【GoBuddy創業聊天室】香港暗黑系創作者：奈樂樂 Naloklok

GoBuddy相信，每個人都可以建立自己的網上生意。我們的團隊致力為客户提供一個一站式平台，讓網上生意從此變得簡單。今次我們很榮幸邀請到香港暗黑系創作者奈樂樂來跟我們聊聊他一路上在文創路上獨特的創作經歷，和在創作行業遇到的各種故事和心得分享！

關於奈樂樂

奈樂樂是一位香港黑暗童話繪本作家，擅長以短篇故事描繪及諷刺現實，代表作包括引起社會關注青少年精神健康的動畫作品《跳下去的一秒》，並曾獲得多項原創漫畫奬項和「2019青藝節青少年藝術家年賞-多媒體組別」十大青少年藝術家等等。他畢業於香港理工大學設計學碩士（國際設計與商業管理）課程，後來獲頒發獎學金到拉脫維亞藝術學院攻讀視藝碩士。

是什麽讓奈樂樂投身創作？

當被問到這個問題時，奈樂樂分享了他求學階段的一個故事。

當初奈樂樂在香港理工大學修讀設計與管理學，在一次偶然的機會下碰見一個在拉脫維亞進修美術的機會，於是他把握機會，成功領取奬學金並前往當地，開始了他的美術啟蒙之旅。他提到，那次機會是一個讓他重拾畫筆的契機。

開始原創故事的創作旅程⋯⋯

而有一次，藝術學院繪本科的項目是要學生們畫一個繪本，要構思一個故事並把它用美術方式表達出來。本來奈樂樂只希望用一些有名的童話故事作藍本，但他的老師問了他一句：「難得可以畫自己的繪本，為甚麼不使用自己的原創故事呢？」於是他在自身經歷中尋找靈感，創作了他的第一本黑暗童話，並獲得很多正面評價！

同時管理設計公司和插畫品牌

因為奈樂樂有著管理設計公司和藝術的豐富知識，於是回港後他成立了設計公司，為客戸提供品牌策略及多媒體設計方案；同時他建立了插畫品牌，然後把他在社會上觀察到的事結合，創作一些可以警愓讀者、用非傳統方式帶出寓意的繪本故事。

品牌定位？

一開始奈樂樂是把讀者定位放在青少年身上，但他意外地發現把作品放上社交媒體後許多大人、各年齡層的讀者因跟故事產生共嗚而關注他的品牌。他又提到在過去的書展跟很多青少年的讀者接觸，令他希望把定位更集中放在青少年身上，能把故事寓意更深刻的闡述。

創作人可以如何在逆境生存？

現今社會環境讓各行各業都遇到許多挑戰，對創作人來說更甚。有什麽貼士讓大家更能把品牌意識宣傳開去呢？奈樂樂給創作人們提供了三個貼士。

首先，他提到自己會利用社交媒體分享一些創作教學（如Photoshop技法，人像速畫技法等等），在提供豐富教學內容的同時能讓插畫品牌獲得更多曝光，一舉兩得。另一方面，偶爾創作一些貼近社會的作品如賀圖等，也能在網上爭取自然曝光。

而如果環境許可，他也鼓勵創作人們參與一些實體活動如簽名會、書展、寄賣等，讓品牌接觸到目標群眾為止。

在香港做創作遇到的挑戰？

香港和其他地方的文化氛圍

在香港創作定會遇到挑戰，奈樂樂笑言香港人比較「實際」，在書展大賣的書多是金融、旅遊這類書籍，反觀文創類的書，大部分人會認為網上也可以看到，從而讓文創類書籍在香港較難生存。對比台灣、日韓等地，前者的文創氛圍較本地強，人們較願意付出去支持創作者，後者則孕育許多暗黑類作品和畫家，市場環境大不相同。

在出版社遇到的難關？

由於奈樂樂的作品偏向暗黑系，當初尋找出版社時曾遇到不少的難關，他舉例大部份出版社普遍認為香港繪本市場不大，且偏向喜歡出版「正能量」和色彩較鮮艷的作品。但他表示，這並不會影響到他創作的理念，他深信堅持做自己認為對的和喜歡的事，最終會得到大家的認同和讚賞。

給創作人的話⋯⋯

前軰的話⋯⋯

奈樂樂引述一位前軰曾跟他分享過，創作的歷程是以數年，甚至幾十年計。在別人看到你的作品前必會經歷一段自己默默拼摶的日子。他寄語在這個階段的創作人不要放棄，在過程中尤其不必太在意社交媒體的Like數，讓自己更專注在創作上。

主動爭取機會

奈樂樂提到創作者可以在本地尋找一些比賽和資助，例如D lab 3「香港設計·授權支援計劃」和「動畫支援計劃」等等，都是可以讓創作人增加曝光率和經驗的。

多尋找合作伙伴

合作伙伴可以讓作品受到更多關注，他表示和別人品牌合作是很好的方式去接觸更多不同的觀眾。

未來的方向⋯⋯

奈樂樂表示，他每年會出版一本新書，而未來一年也將出版新一本繪本《讓我吃雪吧》。他也開始將繪本翻譯成英語，希望打入國外市場。另一邊廂，他計劃繼續開辦網上教學和製作更多教學影片，讓更多人能在家學習繪畫。他也希望在這段時間開發一些新產品，擴大自己品牌。

如果你也有創業的念頭，或正在為你的生意尋找一個合適的網上解決方案，歡迎聯絡我們，讓我們在你的電商之路進一步協助你！

電郵：hi@gobuddy.asia

網頁：www.gobuddy.asia

How to Plan and Manage an Event

1. Work with a Team

Planning and managing an event can be a large task, and it inevitably requires a lot of commitment, both in terms of effort and time. This is especially true for larger events. Rather than leaving the planning all to one person, try to organize a group of people who can work together, dividing up the responsibilities amongst themselves. Just make sure that everyone in the event planning group communicates well throughout to ensure as smooth a process as possible.

