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Emils Uztics

Emils Uztics

3 years ago

This billionaire created a side business that brings around $90,000 per month.

More on Entrepreneurship/Creators

ʟ ᴜ ᴄ ʏ

ʟ ᴜ ᴄ ʏ

3 years ago

The Untapped Gold Mine of Inspiration and Startup Ideas

I joined the 1000 Digital Startups Movement (Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital) in 2017 and learned a lot about the startup sector. My previous essay outlined what a startup is and what must be prepared. Here I'll offer raw ideas for better products.

Image by macrovector on Freepik

Intro

A good startup solves a problem. These can include environmental, economic, energy, transportation, logistics, maritime, forestry, livestock, education, tourism, legal, arts and culture, communication, and information challenges. Everything I wrote is simply a basic idea (as inspiration) and requires more mapping and validation. Learn how to construct a startup to maximize launch success.

Adrian Gunadi (Investree Co-Founder) taught me that a Founder or Co-Founder must be willing to be CEO (Chief Everything Officer). Everything is independent, including drafting a proposal, managing finances, and scheduling appointments. The best individuals will come to you if you're the best. It's easier than consulting Andy Zain (Kejora Capital Founder).

Description

To help better understanding from your idea, try to answer this following questions:

- Describe your idea/application
Maximum 1000 characters.

- Background
Explain the reasons that prompted you to realize the idea/application.

- Objective
Explain the expected goals of the creation of the idea/application.

- Solution
A solution that tells your idea can be the right solution for the problem at hand.

- Uniqueness
What makes your idea/app unique?

- Market share
Who are the people who need and are looking for your idea?

- Marketing Ways and Business Models
What is the best way to sell your idea and what is the business model?

Not everything here is a startup idea. It's meant to inspire creativity and new perspectives.

Ideas

#Application

1. Medical students can operate on patients or not. Applications that train prospective doctors to distinguish body organs and their placement are useful. In the advanced stage, the app can be built with numerous approaches so future doctors can practice operating on patients based on their ailments. If they made a mistake, they'd start over. Future doctors will be more assured and make fewer mistakes this way.

2. VR (virtual reality) technology lets people see 3D space from afar. Later, similar technology was utilized to digitally sell properties, so buyers could see the inside and room contents. Every gadget has flaws. It's like a gold mine for robbers. VR can let prospective students see a campus's facilities. This facility can also help hotels promote their products.

3. How can retail entrepreneurs maximize sales? Most popular goods' sales data. By using product and brand/type sales figures, entrepreneurs can avoid overstocking. Walmart computerized their procedures to track products from the manufacturer to the store. As Retail Link products sell out, suppliers can immediately step in.

4. Failing to marry is something to be avoided. But if it had to happen, the loss would be like the proverb “rub salt into the wound”.  On the I do Now I dont website, Americans who don't marry can resell their jewelry to other brides-to-be. If some want to cancel the wedding and receive their down money and dress back, others want a wedding with particular criteria, such as a quick date and the expected building. Create a DP takeover marketplace for both sides.

#Games

1. Like in the movie, players must exit the maze they enter within 3 minutes or the shape will change, requiring them to change their strategy. The maze's transformation time will shorten after a few stages.

2. Treasure hunts involve following clues to uncover hidden goods. Here, numerous sponsors are combined in one boat, and participants can choose a game based on the prizes. Let's say X-mart is a sponsor and provides riddles or puzzles to uncover the prize in their store. After gathering enough points, the player can trade them for a gift utilizing GPS and AR (augmented reality). Players can collaborate to increase their chances of success.

3. Where's Wally? Where’s Wally displays a thick image with several things and various Wally-like characters. We must find the actual Wally, his companions, and the desired object. Make a game with a map where players must find objects for the next level. The player must find 5 artifacts randomly placed in an Egyptian-style mansion, for example. In the room, there are standard tickets, pass tickets, and gold tickets that can be removed for safekeeping, as well as a wall-mounted carpet that can be stored but not searched and turns out to be a flying rug that can be used to cross/jump to a different place. Regular tickets are spread out since they can buy life or stuff. At a higher level, a black ticket can lower your ordinary ticket. Objects can explode, scattering previously acquired stuff. If a player runs out of time, they can exchange a ticket for more.

#TVprogram

1. At the airport there are various visitors who come with different purposes. Asking tourists to live for 1 or 2 days in the city will be intriguing to witness.

