Category Archives: Business

The history and future of self-storage

Introduction

There are items that people own that they at times outgrow. Some of the items that were used 10 years ago are not in use today. These items end up filling the house and either need to be disposed through family auctions or stored away. Also, at times people can need to store goods in a single place especially when they are not sure of when next to settle. In a divorce, some of the things gained as settlement may need to be stored someplace else before being moved back to the house. This brought about the rise of the self storage industry.

History

There are many records of how self-storage units came to be. Some sources claim that China is one of the oldest cultures to use storage units. They used to store their items in a common storage place. Towards the middle of the 19th century, there were a lot of voyages and conquests by British sailors and explorers. Due to security issues, they left their wealth with the available bank institutions. However, with time, these banks became overwhelmed and sought another option which led them to set up one of the first storage warehouses in order to store these items. Recently, about 50 years ago, the very first modern storage unit was built in Texas. So optimal was this facility that other countries picked the idea and currently there are hundreds of thousands of self-storage units.

Development today

The continued demand for the use of self-storage units over the years has led to the creation of the Self Storage industry. It is now legal to have a self-storage unit and to either become a tenant or an owner to one. This is to say that it has developed into a booming business. Contractors construct them as chains of multiple units which they sell to real estate owners who can then rent them out. This is attributed to the increased demand for storage spaces around the globe. It has been discovered that a lot of households especially in developed nations have a self-storage facility where they store the excesses from their homes. There is a global quest to live a minimalist life. In order to do so, less stuff is encouraged in homes. Most of this stuff such as old sofa sets, obsolete electronics and others are stored up in self-storage units.

Future

  1. Increase in value in the market

There is an ever increasing demand for self-storage facilities especially in urban centres. This is warranting more construction and more sales leading to a growth in the global market. In addition, firms have rapidly emerged to see the delivery of these products and this is set to continue for a while.

  1. Increase in market competition

There is set to be increased players in the market due to the strong demand of units. As such, in the future, there will be more players in the market then that there are now, translating to more competition.

  1. Increased service provision

In order to beat competition, future firms will be forced to provide optimal service and product provision to clients in order to retain them and gain others in the process. This will ensure quality provision in the self-storage industry.

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Top moving companies listing from the Greater Montreal area in 2018

Choosing a trusted mover is essential to avoid your moving experience starting to be a nightmare. There are a huge selection of moving companies inside the Greater Montreal area then one can find a huge number of stories about wronged clients. We have compiled this list to help you come up with a well-informed choice.

Check out your Top 10 list

On the countless reviews we’ve got analyzed, the commonest complaints are undoubtedly uncompensated damage, the movers’ inefficiency, accompanied by inappropriate attitude from the employees, hidden costs and delays. Beware of a lovely hourly rate, which could from the long run be costly by way of overbilling and repairs.

How to stop being scammed?

Word-of-mouth is often a good start but most of the service quality will be different throughout the company. Many websites suggest calling a couple of companies and verifying their reliability by asking a summary of questions. The catch might be that unscrupulous movers could give you the answers you would like to hear.

On other websites, some companies are cited but and not mention the selection process involved. This is often disguised advertising. Some websites can have you complete a form to have quotes from a lot of companies but whose partners are chosen in a arbitrary fashion.

The best 10 movers inside Greater Montreal area

As far when we are concerned, there’s only one clear way to come up with a decision: base your choice on client feedback provided on the Internet. The higher the average rating of any company, the greater you could be confident that it can treat its clients well.

A company may, needless to say, cheat by asking relatives to depart false accounts, but an unscrupulous company will not be able to prevent getting bad reviews and look after a high ranking as well.

The most trusted movers

So this is the list with the 10 top movers on the Greater Montreal area. Many of them are true gems that won’t appear in rapid search engine results, because they might be listed under their pretty much commendable competitors.

In order to qualify, they have to average a minimum of 4.5 stars based on a minimum of 50 ratings on Google and Facebook.

Happy shopping!

Company* Google Reviews Google Rating Facebook Reviews Facebook Rating Total Reviews Weighted Average
Déménagement 7 Étoiles 5 5 11 5.0 16 5
Déménagement Pause Café 75 4.6 46 4.9 131 4.8
Déménagement Constantineau 49 4.9 47 4.9 96 4.9
Déménagement Myette 247 4.9 122 4.9 369 4.9
Déménagement Tandem 229 4.9 9 5.0 238 4.9
Déménagements Sympathiques 102 4.9 73 5.0 175 4.9
Groupe Chartrand 157 5.0 27 5.0 184 5.0
Le plan pas con 135 5.0 18 5.0 153 5.0
Les Gentlemen déménageurs 46 4.9 240 5.0 286 5.0

* Since the ten best companies all have a very minimum average of four years old.8 stars, we consider all of them efficient at offering nearly as good a service since the other ones. Thus the transaction in which they may be listed is arbitrary: the methods listed at the very top with a url to their website contribute financially on the advertising campaign giving visibility for this ranking list.

