A Wave of Start-Ups Helps Small Companies Outsource Their Tasks

Small-business owners are like Swiss Army knives: expected to handle dozens of specialized tasks without falling apart. But even the sharpest entrepreneurs have it tough this time of year — inevitably, some will outsource part of their workload to other enterprising people.

This season, dozens of start-ups are competing to take on your holiday headaches. Here are four time-gobbling situations and the young companies vying to eliminate them:

CHALLENGE Your to-do list is crammed with tiny tasks. How can you delegate them cheaply?

ONE SOLUTION For $5 you could drink a large latte and work through the night. Or you could hire a minion at Fiverr, which bills itself as “the world’s largest marketplace for small services.” Starting at $5 apiece, tasks include designing business cards and letterheads, sending out handwritten cards, editing newsletters, making short commercial videos and throwing darts at a picture of your rival.

“Pretty much anything you imagine can be found on Fiverr,” said the company’s chief executive, Micha Kaufman, who set out in 2010 with Shai Wininger to build what Mr. Kaufman calls “an eBay for services.”

“It’s giving people the tools to do business with the entire world,” he added.

Fiverr, with headquarters in Tel Aviv and offices in New York and Amsterdam, has more than a million active buyers and sellers across 200 countries, Mr. Kaufman said. He would not disclose revenue or the number of sales his site has brokered so far. Fiverr has raised $20 million in financing and has 60 full-time staff members. The company collects a 20 percent commission on each sale.

THE COMPETITION Fiverr’s success has inspired an army of imitators, including DeskGigs, Gigbucks, TenBux and Zeerk. Building and selling Fiverr copycat sites has also become a cottage industry for online software developers. Asked whether he took this as a compliment, Mr. Kaufman replied dryly, “One of my friends said, ‘It may be flattering, but it’s a very annoying way to flatter you.’ ”

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CHALLENGE You want to delegate complex, highly specialized tasks, but it’s hard to find people whose expertise matches your needs.

ONE SOLUTION SkillPages connects skilled workers with those who want to hire them. The site showcases an array of specialists — beekeepers,tree surgeons, witches, clog dancers — along with professionals with more conventional business skills, like payroll administrators, social media marketers and typists.

Iain Mac Donald decided to start SkillPages after seeking a tree cutter online to do work in his yard. “This guy arrives with a huge truck, and he could have taken down a forest,” Mr. Mac Donald said. “He was going to charge me $3,000. It just wasn’t right.”

Mr. Mac Donald figured there had to be a way to help make better matches. To that end, SkillPages identifies specialists whom users’ families and friends may already know through social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Users can also view work samples online and contact members directly.

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The Death and Repla-CIA-ment of Actor/Comedian David Chappelle

It is VERY obvious that Dave Chappelle was replaced (or repla-CIA-ed) some time after the above interview based on my trained eye(s) and observations — as well as comparisons — stemming from the below interview [with American late-(talk/chat) show host/”comedian” ‘Dave Letterman’/Fave Fetterman, because he — Favid Fhappelle — not only LOOKS different {has darker skin, looks “ill/sick” swollen as opposed to “gained weight” swollen, like older clones tend to look}, but SOUNDS different {voice is noticeably deeper/lower}, as well in the below interview.

I’ve also taken note of the fact that F. Fhappelle beats about the bush, too, as if he’s retracted the (unapologetic, truthful, uncensored) statements his original made in the previous videos. There’s not a single, solitary doubt in my mind that his — Fave Fhappelle’s handlers — told him what to say in the below interview with Fetterman. Either that or he’s under some kind of heavy, trauma-based mind control/programming. He/the impostor — “Dave Chappelle”/Favid Fhappelle” — also stoops as low as to only talking in circles and riddles (although NOT riddles for those of us ‘in-the-know’ about this sort of foolishness) about money, fame & fortune. I was very disappointed — NOT in D.C. necessarily, as he’s already been murdered and impostor-replaced, like so many long before AND afterwards — but in the interview as a whole. NOTHING. IS. REAL.