2. Many professions exist. Carpenters, cooks, and lawyers must have known about job desks. Does HRD (Human Resource Development) only recruit new employees? Many don't know how to become a CEO, CMO, COO, CFO, or CTO. Showing young people what a Program Officer in an NGO does can help them choose a career.

#StampsCreations

Philatelists know that only the government can issue stamps. I hope stamps are creative so they have more worth.

1. Thermochromic pigments (leuco dyes) are well-known for their distinctive properties. By putting pigments to black and white batik stamps, for example, the black color will be translucent and display the basic color when touched (at a hot temperature).

2. In 2012, Liechtenstein Post published a laser-art Chinese zodiac stamp. Belgium (Bruges Market Square 2012), Taiwan (Swallow Tail Butterfly 2009), etc. Why not make a stencil of the president or king/queen?

3. Each country needs its unique identity, like Taiwan's silk and bamboo stamps. Create from your country's history. Using traditional paper like washi (Japan), hanji (Korea), and daluang/saeh (Indonesia) can introduce a country's culture.

4. Garbage has long been a problem. Bagasse, banana fronds, or corn husks can be used as stamp material.

5. Austria Post published a stamp containing meteor dust in 2006. 2004 meteorite found in Morocco produced the dust. Gibraltar's Rock of Gilbraltar appeared on stamps in 2002. What's so great about your country? East Java is muddy (Lapindo mud). Lapindo mud stamps will be popular. Red sand at Pink Beach, East Nusa Tenggara, could replace the mud.

#PostcardCreations

1. Map postcards are popular because they make searching easier. Combining laser-cut road map patterns with perforated 200-gram paper glued on 400-gram paper as a writing medium. Vision-impaired people can use laser-cut maps.

2. Regional art can be promoted by tucking traditional textiles into postcards.

3. A thin canvas or plain paper on the card's front allows the giver to be creative.

4. What is local crop residue? Cork lids, maize husks, and rice husks can be recycled into postcard materials.

5. Have you seen a dried-flower bookmark? Cover the postcard with mica and add dried flowers. If you're worried about losing the flowers, you can glue them or make a postcard envelope.

6. Wood may be ubiquitous; try a 0.2-mm copper plate engraved with an image and connected to a postcard as a writing medium.

7. Utilized paper pulp can be used to hold eggs, smartphones, and food. Form a smooth paper pulp on the plate with the desired image, the Golden Gate bridge, and paste it on your card.

8. Postcards can promote perfume. When customers rub their hands on the card with the perfume image, they'll smell the aroma.

#Tour #Travel

Tourism activities can be tailored to tourists' interests or needs. Each tourist benefits from tourism's distinct aim.

Let's define tourism's objective and purpose.

  • Holiday Tour is a tour that its participants plan and do in order to relax, have fun, and amuse themselves.

  • A familiarization tour is a journey designed to help travelers learn more about (survey) locales connected to their line of work.

  • An educational tour is one that aims to give visitors knowledge of the field of work they are visiting or an overview of it.

  • A scientific field is investigated and knowledge gained as the major goal of a scientific tour.

  • A pilgrimage tour is one designed to engage in acts of worship.

  • A special mission tour is one that has a specific goal, such a commerce mission or an artistic endeavor.

  • A hunting tour is a destination for tourists that plans organized animal hunting that is only allowed by local authorities for entertainment purposes.

Every part of life has tourism potential. Activities include:

1. Those who desire to volunteer can benefit from the humanitarian theme and collaboration with NGOs. This activity's profit isn't huge but consider the environmental impact.

2. Want to escape the city? Meditation travel can help. Beautiful spots around the globe can help people forget their concerns. A certified yoga/meditation teacher can help travelers release bad energy.

3. Any prison visitors? Some prisons, like those for minors under 17, are open to visitors. This type of tourism helps mental convicts reach a brighter future.

4. Who has taken a factory tour/study tour? Outside-of-school study tour (for ordinary people who have finished their studies). Not everyone in school could tour industries, workplaces, or embassies to learn and be inspired. Shoyeido (an incense maker) and Royce (a chocolate maker) offer factory tours in Japan.

5. Develop educational tourism like astronomy and archaeology. Until now, only a few astronomy enthusiasts have promoted astronomy tourism. In Indonesia, archaeology activities focus on site preservation, and to participate, office staff must undertake a series of training (not everyone can take a sabbatical from their routine). Archaeological tourist activities are limited, whether held by history and culture enthusiasts or in regional tours.

6. Have you ever longed to observe a film being made or your favorite musician rehearsing? Such tours can motivate young people to pursue entertainment careers.

