Author: Stacey Ryan

These days, an online business is becoming something of a norm. People have ditched physical stores and opt for an online one, all for reasons that are different from each other. This is a good thing seeing that the space for one to create a physical store is getting less and less, so web-based businesses will stay for a long time and can even grow even more.

If you got yourself an online store or an online service provider, then we must congratulate you for being one of the many folks who embrace the future. You will join the others in creating the string that connects the world, and your online store will definitely make a better profit when compared to exclusively having a physical store.

But we are not here just to congratulate you on being one of the folks to bring the world forward. We also want to tell you about one of the most problematic things in the online world: hackers. Hackers are people who can hack into your online store and do things with it. If you are lucky, the hackers might only be pranksters who want to prank you by perhaps doing minor, harmless changes on your website. If you are not lucky, the hackers might be a malicious individual or group who is aiming to bring your website down or steal your customers’ information. 

Because getting your customers’ information stolen and having your website down is never a good thing for those who owned an online store, we want to tell you several ways for you to able to prevent hackers from entering your store. What are those ways?

You need to keep your server computer updated

 If you are opening an online store, chances are you already which of your computer is the server computer, so we are not going to divulge more about it. 

What we want to divulge to you is that you always need to keep your server computer updated, even if it is just a small update. Every program that you got – more so if the program is directly connected to the livelihood of your online store – needs to be kept up to date. By updating the programs, the chance of you getting hacked will be reduced, which leads to an easier breathing and less paranoia when you are handling an online store. 

If you set up a Wi-Fi system, you need to secure it

There is no better door for hackers to enter than an unsecured Wi-Fi. Having a wireless network is very useful, especially if you normally keep track of your online store using your smartphone. However, you need to keep your Wi-Fi secured if you do not want some shady folks from entering your network through an open Wi-Fi. Just put up a password on your Wi-Fi and you will generally be safe.

Keep your devices secure

Devices here mean laptops, computers, smartphones, and other things that are also connected to the same network as your online store. If you got one of them stolen, the thief only needs to boot the gadget up and access your network through that gadget. From there, he/she can bring ruin to your online store and then your life. 

If you want to, you can also encrypt your gadgets so that only you and perhaps several other folks that you trust can access the gadgets. The word ‘encrypting’ might sound so nerdy and complex, but it is actually easy to do, so you need to do it quickly if you want to secure your online business. 

Establishing a company is not a simple thing. Maybe you could start it smoothly at the beginning, but as you run the business, you need to know things you should do in a certain situation and what you shouldn’t in other circumstances. Many entrepreneurs were unable to determine the right step when they are trying to develop their small business and ended up ruin it all. So, here are some lessons you can take from those experiences.

Think Twice Before You Decide to Have a Partnership

Many entrepreneurs had realized when the business has already collapsed that they have wrongly chosen a partner. Just because you have been best friend with someone or your coworker for years, it doesn’t mean they are the perfect person to run a business together. You need to bear in mind that handling everyday things in order to run a business is far harder than being excited when you starting the company.

The best person to be your partner is likely someone who has approach and skills on the total opposite of yours. This combination will make you able to cover the most ground tasks especially when you couldn’t hire more employees. You both may have some conflicts, but this situation will guide you to defend your business instinctively and eliminate unnecessary ideas thus avoid wasting resources.

Keep Your Motivation and Don’t Be Discouraged

You should remember that running a small business is not the finish line. It is instead the start line that will lead you to a long and complicated route. Just try to enjoy everything in the process. You always have the right to abandon all problems and take the exit. But, someone who wants to own business will absolutely plan for a long term one.

There will be ups and downs, both even could be on the same day. You may come to know some wonderful clients and fail others for many reasons. All those experiences are part of running a business. Just take those downs as a common thing and be more resilient. Learn how to calm down your stress and make sure those downs won’t make you discouraged.

Always Keep in Mind Why You Want to Build a Business

Some people follow their passion when they create a business. And, some others may want to have full control of their time. No matter what your reason is, you shouldn’t forget why you choose to go down this road. Running a small business will make you easily carried away and forget what you really wanted from your own business. It’s true that business needs sacrifices, but don’t let it take away the very thing you wanted permanently.

