All posts by Awfis Editorial

A Platform That Solves All Your Developer Related Challenges : DeveloperOnRent

Inspiring Stories, , , ,

#inspiringstories@Awfis is an initiative by Awfis Editorial Team to showcase the brilliant business ideas and the journey of our startup member community

One of the biggest struggles as an entrepreneur is getting a professional to develop your platform for you. Whether it is a website or an app, developers are now a pre-requisite to start any company. Freelancers and interns are good options but many times it is not enough.

Kapil Mehta faced the same struggle while starting his own e-commerce company aimed at a niche segment. He was unable to work with the developer of his choice and had to work with one he did not know well enough. He had to constantly go through hierarchies to get in touch with the developer. Developing companies would demand different pricings, contractual service and extra charge for small changes. They would even abstain from giving guidance. As a new business, there was a time crunch, cost concerns and many more considerations that needed to be taken into account.

This is when the concept of DeveloperOnRent.com struck Kapil Mehta. If anyone could rent a developer who would work out of their office, blend into the team culture and provide excellent results, it would solve one of the biggest challenges for any start-up! If a transparent, open and well-integrated process was added, it would become an even more efficient solution for customers.

The hard work to develop this platform started as an unaccompanied journey at home. Slowly but steadily fired by the need to solve this problem, Kapil developed the models, processes and platforms that were needed to give DeveloperOnRent.com a kick start. His target market were customers across B2B, Start-ups, Mid-Size companies and Corporates.

He soon got Jitesh Jain, a technocrat and former employee of Infosys on board at a Director’s position to help him out and since then, they have grown into a wildly successful business.

As an army of two, it was vital that Kapil and Jitesh form a larger team. However the recruitment journey was an uphill battle.

“It was not an easy task for us to build a team, find business and understand the what, how, when and few other questions about the ecosystem. Last but not the least a bootstrap situation as well. So every move was taken cautiously. We failed miserably at times but the passion and faith in the model kept us going,” says Kapil.

After surviving the complexities of recruitment, they got developers on board and their start-up, Developer On Rent was ready for the next step. DeveloperOnRent.com was started as a platform under JJ Bytes Private Limited.

“Jitesh started leading the tech team with handful of developers and delivering state-of-the-art solutions with latest tech trends, ease-of-use, User Interfaces and meeting all business processes on the customer side,” adds Kapil.

The first three months were spent training the employees to deal with various situations and projects that a customer might throw their way. There was no business for these three months. There would be delay in distribution of salaries but the team never gave up.

“As a Founder it was never easy to bring all on the same page with passion to grow, innovate, build processes and trust in the platform and most importantly to create a mind set to achieve,” commented Kapil.

The business model of Developer On Rent is quite unique. The renting model, the flexibility, accountability and ownership and the no fixed pricing strategy is unlike any other business model in the industry.

There is constant motivation derived from passion, ideas, innovation and the dream to become big by earning a good name for the company so that even in challenging situations, both Kapil and his team remains motivated to fight through it.

“The hunger to deliver every day, grow the business and yet ensure that our relationship with each customer, employee and partner shines through, is the key!” says Kapil with a lot of passion.

For his team, it is more about the learning experience. Various technologies, different customers, different behaviors, different business models, different technology stacks, keep the team motivated.

When asked about Developer On Rent’s vision, Kapil Mehta will give you the following answer:

“Focus, attention to detail, doubling the revenue, increase client base and ensuring that we remain hungry and focused on innovation as a technology platform. Also, we aim to take this platform to a global level by setting up in other locations.”

We at Awfis are extremely proud to see the hard work, passion and determination propelling Developer On Rent! We find their story inspiring and are delighted to see them achieve great success while working at our centre.

This story is based on the interview of Mr. Kapil Mehta, Founder – Developer On Rent by Awfis Editorial Team

Become a new face for the corporate world. Be a part of Awfis’ shared office space in Bangalore, or our co-working space in Mumbai.

New Year’s Resolutions we make to break!

