Monday, 30 April 2018

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Whether you’re a former student, have or have had a high-pressure job, or you’ve been slaving away in a career that doesn’t quite fulfill you; you’ll be familiar with the sanctuary of the coffee shop. Caffeine, baked treats, and other cafe sustenance will have kept you going on more than one occasion, and will have probably been a regular part of your everyday life. If you’ve reached a point where you’re considering a new path, and want to take your business skills and combine them with your passion for great coffee and food; it sounds like it’s time for an adventure into your own cafe. There’s no time like the present to start doing what makes you happy, and if you feel like you have plenty of hard work and dedication to give a place; setting up your business is an exciting move to make next.

If you’re still reading because you can’t wait to get started; you’ve probably worked in a coffee shop on more than one occasion. They’re great places to help pay your way through college, not to mention an environment where you can get to know your arabica from your robusta. Something (mainly great coffee) will have kept drawing you back to those familiar surroundings. If you know that you can create a successful place, and have strong ethics and an idea of what you want to provide people with; it’s time to start your business plan for your dream cafe. Coffee shops aren’t going anywhere soon, but just like any successful business; there’s plenty of competition out there, so you need to create something that’s both welcoming and unique. The following are some ideas and inspiration for budding caffeine entrepreneurs, who are ready to consider and take those first steps towards running a successful cafe. 




More Than Drinks

You’ll want each of your visitors to stay longer than it takes to drink a coffee. Encouraging regulars to spend a few hours working, reading, or relaxing in your new establishment will help to attract more customers, and you’ll ensure that you’ll have a steady income. Therefore, there needs to be some food options on your menu as well as the array of coffee and other beverages. It’s worth looking into how you can invest in local produce, and make your edibles onsite; patrons will appreciate the fresh and local approach You’ll also need to research and train in food preparation, knowledge, and hygiene. Even if you end up employing a cook; you’ll need to know every part of your business, from where your source your food grade buckets from, to what’s scientifically gluten-free. Leave no stone unturned, and you’ll be able to ensure that your business begins to thrive.

You’re The USP

Remember that people will be heading towards your coffee shop over one of the large chains around the corner, for something different; you. Your story, ethics, and passion should be visible in your establishment and within your marketing. Make sure that your staff are clued up on how and why your cafe came to be. You’re bound to have the odd teething problem after you've opened, and visitors will be far more forgiving if they feel like they know you, and you’re investing in the local area and community. So, make your new brand identity apparent and embrace your quirks and the things you do differently.

Substance Over Style

Although your coffee shop interior should be carefully considered and planned; it should come second to the quality of your coffee and your food. In an Instagram age, it’s important to have somewhere that people appreciate hanging out and photographing whatever they’ve purchased. However, if they don’t enjoy what they drink and eat in your cafe; it’s unlikely that they’ll return to spend money again.

Invest In The Sourcing Process

Any coffee connoisseur will tell you that a great cup begins at the bean. Therefore, you need to choose your coffee bean supplier wisely. Take a trip to see where and how they’re harvested, sample the finished product, and ensure that you understand the various flavor profiles and what will suit your new cafe. Take the same approach with each consumable element of your business. As previously mentioned, investing in quality local produce is a great way to source things. However, if you do need to go further afield to get the right ingredients; make sure that you’ve visited and tried and tested everything before you buy. Strong ethics and standards will ensure that you’ll be the next coffee shop on the scene, and your business will grow from strength to strength.

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Friday, 27 April 2018

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We all love affordable fashion, don’t we? Anyone who’s been around for a while will have seen the odd Primark haul from time to time. With fashion moving so fast, there’s nothing wrong with cutting costs on clothes. What’s the point in spending a fortune on a top which won’t work next season? Most of us would agree we’d rather buy cheap and often.

But, when it comes to jewellery, this thinking could do more damage than good. Many of us struggle to get on top of accessories, and cheap pieces may be at fault. If you’ve always longed to master the jewellery game, this is the first thing you want to change. Sure, top-end jewellery is more expensive than top-end fashion. But, the benefit here is that jewellery lasts from season to season. For the most part, trends here are pretty set in stone… Puns aside, let’s look at a few of the reasons high-street jewellery hasn’t been working out for you thus far.

The materials

Green finger, anyone? It’s rarely a good look. Sadly for us, green stains are the result of chemical reactions between jewellery and skin. As such, you can scrub that chain all you want, and it’ll still make you greener than grass. In truth, there’s no telling which metals will react with your skin. In that way, you could argue high-end options would do the same. But, it’s a fact that copper is a prime culprit. And guess what most high street jewellery is made of? Metal copper, of course! By comparison, most jewellers offer a choice of better metals and ensure you can say goodbye to green.




