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Sometimes it’s a good idea to hire a blogging coach when you feel you are going nowhere with your own digital goals. Hiring a coach is not a sign that you are a failure and you should give up blogging altogether — just the contrary! It means you haven’t figured out yet what works for you, and can help you bring out your full potential as a blogger. If you’re still unsure about whether a blogging coach is the right fit for you, check out these 8 situations that where getting the help of a professional is the right decision....

Tracky’s results are real and practical: you can manage multiple projects, keep track of to-do’s and timelines, and assign tasks. Unlike other project management tools, plans are based on the individual (rather than the company) so you keep your data even if you leave a job. But the Las Vegas startup also embraces the fun. It’s almost like a social network, allowing you to plan a vacation to Hawaii, get feedback on a new idea, or share an interesting article....

How do you get your Instagram year in review video?Get your year in review video by going to the Iconosquare website here. Sign into your Instagram account and you should be asked if you’d like to get your video sent to you. Once you get the video, simply download or save to your videos, then upload it to Instagram. You can see other users videos by searching for the hashtag #memoicono on Instagram and Twitter....

VNTANA was founded in 2012 and has since become a leader in social augmented reality. Their work to create interactive experiences through holographic technology has most recently lead to a partnership with Microsoft to create The HOLLAGRAM Just when you thought selfies weren’t obnoxious enough (and I mean that in the nicest way possible), The HOLLAGRAM takes selfies to the next level. It is hologram system that combines Microsoft technology with VNTANA’s hardware and software platform, to create an advanced social augmented reality experience....

Well, Twitter’s finally getting rid of the auto-refreshing function that viral tweets have been complaining about for years. I’d thank them for introducing the widely requested feature, but this is technically just rolling back to 2019-era Twitter, which is when the automatic feed refreshing was first introduced. Still, it’s welcome news, and follows closely after plenty of other fairly positive Twitter updates. What We’re Getting Instead Users will get the option to click a “See Tweets” link at the top of their feed that lists the exact number that they’ll get....

In an announcement today, Disqus – one of the world’s top commenting and audience engagement platforms – unveiled a new platform feature that will allow user blocking. This is a direct response to give users more control over combatting online harassment, which has been on the rise over the last few years with little decrease despite more awareness and combat initiatives by both users and various platforms. In a press release covering the announcement, Disqus wrote: So how exactly will the blocking work?...

But wait! Let’s take a look at a trailer for the 2044-set sci-fi film Ready Player One, in which our protagonist dons a chunky pair of VR googles. Sure, they’re juuust barely smaller than most headsets on the market, but not by much. Looks like we’re repeating the same mistakes of futurists past, and should have listened a little closer to the vision of the future held at the Canadian tech company AdHawk Microsystems....

DC startups have had a fair amount of luck making it onto the show, but ultimately have left Shark Tank empty-handed. The show, which features entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to the “Sharks” – a panel of well-known investors that includes Mark Cuban – is pretty high-pressure, so merely surviving a pitch is laudable. Last November, Surprise Ride, which ships a monthly box of children’s activities to parents, came back to DC with nothing but shark bites....

Manufacturers are confident that hoverboards will continue to be a top-seller in the near future, despite current concerns. While this may be true, there are some adjustments that need to be made to the popular tech product. Here is what the future holds for hoverboards. Must Meet Safety Standards This is a no-brainer. Manufacturers could get away with selling hoverboards with faulty batteries because there were no regulations on the new product....

The Way We Work, a study commissioned by Unify, surveyed 9,000 workers about their workplace environment. Naturally, many of the people surveyed hoped to work for a company that was creative, supportive, successful and innovative. No surprise there. But when it came to where they wanted to work, the answers were fairly consistent: anywhere but in the office! That’s right, a staggering 55 percent of knowledge workers said that they wished to spend between 10 percent and 50 percent of their working time outside of a traditional office setting....

