Learn professional logo design in just 5 steps!

Want to know how to design a logo like a professional and have all the resources you need in just one post? Then this is the post for you… Learn professional logo design in just 5 steps!

1. Learn What A Logo Is & What It Represents



Before you design a logo, you must understand what a logo is, what it represents and what it is supposed to do. A logo is not just a mark – a logo reflects a business’s commercial brand via the use of shape, fonts, colour, and / or images.

A logo is for inspiring trust, recognition and admiration for a company or product and it is our job as designers to create a logo that will do its job.

One must know what a logo is before continuing.

For further reading on what is a logo check out Wikipedia’sDefinition.

2. Know The Principles of Effective Logo Design

Now that you know what a logo is supposed to do, and what it should represent you now must learn about what makes a great logo aka; the basic rules and principles of effective logo design.

1. A logo must be simple

A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and allows the logo to be versatile & memorable. Good logos feature something unexpected or unique without being overdrawn.

2. A logo must be memorable

Following closely behind the principle of simplicity, is that of memorability. An effective logo design should be memorable and this is achieved by having a simple, yet, appropriate logo.

3. A logo must be timeless

An effective logo should be timeless – that is, it will stand the test of time. Will the logo still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years?

4. A logo must be versatile

An effective logo should be able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. For this reason a logo should be designed in vector format, to ensure that it can be scaled to any size. The logo must work in just one colour too.

5. A logo must be appropriate

How you position the logo should be appropriate for its intended purpose. For example, if you are designing a a logo for children’s toys store, it would be appropriate to use a childish font & color scheme. This would not be so appropriate for a law firm.

For further reading on the rules and principles of great logo design I highly recommend to read the logo design tips from Logo Factory before continuing and also the article Why logo design does not cost $5.00. You may also wish to read How NOT To Design A Logo.

3. Learn Off Others Success & Mistakes



Successful Logos

Now you know what the rules of logo design are, you can distinguish the difference between a good and a bad logo… By knowing what other logos have succeeded and why they have succeeded gives a great insight into what makes a good logo.

For example, lets look at the classic Nike Swoosh. This logo was created by Caroline Davidson in 1971 for only $35 yet it still a strong, memorable logo, effective without colour and easily scalable. It is simple, fluid and fast and represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek Goddess of victory, Nike – something perfect for a sporting apparel business. Nike is just one of many great logos, think about other famous brands that you know about and check out their logos – what makes them successful?

For more quality, lesser known logos I recommend checking outLogo Of The Day or going to your local book store or library and looking at a logo design book.

The Not So Successful Logos

We can also learn off logos that have not been as successful such as the ones in the above picture or these bad logo designs. As seen in that post linked, some logos can depict things that may have not always be noticeable to the designer (as in the middle logo above) or they could just be plain bad design, as in the logo to the right.

4. Establish Your Own Logo Design Process

Now that we know what a logo is, what the principles and rules of logo design are and what makes a successful logo we can now finally begin the design process. This it hardest part of the 5 steps and is its own topic in itself – Each person’s logo design process is different and experience usually is the key factor in creating your own logo design process however check out The Secret Logo Design Process Of Top Logo Designers for a better idea.

In short, a logo design process usually consists of

• The Design Brief
• Research & Brainstorming
• Sketching
• Prototyping & Conceptualising (See Step 5)
• Send To Client For Review
• Revise & Add Finishing Touches
• Supply Files To Client and Give Customer Service

If you ever get stuck before or during your design process check out this great article on How To Boost Your Creativity.

5. Learn The Software & Complete The Logo

After you have got your design process sorted out, it is usually a good time to begin mastering your software (Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard) but remember you can’t design a logo by just hopping straight onto the computer… brainstorm and sketch first.

After you have got your initial ideas and sketches from brainstorming you can then usually jump onto the computer to start digitising your logo. After you have got a great concept(s) digitised you can send it to your client, get revisions, and eventually complete the logo and thus, you have successfully created a professional logo.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions on how to make a professional logo?

Retail Business is Show Business! Strategies that Will Keep Customers Ap...