The fit

Fashion jewellery is made with a one-size fits all approach. While that’s not a problem with necklaces, you’ll struggle to get along with rings designed this way. If you wonder why your rings always slip, this is your answer. In truth, sizing a ring is no easy task. As well as judging your finger size, it’s important to think about the size of the jewel on top. A high street store isn’t going to help you there. But, heading to sites like Diamond Expert could help you find the right cut of diamond. What’s more, a standard jeweller will be able to give you a better idea of your ring size. Suddenly, that hindrance you’ve never gotten along with could become a seamless part of your outfit.

Lasting power

You don’t need us to tell you high street jewellery isn’t made to last. You can’t expect that £20 necklace to serve more than a few seasons. But, as we’ve mentioned, jewellery is one of those timeless additions which will always work. As such, buying a few high-end pieces could work out cheaper. This way, you wouldn’t have to stock up on affordable alternatives each time your old ones broke. And, it doesn’t take a genius to work that a £300 necklace which lasts ten years is better value than a £20 which lasts one.

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A good jewellery collection is essential for accessorising outfits and it makes a perfect gift but if you want to get good quality stuff, you’re going to have to spend a bit of money, especially if you’re buying diamonds. When you’re spending that much money on it, you need to make sure you’re getting the best jewellery possible. Online retailers have become more popular recently but a lot of people still say they don’t trust them and they’d rather go to a high street jeweller. Both have their pros and cons so if you’re trying to work out which is the best, this article should answer some of your questions. 



The Quality 

The quality is one of the most important things and the main people that people have with buying online is that you can’t be sure of that until you’ve paid for it and it arrives at your house. But if you go into a jewellery store, you can see it up close before deciding whether to buy it. The thing is, you aren’t a diamond expert so you’re always taking the seller’s word for it either way. When it comes to online shops, some are good and some are bad. James Allen is probably one of the best, there are cheaper places to buy jewellery but the quality won’t be anywhere near as good. Check out this review of James Allen to see what you can get: http://yourdiamondguru.com/reviews/james-allen/. They’re a reliable online retailer but there are plenty out there that aren’t so always check reviews of the sites thoroughly before you buy anything, that’s the best way to get an idea of the quality. 

Expertise 

The expertise of the seller is one of the major benefits of buying in-store. When you get a piece online, all you’ve got to go on is the information on the website. If you’ve got more questions about the jewellery and how to look after it etc. you might be able to email them but you may not get a response. There is also a lot of confusing terms about the grading and quality of the diamonds that you might want explained. If you visit https://www.lumeradiamonds.com/diamond-education/index you can get a bit of an idea but it’s better to have it explained by a professional. If you go into a shop to get it, you can ask them right there and then. However, it’s worth mentioning that if you go into a big chain store like H Samuel, the people in there aren’t professional jewellers, they’re just salespeople who have limited knowledge of the jewellery. If the expertise of the seller is a big priority for you, you’ll want to go to independent jewellers where you can speak to an expert. 

Price 

A lot of decisions come down to the price, so which is cheaper, online or in-store? Well, there’s no definitive answer here because both online and in-store, there is a big range in pricing. As you’d expect, if you go cheap, you’ll get worse quality jewellery so it’s better to go for the mid-range places. If you’re buying in-store, the big chain shops are usually more expensive than an independent jeweller, who will be more willing to negotiate on the price a bit as well. 

Overall, it’s down to personal choice but if you’re concerned about the quality of the jewellery and speaking with an expert, it’s better to go in-store. 

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Monday, 23 April 2018

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No matter the time of year, there are always gifts to be bought. Sure, you have to buy a lot more during the Christmas period, but once that’s over, you have to think of something for Valentine’s Day, then Easter, and then every other birthday, anniversary, and other special occasion that pops up until Christmas rolls around again. Giving people gifts makes them happy, which makes us happy, but that doesn’t mean that finding the perfect gift is any less stressful. To make your life a little bit easier, here are five tips to help you find the perfect gift for anyone. 


1. Remember What They Need

Before you even think about saying it, just stop; Regardless of what you might believe, everyone needs something, and it’s your job to figure out what this something is. If your brother is heading off to university soon, then put together a little student survival kit for him. If your mum has been having a tough time at work, then help her relax with a spa day or a hamper of bath bombs and other fancy toiletries. If you think outside the box, you’ll soon come up with something. 


2. Think About Their Interests

If you really can’t come up with anything they need, then think about some of the things that they might want. If you know someone interested in music, then concert tickets are a great gift, and a kindle is perfect for an avid reader. You should make a long list of everything your giftee is interested in and come up with an idea for each interest. Then, choose a few of the best ones and wrap them up. Your loved one will appreciate how much thought you’ve put in. 






