Starting a home business can be a scary thought for anyone. You never really know if you have the supply,the tools,and the ability to be able to sustain yourself in the long haul,all while putting your career,and your finances,at risk. The risk increases exponentially if you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of running an online business as well,including being tech savvy. Fortunately,the choice of whether to put it all on the line became a lot easier through the Online Entrepreneur Academy.

Though it is a relatively new program,the -has already provided several home business owners with the tools they need to succeed in their endeavors. Students in the program will take classes for one year,learning from actual successful entrepreneurs on how to get the most from their company. It is a program that is designed to not only give entrepreneurs tips,but also what to expect,and how to handle the unexpected.

How is it Different?

What sets the Online Entrepreneur Academy apart from other courses in business is the variety of information covered. Many courses focus on one aspect of business,such as marketing,brand awareness,or product creation. The OEA combines all of those aspects into a one-stop-shop,educating their attendees on all aspects of running a company,not just a few areas here and there. Upon completion of the program,entrepreneurs will be armed with knowledge in a wide variety of areas,and will feel confident in their ability to successfully start their company.

Who Qualifies for the Program?

The only thing that the OEA asks is that their students are willing to learn,and are hungry to abandon their normal 9-to-5 jobs for exciting new opportunities. Whether that is a student fresh out of school,an already established owner,or a retiree that is looking for extra income,the Online Entrepreneur Academy can provide them everything they need to succeed.

In a recent interview,entrepreneur Alex Dee discussed the challenges that he faced when he started,strategies that helped him over the years,and how the Online Entrepreneur Academy is giving future and current business owners a crash course on what to expect and how they can succeed. Dee suffered through some highs and lows throughout his career,and is now sharing those experiences with the masses.

Brick and Mortar vs Online

One area in particular that Dee discusses is the differences between brick-and-mortar stores and stores that exist purely on the internet. He found that when he owned a physical store,overhead expenses were eating through his profit at an alarming rate. However,with an online only store,he didn’t have to worry about things like rent,maintenance,and all of the hassles that come with running a traditional business. He was able to work at home,spend more time with his family,and still generate revenue at a high level.

The Future of Online Business

Dee goes on to talk about the future of business,and how while many people spend several hours a day on the internet,there are still a large number of companies that do not pay attention to their online sales like they should. This provides a wide open market for those who are willing to snatch the opportunity to make a difference. Dee feels that internet companies might be able to eclipse a trillion dollars in revenue in the next ten years!

The Benefits of the Online Entrepreneur Academy

Dee found out that entrepreneurs are not given the tools they need to succeed from traditional schools,and decided to start the Online Entrepreneur Academy. With knowledge passed down from actual experts in the field of business,the Academy offers a one year crash course on how to succeed in the business world. Instead of spewing facts and outdated methods,the - gives future and current business owners the tools they need to help their companies grow,and how to handle difficult situations that could arise in the future.

You’ve reached the section of our website that’s dedicated exclusively to Microgaming bonuses. On this page,you’ll find information on the three most popular types of bonuses that can be found at online casinos that are powered by Microgaming software. These types of bonuses include no deposit bonuses,free play bonuses,and deposit bonuses. Because each type of bonus is very different,we encourage you to read through all of the information on this page so that you have a good understanding of how each of these bonuses work. And after you’ve done so,we’re confident that you’ll know exactly which Microgaming bonuses are right for you and you’ll be ready to begin playing online casino games using these bonuses.

Microgaming No Deposit Bonuses

No deposit bonuses are without question some of the most popular Microgaming bonuses. These bonuses give you an opportunity to play all of your favorite online casino games for free without having to wager any of your own money. As you can imagine,these types of bonuses are somewhere rare,but there are certainly several reputable online casinos that have these types of bonuses available. What’s fascinating about Microgaming no deposit bonuses is that they rarely have a maximum withdrawal limit,which means that you can literally win and withdraw an infinite amount of money without ever having to make a deposit.

