The Career Introvert

There is a multitude of ways to invest your money, and each of them comes with a vast heap of pros and cons. And if you are under the impression that investment is not for you, think again – because the chances are that you are, in fact, already investing. Do you have a mortgage, or a retirement plan, or even a simple savings account? If so – you are an investor!

However, there is more to investing than squirreling money away in a savings account. And today, we’re going to go through some of the best possible places for you to put your money. We’ve covered why introverts are such good investors already, and this guide builds on that and should point you in a right direction for getting started. Let’s take a closer look.

Going for Gold?

Gold is a classic investment tool. But have you ever wondered why? Of course, it’s one of the most precious metals on the planet, so its rarity means it is worth more than, say, tin. However, golds real power is because in times of trouble – when the markets fail or inflation gets a grip on a currency – people tend to flock towards gold. When people are scared and fear their finances could be in trouble, gold is good – which makes it a sensible starting point for your investment career.

Ramp up the Real Estate

The real estate market is not infallible, as we all probably remember from the 2008 crash. But make no mistake about it, successful investors put a lot of money into buying real estate. Start small, and work your way up slowly as you learn about the ins and outs of buying property. And once you get to the stage where you are in ownership of a whole building with multiple families, remember that you will need to provide a safe place to live and also pay for apartment renovations. Remember, all successful investors have property on their portfolio of some description – just make sure you take care of those investments and the people that live in them.

Buy Bonds

You won’t make a fortune buying bonds, but there is pretty much nowhere safer to put your money. You buy bonds from a government, who promise to pay you back at a certain point in time in the future, at a fixed percentage rate of interest. These repayments are guaranteed, and many investors use the bond system to put away money instead of keeping it in a bank. There are downsides to the bond market, of course. If, say, the government offers you a rate of interest at 3 percent for 25 years, what happens if inflation rises more than that percentage? Unfortunately, it means you will have less buying power. That said, you will always get something back from bonds, which is more than can be said from the vast risks of something like the stock market.

Mutual funds

If you are unsure about the stock market, the best way to get involved with it is by taking out mutual funds. It’s a good way of lowering your risk, and you can access a mutual fund with not much money at all. But what is a mutual fund? In simple terms, it’s a pool of funds from a lot of different investors. And the money that is pooled is spread amongst a large group of different investment areas, such as stocks, bonds, and other things. However, there are a lot of downsides to using mutual funds. First of all, you hand your money over to fund managers, and your success is pretty much down to their attempts to get you good returns – you won’t have any say in where that money goes. And of course, that manager costs you money. And whatever gains you make from the investment, you will have to pay that manager a significant proportion of your return.

The stock market

Playing the stock market – it’s a loaded term that implies this is a game. And although this is true to a certain extent, it’s just like gambling, and there are exceptional returns on the cards if you are lucky – but also extraordinary losses to regret if you aren’t. So, while many people say that playing the stock market is the best way to make money, just be careful. Only invest in companies or industries that you know about, and understand. And don’t spend a cent of your money until you have learned the basics, or you risk losing a fortune.

Products

Finally, investments also take in things like cars, artworks – and even sneakers, believe it or not. Take a look at the overall sales charts for the trainer market. Nike is way ahead of the rest, which should be no surprise. But guess who is second? Nike again, only this time it’s a used market. That’s right – people buying Nike sneakers and reselling them on the secondhand market on places like eBay are making 2x, 3x, 4x and up to 10x more than they originally paid – especially for limited editions. It’s the same principle for things like toys. A boxed Star Wars toy from the early 1980s might have cost a couple of dollars back then. But even when you allow for inflation adjustments, that figure has shot up to hundreds of times the value today.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get started into the investing game. And, as long as you know what you are doing, have a passion for where you put your money and are prepared to learn – a lot – before spending a cent, it’s a good way to increase your wealth. Ultimately, however, don’t forget to protect yourself. Never spend more than you can afford to lose, and always seek to spread your investments into a variety of different areas.

