#outsource Word Processing Services

[edatamine]

Optimizing Business Documents with Word Processing Services

Business documents are crucial as they contain important information and content which is vital to enhance the look before sending it out. Understand how word processing services enhance quality and create lasting impressions.

[dataentryinc]

From Novice To Pro: Getting Started With Word Processing Services In 2024

All your Word documents go through word processing to give the best results possible. Today, creating and managing Word documents that can be used flexibly in terms of compatibility and processing has become crucial. And the advent of tech brings you numerous tools to do the same in no time. 

However, you need to know the insights of how things work on a deeper scale to ensure you can avail all the benefits of word processing before moving forward. And this is where outsourcing word processing services will guide you to impeccable results. If you are dealing with a large volume of word documents on a daily basis in your organization then you need to utilize the best of tools to make your word processing efficient.

Journey of Getting Pro with Word Processing Services

In recent times, multiple tools are available to perform the same task and you need to find out what suits best for your business operations. Here are some of the common word processing tools to choose from:

Microsoft Word: The simplest yet best user-friendly application for any of your word processing needs. You can avail of the Office 365 subscription packages for over-the-top solutions.

Google Docs: This collaborative document helps you maintain data across multiple platforms and connect in real-time with people across the globe along with unlimited cloud storage.

Apple Pages: This is useful if you are working with a Mac OS or iOS and need to manage and integrate data across other Apple products.

LibreOffice Writer: You can try this latest writing companion that works well with Microsoft documents and offers an open-source solution to many features 

Getting Started with Basics:

To start, you can avail the basic word processing solutions that work on the simplest tasks involving word documents. This includes creating and managing word formats, formatting the text and titles, and such elementary tasks. Depending on the type of document you have, the services help you to maintain your piles of Word documents and ensure all of them have the same layout that makes it easy to analyze the data within. 

Along with the textual editing, you can get the elements managed with word processing services. Images, tables, shapes, and charts make your data visually understandable and easier to interpret the long columns of text. This and the hyper linking across pages can be organized better with the perfect solutions offered to you. Ask the experts to know that even such tedious tasks require skilled hands for error-free outcomes. 

Move on to the Next Level

If you already have all your data in the proper format, the next challenge is to style it for its purpose. Your data serves you in multiple manners and each of those needs to be managed differently. It is the data processing experts who know how to manage each category of data distinctly and still keep them handy whenever required. You can alter the solutions in a way that caters to your particular needs without adding any extra hassle to the primary work routine.

Outsourcing word processing services offer you templates and styling options that convert your simple data into something easily readable while you are using a jumbled mess of data. While sharing data across many servers, it is important to track the changes and minimize errors or redundancy in data that can create confusion later. Real-time collaboration is a benefit of word processing only if used carefully for longer terms. Complex formatting tasks can also be handled well if you get a professional team of word processors who know their way around the simple yet puzzling operations.  

Become a Pro with Expert Level Solutions

Word documents give superior-level features in the simplest forms for the user to understand how to control the data flow. Microsoft Word offers you an automotive alternative to run and record repetitive tasks for huge data stacks. LibreOffice Writer is one such spin-off to ensure ease of data compatibility and managing Macros for advanced scales.

Mail merge is another feature of word processing, which helps you manage your personalized mailing and labelling. Word gives you numerous functionalities to manage your resumes, PDFs, books, records, etc. and all you have to do is gain expertise in making complete use of them all. Get the assistance of advanced design aspects for complex graphics with the help of a dedicated team that helps boost the performance of your core resources.

The Perfect Blend of Technology and Expertise

With the correct ingredients at hand, you are sure to make up the best-in-class outcomes for all your varied data. Word processing solutions from a steadfast outsourcing partner will get you answers to your data management issues. You will be able to glide through your records of text and images and extract the correct data as and when required. All these can be achieved by just trusting a reliable team of data experts who understand your needs and deliver exactly what you are looking for.

It is time for you to take advantage of what 2024 offers you to better handle the piles of data coming your way. This generation of tech and tools helps you ease off much of your workload while keeping your core team on the edge of the competition. Get the word processing services today to see how data management becomes trouble-free.

Source Link: https://latestbpoblog.blogspot.com/2024/07/from-novice-to-pro-getting-started-with-word-processing-services-in-2024.html

[uniquesdata]

Things to Consider While Outsourcing Word Processing Services

Documents are crucial to any business and hence demand proper formatting and easy management of bulk data. Word processing services enhance the quality and organize the document with appropriate layout and alignment. Consider outsourcing while considering a few key points to choose the best partner.

[ayeforscotland]

Keir Starmer says “Read my lips: I will cut immigration.”

Let me be absolutely clear here, cutting immigration is the wrong thing to do. It is fuelled by racism, and dressed up in economic language to pretend otherwise.

The UK has an aging population and declining birth rate. If we struggle to attract foreign workers, this will impact our economy and public services. A good example of this is the NHS.

‘Bad bosses’ are not hiring internationally before they’ve exhausted every option here. It’s easy to think of a large corporate doing that but even then it’s more likely they’d outsource a whole department in its entirety to another foreign company.

Also your dad’s marketing start-up or your mum’s construction company is not going through the lengthy process of hiring people who don’t already live here.

This also contradicts the UK’s push to have as many foreign students (paying as many tuition fees) as possible. These students have lives here, and should be able to work as they choose post-graduation.

This policy is aimed at those who read the word ‘immigration’ and pop a blood vessel, and it speaks wonders to how Labour thinks about the economy - no different than the Conservative Party.

[katakaluptastrophy]

You know when you're at a dinner party with God and things start to get...weird...? It's Maundy Thursday, and it's time for more Bible study for fans of weird queer necromancers!

It's currently Holy Week, the week where (Western) liturgical Christians reenact the events of Jesus' death and resurrection in real time. And today, it's Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus ate with his friends before he was crucified.

Before we get to the Locked Tomb, what's so special about the Last Supper?

There are actually a few significant things that happen during the Last Supper, but this is where Jesus introduces the concept of communion:

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood. - Matthew 26:26-28

This isn't actually the first time Jesus has told his followers they will need to literally eat him:

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. - John 6:53-56

If you're thinking that sounds a bit intense, you're not alone - the Bible says that "many" of his disciples left after being told that they were apparently going to have to eat Jesus to be saved and resurrected.

While many Protestant denominations take this symbolically, Catholicism teaches transubstantiation: that when the priest prays over the bread and wine at mass, they really do become Jesus' body and blood.

With this in mind, let's circle back to necromancers:

"Overseas to Corpus. (She likes the word corpus; it sounds nice and fat.)"

This is probably Corpus Christi College, Oxford (named after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, where the church celebrates the real presence of Jesus in the eucharist). The symbol of the college is a pelican - there's even a fabulously gilded pelican atop the sundial in their main quad.

What do pelicans have to do with the eucharist? Quite a lot, actually... The pelican is a really old symbol for Jesus, because it was believed to feed its young on its own flesh and blood in times of famine. The pelican on the Corpus Christi sundial is pecking at its own chest.

The pelican, like Jesus, was believed to give its own body to save those it loved.

Okay, so we've talked about Jesus, and weird cannibal birds, but why is this relevant to necromancers?

Specifically, the necromancer, the Necrolord Prime. John Gaius styles himself as "the god who became man", echoing Jesus as "the word became flesh". His entire pastiche of divinity is a sort of bootleg Catholicism. But while Catholicism posits Jesus' offering of his own body as foundational to the salvation and resurrection of humanity to eternal life, John's godhood relies the exploitation of other's bodies as the foundation of an empire of eternal death.

I've mentioned before in discussing Lyctorhood, how vampires have been understood to represent a sort of inversion of the eucharist because instead of consuming Christ's blood to receive eternal life in heaven, they consume other people's blood for an cursed eternal life on earth. John, and the Lyctors who followed him, gained power and eternal life from the consumption, body and soul, of another person.

In Catholic theology, Jesus offered his own body to degradation and death for the eternal salvation of humankind, but John forcibly consumes someone else's in service of his own apotheosis and immortality, dooming humanity in the process. He wants to be a Catholic flavoured god, but without the suffering that entails. But he's perfectly willing to outsource that suffering to others.

There's something just achingly awful about Alecto liking the feel of the word "corpus" - "body" - when she so hates the body that John constructed for her. John describing Alecto as "in a very real way" the mother of humanity and the mother pelican on the Corpus sundial rending her own flesh for her children. John forcing the earth into a personification of femininity and playing Jesus on another's sacrifice. His daughter, unwillingly trapped in her own corpse walking around with the wounds of her significant self-sacrifice like the resurrected Christ but yet again another body exploited by John in support of his performance of godhood. It brings to mind a very different fantastical engagement with Catholicism, where in the Lord of the Rings Tolkien - riffing on St Augustine - suggested that evil cannot create, it can only mock and corrupt. The ethics of The Locked Tomb may be messier than that, but there's something indicative in how John shies away from his creative powers - his abilities to grow plants, and manipulate earth and water - in favour of his dominion over death.

The metaphysical world of The Locked Tomb is clearly not intended to be the same as that of Catholicism. But with hindsight, perhaps John was onto something when he was surprised that he didn't "get the Antichrist bit" from the nun too.

John isn't the Antichrist. But he is, thematically, anti-Christ.

If we're talking about John and Jesus, there's also, of course, the question of Resurrection. But we've got to go through Hell and back before we get there on Sunday...

[court-jobi]

Unsee

((Banner by me! I don't own Horikoshi's work/characters))

Pairing: Bakugou x reader (biker!prohero reader, afab pronouns used)

Words: 5.1k

Rating: T+

Warnings: CH 362 SPOILERS, Pro-Hero! Bakugou x reader, angstttt, HURT/COMFORT, light PTSD, anxious stomach/vomiting, discussions about death, lots of comfort, est.relationship and lots of softness + trauma sharing

Summary:

When you love someone, you love their past, present, and future selves-- even if you were not part of their story for the hills and valleys that have made them who they are. This was the way of heroes: risking it all, even to death. You should know this threat by now, as it's the life you make for yourself as well-- but it's so much harder to keep the mentality when it's your loved ones on the line. You learn the extent of one of the biggest trenches in Katsuki Bakugou's life, and it shakes you to your core.

A/N: since I first envisioned my lil biker! reader, I've had this exact interaction on loop in my head. Making it the internet's problem now. apologies in advance for the feelings I've dumped in this fic. Signed, "Bakugou would hold your hair back" Club President

For my My Hero Academia Masterlist, check it out here!

Read on Ao3

Weekday mornings pass by generally uneventfully nowadays, leaving you with not much to do except to wait for calls for hero pickups when the shifts change over. It makes you feel like a bit of a taxi service, but the relaxed vibe makes up for the emergency response times you’re faced with in the dead of night when you get a message from the on-call line. 

After a brief stop by your office space to glance at your inbox, you take a lap around the Service Lab in order to catch up with Hatsume. 

There’s no one better fit to upgrade your helmet models and even take a special interest in how to bulk up your hero costume in order to protect you better. That’s a revolving topic from Bakugou’s lips as well, so your bringing up the idea wasn’t a foreign one– a revelation that touched you, deep under the professional front you keep here in the office. 

Hatsume is highly sought after nowadays. Time in her own lab is where she should be calling home, but given her sporadic interest in all things support tech, she has been prone to taking outsourced Technical Outsource calls for nearby agencies– especially when said agencies employ her dear old schoolmates. 

When you join her today, she’s busy talking shop and ropes you right into the conversation by pulling you right into her personal space. As far as subject matter, it’s hit or miss if you can contribute anything to the conversation, though today you’re pleased to see that she's in full ‘Dynamight’ mode. 

A favorite topic of yours– and of all the tech assistants in the room. Mei, however, holds a far more casual opinion of Bakugou out of familiarity. They’re hardly on a first-name basis as you are, but hearing her peel back details about the larger-than-life sweetheart of yours is both fun and enlightening to hear. 