2. Set a Date

The first thing you should do is set a date for your event. You should choose a date far enough away that you’ll have time to plan. Generally, the larger the event, the more time you’ll want to leave yourself. Be aware of holidays or other events that you may want to plan around as to avoid conflicts and your target attendees already being busy.

3. Make a Budget

Once you have a date, start working on your budget. The most important thing to keep in mind is this: plan your event around your budget, don’t plan your budget around your event. In other words, work with what you have. If you just start spending without thinking about how much you have in pocket, it’ll be easy to go over budget. Account for your most important costs first (like the venue), then move on to the smaller, less-important things to similarly avoid spending too much. It’s always a good idea to leave just a little bit extra in your budget for any unforeseen costs that may pop up.

4. Figure Out Logistics

The biggest logistical thing to figure out is the venue. Make sure the venue you choose suits your needs (for example, it can handle the size of your crowd and any equipment you may need for the event). Ideally, you should look at a few places and compare their costs and included amenities before making a choice. After you know your venue what will be included, start working out the other logistics like food and drink, transportation, parking, sound systems, accessibility accommodations.

5. Advertise Your Event

Now that you have your event planned out, you have to make sure you have people coming to it. Advertise your event and keep track of the responses you get to invitations if you send them out. Activity booking platforms like GoBuddy provide yet another place to list and manage your event as well as software that makes it easy to keep an eye on information like how many people have signed up for your event and to reach out to them with any necessary information.

6. Pay Attention to the Details

While planning out your event, pay attention to the details. Even the smallest of things can be meaningful to your attendees and make the difference between an ok event and a truly memorable one. These small details can be anything from organizational aspects that helped the event run efficiently or entertaining elements that made it really fun.

7. Have a Day-Of Plan

Before your event, make a day-of plan that includes everything from the set up to how you will wrap everything up after the event ends. This day-of plan will help ensure the event runs as smoothly as possible. It should be as detailed as possible and include buffer time to account for any delays as well as breaks for yourself. Have backup plans too in case of unexpected interruptions like bad weather, equipment failure, or cancelations. Everyone working with you on event planning should be able to get in touch with both each other and the suppliers/venue staff for the event. If you can do it, a final walk through a day or so before the event might might also be a good idea

8. Ask for Feedback

After the event, make sure to reach out to the attendees and ask them how they felt about the event. Ask them what worked well, what could have used improvement, and if they have any other suggestions or comments. Giving your attendees a chance to provide feedback will make them feel more appreciated and listened-to, and it is also the most direct way to learn how to improve your events! If you used a platform like GoBuddy, this is an easy way to get in touch with your attendees.

Founder Story of HK Momtrepreneurs

About HK Momtrepreneurs

HK Momtrepreneurs is a nonprofit organisation aimed at teaching mothers and families the skill of entrepreneurship and empowering women to achieve and fulfil their career goals while still balancing their families and communities. Recently, we sat down with HK Momtrepreneurs founder Lena Wong to discuss her experiences with the organisation as well as to listen to her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

HK Momtrepreneurs Founder Lena Wong

What inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs?

When asked what inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs, Wong discussed her own experience as a mother looking to start a business. Sought as she might, she couldn’t find a community that provided the support and information she desired. So she decided to start her own Facebook page where she shared the knowledge and wisdom she had acquired. Over time, she started meeting more and more women in similar positions through the page.

From Facebook page to NGO…

Wong wanted to go back to work, but now a mother of two, her outlook on life had changed and she wanted to make a difference in the world. So in late 2018, she transferred the idea of HK Momtrepreneurs from a Facebook page to an official nonprofit organization.

What was the largest issue she faced?

How can a non-profit coexist with entrepreneurship?

In its early stages, Wong remembers HK Momtrepreneur’s largest issue being how people viewed it. It was new, “momtrepreneurs” was a term she had coined, and people often questioned why a nonprofit existed for entrepreneurship. To overcome these issues, Wong explained she simply focused on educating people and sharing what HK Momtrepreneurs stood for. She emphasized all startups, not just hers, face this need to tell society why it needs you.

Wong also expressed gratitude for the support she had received. Among others, she mentioned the encouraging general manager of a coworking space as well as a bank that waived fees for them.

In the past, she explained that HK Momtreprenuers had worked more like a professional organization and less like a typical charity. But in 2020, HK Momtreprenuers launched a fellowship program aimed at expanding the organization’s reach to different socioeconomic classes. She made this addition, recognizing that while starting businesses, women from less fortunate socioeconomic backgrounds often face the same difficulties as wealthier women while also dealing with more challenges. With this fellowship program, Wong feels HK Momtrepreneus now has a more solid base as a nonprofit.

