by Shawn Boday | Apr 19, 2018 | Business, Shawn Boday, snowboarding
Skiing and snowboarding are sports that are open for typically one season a year (depending on your location) but it requires year-round work to maintain physical shape. Athletes all over the world have to train during summer months to stay in shape and maintain their skill-set for the winter season. Here’s how they do it!
Gym Time
This one may seem obvious but the exercises done inside of the gym is where things get interesting. Winter athletes need to engage specific muscles to maintain their shape for their sport of choice and utilize unique training methods such as ab wheels, rowing, high-intensity cardio training, and agility work. Look to your favorite pro’s and see if they put out the specific workouts they do to stay in shape.
Water Sports
The cool thing about skiing and snowboarding is that they can both essentially be done in the summer- just using a different medium (aka water). There are obviously differences in water and snow, however, wakeboarding or water-skiing is the closest you’re going to get to replicating the experience and engaging the muscles in a similar fashion.
Skating
Skating is both easy to pick up and fun! It also helps maintain balance and mental stamina (you don’t want to fall while snowboarding or skating). While your feet will be positioned differently on a skateboard than a snowboard it is still a fun way to get some good practice in and can still improve your snowboarding game.
Biking
Biking is hands down one of the best ways you can keep your legs in shape for snowboarding and skiing. You should be biking as much as you absolutely can be- take it to work, to the coffee shop, to the gym, for a casual ride, just make sure you do it! If you can take it up and down some hills or a mountain that’s even better.
There are many things winter athletes (and you) can do to stay in shape during the summer. Activities as simple as getting in the gym or taking it up a notch and learning other extreme sports like mountain biking or surfing will contribute to a better winter season ensuring that when you get back in the snow, you will be ready to pick up right where you left off!
by Shawn Boday | Apr 4, 2018 | Business, Shawn Boday
In an effort to separate themselves from the pack, businesses owners and entrepreneurs alike have turned to social media platforms to give their products and services an edge. Some companies create short viral video campaigns for YouTube, live stream their latest product launch on Facebook, or produce compelling photographs for their audience on Instagram.
One social media platform that’s sometimes overlooked by people in the business world is LinkedIn. While some entrepreneurs believe that LinkedIn is just a network for resume posting, the platform actually offers a wide range of tools for business people looking to grow their company.
To learn more about the ways that LinkedIn is a vital tool for entrepreneurs and businesses, read on below!
LinkedIn is Great for Professional Networking
While social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram focus on the social aspect of networking, it can be difficult to make serious inroads on these networks if you’re interested in growing your network on a more professional basis.
LinkedIn, on the other hand, makes growing your professional social network easy by allowing users to search for like-minded professionals in their particular area of expertise. LinkedIn allows users to build relationships with people on both a local level, as well as on national and international levels, too, making the social network unique in its ability to help entrepreneurs quickly find other business savants who are revolutionizing the business landscape in their cities.
LinkedIn has message boards and groups that further allow people to identify who they might want to connect with to grow their business venture. This feature can be an extremely invaluable tool for entrepreneurs who want to expand their product or service into new areas.
Using LinkedIn as a Tool for Product Launches
One innovative way that business owners are using LinkedIn as a vital tool to grow their companies is by creating product-specific LinkedIn pages. That’s right — not only is LinkedIn an excellent option for those posting up your resume, but the platform is also great if you want to showcase the benefits of a product you’ve recently launched.
On LinkedIn, entrepreneurs can create a page for their product or service that is similar to the resume-style profile pages the platform offers. These product pages are a great way to quickly highlight what makes your new product great.
LinkedIn is such an effective tool from a marketing standpoint that a new study indicates that 81% of business-to-business companies are using LinkedIn to advertise their product launches.
by Shawn Boday | Mar 28, 2018 | Airbnb, Home Buying Process, Housing Market, Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Renting, Shawn Boday
With more and more people flocking to popular towns and cities, combined with the increase of all things digital, Airbnb is a company that couldn’t have arrived at a better time in the digital age. In fact, there really wasn’t another time where Airbnb could have thrived in the way it does now. And while it has helped countless people make their vacations more affordable, as well as benefit those renting out their own properties, is it possible that this app has also brought some trouble to the real estate market along the way?
