When Life Hands You Grapes by Michelle Murrill

Maximizing Your Space: The Benefits of APEX Contracting Services for Roofing, Pole Barns, and Metal Buildings

Posted on April 18, 2023     Leave a Comment

So, you want to maximize your space, huh? Well, lucky for you, APEX Contracting Services is here to help! They offer a range of services, from roofing to pole barns to metal buildings, all designed to help you make the most of your space. But let’s be real, who cares about that, right?

I mean, why bother maximizing your space when you could just live in a tiny house or a van down by the river? Who needs a fancy roof or a pole barn when you could just sleep under the stars and use your neighbor’s garage for storage? Am I right?

But, okay, let’s pretend for a moment that you actually want to make the most of your space. Maybe you have a family and need more room. Maybe you have a business and need a bigger space. Maybe you just want to impress your neighbors. Whatever your reason, APEX Contracting Services can help.

Their roofing services are top-notch, ensuring that your home or business stays dry and cozy even during the heaviest rainstorms. Who needs a leaky roof when you can have a sturdy one from APEX Contracting Services?

Their pole barns are perfect for storing all your stuff, whether it’s your tractor or your prized collection of beanie babies. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good pole barn? It’s like a giant shed but fancier.

And their metal buildings? Well, those are just plain cool. You could have a metal building as a workshop, a garage or even a secret lair for your evil plans. The possibilities are endless!

But, of course, you don’t really need any of these things, do you? I mean, why bother maximizing your space when you could just live in a tent or a cardboard box? Who needs a roof, anyway? Rain is just nature’s shower, right?

Okay, okay, I’m kidding (mostly). The truth is, maximizing your space can be a smart investment, whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner. And if you’re going to invest in your space, you might as well do it right. That’s where APEX Contracting Services comes in.

Their team of experts can help you with everything from planning to construction, ensuring that you get the most out of your space. And if you’re not sure what you need, they can even help you figure that out.

So, if you’re ready to take your space to the next level, give APEX Contracting Services a call. And if you’d rather live in a tent, well, that’s your prerogative. Just don’t blame us when it rains. 

And there you have it, folks! The benefits of APEX Contracting Services for roofing, pole barns and metal buildings. So, why settle for cramped quarters when you could have a spacious and sturdy structure? Remember, when life hands you grapes, make more space with APEX Contracting Services.

Why You Should Start a Blog for Your Business

Posted on January 30, 2023     Leave a Comment

Blogs are the hot new trend that every business is jumping on, and for good reason. Not only do they provide valuable content for customers, but they also make your website look like it’s from this century and establish a business as a thought leader in their industry. Here are a few reasons why you should start a blog for your business.

Build Trust and Credibility: A blog allows a business to share valuable and informative content with its audience. This helps to establish trust and credibility with customers and potential clients. By making content that educates and informs, a business can set itself up as an expert in its field and build trust with its audience. Or you could just make stuff up, but that’s not as fun.

Improve SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for any business that wants to rank well in search engine results. By adding new and relevant content, a blog is a great way to improve SEO. By creating content that is optimized for search engines and shared on social media, a business can increase its visibility and drive more traffic to its website. Because who doesn’t love getting lost in the abyss of Google search results?

Increase Engagement: A blog allows a business to engage with its audience in a meaningful way. A business can build a community around its brand by giving its audience useful content and encouraging them to comment and give feedback. Or you could just post pictures of cute animals; that usually works too.

Generate Leads: A blog can be used to generate leads for a business. By providing valuable and informative content, a business can attract potential customers who are in the research phase of the buying process. By including calls to action in blog posts, a business can encourage readers to take the next step and become a lead. Who needs sleep when you have leads?

Cost-effective Marketing: Blogging is a cost-effective marketing strategy that can help businesses reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. Blogging regularly can help to keep your website updated with fresh content, which will help to increase search engine visibility and drive more traffic to your website. Plus, it’s cheaper than buying a billboard on the side of the highway.

In the end, a blog is an important tool for businesses of all sizes and in all kinds of fields. It allows businesses to build trust and credibility, improve SEO, increase engagement, generate leads and establish thought leadership. Blogs are also a low-cost way for businesses to reach a wider audience and reach more people. So when life hands you grapes, and you don’t know how to help your SEO, well, blogs are the way to go!

Top 5 Ways to Impress in an Interview

Posted on September 19, 2022     Leave a Comment

I can tell you everything there is to know about the interview process. How? Because I’ve been on both sides of the table. As an interviewer, I’ve had to find a way to quickly assess candidates and make recommendations that will resonate with my team and the client. And as a candidate, I’ve had to learn how best to sell myself in order to land opportunities that would move me closer toward my career goals.