But then again I expect most ANYTHING when two impostors are having an empty, insipid, pointless, meaningless conversation talking about nothing [nonsensical stuff that no one in their right mind cares about] on national television. (It’s no wonder the sheeple are so dumbed-down and brainwashed. Of COURSE they’re gonna be due to wasting their valuable, precious, non-renewable time watching trash/garbage like this on a regular basis throughout most of their lives, thinking that’s how real life actually is.) I don’t expect clones to be that intelligent, anyhow. If they ARE (which is sometimes the case), then chances are their they’re forced by their handlers to suppress it in a bevvy of ways for a myriad of reasons.

I would ALSO like to add that Dave Letterman has been replaced too, no doubt about it, as NO ONE is counted as special and exempt from this sort of demonology. The Dave Letterman of long ago looks — and acts — different from the the “Dave Letterman” of today. Both men in the below video exude very different auras/vibes/energy profiles than their original — and deceased — counterparts. They’re also less talented and charismatic — not to mention less truthful/more pretentious — than their real/true predecessors. The interview is rather contrived and insincere [in addition to cringe-worthy], if you ask me. Scary stuff and high strangeness, indeed.

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Rosie O'Donnell just showed up at a New York City courthouse

Rosie O'Donnell just showed up at a New York City courthouse to begin fighting her custody battle in front of a judge. 

Rosie wasn't talkative but showed resolve as she entered the building.

TMZ broke the story ... Rosie's wife, Michelle Rounds, claims Rosie indulges in alcohol and weed to the point she is not capable of taking care of their 2-year-old daughter Dakota ... it's a stark contrast to the various pics we've seen of Rosie and her daughter.

For her part, Rosie says Michelle is a liar whose end game is squeezing money out of her.

Michelle's lawyer will be in court, asking the judge to order Rosie to submit to random drug testing until the custody matter is resolved. Rosie is asking the judge to enforce the prenup -- which has a confidentiality clause -- and gag Michelle. 

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Chris Kattan Ambien Alert Escorted By Cops From Phoenix Airport

Former "SNL" star Chris Kattan had airline personnel on edge at the airport in Phoenix -- and his jittery behavior got so bad, cops had to remove him ... but turns out, Chris just needed a nap. 

Phoenix PD says officers were dispatched to the Southwest terminal on Sunday evening to remove a passenger who'd been barred from boarding his flight. Sources say Kattan was mumbling and nervously walking around the gate until 5 responding officers arrived to escort him out of Sky Harbor Airport.

Cops say Kattan told them he had popped an Ambien earlier in the day, and it was still in his system.

Kattan tells TMZ he was up very late Saturday night for a wrap party, and on his way home to L.A. he missed a connecting flight in Phoenix. He says he was just looking for a spot to crash in the terminal when cops arrived.

Cops took Kattan to a nearby hotel to catch some z's before he caught a later flight. He's grateful the officers were kind ... and cops agree Kattan was cooperative.

Chris had more serious Ambien troubles last year -- he was sentenced to 3 years probation for slamming his Mercedes into a parked vehicle while under the influence of the sleep aid. 

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Tyga refuses to let anyone tell him where he can bring his underage GF

Tyga refuses to let anyone tell him where he can bring his underage GF, Kylie Jenner ... so he ignored a college's request to keep her off campus during his concert ... TMZ has learned.  

Tyga performed at Cal State Fullerton's Spring Concert this past Saturday, and according to our sources ... concert organizers told him he should NOT bring 17-year-old Kylie to the show.

We're told not only did the university find their relationship questionable, but the show was 18 and older. Tyga must have known he had the school by the balls -- they couldn't afford to bring in another act at the last minute -- because he went ahead and brought her anyway.

While he was performing ... she was chilling at a table full of chicken wings and other appetizers -- which we're told Tyga suddenly demanded when he arrived ... an hour late.

Organizers didn't want to risk him bailing completely ...so, we're told they just let it go.

Kylie's presence didn't go unnoticed by the students, with one tweeting, "CSUF said guests must be 18 or over to enter spring concert but Tyga brought Kylie as his guest."

