Make Money Archives - Utility Avenue

The Best Free and Paid Tools for Small Businesses

Posted on January 9, 2022January 10, 2022 by Odette Fernandez

Small businesses are under pressure to find the best possible way to compete in a world that’s quickly becoming dominated by big, international corporations.

Don’t fret! There are so many tools out there for small business owners who want to stay on top of their game.

Here are some free and paid tools that can improve customer satisfaction, increase online engagement, streamline operations, and, ultimately, positively impact a small business’s bottom line. Let’s get started.

Our top 5 free and paid services for small businesses

#1: Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a free service that provides detailed statistics on where visitors are coming from, how they got to your website, and what they do while they’re there. This information can help you improve your site’s content, advertising, and design so it appeals more strongly to potential customers and leads them through the purchasing process.

Don’t know where to start? Google offers some great tutorials and guides that are easy for small business owners of any skill level to understand. You can also check out this video series by Google on how to use their services.

#2: Yammer

A social media site for businesses to connect with their employees, customers, partners, and others. Yammer is a great way to connect with your employees and show you appreciate their hard work on the business. Plus, it’s a great place for businesses to learn more about what consumers are saying about their company.

#3: Remitly

If you’re outsourcing work to freelancers in foreign countries, bank transfers can be cost-prohibitive. Instead, you can utilize a low-fee money transfer service like Remitly which offers fast transfers at fair exchange rates. For example, if you need to pay workers in The Philippines, you’ll only be charged a fee of $3.99 for express delivery service.

#4: Constant Contact

Constant Contact is an all-in-one marketing platform that provides email marketing, automation, social media management, and more. This is a great tool for businesses that want to manage all of their marketing in one place. They also have some great features like custom landing pages, lead generation forms, and the ability to create email lists that can help you build your business.

#5: Zendesk

Zendesk is a free support ticket system that provides a central way for customers to contact your company and get answers quickly and efficiently (even if you’re not around) and even helps you track what they’re asking for so you don’t have to ask them! Zendesk also offers different pricing structures for businesses of any size. Check out the plans here.

Honorable mentions: IFTTT and Google My Business

IFTTT is a free service that allows you to create your own “recipes” to automate certain actions based on events. For example, you could automatically send yourself a text message when someone posts about your company on Twitter or send an email when Google updates their mobile search algorithm.

Google My Business is a free service that helps you build your local business brand on Google and customers to find out more information about your business like opening hours, directions, and customer reviews. It’s perfect for small businesses that want to connect with potential customers in the area.

These are just some of the many great tools out there for small businesses. SMBs need to be able to use the right tools at the right time. If you don’t know where to start, try any of the tools in this list. There are hundreds of other great tools available online, as well. You just need to know where to start.

Turn your hobbies and skills into cash by joining the Utility Avenue community!

Image by Odette Photo+Art

Article written by Gloria Martinez exclusively for Utility Avenue.

How to Turn Your Passion Into a Lucrative Business Model

Posted on May 16, 2021May 15, 2021 by Odette Fernandez

How to Turn Your Passion Into a Lucrative Business Model

Everyone has a great passion that they wish they could turn into a business. Maybe you love the roar of an engine and the thrill of competition, or perhaps you love to tinker with engines in the solitude of a garage. But the truth is in the journey, and not every big passion becomes a lucrative business startup. Part of the challenge? Reshaping your mindset and empowering yourself to get what you want.

It’s a daunting—but worthwhile—pursuit. Check out these tips on how to turn your passion into a lucrative venture, courtesy of Utility Avenue.

Define Success

Outlining your goals means you have a concrete means of measuring success. Decide what success means to your business and what metrics you’ll track to see how far you need to go—and how far you’ve come already.

For example, if you’re venturing into motorsports, selling motorcycle parts online might be part of your plan. From there, you might establish a set number of clients you want to onboard or a particular number of products you wish to sell. Make your metrics detailed, specific, and measurable. Document them and make a game plan for reaching those goals—and check in often.

Be a Cheerleader

Being successful in your business often revolves around positivity and growth. Always learn; look around you for opportunities to develop and improve. It’s critical to believe in what you’re doing, look forward, and don’t look back.

If you commit to being a cheerleader for yourself (and your brand), your odds of success are that much higher, confirms Business.com. Think about the lies you tell yourself—about not being good enough, or setting prices too high, or expecting too much—and then tell yourself the truth. Being in your own corner means believing in yourself and your abilities and not letting self-doubt ruin your new venture.