Do you invest at all? If so, I would all love to hear about your experiences! Why not let me know about them in the comments section below?

Starting your own business pretty terrifying prospect. One of the biggest issues that a lot of people come across is that they don’t feel as though they should be taking up the same space as a lot of bigger, more established businesses. It can sometimes feel like you’re an amateur in a room full of professionals. But the truth is that you’re a professional. Your business may be small, but it’s just as legitimate as any other. If you have a product or service that you truly believe in, then there’s nothing to stop you from taking up the same space as bigger businesses. Fortunately, it’s never been easier to present your business in a way that allows you to seem more professional. Modern technology has made a huge amount of difference in allowing small business to appear a whole lot bigger than they are. This way, even if you’re just running your business from home, clients and customers are more likely to consider it to be worth taking a look at. Here are just a few ways that you can make your small business seem like the real deal.

Web design

It might seem a little shallow but the truth is that customers often rely purely on visuals and design to make a lot of their decisions about a company. That means that if a part of your business looks poorly made, then that’s going to create the wrong impression of every other part of your business. Nowhere is this more pronounced than on your website. You could have the best product on the market but if you’re selling it through a cheap looking, amateurish website, customers simply aren’t going to care. The best thing that you can do is to make sure that you’re looking very carefully at how some of the world’s most successful businesses design and present their websites. Look at any trends that seem to go between them and see what you can incorporate them into your own web design. The good news is that there are plenty of services available with easy to use templates that will help you create an incredibly professional looking site without needing to learn a single line of code.

Dedicated email accounts

This follows a similar idea to the previous point. Your personal email account might work perfectly well, but it’s yet again going to send a message to your customers that your business isn’t one that they really need to take all that seriously. When you’re emailing customers, you want your branding to be consistent all of the time. By using a dedicated email address that includes your business’s name, you tell customers that your business is worth paying attention to. This is especially true if you have some employees working for you. This way you can have separate email addresses that are all consistent when it comes to branding and presentation. It might not seem like something that would matter all that much but this kind of consistency is pretty much essential for getting people to treat your business like a professional organization. Companies like Google actually offer services that can help you create these domain names and email accounts that are effective, reliable and make a huge difference to the overall way that your business is perceived.

A virtual mailbox

It’s a real shame that a lot of customers will decide not to give your business a fair shake the moment that they realize that you’re running it out of your home rather than an office. This might be completely unfair, but it’s something of an inevitability when it comes to a certain subset of your customers. On one the very best ways to get around this problem is through a virtual mailbox. By presenting your business in a way that seems for “professional” you’re going to make your business seem much more worthy of this kind of customer’s trust.. Plenty of virtual office services include things like mail forwarding address services that allow you to send and receive mail to and from clients without having to give away that your business is being run out of your home office.. It’s not really something that you should have to do, but being able to present your business in this way will make a huge amount of difference in making it look more established and professional.

Employees

One of the biggest differences between a new, small business, and one that’s better established is the fact that a larger business often has a much more professional attitude to employees. In fact, if your business is small enough you might not have any employees at all. A lot of people are going to worry about dealing with a one person business so something like a virtual receptionist can make a huge difference to how your business is perceived by customers. It’s a subtle change that impacts the psychology of your customers in ways that they might not actually realize but it’s one that can make a huge difference to your business as a whole.

The truth is that you’re always going to be going up against the world when it comes to trying to make it take your small business seriously. There are so many huge businesses that are able to simply dwarf your own in size that trying to push through that initial barrier can be a real challenge. However, one of the most important things to remember is that bigger is not always better. There are plenty of things that you can do to leverage your size and really make the most of your business as a whole. For one thing, a lot of customers enjoy the more personal touch that they get from a smaller business. If you can hold onto that and use it as effectively as possible, you’re actually going to be able to give yourself an advantage that bigger businesses simply don’t have. The key is to work with what you’ve got, no matter how much or how little that might be.