Work Life Balance, , , , ,

At the onset of every new year, we all make resolutions and promise ourselves that we will follow them by heart. However, by second week of January, all is forgotten. The word ‘resolution’ isn’t heard until 11 months later. An ambitious entrepreneur is valued on their ability to never give up on their dreams and values. But very often, even the most determined business owner can succumb to make the most common resolutions that break oh so easily!

Here is a list of 6 New Year’s Resolutions that we literally tend to make, just to break!

1) Lose weight, eat healthier, and get fitter.

Every entrepreneur will know that creating a 5 year business plan with all their estimate costs, budgets, and ideas is much easier than keeping this resolution intact. The first week into work, with that fresh smell of creamy coffee and this resolution is out the window.

2) Quit _____________.

Every New Year we decide to quit something or the other, and the only thing we end up quitting is this resolution.

3) Travel and discover new places.

Leaving the world of work behind to explore far-away lands is on everyone’s wish list – every year. The only thing that ends up being explored, however, is the many ways an entrepreneur can manage his enterprise, which is also, not so bad if you take up as a separate resolution.

4) Get organised.

Every disorganised person wishes to change this habit every year. But, unfortunately, with more and more entrepreneurial responsibility coming your way, having an organised plan seems like a distant dream.

5) Learn something new and different.

If this resolution were accomplished we would all be masters at different languages, have too many talents to count, and probably add encyclopedia to our middle name. Unfortunately, the only French we end up learning is ‘croissant’, and the only talent is to arrange fun-Fridays.

6) Don’t stress as much.

Every business owner, even whilst making this resolution, knows that it is not going to last. So basically, this one is a goner from the beginning.

We all know that making these common resolutions are inevitable, but we still hope that one day, things might change and we will actually follow them. So let’s use this year to come up with something that’s doable.

Tell us the funniest resolution you have ever taken and never followed.

Make a positive change in 2017 by changing your office space. Choose our co-working space in Mumbai, or our business centre in Delhi.

8 Films Entrepreneurs must watch

Work Life Balance,

It is commonly said that art imitates life. In many cases, however, imitating life from art can help change one’s perspective. Entrepreneurship is not an easy venture; a thousand obstacles and cost woes can have stressful outcomes.  It is why inspiration and motivation are the two pillars behind every entrepreneur’s ambition.

When any business-owner needs to overcome obstacles and march forward, taking a break and looking for motivation is much needed. What better way to do this than take inspiration from films? Ranging from heart-warming adventures to thought-provoking bio-pics, films can encourage and insinuate any enterpriser.
Because of this, we have hand-picked the top 7 films every entrepreneur must watch to inspire and motivate themselves.

1) The Social Network

IMAGE SOURCE : http://bit.ly/2iD7Hdi
IMAGE SOURCE : http://bit.ly/2iD7Hdi

It is no surprise that The Social Network was a blockbuster in 2010. Everyone wanted to watch Mark Zuckerberg’s (Jesse Eisenberg) journey that started as a Harvard student to owning and launching the most popular social networking site in the world: Facebook.

This movie uses a true story to help a viewer understand the struggles of creating a start-up and transforming it into an empire.

2) Glengarry Glen Ross

IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2i5zzr9
IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2i5zzr9

 

This film holds no bounds in exploring the fierce world of real estate in Chicago. Released in 1992, Glengarry Glen Ross manages to tactfully remove the cotton wool off of the audiences’ eyes and disclose the lies and betrayals people endure to succeed in the business world.

Even though the business world can sometimes be brutal, this film teaches you how to tackle these hurdles skilfully.

 3) Guru

IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2i6m0Kn
IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2i6m0Kn

Guru (2007) is a movie that is loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, Gurukant Desai (Abhishek Bachan) is a middle class boy who marries a rich businessman’s daughter, and uses his dowry to fulfill his ambition. He starts a cloth business in Mumbai and pursues success ruthlessly, resulting in one of the richest companies in the country.

This movie reminds all entrepreneurs that although Desai is ruthless – ambition, commitment to your dreams, and perseverance can change your life forever.

