What Does Your Business Need Right Now?

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In the world of business, every company is always going to be in need of something. Because the market can be a demanding place, and just when you think you’ve managed to nail one thing and get back on track, your small business will have a fresh new set of needs. However, no matter what your business may need, or what you will have to do with your time to make things happen, you do need to ensure that you’re aware of your current situation. By being aware of what your business needs, you can then put the steps in place to get it off the ground. And things might be hard, but when you know that you want to succeed, you’ll be willing to put the work in. Sometimes, you just need to knowledge to figure out what to do, and then you can get things going.

1. Strength

First of all, maybe you need to get a little stronger. If you feel like you’re not in a strong financial position now, you’ll need to change that. You can find lots of tips online, some only at Equify, that can help you to do this. When you know what a stronger position looks like, you can often then work backward and figure out what you need to do to make things happen.

2. Finance

As a step on from that, maybe you do actually need finance itself. When this is the case, you can feel pretty freaked out - but don’t. Because you actually have the resources you need at your fingertips - your mind. Just make sure that you’re pulling your knowledge, ideas, and experiences together into a solid document that will help you to get this. Then you can seek out business investors and head to the bank to see what options you have.

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3. Branding

Next, you may be in desperate need of a brand. And this is incredibly important. Because you need to make sure that you have a personality and a package that your customers can connect with. You will find more details at Strategy on the importance of this, but essentially you need to get branding in place and ensure that it really strengthens who you are as a business.

4. Customers

Sometimes things can be so simple as you just need customers. Because they are the bread and butter of a successful business. To ensure that you build up a strong customer base, you need to make sure that you have a marketing plan in place. But not only that, you have to act on it. You need to be creating content consistently and connecting with your audience to then turn them into customers.

5. Support

And finally, you’re then going to want to ensure that you have the right support in place. If you find that you’re growing too quickly, this insight at Forbes might help you. Because it can be dangerous and you’ll want to put the right support in place if you are getting out of your depth.

Our Home Stay At Tahiti Village Resort, Las Vegas

EVENING SUNSET....

By the time we reached Las Vegas, it is almost 4pm... just nice to check in.  Everything went on smoothly and it is good to step into the comfort of the two rooms in Tahiti Village resort.

At the lobby waiting to check in... 

Living hall....

We do our cooking here....

King size bed in each room....

Spacious bathroom...

A smaller living hall in another room...

Adjoining rooms.... 

View from the balcony...

This is our homestay for the next seven days.... in Las Vegas!

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS PIZZA AT HOME

One of the many things that we love about Italy is its gift of delicious “Pizza” to mankind. No word can fathom the love for Pizza that the world shares. In fact, Pizza can easily be used as the world peace symbol! Yes - That’s how serious love for pizza is! This 10th-century Italian dish has easily made its way in every heart, home and yeah- definitely stomach.

Pizzas are loved by all – kids, teens, adults, and oldies, basically everyone. And, why it shouldn’t? It is just too delicious to be ignored! Today you can easily order pizza online from Pizza Hut, which is solely famous for making the most delicious pizzas with a wide variety option for toppings and pizza crusts. You can also avail for various Pizza Hut offers and save a few bucks.

Well, as pizza has already found out its place in our home, it’s time that we try our hand at making the best and most delicious pizza at home. So, how to make delicious Pizza at home? Below is a step by step recipe for making a hearty –zesty –cheesy pizza easily at home;

PERFECT CHEESY HOMEMADE PIZZA

Prep Time: 2hrs 20mins

Cook Time: 20mins

Total Time: 2hrs 20mins

INGREDIENTS: (3 Medium pizzas)

For Pizza Base:-

• 3 cups all purpose flour (Maida)
• 1 cup warm water /or to be added as required
• 2 teaspoon dry active yeast
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt / or to be added as required
• Spare olive oil (for brushing)
• All purpose flour/cornmeal/semolina (for sprinkling)

For Tomato Sauce:-

• 4 – 5 medium sized pizza (finely chopped)
• 2 – 3 medium garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 tablespoon red wine (optional)
• 2 tablespoon dry/fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon of dry/fresh oregano
• Fresh grounded black pepper
• Salt as required