As we reported ... Tyga ran into the same situation during a gig in November, but opted to boycott the club. The couple put their age issues aside Monday as they flew out of LAX -- airlines don't care if he travels with a minor.

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Top Ten Best Sites Like Etsy

With a worldwide community of over 15 million buyers and sellers, it’s easy to see why Etsy is such a popular place for us crafters to sell our wares. A site like Etsy is the perfect solution for those of us who lack the resources to set up a physical or virtual shop of our own, or provides an additional income stream for those of you who already have a nice little business established.

So, what’s the problem? Why would you need to know about other sites like Etsy to sell your creations? The main reason is visibility.

Etsy is such a huge community that it’s really, really difficult for new sellers to get noticed; and if you don’t get noticed then you aren’t going to make any sales. The good news is that there are plenty of great Etsy alternatives out there.

Is It Worthwhile To Sell Crafts Online?

Artisan and handmade products is a booming area at the moment–yep, your skills are in demand–and luckily there are some fab selling sites that can help you get your piece of this beautifully crafted pie.

Although all of these sites are worldwide, I’ve included a good mix of both US and European outlets, just because I know that’s where the majority of my crafty readers are from. The only thing to bear in mind when pricing up your products for an outlet that is based overseas is to factor in postage costs.

ICraft

This is a stunning website, which is great if you are serious about making an income from your crafting–not recommended for just casual use if you want a bit of extra cash.

iCraft works a little differently to other sites in that you pay a one time registration fee of $25 and then you pay a monthly fee for your Creator Displays. There are three different packages, starting from $5 a month for listing up to 50 items.  However, if you have 20 identical items to sell, that just counts as one listing so this is pretty reasonable.

It’s a really appealing interface, and offers a nice experience for the buyer so I think iCraft is a good place to sell if you are serious about making money from your talents.

Vendgenie

With Vendgenie you set up your own store, with no setup fee and no term contract. You list the item for a fee. Just pay $0.10 for each item and it will be valid forever until the item is sold. They have great offers, so it’s definitely worth giving this one a go to see how it works out for you. The stores are customizable and of course you can pay extra according to what your needs are. Store templates make setting up your store really easy. This is a really easy site to get started with.

You also get your own Vendgenie domain for your customized store or you can use a domain you have already–great for your branding and getting your store discovered.

Transaction fees are a reasonable 3 percent.

UncommonGoods

With this site, you need to have a very specific product or range that you then need to send pictures of to the buying team. There’s a short form to fill in, then you just have to wait to be contacted. The good thing about this is that you don’t have to deal with any of the admin–if they are interested, they buy your stuff to sell on their site and that’s it. They usually get back to you within 1-2 weeks. So yes, you are putting yourself up for rejection here a bit, but then you aren’t wasting money on listings that might never get noticed.

It seems like such a great way forward for us crafty types. Here’s a video for more information.

Supermarket

Despite its rather uninspiring name, Supermarket is a great looking site that has lots going for it. Nothing complicated to do to get started, just send off an email with some photos of your products, links, and information and go from there.

As well as the really professional look, you can also benefit from only getting charged on a monthly basis once you’ve sold your products. Supermarket work out their commission and take it from your credit card–it’s that easy and a really fair way to operate.

When a customer buys something from you, you get paid the full amount straight into your paypal account.

Folksy

Perhaps the best-known Etsy alternative for UK sellers, Folksy have 15,000 sellers and get good traffic numbers, so your chances of getting your quality good noticed on this site are good.

There are two different ways you can choose to sell on Folksy. With the basic package, you pay a small fee for listing (£0.15 per item) plus 6% commission on sales. Or you can pay a yearly fee of £45 for a Folksy Plus package that means you just pay the 6% commission on sales. All fees are subject to VAT.

So if you just want to dip your toe into the water and try a few basic listings first to see how it goes, or you just want to sell some of your excess stock then the basic package is definitely the way to go. However, the Folksy Plus package is great value if you want to make a nice income from your skills.

The emphasis here is on really well made items that have individual and modern designs.

