August 2020

How-Cyber-Criminals-are-Causing-Disruptions---BizTrailblazer-Blog

How Cybercriminals are Causing Disruptions

Since January 2020, Covid-19 has been impacting our beloved planet, and since then cyber crimes have shot up quite a bit as cyber-criminals are leaving no stones unturned to gain some quick bucks during this crisis. As an example; Google reported as much as 18 million phishing and malware scams related to COVID-19 during the week before Easter. But keep in mind, those 18 million numbers are not for the entire week, but 18 million per day for a week. However, just like the tip of the iceberg, these are just the tip of Covid-19 related security threats. The cyber-criminals are now taking advantage of a massive number of people who are currently working from home. So, organizations around the planet are now facing various technological risks including shadow IT, insecure access, and unmanaged devices, along with human risks, which also include increased phishing attempts.  On the other hand, even after the increase in cyber-attacks by quite a few folds and despite concerns related to it, remote workers aren’t practicing good cyber-security hygiene. Above all, a recent study has revealed that a majority of business leaders think that their organizations aren’t at risk of cyber-attack and they themselves aren’t educating their employees about increasing threats. Also, with each passing day, the cyber-criminals are now targeting the logistics industry and private vehicles more and more. When the Access to Personal Data could Destabilize an Entire Society Judith Duportail, a French journalist asked a dating app to send her all the personal data they had about her. In a shocking response, she received an 800-page long document, which contained all her likes and dislikes, each conversation she had with all the 870 matched persons since 2013 and the age of men she showed interest in. This incident shows us a very grim picture of data protection and it underscores the fact that data protection is very much a challenging affair. It also paints a picture of how little transparency is there when it comes to processing and securing data, through which one can gain an accurate picture of an individual’s interest, choice and behavior. When IoMT Increases the Risk Since the last decade, various personal medical devices including insulin pumps, glucose monitors, and heart monitors have been connected to the internet as a part of the “Internet of Medical Things.” Also, at the same time, researchers have identified multiple vulnerabilities and demonstrated the chance of cyberattacks on these products. This can eventually help cyber-criminals to gain access and can lead to targeted attacks on these products. In some of the cases, health information generated by these devices can also be intercepted by cyber-criminals. However, the healthcare and IT industry has failed to solve this issue specially when the equipment’s official life has expired. Supply Chains at Risk With a goal of greater efficiency and lowering day to day costs, smart supply chains leverage IoT automation, big data management, and robotics specifically those within the company and with their supplier. Additionally, the smart supply chains represent virtual warehousing, where any of the products can be located at any point in time. With all these advantages, smart supply chains are also prone to various disruptions in the process. And cyber criminals can manipulate different information regarding deposits. So, the component won’t be there where they are supposed to be and the supply chain will face disruption and financial losses. Threats to the Shipping Industry Despite the current Covid-19 and geopolitical situations, trade amongst various countries are expected to grow. However, there is ample evidence that states are now experimenting with direct attacks on ship’s navigation systems. Also, few instances have also been reported where unknown cyber-criminals have attacked the computer networks of ships to extort ransom. Many more aspects of the shipping industry can be vulnerable to these cyber-attacks, which can eventually paralyze the whole shipping industry. Attacks can be state-sponsored, or by any activist groups. All these together are increasing the importance of monitoring and understanding a key aspect of modern maritime cyber-security. So, these are a few vulnerable areas about which the organizations themselves might not have any ideas. Additionally, vehicles and transport infrastructure are getting increasingly connected, to provide better drive-ability. However, with an increasing number of vulnerabilities, now cyber-criminals can exploit some of them with direct security-related implications. These cyber attacks might now effect the security of the road users, but it still can lead to widespread chaos and disruption in traffic.

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Top 7 Benefits Of POS System For Your Business