For Toppings:-

• 1 onion sliced
• 1 bell pepper sliced ( you can choose different colors to make it more attractive)
• 1 tomato sliced or chopped ( sliced is preferable as it gives a better look)
• 8-9 pitted green olives sliced (optional)
• 8-9 pitted black olives sliced (optional)
• Grated Mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese (as per requirement)
• Shredded chicken ( for non-veg lovers )

METHOD

The first and the foremost step towards making a delicious pizza are making the perfect base for pizza. This is also the trickiest part of making a perfect pizza. Though tricky, yet certainly not difficult. However, most of the people are afraid to try out making pizza bases at home and hence opt for the ready-made pizza bases available at the market. The ready-made bases are certainly great in taste and are easily available, yet they are nothing like the home-made bases! So, let’s make this special and get ready to make the Pizza Dough.

Step 1:- as said, the first step is to bake a Pizza base. Take a large bowl of warm water and add some sugar and dry yeast in it. Stir well, and let the mixture get set at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. You will know it is ready when you see the mixture turn frothy.  

Step 2:- add 1 cup flour, salt and olive oil in the frothy yeast water and give it a stir. Add rest of the flour and mix it thoroughly, till it becomes sticky and uniformly mixed.

Step 3:- knead the dough into a smooth ball and apply some olive oil all over the dough. If the dough becomes sticky then add a little water to it.

Step 4:- cover the dough with a plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for around 1-2 hours. The dough will rise and become almost double. If the dough leaves an indentation while poking, then it is ready.

(Making Tomato sauce)

 Step 5:- after the dough is ready, make the tomato sauce. For making tomato sauce, blanch the tomatoes and chop them. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped garlic. When the garlic turns brownish, add the tomatoes and wine. Cook it for 4-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper according to taste and all the herbs mentioned.  Mix well and cook it for another 4-5 minutes.

(Assembling the Pizza)

Step 6:- divide the dough into equal parts using a knife and then flatten the dough using a rolling pin. Pull the dough to the edges to thin out the dough in the center. You can also add some semolina for better separation. Please make sure that the thickness is even throughout.

Step 7:- place the dough in a greased and dusted pan. Brush some olive oil on pizza base dough and then spread the tomato sauce evenly.

Step 8:- top it with all the veggies mentioned and for the non-veg lovers then can also add some shredded chicken along with the veggies.  Spread grated mozzarella cheese over the pizza. You can also put some cheese chunks unevenly (this is a bonus for all the cheese lovers out there).

Step 9:- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C, and bake the pizza for approximately 15- 20 minutes.

Step 10:- sprinkle some oregano and chilly over the freshly baked pizza and voila! A super tasty-zesty and cheesy pizza is ready to go!

So, next time when your heart and stomach is crying out for a fancy, tasty dinner that goes easy on pockets too, give no second thought and make a fresh home-made delicious Pizza. Also, don’t forget to experiment with different kinds of toppings according to your choice. You can put your favorite veggies to make it an extra bit special. A freshly baked homemade pizza can easily lift up your boring day and bring in loads of happiness for you and your family and friends.  A one-word synonym of sheer happiness definitely has to be “Pizza”!  So, what you are waiting for? Go ahead, invite your near and dear ones, bake a delicious home-made special pizza, pour out the wine and you are all set to be recognized as a star chef by one and all!

Long Journey To Las Vegas

ON THE ROADS....

After resting for two days in Sacramento, we set out on the roads to Las Vegas even before the sun is up.  Aaron has never been there before and he is looking forward to this trip tremendously.  As for me, this is my fourth time getting ready for the long long journey ahead.  The whole journey takes more than eight hours, stopping several times to rest and filling our tummies with food.

This time it is not so taxing on my BIL, there is an extra driver who can take over the wheel while the other can rest.  Along the way, we stopped by Apple Anne's for our breakfast and desserts as well.

Ours is in-between breakfast and lunch... 

At Apple Annie's.... 

We had American breakfast... a light one too... 

We had English breakfast.. or is it American?

Stopped at Route US66 for Frozen Freeze ice cream...

Aaron enjoyed it tremendously too!