8 Important things to Understand about Financial Descipline For Young Adults

Unfortunately, personal finance has not yet become a required subject in high school or college, so you might be fairly clueless about how to manage your money when you're out in the real world for the first time. If you think that understanding personal finance is way above your head, though, you're wrong. All it takes to get started on the right path is the willingness to do a little reading - you don't even need to be particularly good at math.

To help you get started, we'll take a look at eight of the most important things to understand about money if you want to live a comfortable and prosperous life.

1.Learn Self Control.

If you're lucky, your parents taught you this skill when you were a kid. If not, keep in mind that the sooner you learn the fine art of delaying gratification, the sooner you'll find it easy to keep your finances in order. Although you can effortlessly purchase an item on credit the minute you want it, it's better to wait until you've actually saved up the money. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of jeans or a bag of rice? (To learn more about credit management,Debt management and saving culture, check out  the next publication or contact the writer).

If you make a habit of putting all your purchases on credit , regardless of whether you can pay your bill in full at the end of the month, you might still be paying for those items in 5 years. If you want to keep your creditors for the convenience factor or the rewards they offer, make sure to always pay your balance in full when the bill arrives, and don't carry more  Credits than you can afford to clear.

2.Take Control of Your Own Financial Future.

If you don't learn to manage your own money, other people will find ways to (mis)manage it for you. Some of these people may be ill-intentioned, like unscrupulous commission-based financial planners. Others may be well-meaning, but may not know what they're doing, like your mum who really wants you to buy a house even though you can only afford a rent of 6 months.

Instead of relying on others for advice, take charge and read a few basic books on personal finance or consult financial experts. Once you're armed with personal finance knowledge, don't let anyone catch you off guard - whether it's a significant other that slowly siphons your bank account or friends who want you to go out and blow tons of money with them every weekend. Understanding how money works is the first step toward making your money work for you. (To find out how to have fun and still save money, wait for the next publication on Budget Without Blowing Off Your Friends.)

3.Know Where Your Money Goes.

Once you've gone through a few personal finance books or consulted experts, you'll realize how important it is to make sure your expenses aren't exceeding your income. The best way to do this is by budgeting. Once you see how your morning java adds up over the course of a month, you'll realize that making small, manageable changes in your everyday expenses can have just as big of an impact on your financial situation as getting a raise. In addition, keeping your recurring monthly expenses as low as possible will also save you big bucks over time. If you don't waste your money on a posh apartment now, you might be able to afford a nice condo or a house before you know it. (Learn more of Budgeting issues from our coming publications).

4.Start an Emergency Fund. 

One of personal finance's oft-repeated mantras is "pay yourself first". No matter how much you owe in student loans or credit purchases(debt) and no matter how low your salary may seem, it's wise to find some amount - any amount - of money in your budget to save in an emergency fund every month.

Having money in savings to use for emergencies can really keep you out of trouble financially and help you sleep better at night. Also, if you get into the habit of saving money and treating it as a non-negotiable monthly "expense", pretty soon you'll have more than just emergency money saved up: you'll have retirement money, vacation money and even money for a home down payment.

Don't just sock away this money under your mattress; put it in a high-interest savings account, a fixed deposit account,in money market account or in share market. Otherwise, inflation will erode the value of your savings.

5.Start Saving for Retirement Now. 

Just as you headed off to kindergarten with your parents' hope to prepare you for success in a world that seemed ages away, you need to prepare for your retirement well in advance. Because of the way compound interest works, the sooner you start saving, the less principal you'll have to invest to end up with the amount you need to retire, and the sooner you'll be able to call working an "option" rather than a "necessity".

Company-sponsored retirement plans are a particularly great choice because you get to put in pretax amounts and the contribution limits tend to be high (much more than you can contribute to an individual retirement plan). Also, companies will often match part of your contribution, which is like getting free money. (To learn more, on  The Time Value Of Money and Retirement Plan & Savings ,keep following us.)

6.Get a Grip on Taxes. 

It's important to understand how income taxes work even before you get your first paycheck. When a company offers you a starting salary, you need to know how to calculate whether that salary will give you enough money after taxes to meet your financial goals and obligations. Fortunately, there are a lot of Information’s which can used to work out of determining your own payroll taxes,such as Tax brackets. These will show you your gross pay, how much goes to taxes and how much you'll be left with, which is also known as net, or take-home pay.