As the world moves towards a digital world, that is technologically much more advanced, so must the way everyone runs their businesses. POS or Point of Sale system is quickly becoming the technology of choice for retailers around the world. According to a study, mobile POS payment devices are expected to increase by 4 folds by the end of 2024. Also, SaaS or Software as a Service solution will be more prominent in the POS industry. Mainly the Asia Pacific POS terminal industry is expected to drive the demands. Additionally, it is evident that there are numerous benefits of POS systems, and they have helped various small or medium-sized enterprises to have a great head start by reducing errors, increasing ROI, and better insights. With each passing day, Point of Sale systems are increasing and below I’m sharing few benefits of POS systems, which is why retailers are deciding to invest in a Point of Sale System. Here I’m listing out TOP 7 Benefits of POS System For Your Business:   Save Time: One of the main advantages of POS system lies in keeping track of almost everything. This system tells how much a product has been sold, and how many are still remaining in stock. This useful feature allows the system to submit orders on behalf of the store manager when the inventory is almost empty. Also, when a customer wants to know about the availability of a product, the seller can immediately check it from the POS machine, which eventually reduces the customer’s waiting period. Enabling customer satisfaction. Reduce Mistakes: Just like any other automated system,  reducing human error is one of the main benefits of POS systems. Suppose you need to change a price for a specific product; if you have a POS system price can be changed for only one product and it will be updated in the entire system automatically, so prices will remain the same throughout the entire inventory. Tracking Employees: These POS systems can also track the staff, the times and hours they have worked, and the number of transactions done. Do you know what is the best part? It is not limited to one location. If you have multiple outlets in different locations, then also it will serve the same, which eventually ensures consistency when it comes to pricing, accounts, and stocks. Sales Report: when it comes to the benefits of POS systems, one just can’t ignore its capabilities. A Point of Sales system gives you a great overview of your business and maintains the much-needed database of cash flow. POS systems also have the ability to save information regarding financial status, inventory status, and sales status. Based on the information provided by a POS system one can plan the expected revenue beforehand. Customizable: POS system’s one of the main advantages is, it is highly customizable. These Point of Sale systems can be customized to suit every business need. You can customize a POS system as per your specific need. Do you have a retail store? No problem a system can be customized for you. Do you have a restaurant? Don’t worry a system can also be customized for you. No Downtime: When it comes to the benefits of POS system, you can’t ignore the fact that a POS system has no downtime. As the data is stored in your PC, and not in a remote server, one can continue to work, even if the internet is slow or down. The Point of Sale system resumes its normal work, once the internet is back. Accepting Different Payment Methods: Many times customers want to pay using different methods. Handling these different payment methods can be cumbersome sometimes. Not with a Point of Sale system. It supports all modes of payments including; credit/debit cards, online transactions, cheques, or cash. So, the best pos system for small businesses will eventually help them with more payment options, which results in more sales. Related Article: TOP 10 POS SYSTEMS FOR YOUR BUSINESS At last, all I can say, POS systems are helping medium and small enterprises to a great extent. We all know about what the best POS software for small businesses can do. It is also much more secure, simple and it helps to grow your business. The benefits of POS system can bring you more sales, lesser downtime, reduction of mistakes, and tracking employees. So, in the end, we would suggest you invest in a Point of Sale system, in order to reap the benefits of POS system.

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Hemp: The Future of Plastics

Since the invention of plastics, the entire human race has opted for a non-sustainable pattern of development. As a result, now we are facing all kinds of repercussions, including global warming, loss of biodiversity, environmental pollution, rise in sea waters, etc. According to Greenpeace, the human race’s over-reliance on single-use plastic has made it one of the biggest environmental pollutants. We, humans, are currently dumping 200kgs of plastic every second in the seawater, which is eventually causing deaths and grave injuries to sea birds, fishes, and marine mammals. With the rise in global pollution, many of the organizations have started to address the need of lowering this ecological threat by discovering more alternatives that are sustainable. Although a more sustainable Hemp plastic is here for quite some time, and just like any other hemp products, it hasn’t been able to come into the spotlight. During its initial days, plastics were used to be produced from cellulose fibers from any organic non-petroleum based source. Whereas hemp is known to contain as much as 65-70 percent of cellulose, which is often considered as a good source, due to its high sustainability and low environmental impact. Cellulose extracted from hemp can be used to make rayon, cellophane, celluloid, and other products. However, a 100 percent hemp-based plastic is still a rarity nowadays. On the other hand, ‘composite bio-plastics’, which is a kind of plastic made from a combination of hemp and other plant resources are in use. Thanks to their higher rigidity and strength, these plastics are being used while constructing cars, boats, musical instruments, etc. Can Bio-Plastics Solve all the Problems Currently, many of the plastic products are being built from polyethylene terephthalate and polymer resins. While environmentalists are advocating for 100 percent hemp-based plastics, the technology is not yet ready for such a large-scale production. Giants like Coca-Cola have already experimented with 100 percent plant-based bottles. However, commercially available products are still made of 30 percent plant-based materials, while the rest of the product is made from fossil fuel sources like polyethylene terephthalate and polymer resins. On the other hand, plastics that are intentionally designed to be biodegradable can still pollute our planet earth. Nothing degrades biologically in a landfill, this hemp-based micro-plastics could still pollute the seas and damage marine life, if introduced to seawater. So, these plastics also need to be sent to any commercial facility in order to have proper and efficient disposal, and as of now, these facilities are low in numbers, which takes us back to square one. And all I can say while making alternatives to plastics, we’ll have to create a more responsible attitude towards our environment and we need to invest more in infrastructure to keep our oceans clean. Agricultural Imbalance Researchers believe the hemp plastic industry might result in a shift of agricultural cultivation from the production of crops to the provision of raw material for these bio-plastics. This in return increases the skepticism related to food shortage. As most of the time food shortages are caused by poor distribution, poor handling, and economic mismanagement. When War on Drugs Became a Barrier Most of the time, fossil fuel costs are kept low by providing a massive number of subsidies. On the other hand, hemp-based products are still being considered as luxury items and their cost difference is huge. Hemp was legalized in the U.S. back in 2018, but years of the ban have led to a lack of infrastructure. Although hemp needs much fewer pesticides and has a much smaller environmental footprint than any other crops, growing and harvesting it remains the most labor-intensive job. However, one fine day the price of hemp-based products and plastics will eventually come down, and with more and more cultivation of hemp, the technology will also improve. Currently, most of the hemp produced in the U.S. is used to extract CBD, but due to more experimentation by the farmers, many other varieties can also be harvested for better and more fiber content.   