3. Do Some Digging

If you’re having trouble thinking of ideas yourself, then do some stalking and steal a few of theirs. Check out your giftee’s social media pages, and see if they’ve mentioned anything they might want as a gift. If not, you could log into their Amazon account and see if they’ve got anything stored on their wishlist. Most of the time, there are plenty of things that people want, they just won’t buy them for themselves, so it’s up to you to do it for them. 




4. Consider Something Handmade

If you’re struggling to think of a gift personalised to your giftee, then personalise it to you instead by creating it. Handmade gifts are a great idea for those that can’t come up with something to buy and are often seen as more special than other gifts, as you’ve taken the time and care to make something with your own hands, rather than just buy it. Blankets, mugs, scarves, and paintings are all great ideas, so consider where your talents lie and get crafting. 


Finding the perfect gift for someone you love is very rarely a simple task, but that doesn’t mean that it should be impossible. With the tips and advice above, you should find the process a whole lot easier.

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Sunday, 22 April 2018

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The same feeling of excitement and nervousness ripples through your body every time to see a small peep of sunshine during the spring months. The truth is, getting healthy is sometimes and the bottom of your priority list but you really want to make the extra effort this summer. Whether you are embarking on your first holiday with your boyfriend or you and your besties have a week of fun in the sun quickly approaching, you want to be looking your best. Now is the time to start preparing because summer will be upon us quicker than we ever expected. Stay on top of your summer game by ticking these four fab and fun frivolities off your to do list. 


1.Fresh Food

Getting healthy for summer obviously involves eating nutrient dense, energy fuelling, fresh foods. You have tried every fad diet on the market and realise that getting healthy can only happen if you fuel your body correctly. There is nothing wrong with a muscle repairing protein shake after an intense Body Pump class at the gym, but you also need to be cooking real foods. Consider buying fresh halal lamb to cook up protein rich meals, such as homemade burgers or chilli. Pair your freshly cooked meals with a tonne of green vegetables and you will feel more satisfied for longer. 





2.Gym Bunny

Your Beyonce booty isn’t going to appear whilst you chill on the sofa all weekend and eat Doritos and dip. Get your butt to your local gym and start moving your body more. Even if you don’t have much time to spend on exercising, you can make a huge difference with just twenty minutes of HIIT training a day. Check out some online tutorials if you’re feeling lost and don’t know where to begin. 



3.Skin Saviours

Getting your porcelain complexion ready for the beaming rays of Ibiza might seem like a tricky task. You’re prone to burning in the sun, not to mention the hundreds of freckles which start to appear on your nose when you see just a hint of sunshine. Make sure you invest in a reputable SPF moisturiser which is made specifically for your face. Opt for organic, plant based skin products as fewer chemicals means less irritation. We can often load up on new and innovative skin care products before our holiday, only to find we don’t react well with them. Start to use you new investments up to a month before you go away. Allow your skin to get used to the change in product, then you can be sure that you’re not left with red blotches on holiday after an unexpected allergic reaction.





From your booty to your braids make sure you’ve got your summer all sorted. No more last minute nightmares when you can’t squeeze into your favourite bikini and no more meltdowns when your hair starts to frizz at the tiniest amount of humidity. You’ve got it all covered, so enjoy the sun and feel more ready than ever to enjoy your summer activities. 

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Going through high school and college to understand how to begin a career in the real world takes a lot of time and confidence to master. No one got a college degree on faith alone; it takes hard work and a lot of time to be able to get through the work required. When you graduate, you’re on a high from completing four years of hard work and you know that moving into having a career is going to potentially change your entire life. Getting on the bottom of the career ladder is the easy part compared to moving up it in the field that you are interested in. Going for interviews with both large and small companies is nerve-wracking, and it takes someone of strength to get through them and secure a job at the end.
As you can see, going from high school to the first job in the career that you’ve dreamed about isn’t
always a smooth ride. The last thing, then, that you would want to cope with is workplace bullying once
you get there. Most people leave bullies behind in school. There is always one person out there as you
grow up who is insecure enough to pick on you or other people to make themselves feel better, but we
often liken bullying to the schoolyard. It’s not something that we anticipate in adulthood, and yet we deal
with workplace bullying every day if we are unlucky. When you end up dreading going to work every
day, things can get difficult for you. So, how do you deal with bullies in your place of work?

design, desk, display

Don’t Get Emotional. One of the biggest pleasures for bullies is a reaction. When you’re at work, you
are generally stuck with the same people every day. If they can see that they are having an emotional
effect on you, it’ll only step up their campaign against you and they’ll know that they are getting what
they want. Try to stay calm and rational at all times.

Get Some Advice. Despite what people say, you do not have any obligation to put up with a campaign
of abuse. Checking out the right employment law resources can help if your human resource department
isn’t diffusing the situation in the right way. You have a right to be comfortable and calm in your
workplace – don’t forget that.

