you can just rent out a room in your space, or you can even rent out a bed in a shared room. Yes, it can be that simple and in fact, that’s how the Airbnb business began. Look where it is now!

Gamble Online

The advancement of technology has created the avenue to gamble without going to Las Vegas. With online gambling sites, people can now make wagers or play casino games while sitting at home and using the internet. These betting sites can be accessed using desktop PCs and even mobile phones, making online betting accessible.

Many USA accepting gambling sites offer bonuses and promotions that improve your bankroll. These online gambling operators offer welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, and others that you can take advantage of so you can place more bets or play more casino games. Of course, gambling also means the possibility of taking losses. But there is no question that it is also one way to make money online.

Work as a Virtual Assistant

The demand for remote employees continues to increase, so if you spend a lot of hours on your computer, then why not make money doing it? Working as a virtual assistant is another simple way to make money online. And if you live in a place where the cost of living is low, doing this kind of work helps pay your bills and more.

This job won’t require too many technical skills. If you know basic computer programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, then you can easily find jobs on platforms like Upwork and Freelancer.com. If you have good organizational skills, are an effective communicator, and can deliver tasks within deadlines, there’s a good chance you will make a career out of being a virtual assistant.

 

Software solutions can make every entrepreneur’s life a bit easier. However, with all of the options available on the market, it can easily feel like making a decision is nearly impossible. With so many different options, how are you supposed to choose the right one?

From platforms that can improve your customer service to those that can help you align the strategic priorities of all of your team members, there’s seemingly a piece of software for almost every single business need. To narrow it down, there are five that should snag your focus from the get-go.

Goal-Setting Software

Whether you run a startup or one of many large enterprises, selecting your strategic priorities can get complicated. Though you likely have companywide goals, each member of your team will have their own developmental needs as well. Tracking your objectives and key results (OKRs) can help your business stay on track.

Companies like Workboard devote their entire platform to helping businesses adapt their OKRs more seamlessly. They also facilitate the integration of these goals while offering a service that allows you to track them in near real-time. No matter if you’re a small business looking to grow or a sales team trying to rethink some best practices, Workboard can help you track all of your key results.

Call Center Software

Customer satisfaction is paramount in today’s business landscape. Low-quality customer service can derail a business. Since the customer experience is so important, having a smarter customer support platform can make a massive difference. Contact center software and cloud call center software allow you to direct phone calls to the right agent or support team, use tech like interactive voice response (IVR), and handle call recording and information acquisition with the help of artificial intelligence.

The call center model has evolved greatly in the past few years, revolutionizing how customer service teams approach live chat and phone support. All you need is an internet connection that can facilitate computer-telephony integration (CTR).

A Smarter Social Media Platform

Do you struggle to keep up with the constant demands of your social media channels? You’re not alone. Applications like Hootsuite allow you to prepare your posts in bulk and schedule them for the appropriate delivery times. Gone are the days where you have to spend several business hours every day just navigating through social media. With a bit of smarter automation, you can focus your attention elsewhere.

Customer Relationship Management Programs

If you’re not using a CRM, you’re probably doing your sales team a disservice. CRM software has numerous advanced features like nurture campaigns that can show you each action item in the customer purchasing cycle. Plus, many CRM platforms tout ease of use. This means they’re intuitive, user-friendly, and simple to pick up. If you want to see the strategic priorities of your sales funnel in real-time, customer relationship management can provide a helping hand.

Mobile App Development

Not every business needs to invest in the development of a mobile app but if you do, it can greatly benefit the overall customer experience. Small businesses in the startup phase can use mobile app development programs to increase their reach and appeal. Look for a piece of software that has a streamlined dashboard and intuitive development features. After all, if you’re not the most tech-savvy, you don’t want to make the development phase more difficult than it needs to be. Sometimes, simpler really is better.

You’re likely to find many more applicable software solutions than the ones presented here. These five, though, can truly have a huge impact on your business‘s upward trajectory. Investing in the right software can help you scale to new heights and you’ll be surprised how far a few platforms can take you.

In today’s scenario, having your own business is a dream come true, which is spoilt by tedious documentation work, processing charges, payment options and its impact on your credit score. Here are some questions that you need to ask before taking a business loan:

1 How much percentage of small business loans you can get?

The financial institutions have specific criteria that they follow based on your income level. So, before taking the business loan, it is essential to ask as to how much percentage of loans, you will be able to avail.

