Tuesday, January 28, 2020

What Disruptive Startups Will Change Daily Life in 2020?


Let's face it. There are a lot of startups out there, but a lot of them don't really impact your day-to-day life. The most disruptive startups in the world are the ones that change the way that people actually live. Uber, AirBNB: these are things that changed the world for everyone. There isn't a day that most people don't use Amazon or Google. So what's going to be disruptive in 2020?

Dave.com


Dave offers Banking for Humans. Recent banking-related scandals and the fallout from the last recession caused many to distrust their banks. Sick and tired of fees and restrictive lending criteria, Dave was created to drive better customer loyalty. Dave is only one of the companies on the vanguard of new banking institutions; institutions that are meant to entirely change the way that people bank and borrow.
Dave provides a number of great features, including no-interest cash advances, un-bounceable checks, income creation, and more. These are all services that make it possible for people to build their wealth through their bank rather than it being nickle-and-dimed away. People who aren't satisfied with their current banking options should strongly consider looking into some of these new and incredible banks.

Divvy Homes


A lot of people aren't able to own homes these days, because home prices have increased so much compared to wages. Because home ownership is out of the question for a lot of people, people are considering new ways to own.
Divvy Homes fractionalizes home ownership, making it possible for people to invest in real estate in portions. They're still able to get the same percentage returns that they would if they purchased a real property, but they need a far reduced investment.
Not only are people able to rent-to-own, but they are able to do it in a protected way. Eventually they are able to own the property if they want to, or they can just walk away. This is a low risk way for people to enter into a property.

Starry Internet


Most people use the internet for a great deal of time when they're at home. They're either doing work at home, doing school work, streaming television shows, browsing the internet, or just playing online, multiplayer games. Of course, that means they need to have a good internet connection, and that's the problem.
Today, many internet connections are paired with tv bills or phone bills: two things that most people don't even need anymore. And apart from that, they're bundled with different services like security alarms, and often unnecessary add-ons such as premium channels that are never watched. These bundles are more expensive than they need to be.
Starry Internet is tackling this problem by creating a new internet service that's designed for the way that people use the internet today. And that includes no contracts, no hidden fees, and no services that you don't need.

Impossible Foods


Impossible Foods is making it possible for people to eat non-meat meats, and while it isn't a traditional startup, it has absolutely exploded into the mainstream realm. The Impossible Whopper is a fast food burger that doesn't contain any meat and is made with only plant-based materials, and that's a great way for people to eat healthy and sustainably even when they're on the go.
Impossible Foods is improving its product, and perhaps best of all it's also encouraging competition like Morningstar and Beyond Meat to increase their options as well. Eventually, there could be Impossible burgers in every burger-related restaurant.
Maybe your life won't be changed by the above startups. But it may be. Startups that are focused on people and households are the ones that are going to be the most disruptive, because they're the ones that change the way that we think.
Startups that give more power and control over finances are going to be dominant, because many people are finding themselves experiencing financial issues, or looking for new ways to manage their own finances. Either way, these startups definitely show the direction that many companies are moving in.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Bringing Music Into Your Big Day

Are you mad about music? Perhaps you’re a professional musician, or maybe you just have a passion for listening to or playing music. If so, when it comes to your wedding it makes sense to incorporate this passion into your big day. Here are a few ways to go about it.





Utilize Songs For Your Wedding Vows

Writing your own wedding vows allows you to add something extra special to your day as you’re conveying an incredibly meaningful message, and something that’s personal to you and your partner. If you have song lyrics that really speak to you or a song that you both relate to on a deep level, why not utilise the lyrics? There’s lots of advice online about how to do this in a way that sounds genuine without being corny or cheesy.


Hire A Live Band Or Musician

Most people tend to go down the route of having a DJ play their wedding music, however if you’re a lover of music you’ll know that nothing sounds as good as hearing it played live. There are live bands that actually specialise in weddings who ill know the etiquette involved and have plenty of experience in playing on people’s most special days. Alternatively, you could hire a local band that you love, or if you have loved ones that are excellent singers or musicians you could ask them to play. It sets an incredible atmosphere, makes for great wedding entertainment and is a little bit different too. 


