To get your app as good as it can be, call Qapitol QA

Any startup business needs to be in total control of the Quality of experience they offer to their customers. It is a vital part for a successful app journey and then taking it to the next level. The QA challenges that a new company faces can make the difference between success and failure.

Qapitol QA is the leading choice for any startup business in any part of the word that wants to get to grips with their QA requirements and deliver better quality every time. With a highly performing product, your customers will have great user experience that will eventually help you to drive sales.

There are many reasons to choose Qapitol QA for your QA needs, including-

•     They resolve issues in a creative and effective manner
•     They work quickly to deliver the results that you need
•    They take testing to a new level and improve all the time

So save the cost and hassle of having your own testing team. Qapitol can take all of that strain on your behalf and use their expertise to give you a better app that your customers will love. This will change the way that you do business and make a positive contribution to your success.

Mill For Business is a great place for a startup company to get all they need

When it comes to your startup business it can be difficult to deal with all the different people and companies you need to help you get started. You need-

•          Company formation services
•          Someone to deal with your domain name
•          Web hosting services
•          Someone to build your website
•          SSL and security needs
•          Online marketing assistance
•          Setting up your company email

But Mill For Business has thought about all of this and you can now get all of these things in one place. When you want to work with a company that can do it all and yet still be an expert in it all then Mill For Business are the right people for you.

Whether you need UK company formation or Ireland company formation this is an essential part of your startup business and Mill make it so easy for you to do. In addition to this the blog contains great ideas and tips that will really help your business to become a success. In my blog I look for ways to help you make your startup a success in a way that is easy for you to do. Mill For Business is a great place to get all you need without the hassle of chasing different suppliers.

Pro Sales Videos can help you add something great to your multimedia toolkit

Communication is the key for a startup business. You need to be able to communicate with investors and customers to make sure that your product or service is understood and that you gain investment or sales. How you carry out this communication will massively affect the results. The quality message needs a quality delivery or it will get lost and actually achieve nothing.

The whiteboard video is a great communication tool for any startup or small business because it immediately captures the attention of the viewer. If carried out correctly then the whiteboard video can convey your message quickly in a compelling way that will turn your website into a sales machine. Use the professionals. Use Pro Sales Videos.

The very best websites for the very best companies use high-end whiteboard videos because the quality is all part of the package that sells. This is more than a trend – it is something that adds quality, increases the image of your company and gets traffic and sales to your website. This is key to getting your startup business on the right tracks. You need traffic, credibility and sales in the early days of your business to protect it from the competition and get you on the road to success.

Pro Sales Videos will work hard to ensure that your whiteboard video looks great and promotes your business in the right way. Their packages start at only $325 and include-

• Help with writing your script
• Full design of the layout and storyboard
• The use of professional background music
• All the design and production work
• The revisions you need
• Professional voice over and making sure it is synced right
• They will add your logo and/or your URL
• The video is produced in HD quality

All of this means that your video will sing the quality of your brand and you can use it on social media, your website, YouTube or anywhere else that you might want your brand to be seen. This is the kind of content that can cost thousands of dollars with other providers but Pro Sales Videos do it with packages that start at only $325.

Startup business is a treacherous one. If you do not get your name out there quickly and effectively then you can get lost among the crowd. A quality whiteboard video from Pro Sales Videos will transform what you can show people and help you to succeed.

"Hey You" by Chris Davidson is a great listen - and actually increase your inspiration!

I feature products and services of all kinds on my blog. I love to get in touch with entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes and one thing that constantly comes up during discussions is the subject of inspiration. Not many people have an inner drive that constantly feeds itself and doesn’t need a little inspiration every now and again. It seems that so many entrepreneurs share a love of success, a love of achievement and a love of music. Music has been the background to so many new ideas and innovation that have gone on to become successful businesses.

If you are one for searching out new artists and seeking out new music then you must listen to “Hey You” by Chris Davidson.  It's a wonderful new album that mixes perfectly a combination of indie and alternative rock. This is a great new album from a rising star in the UK music scene and will see Chris Davidson go from strength to strength.

Chris’s own influences are of David Bowie, Tom Watts, Radiohead, the Beatles and Flaming Lips and the album echoes a life of listening to music and breathing in the influence that it brings. He has been signed by Jim Breach, who was Freddy Mercury's manager so his talent has been spotted by the best. I recommend that you listen to “What If It Is Me?” and “Hey You” first of all as these are the stand-out tracks from an album packed full of great tunes.