Microgaming Free Play Bonuses

Microgaming free play bonuses are very similar to no deposit bonuses in the sense that you can use these types of bonuses to play real money online casino games for free. The main difference between the two types of bonuses is that free play bonuses have a time limit associated with them whereas no deposit bonuses do not. For example,most free play bonuses give you one hour in addition to a set amount of bonus money to play as many real money casino games as you’d like. Once your time is up,you are then allowed to keep any winnings that you have over the initial amount of bonus money that you were given. Our favorite thing about Microgaming free play bonuses is that there are rarely any game restrictions associated with them.

Microgaming Deposit Bonuses

The last bonuses that we’d like to talk about are Microgaming deposit bonuses. These bonuses can be used whenever you are making a deposit at an online casino that’s powered by Microgaming software. Most often,these bonuses are available in the form of a percentage match bonus with a maximum bonus amount,such as a 100% match bonus worth up to $100 in free casino money. Using this example,if you were to deposit $75,you would receive $75 in free bonus money for a starting balance of $150. You can find Microgaming deposit bonuses at almost all online casinos that are powered by Microgaming software.

Bonus Terms

In order to make the most out of using online casino bonuses,you need to have a good understanding of the terms and conditions that are often associated with most bonuses. Therefore,we have put together some information below that will hopefully help you to understand some of the most common bonus terms and conditions; including playthrough requirements,game restrictions,and maximum withdrawal clauses.

Play through Requirements for Casino Bonuses

Playthrough requirements for casino bonuses,which are also referred to as wagering requirements,dictate the rollover amount that you need to reach before you can make a withdrawal. For example,if a $100 bonus has a playthrough requirement of ten times,you must place wagers equal to $1,000 or more before you can withdraw your winnings. Although this might sound extremely high,wagers add up extremely fast and it doesn’t take long at all to reach most playthrough requirements for the majority of casino bonuses that are currently available online.

Game Restrictions for Casino Bonuses

Game restrictions for casino bonuses are another common term and condition that you’re likely to encounter. These are usually obvious because most bonuses are advertised as being for a specific game or games. For example,it’s safe to assume that slot bonuses are only to be used to play slot machines and that blackjack bonuses are only to be used to play blackjack games. To ensure that you’re always on the safe side,we recommend reading the terms and conditions for each bonus to ensure that you’re aware of any game restrictions that might be in place.

Maximum Withdrawals for Casino Bonuses

Maximum withdrawals for casino bonuses are fairly common and they control how much of your winnings that you can withdraw if the winnings were derived from using a bonus. Most online casinos use maximum withdrawal clauses as a safeguard to prevent bonus abuse. After all,if an online casino is giving away free money to their players,it makes sense that they want to protect themselves as much as possible. Although maximum withdrawal clauses make sense for online casinos,we generally recommend avoid using bonuses that have maximum withdrawal clauses because it’s never fun to have a limit on how much you can win.

In the retail world,”POP” refers to point of purchase advertising displays. POP displays can take various forms; shelf-mounted signs,standing floor displays,hanging posters or danglers,end caps,inserts for stanchions,contour-cut standees and countertop displays. These are just a few of the POP display options which maximize product visibility and impulse purchases. Since an estimated 70% of purchases are made within the retail store itself,point of purchase displays can have a dramatic impact on your brand’s sales.

Today’s POP display printing technology provides creative and brand managers custom marketing advantages,as POP displays can be printed to the needs of local markets. It has never been more important for brands to use point of purchase displays to cut through the clutter and improve category performance. Unplanned consumer purchases are often the norm,so an effective,well-designed,gorgeously printed display or hanging graphic may sway a consumer to buy.

Planning and designing a point of purchase display and selecting its materials is a complex job. The right substrate for your POP display campaign is essential. There’s a lot to know about materials and the right mix of them can make or break a display.

Below we explore 5 types of rigid materials commonly used in short and medium-term retail displays.

Styrene– Technically known aspolystyrene,this resin-based plastic is commonly found in everything from packaging to toys to advertising displays. For printed graphics,it is available in thicknesses from 10 pt. to 120 pt. and comes in an array of opacities and colors,with white as most common. Styrene provides an excellent print surface and easily cuts to shape,providing excellent solutions for stanchion sign inserts,shelf talkers,ceiling danglers and aisle markers.

