Creativity Can Launch Your Dreams, Resolutions And Goals!

Each one of us is capable of ‘imagining’ – weaving creative moments in which we craft art, writing, a fabulous home, lovely garden, successful work proposal, a joyous family life, an exceptional college term paper, a song. The creative process, and its products, is endless, unique to its creators. We all have opportunities to create things big and small if we courageously open ourselves to the process and are willing to explore dreams and abilities. If we’re willing to follow our passions, if we’re willing to ‘try’, to give it a shot, to let our hair down just a bit - each one of us is capable of doing great things.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create like Ernest Hemingway, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, or F. Scott Fitzgerald. They gave us such wonderful gifts. They provide such enduring inspiration. Why not open your mind to the possibilities and Dare To Dream and know that you too can create? All it takes is one small spark – an idea, and the determination, and commitment to make the journey from marble to sculpture, clay to glazed vase, blank page to book, empty canvas to portrait, follower to leader, candidate to elected official. All it takes is the willingness to explore and give creativity and inspiration a chance – to simply give it a try!

I’m a fan of J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter series – who isn’t? Her latest and ‘last’ book has been released, and a staggering number of books were sold in just the first couple days. I raise my glass to her and offer congratulations and gratitude. She inspired legions of people, young and old alike, to ‘imagine’, just simply ‘imagine’.I was feeling somewhat depleted recently after a long day, long month, long year, so I headed for the theater. I needed a break, and I knew that the latest Harry Potter movie would do the trick. It did. I was refreshed and enthusiastic after I left the theater!

J.K. Rowling did what any good writer does, she left me wanting more. I cared about the future of Harry and Ron and Hermione et. al. When the credits rolled at the end of the movie, I wanted to spend more time at Hogwarts. J.K. Rowling delivered big time. She left me happy and feeling better when I left the theater, than when I walked in. Good for her! She’s a wizard with story telling and word weaving. Good for us! She serves as such wonderful inspiration. She struggled – it didn’t come easy in the the beginning – but she persisted and persevered, and finally found a publisher who believed in her and Harry Potter. She has been richly rewarded with our attention and admiration, and book by book, movie by movie, we’ve been richly rewarded with her passion and creativity.

My point is to urge you to Dare To Dream. Each one of us is blessed with special gifts, we just need the courage and encouragement to turn those gifts into something special – art, writing, a flower garden, a wonderful family, a wonderful partner/soulmate, a flourishing business. What’s your passion? Name it. Define it. Get your arms around it. GO FOR IT! Stop sitting on the sidelines. Put an end to the ‘Someday, Someday, Someday Syndrome.

Remember: I Resolve To Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year. It’s your choice. Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that’s with you for good! Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who keeps resolutions and enjoys the journey! Let’s Go For It!

Tags:

Vanadium – A Metal Preparing For Launch

Vanadium, a transitional metal found on the periodic table, is becoming much more than just a metal talked about in high school chemistry class. The silvery gray metal has historically been a by-product of mining and oil-drilling production businesses, but due to technological breakthroughs over the last decade, demand for the metal is growing, and the search for Vanadium is on.

The three hottest areas for vanadium use today are production of steel alloys, vanadium redox-batteries, and a new technology called smart glass.

According to Wikipedia.com, 85% of all vanadium produced is used as a steel additive. When mixed into steel, the steel becomes dramatically stronger and more resistant to heat. These attributes are vital in construction. Lets use an example of a steel bridge-by adding a small percentage of vanadium to the steel, the bridge can sustain weights over 1000 tons, rather than falling apart at 250 tons. Secondly, by having a higher resistant to heat, the bridge can remain standing during an explosion. The next time you drive over a strong new bridge, thank vanadium.

Smart glass, also known as smart windows, is an exciting new technology requiring significant amounts of vanadium. Smart glass is a sheet glass which contains electrically-reactive layers in it’s center. By running a charge through the glass, tinting flips on or off. The darkness of the tint resembles tinted vehicle windows. By installing large sheets of smart glass, new commercial buildings eliminate the need for blinds & shades. Additionally, this vanadium coating has been shown to reflect U.V. rays away from the building, while insulating and preserving heat more efficiently than traditional glass. Temperature control savings for commercial buildings are said to be in the 40% annual range.

The third and most promising use of vanadium, is what’s called the vanadium-redox battery. This battery is different from traditional rechargeable batteries: A charged vanadium liquid stores the energy(vanadium metal can be converted to a liquid). The liquid is then stored in two separate tanks(one for positive liquid, one for negative). When the two liquids meet, a chemical reaction occurs, producing electricity. These tanks can be made in any size, to meet any application-a vehicle, a hospital, or even a small town! A widespread adaptation and use of vanadium redox batteries paints a demand picture for vanadium resembling Mt. Everest.

While the demand picture for vanadium is growing, the supply-side is ridden with bottlenecks. According to CPM group, “China, South Africa, and Russia account for roughly 90% of global supplies.” During an interview with this author, James Corrigan of Stina Resources indicates South Africa represents roughly 60% of world production. South Africa, hmm…remember what happened in 2008 during the South African mine blackouts? The electrical grid failed and platinum mining temporarily came to a halt. Platinum prices exploded as industry and investors scrambled to secure their own supplies. It would be naive to think this cant happen again, to any mineral supply coming from South Africa. It is a country many years away from offering(if ever) a developed mining infrastructure.