 “I was always frustrated by other musicians being unreliable and not getting me the sound I wanted, and so I finally gave up on bands and stopped music for a number of years. I started learning home recording and it took about two years to get the hang of the software properly and it has grown from there.”

The songs are really well developed and you can feel the time put into the lyrics and production that just complement the beautiful guitar playing perfectly. This album is a modern day classic and you will want to play it over and over again. It stays with you for hours afterwards. The songs just stick in your head and lift you up whatever you are doing that day. 

The album is available on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play and YouTube so you can get your fix from many places to keep your inspiration going!

Get your startup organised with great software from WorkStraight

At ‘245 days...’ I look at the real issues that affect startups. It is a well-worn phrase that a high proportion of startups don’t make it through the first year. It is imperative to make sure your time and your money goes as far as you can get it in those crucial first twelve months. This is the time to get organised and have every part of your new startup work life as efficient as you can possibly make it. The fact is that you must be structured. The best way to do this is to use a piece of software that does the hard work for you. The best software I have found is www.workstraight.com

With WorkStraight you can get your startup in order, because the lean efficient startup is the one that makes ends meet, brings in income, survives and thrives.

You can use the WorkStraight software to –

•          Create work orders
•          Customize work order fields to match your needs
•          Have your tasks assigned to certain people
•          Cooperate with your members of your team, your vital customers, and any contractors you use
•          Securely create, receive and manage any service requests
•          Assign work orders to multiple people
•          Optional require approval of work order before work starts
•          Generate invoices
•          Attach files to work orders and tasks

And much more.

This can be used in the office or in the field to maximise the efficiency of you, your contractors, your team and your customers. This means that you can work smartly, always stay in touch with events and relax in the knowledge that you will be kept updated with all progress through the software any time of day wherever you need to be. The freedom to manage people effectively without standing next to them lets you get on with all the parts of your job that you need to concentrate on. This means you will be running your startup and generating the next set of customers to get you ahead of the game.

WorkStraight is a great tool and what’s more – it has a free plan and offers a 30day free trial for paid plans (no credit card required) so you can get used to the software. It is jam-packed full of features and extras that can allow you to take the software, and the management of your startup business, to the next level. Try it today, as it allows you to take control and manage your startup in a more efficient manner, whilst always staying in control.

See how the latest technology can be available to your startup today

At “245 days...” I like to take a look at the different ways that you can help your startup business. I’ve taken a look at using professionals to help you with the set up and maintenance of the business but another area that is expanding massively for the startup is technology. It has advanced so much in recent years that there are tech items out there to help your business that you couldn’t have dreamt of only a few years ago.

One such area is the use of drone cameras and the leading proponent of this is www.Viooa.com who produce the world’s first 360° smart camera designed specifically for unmanned vehicles. There are so many uses for drones and drone cameras that the technology has moved to this level so quickly. Industries that can make great use of drone cameras include-

•          Logistics
•          Security
•          Delivery services
•          Traffic management
•          Farming
•          Exploration
•          Media
•          Conservation
•          Real estate agency

The fact that www.Viooa.com have designed a 360° smart camera means that the functionality of the drone camera has just entered a new era. So instead of limiting your drone’s footage to only pointing in one direction, you can now capture immersive 360° field of view footage with brilliant Ultra HD resolution. In addition to this you can get a live feed from the camera for your specific point of interest to enable you to actually make decisions on the spot with live data. The camera is a brilliant aerodynamic unit with low weight, compact design, and lack of moving parts. Because of this, the Viooa also improves the drone’s endurance and overall performance.

Viooa Imaging Technology Inc states that –

“With a powerful image processor, Viooa offers unique capabilities: real-time stitching and image stabilization with gyroscopic and accelerometer orientation. Viooa is a 3-in-1 product offering a virtualized 3-axis gimbal with an integrated camera system as well as an image processing capabilities, such as 360° Sense and Avoid, optical flow, etc. There is no more reason to carry various payloads for different tasks. One payload camera can now do it all.”

All this means that you now have the very latest in drone camera technology available to your small business. In what other aspect of technology can the best be available to startups? I can’t think of many.

The simple fact is that the technology that makes or breaks your startup business is being developed by clever companies all the time. The uses for technology like drone cameras are clear for all to see. To be able to access quality images in real time from a 360 degree camera is something that can transform what you do. As you can see from above (no pun intended) there are so many applications for the potential startup business for the use of this technology.

Contact the guys at http://www.viooa.com/ to see where this technology can take you and your business. You never know, it might just be moving everything you do to the next level.