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Top 3 Document Management Trends of 2020

Since the last few years, organizations are trying to move away from paper documents and opting for digitized document control systems. The Covid-19 pandemic has helped to accelerate this trend even further. Document management has been a key element in business operations. However, the present method of document management differs greatly from that of 10 or 20 years ago. Nowadays DMS has taken the necessary lead and most of the organizations have started making the switch, and if you haven’t started it already you are lagging behind your competition. With the growth of various Document Management Software, few trends have also emerged in the world of document control, which might change the world forever. So, let’s have a look at those trends; Increase in Cloud Computing For Document Management For quite some time, we are seeing the booming status of cloud computing. It has impacted the IT world severely and the Document Management industry is also not immune to all these changes. With a working internet connection and a basic PC setup, cloud computing enables its users to access a file or document at any location, computer, or any network. These cloud-based solutions help with scalability, agility, and obviously flexibility that was never seen before, which eventually results in reduced cost. Online Security For Managing Your Documents Thanks to the increased use of cloud storage, now organizations are witnessing increased document security. Due to the massive growth in digital Document Management, cyber crimes have become a much more imminent threat. According to various reports, the majority of organizations have experienced better security in the cloud rather than on-premise cloud environments. This is mainly because security is literally built into these systems. So, by implementing a Document Management system any organization can have a highly secured environment with scalable storage space to store the important documents. Evolving Workplace Environment The demand for document accessibility away from any kind of traditional workspace has seen a steep rise in the last few years. The demand for accessing any document from a smartphone or tablet has also resulted in a need for software that can be used from any handheld smart devices and which can be used in multiple platforms. As an example, Google Cloud Print lets its users select multi-functional printers in order to access documents from the end user’s home, that too without any specific IT deployment. When Affordability Matters The large-scale adoption of Document Management systems has created a much more competitive market, which often profits the customer. Once the Document Management software was so expensive that many of the organizations decided to avoid it. However, modern vendors have realized that, in order to have mass adoption, one needs to keep the cost low and competitive. Also, cloud computing and various advancements in the technology sector have eventually made it possible to buy Document Management software without breaking a bank. In addition to the lower up-front cost, Document Management is saving a lot of money. This new tool has completely replaced the manual process, which eventually eliminated the use of paper, has streamlined operations and obviously has improved communications. Companies can finally move people from various clerical posts towards other posts that generate more revenue, also it helps to reduce extra hiring, minimizes time to store, and find documents. Overall, one can easily say, Document Management tools can increase the overall business efficiency. So, these are the few trends that are going to drive the market of Document Management, these trends also give us the idea of what holds for DMS in the year 2020. Now businesses are slowly moving on from the outdated applications to integrated, safe, and user-friendly solutions. Thanks to Document Management tools, now organizations can save a lot of money by getting rid of manual document management systems.

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How Sustainable is Work from Home?