4) The Pursuit of Happyness

IMAGE SOURCE : http://bit.ly/2h5T1Cm
IMAGE SOURCE : http://bit.ly/2h5T1Cm

In 2006, Will Smith enacted this exceptionally moving Bio-pic based on the true story of Chris Gardner that moved the audience with the struggle Gardner and his son experience to follow a dream.

Despite having to face the struggles of being homeless and to provide for his son, this movie reminds us to never stop chasing our dreams. The epilogue of the film reveals that Gardner went on to create his own multimillion-dollar brokerage firm. That kind of passion and sacrifice can fuel every entrepreneur to succeed.

5) Wall Street

IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2hLo2zt
IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2hLo2zt

In 1987, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) insinuated one of the most famous mottos in cinema history: “greed is good”. The film focuses on the unethical and illegal practices Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) uses in order to become wealthy like Gekko, a corporate raider.

The film reminds its audience that selling out for wealth and fame does not give an entrepreneur the satisfaction they desire, as entrepreneurship is much more than that.

6) Rocket Singh: Salesman of The Year

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IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2hgABDC

When Harpreet Singh (Ranbir Kapoor) graduates with a mere 39% in his B Com, he is employed at AYS Computers as a salesman and is mocked on his grades. Taking these circumstances in his stride, he builds his own start-up sales company and an entrepreneur is born.

One of the most important lessons from this film is to remind an audience that success is not determined by academic excellence. Singh’s hunger for taking risks, value for his customers, and ability to take unfair remarks in a positive light is the strongest message behind the story.

7. Shawshank Redemption

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IMAGE SOURCE : http://bit.ly/2i6lbRM

This 1994 hit is listed as one of IMDB’s all-time top 10 movies. Is it no surprise that it is a must watch for business owners. Two cellmates bond over their years in prison, finding comfort and consolidation through common acts of courtesy. The protagonist Andy Duffrene (Tim Robbins) takes a false accusation in his stride (being imprisoned for a false murder), and uses perseverance and planning to achieve the impossible.

This film reminds us that with extensive planning, and using injustice in a positive manner, the impossible is possible.

8) Jerry Maguire

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IMAGE SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2hgzjIZ

This 1996 classic epitomises the meaning of ‘hungry for success’. Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) had it all: a booming career as a sports agent, a beautiful fiancé and an exciting social life. One day, his perspective changes, and he realises the importance between taking care of and understanding your clients.
Maguire loses everything and finds himself re-building his career with his revised business values. Apart from watching Cruise recite his famous dialogue “Show me the money!” Maguire’s journey allows him to pursue his dreams and learn valuable lessons along the way.

What cinematic twist will your entrepreneurial journey encounter?

Are you a budding entrepreneur, look for shared office spaces in Andheri West, Mumbai or business centre in Qutab, New Delhi

 

Tips to organise a memorable business event

Business How To’s,

A successful business event is a great way to get visibility as well as credibility within your target audience. Therefore, organising a memorable and interesting event that sets your brand’s personality, tone and imagery in the minds of your target audience is of utmost significance.

Here are a few tips to help you in delivering great events:

#1. Decide upon an interesting agenda

Understand your target audience well and understand why they would want to attend your event. If the agenda is interesting and you have called a panel of experts who your audience would like to gain knowledge from, there is bound to be a good turnout. Make sure that your agenda also achieves your company’s objectives behind setting up an event. It could be anything ranging from increasing brand awareness to creating a brand personality. Try to add an element which is original to the event. This adds another reason for the audience to attend.

#2. Set apart time for networking

One of the major reasons you would attend an event is to optimize on networking opportunities. A wide variety of experts and entrepreneurs related to the field attend business events. This is a great opportunity to meet new people, build connections and a good way to gain new business,partnerships, friendships and insights. Make sure to include networking time in your schedule when organising your event.

#3. Prepare a carefully planned out budget

Your budget usually comes from your internal marketing account, sponsors and ticket sales. Start an Early Bird Ticket sales strategy in order to judge the number of people who would be turning up. Provide discounts on these tickets in order to entice your audience. You can also use crowdfunding platforms to sell tickets. Approach your sponsors and partners even before booking your venue so you can anticipate whether your target budget is achievable or not.