7. Pamper your pets to reduce stress. Many pet owners don't have time for walks or treats. These premium services target the wealthy.

8. A quirky idea to provide tours for imaginary couples or things. Some people marry inanimate objects or animals and seek to make their lover happy; others cherish their ashes after death.

#MISCideas

1. Fashion is a lifestyle, thus people often seek fresh materials. Chicken claws, geckos, snake skin casings, mice, bats, and fish skins are also used. Needs some improvement, definitely.

2. As fuel supplies become scarcer, people hunt for other energy sources. Sound is an underutilized renewable energy. The Batechsant technology converts environmental noise into electrical energy, according to study (Battery Technology Of Sound Power Plant). South Korean researchers use Sound-Driven Piezoelectric Nanowire based on Nanogenerators to recharge cell phone batteries. The Batechsant system uses existing noise levels to provide electricity for street lamp lights, aviation, and ships. Using waterfall sound can also energize hard-to-reach locations.

3. A New York Times reporter said IQ doesn't ensure success. Our school system prioritizes IQ above EQ (Emotional Quotient). EQ is a sort of human intelligence that allows a person to perceive and analyze the dynamics of his emotions when interacting with others (and with himself). EQ is suspected of being a bigger source of success than IQ. EQ training can gain greater attention to help people succeed. Prioritize role models from school stakeholders, teachers, and parents to improve children' EQ.

4. Teaching focuses more on theory than practice, so students are less eager to explore and easily forget if they don't pay attention. Has an engineer ever made bricks from arid red soil? Morocco's non-college-educated builders can create weatherproof bricks from red soil without equipment. Can mechanical engineering grads create a water pump to solve water shortages in remote areas? Art graduates can innovate beyond only painting. Artists may create kinetic sculpture by experimenting so much. Young people should understand these sciences so they can be more creative with their potential. These might be extracurricular activities in high school and university.

5. People have been trying to recycle agricultural waste for a long time. Mycelium helps replace light, easily crushed tiles and bricks (a collection of hyphae like in the manufacture of tempe). Waste must contain lignocellulose. In this vein, anti-mainstream painting canvases can be made. The goal is to create the canvas uneven like an amoeba outline, not square or spherical. The resulting canvas is lightweight and needs no frame. Then what? Open source your idea like Precious Plastic to establish a community. By propagating this notion, many knowledgeable people will help improve your product's quality and impact.

6. As technology and humans adapt, fraud increases. Making phony doctor's letters to fool superiors, fake credentials to get hired, fraudulent land certificates to make money, and fake news (hoax). The existence of a Wikimedia can aid the community by comparing bogus and original information.

7. Do you often hit a problem-solving impasse? Since the Doraemon bag hasn't been made, construct an Idea Bank. Everyone can contribute to solving problems here. How do you recruit volunteers? Obviously, a reward is needed. Contributors can become moderators or gain complimentary tickets to TIA (Tech in Asia) conferences. Idea Bank-related concepts: the rise of startups without a solid foundation generates an age as old as corn that does not continue. Those with startup ideas should describe them here so they can be validated by other users. Other users can contribute input if a comparable notion is produced to improve the product or integrate it. Similar-minded users can become Co-Founders.

8. Why not invest in fruit/vegetables, inspired by digital farming? The landowner obtains free fruit without spending much money on maintenance. Investors can get fruits/vegetables in larger quantities, fresher, and cheaper during harvest. Fruits and vegetables are often harmed if delivered too slowly. Rich investors with limited land can invest in teak, agarwood, and other trees. When harvesting, investors might choose raw results or direct wood sales earnings. Teak takes at least 7 years to harvest, therefore long-term wood investments carry the risk of crop failure.

9. Teenagers in distant locations can't count, read, or write. Many factors hinder locals' success. Life's demands force them to work instead of study. Creating a learning playground may attract young people to learning. Make a skatepark at school. Skateboarders must learn in school. Donations buy skateboards.

10. Globally, online taxi-bike is known. By hiring a motorcycle/car online, people no longer bother traveling without a vehicle. What if you wish to cross the island or visit remote areas? Is online boat or helicopter rental possible like online taxi-bike? Such a renting process has been done independently thus far and cannot be done quickly.

11. What do startups need now? A startup or investor consultant. How many startups fail to become Unicorns? Many founders don't know how to manage investor money, therefore they waste it on promotions and other things. Many investors only know how to invest and can't guide a struggling firm.