Protect Yourself

Launching a startup can be exhilarating and even intimidating. But venturing outside your comfort zone is not just a threat to your sense of self-confidence. In fact, owning a business can make you a target for all manner of online scams like identity theft and cybersecurity breaches.

To protect yourself, your company, and the customers you serve, create a digital security plan. Anti-virus software, credit defense services, and other cybersecurity protections can offer peace of mind and defense against would-be hackers.

Another form of critical protection is that of your personal assets. The last thing you want is to build your business up, only to have issues that cause you to lose everything. An easy way into a security blanket is to create an LLC. An LLC, or limited liability company, does just what it says—it limits your liability. Also, it provides certain tax advantages, and it can scale up as you grow. That flexibility can come in handy in your journey toward success. Keep in mind that if you form an LLC, you’ll have to submit an annual report. Fortunately, you can save time filing by using a service like Zenbusiness.com.

Aim to Scale Up

Some entrepreneurs set the bar too low when it comes to their growth goals. But really, is it possible to make too much money? Is it wrong to achieve too many sales? Is it ever possible to see too much success?

Again, it’s all about your mindset—and setting your sights on scaling up your business is a recipe for success. There are plenty of ways to streamline and scale your organizational model. Your path might involve digital tools to automate basic business tasks, or it could mean you onboard an assistant to take care of the mundane while you work with clients. Whatever the next step is, put it up on a pedestal and prioritize blazing a path to get there.

Turning your amazing idea into a productive and lucrative business startup isn’t easy. But with a mindset of empowerment and clarity when it comes to your abilities as an entrepreneur, you can make it happen. You might be surprised at the things you can achieve when you embrace your full potential.

Earn some extra cash and sell your services on Utility Avenue.

Join our community today!

The article was written by Cody McBride exclusively for Utility Avenue.

Business Made Simple, by Donald Miller

Posted on April 11, 2021April 10, 2021 by Odette Fernandez

I found out about Donald Miller a couple of years ago in one of my Facebook groups for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Several comments recommended Building a StoryBrand as a must-read when it comes to marketing.

I read Building a Story Brand and then “Marketing Made Simple.” I love how they take highly complex ideas and explain them in simple executable steps. Donald Miller knows that business is more than just a good idea made profitable – it’s a system of unspoken rules, rarely taught by MBA schools. If you are attempting to grow your business or career profitably, you need elite business knowledge to create tangible value.

Donald Miller has done it yet again with his newest book, Business Made Simple: 60 Days to Master Leadership, Sales, Marketing, Execution, Management, Personal Productivity, and More.

Business Made Simple

If you want to grow your career and create a healthy and profitable company, check this book.

From writing your mission statement to formulating sales presentations, writing effective marketing messaging, setting up sales funnels, and executing projects across many departments, it covers all bases.

These 60 short, daily entries and accompanying videos will add enormous value to your business and the organization you work for. In this sixty-day guide, the book presents the nine areas where truly successful leaders and their businesses excel:

Character: What kind of person succeeds in business?
Leadership: How do you unite a team around a mission?
Personal Productivity: How can you get more done in less time?
Messaging: Why aren’t customers paying more attention?
Marketing: How do I build a sales funnel?
Business Strategy: How does a business really work?
Execution: How can we get things done?
Sales: How do I close more sales?
Management: What does a good manager do?

His book is based on the idea that value-driven professionals give their company’s and customers an incredible return on their investment. Donald Miller defines a value-driven professional as: “Someone obsessed with getting value to everyone they work with.”

“Each of us has to wake up in the morning and give people a return on the time, energy, and money they entrust to us.”

He goes on to say, “this is the secret to success. If you want to succeed in work, love, friendship, and life, give people around a great return on whatever it is they invested in you”.

1. See yourself as an economical product on the open market.

You are committed to getting people a strong return on the investment made in you. You’re zealous by making other people absurdly successful.

2. See yourself as a hero, not a victim.

You see yourself as a hero on a mission, not a victim. Victim mentality will end your career. Once you see yourself as a hero on a mission, you.

3. Know how to de-escalate drama

How do you escalate drama? You ask yourself: How would a calm and calculated person handle this situation? Your goal is to remain calm.

4. Accept feedback as a gift

Value-driven professionals are thankful for constructive feedback and know how to take feedback and use it to grow in their careers.

5. Know the right way to engage in conflict

We live in a broken world, so conflict is unavoidable. But how do you navigate conflict as a value-driven professional? You expect conflict, control your emotions, affirm the person you are confronting, and understand you could be wrong. Bonus: in all great story the hero has to face a conflict.

6. Long to be trusted and respected more than liked

A respected and trusted leader sets clear expectations, communicates and keeps others accountable, and rewards good performance. They care less about being liked than being respected and trusted.

