How To Start A Money Making Blog on WordPress Using Bluehost

Owning your own blog is rewarding, fun, and you can make a great living doing it. Whether you want to make extra money, work from home, or just have fun, set up your blog correctly for early success.


AFFILIATE LINKS MAY BE USED IN THE POST
Starting your own blog can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, it’s really very simple.


I’ve written step-by-step instructions to walk you through the entire set-up process.


Also, I’ve included a link for discounted pricing and a free domain name so that you can start a blog for cheap.


Click here to start a blog on WordPress and then follow the instructions below.

Why Blog?

Blogging is such a fun and rewarding experience. It give can be a creative outlet, a way to launch an online business, a way to connect with other like-mind people, or all of the above!

Host Your Blog

If you want to start a blog for as little money as possible and have reliable service, choose Bluehost as your host provider. My blog is hosted on Bluehost and I have no complaints. Their customer service is great, it’s easy to use, and it’s really cheap.


If you click my link and sign up for a 12 month plan, you will receive your own customized domain name for free. That’s how my web address is www.crazybusyhappylife.com instead of blahblahblah.blogspot.com. You see the difference? One is more professional than the other.
If you want to make money from your blog, you’ll need a self-hosted domain like the one I have.


You will save more money by signing up for 12 months of hosting. Also, there is not contract so if you decide blogging is not for you, they will give you a refund.

• Bluehost offers cheap web hosting.
• A free domain name.
• 24/7 technical help.
• Free WordPress through Bluehost.
• You will be self hosted. If you want to monetize your blog, you really need to be self hosted.

How to Start a Money Making Blog

WordPress is one of the largest blogging platforms in the world and super easy to use. Plus, when you host your site on Bluehost, starting your blog on WordPress is an easy download through the Bluehost site.


I’ll make things simple by dividing the process into two parts:

Part One: Set Up Your Domain

The first step is to decide where you are going to host your blog or site. You might tempted to go the “free” route and host your blog with Blogger or WordPress.com. I DO NOT recommend going this route. A self-hosted domain helps you to completely manage your site and if you want to make money by blogging, a self-hosted site is the way to go.

1. First, go to Bluehost’s official website and sign up to get the process started.
2. Now you need to set up a domain name. Click the button, “I need a domain name”.
   • Spend some time thinking about your domain name. Make it relevant to your blog and easy for people to type.
3. After choosing your domain name you’ll need to fill out the account information page, which essentially involves filling out your personal information.
4. The next step would be to select an appropriate hosting package. The packages are 12, 24 and 36 month terms.
   • To receive the lowest price, choose the “Basic” plan. It’s only $3.49 per month through my link (due upfront in full) if you sign up for 36 months. If you sign up for a 24 month plan, then the price is $3.95 per month. If you sign up for a 12 month plan, then the price is $4.95 per month. I recommend signing up for the 12 month plan. $4.95 is still a really cheap rate for quality web hosting. It comes out to only $59.40 a year. Plus, you get the free domain name through my link when you sign up for 12 months or more. This will save you some serious money.
5. Finally, click next to complete your purchase.

You just need the basic plan. Don’t worry about the other two.

Just purchase the basic plan. Don’t worry about the extras. The only one I recommend adding is the Domain Privacy Protection, which is only $0.99 per month. This protects your private information.

Now you officially own a self-hosted domain on Bluehost. That was easy, right? Now you just need to install WordPress and connect it to your domain name.

Part Two: Installing WordPress

How to start a blog using WordPress. Bluehost has made the entire process of installing WordPress fast and easy. Installation of WordPress involves the following steps:

• First, in your cpanel section (you will receive a link to your personal cpanel in your welcome email from Bluehost), select MOJO Marketplace which is the program that allows you to install third-party software like WordPress.
• Next, after clicking One-Click installs button, select WordPress.
• An Install button will appear, click it!
• Now you need to select the domain name where you want WordPress to be installed.
• Accept the license and service agreement by checking the boxes.
• Then select Install Now.
• Now you will see Advanced Options: This section allows you to set-up your own username and password.
  • You will want to check “Automatically create a new database for this installation”, unless you already have a different database (if you don’t know, then you probably do not).
• Lastly, check your email for further instructions and information.

Once WordPress is fully installed all the relevant information will be emailed to you. Use the information which has your username, Site and Login URL and log into your WordPress account

The 10 Best Ways To Make Money Online in 2018

10 Ways You Can Make Major Money Online In 2018

Blogging, make money

Making money online has never been easier than it is now.  With more companies focusing on remote opportunities, the freelance market growing, and unlimited resources teaching you how to profit from the internet... 2018 is your time to breakout in the online world.


Whether you want extra spending money or a whole new career, I go through the ten best ways you can make a money online this year (and they aren't surveys!)

*This post may contain affiliates. See my disclosure for more

1. FREELANCE WRITING

Freelance writing is one of the BEST ways you can make money online.

 
When I started out, I made hundreds on the side freelance writing.  It was something i enjoyed and could do on my own time.  It's not uncommon for quality writers to get between 100$ - 300$ per 1,000 word post, some even get more.

2. BEING A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Being an online VA is one of the most underrated methods for making money online.  Not to mention, it has one of the largest job markets, simply because there are so many different options to choose from.  Examples include:

• Data Entry
• Call Service Support
• Social Media Assistants
• Pinterest Assistants
• Chat Representatives
• Executive Assistants
• And more!

There are so many training opportunities for people looking to be a VA.  To get a better idea of job availability, you can check this Virtual Assistant Website.

3. STARTING A BLOG

Blogging is a fantastic way to make an extra 100/mo or an extra 100,000/mo.  It just depends on how much effort you want to put into it.    My favorite "rich" blogger of all time makes over 100,000 a month, with over 50,000 of it being from affiliate sales alone (which we will go over next).


 That is a lot of passive income.

 
You can find out exactly how she did it here.


Other ways blogger's make money is through ads, sponsorships, products, services... you name it!


If it's something you'd like to learn more about, my post: How Blogger's Make Money, will walk you through all of the details.


Start your blog today (It's one of the ways I make money!)

4. UTILIZING AFFILIATES

So what exactly is affiliate marketing? Well, you simply get a commission every time you recommend a sale.