2 What are the documents required to take a business loan?

Before taking the business loan, different financial institution demand for various documents, for example, complete loan application form, identity proof, and business statements for the last six months address verification, photographs, and other income-related documents. Individual financial institutions believe in lengthy documentation work, and this increase the loan turnaround time. Hence, it is essential to ask the institution what all documents they might need if you avail business loan from them.

3 What would be the turnaround time for taking the loan?

Some Financial institutions take less time to disburse the financial loan, and others take more time. Business Backer provides credit instantly at a competitive interest rate.

4 What kind of customer service they provide?

Before selecting the financial institution, it is essential to think about what kind of customer support they can offer. The reputed commercial lender, like businessbacker.com, provides the best customer support depending upon the needs of the customers. The company has an expert financial advisor that can guide you about which financial loan is best for your business needs.

5 Is it eligible for tax deduction?

Individual business loans are eligible for a tax deduction; it is essential to ask the financial advisor whether the business loan that you are trying to avail is permissible or not.

6 What would be the interest rate?

Before availing the small business loan from the financial institution, it is essential to find out the interest they will charge you and the payment frequency that you have to follow.

7 What kind of loan do you need?

There are several business loans available- you have to decide the type of business loan that you may need.

• Purchase of Receivables

This kind of business loan is available depending upon the future business income. In this loan, you will get a lump-sum amount if approved in exchange for a certain amount of your business revenue.

• Small Business Loan

This type of loan is given to the small business to cater to their day to day needs. The Business Backer small business loan is term loan in which you get a lump-sum payout with a specific repayment period. The decision is taken in minutes, and they ensure the flexibility of payment option is available.

• Business Line of Credit

This type of business loan can help small business to meet their financing needs for today and the future. We will help you to get instant access to the funds, which will help you to buy inventory, cover payroll expenses or help you to expand. You can make withdrawals anytime depending upon your credit limit. Plus, the processing charges will be based on the loan is taken and not on the credit limit.

Conclusion

Asking all these questions from the lenders will help you to make an informed decision- and you will be able to tap on the best business loan with best payment terms. A win-win situation for you!

 

If your business is selling parts and machinery to industrial organizations, you have plenty of digital options for marketing your operations. Building an extensive digital presence online will bring your industrial supply operation into the modern world.

Start upgrading your approach to the creation of new commerce, and dig into what the internet can do to forward your cause. Here is a brief look at some helpful tips for selling industrial equipment in a digitally-driven world.

Create space for products on your website

Your business website can always be made better. Never stop looking for ways to improve the design of your website, and always make sure there’s a designated space to showcase the products you have to offer consumers.

If you’re in the business of selling trailers for towing heavy equipment, then you should make sure you provide ample information about all you have to offer within the pages of your business website.

Make room for a business blog

Your business website should also sport an informative blog that shares helpful information regarding your industry and the products you specialize in creating.

Post regular entries in your blog, and create a space for readers to “share” your posts and leave comments. Listening to the voice of consumers is a great resource for refining your operations.

Set up shop on social media

Your website is a great way to make an impression on the digital world, but the real action can always be found on the pages of social media. Find which platforms best suit the interests of your target audience, and build a profile for your business on each of them.

Keep tabs on your social media pages as often as you do your business website. If your operation needs a professional who is more qualified to keep up with all of the work that needs to be done, then it’s worth the investment to hire someone who knows just what your business needs to make an impact online.

Build your presence for mobile users

Make sure to keep mobile access to the internet in mind as your digital presence builds. Smartphones, tablets, and iPads rule the internet now, and it simply doesn’t make sense to overlook the majority of web users. Build with responsive design as a standard at all times.

Always keep up with SEO

Search engine optimization is a fluent collection of design tactics that will help you build digital content that is more effective.

Learn how Google sorts and designates various information on the web, and you can have your content ranking higher in the SERPs (search engine results pages). Ranking well in the SERPs is an essential part of being seen online.

YouTube is the second largest website in the world with over 2 billion monthly users. Not only that, but the average person also spends up to 6 hours a day watching videos.

Thus, businesses will need to appeal to these binge-watching tendencies. However, the boom of video content also resulted in hundreds to thousands of brands trying to master YouTube channel marketing. So, in order to stand out on YouTube, you need to utilize as many promotional strategies as possible.

Here are just some ways on how you can promote your YouTube channel and increasing the views for your videos.