Through your visits with her over the last year or so, you’re still not one hundred percent sure she actually knows what he means to you, because she barely looks you in the face as you cut your attention over old footage of him across all of her schematics monitors. Had she studied you as much as she studies Bakugou’s shoulder cannons, she’d spot your particular brand of appreciation by the tracing of a finger on your lower lip. 

"Yeah it's kinda nice sometimes to jump back to basics with Blasty,” Hatsume drifts into a relaxed state back at her table, “Simple fixes like this -darn thing- hmmmthere we go!- Yep, some things never change! Always smart to figure out how to store more sweat, defer more exhaust. Lil harder now that it used to be, having to worry about the magnets."

“Magnets,” you throw in a word, catching up to her thought process, “What, on his belt?”

“No, those clip into place! The way he complains about ‘em with his gloves though, I should probably look into making them easily detachable, too.. But no, I mean the ones he used to have across his chest, back when we made the first suit edits at UA: Year Three,”

Hatsume keeps a long, archived track record with Bakugou, if her nearby drive bogged down with version files is indication of how many changes she’s made to his hero costume and support items…

“-- because we were trying to offload weight from his arms, I tried to strap ‘em to his torso. Only we learned pretty quick the strength of magnet grade was affecting the charges where it was hitting along his chest.”

"Charges–” you pay more attention now, inspecting what she’s doing. Hatsume doesn’t look your way, but is listening, “In the grenades?" 

Do they go off at any second?? You assumed Bakugou’s smaller bombs were pulled in traditional fashion with a pin, as you’ve seen him use them in action firsthand. Hatsume has hard work, if she’s having to check each and every one of those, too…

"Oh! Haha no!" she chuckles brightly, "Sorry hun, shop term: ‘electromagnetic charges’! Each baby bombie has them, even when they’re not in use– but they don’t go live unless triggered. But in the rare event of a preemptive ignition, I didn’t want the chain reaction settin’ off his heart! Couldn’t use the strap anymore after that hoo-hah; too close to the loop device in the ‘ole ticker~"

Now that she’s talking organs, you start to get a pang of nerves. 

You know Bakugou’s quirk is biometrically dangerous, but till now, you’ve not worried about the risks it would cause him in that way. Even more, you didn’t know of any internal monitoring device he’d have to check for that sort of activity. Bakugou went to the doc here in this building, when he’s in too rough shape to handle himself. But beyond that, you’re stumped.

"Whyyyy would that matter? What’s inside him, again?"

Hatsume handles the internal wiring of Bakugou's cannons with ease-- now that nothing is connected to an active, explosive vial of sweat. With her outfitted eyes set on the tiny soldering work, Hatsume's got Bakugou’s chart up and briefly  flicks it over to the shared screen. 

"'Dat one, 'hurr," the a teeny tool in her teeth drops at her need to speak, "I pull a read on his heart monitor whenever I come around to keep tabs on things- same as the core staff here does! Works like a charm with the new heart, now that he's had time to build up muscle around it~"

You look for yourself at the screen as she chatters-- and are horrified at what you find there in a continuous crawl across the screen.

Can't move. You can't breathe. 

Can't understand how the hell Mei is still talking with such pep in her voice, when these pictures are taking nearly all of your composure away:

Nothing in your career prepared you to see stills of Katsuki lying stock still and caked with blood. 

You're pale as the ghost you're looking at– as gutted as he is in this photo: frozen in time. The archive thumbnails are mostly drone footage, but this much you can see clearly- and wish with everything in you that you could unsee it.

The reference photos on his hero account don't show the extensive medical layover you see here in his technical file. You run through every tiny detail in the stills above you on the screens. 

He's incredibly young. The soil around him, plants barely peeking out from the battle-torn ground; it's gotta be the big fight he rarely talks about. It's where he's got certain scars across his arms, chest, and the one cutting across his face; that much he's told you. They’re scars you’ve kissed and shown love and care for in his quietest moments, in which he felt the need to tell you why they stand out more than the others. In that much, Katsuki was honest… but not enough about this.

He never once mentioned organ replacement. 

He's never told you his arm was torn to shreds by his own doing. 

He never told you he’s living his second chance at life at the expense of another Pro Hero he’d never mentioned either--well, third if you could the brief blip while he was on the operating table after the battle. Didn't flatline for very long, according to these surgery notes, but still...

Surgery notes. Plural. There's many here. Wires sustain his oxygen and bloodflow, putting color back in his face. There's streaks across his cheeks- marred with tracks of soot and old blood, mixing with what must have been tears of pure exhaustion and rage and resolve. Yours sting at your own lash line. Every nerve ending clams up in your body: worse than the wreck that almost put you out of commission.

In your mind, Dynamight’s professional headshot is a flat, grumpy one. No smile to be found, but at least there's a spark behind the eyes.

He's not dead. 

He literally brought you a can of coffee this morning. 

He stopped you from getting up from the dining table too soon, needing to turn the clasp of your necklace around first because it was 'pissing him off'.

You know he's not dead– but you wish you'd never set foot in this room.

That old coffee's turned to lava in your gut.

"And these boots of his– they make too much noise! Talk about stealth-”

"Scuse- me, Hatsume.."

"--I know he’s not necessarily a known stealth hero, but– hey, when did she leave??”

He may not like how slick they go on when applied, but Bakugou had to admit it, these counterirritant patches were the best dang thing to ever happen to his shoulder blades. Menthol flooding his senses by heat activation, he was feeling better already after his first catch of the day.

After getting the note from Hatsume that his gauntlets were ready to pickup from R&D, he traipsed into her room while texting you. Just a short n’sweet message, hoping that he’d be able to cross paths with you before he’d need to go out again. The messenger app showed you were active within a few minutes ago, but you haven't responded to his messages.

He comes in, half listening to Hatsume’s rant to the staff technicians once again. He catches sight of his file, streaming up at the top of her video wall.

"Ugh, this again?” Bakugou barks out, “What am I, a sideshow to you science freaks?!"

"Hardly when we're the ones you need, Blasty," Hatsume huffed his way, "and besides, I think you better watch who you're talking smack to about this stuff anyway! And it wasn't online for my freaks, anyway. They know your work orders inside and out~ you should be nicer to them!"

You tell him as much, in his more crotchety moments… and you are always right. 

Bored of the medical records, he turns to his completed support items out on the reception table, "Then what're you blasting all this shit for? Haven’t had any arrhythmias for months."

“Just because you haven’t had any doesn't mean it’s not a good idea to circle back and check. We can learn plenty from stable periods, just as much as emergencies, ya know!”

Bakugou simply rolls his eyes, throwing a grumbly word of thanks to the technician who brings over the case for said equipment, and starts packing it into place. 

Hatsume slips her goggles up her face. Trying to read the Pro Hero before her wasn’t a hard task; he usually deflects when his weaknesses are on full display. 

"You want my advice Mr. Murder God?” Hatsume turns more solemn– an attitude she rarely radiates. 

“Sounds like you’re gonna give it anyway.”

“I think your teammates outta know what all's happened to you, cuz it sure isn't obvious to everyone. ‘Specially the ones who hang around you all the time… I think it’d be smart if they kept an eye out any emergencies, too- like your transport queen around here– Joyride, isn’t it?"

Katsuki flinched. He turns back from the table -past Hatsume- and centers back up to the full view of the record up on her computer. 

He’s not so irritated by its presence anymore… but rather worried about how long it’s been up there, in full view of the room.

"...She saw all this?..."

"Mmmmyea, pretty sure?" Hatsume was already engrossed in her current project, "Was in the middle of your pieces when she came by. She normally doesn’t as so many questions, but she sure was today till she-”

Kaminari slides into the lab -winded and nervous as all getout- nearly colliding with the reception table altogether. He almost hit Bakugou square in the face, since the hothead had turned ready to bust out of the room himself.

"Oh geez, (heh) there you are, Bak- (heh) listen-- your girl's barfing her brains out! You know if she's sick or something??"

Bakugou grimaced and seethed at his own negligence-

"fuuuUUUCK," he hissed rounding the table, before he remembered Hatsume- "YOU, DUMBASS-"

"Scuse you???!"

"TURN THAT SHIT OFF, AND WHEN I GET BACK, WE'RE HAVIN' WORDS-- AND YOU-" Bakugou yelled back to Kaminari, carrier of bad news as he was, "WHERE. IS SHE."

"Bathroom by the rec room- but, hey man, it's locked!!"

Bakugou didn’t take time to listen more as he books it down the hall, making a beeline to where you'd be.

Down the hall just a few corridors away, you hadn’t made it far to take your leave. Bakugou approaches where a couple sidekicks hear you coughing behind a door, and are presently failing to be let in. The sound is heart-wrenching, hearing you sick, but he’s in full protective mode and ready to take out the door himself if need be. 

He’s breathing hard, and scares them as he snaps and points harshly for them to move. They do, but not without one of them looking soured that he's getting in their face when they were only trying to help.

Coming to the door, Bakugou tries the handle despite Kaminari’s clear warning that it is indeed locked. He immediately rears up to bang his announcement, but rotates that fist to use just knuckles and taper his knocks down to a reasonable level. He's no less frantic in speech though, calling for you hoarse and breathy -mindful of his audience, only at first-

"Joyride...hon', it's me. Open up."

You're crying on the other side, but gasp when you hear him speak. An urp of a gurgle hits you in the quiet that follows, then another stomach-churning cough.

The rant of expletives that runs through his mind is enough to turn Bakugou’s own stomach... He palms his face for a minute, before letting his forehead drop to the door and speaks again.

"I can't help you if I can't see you, sweet’eart. I… know I got a lot to answer for." 

The chances of him greeting a furyless version of you all gone, Bakugou accepts his fate. 

"-And I figure if you're gonna yell at me, you should do it to my face. Please open the door."

After a sniffle and an incredibly uncomfortable beat of quiet where Bakugou is staring at the doorknob below him -gripping it in wait to open the second he hears the upper safety lock move-... he finally does, the moment you release it.

Bakugou steps in the single stall room -deftly fast- then locks it right up behind him. The girls on the other side fuss again, but he doesn’t give a spare thought to their efforts.

Down on the floor, not even fully sat back yet from your reach to catch the door, you're the most miserable sight. Stuffing a used-up paper towel that’s in reach by your stash, you're folding the unsoiled side to try and clear off your face and blow your nose for good measure.

What's worse, you can't bear to look at him.

With a careful sigh, Bakugou knows he's got a world of explaining to do- but has a greater worry over your slumped self on the tile floor. He’s seen you with the flu, and you weren’t this sick.

"Baby–"

One word and you're crying again, head down into your knees. Bakugou can only imagine what headspace you’re in, and the list of what he thinks he can say to console you is now down to zero. Actions it is, then. 

Bakugou kneels down, swiping your hair back into a rough pony by teething off a hair tie from his wrist to secure it. Just in case you feel sick again, it wouldn’t hurt, he reasons. Once freshened, he takes away your trash bucket next without a word. Collects all the used bits of your attempt at cleanliness into the trash, barely a care for how many there were to clean up. Whatever he’d need to do -whatever you’d allow him to do- that’s how he’s determined to serve.  

Finally, he shifts from a kneel to a sit. The blonde crisscrosses his stance under him, bringing you by both arms to pull you forwards, into his lap. 

At first you're confused at his hands' insistence, but since he's made himself in prime position to hold you, he's glad to see you fall to the open invitation even in a dire time like this. A little shaky, but still you clamber over to his lap on your knees until he can get you settled the rest of the way himself.

Chest to chest, legs astride him, he'd hoped he'd catch a better look of your face as you came over-- but no such luck as you duck your head in. His chance at helping you remains though, as you’re holding him tight around the neck and shoulders and clearly aren’t averse to him. Frightened enough for one day -maybe even a lifetime- Bakugou lets you cling on, and simply holds you tight in return.

