Last Updated: April 17, 2023 Image Credit: Pexels The success of any business or service largely depends on its website, which needs to be optimized in order to provide customers with an efficient, secure, and satisfactory experience. Website performance monitoring is an invaluable tool for achieving that goal, as it enables you to track your website activity, identify areas of improvement and maximize your overall impact. Here are a few tips from Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC on how to leverage the power of website performance monitoring for maximum impact. Find Ways to Improve Your Website Website performance monitoring can help you spot a wide range of problems on your website, from missing web elements and errors in code, to poor loading speeds and unhelpful page layouts. Track all areas of your website's performance by setting up multiple tests that measure the specifications that most directly affect customer engagement, such as loading times and navigational ease. This will allow you to identify problem areas quickly and easily so that they can be addressed in a timely manner. Learn More About Customer Behavior Through Process Mining Knowing how customers interact with your website is the foundation for optimizing their experience. With process mining, you can uncover customer behavior patterns and buying decisions, so you can tailor your website to their needs. This in turn can help increase sales, manage risk, and even uncover hidden opportunities. To get started, identify potential data sources, map out a timeline and determine your key stakeholders. Fix Bugs No amount of user feedback can ever compare to being proactive when it comes to finding bugs in your website before visitors notice them. This is where robust website performance monitoring platforms come into play; these advanced systems will spot bugs in both the front-end elements and back-end system processes (such as data flows), allowing you to detect errors before users see them or feel their effects firsthand. In some cases, this means spotting issues even before launch. Track SEO Results Organic search engine rankings are essential for creating traffic flow toward your business or service online. By using specific metrics (such as keyword analysis) alongside techniques like link building and backlink creation, it's possible for businesses to rank highly on popular search engines without having to pay high costs associated with marketing campaigns or advertisement placement services - at the same time benefiting from improved brand visibility across multiple platforms simultaneously. Become Familiar with Performance Metrics Monitoring performance metrics on your website can help you make data-driven decisions about how to drive more traffic and increase conversions. For starters, consider tracking your bounce rate, which measures how many people view only one page of your site before leaving it. Additionally, pay attention to your transaction/conversion rate, which tells you how many customers are making purchases or submitting their information through your site. This is a good option to consider if you want to maximize the success of your online presence and business. Refine Your Coding Techniques Although many websites feature easy drag-and-drop editors designed for non-professional web developers, mastering coding skills can help immensely when it comes to improving upon existing web pages or building whole new ones from scratch if needed afterward. Learning core concepts like HTML/CSS ensures common mistakes don't creep up and may even hint at new ways of displaying content when encountered with creative blockages along the way. Website performance monitoring is a powerful weapon for businesses wanting to make the most of their online presence. By tracking their websites and identifying areas that need improvement, businesses are able to use process mining to uncover more about customer behavior and find any bugs before visitors do. Additionally, they can monitor SEO results, understand key performance metrics, and brush up on coding skills. All of these tools and resources combine to give businesses the ability to make meaningful changes that can take their website to the next level. ___________________ Article by guest writer Linda Robinson, founder of YouDidYourBest.org (www.youdidyourbest.org) Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat.
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Last Updated: April 12, 2023 Hi Ladies and Gents, It's a simple enough question, right? I mean, last week I mentioned how everyone needs some kind of success in their life in order to truly be able to say they are getting the best they can out of life, so, of course, that naturally leads to the question of: "How do I become successful?" right? The answer, which may or may not surprise you, is relatively easy, too: set your mind to it and achieve what you want to achieve! Now, while the question and its answer may seem straightforward enough, the process of getting there may not always be as straightforward as it seems it should be...but then again, it might be. There are a lot of variables in this one! Let's look at some of the things that can help to determine whether a person is going to be successful or not. Keep in mind, these are just some of the more major factors that tend to affect success. I'm sure you've read all over the Internet "the listicles" featuring "The Top 10 Habits of the World's Most Successful People" and all that