Unforgettable stories…

Transformation of a hesitant mother

When asked about any memorable stories, Wong had two instances to talk about. The first was a full-time mother she met at a networking event. While fairly educated, the woman hadn’t worked for the past twenty years, long enough that she was no longer comfortable in a professional environment and struggled making strong eye contact. She had lost her confidence in meeting strangers. However, she and Wong still clicked and talked for a while. Just a few months later, this woman had opened her own business (a co-creating space with a kitchen and sewing room), and her whole energy had changed. When Wong asked the woman what had led to her dramatic change in personality, the woman explained that it just was the experience of empowering other women to create that had empowered her.

Paths are intertwined

Wong’s second story was about a sleeping coach/consultant who was going to be a speaker at one of HK Momtrepreneurs upcoming events. In the confirmation meeting, the sleeping coach mentioned that the two women had actually briefly crossed paths once before. She had been in the audience of a panel Wong had participated in. The woman had been inspired enough to make a change in her career path and similarly become an entrepreneur. Wong explained this story had stuck with her because that experience of a small moment changing the course of one’s life was familiar to her.

Story between GoBuddy and HK Momtrepreneurs

When asked about things that aided HK Momtrepreneurs’s development, Wong talked about GoBuddy. She met GoBuddy founder Kow at a seminar, and after seeing a demo of GoBuddy’s features, she decided to utilize its services. She explained how happy she was to have the support it provided. For example, HK Momtrepreneurs often hosts events, and registration had always been a hassle. But with GoBuddy, the relatively low-cost registration system now handles the difficult elements for her.

Words for future entrepreneurs

In the close of the interview, Wong imparted a few words of advice. First, she advised all businesses to have diversity. For her business, that means she is working towards including male and female voices, those of parents and those without children. But she emphasized the need for diversity in all its aspects.

She also suggested that those who wish to be entrepreneurs, both men and women, should establish their businesses before having children. Her reasoning is that after having children it takes time to adjust to your new life, and if you run your own business, you can control your reentry to the workforce and gradually settle back in at your own pace.

Wong’s last piece of advice was to work for a big corporation after finishing school befores starting your own business if possible. She explained that doing so provides the chance to explore and understand what work suits you best. Some may find that they are built for the corporate world, and it is also an easier transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship than the other way around. Starting a business also requires money, so savings from a corporate salary will help pay bills later on. Lastly, job qualifications build your reputation and improve your potential when heading into establishing a business.

HK Momtrepreneurs

Website： https://hkmomtrepreneurs.com/

Email： hello@hkmomtrepreneurs.com

Tel：9248-4861

關於香港創業媽媽

香港創業媽媽是一個非牟利組織，旨在向母親和家庭傳授創業技能，提倡女性自我實現和實現職業目標，平衡其家庭和社區的參與。最近，我們與Momreprenuers創始人Lena Wong坐下來討論了她在該組織的經驗，並聽取了她對有抱負的企業家的建議！

是甚麼啟發Lena開始香港創業媽媽呢？

「成為了一個母親之後，我希望尋找一個創業的社群，可以提供相應資訊和幫助。但我發現身邊並沒有這樣的群體，於是就萌生了開始Momtrepreneurs的念頭。」她說，「一開始我是在Facebook 開設專頁的，隨著時問累積，開始受到不同女性的關注，並希望陸續推廣我們的理念。」

由Facebook社群走到NGO⋯⋯

Lena在成為一位母親後對人生和職業的看法有了轉變，她希望在照顧孩子的同時也可以平衡工作和職涯，而且她希望更多的女性也可以受啟發而能夠開展自己的職涯。於是在2018年她把本身經營的facebook社群轉而開發了一個NGO.

她遇到最大的問題是⋯⋯？

一個NGO可以如何與「創業」這個理念共存呢？

在最開始的時候，Lena發現最大的阻礙是要把創業理念放在一個可非牟利組織上。一個組織可以如何幫助女性創業呢？

後來，她明白到教育的重要，並更積極清晰的向公眾解釋香港創業媽媽背後的意念，參與社會上的大小事。

她也向曾幫助Momtrepreneurs 的人們真誠的感謝，並表達了對一開始的她提供莫大幫助的人們對香港創業媽媽的支持十分重要！

Lena表示，以往香港創業媽媽是比較傾向於一個專業組織，但她認為在今年開始的不同活動，會把組織更往公益組織方向發展。她也提及比較少經濟能力的女性們可以和其他人更多的交流，從而達到互助，而她們將推出的Fellowship program也希望做到這點！

難忘的故事⋯⋯

一個銳變的故事

當我們問Lena有沒有難忘的故事分享時，她馬上說了一個關於一位猶豫不決的媽媽的銳變故事。

她們是在一個社交場合認識的，在那裏這位媽媽給Lena的感覺是比較害羞內向，不會有很多的眼神接觸。了解後她才知道原來這位媽媽是因為已有20年沒有在社會工作過，所以漸對在社會上陌生的人有一種難以接觸的感覺。

但是在她們認識了其他的創業媽媽後，這位媽媽開始變得更有自信，甚至開始了她的生意，創立一個共享空間，並可以在那使用器材煮食。而她的整個人也變得積極自信，與以前判若兩人！

