#and it doesn’t even take a smart social media/marketing team to profit off of it

[faithinlouisfuture]

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[squirrelylife]

Taylor Swift: An Essay

“There’s just something about her I don’t like” I used to say. Is it perhaps that I perceived something negative from her that I couldn’t put words to or is it simply that I was influenced by the media? After watching the documentary about Free Britney, I kept thinking about how the media can manipulate our beliefs by spinning dishonest stories or exaggerated stories about famous people. And through this analysis, I kept thinking about Taylor Swift. So, I thought I would try to figure out what it was I didn’t like about her. 

I started by searching for a documentary on her. Lucky for me, since “Miss Americana” exists. 

So I went in with an open mind, and what do you know. That documentary is so eye-opening. 

Things I learned from the documentary: 

Taylor is a songwriting genius.

She’s so thoughtful. I think she’s an introvert because she doesn’t speak just to speak. She speaks to make her point and no further. 

The media scrutiny she faces is no joke. I imagine having a healthy personal life must be difficult. 

Personally, I’m an introvert and just the thought of so much media scrutiny gives me chills. I give props to her, to have every day scrutiny and still be willing to face the media. She must love her craft and her fans so much. 

Songwriting

Then, I decided to listen to her albums. 

She writes all of her songs. It only takes a quick google search to see her discography and see that the majority of them are written solely by her or with only one other person. Additionally, she wrote an entire album by herself. That’s crazy! Do you know the magnitude of that? Let’s compare her to one of the other youngest biggest universal singer/songwriters in the world. Adele. If you look at Adele’s discography, you see she has 3 albums. The first one was mostly only written by her, the other two were co-written with a few people. (I chose Adele because that’s one of the artists I know most of) Now, search for another artist in mainstream media, and I can almost guarantee on average 5 people worked in just one song.

If you turn the radio on specially on a pop station, you’ll find a lot of catchy songs, but they are usually without substance or narrative. You’ll find something extra in a Taylor song though, she’s a master at it. Even if the song is catchy you’ll find yourself singing about a story that you relate so much to, until the moment where you realize you’re actually singing about things Taylor has experienced. Now, let me make some assumptions that seem to be the norm. Pop mainstream songs follow a theme close with the singer but more often than not the artist only comes up with a theme and maybe a couple of lines to the song and the artist gets an entire team to give life to the vibe that they want. Now, that doesn’t happen with Taylor. She comes to the studio with lyrics in mind, and bounces off ideas with her producer/s but at the end of the day even if she co-writes the song, the majority of the song building comes from her. Do you have any idea how profitable Taylor Swift must be based solely on the fact that she’s a songwriting genius? And she is a genius, because she always comes back with hits. The only other person that I can think of that’s like this is Adele. But not even Adele reinvents herself every time she releases an album. 

Media Scrutiny

The media always controls the narrative. If the media hates you, then people in general will hate you. People take so little to form an opinion on someone especially if the media is talking about that someone. Every decision a famous person makes is always scrutinized, and even more if that person is a woman. 

Business Savvy

She’s a smart businesswoman. I don’t know about you (😉), but that just won me over. She could have a typical singer career just singing hits, doing some tours, and just living on royalties for the rest of her life. BUT NO! She goes way further than that. She treats the Taylor Swift brand like a business. I studied business in college and let me tell you, I always admire companies that exude their brand, such as Apple. I don’t need to explain to you what Apple sells, you already know. Think about it, why is it that there are always people buying their newest Iphone even though they have no need for a new one? Because Apple creates a sense of anticipation, that makes people feel the need to get their new product. Swift does that, but she goes a step further. She creates a personal connection with her fans, something no company has ever been able to do. If you go through her social media pages you can see she looks at memes fans make, and she laughs along. And also drops easter eggs, so fans are always on the lookout. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another artist do that, every release of an album is a whole careful orchestrated series of things that build the anticipation. That’s why she holds those huge records like fastest selling album in a decade, most weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Artist 100 chart, 24 hour streaming record on Spotify, and many others. 

Throughout all my deep dive into the world of Taylor Swift as a brand, the only thing that I found to be missing or at least did not see, was the presence of people of color in her board. If we go back to her sitting with her team in the “Miss Americana” documentary, we see young and older females and males but we don’t see a single person of color. That’s a demographic that’s still part of her fanbase. A new perspective in the room can also potentially strengthen the Taylor Swift brand as a whole, not to mention potentially make it more profitable.

Additionally, I’d like to give props to her parents since one of them is a former stockbrocker and the other a former marketing executive, I have no doubt that Taylor learned a business thing or two from them. 

In Conclusion

Taylor Swift, indeed is the music industry. And many people are still sleeping on her, because they are still being influenced by the media. Hey @taylorswift, I’m not asleep anymore, my mind is alive 😂

[agencyreel]

AgencyReel 2.0 Review 2021 — ⚠️SCAM EXPOSED⚠️

AGENCYREEL 2.0 WHAT IS IT

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[bestonlinemarketingcompany]

Use Content Marketing to Grow Your Business

What is content marketing and what is it’s real purpose? How can you afford to spend hours of your time labouring over long blogs to generate an income for your business? In this blog I’ll walk you through exactly why this is an incredibly high value area to invest your time and resources in and how to use your content marketing efforts to grow your business.

Most online marketers will have heard of the term content marketing splurged around over the past decade. But what do we mean by it?

Basically, content marketing is all about creating and sharing online material that will grow your traffic through organic search – Google, Bing etc.

The relevance of this from a business perspective is simple maths. If you can grow your site traffic, you are also growing a bigger pool of prospects, and more prospects should lead to more revenue and profit over time.

The reason content marketing has grown so much in prominence nowadays is the value organic search holds for your business vs other acquisition channels (e.g. social media, email marketing, paid search, referral).

The goal of any digital marketer these days is to earn rankings on Google and drive sustainable customer acquisition and business growth. 

1. Identify Your Target Audience

So often when I speak to people about content marketing they often forget the most basic of steps – identify your target audience.

Often companies want to skip this step and just dive in – don’t do it!

Skipping this step is a bit like deciding to sell steak at a vegan restaurant – you’ve likely missed the mark.

Identifying your target market or markets should always be the foundation of any marketing, let alone content marketing.

2. Carry Out Keyword Research

Once you’re confident in who your customers are, it’s time to work out what is relevant and useful content for them which will also help your business.

This is done by conducting and analysing keyword research.

What is keyword research? 

It’s basically an analysis of the types of keywords and topics people search for.

Taking the vegan restaurant example again, if you don’t utilise this step to formulate great ideas and opportunities, everything on the menu may as well be cale!

3. Identify and Allocate Resources

Next up, you’ll want to map out who will be producing your content.

If you have a marketing or content team, great! If you’re a smaller company or an individual, it’s time dust off the cobwebs and get out your ergonomic keyboard!

By this point you will have identified your customer personas and planned out the content you want to produce and mapped out the structure. 

4. Create a Content Calendar

This part is pretty straightforward but can be highly effective for mapping out how to drip feed your audience as well as showing Google how active you are.

A content calendar doesn’t need to be remotely complicated, it just needs to organise and spread out the promotion of your content and take advantage of key dates, times and trends if possible.

5. Create Content

Now this stage might seem overly obvious, and well, it is. 

However, there is a difference between simply creating content from the homework you’ve done, to actually setting it up correctly to meet the criteria needed for on-page SEO.

Before you even think about ramming in the keywords you’ve uncovered and try to game the system to favour your blogs and articles to help it rank, keep it simple – write for people.

 6. Promote to Your Target Market

You made it! Your content is relevant, useful and most importantly, written!

The next part is all about how to successfully blow your own trumpet and position your fantastic content to the right users.

Here’s where you want to be really smart.

In any good content marketing strategy all your content produced should be your net, and what you do with the prospects you catch and how you nurture them further is up to you.

 7. Measure Results

No marketing strategy could be considered a success without clear measurements. 

This idealistically should include a set of key performance indicators (KPI’s) and benchmarking.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at: Website Content Writing Services, Infographics Creation, Website Designing Services, Website Redesigning Services & Logo design.

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[jostenminyard]

Signing on the Line - Ch. 1 & 2

Summary: When Neil Josten is offered a position as a starting striker for a professional Exy team, he feels like all of his dreams are coming true. He signs the contract, not caring about the strict morality clause that controls who he can and can't date in the public eye.

Then he meets Andrew Minyard, the top-ranked goalie of a rival team, and then Neil thinks he might just have to care after all.

A/N: Detailed tag list and warnings on AO3. I’m posting around twice a week there, and will round up the chapters once a week here!

Chapter 1 on AO3 | Chapter 2 on AO3 

The contract was read by his manager first, then his lawyer, his manager again, and then finally given to Neil.

He had a week to read it over, and he took to every word like they were something sacred, like he needed to memorize all of it. He hardly understood a thing, but was fortunately smart enough to not let his eagerness of being signed cloud his judgement.

From that first day in little league, to his last day at the University of Arizona, he’s been working towards a contract like this all his life. Playing for the pros, he’d be larger than his own existence. His name would grow to be bigger than his body, no longer associated with anything else, attached to Exy and only Exy, longer than he’d ever be alive.

In the heat of the moment, the fruition of a dream, he almost signed the contract before he even read the opening statement.

But thankfully, he didn’t, so now he sits here in his manager’s office with his manager, his lawyer, the head coach of the team, and one of their recruiters.

The lawyer goes over all the parts Neil had highlighted, the parts he couldn’t quite grasp. The salary he understood and thought of as unimportant, but the sponsor part, not so much, so his lawyer helpfully explains the process; a proceed of any profit made from a sponsorship or ad goes directly back to the team’s management.

His lawyer says the percentage is negotiable, but Neil waves it off. Money is the last thing he’s playing for.

When they get to the public relations section, everyone in the small room grows tense, aware of who Neil is, who Neil was.

He was a Wesninski, but Neil had left that name in his past long before he ever attended UOA. He hadn’t known what that name even meant until a camera crew showed up at his stadium and deemed him ‘The Butcher’s Son’.

Neil’s mother never did explain it, never told him why he had to be Alex, Stefan, Chris and then Neil Josten, of all names, and that he could never again be Nathaniel Wesninski after his father passed away. He was too young to ask why, so it was a new name and a new home every few years until his mother too, had to move on from life.

She died with her sickness and with every secret and with the very strict order to be anyone else but himself.

It made for a very interesting start to Neil’s final year of university, to be cut from class so he could be interrogated by the FBI. But Neil didn’t know anything; who his father was, what his father did, what his mother told him, where the money went.

Mary hadn’t told Neil a thing, so he could never be incriminated.

But the name stuck - Nathaniel Wesninski, the son of a murderer - and it made captaining his team all that much harder. Working with a team that refused to listen to him and was sickened by the sight of him made for some very easy losses, and prevented them from entering semi-finals.

It had every recruiter turning their gaze away from Neil, writing him off as unimportant, even though he was fighting with every tooth and nail to rally his team together.

Somehow, however, one pair of eyes stayed on him, and those eyes weren’t able to deny his talent.

Those eyes brought Neil here, to the San Francisco Seakings.

Here, to where he’s about to sign the contract of his dreams, except for one little thing:

The contract is a story, a script, and his freedom of speech has been stripped.

Every interview, TV spot and paparazzi picture will all be handled by someone above Neil’s head. He’ll be assigned his own publicist to go over media training with him, to create plans and strategies, and to control all his social media accounts from here on out.

But . . . he doesn’t care about any of that, not really. He’s here to play. He’s used to being anyone but himself.

They go over a few more things about his image clean up. It’s already been decided how Neil will be marketed - the official partner of Kevin Day. The rookie that’s going to help Kevin bring his team up the ranks, the same way Neil was able to run UOA up until his fifth year.

Kevin’s eyes were the ones on him, apparently, when Neil was sure nobody was watching him.

The talk of PR naturally brings up the part in the contract that had Neil scratching his head in confusion the most, because he didn’t understand how ‘dating and relationship(s)’ could be associated with playing for the pros.

It’s apparently a very big association, as it takes up a large paragraph in his contract.

Like everything about his own life so far, who he dates can only be shown in the limelight if it’s beneficial for him, the team, and the sponsors. As if Neil is nothing more than a special-edition trading card.

Any celebrity, from A to Z, could end up on Neil’s arm at some point. If it’d help his image, bring in sales, increase viewership, the Seakings’ PR team will be signing a check to whatever starlet’s name is most popular at the time.

It’s about image.

A morality clause; saying that his name must be publicized a certain way, and if he acts against it, Neil will be, in other words, slapped with a legal fee to cover the cost of potential damage, and be forced to forfeit his contract.

The black words on the paper don’t say he can’t be anything outside the ‘norm’, but they do say he can’t be perceived as such. Neil scowls at the wording, sending a scathing look at everyone in the room, hoping it’ll somehow reach whichever airhead wrote that and felt that they got to decide what normal is.

He stares down at his dream contract and suddenly sees it as a pair of handcuffs.

“I’m not comfortable with signing that,” Neil explains, and waves a hand at the thick binding of paper.

“It’s not real, Neil, it’s a show. It brings in the viewers and the ticket holders, which then raises the amount the sponsors are willing to put in,” his manager explains, as if it’s all obvious. “Every player you’ve ever seen in a game has signed this part of the contract. It’s nothing.”

“This basically says you’re forcing players out of their orientations,” Neil says, one eyebrow lifting. “That’s nothing?”

“Listen, kid, nobody’s forcing anybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay, straight, whatever, because we’re not saying you can’t be,” Coach Mullens suddenly says. “The world just can’t know and that’s how it is. If you want a career, then you’ll keep your secret love a secret and away from my court. If that’s gonna be a problem, then you’ll never find your footing in this world, I can promise you that.”

Neil hears the click of metal, the handcuffs sliding into place. “For the rest of my life?”

“You wouldn’t be considering this contract if you didn’t want to play Exy for the rest of your life.”

And that’s what it all comes back to, the handcuffs sliding off, the room tilting back into colour.

Exy.

It doesn’t really matter to him anyway, does it? He’s yet to encounter anyone electric enough to spark up his skin. Nothing will shock him as much as this sport does.

If they want to control who he holds hands with just to make a profit, then he won’t stop them, because it won’t stop him from his game. It won’t stop him from winning medals and trophies and championships. It won’t stop him from standing on an Olympic podium one day.

So he picks up the pen, signs the contract, and doesn’t think another thought about it.

-

He can’t believe he ever thought it was as easy as just playing Exy.

The season officially starts in October, training starts in August, but now, mid-July, he stands in his manager’s hotel room as a stylist yanks him into a black velvet suit. The first step to playing for a professional team, it seems, is attending charity event after sponsorship dinner after press conference after banquet after charity event. And repeat.

Tonight the NEL hosts its debut banquet, with every team attending, with every sports journalist in the country going to try and snatch as many first-time interviews as they can.

His manager and his publicist have been drilling him all week, preparing him for whatever questions may be asked and how he’s supposed to respond. His publicist will never be more than ten feet away, and in case that fails, and in case Neil’s mouth gets away from him, Kevin Day will be attached to his hip.

Neil would complain that he doesn’t need a babysitter, but he understands the role he’s playing now.

The Exy world knows who Neil is, knows that Kevin’s the one who saved his career. They’ve only exchanged the barest of words so far, but Kevin and Neil are far past the point of being teammates now. They’re to be a pair.

One of the dynamic duos that fans go crazy over. If successful, their names will be on shirts, hats, signs. When you hear the name Day, Josten will never be far behind.

It just sucks that nothing in his life is under his control. He doesn’t even get to choose the colour of his socks tonight.

A town car arrives to pick Neil up, Kevin already sitting inside, dressed in a similar suit. His tie is aqua, Neil’s is silver; the two colours of their team.

“All this for a game?” Neil asks, as they draw closer to the banquet. From the car he can see the red carpet, the security guards, the paparazzi and the news teams and journalists and the flashing cameras. “We’re athletes, not celebrities.”

Kevin hasn’t said a word to him all throughout the ride, and he doesn’t bother to meet Neil’s eyes, choosing instead to look out the window at the awaiting media frenzy. “In this world, it’s the same thing. Most people like it.”

Neil swallows roughly, and wonders for a split second if this is what he was really made for. “Are you one of them?” he asks, his voice slightly shaking.

Nothing in Kevin shakes. He’s been playing for this team for two years. He’s walked this red carpet before.

