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  • Publyo™ – The most efficient system for planning, reporting and monitoring online articles

    Publyo™ – The most efficient system for planning, reporting and monitoring online articles

    Would you like to have a system able to efficiently plan and publish online articles without having to send dozens of emails to publishers?

    Would you like to have an app to efficiently communicate with your team of writers in order for them to deliver the exact content your clients need?

    Would you like to get rid of excel files but also permanently track the articles which you published and always know their status?

     Would you like to have a system that automatically sends your clients reports containing the published articles` links?

    Do you want to be certain that your articles are still visible on the websites where you published them?

    To satisfy all these needs, you need Publyo™!

    It doesn`t matter if you have your own business or you manage a digital marketing, media or PR agency. If you need an efficient method to manage all your content projects, we offer you an intuitive, easy-to-use system that will make your media planning, reporting and monitoring job easier.

    How does Publyo™ work?

    First step

    Choose the subscription which fits you and purchase the app

    Second step

    Get all the planning, uploading, reporting and monitoring tools which we provide.

    And doing so, you`ll get a complete system which lets you control everything that happens with your content, starting with the planning, and going on with publishing and monitoring. Both your agency and your client will receive automatic notifications about each content project and its status.

    BONUS

    We give you access to a list of the most important publishers in Romania!

    Here`s how Publyo™ helps you run and manage successful online media campaigns for your clients:

    Planning

    You can create a media campaign for all your clients.

    You can enter the websites with which you already have your own deals in order to automatically publish articles and you can also plan the date on which your content should be distributed, without having to send dozens of emails to the publishers.

    Furthermore, you can always choose some publisher from our list to publish your articles.

    Uploading

    Regarding your work, we thought about two scenarios:

    #1 Your client need written content from you:

    • you can notify writers directly from the system to let them know that you need an article for a specific client and that article will be published on a specific website, on a specific date;
    • your writers can upload the article especially written for your client directly to the platform;
    • once the article is uploaded, the client will automatically receive a notification in order to approve the content or request changes upon reading;
    • once approved by the client, the article, with a representative photo, will be sent for publication on the specific date.

    #2 Your client has his own content:

    • upload the article which you received from your client directly to our platform, together with a representative photo;
    • send the article to your preferred publisher.

    Reporting:

    For each published article, both your agency and your client will be notified about the status of the publication, directly in the platform`s agency`s account and via email.

    Both your agency and your client will automatically receive notifications when the article has been submitted for publication and when the publisher has uploaded it on his website.

    Both your agency and your client will receive a report containing the link of the published article.

    Monitoring

    You will always know what happens to your customer`s articles after they have been published on different websites.

    Every day we monitor and check if the links of the published articles are active. Also, we ensure that no change has been done to the published content.

    If the published articles are no longer visible on the websites you chose or heir contents have changed or their links are not active anymore, both your agency and your client will be notified.

    We automatically send notifications to the publishers to report problems and ask to solve them.

    We notify both your agency and your client when the issue has been solved.

    The benefits of our service

    You get your own planning, uploading, reporting and monitoring system that you can use easily, at any time, without the need to invest time in sending dozens of emails.

    Publyo™ sends automatic notifications to you and your client with the articles publishing links.

    You streamline your team`s work by keeping everything neatly planned and organized, while finding all the information (complete reports on the content and publication of the articles, their date, links and their status) about your media campaigns in the exact same place.

    You can automatically send messages to your team of writers asking them to write articles for your client, while setting a specific deadline for them.

    You can build a professional image among your clients and get the best publishing offers on the largest website in Romania.

    You have constant support from our team.

    Manage your content projects with Publyo™!

    Publyo™ is a web product by Oblyo Digital Agency in partnership with Weboratory Capital.

  • London-based billionaire Elena Baturina faces fresh scandal in Austria

    London-based billionaire Elena Baturina faces fresh scandal in Austria

    Russia’s richest woman, London-based Elena Baturina, is facing renewed scrutiny. As reported by top Austrian media outlet Der Standard an expert handwriting analysis has sparked allegations that she might have presented falsified evidence as part of a long running family dispute playing out in Austrian courts.

    Baturina, who moved to the UK in 2011 after her husband Yuri Luzhkov was dismissed as mayor of Moscow amidst allegations that he had overseen a £5 billion fraud, has succeeded in brushing off controversy before.

    She managed to rebuild her property empire in Western Europe after facing accusations that she had exploited her husband’s mayoralty to pick up lucrative public construction contracts, accusations she strenuously denied.

    Her longest-running legal battle, however, has been with her brother Viktor Baturin over the company they created together in 1991, real estate developer Inteco. A few facts are clear in the decade-old quarrel: both Baturina and Baturin began with 50% of Inteco’s shares, but Baturina progressively acquired her brother’s holding.

    First, Viktor Baturin ceded half of his shares—25% of the total value of the company—to his ex-wife during divorce proceedings in 2000; a year later, Baturin’s ex-wife resold these shares to Elena Baturina.

    Baturina then acquired the remaining 25% of the company from her brother and the two signed a settlement agreement—the details of that settlement agreement, however, are at the root of the prolonged disagreement between Baturina and Baturin.