A great way to look after your own health, and perhaps put a little money in your pocket

At '245 days…' I like to take a look at the different ways that you can get help with your startup. There are professional services and others that can help you with some of the things you need when setting up your new business. A lot of my blog has been geared towards generating an income that can run alongside your new business to help in the early days and when times are lean. Any extra income helps. It's as simple as that. In the fledgling days of a startup business, you need money coming into the business and you need it fast.

Today I will look at a product that is great for you to use for your own health, and can help you with the income side of things as well.

There are some ways that I have looked into for generating an income that helps the startup to become successful. Today I'll take a look at an idea that runs with your business and can convert your traffic and customers into extra income for you. It is all about offering something that is high quality, meets your customer’s needs and dies nothing to undermine your reputation.

If you have a startup and you are looking for an extra income stream, for another product or looking to diversify then look no further than o2 drops.

It is all about taking the healing power of oxygen and harnessing it for better wellbeing. We simply don't get enough oxygen at a cellular level. There are different factors that stop this from happening-

Pollution levels

Toxins in the air

Getting oxygen into your system at source can have all kinds of health and wellbeing benefits. This as a unique product that can help you in your personal health and that you can offer to your customers. It can fit in alongside what you are already offering or sit alone in addition to your startup company. Either way it can help your customers and improve your sales.

The income that you generate from thisoxygenated water can enhance what you offer through o2 drops and you can get to the higher selling levels, with upgrades such as marketing tools and the call centre.

This really is a great opportunity to add to your startup plans or to look after the health of you and your family. There is so much scope in the health sector that you will always find customers for this product. People will always want help with-

•          The common cold
•          Energy
•          Immunity
•          Concentration levels
•          Headaches
•          Weight loss
•          Skin conditions

O2 drops can help you with these conditions and much more. It is all about making sure that you know the benefits of the product and are able to speak confidently to your customers about it.

I have looked at several different avenues in my blog to generate an income to sustain my business in the early days. I have looked at writing, blogging and mystery shopping. I recommend that you investigate the massive potential that o2 drops can bring. There aren't many opportunities out there as good as this.

Bookkeeping and accountancy is a specialist area that needs professional attention

As 245 days starts to move towards an opening date, I am putting together plans to research the service providers I will use when I get started. There are many aspects of the business that I will want professional help in so today I take a look at one area that I have been meaning to sort out for a while.

There are so many facets of the startup life that you probably shouldn’t attempt on your own. I know that startup entrepreneurs are intelligent people (at very least my readers are) and there is a tendency to control costs, but there are some specialist areas that need specialist attention.

Areas such as the legal side of things and bookkeeping just need that professional touch to make sure that everything is above board and working properly. And so many services for the small business have gone online, which means that the cost can drop but the service level isn’t always there.

In my search for service providers in my startup I have been trawling through the internet for a bookkeeping solution that I feel I can trust. I have found one for UK small business in the form of http://accountants70thirty.com/ who offer a smart bookkeeping solution.

The core of the great service they offer is the fact that you just scan and send your receipts, and then they do the rest by-

•         Working out your books
•          Producing your payroll
•          Sorting out the auto-enrolment
•          PAYE
•          VAT returns
•          Providing development support

It isn’t a faceless business that you can’t get hold of, there are full contact details on their website including telephone numbers, something which is sadly missing from so many internet-only service providers. They also provide training on the set up process, which means that you don’t end up struggling to work out what you should be doing. It is little touches like this that show a real class and customer care from http://accountants70thirty.com/ in everything that they do. So many companies offer a lower-cost internet service and then disappear behind the price – I call it the Ryanair syndrome. It is lazy and when the service is that bad, it loses customers left, right and centre. Not these guys.

They believe that accountancy can be so much more than “doing the books” like the traditional accountant you may still find on your High Street. It is about embracing the traditional value of customer service whilst bringing every other aspect of the service into the internet age. The result is a website that lets the customer know that they are the number one priority.

On this theme, there is a great offer available right now if you follow this link today. Get in touch with them and find out how the bookkeeping and accountancy service has reached new heights. There are so many ways in which you can make your startup business streamlined, easier and more cost-effective. This is definitely one of them. It frees up your time and allows you to concentrate on what you are good at.

Young startup owners can get practical advice and support from a great initiative

In my blog I take a look at many different angles relating to startup business. I have showcased some companies recently that can help a startup in the early days. Today I'm taking a look at something a little different…

When you are going through the business of setting up your startup company it can feel quite lonely. There are many challenges to face and lots of startups are sole traders, where the owner goes through the process of working things out on their own. It can be quite a scary, daunting place. But it is also quite an exciting time. It can be doubly daunting if you are a young person with a startup. It can feel like you are dining this all on your own, with little support and no recognition. Even the exciting part is framed with some level of fear.