Affiliate marketing goes hand in hand with blogging. However, you don't need to be a blogger to make an income from affiliates.  Social media, word of mouth, and email are all fantastic ways to gain affiliate income as well.


In fact, many Youtuber's make significant money from affiliate marketing without ever having to make a website.  They simply leverage the benefit of video to make the sales.  And the reality is, video has higher a chance of converting than writing.  So, if video is your thing (and writing long, lengthy posts are not) your just as well off in the affiliate world.


You can also learn how Michelle make 50,000 a month from affiliates right here. She also offers a course where she teaches you exactly how to do it for yourself.  I took it and I highly recommend you do too!

Check out her affiliate course here

 

  

5. SELLING ON AMAZON

Anybody can sell on Amazon if they are willing to find an "in demand" product at wholesale price. If that product can appeal to the amazon market, they can set themselves up to make an incredible profit.


 Creator's can also make profit if they can find a large enough market (with low enough competition) for their creations. Although, I found choice number one to be the more popular of the two choices.


There are numerous Amazon FBA courses available that can help you navigate the process.

Now, I'm not saying that every video on Youtube is legit because that's definitely not the case. However, common sense says the platform wouldn't work if there wasn't significant profit to be made. These two also sound like they know their stuff. You can learn a lot about the process if you give it a listen.


If you like the idea of creating or simply redistributing, products on the side, then Amazon might be right for you.

6. SELLING ON ETSY

Etsy is a popular platform for creators.  If you are into crafting or art, it's a perfect platform to try out the eCommerce world.  You simply list your items in the Etsy store and use the site's audience to make sales (which is easier than trying to start your own online store).


I'm not an Etsy expert, but I've heard of many women making a killing with their products.  This article by around.io does a good job listing the items you can profit on with Etsy.

7. SELLING YOUR OLD STUFF ON EBAY

If you have an issue with hoarding old electronics... stop. right. now.
You can make a lot of extra pocket change by selling all of those used electronics you would have otherwise recycled (or let rot in your house) on eBay.


Don't toss that old laptop, camera, or phone.. sell it.  Yes, it's a little bit of a hassle, but the eBay process is an easy one once you get familiar with the platform.


I've made hundreds of dollars selling old electronics on eBay. These items would have otherwise sat in my house for years, taking up spacing while simultaneously losing value.

8.  FLIPPING WEBSITES

Have you ever heard of Flippa? Well, it's this nifty site where you can buy and sell websites.


Obviously, you have to have a decent knowledge of marketing and SEO to make this profitable.


 However, there is a huge benefit to using aged domains over new ones: they rank better in Google.


Some of the websites on the platform are junk, while others are diamonds in the rough.  They simply need someone to shine them up for a new audience.


If you are good with marketing and have a decent knowledge of Wordpress (the most common platform on the site) you will do well flipping sites.


You can find out more at flippa.com.

9. DROP SHIPPING

Drop shipping is like having a retail store without all of the physical headaches.


Essentially, drop shipping is where you get to sell items without stocking them yourself.  It's almost like a hybrid between affiliate marketing and Amazon sales.  You do the marketing, promotion, sales, etc... but the wholesaler does the shipping.  This saves you both money and space.


The best part is that you can sell your favorite retail products from anywhere.  All you need is an internet connection.


To find out more about drop shipping, watch the video below and check out this article by Shopify. 

 

10. CONSULTING

If you have knowledge where people need it, you can profit from it. That's right, selling your knowledge is the real deal.


There are so many different topics you can consult on.  All you need is a platform to selly our knowledge and an audience to buy it.


Examples of online consulting services include:

• Fitness/health
• Life Skills
• Business
• Finance
• Marketing
• Tech
• Real Estate
• And many more

Natural Ways To Quit Smoking Which You Must Consider!

Smoking has become one of the most addictive habits among people of different age groups. From adults to the teenagers, from women to men, everyone is an easy target to this addiction! The smokers find it tough to battle the addiction to nicotine which can have dangerous effects on the health! A lot of people die due to various disease and illnesses caused by smoking and tobacco! Thus, it is very important to quit smoking. Hence  in this article we will see natural ways to quit smoking.


It is not easy to quit smoking and you cannot expect magical results! It is an intense addiction which can be fought gradually. Also, it is very important to find the natural ways to battle smoking. One of the widely used natural ways to quit smoking is the usage of essential oils!

Essential Oils To Quit Smoking

• To your surprise, essential oils are quite effective and helpful in quitting smoking. If you are determined to quit smoking, this is a natural way to stop smoking which you must try! The usage of essential oils for fighting smoking is known as ‘aromatherapy’.
• There are some questions regarding the effect of essential oils on smokers and thus, here are certain ways you can use to quit smoking with the help of essential oils!
• There are different researches conducted on this topic which shows that the essential oils like peppermint oil, clove oil, angelica oil, ylang ylang oil, black pepper oil and grapefruit oils are the best oils which has the best impact on the smokers!

It is studied that the smokers who inhaled any of the above given essential oil after the meals, didn’t feel the need to smoke for an hour. The control of the smokers increased for 1-2 hours and they did not feel the craving. This is quite an interesting and easy start with which, the process to quit smoking can be easily started!

Quit Smoking Essential Oil Mix

Take this completely natural test if you want to quit smoking! The essential oils would not have any side effect on your health and will help you get rid of this dangerous habit.


Here is an essential oil mix which you must try to take a step ahead towards quitting smoking!

Essential Oils Needed

• Clove oil
• Lime oil
• Grapefruit oil
• Lavender oil
• Chamomile oil
• Marjoram
• Helichrysum

How To Make The Essential Oil Mix?

Take a bottle and add 5 drops of every essential oil except lavender oil, marjoram and grapefruit oil. Mix these oils and add 10 drops of the remaining oil to the bottle, Close the bottle and make it seal tight. Let this mixture set for few hours and then, it is ready to use.


Inhale this oil mix after every meal and your mood will brighten up due to the aromatic effects. You won’t feel the need to smoke anymore for few hours. Use this on the daily basis to quit smoking with a natural and gradual process!

Benefits Of This Technique

• It reduces the cravings to smoke and reduces the frequency of smoking in slow and steady manner.
• Inhaling the essential oils will also help you to control appetite and headache issues
• Inhaling it will simply get you rid of anxiety, stress and depression in a healthy way!
• It helps you quit smoking without feeling dizziness, fatigue, headaches and such issues!
• The essential oils stimulate the respiratory tract due to which, it is very effective for quitting the habit of smoking.