Property Owners are Catching On
Property owners are concentrated on buying properties in cities that draw large crowds of tourists. You may be wondering where Airbnb ties into this statement, but this is where it gets interesting. Current property owners and people looking to purchase property to rent out have grown keen to the fact that Airbnb can be a helpful indicator of places that are seeing a booming influx of visitors, which in turn signals to property owners that their city may very well be a hot commodity for all things hipsterdom and tourism
So, what has happened as a result is that many property owners are beginning to raise the prices of their rental properties in an attempt to capitalize on a bustling metropolitan area. Also, current property owners in cities where this is occurring are also optimistic as it provides them with a chance to sell for a much higher price than they bought.
Growing Competition
Airbnb rental properties can be money-making machines. If you operate an Airbnb in a sought-after travel destination, you are likely to acquire a continual, large-sum of revenue each year. With this in mind, property owners have opted for renting their spaces out short-term for the whole year as opposed to on a long-term basis (short-term means more money). Now, since long-term rentals are becoming increasingly less available, this has pushed property owners into a heightened sense of competition, which in turn causes prices to go up due to demand.
Airbnb is a great tool for people looking for places to stay while vacationing and for people looking to make some extra profit. But if the invisible hand of Airbnb continues to increase the prices of the housing market, we may be headed for a destination that no one wants. The conversation on how to create and maintain sustainable housing costs while allowing people to continue their ventures on Airbnb is a dialogue that is certainly worth having, both for the tourists, locals, and property owners.
by Shawn Boday | Mar 24, 2018 | Shawn Boday, snowboarding
Snowboarding is an activity that offers great exercise, a rush of adrenaline, and a beautiful time out in nature. But the truth is if you’re not careful while out on the slopes, it may also offer you a nasty dose of frostbite, too.
Wearing quality apparel when engaging in an extreme sport is essential, and this is undoubtedly true with snowboarding. Not only will it help ensure you have the best time possible when out on the mountain, but it will also ensure you do everything possible to stay safe and prevent any harmful issues that would not otherwise occur.
To help prepare you for your next epic snowboarding trip, below are three excellent brands that won’t break the bank.
Burton
Prices can vary widely with Burton, but it’s a great brand that has proven itself in the world of snowboarding. But the nice thing about Burton gear is that you can often find a discount on their apparel, with possible discounts of 30-40% in their clearance section. Helmets, for instance, can range anywhere from $50 to $150, but the quality is indeed something that the manufacturers at Burton keep in the forefront of their minds, so you won’t find yourself paying for something that will not serve you well and last through any harsh conditions.
Helly Hansen
Helly Hansen possesses a proven track record in apparel that lasts through the frigid temperatures of the Norwegian winters. For apparel that can last through the harshest of conditions, this is an excellent brand that can still be found at a reasonable price. For instance, If you’re planning on snowboarding in extreme conditions, Hansen offers an excellent choice with their Backbowl jacket.
Again, the prices of Helly Hansen can vary as well, with jackets ranging from $100 to $500. But discounts of 30% can regularly be found, and the quality that comes with the purchase is hard to beat.
Chaos Hats
Chaos Hats make affordable headwear and neckwear for men and women. The brand offers some stylish selections, with a nearly endless supply of beanies and scarves, and the material is soft but durable—perfect for any cold winter day on the slopes. One of the coolest products Chaos Hats offer is their affordable fleece necktubes which run about $10.