    The warring siblings have each proffered copies of the settlement agreement, which differ in key respects. Viktor Baturin’s version of the document indicates that he should be paid market value compensation in exchange for his 25% of Inteco, while Baturina’s copy makes no mention of any such compensation.

    The diverging agreements have prompted both personal attacks and legal wrangling between the two siblings. Baturin has alleged that his sister’s copy was falsified, while Baturina claims that her brother forged his edition.

    The difference between the duelling documents even saw Baturin spend 3 years in prison starting in 2013, after he was accused of forging Inteco promissory notes—notes which Baturin maintains reflect the company’s debts towards him, as set out in his version of the agreement with Elena Baturina.

    Baturin is seeking redress in the Innsbruck Regional Court—much of Baturina’s real estate is located in Austria—for the allegations that he forged his version of the agreement, arguing that this constitutes an “unfounded accusation” which damaged his honour and business reputation.

    The latest twist in the case came when the Austrian court appointed Professor Christian Grafl, a handwriting expert, to study the original signatures on both versions of the agreement, in an effort to determine which copy was genuine.

    In particular, Grafl was charged with examining the two controversial signatures— the signature purporting to be Baturina’s in Viktor’s copy, and the signature purporting to be Baturin’s in Elena’s copy—comparing them to each other as well as to a writing sample provided by Elena Baturina in September 2020.

    Grafl determined that both signatures were “with a high degree of probability” executed by Elena Baturina, raising the possibility that Baturina falsified her brother’s signature on the version of the document which did not grant him any compensation.

    As Baturina’s representatives quickly noted, Grafl’s determination is just one of a number of expert examinations conducted in the case, and due to their inherently probabilistic nature, courts rarely rely solely on handwriting analysis to reach their conclusions.

    The analysis nevertheless marks a major development in the case. Viktor Baturin is expected to use Grafl’s findings to bolster his argument that he has the only valid copy of the agreement and that his sister therefore owes him compensation for his former Inteco shares.

    What’s more, Grafl’s testimony could reopen the old case for which Baturin went to prison, potentially leading to the 2013 verdict against him being quashed. In the meantime, Baturina has denounced the Austrian case as an effort “under far-fetched pretexts” to extract money from her.

    The expert opinion raises the possibility that Baturina falsified her brother’s signature on the version of the document which did not grant him any compensation. Grafl’s conclusion may mean that Baturina committed certain crimes on the territory of Austria: falsification of evidence in a civil case and procedural fraud.

    Further development of the situation in Austria may see a criminal case initiated against Elena Baturina on the fact of falsification, procedural fraud, pressuring a witness into knowingly providing false testimony. The issue of initiating a criminal case against Elena Baturina, filing civil claims in connection with the damage caused to Viktor Baturin is also being considered.

  • Welcome to the post-pandemic future – FinTech-Aviv managed to organize yet another Annual Summit, and we should talk about it

    Welcome to the post-pandemic future – FinTech-Aviv managed to organize yet another Annual Summit, and we should talk about it

    Well, it has not been easy for the organizers of any events since the spring of 2020. With lockdowns and restrictions, any public gatherings became a dream. And as this is completely understandable, the new times seem to have finally arrived, with the Covid-19 exit day approaching really fast.

    The fact that FinTech-Aviv managed to throw such a flashy and flairy event is impressive, especially if you look closer into the technological aspects of the endeavor. The Annual Summit has been around for many years, and the continuity of it even despite the global pandemic is a really impressive achievement.

    Last year the organizers managed to throw their Summit before the first lockdown, so a thousand people still managed to take part in it. Fintech-Aviv’s mission is to bring startups, Corporations, and possible investors together, and allow them to learn more, find out about the possibilities and partnerships. So far, there have been 80 events, so the staff responsible for this really had hands full of tasks.

    Why was this even possible?

    FinTech-Aviv managed to organize the 2021 Annual Summit without disruptions, as the country of Israel is doing relatively good with the pandemic. Of course, the country has its own problems, but they successfully vaccinated their society, and have been able to progress faster than others with coming back to the relative normality.

    So the community of FinTech has been able to join in and take part in fascinating panels with high-level guests from all across the globe. The new, highly interactional, but still, remote formula of the event is an innovation that could become something we will have to get used to, as it did impressively well.

    Equitech’s Tal Sharon has shared some of the backgrounds and the insights of the Summit with Disruption Banking’s Andy Samu. The concept of FinTech-Aviv was introduced in 2014 by the Equitech company, and it has since become the leader among FinTech communities in Israel, and one of the strongest ones in the whole world.

    As per writing this, the community has more than 30,000 members coming from all directions of the planet. They are offered a vast range of meetings, conferences, presentations, and debates, as well as a big spectrum of expertise, analysis, and know-how.

    The meticulously curated events are the celebration of FinTech, and an opportunity for international exchange of knowledge and experiences. This year was no different, as the best user experience was actually the priority while organizing the event. There has been a special platform implemented, which allowed people and speakers to integrate and engage in an unprecedented way. 

    Sharon compares it to the closest thing to the physical feeling achievable without it. But although this formula passed the test and proved to be an efficient one, the organizers are still hoping for the face 2 face events to be available again.

    Should you want to find out more about The Summit Agenda, the names of the high-profile experts and guests, as well as a detailed itinerary of the 2021 event, you should definitely use the link available here (https://disruptionbanking.com/2021/04/15/fintech-aviv-does-it-again-the-annual-summit-where-tech-and-banking-collide/.