We stopped at the most busy McDonalds at the State intersections..

Got some hats for ourselves on the way.... 

Las Vegas is always a hot city!

Aaron became a "Captain" on that day too..... 

Places To Consider Relocating To Once You're Retired

There’s something magical about the thought of retirement and being able to explore the world and literally do whatever you feel like for the remainder of your life. It’s like a reward for all of the hard work that you’ve given throughout your life. One thing that many people do once they have retired, is to relocate to a different part of the world to live their days out, and it’s usually a place that’s a lot warmer and a lot prettier than what they’re used to. If this is something that you’re considering, take a look at these places to consider relocating to once you hit retirement age.

Photo by Alexander Videnov on Unsplash

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is the type of place that you’d imagine to be rather run down. It is in fact, the complete opposite. Bulgaria is an up and coming country that is becoming increasingly more popular for tourists because of its natural beauty and the sheer price of living. Many couples are choosing to relocate to Bulgaria because house prices are insanely low and the weather is absolutely beautiful 90% of the time. Tourist season generally ranges from March to October, so you’ve got six months of the year where you’re living completely without tourists around the place. Saying that, it’s never bustling full of tourists, so even during tourist season you can expect to live a peaceful and happy life.

There are a plethora of new apartments by the beach that have been built over the past ten years, or you could opt for your own home further into the countryside to enjoy many peaceful years.

Singapore

Singapore is a place of pure beauty. With a plethora of beautiful buildings and sites to see, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking to retire to a place that’s easy on the eyes. Singapore is also among the lowest crime rates in the world, so you know that you’ll be safer than ever before. You can buy fully, part, or even empty furnished homes at extremely reasonable prices with HDB Singapore. It’s a quaint city-state that’s packed full of things to do, places to see, and also immerse yourself in the history of this beautiful location.

Greece

Greece is somewhere that everyone should visit at least once in their lives. If you’ve never been, you can choose from thousands of tiny islands to visit and stay. Once you’ve been once you won’t ever want to return to what you call normality. Why not skip the heartache of leaving Greece and relocate there? You can buy quaint villas overlooking the crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches. Another big attraction of Greece is that the film Mamma Mia was filmed on one of the incredible islands, and if you’ve ever seen the film I’m sure you’ll agree that it would be pure heaven to live out your life in a place of such beauty. The price of living isn’t extortionate either, so you won’t have to scrimp to keep your money at bay!

Indonesia

Indonesia is another country that you may not think of relocating to because of the lack of media coverage that it receives. It’s another one of those locations that will take your breath away with the pure beauty and innocence of the country. With only one airport, you won’t have people constantly travelling in and out of the country, and you will be living among some of the most civilized people in the world. With plenty of events and celebrations to join in with, you will soon feel right at home! There are also many species of wildlife that can only be found in their jungles! You can also rest assured that you won’t be cold when living in Indonesia, as the weather is very tropical, so you can expect rain and beautiful sun! One final thing, Indonesia is home to some of the most beautiful sunsets that you could ever lay your eyes on, so expect to be in awe each evening as the sun sets!

Canada

A slightly different kind of location to consider is Canada. A place with tons of history and a vast array of weather conditions. Enjoy the sunshine in the summer months and cosy up in your home in the winter when the snow comes! Known as one of the most friendliest places on earth, you will feel right at home moving to Canada! The country also offers universal healthcare, so you can rest assured that you will be well taken care of if you do decide to relocate to this beautiful country!

Monaco

One of the most attractive reasons to relocate to Monaco is the amount of taxes that you have to pay are significantly reduced. Nobody likes paying tax and unfortunately it’s a part of life that we can’t really escape. However, imagine retiring to one of the most beautiful and southern parts of France and not having to pay as much tax on top of the cost of living? You can also expect to move into a plush home overlooking some breathtaking views! Another bonus? Monaco attracts a wealthier crowd so you’d be living among the richest and possibly even famous! Also, much alike Singapore it’s among the safest places in the world to live. If glorious weather all year round is something that you think you can get on board with, then Monaco is most definitely a place that you should consider relocating to! With mild winters and hot summers, your tan won’t ever suffer!