7. Have a bias towards action

Donald Miller has observed that all great leaders have a bias towards action. They take action to make ideas happen.

8. Do not choose to be confused

When there are things we don’t want to do, we tend to get confused about how it works. For example, you may need to fire an employee, but you choose to be confused about what you should do to let this employee go.

9. Be relentlessly optimistic

High-impact leaders are not afraid to fail. Actually, successful leaders have failed more than most. As a result, they experience more success in work and life.

10. Have a growth mindset

A value-driven professional has learned to adopt a growth mindset when faced with setbacks. This comes from the work of the Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck. Growth mindset individuals see the world differently from embracing challenges to persisting through obstacles to learning from criticism to finding inspiration from others’ success.

Final Words

The truth is that it’s hard to be successful without a clear understanding of how business works.

According to Donald Miller, if you master the lessons introduced in his new book—the ten characteristics of a value-driven professional along with the ten core competencies of a value-driven professional—you will dramatically increase your worth on the open market.

Business Made Simple is the must-have guide for anyone who feels lost or overwhelmed by the modern business climate. If you want to take your career to the next level, read and apply the Business Made Simple book’s principles to transform your economic worth over the next 60 days.

The Business Made Simple book by Donald Miller is available for purchase.

10 Statistics: Brand Photography as a Powerful Business Tool

Posted on February 14, 2021February 13, 2021 by Odette Fernandez

Simon Sinek, one of my favorite thought-leaders, said: “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

There is one vital question:

What makes you different from another business that does the same kind of activity, maybe cheaper?

YOU.

You make the real difference.

Brand photography: a powerful business tool

Businesses everywhere need to create a brand that clearly communicates why they do what they do. But how do you do that?

You can visually represent your business through brand photography and personal branding. Professional images establish and enhance your brand. They show your character, what it’s like to work with you, and what makes you and your business unique.

Brand photography and personal branding make it easier for customers and future clients to know you and your brand.

Why investing in brand photography?

Investing in professional brand photography can seem an unnecessary expense, but it might be more crucial for growing your business than you think.

Photography is one of the main tools to connect with your audience strategically. It boosts performance, engagement, and sales because people are wired to value images. They especially value beautiful, well-crafted images. You can use stock photos, but studies show that we pay attention to people who look like real people! Eye-tracking research shows that we treat photos of real people as important visual content, and we tend to ignore stock photos and “filler content” images. As a result, not having high-quality photos can be a deal-breaker for your clients. Studies show how investing in branding can make a difference.

How can you use your brand images?

The options are limitless.

You can use your images to improve your online presence on your website, social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest). Also, in email campaigns, newsletters, and email signatures.

You can also include them in traditional print marketing materials: business cards, brochures, direct mail, sales sheet, flyers, magazines, newspapers. Even in sales pitches or presentations, and press releases.

Numbers don’t lie

Here, some statistics taken from MDVAdvertising and Meero that show how vital brand photography is:

People remember only 10% of information three days after hearing it, on average. Adding a picture can improve recall to 65%.
Images rank as the most critical content type, ahead of text and video. 68% of marketers say they plan to use images more in the future. Consumers are significantly more likely to think favorably of ads that emphasize photography over ads that emphasize text.
Articles with relevant images get 94% more views, on average, compared to articles without images.
Images on Facebook receive 20% more engagement than videos and 352% more engagement than links.
60% of consumers say they’re more likely to consider or contact a business with an image show up in local search results.
67% of consumers say that a product image’s quality is “very important” in selecting and purchasing a product.
78% of online shoppers want to see the product as if it’s part of their own daily lives.
50% of online shoppers say, “large, high-quality product images are more important than product information, descriptions, or even reviews.”
90% of online buyers say that photo quality is the most crucial factor in an online sale, according to Etsy and Justuno.
Using a larger product photo size on category pages increased sales by 9.46%

In The Effect of Mere Touch on Perceived Ownership, UCLA researchers found that vivid and detailed object imagery increases perceived ownership of the product.

FINAL WORDS

My advice is: use compelling imagery to build your story brand.

Brand photography has the power to tell your story: what your brand is about, what it means to your clients, and why they should care about it. High-quality images build trust and help clients connect to your message.

You can DIY your brand and product photography, but if this isn’t the most effective approach, you can always hire a professional branding photographer.

This article was first published here.

Want to save taxes? These moves may cost you college financial aid.

Posted on November 22, 2020November 25, 2020 by Odette Fernandez

Year-end tax planning with a college-bound kid? Common tax moves for your small business that can save you taxes but may cost your chances for financial aid.

