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Tag: life hacks

  • Build Your Vocabulary with This $10 App | Entrepreneur

    Build Your Vocabulary with This $10 App | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Your vocabulary is an important asset. Every time you meet someone, one of the best ways to make a strong first impression is to showcase a strong vocabulary. It’s a simple demonstration of education and competency, and it can make a huge difference for entrepreneurs meeting potential clients. Your vocabulary can be linked to success, status, and income, and if you want to improve it, Wordela Vocabulary Builder can help.

    This intuitive app offers daily vocabulary lessons that you can dive into with just 10 minutes each day. Developed by experts, Wordela leverages advanced technology to help you improve your vocabulary, including an AI-driven spelling and vocabulary training system that generates detailed daily lessons.

    You can learn in several ways. Choose your words and create smart flashcards to quiz yourself. Create curated lists from standards-aligned K12 standardized test lists, business communication terms, and more. You can also simply copy and paste words you want to better understand into Wordela and have a practice plan developed for you.

    However you want to enhance your vocabulary, Wordela will work with you to develop a learning plan that will make your new vocabulary really stick.

    This app was a TopTenReviews Gold Award Winner, and the reviewer wrote, “Works well for students studying for tests, adults looking to improve their comprehension and those who are learning the English language.” My Speed Reading also writes, “Provides scientifically proven approaches to learning new words. Effective learning through immersion using lists, exercises, games, and progress tracking is asserted.”

    Learn new words and gain confidence in your vocabulary, no matter the situation.

    Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Wordela Vocabulary Builder for just $9.99.

    StackSocial prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Recent Graduate’s ‘Simple’ Side Hustle Earns Nearly $60,000 | Entrepreneur

    Recent Graduate’s ‘Simple’ Side Hustle Earns Nearly $60,000 | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Angelina Licari, a 23-year-old recent college graduate based in Dallas, Texas. Licari has been earning consistent income as a seller on Poshmark, a social commerce marketplace featuring new and secondhand clothing and other products.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of Poshmark. Angelina Licari.

    When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
    I originally began my Poshmark side hustle in 2016 as a high schooler saving for college. I remember looking up “best side hustles for high schoolers” and finding Poshmark. I thought it could be a fun way to make money by selling clothing I didn’t wear anymore. I continued selling on Poshmark in college and had the opportunity to become a Campus Representative, which involved introducing other students to the platform. After a few months of navigating post-grad life and trying to decide what was next for me, I decided to take a mental hiatus and give myself some time to process and plan. But I still had bills to pay and couldn’t move forward with no income. I remember contemplating what to do when an “aha” moment hit: Poshmark, of course! I decided to start back up in August 2022.

    Related: These Coworkers-Turned-Friends Started a Side Hustle on Amazon — Now It’s a ‘Full Hustle’ Earning Over $20 Million a Year: ‘Jump in With Both Feet’

    What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
    In the beginning of my post-grad Poshmark journey, I was just selling items from my personal closet that I no longer wore. I created an Instagram account for my business and followed other sellers, and that’s where I started learning more and more about the opportunity to turn a seemingly simple side hustle selling my clothing into something much bigger. In September 2022, Poshmark announced the beta launch of Poshmark Live Shows, and I immediately applied. I was approved to host Poshmark Live Shows, where I could engage with an audience and show items in real time, and I thought it was worth giving a try. After a few shows, I was hooked. I saw the potential in building my own business and never looked back.

    What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?
    After a few consistent shows, I realized that if I truly wanted to build my own business, I had a lot of groundwork to lay. I quickly became a high-volume seller and only had so much of my own clothing to sell. I needed to expand my inventory to provide my audience with items that they were seeking. Around this time, I started sourcing more inventory from other secondhand clothing retailers. I’ve gone through numerous growing pains over the course of my side hustle journey, including sourcing and coming home only to notice stains and/or holes on items that ended up being unsellable, optimizing my time as a high-volume selling team of one and lowering my cost of goods across the board.

    Related: These College Friends Started a ‘Fun’ Side Hustle That Landed Them on ‘Shark Tank’— Now the Idea Is Helping Dozens Make Extra Cash: ‘Start Saying Yes’

    How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
    Thankfully, I was able to achieve fairly consistent monthly revenue pretty quickly, but it wasn’t truly until January of this year that I felt I found a consistent strategy that worked best for me. I decided to take my Poshmark side hustle full-time, and I have had nearly $60,000 in sales with a lot of upward momentum month over month.

    What does growth and revenue look like now?
    So far in 2024, my revenue is double what it was at this point in 2023. Q1 of 2024 produced over 90% growth over Q1 in 2023.

    What do you enjoy most about working on this side hustle?
    I love the creative freedom that my Poshmark side hustle has allowed me to have. Working in the secondhand clothing industry gives me the opportunity to curate specific inventory based on what my audience loves and current trends while keeping it affordable and sustainable.

    Related: Her College Side Hustle Led to an Immediately Profitable Product That Sells for Up to $450 — and She Didn’t Even Consider Herself ‘a Business Person’

    What’s your advice for others hoping to start successful side hustles of their own?
    When debating which side hustle is right for you or if you should follow that random creative idea you had, why not go for it? There are endless opportunities to create anything you want, even if it seems out of reach. My biggest advice to anyone hoping to start a successful side hustle is to stay true to you. Follow your heart, trust your gut and have fun with it. Allow yourself the space to feel the pains of growth, but don’t let them discourage you from getting up and trying again.

    This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Business | Entrepreneur

    How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    A few years ago, my friend Sabah turned her passion for cooking into a chef-on-demand business. She started off serving her local Cleveland area, quickly grew to cover other major Ohio cities and plans to expand even further. She is just one of the many people I know who have turned their passion project into a successful business.

    We all have our passion projects. We do them because they’re fun, or we like the challenge, or they’re our way of doing some good in the world. From time to time, though, our niche interests and hobbies lead us to marketable ideas. For many, that’s as far as it goes; they don’t know how to take the next step.

    Sabah had a shortcut — she’s married to my friend and business partner, who knew not only the next step to take but all the steps after that. If you’re not lucky enough to have a spouse or friend who can help, here’s how to turn your passion project into a successful business.

    Related: Ten Tips To Turn Your Passion Project Into A Business

    Hobbies that make great side hustles

    So you have a niche hobby, and you’re wondering: How can I make some money from this? It’s important to remember that not all hobbies are created equal, financially speaking. And a niche interest that might have driven profits 20 years ago (collecting Beanie Babies, say) could be a financial sinkhole today.

    By keeping a pulse on the zeitgeist, you can anticipate trends and hobbies gaining public interest — and capitalize on those trends. Some, like the following, are side hustle ideas you could start at any time.

    Photography

    Senior portraits, weddings, special events, professional headshots — quality and affordable photography never lacks in demand. With a website highlighting your work, you can book clients and start earning money from your passion.

    Coding

    From bug bounty programs to website design, freelance coding offers major earning opportunities. A background in HTML, Python, Java, C++ or a myriad of other coding languages can be a financial boon.

    Home design

    If you designed your home to belong in an issue of Architectural Digest, others will take notice. Consult on color palettes, furniture selections, room layouts and lighting — and bring your curated aesthetic to the masses with a home design business.

    Video and audio production

    Whether promoting a brand on social media or starting a podcast, freelance producers can bring a marketing campaign to life. Sell yourself with past work, and mention your experience with programs in the Adobe Creative Suite or Pro Tools.

    Gardening

    Your green thumb could put some green in your pocket. The landscaping and gardening industry was valued at more than $250 billion in 2024, according to Mordor Intelligence, and if your own garden is thriving, you can fill a niche in your own (proverbial) backyard.

