Monday, August 24, 2020

5 best U.S. states for starting a small business

I've been checking out the immigration policies of other countries. It seems like one of the most guaranteed ways of getting permanent residency in any country is to put up a business there. It's not cheap, of course, but I can see why governments want new businesses to be pumped into their economy. This guest post is a list of the 5 best states in the United States that you can start a small business in. Good luck!

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GUEST POST - If you’ve been considering starting a small business, we’re here to tell you that it pays to do your research first. Yes, you can set up in any state in the country, but some states are much more favorable than others when it comes to things like taxes. Some states also have declining populations and economies which make starting a business in them a pretty poor idea. For a state to be positive, it needs to be flourishing, both economically and socially. Using research performed by Seek Capital, we are going to show you the top five states to start a small business and explain why each is a good choice.

1. Utah

At the top of the list is Utah. Venture capital flows freely in this state with just over 100 companies receiving $1.16 billion in funding in 2019. This is the fifth best in the country. In addition, the growth rate of companies in the state and the number of employees taken on by companies in Utah is higher than average. Of course, what most people are interested in is the tax savings they can make should they move to Utah. This varies depending on whether you have an LLC or a corporation – with LLCs able to post their losses on members’ private tax returns. However, the low corporate income tax rate of 4.95% is certainly attractive.

2. Texas

Nicknamed the Lone Star State, Texas is the second most populated state in the country and is also one of the best states for starting a small business. Especially well known for its crude oil industry, this state is also home to a lot of tech startups, especially in the cities of Houston, Austin and Dallas. Starting a company in a state such as Texas is also relatively simple, making it a top choice for those new to entrepreneurship. With affordable living and property, a surging GDP, a strong working population, and good weather year-round, Texas is a top choice.

3. Florida

Florida may be a top state for retirees, but it’s also one of the best for those who want to start a travel company. The glorious year-round weather, a low top marginal income tax rate, and a lack of state income tax for individuals all combine to make this state a great contender for new entrepreneurs. What’s more, a good percentage (18.8%) of businesses are able to get up and running for under $5,000 in Florida. It is perhaps this that led to Florida having the largest number of new entrepreneurs in 2019.

4. Colorado

For those who want to get away from the heat, Colorado is an enticing option. Economically a great choice, the working population in the state has grown by 7% over the last five years, and its GDP growth is also higher than average. In addition, over 80% of businesses that start up in Colorado are still active a year later. The state ranks as the tenth best in the country for corporate tax rates, and a high number of jobs tend to be created by those starting up in the state. If you love the mountain air, and want to launch a new company in 2020, Colorado is certainly a worthy choice.

5. California
Finally, we have California. Full of big name companies like Facebook, Google and Apple, California is a great choice for tech companies, but entrepreneurs in other industries as well. 99.8% of the businesses in California are small, yet they’re certainly mighty and employ over 7 million people between them. And, while there is quite a bit more red tape in this state than others, and the corporate income tax rate is higher than almost all over states, the five year survival rate of businesses is higher than average. Although possibly not as impressive as the four proceeding it, it’s still a good option to consider.

Which state are you planning to start a small business in?

* This is a guest post, with my edits. To place a guest post, email frances@topazhorizon.com for my rates.

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Friday, August 21, 2020

5 ways to amplify your morning routine

Next week, we go back to some semblance of a normal life: School starts! It's still not the school we're used to but, hey, after 5 months in quarantine, back-to-school puts back some structure in our lives. This means we need to take control of our mornings, take them back from the lazy limbo it's been for nearly half a year. So when this guest post popped up in my inbox, I took it as a sign from the universe telling me to get with the program! 

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GUEST POST - From the moment you wake up, it’s important that you’re full of energy, drive, and motivation for the day ahead. Whether you have a long day at the office to endure, or a mountain of household chores, your morning routine can be the difference between staying focused and losing concentration. To help give you the boost you need, here are five ways to amplify your morning routine.