    After accessing, you will find the brilliantly-written Disruption Banking piece by Andy Samu, who brings up the history of the Annual Summit, the FinTech-Aviv itself, its mission, goals, and ambitions, as well as the complete and comprehensive analysis of what it means for FinTech that endeavors like that exist.

    The author got to speak to Tal Sharon, who is one of the founding fathers of innovation, who shares his opinions and hopes for the future (both FinTech-Aviv’s, and the whole market as well).

    Just by looking at the names appearing in the agenda, and the organizations they represent, one should be full of appreciation for the fact that ideas like FinTech-Aviv exist. It also should be enough of an encouragement to join the next summits, as there surely be a lot of innovations, knowing the pace of Fintech development.

  • Munca la birou: Câteva sfaturi pentru a pune stop ochilor obosiţi

    Munca la birou: Câteva sfaturi pentru a pune stop ochilor obosiţi

    În timp ce unii angajaţi preferă să lucreze de acasă, fiindu-le mai uşor să dea randament, alţii de-abia aşteaptă să se întoarcă la birou. Teama de înbolnăvire cu noul coronavirus s-a mai diminuat în contextul în care tot mai multe persoane se vaccinează anti-COVID-19. Dar ce îi motivează pe aceşti oameni să se întoarcă la birou în regim full-time? O posibilă explicaţie ar fi dorul de socializare şi familiara pauză de cafea.

    Deşi în ultimii ani s-a tot vorbit despre aşa-zisele „new ways of working” şi la tranziţia către o comunitate mobilă care să le permită angajaţilor să lucreze de oriunde, nimic nu se compară cu interacţiunea de la birou cu colegii. Dacă vrei să te întorci la birou până la vară, nu eşti singurul/singura. 

    Munca la birou poate influenţa negativ sănătatea ochilor

    În ziua de azi, munca de birou se bazează pe calculator. De fapt, ar fi imposibil să-ţi desfăşori activitatea fără acest dispozitiv. Este folosit pentru diverse sarcini, precum crearea produselor, marketing, contabilitate, şi lista poate continua. Calculatorul, fie că este desktop sau laptop, permite o creştere a vitezei şi preciziei multor procese de lucru, ceea ce îmbunătăţeşte eficienţa generală. Problema este că petreci prea multe ore în faţa ecranului.  Nu este bine să-ţi concentrezi privirea pe un text mic, de-abia iluminat pe calculator pentru perioade lungi de timp. De ce? Păi, pentru că îţi obosesc ochii. 

    Ecranul dispozitivului poate cauza o oboseală a ochilor, care se manifestă prin simptome precum disconfort ocular, vedere înceţoşată, senzaţie de arsură şi dureri de cap. Lucratul în faţa ecranului unui calculator pentru o perioada lungă de timp (8 ore pe zi) devine periculos pentru ca te expui luminii albastre. În cazul în care te întrebai ce este lumina albastră, iată nişte lucruri pe care trebuie să le ştii neapărat despre lumina albastră. Lumina de culoare albastră poate duce la scăderea acuităţii vizuale, precum şi a productivităţii. Dacă munca ta implică lucrul la calculator, inevitabil te vei confrunta cu una sau mai multe din simptomele enumerate anterior. 

    Sfaturi împotriva ochilor obosiţi 

    Suprasolicitarea digitală a devenit cu încetul o parte integrantă a stilului de viaţă modern şi este motivul pentru care te supără ochii şi simţi nevoia de a-i relaxa. Există un număr tot mai mare de persoane care au probleme cu vederea, tocmai din cauza luminii albastre emise în timpul folosirii calculatorului. După ce verifici emailuri, realizezi sarcinile de muncă şi stai puțin pe reţelele de socializare, este normal ca ochii tăi să se resimtă. Pentru mai multe informaţii despre ce poţi să faci să combaţi oboseala oculară citeşte în continuare. 

    Ia poziţia corectă în faţa monitorului

    Te vei simţi mult mai bine dacă modifici rezoluţia ecranului şi ajustezi înălţimea monitorului. Ochii tăi ar trebui să privească uşor în jos. Ai grijă ca monitorul să fie la o lungime de cel puţin un braţ faţă de ochi pentru a putea focaliza. În cazul în care monitorul este mai mare, este necesar să măreşti distanţa. Totuşi, dacă eşti prea departe, nu vei putea să citeşti literele de pe ecran. La aceasta se mai adaugă şi tendinţa de a te lăsa pe spate şi de a-ţi întinde mâinile prea mult. Pe de altă parte, dacă eşti prea aproape de ecranul calculatorului, îţi vei forţa  ochii. 

    Pentru a găsi distanţa perfectă este necesar să ţii cont de acomodarea vizuală. Dimensiunile variază în ceea ce priveşte monitoarele de calculator, aşa că trebuie să verifici de două ori dacă ai nimerit distanţa corectă. Ar trebui să vizualizezi întreg ecranul şi să lucrezi comfortabil fără a-ţi forţa prea mult ochii sau mişca vreo parte din corp. Este important de reţinut faptul că nu există vreo soluţie magică. Mai precis, orice poziţie ai adopta, nu eşti complet protejat/protejată. Ia pauze regulate şi fă puţină mişcare. 