“In times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers.” — T’Challa [Black Panther]

Don't chase cash. Money is a byproduct. Profit-seeking is stressful. Market requirements are opportunities. If you have something to say, please comment.

This is only informational. Before implementing ideas, do further study.

Rick Blyth

Rick Blyth

3 years ago

Looking for a Reliable Micro SaaS Niche

Niches are rich, as the adage goes.

Micro SaaS requires a great micro-niche; otherwise, it's merely plain old SaaS with a large audience.

Instead of targeting broad markets with few identifying qualities, specialise down to a micro-niche. How would you target these users?

Better go tiny. You'll locate and engage new consumers more readily and serve them better with a customized solution.

Imagine you're a real estate lawyer looking for a case management solution. Because it's so specific to you, you'd be lured to this link:

instead of below:

Next, locate mini SaaS niches that could work for you. You're not yet looking at the problems/solutions in these areas, merely shortlisting them.

The market should be growing, not shrinking

We shouldn't design apps for a declining niche. We intend to target stable or growing niches for the next 5 to 10 years.

If it's a developing market, you may be able to claim a stake early. You must balance this strategy with safer, longer-established niches (accountancy, law, health, etc).

First Micro SaaS apps I designed were for Merch By Amazon creators, a burgeoning niche. I found this niche when searching for passive income.

Graphic designers and entrepreneurs post their art to Amazon to sell on clothes. When Amazon sells their design, they get a royalty. Since 2015, this platform and specialty have grown dramatically.

Amazon doesn't publicize the amount of creators on the platform, but it's possible to approximate by looking at Facebook groups, Reddit channels, etc.

I could see the community growing week by week, with new members joining. Merch was an up-and-coming niche, and designers made money when their designs sold. All I had to do was create tools that let designers focus on making bestselling designs.

Look at the Google Trends graph below to see how this niche has evolved and when I released my apps and resigned my job.

Are the users able to afford the tools?

Who's your average user? Consumer or business? Is your solution budgeted?

If they're students, you'll struggle to convince them to subscribe to your study-system app (ahead of video games and beer).

Let's imagine you designed a Shopify plugin that emails customers when a product is restocked. If your plugin just needs 5 product sales a month to justify its cost, everyone wins (just be mindful that one day Shopify could potentially re-create your plugins functionality within its core offering making your app redundant ).

Do specialized users buy tools? If so, that's comforting. If not, you'd better have a compelling value proposition for your end customer if you're the first.

This should include how much time or money your program can save or make the user.

Are you able to understand the Micro SaaS market?

Ideally, you're already familiar about the industry/niche. Maybe you're fixing a challenge from your day job or freelance work.

If not, evaluate how long it would take to learn the niche's users. Health & Fitness is easier to relate to and understand than hedge fund derivatives trading.

Competing in these complex (and profitable) fields might offer you an edge.

B2C, B2M, or B2B?

Consider your user base's demographics. Will you target businesses, consumers, or both? Let's examine the different consumer types:

  • B2B refers to business-to-business transactions where customers are other businesses. UpVoty, Plutio, Slingshot, Salesforce, Atlassian, and Hubspot are a few examples of SaaS, ranging from Micro SaaS to SaaS.

  • Business to Consumer (B2C), in which your clients are people who buy things. For instance, Duolingo, Canva, and Nomad List.

  • For instance, my tool KDP Wizard has a mixed user base of publishing enterprises and also entrepreneurial consumers selling low-content books on Amazon. This is a case of business to many (B2M), where your users are a mixture of businesses and consumers. There is a large SaaS called Dropbox that offers both personal and business plans.

Targeting a B2B vs. B2C niche is very different. The sales cycle differs.

  • A B2B sales staff must make cold calls to potential clients' companies. Long sales, legal, and contractual conversations are typically required for each business to get the go-ahead. The cost of obtaining a new customer is substantially more than it is for B2C, despite the fact that the recurring fees are significantly higher.

  • Since there is typically only one individual making the purchasing decision, B2C signups are virtually always self-service with reduced recurring fees. Since there is typically no outbound sales staff in B2C, acquisition costs are significantly lower than in B2B.

User Characteristics for B2B vs. B2C

Consider where your niche's users congregate if you don't already have a presence there.

B2B users frequent LinkedIn and Twitter. B2C users are on Facebook/Instagram/Reddit/Twitter, etc.

Churn is higher in B2C because consumers haven't gone through all the hoops of a B2B sale. Consumers are more unpredictable than businesses since they let their bank cards exceed limitations or don't update them when they expire.