    Writing

    Can you construct clear and concise copy for a variety of clients? If so, the opportunities are as vast as your vocabulary. Wordsmiths can serve as speechwriters, copywriters, technical writers and ghostwriters, as well as assist with any editing needs.

    Baking

    Your beautiful cakes, cookies and baked goods could be more than delicious treats; they could be a source of income. Many entrepreneurs found success with home baking during the pandemic, and with proper planning and consistent clients, you can join them.

    Vetting if your hobby could be a business

    Before you make any hard commitments or major financial decisions, consider if your niche hobby can earn consistent money. Who is the target client? How much are current practitioners charging? How much money do you have saved? How much do you expect to make?

    It’s crucial to be clear-eyed about expectations before investing your own money into your venture. The following steps can help you assess whether or not to turn your passion project into a side hustle — or even a career.

    Run it by friends

    When we have that eureka moment, it sometimes blinds us to flaws in our logic. To get a quick check, run your idea by a few trusted friends. They might be able to point out roadblocks you didn’t think of or know a way to bring your idea to life. For Sabah, that meant asking other chefs for input. Avoid relying solely on one or two peoples’ opinions, but do gauge your friends’ enthusiasm. After all, close confidantes have your best interests in mind.

    Analyze the market

    Chances are, others have had your idea. Sabah wasn’t the first to think of a chef-on-demand service, but when she analyzed the market, she realized her idea could still work. Market analysis requires thoroughly researching consumer trends and expectations, market size and the demand for your offering.

    To truly excel, you must conduct a thorough analysis of your rivals. Although they might offer a comparable product, your goal is to surpass them. Analyze their customer feedback to identify gaps. When you look hard at similar businesses, you might find opportunities to fill the gaps they’re leaving.

    Network

    Networking with others who have launched their business or product can be invaluable. They’re ahead of you on the journey and can help you avoid costly missteps. If you’re lucky, you might find someone with similar experience and a willingness to mentor you. A good mentor can help you find the path forward when you hit a roadblock. Keep the lines of communication with your network and your mentor open. They know the twists and turns and can save you headaches and expenses.

    Devise a business plan

    Don’t invest significant money into a project before creating a detailed business plan. Prior steps, such as analyzing the market, will help you write this document, and you’ll want to come away with clear financial expectations. Do the math — calculate your startup and overhead costs, insurance, marketing budget, earnings expectations and taxes. This will give you some base-level expectations and a roadmap to funding, if necessary.

    Getting your side business off the ground

    You’ve done your research. You’ve talked to friends and other entrepreneurs. You’ve analyzed the market and built a business plan. Now it’s time to take the first big step: getting your side business off the ground.

    Turning passion into profit takes work. Don’t be discouraged. There may be moments of doubt and anxiety as your business slowly ramps up. Lean on mentors, and consult your business plan. Like Sabah, if you’ve done the proper pre-launch work, you can keep your head down and follow the roadmap. The following steps can position you for success when turning your niche hobby into a business.

    Build an MVP

    In the software development world, a minimum viable product (MVP) is a way to test your idea with a small group of early adopters. It’s essentially an early product version with just a few core features. For Sabah, the MVP was a limited menu with a select set of chefs — and she was one of them. Once she proved her idea would work, she hired more chefs and added more meals to the menu based on the feedback she got from her customers. Early and genuine feedback is the goal of an MVP. After all, it’s easier and less expensive to make changes at the beginning of the development cycle than in the middle of it.

    Related: 5 Tips for Solidifying MVP, and Why It’s the Most Important Aspect of Building a Startup

    Set achievable goals

    Be realistic about your first-year financial expectations. In fact, it’s common for new businesses to lose money in their first year of business as they pay back initial investments and build consistent customer bases. Sabah set goals — both financial and personal — that she could reasonably achieve. But don’t mistake this for easy goals. You should be ambitious but practical when planning to achieve your goals.

    Get help

    Sabah didn’t build her business alone. She knew she needed help building the web applications her fledgling company needed and outsourced that work. Trying to do everything leads to stress, burnout and costly mistakes. It also takes you longer to get to market and could mean competitors beat you to the finish line. Engage freelance help or outsource product development to a team with the knowledge and bandwidth to quickly build a high-quality product.

    Knowing when to get help involves recognizing your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you can build the product but need help with market analysis. Or maybe you need help with building a brand identity and marketing the product. Outsourcing some of the work frees you up to focus on what you’re good at and can take stress off your shoulders.

    Related: Asking For Help Is Good For You and Your Business

    Keep your finger on the pulse

    Markets and trends can shift rapidly, so it’s essential to keep tabs on competitors and monitor your customers’ needs. The last thing you want is a product that’s outdated by the time it launches or a business plan built around last year’s “it” thing. By staying up-to-date on market and cultural trends, you can be ready to shift priorities when the time is right.

    It’s been a joy to watch my friend’s business grow. She’s met challenges with grace and never lets setbacks slow her down. And that, too, is key to turning your passion project into a successful business: believing in your vision enough to stick with it, no matter what.

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    Bidhan Baruah

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  • This Trauma Doctor Shares How He Deals with Loss and How It Will Change Your Perspective on Failure | Entrepreneur

    This Trauma Doctor Shares How He Deals with Loss and How It Will Change Your Perspective on Failure | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you are an emergency room physician, death and the fear of failure are constant companions. A countdown timer starts when a patient arrives with a fatal wound or condition. If that timer reaches zero, the patient will die. If it is prevented from reaching zero, the patient will survive and live to fight another day.

    It is literally a race against the clock, and the role of the ER physician is to battle that timer directly through medical interventions and keep the patient alive long enough for a trauma surgeon, interventional cardiologist or other specialist to solve the issue that is killing them.

    As you might imagine, when the ER staff wins that fight and saves a life, it is a fantastic feeling, but when they fail and lose a patient, it is devastating. Worse yet is when they lose a patient who could have been saved because they either made an error or did not have the required resources to save the person. Every ER Doctor has memories of the patients that they lost. In fact, a requirement for a long and healthy career in emergency medicine is the ability to find peace with this notion.

    I recently had the opportunity to spend time with Dr. Dan Dworkis, a Trauma and ER physician, Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine, Medical Director of the Mission Critical Teams Institute, Podcast host and the author of The Emergency Mind. Dan has spent his career working in emergency rooms. In fact, not just emergency rooms but a busy trauma center in Los Angeles.

    As you might imagine, Dan has seen it all and, as a result, carries the stories and memories that come with working at a hospital that is frequented by children who have been shot, traumatic car accidents and people with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

    Dan has spent a big part of his career studying how we make decisions under stress, how to operate in high-stress environments and how to create a culture of continuous improvement. Not surprisingly, I learned a lot from Dan. But, by far, the most profound thing I learned from Dan was a unique way to approach failure and, in the process, open ourselves up to growth and learning.

    Related: The 5 Key Qualities of a Good Leader

    The ritual: Learning by embracing loss

    As you can imagine, trauma physicians see quite a bit of death. No matter how good a doctor you are, you will lose patients, and some of those people certainly could have been saved with different skills or different resources. It would be easy to simply block yourself off from these feelings, to harden your heart, and to put these bad experiences into a mental box that you lock away. While this might not be great for your mental health, it is certainly a seemingly easier thing than confronting these memories and feelings. Yet, Dan actually advocates doing the complete opposite, leaning into the failure and attacking it directly.

