Guest Blogs
Knowitall.ch often invites local experts in their field to contribute to their own blogs on our site. This means not only you will benefit from the useful recommendations that we make on our News pages, but you can also profit from some of the great advice and tips that these experts have to make on their favorite subjects. Whilst each of these bloggers has been recommended to us at some point during the evolution of Know-it-all passport and knowitall.ch, obviously we are not able to test out all the suggestions they make on their blogs, nor do we necessarily agree with all their opinions. So if you do find one of their tips useful (or not!), do let us know!
To make these blogs more accessible to you, we have now decided to group them altogether in one section, entitled Guest Blogs, accessible from our main menu bar. We will also post the most recent blogs on the home page of our site in the right hand column.
We are still building up this area of the site, and are looking for bloggers in a number of sections, including Your Home, Travel, and Leisure, so if you feel you have a useful contribution to make in either of these areas, and have the time to submit blog entries approximately every month, then please get in touch!
Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
By Anouk Mathern, Prise en Flagrant Délire
The weather in Geneva has been playing with our nerves this fall, making the ever coming back “what should I wear today” issue increasingly tricky. Icy winds in the morning, rising temperatures throughout the day and warm sunshine bring us to combine summer and winter fashion to a point where even the most spacious closets scream for help. It’s a mess and you still feel you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time ? Time for some wardrobe management !
What to keep:
- your basics which will never fall out of fashion, which you still love and which fit you perfectly (such as your khaki trench, skinny jeans, little black dress, leather blazer,…)
- pieces associated to nice memories
- pieces your friend would consider “typical” of you, which closely fit your personality
What to give away to charity: if it’s worn-out and is no use to you anymore, giving to charity will help others, make useful space and free your mind.
What to sell in a second hand shop: what is near-new & unworn. Clothes that haven’t been worn for over a year deserve a new life.
Hello, Namste, Bonjour
Kindness
Kind·ness/ˈkīn(d)nis/
Noun: The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
A lot has been said about the importance of kindness at school, and later on in your personal life and at work. There is some well-documented evidence about the importance of kindness. Notably in the book “The Power of Nice: How to Conquer The Business World with Kindness” by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, the authors support the idea that it pays to be nice at work and openly advocate that nice people finish first.
But how do we instil these values in institutions, organizations and schools? How do we communicate this message to staff and, in reality, where does the “be kind to others” crusade begin?
In a heart-warming article in the Harvard Business Review, Bill Taylor reminds us that small gestures can send big signals about who we are. He takes heed of the wise words of Jeff Bezos, (founder and CEO of Amazon.com) where in a lecture to Princeton students he advocates, “it's harder (and more important) to be kind than clever”…Mr Bezos clearly states that the lesson is that kindness begins in childhood and we are undisputedly modelled and influenced by the adults around us. And if we are lucky enough to have kind-hearted role models well that’s a real bonus in our future lives.
By Sarah Santacroce at Simplicity. Free image courtesy of Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’m a big fan of LinkedIn Groups. But there’s not just LinkedIn who has groups. Facebook too ! In this post I’ll tell you how I participate in Facebook Groups & why I like them !
What Is a Facebook Group?
According to Webopedia, Facebook Groups are pages that you create within Facebook that are based around a real-life interest or group or to declare an affiliation or association with people and things.
Why Should You Join a Facebook Group?
Facebook Groups are great to stay connected with a group of people and friends to promote, share and discuss relevant topics. You can join a group for personal interest, or, as in my case, for professional reasons.
Two examples of groups that I’m a member of:
- A group of Social Media Specialists: on this group we share our expertise, learn from each other, help each other out & help promote each other’s businesses. I learn a lot from my fellow members who are other Social Media Enthusiasts from all over the world.
- A group of fellow Mompreneurs in my region: on this group I get to learn what other local business owners are offering, and can also promote my own services from time to time. What unites us is the fact that a) we are all mompreneurs and b) we are all local to the Geneva, Switzerland area.
Why I Like Facebook Groups
Let’s be honest here, we all spend time on Facebook every day. So it makes sense to be participating in groups on a platform where you check in daily anyway. Each time someone posts something on one of your groups, you also get a notification from FB. I also like the visual aspect of these groups. And the fact that you can message each group member individually !
Facebook Groups versus LinkedIn Groups
For my “Get More Coaching Clients With Online Marketing“course I created a LinkedIn Group for members to socialize, share experiences & ask questions. I could have chosen a Facebook group too, but LinkedIn seemed more appropriate in this case. I think the choice will depend on your audience. If you’re creating a group for Financial Analysts, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’d say LinkedIn is better. To stay in touch with your college friends, I would choose Facebook…
Author's Bio
Sarah Santacroce is a certified social media, internet marketing, and virtual event specialist. She enjoys every aspect of small business marketing. It is her mission to help other small businesses and solopreneurs increase their visibility and use social media tools as part of their marketing strategy.
Sarah draws on 12 years of experience in Business Administration, in fields ranging from Employee Training to Public Relations at big and small companies. She became interested in Online Marketing and Social Media to promote her own business and after lots of research and numerous classes and webinars she is now offering that knowledge to other small- to mid-sized businesses who struggle to find their place on the web.
This article is the latest in a series of regular contributions that Sarah makes to her guest blog on knowitall.ch. You can see more articles from Sarah on her own website at: www.simplicityadmins.ch
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© Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
By Duncan Reeve, Peak of Wellbeing
Wild Salmon is a great food which feeds the adrenal glands, thyroid gland and pituitary gland. It should be bright pink in colour if it’s wild. The paler versions are often farmed. It provides good levels of Vitamin A, E, D, B12 and B6 plus great levels of calcium, potassium and copper. All are vital for healthy skin, teeth, bones, glands and a balanced mood.
It is very high in protein and good Fats, which will ensure energy levels are high all day long.
The high levels of omega 3 oil in salmon is extremely beneficial for people with depression or diseases such as Alzheimer.
There is currently a lot of controversy surrounding omega 3 fish oils. Some say they cause inflammation in the body and some say it reduces inflammation. I have found it has only ever caused inflammation when people are using fish oil supplements. Many fish oil supplements are toxic and contain soya oil plus other fillers. Yes, this will cause inflammation in the body.
By David Cooper, Fund Advisers Europe
Plan for the future—that’s where you are going to spend the rest of your life!
Regardless of your age, retirement planning is essential in order to be prepared and comfortable in the golden years of life. Systematic and early retirement planning can reduce your financial burden during the post retirement years and help you plan for a carefree and financially secure post retirement life.
Expatriates are Vulnerable
Expatriates are vulnerable when it comes to saving for retirement. For an expat to be eligible for a state pension, they have to pay into it. But if they then move location they risk losing their contributions in the previous country. You can only take 25% of a UK pension as a UK tax-exempt lump sum; and on your death, the residual value of a UK pension is passed to the State rather than to your heirs.
How do I start planning for my retirement?
The sooner you start to plan and save, the more you will eventually have to retire with and the sooner you can stop worrying about your future. Decide how much income you require to live comfortably in your post-retirement years, determine how much you need to save regularly, starting today, to have the right amount. Then select the right retirement plan, which will help you meet your post-retirement requirements.