Filing your business taxes isn’t exactly fun, but it is necessary. You need to do it every year to keep your records up to date and comply with the law. Whether it’s your first time doing your taxes or it’s something that you’ve done before, there are some things that you should be sure to do.

Get an Accountant

Some small business owners might think that they don’t need an accountant to do their accounts. However, you can benefit hugely from using one. It will help you avoid mistakes, save time and make sure you don’t pay more tax than you need to.

Pay Attention to Deadlines

Getting the timing right is essential if you want to avoid having to pay any penalties. Make sure you’re aware of any deadlines that you have to meet and start preparing everything long before then. If you leave it too late, you could run into problems at the last minute.

Use the Right Form

Don’t forget to check that you’re using the right form to file your business taxes. It might seem like a simple thing to do, but there are several possible forms that you might end up using. If you use the wrong one, you could end up having to do it all again.

Claim for the Right Expenses

If you claim for all of your allowable expenses, you can make sure you don’t end up paying too much tax. This is one good reason to hire an accountant – so that you don’t miss out.

Infographic Design By Triplog

If you’re looking to set up a business, then as a startup, the most sensible way to get started is to initially work from home.  See, many people rush out to secure premises upon starting their business because it makes them feel more “proper” and business like, whereas all successful entrepreneurs know the importance of frugality in the early days.

If you were to go out and get premises, then this means you are financially committed to paying rent on the property no matter what highs and lows your business experiences, it also makes you less agile, as one of the core benefits of being a start-up over and established company is the agility to respond to market conditions and other factors with speed.

On a personal level, working from home can be a great time saver as your time won’t be tied up with congested commutes… for many people, it will be the case of walking a few metres to their home office, which can make people feel quite smug, until the isolation kicks in.

For this reason, it’s important that whilst you are technically setting up a business from ‘home’ you don’t lock yourself away in isolation, like quasimodo… it’s imperative you touch base with the outside world from time to time, even if that’s just sitting in starbucks with your laptop or getting out to an exercise class.

Loneliness can be a huge factor when working from home, so be sure to engage in social activities and break up your day – even if it’s just a walk in the park.  This way you’ll feel much more inspired and ward off any low mood due to the isolation of working from home.

You might also want to consider making use of co-working spaces, as these provide a low cost alternative to renting your own office and most have a good social element to them too.

In a nutshell, whilst working from home is the financially sensible way to move forward, as a startup, it isn’t always the most effective in terms of productivity and personal fulfilment – and can be a particular challenge if you struggle with focus and concentration, as it is.

Therefore, in this article we’re going to look at how to squeeze the most out of working from home, from a productivity perspective…

1.  CREATE A GOOD WORKING ENVIRONMENT

It’s essential to set up a good space in which you can work without distraction.  You’ll want to it to create a space where you are comfortable yet not so comfortable you feel like catching up on the latest episode of your favourite box set.

You want this space to increase your focus and productivity, therefore, you want it to be a quiet and distraction free environment that is your private space.  You, and your family, should respect the space as being for ‘work’ – just like how water tanks have a specific purpose to heat the hot water that fuels your morning shower, your home office has the specific purpose of getting things done that fuel your business growth.

2. SETTING UP THE SPACE

You can’t focus in a cluttered environment, so the first step, is to remove all the clutter from the room.  You then might want to paint the walls white, as this way, the light will bounce around the room creating a more ‘awake’ environment that is good for thinking with clarity.

It’s important you create a distraction free environment, therefore decluttering the space is a vital first step.  Next up, you’re going to need some office furniture. In this vein, it’s important you invest in some decent equipment as this is a place where you’ll be spending a lot of time, so invest in a comfortable office chair, a large enough desk for you to spread yourself out on, and an adequate filing system should this be relevant to your business.

What you sit on is probably the most vital consideration, as there’s a good chance you’ll be sat at your desk for many, many hours, in the early days – burning the midnight oil.  Therefore, you’ll want a chair that provides good ergonomic support.