With a B2B solution, there's a contractual arrangement and the firm will pay the subscription as long as they need it.

Depending on how you feel about the above (sales team vs. income vs. churn vs. targeting), you'll know which niches to pursue.

You ought to respect potential customers.

Would you hang out with customers?

You'll connect with users at conferences (in-person or virtual), webinars, seminars, screenshares, Facebook groups, emails, support calls, support tickets, etc.

If talking to a niche's user base makes you shudder, you're in for a tough road. Whether they're demanding or dull, avoid them if possible.

Merch users are mostly graphic designers, side hustlers, and entrepreneurs. These laid-back users embrace technologies that assist develop their Merch business.

I discovered there was only one annual conference for this specialty, held in Seattle, USA. I decided to organize a conference for UK/European Merch designers, despite never having done so before.

Hosting a conference for over 80 people was stressful, and it turned out to be much bigger than expected, with attendees from the US, Europe, and the UK.

I met many specialized users, built relationships, gained trust, and picked their brains in person. Many of the attendees were already Merch Wizard users, so hearing their feedback and ideas for future features was invaluable.

focused and specific

Instead of building for a generic, hard-to-reach market, target a specific group.

I liken it to fishing in a little, hidden pond. This small pond has only one species of fish, so you learn what bait it likes. Contrast that with trawling for hours to catch as many fish as possible, even if some aren't what you want.

In the case management scenario, it's difficult to target leads because several niches could use the app. Where do your potential customers hang out? Your generic solution: No.

It's easier to join a community of Real Estate Lawyers and see if your software can answer their pain points.

My Success with Micro SaaS

In my case, my Micro SaaS apps have been my chrome extensions. Since I launched them, they've earned me an average $10k MRR, allowing me to quit my lousy full-time job years ago.

I sold my apps after scaling them for a life-changing lump amount. Since then, I've helped unfulfilled software developers escape the 9-5 through Micro SaaS.

Whether it's a profitable side hustle or a liferaft to quit their job and become their own Micro SaaS boss.

Having built my apps to the point where I could quit my job, then scaled and sold them, I feel I can share my skills with software developers worldwide.

Read my free guide on self-funded SaaS to discover more about Micro SaaS, or download your own copy. 12 chapters cover everything from Idea to Exit.

Watch my YouTube video to learn how to construct a Micro SaaS app in 10 steps.

Jenn Leach

Jenn Leach

3 years ago

I created a faceless TikTok account. Six months later.

Follower count, earnings, and more

Photo by Jenna Day on Unsplash

I created my 7th TikTok account six months ago. TikTok's great. I've developed accounts for Amazon products, content creators/brand deals education, website flipping, and more.

Introverted or shy people use faceless TikTok accounts.

Maybe they don't want millions of people to see their face online, or they want to remain anonymous so relatives and friends can't locate them.

Going faceless on TikTok can help you grow a following, communicate your message, and make money online.

Here are 6 steps I took to turn my Tik Tok account into a $60,000/year side gig.

From nothing to $60K in 6 months

It's clickbait, but it’s true. Here’s what I did to get here.

Quick context:

I've used social media before. I've spent years as a social creator and brand.

I've built Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts to nearly 100K.

How I did it

First, select a niche.

If you can focus on one genre on TikTok, you'll have a better chance of success, however lifestyle creators do well too.

Niching down is easier, in my opinion.

Examples:

  • Travel

  • Food

  • Kids

  • Earning cash

  • Finance

You can narrow these niches if you like.

During the pandemic, a travel blogger focused on Texas-only tourism and gained 1 million subscribers.

Couponing might be a finance specialization.

One of my finance TikTok accounts gives credit tips and grants and has 23K followers.

Tons of ways you can get more specific.

Consider how you'll monetize your TikTok account. I saw many enormous TikTok accounts that lose money.

Why?

They can't monetize their niche. Not impossible to commercialize, but tough enough to inhibit action.

First, determine your goal.

In this first step, consider what your end goal is.

Are you trying to promote your digital products or social media management services?

You want brand deals or e-commerce sales.

This will affect your TikTok specialty.

This is the first step to a TikTok side gig.

Step 2: Pick a content style

Next, you want to decide on your content style.

Do you do voiceover and screenshots?

You'll demonstrate a product?

Will you faceless vlog?

Step 3: Look at the competition

Find anonymous accounts and analyze what content works, where they thrive, what their audience wants, etc.

This can help you make better content.

Like the skyscraper method for TikTok.

Step 4: Create a content strategy.

Your content plan is where you sit down and decide:

  • How many videos will you produce each day or each week?