1. Interesting Titles

YouTube marketing relies mostly on presentation.

Thus, titles can make or break your video’s performance and views. Are you presenting video content as a must-see or just meh?

To craft interesting and killer titles you need to grab your audience’s attention and interest without resorting to the clickbait headlines. People love content that is entertaining and wants to know what your video is all about from the get-go.

For the technical specifics, a study revealed that YouTube video titles need to have at least 41 – 70 characters. Meanwhile, CoSchedule recommends at least 55 characters for an easy-to-read and engaging headline.

2. Up Your SEO Game

Fact:

YouTube videos show up in 70 percent of the top 100 Google search results.

Any “how-to” or product query on Google will return something from the social giant. As a matter of fact, YouTube videos can sometimes pop up before websites or traditional blog posts.

YouTube, on its own, is the second largest search engine. Just like people search for services and products of problem solution through Google, the same is also true on YouTube. So, you might want to step up on your SEO game.

Here are the best YouTube SEO practices to follow:

• Include target keywords in your descriptions and titles.
• Mention your keywords in your video.
• Use categories in order to help YouTube better understand who to show your videos to.
• Increase engagement.
• Add tags to your videos.

3. Publish On Social Media

Video contents get the spotlight on social media in terms of performance and engagement. Thus, you will need to regularly promote your YouTube channel to your followers on other social media platforms and encourage them to become a subscriber.

Once your videos go live, make it a point to let your social followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram know about it. You can even create previews or snippets for each social platform, then link to your latest production.

With the help of social media marketing agencies like the LosFamos marketing agency, you can cross-promote and schedule your content without having to manage multiple platforms at once.

4. Customized Thumbnails

Probably the simplest and most effective strategies to promote your YouTube channel and increase your views is to create custom thumbnails.

Just think of your thumbnail and title as a sort of one-two punch in order to grab your viewer’s attention. On its default setting, YouTube only takes a screenshot from any given video and makes it your thumbnail. Most of the time, this means blurry shots.

By creating thumbnails yourself, you can make your videos look more appealing and also shows a sense of professionalism.

There are many ways to purchase a new house as an investor. For example, you can use hard money loans California, but most hard money lenders expect a high return for their investment, especially if they are private investors. However, when trying to purchase a new home before your house sells, what are your options? Many people need the equity from their home to afford a down payment, and others fear they will get stuck with double mortgages they can’t afford. Thankfully, home sellers and buyers have options for finding funds without the immediate sale of their current residence.

Bridge Loan

Most people need to sell their current residence before buying a new one to free up the equity since the immediate need when looking to buy a house is a down payment. Bridge loans for homes can help with this predicament because it is a short-term loan. However, keep in mind these loans are high-interest and best suited for freeing up funds until your house sells. Never borrow more than you need for the down payment on a house, especially if that sum is higher than the equity of your current home.

Home Equity Line of Credit

If you want to use your home equity before selling it, consider a home equity line of credit. Primarily, you are taking out a second mortgage, but you can use the cash to buy anything. You also have no obligation to use the entire available amount. With this loan type, you will have a draw period to access all or a portion of the equity funds.

401(k)

Many 401(k) plans allow contributors to borrow against their investment, but you will need to check with your plan administrator. The IRS also has guidelines and restrictions in place to protect an individual’s investment. If you wish to fund a new home this way, ask about interest rates, repayment periods and whether personal residence loans are available.

Cash-Out Refinance

Doing a cash-out refinance is like a home equity line of credit, but more advantageous for the borrower. Instead of taking out a secondary lien on their existing property, a refinance pays off the existing mortgage and establishes a new one with the equity included. The borrower can then receive the capital in cash to pay a down payment on a new property.

Sale-Leaseback Contingency

If you have the option to sell before buying or finding a new home, you can use a contingency to protect your interests. A sale-leaseback contingency is an agreement that allows you to sell your current residence, freeing up necessary funds, without having to move. You agree with the buyer to pay so much in rent for a specified term.

Gift

In certain situations, a lender may allow a borrower to use gifted funds for a portion of the down payment. However, while a family gift is excellent, you still need to put up something. Most lenders require buyers to use a minimum of 5% of their own money. If you use a gift, ask about any necessary documents and proof.

You don’t always have to complete the sale of your current home before purchasing new. Contact a bridge loan or other moneylender for more information.