    Umezeşte-ţi ochii 

    Afectarea filmului lacrimal este de cele mai multe ori subestimată, în ciuda importanţei sale. Lacrimile au rol de umidificare şi lubrifiere a suprafeţei oculare. Ele te protejează de particule străine, microbi, etc. care ar putea duce la infecţii. Dacă îţi este imposibil să mai suporţi lucratul îndelungat la calculator, cititul sau orice activitate ce presupune o focalizare susţinută a privirii, umezeste-ţi ochii. Foloseşte picături de ochi. Lacrimile artificiale combat efectele ochilor uscaţi şi ameliorează roşeaţa ochilor. Există o gamă largă de produse, aşa că ai din ce alege. Indiferent pentru care produs optezi, asigură-te că nu conţine conservanţi. 

    Poartă ochelari pentru calculator  

    Din moment ce nu poţi evita lumina albastră, măcar protejează-te. O pereche de ochelari de calculator este exact ce-ţi trebuie. Aceştia au o capacitate impresionantă de absorbție a luminii albastre emisă de monitoarele LCD. Lumina astfel filtrată este galbenă, caldă, plăcută. Oferta este variată, ceea ce înseamnă că pe piaţa din România sunt numeroase opţiuni din care poți alege. Este recomandat să-ţi iei ceva de calitate, chiar dacă costul este mai mare. Până la urmă, este vorba de ochii tăi. Ochelarii de protecţie pentru calculator pot fi cu sau fără dioptrii. 

    Dacă nu ştiai, ochelarii pentru calculator intră în două mari categorii: cei pentru corectarea viciului de refracţie şi cei pentru protecţie împotriva luminii albastre. Atunci când ai vederea înceţoşată, ochii sunt uscaţi (sau lăcrimează) şi durerile de cap pur şi simplu refuză să dispară, ai hipermetropie sau astigmatism. Medicul oftalmolog îţi va prescrie ochelari cu lentile monofocale. Dacă ai simptome specifice celor care suferă de un viciu de refracție doar când lucrezi la calculator, ai nevoie doar de lentile de protecţie, cu tratament antireflex. 

    În concluzie, s-ar putea spune că munca la birou dăunează sănătăţii. Totul de la statul pe scaun la privitul încontinuu la calculator te afectează într-o măsură sau alta. Dacă nu eşti făcut/făcută pentru munca fizică, n-ai ce face. Nu poţi să-ţi schimbi cariera, dar poţi să iei măsuri ca să poţi supravieţui la job.

    Pe lângă sfaturile enumerate mai sus, ai putea încerca să iei vitamine. Vitaminele A, C, E, zinc şi cele din complexul B asigură buna funcţionare a vederii. De asemenea, practică masajul ocular.  Freacă palmele pentru a genera căldură şi masează uşor ochii. Rezultatele sunt vizibile imediat. 

  • Names not so easy to clear: Fridman, Khan and Aven’s defamation claim against Buzzfeed dismissed

    Names not so easy to clear: Fridman, Khan and Aven’s defamation claim against Buzzfeed dismissed

    End of March, Ken Bensinger, an investigative reporter for BuzzFeed News, tweeted ”At last! After nearly 4 years, a NY judge has granted a motion for summary judgment dismissing the defamation lawsuit filed by Russians Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven & German Khan against @BuzzFeed & myself for publishing the Dossier.”

    The Supreme Court of New York granted the petition by BuzzFeed and several others, who demanded a simplified rejection of the defamation claim filed by Alfa Group shareholders Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and Herman Khan after BuzzFeed had published the information contained in the so-called Trump dossier.

    The three Russian billionaire moguls filed their lawsuit in May 2017, claiming that the BuzzFeed article and dossier published on January 10, 2017 contained numerous allegations damaging the plaintiffs’ reputation as well as the business of the group of companies in which they have significant beneficial interests.

    The publication, in turn, applied to the court with a motion to dismiss the claim.

    Referring to the US law, the defendants argued that the media have the right to release information that raises issues related to the activities of official authorities, and the situation with the dossier, as indicated in the petition, presumably complies with this requirement, especially considering the important public discussion going on in the country.

    The dossier by a former British spy Christopher Steele alleged ties between Moscow and Donald Trump’s campaign by naming Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan ”creatures of the Kremlin.”

    Mikhail Fridman and his business-partners denied any ties with Trump’s campaign, and filed corresponding defamation claims against Steele first in US and then in British court to ”clear their names”. 

    However, two years ago, one of the three, Petr Aven told US prosecutors that he regularly met Mr Putin to discuss economics at one-on-one meetings in the Kremlin where the Russian president gave ”implicit directives”, according to special counsel Robert Mueller’s report last year.

    Mr Aven’s efforts to build a back channel to the White House were unsuccessful, the report added.

    It has been almost four years since a group of computer scientists disclosed that two internet servers belonging to Alfa Bank had looked up the address of the Trump Organization server 2,820 times between May and September 2016.

    In response to that, over the years Alfa Group issued two very inconsistent statements: first, it claimed that any server-related activity between Alfa Bank and the Trump Organization was the result of an automated email-based campaign to market Trump properties to Alfa Bank employees.