  • Which links will you highlight in your biography?

  • What amount of time can you commit to this project?

You may schedule when to post videos on a calendar. Make videos.

5. Create videos.

No video gear needed.

Using a phone is OK, and I think it's preferable than posting drafts from a computer or phone.

TikTok prefers genuine material.

Use their app, tools, filters, and music to make videos.

And imperfection is preferable. Tik okers like to see videos made in a bedroom, not a film studio.

Make sense?

When making videos, remember this.

I personally use my phone and tablet.

Step 6: Monetize

Lastly, it’s time to monetize How will you make money? You decided this in step 1.

Time to act!

For brand agreements

  • Include your email in the bio.

  • Share several sites and use a beacons link in your bio.

  • Make cold calls to your favorite companies to get them to join you in a TikTok campaign.

For e-commerce

  • Include a link to your store's or a product's page in your bio.

For client work

  • Include your email in the bio.

  • Use a beacons link to showcase your personal website, portfolio, and other resources.

For affiliate marketing

  • Include affiliate product links in your bio.

  • Join the Amazon Influencer program and provide a link to your storefront in your bio.

$60,000 per year from Tik Tok?

Yes, and some creators make much more.

Tori Dunlap (herfirst100K) makes $100,000/month on TikTok.

My TikTok adventure took 6 months, but by month 2 I was making $1,000/month (or $12K/year).

By year's end, I want this account to earn $100K/year.

Imagine if my 7 TikTok accounts made $100K/year.

7 Tik Tok accounts X $100K/yr = $700,000/year

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Erik Engheim

Erik Engheim

3 years ago

You Misunderstand the Russian Nuclear Threat

Many believe Putin is simply sabre rattling and intimidating us. They see no threat of nuclear war. We can send NATO troops into Ukraine without risking a nuclear war.

I keep reading that Putin is just using nuclear blackmail and that a strong leader will call the bluff. That, in my opinion, misunderstands the danger of sending NATO into Ukraine.
It assumes that once NATO moves in, Putin can either push the red nuclear button or not.
Sure, Putin won't go nuclear if NATO invades Ukraine. So we're safe? Can't we just move NATO?

No, because history has taught us that wars often escalate far beyond our initial expectations. One domino falls, knocking down another. That's why having clear boundaries is vital. Crossing a seemingly harmless line can set off a chain of events that are unstoppable once started.
One example is WWI. The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand could not have known that his actions would kill millions. They couldn't have known that invading Serbia to punish them for not handing over the accomplices would start a world war. Every action triggered a counter-action, plunging Europe into a brutal and bloody war. Each leader saw their actions as limited, not realizing how they kept the dominos falling.

Nobody can predict the future, but it's easy to imagine how NATO intervention could trigger a chain of events leading to a total war. Let me suggest some outcomes.
NATO creates a no-fly-zone. In retaliation, Russia bombs NATO airfields. Russia may see this as a limited counter-move that shouldn't cause further NATO escalation. They think it's a reasonable response to force NATO out of Ukraine. Nobody has yet thought to use the nuke.
Will NATO act? Polish airfields bombed, will they be stuck? Is this an article 5 event? If so, what should be done?

It could happen. Maybe NATO sends troops into Ukraine to punish Russia. Maybe NATO will bomb Russian airfields.

Putin's response Is bombing Russian airfields an invasion or an attack? Remember that Russia has always used nuclear weapons for defense, not offense. But let's not panic, let's assume Russia doesn't go nuclear.

Maybe Russia retaliates by attacking NATO military bases with planes. Maybe they use ships to attack military targets. How does NATO respond? Will they fight Russia in Ukraine or escalate? Will they invade Russia or attack more military installations there?
Seen the pattern? As each nation responds, smaller limited military operations can grow in scope.

So far, the Russian military has shown that they begin with less brutal methods. As losses and failures increase, brutal means are used. Syria had the same. Assad used chemical weapons and attacked hospitals, schools, residential areas, etc.
A NATO invasion of Ukraine would cost Russia dearly. “Oh, this isn't looking so good, better pull out and finish this war,” do you think? No way. Desperate, they will resort to more brutal tactics. If desperate, Russia has a huge arsenal of ugly weapons. They have nerve agents, chemical weapons, and other nasty stuff.

What happens if Russia uses chemical weapons? What if Russian nerve agents kill NATO soldiers horribly? West calls for retaliation will grow. Will we invade Russia? Will we bomb them?