For example, Tshs.700,000 a month salary in Tanzania will leave you with about Tshs.602,000  after taxes in 2014. By the same token, if you're considering leaving one job for another in search of a salary increase, you'll need to understand how the tax bracket will affect your raise and that a salary increase from Tshs.700,000 a month to Tshs.1,000,000  a month won't give you an extra Tshs.300,000 per month - it will only give you an extra Tshs. 112,200 per month (again, the amount will vary depending on your state of residence). Also, you'll be better off in the long run if you learn to prepare your annual tax return yourself, as there is plenty of bad tax advice and misinformation floating around out there. (To learn all about your taxes, visit TRA tax education desk or tax experts for Guide.)

7.Guard Your Health. 

If meeting monthly health insurance premiums seems impossible, what will you do if you have to go to the emergency room, where a single visit for a minor injury like a broken bone can cost thousands of money.If you're uninsured, don’t wait another day to apply for health insurance; it's easier than you think to wind up in a car accident or trip down the stairs. You can save money by getting quotes from different insurance providers to find the lowest rates.The good thing is that nowadays even banks  have got to the system of Insuarance working hand in hand with Insuarance partners,making life easier.National Health Insuarance are there as well with affordable prices.The choice is yours. Also, by taking daily steps now to keep yourself healthy, like eating fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, not smoking, not consuming alcohol in excess, and even driving defensively, you'll thank yourself down the road when you aren't paying excessive medical bills.

8.Guard Your Wealth.

If you want to make sure that all of your hard-earned money doesn't vanish, you'll need to take steps to protect it. If you rent, get renter's insurance to protect the contents of your place from events like burglary or fire. Disability insurance protects your greatest asset - the ability to earn an income - by providing you with a steady income if you ever become unable to work for an extended period of time due to illness or injury.

If you want help managing your money, find a fee-only financial planner to provide unbiased advice that's in your best interest, rather than a commission-based financial advisor, who earns money when you sign up with the investments his or her company backs. You'll also want to protect your money from inflation, which you can do by making sure that all of your money is earning interest through vehicles like high-interest savings accounts, Fixed deposits,money market funds, Shares, bonds and mutual funds.

A Financial Basis for Life

Remember, you don't need any fancy degrees or special background to become an expert at managing your finances. If you use these eight financial rules for your life, you can be as personally prosperous as the guy with the hard-won MBA.

KUJITAMBUA KAMA KIJANA.

Kujitambua ni ile hali ya mtu kujijua au kujielewa yeye ni nani, ana thamani gani, na umuhimu wake katika jamii anayoishi. Ni kuwa na uwezo wa kujua au kuelewa vipaji mbalimbali ambavyo Mungu amekujalia na uwezo wako wa kufanya mambo mbalimbali.Baadhi ya vipaji ni kama kuimba ,kufundisha ,uongozi,ufundi,biashara n.k

Pia kuelewa udhaifu ulionao kama binadamu na hivyo kujiepusha kuwa chanzo au chachu ya migogoro katika jamii unayoishi.Baadhi ya madhaifu ni :Hasira ,umbea,gubu,kisirani,ufitini,n.k

Ni kuwa na uwezo wa kuelewa nafasi yako na umuhimu wako katika jamii unayo ishi.Ni muhimu kutambua jamii inakuelewaje,una hekima au hapana;Ni kuwa na uwezo wa kuchambua malengo yako ya maisha na kuona kwamba ni halisi yanawezekana au hapana pamoja na kujiwekea mikakati ya kufanya ufanikiwe.

Ni kuwa na uwezo wa kutambua mambo yanayo kuogopesha katika maisha yako na sababu zake mfano:unaogopa kifo na kwanini unaogopa;Kuwa na upeo wa kuchambua aina ya watu unaopenda kuwa nao,wakiwa marafiki.Na kujaribu kujiuliza kila wakati,Je?marafiki ulionao ni wa sifa hizo?