#4. Make a check list

There are many aspects that need to be taken care of while organising an event. Create a check list and ensure that you do not miss out on any important aspect. You can also create a timeline that covers which task needs to be completed when and clearly call out the person/consultant responsible for them. This will ensure that all tasks remain on track and there are no discrepancies on the day of the event.

#5. Build a team for the event

Create a team of people dedicated solely towards the event. Distribute and assign tasks to each member of the team and take constant updates on the status of each task. Keep the communication lines open so it is easy for the team to get in touch with each member as well as yourself. A team approach will ensure that tasks are streamlined and carried out in an organised manner.

#6. Market, market, market

A lot of efforts may go into planning the event, but if it is not marketed well, your target audience may not even know about your event. You may hire an agency specialising in social media to maximise your reach or you may create a communication plan by yourself. Recognise the media where your targets lie. Determine which websites your audience most visits, the magazines and newspapers they read and facilitate your PR efforts towards the same. You can even send out personalized, innovative invitations to attract your audience’s attention.

#7. Gifts and goodies

Gifts and goodies are one of the main sources of satisfaction for the audience attending the event. Organising small gifts for them will ensure that your brand is leveraged and the audience receives a reason to look forward to the rest of the event.

#8. Content is king

The main reason your audience decides to attend your event is for the content. If it is a seminar, it is for the knowledge, if it is a cultural event, it is for the entertainment factor. Make sure that the main content is unique.

#9. Make a contingency plan

A pre-emptive approach towards things that could possibly go wrong is a great way to foresee challenges and have a back-up plan to avert them. Have a contingency plan for each of the scenarios you can come up with to ensure smooth functioning of your event.

Organising an event for your business can be a massive task if not planned and structured well. A company event represents the brand. It inspires trust among your target audience and is a great way to achieve business visibility and goals. Focusing on content, contingency plans and marketing are some of the non-negotiable factors in delivering a great event.

Have you planned your event, but still figuring out how to execute? Check out co-working spaces in Koramangla, Bengaluru or shared offices in Andheri East, Mumbai.

Monitoring and Managing Kid’s Digital Interactions: FamilyHawk

Inspiring Stories,

#inspiringstories@Awfis is an initiative by Awfis Editorial Team to showcase the brilliant business ideas and the journey of our startup member community.

With increasing availability of digital devices to children and the swiftness with which they adapt themselves to use it, it is the children who use the digital devices more than what parents do. While Digital world opens up a lot of opportunities to them it also exposes them to certain risks which they are not equipped to handle at the tender age and parents do not have the knowledge of their interactions to help them. The problem becomes bigger if we also take into account the tendency of a child to hide his / her digital interaction with parents. According to a survey conducted by Intel – McAfee – 64% of the pre-teens hide their online activities (and this is a percentage of people who admitted it in a survey). Couple this with the fact that Parents these days are busy surmounting the challenges posed with extended hours of work, demands of life and surviving in an increasingly competitive world, etc. The task becomes daunting. India is also fast emerging as the “Child Bullying capital” with more than 42% of the kids getting exposed to cyber bullying in India (Intel- McAfee Survey). This brings to the fore the needto de-risk the digital interactions of the kids and to help them when they need it.

Existing methods of monitoring the physical interaction of kids – that parents are aware of, do not work in the digital world. Use of a technology based solution that assists parents is the only solution.

FamilyHawk has launched a Digital Interaction Monitoring and Management service through their app FH-Junior that sits on child phone and helps parents monitor and manage Voice Calls made and SMS sent to and from the kid’s phone, App Installed on their phone and their Usage, putting geo-fence around their expected location and raising alerts in case of violation, monitoring web access and putting family rules around them. The ‘Family Rules’ could be around calls they can receive depending on Caller’s Idor day and time of week, Max App Usage Per day, App Usage restriction based on day and time of week, Website access based on time and day of week and blocking of specific category of websites or specific websites or any combination of these rules.FamilyHawk also launched the parent app – FH Senior, through which parents can monitor the reports and set ‘Family Rules’. Parents can also utilise any desktop / laptop to access the portal https://app.familyhawk.com and view the reports or set the ‘Family Rules’.