Along with this, there are some unique and beneficial natural ways to quit smoking which you must consider. The use of natural ingredients and techniques will help you conquer smoking quickly.

Herbs To Quit Smoking

One of the best ways to quit smoking is the herbs. Also the herbal supplements are very beneficial and will improve the blood flow.


Nicotine cravings can be diminished using herbs and thus, use this method to fight smoking. Also if you are a smoker since long, consumption of herbs will repair your cells which are damaged due to smoking!


Here are the herbs which you can use to quit smoking:

1. Acorus Calamus

This herb is widely used to treat various breathing and bronchitis-related illnesses. It helps in reducing extra mucus and clears the jam-up in the bronchioles. It is also a calming herb which controls craving for nicotine and helps in anxiety, stress, and stomach issues!


Many people start facing digestive issues and upset stomach while they try to quit smoking. In such cases, this multi-benefit digestive herb will help you fight these issues too!

2. Hyssopus Officinalis

This is an excellent herb which purifies the lungs and repairs the respiratory system. It works excellently on stress and anxiety issues while calming you! It also helps in detoxification of the lungs, liver, bladder and performs cleansing action!


This is an herb which will help you get relieved form nicotine and will also repair the damage cause to your internal body parts due to smoking!

3. Nepeta Cataria

Catnip helps in controlling the most triggers to smoking which are anxiety, stress, depression and such mental and physical conditions. It also helps in reducing headaches and digestive issues!


Placing this herb in the mouth under the tongue would naturally reduce the need of smoking!

4. Korean Ginseng

This is a magical herb which reduces both, emotional as well physical trauma and is also a natural tonic which reduces stress. It boosts blood flow in the body and regulates energy!


It would improve memory, concentration and will boost your mood while reducing the need to smoke!

5. Licorice

This is an easily available herb which can fight burning sensations and inflammation in your respiratory system. Chewing the licorice root will fix your respiratory system, control the craving for nicotine and will boost energy!


You can get a licorice root from a herbal shop and use it for quitting smoking!

6. Lobelia

This is a herb which has been widely used to control the cravings and reduce the side effects which can affect you while you quit smoking. Lobeline in the lobelia herb has very similar effects on the body as nicotine but does not harm the body. Along with this, it is an anti septic herb with interesting healing properties which clears the lungs and respiratory system. Even lobelia tea is consumed to quit smoking gradually!


There are few other herbs like oat grass, passion flower, plantain, mullein, Rhodiola, skullcap, valerian etc are used to control smoking habits due to its benefits of clearing the respiratory system and reducing the cravings to smoke.


It must be noted that these herbs must be taken in a limited quantity and not on daily basis. Check for the effects of the herbs on your body to ensure its safety!

Other Natural Ways To Quit Smoking

1. Try Acupuncture

This is one of the best used remedies or natural ways to quit smoking. This technique uses thin needles which are inserted in specific areas of the body which can stimulate energy and improve blood flow in the body. This technique doesn’t cause pain and is considered a natural healing process which reduces the cravings to smoke.


The points targeted during acupuncture can target the cravings and need to smoke and reduce the extreme need of smoking. If you like the natural healing processes, try acupuncture!

2. Get Some Grape Juice

This is the ingredient which helps in fighting the toxic substances from your body one of which is nicotine. When you start to quit smoking, you can feel nauseous, get headaches and such issues. For fighting this, drink grape juice daily which will help in detoxifying your body.


This will also boost your moods and will make you feel hydrated, energetic and stress free!

3. Stay Away From Caffeine

When you quit smoking, also try to stay away from caffeinated drinks. These drinks and consumption of caffeine may cause jitter and fatigue. Thus, stay away from caffeine or consume very less amount of caffeine when you quit smoking.

4. Perform Meditation And Yoga

These two magical practices have shown very interesting results on various illnesses and disease. To quit smoking, you can start with yoga and meditation which will give you quite reliable results. More often, people smoke due to stress and anxiety which can be significantly reduced by meditation.  It helps in boosting blood flow, improving your will power, making your more focused and much more!


Yoga will help you control your cravings and will fight the stress hormones! Thus, try some yoga poses, meditation and breathing techniques!

5. Change Your Diet And Keep Hydrated

The fruits and vegetables are the foods which would worsen the taste of cigarette and thus, you need to consume more veggies and fruits! It will not only help you to fight cravings to smoke but will also fill you with vitamins and nutrients to improve your body! Water on the other hand helps in fighting the toxins from your body!


Thus, drink water and eat fresh foods to stay healthy, active and energetic while fighting smoking!


These are the natural ways, herbs and essential oils which will help you fight smoking. However, more than any of these, you will need a strong determination and support to quit such a dangerous habit of smoking!


Get determined, get the support from people around you and move towards a healthy and fit life!

References

https://www.flowingfree.org/best-herbs-to-help-you-quit-smoking/
https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/quit-smoking/
http://www.simplehouseholdtips.com/natural-ways-to-stop-smoking.html
http://www.medicaldaily.com/5-natural-ways-quit-smoking-proven-work-246408

Foods That Help Sleep Apnea!

• Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep.
• Forms of sleep apnea are Obstructive sleep Apnea and Central sleep apnea,the most common being obstructive sleep Apnea.
• Sleep Apnea is detected with overnight sleep study.
• Treatment consists of lifestyle changes; sleep device and surgery,the treatment without which may increase the risk of heart attack,stroke,diabetes, heart failure and obesity.

• Do you feel drag in the morning in spite of sleeping for 8 hours?
• Is snoring a problem you have been hearing about you?
• Do you keep on getting up frequently in the night with a jerk?

Well that may be the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where there is repeated interruption of breathing in a person during sleep. The word “apnea” means “without breath” in Greek. People with sleep apnea may repeatedly stop breathing during their sleep and the brain and other organs of the body may not get enough oxygen as needed. There are two types of sleep apnea,one of the common forms of apnea being, obstructive sleep apnea which is caused by the blockage of airways when the soft tissues of the back of the throat collapses during sleep. The other type is central sleep apnea which is caused due to the blockage of airways by the inability of the brain to send signals to the muscle to breathe due to instability of the respiratory control center.