2020, is a year that will be hard to forget for most of us. Just after the start of this fateful year, we lost one of the biggest stars of the NBA, Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash. And in late January, countries around the world started to feel the presence of Covid-19. Before 2020, not many of us had an idea of a pandemic. We had read about the Spanish flu, but it was a century-old event and the medical facility of that era was not at all equipped to handle anything like that. However, with much improved medical facilities, world leaders thought that they could handle this new Coronavirus. But it was something else and by the end of August, this virus has successfully infected millions of people around the world, while a few million lives have also been lost. The worst part is, this virus is leaving some irreparable damages to the human body. Soon, countries around the planet opted for strict lock-down and quarantine measures to slow down the infection rate. People were banned from traveling or commuting. So, just to reduce the exposure to the virus, companies across our planet opted for work from home models. Before this pandemic situation, work from home was only reserved for very few employees, and for the past few years, there was an increased demand from professionals claiming that remote work is the future. However, just like any other work model, this work from home model also comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. During this phase, few employers noticed, the productivity of employees has gone for a toss in some cases. As there is no way that an employer can determine how many hours an employee has spent working, as this system often permits flexible working hours. As expected, you can find plenty of pro work from home articles out on the web. However, I will list out a few pointers mentioning why work from home is not feasible for a very long duration;   Reduced Social Interaction: We humans are social animals; we need to socialize a lot. However, with the work from home concept, socializing has reduced to a great extent. Nowadays we are confined to a corner of our house with a laptop or pc, which is leading to much lesser social interaction. Often this low social interaction leads to depression and anxiety. In some of the cases, couples are now stuck at home with no option to go outside, are being forced to engage with each other in different ways. During these already stressful times, these forced conversations are eventually increasing the number of divorces around the planet.   When DNA Changing is Hard: You might argue, there are companies who are working with a remote workforce since their inception. Yes! It’s true, there are companies like that, but that wasn’t forced. It was built into the organization’s DNA from the very beginning. In order to completely convert in a work from a home-based model, one organization needs to bring change in their communication, hiring, planning, meeting, and probably in every aspect. It’s far easy to change the policy of a company, rather than changing the DNA of a company.   You Might Get Lesser Visibility: This happened with me and a few of my other colleagues. Since the start of this pandemic, we started to work from home, while some of my other colleagues continued to work from the office. With time people working from office started to get more visibility, attention, and priority, which increased the tension between the co-workers. While this shouldn’t have happened and there are several ways to improve it, it still happens. So, unless everyone is working from home, it might not be good for your visibility.   Motivating Employees is a Task: Ask me this! I’ve faced this issue, since the first day of lock-down. While working from home there will be few employees who will work just like they used to work in office premises. However, there will be some who will not interact when needed, who will often say that my internet service is down, some will say my laptop is busted, some will not pick up their phones. They have many reasons to convince you that it was not their fault. I don’t blame them while working from office spaces, the environment is completely different than your house. In-office you are much less likely to get distracted, but at home with the presence of your family members and probably your pets, or due to the presence of your PlayStation you have a lot of reasons to be distracted.   Boundaries are Being Broken: Suppose you have a remote workforce that also works from different time zones. Yes! You might have changed your work policies and guidelines, which respects people’s privacy and working hours. But believe me, while you are working from San Francisco and one of your employees is working from New Delhi, there will be exceptions to this rule, and most of the time exceptions become the rule.   On-Boarding is a Problem: Work from home is still doable until you have new employees to join your organization. Logistically it is much more complex and it is also tough for the new joiners to know the team and its work. Above all, it’s hard to understand the company culture, and training them becomes an overall tedious job. So, here I listed out a few things, which might encourage you to start working from the office instead of working from home. I know that work from home concept might save your time lost due to commuting, but mind it an abrupt change might bring catastrophe rather than peace. A result-oriented work environment should be the final goal of any organization. So, the future work model is likely to be more of a hybrid mixture of work from home and work from the office. 

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How-to-Avoid-Credit-Card-Scams---BizTrailblazer-Blog

How to Avoid Credit Card Scams?