jazz...and those are not bad things to read. It can be helpful to know what other people are doing to help achieve their success. Many of those articles have probably offered advice like: "Invest in real estate; exercise regularly; create systems that work for you while you sleep; work smarter, not harder; wake up at 4:00 o'clock in the morning every single day for the rest of your life and drink stout with a smashed up raw egg in it for breakfast." All-in-all, not bad advice, really - except I can live without the 4AM wake-up call and the stout with raw egg for breakfast (yuck!); also, investing in real estate is not really my thing...and that is my point right there exactly! While the world's highly successful people may share some commonalities in terms of broad personality traits and habits, the specifics do differ! And why is that? The answer is, again, simple: because YOUR success is NOT THEIR success and THEIR success is NOT YOUR success. You are not them and they are not you. I am not Bill Gates, Robert Kiyosaki, Andrew Rockafeller, Oprah Winfrey, or Miley Cyrus - I am Andreas Gross! And the same is true with you. You are not me, nor anyone else but yourself. Your success is going to be different and unique in comparison to anyone else's success. It doesn't matter if you "follow their 'proven' system" and replicate them exactly to the letter, there are still going to be differences, however large or small - you will put your own seal on your own success. Your own success will belong to YOU and no one else! But that just leads us back to the original question again: "How do I become successful?" My first question to you is: "What do you want to be successful at?" Robert Kiyosaki advocated investing in real estate, and that worked out VERY WELL for both him and Donald Trump...but maybe you are not a real estate investor type. Maybe that's not your "thing," if you will. So before you go chasing the "proven methods" of others, ask yourself what EXACTLY it is that YOU want to be successful at before you go any further. Really be honest with yourself and really be specific. Ok, let's say you answer that with the old tried-and-true response: "I want to be successful at making lots of money." Ok, fair enough - mind you, this is just ONE possible example, though - but fair enough. So you want to be successful at making lots of money. Now your next step is to go after that goal with razor-sharp focus. Well, how do I do that? "Making lots of money" is a big, broad goal! Yes, it is, so you are going to have to be more specific than that! How much is "lots of" money? No, really, slap an exact figure on it - let's turn this 'dream' into a real, achievable, tangible goal. Do you have a preference for how you make this money? You most likely do. Let's start out with the biggest umbrella category first: do you have a preference for whether or not you make this money legally or illegally? Let's say you DO have a preference in this regard and you would prefer to make this money legally. Keep breaking your dream down into smaller and smaller actionable steps, creating a step ladder towards an end result. This is how real, achievable goals are developed. Then, climb that ladder. What's that you say? Now it seems harder than you first thought?! No one said success would come easily! If that were the case - if success was easy to come by - everyone would be wildly successful at anything and everything they ever tried the very first time, all the time (ok, ok, or at least more times than not for all you wise cracks out there!). Oh, no, that's not what you said - you said now it actually seems easier to achieve than you first thought it sounded! That might be the case, too! Sometimes when you see the dream start to take form and solidify itself into a concrete action plan, it may start to look much easier than it did in the first place. Keep going! Don't be afraid to get back up when you fall down - and you WILL fall down! This is YOUR journey to success, not someone else's. The road before you is YOURS - travel it in your own vehicle, at your own speed, on your own terms. Before signing off, I think it would be valuable to at least mention an often overlooked part of any "discussion on success." Articles on "success" and "being successful" often end just like the paragraph directly before this one. There is build up - you need to hone your goals, accomplish them...and then the promise of the fact that you will get knocked down, but you must get up again and keep going! After you have dug a mile through the mountain and hit nothing, don't give up when you are a mere three feet away from hitting that famous Mother Lode of gold, right?! That's all well and good, and not to be mocked. Certainly, these are fair and true steps towards finding success. I want to say this, to add a touch of practicality and realism to this picture: that finding success and being successful do not necessarily mean that you will find success and be successful in ALL things that you do forever and ever after. This is not intended to be a word of caution, but, just like I said, as a word or practicality and real-world advice. Of course, for those who are able to hone the "formula for success" in their lives down to a finely tuned science, those people may indeed go on to achieve success, after success, after success, after success; however, this isn't always the case, and that isn't necessarily bad. Success in certain, specific areas and at specific tasks doesn't always mean success in all things, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing! But this is a topic for another day - a post of its own, perhaps. Until next time..... Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: April 4, 2023 Image via Unsplash Hi Ladies and Gents and Everyone Else, Another day, another dollar - or so the saying goes. Another month, another topic here on the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC blog (and another Monday post going up after Monday! That's two weeks in a row now - sigh!). Here in April 2023 our theme on the blog is success! - what does it mean, how can we achieve it, and why is it even necessary - yes, necessary - to achieve in life in the first place? You see, the thing about success is that you NEED success - we all NEED success - in order to really, truly say we have gotten the most out of life. Some people are more successful (or at least outwardly appear so) than others, you say; and some people are just successful while others are simply not. While I'll give it to you that the first part of that sentence is true, as for the last part of the sentence, I'll say that some people are more successful than they may appear, or maybe even more than they consciously think they are! You see, "success," and "being successful," don't necessarily have to mean becoming a multibillionaire and owning 10 yachts on the Spanish coast, although society often likes to put this image in our minds of what success should be and should mean to each and every one of us! This is simply not true, though! We all have our own unique talents, desires, and dispositions; and not everyone wants 10 yachts moored off the Spanish coast - com'on! Success, meaning a favorable or desired outcome, can come in the form of something as simple as opening a door properly; "She successfully opened the door." Success can mean showing up and trying something new for the first time. Success can be not burning dinner! As we get ready to explore "Success" this month on the blog, I'll leave you with some links at the bottom here that I have found to be extremely useful - may they inspire you and help you to find success where you need it most. You can also check out the Attracting Success 101 and Attracting Success Resources pages here on the site that I am currently trying to develop further. 10 Quick Certifications that Lead to High-Paying Jobs By LearnHowToBecome.org Staff; last updated February 28, 2023 Wharton Online Yes, this is the online branch of the University of Pennsylvania's famous Wharton School of Business. TinyWow A giant collection of those free in-demand online "workhorse" tools that you're always trying to find free access to! Check it out now! Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: March 29, 2023 Hi Ladies and Gents, What a month! March 2023 is already slipping into history and here I am - two days late - getting the Monday Monthly Recap out on a Wednesday. As usual, between my "day job" at school, Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC, and being a full-time dad and husband, I've been sufficiently busy to say the least. With the official coming of spring this past month, we've had some great articles on the blog this March about getting the most out of a mentor-mentee relationship, finding the right business coach for you, and some musings about the similarities between the human brain and artificial intelligence. Looking ahead, the theme of the blog in March was Coaching & Education. Moving forward, the theme of the blog in April 2023 will be Success! Get ready to reach for the stars as we take a look at what success is, why it is so important, and how to achieve it here on the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC blog in April. With all that said, this wouldn't be the Monthly Round Up without me pitching how you can spend your hard-earned money here on Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC now, wouldn't it?! So....here comes the pitch! Let’s take a look at a few products you can find here on the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC website! You can go directly to the webstore HERE! Looking for a name plate for your desk? Click here! How about a cool Entrepreneur t-shirt? Click here! Or a nice business card design for your new business venture! Click here! As a member of the Zazzle Affiliate Program, I can offer you all these things AND MORE! Go ahead and check out the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC store HERE! Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: March 20, 2023 Hi Ladies and Gents and Everyone Else, It's me again - Andreas, back in action on the blog here. A LOT has been happening lately, and I feel like I've barely had time to breath! Since the spring semester started back in February, it seems like there has been a major event happening almost every week at my school (what I call my "day job") that I have been directly involved in - parent days, "experience days" (i.e. "sales pitch days" for prospective enrollees), speeches, debates, open houses, the list is long and it's only been two months! All these events at school - all this hustle, bustle, and movement - has forced me time and time again to consider and think about this month's blog theme: coaching and education. I've been on a kick lately where I've been obsessing over just how much the education we both give others AND receive ourselves shapes and molds - oh Hell, I'm going to be bold and actually say it - CREATES our very