一位「睡眠諮詢師」的故事

因為Lena經常外出參與活動和演講，在一次的活動中有一位女性向Lena說她曾遇過她，並因為Lena的分享而開始她的睡眠諮詢師歷程。這次的經驗讓Lena更深深明白到她能做的影響，其實小小的分享足以影響到很多人呢！

和GoBuddy的故事

Lena和GoBuddy創辦人Kow是在一次的活動上認識的。Kow向她解釋了GoBuddy的理念，在試用後她決定使用GoBuddy的軟件來幫助香港創業媽媽在網上的發展。她也提及GoBuddy的網上預訂功能為她省卻許多時間和金錢，以專注在創業媽媽的發展上。

給未來創業家的話？

「生意應該可以容下不同聲音！例如在創業媽媽，支持我們的人其實有男性的聲音，也當然有女性的聲音。在做決定時多聽聽不同意見，即使看似不關係但可能會有不同的收獲！」

她也提到，想創業的人可以考慮在有孩子前開始準備。因為你會有更多的時間和心力放在你的理念上，也比在有更多家庭負擔的時侯更容易做決策。

最後，她鼓勵大定在創業前可以試試在大企業裏先工作，累積經驗和實力，在創業時這些會是莫大的幫助！

香港創業媽媽

網站： https://hkmomtrepreneurs.com/

電郵： hello@hkmomtrepreneurs.com

電話：9248-4861

From the UK to HK- The Story of EEK

GoBuddy believes everyone could start an online business for free. Our team is dedicated to provide a one-stop cloud platform solution to transform your business. Today we are honoured to have Angela from EEK Limited to talk to us about her entrepreneurial journey!

About EEK

Easy English For Kids (EEK Limited) is a teaching playgroup and a tutorial centre for children that focuses on teaching kids through interactive play. Recently, we had a little chat with the founder of EEK, Angela Comer Lam, to understand more about her business and her experiences in the education industry.

Angela Comer – Lam
Owner of EEK Ltd

What inspired her to start EEK?

When asked what inspired her to start EEK back in 2009, Angela talked about her experience as a local kindergarten english teacher and how she felt that the kids were learning as ‘robots’ and wanted to make learning a fun and interactive experience for the children. This prompted Angela to start her own teaching playgroup where she could teach children in the ways she thought was best for them.

What was the largest obstacle she faced?

Angela expressed her concerns and difficulties when she initially started the playgroup and discussed how quite a few children come from her village in the New Territories and the problem was that parents would send their two to three years old child to Angela’s playgroup for perhaps, a year, and send them to school by the age of three. Since Angela only conducts playgroup with a maximum of seven children so that she is able to give individual attention to every child and they all left after a year to go to school, Angela felt that she had to start over every year and find new children which wasn’t very easy. We asked her how she overcame the challenge and she discussed how it was primarily word-of-mouth. There have been many instances where children leave after the age of three but still take tutoring lessons from her and have continued to take it for a long time now.

Difference in Education between the East and West

Since Angela is from the UK, she discussed with us the major differences in education styles between UK and HK and she explained that the HK education style is similar to how the UK’s education style was back in the 40s/50s- “We teach, you learn.” However, the education style is now more evolved in the UK and they understand that all children learn differently and it is important to cater to every child’s learning style rather than just using one way to teach all of them. In Hong Kong, Chinese is taught in a “drill and kill” way which means children are taught by memorising because there isn’t any other way to teach, however, english is taught in the same way and English does not have to be taught like that. Angela explained that one of the primary things she teaches at her tutorial centre is phonics and she teaches children not only the phonics sound but also how to use it. She further explained that once the children have learnt the 42 phonic sounds, they can read almost anything. In the UK, schools allow more interactive learning and students are allowed to question things rather than just accepting it.

Transformation story of two students

Two of her students (brother and sister) came to her for tutoring lessons when they were in year 5 and year 6 respectively and could only read words they had been taught. They were unable to read words they have never seen before and Angela spent a lot of time and effort on them to ensure they could read everything they were given and much more. Fast forward a couple years and both of them took their DSE’s last year and are now in college.

Education Business in 2020

We further asked Angela whether she could foresee the education business moving online in 2020 to which she responded that it is not something she wants to go down the route of doing and since her tutorial classes are very personalised and interactive, she does not believe that she would be willing to change her teaching to online lessons.

Story between GoBuddy and EEK

Angela was introduced to GoBuddy by HK Momtrepreneuers Founder, Lena Wong, who encouraged Angela to list some of her products on GoBuddy’s online shop. GoBuddy helped develop Angela’s website and are further planning to help her with marketing. Angela also has a youtube page (Angela’s Story Time) where she reads english story books for children. Apart from EEK, Angela owns an online business y2squared selling accessories like jewellery, hair scrunchies and hand-made handbags.

Any words for Future Entrepreneurs?

When asked if she had any tips for entrepreneurs who would like to start a similar business, she discussed how it is important to research and look for business opportunities in your local community and see if there are any similar businesses in your area. Although most students who come to her tutorial session and playgroups live in the same area as she does (New Territories), there are a few students who come from Hong Kong Island and she believes it is primarily because of word-of-mouth.

Connect with EEK
EEK Official Website: https://www.eek.com.hk
EEK Webstore: https://eek.gobuddy.asia
EEK FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/EEKhk/
EEK IG: https://www.instagram.com/eek_sales/

If you are thinking of starting a business, or if you need a digital solution for your business, simply send us an email, let GoBuddy transform your business journey!