As we approach year-end, there’s no shortage of articles on different tax moves one can make. Your CPA or tax professional may have suggested some to lower your tax bill. When you have a kid about to go to college, however, things can get tricky. Your well-intentioned CPA or tax professional may end up costing you aid and raising the cost of college!

*** Please note that this article is not intended as tax advice. Please consult your own tax professional or financial advisor to discuss your specific circumstances. ***

Before we detail the differences between taxes and financial aid, it’s important to understand how your financial information is used in the financial aid process. Families submit their income and asset information typically using the FAFSA, and for some schools, the CSS Profile form. The colleges then use the information on those forms, applying different formulas, to determine how much the family can afford for college each year, known as the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. In the formulas, income is a far bigger factor than assets.

Using the EFC, colleges then determine whether the family qualifies for need-based aid. This type of aid can be in the form of grants, loans, or even work-study. Because these types of aid are based on a family’s financials, some families think they “make too much money to get aid”.

Let’s go a little deeper. The income information used on the financial aid forms is based on the family’s tax return (parent and student, if filed). On the surface, then, anything you might do to save taxes – lowering income, increasing deductions, etc. – would be a smart move. As a famous announcer on a well-known sports TV channel says, “Not so fast my friend”.

There are 3 key areas where taxes and financial aid differ for self-employed and small business owners.

First, the most common area for reducing taxable income is to contribute to a tax-deferred retirement plan, such as a 401k, 403b, or an IRA. Lower taxable income, save on taxes today, and save for retirement – it seems to be a smart financial move. For financial aid, this person would have just hurt themselves. In the simple example below, a parent increases their retirement plan contribution:

	Before	After
Income	$100	$100
Less: Ret Plan Contrib	10	20
Income after contrib	90	80
Less: Taxes (10%)	9	8
Take-home pay	81	72
Fin Aid: Add back ret plan contribution	10	20
Income for fin aid purposes	$91	$92

In this simplified example with an assumed tax rate of 10%, increasing the retirement plan contribution results in increasing, not decreasing, the income for financial aid purposes. Higher-income equals higher EFC, which lowers your chances of financial aid.

Retirement plan contributions could be amounts put into a 401k, SEP, SIMPLE, or a personal IRA.

Why would retirement plan contributions be added back? Financial aid income counts as income, regardless of what you do with the money.

This effect is also true for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) contributions. On the FAFSA, HSA contributions are added back. On the CSS Profile, both HSA and FSA contributions are added back.

Second, it is common for small business owners and self-employed to reduce the amount of net income (or even showing a small loss) for tax savings purposes through depreciation and other expenses. This may not help.

For colleges using only the FAFSA, which is the majority of colleges and universities, business losses are reported as is. Before you go reducing your income to near zero, there’s a catch. If a non-business owner or self-employed family has an Adjusted Gross Income of $50k or less, they qualify for a simplified EFC calculation. Primarily, this means that the family’s assets are excluded.

For a family that is self-employed or owns a small business that files a Form 1040, Schedule 1, this simplified EFC formula does not apply. A Schedule 1 would reflect self-employment income and income from a small business via Schedule C, business income via Form K-1 on a Schedule E, and rental real estate income on Schedule E.

Third, being a small business owner or self-employed is less friendly for schools using the CSS Profile form. Any business losses are added back as well as depreciation expense. For example, if one parent works a regular W-2 job earning $100k and the other parent is self-employed and reports a tax loss of $100k per year, the tax return would show a zero net income ($100k in income less $100k in loss). For the CSS, that family would have an income of $200k.

The CSS Profile form has other requirements for business owner families, such as reporting the value of the business as well as submitting business tax returns, if filed separately.

In case you’re wondering, the schools that use the CSS Profile form are the Ivy League, near-Ivy League, as well as public Ivy schools, such as the University of Michigan, Univ of Virginia, Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and UMiami.

Bonus item: One other difference between the two forms, though not tax-related, is the reporting of business bank accounts. On the FAFSA, any bank accounts in the name of the business are not reportable. On the CSS, the bank accounts are reportable. Again, the higher the assets, the less aid a family is likely to get.

Despite the differences, there are advantages that business owners and self-employed enjoy when saving and paying for college; I wrote a prior blog post on some strategies.

The bottom line is that while your CPA or tax professional may be well-intentioned and helpful for taxes, they may not help for financial aid and may raise the cost of college. Understanding these differences can help lead to smart decisions balancing tax savings and financial aid.

T. Jack Wang
Financial Wealth Strategist

What is Personal Branding?