    When a patient dies, there is an awkward moment immediately afterward where the team that treated the patient must transition away from that fight and move on to another. Despite just a few minutes before waging a war to save their life, the team must move on from this person. Machines must be turned off, tubes and wires removed, and each team member must emotionally reset and get back to work.

    It would be easy at that point to block the feelings and doubts that arise, place them in a box and move on to the next task while hoping never to think about those feelings again. But that is not what Dan does or advocates. Instead, he engages in a ritual that he was taught as a young doctor, which is to gather the team at the bedside of the patient, place a hand on the deceased patient, and utter the following phrase: “Thank you for teaching me. I am sorry that all I could do for you today was learn.”

    This seemingly simple act and brief statement is more than just a ritual to clear the mind before moving on. Instead, it is a deeply profound approach to situations where we cannot succeed and lays a strong foundation for learning and growth.

    Related: 2 Phrases I Learned From a Senior CIA Officer That Changed My Leadership Style

    Embracing failure

    The first significant thing that this ritual does is acknowledge and embrace failure. Rather than moving on and pretending that something profoundly negative didn’t just happen, this ritual looks failure square in the eye and leans into the discomfort of the situation. It embraces failure and immediately triggers the learning process.

    The first step to growth is the recognition and admission that what we currently do or know is not sufficient. To learn from others, we have to accept our own shortcomings, and this practice opens the door to that and to discovering something better. If we do not admit to our shortcomings, we cannot improve, and this is precisely the point of this ritual.

    Simply look at the phrase, “Thank you for teaching me. I am sorry that all I could do for you today was learn.” By its nature, it says I failed you today, and I wish I had more to give. It doesn’t say, “It’s too bad you died,” or “Wow, rough break you got.” It says, “I am sorry.” It embraces that the team didn’t have enough to save the person (and to be fair, no one may have been able to save them), but simply that acknowledgment doesn’t go far enough. Rather, it says I “learned from you.” It implicitly says, “I will be better next time” and “I am growing and improving my skills.” It is active, not passive, and immediately takes the first step toward learning.

    Conclusion

    A profound lesson extends far beyond the medical field and this single ritual to all of us. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a business leader, or even a parent, creating a culture of learning from mistakes and continuous improvement is critical to getting better. We should never run from our errors or try to hide them. We should embrace our failures and view them as perfect opportunities to grow. By establishing a process that immediately addresses our failures or shortcomings, we also immediately focus our attention on how we can improve, where we have deficiencies and perhaps most importantly, we immediately begin the process of learning and growth.

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    Jon B. Becker

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  • 43-Year-Old’s Remote Side Hustle Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month | Entrepreneur

    43-Year-Old’s Remote Side Hustle Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Sam Ziegler, a 43-year-old drummer based out of New York who has a side hustle providing support on Geeker, which offers on-demand help from IT and software experts.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of Sam Ziegler

    When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?

    My passion is music, but the gigs, and therefore the income, are not always consistent, so relying on it as a full-time career is not realistic. I started with Geeker in July 2023. I have many years of IT experience and was hoping something like Geeker existed, a remote side hustle where I could apply my skill set to help people solve their computer problems. I was conducting some research on Google and discovered Geeker. My inspiration is my family and the opportunity to help people. Knowing that you make someone else’s life easier by solving computer issues is a very fulfilling feeling.

    What were some of the first steps you took to get started with the side hustle?

    I filled out the registration form to become a Geeker, answered a few technical questions they used to measure and qualify my expertise and then had a Zoom interview. After the interview, I was approved as a Geeker.

    Related: I Made Over $400,000 From a Side Hustle on Top of My 6-Figure Salary Last Year. I Love Diversified Income — and This Game-Changing Money-Saver.

    What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your side hustle journey, and how did you navigate them?

    I am now 43 and have been playing music for 28 years. I went to vocational school for computer repair in 1999 and took a job with IDT. While there, I became skilled in telecom and got certified in Cisco networking technology. Around that time, I was splitting time between the Newark office and the IDT offices in Manhattan. Then September 11 happened, and the towers fell close to the building I was commuting to, and I thought, Life is too short. I left IDT to pursue music full-time. I have been playing weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and concerts and recording music ever since.

    Along the way, I have kept my tech skills fresh by taking jobs here and there, but oftentimes, they didn’t have the flexibility I needed to keep doing my passion — music-related work. This past summer, I was looking for work as the summer season of busy music gigs was slowing, and I was trying to cobble together something that enabled me to use my tech skills where and when I wanted. I have a family now and had considered driving for Uber and Lyft to bring in some income, but I had some safety concerns and wanted to work from home. I came across Geeker, and it was exactly what I was looking for. I earn between $70-$90 an hour and work as much and as little as I need to, all from the comfort of home. I also get to help people, which I love.

    Related: At 23, She Started a Side Hustle for ‘Quick Money.’ Now the Business Brings in More Than $1 Million a Month — and Boasts Celebrity Fans.

    How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much does the side hustle bring in on a monthly basis now?

    It varies every month because of the nature of what I do, but I average roughly $2,700 a month for about 28 hours of work. In the months that I have more time, I log in to Geeker to take on more, but on the average month, I only work about an hour each day.

    What’s your favorite part about working on the platform?

    Helping people from different parts of the world no matter where they are. The money component is just a small benefit I receive from doing something good for someone else. To me, money is a bonus and is secondary to the main reason I use Geeker for my side hustle.

    Related: The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

    What’s your advice for others hoping to be successful on Geeker or with any side hustle?

    If you have the time, patience, passion to help people and a basic knowledge of how to fix computer problems, you can be on the right path to succeed on Geeker. “Success is about the journey, not the destination” is a life lesson I integrate into everything I do.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Unlock Your Mind’s Potential With AI and Brainwave Training | Entrepreneur

    Unlock Your Mind’s Potential With AI and Brainwave Training | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In a fast-paced and ever-changing world, adapting to new circumstances is crucial for success. Join Dr. Patrick Porter, a renowned expert in brainwave entrainment (a process that provokes the brain to access a particular state through a variety of stimuli including sounds, lights, or electromagnetic fields) as he reveals the fascinating link between brainwave patterns and our ability to adapt. Discover how artificial intelligence (AI) may impact our well-being, and how understanding brain frequencies can empower us in navigating these changes.

    Dr. Porter’s journey began with a simple yet powerful discovery: Alpha brainwaves can enhance focus. Building on this, he incorporated light and sound frequencies like Sophiegio and Noge to create effective brainwave entrainment techniques that promote focus and relaxation.

    Related: How Wearable Tech, Neuroscience and Nutrition Can Unlock Peak Performance

    In our technology-driven world, stress and anxiety often hinder our ability to adapt. Dr. Porter explains that by actively shifting our brainwave states for wakefulness and focus, we can enhance our adaptability. Similarly, promoting relaxation with theta brainwaves facilitates deep sleep and rejuvenation.

    AI, while offering immense potential, also raises concerns about privacy and bias. Dr. Porter emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and maintaining our expertise. He suggests embracing AI as a tool to streamline tasks and unlock our creativity, all while focusing on personal growth and expanding our knowledge.

    Using AI responsibly and ethically is essential. Dr. Porter advocates for leveraging AI to offload repetitive tasks, giving us more time for important pursuits. By embracing a balanced approach to AI, we can ensure our well-being, while staying informed and actively shaping a future that benefits us all.

    Related: How to Biohack Your Way to Optimal Sleep and Increase Performance

    Understanding brain frequencies becomes essential in navigating the modern age successfully. Dr. Porter’s profound insights shed light on the potential of brainwave entrainment to enhance our cognitive abilities and promote overall well-being. By embracing the possibilities of AI while cultivating critical thinking, we can confidently steer our path towards personal growth and a thriving future.