The other consideration, that many people overlook, is the importance of getting a decent supply of fresh air into the office, as fresh air helps you focus and keep clear.  If you’ve ever been in a hot and stuffy office, then you’ll know this can seriously hamper your productivity, so ensure you have a plentiful supply of fresh air in your working environment.

Similarly, the amount of light you have in your office will play a large part in your productivity.  The more natural light in the space, the more productive you will be. In fact, have you ever noticed how when it’s grey outside we tend to be a little less productive, whereas when it’s sunny, we can’t help but feel uplifted, more motivated, and focused?  This is why so many offices have bright panel lights.

That said, if you’re working late at night, it can be just as effective to employ the concepts of mood lighting – as this way, you’re staying true to your circadian rhythm, and will be more able to relax when it comes to hitting the sack.

3. HAVE A ROUTINE

Working from home can be a blessing but also a curse; as whilst you now have unprecedented freedom to be your own boss and live life on your own terms – there’s a concept in psychology that states if you give someone too much choice, and too much freedom, they will feel overwhelmed – meaning they do nothing.

If you’re used to a routine, with work, particularly if you’re used to travelling to your place to work then this is known as a ‘ritual’ that puts you into the right emotional state to be productive.  Many people don’t enjoy this particular ritual, and would prefer to live without the congested commute, but have you ever noticed how initially as you leave for work your energy is low, you might even feel sick, irritable and tired – but as you arrive at your office, you have shaken that off and feel set to work?

This is because your body has got into a routine where it associates a particular emotional state with that pattern, that triggers a certain behaviour.

When it comes to working from home, it’s all too easy to have a lay in, or grab the laptop and work from the comfort of your soft, warm bed – particularly on a cold day – yet, having the discipline of a routine will really help you to stay focused.

Some people swear by the routine of getting dressed in business attire, even if they are just sitting in their home office all day – as this ritual puts them into a conducive emotional state, whereas lounging around in your pyjamas puts you in a very different state.

The other factor to consider, when it comes to routine, is that you want to make sure you get out of the house in the morning.  

Sometimes, particularly if you’re working to a deadline, you will wake up, have a shower, get some breakfast and then go straight to your home office – without even stepping out of the front door.  Then, you’ll have lunch at home, and before you know it, it’s 6pm and you haven’t left the house.

This can lead to a feeling of isolation and depression, so it’s important you get out of the house, early in the morning – whether that’s just to take a walk around the block, go out to buy your morning paper, or head to the gym for an empowering workout.  

Routine is very important if you want to keep yourself mentally healthy and focused; which is particularly true for introverted people, as whilst many introverts enjoy the solitude of working from home – it’s important to have some routine that ensures social stimulation.

4. WORK WHEN YOU’RE WORKING

All too often, when working from home, you can get distracted.  Again, with too much freedom comes the potential for massive distraction and procrastination.

Unlike an office environment where you’re around other people that are in the ‘productivity zone’, it can be much easier to indulge in temptation within a home office, such as catching up on an episode of your favourite box set, checking social media, or getting distracted by what’s going on around you – such as family conversations you might be able to overhear.

It’s imperative you “work” when you set out time to work, as otherwise, you’ll end up feeling like you are constantly working with no down time – as you won’t get what you need to get done complete in your work time.

Indeed, it can be helpful to set yourself working hours, where you block out time that you will be in the office.  This time, must be dedicated to getting things done, knowing that after work time, you can enjoy some downtime.

This is the great thing about working somewhere other than home, such as library, university campus, coffee shop or shared space.  It means that you have a physical distinction between work time and play time. In fact, there’s a lovely feeling about coming home from the office, knowing that your work is done – whereas, if your home is your office, it can be much harder to draw that distinction.

Therefore, it’s imperative you block out time where you work (e.g. between 10am and 4pm) each and every day, no matter what.  Indeed, it would be better to work less hours, but focus much more, than it would to drift through the day with the intention of working, but ended up half focused on work and half focused on other things.