“I get paid to play something I would pay to play. It works for me.”

The words effectively stop the race to Neil’s heart. The words latch onto him and pull up the corners of his mouth, releasing the smallest of smiles. The words are exactly what Neil needed to hear.

“Then it’ll work for me.”

There’s a roar of a crowd once they step out of their car. Immediately they’re met by flashing white lights and their names being called, security trying to hold back aggressive reporters from crossing their line.

Kevin smiles, tight and clipped but somehow wide, his signature look. Neil’s publicist instructed him to leave behind the hard, jagged, bitter mess of what he was at UOA. His script tonight says to smile, smile, smile, be warm, be forgiving.

If Kevin can do it, then he can do it.

Their publicists push them past certain reporters, usher them closer to others, and Neil answers the questions that come his way as best he can, actively trying to be on his best behaviour, to be the face they want him to be.

Kevin’s partner; the untapped potential that Kevin saved, pulled from the rubble of a crumbling career and given another chance.

If that’s the story they want to portray then he’ll play it, as long as he gets to play his own game. That’s the one thing they can’t control; how hard he hits and how fast he runs and how many goals he gets to score will be all his.

Still, once they’re finally inside the dimly-lit banquet hall, with fewer reporters and more athletes, Neil lets out a breath of relief. Event workers direct them to their table where their other teammates are seated.

Neil’s met a few of them before, and has played against a few of them too. Laila Dermott was the goalie for the Trojans when Neil’s team went up against them in his first and second year. Matt Boyd, who greets Neil with an eager handshake, played with Kevin for the Foxes, but he graduated before Neil could ever get a chance to play in the championships against him.

Small talk ensues, most of the team happy to be reunited after the off-season, eager to get back to their stadium next month and begin practices.

But he’s been directed to talk only to Kevin in public for the time being, so unless he’s spoken to, he doesn’t open his mouth.

There’s a loud commotion near the entrance way, a flood of reporters flocking the doors, lights going off and names being called. Another team has arrived.

Beside him, Kevin goes tense.

Then his hand is on Neil’s arm, and he’s beckoning him upwards. “Come on.”

Their publicists remind them the entire walk over of what they should and shouldn’t say; Kevin has to flaunt his new partner, and if Kevin and Neil are to be the duo that dominates the country, they’ll have to find a way to best the current duo that holds top status.

Riko Moriyama and Andrew Minyard, of the New York Nighthawks.

They stand next to each other like they’d rather be anywhere else in the world, faces stony and cold, eyes sharp and on anywhere but each other. They allow their pictures to be taken, but their patience doesn’t last, and Riko raises a finger to the nearest photographer in an immediate order for them to disperse.

The season hasn’t even started yet, but the pair’s presence has fear and rivalry hot in the air, soaking into the skin of every team present. The two stand there in their matching black and metallic suits and strike the atmosphere like a bolt of lightning.

They’ve been a fascination of Neil’s since he started university. He knows all about the cracking partnership of what was once Riko and Kevin, and the intense rivalry between schools that soon followed.

But it was Andrew who was the focal point of Neil’s fascination.

Andrew signed with Riko’s team immediately after graduating from Palmetto State, and caused the whole world to disrupt into a maddening dark chaos.

Because he was supposed to sign with Kevin’s.

Spurned by two former teammates and partners, Kevin leads the way towards them, looking determined to wave his new partner in their faces. As they get closer, Neil becomes aware of the fact that he’s Kevin’s choice now, but he was never his first.

“Riko. Andrew,” Kevin says cooly, and it feels like the entire room goes quiet. “Welcome.”

Neil keeps a step behind Kevin, not using him to hide but letting him be the focus of whatever is to come.

Riko Moriyama is not what the TV makes him look out to be. Neil has spent a portion of his college career watching Riko’s every move, studying all his games religiously, taking notes and copying moves and techniques to use in his own game.

During a game or facing off against a reporter, Riko is venomous, dangerous.

Standing in front of Kevin, he looks a foot shorter. If he wants to meet Kevin’s eyes then he has no choice but to tilt his head up, a fact that only increases the hatred radiating off of him.

His voice and his presence have him standing seven feet tall, though. “Kevin, Kevin, Kevin,” he says easily, his smile glinting in the dark of the room.

And then there’s Andrew.

Neil wasn’t aware that Andrew was staring at him, and accidentally locks eyes with him when he looks over. It feels like a stab, and it takes everything in Neil to not jerk back. Andrew’s energy is just that; a knife held out, ready to slice.

“I wanted to formally introduce you to our new starting striker, Neil Josten,” Kevin says, and turns slightly to put a hand on Neil’s arm, beckoning him forward. It’s the last move Neil wants to make, feeling more like being shoved into a shark tank with an open wound than anything else.

“Oh, yes,” Riko says, nodding. “The one from Arizona. His team’s performance last year was quite miserable, so I understand why you had to beg for him. Good thing you’re used to begging, right, Kevin?”

Riko doesn’t shake Neil’s hand, and instead makes direct eye contact with him, as if that’s enough.

“You best get acquainted with Andrew. He’ll be blocking all your shots this season.”

Standing there in his silver and black suit, hair sleek and eyes sharp, Andrew says his first words of the night, and directs them all at Kevin. “Another pet, Kevin? What if this one tells you no, too? Where will you be then?”

“Andrew,” Kevin says, almost warningly.

It all goes above Neil’s head, words clearly holding message from a past that he wasn’t part of. It’s not part of his story, any of it, so he focuses on the story he has to tell now; being Kevin’s partner, starting striker for the San Francisco Seakings.

“I’m Neil,” he says brightly, or as bright as he can in the face of two devilish beings. “I played against you my junior year at Arizona.”

He thinks he hears Kevin’s breath hitch when he extends his hand out for Andrew. The atmosphere of the entire room slows and swirls with danger, but it’s too late; Neil’s hand is already out, presenting itself clear to Andrew.

Nothing changes in Andrew’s bored expression, but his eyes drop to the offered hand.

Then he takes it, gripping it tight in a firm shake.

“Odd. I don’t remember you at all.”

Immediately, there’s a flash of a camera near them, but neither pull away. Neil lets his hand be held for another moment, and when it becomes evident that Andrew won’t be the first to let go, he forces his hand to slide out and away.

“I can’t wait to get acquainted,” Neil says, going for simple and light-hearted, but it comes out more heated, more twisted, more teasing.

Andrew effortlessly slips his hands into his pockets and doesn’t take his eyes off Neil. “The pleasure will surely be yours. Or maybe not. Riko? Let’s go.”

Kevin grabs Neil’s arm tight and doesn’t give him a chance to try and respond, hauling him away from the duo and taking him back to their table. “That was a mistake.”

Neil is too busy looking at his hand to look at Kevin. It feels like it’s still being squeezed, tingling along his palm. “That was your idea,” he says pointedly.

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Kevin says, gripping Neil’s arm harder. “Do you have any idea what you just started?”

Confusion weighs heavier on him than the impending fear of danger, so he frowns and asks, “What?”

Kevin groans, finally releasing Neil like he can’t stand to touch him anymore. Then, away from the table still and away from the whole world dying to catch just a few of their words, he leans in and hisses near Neil’s ear, “Andrew wouldn't have bothered to shake your hand unless he found you interesting.”

And at first Neil doesn’t understand.

But then, he does.

And he can’t help but feel like he just shook the hand of death itself.

-

After listening to a few speeches, hearing his own name come up a couple of times, posing for various pictures with various teammates and being asked the same round of questions over and over, he desperately needs to breathe.

Breathe in smoke that is, the scent reminding him so much of his mother, so he pays a server twenty bucks to tell him where the most discreet place to take a smoke break is. Kevin sends him a look when he pushes away from the table, but he ignores it, buttoning up his suit jacket as he stands, then takes off to follow the server.

He’s guided through a hectic kitchen, led down a hall and then another hall before being led out a large metal door. The loading docks, he guesses, judging by the packing boxes and the garage doors.

Neil says thank you, then quickly lights up a cigarette as soon as he’s left alone. One deep inhale to get it going, and the heavy weight of expectation seeps out of him, replaced by a temporary ease. He knows he’s being stupid, and that this is just how it is and that he needs to get used to it, but he just didn’t expect it all to be - like this.

Maybe when practice starts it’ll get easier, it’ll feel real, like he really is here to play a game and not pose for a picture with a practiced smile.

“Does Kevin know you smoke?”

In the empty loading dock, the sound of another voice echoes, rebounding off every wall, but even when the sound fades Neil’s heart is still racing. He immediately looks around, eyes narrowed and posture careful.

Across the way, shadowed by a stack of crates, stands Andrew Minyard. His regal suit and equally regal hairstyle contrast too sharply with the mess of crates and boxes and graffiti, but leaning against the wall with one leg propped, Andrew looks casual, relaxed.

Pretending his heart didn’t nearly just detonate from shock, Neil takes another inhale of smoke before crossing over to Andrew. He notes the cigarette in Andrew’s own hand, nearly burned down to a stub, and arches a brow. “I don’t, but does Riko know that you do?”

“Doesn’t matter. Riko doesn’t own me,” Andrew says simply, then crushes the end of his cigarette against the wall and tosses it.

Neil pauses, considering that, then says scornfully, “Kevin doesn’t own me.”

Andrew answers that with a bored look.

“He doesn’t,” Neil insists, not sure why that look riles up his every nerve. He takes another breath in and holds the smoke in his lungs for too long of a second, then slowly lets it out, but it does nothing to calm him now.

“When somebody is the reason for your very existence, they own you. Kevin got you your contract, yes? Well then he owns you.”

Anger flares in Neil’s chest, along with something he can’t place, something sharp and jarring. The truth, maybe.

Neil keeps it reined in, making his face blank as he can make it. He’s barely aware that he’s speaking, that annoying flaring feeling still bright in his chest, masking the increasing rate of his pulse. “Is that why you wouldn’t sign with him then? You didn’t want to be owned?”

Andrew considers that, it seems, by the way he tilts his head slightly to the side, but that illusion of confusion is snapped when he leans forward and grabs Neil’s cigarette from his fingers, bringing it up to his own mouth.

“A heavy question to be asking,” Andrew says slowly. “For a man who doesn’t know me.”

“I don’t have to know you to know your statistics,” Neil says, voice heavier now with annoyance over his stolen cigarette. Oddly enough, his lungs don’t ache without it, not if he can watch the ring Andrew’s lips make around the filter. “You’re not just the top-ranked goalie in the NEL.”

It only takes a few seconds for his mind to cough up the info he needs, the small facts and the large facts about Andrew Minyard, jersey number three, the New York Nighthawk’s starting goalie. Facts ranging from his speed to his aim to how many shots he blocked in total all of last season.

When he’s done listing the facts, the statistics, he expects something in Andrew’s face to change, expects to see some form of pride or triumph, but Andrew doesn’t even blink.

He blows out a cloud of smoke right into Neil’s face and says, “You’re straddling the border between obsessive and creepy. I should be calling security.”

“They’re facts. Everyone knows them.”

“Not like that.”

“I have to know,” Neil says defensively. “If I ever want to score on you.”

“Knowing all that won’t increase your level of talent,” Andrew scoffs, finally showing a sliver of emotion - judgement.

“I just don’t get it,” Neil says, backtracking to turn the subject to its origin point. “You and Kevin were a great pair. You’d do even better if you were on the same team again. Why’d you sign with his enemy?”

Andrew says, too easily, “Kevin’s enemy is not my enemy. I am my own enemy. Signing with the Nighthawks made that less so.”

Neil barely has a second to frown, to think about that, before Andrew is pushing away from the wall and taking a step closer into Neil’s space.

It’s strange, he thinks, in the brief few seconds he has before Andrew opens his mouth again, that he’s spent all night feeling suffocated but now, with a stranger breathing smoke in his face, standing toe to toe with him, all he feels is air.

“My answers come with a pricetag. You can compensate me with one of your own; why did you sign with the Seakings?”

The way he says it almost sounds like he’s implying that Neil had a decision, that Neil had other options to consider.

It takes a few seconds, but then it hits Neil.

Andrew isn’t implying that at all, he’s implying the opposite.

Rubbing dirt in the wound, running a highlighter across every word, shining a spotlight right on Neil’s still-aching heart.

He didn’t have any options.

“They were the only team to offer me a contract,” Neil admits, low and quiet, and even though that rage is back in his chest, he doesn’t push Andrew away.

“Then perhaps you should quit harping on what contracts I did or didn’t sign and focus on yourself,” Andrew says, and it’s venomous but it’s bright. “Like the real reason Kevin signed you. I bet you still think it’s because you’re his chance at finally besting Riko, right?”

Neil stares at a spot over Andrew’s shoulder, trying desperately to build his wall back up brick by brick, but every breath and word from Andrew has cement crumbling like dust in Neil’s hands.

“That’s one of the reasons, yes,” Neil says flatly, avoiding Andrew’s eyes.

Andrew leans in closer until his mouth is near Neil’s ear, and makes a buzzing noise, deep and grating, like Neil got the answer wrong. This close, a noise like that can’t echo off the walls, but Neil still hears it being repeated in every nerve in his body.

“No. Kevin will never have faith, in anything or anybody, a lesson you need to learn quickly. He will give up on you if you cannot give him what benefits him,” Andrew says quickly, that venom in his tone stinging so much Neil thinks it’s paralyzing him. “You know what you are? His scapegoat. When your team inevitably loses, he can place the blame on you, and no one will question him.”

Neil is still, from head to toe, but some bright hot instinct kicks in a second later, giving him the strength to snap his neck down and face forward, glaring down the scant few inches between him and Andrew.

“You’re going to eat those words,” Neil promises, and without looking he reaches between them for his stolen cigarette.

Andrew jerks his hand away, holding it out of Neil’s reach.

“I’m not hungry,” Andrew says, then flicks the cigarette behind him and turns away to walk back inside.

Then Neil is alone, with nothing and nobody saying his name, with nothing but his thoughts and the truth of him and the weight of his reality, and a sudden burning promise fueling its way through him.

He suddenly doesn’t need to breathe. He just needs to prove Andrew wrong.

- Chapter 2

If that one brief interaction out by the loading docks supplied enough rage-induced encouragement to last a decade, the question that Neil answers on his way out of the banquet supplies enough encouragement to last a lifetime.

When he’s asked it, he doesn’t think of the repercussions, doesn’t think about the fact that every word said in public is a play in a game.

It’s the truth, at least, and maybe that’s why he says it.

Two security guards guide Neil and Kevin to their town car, the night having run its course on Neil and the effects of alcohol having run its course on Kevin. But the guards’ presence doesn’t stop the remaining reporters from flocking to their car, doesn’t stop the flash of cameras.

Doesn’t stop the question; “Neil, Neil! Now that you’ve met the opposing teams, how do you feel about your chances? Do you still think you can help Kevin bring your team to the playoffs?”

Neil stops, turns, and fixes on a smile that he doesn’t have to fake. He can see Kevin shaking his head from the corner of his eye, their publicists practically begging him to not answer this question.

He has to. He made a promise in his head to Andrew.

“Actually, if anything, I feel even more encouraged,” Neil says warmly, as if his words are pleasant opposed to cruel. “I know that with Kevin’s guidance, together we’re going to change how the playoffs are played. His enemies are now my enemies.”

He hopes that somehow, someway, Andrew watches this, and knows Neil’s words are for him.

“Are you referencing Riko Moriyama and his team?”

His smile deepens. “Andrew Minyard,” Neil says, and likes the way his tongue feels after saying his name. “He’s not as impenetrable as he thinks he is, and I’m going to take him down goal by goal. I’m going to score on him.”

Instead of prompting Neil for more, the reporter directs the microphone to Kevin, who stands there shell-shocked, as if Neil just reached into his chest and punched his heart. “Comments?”

Kevin glares at Neil, then faces the camera. “With enough coaching and practice, I fully believe in Neil’s future success,” he says dully, before motioning towards his publicist to clear out the reporters.

All in all, the question took less than a minute to answer.

Neil smiles to himself on the drive home, not knowing that one question will fuel the rest of his life.

-

It was an inevitable feud.

Long in the making, already in the process before Neil Josten was ever a Seaking. This feud was perhaps the main reason Kevin vouched for his recruitment. There hasn’t been a hype like this over a season since Kevin and Riko signed to the pros.

Because this feud started off between the Ravens and the Foxes, technically.