Don’t Blame Yourself. Bullies don’t target someone because it’s about that person. It is not your fault
that you are a better person than they. Don’t put yourself down and lose your confidence because of
the words of someone else.

Keep Track. When you have someone taking strips off you in the workplace, you can find it really hard
to keep up morale. The best thing that you can do is to document absolutely every incident in a personal
notebook. Dates, times and who said what to you. Doing this can mean for a stronger case when you
take it to the human resource department.

Never Expect To Change Them. When someone has taken it upon themselves to pick on you, i
t can be so disheartening. While it’s not about you personally, it still hurts and it still makes you dread
coming to work every day. The one thing to understand, though, is that you cannot change the bully.
You did nothing to deserve this happening to you, but you cannot change the person in front of you.
You can, however, change your reactions to these situations and tackle it head on.

adult, blur, businesswoman
Ultimately, when dealing with workplace bullying, you cannot allow yourself to be a wallflower.
No one has any right to make you feel bad about yourself or your level of work.
You may not be being beaten up on the schoolyard, but emotional manipulation and words can
take you down on the inside as much as anything else. You did not work hard to get through college
and go through countless interviews for your dream job, only to find yourself cowering at the idea of
having to actually go to work. There is no place for workplace bullying, and if it’s happening to you
then you mustn’t take it. Hold your head high and stay strong; whatever you do next is going to define
how your days go. Collect evidence, report issues and get the help that you need to cope with being
bullied at work in a positive way. Don’t let it beat you down; you’re stronger than you think.

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Friday, 20 April 2018

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Nowadays, the studio apartment is becoming an increasingly attractive living option for young
professionals. It’s a self-contained living unit that often contains a bedroom, living space, and
kitchen all in one, open plan space. Most will then have one separate room for a bathroom
(this is necessary, and a facility that you should ensure the property has before agreeing
to rent or buy it). In short, it’s perhaps the most compact form of property.
For young adults, this compact, minimal and cosy spaces are a brilliant investment with little waste.
It’s also a great option for moving out of a family home, without having to take on the responsibility
of a larger property. However, living in such a compact space can take some getting used to. So,
here are a few ways to get to grips with living in a smaller space!

Invest in Small and Convenient Appliances

When you live in a small space, the most standard of household appliances can suddenly seem
bulky, inconvenient and unnecessarily space consuming. But the good news is that increasing
demand for space saving appliances has encouraged suppliers to develop alternatives, and
there’s now plenty of choice on the market. A good example is compact or handheld vacuums.
These needn’t be plugged in when being used and can be charged from charging points which can
be mounted on the wall in the corner of any room. Another option is halogen ovens.
Many studio apartments have limited kitchen space, making it relatively difficult to cook multiple
foodstuffs at once. You may only have two hobs and a small oven with room for one tray, making
more complex dishes or roasts more difficult. A halogen oven can be placed on the worktop
while in use and tucked away in a cupboard when not required. If you’re interested in these,
click here for more info.

Practice Minimalism

It is easy for any home to become cluttered. We have so many belongings that even the largest
rooms rooms can easily become filled. However, when the space you’re starting out with in the first
place is relatively limited, even the slightest build up of unnecessary belongings can  and begin to
induce a sense of claustrophobia. It’s extremely important to avoid this wherever possible.
Your studio apartment should be a space where you can kick back and relax, basking in positive
energy and not worrying about mess and junk. A good way to start easing stress in the home is to
embrace minimalist design. Having fewer belongings can often feel liberating and will make your
interiors feel more spacious and calming. So, clear out anything that isn’t necessary
(that means anything that isn’t practical or with sentimental value).
Then, once everything is clear, question every purchase you make and only bring home
things that are absolutely necessary!

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to living in a studio apartment,
as long as you use your space wisely. Hopefully the few pieces of advice above should help you
along the way

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Thursday, 5 April 2018

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If you want to travel and you want to ensure that not a second of your time spent doing so is wasted, you need a travel bucket list - a document that includes all of the places you want to see, and all of the places and attractions that it is commonly agreed are must-sees. Although I can’t help you with the former, I can certainly help you with the later…

Wednesday, 4 April 2018

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If you’ve been single for a while and are bored of watching your friends, coworkers, and even your sibling's couple up with new partners, you may be beginning to wonder what’s wrong with you. Why can everyone else find their soulmate but you can’t? It can be difficult to understand why everyone around you is falling in love while you are still ‘left on the shelf’.

However, what it’s important to remember is that there’s nothing wrong with being single. Being single is the perfect time to learn more about yourself, to learn to love yourself for who you are, to learn how to be happy with your own company. Single life is a time that teaches you how to be independent, how to be happy with who you are. At one point or another, everyone should experience single life.