Do Not Handle Everything by Yourself

As the business owner, it is you who bear the responsibility to run and grow it. Do not waste your time and energy for some administration tasks. Hire someone and you can devote yourself to developing the business. It may seem that you waste money for this action, but you will get reimbursement soon after.

Don’t be Stagnant, Be Evolving

The marketing plan, the strategy, and target market are changing every day. Nothing is set for a long time. The business will absolutely experience a swing whether little or significant at some point. Keep the eyes open for every change and welcome every new idea that comes into you.  

Today, variously processed tofu for a tofu business is very diverse. For those of you who feel confused when going to start a business of tofu, that might still be new in your life. This can make you afraid of missteps because you might not be able to think calmly about the conditions.

What is a certain characteristic of your tofu?

In a business of tofu, at least you should pay attention to the following three things.

Price

The price ranks first because, with a price that fits in the pocket of the target buyer, it will give satisfaction to the customer. Even buyers from far away can come to pursue the right price for him.

Service

Everyone must be happy with good service. Don’t forget the friendly smile to customers. Jam, speed is also one of the supporting factors for customer satisfaction

Comfortable

In fact, we often find there are crowded street food vendors, beating the inn with a comfortable place. The problem is only one, it can’t be fooled. Your tongue will understand good food with less tasty unless you have thrush, toothache or a breakup. 

What tofu procession is right for the business?

There are so many recipes to make processed tofu with good taste that must be tried. But of course, the recipe selection process must be adapted to the regional culture. If you sell processed tofu in the Madura area, it will certainly be different in its kind with those displaying stalls in the Chinatown area. And here, we present some processed tofu recipes that we feel are suitable for selling items.

Tofu Nugget

Nugget tofu can be a favorite to be used as an object of sale in the city. Moreover, Nugget tofu can be a long-lasting snack by storing it in the refrigerator. It also feels crispy on the outside and soft in making tofu nuggets into snacks and side dishes that are quite popular. How to make tofu nuggets is also quite easy, like making chicken nuggets. And if you want a more delicious taste, you can add a little chicken. Pack in a good container, tofu can be left in the stalls around you.

Tofu Chips

Tofu chips can also be good preparations. Carrying label chips, this type of cuisine has a savory and long-lasting taste. You can also add a secret recipe so that tofu chips have a more colorful taste. For example, you can make spicy tofu snacks at a certain level. So it’s not just plain dry fried tofu. If your processed tofu can be accepted by the market, tofu chips can be packaged in the form of flatulent snacks which certainly increases your sales branding in the eyes of buyers. It is no longer entering a grocery store or school canteen, but a supermarket.

French Fries of Tofu

Junk food like french fries is delicious. But the calories in french potato fries are very high. Unlike tofu. The process of making french tofu is using an oven. It is no longer fried with fat deposits that make the sugar in your stomach multiply. Of course, french tofu fries are very good as a complementary food in your restaurant. In addition, tofu prices are also cheaper than potatoes.

Mayonnaise Tofu

If mayonnaise is generally made from eggs which contain too much fat and cholesterol, you can make mayonnaise made from tofu. Of course for vegans, this recipe will be very popular. What you need in making mayonnaise tofu is silk tofu.

Those are some tips for starting a tofu business. Hopefully, you get inspiration from our writing.

The homemade cake business is also timeless and there is always a demand. The ease of starting a business, which can be set to quite large sales margins, and unflagging market tastes are some of the reasons why selling cakes in a home scale has a prospect to pursue.

The way to market this home-made cake business is apparently not too complicated. You can master it immediately, like the following five paths.

Selling on the “Seasonal Market”

Friday, Saturday and Sunday are potential times for selling. Whether near the mosque after Friday prayers, weekend markets, or Car Free Day, you can hold a wet cake sale stall in the “seasonal market” that appears at these special times. Another very busy time is in the month of Ramadan. Wet cakes are often sought as an alternative to breaking fast. Like other culinary traders, your turnover can double in Ramadan because of the tendency of people to become more consumptive in the fasting month.