Sleep apnea can happen to anyone even the kids.However the people who are affected by sleep apnea are male, obese individuals, suffering from nasal obstruction due to allergies or deviated septum, having a large tongue or neck size or having family history of sleep apnea.


A person having sleep apnea will suffer from frequent waking up with gasp or choking sensation, uncomfortable sleep, snoring, headaches, insomnia,and lack of energy during the day and forgetfulness.


Foods play an important role by feeling energized and active throughout the day and gain a good night sleep. Foods that you eat help in ease the condition and control the situation and also reduce the sleep apnea treatment.

Foods That Help Sleep Apnea

1. Melatonin Rich Foods

If planning to control sleep apnea naturally, then melatonin containing foods are beneficial. Melatonin is present in a number of foods like in fruits and vegetables as in cherries, cucumber, corn, broccoli, pomegranate, grapes and tomatoes. Melatonin is a natural sleep enhancer and helps in achieving a good night sleep naturally. Melatonin is also available in nuts and seeds.

2. Omega 3 Fatty Acid Rich Foods

Omega 3 fatty acids help in processing the melatonin that helps to keep the sleep wake cycle in sync and enhances restful sleep in the night. Now where do you get Omega 3? Through tuna,salmon, shrimps and other seafoods. Have seafoods in the evening meal to ensure better quality sleep.

3. Tryptophan Rich Foods

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is found in milk products like milk,cheese and yoghurt,seafoods,grains, legumes and vegetables and fruits like apples,banana and turnip. When we have foods that contain tryptophan,it converts the serotonin which is a neurotransmitter to melatonin,the hormone that helps us with sleep.

4. Magnesium Rich Foods

Magnesium is rich in foods like spinach,kale,nuts, bananas and avocados. Just like tryptophan, magnesium helps in getting decent sleep by reducing the effects of adrenaline and helping us relax.

5. Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium plays an important role in helping people struggling from sleep problem. Calcium is found in dairy products like milk and yogurt and green leafy vegetables like kale and grains. Calcium is essential in the development of melatonin, the hormone that relaxes the body and assist from wakefulness to sleep.

6. Foods Rich In Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is found in nuts and seeds like flaxseeds,sunflower seedsand pistachios and fishes like salmon and tuna and fruits like bananas and avocados and bananas. People with mood disorders and depression are benefitted with foods rich in Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is good for sleep as it helps in converting tryptophan to hormone melatonin.


Certain liquids help in relaxing the mind and providing good sleep. Try drinking these before lying down like warm milk, almond milk,peppermint tea, chamomile tea and passion fruit tea.

Tips To Consider If Suffering From Sleep Apnea

Your doctor may suggest the apt sleep apnea treatment according to the condition, but there are certain points that you need to consider which will help in improving the symptoms.

1. Lose Weight And Try To Gain An Ideal Body Weight

If you are overweight or obese, then slimming down, even losing few pounds will help to improve the symptoms. When we go through a weight loss program for few weeks, the symptoms of sleep apnea becomes less severe than those who don’t.

2. Limit Alcohol And Stop Smoking

Drinking too much of alcohol and smoking are not healthy ways as it can worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea. Smoking increases the swelling of upper airways that can result in snoring and breathing pauses. The tone of the muscle present at the back of the throat is decreased with alcohol consumption that can come in the way of airflow.

3. Eat Healthy

It is just not only the responsibility of people who are overweight to consider healthy diet practices, every individual needs to have a check on the diet practices. Fatigue and lack of sleep have been linked to changes in the ghrelin and leptin hormone that can control hunger.

4. Get Control Of Allergies

Breathing and sleeping becomes difficult if you are suffering from nasal allergies. If the allergies are not under control, the tissues of the upper throat swells up and the airways become narrow leading to difficulty in breathing. Talk to your doctor if you have nasal allergy as they can suggest saline nasal spray before bed.

5. Maintain A Consistent Sleep Routine

Maintain the same time schedule of going to bed and rising up in the morning. Doctors also suggestavoid sleeping on the back as they can have breathing problems. Hence try to sleep in other positions. Devices like CPAP machine help to improve the breathing of the people with this disorder.You can consult the doctor who can suggest you the apt sleep treatment.


Hence diet, lifestyle changes and using the CPAP machine have been helpful in controlling the sleep apnea.

PwC advocates efficient use of data analytics, promotes robotics

PWC

For organisations to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness of analytics, capabilities such as strong leadership, sponsorship and proactive change management are important.

 
According to Partner, Data and Analytics, PwC West Africa, Femi Osinubi, who gave this charge in Lagos, at the Data and Analytics Conference hosted by PwC, exemplars strategically invest in technology that enables the right analytics and makes data available to the right people. 

 
Osinubi said organisations need to update business and data governance processes to align analytics, IT and business.On his part, Director, Data and Analytics Consulting, PwC India, Amit Lundia, noted that “a series of trends are creating opportunities for companies to create value through data and analytics. PwC has responded to these by building a robust data and analytics apps market place.”

 

  Beaming its search light into the future, PwC has predicted that Nigerian businesses would soon begin to incorporate robotic automation into their operations, which is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoTs). 

The prediction was based on a recent research findings conducted by PwC on Shared Service Centres (SSCs), and Centralised Processing Centres (CPCs), across industries in Nigeria, designed to gain first-hand opinions and insights on the maturity levels of SSCs and CPCs in Nigeria.

 
The report was also carried out to find out the key trends, challenges, and risks in the implementation of SSCs and CPCs, as well as the opportunities of optimising them in business operations.

 
The survey was conducted across various industry sectors like oil and gas, manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, and many others, while 93 respondents from across the various industries, participated in the survey.

 
According to the survey, 83 per cent of respondents indicated Finance and Information Technology functions as major candidates for migration to Shared Service Centres. Seven per cent of CPCs surveyed employ ‘only contract staff’ while the SSC staffing model is purely a mix of contract and full time staff. Also, 70 per cent of respondents indicated that CPC costs are billed as part of ‘head office’ costs to various segments of the business, using an agreed allocation key.

 

 The report also showed that 83 per cent of SSC respondents indicated that their organisations have adopted multi-function SSCs, 31 per cent of CPC respondents achieved cost savings between 10 per cent and 30 per cent, while seven per cent of SSC respondents indicated cost savings between 10 per cent and 30 per cent.

