In Case You Missed It: July Recap
All of the articles/episodes from July & everything else in between
Welcome to the 58 new “In-Between‘s” who have joined us since last weekend! Join the 305 others by subscribing here if you haven’t already 📩:
Have you checked out The In-Between Podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? Give it a listen by clicking the button below if you haven’t already 🎙️:
The In-Between Podcast Episodes
Click the buttons below to listen to each episode you missed on Apple Podcasts today!
Ep. 10 Cover Letters are the Secret Weapon You Need to Master
Step by step breakdown + 5 Tips/Tricks + Template Example
Ep. 11 Everything You Need to Know to Crush Your Next Interview
Phase 1 - 3 + Most asked interview questions
Ep. 12 How to Work From Home Effectively
Best practices to succeed while working at home
The In-Between Newsletter Articles
Check out or reread any articles you missed below!
How to Leverage Social Media in Your Favor
Social Media sometimes gets a bad rap, but they still have many benefits you can utilize
Present Day
The year is 2021, social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are ruling the minds of young people. These companies only seem to be getting bigger and bolstering up their capabilities to meet the next generation of demands from the consumers.
Many of us remember when social media was a smaller community, and a lot of us do not realize how far this system actually stretches now. Take a minute for this chart below to blow your mind a little.
Yeah, I know, it is shocking isn’t it! Facebook has almost 3 billion people on its platform. A platform we log on to most days not realizing its power. That power is what I want to talk about today and how you can use these platforms to your benefit rather than being just another lemming user.
This article is going to help you take control over these platforms to help benefit your personal, professional, and social life. The narrative around social media is growing worse for a variety of reasons, but I am here to help offer a different opinion. Take the opportunity to use these platforms as they were intended to be used.
Do a Self-Check
In the words of my kindergarten teacher girlfriend, do a self-check. Think about the ways you use social media right now. Are you utilizing all of its capabilities? Are you that person who never posts anything and just logs on to see what other people are up to? Do you constantly comment on other people’s posts? Or maybe you post fifteen times a day and interact with every post you see. What kind of social media user are you?
If you are like me, you are fascinated by all the ways in which social media has grown from the simple algorithm of, your friends make a post, you like the post, and vice versa, over and over again. The whole concept of influencers has emerged from social media in the last few years, people being able to make money and get free stuff from cool brands simply by the way they use Instagram and other platforms.
Make a checklist of everything you want to be doing on social media, on each of the platforms you currently use. Keep this list as we go through the article as a way to start work-shopping ideas for ways you can elevate your social media game.
Ways to Leverage
1. Resources for Learning
We all know that Google has the answers to most of our questions we pop into the search bar. A lot of us, however, forget how useful social media can be for learning. This can be learning a new skill, studying a specific subject in school, or joining a community/group in a field you are interested in.
Below I am going to put a bulleted list of learning resources on social media that I think are overlooked. These work for all fields of learning; all you need to do is insert the subject you are wanting to learn more about.
- Twitter Threads
- LinkedIn Learning Courses
- Instagram Infographic Pages
- YouTube/Snapchat personalities
- Facebook groups
All of these resources above, if used correctly, can be a great way for you to spend your time while on these applications. Social media is not just for photos anymore, it is a great place to educate yourself. A lot of the time it is way easier and more time efficient to learn how to do something from YouTube, than it is to read a book on the subject. Just the other day I was learning how to hang something using a molly bolt. Instead of calling someone to ask, or reading an instructional article, I looked up a tutorial video on YouTube and had that shelf hung in five minutes.
2. Networking Opportunities
We all know from many of my previous newsletters that LinkedIn is a great place to network for your career. Check out my previous articles below to learn more!
How to Network on LinkedIn… And Hopefully Land a Job
LinkedIn 101: Everything You Should Be Doing on LinkedIn to Grow Your Personal Brand
Most of us do not truly know how powerful other social medias can be for networking. Twitter and Instagram specifically are great platforms to grow your personal brand, and even your professional career.
We have seen the rise in networking on those two platforms in this digital age, so now it is your time to utilize it. I use Twitter as a way to connect and grow in the newsletter/podcast space. I reply to other people’s tweets that ask questions or ask you to share something interesting. I start my own threads to try and spark conversation, and I use the Like and Retweet features. Use the strategy of following people in your field or work or that you find interesting, then quote tweet, retweet, and reply to tweets you see as a way to network with everyone following these posts.
You will be surprised how many people you can network with on Twitter as it is growing its networking capabilities each year.