Minimize the Sales Outlet

The conventional way of selling, but quite effective is to entrust your cakes to sales outlets. Office, school, campus canteens, and grocery stalls will receive your cake with open arms. With a note, you maintain product quality and set a friendly price, considering that in canteens and stalls like this the price is not pegged too expensive.

Receive Periodic Orders for Events

Wet cakes are often the choice of filler snack boxes that are shared in meetings, such as meetings, seminars, and social gatherings. You need to be good at finding opportunities by approaching certain communities and agencies that will routinely hold meetings like this. Periodic ordering at the set time will make it easier for you to make a production schedule and make sales estimates.

Open Pre-Order

Social media to help smooth marketing can be utilized too. You can create a pre-order system that is now popular. In the minds of today’s customers, pre-orders imply exclusivity. On the other hand, you are freer to set the capacity and production schedule because it only makes it based on incoming orders. Empower online and –e-commerce shipping services to help fast distribution to buyers. 

Become A Big Cake Shop Supplier

Some medium to large scale cake shops is not always able to handle wet cake production. Here is the opportunity to enter as a supplier. You can apply a buy-out system or consignment to these stores. Alternatively, you can provide your best cakes without a brand, which will be repackaged with the stores’ label. Ned to be underlined, working with a scale larger than you like this means that you must consistently meet the standards of the quality and quantity. The stores’ reputation is at stake with your product. 

With a variety of cakes that are very varied, you are not required to make everything yourself. Take advantage of the services of a particular type of cake supplier while also specializing in having specific cakes that you will put forward as a business trademark. Reevaluate marketing strategies regularly to determine which strategy is the most effective. 

So, try these tips and good luck with your homemade cake business.  

In the beginning, as a businessman, you may see everything as simple as building a great product, market them and see people come to be attracted and willing to spend their money on it. Afterward, you can hire people to handle the menial tasks and you’ll take the CEO role. In the end, you’ll also delegate that position as well and live on the beach relax and peacefully.

The fact is, those who have spent more than 3 months trying to set up a business know that story isn’t the common events for a startup. In reality, developing business will most likely bring you lots of surprising twists where your product fails, folks quit and you burn out.

To help you decrease the impact of those bumps, there are important lessons from the most successful businessman who has to learn it the hard way, which maybe you don’t have to.

• The first idea generally couldn’t be your best one

When you think you are ready to launch your product, it’s actually similar to a newborn baby. It’s still fragile, delicate and even ugly. The worst case is that you don’t receive any feedback. It is the most common case when an ambitious entrepreneur decides to launch the product they love and they have no response at all.

The market doesn’t wish to outright you and tell that the product is terrible. They won’t interact with the content; they have no interest to click on the CTAs and quickly unsubscribe. When they say nothing, they basically let you know that your product is terrible.

But, that’s really okay. Now, you should turn those result into a profitable idea. Do everything that you could to determine what your market really need and understand it completely. Since your first idea likely won’t be your best idea, it’s best not to be attached to this idea only. Focus on the specific metrics that really matter. And test it all before and during the building process.

• Waiting for the right one is better than recklessly hire the wrong person

It would just take a few times before you realize that hiring people because you like them or because they are willing for a low salary is a really bad idea. It is many times better to hire someone who is good at their job even if you have to pay them a bit more. On the long terms, they will actually save you money.

You need to take your time when you are trying to find your employee. On the initial stages, only hire when you have to. But, if it is best to delegate some tasks to someone else, so you can focus on money-generating activities, then you should do it.

• Your mental health will directly affect the business’s fate

According to the statistic, people who choose to be entrepreneurs will be twice likely to have depression. That’s how the business traps you, the more you struggle then the more your business will be struggling. 

But, you have to keep in your mind that your physical and mental health is everything you should not sacrifice it. Be a businessman that focus on sustainability and longevity which means you should also pay attention to your mental and physical health. Eat something good, take exercises and take time for your personal life.