 
The report listed six trends that would shape the future of Shared Service and Centralised Processing Centres to include: standardisation, automation, job enrichment, scope enhancement, data analysis and service orientation.


Giving insight into the report, the Associate Director, Operations, PwC Nigeria, Adedoyin Amosun, said Nigerian businesses, especially those in the financial services, telecommunications and constructions sector, would soon begin to make use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline their operations.


RPA is the use of smart software to execute processes across various systems, and can be used to access business systems, and legacy ‘green screen environments’, and extract data from web and citrix environments, use emails to trigger a process and send emails when complete, among many other functionalities.

 
“Typically human beings have an error rate of three to five per cent, but the robot has an error rate of 0.2 to 0.5 per cent. And the mistakes that are made are not actually from the robot, but could be as result of a change in the process,” Amosun said, while insisting that one of RPA’s most important attributes is accuracy.

 
Although there were concerns about the possible loss of human jobs with the introduction of robotics, but Amosun clarified that job losses would not be an issue that would slow down the technology adoption. This is because the introduction of RPA in itself, would increase job creation, productivity and efficiency.

“Skill-sets of shared services are changing, so increasingly we will need people that can analyse information and come up with insights. So it is the skill-sets that are changing. It does not necessarily mean that people will be laid off,” she said.

 
Associate Director at PwC, Alistair Hofert, said: “I think that the robots are the future. I think that the manual bots that robots will take away from humans will free human minds and help us do things that are much more interesting.”

 
Analysing the future impact of automation, the Advisory Partner and Chief Economist at PwC, Dr. Andrew Nevin, said: “I don’t know what the outcome of this is, but what I think is that society and policymakers should be thinking a lot about this now; these things are coming in without a lot of discussions on what the consequences will be.”

‘Brands spend less than 2% on digital marketing’

With the evolution and multifunction of digital devices and media leading to changes in consumer behaviour, businesses need to update their market strategies to be relevant in the global community.However brands in Nigeria are yet to have a significant space in the digital world due to their low investment in the global space.

 
In Nigeria, compared to other Western climes, brands spend less than two per cent on digital marketing. This is evident in their pay-books and media space, when compared to their counterparts in Western climes,” said Digital Lead, Red Media, Olayemi Moses, at the Lagos Digital Summit (LDS).

  
In a keynote address at the summit, Media expert/activist, Kayode Ogundamisi, said Digital media is about negotiation and social inclusion, ‘‘digital media has taken the power from the mainstream media to the mainstream media. However, media experts should not limit their reach to their area of concentration alone.’’


 
The Summit tagged, ‘Digital for All’, focused on how digital media is leveraged the private and public sectors to drive growth.Admonishing youths on the power of social media, Kayode said: ‘‘social media should not be used for activities alone. It should be used to lend your voice and demand for a better government.’’

 
Speaking on Corporate Brands and Digital Communication, CEO, Auracool Digital Media, Paul Ezeudoh, said: “with social media, there has been a transition in the ownership of the media. People have the power over the media now and not the brand. Brands should realise that digital communication plays a vital role in brand communication.  Also, brands should use contents that will engage the audience to keep themselves in the mind of their customers.’’

 
For Digital Lead, Red Media, Olayemi Moses, firms should understand the demographics of their customers and use the appropriate digital platforms to reach their target audience.

 
Speaking on Content Marketing, the role of Digital Agencies, Digital Marketing Executive, Olusoji Festus, said content marketing should be judged based on the followings: goal, target, audience, social media influence, strategy, creativity and production.
 

Brazil footballers remembered one year after plane crash

People attend a ceremony in honour of the victims and survivors of Lamia flight 2933 on the first anniversary of the plane crash in Colombia that wiped out Brazilian football club Chapecoense, at the Arena Conda stadium, in Chapeco, Santa Catarina, Brazil on November 28, 2017. 

The plane was flying Chapecoense to Medellin to take on Atletico Nacional in the Copa Sudamericana finals — the biggest and most unexpected game in the Brazilian team’s history. 

When the plane ran out of fuel and went down in inhospitable mountains near its destination, 71 of the 77 aboard died, including 19 players. / AFP PHOTO / NELSON ALMEIDA

Two army helicopters scattered flower petals over a town square Tuesday as part of sad tributes to the upstart Brazilian football team Chapecoense, most of whose players died in a plane crash exactly a year ago.


La Union, the town closest to the site of the accident on a mountainside near Medellin, Colombia, hosted a commemorative ceremony.


The names of the late players and team staff — members of a modest squad that was about to play in a championship game — were read aloud in the town plaza.


The crash killed 71 of the 76 people aboard the plane operated by the Bolivian carrier LaMia. The team lost most of its players and coaches. Only three players survived.

A probe into the crash determined the plane ran out of fuel and was overloaded.


“Glory was close,” said Andres Botero, president of Atletico Nacional, the Colombian team that Chapecoense was going to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana tournament last year.


“Tragedy crushed their dream,” Botero added.


A memorial plaque was unveiled in the town square as part of the remembrance activities, which were also to feature two Masses and flyover of the crash site by a Colombian air force jet.


A separate memorial ceremony was planned for just after midnight in the town of Chapeco itself.
The plane crash took place a year ago Tuesday Colombia time, early Wednesday Brazil time.


An outpouring of tributes came from towering figures in the world of football.


“Today my heart is in Chapeco,” Brazilian legend Pele wrote on Twitter. “It is a day to remember and pray for those who went to heaven too soon.”


Current Brazilian star Neymar told Spanish TV, “All of us Brazilians carry them in our hearts.”


On the road leading to the hill where the plane crashed — known now as Mount Chapeco — a farmer named Luis Albeiro Valencia has set up a monument erected to those killed in the tragedy.


It is a wooden replica of a plane beside two brick columns. One holds tires from the landing gear of the airliner that went down, the other a deflated football.


He said he was given the items in appreciation for helping with rescue operations that horrible night.


Of the monument, Albeiro Valencia said: “It is to remember. So people will not forget them, because with time everyone will probably forget this hill.”

Internet records 900% growth over a decade

Internet

• Society highlights promotion of facility in Nigeria, others The last 17 years have been very eventful for the Internet economy, growing nearly 900 per cent from 400 million in 2000 to 3.5 billion users as at today. As such, the Internet has had an unprecedented impact on the economy and societies around the globe.