For years you have been using credit cards to buy everything from gas to groceries. For all these years you were buying things online and you gave up any necessary information needed to buy those things. You never thought about a credit card scam, before handing it over to your local store’s cashier for the purpose of payment processing or while paying over the internet. However, one fine night you came to know about credit card frauds, and thought ‘this can’t happen to me.” No! you are wrong. credit card scams can happen to anyone at any point in time. And yes even if you are not a victim of a credit card scam yet, be prepared it could also happen to you. Before the internet became mainstream, you might’ve thought or visualized a man dressed in black stealing your credit card. However, with the internet, nowadays scammers don’t even need your physical card to scam you. Below are a few of the most common credit card frauds out there; Think before Using Public Wi-Fi We always advise you to be careful while using any public Wi-Fi network. Frauds could monitor these public networks and sometimes, this network itself is a trap, that is laid by credit card scammers in order to get hold of your card’s information. In this time of credit card scam, whenever your laptop or smartphone finds a public network and you connect to it. You might be asked to provide your credit card details in order to pay for your internet access. The network is often fake and a gateway for online credit card scams, in this case, you are giving away your credit card’s information directly to the scammers. In some cases, hotspots are free, but these scammers are always watching every move of yours, the password you enter is being recorded, whenever you are opening your bank account, they are also peeking into it. So, while using any public Wi-Fi at a restaurant or hotel ask the staff for the correct name and password. Always avoid generic-sounding names like “Free Wi-Fi.” Also, try not to log into your bank account from any public Wi-Fi network. Also, you can use a VPN, which creates a secure connection even in public Wi-Fi hotspots. Interest Reduction Scam Interest reduction scam takes advantage of frustrated credit card users, who are looking to cut their credit card rates and to pay the remaining balances faster. In this case, you’ll receive a pre-recorded call, where someone will offer you lower interest rates and an option to pay off your credit card balance sooner. All one has to do is pay a fee, enroll in a program, and the company will start working on lowering your interests. The call might even sound like it comes from your credit card issuer and even the scammers also might have your credit card details. At last, they will charge you for a service, which they never intended to provide you. In order to avoid these kinds of credit card scams, register your phone number in the National Do Not Disturb database, which will lower the chances of getting calls from these numbers in the very first place. Also, in case of any calls like these, hang up the phone as soon as possible, more human interaction will lead to more calls. Also, keep in mind, if you are eligible for a lower interest rate, your card issuer will provide it for a much lower rate. Credit Card Skimming In this kind of credit card scam, the scammers will capture your credit card details while doing a legitimate transaction. Scammers often place a skimming device over a card processing terminal. Places like ATMs and gas stations are the favorite places for credit card scammers. In order to avoid this credit card skimming, always inspect the credit card readers before using them. Specifically, inspect those placed in gas stations or in ATMs. Avoid using any credit card reader that looks like, it has been tampered with. Also try to cover your hand while entering your pin, as the credit card scammers often put cameras near a skimming device in order to capture the pin. The Overcharge Scam With more and more digital transactions, credit card scam is slowly growing its ground. Sometimes, you might receive a call stating your credit card has been overcharged in one of your recent transactions. How helpful! Isn’t it? But the problems might not be true. The scammer will often address you by your name, and he/she might even provide the details of your daily transactions to become more convincing. In case of receiving such calls, don’t ever give sensitive personal information over the phone. Hang up and check your credit card statement closely, in case of any suspicious activity, report it to the issuer. Credit Card Scams in Hotels You are relaxing on a beach, or you’ve just come from an important meeting while on a business trip and you suddenly got a call from the front desk. The call states, there’s a problem with the hotel’s computer system and the front desk needs your credit card details again. So, try not to provide any such details over the phone. After receiving the call walk down to the front desk and ask about it. If that is not possible, call them right away and ask if they called to know your credit card details. So, here are a few pointers for keeping your credit card and bank balances safe. Also, don’t expose your card longer than necessary, never lend your credit card to anyone, always check statements closely, and shred those credit card statements before discarding them. Also, while shopping online, shop from any secured site, just look for HTTPS:// (SSL Certificates / Secured Payment gateways) in the address bar and a lock on the right side of the address bar. Lastly, never share your credit card details, CVV number, or any kind of one-time password over the

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Financial Scams Seniors Should be Aware Off