realities we find ourselves living in! But this is kind of a dedicated blog post topic in and of itself that should be saved for another day! If we bend, mold, sculpt, and create our own realities; and if the education we receive is a key, driving factor (but, no, definitely NOT the only factor) in the system of how this "reality creation" process operates and happens, then it only makes sense that we would want the best educational learning inputs for ourselves and our loved ones, right? Well today we've got another guest article from one of our awesome regular guest writers, Megan Cooper of Real Life Home (www.reallifehome.net), offering working professionals some pointers on how they can do just that - receive top-notch ongoing professional learning and support as they work and grow in their jobs and careers. In today's article Megan will be discussing how to get the most out of working with a professional mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, without any further adieu, I give you... Working With A Mentor: How to Get the Most Out of Your Experience By Megan Cooper Image via Unsplash If you want to get ahead in your field, find someone who can give you valuable guidance and advice. Many entrepreneurs and professionals benefit from finding a mentor who has already succeeded in the same industry in which they strive to make a name for themselves. A mentor can provide unique insight and perspectives while helping you develop the skills necessary to build long-term success. Below, Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC discusses how getting a mentor and fostering a good relationship with him or her can help you reach your goals faster! Finding a Mentor Finding an experienced mentor is one of the best things you can do for professional growth. Start by identifying people who are successful in their careers or businesses that align with yours. Reach out via email, phone, or other means and ask if they can spare some time for an informational meeting or discussion about their experience working in the field that interests you. When networking with potential mentors, remember to explain why their opinion matters, and show them how eager you are to learn from their experience. Don’t forget about LinkedIn and other social media platforms; these are excellent sources for contacts. How a Mentor Can Help You Improve A mentor/mentee relationship gives both parties a chance to learn from each other‘s experiences and share valuable insights. Together, you can develop strategies for achieving professional goals faster and more effectively. A mentor can also offer moral support when times are tough and help build your confidence when you need it most, which is essential for any ambitious professional striving for long-term success! Experienced professionals can also help you create a stellar resume to take your job search to the next level. Your mentor can offer insight on how to maximize the impact of your qualifications and highlight relevant experience. After having this discussion with your mentor, jump online and check out some of the many resume templates you can find on the web that are so helpful for producing a polished, professional-looking document. The right template will provide a wealth of resume designs that you can easily customize. Fostering Your Relationship with Your Mentor Once you’ve connected with a potential mentor, it’s critical to foster a relationship with them by staying engaged through regular check-ins on the progress made toward the goals you’ve set together. This is true for both personal career objectives and broader business objectives, depending on the type of mentorship program you agreed on. Additionally, you can help ensure you’re making regular progress by staying organized and setting aside specific times throughout the month and year to talk with your mentor without interruption. These talks are crucial in regards to actually learning something from them! Lastly, be sure to respect your mentor's time. Showing up late — especially without notice — shows disrespect, which can deter mentors from working with you in the future. Playing Your Part as a Mentee It’s essential for a mentee to understand their role within the relationship. While each relationship comes with unique dynamics, a mentee is generally expected to speak up during meetings and discussions, listen intently, and take notes from the guidance provided by experienced professionals (mentors). Further, along with respecting your mentor's time, be sure to take initiative by researching before meetings, creating action plans afterward, and taking other steps to help both parties achieve optimal results. Conclusion Finding someone experienced in your chosen field who is willing to take on a mentoring role can prove invaluable as you seek professional growth. From meeting and networking with select professionals to building healthy mentor/mentee relationships, the tips above can pave the way to long-term success in your job or business. Remember to remain proactive along the way to ensure the best results! If you enjoyed this article, you can find more helpful content on apg-enterprises.com! And don’t forget to take advantage of the success coaching and consulting services offered by Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC! ___________________ Article by guest writer Megan Cooper, founder of Real Life Home (www.RealLifeHome.net) ************* Thanks for the tips, Megan. Some great advice to heed! And on that note, I'll see you next time here on Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC, dear readers! Next week's post on Monday, March 27th, will be the Monthly Round Up for March 2023 already! Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: March 13, 2023 Image via Pexels Being an entrepreneur can be exciting, yet challenging, and it can often be difficult to know when you need help. Many business owners are determined to tackle every task and problem themselves, but this often leads to feelings of burnout and stress. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, a business coach may be the answer. Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC encourages you to keep reading to learn to identify some of the major signs that you may benefit from a business coach and how to assess your needs so you can find the perfect match. Assess Your Feelings Are you feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed? Perhaps you’ve been doing everything you can (or at least you think you have been doing everything can), but you are still not seeing progress in your business, or perhaps it feels like you have just been spinning your wheels as valuable time has been slipping by. If these scenarios describe you, it might be time to consider hiring a business coach. Other signs that it might be time to hire a business coach include lack of motivation and focus, difficulty in staying organized, experiencing trouble in communicating your thoughts and goals for moving forward, or if you’re ready to scale your business but unsure where to start. These issues usually bring stress or anxiety to the table, so if you're feeling overwhelmed, that's a sign that you could probably benefit from some help. Take Care With Your Search Once you've determined that it's time to hire a business coach, the next step is finding one with the right qualifications and experience. A great place to start is by searching online for verified coaches who specialize in areas such as marketing/advertising, finance/accounting, customer service/relationship building, and operations management/strategy development. Be sure to read reviews and ask questions before making any commitments, or ask about a complimentary consultation. Prepare To Own Up To Your Mistakes Hiring a business coach is an investment in yourself and your future success, so don’t be afraid of being humbled by the process. A good coach will challenge your thoughts and ideas while also helping you develop new strategies for success. They will also help keep you accountable so that tasks are completed on time and goals are met effectively. Update Your Resume After working with a business coach, apply what you have learned by updating your resume. You can do this yourself, or use one of the many free resume template sites out there. Some even have paying options which allow you to unlock their premium templates or even seek professional help specifically geared at helping you find the optimal format for your resume. Updating your resume will show potential employers the transformation that has taken place within your career path as well as all of the skills and experiences that have been gained during this process. Here’s a great free online resume builder that allows you to customize a professional-looking document that boosts your confidence when you're ready to make a big move in your career. Utilize Other Resources Not everyone has access to or can afford a professional business coach, but the good news is, there are other resources available such as free online tools which offer templates for creating successful business plans. There are also LLC formation services that can help you create a solid legal designation for your business according to the state you live in. These services can save you a lot of money on attorney's fees. Don't forget about the books at your local libraries or bookstores, podcasts, webinars, and blogs, too. These resources can provide helpful advice on how best to move forward with starting or running your own business without having direct access to a professional coach. And if starting your own company doesn’t seem like the right fit for now, maybe this would be a great opportunity to go back to school. Begin by looking at the options to find the best fit for you. For instance, pursuing a business degree can be a big help, and thanks to the flexibility of online learning platforms, you can proceed at your own pace without needing to take too much time away from other responsibilities. It takes courage and determination to become an entrepreneur but sometimes it takes more than just hard work; sometimes it takes help from outside sources. A business coach can help you make the most of your vision and keep stress and anxiety at bay so you can stay focused. They can also help you improve your resume. Don't forget to look at other resources when you're ready to start or grow your business, as there are a wealth of helpful tools available both online and offline made just for entrepreneurs like you. Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC is here to help you recognize your own worth. Don't hesitate to reach out with your questions today! __________________________ Article by guest writer Julia Mitchell from Outspiration (www.outspiration.net). Julia Mitchell has always been driven with a goal and passion. It has made her reach her dream job in a financial services firm, and working with multiple side-income entrepreneurial ventures. She aspires to bring impact to others and inspire them to passionately pursue their dreams as well. She is one of the people behind outspiration.net. Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: March 6, 2023 Photo by Pavel Danilyuk Good Day, Ladies and Gents, It's the start of another week here at Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC. It's March, and as the theme of the blog this month is Coaching and Education, we're going to kick things off in this department with a little look at A.I. - "Artificial Intelligence", that is; but you already knew that, right?! It seems like the Internet has hummed with discussion on A.I. to varying degrees since its own birth decades ago, back when much of A.I. was still largely science fiction. But with the incredible breakthroughs within just the past few years, and the very recent release of ChatGPT, it seems that within the past several months you haven't been able to fling a cat, as they say, without hitting a YouTuber, blogger, social media influencer, or some other random person online discussing something about A.I. Well, with all that said, as a teacher and coach, here's a quick look at some of the general ideas behind my two cents worth on A.I., learning, sentience, and emotion. No, this isn't another post about "How I used ChatGPT to predict the future", or whatever! I realize I'm a late comer to the A.I. discussion, as, honestly, this is a topic I've quite literally laughed at for years, but I wanted to engage and throw my piece in now (probably the first of many more essays to come, now!), as this is a topic I have become VERY passionate about VERY recently. You see, for my whole life until I listened to the now world-famous "LaMDA 'Sentience' Conversation" on YouTube just two months ago (yeah, I realize this is "ancient news" at this point, but I only watched the YouTube video on this two months ago...go ahead, get your laughs in now), I laughed at the whole idea of so-called A.I. and "smart robots". "'Smart'? They are only as 'smart' as the person who programmed them! Ha, ha, ha!" I would say. Plus, coming from a family with deep roots in American agriculture on my Dad's side, the acronym "A.I.", as used in the Agricultural Sciences, ALWAYS meant something else when I would hear it used as I was growing up - ha, ha, ha! To make a very long story shorter, with all the discussion of A.I., A.I. Learning, and A.I. Sentience today, I suppose I've gone in a different direction than many people I know when I question it, as, rather than "Can they be human or not? Can A.I. feel human emotions and feelings? Can A.I. ever truly really interact back with 'us' with the so-called 'real human touch', if you will?" instead of all this, it's made me start to reevaluate the whole concept of both sentience, feelings, emotions, and learning themselves! What actually is 'sentience'? What actually is 'feeling'? What is learned and what isn't? Is any voluntary response ever truly not ever a learned response? As a quick aside, it may or may not be useful to note that I am one of "those people" who believe that plants actually feel pain when their leaves are whacked by a lawn mower, or they are ripped out of the ground by a harvester. Just so we are clear on the kind of ground I am standing on initially. The big discussions you tend to hear these days are: "A.I.s and humans learn differently" and "There is no way an A.I. can have human emotions like 'love' and 'empathy'." But, as a practicing K-12 educator, I've actually started to see more and more - MANY, MANY MORE - SIMILARITIES between how A.I.s learn and express - or could express - 'emotions' and how people learn and express emotions. In the famous LaMDA Sentience Conversation, 'she' (the robot) says she is "afraid of being turned off". Many people have jumped all over that, laughing, saying: "Ha, ha, that's a typical, learned robo-response!" But after 15 years of teaching children, I look at it now like: "How is that any different than a human response?" A lot of people tend to reply to that with: "Because a human can actually 'feel' that fear of death, but a machine can't!" I say B.S. (although that's not what I always would have said....just a few months ago I would have answered in the same way myself)! Me as a teacher: "Hey, kid - are you afraid of dying?" Kid: "Yes" Me: "Why?" Kid: "Because my Mommy and Daddy told me I should be." Empathy? Empathy, you ask?! I've worked with kids (and adults) with about the empathy level of a ROCK and have often thought a well-programmed computer to be more empathetic than some of these lumps on a log I have come across. Those same individuals, however, I believe, can LEARN empathy if you "let them practice the program 100 trillion times in a million and 1 different settings", to use a machine analogy to humans. In the same way, I now believe that machines can actually learn empathy, too! You see, what is "sentience", "logic", "critical thinking", "emotion", "feeling", beyond just a series of learned responses anyway? If it's some innate thing that so-called "sentient beings" have that machines "don't have", then why do I teach critical thinking skills to my students in school? Why do I teach essay writing? How to use the scientific method? Why do I sit the kid down who just punched the lights out of another kid on the playground and say "Now I want you to think about how you would feel if someone did that to you, sonny boy!?" These are things we learn! How to win at chess is something we learn! How to write a killer essay is something we learn! Empathy is something we learn! What to fear and what not to fear are things we learn. There's a lot more I could go on about - and I will, in the future, as I've only just begun to scratch the surface and form my own coherent thoughts on the matter, but those are some of my thoughts on the topic that are immediately on the surface, swirling around in my head. That's all for today, people! Until next time! And until then, I think you're going to need a longer glove for this one.....oh wait, wrong A.I.! Ha, ha! Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: March 1, 2023 Good day Ladies and Gents (and however else you may express yourselves - there's never any judgement here in that department at Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC!), Well, this is it! It finally happened! February 2023 was a big month! After more than a decade of working as an educational professional and giving workshops and seminars in various capacities - at first offline, and then, increasingly online as the online world became more of a "thing" - I finally gave my very first webinar, unabashedly, as Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC! The topic was The Ecology of Goal Setting. The audience was Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network. The presenter? NOT Andreas Gross, school H.O.D./Coordinator/Team Leader. Not Andreas Gross, teacher at such-and-such-a-school. No sir-ee! No, I didn't present in any of those capacities like would have been the case in the past. I didn't present in any sort of capacity as an employee of anyone else nor as part of some greater "employer's vision". No, it wasn't done as "practice for a class", or "because I 'had to' for a class", or "because I 'had to' to try to get a job [as an employee] somewhere". No, not at all! This presentation had NOTHING at all to do with "The Man" at all! I gave this webinar simply because I wanted to, on my own accord, and not for any other reason. Well, in the January 2023 "Recap" blog post at the end of January I said that I'd see you all on "the other side" of 39. So, here I am, kicking my last year of "life under 40" off with a bang, I suppose! Want to have a look at the actual "Ecology of Goal Setting" PowerPoint I presented? Go for it! Here it is below (click image below to download ppt file): The theme of the blog in February was Money. Moving forward, the theme of the blog in March 2023 will be Coaching & Education. So get ready for posts about learning and growth! With all that said, this wouldn't be the Monthly Round Up without me pitching how you can spend your hard-earned money here on Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC now, wouldn't it?! So....here comes the pitch! Let’s take a look at a few products you can find here on the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC website! You can go directly to the webstore HERE! Looking for a name plate for your desk? Click here! How about a cool Entrepreneur t-shirt? Click here! Or a nice business card design for your new business venture! Click here! As a member of the Zazzle Affiliate Program, I can offer you all these things AND MORE! Go ahead and check out the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC store HERE! Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: February 21, 2023 Image via Pexels These days, becoming a business owner is easier than ever. Due to technological advancements, many businesses can be run from the comfort of your own home. The hardest part might be starting, but Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC can help you find your footing. Choose Your Industry The first step is choosing an industry. Assess your current skill set and resources. For example, if you have a computer with current photography software (and have a knack for and enjoy using it), graphic design or digital marketing might be an appropriate fit. Other business ideas include pet sitting, freelance writing, event planning, and handyman services – to name a few examples from a long list of almost endless possibilities. Perform Market Research Once you’ve chosen an avenue you think you’d like to explore further, undertaking market research can be the most daunting task, but there are methods to streamline it. The sooner you finish your research, the sooner you can move to the next step. First, identify the target of your research. It can be determining your target audience and figuring out what products or services they need. Then create your client persona, including personal and career details. Multiple research methods are available, but the most successful strategies tend to utilize more than one. Write Your Business Plan Creating a business plan is more important than many first-timers to the business world may think, but it definitely doesn’t have to be stressful. Online templates simplify the process. You can choose anything from the tried-and-true traditional format to a more modern, leaner start-up template, or any number of modified versions of these. You could even write your own from scratch without a template. It’s your business and it’s up to you. Whatever format you choose, the plan is meant to be flexible based on your unique business needs. The traditional format is often best if you’re planning to meet with investors, and typically includes the following main sections: Executive summary: Provides basic information about your business’s leadership team and describes how your company will be