    However, afterwards Alfa bank filed lawsuits that alleged a criminal conspiracy by unidentified defendants, who forged emails by manipulating DNS data to make it appear that the bank was communicating with the Trump Organization.

    The lawsuit against Mr. Steele in D.C. Superior Court was tossed just four months after it had been filed, when the judge ruled that Steele’s dossier examined Russian influence on the presidential election, and therefore served the public interest.

    Now Buzzfeed is free of prosecution for roughly the same reasons.

    There remain Alfa’s lawsuits against the computer scientists who raised the alarm in regard to potential foreign interference with the US elections – Alfa Bank’s lawyers have issued aggressive subpoenas in the Florida case to computer scientists and DNS records custodians.

    Buzzfeed’s warning, upon being sued by Alfa Bank in 2017, about the bank’s “shameless attempts to bully and intimidate” should be taken to heart.

  • Should banker bonuses be as high as they used to?

    Should banker bonuses be as high as they used to?

    In accordance with the most common stereotype, bankers of the highest sort should only drive the best cars and have small fortunes hidden in their high-end villas. But is that true, as we are witnessing yet another financial crisis in our lifetimes? Shouldn’t financial institutions have more restraint when it comes to paying bonuses to their bankers?

    As Andy Samu in his Disruption Banking piece indicates, the bonuses received by some of the best bankers in the business add up for astronomical sums. Or maybe this image has been planted in our heads by big Hollywood pictures, and the reality is not what everyone expects it to be? But whatever the truth is, the unprecedented year of 2020 must have turned things around for everyone, bankers included. How will their bonuses look now, in the era of COVID-19?

    Back in 2018, the CEO and Chairman of BlackRock, Laurence Fink, has started the debate about the salaries of the CEOs. In an annual letter to other CEOs from all over the world, he stated that society demands that all companies, public or private, work for the greater purpose, and not only in order to accumulate goods. Financial prosperity is not the only task they have to accomplish, because there is a lot of room for them to make something good for society as well.

    Then the global virus shook the world and all of a sudden another financial crisis hit almost every branch of every business. Following the words of Andrea Enria, the Chairman of European Central Bank, the financial sector must be really careful when it comes to paying bonuses, as he also stressed the importance of “extreme moderation” exercising in that matter. The Italian has since then gone on to put emphasis on banks’ role in fighting climate change too.

    New priorities for the global banking

    It looks like money may have been pushed further down the list of banks’ priorities, as more and more emphasis is being put on diversity, climate change, and making a valuable contribution to society.

    In 2020, the Bank of England has expressed that they expect all companies to send a special letter to HM Treasury, where they would commit to holding restraint with dividends payment, as well as with senior pay and distribution of capital. This of course is applicable only to the companies that are using Government’s loans, but their message is clear.

    The fortunes of bankers

    During the previous Finacial Crisis a lot of people were looking really carefully at Goldman Sachs’ actions, as they were helping AIG. Nowadays the subject of moderation has been irreversibly written into the agenda, so it is rather unlikely for companies now to act the same way.

    Many years later, Goldman Sachs’ UK head appeared to be one of Wall Street’s leaders of that time. He was also later dragged through the UK’s Parliament Select Committee, as he was questioned as part of the BHS investigation into Phillip Green. His name is of course Michael Sherwood, and his Wikipedia page says that he is now worth “only” £195, which is rather incomparable to Michael Platt’s £4.69billion.

    Down further in his article, Andy Samu stresses, how some companies like JPMorgan are now unable to pay big bonuses to their bankers, even though with the old agenda they would surely be applicable for them, as they managed to help their company gather great goods. To enter the original Samu’s piece, visit the following link: https://disruptionbanking.com/2020/05/21/extreme-moderation-or-restraint-how-will-bankers-bonuses-look-in-2020/

  • How to Make Money With ETFs?

    How to Make Money With ETFs?

    If you’re new to investing, you have probably heard about ETFs as one way to make money. Like stocks or shares, ETFs are also one way to invest and make money. But what is it exactly? And how does it work?

    How to Make Money With ETFs?

    If you’re new to investing, you have probably heard about ETFs as one way to make money. Like stocks or shares, ETFs are also one way to invest and make money. But what is it exactly? And how does it work?

    In a nutshell, ETFs make money like shares, and it happens in two ways. First, you can make money through dividends or when you sell yours at a higher price than you paid for it. Still, since there is a market maker, the ETF prices rise and fall just like its shares.

    As a beginner investor, you need to learn more about ETFs and how they work. This way, you will know the proper actions to take and make smart choices for your investment.

    Without further ado, let’s get into it!

    What are ETFs?

    An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a type of security that involves a collection of securities. It often tracks an underlying index.

    ETFs are similar to mutual funds in many ways. However, they are available on exchanges and get traded throughout the day like ordinary stocks.

    One good example of an ETF is the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), and it tracks the S&P 500 Index.

    ETFs can have many types of investments. It can have stocks, commodities, bonds, or a mixture of investment types.

    An ETF is marketable security. Thus, it has an associated price that allows people to buy and sell it quickly.

    Now, how do ETFs make money?

    If you want to learn more about ETFs and how to make money from them, check out the website just about that – etfino.com.

    How do you make money from ETFs?

    If you plan on using ETFs to make money, you can do so in two ways.