Now, before we get started on this list of ways you can impress your next interviewer: let’s be clear about something: not all interviews are created equal! So while some tips might apply universally across industries (e.g., “Be yourself”), others may depend on exactly what kind of role you are interviewing for, as well as what type of company it is (e.g., “Do your homework on who will be interviewing).”

Be yourself.

It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: You’re going to be asked about your strengths and weaknesses in the interview. This is not the time to lie about how much you love waking up at 6 am every day for a 3-hour march up a mountain with nothing but your bare hands and a packet of freeze-dried tuna on hand. 

Practice answering questions about what you like doing outside of work and what your career goals are by taking some time beforehand to think over those things so they’re fresh in your mind when the interviewer asks them.

Pay attention to the details.

The first thing you should do is pay attention to the details. This means dressing appropriately, being on time, polite, prepared and friendly. And if you want to truly impress your interviewer (and indeed be invited back for another interview), then show confidence in yourself.

Research the company, industry and role.

You have Google at your fingertips. If you’re going up against other candidates, get ahead of your competition by doing some homework. Make sure that you know more than they do about the role and company before the day of your interview.

Look at their website: What does it tell you about them? Is there a mission statement or core values page? Check out their social media accounts too—how do they interact with customers and potential hires? Do they share photos from events and client meetings on Instagram? Are there videos of employees talking about what it’s like working at this company? All of these things can give insight into how much culture matters to them, which is important information when deciding whether or not to work for someone (or somewhere). 

You can also use Google search operators like “inurl:” or “intitle:” along with keywords related to what skills are needed for this particular job opening; for example, if I’m applying for a position as a content strategist in digital marketing then I might type “intitle:content strategist” into Google; or if I am looking specifically for an entry-level position within digital marketing then instead I might type “entry level intitle:”

Do your homework on the interviewer(s).

It’s always a good idea to do your homework on the company and interviewer(s). The more you know about them, the better prepared you’ll be for the interview. You can find out about a company by looking at recent press releases and other announcements on their website, reading reviews online, or even asking friends or family members who have worked there in the past.

For example, if you’re interviewing with someone from a large corporation like Google or Apple who has had several interviews with other candidates before yours (and thus has many more experiences than anyone else), then it may help to read up on those interviews so that you can bring something new and interesting to the table.

Anticipate tricky questions and have thoughtful answers prepared in advance.

This is where you need to take the time to prepare for what you think will be asked. For example, if you’re applying for an accounting job and they ask you about your weaknesses, don’t say “I’m too controlling” (unless maybe this is a trait that works well for their company). Instead, have some alternative answers ready!

If I were interviewing someone for a position and they told me their weaknesses were that they work too hard and are sometimes impatient, I’d probably hire them on the spot. It shows they’re willing to admit their shortcomings—and it shows me that they care enough about being good at what they do that they want to improve themselves. This is a key part of succeeding in any field: constantly striving towards improvement while still acknowledging your shortcomings.

A great interview can help you land a great job.

A great interview can help you land a great job. An interview is like a first date, but with more opportunities to impress. And if you’re not looking to impress anyone, then why are you even interviewing? If you do your homework and make an effort to impress the interviewer, then you might land the job of your dreams. Good luck!

Why you should become a landlord in lower Alabama

Posted on August 17, 2022     Leave a Comment

There are many reasons why people choose to become landlords in lower Alabama. For one thing, it’s an investment that has tangible value. You can see and touch the property you own, unlike a stock portfolio or other types of investments. Also, with rentals, there are no strikes or labor problems that might affect your business elsewhere. In addition, if you’re willing to do some work yourself on your rental property, you can significantly reduce expenses while increasing your income at the same time!

Tax Benefits

Landlords get a lot of tax benefits for just being landlords. When you own real estate, it’s usually a better investment than others because your tax rate is usually lower than if you invest in stocks and bonds. However, there are some restrictions that apply to landlords and property owners who use their properties for business purposes or as rental units.

Profits from sales of real estate are usually taxed at a rate of 15 percent. In contrast, ordinary income is taxed at rates as high as 39.6 percent.

• The tax rate for income from real estate is 15%.
• The tax rate for ordinary income, such as wages and interest on a savings account, is generally higher. Income from other sources may be taxed at rates as high as 39.6%.
• Capital gains are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income only if they’re short-term. If they’re long-term, they’re taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income.