All that matters to him is that you're positioned as close as humanly possible. Protected. Safe to cry and ready to just absorb it. He knows it's what he deserves, and considers himself your personal sponge.

To your hiccups making you jump against his chest, he just pets through your hair quietly hushing you to stillness.

"I'm here." He takes a tepid breath. "I’m not there, baby, I'm right here."

You stutter, but simply try to control your own breaths.

"i--... I'm so.. so.. 've never been so upset.."

"I know."

"I feel so'sick.. y’looked–"

The impulse to kick aside that damn puke bucket is raging within him-- but knowing your possible need for it, he brings it close instead. 

"I know, babe.”

He'll get you set before you head out on patrol today. If you ever settle… but for now, he's focused on the one thing he can control, and that’s getting you as comfortable as possible.

From here, you can't look at him, but you can look straight ahead- which shows you Bakugou's full back in the mirrored wall. The movement when he breathes, his neck craning as he lowers his head to sink over your shoulder. How you're being held so tightly it shows in each muscle group.

You can't see it, but feel it: cold breath blown from his lips, to comfort onto your heated neck. Bakugou's lifted up your haphazard ponytail, trying to introduce some cool touch to you in this small space.

You gather it's an apology, done his way-- seeing as he's unintentionally created this catastrophic response in your body.

As you've told him in your most private moments, you've only really felt this raw outlash of emotion in the workplace once before: the day you found out your sweet brother in arms, T’challa, passed away so expectedly. You suppose that's why this is jarring you so strongly now; losing him was the first major loss in your life, years before you met Bakugou.

This is so different, but all the same. A core figure in your support system- your inner circle– here one minute and gone the next. This was the way of heroes. You should know it by now, but it still breaks your tender heart. Even looking at snapshots of Katsuki at his lowest has you heartbroken and shocked.

You're a dichotomy of strength: tough enough to ride headfirst into a mission, but also prone to such intense emotion in your most private moments that you retreat into yourself and deal with an anxious gut all by yourself. Anything to protect the image you keep.

Only today, that exterior means nothing to Katsuki. Not when he alone can try and hold you back together while you try and fix yourself enough to speak coherently.

He's been holding himself together solo for far too long, too; you’ve known this from the first day he out and out confessed ‘I’m bad at this’ when he asked to simply hold your hand in public. You can feel it in your conjoined breaths, cycling back and forth for comfort. He’s unsettled, too– his new heart’s going far too fast.

“Did you actually die out there?” you manage in broken whispers. 

Tell me I just thought the worst.

“... I did,” Bakugou answered calmly, “But I didn’t wan’ you to see how. Not alone.”

“Would you have shown me? Ever?”

“Doesn’t exactly come up at the breakfast table, angel.”

‘But it should have by now.’ 

Bakugou senses the retort and simply pets through your hair again, another apology written by touch. 

“But… I coulda picked any other time, by now. You know everything else. I swear.”

Everything meaning injuries, you hope to God… “No more?”

“No more surprises. I promise.”

Secure enough to take a deep inhale, you try to lift your sights heavenward. 

Such a sobering thought you have to operate in on the daily, knowing hero work is among the deadliest professions. You could lose your best friends at any time, anyone you love. In that vein, you are trying your best not to be selfish with your need for Bakugou’s safety…. Yet you still hold that small hope that as long as you have each others’ backs, you have a shot at staying ahead and staying alive- together. 

Back then, you didn’t know each other. Katsuki Bakugou lived an entire life before he met you, one you were still learning.

"I didn’t know how bad it was for you…” you remember the site of the attack, what surrounded him- or rather, what didn’t. So much of that battlefront had been laid low. That told you as much as the injuries, how bleak everything looked.

Bakugou takes a centering breath himself. His grip on you never lessens. 

"It was the worst day of my life,” he shares, “I fought the world's greatest villain. Almost watched my hero die… Almost lost my best friend, all on the same day. Bad memories all around, for all of us."

Memories that seep into sleep.

"S'that what you dream about? When it gets bad?"

Taking the shot at Shigurake, sent flying back by his own ricocheted blast, giving it all- fruitless as it might have been in the moment when every bone in his body felt like it was bleeding out of every pore. 

You know somewhere in that event, the best friend Katsuki speaks of must have been on the brink of death in an emotional full-circle moment, for he never speaks ill of him in all the ways that matter. He’s a dork, but he’s his dork. You identified their relationship as special from the moment you’d met Izuku Midoriya but… in a deeper way than you’d found the words for yet. They’re twin stars, bound by something stronger than you even think you share with Katsuki some days. Or maybe it’s just different– not one bond that’s better than another. 

You've heard him waking in a panic those nights: how he calls for Izuku, and wakes up in tears. Even in recent months, he doesn't always explain why he’s crying, only that he wants to bury it for the night… and that you help him do that. 

On the subject of those nightmares, today’s discovery of that era of Bakugou’s past becomes painfully clear.

And so, he answers honestly, "...yeah." 

“That’s so scary, Katsuki. You were so young.”

He feels around with one hand between your crammed bodies- for yours. Your head's still hung over his shoulder, but you crane back to watch what he's doing.

 He puts it in place over his heart, forehead knelt to yours.

"Here. This is me, now."

The heartbeat under your palm is strong- a little fast, at the moment.

"They asked me if I’d do it again, if given the chance. N’for the longest time, I woulda said ‘yes’. That’s what I figured heroes say, in the face of the unknown.”

Before you can let that thought gut you again, you feel Katsuki press his thumb in one singular spot: your empty ring finger.

“But I faced the unknown. It was– really light, actually. But all I wanted was more time. I wanted the time to say words. Say more, or- do more. I had to make it right to the ones who mattered. I’m still trying to make it right. And I was given that chance to raise hell, and won. So when I see that shit, I’m grateful. I’m stronger now because of what happened then.”

You look to his face now; the older, stronger, seemingly immovable version of that younger self that still makes its appearance when he’s more pensive. He is still stuck on the look of his thumb where your third knuckle should be…

“Looking at it today though, there is more that war gave me than just making me the hero I am now.”

You press into his heart, “What’s that?”

“If I’d stayed dead,” he treads carefully, “I wouldn’t have you. I wouldn’t have someone who– cares for me, like you do. Who would care about that shitty kid who just barged ahead, even with warning signs going off everywhere.”

With a raise to kiss your hand, Bakugou lets his voice go raspy.

“You looked at that idiot and threw up- all because you cared,” he sniffs with a laugh, “Got a second chance at life, and got a complete knockout who gives a shit about me.”

Abrasive but honest; you laugh in full force. The odd thought passes you: why people watch gory, scary movies for ‘entertainment’ makes no sense to you. If they want horror, just take a gander at a pro-hero’s medical file. 

You cradle Katsuki’s head in for good measure and lay an appreciative kiss on his head. 

“Of course I give a shit,” you say hoarsely, “tho I prefer to say things like that with honey than vinegar, Kats.”

“Yeah, I know ya do… I count on it.”

When you hug him now, it’s a gentler connection. Bakugou still rubs his hand up and down your back, but out of affection instead of dire comfort. 

Finally you feel assured enough for now: you reconciled his past enough to have confidence in his present. He’s bold and never short of giving his all, but to know he acknowledges this living on extended time and has a unique appreciation for the cornerstones around him gives you calm again. 

Bakugou truly is your hero– who you know will drop everything to make sure he protects what’s closest to him first and foremost. 

When you sniffle and lick at the corner of your mouth, it still tastes sour and you finally register a pang of self awareness. You have to smell foul talking so close to him right now.

“I shoulda thought about gum or something..-sorry.”

“Would you stop,” Bakugou droned, taking out your insufficient ponytail now that you finally seemed settled, “I’m with you just about every morning the second you wake up, and I don’t give a fuck.”

Sweetly you silently thank his efforts with a sweet nod to how he put the hairtie back on his wrist. “Still, don’t mean to make it your problem.”

The hint of a smirk starting to come back to his face, you couldn’t completely eradicate his worry with one little bat of the eyes. 

“You are my problem. One I’m happy to fix up when I break it. We’ll get you freshened up when you’re ready. And only when you’re ready.”

You notice your position now on the floor of this bathroom and find it endearing how he managed full cuddle mode in such limited space. Surely the locked door was the straw that secured this.

But the knock was sure to halt it–

“Hey man, leave them alone!-”

“Um, hey ‘Joynamight’?~” Kaminari tested from the other side, “Haven’t heard any hurling in a while, are y’all good?”

“We’ll be GOOD when I SAY WE’RE GOOD!” Bakugou fired back, “HOLD YOUR DAMN HORSES, SPARKPLUG!”

Muting all laughter at the old school rivals was a challenge, but you did so while trying to gracefully detach from your loving partner. He let you with a steadying set of hands to yours to help push yourself up. You offer him steadying arms to pull him back up as well before putting your trashcan back to where it belonged. 

A rinse of your mouth later, you fan your face as best you could in a last-ditch effort to look like you haven’t been bawling like a baby. While he awkwardly stood to the side to give you a minute, you caught Bakugou thumbing at his waterline, too, with a stiff upper lip to get himself back in business. 

Once you rejoined him for a last hug, he readily accepts you with a rush of kisses to your forehead– just how you like it. It’s the mushiest he gets with you physically– guaranteed to get you back to your happy-go-lucky self. Once done, he smirks back at you pleased, petting your hair perfectly back into place. 

“You good?”

“I’m good~”

“OKAY, WE’RE GOOD, SHITTY HAIR!”

“Hey I was the one tellin’ him to lay off you guys!!”

“YEAH AND I CAN HEAR YOU SNICKERING FROM HERE.”

“Damn, for a guy with hearing loss, he sure can pick you out pretty well-”

Bakugou finally swings the door open, pissy as usual, “I HEARD THAT!!”

While Kirishima and Kaminari jog on, Bakugou pockets his hands and holds back for you. Once you exit, you figure you better brave a trip to the kitchen and make a round 2 of breakfast. 

“Something easy, ok?” he warns gently.

“I will. Won’t go fainting on ya~”

Knowing you’ll be on the roads later, Bakugou will impress a stable diet on you more than most.

“And no coffee.”

“Well, tie my hands completely, why doncha, Dynamight?” you sigh dramatically in the doorway.

He takes your chin in a bossy move, “Hey- m’lookin’ out for you, dummy.”

He sounds gruff and looks like he means it in the coolest of ways… but you hear everything in between the fussy brows and piercing eyes:

I care about you-

I’m sorry-

I know you’re this way because of me-

Never again-

Find me if you need me-

I love you- I love you- I love you-

“I know you are, Blasty~”

“UGH, she’s still calling me that shit too?!” Bakugou recoils further, shooting daggers down to the Tech Room, where he knows Hatsume is the one who fed you that old nickname.

You giggle as he stomps away, but he still throws back a last threat that you need to drink a fucking water before you go the fuck anywhere.

[ninelives2]

Nine Lives statement on the use of generative AI in fanfic

Hey, lovely readers and writers:

We've been talking about the uptick in people using generative AI to "write" fanfic, and thought we should make clear our position about it. Below is our collective statement.

As part of this process we've updated Nine Lives' Terms of Service and clarified our policy on plagiarism.

____________________________________________________

If you outsource the act of being a fan to AI, what does that leave you? Fan creators are powerful because they’re deeply participatory media consumers—they don’t passively absorb a work, but grab onto it and reshape it to their will.

Elizabeth Minkel, “Where the Wild Stories Are”

Nine Lives emphatically rejects the use of generative AI in creating and publishing fan fiction. Among the many other concerns about their use, sophisticated large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT pilfer and plagiarize the writing of creators without permission, credit, or compensation to churn out prose devoid of personality or author voice. Generative AI is replicative, not creative. It can rearrange the words and ideas found in the sources it is fed, even "sound" like the writing of a particular author, but it cannot come up with its own, original prose. There is no human mind involved in the process.