The top movers elsewhere in Quebec

Most on the movers beyond your Greater Montreal area don’t qualify for the 4.5 stars average based on at the very least 50 reviews, with all the notable exception of two companies: Dmax Express inside Laurentians with 4.7 stars dependant on 232 reviews and Déménagement à Prix Modique in Quebec City with 4.7 stars over 62 reviews.

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Solar vs. Wind Energy- What are the cheapest renewable energy sources?

It’s a new world we live in, one where individuals can finally take huge steps towards reducing their impact on the environment while opting for smarter, more efficient sources for the power they use, the food they consume, and so on. A subject of importance these days is the energy source used in residences, homeowners taking an interest in the subject in order to cut down on their costs and help protect the environment.

While solar is the preferred energy source as it even provides the benefit of portability in some cases as opposed to other renewable sources, and it is more widespread and convenient, wind energy is rapidly gaining terrain as well. A study shows that almost 5% of American households rely on the latter, wind and solar systems being the two sources that fight it out to gain a spot in all residences where budget-smart and environmentally friendly people live.

General comparison between solar and wind

Environmental impact

  • There is no actual negative effect on the environment or wildlife when it comes to solar systems.
  • Wind turbines, due to the moving parts that they feature and are exposed, present a threat to wildlife, to birds and other flying creatures to be more specific.

Source

  • In sunnier places, it’s obvious that panels are more efficient as they draw more power on a daily basis. Panel placement is equally important as you must install them in an ideal manner to receive as much light as possible throughout the day.
  • From a geographical point of view, wind is more pretentious as it isn’t everywhere, not constantly at least. Thus, you are less likely to opt for it if you live in an area where there isn’t enough wind year-round for power generation.

Maintenance

  • In terms of maintenance, solar systems are a dream to work with as they require little of it. As long as you inspect them once in a while and clean the panels, you are good to go. In addition, after 20 years, they should work at 80% power, which means that you can rely on them in the long-term.
  • The specific needs vary from type to type when it comes to turbines, but what’s for sure is that more maintenance work is due as the moving parts need regular care and replacement.

Lifespan

  • The typical lifespan of a solar system is approximately 25 years, but it varies depending on the specific product at hand. When it comes to performance guarantees provided by manufacturers, these generally range from 5 years on inverters and batteries to 25 years on the panels themselves.
  • Most commonly, turbines last for up to 25 years, which is undeniably great. However, they feature moving parts that needs replacement once in a while, so you should be ready to make a few investments during this time span. When it comes to backing, they are generally covered for 5 years, but the specific warranty length varies from one manufacturing company to another.

Integration

  • Solar panels might tend to be bulkier, but they do provide the benefit of freedom in placement as you can put them almost anywhere you like, whether it is the ground or the roof. All that matters is for them to be facing the sun in order to draw power.
  • Space-efficiency is the key advantage of wind turbines, but there’s a problem when it comes to placement as they need to be placed away from obstacles and buildings that put a barrier between them and wind currents.

In-depth look at costs – What type of energy is cheaper?

Here’s an overview of upfront costs involved with installing both systems:

  • 5 kW solar system – About $13,000 after tax credits.
  • 5 kW wind system – About $20,000 after tax credits.

We made it a point to not jump directly on the budget subject but rather discuss their general traits before as it is important to do so in order to draw an informed conclusion. Evidently, if you look at the problem strictly from a financial point of view, solar systems are the go-to option for residential use. But what makes solar power the true winner and the obvious renewable source to reign in our era is a combination of costs, efficiency, lifespan, impact, and maintenance, doing an overall better job than wind turbines.

Solar power systems aren’t only a better value for your money, especially in locations where average wind speeds don’t usually exceed 5 meters per second, but their low, almost inexistent maintenance implies that there won’t be any substantial upkeep costs along the way as long as proper installation is ensured. Overall, solar wins as the costs over the lifetime of the system is less than half the lifetime cost per kWh of wind turbines. In conclusion, for most residential applications and in most cases, if you want a budget-smart solution when it comes to energy, solar is the way to go.