 
The Internet Society, which gave this statistics, noted that the Internet is no longer just the home of email, static webpages and discussion boards; today’s Internet is so much more. It now a dynamic space for collaboration, commerce and expression.

 
According to it, video currently accounts for more than two-thirds of all Internet traffic in the world, and people accessing the Internet via a mobile device now outnumber those connecting from a computer. The Internet has changed political systems, revolutionised business, and reshaped communities worldwide.

 
In spite of all this dynamism, certain properties of the Internet persist. These properties, which are called invariants, have been the foundation for the Internet since its earliest days. At the same time, it is because of these invariants that the Internet has become such a dynamic resource. These technical properties are at the heart of the Internet’s success — they provide users with the ability to fully benefit from the Internet.

 
These invariants include global reach, general purpose, accessibility, interoperability, collaboration, supports for innovation without permission, among others.Internet penetration and usage varies widely across the world. For instance, in Africa, urban areas generally have higher penetration rates than rural areas do. As of 2017, 388 million of the continent’s 1.25 billion people are online, with 160 million holding Facebook accounts. Out of the 388 million users, Nigeria accounted for 91.5 million with Kenya following with 44 million people on the Internet. The African region is still adjudged as continent with the slowest growth.

 
However, For Africans to benefit from the opportunities the Internet has provided, the Internet Society believed that there was need for governments in the region to know what these opportunities are and ensure that they remove the hurdles that stop countries and citizens from benefiting from them.

 
According to the Internet Society, an American non-profit organisation founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet-related standards, education, access, and policy, there was need for African handlers to ensuring that broadband is available, affordable, and that there is sufficient bandwidth for new services.  

  
This requires several steps such as: Liberalisation of the sector to promote competition. The conditions of liberalisation are important, with licenses that offer flexibility, and that are reasonably priced, having transparent conditions; affordable taxation of mobile Internet devices and services, where they are not treated as luxury goods, and balance the need to increase usage.


 Also, promoting the Internet economy; spectrum policies that allow for sufficient allocations so that companies can use the spectrum in an efficient and flexible manner, at affordable costs, and supporting content infrastructure such as Data Centres. These can be of benefit from a number of factors such as access to affordable and reliable sources of power, lower import taxes, and favourable investment policies.

  
Africa Region Bureau Director for the Internet Society, Dawit Bekele, believes that with right policies the continent can benefit immensely from the Internet economy.Bekele said Africa needed a secure and reliable Internet infrastructure that users trust in order to bring large and small businesses online, along with governments and other social services.

  
He explained that the Internet Society in collaboration with the African Union (AU) recently introduced Internet Infrastructure Security Guidelines for Africa to help AU member states strengthen the security of their local Internet infrastructure through actions at a regional, national, ISP/operator and organisational level.

 
According to him, in Kenya, the Internet economy already represents 3.6 per cent of the country’s GDP and in other developing countries 1.3 per cent of GDP comes from the Internet economy. He said the McKinsey Global Institute predicted that in addition to contributions to GDP, the Internet will deliver productivity gains across Africa.


 
These productivity gains, according to him, are across six key sectors: financial services, education, health, retail, agriculture and government are projected to be valued at between $148billion and $318billion by 2025.However, he noted that a thriving Internet economy in Africa could be put at risk by the increasing number of Internet shutdowns in the region.

 
He revealed that in 2016 alone, there were at least 56 shutdowns of the Internet around the world. “These shutdowns affect individuals and organisations that depend on the Internet for their daily lives, and have negative effects on the economy.

 
“In addition to the economic costs, Internet shutdowns also affect trust. If people don’t know whether they will have connectivity, they can no longer rely on that connectivity to build Internet-based businesses. This will affect entrepreneurs in greatest need of digital-led innovation for their own future, and the future of the Internet economy in Africa,” added Bekele.

Nigeria’s businesses share in $650b global losses to poor collaboration

 
SAP advocates cloud adoption among organizations
Lack of effective collaboration among organisations is costing businesses globally, Nigeria inclusive, an estimated yearly loss of about $650billion (N198.2trillion).


According to SAP, which disclosed this, these losses have been made worse by the adoption of weak software application in the coordination of all business processes under a single Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software platform.


SAP, a market leader in enterprise application software, at a media conference in Lagos, advised organisations to adopt cloud solutions in their businesses, as well as the right ERP software that will boost operational efficiency and ensure cost reduction. According to SAP, no matter the industry or geographic location, all businesses today have one overriding thing in common, “to be successful and sustainable you must be digital. While the rewards of moving a business towards digital are considerable, the initial transition can be challenging. Innovation requires the ability for businesses to collect, manage, analyse and leverage data of all types, to extend and connect to business networks, and to innovate new edge scenarios to allow the business to continuously adapt and advance.”


The firm stressed the need for cloud adoption among organisations, to address the mountains of inefficiencies and missed opportunities in operations. These it said, would redirect the mind-set of chief executive officers in understanding digital transformation, unleash its powers while finding a balance between maintaining a healthy business and current infrastructure, and innovating without disruption.


The Managing Director, SAP West Africa, Pedro Guerreiro, explained that most organisations invest a great deal to maintain and customise their IT landscapes to meet their unique business needs. He however said today, nearly every organisation has some level of cloud presence, typically for customer relationship management, and human capital management, or procurement.
“Moving to the cloud does not mean breaking off some parts of the business in a piecemeal fashion or taking a rip-and-replace approach.” Cloud is one of the key drivers of digital transformation. Cloud has disrupted the traditional IT model by drastically reducing time to market and for innovative solutions. With its ease of use and ubiquitous access, cloud has democratised the decisions about software purchasing, access, and usage,” Guerreiro said.

The SAP MD noted that cloud computing offers immense opportunity for companies to improve their business operations, regardless of sector, adding, “modern cloud offerings reduce IT infrastructure complexity and free up resources that can be better applied to driving innovation. And with security topping the list of concerns among business and IT leaders, cloud providers today invest talent and energy into ensuring their offerings are able to meet even the most stringent security requirements,” Guerreiro added.