Bonanza

Bonanza is a free-to-list site, meaning you pay a commission when you sell–currently around 3 percent.

You can even import items that you are currently trying to sell on Etsy or Ebay, so you can cut down on the admin and get on with the important business of making your goods. They call this ‘selling with one click’.

It’s the next most popular site for crafters to sell from–after Etsy–so you still stand a really good chance of being able to make a reasonable income.

Artfire

Another great site for those of you who want to make a serious income from your crafty talents, Artfire charge a flat fee of $12.95 a month for your store and that’s that. It doesn’t matter how much you sell or you don’t sell, there are no more fees.

It gets good traffic numbers (466,000 unique visitors a month and rising), which puts it behind only Etsy and Bonanza in terms of volume. BUT, in its favor against Etsy though, you stand a better chance at getting your products noticed here and it’s a great-looking site too.

The monthly fee means that you need to sell a good volume of products per month, which is why it’s only good if you want to make a real go of your business, but the price is very reasonable.

Not On The High Street

Especially for British businesses, Not on the High Street is a big name in the unique crafts arena. There is an application process to make sure your products are what they are looking for, and to make sure that a particular area of the market doesn’t become saturated.

A huge advantage with this website is that it’s easier to get your products noticed than on sites like Etsy. Not on the High Street invest in pay-per-click campaigns on your behalf to get your stuff noticed and showing up in search results on Google. They also target customers with targeted emails, so if you have a good product there’s a good chance it will get noticed and not buried.

You can also benefit from the advice of the production team on getting your pages looking perfect as well as account managers and a helpdesk. So you don’t have to be all that business savvy, you just need to have really amazing products.

TIP: Make sure your photos are top notch as this is a very professional site–not intended for casual crafters.

NOTHS also has an affiliate program. So if you have your own crafting, home decor, or lifestyle website, you can become an affiliate and link to products you like, or just put up a banner on your website and then get paid up to 5 percent in commission.

Made It Myself

In complete contrast to the site above, we have Made it Myself, which has the kind of vibe you would expect from a site with that name. It’s a very friendly, low-key site that embraces pretty traditional crafts–if you have something hugely unique then this might not be the best place for you to sell.

Baby items, jewelry, quilts, and very folksy-type crafts are what this site does best. The key to getting noticed on this site, is using fabulous pictures–many of them are average, so you’re almost guaranteed to stand out if you put some good images up.

Listing fees are currently being waived, and selling fees are 3 percent.

DaWanda

Listing is currently free, with a 5 percent selling fee–this is higher than most sites out there, but you may feel that it is worth it, as they have pretty good traffic numbers.

DaWanda is European-based with different sites available depending on which country you are in, so this is an especially good alternative to Etsy if you are outside of the US.

There are, of course, many more sites like Etsy that I could list, and once I’ve checked them out then I’ll consider adding them to this list. I haven’t included all of the sites out there because, frankly, I only want to provide you with the best opportunities. However, if there’s one I’ve missed out that you think is definitely worth a mention, then please drop me a line. 

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Man Compiles 10 Months of Travel into Stunning Video Full of 1 Second Snippets

The point when going on an outing, a large portion of us attempt to catch prized remembrances with photos, motion pictures, or notes. Michal Mikolaj Wojtunik had an alternate thought, and its one we've never seen completed truly thusly previously. He took a 10-month excursion to areas incorporating Krakow, Poland; London, England; and Chanthaburi, Thailand; and recorded 1-second films from several minute along the way. The footage runs from wonderful outside vistas to close-ups of sushi and tea to the large groups amicable faces Wojtunik met on the way. The motion picture works so well in light of the fact that every second is suggestive, and we as viewers truly get the feeling that we are likewise recollecting minutes from an epic excursion. The Drake-remixed Lykke Li melody just adds to its moving nature. The movie has now appropriated more than half a million perspectives, with commentators composing glowingly about Wojtunik's work. One individual composed, "This movie has reminded me what life ought to be all about ... living it!" We trust the adolescent man takes an alternate excursion and imparts it to us soon.

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