    Join us on our podcast episode as Dr. Porter unravels the fascinating world of brain frequencies, AI, and how they shape our lives today. Don’t miss this captivating episode that will revolutionize your understanding of the amazing capabilities of the human mind.

    If Ben Angel’s Beyond Unstoppable lights up your day, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast! This is a great way to support our mission of empowering more individuals like you to supercharge their lives and businesses. What’s more, don’t forget to follow the podcast if you haven’t already. We’re spicing things up with lots of bonus episodes.

    About Beyond Unstoppable

    Hosted by bestselling author Ben Angel, Beyond Unstoppable is a transformative exploration into biology, psychology, and technology. Learn from world-renowned experts like Jim Kwik, Amy Porterfield, Mari Smith, and Jason Feifer. Dive into advanced AI tools, biohacking, and strategies to make you unstoppable.

    Subscribe to Beyond Unstoppable: Entrepreneur | Apple | Spotify | Google

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    Ben Angel

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  • A Graduate Student's Side Hustle Now Earns $110,000 Per Year | Entrepreneur

    A Graduate Student's Side Hustle Now Earns $110,000 Per Year | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carter Osborne, who started tutoring students in need of help with college application essays in 2017. Today, Osborne’s business brings in about $110,000 per year — more than his full-time job as a director at a global PR firm.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of Carter Osborne

    When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?

    Tuition was my original motivation. I started graduate school in 2017, and my tutoring business was originally meant to be a temporary, small-scale operation to take the edge off tuition.

    I was inspired by two people who ran their own tutoring practices at the time, both of whom advised me during the weeks after I launched. One was a test prep tutor in New York who helped me understand the logistics behind starting my own business. The other was a Seattle-based college consultant who had previously supported me during my application process to Stanford. I only met with her once, but she had such a profound impact on my college search that I was inspired to reconnect, emulate her work and start tutoring college essays.

    Related: The Sweet Side Hustle She Started ‘On a Whim’ Turned Into a $20,000-a-Month Income Stream: ‘It’s Simple, It’s Affordable and It’s Fun’

    What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?

    Mentorship was key. I reached out to local college consultants and asked for informational meetings, both to understand their business models and to pitch myself as a potential resource. It worked — one of them recommended several clients from her waitlist to help me get started, and another hired me as a part-time writing coach. These were small steps by my standards today, but at the time, they were just what I needed to get off the ground.

    From there, client referrals became the core of my growth. I had three clients in my first year, 14 clients in my second year, 23 clients in my third year and so on. This year, I worked with over 50 clients and referred several families to other tutors after reaching capacity. It was a nice full-circle experience — I owe my start to referrals from established tutors, and this year, I got to provide those referrals to others.

    Related: This Former Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Made More Than $22,000 in One Month: ‘I Have Never Been More Fulfilled’

    What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?

    I quickly discovered that there are hundreds of qualified tutors in urban hubs like Seattle, including many who work in my core business of college applications. This created a major challenge: How could I build a unique service that stands out from everyone else’s?

    There turned out to be two answers. First, I pivoted away from academic tutoring and test prep and focused entirely on the niche market of college essays. It was a calculated risk — the market for college essays is relatively small, but that’s exactly what made it easier to differentiate myself as a specialist.

    Second, I turned my competitors into partners. College admissions consultants typically advise on the full application process, but many don’t enjoy working on essays. As an essay specialist, I pitched this as an opportunity to consultants in the Seattle area — they could onboard new clients, outsource the essay portion to me, and then continue working with their clients on all other aspects of the application. The result was a win for everyone: College consults got to offload work they didn’t like, students got specialized essay support, and I got a bump in business from people who otherwise would have been my competition.

    Related: This Arizona Teacher Started a Side Hustle That Immediately Earned More Than Her Full-Time Job: ‘Much Better Than $40,000’

    How long did it take you to begin seeing consistent monthly revenue? Did revenue ever surpass that of your full-time income, and if so, when?

    I began seeing monthly revenue right away. It started small: a few thousand dollars in my first year and about $10,000 in my second year. However, by my fourth year, I earned over $113,000, which exceeded my full-time income as a director at a public relations firm.

    You’ve turned your side hustle into a successful business. How much average monthly or annual revenue does it bring in now?

    In 2023, my business generated roughly $115,000 in revenue. Almost all of this comes during the six-month stretch from June to December when college applications are at their peak. I take time off from tutoring from January to May, which allows me to reset and think critically about ways to improve my service for the next application cycle.

    What’s your advice for other side-hustlers who hope to turn their ventures into successful businesses?

    First, develop something unique about your product or service. How can you make your work stand out from the competition? This might mean pursuing a niche market within your field (like college essays within the field of tutoring) or building a variation on your product. It doesn’t need to be revolutionary — I’m always surprised by customer enthusiasm for products that are marginally different from the mainstream.

    Second, stay patient as you grow. There are plenty of stories about side hustles that struck it rich in year one, but for most of us, success takes time. If you have a multi-year time horizon and the persistence to keep at it, your investment will be much more likely to pay off.

    Related: 3 Secrets to Starting a High-Income Side Hustle in 2024, According to People Whose Gigs Make More Than $20,000 a Month

    Finally, remember that there are no prerequisites to starting a successful side hustle. I am hardly the stereotype of a business owner: I studied public policy in college and never dreamed of starting a business. There’s no such thing as a “type” of person who becomes a successful business owner, so go pursue your ideas and see what happens.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Beat Work-Induced 'Jet Lag' With These Tips | Entrepreneur

    Beat Work-Induced 'Jet Lag' With These Tips | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    “I love jet lag!” said no one ever. Well, that’s not entirely true. Recently, a Washington Post contributor made a case for embracing jet lag, rather than fighting it. She explained the benefits of catching sunrises and exploring sleepy streets when most residents are still snoozing.

    I used to lean into jet lag as well. When I’d visit my family in Turkey or Jotform‘s office in Ankara, the flight back home to San Francisco would set me 10 hours behind. Instead of trying to overcome the effects of jet lag, I’d wake up in the middle of the night and get to work. I figured I’d put in a day’s work and get to bed early. But I’d find myself dozing off by lunchtime, wired at night and very grumpy. What’s more, my mind felt so fuzzy that I couldn’t make headway on meaningful projects.

    Related: Use This Hack to Schedule Important Tasks for When You’re Most Productive

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • 4 Principles to Success According to a Former Pastor Turned Business Coach | Entrepreneur

    4 Principles to Success According to a Former Pastor Turned Business Coach | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Entrepreneur Ken Joslin’s story is one of determination, personal growth, and a deep-rooted belief in the power of community. Joslin is the CEO of the Ken Joslin Team & the GROW STACK DRIVE brand. He is a former Pastor turned Coach and a real estate professional. Here are some key takeaways from our interview on the latest episode of The Jeff Fenster Show.

    Related: Jeff Fenster of Everbowl on How To Start a Media Company

    Support others

    Joslin believes in an unwavering commitment to the well-being and success of others. He maintains that great leaders want something for people— not from them. This mindset has been the driving force behind his entrepreneurial endeavors as he seeks to impact the lives of those around him positively. Ken’s emphasis on building genuine connections and fostering relationships is a testament to his dedication to creating a supportive and thriving community.