There are legitimate, often beneficial uses for AI, including making text accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities. But having a computer crank something out in response to a set of prompts and calling it "writing" - that's at best a pale imitation of the real thing, and in our opinion has no place in fandom.

We have updated our Terms of Service (TOS) to clarify that AI-generated works are not to be posted on the Nine Lives Archive, for two reasons: 1) Because AI-generated works are not your work; it’s a computer doing your thinking for you. The TOS already explicitly states that works published on the archive must be your own. And 2) because those LLMs were trained on the works of other writers, using AI to generate a Caryl story constitutes plagiarism, which is also already spelled out as being against the TOS.

That said: we don’t have the resources to police your work, and we don’t want people to report “violations”. We’re just going to say, “Please don’t use AI to generate fic at all, and specifically don’t use it to generate Caryl fic and post it on Nine Lives.”

As Tumblr user Mikkeneko puts it, “Generative AI… fails on every count. It's inaccurate, it's unethical, it's unreliable, it's wrong.”

----------------------------------------------------------------

For background information, additional viewpoints and concerns, here are a few links, starting with the Ellipsus blog guest post where the quote at the beginning came from. (The Tumblr post contains links to information about the environmental impact of the data centers required by AI. If for no other reason, that impact should be enough to stop you from using AI.)

https://www.facebook.com/FenWrites/posts/pfbid0ohYKyEYoyW5Ky3dULEM58WX3MAJrpPfLpM4yJ2RzcFUa6yXxd9A9UALLwZVxREDcl

[notsosilentsister]

I don't think "people will literally retain zero information" - but already, a lot of them are certainly not retaining enough of it to learn effectively, and it's not far-fetched to assume that the ubiquity of A.I will worsen that problem ("why bother to memorize anything, when I can just ask ChatGPT whenever I need to?"). Studies show that many people have huge problems with reading comprehension, and part of this is due to limited vocabulary - people don't have enough material knowledge to make sense of technical terms, and if you have to look up every second word of a text, most people are already exhausted before they get to the critical thinking part. What a lot of these people do instead is give up in the first place ("I don't like reading") or content themselves with what they consider an approximate understanding ("Ah, I get the gist, that will do"), which is however often shallow, as vague as to be unuseable, or plain mistaken. But alas, lots of people don't see the value in learning definitions anymore, because the public discourse on education has been undervaluing memorization for a while now, and the discourse on A.I is obviously intensifying that problem (as demonstrated by the comment I was replying to).

I'm not even that bothered that most people won't learn how to write with A.I. - maybe writing skills really are optional; A.I. prose is servicable enough for most non-creative purposes.

But I really believe there's no critical thinking without reading skills and in order to acquire those, you have to read original sources, not just A.I summaries. Never trust a summary you didn't make yourself! Summarizing a text is already the first step of deeper engagment with the material; if you outsource that to the A.I, you are learning less - you are less likely to retain material knowledge in the long-term, because your engagement with the text was too shallow, and you cannot critically assess the accuracy of the A.I summary because you can't process the original source. By only being spoonfed the key facts (eg. just those bits of the text you need to answer the essay question), you lose a lot of context that could help you connect the new information to the information you have already stored, which is a prerequiste for you actually being able to access that information on future occasions when you might have opportunity to actually apply it to a practical problem. You also lose the opportunity to practice your analytical skills - being able to summarize something requires to identify the key building blocks of an argument and how they are linked.

Of course this problem is not entirely new. People were always tempted to take short-cuts. In the past, someone not seeing the value in actually doing the reading, taking their own notes and writing their own summaries would just ask to copy the notes from a neighbour or read the Reader's Digest/Spark-Notes version of the text. And the results were probably not great (because you just don't think about the material as much as you would have to, if you did the work yourself) but often good enough to pass. People have not been doing the reading since basically forever and they have been passing exams and getting degrees anyway and then mourned the meaninglessness of degrees. If someone absolutely wants to go through to school without actually learning all that much, there has never been a way to stop them. So in a way, A. I may no be changing all that much indeed.

But people would generally get worse grades with that strategy. Because if you have to do your own writing, a shallow understanding of the material only based on Sparks-Notes/Reader's Digest summaries usually shows - in the structure of the argument, the relevance of evidence chosen to support it, the general cohesivness of the text. Before the widspread use of generative A.I, writing assignments used to be a pretty fair approximation of testing understanding. Now they are basically useless. Because A.I will usually produce a cohesive, well structured argument supported by not completely irrelevant evidence demonstrating understanding of the material that would merit at least a C or even a B if produced by the students themselves. With A.I, you can no longer use writing as a test of understanding.

Hence the move to oral exams. In this setting, it's easy to check that people are not using A.I. when answering question. They can try to anticipate possible questions, have the A.I answer those at home and memorize the answers, but since I do see a value in memorization, that's not nothing after all. And trying to anticipate potential exam questions is actually a useful intellectual exercise.

[ae-azile]

I can't start another fic due to too many WIPs, but this ArmKhun idea has been on my mind for a while now.

Summary:

After Tankhun gradually and quietly weans himself off of the last of his psychiatric medications, he prepares himself for the worst. There is a chance his emotions will get the best of him and he will cause a scene at a family dinner. Or maybe his sleep schedule will be no more and he will stay up several nights in a row before hallucinating. In contrast, he may sleep the day away and spend his waking hours in a catatonic state. There is always the possibility of the suicidal ideation making a comeback. And if he is perseverating on certain memories intently enough, that ideation could lead to an attempt. So many risks.

But despite the medications being adjusted again and again the first few years after his kidnapping, they have been left as is for over twice as long.

Tankhun just wants to know who he is, despite the risks. He may have lost Pete, but still has Arm and Pol. They're his guards and his friends. If one of those risks becomes a reality, he knows he just needs to say one word and they will help him. With Arm, he often doesn't have to say anything at all.

But somehow, Tankhun feels fantastic. Even after the first week completely off his medications, he isn't easily distracted, somehow feels calmer but still has energy, and does not have one suicidal thought cross his mind. In fact, he has only had one side effect: persistent and repetitive sexual arousal all throughout the day accompanied by the most vivid dreams at night.

Suddenly, saying one word for help seems incredibly daunting, especially when the dreams revolve around the person who helps him the most.

Warnings: hinted medical abuse/control, references to past suicidal ideation and attempts, past kidnapping, and past sexual abuse, yet somehow manages to be sassy and funny.

Pairing: Arm/Tankhun, a copious amount of Tankhun/OMC and Tankhun/OFC

Rating: E

Key Tags: Masturbation, prostitutes and random hookups, confused/concerned/jealous Arm, sexually and emotionally frustrated Tankhun, impromptu vacation, friends (or boss/employee) to lovers, post-canon.

Key Details:

Tankhun begins questioning not only his kidnapping, but the way his trauma was treated after his father's lies from the finale are uncovered.

Once the lack of meds bring Tankhun's libido back in full force, he tries to take care of it himself until he realizes that isn't good enough for him. It does not escape him who he fantasizes about. His attraction to Arm isn't particularly new, but it was easily dismissed and ignored until they bonded during the attack. Once his urges come back, Tankhun tends to hyper focus on him. Arm is beautiful, safe, kind, and (seemingly) unattainable for various reasons. It is the one realization that this might be the tipping point when it comes to a relapse, so Tankhun decides to outsource when it comes to distraction and relief.

He first resorts to utilizing an escort service. He is very sneaky about it at first. He waits until nights where he is alone and his guards are scheduled elsewhere. He is nervous at first, but begins to grow used to the process.

Because of the sneakiness,no one catches the escorts coming in and out. Except for Arm. At first, Arm tries not to overstep out of courtesy. Tankhun claims the escorts are old friends. Arm tries his best to believe him, but doesn't.

Tankhun makes it through the entire roster of the escort service and ends up rotating through three after a while - two men and one woman. If they are the ones who look the most like Arm, then that's his business.

Arm tries to hint that he would like details about what is going on. Tankhun is very evasive and successful when it comes to changing the subject. He tries to be respectful for as long as possible until he can't do it anymore and runs a facial recognition software on their security footage. He figures out who they are after that. While he really struggles with it, he ultimately decides not to tell anyone, but makes himself persistently and stubbornly more present when they come over. Pol has caught onto Arm's change in demeanor and asks if he is jealous over Tankhun's friends. Arm says he isn't, but clearly is. But the strong resemblance doesn't register until Pol brings it up.

The escort issue doesn't become more common knowledge until one of the escorts falls in love with Tankhun and it becomes a nuisance and a security issue. Tankhun does the mature thing and calmly explains his situation to Arm and Kinn. Kinn is in shock and extremely concerned for multiple reasons. Arm, however, just goes straight into action and makes sure the escort won't be a problem. He thinks it will be the end of an upsetting phase.

And then Tankhun starts hooking up with people at Yok's - almost every time they go.

Kinn is extremely upset. He keeps going to Arm and Pol and asking what is going on. While Arm wants this situation to stop too, Arm doesn't want Tankhun to feel controlled. Pol is just like, "I dunno." Word of Tankhun's conquests and abilities in bed travels. Even Pete calls up and is like, "Wtf is going on?"

Kinn ends up approaching Arm personally when Tankhun asks him for the number of his escort service. Apparently, Tankhun - who has mostly enjoyed his bar hook-ups - is still upset that he can't find his type. He plans on hooking up at bars since he has a reputation to uphold now, but he needs someone to match his type, at least some of the time. When Kinn explores what that means by going through their pictures, the ones Tankhun picks seem to somewhat resemble Arm.

During a group outing where Kinn gets particularly drunk after Tankhun wanders off with someone, he approaches Arm and asks if he thinks Tankhun would stop if he has more consistent access to his type. When Arm asks what Kinn means, Kinn just looks at him pointedly and says he will double his pay. Arm declines and Porsche quickly redirects Kinn from the conversation anyway.

However, Kinn's suggestion sticks with him. Arm won't take the money, mainly because he has now realized by this point he would be intimate with Tankhun for free. But he wonders if he would have a chance with Tankhun after all, considering he might be his type.

But instead of seducing Tankhun, he tries to spend more time with him. He asks him out to eat, he has movie marathons with him. He even suggests day trips.

While Tankhun isn't hooking up with people close to everyday now, Arm is now so completely gone for him that it makes him sick to his stomach. He doesn't even know how to admit there are feelings on his end - to his boss, nonetheless. Especially when his boss is still hooking up with people.

Meanwhile, Tankhun is completely oblivious to Arm's feelings. He doesn't even consider the possibility that his own long-standing feelings for Arm may be returned.

Anyway, it's an idea I have had for a while but I seriously doubt I could make it a one-shot. 😔 😂

[beastickersco]

The Top 10 Hardest Things About Starting a Small Business (And How to Overcome Them)

Starting a small business is an exciting journey, but it is not all passion projects and overnight success. Whether you’re launching a sticker business, an online store, or a local shop, the process is filled with challenges, setbacks, and lessons you never saw coming.

From funding struggles to burnout, many entrepreneurs face unexpected obstacles that can make or break their business. But knowing what to expect—and how to overcome these hurdles—can help turn challenges into opportunities.

Here are the ten hardest things about starting a small business and how to tackle them successfully.

1. Finding the Right Business Idea

The Challenge:

You might have too many ideas, or you may not be able to think of a single good one. Choosing the right business idea is tough because:

• It needs to be profitable.

• It should align with your skills and passion.

• It has to have market demand, meaning people actually want to buy it.

How to Overcome It:

• Test your idea before going all in—survey potential customers or create a prototype.

• Research the competition—if no one is doing it, there may be a reason such as lack of demand.

• Solve a problem—successful businesses fill a gap in the market.

Your first business idea does not have to be your last. Many entrepreneurs pivot after learning what works.

2. Getting Funding for Your Business

The Challenge:

Most businesses need money to start, but where do you get it? Banks require strong credit, investors want proof of success, and using your own savings is risky.

How to Overcome It:

• Start small and test with low-cost products before expanding.

• Look for alternative funding such as crowdfunding, grants, or small business loans.