Another great way to network on social media is through Facebook groups. There are curated groups based on specific topics or interests. A lot of you know these are out there but have not taken that step of actually joining one. I would encourage those that find themselves comfortable on Facebook to try this platform for a chance to connect and network with others. If you are thinking, “there is no way there is a group for the very specific topic I am interested in.” I am here to tell you, strangely enough, there seriously is a group for everything. You just have to go out and find it!
3. Marketing Your Side Hustle
Do you have a business you started? Are you trying to gain traction, get more followers, or convert more customers? Social media is the best resource for all of those things in today’s world.
Think of social media as the new cold calling for business. You can build out pages dedicated to your side hustle to update all of your followers as you grow over time. There is no better place in today’s economy to grow something like this. I don’t even know what I would suggest as the second-best way to grow your brand.
The best tip I can give for this section is to do research on competitors or similar businesses in your market and grab inspiration from their social media pages. Look out for the following below to help build out a social media plan:
- Highest engagement posts (Likes/Comments)
- Creative marketing
- Different types of posts (infographics, photos, videos, gifs)
- Layout of pages
- Any other best practices
Maybe in a future article I will break down how I use social media to leverage this newsletter! Check out the Instagram page below and give it a follow if you haven’t already! Let me know if breaking down the growth process for this newsletter would be an interesting topic to read about in a future newsletter!
4. Personal Branding
This is all about being yourself. Not posting what you think people want, but truly posting what you want and configuring your personal brand that way. This might lead to fewer likes or engagement overall, but it will lead to showing your true, authentic self, which is what people really love. As time goes on, you will discover you have a more loyal and engaged following, which then in turn will lead to more growth.
After you start doing this you will start to notice over time that you are building an audience of people that are actually focused on your pages/businesses content.
Try not to get wrapped into posting what you think people want to see, because then you will not stand out. Focus on developing your voice and your image the way you want to be featured on social media.
5. Showing off Your Hobby
Do you like to paint? Do you enjoy researching stocks? Do you enjoy eating at cool restaurants? All of those things are hobbies you can create a social media page around! Not everything needs to be turned into a business.
Everyone has their “thing” as I call it. That thing you might not always share but wish you could build an entire page around. Well, here is your calling to start it. This will not only be fun for you, but will help build your personal brand, network, and actually use social media the way it was designed to be used. All of those things sound good, right?
Go ahead and start those pages and thank me later when you see how they can benefit your social media presence!
This is Only the Beginning
When you read this article, I hope you had a lot of ideas come to your head about where to go from here. Hopefully, they are ideas you are going to act on. I wanted to give everyone a big list of ideas on ways you can use social media.
We are all stuck using social media in a singular way. There are so many possibilities out there on how to switch it up. These five new ways to use social media are just the beginning! Social media has been around for almost two decades now and I am sure we all know it is not going away any time soon. It is never too late to start branding yourself and your business!
Let me know in the comments which topic you want to explore more so we can explore these topics more!
Cheers!
What Factors Impact a Stock Price?
There is no defined science behind stock prices, but there are ways to make sense of it
Common Misconceptions
Knowing why a stock’s price moves up and down is not an exact science. Even the factors discussed in this article will not always follow a pattern or algorithm. A perfect example of this is when a company’s earnings report shows growth, but in turn the stock price decreases. Usually that is the case because the earnings were not as high as expected.
This just shows even the experts might not know whether the stock is going up or down based on any given details.
There are, however, key themes that help the average investor have a sense of why stocks are moving in specific directions. We are going to dive into some of those factors in this article so you can have a solid understanding of what impacts the price of a stock.
1. Positive/Negative News
Logically, we are starting with the basics. The factor we all know about. That is, the ability of news, good or bad, affecting the price of a stock. This is referred to as “hype” nowadays. This can range from a news story covered by a national news channel, or even a celebrity (and I use the term celebrity incredibly lightly) tweeting about an insane new stock that is going to the moon.
Whether the news is from big media corporations or from social media, it can have drastic effects on what happens to a stock price moving forward. Usually, this kind of factor is short lived in the price of the stock, but sometimes if the news is big enough it can affect it for many months to come.
This factor tends to play on the emotions of an investor. I have said it in previous articles, if you are a good investor, you will not let media change your overall investing plan. Rather than having “paper hands” in times of bad news, remember your planning and why you bought the stock in the first place and keep those “diamond hands” at work.