    Commit to personal growth

    Joslin’s journey to success is a testament to the transformative power of personal growth. He firmly believes that becoming the best version of oneself is the key to achieving greatness. Throughout his journey, Joslin has continuously sought opportunities for self-improvement, embracing challenges and learning from every experience. His commitment to continuous learning and development has not only propelled his success but has also inspired others to embark on their own paths of personal growth.

    Create opportunities

    While financial success is often seen as a measure of achievement, Joslin views it as a means to make a positive impact. He believes that by making as much money as possible, individuals can amplify their ability to help others and support causes they care about. Joslin’s approach to financial success is rooted in a deep sense of purpose and a desire to use his resources to create meaningful change in the world.

    Make strong connections

    At the heart of Joslin’s journey lies a profound understanding of the importance of relationships and community. He recognizes that true success is not solely measured by personal achievements but by the strength of the connections we forge and the communities we build. His goal to help people cultivate relationships and foster a sense of community, understanding that these elements are the foundation for long-term success and fulfillment.

    Related: The Number One Thing That Holds Entrepreneurs Back

    About The Jeff Fenster Show

    Serial entrepreneur Jeff Fenster embarks on an extraordinary journey every week, delving into the stories of exceptional individuals who have defied the norms and blazed their own trails to achieve extraordinary success.

    Subscribe to The Jeff Fenster Show: Entrepreneur | Apple | Spotify | Google | Pandora

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    Jeff Fenster

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  • 5 Epic Marijuana Hacks To Save The Day

    5 Epic Marijuana Hacks To Save The Day

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    Life hacks make life simple, and these marijuana hacks make your experience more enjoyable, especially for the uninitiated. These simple tips will help you make the best out of every joint and make the most of your weed, ensuring nothing is lost. Trust us, you want to be in-the-know about this.

    Here are 5 epic marijuana hacks to save the day and start the new year with a fresh skill!

    Use Mints To Keep The Munchies At Bay 

    The munchies can be great, but they can also be super annoying. Sometimes it sucks to smoke some weed and then have to make yourself some pasta at midnight. Mints are the answer to all your prayers or at least can help control your urges. You can suck on one while you smoke, keeping the munchies at bay while also helping you cope with your cottonmouth. Two birds, one stone.

    RELATED: How To Control The Marijuana Munchies

    Photo by Christopher Williams via Unsplash

    When You Don’t Have A Grinder

    You should invest in a grinder, but there are ways of cutting your marijuana neatly and evenly without making a mess. Grab a penny and clean it thoroughly, then put your marijuana in a pill box, drop the penny inside, close it up, and shake. Keep on shaking. After a vigorous workout you’ll be left with a some evenly cut marijuana. You can go buy a grinder now.

    Honey

    Honey is delicious and it’s a great companion for marijuana. After you’ve finished rolling up a joint or a blunt, be sure to coat it with a small amount of honey. This will ensure that your joint/blunt burns more slowly and evenly while also adding some sweetness.

    RELATED: A Simple Guide For Marijuana Concentrate Newbies

    What You Need To Know About CBD Honey
    Photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo via Unsplash

    Compact Discs Are Still Useful

    If you’re visiting your parents’ house then you’ll probably run into some floppy discs. These can be used to neatly pack bowls by using the middle hole of the discs. Easy, fast, and you’ll give use to something that is otherwise trash.

    What To Do if You Spill Weed On The Floor

    Oh yeah, there’s also this.

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    Maria Loreto

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  • American, JetBlue Among Carriers Rewarding Spend Over Miles | Entrepreneur

    American, JetBlue Among Carriers Rewarding Spend Over Miles | Entrepreneur

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    The once-fervent annual practice known as the mileage run, where travel enthusiasts strategically fly to accrue airline miles for elite status before the year’s end, might not be around much longer.

    For years, those mileage runs allowed air travelers to secure elite status for the next year and unlock practical benefits such as seat upgrades, lounge access and priority services. But now that’s changing.

    As 2023 draws to a close, many major airlines have shifted their loyalty programs to value dollars spent over distance flown, effectively altering the landscape of travel hacking, The Wall Street Journal reported.

    Related: Business Travelers: Is Loyalty Dead?

    American and JetBlue exclusively reward customer spending, per the outlet. And while United and Southwest still record the number of flights a customer takes, both primarily consider dollars spent for rewards.

    At United, the fastest way to earn elite status is to buy more expensive tickets — and use the airline’s credit cards, NerdWallet reported.

    Delta Air Lines, once a holdout in the shift, faced backlash after it amended its SkyMiles program earlier this year, but then walked the decision back.

    Related: ‘This Is a Terrible Day’: Delta, American Express Limiting Access to Sky Clubs, Customers Lament ‘Brutal’ and ‘Outrageous’ Changes

    “No question, we probably went too far in doing that,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said at an event at the Rotary Club of Atlanta in September. “Our team wanted to rip the bandaid off and didn’t want to have to keep going through this every year with changes and nickel-and-diming and whatnot, but I think we moved too fast.”

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Why You Should Learn New Skill Sets This Winter | Entrepreneur

    Why You Should Learn New Skill Sets This Winter | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Here’s a harsh truth: unemployed people are having a hard time finding a new job because many companies halt their recruiting efforts during the last quarter of the year. This is not new – it is a well-known fact that big companies often do a headcount at the end of the year, and they often significantly slow down their hiring process.

    Instead of unsuccessfully searching for opportunities when there is little to no hiring, many look to expand their arsenal of skill sets, which can propel their pursuit of better, bigger opportunities in the few months to come.

    For those looking to embark on the journey of acquiring new skill sets during the slower pace that winter months often offer, I’d like to delve into five unique avenues to discover inspiration for skill sets that can benefit your life and career in the near future.

    Related: Master New Skills From the Comfort of Your Home With This Bundle, Now Less Than $175

    Exploring LinkedIn job applications

    One valuable resource for finding inspiration for new skill sets is right at your fingertips: LinkedIn job applications. Start by identifying professionals with positions similar to your current role, your desired career path, or roles with the title of the person you used to report to in your last job. Take a closer look at the job description for those roles, paying close attention to the skills and qualifications they require.

    For example, if you’re in marketing and aspire to move into a leadership role, analyze profiles of Marketing Managers or Directors. Note the skills they require or those with that job title have honed over the years, such as data analysis, digital marketing or project management. These insights can guide your skill acquisition journey, helping you align your skill set with your career aspirations.

    Mentorship and networking

    Seek out mentors who can offer guidance on skill acquisition. If you are still close or have a great relationship with the last person you reported to, you may seek them for advice, asking which skill sets would be valuable for you to acquire if you intend to continue to pursue growth in your current career path.

    Conversations with mentors and industry peers can provide valuable insights into skill sets that have contributed to their success. These personal anecdotes and recommendations can steer you toward acquiring skills that align with your goals and aspirations.

    If you’re not in touch with them anymore or would rather avoid contact with them, engage in mentorship and networking activities to discover skill sets that have proved valuable for others. Attend industry events, webinars, or virtual conferences where you can connect with experienced professionals who may have a similar career path to the one you’re pursuing.

    In my experience, I found people I highly admire and invited them to step into a virtual group call once every other month. In our one-hour meetings, we discuss what’s been working for each of us and provide valuable guidance for everyone in the group. I like to call this exercise “Business Therapy,” in which we often discuss our past experiences and challenges and how we overcame them.

    Learning from the experiences of others may end up saving you years of continuous hustle. Never rely solely on your experiences when you can learn from the experiences of others.

    Related: Looking for a Mentor? The 7 Best Places to Start.

    Personal interests and hobbies

    Sometimes, inspiration for new skill sets can emerge from your personal interests and hobbies. Consider activities you’re passionate about outside of your professional life. These interests can be a foundation for acquiring skills that bring joy and fulfillment.