Email: hi@gobuddy.asia

Website: http://www.gobuddy.asia

從英國來到香港：Angela的啟發
關於EEK

GoBuddy相信，每個人都可以建立自己的網上生意。我們的團隊致力為客户提供一個一站式平台，讓網上生意從此變得簡單。今次我們邀請到EEK Limited的Angela來分享她的創業心得！

是甚麽讓Angela萌生創立EEK的念頭呢？當被問到這個問題的時候，Angela 告訴我們 —- 一切都是從她在香港的幼稚園任教開始的！

孩子學習就像⋯⋯機械人？

Angela 14年前來到香港時，她發現香港的孩子學習語言的方法是最秏時也最無趣的。在幼稚園的經歷讓她希望開始一個教育中心，讓孩子可以輕鬆學習同時也享受過程。

但做教育並不輕鬆！

因為EEK的中心開設在新界的一個村子裏，所以自然她的第一批學生是在村內生活的孩子。但問題就是，很多家長會把孩子送到EEK學習一年，然後他們就要上幼兒園了。Angela習慣是7個學生一組，所以每隔一年她便要重新找新的學生，然後適應他們新的學習模式。

品牌貼士：口碑是長期的保障

Angela分享時提及她的教育質素讓家長們願意把EEK推介給朋友，這是她剛開始克服學生流動率高的方法。直到後來，家長們開始看見孩子在她的教育下的影響，便會放心讓孩子上更多課。

教育大不同：英國 VS 香港

當問到教育的分別時，Angela馬上分享了她親身的見解！她認為在40/50年代，英國還是停留在『單向教育』的階段（即傳統的老師教，學生只要聆聽方式）。但近年英國的教育方式轉變許多，開始引入一些新的教育方式，讓不同需醁的孩子都能找到最適合他們的學習模式。另外，孩子們都會被鼓勵去問問題，而不是盲目認同權威者說的一套。

而在香港，雖也在跟上各地不同的教育模式，但大多數傳統本地學校都是採取 ‘drill and kill’ 的方法，把一大堆知識塞給學生，甚或令他們失去學習本應有的動力和求知慾。

一對姐弟的銳變

Angela提到一對在EEK學習的姐弟的故事：他們在初中時只能讀懂非常基本的單字，而且不能讀出很多陌生的字，Angela在教會他們一些拼音並一邊提升他們的學習與趣後，他們在 DSE 取得不錯的成績，並已入讀大學呢。

EEK和GoBuddy的故事

Angela是經過Momtrepreneurs的創辦人Lena Wong介紹認識GoBuddy的。因為Lena推介Angela把她的玩具產品放上網售賣，於是開始了她的電商之旅。

對想創業的人說的話⋯⋯

「最初不知如何入手時可以先發掘一下身邊的圈子，看看大家有沒有需要的痛點，還有就是積極一點尋找生意合作機會。建立良好口碑也是很重要的呢。」

與EEK聯繫
EEK 官方網站: https://www.eek.com.hk
EEK 網店: https://eek.gobuddy.asia
EEK FB: https://www.facebook.com/EEKhk/
EEK IG: https://www.instagram.com/eek_sales/

Top Business Trends in 2020

It’s a Digital World

With the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting the workforce and forcing many people to work from home, the appearance of a typical business has dramatically changed. And it looks like things might stay changed for a while. Remote work has become the new normal, and since its implementation, its benefits have become apparent. No rent costs make it cheaper for business owners and advancing technology has made communication easy even when workers are apart. Even after the pandemic is over, some companies may keep some positions or certain elements of work remote.

The Growing Gig Economy

Get ready to embrace the gig economy. According to a past Gallup poll, almost 36% of workers were a part of the gig economy, and we can expect that to have risen to around 43% by 2020.Compared to traditional work, gig-economy work is very flexible. This appeals to those trying to make some money on the side and to those who wish to have greater control over their schedule. Moreover, with many businesses unable to hire proper full-time workers considering the Covid-19 economic situation, the demand for part-time gig workers will likely increase. Its easy to see how the gig economy is becoming the new norm during this time.

Increased AI Presence

While AI may not be poised to entirely take over the customer experience, it certainly will be making a bigger appearance this year and may disrupt many business strategies for the better. When effectively combined with and designed to complement employee skills, AI can be utilized to improve business efficiency. AI is growing exponentially in popularity right now because its applications and uses are practically limitless, meaning it can be applied to and empower almost any business. While it may mean some task automation (typically of repetitive and standardized tasks), employers will likely focus on upskilling works than replacing them with AI. AI as a service may also emerge for those who find the cost too high.

Conscious Consumption is King

These days, customers are increasingly conscious and aware of their purchases and what they mean for others and the Earth’s resources. People are placing an ever-growing emphasis on sustainability and responsible consumption. In fact, according to a McKinsey survey, 80% of Gen Z respondents refuse to buy from companies involved in scandals, 70% try to purchase from companies they consider ethical, and 65% try to learn about the origins of the products they buy. Considering these stats, it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. Therefore, in 2020 companies will likely put a greater effort into presenting themselves as (and hopefully actually become) more careful about how their production affects the environment, adamant about advocating for social issues, and motivated in seeking a purpose beyond simply making a profit.