The Foxes lost the championships in Kevin and Andrew’s final year. That loss against the Ravens was only intensified when Andrew signed with Riko, and Kevin was forced to start his professional career on his own.

In Neil’s opinion, Kevin’s the best, but he was too used to having support. His first year as a Seaking, they made it to playoffs and were eliminated after the first round. His second year, they hadn’t earned enough points to qualify.

Losing three years in a row to someone he used to win with only had Kevin playing harder.

But now, Neil isn’t sure what Kevin saw in him that made him think partner.

Kevin’s Comeback Key, most articles had nicknamed Neil. It put a new spark in an old feud. Kevin had ammunition now - or, as most of the Exy world saw it, Kevin had no excuse not to win now.

With a new season, a new striker, a new attitude to Kevin’s playing style and a determination that nothing could cut through, it was an inevitable feud.

It was never meant to be like this, however, between the rookie and the goalie. Nobody ever thought it’d be Neil vs. Andrew, but now that it is, it’s everywhere.

Neil knows how press works, he’s seen his own interviews show up online as soon as they’re filmed, he knows better. Yet he still feels a bit stunned at how quick this - whatever this is - blows up. Everything and everyone, between the ESPN channel to the smallest online magazine, has something to say about it.

The picture of their handshake dominates every single article, with screaming headlines printed over top, their names flashing and bright. Minyard vs Josten, 03 vs 10, Rookie to Score On Goalie?

One news site tracks Andrew and Neil’s college career, and pulls up the footage of Neil’s deathmatch against the Foxes. In the video, Neil tries to run at the goal and score, only to have Andrew catch his ball and rebound it off Neil’s helmet.

It’s their only in-game interaction to date, but it’s more than enough to tip the scales in Andrew’s favour. Neil’s rookie image is painted even darker.

Statistics are compared, histories are recovered, stories are made up. The more gossip-run sites say Kevin only recruited Neil to replace the hole that Andrew left in his shield. Some sites say that Andrew’s going to use Neil’s inexperience to flaunt his own talent back in Kevin’s face.

It’s a mess, and Neil helped make it.

Unlike before though, there are people who want to support him. Neil almost doesn’t believe it when old teammates from Arizona are recorded vouching his name, saying their praises, citing his grim determination as an advantage over Andrew Minyard.

In August, the Seakings start preseason practice, often hosting open practices for fans and reporters to sit in and watch. Kevin pushes Neil to play harder, even if it is against his own team, reminding him that the world is watching.

The world is watching, and once they witness that grim determination in action, the scales tip slightly under Neil’s weight. Reporters begin to comment positively on his accuracy. Fans start to show up at their practices with signs.

Neil can’t remember the last time a fan held up a sign with his name on it that wasn’t followed by massive black X’s.

It’s inspiring, and has Neil fighting more aggressively during practice to prove them all right, that he deserves their faith.

It’s inspiring until the day it isn’t, when the feud hits its next point, and then even Neil loses faith in himself.

The whole team is gathered in their lounge after practice, sweaty and exhausted, but whatever’s about to play on the TV is apparently more important than showering. Coach Mullens stands by the television with his arms folded, face grim, remote control clutched tightly in one hand.

When he’s sure he has his team’s attention, he faces the TV and clicks play on the remote.

All the way over in New York, the Nighthawks are having their own open practice. A sportscaster from ESPN talks at the camera, commenting on the team’s impressive technique as a scrimmage plays out.

Any reporter who knows Andrew Minyard knows the risks of putting a microphone in his face, yet that doesn’t stop this reporter from approaching him as he walks off the court, helmet in his hands and eyes uncaring as he attempts to walk past them.

“Andrew, what do you have to say about the current buzz surrounding Neil Josten of the San Francisco Seakings? He says he’s going to score on you, what do you think his chances are?”

Andrew stops abruptly and turns to face the camera, fixing it with a look that could shatter glass.

“To say he has a chance would give him false hope. There is no chance and there is no hope,” Andrew says, cooly. “If Neil ‘Pipe Dream’ Josten wants to challenge me in public, then he better be ready to be destroyed in public.”

Not sparing another breath or word, Andrew turns from the camera and walks away, leaving the reporter stunned in their spot.

There’s something satisfying about hearing Andrew say his name, but Neil can hardly focus on that when his chest suddenly feels ten times heavier.

Coach is talking, the team is murmuring, Kevin is sending an angry, frantic glance in Neil’s direction.

Neil stares at the TV screen, still seeing Andrew on it. His heart turns in panicked circles, spinning faster every time he replays Andrew’s sharp words.

His heart stops spinning, and decides to land on a feeling Neil hasn’t felt in awhile, a feeling that Andrew’s rivalry ignites; the silent swell of hope.

-

“You shook his hand,” is Kevin’s explanation for ripping Neil from his apartment at 10:00PM and dragging him to the stadium. “You started this, now you are going to find a way to end it.”

It’s incredibly jarring to be two souls in a stadium that seats thousands. Loud and echoey and all-consuming. Neil almost prefers it. He almost doesn’t quite mind the sleep deprivation that will follow. He almost thinks he can tolerate Kevin’s harsh words and harsher critique.

“Andrew doesn’t do challenges; he crushes them. By putting yourself in his path you’ve single-handedly obliterated our chances of facing them in the playoffs.”

Neil glares up at Kevin through the faceguard of his helmet. “That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

“You don’t know Andrew, he works on spite or not at all. He’ll personally see to it that you never make it within ten feet of his goal. Lucky for him, it should be rather easy.”

It aggravates Neil, but that was likely Kevin’s aim, to get Neil to push himself the next step forward. His shots are forced to be faster, more aggressive, until Neil’s every cell is cursing the very second that Kevin Day was born.

Their private practices continue until Neil feels reformed, shaped into something - better.

That feeling of such elevation might have gotten to his head, because at their next open practice with the team, a reporter asks Neil, “Are you excited for the season to start?”

And Neil easily responds with, “More excited than I’ve ever been. Kevin’s an incredible captain, and he’s shaping us all into a weapon. The Nighthawks should be scared, and Riko should be sorry.”

“Why’s that?”

“That he ever doubted Kevin in the first place,” Neil says, frowning a bit, as if the answer was obvious. “But he can apologize on our court come November.”

To the viewers and the multiple news outlets that try to analyze Neil’s statement, it sounds like good-natured team rivalry. It sounds like the role he’s meant to play - the rookie to Kevin’s captaincy, partners, together, a duo.

That’s not how it sounds to the Nighthawks.

Not at all, Neil realizes, the next day during a closed practice, when Riko Moriyama steps onto their court all the way from New York City.

The entire team falls silent.

Riko’s dressed in a blue so dark it could be black. His eyes scan the lines of their well-worn court as if the floor is fouling his shoes. The Seakings stand around in their gear, scrimmage paused, looking from one to the other with a million silenced questions. Their coaches stand in the inner court, equally quiet, not making any movements to signal a stop to Riko’s presence.

Laila’s the first to speak up, storming out of her goal as she rips her helmet off. “What the hell are you doing here? How’d you even get in?”

Riko doesn’t look at her, his glare trained on both Kevin and Neil.

“Your court is a shame to the very sport you play,” Riko says, crossing his arms over his chest. “My family invented this sport. It is not difficult for me to gain access to any and all stadiums.”

Despite their hostile history, and despite the anger rippling across his face, Kevin remains wordless.

“This is a private practice,” Neil finally says, after sending a disappointed look Kevin’s way. “You’re in violation of the rules.”

“My family invented this sport,” Riko repeats, more viciously, turning all his attention on Neil. “You are a mockery to it. What makes you think a rookie like you has the right to speak against my team? Your name does not belong anywhere near mine.”

“It wasn’t you I was challenging,” Neil says, as calm as he can make it. It’s not that Riko unnerves him, it’s that Riko irritates him, and it irritates Neil even more that Riko has the audacity to say such things while standing on the Seakings’ logo.

“I didn’t come alone,” Riko says, and doesn’t turn around when the court door suddenly slams open. “You think you can score on Andrew? Prove it.”

The Seakings remain dead quiet as somebody else steps onto the court, footsteps like gunshots off the floor. Andrew comes up towards them wearing his own team’s gear, clashing harshly with the aqua of the Seakings.

Andrew stops right behind Riko and swings his racquet up to rest against his shoulder, looking like he’s contemplating taking a nap in the next five seconds.

“I’m not doing this,” Neil says firmly, taking a step back.

That only strengthens Riko’s grave smile. “Then we can give ESPN a ring and have a reporter here in minutes. I’m sure they’d love to hear you admit defeat.”

“You can’t -”

“This is what you get when you run your mouth off with foul and false accusations. Do not make promises if you have no way to make them true. You will practice against Andrew until you finally see how dim your chances are.”

Riko sends a look Kevin’s way, something dark and controlling in his eyes, and Neil’s stomach sinks, knowing fully well how Kevin will respond to that look.

With a small sigh, Kevin steps up to Neil and grabs his racquet, halting it. “Don’t use all your energy at once,” he says, a red-hot warning low in his voice. “Pace yourself.” Then he gives the racquet’s net a tug and walks away, following Riko and the rest of the Seakings off the court.

Then it’s just Neil and Andrew, and suddenly Neil’s knees feel weak.

Ignoring that, because nothing about Andrew unnerves Neil either, he steadies his face and turns a look on his opposer, souring his expression as best he can. Despite that sourness, he manages a smirk. “I thought Riko didn’t own you.”

Andrew says nothing but sticks his racquet out to roll a ball towards himself. Without breaking eye contact, he flicks it up and sends it flying right at Neil’s helmet. It bounces off with a sharp smack, then rolls away.

Neil doesn’t back down from that challenge.

He follows Kevin’s advice and paces himself, firing perfunctory shot after shot, carefully thought out and planned. Andrew responds to that by standing completely still and tilting his racquet whichever way he knows Neil is going to swing.

Irritation itches under Neil’s skin. He’s giving nearly every percent he has and Andrew’s barely turned his switch on, but Neil doesn’t fall for it, doesn’t give his one-hundred just yet. He waits for Andrew to break patience first.

Tens of minutes later, or at least that’s how it feels, Andrew finally stops moving to stare at Neil blankly. He leans down to pick up a ball, tosses it slightly, then smacks it with all his might, firing it at Neil at a speed that could hurt him.

Slow doesn’t exist after that. Fast, faster, fastest, Neil dodges every shot and shoots them back even quicker. He runs and leaps and tries from a different angle every single time, but somehow Andrew just knows where they’re going to land. Neil might as well be shooting at a brick wall.

His blood hasn’t felt like this before, never been so hot. It burns with determination, infuriation, some primal sort of need flowing through him to shoot and score and to wipe that stupid look off Andrew’s stupid face.

After trying every trick he knows, he thinks back to night practice, and shifts his body into a move he’s seen Kevin perform.

Andrew is expecting that, too, and flicks the ball away with a short snap of his wrist.

Neil stands a few feet back from the goal, panting and doubled over, watching his failure of a ball roll shamefully away.

“Remember,” Andrew calls out, the mocking in his voice sounding almost like a song. “All the night practice with Kevin won’t change a thing, he will never keep his faith in you. A few more shots and he’ll be done with you for good.”

“No,” Neil grits out, and snaps into action, investing his last percent into charging the goal with every ounce of passion and hatred he has. Except when he swings his racquet back to fire a shot, all his muscles twist to a stop. It forces his grip slack, has him skidding to a halt.

Without momentum, the ball slides free of the net and hits the ground with a low thud.

The only body part that doesn’t burn are his eyes, so he watches the ball roll away, physically unable to reach out for it.

A banging on the court wall has Neil fumbling to find enough energy to look over. Kevin is making a cutting gesture at his neck, while Riko stands next to him, arms folded and face expressionless. The lack of smug satisfaction across Riko’s face is somehow worse than any at all.

Neil gasps out in defeat and doubles over, and doesn’t dare look up at Andrew, not even when there’s a tap against his helmet, the large net of Andrew’s racquet in his face.

“At least you tried,” Andrew says, and taps Neil’s helmet again.

“I never said I’m giving up,” Neil says back, just barely, before finally looking up at him.

The rest of the stadium vanishes, disintegrating quickly as Andrew leans forward, too close, as close as he was the night they met in the docks. The sound of his breath and his voice right by Neil’s ear shouldn’t sound so familiar, but it is.

Their helmets are all that separates them physically, but nothing can stop Andrew’s words from touching him. “Then until we meet again,” Andrew says, and it’s too much of a whisper to be a threat.

Andrew strolls off the court looking as if he hadn’t moved so much as a muscle while playing against Neil. Without another word to the Seakings, he and Riko disappear.

Footsteps break up the world of silence. Kevin rushes onto the court where Neil is now kneeling, his every body part on fire. “Neil.”

For whatever reason, there’s a defiant part of Neil that doesn’t want to look up, to meet the eyes of somebody who isn’t Andrew. Staring at Andrew had forced Neil to look as honest as he’s looked in months - he means it when he looks at Andrew with intent. Looking at anybody else will force a mask back on, and he’s not sure if he can fake it right now.

Kevin tugs at him when he remains quiet, gripping him roughly until he’s steady on his feet.

“He’s good,” Neil says distantly, staring at the court doors.

“You can’t beat him alone,” Kevin says somberly, and then, after a pause, “We have to do it together.”

It’s far from the harsh criticism Neil’s accustomed to. It draws his eyes to Kevin’s retreating figure as he walks away, trying to piece it all together.

He stays alone on the court for a few more minutes.

Showing Neil just how unattainable something is won’t make him want it any less. There’s fire in his muscles, a stinging suggestion that perhaps he won’t ever score on Andrew, but if anything, it only makes him want it more.

Riko’s the one who failed tonight.

Neil’s alone on the court, but he feels the ghost of Andrew’s closeness, and now more than ever, he can’t quite quell the hope of it.

-

Even with his arms stinging and burning, he couldn’t quite make himself go home.

So now he stands alone in the Seakings stadium, out on the court, envisioning where the ball would go if he stood here, or there, if he lifted the racquet like this and not that. The only conclusion he can come to though, is that no matter how he throws the ball, Andrew will be there to block it.

Neil wants to find it strange that he only feels determined in face of such an impossible challenge, but he doesn’t. What he does find strange is what he can’t explain; how ontop of determination, he feels put-off, disoriented, like there’s an answer in Andrew that is right there but Neil just can’t see it.

He can feel it though, like pinpricks and frustration and -

Shock.

Because when Neil turns around after staring at the goal for an endless minute, Andrew Minyard himself is standing in the open doorway to the court, leaning against the plexiglass frame with his arms crossed and his expression cool.

Neil suddenly lets out his breath and begins to smile, and the urge to figure things out disappears as he lets curiosity take over. He was tired before, tired and sore, but for some reason, with Andrew right there, he no longer feels like sleeping.

“Hey,” Neil says, taking off his helmet as he steps closer. He looks over Andrew’s head for something or somebody in the distance, but Andrew is alone. “Where’s Riko? Did he finally loosen your leash?”

Andrew’s expression hardens, then fades into blankness. “One would think that with all the time you spend talking about Riko that he owns you, as well.”

“So he does own you?”

Andrew ignores that and steps further into the court, walking a circle around Neil. “Your determination to play could be admirable if it weren’t so pathetic,” he says, eyes drifting to the racquet still in Neil’s hands. “What’s keeping you here?”

“Uh, well . . .” Neil looks at his racquet and realizes then how much it hurts to hold it. “I want to?”

“You want to, or you feel you’re expected to?”

Neil frowns and plucks at a string in the net. “There’s not much of a difference if I like doing it though, right?”

Andrew scoffs and makes another lap around Neil, never making eye contact as he walks. “Let’s play a new game,” he says while nodding. “It’s called ‘let’s not talk about Exy for five minutes’.”

Neil frowns again, but it’s quickly won over by a smirk. “You want me to stop talking about Exy? When we’re currently standing on an Exy court, in an Exy stadium, where I am dressed in my Exy gear, while holding my Exy racquet?”

Andrew pauses, face falling even more blank. “Can you do it or not?”

“Do I win anything if I do?”

Andrew finally looks at Neil then, his eyes narrowed as he thinks, then says, “To be determined.”

For some reason, Neil laughs.

And even though he hasn’t gone more than a minute without thinking about Exy over the past five years, Neil has never been one to back down from an impossible challenge . . .

“Okay, you’re on. Starting now.”