    For instance, if you’re an avid photographer, you may explore photo editing or digital marketing courses to promote your work effectively. Blending your passions with skill acquisition can lead to a well-rounded skill set that enhances your personal and professional life.

    Fun fact: that’s how my journey in the technology industry began. I am an Architect by profession, but I am such a tech nerd that I always sought to acquire technical skills, which is how I came up with the business idea that ended up becoming Replay Listings, the company I’ve led for over seven years now.

    Related: How to Turn Every Adversity You Face into an Advantage

    Tapping into industry trends

    As industries evolve, new demands arise, creating opportunities for individuals to acquire relevant skills. For instance, if you’re in the technology sector, consider the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning. These cutting-edge technologies are shaping various industries, from healthcare to finance.

    By understanding industry trends, you can pinpoint relevant skill sets and future-proof your career. Stay updated with the latest industry trends and advancements. Explore industry-specific publications, blogs, or podcasts to gain insights into emerging skills in your field.

    Online learning platforms and courses

    Online learning platforms offer various courses on various subjects, making skill acquisition more accessible than ever. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning provide various courses, from technical skills to soft skills like leadership and communication.

    Browse these platforms to discover courses that align with your career goals or personal development objectives. The flexibility of online learning allows you to acquire new skills at your own pace, making it a convenient option for the winter months.

    The bottom line is the slow winter months often present a unique opportunity to embark on a skill-acquisition journey. Whether you draw inspiration from LinkedIn profiles, industry trends, mentors, personal interests, or online courses, acquiring new skill sets can enrich your life and open doors to exciting possibilities. Embrace the season as a time of growth and discovery, and you’ll emerge with valuable skills that can shape your future success.

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    Rodolfo Delgado

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  • How to Use Rejection as a Tool For Success | Entrepreneur

    How to Use Rejection as a Tool For Success | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When I was 22, I had a boss who taught me to crave rejection. At that time, I was in a sales role and had shared with her that I felt all I ever heard was the word “no.”

    The following month, she ran a competition to see who could hear “no” the most. And yes indeed, I was the victor. So much good came from that experience. I realized that rejection is a part of sales, and it’s also a part of life. I learned that highly successful people know this and aren’t miffed when they’re told no. In fact, they embrace rejection and even learn from it.

    Successful people use rejection to get stronger. However, many people don’t feel this way about rejection. If you’re struggling to feel good about being rejected, here are four steps you can take to completely rewire your brain.

    Related: 5 Ways to Turn Rejection Into Resilience

    1. Don’t take it personally

    Often, we struggle with rejection because we feel it’s personal. But rejection usually isn’t personal.

    When rejected, it’s easy to wonder what the rejection says about us. But often, rejection doesn’t say anything about us. Instead, it says something about the other person. Frequently, we ignore or discount the reasons we’re given for the rejection. Instead, we look for another reason (the real reason). Usually, another reason doesn’t exist.

    If someone says they don’t want the product or service we’re selling because they can’t afford it at that time, they usually mean it. If someone says they can’t attend the event we invited them to because they’re too busy, they usually mean it. Spending time beating ourselves up and wondering what the rejection really says about us and how likable we are is often a tremendous waste of time. When we trust the reasons we’re given for the rejection, we can move on and strike out again much faster.

    2. Get excited about being rejected

    Rejection usually doesn’t feel good. For many, that’s why it’s hard to imagine what (if any) good can (and will) come from it.

    Remember: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. Recognize that you have a choice in how you feel about rejection. Whatever story you tell yourself about rejection comes from you. It’s up to you to interpret the information that exists in your world. You have the power to flip the script, change the narrative and tell yourself a different story.

    You can choose to view rejection as a good thing — it means you put yourself out there, asked a tough question and exuded courage. It means you got out of your comfort zone, which always helps us grow and evolve. It means you got to practice a skill (the skill of asking, influencing or selling). That practice will help you grow thicker skin and hone your craft, making you stronger and tougher. With that in mind, you can choose to view rejection as a good thing.

    Related: How to Overcome Rejection and Move Forward With Your Big Goals

    3. Ask why — and learn from it

    Most people feel pain when rejected. When we experience any kind of pain, our first reaction is often flight or fight. We either walk away, as quickly as we can, or we double down and argue. When it comes to rejection, neither approach works well.

    Here’s what does: Engaging the person who rejected you from a place of true curiosity. Questions such as: “What was the biggest factor in your decision?” or “What, if anything, would’ve made you say yes?” or “What could I offer or do next time that would excite or interest you more?”

    These questions are great tools to help you learn from rejection. Perhaps you can give feedback to your boss that your product’s price point isn’t appealing or the benefits aren’t meeting market demand. You might learn that a slightly altered product or service would’ve garnered a yes, and perhaps you can negotiate an exception from your company that allows you to go back and offer the client what they really want.

    Every so often, there is something you could’ve done or said differently that would’ve been persuasive. Getting information about how to proceed more effectively next time is a win. With that mindset in mind, rejection is actually a good thing — it helps you improve.

    4. Know that things can change

    Remember that most things in life aren’t permanent and people’s situations can change dramatically from one year to the next (or even one month to the next). Just because someone turned you down once doesn’t mean they’ll turn you down every time.

    Ask permission to reconnect or touch base again later. Maybe your friend can’t make time to see you this month, but they’ll be able to next month. Perhaps the client you’ve been trying to sign all year will be in a different financial situation next year. Recognize now simply might not be the right time for whatever you’re proposing, and while that’s okay, it may not always be the case.

    Related: 4 Ways to Handle and Overcome Your Fear of Rejection

    5. Adjust your strategy

    After you get enough information to learn following a rejection, you get to employ what I call PDCA — plan, do, check and adjust.

    Once you’ve been rejected and know why, you can adjust your strategy. You might learn that making calls at lunch time isn’t effective because no one answers the phone. You might learn you’ve been targeting the wrong demographic and need to pick different prospects. You might learn prospecting on the weekdays isn’t as effective as prospecting on weekends.

    Rejection, if used correctly, can be an excellent teacher because it can guide us to make changes to what we do and how we do it. You might decide to start frequenting community events or join a networking group to be more successful. In the end, if being rejected causes you to do something new and different, that’s another win.

    Having a healthy, strong relationship with rejection is a true game changer. If you adopt these five philosophies on rejection, you’ll find rejection isn’t nearly as painful as it once was. You might even begin to look forward to rejection.

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    Amy M Chambers

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  • How to React to Stressful Situations with Calmness | Entrepreneur

    How to React to Stressful Situations with Calmness | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Lyndon B. Johnson was known for his histrionics — his customary reaction to minor pain or illness was “frantic” and “hysterical,” wrote Robert Caro for the New Yorker in 2012. But when under pressure — real pressure, as he was the day he became president after John F. Kennedy was assassinated — Johnson assumed a near preternatural calm.

    As Caro writes, “Johnson’s aides and allies knew that, for all his rages and his bellowing, his gloating and his groaning, his endless monologues, his demeanor was very different in moments of crisis, in moments when there were decisions — tough decisions, crucial decisions — to be made; that in those moments he became, as his secretary Mary Rather recalled, ‘quiet and still.’”

    Certain people seem designed to perform well under moments of intense pressure. As an entrepreneur, it’s certainly a skill you’d do well to develop. Research conducted by TalentSmart found that 90% of top performers can manage their emotions in times of stress and remain calm and in control.

