Wandering Misfit: Part 3 ... don't try this at home

     The decision to up sticks and leave everything I had, not that it was much at that time, and head to China came in the end very quickly and as a shock even to me. I remember making the decision to get out of Oz but I never really decided where I was going to go.

     I went and did my TOEFL course and told my then boss I was getting ready to go. She was really good about it, in fact she was the best boss I've ever had in a lot of ways. I'd had some job offers mostly in Russia and South Korea but I had passed them up because as much as I like the sound of both I really just wanted to go completely off the beaten path.

     Coming home from work one night I got a call out of the blue. On the other end of a crackling line and in badly broken English there is a man offering me a job. Now most people, most sane people would have probably hung up at that point or at least been very, very wary. I however was apparently not having a sane day.

     After chatting with "Tony" for about 20 minutes not only had I agreed to take the job but I had promised to try and be in China within a week. Before I go any further I want to say that I really don't recommend trying this at home.

     Anyway a hectic 8 days later I was in China. Yes, I had literally taken a job sight unseen halfway across the world and headed out only a week later. A decision that would later prove to be both one of the best and one of the worst decisions of my life.

     Rory McDonald is an online marketer and digital entrepreneur, co-founder of the Online Business Expert and passionate blogger.

What Kind Of Education Do You Want?

We have all heard that information is money, but do we really understand what that means? Why is it that some people seem to make money at everything they do and the rest of us seem to simply stumble along making enough to pay rent or the mortgage?

The answer is information. Those we think of as entrepreneurs are not any smarter, nor are they any luckier than the rest of us but they do have something most of us don't. They seek information. They drink in new knowledge. They open their minds to the changing economy and society around them.
Ask any successful entrepreneur what sets them apart and I am sure several words will come up again and again. Words like drive, passion, need and determination. While all of these words describe the personality of the successful they still could not become successful without the knowing how to.

Education is an often forgotten side to entrepreneurship. Many of the greatest successes in our history have been made by people we could well think of as "under-educated" but that is I believe an unfair label. It is true that people such as Bill Gates, Richard Branson and many others including those as far back as Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie were not what would traditionally be called well educated. That however depends on what education means to you.

The traditional school and especially university education systems are proving incapable of keeping up with technology. They do not seem to be capable of teaching the skills and mindsets needed for this digital age.

When many young people are putting themselves into crippling debt to pay for an education that not only doesn't guarantee them a good job, but which actually now almost guarantees them a bad one* we know we are in troubled times.

So what is the solution? How do great entrepreneurs make it big? They still make sure they are educated they just choose a different more hands on form of education. They learn to use the tools they need to make themselves great. Take for example an online learning course such as this one. It costs no more than a college degree but instead of four years learning something that will have little impact on your job in the future it teaches you a wide range of skills you can apply to an even wider range of possible income streams.

I believe Alan Watts said it best:

You see the internet should offer us more choice not less. We should be broadening our horizons and seeking to better ourselves not plodding along blindly at the same desk job we hate for years. We should be making the future better doing what we love and sharing what interests us.

No matter what you want to sell, no matter what you are interested in someone else will be too so why not make yourself and the world a more vibrant knowledgeable place?
It is up to us to choose our future, and you only get one life, so make it count.

Stubborn, Passionate, Adaptable: Don't let fear clip your wings

     One of the greatest things about being an online entrepreneur is the freedom it gives you. Whether you are in online marketing, SEO, lifestyle guidance or any of a number of other relatively new and fast growing industries you have a huge amount of choice in where and how you do business.

In fact most digital entrepreneurs have no set place from which they work or set time at which they have to get that work done. As I am writing this for example I am sitting sipping coffee in my backyard on a surprisingly mild autumn evening.

     For many of us the choice to leave a career that was if nothing else a steady job that paid the bills was a hard one. It is a natural fear to leave behind a steady income, even if it is a job you have come to despise, for a less certain one that offers you more money and far more importantly, more freedom to choose the direction and style of your own life.

     The reason why people decide to make, what for most seems an irrational choice, varies greatly from individual to individual but from talking to others who have ditched the desk and are now building businesses and income streams from wherever they can get wifi I think there is one key theme that ties us all together.