Except Neil hasn’t ever been faced with a challenge quite like this.

Andrew stares at Neil for the first thirty seconds, as Neil’s mouth forms different shapes and half-muttered words escape his lips only to be bit back down - because everything and anything he has to say has to be about Exy, the game, his team, his sponsors, his statistics, press pieces for the media and pre-written answers to endless repetitive questions and -

And he hasn’t ever been asked to talk about anything else.

“I - uh -” Neil stammers, heat flooding his face. “What do you want to talk about?”

Andrew’s eyes look as if they’re about to roll back. “How did you manage to complete college with the vocabulary of a two year old? What do you want to talk about?”

There’s a force in Neil’s throat, like the hand of someone controlling a puppet, about to make him say what they want him to say. He grits his teeth in time to stop himself and then sighs, giving his shoulders a slight shrug.

He doesn’t know what he wants to say, but he wants to say something.

Because Andrew stands there calmly, willing to listen.

“. . . my running shoes are beginning to break down,” is what Neil ends up saying, face flaming crimson now that the words are out. “I’ve put off buying a new pair though. I guess I hate spending money.”

He watches with his heart racing as one of Andrew’s eyebrows slowly lifts; clearly bored with Neil, and his pathetic attempt at normal conversation.

“I’m trying, okay?” Neil asks rather desperately, trying hard not to flinch as that eyebrow raises higher. “I’m not very interesting.”

All at once, Andrew smirks, and it transforms his entire face. He takes a step closer until he’s right in front of Neil, a powerful presence when compared to Neil’s nervous wreck of a body. He eyes the racquet that Neil’s still holding and threads his fingers through the net, giving it a quick tug.

“Your vocabulary is in need of a refresher, Neil,” Andrew says lowly, eyes flicking up to meet his. “I don’t think you understand what ‘interesting’ means. You win this round. ‘A’ for effort, and all that.”

He tugs on the racquet again before turning around to leave, and even when he’s gone, Neil doesn’t understand.

But he wants to.

[riichardwilson]

8 Smart Ways to Analyze Crypto Token Before Investing in It

August 13, 2020 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The world of cryptocurrencies is vast and doesn’t revolve around Bitcoin and blockchain alone. There are over 5,000 cryptocurrencies on the market in existence today, according to crypto market capitalization aggregators, and more are being launched by the day — which makes it a bit challenging for Investors to decide on which to invest in.

In fact, there are many of them out there that aren’t real. Scammers have seen the potential opportunities in the crypto space, and they’ve designed some tokens in order to get people’s money. Whether you’re a beginner looking to invest in the crypto market or a seasoned investor, below are some techniques that will guide you in analyzing any token.

Related: Here How to Make Passive Earnings Through Cryptocurrency Staking

Note: Scammers are very smart, they are always out to lock into the endless opportunity surrounding crypto tokens; therefore, there are no perfect methods for analyzing crypto tokens. The following are just precautionary ways to help you analyze any crypto token — whether it is currency token, utility token or asset token — and also guide you in making a safe choice. 

1. Scrutinize the token’s whitepaper

A token’s whitepaper is where you’ll find the team’s aim for the project and the token’s use cases. As such, it’ll help you decide if realistic goals have been outlined

And even if you’ve found realistic goals, you need to be sure they weren’t lifted off the pages of another project’s whitepaper. Because let’s face it, the latter has happened time and again.

2. Assess the team behind the project

After having a good knowledge of the project’s offering, the next step is to assess the team backing the project. Has anyone worked on reputable projects in the past? Are they reputable members of the blockchain ecosystem? What are their qualifications?

The goal of this assessment is to be confident you’re investing in a token backed by people who actually know what they’re doing. Consider this as a fundamental analysis that’ll save you from investing in a company that’s only out to cart away gains. But remember, images can easily be lifted off the internet.

3. Check out the project on social media

A surefire way to invest in an ICO is to keep a close eye on the token’s community on social media. Here, you’ll get to know if the project has a large community supporting its cause. Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Reddit would be a good place to start.

Related: The Great Potential Of Decentralized Finance in 2020

On the same note, you’ll get to know what others are saying about the project and, thus, make informed decisions. Needless to say, there are bounties out there, whereby people are rewarded to make positive statements about the project. Hence, such reviews may be biased.

4. Ascertain legality Issues

So you’ve found a great token’s ICO to invest in, but you’re not allowed to participate due to your jurisdiction. You’d be breaking the law if you still forged ahead to make an investment.

That being said, you need to be sure that regulators in your country have not restricted participation in such offerings. Nevertheless, ICOs are still unregulated in a good number of regions, and regulators in some are working on more friendly rules.

5. Verify if the token’s project is solving a major problem

Verifying this is another key factor you mustn’t miss when analyzing a token you are about to invest in because it determines the utility value of a token’s market value. So, as a smart investor, one question you should answer before investing in a token is this: What unique problem is this token solving?  

Let’s take, for instance, Atayen Inc. It is redefining the advertising industry and especially the influencer sector with its SaTT solution, allowing anyone to be rewarded for their posts on social networks, with a platform developed at the cutting edge of technology. Another is Vinchain; it’s creating a worldwide blockchain database of used vehicle information that is 100 percent secure, transparent and accessible by all, and so on.

Practically, blockchain projects that uniquely solve a major problem will have more surge in demand, thereby boosting the tradable value of its token.

6. Find trusted people

It’s true you may have a lot of work on your hands, and may not always have the time to carefully scrutinize every project. If that’s the case, it should not be at the expense of your money.

It’ll be useful to follow trusted people in the cryptocurrency space. This should be experienced individuals who have good knowledge about the ecosystem and can give you sound advice. It’ll save you from spending hours in front of the screen analyzing a project.

Related: Five Effects of COVID-19 on the Fintech Industry

7. Get abreast of the token’s project announcements

You do not want to invest in a token and go to sleep, especially when your money is on the line. Therefore, it’s good practice to follow the project on various social media channels. You’ll find the latest announcements on these channels to keep yourself updated.

What’s more, there’s a Bitcoin Talk Forum and more forums where most projects publish announcements. And given that anyone is free to comment, you’ll garner user sentiment pertaining to such news. It’s also a good time to ask questions you may have on the Forum.

8. Timing

Timing is everything. It may come in last on the list, but it’s just as important because choosing the best time to invest can impact on your return on investment. Accordingly, you need to know if it’s the right time to invest in cryptocurrencies given that there are bear and bull markets.

At this time, it can be said that the market generally is on the boom. The same applies to consider if the ICO industry is on the boom.

To analyze any crypto token isn’t a walk in the park. However, having these tips in mind will guide your selection of potential coins that’ll stand the test of time, and yield immense profit in the short and long run.

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[scpie]

8 Smart Ways to Analyze Crypto Token Before Investing in It

August 13, 2020 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The world of cryptocurrencies is vast and doesn’t revolve around Bitcoin and blockchain alone. There are over 5,000 cryptocurrencies on the market in existence today, according to crypto market capitalization aggregators, and more are being launched by the day — which makes it a bit challenging for Investors to decide on which to invest in.

In fact, there are many of them out there that aren’t real. Scammers have seen the potential opportunities in the crypto space, and they’ve designed some tokens in order to get people’s money. Whether you’re a beginner looking to invest in the crypto market or a seasoned investor, below are some techniques that will guide you in analyzing any token.

Related: Here How to Make Passive Earnings Through Cryptocurrency Staking

Note: Scammers are very smart, they are always out to lock into the endless opportunity surrounding crypto tokens; therefore, there are no perfect methods for analyzing crypto tokens. The following are just precautionary ways to help you analyze any crypto token — whether it is currency token, utility token or asset token — and also guide you in making a safe choice. 

1. Scrutinize the token’s whitepaper

A token’s whitepaper is where you’ll find the team’s aim for the project and the token’s use cases. As such, it’ll help you decide if realistic goals have been outlined

And even if you’ve found realistic goals, you need to be sure they weren’t lifted off the pages of another project’s whitepaper. Because let’s face it, the latter has happened time and again.

2. Assess the team behind the project

After having a good knowledge of the project’s offering, the next step is to assess the team backing the project. Has anyone worked on reputable projects in the past? Are they reputable members of the blockchain ecosystem? What are their qualifications?

The goal of this assessment is to be confident you’re investing in a token backed by people who actually know what they’re doing. Consider this as a fundamental analysis that’ll save you from investing in a company that’s only out to cart away gains. But remember, images can easily be lifted off the internet.

3. Check out the project on social media

A surefire way to invest in an ICO is to keep a close eye on the token’s community on social media. Here, you’ll get to know if the project has a large community supporting its cause. Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Reddit would be a good place to start.

Related: The Great Potential Of Decentralized Finance in 2020

On the same note, you’ll get to know what others are saying about the project and, thus, make informed decisions. Needless to say, there are bounties out there, whereby people are rewarded to make positive statements about the project. Hence, such reviews may be biased.

4. Ascertain legality Issues

So you’ve found a great token’s ICO to invest in, but you’re not allowed to participate due to your jurisdiction. You’d be breaking the law if you still forged ahead to make an investment.

That being said, you need to be sure that regulators in your country have not restricted participation in such offerings. Nevertheless, ICOs are still unregulated in a good number of regions, and regulators in some are working on more friendly rules.

5. Verify if the token’s project is solving a major problem

Verifying this is another key factor you mustn’t miss when analyzing a token you are about to invest in because it determines the utility value of a token’s market value. So, as a smart investor, one question you should answer before investing in a token is this: What unique problem is this token solving?  

Let’s take, for instance, Atayen Inc. It is redefining the advertising industry and especially the influencer sector with its SaTT solution, allowing anyone to be rewarded for their posts on social networks, with a platform developed at the cutting edge of technology. Another is Vinchain; it’s creating a worldwide blockchain database of used vehicle information that is 100 percent secure, transparent and accessible by all, and so on.

Practically, blockchain projects that uniquely solve a major problem will have more surge in demand, thereby boosting the tradable value of its token.

6. Find trusted people

It’s true you may have a lot of work on your hands, and may not always have the time to carefully scrutinize every project. If that’s the case, it should not be at the expense of your money.

It’ll be useful to follow trusted people in the cryptocurrency space. This should be experienced individuals who have good knowledge about the ecosystem and can give you sound advice. It’ll save you from spending hours in front of the screen analyzing a project.

Related: Five Effects of COVID-19 on the Fintech Industry

7. Get abreast of the token’s project announcements

You do not want to invest in a token and go to sleep, especially when your money is on the line. Therefore, it’s good practice to follow the project on various social media channels. You’ll find the latest announcements on these channels to keep yourself updated.

What’s more, there’s a Bitcoin Talk Forum and more forums where most projects publish announcements. And given that anyone is free to comment, you’ll garner user sentiment pertaining to such news. It’s also a good time to ask questions you may have on the Forum.

8. Timing

Timing is everything. It may come in last on the list, but it’s just as important because choosing the best time to invest can impact on your return on investment. Accordingly, you need to know if it’s the right time to invest in cryptocurrencies given that there are bear and bull markets.

At this time, it can be said that the market generally is on the boom. The same applies to consider if the ICO industry is on the boom.

To analyze any crypto token isn’t a walk in the park. However, having these tips in mind will guide your selection of potential coins that’ll stand the test of time, and yield immense profit in the short and long run.

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source http://www.scpie.org/8-smart-ways-to-analyze-crypto-token-before-investing-in-it/

[dippedanddripped]

Keary Kase is a Portland legend best known for his hit “Oowee.” HIs sound turned into a cash cow which includes big-time deals with iconic brands like Harley Davidson and Adidas. Setting himself up for longevity, Keary Kase established a legacy from a place of obscurity with creativity, street-smarts and ingenuity. Now, Kase is mentoring the next generation of artists, preparing them for their dream jobs and how to negotiate big business with original creations. In the interview below, Keary Kase tells all about trade secrets and more. For any artists curious about landing the bigger, better deal, this interview is just for you.

SOURCE: Knowing then what you know now about your career, would you have done anything different with your sound?

KK: I can’t say there is anything I would do differently with my sound. As a vocalist, my sound has evolved over my career in music because I have allowed it to. I don’t get hung up on a style or a sound. In the beginning of my career, all I did was spit off the top. When I recorded freestyles, I would discover new cadences and tones to play with. I would pick the sticky ones and write using the same cadence.

It’s really about commitment. Your sound today might not be the sound of tomorrow but if you commit to it, it will provide a snapshot of what you were feeling and expressing at the time you dropped it. Maybe even a glimpse into what was happening at that time in the world. If you go all-in with it, people will feel that energy for a very long time. At one point I had a band. They were an all-black rock band called Prawn. That was powerful! BIG FACTS. It felt like I was on the stage with an AR15. Live instruments make the people move. I will definitely do that again at some point.

You solidified yourself on the West Coast coming from an unknown part but full of talent. In your opinion, why does Oregon never receive the respect it deserves?

I don’t believe respect is something to be passively received. It’s something you either fight for or finesse. Portland’s struggle is not about getting respect outside of Oregon, it’s the lack of support within Oregon that slows the process. We have to grow our own. Portland fans may not understand that buying merchandise, subscribing to and following social media platforms, attending shows, streaming songs and publicly acknowledging artists that they vibe with is what propels them. Follow me on IG @e1eve1even

A legend yourself, who would you consider gave you the best advice about the music business?

I’ve never had a mentor in music, so the majority of what I have learned has been through the experience. I would find music-related jobs on CL, not always hip hop gigs, but anything that I thought might propel me or put me in a better position. Occasionally, somebody might open a back door for me and let me see what goes on inside. I would play it cool but always be asking questions and taking notes.

Rudy Ray Moore, who was a friend of mine before he passed, said “Keary, when you get to the next level, I don’t need to tell you not to get discouraged, but don’t get disgusted with these mutha fuckas out here.” He also told me to make sure everybody gets paid so they know that you respect them as a professional. Even if it’s just travel expenses. Multi-platinum producer and mixer, Skip Saylor, who is also an Oregonian told me to forget about following music trends and focus on making classics.

I’ve been blessed with gems from miscellaneous sources. Most often from the last person, you might be expecting to have some insight. No matter who is sharing good information, I pay attention.

After radio success and branding, did you ever find yourself chasing the charts?

Definitely. I have big dreams. I see myself in a certain position and start to obsess over it. I imagine what it will look like, how it will feel, and how I will be received at that level. I realized that getting played on the radio is not the same as having a bullet. Chasing a hit, lol, will expose you to all types of experiences. There is no set formula but there is an art to it. Some people say mainstream music is watered down and having a hit record doesn’t take much talent. Anytime I hear this theory, I challenge that artist to make one. I did an experimental project that was focused on creating radio-friendly records intended to chart. Listening to it today, it feels timestamped and super uncomfortable. That’s because I was so focused on what was hot at the time that I wasn’t being entirely true to myself. I was smart enough to use a different name when I put it out.

As an advisor, tell us about some of the newer artists making noise in Oregon?

There is no paucity of talent in Portland but I don’t really F with everybody out here. There was a dude who lit it up a few years back but I don’t think he reps the town like that anymore. As of now, I am the incumbent in Portland and I intend to keep it that way for a while.

How do you remain creative after all these years?

I like to figure out how things work. It keeps me up at night. After I do a full day of physical activity and an evening of technology-based work, I start to analyze how things went and why. I think about how to make improvements in whatever I’m producing at the time. This leads me to do research which then leads to new discoveries and elevation. I regard to being musically creative, I think I have a disorder. I hear rhythms, melodies, and cadences everywhere. I just apply them to my perspectives and experiences. Lyrically, I like to provide something for the vibrationally sensitive listener as well as the cerebral listener.

How did your brand partnership with Nike come together?

The Nike deal was a relationship developed over time. I started to wear testing basketball shoes for Nike in high school. At the time I was more into skateboarding than football and basketball. I would skip practice and go skate in NW Portland, I was A few years later, my skate shop sponsor, Rebel Skates, made a deal with Nike to have us do skate demos at their corporate events wearing original Jordans as skate shoes. We would do jump ramp and rail tie tricks for the suits. They would give us free shoes in exchange.

When the advertising campaign happened, I was in the middle of the US National Championships followed by US National Team Trials in Olympic Style Sparring. My agency had a relationship with Marcus Swanson, a Portland photographer who has worked with Nike forever. Marcus has a son who participated in the same sport. He invited me over for a martial arts shoot, where I bumped into one of the guys from Nike who later booked me for the job. I attribute landing good opportunities to being prepared and easy to work with.