Already, IDC has revealed that cloud spending would surge by 25 per cent to reach more than $100billion, with cloud data centres expected to double in number. In a separate study, analysts found that an astonishing $237billion in profits were lost by the top 200 global companies alone, mainly due to the hidden costs of complexity.


ERP Group Manager, TGI Group of Companies, Manikan dan Velrajan, said the use of SAP ERP software in all their group operations, have hoped the group to save huge cost.


“We are into multiple businesses that cut across various sectors of economies and we needed a wide-based ERP solution that is built around cloud computing and we found that in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, which is an intelligent, NextGen cloud ERP that takes enterprises into the digital age,” Velrajan said.


Speaking on the SAP HANA Cloud, Guerreiro said it was developed to provide companies with an agile, low-cost and scalable solution that helps optimise finance processes, cash flow management, supply chain management, real-time insights, and an end-to-end view of the performance of the entire enterprise. “That is why SAP is the fastest growing enterprise cloud company at scale, with more than 110 million users trading more than $820billion,” Guerreiro said.

14 Nigerian Celebs Who are Allegedly Gays and Lesbians – NO 5 Was Caught (With Pictures)

14 Alexx Ekubo

Gays and Lesbians: For years, these celebrities have struggled so hard to refute the gay rumours that they drag them seriously. Despite their efforts, the rumours continue to rise. The media and blogs are full of homosexual rumours about these celebrities. In fact, none of the people who carry rumours has any concrete evidence that any of these celebrities are really gay.

 

It is said that he had left Uti Nwachukwu. He’s rumoured to be dating IK Ogbonna currently.Alexx addressed his rumoured gay affair with Uti then:

Your relationship with him has been tagged a romantic one on several occasions with people insinuating that you are gay partners. How do you feel about this?
“It’s hilarious! Back in the days, when you have a friend who you go out with often, it was cool, people called him your best friend. Now, when they see two guys together, people begin to have weird thoughts.You see, in this business of entertainment, what you need is someone that believes in you to grow. Uti is big, and he helped me a lot prior to now that I’m beginning to gather my momentum. He is a ‘BigBrother Africa All Stars’ Winner. You can hate him but you can’t take that away from him. A lot of these local celebrities, outside Victoria Island nobody knows them. Uti is someone who grandmothers and pepper sellers know. We were in Ghana recently and the President of Ghana saw Uti at the Airport and recognized him. You can’t hate on success.”


Where do you think the rumours originated from?

I don’t care and I am not bothered. Nigerians have what I call the crab mentality. Have you seen a bunch of crabs in a bucket? When one is trying to come out, the others pull it down. If these insinuations were true, by now there should be a picture to prove it. Look at most successful Nigerian entertainers, they were either tagged gay or Illuminati which I find weird. You see some girls acting their lives away on TV and people tag them as “runs girls”. Almost every young, successful entertainer has a negative tag and it is disheartening.

The word on the streets is that you both live together. Is that true?

Yes we do. But is it anybody’s problem who I live with or who Uti lives with? We all know how expensive it is to live in a highbrow area in Lagos. If you have a friend who youare getting along with and you want to live with each other, is that anybody’s problem?

How does this rumour affect your career?

It doesn’t affect my career because to me, I am just living my life. I’ve never come out to refute anything because I don’t owe anybody any explanation. It’s my life.”

13. Iyabo Ojo

Yoruba actress, Iyabo Ojo was called lesbian because of her foundation called “S-exy Pink Ladies”. But Iyabo vehemently denied it. She then changed the name of her foundation because of these insinuations.

12. Susan Peters

She once reacted against rumours of her being a lesbian:
‘’I am not a lesbian. I have never practised lesbianism. People who know me know that Susan Peters is not a lesbian. Maybe, the speculation was because of my masculine structure. I am masculine because I used to participate in games a lot before.I played basketball, ran, played golf but I stopped at some point because I was developing muscles. If I go back into the gym now, I will develop those muscles but I am not gay.People should stop tagging me as gay.I love the other sex, I don’t like gay. I have female friends but I have more of male friends. I have a boyfriend mind you, not boyfriends.


But I have male friends because I prefer male friends to female friends because they are more comfortable to be with. I am not saying I don’t like my female friends. I have female friends but I love more of male friends. So, people should stop saying I am gay, I am a full-fledged straight woman.’’

11. Genevieve Nnaji

The story of the Beninese actress/musician, Ella Martins and Nollywood star, Genevieve Nnaji, lesbians were actually broken by an online magazine last year and this has created a big buzz.


  Although Ella Martins and Genevieve would have reacted quickly to smash everything, it seems that the echoes are still heard while Ella recently announced to Vanguard that the rumour had affected her.You became popular in Nigeria after the allegation of lesbianism between you and Genevieve. How does this little scandal affect you and your career?

Yes, it has affected my emotional life, because everybody now believes I am in a relationship with Genny and my family is not happy about it. It has really affected my career and image at home.Have you had any similar issue back home before then?I have never been tagged that before. It is something that is completely new to me. There has never been a time Iwas accused of being a lesbian. One little thinghappened about me and Genevieve Nnaji and everyone now believes I am a lesbian. It is very touching and depressing.

What actually happened between you and Genny that sparked the allegation?

Hmm, you know I speak more of French than English,so, it is a little hard for me to express myself fully. What happened is that Genny and I were in a club in Lagos and her phone got missing. Later, I think a paparazzi or someone got hold of it and started sharing some contents about me and Genny online. I don’t see anything abnormal in the pictures but people started talking that we must be lesbians and all.

What kind of pictures are you talking about?
As normal persons and friends, we do take normal pictures at home and in other places but I don’t know why the online magazine showed Genevieve and I kissing, I am surprised and don’t know where they got those pictures from.


So, you and Genevieve were never kissing each other in any pictures you took together?
“We kissed, but it was nothing extraordinary, it was normal kiss between girls. I mean girls do kiss each other normally, even guys do too. When I was dating Fally Ipupa we used to kiss and now that we are separated and are good friends we still continue kissing like we used to. My fear is I receive strange calls saying that in a few days’ time they will be releasing more pictures about us.”

10. D’Banj

Yes, amazingly for some of you, the Koko Master was also accused of being part of the Rainbow Confederation. Forget the various stories D’banj had homosexual rumors about him once this boring story of him engulfed in Illuminati emerged and, like others on the list, his body is well built.