FamilyHawk lays emphasis on the fact that before the digital device is handed over to the kids, it is important that parents explain kids their expected behaviour vis-a- vis the usage of digital devices. Parents should guide kids on when and where it is appropriate to use the digital devices and explain them the family rules for responsible use of digital devices. Family rules could relate to usage of device at dinner table, at night, when they have to complete the homework and when they are supposed to be sleeping or etiquette of interacting with others in the digital world. Kids can be the target of bullying / they should be guided on treating others in the same way that want to be treated. The manner and ethics of digital interactions would be similar to their physical world.

Once the guidance to the kids is set in place, the same should be monitored and managed through FamilyHawk apps – FH-Junior and FH Senior, and its exceptions should be used as an opportunity to reinforce the principles of good digital citizens.

We at Awfis think that FamilyHawk’s journey is motivational and we are proud to have such inspiring stories building in our centres!

This story is based on the interview of Mr. Sudhanshu Tewari, Founder – FamilyHawk by Awfis Editorial Team

Young minds are full of new ideas. If you are willing to channelize them into the digital direction, look for co-working spaces in Lower Parel, Mumbai or business centre in MG Road, Bengaluru.

All you need to know about Amazon Go

Business Innovations, , ,

Imagine yourself buying grocery at a departmental store. Everything seems to be going smoothly until you realise you have to stand in the long check-out line for more than twenty minutes in order to complete your transaction. Amazon realised this pain point amongst its consumers and has innovated a creative solution for it – Amazon Go, a revolutionary way of shopping for groceries.

Amazon has been known as one of the most innovative companies in the world. Whether it is reading on the move with Kindle instead of having to carry a physically heavy book or providing cloud and web services to small businesses while starting up, Amazon is in the forefront of new age business innovations introducing change in the way of doing things.

How does Amazon Go work?

Amazon Go is a physical departmental store and their effort is to enter the offline retail market for food and grocery items. All you need to do is scan the QR code provided on the Amazon app while entering the store and shop what you need. You do not have to stand in any check-out lines after you are done shopping. You can choose your products, pick them and just leave the store. The bill will be sent automatically on your Amazon Account which can be paid online. You are required to have an Amazon Account in order to enter the store where you will receive the QR code. To sum it all up, once scanned at the entrance, Amazon recognizes when you add an item to your cart or when you keep it back on the shelves. Once you leave the premises, it prepares your bill and charges your Amazon account. This is an easy, efficient and intelligent way for grocery shopping.

What do the Amazon Go stores have to offer?

Other than no check-out lines and easy transactions, Amazon Go stores at this point mainly consist of grocery items and ready-to-make food.

Where is the store?

The Amazon Go store is in Seattle. With an area of 1800 feet, currently only the beta version is functional and is only open to Amazon employees. It will be open to the general public at the beginning of 2017.

What can be learnt from Amazon after the big Amazon Go reveal?

Amazon proves time and again that they are here to innovate massively and use technology to add to the world’s progress in retail and commerce. After Kindle, Amazon Go is a smart use of Artificial Intelligence and technology.

Amazon has hit the target on understanding a definite need and pain point for the audience and delivering on it – be it online shopping or real time grocery purchase.

For new business owners, this is something to learn from. Understanding your target audience is one of the most important factor of running a business. As Amazon has repeatedly pointed out, it is also one of the best ways to create new products and earn profits from them.

Another learning is Amazon’s extensive marketing plans that enable it to enter new markets. After focusing on a market and becoming the market leader, Amazon always tries to innovate and enter a new market.

You can have the power to revolutionise your market, or even a new market you want to enter, by catering to the needs of your audience. Learning from Amazon when it comes to such concepts can propel your business into higher levels of innovation and profits.

Do you have a unique idea like Amazon Go, but lack a space to execute? Look no further! Check out our shared office space in South Extention, New Delhi or shared office space in Hosur Road, Bengaluru.