Posted on November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 by Odette Fernandez

Personal branding.

Brand photography is a powerful business tool. It helps you develop your personal brand.

But, what is personal branding?

Odette Photo+Art Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Personalbrand.Com defines it as “The intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact.”

They add: “A personal brand is rooted in the minds of people in the market. Personal branding is the effort to communicate and present your value to the world.”

Personal branding is perfect for entrepreneurs, influencers, speakers, professionals, actors, and small business owners. But, building a personal brand isn’t exclusive to them. We all need a compelling personal brand to make an impact in this world.

Before people spend money or do business with you, they like to feel like they know you. Studies show 70-80% of people research a company before doing business. That’s why personal branding is so important. It highlights your unique set of skills, experience, and personality.

How to build a personal brand.

The aim is to create a powerful brand, online and offline. That’s how we build relationships and connections with people throughout the world.

Personal branding tips

1. Sell an experience, not just a product.

Discover what’s special about you and your brand: your unique selling proposition (USP). That’s the secret sauce that will make you stand out from the competition.

2. Show your authentic self.

Your personal brand allows you to show current and potential clients your skillset and strengths. That way, you build trust with the people that matter. This is key to developing a successful personal brand and becoming genuinely influential.

3. Be consistent.

Choose a niche and stick to it. Create the content your audience is interested in, not what you think they want. Then, get your content in front of the right people at the right time in their buyer’s journey.

Personal Branding — Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Pro tip:

Your social media must be visually appealing on every platform.

Show the real you with professional branding images that will enhance your brand, do the selling for you, and make you money while you sleep.

Tell your story consistently, and more people will engage/follow/share your content.

Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

To build your personal brand, you can ask yourself these questions:

What’s your skillset?

What makes you different?

What’s your niche?

What are your core beliefs and values?

What problem do you solve?

What’s your message?

Who are your ideal clients?

What do you want to be known for?

Check these successful personal branding examples.

Branding session with TrueDent Family Dentistry | www.truedentfamilydentistry.com

Final words about personal branding

By serving and helping your audience, you will build a community of like-minded people that value your skills and sees you as an expert in your industry.

If you are asking yourself when you should start building your personal brand.

The answer is “Now”.

This article was first published in What’s Personal Branding by Odette Photo+Art

Best Online Teaching Jobs

Posted on November 8, 2020November 8, 2020 by Odette Fernandez

Online teaching jobs are all the rage right now. If you’ve considered teaching online, this is definitely the time to do it. The pandemic has shown educators that they’re capable of more than they ever thought possible. So many have discovered they actually really enjoy teaching online. So that begs the question – where are the best online teaching jobs? And what are the best companies to work for?

In this article, you’ll learn all about the top 5, absolute best teaching jobs out there. Then, pick the path that’s best for you!

Let’s get into it.

Best Online Teaching Jobs

Online Teaching Jobs with Magic Ears

Being a teacher for Magic Ears seriously is one of the best online teaching jobs out there in 2020.

This online ESL company doesn’t get enough love.

Firstly, it’s important to note that Magic Ears is one of the highest online English teaching jobs out there!

Did that get your attention? Good, because there’s more.

Secondly, their platform is super fun and engaging. Kids love using it, and teachers enjoy facilitating instruction with it.

Thirdly, they have a very flexible cancellation policy. This is especially great if you want to teach English online with multiple companies or teach full-time at a brick-and-mortar school.

As online teaching jobs go, Magic Ears is one of our favorite companies.

Requirements

To be hired, applicants must:

Passionate about teaching! The smiles should come through. 🙂
Be an English native speaker from the U.S. or Canada.
Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any subject, or be a student actively pursuing a bachelor’s degree (must provide official transcript)
Have a 120-hour ESL Certification*
ESL/teaching experience preferred

Please note that they are currently holding California residents’ applications due to AB5 restrictions (as are most other companies that hire home-based, online English teachers).

Technology Requirements

After you consider your personal qualifications, you should consider the technology you have available to you.

Computer with: CPU: i5-6200 and newer generations.
At least 4GB RAM
Stable internet connection with: Upload speed: 5Mbps. Download speed: 20Mbps.
An “over-the-ears” headset with microphone.

Please note that teachers cannot use in-ear headphones to teach classes.

Application Process

This image is directly from their website, and it outlines the application process with Magic Ears:

When you apply, allow up to 2 business days for processing at each step.

Throughout the application process, there are two places where you can find updates on your application’s status:

The email with which you applied (check your spam folder).
The Teacher Portal

Once you start the application process on the teacher portal, you can use the “Contact Us” link in your portal to easily reach out to Magic Ears when needed.