Embrace the Morning Light

Instead of laying in bed and staying in the dark, make sure you embrace natural light which can start your day off right. Once the sun rises, it can brighten your mood, improve your performance on tasks, and enhance your perception. When exposed to natural light, your skin will absorb Vitamin D which can prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of weight gain. Getting outdoors in the morning and being in the fresh air can also do wonders for your wellbeing. 
Drink a Cup of Coffee

It’s important that you’re full of energy and drive in the morning, so what better way to kick off your day than by having a cup of coffee? Coffee can boost your physical performance, help you burn fat, and most importantly, boost concentration levels. If you have a Nespresso machine, there are over 30 types of capsules to choose from depending on your preference and taste. While there are lots of benefits that caffeine can give you, it’s advised to stick to drinking coffee in the morning only, otherwise, you may have difficulty getting to sleep at night.

Set Goals

If you wake up in the morning feeling confused and disorientated, it can be hard to gain focus for the day ahead. Setting achievable goals can boost your motivation and give you something to work towards. Whether it’s tackling a project at work, or completing day to day errands, having things to accomplish can get you in the right mindset and help get your morning off to the best start possible.

 Meditate

If you’re the type of person who wakes up feeling anxious and tense, the thought of doing anything can fill you with dread. However, there are lots of relaxation techniques that you can practice which can help you feel calm and collected, ensuring your morning and day ahead run smoothly. Meditation helps to calm your nervous system, optimize your circulatory system, focus your energy, and boost your immune system. The main purpose of meditation is to reduce stress, pain, and anxiety, so waking up a little earlier and taking 15 minutes to meditate can make all the difference.

Exercise

Getting your mind and body psyched up for a busy day is important, so taking some time to do physical activity is key. A morning workout can make you stronger and healthier, as well as increase your longevity. While it can be difficult to find the energy for exercise once you get out of bed, you will soon notice an improvement in your mental and physical health. Working out in the morning can increase alertness, give you more overall energy, and get you in a better mood, so whether you head to the gym, or perform a workout from the comfort of your home, making exercise a priority is important. 

All the strategies above can transform the way you think and help get your morning off to a good start. If you’re the type of person who wakes up feeling groggy and sluggish, using any of the tips above can increase productivity levels and help you get the most out of your day.

* This is a guest post, with my edits. To place a guest post, email frances@topazhorizon.com. 

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Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Our schedule for our first ever month of homeschooling!

We are so excited to start homeschooling this year! Well, I am. My kids vacillate - sometimes they're so excited, they're the ones planning their lessons. Most times, they mourn the coming end of the longest summer vacation of their lives. So let me edit my first sentence. I am so excited to start homeschooling this year! I even made our schedules. Check them out.

Piero is Grade 1.

Our school week starts on Tuesday. This is because my husband and I have work. Mondays are usually our busiest days, whether it's for work or for errands, so my husband said we should leave Mondays open for us. To make their Saturday feel like a weekend, I lumped all the "dirty" classes on that day.

The kids' weekend will then be Sunday and Monday, which they honestly wouldn't feel anyway because we're all under quarantine. If I didn't force them to look at the calendar, they won't even know what day it is.

All my sons' schedules are the same, save for my Grade 4 boy, who has an extra subject, HELE (Home Economics and Livelihood Education), which can be an hour long in case we do cooking, carpentry, or typing. But if his little brothers want to join those activities, they can. Here's what their schedule is like:

Get Ready!
After breakfast, this is when the kids will brush their teeth, comb their hair, and change into their school robes. Yes, we got Harry Potter robes! The kids took Sorting Hat quizzes and got sorted into their houses - Vito is Hufflepuff, Iñigo is Gryffindor, and Piero is Ravenclaw! This is a good way to get them into the right frame of mind for school while still being fun and nerdy haha.

Circle Time
To start the day, we'll all gather together for the national anthem, for prayer, and to study Bible verses, inspirational quotes, poetry, singing, reading aloud, and whatever we feel like talking about together. I only allotted 15 minutes for this but we can be flexible and extend to 30 minutes if the discussion is really good.