Make your mornings more productive in just 5 steps

Work Life Balance, ,

Waking up to a blaring alarm and rushing off to work is a common morning ritual followed by working professionals. For most of us, mornings start on a stressful note starting with struggle to evade traffic and reach office on time, sift through massive list of emails and a never-ending to-do list. Dedicated and repeated efforts can make even the impossible achievable. So, here are a few steps to help you make your mornings more productive and stress free:

#1. Take small steps

One of the major obstacles while creating a morning ritual comes when you try to suddenly make a lot of changes in your lifestyle at one go. Take small steps to achieve your final goal. If your aim is to rise at 6 am while you currently rise at 8 am, keep setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier every week till you reach your target time. It may seem like a task when you suddenly ask your mind and body to wake up at a time that they are not used to, thus making rising early a difficult act to accomplish.

#2. Think of your second step

Now that you have made sure that you are awake at your targeted time, think of what you would like to achieve next. Is your next step to drink 2 litres of water, have a smoothie or just sit and meditate for a few minutes before getting started with the day?

#3. Exercise and Meditate

The importance of exercise cannot be stressed upon enough. It activates your mind and body thus providing you with an extra dose of productivity through your day. A satisfying work out session when followed by a 5-minute meditation session definitely calms you down and keeps you ready to deal with conflicts and hurdles through the day. Meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes to focus on your breathing to calm your thoughts and free your mind of worries.

#4. Create an action plan

Once you have focused on completing all the tasks above, focus on what you would like to achieve through the day. Note down all your tasks from the toughest to the easiest that needs to be completed before your work day ends.

#5. Focus on the toughest task first

It has been observed that the human brain has the maximum potential for productivity in the morning. In this case, focusing the first 90 minutes of your work day on replying to emails and going through social media would amount to wasting precious time. Therefore, complete the toughest and most important task on your action plan first. Priorities can change based on what clients want. Try to schedule meetings after lunch hours or in the evenings, keeping aside precious time for the most important tasks that need to be completed first.

Following a morning ritual can be quite a task when you are starting out. However gradually building your habits and then following them for a minimum of 30 days will guarantee that it becomes a part of your routine, something that you do instinctively. Make your mornings more productive; decide a diligent routine to keep your mind and body healthy!

What’s your morning mantra? Awfis provides co-working spaces in Churchgate, Mumbai or shared office spaces in Indiranagar, Bengaluru to make your mornings more productive.

 

Playing Secret Santa? Here are some fun gift ideas for your co-workers!

Work Life Balance, ,

Secret Santa is one of the most awaited affairs at any workplace as the year comes to a wrap. The mystery behind a possibly cute Santa, excitement to buy gifts for your office bestie and an opportunity to do fun stuff is what it is all about. It is also a great way to bond and network with your co-workers. Therefore, choosing an appropriate gift, something that your colleague will appreciate is very important.

Here are few gift ideas to help you brighten your colleague’s day:

#1. Personalized Gifts

        a) A Personalized Puzzle

A puzzle of their own photograph or something they really care about is a fun way to show how attentive you are in your conversations.

       b) A Personalized Desktop Calendar

Along with reminding your colleague of the date and the days going by, it is a great way to show you care.

      c) Personalized Stationery

Personalized pens and diaries are not only thoughtful but also useful at a workplace where a lot of notes need to be taken.

#2. Desk Décor Items

        a) A Lantern

Lanterns are great decorations whether they are hung on the wall or kept on the desk. You can gift your colleague a decorative lantern which they can light in the evenings and place on their desks.

        b) A snacking jar

Have a foodie as a colleague who cannot stop munching? A quirky, airtight snacking jar they can keep on their desk and snack from every now and then might be a very thoughtful gift for them.

        c) Wall Hangings and posters

If one of your colleagues sits before a wall they can decorate, wall hangings and posters are good options. You can gift them with wall hangings and posters related to people and topics they may care about.

        d) A Desk Planner

For the colleague who plans out every minute and has a lot of tasks to be completed on his to-do list, this is a very useful gift.

        e) Star Wars Goodies

For the effervescent Star Wars/Comic fans, this gift will surely bring a smile on their face and light up their desk with quirk and love for Star Wars.