5 books you must read if you are an Entrepreneur

No matter how successful you are, knowledge and powerful advise is one thing which is never-ending. Below are some of the best books with god-tier advise that can help entrepreneurs and to-be entrepreneurs.

1) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

One of the best books to help improve people skills and a step-by-step guide to make lifelong connections.

2) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

This book written especially for Entrepreneurs and how they can achieve success by imbibing certain qualities and further help build their business.

3) The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki

If you are looking for some inspiration or just anything to take your first step as an Entrepreneur, this is your go-to book.

4) Getting Things Done by David Allen

Looking for ways to get rid of that procrastination? and stress? This book will help you get organised and clear your mind.

5) Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

One of the most popular and best books out there used by millions of people and business owners. It will help you get perspective and a positive mindset and just the perfect advise that you are looking for.

Reference:

https://www.fundera.com/blog/best-books-for-entrepreneurs

7 Tips for Managing Online Activities

Organizing online events may be new to you, but there’s no need to find the prospect of doing so intimidating!

So what is an online event? Simply put, an online event is any event that is hosted online. Using online platforms, more and more events are now being hosted remotely rather than in a central physical location. They can be anything from workshops to courses to virtual meetups to conferences and more.

If you’re uncertain how to approach setting organizing one, just give these few tips a read!

1. Be Original

First things first, decide what you want your virtual event to be about. If you’re trying to attract a large audience, make sure to choose an original topic. Why should people attend your event or listen to you when you are in saturated marking, doing and talking about the same things as everyone else? That’s not to say that you can’t succeed in a popular area though; just find a niche. Last, sure to also tailor your virtual event to your own brand and strengths.

2. Make a Plan

Once you know what you want your event to be about, it’s time to start making a plan. Set a date and a time for it first. Be sure to consider what will work best for the most people; avoid major holidays or other days people may be busy, and think about how times may work for people in different time zones. As for the length of the event, you want your event to be long enough for substantial interaction, but not long enough that people’s interest will wane. The ideal length will vary from event to event.

Next, decide what format you want for your online event. Do you want it to be all live, or do you want to include pre-recorded elements? If you are planning on more of a presenter-centric event like a course or conference, think about if you want a single presenter or multiple? Will it be an interview, and ask me anything, a product demo?

Last, you’ll need to choose a platform on which to host your event from. These days, there are many options. Perhaps the most well-known or popular right now is Zoom. The software can work for both group meetings where everyone participates in conversation as well as talks where one presenter is the main focus and others simply join in to listen or submit questions. GoBuddy is another fantastic option. The webstore and booking site allows users to list their events on an online marketplace and provides video conferencing tools that don’t require any additional app downloads.

3. Promote the Event

Promoting your event can be done simply enough by posting about it on social media. Be sure to include links in your posts to a site where people can register for your event. If you already have an email list, include information about your event in newsletters you send out.

4. Do Prep Work

Make sure you put in adequate preparation for your event! For example, even great speakers may not be used to doing online events. Without the energy of an in-person crowd, they may find it harder to keep up the same banter. For this reason, practice is a must! You should also do a dry run before the actual day-of as it provides a chance to test all the software and troubleshoot any issues. Even if things all work during your dry run, it’s still a good idea to have a plan for what to do if anything does go wrong during your event so you won’t be scrambling in the case that it does.

5. Engage your Audience

When an event only has a one-directional flow and it’s just a presenter speaking at an audience, it’s easy for the audience to lose focus. Keep your attendees connected by involving them with polls, quizzes, questions, and games! Another simple way to ensure you start off well is to simply begin on time. If you’re late, you’ll already be losing people’s interest from the start.

6. Make it Inclusive

If you want to reach a larger audience, consider being more mobile-friendly so more people will have access. Ensure any software features you plan to use in your event work on mobile versions as well and try to think about any other considerations you may have to make for phone usage. For example, if you are showing any presentations, use a large font size so the text will still be readable on smaller phone screens.

7. Follow up with a Survey

Getting in touch with your attendees after the event and asking for feedback is the easiest way to improve in the future. Doing so allows you to hear first-hand what worked well and what didn’t. If you use a software like GoBuddy to run your event, built-in communication features can make reaching out to your attendees can be really simple!

【7個步驟輕鬆做到滿分網上活動！】

當大家都在做網上活動，我們可以如何突圍而出？

1.不要害怕獨樹一格

首先，肯定你的目標顧客和受眾是誰。當您處於一個有這麼多競爭者的巿場中，與其他人談論相同的事情時，為什麼人們應該參加你的活動或聽你的？根據自己的品牌和優勢量身定制網上活動吧！其實網上活動要成功，必先與你的觀眾建立良好，可信任的關係。這個我們會在之後探討喔！