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • 20 truth-bombs we all needed to hear from a therapist

    20 truth-bombs we all needed to hear from a therapist

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    Making the decision to see a therapist is hard enough. Digesting the information and advice that they give you, and using it to better yourself is something different altogether. It’s always a process, and it definitely doesn’t happen overnight.

    As harsh as some of these may sound, therapists are usually spot-on when it comes to pointing out things that we ourselves maybe can’t (or don’t want to) see.

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    Zach Nading

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  • 5 Tech Tools To Impress Your Coworkers and Neighbors All Summer | Entrepreneur

    5 Tech Tools To Impress Your Coworkers and Neighbors All Summer | Entrepreneur

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    From a self-correcting selfie camera to an cooler that doesn’t need ice.

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    Mario Armstrong

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  • Redefine Boundaries Between Your Life and Career to Perform Your Best | Entrepreneur

    Redefine Boundaries Between Your Life and Career to Perform Your Best | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Does this sound familiar? You’re on the edge of burnout. You haven’t done anything “nice” for yourself in a while and you’re constantly putting other people’s needs above your own. The needs of your company, the needs of your family and the needs of your community are always a higher priority, and now there’s no more energy or room for you.

    As a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant with a background in organizational psychology, I understand why some people constantly put themselves behind others and, consequently, burn themselves out. Marginalized people often do that. They code-switch to fit in with the dominant culture as a means of survival. Their needs are always last in the hierarchy.

    It turns out, that up to 89% of Americans have experienced symptoms of burnout. That has to change. You can’t show up as your best — at work or with others — if you don’t take care of yourself first. I’m inviting you to take a step back from burnout and embrace radical self-care. Here’s how.

    Related: How Code-Switching Hurts People of Color in the Workplace

    What is “radical self-care”?

    Radical self-care is a continual process that involves the conscious and proactive decision to care for yourself by engaging in activities that regularly feed your wellbeing. Radical self-care allows you to prioritize yourself and put self-supporting needs before others’ needs to reduce the impact of stress, burnout and emotional disarray. Self-care isn’t just a “phrase;” it involves intentional actions that allow you to be more cognizant and aware of your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and relational health.

    Why radical self-care matters for professionals

    You’re running a company or you’re an employee with lots of responsibility and stress. People depend on you to lead and contribute. But if you’re burned out and exhausted, how can you be your best self? How can you show up when it matters most?

    Before burnout and ball-dropping happen, be radical about your self-care — that is, don’t just make it a “nice to have” practice in your routine. Make it a necessity. This is particularly important for professionals belonging to marginalized communities. Marginalized people face a disproportionate burden in society dealing with microaggressions, glass ceilings, and the like. Fortunately, prioritizing radical self-care can be a tool to counter some of the draining impacts of systemic racism, discrimination and trauma.

    Related: Women Founders Need Radical Self-Care. Here’s How to Make It Happen

    3 pillars of radical self-care

    If you’re new to self-care, here’s what it can look like in practice. The three pillars of radical self-care involve the mind, body, and spirit which — contrary to popular belief — are not all separate entities working independently to keep you alive. They’re cooperators in your lived experience, and all work to keep you balanced and well for all of your endeavors. For practical purposes, let’s reframe mind, body, and spirit and refer to them respectively as mental and emotional, physical and purpose. Each area needs nourishment, so schedule time to engage in activities that provide that nourishment. Here are some ideas.

    To nourish your mental and emotional wellbeing:

    • Have a lazy day.
    • Say “no” more often.
    • Limit your news consumption.
    • Spend time communing in nature.

    To nourish your physical wellbeing:

    • Eat healthy foods.
    • Go on a walk.
    • Drink water.
    • Sleep 6-8 hours per day.
    • Hit the gym or go to a studio.

    To nourish your purpose and get closer to it:

    • Meditate
    • Journal
    • Do a good deed.
    • Volunteer for a cause.

    How to prioritize radical self-care

    If you struggle to make time for yourself, try this: say “no.” I know it’s tough, but hear me out. When you say “no,” you make time for your “yes.” If you’re assigned an obligation that isn’t in your skillset and would take you days and weeks to figure out, you can say “no, thank you” and request it be assigned to someone else. If colleagues are meeting for drinks after work, but you know drinking alcohol isn’t great for your mental or physical wellbeing, simply say “no” and use that time to do something that nourishes your spirit instead.

    When it comes to your family, if taking a half day away from the kids or family members would be nourishing to you, say no to obligations that force you to be present and find a way to negotiate some private time. You have more power with the word “no” than you might think.

    For those with busy schedules, set aside a particular day or time of day as your radical self-care block — whether it’s every Friday or noon on weekdays. Tell your friends and colleagues you won’t be available and do something for you during that time slot. Don’t skip it when something comes up — instead, stick with it. Whether you’re simply going for a 30-minute walk on your lunch break or taking that time to journal and meditate, have a dedicated time every day or week that you can rely on to deepen your radical self-care practice.

    Related: Here’s Why Your Team Needs to Say ‘No’ More Than ‘Yes’

    Final thoughts

    Despite common belief, you don’t have to be “on” all the time, moving through the world as if you are impervious to trauma, stress and burnout. You can manage the effects of losing your stamina, falling out of touch with your purpose, and generally needing time to rest by implementing radical self-care.

    That can look like saying “no” to obligations that drain you and assigning those obligations to someone else. It can look like taking mental health days once a week or month. It can look like actually using your paid time off instead of letting it accumulate for the holidays. Self-care can be more of a choice than we think, and it’s not a selfish choice. Prioritizing it in your professional and personal life can help you stay well and present for all of the endeavors and people that matter most.

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    Nika White

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  • Discover the Cognitive Benefits a 'Silent Retreat' | Entrepreneur

    Discover the Cognitive Benefits a 'Silent Retreat' | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Each summer, I take a few weeks off as CEO of Jotform, travel to my family’s farm in Turkey, and do my best to truly check out. Instead of tending to my inbox, I tend to our olive groves and go for long nature walks with my kids. As this time off unfolds, I inevitably begin to feel refreshed and re-energized. Upon returning to the office, this form of life hack produces thinking that’s reliably sharper, and I’m increasingly convinced that much of this has to do with the absence of noise, both internal and external.

    Their grounding in the principle that “…natural quiet has become an endangered species and needs to be protected” (as Condé Nast Traveler writer Sarah Allard phrases it in a 2023 article on vacation trends), “silent retreats” are on the rise. And though many of these literally encourage no talking, it seems that their effectiveness stems from a lack of informational/digital noise. A fascinating El Pais story by Silvia López Rivas includes a 2011 observation by then-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who pointed out that until 2003, humans had produced an amount of information equivalent to five exabytes — the same quantity generated every two days in 2011. It has been estimated that by 2025, we’ll be creating 463 exabytes of information every single day. In short, the sound of information, already deafening, is poised to get much louder.

    Related: Did You Mess Up? Use This Astronaut’s “30-Second Rule” to Feel Better and Refocus

    The benefits of quiet

    Meditation retreats, even when they’re not totally silent, have been shown to deliver multifold benefits. One comprehensive study published in a 2016 edition of the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that meditation retreats reliably reduced symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, in part because of their ability to foster mindfulness — being fully present and engaged in the moment. It is, after all, virtually impossible to focus on creative work when your mind is racing. Mindfulness, meanwhile, leads to clearer and more innovative thinking.

    Many retreat participants additionally report that an extended experience of silence helped produce a better night’s sleep, and it’s no secret to anyone reading this that rest is fundamental to sharp cognition. A telling 2004 study from the University of Lübeck involved asking subjects to complete math problems that relied on algorithms, with shortcuts hidden deep within formulas. About 25% of the subjects discovered them at the outset, but given the chance to get eight hours of sleep, that figure rose to 59%.