Wondering what “10 pt.” thickness means? A “point” is 1/1000 of an inch,meaning that “10 pt.” stock is 10/1000 inch thick. This is also referred to as 0.010 thick.

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Foamboard– Made of extruded polystyrene foam,sandwiched between paper liners. Often produced in white,it is ideal for tabletop signage with an easel back. Economical and lightweight,Foamboard comes in 3/16″ and ½” thicknesses which makes it a great choice for contour cutout,life size standees. One of the most common uses is two-sided hanging displays in grocery store aisles.

Gatorfoam &Ultra Board –These two trademarked substrates are produced with a durable core of polystyrene foam.Gatorfoam,also referred to as Gatorboard,is bonded on both sides by smooth,moisture-resistant,manmade wood fiber veneer. Ultra Board has two thin sheets of styrene adhered with the foam core sandwiched between them. Either one is great for added stability and dent-resistance when compared to Foamboard. In addition to all white,these boards are available as all black and in various combinations of black core and white and black faces. Standard sheet size is 48″ x 96″ but they are also available up to 60″ x 120″ and in thicknesses up to 3″.

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Expanded PVC– Created from closed-cell polyvinyl chloride (PVC),the most common brand name is Sintra. This material is extruded with a matte finish,has a slight texture to it and is rigid,yet lightweight and durable. At half the weight of a solid PVC,Sintra has superior dent and scratch resistance,with thicknesses ranging from 1mm to 26mm. All thicknesses are available in white,with some also produced in color. Sintra easily cuts to shapes using the same techniques as Foamboard fabrication and can also be heat-bent to create self-standing pop displays. A superb choice for semi-permanent point of purchase floor displays,end caps and hanging pop displays,expanded PVC comes in standard and oversized sheets helping create larger than life displays.

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HOT IDEA– Don’t limit your design to square-cut graphics. Only the most creative messages will get through to your customer. Unlike flat images,a contour-cut point of purchase display graphic can achieve a 3D appearance,commanding the attention your POP display deserves. Be sure your graphics provider utilizes a precision digital cutting system on their shop floor.

Umbrella companies can make it more easy to handle your tax for some of your contracts. When you use an umbrella company,you’re paid via the PAYE system,like employees are. But how does this really work,and how do the companies tax you? Here’s an explanation of how you’re taxed by umbrella companies and what that means for you.

Tax Through PAYE

PAYE stands for pay as you get if you’re not already aware. So when you use an umbrella company,you pay your tax as you earn instead of paying your tax in a lump sum after the tax season is over. Throughout the system,you will pay your income tax and National Insurance contributions. You will have a personal tax code that indicates to HMRC how much tax you should be paying. The thresholds for paying your taxes and thedifferenttax bands can change annually,so it’s always important to stay current.

Currently (2018),you’ll pay National Insurance contributions at 12 percent on earnings above #162 per week and 2 percent above #892 a week. The personal allowance for income tax is #11,850 with 20% paid on everything after up to #34,500,and 40% from #34,500 to #150,000.

Umbrella Company Expenses

Another thing to consider is that some expenses can be claimed by you. Expenses are those refunded by your client or recruitment agency. Expenses are non-chargeable,and the umbrella company will handle them when calculating your pay. Allowable expenses will be deducted from your income so thatyou don’t have to pay tax on them. If your contract with your client is deemed to be under the Supervision,Direction and Control of your client,you can not claim travel and subsistence expenses.

Calculating Your Pay

Your pay will be calculated once you have submitted timesheets to the umbrella company and recruitment agency or end client. As well as your taxes,the umbrella company will even minus your commission to the company and any other deductions,such as pension contributions and holiday pay.

Payslips

Your umbrella company should send you a payslip,which details any deductions,such as taxes. At the end of the tax season,they ought to also give you a P60 for your documents too.

What About Umbrella Companies That Promise Pay?