#3. Easy Travel Options

        a) A Travel Coffee Mug

Coffee is a must for everyone to kick start their day. Therefore, a travel mug for when your colleague might be late will be a great gift.

       b) A Card Holder

A holder which can hold all their visiting, credit and debit card in a comprehensive manner might be a very helpful for a co-worker.

Gifts are a way of showing someone how much you care for them and respect them. Getting the right gift for your co-worker is therefore your key to win their liking and friendship. Keep in mind what your colleague cares about most, what he or she needs and what would make him or her happy before deciding what you would like to purchase for them.

Playing secret Santa is fun, but working in the right office space is more motivating. Choose a shared office space in MG Road, Bengaluru or co-working space in Connaught Place, New Delhi.

5 ways for Entrepreneurs to unwind and relax

Work Life Balance, ,

For an entrepreneur, the feeling of owning a business center and caring for a business they have built comes naturally, making them uncomfortable to leave it to anyone else. A lot is invested in it and a lot more rides on it. But to succeed, the work needs to be productive and of high quality and in order to produce such work, your mind needs constant care, nutrition and relaxation.

Relaxation is often unnoticed and ignored by entrepreneurs due to their busy schedule and constant work flow. But it is important to give yourself a mental or even physical vacation from work to rejuvenate your mind and be innovative continuously. We suggest a few ways to unwind for them:

1. Uninterrupted deep sleep

“Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care,

The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,

Chief nourisher in life’s feast.”

Macbeth, Shakespeare

Shakespeare was a huge disciple of sleep and the benefits it brings, and for good reason. Sleep nourishes the mind and is an important catalyst to the thinking process. Problems that might seem humungous before sleep will have creative solutions after a sound rest as your subconscious is still active while you sleep, untangling your problems and thinking of solutions. If you have spent a lot of time trying to solve a tough dilemma, sleep on it.

But this is not the only benefit sleep brings. Your mind needs breaks in constant intervals in order to function at its maximum potential. Sleep releases the mind of all its troubles and gives it the ample nourishment to deal with bigger dilemmas.

2. Ditch the wi-fi, take a break

A vacation is usually the best way to take a break and rejuvenate. You might feel the need to use the wi-fi to keep up with mails and other work that might need your attention. But a strong suggestion is to keep away from any social media and emails just for a while. In fact, it would be best if you travel to a network-free zone.

It is extremely important to indulge your mind in things that you might enjoy other than work. Your mind gets a chance to relax and ponder over things that otherwise take a backseat. It gives you a chance to enjoy with your family, friends and most importantly yourself. In fact, travelling opens you up to people, ideas and perspectives and has given many entrepreneurs a chance to explore new avenues.

To enjoy a stress-free vacation, you can brief your employees and set up automated emails to frequently asked questions. You can then travel knowing that work will not suffer while you are away.

3. Explore hobbies

At one point, you might have enjoyed a plethora of hobbies in music, dance, art or even martial arts. Most entrepreneurs love to keep up with these hobbies. Your hobby is something you have either wanted to learn in a long time or would love to continue doing because it relaxes your mind, body and soul. You can easily unwind with one of your hobbies. Reading books, listening to music, painting a canvas, spending time with animals, may all seem like things you should not focus your energies on when there seems to be a deadline every day. But doing what you love even in your free time will keep you satisfied and happy especially at work.

4. Exercise and Meditation

The advantages of exercise are widely known. Therefore it is not a surprise that exercising activates the mind and body. It releases stress and keeps you healthy which is a vital requirement for productive work. If exercise is followed by meditation, it gives your mind a chance to settle the turbulent thoughts and give you clarity, in turn leading to clarity of actions giving you better solutions and the resilience to deal with terrible lows as well.

5. Thinking break outs

Despite the endless to-do list in front of you, it is crucial to take think breaks. You may not spend more than 50 hours at work, but these breaks ensure that you are thinking about your company continuously. In your breaks you can think of how you can integrate new aspects into your product or service, how to make processes more efficient, go over employee feedback and much more.