Payment

The payment system for most online teaching companies can be a bit confusing.

Their base pay ranges from $7.50-$10 per class depending on qualifications.

With the two available bonuses, your base pay can rise to $9.50-$12 per class for a total of $19-$24/hr. Most online teachers with Magic Ears are earning between $17 and $26 per hour.

The photo below better explains the pay structure for Magic Ears:

Online Teaching Jobs with iTutor Group

iTutor definitely ranks as being one of the best online teaching jobs available in 2020!

One teacher in our group made over $1,000 in ten days, just from teaching online with iTutor Group.

Imagine what you could do in a month!

Unlike other online teaching jobs, the company schedules bookings for you.

This means it’s easy for new teachers to break into the market and earn quickly.

Requirements

To to be hired, applicants must:

Uniquely, iTutor Group does not require teachers to be native speakers.
Bachelor’s degree or higher
TESL, TEFL, or TESOL certification
Minimum 5 hours of availability per week during peak times in China.

Please note that they are currently holding California residents’ applications due to AB5 restrictions (as are most other companies that hire home-based, online English teachers).

Technology Requirements

After you consider your personal qualifications, you should consider the technology you have available to you.

Desktop/Laptop PC: Intel Core2 Duo processor or better (no netbook or tablet).
Windows operating system: Windows 7 or 8 Internet Explorer web browser: Version 9 or higher. Mac: OS 10.11.12 or above (no iPad)
RAM: 2GB or more
Internet Speed: Minimum 800 Kbps download, and 500 Kbps upload wired internet connection: Cable, DSL, or Fiber Optics (no wireless connection).
Webcam: Either built-in or preferably high quality Creative, Logitech, or comparable.

Please note that teachers cannot use in-ear headphones to teach classes.

Application Process

The application process for iTutor Group is very straightforward.

Apply (very quickly!)
Select an interview time (you’ll be contacted if you pass the initial screening)
You’ll hear back about your interview result quickly – usually, it’s a matter of days.
Once you’re good to go, you’ll set your availability and start teaching!

Payment

Your payment includes a basic rate, with incentives added on top of that.

Performance bonuses compound upon each other each month, depending on some factors, including how students rate you and how often you teach.

Online Teaching Jobs with GoGo Kid

Online teachers who work with GoGo Kid often cite how much the company cares for its employees.

This is why we’ve included it on our best-of list of online teaching jobs for 2020.

Another factor that sets GoGo Kid apart is the fact that you can teach online with GoGo Kid from anywhere in the world, so long as you’re eligible to be hired with them.

GoGo Kid has some of the most flexible requirements of any online ESL teaching company out there. However, it also means it can be competitive.

Be sure that you read all of the requirements and follow all instructions correctly the first time!

Requirements

To teach online with GoGo Kid, applicants should:

Hold at least a Bachelor’s degree.
Have at least one year of experience working with children
Have a stable internet connection
Be willing to communicate not only with the students but also with the parents.

Technology Requirements

After you consider your personal qualifications, you should consider the technology you have available to you.

System: Mac OS 10.8x or higher. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, or higher.
Memory & CPU: At least 4GB RAM, Intel Core i3 above
HD External camera or HD integrated camera.
A headset with a microphone, stable output, and input
Wired DSL Internet Connection – at least 20 Mbps

Application Process

The application process for GoGo Kids is also very easy compared to other online teaching jobs out there.

Complete an online application (Sign up + Basic Information)
Schedule an interview
Attend an orientation program
- a. Orientation Quiz
- b. One-to-Many Live Training Session
- c. One-on-One Mock Class Training Session
Submit the paperwork
Sign the contract

Payment

Your payment includes a basic rate, with incentives added on top of that.

Performance bonuses compound upon each other each month, depending on several factors, including how students rate you and how often you teach.

Check out their payment matrix below:

Class Payment	Per Class	Remarks
Base Pay(Level 1)	USD 7~10	based on your credentials and interview performance.
Base Pay(Level 2)	USD 7~10	based on your credentials and interview performance.
Credit Score(Level 3)	USD (7~10)+($1.5~$2)*100%	Today’s Credit Score and Classes Completed Today
Credit Score(Level 4)	USD (7~10)+($1.5~$2)*110%	Today’s Credit Score and Classes Completed Today
Credit Score(Level 5)	USD (7~10)+($1.5~$2)*125%	Today’s Credit Score and Classes Completed Today
Total per one hour	USD 14~25

Online Teaching Jobs with Q Kids

QKids is known in the online teacher world as having one of the most flexible cancellation policies.