Finding affordable and durable snowboarding apparel doesn’t have to be a strenuous activity that causes any financial burden. Many great brands that offer a variety of great products that leave you with little excuse to not head out and hit the slopes!
by Shawn Boday | Mar 19, 2018 | Business, Real Estate, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Tips, Shawn Boday
Investing in real estate meanings putting the money you have today to work for tomorrow. Simply put, real estate is a business that requires a healthy dose of foreknowledge, confidence in your research, and skill in assessing the lucrative real estate markets of today and tomorrow. The revenue you make on your return must be enough to cover things like taxes and the cost of owning real estate investments like paying for utilities, maintenance, and insurance.
Basically, real estate is the real world equivalent to monopoly. But just because the concept is easy to grasp doesn’t mean that the industry is easy to excel in. Below are a few helpful tips for those who are novices in real estate investing.
Location
Deciphering the best cities and bustling towns to start investing in real estate is crucial. If you can develop the foreknowledge it takes to scope out lucrative areas, then you are already off to the best possible start. An old real estate investing adage is to look for the worst house on the best street. Why? Well, a good location provides strong potential for tourism, and “fixer-upper” property allows you to buy low, invest your money into renovating and upgrading, and then sell for a price that reflects your renovations.
The 1% Rule
If you plan on purchasing a property that you’ll rent out to one or more tenants, then you should utilize the 1% rule.
The 1% Rule states that an income producing property must produce 1% of the price it costs you every month. For example, if you buy a property for $150,000, then the monthly rental income should be 150,000 x 1% = $1,500. Simple enough, right? Well, the true skill in this area comes from searching out and capitalizing on properties that are conducive to the 1% rule.
Appreciation
Appreciation is when the land and market around you goes up due to an outside factor in the community. A major new shopping mall, city upgrades, and even the investments you put into your properties that make it more appealing to potential buyers all help produce appreciation. While extremely lucrative, this is one of the riskiest elements of real estate investing, and caution should be taken when playing the tricky game of real estate appreciation.
Real estate investing is a great industry to enter into, and simple as it may be in its description, the application of it is something that requires skill and precision. However, difficult as it can be, implementing these three steps will prove to be extremely useful for you in the long run.
by Shawn Boday | Mar 15, 2018 | Shawn Boday, snowboarding
The Apple Watch has become a wearable essential for fitness fanatics everywhere, helping to track progress and supply valuable data. Until now, it seemed Apple was forgetting about those with a passion for winter activities. Not to be outdone, Apple gave the green light for several winter sports tracking apps.
New Apps for the Apple Watch Will Track a New Type of Progress
Among the first apps to sign on with the Apple Watch are Ski Tracks, Slopes, Snocru, and Squaw Alpine. The apps will help individuals track their performance in skiing and snowboarding activities by providing data that will be recorded, during the activities. This is something winter sports enthusiasts have been longing for and it seems Apple execs were listening.
Unfortunately, the apps won’t be compatible with older versions of the Apple Watch. The technology that makes this type of fitness tracking possible was only made available with the WatchOS 4.2, which was updated in December. This means Legacy Apple Watch owners will have to upgrade, if they want access to the apps. Currently, only the Apple Watch Series 3 will be capable of running the apps correctly, partly because it comes with a barometric altimeter installed in the device.
The Apple Watch Update Simplifies Tracking
It should be noted that winter athletes weren’t without tracking apps for their activities. The previously mentioned apps have been available on the iPhone for some time, but handling the phone while wearing winter gear was problematic. Wearing gloves made it difficult to use the apps and, for skiers, they would have to juggle their phone along with their ski poles.
Often, users want to track their progress on the field or while riding the chair lift, but that required removing gloves. Otherwise, there was the risk of dropping their phone or other equipment. The Apple Watch eliminates those concerns with the new update.
What kind of data will the Apple Watch record with these apps? Among the most anticipated features, it will track the vertical descent and the distance for each runs, as well as keeping a record of the number of runs completed. The apps will also be able to keep a tally of top speeds, providing an average speed for the user. For those interested in how their performance effects their physique, the Apple Watch will also keep track of the number of calories burned with each performance.
While this may mean buying a new Apple Watch for some, the investment will certainly pay off. Having a more convenient way of tracking this kind of data will help athletes improve their overall performance.