Your hit “Oowee” has stood the test of time, is it true that once an artist makes one hit song they can make another and no such thing as a one-hit-wonder?

I believe that anyone who dedicates themself to something and stays down with it is going to eventually be successful on some level. However, in the music industry, that can be easier said than done. It’s like seeing a tail dangling from a tree then pulling on it to see what it’s attached to, only to find that you are now on the opposing side of a tiger fight. Most people will look into the tiger’s eyes and run like a gazelle. Others will fight with the tiger and die or escape with severe wounds and a story to tell. Very few will tango with the tiger and leave with a trophy head. At that point, some go looking for a lion.

It’s really a matter of perseverance and the amount of attention you can handle. Just because you have a hit record does not mean everybody is going to be nice to you.

Landing partnerships with iconic brands like Harley Davidson, Adidas and Diamond Supply. What are some inside incentives you would advise today’s artists to suggest in deals?

I look for long term opportunities in deals. Getting free products and a check from a brand is not my concern. I’m more into deals that include me developing and marketing my own products utilizing their resources and relationships. For example, if a knitwear brand was to approach me with an endorsement deal that awarded me all the cashmere socks, sweaters and beanies, I would counter-propose a signature line of my own cashmere products that awarded me a percentage of the profits for that particular line. At that point, it would make sense for me to be dropping the brand name in songs and such.

How lucrative is the CBD market right now?

I’m remaining optimistic about CBD. In the last year, there was this sudden rush of CBD products. Some are not the CBD that we all assume they are. CBD can be derived from many sources. The good CBD is hemp-derived. Right now, I’m offering samples of my CBD Pain Cream. For samples, contact me on IG: @e1eve1even.

You’ve been in the music for several decades, with the music business currently suffering from a pandemic, how would you advise artists to maintain a revenue stream during hiatus?

Business is business. Don’t be afraid to explore. It’s all work. If you figured out how to eat in the music industry, do the same thing on a different platform. There are some industries that are directly or indirectly connected to the music business. Diversify. I’ve transcended the idea of being defined by one aspect of myself. That’s why I can leave music alone when I don’t feel like I have something of substance to offer it and still have something left in the jab to set up the next combo.

If I was a one pony trick, trying to apply the same formula next season because it went big last year, I would most definitely be confronted by a competitor who has analyzed my game and figured out a way to divert my stream. Kinda like disruptive innovation. I remember being in the meeting with Sony, discussing my first record deal. When asked what my next move was, I said “I can do whatever you want me to do.” NEVER say that! Know what you want to do and get to it. Don’t wait for anybody to help you because by the time you find someone who wants to partner with you, if the ball is not already in play it looks like a losing investment.

Musical artists have to be creative thinkers in addition to being a talent. We also have to be able to see an opportunity when it presents itself. If you are focused, you will always get what you ordered but it may show up in the wrong package. Open the box and see what’s in there before you send it back.

How has the current social climate (cases of police brutality) inspired your new music?

Anybody who knows me well will tell you that my superpower is the element of surprise. I see myself as a KRS when he dropped Criminal Minded in 1987 then, over time, revealed his true mind was more political than criminal. Or an NWA, who told hood stories then realized they could use their voice to chastise politicians and police. Or like Public Enemy. Any artist who slipped into the public view and then started firing with aim at the heads of the broken establishment is like me right now. Stay tuned.

Rappers are the most influential individuals in the world, in a time of need, how would you suggest we as a people move forward in the efforts of change?

Black people, have to be hyper-vigilant right now. And that’s not a condition that can be sustained for a long period of time, but right now we need to be watching for the twist. We can’t protest 6 peanuts in the morning and 3 at night then rejoice over being awarded 8 peanuts in the morning and 1 at night, as if something has changed. That sounds ridiculous, right? But that’s the type of game we have been going for. We have to get over our self-generated fear and unwarranted hate of each other and bring it in.

How have you been contributing to the BLM cause?

I inform people who are supporting the BLM movement with social media posts, memes, posters, picket signs, hashtags, t-shirts, lawn stakes, and badges that those forms of support are great gestures but not enough to make the dramatic changes that need to happen today.

I live in the whitest state in America. I attended a BLM gathering at City Hall with a group of black, and brown men. The people who were supposed to be there in support of us were uncomfortable and tense as we moved through the crowd. Most of them still won’t look me in the eye. Maybe it’s me… No, actually, it’s not. What we don’t need is people showing up to protests for lack of anything better to do while they are in between jobs. We know about the white people who are with the business until it’s time for sentencing. But I don’t mind the faces of BLM here being our lighter-skinned brothers. They need to talk to each other anyway. But let’s not overlook the way protests become more widely digestible when there are less dark faces involved.

We can’t allow the focus of racial inequality and white privilege to be blurred. For example, the LBGTQ community deserves to be heard, but not by using the BLM movement as a platform. Doing this dilutes both agendas.

What’s next for Keary Kase?

We’re still pushing my single, Craze right now. It’s available everywhere for anyone who hasn’t heard it. We partnered with the New Zealand tattoo model, Lilli Grace to be the face of the Craze promotional campaign. Put your snorkeling gear on and go check her out on IG @lilligraceofficial. We did a video for it but I’m not releasing it until we see what’s happening with our people. There is some hype about a Craze remix and video featuring a well known-platinum selling artist but nothing solid yet. I’m dropping a mixtape in July, produced by J Doe and Sixtine, featuring Amelia Cole, Mic Crenshaw, and Uneekint.

I’m also partnering with a visual effects artist and animator named Hock Wong, on a mini-series for Netflix. It’s all about timing right now. We need to give the issue of systemic racism our full attention. After we see how THEY are going to respond, if I don’t have to load up and get on the frontline, you will see me. They would love to throw us a basketball and let things get back to the way they were, but there is no going back. Death before dishonor.

[codywalzel]

The Emoji Movie (And Weak TV/Movies in general)- A Entreaty to Cut the Snark

(In a public forum anyway, if you just want to goof off in conversation with friends, knock yourself out.)

So, if you’re drafting your scathing tweet for whatever the current week’s freshly released and much hated property happens to be:

Please don’t. Take Emoji, for example. First off, I didn’t work on Emoji. I have many friends that did during my time at Sony, but this essay isn’t for their sake. I would have worked on Emoji if offered for reasons I’ll get to later, but for now let me start with this: None of the respectable artists that worked on the film wanted it to turn out how it did. Business people with only a secondary interest in art controlled a product, with which they hoped to make money, and guess what, it worked. I’m not trying to throw executives under the bus here either. Executives, whose job is to make money, not to make “good” movies, don’t always the time or budget to assure quality. And honestly, even for the world’s best filmmakers, with infinite budgets and complete control, quality is never a certainty. So, especially in a time crunch, with a full slate, and unproven filmmakers, quality is not necessarily the best business plan for execs. At least that’s the perception to many of us working on a project, and I can see from their perspective the logic that stance. It’s a, “I don’t care if the fart joke is stupid, kids will LOVE it!” kind of thing. Often, sensationalism and even bad press can actually be a good business plan, because that assures the movie won’t be buried. Kids like poop jokes, and adults want a ticket to the train wreck. The decision-makers on the film probably leaned into the low brow as an allure for the marketing campaign, making it a far more visible film due to all the negative buzz surrounding it. The producers don’t care if they’re serving McDonald’s or filet mignon, they’re playing a completely different game, and it’s about getting butts in seats at any cost. Incredibly talented artists fought hard to make the most of a bad situation, and as is usually the case, were outvoted time and again by money, because money had completely different goals. I’m in no way advocating an acceptance of mediocre filmmaking, or a lowered set of expectations for your media consumption. I am, however, trying to make a case that the culture of snottiness, and smug, side-mouth “witticisms” is one of misspent energy, presuming your goal is to help contribute quality art to the world. 

The reason I say not to waste time crafting some cutting diatribe is, the public negativity won’t ever hurt the execs, they won’t see the criticism, and they don’t care because the movie did fulfilled its financial responsibility as a product. But the artists who try and fail to make good movies take the brunt of all the negativity and snark that gets thrown out there. Even though filmmakers will likely never see your specific post, every bit of nasty amateur commentary contributes to a general culture of creativity-stifling artist bashing. Although we should always hold professionals to the highest standard, you have to try and be realistic about the amount of control they have on a project like this. This is not to say you shouldn’t recognize crappy choices for what they are, go ahead and notice what doesn’t work about a movie. Professional reviewers can and should dissect a work’s failing. But, there’s no point in taking so much glee in throwing rocks in the town square. The world just really doesn’t need another sick-burn Tweet featuring your “hot take” on the movie. We get it. You’re smart and the filmmakers are dumb. Your opinion is the same as everyone else’s, but you worded it slightly differently, so that 160 character Twitter review that starts with “Apparently…” and oozes smarm from there is better off left in the drafts. This type of schadenfreude is among the nastiest behaviors to which creatives regularly subject each other. To be working on a very visible project means that almost every artist on that film or show has legions of fans that adore their original work, and an entire industry to speak to their talent. Yet so often I see the artists themselves, and not just the one work, lumped together in the public eye as “the idiots who made that bad thing.” You might ask, “Why would they take that crappy job then?” For the same reason people who haven’t make it into the industry yet take jobs bagging groceries: to pay rent, to support their families, to pay for classes to improve themselves, or just to get them through to the next, better job. It’s not every day that the Iron Giant or Finding Nemo is staffing up, and you never know what kind of project a movie is going to turn out to be going in. So many huge successes fought their way to greatness after an incredibly rocky start. And many movies at a promising studio, with a great premise and solid leadership, end up being terrible. There’s no way to know going in. If you truly think you’re the exception to that rule, take out a loan and open a small studio, because you’ll be the most successful figure in Hollywood history if you can predict a hit every time.

Everybody knows now that the Emoji Movie is bad at this point. Any of the slew of amateur ”reviews” now will just be a race to the bottom, another rotten cabbage to throw at the guy with his head in the pillory. In these situations it feels like all the sassy internet hecklers, many of whom have little or no relationship with the process of actually making films, are lining up to kick a downed opponent, and make themselves look like a tough guy. Each slam is looking raise the bar on the new meanest possible insult, “_____ (movie) was so terrible it made me want to kill myself with my own ticket stub through a thousand tiny paper-cuts”.  The desperation of scrambling to find a “hot take” on an exhausted property is palpable. So many Facebook Status “Film Gurus”, Youtube Movie Ranters, and the ever scholarly forum commentators, are always at the ready to weave a mixture of diatribe and condescending, film-school-freshman lecturing. There’s this ever present tone of “if they only knew these obvious filmmaking truisms, they’d be smart like me, and make better movies. Please, please when will a producer drift into this forum, recognize my intelligence, and give me movies to make instead?” They then usually proceed to lay out some “rules” they’ve read from various screenwriting books. Rest the rules, because I guarantee you that the artists involved in these films read the same books. The filmmakers are just as big of film buffs as us, they watch all the same shows and movies, and they study filmmaking theory through books, blogs, criticism, and movie absorption the same way we do. Yet, with all their knowledge, you still get this kind of “bad” movie, which just shows you how hard it is to make a movie work. There is a harsh reality to showbusiness’ balance of commerce and art: a businesses’ goal is profit, and Hollywood Filmmaking is a business. Here’s a shortened example of what it might take to get a “good” movie made: 1. Someone makes it through the long and cut-throat-competitive thresher of endlessly pitching their ideas. For the sake of condensing many steps, we’ll cut to the part where the project is the 1% that makes it through development hell, and we’ll say the filmmaker survives their 50/50 shot of being replaced by the studio for someone they like better.  2. The filmmaker convinces the studio that “quality” will be a factor that earns money for this movie, and not one of a many possible marketing directives.  3. The filmmaker is also able to assure those footing the bill that they can achieve quality, and in the process get enough creative control to make the thing work. That often includes either convincing a studio that your ability to execute a vision is superior to theirs, or tricking them into thinking both of your visions of the movie are the same, and quietly seeing how many of their notes you can hide under the carpet while you and your trained creative team actually make it work. (On rare occasions execs are either excellent collaborators, or trusting enough of filmmakers to let them do the creative work they were hired to do.)    4. Assuming the filmmaker is able to settle the control issue, and wrestle the steering wheel from the people whose money they are spending, then the filmmaker must then have been correct about their vision being a good one that will work on screen.  5. Finally, if the stars align, then the millions of moving pieces that make up a film/show are somehow kept from falling apart. If all those fragile pieces work in unison, and nothing major changes with the leadership at studios, or the state of the industry as a whole, the project has a chance of being “good”. Even then, there’s no guarantee that “good” thing will make money.  On every project I’ve ever worked on, even the ones I’m proud of, the whole is so much less than the sum of it’s parts. Sometimes I already follow every person I work with on a project on social media when I come in on the first day. There are usually talented people in every department, an all star team, but the project is almost never an all star result. Sometimes it’s not even something I would watch.

Due to the safety and reach of the Internet, the culture of “critiquing” filmmaking has given every basement dwelling cynic and film school sophomore an outlet for their bitter condescension. I think this has led to the general impression that the most important thing that critics do is tear movies apart. I’ve even seen actual, professional critics resort to a kind of schoolyard rap battle to see who can deliver the most crushing blow to a film. But, the most acclaimed critics in film history spent much their time championing films they love- celebrating successes rather than brutally attacking failures. People like Roger Ebert and Leonard Maltin became legendary figures in film history by using their influence to introduce the world to filmmaking that might have otherwise gone overlooked. Hate what you want. Bash what you want. I’m not going to try and fight some crusade against internet flame culture. But, since so many of the people who so joyfully hate on films online claim a passionate love of cinema, just know that a horde of nasty tweets doesn’t help cinema in any way. Way more terrible movies are made than great ones, that’s both the law of averages, and a sad reality of the business. So, although one can learn just as much from a bad movie as a good one, keep it balanced- If you find that the goal of your criticism is to dog-pile an already hated property, I'm begging you to choose again:

-Be the bold person to articulate dissatisfaction with a beloved movie instead.

-Or champion the strong parts of a despised movie.

-Or even continue in the awesome tradition of Tony Zhou, by doing the hard work it takes to neatly point out successful things a strong movie accomplishes. 

-But most of the time, if you're in such a bitter mood that you want to publicly slam a bunch of strangers, your best option is to bury that opinion deep, deep inside of yourself, log off of your computer, and go deal with whatever is making you so angry.

[workfromhomeyoutuber]

You Need A Budget (YNAB): Humbly Confident Public Relations Manager

Headquarters: Salt Lake City, UT URL: https://www.youneedabudget.com/

At YNAB, we build the world’s best budgeting software. But teaching people how to get control of their money and changing lives, one budget at a time, is what gets us up in the morning. Over the years we’ve slowly gained some notoriety (the good kind!) but there are still a whole lot of people who have never heard of us, and it’s a budgeting shame. 

We’re looking for a natural storyteller, connector, and media whisperer, with years of public relations experience, to help us raise our profile. 

You have experience working with influencers and understand that bigger isn’t always better, but also, that sometimes, it is. You’re flexible like that. In fact, while reading the last two sentences, you began making a mental list of people you’d want to connect with right out of the gate. 

You see opportunities all around you and the thought of cold-calling a potential partner and pitching a potential project or campaign sounds thrilling. If you’re thinking, “Where is the challenge in that? I may even get an invite to the wedding!”, you just might be our person. 

You understand what makes a great story and what makes something media-worthy. And you love nothing more than packaging it all up and getting it in front of the right person, at the right time. 

When you look at all the awesome content the YNAB marketing team produces, you can’t help but think of 14 other ways you would promote it. Don’t be shy—we can’t wait to hear your ideas.  

If you are the right person for the job you’ll have the following experience and/or qualities: 

Experience in public relations, influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, referral marketing, and/or partner marketing 

A sense of humor and the ability to think on your feet (this sounds like improv, which isn’t a requirement, but how awesome is improv?!)

Strong skills as a writer, communicator, and negotiator  

Strategic-minded planner who can execute the details without losing sight of the big picture 

An assertive, proactive personality that is energized at the prospect of building new relationships, partnerships, and programs

A natural-bridge builder that can’t help but make connections, build consensus, and invite collaboration

Excellent time management skills which make juggling multiple projects, priorities, and pitches look easy

That gives you a pretty good idea of the job and who we’re looking for, but first, you need to know if you’ll even like working with us. (Spoiler alert: We think you will.)