We are angry and determined to punish war criminal Putin, so NATO tanks may be heading to Moscow. We want vengeance for his chemical attacks and bombing of our cities.
Do you think the distance between that red nuclear button and Putin's finger will be that far once NATO tanks are on their way to Moscow?

We might avoid a nuclear apocalypse. A NATO invasion force or even Western cities may be used by Putin. Not as destructive as ICBMs. Putin may think we won't respond to tactical nukes with a full nuclear counterattack. Why would we risk a nuclear Holocaust by launching ICBMs on Russia?

Maybe. My point is that at every stage of the escalation, one party may underestimate the other's response. This war is spiraling out of control and the chances of a nuclear exchange are increasing. Nobody really wants it.

Fear, anger, and resentment cause it. If Putin and his inner circle decide their time is up, they may no longer care about the rest of the world. We saw it with Hitler. Hitler, seeing the end of his empire, ordered the destruction of Germany. Nobody should win if he couldn't. He wanted to destroy everything, including Paris.

In other words, the danger isn't what happens after NATO intervenes The danger is the potential chain reaction. Gambling has a psychological equivalent. It's best to exit when you've lost less. We humans are willing to take small risks for big rewards. To avoid losses, we are willing to take high risks. Daniel Kahneman describes this behavior in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow.

And so bettors who have lost a lot begin taking bigger risks to make up for it. We get a snowball effect. NATO involvement in the Ukraine conflict is akin to entering a casino and placing a bet. We'll start taking bigger risks as we start losing to Russian retaliation. That's the game's psychology.

It's impossible to stop. So will politicians and citizens from both Russia and the West, until we risk the end of human civilization.

You can avoid spiraling into ever larger bets in the Casino by drawing a hard line and declaring “I will not enter that Casino.” We're doing it now. We supply Ukraine. We send money and intelligence but don't cross that crucial line.

It's difficult to watch what happened in Bucha without demanding NATO involvement. What should we do? Of course, I'm not in charge. I'm a writer. My hope is that people will think about the consequences of the actions we demand. My hope is that you think ahead not just one step but multiple dominos.

More and more, we are driven by our emotions. We cannot act solely on emotion in matters of life and death. If we make the wrong choice, more people will die.

Read the original post here.

Victoria Kurichenko

Victoria Kurichenko

3 years ago

My Blog Is in Google's Top 10—Here's How to Compete

"Competition" is beautiful and hateful.

Some people bury their dreams because they are afraid of competition. Others challenge themselves, shaping our world.

Competition is normal.

It spurs innovation and progress.

I wish more people agreed.

As a marketer, content writer, and solopreneur, my readers often ask:

"I want to create a niche website, but I have no ideas. Everything's done"

"Is a website worthwhile?"

I can't count how many times I said, "Yes, it makes sense, and you can succeed in a competitive market."

I encourage and share examples, but it's not enough to overcome competition anxiety.

I launched an SEO writing website for content creators a year ago, knowing it wouldn't beat Ahrefs, Semrush, Backlinko, etc.

Not needed.

Many of my website's pages rank highly on Google.

Everyone can eat the pie.

In a competitive niche, I took a different approach.

Look farther

When chatting with bloggers that want a website, I discovered something fascinating.

They want to launch a website but have no ideas. As a next step, they start listing the interests they believe they should work on, like wellness, lifestyle, investments, etc. I could keep going.

Too many generalists who claim to know everything confuse many.

Generalists aren't trusted.

We want someone to fix our problems immediately.

I don't think broad-spectrum experts are undervalued. People have many demands that go beyond generalists' work. Narrow-niche experts can help.

I've done SEO for three years. I learned from experts and courses. I couldn't find a comprehensive SEO writing resource.

I read tons of articles before realizing that wasn't it. I took courses that covered SEO basics eventually.

I had a demand for learning SEO writing, but there was no solution on the market. My website fills this micro-niche.

Have you ever had trouble online?

Professional courses too general, boring, etc.?

You've bought off-topic books, right?

You're not alone.

Niche ideas!

Big players often disregard new opportunities. Too small. Individual content creators can succeed here.

In a competitive market:

  • Never choose wide subjects

  • Think about issues you can relate to and have direct experience with.

  • Be a consumer to discover both the positive and negative aspects of a good or service.

  • Merchandise your annoyances.

  • Consider ways to transform your frustrations into opportunities.

The right niche is half-success. Here is what else I did to hit the Google front page with my website.

An innovative method for choosing subjects

Why publish on social media and websites?

Want likes, shares, followers, or fame?

