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cienie-isengardu · 3 years

Note

Not only do I not regret asking you to "RELEASE THE RAMBLES!", I'm sending you requests for more. Below is a list of questions that I asked @bihansthot , and enjoyed their answers, but because you are so thorough, and answer in such depth, I'm re-asking them to you.

Brace yourself, it's a list. I didnt have time to sort thru them, I just copied and pasted, so if any are questions you already answered before, please feel free to include the links.

"LET US BEGIN!"

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In the spirit of potential future writing, I'm trying to find a building that would make a good substitution for Lin Kuei temple.

I've tried looking up ancient Chinese military barracks/forts, and have found some stuff, but is all exterior. Anyone know of any locations (or several I can cobble together) that would make good inspiration fodder?

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So, uhm, religion? What's the Lin Kuei's take on that one? I know they are aware of Gods, they team up with/ encounter Raiden all the time, and have literally worked for/against Shinook, so I know they recognize higher powers... but I guess the question is, do they care?

Do they have a religion, or spiritual practice that resembles religion? Or do they have a more practical approach "gods exist, but we just consider them very strong people"?

Which segues into... do they recognize and participate in holidays, or things like birthdays? Or are all their celebrations work related (I.E. successful missions or levels of combat mastery)?

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Food. What foods do they normally eat? What foods do they like? What foods don't they like? What foods do they absolutely love so much they'll stop what they're doing to get it?

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If you had to match the Lin Kuei with a dynasty, what one would it be? (I know the 2021 movie has the opening in the Ming dynasty, so the Lin Kuei is at least that old, but given that movie Bi Han hasn't aged in 400 years, and was taken is a child, its probably much older) (and also know the game probably cherry picked random Chinese things it liked).

What do you think the Lin Kuei's view on artistic culture (probably not the right word) is? I know they are heavily militaristic, but in the game, Kuai Liang offers Hanzo tea and he properly prepares it the Japanese way, that says they have something of an education other than just related to fighting?

Lastly, in the movie, everything Bi Han does is "for the Lin Kuei", but the Lin Kuei is on Earth (assumedly), and he is working for a guy who wants to enslave Earth, so what do you think the deal is?

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Question about the Cryomancers. I know the game lore says that they are supposed to be rare, but I also know that the Lin Kuei have had at least 5 (grandpa, papa, older, and younger Sub Zero, and Frost). 4 of which are part of 3 generations that inherited it even with mixed blood (I'm assuming Mama Sub Zero wasn't Cryomancer since they left her alone).

That's a lot of generations in a row for a rare trait... So do you think the Cryomancers as a group have figured out they're being hunted and have chosen to live in hiding?

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Lin Kuei society question? I like writing so I also like world building and I think about these things.

Is Lin Kuei society ever covered? I know there is a Grandmaster, a handful master assassins (Sub Zero's, Sektor, Cyrax, etc) and the movies always have a bunch canon fodder lesser assassins.

And they live in the very isolated Lin Kuei Palace/Temple in Arktika (or wherever it used to be)

But is Lin Kuei (we'll call it "village") ever covered? Do they have willing servants, kidnapped slaves, or a mix of both? Are there women (non fighter women, I know there's Frost) or do they employ strictly male help? If there are women, what's their role, and are there children born there? What about Elderly? What about resources, is everything (from food, clothes, weapons, and the raw materials to create them) grown or manufactured on sight by skilled laborers or do they import/interact with the outside world? How vicious or civil is this society, could you be killed for looking at Sektor wrong or do they value your services to a degree? What's the degree? This is obviously a combat culture, but is everyone expected to know martial arts of some variety, is it optional, or do they prohibit it among the servants/slaves? How strict are they on things like clothing, food, alcohol, drugs, "luxuries", or pleasures? Money? If they interact with the world do they recognize and use $$ currency, commodity currency, or a mixture? Internally are the Lin Kuei payed or just provided for? What about illness or injury, if you're not a master and it a serious injury/illness are you taken care of or do they just give you a quick death?

Etc. That's all the questions I can think of, but please feel free to answer questions I didn't ask, if you think of anything else.