A Bit About Us

We build the best budgeting software around, YNAB or “You Need a Budget” if you have a lot of extra time on your hands. For more than a decade, people have been buying YNAB and then telling their friends what a difference it has made in their lives. (Google us, or read some of our reviews on the app store, and you’ll see what we mean.) We love building something that has a huge positive impact on people’s lives.

We’re profitable, bootstrapped, and growing. YNAB started in 2004 and we haven’t taken any outside funding—we’re in it for the long haul. 

We have one overarching requirement when it comes to joining our team: our Core Value Manifesto has to really click with you. If you’re nodding emphatically while reading it, you’ll probably fit right in, in which case, we can’t wait to hear from you! 

First, let’s talk about life at YNAB and then we’ll go into detail about what we’re looking for. 

Who you’d be working with:

Lindsey & The Gang aka the Marketing Team aka just a rag-tag but lovable bunch of underdogs who defy the odds—making budgeting software hilarious, emotional, and accessible—day in and day out. (Disney, are you listening?) 

We love musical theater, board games, stand-up comedy, the Enneagram, video games, and art, to varying degrees, depending on who you talk to first. (Oh, and Ryan likes sports.) Our internal Slack channel is so much fun, it has a growing fanbase of its own. 

Lindsey, our Chief Marketing Officer, will be the first to delete something very important, but also the first to celebrate your wins—big and small. Ryan, our Digital Marketing Director, will quickly become your lifeline in any type of bracketology-related emergency and even under website-launch-level-stress, he can sneak in the jokes that make you feel like, “if Dad’s OK, we’ll all be OK.” 

You’ll collaborate a lot with Rachel, who leads out on the blog, possibly from Hawaii, where she’s working from an AirBnB for a month or two, because she’s cool like that. And Janelle, who is the hilarious brain behind our social media. Of course, there is also Ashley and Hannah, who are growing our YouTube channel, and basically scream “lifestyle partnerships!” with their very existence. And then there are awesome teachers Erin, Ben, and Kelly, who are building out educational content and self-paced courses, that are begging to be discovered by the right verticals and communities… And that’s not even everybody! 

It’s a strong, creative, hilarious team that genuinely enjoys each other and their work. 

How You’ll Work at YNAB

We work really hard to make working at YNAB an amazing experience. In fact, we were recently recognized as Fortune's #4 best small company to work for in the United States! We have a team full of truly exceptional people—the kind you’ll be excited to work with. Here’s how we operate:

Live Where You Want

We’re a distributed team, so you can live and work wherever you want. Proximity doesn’t influence productivity. Taylor, our CTO, was traveling who-knows-where for a couple of years before he bought a farm. Up and move to France for a year? Sure, Todd did that. Don’t like France? How about London, where Janelle trotted off to. Tulsa Remote? Can do. Or if you just love LA or Baltimore or Buenos Aires, we’ve got people there, too.  Not all of us move around, but the fact that these folks have is totally okay because we’re all adults. Just make sure you have a reliable internet connection.

No Crazy Hours

We rarely work more than 40 hours per week. There have been a few occasions where things got a little crazy and people had to log some extra hours. But then they took some extra time off, so it all balances out. We work hard and smart but we’re in this for the long haul, no need to go crazy on the hours.

Take Vacation (Seriously)

We want you to take vacation. In fact, we have a minimum vacation policy of three weeks per year. Five weeks feels about right (plus two extra weeks for Christmas break). It’s important to get out and do something. We’ll look forward to seeing pictures of your vacation in our Slack channel, creatively named #office_wall.

The YNAB Meetup

We get the teams together once a year to catch up on spreadsheets and powerpoints in a Best Western conference room. Just kidding. So far, we’ve done Costa Rica, a gigantic cabin in the mountains, a beach house in the Outer Banks, a ranch in Montana, and most recently, Laguna Beach. We work together, play together, and reinforce the bonds we’ve made as a team and company. Every year, we leave refreshed, motivated, and excited for the year ahead together.

Up Your Game

We’re serious about helping you improve your craft. We budget for it (hey-o!). Think conferences, Lynda subscriptions, dedicated time away from work to learn something new… it’s really up to you and your manager. But we love to see our people growing.  

International is Absolutely Okay

If you are Stateside, we’ll set you up as a W2 employee. If you’re international, you’ll be set up as a contractor. Employee or contractor, it’s all the same to us. You’re part of the team. (We are spread all over the world: Switzerland, Scotland, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Canada, and all over the United States.)

If You’re Stateside…

YNAB offers fantastic health, dental, and vision insurance, where we cover 100% of the premium for you and your family. (No need to check your vision, you read that right, 100%. Although if you did need to check your vision, NBD, we’ve got you covered!)

We also have a Traditional and Roth 401k option. YNAB contributes three percent whether you choose to throw any money in there or not. It vests immediately. (Are you a personal finance junkie like our founder Jesse? He set up YNAB’s 401k to have the lowest fee structure possible, where all plan costs are paid by YNAB, not your retirement nest egg. The investment funds available are fantastic, passively-managed, ultra low-cost index funds. You’re not a PF junkie? Trust us, it’s awesome.)

Other Tidbits

Once you start, we DEMAND (in a friendly, ALL CAPS IS YELLING way) that you fill out your “Bucket List” spreadsheet with 50 items. (That’s harder than it sounds!) 

The bucket list really helps in deciding what we should give you for your birthday and the holidays.

We have a bonus plan based on profitability. You’ll be in on that from day one. YNAB wins, you win. That kind of thing.

We’re all adults. There’s no need to punch a clock, or ask for permission to take off early one afternoon to go see the doctor (health insurance premium 100% covered!). We look at what you accomplish, not how long you sit (have you tried standing?) in front of a computer.

We want you firing on all cylinders so we’ll set you up with a shiny new computer and replace it every three years.

Did I mention we make a huge, positive difference in people’s lives? You may not think that matters much, but then a few months down the road you’ll realize it’s made your job really, really enjoyable. Don’t underestimate this one!

If this sounds like your ideal environment, read on because now I want to talk about you. You will play a big, big part in helping YNAB customers achieve success. You will change lives. I’ll only say that six more times.

Now, back to you, our new Public Relations Manager...

Before “content marketing” and “word-of-mouth marketing” were buzzwords, YNAB’s marketing efforts were anchored in content and community. It’s what we do best. But we have a lot of people focused on creating the content, and very few with bandwidth to really focus on promoting the content. This is where you come in. 

You are full of ideas. There are influencers to work with, content partnerships to forge, referral strategies to execute, media stories to land! 

You see our crazy, loyal fanbase and it gets your wheels spinning—oh, the things you could do with the two families who got YNAB license plates or the couple that threw a YNAB-themed Valentines date!  

If we told you that we were getting users to opt-in to share their data anonymously so we could publish an Annual Report full of spending trends and averages, your head might explode with the media coverage potential. (Oh, the potential!!) 

You are probably a storyteller in your own right, and although we have content creators, you wouldn’t be shy about diving right in and writing content for a partnership you are working on or an influencer campaign in the works. 

You are our ideal candidate if you: 

Have at least 3-5 years of professional experience in public relations,

Agency experience

Excel at juggling multiple projects and timelines at any given moment and switching gears keeps you fresh and stimulated. 

Opportunistic and proactive about sourcing, developing, and executing potential partnerships, programs, and/or campaigns

Energized at the thought of building something from nothing

Comfortable initiating and maintaining relationships 

Understand how to pitch the right media, the right content, at the right time

Persistent. Because media. 

Make us laugh. 

Manage your time exceptionally well and are comfortable working remotely. 

Incredibly organized, flexible, and collaborative. 

Never met a deadline you didn’t love. 

Self-motivated and driven by nature, maybe even a little competitive. 

Stay laser-focused on the big picture, without losing sight of every. last. detail. 

Wildly productive and independent, but a team-player at heart. 

Bonus Points: 

You already use and love YNAB. 

YNAB is an equal opportunity employer. We believe diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences to be critical to our success and are passionate about creating a welcoming, supportive, and collaborative environment for all employees. All are encouraged to apply as we continue to grow a smart, hard-working, and diverse team who love working together to build something that matters.

How to Apply

Apply here (https://ynab.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk0qmzk) by 11:59PM on March 12th, 2020. Firm. It’s a real deadline. The kind you love.

Attach a pdf of your cover letter. In your cover letter: 

Introduce yourself and explain why this position is of interest to you, and why you would be a great fit. Please limit this section of the cover letter to 1.5 pages. 

On a separate page of your cover letter, answer the following questions (with each response being about a paragraph in length): 

1. What attracted you to this position? (This is not about what attracted you to the software.) 

2. What criteria do you look for when searching for your next company or position? 

3. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of your current job? 

4. Tell us about a time when you had to learn something new to excel at your job. 

5. We recently launched two self-paced video courses and have two more in the works. How would you go about driving people toward those resources? 

6. Tell us about a campaign or program you built from concept to execution. 

7. With what you know about our brand and our product, share some influencers or other brands that you think could be strong potential partners, and why. 

If you have a prepared resume, attach it in PDF form. If you don’t have a resume because you aren’t even sure you’re looking to change jobs, that’s fine! An informal list of your work and education history are all we’re looking for.

Please send all attachments as PDFs. 

P.S.  If you’re not interested in or available for this position, but know someone who is, we would really appreciate it if you passed this along!

To apply: https://ynab.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk0qmzk

from We Work Remotely: Remote jobs in design, programming, marketing and more https://ift.tt/3chu8kE from Work From Home YouTuber Job Board Blog https://ift.tt/2w8wbXY

[clarencenicholsonata]

11 Best Restaurant Landing Page Examples of All Time

A landing page is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on a search engine optimized search result or directed link. It can be a "static" page or series of pages on a website.

Landing pages can be used by brands that are B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to customer), just like your restaurant.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get about landings is “How do I get more customers?”

The answer, with a landing page created to generate sales. When a landing page is designed and optimized properly, it can maximize your online presence, allowing you to educate and convert viewers into customers.

To get started and inspired, here are 11 of the best restaurant landing pages you’ll ever see. Plus learn about the best ways to build or improve your restaurant's landing page with real-life examples.

1. Hawksworth Restaurant

Avoid the Clutter and Keep it Clean

One of the most unstated features of a great landing page is simplicity. Keeping your landing page clear and concise, while simultaneously providing your customers with all the information they need is a skill worth mastering.

A landing page design should be simple and free of clutter. This allows visitors to focus on the most important elements of your page. It also prevents viewers from being distracted by colorful backgrounds, unnecessary information and more focused on making a reservation or call from your page.

As a rule of thumb, follow these four landing page rules follow:

Define what your landing page goal is and stick to it. If you're here to inform people about your restaurant, remove anything that doesn't serve that purpose.

Have the essentials on your website: a menu, contact, reservation, about, and location. Anything else is just an added bonus or extra. Use your colors wisely, add contrast to elements that you want to stand out, like an CTA button.

2. Red Lobster

Share Your Restaurant's Story

A landing page should always be created with the buyer in mind.

It’s called “buyer psychology.”

One element of buyer psychology you should cover on your landing page to influence visitors to take action on your page is sharing your story.

Sharing your story is crucial when you're explaining your position and credibility to those who have never experienced your restaurant.

The quickest way for visitors to identify with what your restaurant has to offer is through storytelling. But let's not fool ourselves, we live in a time where customers care more about self-interest above anything else.

So your brand’s story needs to connect with customers based on their needs, and wants.

If they want fresh ingredients and food then share that side of the story by skillfully addressing your customers' pain points.

For example: We created this restaurant because we wanted to provide authentic Italian cuisine that offers customers a local experience.

This sentence focuses on both your authentic brand story and pitches to customers looking for a reliable Italian food experience.

Brand storytelling is so essential that we even created a step by step guide on how to do it. Check out “what brand storytelling is & how to do it (With examples!)”

3. The Botanist Restaurant

Use Stunning Professional Images

Did you know that when people hear information, they're likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later?

However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of that information approximately three days later.

You've probably experienced it yourself. The brain loves images far more than it likes text because visuals are processed 60,000 times faster.

Images play a big part in your restaurant's landing page success. You’ve heard the saying "people eat with their eyes,"

The Botanist restaurant landing page has stunning professional images of their food, leaping off the screen and urging visitors to choose them as their next restaurant location. If you want to have the same effect on your landing page, you'll need to invest in an expert photographer to showcase your best meals and plating.

Photos of inside your restaurant are also a plus, allowing viewers to experience what it’s like mentally before they physically visit in your restaurant.

Check out Shopify's article on "Food Photography 101: How to Take Perfect Pictures of Your Food." Get the best tips and tricks to capturing and adding images to your website.

4. Kissatanto

Show Off Your Menu and Specials

A popular mistake amongst restaurant landing pages is that they tend to hide or avoid displaying their menu.

This can be frustrating for new customers who want to plan ahead.

Having your restaurant's menu available on your website is one of the thirteen features all successful websites for restaurants should have, there's no going around it.

People like to be informed; they want to know what they can expect before they go to your restaurant. Some customers don't want to be caught off guard by prices or changes when they visit in person.

If your restaurant menu changes daily, then you can list your refreshments or specials instead. You can also send out daily emails of your menu to your subscribers.

5. Maenam

Offer a Great Sales Pitch

The purpose of your landing page is to pitch your restaurant to potential customers. Next to sharing your brand story,menu and food, you'll need to have a great sales pitch to match.

But it has to be clever.

Customers are so used to being sold to they're unaffected by the "buy, buy, buy" culture. Instead, you'll have to position your landing pages narrative and copy to speak and appeal to them. Smart content talks with your customers rather than to them. It talks about what they want and how it benefits them.

So what kind of Jedi mind trick are you going to use on your landing page?

The answer, focus on one item or feature to sell about your restaurant and connect it to your customer's needs.

You'll have to find and define that feature and use it as a value proposition for your landing page. A value proposition is a secret sauce that whatever gives your brand an edge over your competitors.

You can list thousands of benefits, but when you ask your customers what they love the most about your restaurant, it all boils down to that answer.

6. Le Bernardin

Creating Ways to Collect Leads

If you want to ensure that customers visit your restaurant, you're going to have to find a way to collect their information. Start collecting emails making online reservations accessible.

You can do this by setting up website pop-ups and forms that are triggered when visitors land on a page or a reservation section on your website.

Reservation Online Forms

Reservation Pop Ups

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Ready to create your own reservation pop-ups and forms?

Book a free call to learn how our team of marketing experts can help you collect leads and reservations for your restaurant today!

7. Araxi Restaurant

Add Your Contact Details

A contact page can be the first place that customers go to and the last contact they have with you. So treat it with respect.

Here are five best practices to keep in mind when you're designing your "Contact Us Page:"

1.Ensure that your copy/text is inviting, let customers feel like you want them to contact you. Don't just pitch "Contact us", drive it home with an inviting sentence.

Don't crowd your contact page with unnecessary information. If you want to add more details, create an FAQ page instead.

Ask limited questions. Let your contact form be short and concise. Name, email, and a number to help make your customer's journey easier.

Offer customers more than one way to contact you. Not everyone wants to call; some people might prefer to send an email, live chat, or go directly to your restaurant with the help of a map.

Give customers reassure that you'll get back to them. Customers are reaching out to you on good faith that you'll respond to them. Try to send an automated follow-up email or let them know that you'll provide a call back within a specific timeframe.

8. Carisma Restaurant

Add Testimonials and Reviews to Your Site

Don't shy away from showing off your customer testimonials. When it comes to food, people take customer reviews very seriously. Upserve found that 33% of people read other guests' reviews before selecting a place to eat.

Not to mention that 84% of customers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations. What customers have to say and how they rate your business directly affects your restaurant's profits and online presence.

You’ll have to handle online reviews in three ways:

Find and rectify bad reviews about your restaurant. Use social listening tools like Mention to find unsatisfied customers can reach out to them with a discount or apology.

Sometimes our "haters" can tell us what we need to improve in our service or food. So actively listen.

Display your customer testimonials and reviews on your website. Carisma's website uses social media widgets to share reviews in real-time.

For more, check out our article on landing page customer reviews: The how the what and wherefore.

9. Hy's Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Add Your Location & Google Maps

A restaurant's location should never be a secret unless you constantly change locations. You should always provide the exact street name and number so customers can pop in and dine.