     Unhappiness. Of all the people who I know that have made it in this industry I am yet to meet someone that says when asked about their previous job or life "Yeah, I loved it, it was great". In fact most people have a kind of burning dread of the life they used to have and in many it is that fear of falling back to earth, or maybe rock bottom for some, that keeps them hungry for success.

     Of course, not everyone is cut out for this kind of life. Those who do fly and who refuse to end up crawling back to their nine to five have a few traits in common that make them continue to climb and be successful when so many others have fallen by the wayside.

     Stubborn. The first trait I think that is a must have has got to be stubbornness. I am yet to meet a successful online entrepreneur who isn't as stubborn as the proverbial mule. Here though it is important I draw a distinction, stubborn is good, arrogant is not. Those that are stubborn are the ones that persevere no matter how hard it gets. Stubborn are the people who refuse to listen when friends and family tell them they will never make it and maybe they should ask their old boss for that job back. Those that are arrogant though refuse to take help when it is offered and this can be a deadly mistake.

     Passionate. Having, as I am sure we all have, worked with people who see a job as a pay check as well as those that see their job, no matter what it is, as a crusade and a lifelong passion it is easy to see the difference. There are a vast and every growing number of people trying to sell you something online. What separates them into two groups though is passion. Those without it will sell any tuppeny trinket to anyone without a second thought while those with it match seller to buyer and are proud to provide a service rather than spraying spam and hoping something sticks.

     Adaptable. The last trait that is a must have for the true digital entrepreneur is adaptability. The internet moves fast and the rules and strategies are forever changing. One day you have a great ad running on Facebook the next it gets pulled down for no apparent reason and you are staring at having an account blocked. For most people this sounds like a nightmare but for us this is the daily dance, the area where we let our talents shine and the area where all three of these traits come together to create the perfect storm.

     So why tell you all of this? Well we need more, more entrepreneurs more people considered a little crazy by friends and family, more people fed up of a boring life where the biggest choice you get all day is decaf or regular.

     You see almost two and a half billion people get online every single day, and the forecast shows that by 2020 that figure will reach somewhere close to five billion. This means that the Internet provides an effectively limitless source of potential customers and clients for us. With this in mind it is easy to see where the profits can be, and are already, being made.

     So why share? I'm going to be honest, online income or not, I'd be a millionaire already if I got a pound for every time someone has asked that. So let me put it simply. For internet entrepreneurship to survive and thrive we need good people to guide it. People who have empathy and passion, people who want to help make online marketing, lifestyle advice, social media and all the other joys of the internet safe and enjoyable for themselves and their kids.

One big difference between a digital business and a physical one is that the internet provides far more opportunity to spread good products and information but it also has the ability to push bad information and products just as easily if not more so. As Uncle Ben said "with great power comes great responsibility".

     So here you stand, and if you've come this far then maybe you too are ready to make the jump. To take that first step out of the nest and learn as we  all must how to flap your wings and fly. It won't be easy, but then nothing worth having ever was. The only difference is that unlike that little bird there is no need for you to go it alone.

     Already there is a community of experts, of professionals, who have taken the leap first. They can't guarantee you a soft spot to land on but they can at least be with you on your journey and show you how it works.

     So, if you are ready to take a chance then come and join us and let us show you how to truly get the best out of yourself and how to make a real change in yourself and in your life.

Find us at The Online Business Expert or you can get our 7 day video seriesand orientation webinar.

Opportunities And Challenges Facing Retailers In 2015 And Beyond

Over the last few years, many brands have begun using social media to market their products, to talk to their customers and even to make decisions about their merchandising. Some have also found growing ROI in selling and advertising products/services on social media sites.

     As more and more big businesses join the social marketing revolution social media sites have answered the call and have started to provide viable sales funnels built into their platforms. With the  recent launch of shopping functionality across multiple social media platforms we are seeing a major shift in the way traditional businesses are viewing and using marketing systems. Examples of this include Twitter and Facebook adding buy buttons and the inclusion of Curalate’s Like2Buy platform for Instagram. What all of this points to is an increase in the "shoppability" of social media.

     Some of the major retailers already getting involved in the trend of social shopping include some notable names like Target and Nordstrom , both of which have made the decision to utilize the Like2Buy platform on Instagram. Whilst brands such as Burberry and Home Depot have been actively testing performance on Twitter using the buy button system.