Play Some Music Yourself

Whether you want to sing a song or play a tune on an instrument, this could be a fantastic and really personal way to bring music into your big day. You could even set yourself a challenge and learn a new instrument to play- from the piano to the ukelele- learn more about this here: https://www.musicianauthority.com/how-to-tune-ukulele/. It’s something that your guests will remember and brings a unique touch to the day. 


Give Guests Music Inspired Wedding Favors

Another idea for incorporating music into your wedding favors would be to give guests USB sticks filled up with the songs from your wedding day- this would be a really personal way for people to remember the day especially if you've carefully curated the playlist. It’s something unique and different to what people are likely to have received as wedding favours before. 


Get Inspired With Decorations

How about incorporating music into your wedding through decorations, invitations and place settings? There are some really cool ideas online for crafty people, such as making roses or confetti out of pages of song lyrics or sheet music. CDs or old vinyl records can be turned into decorations  or you could Whether you go full on or have it as a subtle theme, there are plenty of ideas you could run with and really make each item personal to you. 



How will you bring music into your wedding day?

Monday, January 13, 2020

The Best Ways Your Local Library Can Help You

Your local library often acts as a community hub. As well as being somewhere you can go to read and borrow books, it usually offers a range of other services that can be very useful. Whether you use it for studying, work, or personal reasons, you could find your library more useful than you think.

Borrow Multiple Types of Media

Everyone knows that you can borrow books from a library. However, the modern library often has several other types of media you can borrow. In addition to other print materials, such as magazines, you can also explore ebooks, audiobooks, CDs and vinyl, DVDs and Blu-Ray, and more.

Borrow Tools, Instruments and More

There is often even more that you can borrow from a library. Depending on the library, you might be able to borrow tools for your latest DIY project, musical instruments, cooking and baking equipment, and other useful items that you might not want to buy.

Join Community Events

Libraries are fantastic gathering places. They often have separate rooms and spaces that are ideal for meeting up with others and having discussions. They're often used for book clubs, readings, craft groups, and various other community groups and events that need somewhere to meet or take place.

Research

Your library can also be an excellent place to go if you're trying to find out the truth about something. You have access to a wide range of resources for research, and you can benefit from the skills and knowledge of the librarians who can help you battle fake news.


Infographic Design By University of Southern California

Libraries are an incredible resource and your local library would love for you to visit today!

How do you use your local library?

Friday, January 10, 2020

College Admissions Coaching And Planning With Hallie Walden Bagley

Writing has been a part of my life since as long as I can remember. My mother and father had a gigantic library that I had free access to since I could read. I spent hours going through all of the titles and picking out which adventure I was going to start that day. My father built a reading nook in the house we lived in when I was little and it was by far my favorite spot in the house.

I began to wonder if I could make up my own stories while I was still very young. My dad was a journalist so we always had a computer and that is where I began to write my own adventures.


I have been a voracious reader ever since. When I attended college, my favorite assignment was essays, as you can probably guess. I was studying to acquire a Paralegal degree so I was used to having to research and couldn't wait to be able to do it full time! I decided to write one of my papers on mass hysteria  and loved learning about all of the different cases over written history. It has always been an interesting occurence to me since I first read about the Salem Witch Trials years ago. Other assignment essays weren't as easy to write, however, and I was always so glad to be able to find help and inspiration in reading and researching whatever I could about the subject as I could. When I couldn't make sense of it, it was time to call in more help and I am so glad that there were infinite resources on the internet to choose from!


One of my favorite publications, The Paris Review, always had something interesting to read and were always the most memorable to me. I have found some of my favorite authors there and it is still a great place to learn as well as finding new fiction! That's why I was really excited to learn that the managing editor, Hallie Walden Bagley, is offering college admissions essay coaching and planning! Hallie Walden Bagley holds a BA in English Literature from Dartmouth College and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University School of Law and found her writer's voice on The Paris Review. She is ready to help you in any way to get into your school of choice! Your college admissions essay is probably the most important essay that you will ever write during college, in my opinion. My daughter is currently in her Junior year of college and I remember how she agonized over hers. It turned out that she did such a great job, she not only was accepted to her college of choice, but a second one as well!


If you find yourself struggling to write your perfect college admissions essay, whether it's because you need a little proofreading and coaching to make sure it's just right or because you can't even begin your outline, there is always help out there. Hallie Walden Bagley's college admissions coaching and planning courses are definitely a great start!

Where will your adventure begin?