Kwa kifupi naweza kusema kujitambua ni hali ya kuwa na ufahamu wa nini kuhusu wewe.Hali yako,umuhimu wako,malengo yako,hatima yako, changamoto zako, nk, hayo yote yanakuwa wazi kwako kwa kujitambua.

Reality  vs  Imagination.

In Life; Its about what you see...

SAFARI LAGER WEZESHWA INATARAJIA KUTOA RUZUKU KWA WAJASIRIAMALI

Kampuni ya Bia Tanzania (TBL) kupitia bia yake ya Safari Lager inatarajia kukabidhi ruzuku kwa wajasiriamali waliopita katika programu ya Wezeshwa na Safari Lager IV.

Zoezi hili limehusishwa wataalamu wenye uwezo na uzoefu mkubwa katika kushauri na kusaidia ukuzaji wa sekta ya biashara ndogo na kubwa(TAPBDS CO. LTD). Wajasiriamali wanaopewa ruzuku ni wale waliopitishwa katika mafunzo ya kukuza nakuendeleza biashara zao ili kuleta chachu katika biashara zao na zile zinazowazunguka.
Bi Edith Bebwa aliyataja majina ya washiriki wataopata ruzuku hizo na maeneo amabayo shughuli ya ugawaji ruzuku itafanyika na tarehe ya ugawaji ruzuku kwa kuzingatia maeneo:

1.Mbeya ni Mei 16, 2015, New City Pub bendi ya TOT itatumbuiza
2.Mwanza ni Mei 23,2015,Uwanja wa furahisha bendi ya Zebedaki itatumbuiza.
3. Arusha ni Mei 30,2015, uwanja wa lenana Bar bendi ya Vibration itatumbuiza
4.Dar es salaam ni Juni 7, viwanja vya Leaders, bendi ya twanga pepeta itatumbuiza.
Pichani ni Bi Edith Bebwa(Meneja wa bia ya Safari Lager)na Bw. JOseph Migunda (Mkurugenzi kampuni ya TAPBDS CO.LTD) katika matukio mbalimbali walipokuwa wakiongea na waandishi wa habari na kuonesha vifaa vilivyonunuliwa.

https://www.facebook.com/TapbdsCoLtd

The Fall of Tanzania Currency has consequences to the Tanzanian Business Community and Entrepreneurs ??

The value of the Tanzania shilling has been experiencing a persistent decline against the value of the US dollar in recent months. The slide downward in the value of the Tanzania shilling against the US dollar which is our trading currency has caused a debate as to whether what is happening should be     allowed to continue.

The Governor of the Bank of Tanzania in particular is reported to have said that  the drop of gold price in the world market, donors withholding aid funds and business loans are to blame for the fall of shilling against the US dollar. He also added that the US dollar’s strengthening was another factor which saw not only the shilling tumbling, but other currencies around the world as well. On the other hand, some members of the business community(Entrepreneurs) are reported to have argued that what is happening to the Tanzania shilling is harmful to the economy. 

Hence,there have been two blocks of businessmen/entrepreneurs,of those who supports the fall of Tanzania Shilling as a beneficial point of view and those who are seen it as is harmful to the economy.

The main argument of the Entrepreneurs who are Supporting the decline in the value of the Tanzania shilling against the US dollar ; is that Tanzania exports is cheaper in the foreign markets. In simple terms a weaker Tanzania shilling promotes our exports. It does so in two senses.

  v   In the first sense foreigners will find that our exports are getting cheaper with the decline in the value of our shilling. This means that they will be paying fewer dollars after the fall of the value of the shilling than before the fall of the value of the shilling for the same quantity. Under such a situation foreigners are supposed to be encouraged to buy more of our exports. If this happens we are supposed to export more and earn more dollars.

  v   In the second sense, the fall in the value of our shilling promotes exports in that it encourages more domestic production of exportable goods. A domestic producer of exportable goods will be earning more Tanzania shillings after the fall of the value of the shilling than before for the same amount of exportable goods. The domestic producer of exportable goods is assumed to be able to increase the production of the exportable goods. This is supposed to happen because of the price incentive. The prices of the exportable goods per unit will be higher after the fall of the shilling than before. Why? Because the same dollar price per unit will earn more Tanzania shillings after the fall of the shilling. The Tanzania producer of exportable goods will definitely want to take advantage of good prices and will increase production of exportable goods. This will be very good for the Tanzania economy.
While in theory things look very good for domestic producers of exportable goods what happens to domestic consumers of imported goods?