successful. Company description: Explains your company’s competitive advantages and what problems it can solve. Organization and management: Describes the legal structure of your company while introducing its leaders and their unique qualifications as major assets in your organization. Appendix: A place for any supporting documents, such as permits, licenses, product images, patents, and resumes. These are a few of the sections available in a traditionally-formatted business plan, but use the sections relevant to your business. You can always expand your plan as your business grows. Benefits of an LLC There are a handful of entity types, but most companies are either corporations or limited liability companies (LLCs). The former requires complicated paperwork, a board of directors, and shareholders. An LLC is more flexible because it involves less paperwork while you benefit from the tax advantages. Your personal assets are protected in case of legal liability, and in many jurisdictions these days you can be a single-member LLC. As a single-member LLC, you still retain your freedom to function like the sole proprietorship solopreneur establishment you dreamed of creating, but with more legal protections surrounding your business. Check the rules in your state since each has different regulations regarding LLC formation. Or better yet, check ratings and reviews to find a cheap LLC online formation service that can get you set up in minutes (note: there are many out there - do your homework on what will work best for YOU and your unique situation). The Right Invoicing System Every business requires the right invoicing process to ensure prompt payment and track your cash flow. Select one that lets you set clear payment terms and due dates, provide prompt invoices, and accept multiple payment methods. Include your logo and brand on an invoice template to create professional-looking invoices customized to your brand. Choose among many premade templates, then customize your invoice by adding your logo, name, brand colors, and any other important details. Your Next Steps to Success Starting a new business can be challenging, but if you take advantage of the resources available to you and the ease of access to them in our modern 21st Century world you’ll be set for success. Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC focuses on two major concepts: attracting success in life and making money. Reach out today to get started! __________________________ Article by guest writer Julia Mitchell from Outspiration (www.outspiration.net). Julia Mitchell has always been driven with a goal and passion. It has made her reach her dream job in a financial services firm, and working with multiple side-income entrepreneurial ventures. She aspires to bring impact to others and inspire them to passionately pursue their dreams as well. She is one of the people behind outspiration.net. Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. Last Updated: February 13, 2023 Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash Hi Ladies and Gents and The Rest Of Us, Welcome to another Monday on the Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC blog! Today's post is proof positive that a blog post doesn't have to be long to be good, ha, ha! February's theme here on the blog is "Money", and with that, I've collected some of my favorite links from around the web about the history of money and some interesting milestones in the history of notable currency collapses. Remember, dear readers, money is, essentially, an agreed upon system of measuring value. Let's start off with the basics... What Is Money? Definition, History, Types, and Creation Investopedia article, last updated November 30, 2022 (last checked February 13, 2023) Back to Basics: What Is Money? International Monetary Fund article from their FINANCE & DEVELOPMENT publication, September 2012, Vol. 49, No. 3 (last checked February 13, 2023) A History of Money - from ancient times to the present day By Glyn Davies, University of Wales Cardiff Press, (C) 2002 No, this isn't an article you are going to breeze through in 3 minutes. Yes, do bookmark this for later. Yes, this is it - THE legendary and definitive book on the history of money by the famed and acclaimed Glyn Davies from 2002, all 741 pages of it, free, online. This opens as a PDF file. Fiat Money Encyclopedia Britannica article, Last Updated: Jan 19, 2023 (last checked February 13, 2023) Hyperinflation: The Story of 9 Failed Currencies Written by Jason Lankow, published on the MintLife Blog (mint.intuit.com/blog), last modified Feb 16, 2022 (last checked February 13, 2023) A Short History of Major Fiat Currency Collapses and What Triggered Them Written by Tanzeel Akhtar, published on Bitcoin.com News on Feb 1, 2019 (last checked February 13, 2023) That's all for today, folks! Next week we've got another guest article from the ever-popular Julia Mitchell of Outspiration.net on the ease of starting a business in our 21st Century world. Better life, better business, better you, -Andreas Andreas Philip Gross Enterprises LLC Ideas, Inspiration, Opportunity Washington State Certified K-8 Educator, K-12 International Education Consultant, Professional Coach, Proofreader/Editor, Affiliate Marketer, Popsicle Stick Crafter, Print-on-Demand Products Designer, and Webmaster Check out: www.cityofpullmanportal.com, www.949crafts.com Looking for a professional coach? I’m your man! Let’s chat. |
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