Some people do it for fun. No judgment.

I bet you want more.

You want to make decent money from blogging.

Writing about random topics, even if they are related to your niche, won’t help you attract an audience from organic search. I'm a marketer and writer.

I worked at companies with dead blogs because they posted for themselves, not readers. They did not follow SEO writing rules; that’s why most of their content flopped.

I learned these hard lessons and grew my website from 0 to 3,000+ visitors per month while working on it a few hours a week only. Evidence:

I choose website topics using these criteria:

- Business potential. The information should benefit my audience and generate revenue. There would be no use in having it otherwise.

My topics should help me:

Attract organic search traffic with my "fluff-free" content -> Subscribers > SEO ebook sales.

Simple and effective.

- traffic on search engines. The number of monthly searches reveals how popular my topic is all across the world. If I find that no one is interested in my suggested topic, I don't write a blog article.

- Competition. Every search term is up against rivals. Some are more popular (thus competitive) since more websites target them in organic search. A new website won't score highly for keywords that are too competitive. On the other side, keywords with moderate to light competition can help you rank higher on Google more quickly.

- Search purpose. The "why" underlying users' search requests is revealed. I analyze search intent to understand what users need when they plug various queries in the search bar and what content can perfectly meet their needs.

My specialty website produces money, ranks well, and attracts the target audience because I handpick high-traffic themes.

Following these guidelines, even a new website can stand out.

I wrote a 50-page SEO writing guide where I detailed topic selection and share my front-page Google strategy.

My guide can help you run a successful niche website.

In summary

You're not late to the niche-website party.

The Internet offers many untapped opportunities.

We need new solutions and are willing to listen.

There are unexplored niches in any topic.

Don't fight giants. They have their piece of the pie. They might overlook new opportunities while trying to keep that piece of the pie. You should act now.

Nate Kostar

3 years ago

# DeaMau5’s PIXELYNX and Beatport Launch Festival NFTs

Pixelynx, a music metaverse gaming platform, has teamed up with Beatport, an online music retailer focusing in electronic music, to establish a Synth Heads non-fungible token (NFT) Collection.

Richie Hawtin, aka Deadmau5, and Joel Zimmerman, nicknamed Pixelynx, have invented a new music metaverse game platform called Pixelynx. In January 2022, they released their first Beatport NFT drop, which saw 3,030 generative NFTs sell out in seconds.

The limited edition Synth Heads NFTs will be released in collaboration with Junction 2, the largest UK techno festival, and having one will grant fans special access tickets and experiences at the London-based festival.

Membership in the Synth Head community, day passes to the Junction 2 Festival 2022, Junction 2 and Beatport apparel, special vinyl releases, and continued access to future ticket drops are just a few of the experiences available.

Five lucky NFT holders will also receive a Golden Ticket, which includes access to a backstage artist bar and tickets to Junction 2's next large-scale London event this summer, in addition to full festival entrance for both days.

The Junction 2 festival will take place at Trent Park in London on June 18th and 19th, and will feature performances from Four Tet, Dixon, Amelie Lens, Robert Hood, and a slew of other artists. Holders of the original Synth Head NFT will be granted admission to the festival's guestlist as well as line-jumping privileges.

The new Synth Heads NFTs collection  contain 300 NFTs.

NFTs that provide IRL utility are in high demand.

The benefits of NFT drops related to In Real Life (IRL) utility aren't limited to Beatport and Pixelynx.

Coachella, a well-known music event, recently partnered with cryptocurrency exchange FTX to offer free NFTs to 2022 pass holders. Access to a dedicated entry lane, a meal and beverage pass, and limited-edition merchandise were all included with the NFTs.

Coachella also has its own NFT store on the Solana blockchain, where fans can buy Coachella NFTs and digital treasures that unlock exclusive on-site experiences, physical objects, lifetime festival passes, and "future adventures."

Individual artists and performers have begun taking advantage of NFT technology outside of large music festivals like Coachella.

DJ Tisto has revealed that he would release a VIP NFT for his upcoming "Eagle" collection during the EDC festival in Las Vegas in 2022. This NFT, dubbed "All Access Eagle," gives collectors the best chance to get NFTs from his first drop, as well as unique access to the music "Repeat It."

NFTs are one-of-a-kind digital assets that can be verified, purchased, sold, and traded on blockchains, opening up new possibilities for artists and businesses alike. Time will tell whether Beatport and Pixelynx's Synth Head NFT collection will be successful, but if it's anything like the first release, it's a safe bet.