• Consider bootstrapping by reinvesting early profits instead of taking on debt.

Pre-selling your products is a smart way to generate cash flow before investing too much.

3. Learning Everything (Marketing, Sales, Accounting, and More)

The Challenge:

As a business owner, you wear all the hats—you are the marketer, accountant, customer service rep, and CEO all at once.

How to Overcome It:

• Learn the basics with free online courses on marketing, finance, and branding.

• Use business tools such as accounting software, AI for content creation, and social media planners.

• Outsource when possible by hiring freelancers for things you do not have time to master.

Focus on your strengths and outsource the rest once you can afford it.

4. Building a Customer Base from Scratch

The Challenge:

No customers means no sales. But how do you get people to trust a brand that just launched?

How to Overcome It:

• Leverage social media by consistently posting valuable content.

• Offer early discounts or freebies to incentivize first-time buyers.

• Encourage word-of-mouth by asking happy customers for reviews.

Building a strong brand identity, including a logo, website, and social proof, makes people more likely to buy from you.

5. Managing Time and Avoiding Burnout

The Challenge:

Most small business owners work much more than 40 hours a week—without a boss to set limits, it is easy to burn out.

How to Overcome It:

• Set a schedule and balance work time with personal time.

• Prioritize tasks by focusing on what moves the business forward.

• Take breaks because burnout leads to bad decisions and lower productivity.

You are more productive when well-rested. Take at least one day off per week to recharge.

6. Handling Self-Doubt and Fear of Failure

The Challenge:

Every entrepreneur asks themselves, “What if this fails?” Self-doubt can kill motivation before you even start.

How to Overcome It:

• Focus on progress, not perfection—you will learn as you go.

• Surround yourself with support by connecting with other business owners.

• Celebrate small wins—every sale is proof that you are on the right track.

Every successful business owner has failed before. The key is learning and pivoting when needed.

7. Dealing with Slow Sales and Unpredictable Income

The Challenge:

Some months are great, while others are painfully slow—especially in the beginning.

How to Overcome It:

• Have a backup fund by setting aside money during good months.

• Create multiple revenue streams by selling online, at markets, and on different platforms.

• Run promotions during slow periods, such as flash sales or limited-time discounts.

Focus on repeat customers because loyal customers spend more and shop often.

8. Standing Out in a Crowded Market

The Challenge:

No matter what business you start, there is competition. So how do you make people choose you over others?

How to Overcome It:

• Find your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)—what makes your brand different?

• Offer top-tier customer service because people remember great experiences.

• Build a personal brand so that people connect with you, not just your product.

Brand story matters—people buy from businesses they relate to.

9. Managing Inventory and Supply Chain Issues

The Challenge:

Whether you are selling physical products or digital goods, inventory management can be a headache—especially when suppliers have delays or price increases.

How to Overcome It:

• Start with small batches and do not overstock before testing demand.

• Work with reliable suppliers and always have a backup plan.

• Track inventory closely using software to avoid running out or over-ordering.

Having a pre-order system can help manage unexpected inventory shortages.

10. Staying Motivated When Things Get Hard

The Challenge:

Not every day will be exciting. Some days, you will want to quit. Motivation comes and goes, but consistency is key.

How to Overcome It:

• Remember your “why”—what made you start this business?

• Join entrepreneur communities because talking to other business owners helps.

• Set small goals by breaking big tasks into manageable wins.

Mindset is everything—keep pushing forward, even when it is tough.

Final Thoughts: Is Starting a Small Business Worth It?

Absolutely. Even though starting a business is hard, the freedom, creativity, and potential for success make it worth the effort. Every challenge you face is a learning opportunity that brings you closer to long-term success.

What is the hardest part of starting a business for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Looking for custom stickers for your small business? Check out BeaStickers.ca for high-quality, waterproof branding solutions.

[aithemis]

AITHEMIS: A New Way Of Enhancing Legal Practice in “AI” Way

Is AI a legal threat or a helpful tool? Is it replacing or altering the work of lawyers? You might be surprised by the response.

AI is now a quiet participant in the dance of existence. After initially being reluctant to take the initiative, it now easily guides us through its complexity. It helps us with things we used to think people could only do.

It can change the legal sector, including law firms, in-house attorneys, legal operations, and law schools.

AI is a potent instrument in the legal field that enhances rather than replaces human skill. It increases productivity and offers instant access to large databases, a document visualizer, and a case summarizer, which can help contract review in a few minutes.

But a human touch is still necessary for creativity, nuance, and comprehension of human settings. We should consider AI a friend rather than an adversary attempting to supplant humanity. Many of our problems can be solved by AI as a collaborator, which includes:

Review and Analysis of Documents Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies save time in case law research, contract analysis, and due diligence by quickly scanning hundreds of legal documents and finding relevant information.

Predictive analytics AI can predict legal outcomes by examining past cases. This allows lawyers to make better arguments and advise clients, enhancing strategy and decision- making.

Legal Studies AI tools that efficiently scan legal literature and rulings expedite research, and lawyers can focus. These technologies allow them to retrieve relevant content and concentrate on more crucial tasks quickly.

Contract Management AI-assisted contract management solutions reduce turnaround time and legal problems by accurately drafting, reviewing, and managing contracts while identifying risks and guaranteeing regulatory compliance.

Client Communication & Chatbots AI-driven chatbots respond to client questions and offer updates, enhancing client involvement and freeing legal professionals to focus on intricate case details. Therefore, AI is more likely to assist legal teams in keeping more work in-house than replacing positions. As a result, these teams can more carefully choose which tasks to outsource.

In other words, AI can free experts to concentrate on more creative and intellectually stimulating work — the kind of work that first attracted them to the legal field. One of the most significant effects of AI on the legal sector will probably be these procedures, which can benefit law firms or internal legal departments, as well as the clients and businesses they assist.

AI is having a truly remarkable and revolutionary impact on the legal industry. Law Firm AI Software and AI Case Management System tools are just two examples of how technology may modernize law businesses, promote growth, and enhance client services — it’s not just about automating work.

It is essential to have a reliable tool. The AI they employ must produce accurate and legally binding records, be based on trustworthy legal sources, and indicate where its data originates.

These are the few things to Take Into Account When Collaborating with a Trustworthy AI:

Does the AI platform for legal case summaries work well with your workflow, and is it compatible with your current legal applications?

Does it have the capability to meet legal demands, such as automated case management software?

Does the user interface guarantee that legal professionals can easily use it?

Does the supplier protect sensitive legal data by adhering to strict security and privacy standards?

Can AI be expanded to meet upcoming legal issues and technological advancements?

These factors must be considered when choosing AI for legal work. The quick adoption of AI to automate legal documents evidences a notable trend toward more precise and effective legal processes. In a time when time is of the essence, and legal difficulties are becoming more widespread, people who use and adapt to AI have a better chance of success.

The future of law is not about humans vs. AI but rather about how we can employ both to improve client service and build a more accessible and effective legal system.

With Aithemis, incorporating AI into law is not merely a trend but a revolution in law practice in the twenty-first century.

___________________________________

Follow Aithemis on these online channels.

Website: www.aithemis.ai

Blogs: www.aithemis.ai/blogs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithemis.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aithemis

[cristpoherolli1993]

Exploring the Role of 3PL and 4PL Logistics in the Modern Supply Chain

Image by freepik

With the increasing turbulence touching the global scenario, countries and businesses have actually gone one better at ways of making their operations leaner, cheap and efficient. Among some of the simple ways of making even the long-standing functions much more effective is the involvement of an external party in the business activity that would have required a major slice of the overhead. In most cases, it gets into the area of using 3PL and 4PL Logistics for streamlining, if not totally eliminating, logistics functions while advancing their significance.

This logistics-dependent service is significant in enabling supply chain processes of present-day organizations so that they can concentrate on business strategy while the experts take care of the entire facilitation process: transport, warehousing, inventory, and much more.

But what exactly are 3PL and 4PL logistics? Well, and exactly how do they differ?

Let us now consider the particular roles of both in the context of today's supply chain and discuss how such services can be availed of by businesses.

What is 3PL Logistics?

Third-party logistics (3PL) refers outsourcing of logistics functions by a company to a different specialized service provider, usually a 3PL provider, which takes care of the supply chain, including some of the following key processes: transportation, warehousing, inventory management, packaging, and distribution. In other words, the 3 PL logistics companies do the actual operational work of transporting goods from point A to point B, leaving businesses with more time for their core activities.

What services Offered by 3PL Providers:

Transportation Management: The logistics 3PL companies ship or deliver products from one place to another through varied modes of transportation, namely road, rail, and sea. In addition, customers have the option to choose the cost-effective carriers and handle their shipping processes.

Warehousing and Storage: Most 3PL businesses carry out warehousing services, which include placing goods in warehouses that optimize their distribution with good strategic positioning. Another common feature of such warehouses is that they are usually fitted with inventory management systems which help the companies track their goods in real-time.

Inventory and Order Management: 3PL providers can manage inventories and the orders within them, ensuring that products are stored correctly for when they are needed, and that orders will be accurate when they are filled.

Packaging and Labelling: Packaging custom solutions for any 3PL logistics service would also include full-scale packaging, as well as cost-effective labels and barcodes to warrant proper regulation compliance.

Returns Management: Many of the reverse logistics processes - including inspection, refurbishment, and restocking of returned goods - are performed by 3PL companies.

Benefits of 3PL Logistics:

Cost savings: If companies outsource logistics functions to 3PL, they don't have to invest in warehouses, fleets of transports, or technologies. They can put the money into other areas of the business.

Scalability and Flexibility: 3PL provider easily adapted to orders volume, providing businesses with flexibility in their  during peak seasons, 3PL providers could scale according to their demand.supply chain. In the event more warehouse spaces or more trucks are required

Knowledge and Expertise: 3PL providers have in-depth knowledge and experience in logistics management. Their capabilities will be beneficial to all companies by taking advantage of best practices in supply chain management and by avoiding costly mistakes.

Reach: Many 3PLs establish global networks that allow businesses to ship internationally without worrying about complex logistics.

What is 4PL Logistics?

Fourth-party logistics (4PL) is regarded as an advance upon the 3PL continuum in logistics management. A typical role for the 4PL provider is to consolidate into one place, coming through the entire supply chain process. It handles all flows of goods, information, and services from first to last-end in a more strategic and holistic approach than a 3PL provider.

4PL Supplier Core End Services:

Integration within the Supply Chain: 4PL providers integrate and coordinate all logistics functions through the use of many 3PL providers and other entities in the supply chain by establishing standardized ways of smooth communication and overall collaboration throughout the whole process.

The Strategic Planning of the Supply Chain: 4PL providers take a pretty macro perspective of supply chains and strategize on maximizing overall efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing performance. They look more at the long-term aspect of the supply chain than at day-to-day logistics operational activities.

From start to finish, 4PL logistics providers will run the entire supply chain process, including procurement and transport, as well as storage, inventory control, and distribution of products. It thus ensures that every step in that supply chain works efficiently and according to the company's objectives.

Technology Integration: 4PL providers not only carry forward advanced technology solutions, for instance, supply chain management software, but analytics tools that provide real-time visibility and data-driven insights into the supply chain. It helps businesses make informed decisions on a more reliable basis and lets them stay ahead of the next giving disruptions.

4PL is providing vendor management services under vendor management: This is the best advantage that gives 4PL clients the benefit of taking responsibility for managing relationships with multiple vendors and service providers while ensuring total compliance with contract fulfillment and performance standards.

Benefits of 4PL Logistics:

Seeing that the supplier operates the other connected logistics businesses, 4PLs follow a holistic approach toward supply chain management: assuring that all logistics functions would be done to have no inefficiencies.

Visibility and control:4PL heads up the entire supply chain from raw material to finished product delivery into the warehousing facilities of retailers. This one makes businesses being stonewalled against having an inside view of their logistics operations. Thus, better monitoring and decision-making as well as the means for controlling the full cycle could be made accomplished.