    Like shares, ETFs can make money through dividends. Simply put, it is the distribution of some of a particular company’s earnings to its shareholders.

    If one of the stocks in our ETF earned some money, you could receive a part of it in the form of cash or additional stock.

    Another way to make money from ETFs is by selling your units at a higher price than what you paid.

    In any way, it’s possible to make money from ETFs, and many investors do it. Since ETF is tradeable throughout the day, it can be a great starting option for any investor.

    Are ETFs a good investment?

    Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have many features that make them ideal for young investors. It’s especially suitable for those with small amounts of capital to invest.

    ETFs are a good investment since you can build a diversified portfolio even if you don’t have a large amount.

    Another thing to note is that ETFs tend to have very low expense ratios. The cheapest funds would typically cost only a few dollars for each $10,000 worth of investment.

    The main reason is that ETFs are passive investments. In essence, it only follows a particular index, and it has no managers that would try to beat the market.

    For this reason, it’s low in costs brought by fees from a fund manager and transactions.

    Lastly, most major online brokers have made ETFs commission-free. Thus, it means you can get in and out of the market without paying trading fees.

    If you’re a cost-conscious investor, ETFs might be ideal for you to consider.

    Can you get rich with ETF?

    It’s possible to get rich with ETF, but it’s not a ‘quick’ process. ETFs can hold various assets such as bonds or commodities.

    The best way to get rich from ETFs is to buy them as appropriate for one’s portfolio. In general, you can either trade or hold them as needed to make money.

    It’s not a quick way, but it’s a possible thing for investors who knows how to manage it.

    What is the most profitable ETF?

    It’s challenging to determine which ETF is the most profitable. However, below is a rundown of the top-performing ETFs you can consider.

    • Invesco QQQ Trust (Top tech ETF)
    • Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (Top S&P 500 ETF)
    • Vanguard High Dividend Yield (Top high-dividend ETF)
    • Invesco Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment ETF (Top entertainment & leisure ETF)
    • VanEck Vector Gold Miners ETF (Top gold ETF)
    • Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (Top small-cap ETF)
    • ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (Top VIX ETF)

    The above ETFs perform well in their sectors. Still, it would depend on your preference, whichever kind of ETF suits your goals.

    Are ETFs safer than stocks?

    ETFs work very similar to stocks, but it offers lesser risks. Thus, if you feel torn between the two, you can consider the following reasons.

    First, ETFs are tradeable throughout the day. It means you can trade your units as long as the market is open.

    Another thing is that ETFs offer diversification with small costs. Thus, it can be a great option with lesser risks involved with it.

    Of course, while they tend to be safer investments, some may still offer better than average gains. On the other hand, others may not help investors see returns at all.

    In the end, your risk tolerance is a significant factor to consider in deciding which might be the better fit for you.

    Are ETFs good for beginners?

    ETFs are good for beginners due to many reasons. Thus, if you want to get ETFs as your form of investment, it’s not likely that you’ll go wrong with it.

    For instance, ETFs are ideal for beginners due to the many benefits it offers. Among these are low expense ratios, abundant liquidity, range of investment choices, diversification, low investment threshold, etc.

    As always, it is crucial to learn more about ETFs and spare some time to do in-depth research about the ETF you’ll get. This way, you can have a grasp on how to deal with it as you go.

    Which ETF does Warren Buffett recommend?

    Warren Buffett recommends Vanguard as the ETF to consider. In particular, he refers to Vanguard FTSE.

    It’s a fund that tracks the investment performance of the FTSE Global Small Cap ex US Index. Such an index includes about 3,000 stocks in dozens of countries.

    Warren Buffet is an American investor, business tycoon, and philanthropist. Further, he is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.

    Summary

    ETFs are great investment opportunities, especially for beginners, and they can make money in two ways. First, it can make money through dividends. Second, it can make money by selling it for a higher price.

    ETFs are a great investment opportunity due to their low expense ratios and lesser risks due to diversification. In general, it’s a great option to consider, especially if you only have a small starting capital and are afraid of risks.

  • Spy Shop, distributor and retailer for security systems, increase of 60% in 2020 up to 10 million Euros

    Spy Shop, distributor and retailer for security systems, increase of 60% in 2020 up to 10 million Euros

    Spy Shop, one of the largest distributors of security systems, which sells a wide range of products, exceeded by 10 percent expectations for last year when it forecast a 50% increase.

    “Indeed, the context was on our side, which helped both the entire e-commerce market to grow, but also the momentum taken by home and family security products given the rather bleak picture that hovered earlier this month March upon us. It is very important that we remained consistent and did not take a step back either in terms of supply or promotion, things that fully contributed to this growth,” says Sergiu Dăngulea, CEO of Spy Shop.

    Spy Shop also has the largest showroom in the country for security equipment exclusively, with an area of ​​100 square meters and which contributed about 10% to total sales last year.