Excerpt:

All homeowners want to install a renewable energy system as it helps save money on the electric bills considerably, all while reducing the impact had by individuals on the environment. As your decision is most likely going to be between solar and wind energy, if you want to make the best choice when it comes to costs, you should first read this article to learn more on the matter.

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Tyson Rhame’s Advice on Goals and Dreams

Entrepreneur, starting new business, leadership concept.

Ty Rhame after graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1988, he fed his fondness for aviation and his love for leadership and after then pursuing a career in the United States Air force Reserves. His dedication to the military service has earned him awards and he serves in the capacity of a Lieutenant Colonel.

Ty Rhame in this his Slideshare presentation outlined the characteristics and attribute existing in the mind of a successful entrepreneur, as well as the mentality needed to maintain a strong work ethic as an entrepreneur. He used iconic entrepreneurs to illustrate and break down their mental composition so as to better demonstrate how certain attributes creates a particular work ethic and in the end a more successful future.

He narrates how he used his military experience to develop is entrepreneurial skills. He outlines the correlation between the training he receive in the Air Force Academy and his ability to draw the positive attributes acquired in the Air Force to start successful business. He further explains that in the military, it is very important to have a tremendous skill for easy communication, coordination, motivation and understanding the people who are needed for any mission completion. Ty Rhame further says that in the military knowing people’s problem, strengths, impuissance, and motivation so as to achieve long term goals was necessary. There he leaned to be perceptive to both nonverbal communication and actions. He mentioned that everyone deserves respect and that everyone has something to offer. This became one of the most rewarding and one of the most critical skills he need as an entrepreneur.

Creating business and employment is part of being an entrepreneur he conveyed and these jobs should be solely about people. Ty Rhame reiterates that as a businessman, you should take very good care of your employee. The people that work in a business are not just “cogs in the wheel” that run in a machine as he calls it but to show how they merit to be respected and endowed. To be a successful business owner in his opinion, an entrepreneur is requires to respect, nurture, and care for the people throughout the organization. Ty Rhame mentioned how this can lead to great opportunities for them, making the world a better place for them and all. In his reference to business and military, he mentioned that military and business cannot achieve anything if there is no harmony among the rank and that solid people skills are the keys to unifying efforts.

Tyson Rhame made a self-proclaimed goal to work with the Air Force Endowment Board where he will be able to raise awareness and educate graduates so that he would be able to teach them leadership skills and how convert the opportunities offered in the Air Force Academy to enhance themselves to become better and inspiring leaders. A dream which became true.

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Save More Stuff In Storage

Storage units near me is something that I discovered some years ago, I never imagined that those services could be so close to my location, after doing some research I found that there were more storage units near me that had some interesting features for saving stuff in there.

What use I can give to a storage unit?

There are several uses you can give them, one of them is to remove clutter from your house, that is one of the things for why I was so interested on storage units, you can’t give yourself a break from those things in your house without the need of throwing all of that into garbage. Another use you can give them is to storage things that are on sale but you haven’t sold already. By that you can feel that your house is emptier and that creates in yourself a nice confidence about your house.

Nice for cleaning your house or painting it

One of the problems that comes when someone tries to clean up his or her house is that things like electronics and furniture can get dirty for doing so. One way you can’t evade that awkward feeling is by using some storage units for a momentary storage while your house is taking some maintenance by yourself or by someone else. If you also want to paint your house, you can do the same without any risk of getting your electronics painted for that. This is another great advantage that you can use from having a storage unit.

Use some interesting tools

You can get a personalized storage unit because most companies that offer storage units have a wide range of features on them. Some people use cages-like storage units, they can feel better by having their stuff locked in like that. Other people add more vigilance to their storage unit, that will depend largely on what you are storing, some people need more security depending on the stuff they are saving in there. Some valuable things can’t be risked. Other people may require additional tools like control of humidity and some coolants for keeping equipment at a nice temperature. You can select from a wide range of features.

Improve your business

You can use storage units for business purposes, some business companies are using this for storage of material needed in their factories for the products that they are making. That opens up opportunities for companies. You can increase the revenue of your business organization by using some of this storage units. Even some small business can be made by using them. You can invest on good computing equipment and fill some storage unit with computers for mining bitcoins or another type of cryptocurrency. You can buy some products at a low price and then re-sell it with higher prices, however, some space is needed, that’s where you can use storage units.

 

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