*Cough* Unless you strictly invested based on hype or news. *Cough*
If your fundamentals are strong and you are playing the long game of investing, try not to let media sway you off your path. This factor is the most common factor that changes stock prices daily, so remember that, and stay the course.
2. Changes in Staff
A factor many of us consider when buying a company’s stock is the company’s leadership team. Specifically, the C-Suite Team, as they are often addressed (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.). We research who they are, how they are running the company, and other aspects of their involvement. But why do these positions in the company matter and factor into why a stock price fluctuates?
Well, they are the decision makers, the faces of the company, and have the final decision on the direction of the company.
Choices made by the leaders of a company have the potential to change the opinion of the public on their stock – for the better or for the worse.
When it comes to using this factor to determine whether a stock price will increase or decrease, I would look at these common examples:
- Well-liked CEO steps down = stock price falls
- CEO steps towards new business venture = stock price rises
- C-Suite executives report positive growth = stock price rises
- New CEO hired = stock price might rise or fall depending on the reputation of new hire
These are common examples you will see in the markets, but they do not always trend in this exact direction every time. Make sure you are always doing your research before making a move in the stock market. There are many factors to consider when analyzing your own portfolio, the market as a whole, and specific companies you are interested in.
Because of the uncertainty of the stock market, this is your reminder to always consult a financial representative whenever thinking about investing. Topics discussed in this newsletter are my own opinions and should not be taken as financial advice.
3. Earnings Reports
Buckle up everyone, this is the big one. The factor that has lasting effects on stock prices for months and even years to come.
An earnings report shows the public the growth or lack thereof a company had between each quarter of a business year. This is helpful for investors to know if the company they are invested in is on the right track or if they are slipping in terms of revenue.
You might think these reports are self-explanatory as they relate to the stock price moving up or down. Unfortunately, though, a good earnings report does not always mean the stock price will increase and a bad report does not always mean the price will decrease. There are a few sub-factors that explain why the price will move after a report is published.
Before company earnings reports are released, banks, retail investors, and news corporations will make predictions on what numbers they expect to see. If the numbers come out exactly as predicted or even higher than those predictions, you will probably see a spike in the stock price. But, if the numbers are under those predictions or even worse than last quarters numbers, you are likely to see a sharp change downward in the stock price.
Therein lies the flaw with this factor, it is not cut and dry like you would think (and wish that it was).
These reports will help you see which direction the company is headed and should be treated as check points in your investing journey when it comes to buying and selling your positions.
4. Business Developments
This factor is pretty cut and dry. Why is that? Because when a company focuses on business development and releasing new products, they will most likely boost the business, boost revenue, and therefore boost stock prices. A perfect example is when Apple releases the next generation of the iPhone. That usually comes with new innovative technology and a reason for people to buy the new phone (boosting revenue).
Another key business development strategy is when a company acquires another company. I hope you are kind of getting the idea. Investors love growth, and growth in these ways are usually a good sign of movement on the stock price. There are rare cases when these business ventures do not go as planned and can in turn hurt the revenue and stock price, but we will save that for another newsletter.
Follow your favorite companies and read articles about potential development in their products or purchasing power to have a better understanding of where they are fiscally and what their stock price might be doing in the future.
5. Dividends
For those of you that are not familiar with dividends, think of them as a quarterly bonus you get from the company for owning and holding their stock. Yes, you read that correctly. Some companies will literally pay you money to own their stock. Crazy, right? Usually, the dividend is only a few cents, but can be very valuable if you own a lot of that company’s stock.
Why does this affect the stock price, you might be wondering? There are a few possibilities here. The first is, if a company decides to start paying out dividends to investors, that can be good news and invoke a change in price. Or, even better, the company that already pays out dividends decides to increase the amount they give out to their investors. These two possibilities are usually positives, but their can be negatives in regard to dividends, so pay close attention to what the companies are doing.
Companies can also do the opposite, they can cut the dividend pay out total to a lower amount or worse, cut it all together. Those two possibilities do not usually bode well for the price of the stock. But then again, there is no 100% certainty what the market will do with news like this.
So, keep these in mind when following a stock that pays out a dividend.
Many More Factors
The five factors above are, in my opinion, the biggest factors that determine the price of a stock. However, there are many more factors out there that I will only begin to list out below. As a reminder, there are so many different factors that the best strategy will always remain doing great research and investing for the long term. Getting wrapped up in every little detail might end up hurting your portfolio and bring too much emotion into investing. Smart investing is a perfect balance of research and considerations, and not over-analyzing minor details. I am still mastering this art myself!