     By allowing businesses to not only advertise more openly but also to provide a sales funnel on their sites, many social media platforms are gaining an even more varied functionality by increasing traffic and reducing the traffic which leaves the site to buy items directly on a company's webpage.

     Another change ushered in by the socialization of online marketing is that companies must be more aware of their Corporate Social Responsibilities. As consumers become more capable of promoting or punishing brands directly where their sales pitches are made mistakes made on social media in terms of customer service, environmental protection and moral/ethical business practices become more costly and far more open to public scrutiny. To prove that consumers faced with a wider global choice of goods suppliers have begun to make this change we only need to look at things such as a  survey done by Cone Communications and Echo Research which showed that 87% of global consumers take such factors into consideration when thinking about making a purchase.

     To meet this need it is only to be expected that more businesses will launch ethical and good deed initiatives. Some retailers have managed to pull off social media coups by providing further value or by limiting themselves to more open and honest practices. By doing so they gain instant and lasting draw on social media sites where moral, social, economic and environmental issues are now a daily topic of conversation for many users.

     With so many consumers taking a more active interest in global and moral issues it makes sense for businesses to begin to engage those users with solutions or at the very least some movement towards easing these issues. As buyers these users find value being added to any product they choose to purchase in being able to feel good about making some sort of difference. This is a marked difference from companies trying to introduce value by providing loyalty points or free gifts with purchases.

     Another large change in the way businesses think about technology is the growing awareness that usage and experimentation in new technology is a must to ensure their continued survival and growth. To this end more and more businesses are beginning to experiment with and adopt new advancements in technology and new market opportunities presented by the growth of online shopping. The main aims here for businesses are not only to gain a larger following and a more loyal customer base but also to provide easier and more attractive methods for their customers to engage with them and to purchase products from them. By increasing the ease with which purchasers can buy a product and have it delivered to them businesses are taking a huge leap forward into the domain of products on demand. 

     To achieve this end many companies are pushing ahead with a range of technologies designed to  remove the need for a physical cash register. With cloud based point of sale systems proving that they can outperform physical registers in performance, functionality and looks as well as increasing speed and availability of customer support an increasing number sellers are beginning to recognize their value.

     Another boon for businesses big and small from working with online sales is the increased availability and reduced costs of accurate consumer data. With a wider range of information available and easier ways to condense and examine this information retailers can be far more targeted than ever before. Not only does this data provide accurate and timely information about customers it can also show businesses where their marketing efforts are having the most, or least effect. By using this information wisely companies can provide a more customized and effective service to their targeted audience.

     An obvious down side to all of this data collection is that sifting through it to find relevant trends and information can be time consuming and difficult. There are however many systems continuously being developed specifically to assist with identifying key data points and understanding the relevance and usability of ongoing or emerging trends. Being able to assess the interests and online habits of consumers gives businesses a decided advantage when designing new campaigns and products.

     Some of the advantages offered by gathering and assessing big data are the ability to know when customers are most likely to be online and when they are most likely to be open to buying a product.  Tying this in with information on what products they have previously bought or viewed allows retailers to be highly targeted in their marketing and follow up.

     One of the end goals that seems closer than ever is for retailers to be able to provide completely individualized shopping experiences in real time across multiple platforms for every potential client. At the moment this is beyond the ability of even the best big data analysis systems but we are most definitely moving very quickly into an era where this is a possibility.

     Even greater in recent growth than other sectors of the online market are those engaging their audience through mobile devices. With the staggering growth in mobile technology over the last few years going hand in hand with the availability of wireless networks almost everywhere mobile data has become a real game changer. This means that tech savvy companies are more and more delving into apps and web delivery systems that are targeted at or constructed for mobile device users.

     Another key move in mobile marketing is the ability for customers to shop, pay and collect loyalty or store bonuses with mobile apps. Even physical stores can provide a platform for mobile interactivity. With physical point of sale technology merging seamlessly into the general level of big data being obtained by the company in question.

     Many of the businesses that will prove to be most effective going forward will be those who are capable of embracing omnichannel strategies. Being able to reach customers across multiple platforms both physical and digital as well as being able to target them on social media and through highly targeted ad systems will provide huge value to brands who are able to diversify and embrace new technologies as they arise.