Focus on Core Business: Outsourcing the strategic management of the supply chain to a 4PL provider allows businesses to focus on what they do best: manufacturing, sales, or customer service.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Difficult 4PL solutions with continuous process improvements in supply chain management would assure competitive advantages for businesses and the ability to adapt to changing conditions in the market.

Differences Between 3PL and 4PL Logistics

Both 3PL and 4PL outsourcing offer logistics functions. However, the significant difference is in the scope and the extent of involvement.

Focus: 3PL focuses narrowly on executing a logistics function related to transportation, warehousing, and inventory management, while 4PL dramatically extends the role into a far more strategic oversight of the entire supply chain management end-to-end.

Integration: 3PLs usually operate independently, whereas a 4PL integrates and manages a group of 3PLs, and possibly other vendors, overseeing all logistics activities for an organization.

Technology and Data: 4PL providers usually have sophisticated technologies and data analytics to oversee and optimize the supply chain, whereas 3PL providers do not necessarily have the same degree of technological integration.

Customization: Usually a more tailor-made solution based on the client's unique needs; typically includes standardized services that businesses can choose from.

Which Option is Right for Your Business?

The choice of a logistics solution, either 3PL and 4PL, depends upon the size of your organization, the complexity of the supply chain, and the logistics requirements. For example, if you want certain hands-on aspects of warehousing and transportation in the supply chain, a 3PL provider would make the best fit for your company. A 4PL provider serves a different purpose - to build an integrated solution for businesses requiring one to manage and optimize the whole supply chain.

Here are some considerations that you may take in the decision: 

Complexity of the Supply Chain: If the supply chain has involvement from multiple vendors or partners, then integrated and strategic-reach of 4PL will most likely serve you best. 

Level of Control: If you want higher levels of control over individual logistics functions, you may find 3PL logistics better suited as it offers more room for managing certain areas within the supply chain. 

Growth and Scalability: The greater complexity associated with an expanded business may likely make 4PL a better solution than 3PL logistics in an ever more intricate web of managing logistics. But while still relatively small, a 3PL provider will be that flexible and cost-efficient solution that you need to scale up.

The Future of 3PL and 4PL Logistics

As the global supply chain continues to evolve, both 3PL and 4PL logistics providers are adapting to new technologies, market demands, and environmental considerations. Innovations in automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics are transforming how logistics services are provided. The future of logistics will likely see even greater collaboration between 3PL and 4PL providers, enabling businesses to take advantage of cutting-edge solutions and improve their overall supply chain performance.

Ultimately, whether you choose 3PL or 4PL logistics, the right provider can help you streamline your operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency, positioning your business for success in the modern supply chain.

[uniquesdata]

Outsourcing Word Processing Services for Businesses

Nowadays, businesses have many files, papers, and even digital documents. However, accurate and formatted documents make a powerful statement. Hence, word processing services can help meet the needs of imprecise and inconsistent Word files and allow businesses to have hands-on, well-documented data that can be displayed and used.

👉 Uniquesdata offers reliable and accurate word processing services by a team of professionals.

[elsa16744]

Unlocking Value Creation: How Private Equity Firms Benefit from Strategic Outsourcing 

Private equity firms prefer efficiency. That is why they adopt strategic outsourcing. Doing so ensures that private equity (PE) professionals have an advantageous position vital to unlocking value creation. In PE strategies, that value creation must encompass all portfolio companies. This post will explain how private equity firms benefit from strategic outsourcing. 

The improvement of operational efficiency translates to better profitability, and professional PE strategists recognize this. After all, similar enhancements boost the companies’ growth potential, making them attractive investments to future buyers. 

The Need for Private Equity Outsourcing 

PE firms can benefit from additional leverage and outsiders’ specialized expertise in investment research services. They can, for instance, successfully decrease costs while fostering more core competencies. Therefore, it is no wonder that faster business transformations powered by strategic outsourcing are popular. Eventually, portfolio firms will yield higher returns on investments, allowing for better exit options. 

How Can Strategic Outsourcing Benefit Private Equity Value Creation? 

1. Cost Efficiency and Operational Improvements 

One immediate advantage of embracing strategic outsourcing in PE activities is cost reduction. It not only saves tremendous expenses but also facilitates economies of scale. As a result, the efficiency of the processes skyrocketed. 

PE firms and strategists have been dealing with standardization challenges. However, professional private equity support teams sport some of the latest in tools and technology to address them. Similar to how an IT enterprise outsources operations to independent specialists, many cost overheads will undergo distribution between the private equity firms and their external associates.  

The sharing of liabilities may involve maintenance, tech upgrades, and cybersecurity considerations. That also entails more effective resource allocation to protect the interests of clients and support providers. 

Outsourcing further allows PE firms to initiate operational improvements rapidly. In this way, PE firms can leverage the expertise of third-party providers to acquire best practices or access the latest technology. 

2. Focus on Core Competencies 

In an industry with high competition, focusing on core competencies is critical for portfolio companies. Otherwise, they will struggle to grow and differentiate themselves. Strategic outsourcing gives a private equity company the ability to transfer some of the auxiliary tasks to others. Doing so helps secure more management bandwidth, which will be necessary to concentrate on integral business activities that deliver robust growth. 

This approach allows leadership teams to focus more time and effort on innovation. They can also enrich customer engagement and strategic initiatives by focusing more on process and vision alignment. Consequently, private equity firms will witness a faster business expansion trajectory. 

More agile business operations to become a stronger market player will further PE firms’ objectives, like seamlessly securing the most attractive acquisition deals. 

3. Quicker Workflow Transformations and Growth Initiatives 

PE firms want to take portfolio companies, focus on value creation, and exit the investments at better returns. In other words, rapid growth acceleration allows private equity firms to exit earlier or ensure better gains. Strategic outsourcing allows scaling capabilities and speeds up the changes, operational or structural, for agility. 

Therefore, if the firm wants to enter new geographies or experiment with alternative trade channels, PE outsourcing service providers could help. They will optimize the capital needed to conduct deal operations while supply chain and leadership evaluation become straightforward. 

Conclusion 

Modern private equity firms use strategic outsourcing as the most effective pathway for value creation across their portfolios. They have acknowledged that outsourcing can help reduce costs, create operational efficiency, and prioritize core practices. 

Besides, screening companies, entering deals, and exiting the market becomes easier as the related sharing of liabilities accelerates growth and resell strategy implementations. Given the hurdles in finding the best talent to plan, lead, and execute private equity transactions, the worth of strategic outsourcing can only be appreciated. 

[mariacallous]

For thousands of Ukrainians, Mark Hamill is the voice of the air raids. The first notice of an incoming attack is an ear-splitting whoop-whoop coming out of cell phone speakers, followed by the voice of the Star Wars actor in full Jedi Knight tones. “Air raid alert. Proceed to the nearest shelter,” he says. “Don’t be careless. Your overconfidence is your weakness.” In mid-May, following a few months of quiet in the skies over Kyiv, Russia restarted its almost nightly bombardments of cruise missiles and kamikaze drones. After a week of alerts, the novelty of “May the Force be with you” sounding asynchronously from a dozen phones in the air raid shelter wore off, and it was hard not to start blaming Hamill personally for the attacks.

The air alert app was developed by a home security company, Ajax Systems, on the second day of the war, in a process that epitomizes the scrappiness, flexibility, and back-of-the-envelope creativity that have allowed Ukraine to, at times, run its war effort like a startup, under the guidance of its 32-year-old vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.

On February 25, 2022, as fighter jets dueled low over Kyiv, Ajax’s chief marketing officer, Valentine Hrytsenko, was driving west out of the capital, helping to oversee the evacuation of the company’s manufacturing facilities, when his phone rang. It was the CEO of an IT outsourcing company, who wanted to know if Ajax had any experience with Apple’s critical alert function, which allows governments or emergency services to send alerts to users. The municipal air raid sirens were, in Hrytsenko’s words, “very old-style pieces of shit,” built during the Soviet Union, and often couldn’t be heard. People were already cobbling together their own mutual alert systems using Telegram, but these depended on volunteers finding out when raids were incoming and posting to public groups, making them unreliable and insecure.

From his car, Hrytsenko called Valeriya Ionan, the deputy minister of digital transformation, whom he knew from years working with the ministry on tech sector projects. She, in turn, connected him to several local “digital transformation officers”—government officials installed by Fedorov’s ministry in each region of Ukraine, with a brief to find tech solutions to bureaucratic problems. Together, they figured out how the air raid system actually worked: An official in a bunker would get a call from the military, and they would press a button to fire up the sirens. Ajax’s engineers built them another button, and an app. Within a week, the beta version was live. By March, the whole country was covered. “I think this would be impossible in other countries,” Hrytsenko says. “Just imagine, on the second day of the war, I message the deputy minister. We’re talking for five minutes and they give us the green light.”

When he came into government five years ago, Fedorov promised his newly formed Ministry of Digital Transformation would create “tangible products that change the lives of people,” by making the government entrepreneurial and responsive to the needs of the population. The process is working exactly as Fedorov envisioned. The products aren't quite what he had in mind.

Fedorov is tall and broad with wide schoolboyish features and close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair. Almost always seen dressed in a hoodie and jeans, he looks like a movie star unsuccessfully geeking up for a role. When we meet, he’s just come offstage after headlining a press conference to launch a new digital education initiative. In keeping with the government’s carefully curated image, it’s a slick affair, with strip lights and hi-def screens, celebrity cameos, and a Google executive giving a speech via video call. It’s held in a five-star hotel near the Dnipro riverside but, as a concession to the ever-present threat of airstrikes, it’s taking place in the underground parking lot. The gloom and the neon and the youthful crowd in sneakers and branded sportswear gives the whole thing a kind of subversive glamor.

It’s not a packed room, but Fedorov is the main draw. Since the invasion began, he’s been one of the Ukrainian government’s most visible figures at home and abroad, more so even than the minister of defense, and second only to President Zelenksyy. Which makes sense. This has been a war fought in parallel in cyberspace, with information operations from all parties, diplomacy done at small scale on platforms, and relentless news flow, stories of hope and horror leveraged—and exploited—for gain on both sides. It’s one where, oddly for an active conflict, digital marketing, social media campaigning, crowdfunding, and bootstrapping have been vital skills. That is Fedorov’s world.

Within days of the invasion, the ministry had launched an appeal for donations: Fedorov tweeted out the government’s crypto wallet addresses, raising millions of dollars by the end of the first week. By May, the ministry had turned this into United24, a one-click ecommerce-style platform where anyone with a credit card, Paypal account, or crypto wallet could contribute to the war effort. Superficially simple, it was a radical move for any government—let alone a government at war—to open up its state finances and military supply chain to donations from the public. “But the world hasn’t seen such a huge, full-scale invasion, broadcast live, 24-7,” Fedorov says, speaking through an interpreter. “If we’d waited for people to donate through the organizations that already exist, they’d have got to Ukraine’s needs very slowly, or not at all.”

Since the start of the war, United24 has raised a reported $350 million to buy drones, rebuild homes, and fund demining operations. It has attracted celebrity endorsements from Hamill to Barbra Streisand to Imagine Dragons, helping to keep the conflict in the public consciousness around the world by giving ordinary people an opportunity to feel like they’re participating in Ukraine’s struggle for survival—something Fedorov says is more important than the money. “The same way the president talks to people abroad by broadcasts or on stage, this is the same way United24 speaks to regular people,” he says. “The main point of United24 is not fundraising itself, but keeping people around the world aware of what is going on in Ukraine.”

The initiative, and the projects that have spun out of it over the first 500 days of the war, have also been a vindication of Fedorov and Zelenskyy’s peacetime vision for the Ukrainian state. Since taking power in 2019, their administration has been trying to rewire the country’s bureaucracy, running parts of the government like a startup, communicating with and delivering services to citizens directly through their smartphones. They have nurtured their relationships with the local and global technology sectors, presenting themselves as an open, transparent and tech-forward nation, contiguous with the European Union and the democratic world they want to be part of, and whose support they now depend on.