Rob felt something was ‘off’ with his 68 years old father. When they talked, he would tell him how he met a woman online and occasionally sent money to. Although he never met the woman, she had already confessed her love for Rob’s father through emails and she sometimes asked for money in order to feed herself and her daughter. However, Rob told his father that he is being conned, be he never listened and continued to send the money. One day, Rob’s father suffered a massive heart attack, which gave Rob the Power of Attorney. Only after getting the Power of Attorney, Rob understood the extent of the scam. He found multiple receipts from wire transfer and emails from the lady asking for money. A little digging and he found that his father had already transferred as much as $500,000 during a time frame of two years. Yes! It was his life’s savings. Unfortunately, he is not alone; there are thousands around the world, who are aged 65 and above are particularly at risk of losing money due to financial scams. Those who are above 65 have much more chances of getting duped online than someone into their 40’s. So, just to understand why these elderly people are much more vulnerable to financial scams, it is very much important to know why they are the targets? Unfortunately, elderly individuals are becoming the most frequent targets of any financial scams. Fraudsters often target this section of the population mostly because they are lonely, they are eager to listen and they trust easily than any younger individual. The financial frauds against the elderly population are often performed over the telephone, social networking sites, or by any other means of advertisements. These fraudsters often use different tactics to lure their prey. They can be friendly, or sympathetic or willing to help even in some cases they use the fear factor. Tactics used by these fraudsters ultimately depends on the situation that he is in. During some situations, they might focus on home ownership rather than financial scams, so he will recommend someone, who can repair at a reasonable cost. However, this repair guy might eventually ask the prey to sign a document only after completing the housework. In a few cases, the victim learns that he has already signed the title of his house to the repairman. In some of the cases, these repairmen just overcharge and in return, they don’t even perform the work properly. So, below we are sharing a few types of financial scams that are often targeted towards the elderly people; Anti-aging products: With so much peer pressure from society, physical appearance often takes the center stage. Nowadays many individuals feel the need of finding treatments that conceal their age. These financial scammers often advertise bogus products as the perfect anti-aging solution. Some of the products are even harmful, but still, they are being touted as effective. Financial scams involving these anti-aging products often lead to a loss of a few thousand dollars. Internet: Many seniors are not as tech-savvy when it comes to handling internet or social networking sites. So, there are many times when they get tricked into downloading some fake-anti virus software or any bogus software, which in return tracks and accesses their personal information. Seniors also respond to the phishing emails where they are prompted to update their bank details by visiting a bogus website. Eventually, all these lead to financial scams, that can wipe out the entire bank balance. Fake Drugs: As the price of prescription drugs increases, senior citizens often look for cheap drugs on the internet. Unfortunately, scammers know about this and they set up bogus advertisements of fake counterfeit drugs. Seniors who don’t know about these counterfeit drugs and purchase them, soon realize that they have been duped and the drugs they have bought are not giving them any kind of relief from their health problems. Lotteries: Financial scams involving lotteries is a very old method of scamming. In this scheme, fraudsters often contact their prey over email or telephone by saying they have won a big amount of money/prize. However, to claim the prize one needs to pay a small fee. Now, who doesn’t love to win a prize? So, the unsuspecting victim often transfers money to the scammer’s account through wire transfers, and soon after sending the money, the victim realizes that it was a trap. So, here are a few ways, through which you can be tricked into financial scams and you can even lose your entire life’s savings. Just be careful while interacting with someone, whom you barely know and always keep one thing in mind, your bank will never ask for any of your card details. Also, before buying any drug online, make sure the website is genuine, as counterfeit drugs will not only harm your pocket, it also may affect your health too. And before investing, just make sure you are not investing in any Ponzi or Pyramid Schemes.    