Adding Google maps to your website is a subtle modern-day marketing feature. Customers can easily find the best route from their current location to your restaurant along with landmarks, so they don't get lost along the way.

Instead of asking customers to leave your site to copy and paste your address in a GPS software, keep them on your website by embedding Google Maps on your website.

Geek Tutorials: How to Insert a Google Map to Your Website

10. Canoe Restaurant

Make It Mobile Responsive

There isn't a minute that passes by that we aren't using our phones, including searching for places to buy food. So once you've created your restaurant landing page, you'll have to ensure that it's mobile responsive.

About 72% of people want mobile-friendly websites, and 94% of people judge sites solely based on its responsive mobile web design and nothing else.

Here are three things to consider when choosing a mobile friendly design for your landing page:

A Custom Layout: You need to have a custom layout for the mobile version of your landing page. You can't merely have a smaller version of your landing page fit a mobile screen. Navigation and size have to be considered.

Optimize Images: Bigger images take a long time to load via mobile, try to optimize your image for fast loading speed while keeping the quality.

Mobile-Friendly Buttons: Pay close attention to the CTA's and buttons on your site, they have to fit the mobile screen big enough that viewers can touch them to get a response. Remember, the smaller the button, the harder it is to click.

Check out more website creation fundamentals that small business owners often neglect.

11. Wishpond's Restaurant landing Page Template

Test Before Launching

Always test your landing page before launching.

First impressions of your landing page stay with new customers, and customers are more tech-savvy than they have ever been; they expect to find a fully functional landing page when they search for your restaurant.

In fact there are 45 landing page optimization tips to help you decide what to test. For starters you can check these 6 features on your own:

Loading speed

Misspellings and incorrect grammar

Broken links

Buttons and contact forms

Website pop-ups

Loaded or broken image links

A Little Something Extra

Wishpond's landing page templates each come with an integrated marketing automation features like built-in pop, opt-in bars, mobile-responsive design, A/B testing and real-time analytics to monitor and manage your page without the hassle of moving from tool to tool.

Create a landing page from start to finish with ease using a simple drag-and-drop editor or use pre-designed templates made for each niche, with no need for advanced design or programming knowledge.

Summary

Creating a successful landing page for your restaurant doesn't have to feel like a hassle. Following these 11 examples and tips will guide you on your way to create a lead generating and reservation booking landing page:

Avoid the Clutter and Keep it Clean

Share Your Restaurants Story

Use Professional Images

Show Off Your Menu and Specials

Offer a Great Sales Pitch

Creating Ways to Collect Leads

Add Your Contact Details

Add Testimonials and Reviews to Your Site

Add Your Location & Google Maps

Make It Mobile Responsive

Test Before Launching

Related Articles

8 Steps to Master Instagram Restaurant Marketing Like a Pro

29 Restaurant Giveaway Ideas & Examples You Can Use Today

How to Win at Restaurant Email Marketing: 5 Best Practices & 7 Content Ideas

6 Best Facebook Ads for Restaurants

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230801 https://ift.tt/2vbKyKl via IFTTT

[what-does-one-affects-the-other]

What's your opinion on this robot harry?For me it's so annoying he can't even pretend to be excited for his own tour, his social media presence is such a turn off

Well I’m sort of digging myself a grave with this one, but since I haven’t seen a post I can fully agree with, here we go. Disclaimer, I actually study this at uni. I was the Social Media Manager for the planning and putting together of a fashion show, on all platforms. I just handed in last month a 6-months marketing plan that was based around social media promo. So I do have a bit of knowledge in this area. I am by no means an expert, but this is my future field of choice, so I like to think I’m at least educated.

The situation isn’t as black and white as people have put it so far. All I’ve seen is “he’s horrible at engaging with fans” and “he doesn’t own you shit so stop complaining”. The answer is a very big grey area in which Harry’s actual social media presence fits perfectly in my opinion. First of all, there’s two main templates we studied for marketing purposes this year, Gaynor Lea Greenwood’s promotion suggestions (2009) and Burcher (2013)’s Paid, Owned and Earned media concept. Long story short, the first one is your traditional marketing campaign and the second one relies more on social media and advertising on it. Now, I think Harry’s team went for the more traditional approach, and let me explain why.

Harry started distancing himself more and more from twitter and Instagram ever since the hiatus started.Even before, during OTRA and MITAM promo, most of his tweets were promo stuff, lyrics I’m not sure we fully understand even now, charity work, promoting friends or tweeting about holidays/important days or events. His fan interaction has been low for quite a while, and I’m honestly baffled people are acting like this is news. Looking through his Twitter in 2015, there are some tweets to fans, yes, but they’re very sparse.I counted about 12 in 5 months, most of them in September, when Perfect came out, and around the release of MITAM.His tweets were mostly thanks to fans for various awards and nominalisation, promoting the songs/album, some lyrics and, without fail, after every concert he tweeted a thank you for coming.

It felt more personal than what we have now (tho in all honesty, his tour hasn’t started yet and if we eliminate the OTRA tweets it’s already a different story), but Robot Harry has been a thing then, and people were riding along with it instead of condemning it to the extent they do now.But, the thing is, Harry didn’t have the entire burden of engaging with the fanbase like he has now.Louis, Niall and Liam always took turns in taking the lead in replying to fans and interacting with them, which allowed Harry to do his part and everyone was mostly happy.

And yet, I personally don’t feel this frustration many people feel. I think it’s quite interesting actually. A bold move that wouldn’t work for other artist whose career relies on people who live and breathe social media (maybe Beyonce or Adele, but they are in another league). I was very intrigued by Harry’s statement in the Behind the album video, in which he said that there was a time in his life when people knew everything about him, and he didn’t like it.He has been overexposed since 2012, his personal life splashed across tabloids, fake relationship or not.And now he disappeared for a year (and has been retreating into himself for at least 2) and he wrote this mysterious™ album, trying to see if people can listen and understand it without knowing much about the current him. In this context, having an album that surrounds itself in mystery and then doing 4 Q&As on twitter and 3 livestreams sends…extremely contradictory messages. I can, and will fault his team for presenting a dual image of Harry that sometimes makes 0 sense, for handling a lot of things so poorly, and for the entire Carolina mess, but I will say that his social media fits this old school mysterious rockstar image they’re showing of him. I also think his actual reason is very personal and very real, and I respect the fact that he didn’t compromise this choice he made for promo purposes.

His promo relied on more traditional channels. TV and radio appearances, print magazines, and most importantly, the secret gigs. Now, I’m sorry, but I felt entirely more connected to Harry running across London at 8AM in my pyjamas than by any twitter spree he’ll ever do. I never did this before. This reminded me of the stories my dad told me, of queuing up for days in front of the box office so he’d get the tickets when they went on sale. It was very old school and it worked for me. It was a phenomenal experience, something I will never forget. And he did this for us. All profits went to charity, he didn’t do this for money. And while I know this was for a few selected cities and a handful of lucky fans, it was intimate and it was special and I think everyone, regardless if they were there, or vicariously living through pics and videos, felt a connection to Harry. We got emotional on his behalf when he sang with his idol on stage 2 weeks later, you don’t do that for someone you have no connection to.

Now, the actual reason I’m happy with what we’ve got is that it is genuine from my POV. Liam is the perfect candidate for a comparison, since he also took a bit of a break from social media (not as heavy as Harry’s, but he definitely wasn’t as active as Louis or Niall) and his promo is as textbook as it gets. He slowly, but surely increased his activity since January, a few more tweets, a few more pics on Instagram.A big turning point was April when he posted 13 pics on Instagram, compared to 8 in March, 4 in February and 3 in January. His Twitter went through a similar process.Now, the moment he started posting more, I knew his music was gonna be out soon. It’s pure marketing. You start your campaign weeks before the actual launch, it’s only natural. Unless you want to drop it as a surprise, but that’s another discussion. Actually Harry did it too, with the TV ad, but that was ruined by the info getting leaked beforehand and everyone getting pissed off by that so whatevs. Now, Liam is going for the approachable celeb route. Streams, Instagram stories, snapchat, tweeting fans, loads of pics, videos with popular Youtubers. It’s nice and about as well handled as it gets (apart from that weird video release earlier than it should have been and Liam just generally being a bit…odd?off?idk how to explain it, but a lot of people feel the same way from what I’ve seen). It fits with the image Liam is going for, it aims at the right target audience. He’s not trying to enter a new market like Harry is. He’s consolidating his place in the current market from what I’ve seen (and I’ll admit I haven’t followed his promo as closely as Harry’s). Trying to imagine Harry doing this sort of promo doesn’t really work for me.

Niall has been present on and off social media ever since he came back from his trip last year. Literally, if I pull up the calendars people have been making each month, he doesn’t get more than a handful of days without doing something, so it’s unfair to compare him to the others, since he’s always around and posting and doing stuff.

Louis deserves a better team and I won’t have anyone uttering anything else in my presence, and yet somehow, despite Niall’s constant presence and Liam’s textbook engagement, I’ll never feel as connected to them as I feel to Louis. Louis’ tweets are the perfect mixture of absolutely adorable fan service (“our year” 😭😭) and some of the things he’s passionate about (tv shows, fashion, footie/sports). His promo for JHO was….I have no words for it and I’m gonna have a rage fit if I start thinking about it, but his overall persona is charming and endearing when he’s posting things himself. He created a real communication channel between us and him and he knows how to use it when he needs to send a message (warning selfies anyone?Only you?). There’s an actual analysis of Instagram stats that shows he’s the number 1 male account in engagement and overall likes and that doesn’t surprise me one bit. Louis is a smart businessman, he has a loyal fanbase who is here for him through thick and thin.

And on top of everything I said so far, none of them owe us anything outside the promo bubble. Apart from shoots, songs/albums/tours info and official announcements, they do not owe us anything. If they chose to share a picture from their home, that’s their personal space, and while it’s good for PR, amazingly good in a society that thrives from the feeling of knowing everything about everyone (like what’s your fave’s breakfast and how’s their cat is doing), it’s still a part they can choose to keep private and no one should be entitled to ask for more.

Have you seen Adele’s Instagram? It gives you this illusion of closeness to her, with make up free selfies, funny poses and landscape shots. Too bad literally everything is from touring and other official appearances right? There’s one picture of her home, and that’s to celebrate the end of the tour. Harry sort of did the same with the booklet pictures. He allowed you into his personal space in a controlled manner, just like Adele did. Only he did it in a different way. His promo is just different and you have to think a bit outside the box to see that he actually did a lot of things other artists do. Just a bit differently. Was it perfect?Fuck, no. Was it as bad as many people make it look like?Personally, I don’t think so. It was just different and people are entirely justified to see it as a good or a bad thing. I see it mostly as a good thing. Mostly.

[constructionaccounting]

0345: Construction Business Blueprint For Updating Plans And Setting Goals

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0345, And It's About Construction Business Blueprint For Updating Plans And Setting Goals

As another year winds down, it's a good time to reflect on your recent construction business successes – and consider what you'd like to achieve in the coming twelve to fifteen months. One tiny change in your process can help you grow your Construction Company.

  Entrepreneurs are typically highly creative and optimistic; as a result, they often have difficulty narrowing down their ideas from among all the exciting possibilities, whether it's an opportunity to expand to a new market or choosing a better time management strategy. 

  Set priorities

As you update your business plan, focus on what's most important for your construction business to achieve this coming year. Then break your goals down into smaller tasks, maximize productivity, and enjoy the little successes that lead to significant changes. (More on this below)

Keep in mind Randal's Contractor Success M.A.P. (Marketing-Accounting-Production) to help you stay on track and provide you with solid direction to reach your target.

Think different

Your priorities in the coming year may be to hit a specific revenue target, launch a new service/subscription, or tap an entirely new market.

An important thing to keep in mind as you make plans to move your construction business forward is how you'll stay competitive. For instance, it's essential to review your pricing strategy on an annual basis, to ensure you continue to attract new prospects and retain clients.

As part of your overall business planning process, spend some time on competitive intelligence, too. Include in your plans how you'll increase value for your offerings and continue to stand apart from the crowd. Review your bookkeeping reports and consider the insights of your accountant moving forward.

Find money

If scaling your service-based business is on your agenda for the year ahead, and you don't have savings earmarked to fund your ideas, you'll want to make sure your business plan includes adequate financial planning.

Applying to a lender for a business loan is one option. In this case, you'll want to include up to date cash flow reports, income statements, budgets, and projections in your plan for a potential lender.

If your construction business doesn't have a credit history, you may need to look at other options for financing your plans. Using a business credit card regularly and paying off the balance can help you build a good credit rating, which will help you prepare to apply for a loan down the road.

Again, your accountant can help provide additional financial advice and support as you update your business plan, based on your most current financial records. 

While some of you love planning, others feel overwhelmed by the process. How do you decide on just a handful of goals that take priority, with so many moving parts that make up a construction business?

Set SMART Goals

Focus your efforts and increase your chances of achieving your goals by the SMART guideline: Specific, Measurable, Achievable (Attainable), Realistic, and Time-Bound.

Start by defining your top three business goals for the next four quarters. With those in mind, do some research to help you decide on the best way to achieve those three goals – and a reasonable timeline for meeting specific targets. 

Redefine your brand

Is the elevator pitch you used a year ago – even six months ago – still accurate? Unless you are crystal clear on who you are as a construction company, whom you're here to serve, and what you hope to achieve in the next one to three years, it's going to be hard to come up with meaningful goals.

Take a look at your company vision, mission statement, and core values. If they need tweaking to reflect where your construction business is today and where you want it to go, start there. Then you can move on to setting some useful long and short term goals.

Big picture planning

Construction business owners dream big—and they should! Thinking big can lead to groundbreaking products and services that become the foundation of innovative, successful companies.

When it comes to goal-setting, thinking big is great, too. But to make those big ideas like "increasing market share" or "growing profits" happen, you need to break them down into smaller, specific goals and strategies tied to a budget and timeline.

For instance, while your overarching objective may be to "grow profits by 50% by December 31", your smaller goals might include:

Launching a social media campaign the first week of March to attract 2,500 new prospects by months' end; or

Increasing total sales by 40% by establishing an online presence (Business Website) by July 1st. 

Again, the key is to define goals that are measurable and achievable.

Define smaller goals

Thinking through how you'll achieve your broader objectives can be a fun exercise – one you can turn into a group activity, including your entire team. Sit down and discuss what you know about your customers. Review your historical sales data and look over your current budget and forecasting. 

With all the relevant information at hand and everyone at the table, you can come up with strategies that align with your construction company vision, assign deadlines, and get buy-in on what everyone needs to do to see your ideas through to completion.

Final Tips

Review your business plan every quarter to ensure you stay on track with your goals and priorities throughout the year. Be realistic about opportunities and challenges as you plan. Your accountant can offer business advisory services – and help you set meaningful short and long term goals.

It's worthwhile to take some time to reflect on your personal goals as you think through your business goals. Maybe you've wanted to get involved in mentoring, improve your networking skills, or attend more conferences. Self-development is, in a sense, professional development – and vice versa, so include them in your plans.

Of course, coming up with business goals is just one part of the equation. You'll also need to monitor your progress, noting milestones and sharing your company achievements with your team regularly. Tracking your results will help your employees stay motivated – and it also gives you the chance to adjust your goals and strategies in time to achieve the best possible results by year's end.

With these business planning tips in mind, you'll be well-prepared for a new year of growth and continued success. 

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on how to manage the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com

    Check out this episode about Contractors Marketing - Accounting - Production (M.A.P.)!

[explosionmarketing-blog]

Nyrie Roos- In 2020 Where Business Strategy Flows, Business Grows

“Having a business without a strategy in 2020, is like throwing mud at a wall and hoping something sticks… Are you riding this rollercoaster!” 

Actually, the real question is, do you have a strategy that delivers automated, targeted and relevant traffic that converts into sales for you? That’s the whole point of your business and market presence… right? To make some sales in the background while you’re doing what you do best and were trained to do. Be that running a Pharmacy, a Financial Planning business, a Dental Practice, a Physio Practice…whatever it is.

First things first…you need to start with a unique strategy that is individualized for your goals and your business. Once you have this, then you can move forward with the next steps in this article.