With gruelling days followed by sleepless nights thinking about your company, you might feel that you can’t afford to spend time on relaxation. But it has been observed that more than 9 hours of work in continuation will lead to mental fatigue. This fatigue is harmful for productivity and hence the problem that would usually take you an hour to solve might end up taking you three hours wasting essential time. Taking a break every now and then will keep you healthy and mentally active.

Entrepreneurs always require a motivating ambience to work in. They made the right choice, you must too. Look for busines centre in Andheri East, Mumbai or shared office space in Koramangla, Bengaluru.

Why you must avoid miscommunication at all costs

Business How To’s

“Well, it’s really no use our talking in the way we have been doing if the words we use mean something different to each of us…and nothing.” – Malcolm Bradbury

Effective communication is the building block of a productive dialogue between two or more individuals anywhere in the world and that gone awry can be an incredibly painful experience. If you have ever faced a situation where the other person could not fully understand what you meant or maybe you could not express the message in the way you wanted, you know how it feels. Communication gone wrong can have extreme impacts on business goals and your achievements.

What causes miscommunication?

In any conversation, the two involved parties are perhaps familiar with each other or not. When communicating, sometimes it slips the mind that the message may be interpreted differently by the listener. What may seem obvious to be understood may not be so. Clarity in communication sets the ground for a long and fruitful business relationship and hence must be dealt with utmost care and attention. There are multiple reasons leading to miscommunication and failed conversations. Here are three of the most common causes:

1. Non-verbal cues- Lack of synonymy between your body language and your verbal communication can cause misinterpretation of the message. Facial expressions and tone of voice are the focus areas here.

2. Ineffective communication between management and employees- An organisation failing to proactively disseminate information and commence engaging dialogues among the employees and the management may face hurdles in building a great culture.

3. Assumptions- Making assumptions while receiving or sending a message ultimately leads to miscommunication. Things may not be as you may assume.

How can miscommunication harm you?

Personal and professional relationships can both be harmed tremendously with miscommunication creeping in between. Being aware of your tone and demeanour while you convey a message is extremely significant. Here are some ways miscommunication can harm you and the organization:

1. Stress through discords- Discords and conflicts are the obvious by products of miscommunication. Missed deadlines, misinformation, negative feelings towards co-workers are only a few consequences causing higher stress levels.

2. Low motivation levels- The job that you were so motivated and excited about at one point may seem like a stressful and unwanted task. The major reason for this might be the constant struggle to get the right information, run behind false deadlines and face conflicts.

3. Low quality of work- Miscommunication can lead to warped facts as well as a negative feeling towards work harming you as well as your organisation. This discourages productive work and induces hurried, stress infused and low quality outcome.

4. Unhappy clients- Incomplete work, extended deadlines and under-delivered promises, all lead to unhappy clients. You know exactly why is it bad for business.

 

How can you avoid miscommunication?

Now since you know the causes of miscommunication, you might be wondering how to get out of such situations. Here are four ways of doing it:

1. Communicate your expectations- Let the listener know what are they supposed to do with your conveyed message and their role in it. While explaining a new project, tell the team members what is expected from each of them so they are clear with their responsibilities.

2. Be clear and precise- Communicate the details and the goals clearly and precisely. Do not clutter the message with unnecessary details.

3. Body language- While conversing with anyone, make sure that your body language is aligned with what you are trying to say. If your expressions or hand gestures do not resonate with the message, there is a high chance that it will lead to confusion as well as negative feelings.

4. Ask for a repetition- When you instruct somebody, instead of asking them if they follow, ask them to summarise their understanding or how they plan to go about it. This will confirm whether the listener has understood the message clearly.

A friendly and supportive culture is imperative for an organisation to ensure happy and productive employees. Miscommunication causes a huge gap in that culture and leads to dissatisfied employees and disgruntled clients. Keep miscommunication at bay to promote a better work culture and build a great business.

Miscommunications happen due to lack freedom. Choose a office space that allows you to free your mind and explore the new you. Check out shared office space in Churchgate, Mumbai or co-working space in South Extention, New Delhi.