    Related: You’ll Never Achieve Work-Life Balance — and You Shouldn’t, Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian Says

    Go easy at first

    It’s challenging to quit noise cold turkey. That’s why silent retreat organizers approach the process gradually. For example, they recommend that participants, especially first-timers, ease into the practice by refraining from checking phones for a few hours before arriving.

    Even if you’re not jetting off to retreat in a 16th-century castle in France, there are ways to proceed gradually into encouraging quiet, say by carving out just 15 daily minutes away from devices, emails, meetings, social media and news notifications.

    It’s tricky for me to commit to anything that isn’t scheduled, so I make regular appointments to have silent time. For me, mornings work best before the day has a chance to catch up. When the appointment pops up, I’m not deciding whether or not I’m in the mood to be silent; I just switch off devices and begin.

    Objectively observe your internal dialogue

    Making time for yourself in this way is, on its own, an achievement that will deliver myriad benefits, but applying some actionable advice can help take the practice one step further.

    During silent time at the office, I use some of the practices from Vipassana meditation — scanning my body from head to toe and paying attention to sensations. If my shoulders ache from a morning training session or my stomach grumbles after a skipped breakfast, I take note while tuning into what’s happening in my mind.

    The key is to not react, just observe, as many have found that engaging in this discipline helps both body and mind better tolerate painful and unpleasant situations.

    Related: How to Stop Information Overload in its Tracks

    Get comfortable with discomfort

    In our incredibly noisy world, sitting in silence can be jarring, and it’s not unusual to experience a knee-jerk need to escape from it. In a 2016 Guardian article, one journalist attending a silent retreat in New Zealand admitted to having the urge to run through the hall screaming. It’s perfectly natural to want to give up when you’re first engaging in this process, and that’s okay. The trick is to stop expecting perfection and learn to be with things as they are, which can reduce stress and anxiety and boost creativity and the need for productive connections with others.

    Related: A Simple Practice to Overcome the Fear of Uncertainty and Daily Stress

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • This Why You Should Allign Yourself with the Right People | Entrepreneur

    This Why You Should Allign Yourself with the Right People | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the latest episode of the Jeff Fenster Show, Greg Reid shares his remarkable journey of triumphing over poverty and defying his father’s discouragement.

    Reid is a successful author, screenwriter, and creator of Secret Knock, a high-profile networking conference. His story is a testament to the power of taking immediate, decisive action.

    Reid’s success can be attributed to his focus on strategic activity and aligning himself with the right people. He emphasizes the significance of making intentional decisions and taking purposeful steps toward achieving goals. By surrounding himself with individuals who share his vision and values, Reid has created a support network that has propelled him forward.

    One of Reid’s notable achievements is the creation of Secret Knock, an exclusive event that has been running for 17 years. This gathering brings together influential individuals from various fields, including notable guests such as Edward Snowden and Vicente Fox. Secret Knock exemplifies the power of creating unique experiences and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.

    In our interview, Reid shares valuable advice on making a strong impression and gaining access to influential individuals. He uses a stopwatch to measure his time to make an impact, emphasizing the importance of making every second count.

    Additionally, Reid employs pattern interruptions to break the ice and encourage people to open up, fostering meaningful connections. Reid has ambitious plans to create a cable TV show and secure a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. His desire to leave a lasting legacy for his children and inspire others to strive for remarkability rather than perfection drives these endeavors.

    Teach the children well

    One of the critical lessons Reid imparts on the podcast is the importance of teaching children essential life skills. He believes that equipping them with effective communication, negotiation, and personal finance skills is crucial for their future success. Reid acknowledges that video games, often seen as a distraction, can actually be viewed as a different form of equipment for children today, providing them with valuable problem-solving and strategic thinking abilities.

    About The Jeff Fenster Show

    Serial entrepreneur Jeff Fenster embarks on an extraordinary journey every week, delving into the stories of exceptional individuals who have defied the norms and blazed their own trails to achieve extraordinary success.

    Subscribe to The Jeff Fenster Show: Entrepreneur | Apple | Spotify | Google | Stitcher

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    Jeff Fenster

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  • ChatGPT Tops Wikipedia's 25 Most Visited Pages in 2023 | Entrepreneur

    ChatGPT Tops Wikipedia's 25 Most Visited Pages in 2023 | Entrepreneur

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    The list of Wikipedia‘s top 25 most-viewed pages in 2023 is out — charting the curiosity of the internet and serving as a barometer of the world’s shared interests and concerns.

    OpenAI‘s ChatGPT took the spotlight with an impressive 49.4 million page views (out of more than 84 billion total views), according to the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation.

    The wildly popular AI-driven chatbot set a new record for user base growth this year, attracting a whopping 100 million active users in January alone. The triumph of ChatGPT underlines a broader tech revolution, with companies investing billions into AI development and chip-making to power these future innovations.

    Related: Wikipedia Founder Says X Is ‘Overrun By Trolls and Lunatics’ — and Reveals How He Responded When Elon Musk Asked Him a Disturbing Question

    Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told ABC News that AI might be “the greatest technology humanity has yet developed,” but that it also comes with real dangers. “We’ve got to be careful here,” he said. “I think people should be happy that we are a little bit scared of this.”

    Wikipedia’s list also reflected the substantial cultural and digital impact of Indian audiences, CNN reported. Among the top five were entries related to the 2023 Cricket World Cup and the Indian Premier League, resonating with the sport’s massive fan base in India. Indian cinema made an impact too, with Bollywood action movies Jawan and Pathaan outperforming American blockbusters such as Barbie and Avatar: The Way of Water in Wikipedia page views.

    Image Credit: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin | Getty Images

    Not to be overshadowed, subjects on influential personalities continued to captivate readers, from Taylor Swift‘s latest music conquests to Elon Musk‘s headline-making maneuvers, revealing the evergreen interest in celebrities and icons. The list was peppered with sports icons, acclaimed movies and pivotal global events, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and controversial figure Andrew Tate rounding out the entries.

    Image Credit: Slaven Vlasic | Getty Images

    Related: The World Is Splitting Between Those Who Use ChatGPT to Get Better, Smarter, Richer — and Everyone Else

    Here’s the list of 25, ranked by number of page views:

    1. ChatGPT, 49,490,406 page views

    2. Deaths in 2023, 42,666,860

    3. 2023 Cricket World Cup, 38,171,653

    4. Indian Premier League, 32,012,810

    5. Oppenheimer (film), 28,348,248

    6. Cricket World Cup, 25,961,417

    7. J. Robert Oppenheimer, 25,672,469

    8. Jawan (film), 21,791,126

    9. 2023 Indian Premier League, 20,694,974

    10. Pathaan (film), 19,932,509

    11. The Last of Us (TV series), 19,791,789

    12. Taylor Swift, 19,418,385

    13. Barbie (film), 18,051,077

    14. Cristiano Ronaldo, 17,492,537

    15. Lionel Messi, 16,623,630

    16. Premier League, 16,604,669

    17. Matthew Perry, 16,454,666

    18. United States, 16,240,461

    19. Elon Musk, 14,370,395

    20. Avatar: The Way of Water, 14,303,116

    21. India, 13,850,178

    22. Lisa Marie Presley, 13,764,007

    23. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 13,392,917

    24. Russian invasion of Ukraine, 12,798,866

    25. Andrew Tate, 12,728,616

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    Amanda Breen

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