Right now, the cheapest traffic you can send to your business is gained by talking to people and hoping they remember to come back and visit your website and online presence. I figure you can reach about 8 people a day in person, maybe you can cold call more from the yellow pages, maybe you can do talks to a group of people every now and then. It takes time and a lot of effort but it is free and thus the cheapest. Assuming your time’s worth nothing of course and after all…you don’t even know that they are your customers or that they are “qualified” customers.

Where Targeted Traffic Flows, Business Grows

What if I said, there are business owners out there reaching 100’s of thousands of people and sending them to their site for around 8cents a visitor? I’m talking about something that is the same as to you standing in the middle of the biggest stadium that exists, right in the middle and everyone seeing and hearing your message, with their phones in their hands and, you only pay if they visit your website.

But not just anyone…these are all one of you target market avatar.

Imagine if your staff were standing at the entry, analysing everyone who approached and only let people into the stadium if they’re exactly the same as your customers, so the whole place is filled with people who are most likely to buy from you. They are pretty well “qualified” leads.

Imagine even further, that you can tag everyone who does visit and continue communicating with them without needing their email address.

They just have to set foot on your website. Sound too good to be real?

This Is Real and It’s called Social Media Pay per Click (PPC).

Have you heard of it? Do you stand firm in your belief that you dislike it? Well that doesn’t matter, because a lot of your target market has it, they love it, and that’s where they’re hanging out to the tune of 1 Billion daily active users. So even if you don’t use it, your prospective customers do, and you really need to have a presence there. Period.

But who has the time or energy to think of 3 things to post every day to add to the noise? Not me and not you, I’d hazard a guess. Even if you did, Facebook changed the rules a long time ago to say that they won’t show your posts to just anyone, unless you pay for it.

But before you lose your cool about it being a cost of doing business now, remember emails aren’t free either. You have to pay for a system to send them each month. Not that anyone reads emails anymore either, even if they do get through the filters. Let’s face it, most people’s inboxes are like a bad nightmare.

What you might not know is that Facebook is still in the golden age when it comes to cost. Remember when Google clicks were 5c each? Now they’re like $7 or often, even more. Done right, Facebook ad campaigns are still very cheap. Ridiculously cheap. You can attract and nurture a person twice for less than the cost of a postage stamp.

"So for promoting your website and what you offer, social media PPC can be the cheapest and best way to say you’re open for business without being chained to your computer. Don't discount Google Adwords though, it's all about planning and strategy...identifying the mix that will give you the greatest ROI AND not applying a "cookie-cutter" approach to your business."  

The Problem

There is a catch (of course). Learning social media PPC takes time and effort and when you finally get it, it changes drastically. It’s a full-time job. Plus if you’re not efficient at it, you can blow through your cash really easily and still be no closer to your objective.

“I’ll just boost some posts,” “I’ll set up an ad on LinkedIn,” “I’ll get started getting leads on Instagram,” and so it goes on... You can, but unless you have the plan and strategy covered first, and you know what you're doing, that’s the shortcut to suck you dry. Would you jump in a plane and just start flying expecting to take off and land it safely?

What you really need to do is to outsource the grunt work to someone else who knows what they’re doing for less than the cost of doing it yourself, if you’re smart. Does it really make sense to burn up your cash and time?

The Solution

Find a team, like us, of trained advertising experts whose job it is to send quality traffic to you, but that’s not where it ends. They need to have the ability to:

Attract relevant prospects who want to share your message with their friends

Collect everyone who visits your whole website and specific pages

Increase your page fans with people likely to buy from you (not just for the numbers)

Nurture people who are interested in you

Train your social media PPC campaigns into targeting your perfect leads so the longer it runs for the better it gets

Analyse your current clients and find people who look like them to within close or 1% similarity

Create a list of people without needing their email addresses

Convert people into sales, leads, bums on seats, whatever your objective is

How It Works

You need to build a series of “recipes” that can be followed.

You can choose from:

Generating leads

Sell an event (anything that people turn up to, eg live, webinars, seminars)

Sell a product

Sell a service

Each recipe has a list of marketing assets or “ingredients” that you’re going to need. For example:

Blog post urls

Landing pages

Thank you pages

Social media accounts

Social media pages

Images

Videos

Ecommerce pages

Anywhere you want us to deliver people

You then make a social media post out of the ingredients and deliver it to your target market. Then, keep an eye on it too and make sure it’s being monitored.

If you want to add anything extra to the recipe or need to fill in the gaps, just let us know.

About Nyrie Roos

As an ex-Corporate Health Leader who was born in Australia, has a background in successful business startups, has a Masters in Business Administration.

Nyrie has a strong reputation for being Australia’s leading expert on contemporary sales and marketing strategies for business, and mentors and coaches clients in developing profit and growth generating business strategies. He has presented to thousands of business owners and marketers both nationally and internationally on the power of getting the foundations right in their business first and then growing their business as an asset for their future.

Nyrie Roos is the founder of Success Stream and Explosion Marketing, a mother, wife, health-conscious, speaker, presenter and Christian. Nyrie is passionate about sharing her firsthand knowledge of how to harness the true potential of business growth via events, masterclasses and workshops. She doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk – daily. She actively reviews Client campaigns every day and her clients constantly generate 3 to 10 times return on investment developing, implementing and scaling strategies.

[southbournegroup-blog]

Seven Smart Tips For Starting A Small Business In 2018

Everyone knows you cannot hang a shingle and announce that you have started a business. Launching a company involves research, planning, financing, and fulfilling legal requirements. Starting a business involves planning, making key financial decisions, and completing a series of legal activities.

The way to put the best foot forward is by writing a business plan to that outlines the way that a company will reach its potential. Then, it comes time to set all the plans into motion.

As the end of 2017 approaches, aspiring entrepreneurs will reassess their situations and consider taking the plunge into business ownership in 2018. It doesn't happen overnight. Rather, it is a process.

1. Conduct market research

Before making any investments, conduct market research to determine if there really is an opportunity to turn the idea into a successful business. Gather information from potential customers and existing business owners in the surrounding area and then utilize the intelligence to develop a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

2. Write a business plan

You can’t get somewhere without knowing what route you will take. That’s where a business plan comes into play. The business plan will outline what the business is, where it is located, who is running it, when it operates and how it will achieve a profit. A well written business plan is a vital step in the process of securing a small business loan.

The most important element of the business plan will be the one-page Executive Summary at the beginning of the document. The summary should detail the name of the business, what product or service it will provide, the competitive landscape in the local market, the differentiator that will set the business apart from its competitors, the management team and each member’s experience in the industry, marketing plan, and financial projections.

3. Secure funding

Once you figure out what is needed to run the business, draw up a budget so that you can figure out how much money you’ll need to start it. Some people will tap into their life savings to launch a new business. Others will call upon family and friends. Obviously, if you don’t have enough money or willing backers to self-finance the venture, a traditional bank loan or SBA loan may be the way to get the business off the ground. Currently, big banks are approving 25 percent of the small business loan applications that are submitted, while smaller banks are granting slightly less than half of the requests they receive.

Before applying for a loan, check your credit rating. If it’s in the 700 to 800 range, lenders will be more likely to fund your venture than if you have a score of 650 or less. Be prepared to provide tax returns from the previous two or three years. Having a business plan is also an important document. All of this information will help build the case to a potential funder that your venture is a sound one and that you are likely to be able to pay the money back in a timely manner.

4. Pick a location

Real estate agents always stress location, location, location. Picking the right location for a business is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur will make. The choice will have a direct impact on your revenues, taxes, legal requirements and cost structures.  A busy street is a great location for a restaurant – unless there is no place to park. Having great food and good pricing may not help if customers cannot find a place to park without getting a ticket. If you choose to open a nail salon in a town, be sure that there aren’t already 10 others in a one-mile radius. The local market may be saturated. Keep these things in mind when selecting a location. Price should not always be the deciding factor.

5. Choose a business structure

Creating a formal, legal structure for your business provides legitimacy and has an impact on the amount you pay in taxes and the protection of your personal assets. Your attorney can help with the process. There also are a number of firms, such as Incorporate.com, which can assist in the formation of an LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, or other type of business structure.

6. Get federal and state tax IDs

Every company should establish a federal employer identification number (EIN). Without it, a business will be unable to open bank accounts or credit card accounts. It’s also necessary for paying taxes, which of course, is part of business ownership.

7. Apply for required licenses and permits

Be sure that your company has all the necessary licenses and permits to operate in the location you have chosen. For instance, a restaurant could be required to have a vendor’s license from the town while the local health department may require passing a food hander's safety course.

Once these seven steps are taken, a business is ready to cut the ribbon and ringing up sales. Be sure that you have established a business bank account for deposits and operational expenses and a payroll account to pay workers. Your local bank will gladly work with you to set up merchant services (credit card processing).

Join the local chamber of commerce, which can be instrumental in supporting the start of a new member organization. An active chamber will be able to set up a ribbon-cutting event with local officials and offer benefits, including networking events and opportunities to email the membership list.

Getting people in the door on the first day is important. However, the key to developing a success business is to keep them coming back. Always deliver on the promise and make sure the service is top notch. Encourage your satisfied customers to write reviews on Yelp, Facebook, and other social media outlets. This helps build buzz and creates positive word-of-mouth.

Just as importantly, contact unsatisfied customers to find out how you can improve and win back their trust. If someone has posted their grievance on social media, reach out to them politely. Even if that one person cannot be satisfied, if you respond professionally in a public forum, you will win the respect of others who view the post.

Be sure to put enough marketing firepower behind the launch. Posters, mailers, advertising via digital and traditional media, and social media outreach are as important now as they have ever been. Keep the foot on the throttle and work hard to build your business.

[ncmagroup]

  by Tim Denning

If micro-management thrives and there is no trust in your organization, you are looking down the barrel of toxic work culture. If you don’t believe me, use one of the many employee engagement products to find out for yourself.

Tell the people in your company that you are going to be surveying them every three months and they can say whatever they want because it’s completely anonymous. After the first survey, watch the comments and feedback pour in. Keep encouraging your people to say what they think.

Toxic work cultures make going to work feel miserable.

In a toxic culture, new ideas can’t thrive, people can’t be honest, bullying unfortunately occurs, leaders are given the power that can go to their heads and fuel their egos, and an eerie feeling occurs at your company’s town hall/all hands when leaders ask for questions.

High performers quit toxic work cultures. Every day on platforms such as LinkedIn, high performers are getting messages from recruiters and competitors who are selling the dream that the grass is greener. If your company has a toxic work culture, high performers have nothing to lose by moving on and trying another company.

High performers know their strengths and are also smart enough to realize that if they can perform well in a toxic work culture, they can thrive in a Culture First company that looks after its employees.

If your high performers look disengaged or show little enthusiasm, that is a red flag that your organization is toxic.

Here is what a toxic work culture looks like from someone who has worked in one:

People can’t make decisions

Basic decisions that can cause customers to leave, can’t be made. A simple refund for a client that never received the service they paid for takes weeks when it should take minutes.

When a decision needs to be made to change a product because customers are leaving by the dozen, a decision can’t be made. It’s easier to make no decision than it is to make a decision that admits things need to change.

Working from home or part-time work is seen as lazy

Management doesn’t allow people to work from home because they want to watch people. Working from home means you’ll be less productive and take advantage of the situation.

The fact you might have a newborn baby at home and don’t want to do the two-hour commute each day so you can work more is ignored.

Then, staff who want to work part-time because they have a side hustle, children, or a second job are prevented from doing so or referred to as “lazy.”

Here’s the thing: part-time work and working from home is not lazy.

Both forms of work allow people to have lives and they will reward you (if you allow them) with loyalty and commitment to their work.

Excluding part-time work or working from home is limiting your talent pool severely because it is such a common way of working. Being chained to a desk in an office does not make you high performing or a profitable asset; being allowed to be flexible and treated like a human does.

Entrepreneurship is frowned upon

Toxic work cultures hate entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs because they are scared to death that they are going to leave and steal their ideas.

Thriving work cultures take people that have experience owning a business and utilize them like their secret weapon. They promote entrepreneurship because they want people to feel as though it is their business and they can make decisions.

Utilize entrepreneurs while you have them, and if they leave, wish them all the best. Entrepreneurs are the reason that businesses are created in the first place — remember that.

“MANAGEMENT vs. US” culture

Leaders are referred to as management and the front line staff is told that the company is cutting costs.

Meanwhile, the leaders are having deliciously catered for meals off silver plates, taking black limos to meetings and spending crazy amounts of money on social media marketing that makes them look good.

Front line staff says things such as “Management really needs to look at problem X.”

In a non-toxic culture, management and staff are one and people are accountable. Sentences like “Management needs to do…” are not relevant because staff can make decisions and the two sides of the business are one.

The less hierarchy, the more people feel included and that produces a thriving, collaborative culture.

The number of hours you work matter

Judging people by when they start work and how late they work is irrelevant. We all know that the number of hours we work has nothing to do with the output.

You can be at your desk for 12-hours straight and be doing nothing other than surfing the web and complaining to your pals about the company you work for.

Culture First companies understand that output produces results and that on some days you will be productive, and on other days you may have suffered the loss of a loved one or be feeling unwell. Regardless, all that is taken into account is results.

And here’s the kicker: when the results are not there, leaders take accountability and coach their people out of it or help them get a role they are better suited for.

If leaders are watching the clock, you have a problem.

Preferential treatment

In-between the formal layers of hierarchy, there are these soft spongy bits called “preferential treatment.”

These are people that are given extra privileges for enforcing the leaderships toxic culture and talking behind people’s backs in order to gain something. Instead of being part of the solution, they make the problem bigger and are rewarded for it.

Talking down to people who have found themselves in the wrong role

People who are under-performing are called all sorts of nasty names and treated unfairly. They are seen as stupid or not good at business.

In thriving cultures, these people are helped, coached and given feedback. Leaders stand up and help them find the right role if it turns out; for example, they applied for sales and don’t really enjoy talking to customers.

People in the wrong roles can be some of the best staff you have in your business if you can be compassionate enough to give them a second chance in a different role.

The appreciation that comes from being helped rather than shamed converts into long-term loyalty that rebuilds careers, and becomes the basis of a thriving culture.

Shaming low performance

If there are punishments for low performance, you have a big problem.

Shaming people won’t make them perform better; it will make them hate the leadership team and the company even more.

This hatred will then be directed towards your customers and you’ll have more of those “Why are we not making money?” meetings when really it’s your culture that sucks.

A rotating door policy

When people decide to leave or mention they are thinking of leaving, they are talked about as traitors.

Having people leave regularly is normal and acceptable in toxic work environments. There are no exit interviews or questions around why a particular leader has had so many people leave in a short space of time.

Each time, the excuse is “Johnny was crap, so it’s a good thing he is leaving.”

When you scour the company’s staff on LinkedIn, you see that staff don’t last long at the company.

Asking staff to write positive reviews online to cover up the toxicity

Yes, it happens. Toxic cultures can easily be recognized by former staff leaving negative reviews on places such as GlassDoor.

In a toxic work culture, business leaders panic and try to cover up the error in their leadership by asking staff to leave fluffy, fake, in-genuine reviews online to cover up the bad ones.

You can’t hide a toxic work culture; you can only fix it by recognizing it and changing how you treat people.

Values are spoken of rarely

They are written on the company website, mentioned at the annual conference, but never talked about in the context of everyday work.

When talking to a client or making a decision, the values are forgotten about.

In a thriving culture, you can’t even get hired unless you can demonstrate the values. The references you provide are asked about values, you are required to provide evidence and you may even be asked to do a case study where the values will be assessed.

At the end of the year when performance reviews are had, profit and revenue is only one small part of the conversation. Leaders focus in on the company values because they know that it’s the glue that holds everything together and ultimately produces revenue.

SOLUTION: It starts at the top

Start with trusting people first

Earn people’s respect

Be compassionate to your people’s circumstances

Give your people development opportunities

Respect the way people like to get their work done

Encourage autonomy of decision-making

Let people be themselves (race, religion, sexual preference, gender, background — who cares)

Final thought

Toxic cultures cause share prices to drop and profits to plummet. Instead of looking at spreadsheets and accountants for answers, look at your people. Your people are what cause profits to go up or down.

Identify the problems of your company’s culture, own them, and then become obsessed with asking your people how you can change them. Then, implement the changes.

Fight toxic work cultures by making your company transform into being Culture First. It starts with people.

  A Toxic Work Culture Is Forcing High-Performing People to Quit by Tim Denning If micro-management thrives and there is no trust in your organization, you are looking down the barrel of toxic work culture.