Now the final question remains: “If vanadium is a hot metal for the future, with such great supply & demand prospects, how can I get my hands on some?”

Well, it’s easier said than done. There are only a handful of quality vanadium deposits in the world, and even fewer investment choices to access these deposits safely. The largest risk today in mining is political. Appropriation and taxes remain the largest threat to wealth buried underground. For this reason, we recommend staying in mining-friendly jurisdictions of the Americas, more specifically, Canada and the U.S.

Vanadium is far more than just a dusty-old metal talked about by chemistry teachers. Today’s growing technological applications are demanding metals of higher endurance, and vanadium is meeting that demand. Steel alloys, smart glass windows, and redox-batteries represent a slice of a rapidly growing pie. Vanadium is preparing for launch.

Tags:

Video Production – Making Explainer Videos

Video production is gradually emerging as the future of business marketing. Little wonder then that 87% of online marketers are using this form of content in their marketing. The effectiveness of this communication tool is evident in the fact that 92% of mobile internet users share what they watch with others. 90% of consumers say they find visual ads very helpful in making purchase decisions.Explainer Video ProductionWith an explainer video, you are able to reposition your brand in the increasingly competitive online market. With the Google algorithm focusing more on user experience, you need content that entices visitors to stay longer on your website. This content is more affordable to make and has a very high ROI. They help you to get your point across in a few seconds, something you can never do with a print advert.Video increases conversion rates, clarify objective of the product, increase interest in your product, boost ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs), increase traffic to your website, liven your pitch and also grab target audience attention. They are easily sharable and will showcase your brand’s personality while at the same time building brand trust.Making the Best Explainer VideoIf you are planning this type of production, you should talk to an established video production company. Such a company has professional personnel with expertise and experience to create a high quality visual for your marketing campaign.If you are planning of launching such a campaign, it is important to consider the following:

Write the best script: The project will only work if you have a well planned and executed script. By working with a professional company, you have access to highly experienced script writers who will organize brainstorming sessions with your team and write a story outline that works. Make sure the script is concise with a clear message.

Short and simple: You should remember that the purpose of the production is to make things clear to the viewers. As such, keep things short and simple. Attention spans in the modern world keep reducing and short films are thus appreciated. Make sure you address the problem, give a solution, explain the product or service and add a call to action (CTA).

Focus on the value: Avoid talking about features of the product you are selling and instead, tell the viewers what value it will add to their lives. If your product or service is going to improve lives, then you have a winner.

Leverage technical expertise: However good your story is, it only takes poor quality visual and audio to ruin everything. This is where an expert comes in handy.

Add some fun: If the film is to be shared, it must have an emotional touch to it and the best way to achieve this is by adding humor.

An explainer video will boost conversion, increase traffic and meet other marketing strategy. It is the best technique to communicate what your brand is all about in an affordable, simple and straightforward manner.

Should You Produce Your Own Video or Hire a Professional Production Company?

Like everyone else who is considering video marketing to launch or grow their businesses, you too must be in dilemma. The choice between going on your own to produce your video or hiring a professional service to do it for you requires careful consideration.There are several reasons why you should entrust this task to a professional even though it will cost some money. If you are a manufacturer, trader or marketer, your core competency is in your chosen field. To learn professional video shooting techniques and skills requires lot of time and effort and also costs money.Consider and weigh your options in terms of money, time and energy spent against hiring someone to do it for you quickly with quality output. Digital media is a skill learned with dedication over a period of time and these people will certainly do a much better job than you to let you concentrate on video marketing of your products.If you want to produce it on own without outside help, you will need to organize yourself very well. First, you have to determine the product or service that you want to feature in the video. Secondly you have to decide on the duration of the video. Too long a video and your audience may switch off, too short and you may not be able to say or feature all that you want to display. You must strike the right balance and write a functional script before you shoot the video.Next, you have to choose whether you will yourself present the products in the video putting yourself in the anchor role, or hire someone professional to do it for you. You may save the cost of hiring someone, but the end result may not be satisfactory, because your body language, voice pitch and modulation may not create the impact required.Even the equipment like cameras, tripods and sound recording that you possess may not be of professional quality. A video shot on camcorder and something shot in studio under controlled conditions and lights will definitely give better results. Home use camcorders even though very convenient and easy to use are no match for studio quality equipment used by professionals. Editing the final cut requires dexterity and creative skills.Trial and error in this department will prove to be a disaster. Professional video editors know exactly how much to shoot, where to make appropriate cut in the final version and how to keep the video within the time limit and still incorporate all the essentials of the story it wants to tell.Consider the time spent in learning all the stuff, wasting precious resources and missing the bus when you should already be selling, than struggling with your camcorder. Add to it, if you don’t like what you have produced, chances of others finding it watchable are very slim. Let the pros do it so that you can better expand your time and effort in video marketing.