So they have the rumors were caused by something that he did or did or is it an attack of the Pot Bellied Men Association of Nigeria?

9. Banky W

The Nigerian R & B singer, Banky W answered rumors about his s-exuality. The singer said in an interview that he gave Y! magazine saying.


‘It’s hilarious to me and completely false. I’m not. Maybe it’s because I’m not married, and I practice safe se-x and thus have no children yet.

8. Flavour

It all started with the self, exhibiting these semi-written selfies on Instagram. In case you have not noticed that Nigerian men with flat stomach, are quick to call well muscled men who flaunt what they’ve got as gay and unfortunately they left Flavour and Iyanya to fall into this trap.


We knew Flavour was rumour gay partner with Peter Okoye last year when they were seen together.



If you want to know why they would be tagged as homosexuals just by going out and sneaking around with the same sex.

7. KCee

Kcee Colorful wears and combined with stunning color combination, however, has attracted rumors that he is gay. He was constantly hitting on Twitter to be gay because of his choice of eye wear.

6 IK Ogbonna

 

He was called homosexual by people, but he denied it severely.

IK Ogbonna was invited to the Pulse TV studio where he refuted the homosexuals associated with his name. The actor met his beautiful Colombian girlfriend described the ridiculous rumors that he said he likes women with beautiful curves.

When asked

“What has been the most ridiculous rumour you ever heard about yourself?” He said:

“They say IK Ogbonna is gay, Jesus Christ!!!, does this guy look gay to you? (takes off hissunglasses). When I heard that one, I couldn’t stop laughing, I am still laughing.«First and foremost, I have a foundation that won’t let me do certain things,I was reading a partof the bible with some people theother day – Leviticus 18 : 22, and God calls it an abomination.
«I am not even attracted to my own self,I love myself as a person but I cant imagine to get (makes sound). Besides, my love for women is out of this horoscope, I love to feel it”

He also told the NETNG in an interview where he debunked the accusations
On reports that he is gay:

“I disgust it even the bible does. My love for women is even so much that you must be extremely feminine for me to love you.”

5. Phyno

The popular Nigerian rapper and producer Chibuzo Nelson Azubuike popularly known as the Phyno sank the rumors surrounding a supposed photo of him kissing a guy in a club some time ago, and we did not paraphrase what he said at all. Speaking to the Tribune, he said:

“The only thing that was in my head when I saw the picture was where did this happen. I said back then that a gangstar like me could not have been involved in something like that. The fact is that, I am not a gangstar and I don’t want people to see me in that light. I think I am too serious and cool for that kind of thing. People say I am gay. Tha’s laughable because these same people reported soem time ago that I impregnated a girl. So you can see that these things don’t work together. My life is all about entertainment, as long as the people are happy about what they read, I am happy too”.

4. Uti Nwachukwu

 

UTI is considered gay by so much. They claimed that Alexx Ekubo, his former friend, who shared an apartment with him, was his gay partner. They have always traveled and also participated in events together, which fueled the rumors. However, Uti has led social media, facebook and twitter and seriously threatens all those who spread false rumors about his sexuality.

He said: “I am going to say this just once. All false gossip mongers about my se-uality are hereby warned. A scape goat will be chosen verysoon. This is no threat. ”WHO GOD HAS BLESSED/ELEVATED, NO MAN CAN CURSE/BRING DOWN! ONCE THERE’S WONDERFUL NEWS ABOUT ME, THE DEVIL’S AGENTS TRY TO INTERRUPT BUT THEY ALWAYS FAIL CAUSE THEY USE LIES…CONGRATS TO THE FALSE RUMOUR MONGERS. I’LL SAY IT ONCE ..BE WARNED. VERY VERY SOON A SCAPE GOAT SHALL BE FOUND. I PRAY NONE OF MY CURRENT OR FORMER FRIENDS ARE INVOLVED CAUSE THE WRATH OF THE ALMIGHTY JEHOVAH LORD GOD OF ISRAEL WILL SPARE NO ONE…THE EGYPTIAN PLAGUE SHALL BE CHILD’S PLAY COMPARED TO WHAT IS COMING.THEY SHALL KNOW I SERVE A LIVING GOD. SAME GOD THAT HAS CROWNED ME. BABA GOD NOOONIII!! TO YOU BE ALL THE GLORY HONOUR WORSHIP ADORATION AND PRAISE FOREVER MORE! AMEN…I LOVE YOU UFC..REMAIN BLESSED”

3 Benson Okonkwo

 

Benson actually rumored to be gay. The rumor began after playing a gay character in a movie. Benson had a very serious homosexual scandal a few years ago. It’s a story for another day.

 

2. Charly Boy

His strange lifestyle also contributed to his gay rumors. The images of the kiss with Denrele rumors also increased. He was quoted as saying he is gay and the leader of the Illuminati in Nigeria.


But later, he denied and threatened to sue the newspaper that carried the news.

1. Denrele Edun

Denrele is the most affected by this gay rumor. His strange lifestyle may be necessary this rumor. Once talked about the gay rumors that went on in an interview. Excerpt below:

Is Derenle Gay?
 


But many people believe that you are. And to give them reason, a picture of you, Charley Boy, went viral on the Internet recently …

“I don’t read the news, I make the news.The thing is people tend to look for loopholes when they see you doing well. And since people feel I am feminine in nature, then they think I’m gay. But the truth is I don’t really care about what people say because I’m not fashioned according to what the society expects. And also I think for my personality, if I weregay, the news would have grown from speculations and would have been in people’s face.On the part of Charley Boy and me, I was not expecting the paparazzi that came with the picture.

So what was the picture about then?

I really don’t want to go into details, but it could have been a controversial agenda, it could have a been a publicity stunt, it could have been the real deal and it could have been photoshopped, but whatever it was, people should just go ahead and make their conclusions.

So why is Denrele still single?

I’m a hustler and I’m still trying to get myself together. When the time comes, I’ll get married definitely, but there’s no one in the picture for now. I am single.

Who is your ideal woman?

I like someone who would not try to change me and who would understandthe complexity that I am. I want someone simple and absolutely free and not intimidated by what I represent.(Culled from Nigerian Tribune)

 Source: https://www.mediareviewng.com/14-nigerian-celebs-allegedly-gays-lesbians-no-5-caught-pictures/14/