The main argument of the Entrepreneurs who are against the decline in the value of the Tanzania shilling against the US dollar, is the domestic consumers of imported goods will have to pay more in shillings for the same quantity of imported goods after the fall of the value of the shilling than before. This is what caused some members of the business community to argue that the fall of the Tanzania shilling is not beneficial to the economy.

  v   With the fall of the Tanzania shilling prices of machinery and other equipment that are necessary for industrial production will go up. Ultimately the prices of the goods that will be produced by using imported machinery will have to go up. We might end up with cost push inflation. Certainly that will not be good for the economy. Inflation will hurt badly the poor who will have to consume the products that will be made using imported machinery.

  v   Imported consumer goods will be affected directly. Prices of imported consumer goods will go up after the fall of the value of the shilling. Domestic consumers of imported consumer goods will have to pay more per unit in shillings after the fall of the value of the shilling. If these domestic consumers of imported goods happen to be poor people they will definitely be hurt. Thus we find that while potential benefits seem to be substantial for the domestic producers of exportable goods there are no benefits for domestic consumers of imported goods. So what can we say about he two sides of the debate on the fall of the value of the shilling? Both sides seem to be wrong and right at the same time?!.

An exchange rate policy when deliberately put in place is expected to achieve one overall objective – to correct balance of payments imbalance. This objective is achieved by doing two things. It discourages imports and encourages exports. It discourages imports by making them expensive in local currency. According to market principles domestic consumers are supposed to naturally avoid consuming imported goods. The reaction to imported goods is expected to be natural in the sense that imported goods will be more expensive after the fall of the value of the shilling and therefore beyond the price reach for the majority of the people. Importers will find that there is no market for their imported goods and they will stop importing them. Thus the outflow of dollars will be reduced and foreign exchange will be saved.
The problem that arises is what happens in the case of essential goods like drugs that are not produced in the country? What happens in the case of industrial machinery and other equipment that are necessary to boost the productive capacity of the economy? In all probability they will have to be imported at those high prices in Tanzania shillings. A developing country like Tanzania faces such a challenge when invoking the exchange rate policy in order to deal with the balance of payments imbalance. So the Entrepreneurs who argued against the fall of the value of the shilling have probably a point.

An exchange rate policy encourages exports by making exports cheaper in foreign markets in dollar terms and by making domestic production of exportable goods more profitable in shilling terms. Again according to market principles foreign importers of our goods will find them cheaper than before and will naturally buy more of our cheaper products. Domestic producers of exportable goods will find production of exportable goods more profitable and therefore will produce more. More domestically produced goods will be exported and more dollars will be earned. That will be very good for the economy.

This rosy scenario is not without shortcomings though. Our products may indeed be cheaper in the foreign markets but what happens if we cannot expand our productive capacity in order to meet the increase in demand? We will definitely not be able to increase our dollar earnings. Moreover, most of the producers of exportable goods particularly from the agriculture sector are small scale farmers. They have no direct link with the export markets. How will they profit from the increase in prices in shilling terms? The middlemen who buy agricultural crops from the small scale farmers for export will likely benefit from the increase in prices in shilling terms. Where will the incentive for small scale farmers to produce more come from? These are the challenges facing our policy makers with regard to the use of the exchange rate policy in tackling the balance of payments imbalance.

SAFARI LAGER WEZESHWA MSIMU WA IV

SAFARI LAGER YATOA MAFUNZO KWA WAJASIRIAMALI

Kampuni ya bia Tanzania (TBL) imetoa mafunzo kwa wajasiriamali 52 kutoka mikoa mbalimbali ambao ni wa Shindano la safari lager wezeshwa. Mafunzo hayo yaliyoanza tarehe 13 - 17 mwezi Aprili 2015 yalifanyika kwenye mikoa ya Dar es salaam, Arusha, Mbeya na Mwanza yalilenga kuwapa mbinu za kukuza na kuendeleza bisahara zao.