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6 Reasons Why Startups Fail

Every one of us has that friend who aspires to launch a start-up with dreams of becoming the next Elon Musk. However, the harsh reality is most startups fail. The common number of the startup world would always point out that only one in every five million non-funded startups attains unicorn status. And when it comes to funded startups, one in ten thousand becomes a unicorn. Have you ever thought about why most startups fail? And why do some startups succeed and others fail? To help you know the real reasons why many startups fail, we have curated a list of the Top 6 reasons why startups fail, which will give you some insight into the issue. Good Idea, Bad Business When asked why startups fail, the most common answers point out a fragile business model. Suppose the founder or the co-founder needs to gain the skills or abilities required to get the company going. In that case, they must identify those lacking skills and gain the knowledge to compete against competitors. It’s simple economics; no matter how good your idea is, your business will fail if you can’t make it profitable or scalable. Not Understanding the Market One of the main reasons why startups fail is hidden behind the founders’ belief that their product is so unique that the market will beg for their products, and cash will start to flow from every direction. Some of them don’t even understand the capabilities of their product- especially in their early stages. That is why we witness companies change their product lineup to satisfy the market and stay in business. However, if these startups could test their product and understand the market before the launch, the risk of failure and rejection would go down significantly. When the Market is Not Ready In situations like these, the critical factor is always to question yourself when the sales are not taking off. You are the one who can eventually decide when is the best time to stop a loss and change the direction of the company or if it needs some more time, investment, and effort to start making profits Criticism is a Good Thing Most startups fail just because their founders or leaders are unwilling to get feedback from potential customers. If you are not listening to your customers, you’ll never know what they want, and your company will fail. So, don’t be afraid of someone stealing your idea or showcasing a half-baked, crude prototype with too many imperfections. If you make a few prototypes that are far from perfect and have them tested, it’ll put you in a product improvement and continuous learning loop until the product sees demand from potential clients. A Startup Must Avoid Cash Burn To prevent the cash burn, you should identify the areas from where you might end up burning cash. The more your company sees situations like high payroll costs, low-profit margins, delays in payments, and small recurring purchases, the more it stretches its treasury. So, always try to spend on essentials rather than spending extravagant amounts on unnecessary items during this phase. Raising Capital is the Need of the Hour   Raising capital is one of the most essential parts of any startup, and a few times, it becomes one of the top reasons why startups fail. Most young entrepreneurs don’t have a clue about how many rejections they might face before they succeed in raising any kind of capital. Most of the time, the founders start this process too late and go with the wrong investors. The more you are in the market for fund-raising, the more you know what you want as a company and what the investors want from you. A committee of few, who know a thing or two regarding fund-raising, might help you in the long run. At last, premature scaling up of a company, being a one-person army, and obviously, lack of focus are the top reasons startups fail. If you can prevent these mistakes, you’ll set yourself up for a major success story.

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CBD Oil and its 5 Surprising Health Benefits

CBD oil or oils made from Cannabidiol is a very popular remedy used to treat many of the common ailments. THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, which causes the ‘high’ feeling, which is often associated with cannabis. However, unlike its counterpart, CBD is not psychoactive. This quality of Cannabidiol makes it a good option for those who are looking for pain relief and other problems without the mind-altering effect of THC. CBD oil is often made by extracting CBD from cannabis or hemp plant, and then diluting it with other oils like coconut or hemp seed oil. So, below I’m sharing few health benefits of the CBD oil that are backed by scientists and pieces of evidence; CBD Oils May Reduce Acne Acne is a very common skin problem that affects around 9 percent of the population. According to researchers, acne is caused by various reasons including, underlying inflammation, bacteria, genetic, etc. Often overproduction of sebum, which is basically an oil secretion from the sebaceous glands causes acne. Based on various researches, CBD oils can treat these acne-related issues due to its ability to reduce the secretion of sebum and its anti-inflammatory properties. CBD Oils can Treat Sleeplessness and Anxiety CBD oils have a great ability to act on the brain’s receptors, which eventually helps to regulate social behavior and mood. It is more or less similar to anti-depressants, but it works in a much more natural way. However, be very careful to use only CBD oil to treat any kind of condition that are anxiety-related. Any traces of THC can increase the anxiety level and can reverse the desired effect.     According to a Brazilian study, as much as 57 men took CBD 90 minutes before a public speaking test. Later the researchers found that a dosage of 300-mg was most effectively reducing anxiety during the test. When Brain Health Matters According to a recent estimation, as much as 14 million Americans will be at risk of Alzheimer’s by 2050, which will cost the nation nearly $1.1 trillion. As per recent research CBD oils can protect the brain from Dementia and Alzheimer’s, as it can help to prevent radical brain damage by reducing inflammation and by helping the brain to generate new cells. This is the main reason of CBDs popularity amongst the patients who are suffering from seizures. Treating Heart and Blood Pressure As per recent research, Cannabidiol can be a natural treatment to lower higher blood pressure. A study also revealed that using these oils can reduce the systolic blood pressure and stroke volume amongst the subjects who are exposed to stress. Researchers believe the anxiety regulating properties of CBD was responsible to lower the blood pressure, which results in better heart health. Also, thanks to the anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties can help to prevent heart-related illness. Pain Relief Recently scientists have discovered that various components of marijuana, which include CBD are responsible for pain-relieving properties. Studies have shown that CBD can help to reduce chronic pain by impacting the endocannabinoid receptor, which eventually helps to reduce inflammation. Multiple studies have found, that a combination of CBD and THC can be effective in treating arthritis-related pain. Several countries have already approved a spray named Sativex, which is basically a combination of CBD and THC to treat pains due to multiple sclerosis. However, more studies are needed to determine if CBD is really helpful and safe in chronic pain. Currently, many Cannabidiol based products are popping up in many skincare products and sexual health products. However, research is still underway when it comes to its effectiveness on arthritis, various respiratory illnesses, allergies, and cancer prevention. The FDA is yet to take steps in order to regulate the production of Cannabidiol related products, and obviously more researches are needed to be done on safe interactions between other medications and Cannabidiol. Still, with more and more researches and clinical trials, soon CBD oils might become widely accepted and more readily available. However, you should still consult your physician before adding CBD to your health regime.