 

The contemporary world has plenty of career options, and students find themselves under immense pressure when they have to choose a career path for themselves. The transition from high school to college is a tumultuous time of their lives, and especially the stress of selecting a major overwhelms them. Their decision to choose a particular subject to attain a degree decides their future in a significant way. Although some of the degree holders eventually decide not to pursue careers in the same field.

Business administration is one of the most in-demand majors for many years. Many students who cannot decide on a career path for themselves end up choosing business administration either because of peer pressure, or they simply want to join the bandwagon. A degree in business administration is undoubtingly a legitimate way to break into the business world; however, a specialized degree in accounts or finance would attract more attention from the recruiters, and degree holders in these fields often land jobs without much effort.

Nonetheless, a degree in business administration is a popular choice, and every year students in flocks register for it.

The following are some of the pros and cons of acquiring a degree in business administration, which will help you in deciding your major:

Pros of Acquiring a Business Administration Degree

• High Demand in Market

Many employers consider a degree in business administration as the key to success. They prefer degree holders in the business field over other degrees, as they believe earning a business degree is a vigorous process that prepares students for real-world challenges. Business administration degree holders have the edge over other fields’ degrees as they are always in demand.

• A Multitude of Career Options

The degree provides students with a strong academic base in the fundamental functions of a business. A person who has acquired a business degree develops a skill set required for various fields in the industry. The degree opens up the doors of diverse career paths. It prepares you to work in a vast number of popular tracks, including finance, accounting, management, sales, international business, and marketing. That also gives degree holders the option of switching their fields after serving in a particular area for a few years.

Education trends are ever-changing, and the e-learning market is booming these days. Owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the lockdown administered nationwide by many countries, more students are turning to digital platforms to earn an online business degree to further their job prospects. Now students around the globe can register themselves to benefit from the reputed colleges to earn their master’s degree.

• Attractive Salary

The prospects of salary play a significant part when students choose a major after high school. When we compare college graduates’ wages among majors, business takes the lead. Other fields like chemistry or international relations are equally challenging, but graduates in these fields do not get a high salary like business graduates.

• Useful Skills

The education one receives from a business administration degree equips one to function in the corporate world, regardless of their field. The awareness of operational techniques and business methods makes you a better contributor. Even people who end up in a non-business related sector still have some interaction with business communities, and a degree in business enables them to understand their norms, values, and practices.

• Networking Opportunities

University students get immense networking opportunities. As a student, you meet professors, recruiters, and when you attend various workshops, you see people from other universities with the same background. They can guide you about the spheres of professional life and can even help you secure a job while you are still pursuing your degree.

Cons of Acquiring a Business Administration Degree

• Cut-throat Competition

As stated above, business is a popular choice as a major amongst students, and hence you need to score good grades to enter this field. Even when you have secured admission, the stiff competition will not stop; instead, it will get intense. Needless to say that since a plethora of students earns a degree in business, recruiters get plenty of job applications for a single post.

• Time Commitment

A degree in business administration means excessive assignments, quizzes, and assessments. It requires dedication from the students for four years if they are pursuing a bachelor’s degree and for two additional years if they want to continue to an MBA. The degree requires a high level of discipline and commitment in terms of attention and time.

• Cost

Business as a major has the potential of breaking your bank. Tuition fees alone mean a considerable financial commitment, and apart from it, there are various other expenses related to studies, such as textbooks, housing, stationary, etc. The expenditure of a multi-year degree is expensive, and students should think hard before making a final decision.

• Less Emotional Support

Surveys have concluded that students studying business as a major do not receive much emotional support from faculty members or fellow students. The studies expose an environment of lethal competition. Students of this field are generally less sensitive to others. Usually, mentors help in a significant way in college, especially in the first year, emotional support is vital. The students of business administration are enthusiastic about the degree but lack the emotional component.

• No Industry Specific Course Material

A degree in business administration is an intense process, yet when you enter the professional world, you realize that the course did not cover many essential aspects. Unlike other fields like health administration or literature, degree holders of business administration may require new knowledge and support even after the degree.

Conclusion

A degree in business administration is not a bed of roses, but one that requires extensive hours and long-term commitment. Far from the general perception, business degree holders do not always land a job in a dazzling environment of suits and ties. But the degree does pave the way to diverse careers, and they can gain entry into a variety of fields. And acquire many useful skills such as decision making and leadership qualities, which help them in every phase of human life.