Other Factors:
- Supply & Demand
- Political Climate/Changes
- Overall Economy
- Interest Rates/FED
- Hype
- Twitter/Reddit
- Company Competitors
To Conclude
There is so much that goes into investing. Learning the reasons behind things like the price are super important if you want to be a successful and knowledgeable investor. This is just the beginning. There will be many more articles breaking down other important aspects of investing soon. Let me know what you want to read about in the vast world of investing!
Cheers!
A Grandfather's Instructions for Life - Part 1
Living by these instructions will not only help you, but will help everyone around you as well
Life
When I was a kid, my Granddad, and hero/mentor/idol gave me a list entitled, “A Grandfather’s Instructions for Life.” Confused, I read through this extensive list not having a strong grasp on what all these rules meant. My Granddad simply told me to refer to this list often throughout my life, and always keep a smile on my face. I took his word for it, and as I grew up, I referred to this list more times than I can count. Even as a grown man I still read through the sentimental list when I am needing Grandad’s advice.
As I was pondering the topic of my next newsletter, it dawned on me that rather than keeping this wisdom to myself, I should share it with others in the hopes that it will help you all in the way that it has helped me so many times. I will be listing out each instruction, one by one, and giving a little blurb of my own thoughts and feelings. Grandad was a very thorough man with lots to share, so this is only half of his life instructions. Look out for social media posts to let me know if you want the rest of Grandad’s instructions for life!
Without further a due, Grandad’s Instructions for Life:
1. Compliment three people each day
We all know that feeling of receiving a genuine compliment from a stranger and being so overjoyed and confident the rest of the day. We need more positivity and kindness like this in the world, which is why this instruction could not be more accurate.
2. Watch a sunrise at least once a year
The earth has so much natural beauty to offer us, but it is so often taken for granted in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Watching a sunrise early in the morning gives your body the fresh start to the day that you didn’t know it needed. Letting our minds remember that we wake up everyday on this great earth starts your day in the right mindset. I would do this one more than once a year if you are able.
3. Look people in the eyes
I have said this many times before in my career-focused articles: eye contact is key. Making eye contact with the person you are talking with shows interest and fosters better conversation. No matter if it is a friend or a co-worker, I encourage everyone to look up more and truly listen to the people they are talking to.
4. Say “thank you” a lot
Saying “thank you” is basic manners and something that everyone should have already been doing multiple times a day. This goes for scenarios where you might not think to say “thank you” such as when the waiter brings you water, when someone holds the door for you, when your mom cooks dinner for your family, etc. Express your appreciation for others and what they do because if you don’t, people might not continue being nice to you for much longer. Food for thought.
5. Say “please” a lot
Just like above, saying please goes a long way! Say it often and say it to everyone. There is not much more I need to say on this one.
6. Live beneath your means
We live in a very materialistic society right now. Do not let yourself get sucked into it, as it is not a financially smart way to live. Save, invest, and budget. When you do those three things you will be able to live comfortably and without worry. I think people would agree financial freedom is better than living paycheck to paycheck because of an addiction to nice things and name brands.
7. Treat everyone you meet as you want to be treated
Think about the things throughout your day that put a smile on your face and do those things for the people around you. Shake people’s hands, smile, and be kind. This will create deeply positive relationships throughout your life, whether it is with people you just met or lifelong friends.
8. Donate two pints of blood each year
This one sounds a little strange, but blood is crucial for living. If you are healthy and able, why not donate a little bit of yours if it will save someone else’s life? This is a beautiful form of charity that often, and unfortunately, gets overlooked.
9. Make new friends, but cherish the old ones
Growing your network is so important, which is why you should always be willing and accepting of adding new friends to your life. It is equally as important to foster and nurture your existing relationships. Make sure you put equal energy into both of those relationships.
10. Keep secrets
In other words, do not gossip and share things that are not yours to share. If someone confides in you, show them the same respect you would want and keep it to yourself. This shows your loyalty and trustworthiness to friends and family. Loyalty and trustworthiness are priceless characteristics.
11. Admit your mistakes
Not admitting your mistakes can lead you down a dark path, or worse, keep you in a delusional space about the reality of situations. Being able to take ownership of your mistakes and apologize in the moment will only benefit your life and help you always be growing and moving forward.
12. Be brave. Even if you are not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
This is a big one. People usually curl up in the face of uncertainty or hard times. People that put on the face of determination, always prevail. Being brave will not only help you survive adversity, but even show you things about yourself you did not even know were there. Being brave takes courage and will carry you far in life.