    “Last year we completed a series of important investments that helped us a lot in supporting the growth we had: the implementation of a new ERP for a much better flow of the ordering process, the completion and inauguration of the showroom where we can serve a more customers, but also the expansion by about 50% of the warehouse capacity to increase the buffer stock which helps us to fulfill orders faster. ”

    B2B market orientation and new investments

    Over time, Spy Shop has focused on growing the range of security products, adding to its portfolio important brands, world-renowned, manufacturers of video surveillance cameras, burglar alarm systems, automation for gates, intercoms and video intercoms, control access and optical equipment (binoculars, telescopes, thermal imaging), for some of them becoming importers and distributors in Romania: Dahua, Reolink, Motorline, Nice, Assa Abloy, Slinex, ZKTeco, Pulsar, Thinkware etc. so this year the company aims to pay more attention to the distribution market.

    Also, the mobile application they launched earlier this year, intended exclusively for installers, is part of the plans to grow customers in the B2B area.

    Strengthening the brand, maintaining a sufficient stock, increasing marketing efforts, identifying new channels and opportunities to reach new markets and continuous process automation, will automatically attract investments that the Spy Shop takes into account.

    Expectations for 2021

    Even though we are still in a somewhat similar period to last year, which we do not know exactly when it will end, Spy Shop has budgeted an increase of 40% taking into account a possible moderation towards the end of the year, if the restrictions will be and people will resume much of their regular pre-pandemic activities.

    “We set ourselves an increase of 40% compared to last year, largely by consolidating our position on the online market, but also by the growth we have in mind on the distribution of security products, along with the increase in the number of B2B customers , for which we have a series of premium measures and services: stock increase, priority to warranty / service, technical support by phone, e-mail or WhatsApp and a dedicated application”, said the manager of Spy Shop.

    Spy Shop is one of the main importers and distributors of security and surveillance systems, established in 2009. It operates through the spy-shop.ro website and has in its portfolio over 50,000 security and surveillance products, equipment addressed to the end users and B2B partners as well, installers and distributors.

  • Laser cutting – newest solution for most demanding clients

    Laser cutting – newest solution for most demanding clients

    Laser cutting services are currently one of the most popular, fastest and most accurate techniques used to obtain accurately cut parts. This type of cutting is performed on various materials, both metal and non-metal. Elements cut with a laser in particular, are very popular among customers who appreciate the precision of work.

    Laser Cutting – Process

    The process of laser cutting is classified as thermal separation. Cutting with the help of a laser is a process in which the energy of the laser beam – continuous or pulsed – causes either the material to be cut, or the material to be melted and evaporated, or the material to be melted and burned. At the time when the laser beam contacts a specific element, a significant part of the light energy is transferred to it. This aspect makes it possible to make very precise cuts. In addition, the computer software allows you to optimize the entire cutting process in order to use the sheet metal to the maximum and obtain a high-quality results. It is also worth noting that due to their specificity, laser cutting services are an excellent choice not only for big companies but also for individual clients.

    In order to obtain greater accuracy and precision of laser cutting, a foil is used to cover the cut surface to reduce the reflectivity of light. The beam then focuses mainly on the cut point, with most of the energy being transferred to the cutting process itself. Thanks to the focused beam and condensed energy, the laser technology definitely exceeds other methods of unconventional material cutting in terms of processing speed. Even with the greater complexity of the component, the process time is very short. The laser cut object, despite the heat-affected zone and other small machining leftovers, has straight edges, precise shape and high surface quality. The shape and dimensional accuracy obtained allows to avoid further machining processes, especially on material with smaller thicknesses.

    Laser cutting – processing methods

    The use of a laser in the process of cutting can be implemented in several different ways. There are three main types of cutting, i.e .:

    • – liquid cutting – which most often uses nitrogen, which makes it possible to very precisely clean the cut surface;
    • – reactive cutting – where either an oxygen stream is used or the chemical mixture contains argon and oxygen. As part of the heat generated during this process, laser cutting by burning is more efficient than separate processing methods;
    • – cutting with the use of cracks – in which laser beams are used to bring a specific part of the metal to a very high temperature. This can also be called as a treatment based on the formation of gaps in the material.

    Advantages of laser processing

    The main advantage of laser processing is its wide possibility of application. The laser can cut many different materials. Laser processing can be applied to virtually any plastic. Laser cutting also has other strengths, such as:

    • – precision and accuracy of cutting,
    • – increasing the productivity,
    • – error-free cutting process,
    • – cost reduction,
    • – processing speed and efficiency,
    • – the degree of repeatability,
    • – cutting that does not cause damage,
    • – no need for processing after cutting,
    • – high degree of process automation,
    • – no damages on material,
    • – possibility of cutting materials of various thickness,
    • – low thermal influence on the material.

    Disadvantages of laser cutting

    The only disadvantage is due to the fact, that the machines used for cutting are quite expensive and only a handful of companies can afford to buy them. The high cost is also associated with proper training and obtaining qualified team to deal with the operation of this machine.

    Summarizing, laser cutting of steel is a relatively fast and extremely precise method of processing this material in any designed shape. Devices that enable it, guarantee accuracy, the highest quality and high repeatability of elements, thanks to the optimized implementation process. However, initially it is associated with high investment costs.

  • Fighting Corporate Corruption: ”We Must Keep Fighting For Strong Regulatory Standards For The Finance Industry”

    Fighting Corporate Corruption: ”We Must Keep Fighting For Strong Regulatory Standards For The Finance Industry”

    With so much in the news about corporate misconduct and the sense of change in the air regarding global whistleblower protection regulations, our correspondent sought out a unique opportunity to talk about it with someone who’s down in the trenches in the fight against corporate misconduct.