Limited Attendance policies require 24-hour notice for schedule changes and a minimum of 5-hour notice to maintain overall attendance fee eligibility.

This makes it a great supplementary income stream for educators teaching online through other platforms.

The teaching style is also different, as everything is taught through games and play.

Requirements

To teach online with Q Kids, an applicant should be:

Eligible to legally work in the U.S. or Canada
Holding a Bachelor’s degree
Certified with a teaching license or holding an English teaching certificate (TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, ESL)
These are all required before lessons are assigned.

Technology Requirements

As it is with any online teaching company, technology requirements must be considered.

Here are the minimum technology requirements for those seeking online teaching jobs with Q Kids:

Minimum upload speed: 2Mbps. Minimum download speed: 4Mbps.
Test your speed here: http://www.speedtest.net/
*Cable connection is recommended.

Application Process

Here’s the application process with Q Kids:

Apply with all required materials
Initial screening
Demo Interview 1
Demo Interview 2
Trial Classes & Background Check
Secure your contract!

Payment

Q Kids has an involved pay structure, so see the full details laid out below:

$4 base pay for standby lessons (approximately 10 minutes with no teaching required).
$1 Performance incentive for each lesson based on family review
$1 Attendance Bonus for each lesson once a minimum of 15 lessons are taught in a week.

Online Teaching Jobs with VIP KID

Of course, I’d be remiss to exclude VIP KID when discussing online teaching jobs!

VIP KID is possibly the juggernaut of the industry.

On top of being one of the most popular TESL company, they also offer multiple revenue streams to teachers.

On top of teaching English online, you can earn incentives for completing classes and recruiting other people to become VIP KID teachers!

Requirements

To be eligible to apply for VIP KID, you must have:

A Bachelor’s degree (can be in any field)
Work authorization for the U.S. or Canada
Two years of experience teaching, coaching, tutoring, and/or mentoring
Highly reliable technology

Technology Requirements

Since VIP KID is such a well-established company, it has a reputation to uphold.

This means they have some pretty weighty technical requirements:

Desktop, Laptop, Macbook, iPad, or Microsoft Surface (no Chromebooks)
Windows 7, 8, and 10; Mac OS 10.X or higher operating system (Linux and Chrome OS are NOT supported by VIPKid)
Intel i5 processor or higher
8GB RAM or higher
Fast and stable internet connection will make a smooth teaching and learning experience. Ideally, a wired high-speed internet connection of ≥ 25 Mb/s

Application Process

Here’s the application process with Q Kids:

Apply with all required materials
Initial screening
Demo Interview 1
Demo Interview 2
Trial Classes & Background Check
Secure your contract!

Payment

Here are all of the ways to maximize your income with VIP KID:

The base pay rate is $7-$9 per class
$1 attendance bonus per class
Extra $0.50 for every class taught after teaching a minimum of 30 lessons in a month
Extra $1 for every class taught after teaching 45 classes in a month

References

Brittany Verlenich published this guest post first here: https://travelingteachers.co/2020/08/06/the-5-best-online-teaching-jobs-in-2020/

Join the Traveling Teachers community. They’re committed to helping you find your perfect path to teaching online.

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Utility Avenue’s Spotlight focuses on promoting inspiring businesses every week. For a chance to be interviewed, contact us at support@utilityavenue.com with the subject Spotlight.

Never Split the Difference, by Chris Voss

Posted on November 1, 2020November 1, 2020 by Odette Fernandez

This week, I finished reading Never Split the Difference, Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on it. Written by former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator, Chris Voss, it was a fascinating read on how to add emotional intelligence and empathy into the negotiation process.

I totally recommend it.

You can use the techniques outlined in the book for negotiations and everyday life: in business, at home, or when you ask for a raise or a new position.

Important Takeaways From the Book

Become a Mirror

Mirroring is magical.

“Repeat the last three words (or the critical one to three words) of what someone has just said because we fear what is different and find comfort in similarity. “

The five steps of mirroring are:

Use the late-night FM DJ voice– keep it calm and slow. Use this selectively to make a point. When done correctly, the late-night FM DJ voice creates an aura of authority and trust without making the other party defensive.
Start with phrases like, “I’m sorry…”
Mirror
Use silence effectively
Repeat.

Don’t Feel Their Pain, Label It.

Tactical empathy is understanding the other party’s feelings and mindset and hearing what is behind those feelings to increase your influence.

Labeling is validating someone’s emotion by acknowledging it. First, you need to detect the other party’s emotional state and then highlight the feeling by labeling it. You can phrase a label as statements or questions.

