Seventhman Blog

1. Should Entrepreneurs Learn How to Code?

   Tech entrepreneurs have been asking themselves if they should learn how to code.. or if they should take an MBA instead.  While both are very different, they are both applicable in doing business.  If you will pause for a moment to think of the outcome you want to achieve, would you hire an MBA or a developer to build stuff for you on the Web?  Of course, you’ll go for someone who can code.  You need someone with the hard skill to build things for your startup and you can innovate from there on, that is, if you have coding skills to build that prototype and take it to the next level.  Which leads us to another question: Should you really learn how to code?

   To Code or Not to Code

   Last time, I wrote about how automating certain processes in your system will help you get more done for your business.  But, what if you can build these from scratch?  You’d be surprised that there are self-taught coders out there whose apps got them earning enough profit to make a living out of it.  Thanks to the proliferation of MOOCs (massive open online course) these days, one can learn how to code from online learning sites out there – for free or for a fee.  There’s Udemy, Codecademy, Udacity, Code School for a start.  I bet there are plenty more out there.  You may even ask if you should learn coding in your spare time or if you should get a formal degree.

   “If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself”

   Many will argue that in technology, this is the No.1 rule.  How can you even know if your idea is executed right if you don’t know how things are done? العاب قمار حقيقي   Thanks to new applications, it is easier to bring more functionality to your sites.  The truth is, if you want to produce a great product, you have to learn to write that code.  It’s like art; you need to know the skills of the craft to produce a masterpiece.  You might have been moved by this celebrity video from Code.org that advocates coding.. even the mayor of New York City is on the coding rush.  If you decide to learn how to code, you have to consider your time and budget for this.  After all, a successful startup needs a very strong product vision, a good user interface design and developer skills that can be achieved in and out of the classroom.

   Why Do You Want to Learn to Code?

   The case for learning how to code will all come down to how much time you are willing to spend to do so.  In reality, there’s really no right way of learning it and that a year of learning doesn’t mean you’ll come up with something that will solve your problems.  You need to find what motivates you first to learn this language or framework and once you have figured that out, you can start signing up for a class. استراتيجية الروليت   Still, you will spend valuable time.. I’m not really against the idea that everyone should learn how to code.  But this concept is setting up wrong expectations that coding is essential, like reading and writing.  Because coding is not just about creation of codes but coming up with solutions, you don’t simply learn something in 24 hours and get thousands of dollars out of it.  Like the rest of us, you have to spend years of perfecting that skill. العاب مربحة على النت

   Realistic and Smarter Approach

   It’s your choice whether to learn something new.  But pushing for everyone to learn coding is like saying we should all learn how to do our plumbing.. and so on.  It is much better to learn the basics of coding enough for you to understand what’s going on and leave the ability to write well to those who have encountered all the bugs and fixes in their years of dabbling with technology.  Let these specialists do the work for you so you can save that precious time and focus your energy in growing your business instead.

   Bottom line: You don’t need to learn how to code.  BUT, you need to know when to call the experts.

   
   

2. Business Automation: The Only Way to Move Forward

   How many years have you been in business?  After all this time, have you optimized your processes to make sure you run things efficiently?  It might surprise you, but there’s a vast majority of entrepreneurs out there who are running their businesses.. the brick-and-mortar way.  I even know of someone who still keeps his inventory in pen and paper because it has been convenient all along.  I asked him if he might consider changing things to digital and there’s a puzzled look on his face as he replied: “Why should I even do that when this system worked for us all these years?”  I can only imagine if he starts automating some of these cycles, like the invoices and order shipment.. the time saved can be used for growing other aspects of the business.

   When Change is Inevitable

   While there is a fast migration of software applications, digital has become the new norm.  With big data getting bigger each day, those who haven’t made the switch are losing opportunities.  The rule is simple: Whatever your business is, you  must convert to digital.  It’s a smarter move to improve internal and external business processes, integrate systems, manage huge volumes of data – and modernize all applications pertaining to your enterprise.  This will not only save you valuable time, but it also helps improve your relationships with your customers. العاب لكسب المال   Because it will be easier for them to contact you through various digital touch points, it will also push for a positive customer experience.. leading to a good word-of-mouth about your business and increasing your brand visibility on the Web.  The only hurdle to achieving this is your irrational fear of change.

   The Case of Business Automation Explored

   Are there repetitive tasks that will benefit from automating certain steps?  Imagine getting a call from client x and you have to retrace previous transactions your team had with this person.  You check your archives, flipping folders until you found the file.  After this interaction, you fill up details in the form like what the rest of these paper files look like.  How much time it took you to do just that? لعبة روليت للايفون   Things would have been simpler and quicker if you can retrieve data by entering the person’s first and last name – wouldn’t it?