2.制定計劃

知道要舉辦的活動之後，就可以開始製定計劃了。首先設置日期和時間。確保考慮對大多數受眾可以參加的時間點，這個可以參考IG或FB的後台分析。

至於活動的持續時間，如果希望活動足夠長，可以進行更多互動，但又不要長到讓人們的興趣減弱。理想的長度因事件而異。（例如聊天室和賣場網購也有不同互動形式）

接下來，確定活動使用的格式。你會希望它全部直播，還是包含預先錄製的影片？如果計劃進行更多以觀眾為中心的活動，例如課程或會議，請考慮是否要更多演講者？

最後，您需要選擇一個平台來承載您的活動。也許現在最著名的是Zoom，可以用於小組會議，也可以用於網上演講，但就不能同時售賣產品和展示你的商店。

要做到以上的話，可以考慮用GoBuddy～可以一次進行網上營商，線上會面，和活動管理，而且不需要下載應用程式喔！

3.推廣活動

只需在社交媒體上發布有關活動的信息即可輕鬆完成。確保在您的帖子中包含指向人們可以註冊您的活動的網站的鏈接。如果您已經有電子郵件列表，請在發送的新聞通訊中包含有關事件的信息。

4. 做好萬全準備吧！

即使是網上活動也不可掉以輕心，要採排！採排！採排！重要的事說三次。尤其當我們要跟同事合作時，更要清楚每個人的工作崗位。

5. 與觀眾互動

不能只有你說，也要適時讓大家感到他們是可以被看見的。這樣不但會增加觀眾對你的好感，更能讓他們參與在你的活動中，往後更積極參加！

6. 顧及各種需要

這個不用多說吧。網上活動的參與者有各式各樣，記得可以的話做好參加者調查，看有沒有其他國家的參與者，接納不同文化和語言。

7. 活動還未結束！

記得活動後適當調查一下大家對活動的回饙，對你日後的活動有莫大的幫助！

3 Ways Businesses Can Be More Sustainable

Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming an increasingly important aspect within all businesses. Choosing to “go green” and holding campaigns to spread awareness about sustainability is what grants businesses bonus points amongst the consumers. Not only does it help the environment- it establishes you as a brand that cares about the environment and community, thereby refining your brand image. And, lets be real- brand image is super important. It is pretty much what distinguishes you from your competitor.

#1 Going Paperless

Imagine how many trees don’t have to be cut if businesses can forego using paper and adopt a cloud-based filing approach to save all their information and data. Up to 50% of business waste is paper waste; hence, businesses will be able to lower their impact on local landfills by converting to a paperless office. Since we are talking about it in business terms- it reduces costs! An average worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper annually- going paperless would help reduce the cost of buying tons of paper for office work.

#2 Letting Employees Work from Home

Another way a business could lower its carbon footprint is by encouraging remote working. A reduction in the usage of electricity, reduction in pollution (no commute) and fewer office supplies used leading to a reduction in office waste.

#3 Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

It’s inevitable for companies to produce tons of waste and to continue doing so. However, it is possible for companies to reduce the amount of waste they produce by recycling most of it. Not all of it has to go to landfills, right? As much as 60% of the rubbish that businesses send to landfills can be recycled; and it does cost a lot of money. Most businesses just keep a little rubbish bin on their floor but it is wise to adopt a waste bin of categories “Plastic, Paper, Glass” for recycling.

References:

Do you need to go to University for entrepreneurship?

As we all understand- there is no direct path to success. If there was, we would all be successful. Wanna be a doctor? Go to Med School. Wanna be a lawyer? Go to Law School. But, what about if you wanna be an Entrepreneur? Is there an Entrepreneur School, per se? Is there some kind of academy where they teach you how to be great Entrepreneurs? Well, there aren’t. Yes, there is college and they provide majors in Entrepreneurship but with the significant cost of tuition fees and an even enormous student debt- Is it really worth it?

Unfortunately, there isn’t any correct answer. Its all based on a personal level. College provides lifelong learning and skills which you might not have access to had you not attended any university. It helps you grow personally and professionally. I think it has more to do with what exactly fascinates you- what is it that you love? Maybe you’re into painting.. perhaps you could open up your own art studio. No matter what type of business you dream of starting someday, there are some skills you NEED to have as an Entrepreneur. You need to be able to market yourself, you need to have a little more than basic accounting and technical skills.

I do think before you decide to start your own company, you should work for someone else. It is the best kind of learning. It teaches you numerous things about how a business operates and gives you the kind of experience college never would. You will come across various opportunities and challenges and it will teach you how to overcome them. Working for someone else will also give you some financial flexibility and stability. You need to have enough capital of your own in the beginning so that you don’t drown in debts.

Going to college and starting your own business right after- I would say it’s quite burdensome. It would be quite difficult to continue investing in your company and making profits when you have a 6 figure college debt hanging over you. Perhaps online courses would be a good idea? Community college for some courses? Maybe that would be a cheaper option.

Whatever you decide to choose, make sure you know what you’re doing. There isn’t any correct answer- it depends on you, your personality, how you like to get things done. Many successful businessmen did not go to college or dropped out of college- and while that may be encouraging to hear- it shouldn’t affect your decision.