“It seems/looks/sounds like…”

People’s emotions have a “presenting” behavior (what we can see and hear) and the “underlying” feeling (the motivation behind the behavior).

Address those underlying emotions by labeling them. If you are labeling a negative emotion, you diffuse it. If it’s positive, you reinforce it.

Beware “Yes”—Master “No”

A “No” can be an excellent opportunity to clarify what you want by eliminating what you don’t want.

“No” can often mean:

I am not yet ready to agree;
I don’t understand;
You make me feel uncomfortable;
I’d prefer to talk to someone else.
I can’t afford it;
I need more information;

A “No” can allow real issues to emerge. It protects you from making poor decisions and gives you time. It helps you feel safe and moves the negotiation process forward. That’s why “Is now a bad time to talk?” is better than “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

And there are three kinds of “Yes”:

Counterfeit: the other party plans on saying “No” but feels that a “Yes” is an easier escape route.
Confirmation: generally innocent, reflexive response to a black or white question.
Commitment: most often leads to a definite outcome, such as signing a contract.

Also, “That’s right” is better than “yes.” You can make a summary by combining a label combined with paraphrasing.

Bend Their Reality

“Starting with a very low or high offer, using offers with specific and odd numbers or other such arbitrary factors will influence parties to compromise or accept an offer during a negotiation.”

Here’s how you can do that:

Anchor their emotions.
Let the other side anchor monetary terms first.
Establish a range: instead of saying, “I’m worth $110,000,” say, “At top places like Acme Corp., people in this job get between $130,000 and $170,000.”
Pivot to non-monetary terms.
When you talk numbers, use odd ones: ex, $87,563.
Surprise them with a present.

Note: People will take more risks to avoid a loss than to realize a gain. Make sure the other party sees that there is something to lose by inaction.

Create the Illusion of Control

Use calibrated questions to educate the other party on the problem rather than cause conflict by telling them what the problem is.

Here are some calibrated questions you can use:

What about this is essential to you?
How can I help make this better for us?
How would you like me to proceed?
What is it that brought us into this situation?
How can we solve this problem?
What are we trying to accomplish here?
How am I supposed to do that?

Guarantee Execution

Because most communication is nonverbal, you should develop the ability to interpret body language and tone of voice.

The 7-38-55 Percent Rule

The 7-38-55 Percent Rule states that

7% of a message is based on the words
38% comes from the tone of voice
55% from body language and face.

The Rule of Three: get the other party to agree to the same thing three times in the same conversation.

The Pinocchio Effect: a Harvard Business School study found that, on average, liars use more words than those telling the truth. They also tend to use more third-person pronouns.

The Chris Discount: use your name to create a sense of “forced empathy” and make the other party see you as human.

Bargain Hard

If you’re trying to close a deal, you can choose an encouraging tone of voice, and ask “Let’s put price off to the side for a moment and talk about what would make this a good deal?” Or “What else would you be able to offer to make that a good price for me?”

If you’re trying to win a deal from your competitors, pitch statements like “Why would you ever do business with me? Your existing service provider seems great!” The “why” can coax the other party into working with you.

The Ackerman Model

The Ackerman Model is an offer-counteroffer method you should prepare before the negotiation takes place.

Set your target (goal) price.
Set your first offer at 65 percent of your target price.
Calculate three raises of decreasing increments (to 85, 95, and 100 percent).
Use lots of empathy and different ways of saying “No” to get the other side to counter before you increase your offer.
When calculating the final amount, use precise, non-round numbers like, say, $37,893 rather than $38,000. It gives the number credibility and weight.
On your final number, throw in a non-monetary item (that they probably don’t want) to show you’re at your limit.

Find the Black Swan

“Black Swans are hidden elements that can totally change the negotiation if uncovered and used.”

Black Swans are leverage multipliers. To discover Black Swans ask about the other party’s beliefs and actively listen so you can mirror what they say. People feel safe in similarity and shared beliefs.

Final Words

Humans want to be accepted and understood. Choose to be an active listener, demonstrate empathy, and show a sincere desire to understand the other side better.

This book is handy to handle everyday conflicts at work and home. A negotiation is an act of discovery. Listen to the other party, validate their concerns and emotions, build trust, and create a safety net for real conversations, and you will never split the difference.

References

A 12-Minute Summary of “Never Split the Difference” by …. https://www.freshworks.com/freshsales-crm/sdr-sales-development-reps/summary-of-never-split-the-difference-blog/

More about Chriss Voss: https://www.blackswanltd.com

WHERE TO BUY THE BOOK.

Buy Never Split the Difference, Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on it