Consider these six locations if you’re planning on relocating when you retire so that you can check them out and ultimately, fall in love with each individual place. The next step is choosing which one to relocate to!

Why Is It Beneficial To Go Paraben Free?

Paraben has been a topic of discussion in the beauty industry, particularly in recent years. While some assure that parabens are safe, others link them with a variety of health risks. While more research is needed to truly determine whether or not parabens are a threat, there are several benefits to being on the safe side and opting for paraben free products.

Parabens Appear to Mimic Estrogen: 

Parabens seem to mimic the hormone estrogen, which is naturally found in both genders, but exists in greater quantity in women. Estrogen is in charge of female secondary sexual characteristics such as menstruation. As with most hormones, having too much or too little can be problematic.

Avoid a Potential Cancer Risk: 

Numerous studies have linked parabens to cancer. This is due in part to the fact that parabens are not easily broken down in the human body and may continue to accumulate, and to mimic estrogen, leading to increased risks of breast cancer in women and testicular cancer in men.

Help the Environment: 

The parabens found in soaps, cosmetics and shampoos eventually end up in the ocean. While studies are ongoing about the effects of parabens in the water, there have been cases of marine animals, including dolphins, found with high paraben content. 

Paraben Free Alternatives: 

Perhaps the best benefit of going paraben free is the broad variety of alternatives. The potential risks posed by parabens has prompted many in the skin care industry to seek healthier alternatives. Whether you are looking for a paraben free skin care cream, or a paraben free Vitamin C and E serum, you have plenty of options from brand names, as well as instore and online retailers.

With potential risks and plenty of easy to access alternatives, going paraben free is simply the safer choice.

How Does Your Diet Affect Your Mental Health?

Looking after your mental health is just as important as your physical health and there are so many things that can impact it. One of the biggest causes is stress and we’re constantly being warned about how important it is to maintain a good work-life balance and take regular breaks. Exercise is important as well because it helps you to beat that stress. But stress isn’t the only thing that can increase your chances of developing mental health issues. Your diet has a big impact on your physical health but it can also change your mental state as well which is why it’s important that you keep an eye on it. Follow these diet tips to improve your mental wellbeing. 

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Regular Meals

When you’ve got a busy work life, eating three regular meals a day can be difficult, but it’s important. If you’re not eating regularly, you’ll start to feel tired, run down and irritable which can all contribute to general low feelings. If you’re just snacking throughout the day, you’re also more likely to eat junk food or not eat enough, which will both leave you with no energy or motivation to do anything. If you do have a mental health issue, you’re likely to experience changes in your appetite but it’s important that you don’t start eating too much or too little. Having a regular meal schedule will help you to avoid this. Visit truhealthmedicine.com for more information on the benefits of eating regular meals.

Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the worst things for people that have mental health issues. Excessive drinking can increase feelings of anxiety and depression, but they can also be a symptom. People often turn to drinking to curb bad feelings or relax when they’re stressed, but drinking will only make those feelings worse and you’ll end up drinking even more. If you’re worried that your drinking has become an issue, visit CanadianHealthRecoveryCentre.ca for information on recovery centres that can help you get it under control. It’s important that you tackle the problem before it spirals out of control, otherwise, it’ll be difficult to stop.

Caffeine

Most of us have a cup of tea or coffee in the morning but if you’re worried about mental health issues, you should limit it to just that. Caffeine massively increases feelings of anxiety if you’re consuming a lot. This becomes a problem if mental health issues are already sapping motivation and you’re trying to energise yourself with coffee. It’s much better to switch to something like green tea which doesn’t have the high levels of caffeine that you find in coffee.

Nutrition

Your body needs vitamins and minerals to run properly and if it doesn’t get them, you’ll soon feel tired and lose all motivation. Getting out and staying active is the key to reducing the chances of mental illness. If you’re just eating a lot of high carb foods that don’t have much nutritional value, you’ll feel run down all the time and be more likely to feel low. Make sure that you’re always eating freshly prepared meals and swap out your unhealthy snacks for fruit.

Your diet is one of the most important things when you’re trying to combat mental health issues so always be mindful of it.