Safari lager wezeshwa ni shindano liliyoanzishwa na kudhaminiwa na kampuni ya Bia Tanzania (TBL) kupitia bia yake ya Safari Lager. Shindano hili linaratibiwa na kampuni ya Tanzania Association of Professional Business Development Providers (TAPBDS)  ambao ni wataalamu waliobobea kwenye kutoa ushauri na mafunzo ya kuanzisha na kukuzuza biashara. Shindano lilihusisha mikoa yote ya Tanzania bara na Visiwani. Shindano hili limelenga kutoa ruzuku ya vifaa kwa wajasiriamali wadogo nchini Tanzania ili kusaidia kukuza biashara zao.

Mchakato wa kuwapata washindi hawa ulihusisha hatua zifuatazo;

1. Kupitia fomu za washiriki wote. Jumla ya wajasiriamali 3500 nchi nzima walijitokeza na kujaza fomu za ushiriki, fomu hizo zilipitiwa na timu ya wataalamu kutoka TAPBDS Co. Ltd ambapo washiriki 111 walikidhi vigezo kwa mujibu wa taarifa zao na kufanikiwa kuingia hatua ya pili ya pili ya shindano.

2 Kuwatembelea wajasiriamali. Hatua iliyofuata ilikua ni kuwatembelea wajasiriamali wote waliovuka hatua ya kwanza ili kujiridhisha kama walichokiandika kuhusu biashara zao ni sahihi na kuhakiki umiliki wao kwenye biashara walizoombea ruzuku.

3. Mafunzo na ugawaji wa vyeti vya ushiriki.

Baada ya kuwatembelea wajasiriamali 111 waliovuka hatua ya awali, wataalamu walipitia ripoti za uhakiki huo na kisha kupata wajasiriamali 52 ambao walifanikiwa kuingia hatua ya mafunzo ambayo pia yaliendeshwa na wataalamu kutoka TAPBDS Co. Ltd. Kanda ya kaskazini ilitoa washindi 21, kanda ya ziwa washindi 10, Kanda ya kusini magharibi washindi 12, na kanda ya mashariki na pwani washindi 9. Baada ya mafunzo wajasiriamali walikabidhiwa vyeti vya ushiriki wa mafunzo.

Wajasiriamali wakiwa katika Picha ya Pamoja baada ya Kutunukiwa Vyeti vya ushirikiwa Programu ya Safari Lager Wezeshwa.

Mbali na mafunzo washindi hao walipata wasaa wa kubadilishana uzoefu, kujadili changamoto mbalimbali za kibiashara, kutangaza biashara zao wakati wa mafunzo na pia walitembelea viwanda vya bia vya TBL kwenye mikoa hiyo.

Baada ya kukamilika kwa mafunzo wajasiriamali walirejea kwenye mikoa yao wakisubiri tarehe ya kukabidhiwa vifaa vyao kama ruzuku kwa ajili ya kukuza biashara zao.

8 COMMON MISTAKES FOR START UP BUSINESSES

When you decide to start up a company it can be very exciting yet exhausting at the same time. You are filled with joy but at the same time you can’t wait to get everything started and going as well. Throughout the process there are some things that you may accidentally forget or even do by mistake. Some of the most common mistakes startups make are often the ones that they end up regretting down the line.

1) Failing To Incorporate

Some startups need to incorporate. Not choosing the right corporate structure, or failing to choose one at all, could put the company’s officers at risk. This is especially important if the startup is going to be doing business in a high-risk industry like the medical industry.

2) Incorporating Too Early

Some companies don’t need a corporate structure when they are first beginning. However, being new to the business world it is easy for one to think that they do and the consequences of incorporating to early are usually very severe.

3) Failing To Copyright Material

A company that publishes information of any kind should copyright everything it produces. Copyright protection ensures that no other individual or business may use the material in any form without the expressed written consent of the business. However, when first entering the business world many business owners have copyright out of their minds. They never think that it is something that they need yet as time goes on it is something that they wish they would have invested a little bit of time into.