Some umbrella companies will tell you that you can keep most your pay (up to 95%) and stillbe tax-compliant. However guidance from HMRC says that this is a warning signal for businesses that are non-compliant. You should watch out for only some of your income going through PAYE, being paid using a loan,credit or investment that the company says isn’t subject to tax,and your payments. These could be signs that the company isn’t paying your taxes correctly so it’s important to watch out for them.

Umbrella businesses deal with your tax for you thatyou don’t need to. You might pay a little more tax,but you also get the benefits of becoming an employee.

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It can be difficult to separate them and choose one that works best for you,As soon as you’ve created a shortlist of the greatest businesses

Which is Better Granite or Quartz?

There are few design elements that spark heated debate and divide homeowners as much as granite and quartz. Don’t believe me? Tune into any show on HGTV and you’ll likely hear the prospective buyer/renter wax poetic about their favored counter top material and shun the other vehemently. But is one really better than the other or is it merely a matter of aesthetics?

To help break down the granite vs. quartz quandary,we generated five categories to help show the differences between the two. At the end of this article,you can vote for which one you prefer. Before we get into all of that though,what exactly is granite and quartz?

Granite is a very hard stone and 100 percent natural. It’s mined from quarries all over the world,cut down to a manageable size,then afterwards polished to a fine finish.

Quartz is slightly different in that it is not 100 percent natural. Instead,countertops are manufactured using 95 percent ground natural quartz and 5 percent polymer resins.
Since you know the basics,let’s see how they compare against each other.

1: Appearance

Granite
Granite comes in various colors and patterns as a result of the way it’s formed (cooling and solidifying of molten materials). Whether you’re searching for a subtle complement to your kitchen or a standout slab with unique mineral inclusions,there is an almost infinite selection to select from and no two granite countertops are the same.
Quartz
One of the main reasons quartz has exploded in popularity is due to appearance. Quartz has the look of stone while also allowing consumers to customize the design. While granite offers many options in terms of appearance,you may have to search for the right piece that matches your color scheme. With quartz,the selection process is much easier.

2: Price

Granite
According to HomeAdviser.com,the average cost to purchase granite and have it installed can cost between $2,000 and $4,000. You can save money by purchasing the material from a wholesaler and doing some of the preliminary work yourself but the actual fabrication and installation of the countertops should be left to a professional.
Quartz
Depending on the quality of quartz and style of edging,HomeAdvisor.com places the average cost to install quartz countertops between $1,500 and $5,500. You can do some of the preliminary work to save money,but because engineered quartz is heavier than other stone surfaces,a professional installer needs to ensure the space is structurally sound.

3: Environmentally-Friendly

Granite
The only way granite ends up in your kitchen is if it’s quarried which uses a lot of energy. If you opt for a high-end slab from Italy,for example,there will be considerable transportation involved. Try using indigenous stone when possible or visit salvage shops for pieces that can be cut to fit your needs.

Quartz
Since quartz is engineered,it can be more environmentally-friendly than granite if you use regionally manufactured stone and local fabricators. This cuts down on the distance the material needs to be transported.

4: Maintenance

Granite
Granite countertops should be cleaned daily with soap and water or a mild household cleaner. Some oils and acids can stain so do your homework first to avoid stains. To ensure the life expectancy of your investment,consider having your countertops resealed once a year.
Quartz
Like granite,you’ll wish to clean any spills on quartz countertops with soap and water or a household cleaner,but that’s about it in terms of maintenance. The solid surface means that there is no need to have your countertops resealed.
5: Durability
Granite
Granite is a durable material that’s resistant to heat and many other kitchen elements. Due to its porous nature though,there can be some staining if spilled liquids are left sitting and damage can be done if your counter receives a high impact blow.
Quartz
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus,more durable. In point of fact,quartz is nearly indestructible,and because it isn’t porous like granite,it’s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free. Be careful with cooking pans though: Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat,so use heating pads at all times.

If you ‘d like to explore the differences yourself,contact Peakstone Granite at (336) 456-6357 or visit them at http://PeakStoneGraniteMarble.com