13. Read the Bill of Rights
Really knowing and understanding our rights, liberties, and laws as American citizens is very important. Take the time to sit down and read them until you know them by heart. I bet you wish you paid more attention in middle school history right now, don’t you?
14. Use credit cards only for convenience, never for credit
I like this one because I wrote a whole article about the importance of credit. It is such a powerful tool if used right and you have a sturdy plan for it. Do not let yourself get carried away and use your credit card as if it were a debit card that you do not have to pay off. You could find yourself in some hot water financially.
15. Never cheat
Never cheat on people, tests, don’t cut corners, and don’t take the easy way out. People that cheat in anything always get caught. Whether you get caught in the moment or years down the road, choosing to be dishonest will always end in hurt feelings. When it comes to career, life, and finances, remain faithful and honest and loyal.
16. Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly
The second sentence perfectly summarizes why listening is so important. The smartest people in the room are often not the ones dominating the conversation., but the ones listening, observing, and processing. I challenge everyone to be more aware of how much they talk verses how much they listen.
17. Never deprive someone of hope, it might be all he/she has
Do you want to make someone’s day better? Tell them their dream is amazing and they can absolutely achieve it if they keep going. There are too many people in this world lacking the support they need to go on. Be the person in someone’s life who unconditionally provides reassurance and encouragement. Break away from what the rest of the world does, outline the negatives. Give people the positivity they are craving.
18. Ask not for things, but for wisdom, courage, and honesty
This one resonates with me because we have all become so used to asking for the things we want. We have some how forgotten that the most important “things” in our life are not tangible things at all. Wisdom, courage, and honesty are the pillars on which a truly beautiful life is built.
19. Never act when you are angry
Instead, sleep on it. Overreacting is something we have all been guilty of at one time or another. Those that take themselves out of the moment and act after processing, bode a much better outcome than those that act out of anger. Just try and think of the last time you made a choice that ended well when you were in a fit of rage. I’ll wait.
20. Have good posture. Enter a room with purpose and confidence
Not only do we sit too much, but we also need to boost our confidence. Stand tall and put on a smile no matter what setting you are in, and the benefits will follow.
21. Do not discuss business in elevators. You never know who may overhear you
The instruction itself really says it all. This does not only apply to elevators, but all public areas. Save private conversations for private settings.
22. Never pay for work before it is completed
Paying things up front is not usually a wise move. You always want to see the job that was done before you pay for that service. This relates to contract work, creative help, financial services, and everything else in between. I mean for crying out loud, you don’t pay for the pizza until you get it, so why would you pay for a full kitchen renovation before seeing how it turned out?
23. Buy whatever kids are selling on tables in their front yards
As you might have guessed, my kindergarten teacher girlfriend loves this one. Supporting kids that have entrepreneurial aspirations is key to our growth as humans. You never know – that kid you bought lemonade from could go on to be the next Steve Jobs. Rather than crushing a kids’ spirit, boost it and buy their glitter rocks or paintings or dolls made from toilet paper rolls.
24. Generously support the charities of your choice
There are thousands of charity organizations doing amazing work for our communities. Find one that aligns with your beliefs and help in any way you can. Donating time and energy is equally as valuable as donating money, and we all have time to lend a hand.
Part Two?
If you can even believe it, this newsletter only just scrapes the surface of Grandad’s full list. Let me know in the comments if you liked this article and I will put together the rest of the epic instructions for life.
I hope these sentiments gave you a new perspective that you can take with you and use them in your daily life. This newsletter tends to focus on specific personality traits that are useful in a business world, tangible skills you should have, but truly the most important thing is that you are a good person. That is what we need in this world. These instructions will surely keep you on the right path in life.
Cheers!
You Should Definitely Share: The In-Between Newsletter
This newsletter has been growing so much since I started it in August! We are already up to 305 subscribers. Let’s keep the momentum going!
I want this newsletter to be for anyone, all ages, and all backgrounds.
Like I said above, I feel like the public school system does not always teach us some of the most important information we need to be ready for the real world. And so, The In-Between Newsletter was born. I write about topics ranging from career, finances, personal development, and everything else in between that I think everyone would benefit from.
So, if you know anyone that would benefit from a weekly newsletter written by a great, humorous, overall exceptional writer, then share the link and just put in an email!
I appreciate all the endless support and look forward to growing this thing even bigger.