眾所周知，成功沒有捷徑。

普遍社會認為的是：想成為醫生嗎？去考醫學院。想成為律師嗎？去考法學院。但是，如果您想創業呢？有企業家學校嗎？是否有某種學院教我們如何成為優秀的企業家？我們或許會想起各大學的商學院，他們提供創業課程，但是我們卻要支付高昂的學費和學生債務-真的值得嗎？

這並沒有正確的答案。大學提供終身學習和技能，它可以幫助您個人和專業成長。這與您喜歡的知識有關-您喜歡什麼？如果你喜歡藝術，也許你可以開設自己的藝術工作室。無論你夢想有一天開始什麼類型的業務，作為企業家都需要具備一些技能。您需要能夠進行自我營銷，還需要具備基本的會計和硬知識。

另外，在決定創辦自己的公司之前，為別人工作是最好的學習方式。它會教你許多有關業務運作方式的知識，並為您提供了大學不能學到的的實際經驗。您一人田日遇到各種機遇和挑戰，而它將教您如何克服挑戰。為他人工作也會為您帶來財務上的靈活性和穩定性。開始時，您需要擁有足夠的自有資本，為之後舖路。

上大學後馬上開始自己的生意不是不可能。如果你不需也許在線課程是一個好主意？社區大學的一些課程？也許那將是一個更便宜的選擇。

無論您決定選擇什麼，請確保您知道自己在做什麼。沒有正確的答案-這取決於您，您的個性以及完成工作的方式。許多成功的商人沒有上過大學或輟學了，儘管這可能會令人鼓舞，但它不會影響您的決定。

Offline Business Ideas

These days it seems more and more new businesses pop up online every day. And e-commerce is, indeed, a growing field. From the previous year, e-commerce grew by 18% in 2019 and it is expected to double by 2023. Consequently, it feels that attention has shifted away from offline businesses to growing and establishing online businesses in recent years.

No matter how much e-commerce may develop though, some businesses are still much better suited to in-person interaction or simply require an offline platform. For example, childcare, elderlycare, and healthcare are rooted in personal interaction. They are reliant on a practitioner being able to physically look after a client and attend to their needs. Construction, renovation, and handyman services do work that most people lack the knowledge and skills to do themselves, and cleaning businesses provide services most people are unwilling to do themselves. And while other businesses can be adapted to online formats, the experiences aren’t quite the same. Food can be ordered through delivery apps, but eating at home doesn’t have the same atmosphere as a restaurant meal. Live shows can be livestreamed, but watching a small computer screen isn’t the same as sitting in a concert hall or theater. Shopping can be done on Amazon or other online retail websites, but nothing can replace being able to view and handle a product yourself before purchasing. And classes, whether they are for math, cooking, or dance, can be held over Zoom, but it’s always easiest to follow instruction when the teacher is right in front of you to help.

However, this doesn’t mean that offline businesses can’t benefit from having an online presence or front.

Online and offline businesses both have their merits. With offline businesses, customers feel a greater sense of trust as they are able to personally view products, a physical store reflects greater financial stability, and offline businesses have more chance, walk-in customers. On the other hand, online businesses have great visibility due to the broad reach of the internet, they are far cheaper, and they can be open 24/7. In combining offline and online together though, offline businesses can solidify their brands and find the best of both worlds by adopting aspects of an online store.

Doing so allows offline businesses to match competition, whether it be solely online businesses or other offline businesses that already have an online platform.
An online presence can also increase the number of customers a business has as people stumble upon their website while researching and browsing online. The internet can even help businesses grow from local audiences to global ones.
In addition to increasing brand awareness, websites allow for greater customer interaction. Customers far away can see what is sold in store (encouraging them to later visit in-person or to order online) and easily communicate any question they may have.
Digital sales save both time and labor as they don’t require any customer interaction.
Conducting sales through an online platform allows business owners to track marketing and business analytics. If this information is utilized properly, it can promote even greater future growth.

As valuable as developing an online front can be, many small offline businesses still haven’t caught onto the trend. As of January 2019, less than ⅔ of small businesses had a website (the main reason cited being that their owners think their operations are too small for one) and 1 in 5 don’t use digital marketing. Not taking advantage of the internet, however, puts a business at a disadvantage. 37% of people use the internet to find a store at least once a month, and 91% of customers have visited a store in-person due to an online experience. And according to data from Google in 2016, 68% of customers go to a store within a day of doing a local search and close to half make a purchase that same day. Continuing to grow online presence continues to pay off too. Small businesses with blogs get 126% more lead growth than those without, and the more frequently and consistently they post, the greater the reward.

Making a website though, is not something to be taken lightly. Considering it is the focal point of a businesses internet front, it has to be crafted carefully and attractively. First, it has to be well-made. If a website takes longer than three seconds to load, 53% of mobile visits are abandoned, and for each second delay in load time, conversions fall by 12%. Once on a website, a person’s first impression is dependent primarily on the design-related elements of the site. This first impression weighs heavily on how credibly they will view a business.

In the end, our commerce industry cannot survive with just online or offline businesses. The ideal is a balance somewhere in the middle, tailored to boths the strengths and needs of each individual business.

儘管發展網上業務非常有價值，但許多小型企業仍未趕上潮流。截至2019年1月，只有不到1/3的小型企業擁有網站（主要原因是其所有者認為他們的經營規模太小），而且五分之一的企業沒有使用數碼營銷。

但是，不利用互聯網會使企業處於不利地位。 37％的人每月至少一次使用互聯網查找商店，而91％的顧客由於在線體驗而親自去過商店。根據Google在2016年的數據，有68％的客戶在進行本地搜索的一天之內去了一家網店，而近一半的客戶在同一天購物。繼續發展在線業務也將獲得回報。與沒有博客的小型企業相比，擁有博客的小型企業的潛在客戶增長率高出126％，並且發布頻率越高，持續性越高，回報就越高。