At last year’s I/O (Input/Output) conference, software was king. Google announced Duplex — the AI-powered automated phone call system — as well as updates to Android, Gmail, and Maps. This year, though, we’re expecting hardware to be the main attraction, with new cheap Pixel phones set to be announced, and possibly some new Google Home products. Here’s everything we know about the new products so far. New, Cheaper Pixel 3a, 3a XL There have been so many leaks about cheaper versions of Google’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones, it can be hard to keep up....

That’s why in early February Tech Cocktail is headed back to the Windy City to showcase a fresh set of sizzling hot Chicago-area startups. Join us at 1871 to interact first hand with the dozen-ish early stage companies making the biggest wave in your ‘hood. We’ll have a gaggle of startups on hand showcasing their goods, but before the event kicks off, we want to know what you think: Who is Chicago’s Hottest Showcasing Startup?...

Surely you’ve got a “yes” for at least one of those questions. And you want your startup’s name to be added to the poll below. You can still apply to be considered to demo at the event. Or if you’d like to see what this is all about, and learn from one of the best CEOs in the country, get your ticket and join in the fun. We’ll be joined by sponsors 43North, who are holding a giant business competition of their own, Saul Ewing, providing full-service legal representation at multiple levels of reach and focus, and Parisoma, an ongoing partner for our startup events....

Despite some progress having been made, according to the report, many women in tech find themselves still working in male-dominated teams, and many are also struggling to maintain a healthy home/work balance. However, the survey did find that most women feel that remote working has improved gender equality in the work place. With the survey showing that most respondents worked in male-dominated teams, there are concerns that a lack of career progression the tech fields could lead to chicken-and-egg situations, where a lack of female senior roles models in the sector is seen as dissuading other women from starting careers in tech....

In an email (full email below) attributed to Maren Donovan, Erik, Collin + the Zirtual Team, they stated, “It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I have to send this message. As of today, August 10th 2015, Zirtual is pausing all operations. Due to a combination of market circumstances and financial constraints we must re-organize our current structure if we are to successfully serve you in the future.” Employees received an email just as alarming, noting that there is no specific date for when they can resume working, if at all....

As part of its settlement, the ecommerce giant will also pay $2.25 million to the attorney general’s office, and for the next five years will provide annual updates to ensure compliance with the relevant antitrust laws. It’s just the most recent legal development aimed at helping workers dependant on the massive company. Keeping Competitive Any time a giant corporation gets control over the marketplace in which it’s competing against the same small businesses that operate within that space, the conditions are in place for an anti-competitive environment....

My take is different — none of the above is universally true. There are companies who raised funding, and plenty of serial entrepreneurs who have gone through an accelerator program. Increasingly, we see later stage companies that already achieved product market fit really accelerate by going through Techstars. Here is a break down of why you would join an accelerator: You Are Looking for Mentorship and Feedback Quality mentorship is a secret sauce behind a great accelerator....

We asked ten entrepreneurs what their best practice for bringing together technology and marketing department to make use of the amount of customer data businesses are now able to collect. Check out their answers below and keep in mind that cooperation can go a long way: Sit at the Same Table In today’s day and age, the tasks carried out by marketing require tech, design and content, which means people from those departments ought to be working, even sitting together....

1. Improve Site Navigation This is one of the most common causes of failure in digital shops. Can your users actually access your content? Have you hidden it behind strange sidebars or clunky drop-down menus? Make sure customers have a clear and direct path to your products, even if that means completely overhauling your current site design. 2. Add More Graphics A picture is worth a thousand words, and gorgeous, high-quality product images are often the secret ingredient to making a sale....

Entrepreneurs understand the importance of engagement with customers as their companies continue to grow. Building a strong reputation online can make or break your brand. You need to create top quality content while engaging with your audience. This can be an issue for startups on a tight budget, because it requires planning. That’s why Tech.Co created a list of free tools that can help you boost online engagement: WriteRack Part of creating a great social media calendar is finding a balance between sharing informative content without being annoying....