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Top 5 5G Myths Debunked

Attention! This is a post where we have debunked the top 5 5G myths. The 5th generation of high-speed mobile data, also known as 5G, is now live in multiple locations of the UK, Australia, and the US. However, since the first day of rolling out this high-speed cell phone network, many misconceptions and confusion around the technology also took birth. One of the most alarming theories came up just in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic when few conspiracy theorists tried to like 5G with the spread of Coronavirus. As expected, this resulted in a massive uproar and people started to burning cell phone towers, and even people started to threaten broadband engineers. So, social media giants like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter scrambled into action to stop the misinformation and myths about 5G network. If you look beyond the myths of 5g, you will see it has a massive impact on people’s lives across the planet due to its high speed. 5G will not only provide high-speed data, but a range of industries including autonomous vehicles, drones, IoT, and the health care industry will be benefitted due to its speed. According to experts, there will be as many as 1 billion 5G users by 2023. so, in this article, we have the top 5 5G myths debunked for you. Do I Need a New Phone? The first amongst the top 5 5G myths debunked for you is, your existing phone will continue to work on the 4G network. It’s true that you’ll need a 5G phone to access a 5G network, but it doesn’t mean that you need a swanky new phone to reap all the speed benefits. With the rolling out of the new generation network, one may experience much faster speed with 4G. Additionally, the new generation network system isn’t replacing 4G networks completely. So, even if there’s 5G available in your area, your phone won’t be obsolete anytime soon and it will work completely fine on existing 4G networks. Will 5G Replace Broadband? The 2nd amongst the top 5 debunked 5G myths is, home broadband will continue to work. There won’t be many changes in-home broadband services. Broadband demise due to 5G is too exaggerated, even if the survey suggests going completely wireless. 5G operates in a higher millimeter wave, which means it struggles in long distances and penetrating walls. So, don’t believe in those 5G conspiracy theories, which say home broadband would be obsolete after the launch of 5G. 5G and Digital Divide While debunking the 5G myths, we came across a very important point. Even though 5G is being rolled out in a few of the countries, then switch over from 4G to 5G will be staggered and might take years. So, there’ll be few pockets where the new generation of the internet will work, but 4G will be in larger areas and it’ll take some time to completely replace 4G. Also, few of the rural areas of the country still lack any kind of internet, so expecting high-speed mobile data in those areas would be too much to expect. There’s a high chance that 5th generation cell phone network era can eventually widen the digital divide even more. Can 5G Cause Cancer? Attention!!! One of the biggest 5G health risks debunked. The biggest fear regarding 5G is, it is unsafe due to its radio frequency, and it will expose people to radiation, which can eventually lead to cancer. However, a direct link between cell phone tower radiation and cancer is quite complicated and is often overstated. According to research, there’s a steep increase in microwave absorption takes place at higher frequencies. Although the research wasn’t wrong, the conspiracy theorists conveniently neglected the fact, that the research was conducted on exposed tissues, not on cells that are deep inside the human body. Also, the skin of our body can block higher radio frequencies, which wasn’t taken into account. Additionally, most of the nation often enforces strict regulations when it comes to radiation absorption. So, there’s very little to worry about. Till now we have debunked 4 myths of 5G now read more to know the last one amongst all the debunked 5G myths. Will 5G Impact Daily Life Massively? Until 5G becomes mainstream, it would continue to drive various fundamental changes across various industries ranging from manufacturing to drones in the agriculture sector. Also, as demanded performing an entire surgery over the 5th generation mobile network isn’t going to be mainstream just now, and there’s a little doubt that it will completely revolutionize health care now. Additionally, if you think that the latest generation of cell phone networks will help you to stream the best quality video content, then you might be wrong. Mostly because it depends on the video streaming service provider and its plan. If you have a basic SD plan from Netflix then there’s no way that you can watch your TV shows in high definition. You need to have premium plans for a premium viewing experience. So, there’s little evidence that 5G will completely change our life and it’ll be massively usable over the existing 4G networks. The new generation network is still in its early days and will still take a few years of time to become mainstream.

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