This has started to change. There is an enterprise scheme that supports and rewards young entrepreneurs and encourages people between the ages of 16 and 25 to set up on their own in business. It is the Matthew Martino Enterprise Award. The idea behind this is to give support to turn a business that is run by a youngster into a success.

It provides a level of support that those new to business will really benefit from. It gives a helping hand to young entrepreneurs. The valuable support takes many forms and includes-

•          A mentoring service to assist in the journey
•          Startup grants specifically for the young entrepreneur
•          Access to other resources that help along the way

There is so much that can and needs to be done to help the small business owner, especially those aged 16 to 25. The future of British industry is in the hands of today’s young business owners. So it is on the interests of everyone in the United Kingdom that these young people get as much support and recognition as possible. The Matthew Martino Enterprise Award is a fantastic way of providing this. The support that a young person gets breeds confidence. Giving a business owner confidence means that they feel empowered. They feel that they are not on their own. They feel like they will succeed - not blindly feeling that they will succeed no matter what, but the feeling that comes from being around a solid support structure.

The fact that someone has gone out of their way to provide positive ideas and practical help to people between the ages of 16 and 25 to grow their business from the very start is heart-warming.

I would urge all of my readers to spread the word about the Matthew Martino Enterprise Award. If you are a young entrepreneur then you can see what they have to offer. If you are over 25 then it can still be good to know and learn about the award. Talk to others - you never know that you just might be talking to showing who would really benefit from it.

Help comes in many forms - Adactus can be one of them

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In my “245 days to go” blog I like to look at all angles of the startup business that I am putting together. I know that there are other startup business owners reading, so I think it’s wise to look at aspects of the business that can appeal to others as well. When you are planning and opening your startup business there are many issues to consider. One of the repeat issues I find when I speak to small business and startup owners is the fact that they can't always concentrate on what they are good at. Their skills sometimes go to waste because they are spending so much time carrying out other aspects of their business-

•          Their accounts
•          Their tax return
•          Advertising and marketing
•          Answering calls
•          Preparing letters and invoices

There is help at hand for all of these areas, allowing you to concentrate on what you do best. Accountants are affordable for a small business, especially if you shop around,  and you can buy off the shelf marketing tools or use a local quality marketing company. And now you can look at a solution for your office.

Adactus (http://www.adauctus-gmbh.ch/en/virtual-office-services/) is a high quality solution for a startup or small business that is looking for a virtual office.

What is a virtual office? I hear you ask.

The definition of a Virtual Office is a business location that exists only in cyberspace. A virtual office setup allows business owners and employees to work from any location by using technology such as laptop computers, cell phones and internet access. Furthermore it allows third party companies to provide call answering and secretarial services for the business.

And Adactus can do just that (and more) for your small business or startup business. Many startups are operated by one or two people to begin with and this can put a real strain on time. Time management is one way of looking at solving this problem and can be effective. Then another way is to get in more resources - but this comes at a cost. A great middle ground is to use Adactus to provide a virtual office solution for you. They can do the following things-

•        Weekly mail transfer service
•          Act as a secretary on your behalf
•          Preparation of letters, offers, invoices and warning letters

These professional services by the virtual office will grant you a good reputation and earn your clients’ trust.

Having somebody else deal with your mail, your telephone calls and to draft your correspondence is a great weight off your shoulders and allows you to concentrate on other area of the business. After all, who wants to be tied down to paperwork when your best work can be done by spending quality time with your customers?

Check them out on their website and you can see what they have to offer. It can make the difference between success and failure and allow you to concentrate on all the things you are good at.

See why using outside help for some of your business needs frees up time for you to do what you do best

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As part of the process of setting up my own business, I have had reason to look in different parts of the internet for all sorts of ideas. Sometimes these internet searches are planned and sometimes a little bit of serendipity comes into play (see blog here - http://245daystogo.blogspot.com/2015/06/stumbling-across-ideas-and-answers-when.html )

I think that as the business develops, I will need outside help in some areas of what I attempt to do. For instance, I won’t try to conduct my own legal affairs – I will leave that to the expertise of a solicitor. I won’t want to spend hours of my time checking and filing my own accounts – I will make use of an accountant that knows their way around the tax rules.