Nothing could have prepared them for the total war that Russia launched in 2022. But Fedorov has been able to mobilize an extraordinary coalition of volunteers, entrepreneurs, engineers, hackers, and funders who have been able to move fast and build things, to innovate under fire to keep soldiers fighting and civilians safe—to get smarter. To win.

Until 2019, Fedorov was a little-known figure in Ukraine. His first foray into politics was as student mayor of his hometown of Zaporizhzhia. In 2013, as a 23-year-old, he founded a digital marketing company called SMMStudio, specializing in Facebook and Instagram ads for small businesses. One of its clients was a TV production company, Kvartal 95, founded by a comedian called Volodymyr Zelenskyy whose biggest hit was a political comedy, Servant of the People—in which a schoolteacher is unexpectedly elected president on the back of a viral video. Zelenskyy’s political party, also named Servant of the People, was spun out of Kvartal 95 in 2018. Fedorov signed on as an adviser.

In 2019, Servant of the People ran an extraordinary insurgent campaign for the presidency. The Ukrainian electorate was desperate for change, four years into a slow-burning war with Russian proxies in the Donbass region in the east, and exhausted with the crony politics of the post-Soviet era. Zelenskyy’s pitch was a new kind of politics: consensual, based on listening to the people and taking advice from experts, and decoupled from the oligopolies that corrupted administrations and slowed economic and social progress. Challenging those vested interests meant cutting the party off from the oligarchs’ financial resources, so they had to fight smart.

Fedorov ran the campaign’s digital strategy. He used Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram to sidestep the mainstream media and talk directly to a young, very online population. On Facebook, Zelenskyy crowdsourced policy ideas and asked for nominations for his cabinet. While TV was still a more important medium for the electorate at large, Zelenskyy’s campaign was at times able to dictate the news agenda online, driving viral stories that then made their way onto mainstream channels. They micro-targeted demographics that could be mobilized to vote on individual issues, with categories from “lawyers” to “mothers on maternity leave” to “men under 35 who drive for Uber.” With a full-time team of just eight people, Fedorov’s unit used social media to mobilize hundreds of thousands of volunteers, coordinated through a hub on Telegram.

Zelenskyy won the election in the second round against the incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, with nearly 75 percent of the vote. At 28 years old, Fedorov was appointed to head the newly formed Ministry of Digital Transformation, with the brief of digitizing the Ukrainian state. The new government had inherited a Soviet-era bureaucracy that had been hijacked by oligarchs, manipulated by Russia, and was corrupt at many levels. In 2019 the country ranked 126th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, a common benchmark. By bringing services and government processes online, the administration hoped they could create a more transparent state, where corruption couldn’t fester in dark corners. “A computer has no friends or godfathers, and doesn’t take bribes,” Zelenskyy said at a Ministry of Digital Transformation summit in 2021.

The ministry’s flagship project was Diia, a “state in a smartphone” app, launched to the public in 2020. The system stored users’ official documents, including driver’s licenses and vehicle registration documents, and let them access online a growing list of government services, from tax filings to the issuance of marriage certificates. Ukraine became one of the first countries worldwide to give digital ID documents the same status as physical ones. Initially met with skepticism by a public used to governments overpromising and underdelivering, it’s now been downloaded onto 19 million smartphones and offers around 120 different government services.

“We wanted to build something that Ukrainians abroad would brag about when they went overseas,” Fedorov says, knowing full well that they already do. In its early days, Ukraine’s plans to digitize the state were often compared to Estonia, the small Baltic state that has become synonymous with e-government. This year, Ukraine is exporting Diia to Estonia, which is white-labeling the service for its own citizens.

Diia wasn’t just about building a practical tool, it was a way to change the perception of the Ukrainian government at home and abroad. Under Fedorov, the ministry was very visibly run like a startup. Its minister dresses and speaks like a tech founder, and the ministry has cultivated an air of accessibility and openness to experimentation. It has positioned itself at the center of the country’s booming tech sector, facilitating, investing, and supporting. In 2020, it launched a new “virtual free zone,” Diia City, offering tax breaks and other incentives for tech companies. The ministry has been a cheerleader internationally, with Fedorov himself conducting state-to-company diplomacy to build links between the government and Big Tech. A few months before the full-scale invasion, in late 2021, Fedorov was in Silicon Valley, pitching Ukraine to the US tech sector. On Facebook, he shared a picture from his meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook, posting effusive praise for the “most efficient manager in the world.”

In peacetime, it’s easy to look at these initiatives with a cynical eye as the branding exercises of a country competing for a slice of the global tech dollar. Eastern Europe and Central Asia are densely populated with former Soviet states trying to reorient their economies toward services; what country doesn’t have a putative tech hub? But when the full-scale war finally began, this groundwork meant that Ukraine had a leadership with enormous experience of running asymmetrical digital campaigning; it had immediate access to a network of innovative and highly motivated engineers and tech entrepreneurs; and it had direct lines into a number of powerful global companies.

The war didn’t come s a surprise. Intelligence agencies had been warning for months that the huge buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders wasn’t a bluff. Fedorov’s ministry had been on a war footing since November 2021, working to harden national infrastructure against cyberattacks.

When the invasion began, the ministry went on the offensive, mobilizing the local tech community and using a weaponized version of its 2019 electoral playbook. Fedorov promoted a Telegram channel, the “IT Army of Ukraine,” which gathered volunteers from across the country and all over the world to hack Russian targets. Admins post targets on the channel—Russian banks, ministries, and public infrastructure—and the digital militias go after them. The channel now has more than 180,000 subscribers, who have claimed responsibility for hacks of the Moscow Stock Exchange and media outlets TASS and Kommersant. They got into radio stations in Moscow and broadcast air raid alerts, shut down the ticketing systems of Russian railway networks, and took the country’s product authentication system offline, causing chaos in its commercial supply chains.

At the same time, Fedorov, the ministry, and members of the tech community were pulling strings in Silicon Valley, mobilizing support for a “digital blockade” of Russia. On February 25, Fedorov wrote to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos asking them to block access to their services in Russia. He asked Meta to shut down Facebook and Instagram for Russian users. He reconnected with Tim Cook at Apple, asking the company to stop selling products and services to Russia. “We need your support—in 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to the tanks, multiple rocket launchers … and missiles,” the letter read.

The ministry had friends in America who helped spread the word, like Denys Gurak, a Ukrainian venture capitalist based in Connecticut. “I knew lobbyists, and I knew journalists, so I started picking up the phone and calling just everybody, asking, ‘Who can you connect me with?’ So we could start shaming Big Tech that they’re not doing anything,” Gurak says. Some of the Ukrainian demands were wildly improbable—there was a campaign to get Russia disconnected from GPS. “In the minds of Ukrainians, that totally made sense,” Gurak says. “If you ask any Ukrainian back then what had to be done in tech, they would say, ‘Just fuck them all,’ [cut them off] from GPS from the internet, from Swift.”

Gurak and others didn’t just target CEOs of tech companies, but employees at those companies too, urging them to pressure their bosses to act. When Zelenskyy and Fedorov wrote to executives, including Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, and COO Sheryl Sandberg, asking them for assistance, Gurak helped make sure the emails “leaked” to The Ink, a newsletter read by tens of thousands of tech workers.

It’s hard to say whether these interventions directly resulted in what the companies did next. Netflix was already under pressure from new laws in Russia that would have restricted the content of its shows and compelled it to broadcast propaganda. Meta had been publicly dismantling Russian disinformation operations on Instagram and Facebook for years, leading to intense criticism from the Kremlin. Apple’s exports to Russia were inevitably going to be hit by looming sanctions. But nevertheless, they acted. Netflix, which had roughly a million customers in Russia, suspended its service there in March, closing it fully in May. YouTube blocked access to Russian state-affiliated channels worldwide. Apple halted all sales in Russia. Amazon gave Ukraine access to secure cloud storage to keep its government functioning, reduced fees for Ukrainian businesses selling on its platforms, and donated millions of dollars' worth of humanitarian and educational supplies. Facebook blocked some Russian state media from using its platforms in Europe, and changed a policy that blocked users if they called for the deaths of Russian and Belarusian presidents Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. In response, Russia banned both platforms for “Russophobia” in March. In October, Russia declared Meta an “extremist organization.”

These are tech companies that have often studiously avoided taking overt political stances, at times dancing on a razor’s edge between neutrality and complicity in autocratic countries. Taking sides in a war between two sovereign nations feels more profound than simple commercial calculation. At the launch event in Kyiv where I met Fedorov, a Google executive gave a gushing presentation on videoconference, in front of a yellow wall that echoed the Ukrainian flag. A couple of months earlier, I saw Fedorov give a video address to a Google for Startups event in Warsaw. Wearing military green, he described the tech sector as an “economic front line” in the war with Russia. The support in the room was unambiguous. “When the invasion began, we had personal connections to these companies,” Fedorov says. “They knew who we are, what we look like, what our values are and our mission is.”

Of all Fedorov’s callouts to the tech world, the most tactically significant was probably his February 26 tweet to Elon Musk: “While you try to colonize Mars—Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space—Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations,” Fedorov wrote. “Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,” Musk shot back.

It could be argued that this was a fantastic marketing opportunity for Musk’s company—Starlink being a solution in search of a problem—but the devices have at times proved decisive. The satellite broadband service has been used by frontline troops to communicate with one another when other networks go down, and to fly drones for surveillance and artillery targeting. Starlinks have kept government agencies and health care facilities online despite Russia’s routine targeting of power and communications infrastructure. When, in February 2023, Starlink said it was restricting Ukraine’s military use of the system, there was an outcry. (Although true to form in a Musk company, there was apparently little follow-through, and Ukrainian users said they experienced no meaningful disruption to their service.)

When asked about the early days of the war, what Fedorov reaches for isn’t the big picture, but the details—the small changes to processes that made the state more nimble. They figured out how to securely send training materials to military volunteers. They changed the law on cloud storage for government data to make it harder for the Russians to take out vital systems. They tweaked financial infrastructure to make sure donations from the global public went straight into transparent national accounting systems. United24, a platform where you can donate bitcoin to buy drones to kill Russian soldiers, has a banner saying it’s audited by Deloitte, one of the Big Four global accounting firms.

These things must have felt small and needlessly bureaucratic during the opening days of an existential conflict, in which government business was being conducted from bunkers and leading political figures were reportedly being targeted for assassination by the Russians. But they mattered, Fedorov says, because the administration couldn’t afford to be anything less than performatively incorruptible. “It was a test [set] by the president,” Fedorov says. “Make all this happen fast, but also keep the bureaucracy in place.”

Fedorov’s ministry was able to use that solid base of bureaucracy to bypass the military’s slow procurement processes, taking in money and buying drones and other high-tech gear from whoever could get it into the field quickly. “United24 shows how many unnecessary chains there were in this decisionmaking, and how it could be streamlined or optimized,” he says. In practice, what that meant was they could buy things that soldiers wanted, but the army’s procedures wouldn’t let them have. “Procedures work like anchors,” says Alexander Stepura, founder and CEO of Skyeton, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer. “The guys on the front line, they don't think about procedures.”

In a farmer’s field an hour’s drive outside of Kyiv, a man in combat fatigues kneels in the dust like a supplicant, one arm raised to the heavens, holding a quadcopter on his outstretched palm. A few meters away, two of his comrades take cover behind a concrete pylon, watched over by an instructor in aviator sunglasses. After a long wait—long enough for the kneeling soldier to have to get up and stretch his legs—the drone’s propellers start to spin. It lifts slowly from his hand, then zips away, heading for a distant tree line.