   If there’s one thing you need to know about computers and software, it’s this:  They do NOT define your business.  Instead, they complement it.  These eight reasons should be enough for you to consider automating your business processes:

   1.  Automation is a great shortcut for routine work.
   2.  You get to help the environment by getting rid of all ( or almost all ) of the paperwork in the office.
   3.  Having a bird’s eye view of your business is now possible so you can stay updated with progress at every level.
   4.  Tracking and managing project workflow is now easier, ensuring that you deliver quality product/service all the time.
   5.   Getting rid of double entry in most forms when you can access the same info in your computer
   6.   Having document templates and macros will help your employee work faster
   7.  File management is a breeze – helping you quickly access and store accurate data
   8.  You can minimize human error through smart programming that will send out an alert to your team when they haven’t correctly filled the form

   Automating One Bite at a Time

   The next time someone asks you how you can eat an elephant in one sitting, tell that person you will do so.. one bite at a time.  Likewise, check which department has the highest clutter that you would want to automate in your business.  For example, if you are offering yearly subscriptions, ask someone to design a system for you that will automatically generate a sales tickler based on renewal dates – so you can send timely reminders or promotional.  Without such a system, you would normally have to track this manually with a spreadsheet.  You have to discover what your pain points are so you can ask for solutions that will merge your workflow processes.  You may ask your existing systems to be modified or you can start from scratch.  No matter, keeping things simple while meeting the needs of your business makes for a win-win situation. كيفية لعب لعبة بينجو

   Are you struggling to figure out how you can seamlessly migrate from manual to digital?  Just ask and I’ll do my best to give you an answer.

3. 5 Questions to Ask Before Adopting Open Source Software for Your Project

   Businesses have been adopting open source software solutions rapidly and you start to wonder if you should do the same.  Is it really a safer, better option for your organization?  If you’re working with designing and developing websites, and web-based applications, you may have at one point  consider going open source for your project. كيف تربح في الروليت   Though many may have thought that open means free – it is not entirely so, but it costs lesser than commercially-licensed solutions out there.  Surely, there are benefits to be had if you clearly understand just how ‘open’ these technologies are and if you ask these vendors the right questions.  The last thing you want is getting pitched for something disappointing.  More likely, it’s what people call as open washing.  Think of it this way: just because you bought your favorite snack with “natural” claims doesn’t really mean it’s healthy for you.  So, how do you sort out the confusion when it comes to dealing with your vendor?

   Questions You Should Be Asking Before Adopting Open Source Technologies

   1. Who are Using It Right Now?

   The easiest way for you to know if the product is of top-notch quality is to evaluate testimonials and reviews of people or businesses who are using it right now.  Are they raving about it? No one may want to be the first to try out something new, so if many are committed to working with this open source software, it’s a surefire sign that it’s out to stay for the long haul.

   2.  Will the Software Meet My Needs?

   You need to assess the compatibility of this open source software with your current OS.  Do you need to install applications to make it all work?  Does the solution meet your pressing needs?  Have you tried testing the application first before you go on a full scale roll out?  Can your hardware meet the specifications of these new technologies?

   3.  Are People Talking About This Software?

   It’s easy to check the Web when it comes to searching for online conversations about a certain open source software.  You can even type in the name on Google Search box and click on discussions to see what people have been talking about.  Normally, creators of these open-source software run their own forums and having lots of active users is a good sign that these developers are committed to helping their community of users. تعليم البوكر للمبتدئين

   4.  Who is Funding the Project?

   A lot of open source technologies are on beta mode and it gives you some peace of mind knowing that the developers have financial resources to ensure that they won’t run out of business anytime soon.  There are open source applications that are backed and used by big companies, and this means that they are committed in the success of this project.

   5.  How Involved are Users with Developing the Process?

   When people want to contribute to make a positive code change to the project, or when they are promoting by word-of-mouth – it’s something worth watching.  We know that passion is the key ingredient to success and the same thing applies with the creation and maintenance of open source software.  It’s a work of love and people share this love.

   Because you buy only what you need, you’re not held hostage by complex software bundles that can run your business dry. لعبة قمار حقيقية   And when you do choose running this option for your project, make sure that you can try before you buy, that you can look into the code and that you can apply changes on the code.

   In short, make sure that you get what you paid for.

   *** Here’s more on the topic:  Debunking the Open-Source Myth