It's really important to encourage discussion during this time, not while in class where I think I'll be instructing more than conversing. Of course, questions are always welcome but I used to be a teacher and there's a time for instruction and then a time for questions. Because if you just keep opening the whole day to the kids, they'll never stop talking. A huge part of learning is listening.

Of course, a big part of learning is also discussing the topics, questioning, investigating, hence Circle Time. I also want Circle Time to be their chance to learn communication skills, correct pronunciation, the art of conversation, critical thinking, and debate. 

Part 1
My kids love Math and Music so I decided we should start the day with those subjects. Then I followed up with the subjects they don't like, Filipino and Araling Panlipunan.

Part 2
After recess, we'll study Science, Reading, Language and Writing. Science because it's always fun and can perk them up after Fil and AP haha. Reading, Language and Writing are quiet subjects, which is good for me so I can leave them while I prepare lunch.

Wrap Up!
This is going to be like Circle Time but it's more of a summary of the day. The boys can tell me if they need more time on a lesson or they can move forward. Our homeschool provider also recommends that the kids keep a journal of their day so that they themselves have a record of their progress. So we can do 5 minutes of journaling before packing up.

Iñigo is Grade 3.

The rest of the day is devoted to whatever they want. Sleep, play video games, play with each other. Extra-curricular activities like piano lessons, art class, language classes, quiet reading of books, and of course their chores. They can also study their lessons more, if they like.

Meanwhile, the afternoon is when I can work.

I hope this works!!!

This is just for the first month. For our first week, I don't think we'll actually follow it. I want us to settle down into the schedule. We all need to adjust to an academic routine again since there was no school for almost half a year. I plan to just get all of us get used to do the Get Ready! and Circle Time periods. I think we'll all be struggling with inertia. I, for one, need to wake up early again!

I read in some homeschooling blogs that it's good to start the first week of homeschooling on a Wednesday so everyone only has 3 days of school and won't get shocked by the change haha ("10 First Day of Homeschool Ideas" by The Reading Mama). We'll see! I'm pretty sure we won't follow our schedule hahahaha I'm just going to be chill about this whole business.

Wish us luck!

Vito is Grade 4.

We chose to homeschool this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We could've still enrolled them in their school. In fact, their school (I miss their school already) was so nice, they offered us the opportunity to enroll with tuition assistance. We really appreciate that but money wasn't really our concern. We chose to homeschool because:

1. My husband and I have virtual meetings with our colleagues. In our experience, more than an hour in a virtual meeting is inhuman hahaha It's never pleasant. I mean, the first 30 minutes to an hour is fine. But more than that, even I, a grown-up, couldn't sit still. What more for little boys?

2. We did try and see how the kids would take it. Over the summer, we took a few online sessions with MyNanai, an online babysitting service. My eldest actually lasted an hour without fidgeting. My two younger ones? They started standing up and leaving the session at the 30-minute mark. How rude! So mortifying haha. So when our boys' school said they'll have their classes from 7:30am to 2pm, we decided we didn't want our kids to go through 6 hours in a virtual class.

3. We were unsure of the future. During the summer, DepEd kept changing their mind about everything. Then the boys' school said they might ask the kids to come to school by the third quarter. We just knew, with how things were going in our country, that there is no way our kids will be safe by September. So we decided to keep them home.

That's it! That's why we're homeschooling! It's not because we think it's the best way to educate our kids. We don't even know how I'll be as a teacher. I bet I'll tear my hair out in a month's time haha. We're all approaching homeschooling as OUR best option, given the circumstances. And if we enjoy it, then hallelujah!

I'm actually looking forward to it. Wish us luck!

UPDATE: First week of homeschooling done and we didn't follow the schedule! We just went with the flow. The kids wanted more time for Math because they love Math. For one Araling Panlipunan class, we made the Philippine flag so that suddenly became AP and Art! Gotta be flexible =)

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