The team of three—pilot, navigator, and catcher—are learning how to launch their drones (the instructors call them “birds”) and bring them safely home in a low diagonal line that’s hard for the enemy to track. The rule of thumb is you have 30 seconds in the open before someone spots you and the mortar bombs start to fall. “Priority number one is for soldiers to survive,” the instructor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says. The second is to get the drones back intact, since it’s getting harder and harder to get hold of the Chinese-made DJI models that were ubiquitous in the early days of the war.

These fields, strung with electrical cables and dotted with smallholdings, are where Ukraine’s “Army of Drones” trains. Over the past year, hundreds of Ukrainians have come here to learn to fly unmanned aerial vehicles in defense of their homeland, being taught how to surveil enemy lines, spot targets for artillery, and drop explosives on Russian vehicles. There’s an informality to the operation—at the battery charging station a spaniel belonging to one of the instructors barges between the trainees’ legs—but the trainers have honed their skills in combat, and many of their students go from the school directly back to the lines.

The Ukrainian army’s use of drones in the early days of the war was another master class in tech innovation. Ordinary soldiers collaborated with engineers and programmers working out of living rooms and office spaces to bootstrap a weapons program that helped drive Russia’s armored columns back from the edge of Kyiv, often using drones costing a few hundred dollars apiece to destroy millions of dollars’ worth of high-tech military gear. Since then, the enemy has begun to develop countermeasures, so the Army of Drones has had to adapt and refine its tactics and its gear. “If you want to win, you have to be smarter,” the unit’s lead instructor, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, says. “And the only way to get smarter is to learn.”

Many of Ukraine’s innovations in drone warfare were made in sheds, offices, small industrial premises, and in the trenches themselves. Soldiers jury-rigged drones to carry grenades or mortar bombs; engineers and designers helped refine the systems, 3D-printing harnesses that used, for example, light-activated mechanisms that could be fitted to the underside of DJI Mavic drones, turning the UAV’s auxiliary lights into a trigger. But the country also had a sizable aerospace industry clustered in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv, which naturally pivoted to meet the threat of obliteration. Skyeton was part of it. Founded in 2006 as a maker of light aircraft, it’s been making UAVs for close to a decade, selling long-range surveillance drones to coast guards and police forces in Asia and Africa. One of its drones was put to work in Botswana, protecting the last remaining black rhino from poachers.

Converting its products for military use wasn’t straightforward. They needed to be adapted to fly without GNSS or GPS signals, and to be resistant to electronic warfare. Their software needed to be rewritten to identify military targets. “A lot of engineers in Ukraine are obsessed with fighting the enemy, so you just say ‘We need you guys’ and they come to the company and help,” says Skyeton CEO Stepura. They quickly built a new system that could fly without satellite navigation and took it to the military—who turned them down because it hadn’t been through testing, a process that typically takes two to three years in peacetime. The Army of Drones said yes straight away, and Skyeton’s drones headed to the front, where they’re still flying.

Stepura, and others I spoke to, are convinced that this approach has given Ukraine an edge. This is a war between competing technologies, he says. “Today, we have in this test field in Ukraine everything that was developed around the world. And it turns out, it doesn’t work.”

Surveillance drones like Boeing’s ScanEagle, previously billed as best-in-class, were too heavy, too slow to deploy, and too easy for the Russians to spot, he says. So the Army of Drones has gone for war-as-product-development, beta testing with “end users,” getting feedback, refining, picking winners. “The Army of Drones, all the time they communicate with end users, they collect information,” Stepura says. “They continue to invest into those companies that provide the product [about] which they've received good feedback.”

It’s easy to see Fedorov’s fingerprints on this approach. The deputy prime minister is taciturn, factual in his answers. (He’s far more expressive on Twitter.) But he’s at his most enthusiastic when he recounts a recent visit to a base on the front line near Zaporizhzhia. “The base is like an underground—actually underground—IT company. Everything is on screens with satellite connections, drone videos,” he says, with evident satisfaction. “The way people look and the way people talk, it’s just an IT company. A year ago, before the invasion, you wouldn’t see that.”

When I mention my meeting with Fedorov to Stepura, he beams. “He’s really good,” he says. “He’s really good. He’s a champion.” He might well be happy. The war, terrible as it’s been, has also been good for business. Skyeton has gone from 60 employees to 160. The drone industry is booming. A consensus estimate among half a dozen people I spoke with in the sector is that there are now around 100 viable military drone startups in Ukraine.

With the first, desperate phase of the war over, and the front line settling into more of a dynamic equilibrium, the Ministry of Digital Transformation wants to turn this startup arms business into a bona fide military-industrial complex. In April, the ministry, working with the military, launched Brave1, a “defense-tech” cluster to incubate promising technology that can first be deployed on the battlefield in Ukraine, and then be sold to customers overseas. In early June, the same fields where I watched new recruits learn the basics on DJI Mavics hosted a competition between 11 drone startups, who flew their birds in dogfights and over simulated trenches, watched over by Fedorov and an army general. The winner gets a chance at a contract with the military.

“The defense forces and the startup communities are different worlds,” Nataliia Kushnerska, Brave1’s project lead, says. “In this project, everybody receives what they need. The general staff and Ministry of Defense receive really great solutions they can actually use. The Ministry of the Economy receives a growing ecosystem, an industry that you could use to recover the country.”

It’s been a balmy spring in Kyiv. Café crowds spill out onto street-side tables. Couples walk their dogs under the blossoms in the city’s sprawling parks and botanic gardens, and teenagers use the front steps of the opera house as a skate ramp. From 500 days’ distance, the desperate, brutal defense of the capital last year has slipped into memory. What’s replaced it is a strange new normal. Restaurants advertise their bunkers alongside their menus. On train station platforms, men and women in uniform wait with duffel bags and bunches of flowers—returning from or heading to the front. During the day the skies are clear of planes, an odd absence for a capital city. At night, there are the sirens: Mark Hamill on repeat. When I left, the counteroffensive was due to happen any day. Here and there people dropped hints—supplies they’d been asked to find, mysterious trips to the southeast. It began in June, with Ukrainian forces inching forward once more.

Victory isn’t assured, and there are many sacrifices yet to come. But there is now space—psychological, emotional, and economic—to think about what comes next. Before I left Kyiv, I spoke to Tymofiy Mylovanov, a former government minister and now president of the Kyiv School of Economics, who is known for his unfiltered political analysis. I asked him why this young government had defied the expectations of many pundits, who expected their anti-corruption drives and grand plans for digitization to founder, and for them to crumble before Russia’s onslaught. “Because people weren’t paying attention to the details,” Mylovanov says. Of Fedorov, he says simply: “He’s the future.”

The war has provided proof of concept not just for drones, or the tech sector, but for a government that was idealistic and untested—even for Ukraine, as a nation whose borders, sovereignty, and identity have been undermined for decades.

Brave1 is a small way for Ukraine to look forward, to turn the disaster it’s living through into a chance to build something new. The incubator isn’t hosted in an imposing military building staffed by men in fatigues, but in the Unit City tech hub in Kyiv, with beanbags, third-wave coffee stands, and trampolines built into the courtyard. It’s emblematic of the startup-ization of the war effort, but also of the way that the war has become background noise in many cases. Its moments are still shocking, but day to day there’s a need to just get on with business.

The war is always there—Fedorov still had to present his education project in the basement, not the ballroom—but it’s been integrated into the workflow. In March, Fedorov was promoted and given an expanded brief as deputy prime minister for innovation, education, science, and technology. He’s pushing the Diia app into new places. It now hosts courses to help Ukrainians retrain in tech, and motivational lectures from sports stars and celebrities. Ukrainians can use it to watch and vote in the Eurovision Song Contest. And they can use it to listen to emergency radio broadcasts, to store their evacuation documents, to apply for funds if their homes are destroyed, even to report the movements of Russian troops to a chatbot.

Speaking as he does, like a tech worker, Fedorov says these are exactly the kind of life-changing, tangible products he promised to create, all incremental progress that adds up to a new way of governing. Small acts of political radicalism delivered online. “Government as a service,” as he puts it. He’s rolling out changes to the education system. He’s reforming the statistical service. The dull things that don’t make headlines. Ordinary things that need to be done alongside the extraordinary ones. “The world keeps going,” he says. “While Ukraine fights for freedom.”

[idarahcorporate]

Simplified Guide to Starting an Affordable Business in Saudi Arabia

If you are looking forward to cheapest company setup in Saudi Arabia, there are few things that you must familiarize with beforehand. Saudi Arabia, with its developing economy and business-friendly environment, offers a myriad of opportunities for businessman looking for low cost business aspects. Still, being a foreign investor, you may come across certain challenges and issues in this regard. While this may be due to the lack of knowledge and awareness, the following pointers in this blog will aim to help you in this regard. 

Step 1: Make the right choice regarding the Business setup

The primary step for cheapest company setup in Saudi is choosing the right business idea. Search for business opportunities that go well with your expertise and interests. Also, consider paying attention to the local trends and trade practices. A few low-cost business ideas may include e-commerce, home-based services, online counseling and food delivery services. Moreover, by starting with a basic and reasonable business idea, you'll be able to minimize the initial costs.

Step 2: Be prepared and practical 

You must be prepared and practical while getting along with the business idea. Do the required research and investigation before bringing it to execution. Also, get familiar with your local competitors and know what trade practices they are following. At the same time, draw a plan that talks about your objectives, target audience, and budget. Moreover, planning in advance will assist you remain centered and make educated choices. Luckily, there are numerous free groups and forums that offers the detailed information about the cheapest company setup in KSA

Step 3: Know the legalities 

Being a business owner, you must know the legalities of practicing a business in Saudi. That said, enlisting your business in Saudi Arabia may be a crucial step in the same regard. Doing that, you must select a legal structure that suits your business, such as a sole proprietorship or a Limited Liability company (LLC). Moreover, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) offers a streamlined online registration procedure for all the business owners. Whereas there are registration fees, they are quite low compared to numerous other nations. Also, make beyond any doubt to have all required documents and details in order to make the most out of this option.

Step 4: Indulge in cost effective marketing process

Even though marketing does attract some cost, there are options to practice cost effective marketing. That said, marketing doesn't have to be costly for cheapest company setup in Saudi Arabia. Hence, make use of the social platforms and related tools to reach your targeted audience in a reasonable way. At the same time, try engaging with your audience and clients via these online platforms to market your business. Do remember that word-of-mouth and online reviews can also help you reach to your potential customers without spending much.

Step 5: Always plan your budget and other monetary aspects 

One of the other aspects in cheapest company setup in KSA is managing your budget. Do know that managing your accounts properly is the key to a low-cost commerce setup. Also, keep a near eye on your costs, and seek for ways to cut costs without compromising quality. Besides, consider outsourcing projects when required to dodge contracting full-time representatives. Moreover, utilize free or cost accounting tools to track your accounts. At the same time, you can negotiate with the professionals for cheaper services in the same regard.

Step 6: Organizing and Networking

Being a business owner, you must not write off the importance of proper coordination and planning. That said, networking can be a profitable asset for your low-cost trade. So, you must connect with the local business events, connect with industry affiliations, and interact with individual business people. Also, networking can lead to cost-sharing options and access to the cost effective assets. For illustration, sharing office space or hardware with other little businesses can altogether diminish overhead costs.

Step 7: Paying attention to the local culture and traditions 

You cannot deny paying attention to the local Saudi culture while going for cheapest company setup in Saudi Arabia. That said, understanding and regarding local traditions and conventions is fundamental in Saudi Arabia. Besides, building strong connections with local people can open entryways to trade opportunities in no time. This is where you must learn about Saudi culture, behavior, and business practices. For example, you can opt for random get together in order to discuss various business options. Being socially active can further help you construct trust and respect.

Final words

Setting up a low-cost business in Saudi Arabia is achievable with cautious planning and cost-conscious techniques. Also, by choosing the right business idea, understanding legal prerequisites, grasping cost-effective marketing, you'll begin and run a successful business without heavy costs. Also, networking and social ethics can really improve your chances of success within this famous Middle Eastern country.