And it was while looking into different professional business service providers that I came across the company Adactus - http://www.adauctus-gmbh.ch/en/

Being a well-established company that provides more than one service gives Adactus a head start when it comes to helping out startup companies such as the one I am putting together. In the early days of my estate agency business I will be trying to run the show from home but will have to spend a lot of time out on the road. And the question that this asks is “how will I be able to provide an office service for my customers?” I want them to be able to pick up the phone and speak to someone from my company but I hope to have my time filled with appointments at client’s houses. Adactus could provide an answer. They will provide a high-quality and professional telephone answering service in several languages, call acceptance and transfer, and a virtual secretary from Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 to 18:00, outside these hours – a voicemail service.

Tax is always a taxing question for any business large or small, so looking at what might be a tax beneficial status is something that many companies have looked into. You can have a discussion with Adactus about their company registration services after contacting them via their website. They can offer potential tax-related benefits for foreign companies, as they are based in Switzerland. Switzerland has one of the most beneficial tax rates in Europe along with a politically, geographically and economically stable infrastructure. That is highly attractive to foreign companies which choose to change their address to Switzerland.

As I stated at the start of the blog, Adactus are experienced in several areas that could help the average startup or the slightly more established company to get ahead in business. I try to look at business from several angles and highlight companies that I have used or would consider using to help me set up my small business. Recently I have shown how RawShorts and Fiverr could help a new or small business and I will keep on exposing good companies to my readers of this blog. If you have any questions about this then please do not hesitate to comment on the blog or get in touch with Adactus directly via their website.

See the different marketing ideas I'm using to sell my books

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I've been looking at ways to expand the sales of my mystery shopping book. It's had some initial interest and I want to capitalise on that interest and turn it into book sales. There have also been a couple of positive reviews already. It's one of those things that every time you talk about it, other people are really interested in what you have to say. It's a topic that everyone has some interest in, either what you do or becoming a mystery shopper themselves. To assist with the book I've started a blog that mixes hints and tips from the book with my daily experiences as a mystery shopper. Each blog entry prompts the reader to take a look at the book. The blog can be found here.

I have also set up a basic promotional YouTube video to help with the book sales. The idea behind these two things is to get people to like the look of what is going on and then go on to buy and read the book. But the next questions I have are-

• How are people going to find the blog or the YouTube video?
• Who is my target market?
• How will I reach them?

The people who I think will be mainly interested in mystery shopping are university students and the mothers of children that are at school. I live quite close to a university city so I thought that the below poster could get me a bit of traction. I'm going to put it up in a few places around the city that I know students frequent. I hope that more readers of the blog might mean more book sales. Finding the mothers might take a little bit more doing. I'm thinking that the forums mothers frequent such as mumsnet might be somewhere to look. I know from sites like Money Saving Expert  don't allow people to advertise their own products on their forums so mumsnet may be the same. Aside from these two areas, it's a case of searching and thinking more about potential readers and how I can reach them.

The poster looks like this-

Wish me luck!

Options for my home office

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I've started my home garage, changing it from this-

and now, today I've got to this point-

Whilst spending my day painting the walls and floor with a weatherproof sealant, I have been thinking about what the next steps will be in converting this space into an office that will allow me to work in quiet and comfort, whatever the weather conditions outside.  First consideration has been to waterproof the walls and floor, as the UK winter (and often the other seasons) can have a big impact on the security and safety of this potential workspace.  It has flooded more than once, through the walls from the outside garden flower beds, so I have accentuated the beds and put in more plants to soak up any excess water.  Next step is to make the office a place where I can work and be inspired to market properties as well as I can.

Options-

Option	Pros	Cons
Leave it as it is	Least cost and time/effort            Has the effect of a New York loft	Will be more expensive to heat, as there is no insulation
Another coat of white paint	Low cost and effort again            A blank canvas to add pictures and effects to inspire	Doesn’t solve the heat and insulation problem
Lining the walls with an insulating material	Will help to keep long-term heating costs down            Cheapest option that involves further action	Major concerns over building regulations            Brings fire safety issues in to play            Time and money to source the right materials at the right cost
Line the walls and then plaster/board over and decorate	Will look like a conventional office            Will be more insulated and save on heating costs	Expense starts to grow            Sourcing materials is even more costly and time consuming than above
Pay a builder to convert officially	Will add value to my home            Will be official and legitimate	High cost solution to what may be a temporary problem            Will accentuate my desire to permanently work from home, rather than eventually build up the business to an office base.

I am genuinely undecided about the best way forward, as I want this to be a low-cost solution to a problem, for the time period that I am working from home, and I also want it to be weather-proof, comfortable, safe and inspiring.

Decision time will be my next full day off work, 2 weeks from now.