     So what are the real takeaways from all of this? Companies who wish to thrive in modern markets need to be supremely adaptive and capable of working fluidly across multiple platforms. Combining this with effective use of big data and a strong social media presence will provide the best success rate moving forward. Last but certainly not least is the rising importance of good customer service and experience across all platforms and a drive to provide environmental, ethical and social value to transactions over traditional incentives.

Big Oil In Big Trouble

     Britain's offshore oil industry has according to a new report, seen the loss of 15% of its workforce since the beginning of last year. To put that in perspective we are talking about  65,000 jobs gone within a year.

     The annual economic impact report published by Oil and Gas UK. Has shown a drop from roughly 440,000 to just 375,000 jobs created directly and indirectly by the oil industry. The report cited a vast reduction in both expansion and existing infrastructure as the main cause of job losses.

This year alone these cuts amounted to a massive £800m. This figure represents an 8% reduction in operating budgets with a further 14%, or roughly £1.3bn, cut planned for next year.

     The report went on to say that cost-cutting is expected to account for most of the losses to come. As a reaction to vastly reduced oil prices many companies have rushed to downsize and many have also begun actively decommissioning platforms.

     The report also mentioned that it was highly likely that capacity may have to be reduced even further in order for companies to weather the storm. Even after the oil markets begin to recover it is expected that the current push for increased efficiency will mean that job numbers will fail to return to their previous levels. In fact it is expected that over the next three years job numbers will continue to fall albeit at a slower rate.

     All of this comes on the back of a loss in revenue of 20% last year, and another fall of 30% this year. Offshore oil and gas companies have previously used the Offshore Europe event in Aberdeen to showcase increased growth and job potential. This year however has seen hard times in Aberdeen with the loss of jobs in the oil industry having a noticeable follow on effect in the Granite City.

     There is still money to be made from the industry, and Aberdeen is still toiling along.  In the UK oil industry though, insiders have said that there are quite a few companies that are "simply waiting to be bought". There's nowhere else to go and many otherwise highly intelligent and well educated professional may be left high and dry.

     Every week brings more redundancies and more pressure for those displaced by the downturn to find other opportunities. Last week it was Expro. This week it seems it may well be ConocoPhillips.

With the oil price falling from $115 (£75) last summer to below $43 (£28) last week, the North Sea industry, an experienced and solid sector, has now found itself facing the challenges common to older fields, with higher costs and declining production making the situation more complicated than in newer areas of development. Due to this there has been  a strong push to reduce costs further.

     The end result of these efficiency efforts is an aim to reduce the operational cost of extracting a barrel of oil, or its gas equivalent, from £17.80 to about £15. The industry hopes to achieve this result by the end of next year. So far, even with the cost cutting and job losses that price has only fallen to around £17 per barrel.

     Capital expenditure, which reached a peak last year of £14.8bn, is expected to fall to £11bn this year. Much of that will be taken from large scale operations that have already begun.  In the next three years it is expected to fall by between £2bn and £4bn more, effectively halving the total input within four years.

     Deirdre Michie, chief executive of Oil and Gas UK, was quoted as saying "This great industry of ours is facing very challenging times. Last year, more was spent than was earned from production, a situation which has been exacerbated by the continued fall in commodity prices. This is not sustainable and investors are hard-pressed to commit investment here because of cash constraints."

"Difficult decisions have had to be made across the industry. It is likely that capacity may have to be reduced still further in order for the business to weather the downturn.

     "The industry is under a lot of pressure and it is now widely recognised that a transformation in the way business is done is required if the UK sector is to become more resilient and competitive in a world of sustained lower oil prices".

     Ms Michie also stated that the continuation of low oil prices will inevitably force companies to reconsider the viability of their offshore assets, and that there was a need for further "lightening" of the tax regime, to attempt to encourage further investment in the sector.

Droids Tanking Our Jobs? New Society and the Great Shift From Muscle Power

So what will the future of society look like and why is it important that we reeducate ourselves to fit into the job market of tomorrow? We discuss some of the key points of the new post industrial system and look at why it is so important for people to become digital and tech capable.