    In an exclusive interview with Money Buzz Europa, Nathan Mertens, the managing director of corruption watchdog Transparency Networks, discusses his life mission to promote transparency in the finance sector.

    Thanks so much for taking this interview Nathan, I know you’re a busy guy.

    Thanks for having me! I appreciate the opportunity to shed some more light on what we do, actually.

    Let’s get started shedding that light then, first off what would you say is your life mission?

    Well, when I worked in the finance industry, I bore witness to a vast amount of financial corruption. Over time I realized that my years of experience seeing that go on around me actually provided me with a unique opportunity and skillset to combat it. Giving people the knowledge and opportunity to do the right thing and combat the corruption rampant in the finance industry, sparking hope that there is actually something they can do about it, that’s my life mission. I am thrilled that the work I do now allows me to have the opportunity to take action against corruption and create a fairer and more just finance industry for all.

    How did COVID-19 affect your daily operation? 

    Our difficulties during this time are very similar to a lot of other people’s challenges, I think. Everyone within our organization was and continues to be working from home, and of course we all had to adjust to solely virtual communication.

    We also work closely with whistleblowers speaking out against financial corruption, and those types of conversations are often challenging at the best of times. These conversations often feel less personal or sensitive over the phone or via email, so we’ve had to be more creative with that side of our work.

    We’ve also begun to rely more on our online research systems, which is undoubtedly more challenging than using the full array of research methods normally available to us. Despite all of these factors, though, we’ve had some great successes during this time, and we are proud of the things we’ve been able to achieve even though there’s a full-on pandemic going on around the world.

    The industry you investigate makes a lot of money, and you don’t get any profit from it because you manage a non-profit organization. What drives you?

    While I worked in the finance industry it was common to see fraud, corruption and greed overwhelming logic and morality… it was all so commonplace. I think if you work in that sort of environment long enough, it’s easy to get just used to it and believe that it’s excusable since it’s happening so often, especially if you are making good money or you’re benefitting directly from that corruption. For me, however, no amount of money was ever going to quiet my conscience. I could try and pretend that things weren’t that bad, or that I was just one person and couldn’t do anything about it. However, at the end of the day that little voice inside never goes away. It got to a point where I just couldn’t take it anymore, and I knew I had to do something. I know now that I am doing the right thing and that my energy and effort every day make a difference in the world, and no amount of money could ever replace that.

    In your opinion, what is the current situation of the global regulatory system? Is it good or bad? How do you improve it?

    I don’t think I would be doing the work I do now if I believed that the global regulatory system was perfect and didn’t need to change. It’s an understatement to say that there are significant issues and that we have a quite a long way to go, but every time someone fights financial corruption through the legal system and wins, the needle moves in the right direction.

    I wish I had some easy answer or law to pass that would fix the entire industry all at once, however life isn’t that simple. It’s a very complicated issue with a lot of factors to consider. What I do know is that if I can help to correct that one injustice at a time, together as a world we move in the right direction. We must keep fighting for strong regulatory standards for the finance industry. One of the ways I ensure that we succeed is to make sure that the team around me is the best in the world.

    People like my colleague, Adam Leos, make me believe in the power of what we’re doing. Adam successfully led a major whistle-blower case before joining our team at Transparency Networks. He is a highly respected and well-experienced professional who sticks to the highest ethical standards. I really believe that we need more people like him in the finance industry, as well as policing the finance industry.

    Are you optimistic about the future? Is the corruption going on around the world going to be quelled someday or is it going to just spread and increase in severity? 

    Things will only get better, so long as we insist on and fight for strong regulatory standards for the finance industry. My career has led me to speak with some influential people on this subject, and I know that many lawmakers around the world are passionate about tackling this problem.

    We also work closely with many pro-bono legal experts, investigators, due diligence agencies, and journalists who help the cause, often for free. They help us not only because of their strong moral character, but also because they know that a well-managed and regulated finance industry benefits everyone in the long run.

    I couldn’t work with all of these amazing people, see all the change and good we accomplish, and remain pessimistic about the future. We are all in this together and though we still have a long way to go, as long as we continue to fight things will get better.

    How did the “fake news” trend affect your methodology? Did you change your methods of research?

    Actually, while the term “fake news” may only have been coined recently, the concept has been present for years. For everyone at Transparency Networks, we’ve always known not to take anything at face value and that we need to do our due diligence and fact-check our research thoroughly.

    Unfortunately, we do live in a world in which you can’t always trust the honesty of business people, politicians, and other individuals who could be benefiting from corrupt dealings. That’s not a new trend at all.

    Thank you so much for your time Nathan. Do you have any parting words for our readers?

    I’d just like to leave them with a message of hope. Though it might not look like it a lot of the time, especially listening to the news, the world is actually getting better in many ways. Yes, there are significant issues and problems in the finance industry and beyond, and it’s not always so direct and easy to change things or improve the overall situation, however things are changing, things are getting better, and there is hope. Don’t give up, listen to your conscience and don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There are some amazing people and organizations all around the world who work tirelessly to combat fraud and corruption, and they would love to hear from you, Transparency Networks included. One person can make a huge difference.

    You can learn more about Transparency Networks and their mission, as well as contact them directly at https:///www.transparencynetworks.com/