4) Failing To Use Trademarks

When a business creates a unique logo or slogan, it’s a good idea to trademark it. This is especially true if the company plans on growing in size. The time to file a trademark is before any legal battles begin, not after they’ve started.

5) Failing To Use Patents

When a company invents something, it’s a good idea to patent it. It’s not always obvious, but that invention may later lead to other inventions that depend on the first invention. If no patents are filed on the first invention, then there’s no protection for the company. Anyone could run off and say it is there invention and then all of your hard work has basically been thrown down the drain.

6) Advertising To Investors

Startups are generally prohibited from soliciting investors. The SEC prohibits solicitation to investors unless there is a “substantial and pre-existing relationship” between the company and the prospective investor. While it’s tempting to advertise for startup capital to make business operations run more smoothly, this is not the way to go about it.

7) Forming a 50-50 Partnership

Partnerships sometimes seem like a good idea at first. However, a 50-50 partnership can make it harder to conduct business in the long run. If the partners cannot agree on the direction of the business, or they end up not seeing eye to eye on an issue, it can prevent the business from functioning. Because each partner owns half of the business, nothing can be accomplished.

8. Not Using Contracts For Business

It’s understandable that a startup would conduct business using “handshakes.” However, this is a bad habit. Contracts clarify what services and products will be provided to customers. They also make it clear what each officer in the company, and every employee, is and isn’t responsible for. Not to mention the fact that if for some reason your partner wants to file a lawsuit against you for something that was clearly stated in the beginning a contract is the only thing that is going to help you win your case.

Overall, these are the eight major mistakes that businesses make in the beginning but there are others. These eight are mentioned because they usually carry the most serious consequences. Just be sure that when you are getting ready to become a business owner you double check everything and know the laws. The process may not go as fast as you expected but in the end it is always better to be safe than to be sorry.

@MengiJr

Eliminate the passion killers

More often, leaders fall into the trap of becoming passion killers.
Most of their Common Actions include endless meetings, email that’s too long or too short, lack of customer input, hypercritical reaction to ideas, no recognition, no coaching and interdepartmental conflict.
True leaders inspire employees to reach their potential

8D Problem-Solving Process

Solving Major Problems in a Disciplined Way

(Also known as Global 8D Problem-Solving)

When your company runs into a major problem, you need to address it quickly. However, you also need to deal with it thoroughly and ensure that it doesn't recur – and this can take a lot of effort and elapsed time.

The 8D Problem-Solving Process helps you do both of these seemingly-contradictory things, in a professional and controlled way.

In this article, we'll look at the 8D Problem-Solving Process and we'll discuss how you can use it to help your team solve major problems.

Origins of the Tool

8D Problem-Solving Process

The Ford Motor Company developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem-Solving Process, and published it in their 1987 manual, "Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS)." In the mid-90s, Ford added an additional discipline, D0: Plan. The process is now Ford's global standard, and is called Global 8D.

Ford created the 8D Process to help teams deal with quality control and safety issues; develop customized, permanent solutions to problems; and prevent problems from recurring. Although the 8D Process was initially applied in the manufacturing, engineering, and aerospace industries, it's useful and relevant in any industry.

The eight disciplines are shown in figure 1, below:

Figure 1: The 8D Problem-Solving Process

The 8D Process works best in teams tasked with solving a complex problem with identifiable symptoms. However, you can also use this process on an individual level, as well.

Applying the Tool

To use the 8D Process, address each of the disciplines listed below, in order. Take care not to skip steps, even when time is limited; the process is only effective when you follow every step.

Discipline 0: Plan

Before you begin to assemble a team to address the problem, you need to plan your approach. This means thinking about who will be on the team, what your time frame is, and what resources you'll need to address the problem at hand.

Discipline 1: Build the Team

You should aim to put together a team that has the skills needed to solve the problem, and that has time and energy to commit to the problem-solving process.

Keep in mind that a diverse team is more likely to find a creative solution than a team of people with the same outlook (although if outlooks are too diverse, people can spend so much time disagreeing that nothing gets done.)

Create a team charter that outlines the team's goal and identifies each person's role. Then, do what you can to build trust and get everyone involved in the process that's about to happen.