Increases in Value

You’ve probably heard that real estate is a great investment. But what does that mean? Why do people invest in real estate? Well, here’s why:

• It increases in value over time! This is a no-brainer. Every year the value of your property goes up, which means you can either sell it (more on this later) or keep it and have even more money.
• You can make money by renting out the property! If you have an empty house and need some extra cash, rent out your home or apartment as income to help pay off those pesky student loans or credit card bills. Your tenants will also be happy because they’ll have somewhere nice to live for less money than what they’d spend on rent elsewhere.
• It’s tangible! This might sound silly but hear me out: unlike other investments like stocks or bonds which are intangible—meaning they’re not actually something physical like gold bullion—real estate can be touched and seen with your eyes; it’s something very tangible that you own outright without having to worry about someone taking away its value through inflation (for example).

Buildings will increase in value over time, partly because of inflation and partly because of improvements to the property. Income from rentals keeps up with inflationary increases.

The value of buildings will increase over time, partly because of inflation and partly because of improvements to the property. Income from rentals keeps up with inflationary increases. Rental income is not affected by inflation in the same way that interest on savings accounts or bond yields is affected—it can only increase!

This means that as long as you don’t take out an equity loan or mortgage (which will be discussed later), your net worth and ability to purchase other properties should grow exponentially.

Freedom to Choose Tenants

As a landlord, you have the freedom to choose your tenants. You can choose who you want to rent to, but not have them live there. This is because people will pay for the privilege of living on your property without actually having to live there.

Owners of rental property are not subject to the same rules and regulations regarding discrimination that apply to other employers. 

As a rental property owner, you are not subject to the same rules and regulations regarding discrimination that apply to other employers. It is important for landlords to understand these legal rights so that they can make informed decisions about who they will allow into their properties.

Unlike in the case of many other businesses, rentals have no labor troubles. Once a leasing agreement is signed, the tenant is obligated to pay rent and the landlord is obligated to make repairs and maintain the premises, regardless of the state of the economy or any other factors. Tenants are also responsible for keeping their unit clean and tidy.

An Investment You Can See and Touch

Real estate is tangible, unlike stocks and bonds. It’s something you can see and touch, which means that it’s more real than other investments. If you want proof of this, just try selling a stock or bond on eBay.

Real estate is also an investment that doesn’t require much maintenance or upkeep. Unlike other types of investments like stocks and bonds that require constant monitoring and maintenance, real estate remains relatively passive because it doesn’t depreciate like most consumable goods do after they’re bought (or “consumed”).

We hope that we’ve made it clear why you should consider becoming a landlord. If you’re looking for an investment that’s safe, reliable and easy to manage, then rentals are definitely worth considering. When Life Hands You Grapes, become a landlord!

How to Avoid Burnout in Your Career

Posted on March 28, 2022     Leave a Comment

No matter what career field you are in, it is nearly impossible to go through life without experiencing burnout at some point. Whether you’re overwhelmed with your current workload, are feeling less passionate about the path you took or are just feeling unsatisfied with your job, burnout is no joke. We spend much of our lives surrounded by coworkers and our work-life, so having a healthy relationship with your career is vital. Preventing fatigue in the workplace means spotting the symptoms of apathy in your own life and taking active steps to avoid it.

Know the Signs

Burnout is usually a feeling that slowly builds over time. We don’t always wake up passionate one day and feel apathetic the next. Instead, burnout tends to start as a slow flicker before it bursts into the flame that keeps us feeling stagnant. In order to avoid or recover from burnout, you have to know what signs to look out for. A few signs of burnout include fatigue, increased feelings of self-doubt, feeling defeated, disassociation and an overall negative outlook. If you are noticing these signs, it is time to take some steps to move past this block and begin feeling the passion you once did for your career.

Shift Your Perspective

While it is certainly easier said than done, shifting your perspective is crucial to getting over and preventing burnout. Whenever you find yourself in a bout of negative self-talk, be mindful and remind yourself of the positives. Adjusting your mindset and reminding yourself that these negative thoughts are most often your own internal dialogue and do not reflect reality can help keep you grounded. For example, when you are feeling as though your role is unimportant, you can remind yourself of all the ways you assisted others this week or write down praises you have received from other coworkers or superiors. Remembering the good helps put those bad days in perspective, which is essential to creating a more positive outlook.

Step Away

Stepping away may look different depending on the level of burnout and what works best for you, but it is helpful in clearing your mind and reducing overextension. It is important to always have a healthy work-life balance. If you are overextending yourself it is essential that you consider stepping away. This can mean a short break mid-day, not working past your hours or taking a vacation. Whatever you do, make sure you are setting aside time each day to focus on your own wants and desires outside of work.

There are endless ways to recover from and prevent burnout, so if any of these ideas were not the cure for yours, I encourage you to do some research and focus on getting back to feeling the passion you used to feel for your career. Taking care of your mental health and reducing burnout will not only make you feel happier, but it will also make you a better employee overall!