If your team is made up of professionals who haven't worked together before, consider beginning with team-building activities to ensure that everyone is comfortable working with one another.

Discipline 2: Describe the Problem

Once your team has settled in, describe the problem in detail. Specify the who, what, when, where, why, how, and how many; and use techniques like CATWOE and theProblem-Definition Process to ensure that you're focusing on the right problem.

Start by doing a Risk Analysis – if the problem is causing serious risks, for example, to people's health or life, then you need to take appropriate action. (This may include stopping people using a product or process until the problem is resolved.)

If the problem is with a process, use a Flow Chart, Swim Lane Diagram, or Storyboard to map each step out; these tools will help your team members understand how the process works, and, later on, think about how they can best fix it.

Discovering the root cause of the problem comes later in the process, so don't spend time on this here. Right now, your goal is to look at what's going wrong, and to make sure that your team understands the full extent of the problem.

Discipline 3: Implement a Temporary Fix

Once your team understands the problem, come up with a temporary fix. This is particularly important if the problem is affecting customers, reducing product quality, or slowing down work processes.

Harness the knowledge of everyone on the team. To ensure that each person's ideas are heard, consider using brainstorming techniques such as Round Robin Brainstorming or Crawford's Slip Writing Method, alongside more traditional team problem-solving discussions.

Once the group has identified possible temporary fixes, address issues such as cost, implementation time, and relevancy. The short-term solution should be quick, easy to implement, and worth the effort.

Discipline 4: Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause

Once your temporary fix is in place, it's time to discover the root cause of the problem.

Conduct a Cause and Effect Analysis to identify the likely causes of the problem. This tool is useful because it helps you uncover many possible causes, and it can highlight other problems that you might not have been aware of. Next, apply Root Cause Analysis to find the root causes of the problems you've identified.

Once you identify the source of the problem, develop several permanent solutions to it.

If your team members are having trouble coming up with viable permanent solutions, use the Straw Man Concept to generate prototype solutions that you can then discuss, tear apart, and rebuild into stronger solutions.

Discipline 5: Verify the Solution

Once your team agrees on a permanent solution, make sure that you test it thoroughly before you fully implement it, in the next step.

Consider:

· Conducting a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to spot any potential problems.

·  Using Impact Analysis to make sure that there will be no unexpected future consequences.

· Using Six Thinking Hats to examine the fix from several different emotional perspectives.

Last, conduct a Blind Spot Analysis to confirm that you and your team haven't overlooked a key factor, or made an incorrect assumption about this solution.

Discipline 6: Implement a Permanent Solution

Once your team reaches consensus on the solution, roll your fix out. Monitor this new solution closely for an appropriate period of time to make sure that it's working correctly, and ensure that there are no unexpected side effects.

Discipline 7: Prevent the Problem From Recurring

When you're sure that the permanent solution has solved the problem, gather your team together again to identify how you'll prevent the problem from recurring in the future.

You might need to update your organization's standards, policies, procedures, or training manual to reflect the new fix. You'll likely also need to train others on the new process or standard. Finally, you'll need to consider whether to change your management practices or procedures to prevent recurrence.

Discipline 8: Celebrate Team Success

The last step in the process is to celebrate and reward your team's success. Say "thank you" to everyone involved, and be specific about how each person's hard work has made a difference. If appropriate, plan a party or celebration to communicate your appreciation.

Before the team disbands, conduct a Post-Implementation Review to analyze whether your solution is working as you thought, and to improve the way that you solve problems in the future.

Key Points:-

In the late 1980s, Ford Motor Company developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem-Solving Process to help manufacturing and engineering teams diagnose, treat, and eliminate quality problems. However, teams in any industry can use this problem-solving process.

The eight disciplines are:

 0.  Plan.

1.      Build the Team.

2.      Describe the Problem.

3.      Implement a Temporary Fix.

4.      Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause.

5.      Verify the Solution.

6.      Implement a Permanent Solution.

7.      Prevent the Problem From Recurring.

8.      Celebrate Team Success.

The 8D Problem-Solving Process is best used with a team solving complex problems; however, individuals can also use it to solve problems on their own