Thank you for this wonderful list to talk about! I’m gonna split the answer into smaller parts, for better focusing on each aspect but also so I don’t feel bad for keeping you waiting for ages, lol. For now let’s focus on asks about the religion!

So good questions! I do think they have some spiritual practice(s) because in martial arts the state of a mind is as important as the physical body and religion is one of many ways to shape someone’s mindset from a young age. I do, however, think that Lin Kuei does not worship the gods. They are aware that the gods exist (with Raiden as the thorn in the side) and may even respect their supernatural powers and battle skills but it never has stopped Lin Kuei from desecrating holy places, murdering people and stealing stuff for the best price. So, it seems to me that whatever religion the members of the clan follow, by nature it is rooted in nontheism.

Of course, there is also a chance that Lin Kuei worships some forgotten deity or deities (as a remnant of their ancient connections with Outworld / realms conquered and destroyed by Shao Kahn?) or may even practice ancestor worship which seems like a good way to uphold a widely understood tradition that plays an important role in the discussed community.

The closest thing to religious practice was seen in Mortal Kombat X, when Sub-Zero and his warriors seemed to pray together before statue of god / deity / ancestor / legendary warrior / personalized thing they value the most (sadly, my knowledge about Asian religious practices or faiths is very limited so I don’t have idea if the statue is supposed to represent any real god/religious symbol).

At the same time, it could be just a bluff since Grandmaster was aware of Cage’s team infiltrating the Lin Kuei territory and used this moment to lure them into a trap. Additionally, Mortal Kombat X comics presented once Kuai Liang sitting before the same statue albeit in a completely different (devoid of reverence?) position.

Of course, if we take into account Mortal Kombat Armageddon, the game states that Lin Kuei Temple placed in Arctika was actually once the Temple of Delia (the great sorceress & wife of god Argus) that at some point get abandoned and re-used by Sub-Zero’s clan.

(In the background, we can see a statue of Delia that Lin Kuei does not worship but did not remove for whatever reason. Mixing both old and new games, we can only wonder if MKX!statue is also the remnant of someone else's faith/religion?)

Beside that, Kuai Liang was pretty vocal about Lin Kuei not worshipping the Elder Gods, what was seen in MK11’s intro dialogue with Cetrion

Sub-Zero: The Lin Kuei do not worship the Elder Gods.

Cetrion: We seek gratitude, not worship.

Sub-Zero: I see no distinction.

and personally did not have any reason to pray to the goddess:

Sub-Zero: Why should I pray to you?

Cetrion: Why does a bird flap its wings?

Sub-Zero: I asked a simple question.

In all fairness, in MK11 Kuai Liang seems the most passive-aggressive toward the Elder God while Frost is focused on her ambitions and Noob!Bi-Han just wants to be left alone when bothered by Cetrion. Similar thing happens toward Raiden. Despite gratitude for saving him, Kuai Liang does not spare the god criticism (can’t serve both Elder Gods and Earthrealm, isn’t fit for his role of protector) and in MKX outright says he does not fear divine beings:

Raiden: Sub-Zero...

Sub-Zero: I fear no gods, Raiden.

Raiden': That's why you shall lose.

Surprisingly, Kuai Liang’s interaction with MK11!Fujin sounds less accusing than with Raiden and Cetrion and it is connected closely to their ties with Bi-Han. And maybe Kuai Liang did seek in the past Fujin and other elements to make a peace with them, like he planned to do so in Mortal Kombat 4 Limited comics?

"I came here to make peace with the gods of the elements that you fought [...]"

Anyway, the accusingly behaviour toward Raiden and Cetrion could be just Kuai Liang’s personal dislike for gods and serious authority issues, which makes sense considering how much he suffered because of their meddling and conflicts.

But honestly?

The available examples of Lin Kuei attitude toward gods, demigods and supernatural beings suggest how little the warriors - especially cryomancers - care for them.

Like, we have Bi-Han in Mythologies, who asked Quan Chi about details of mission:

Sub-Zero: If it's so precious, why don't you get it yourself?

Quan Chi: I cannot enter the temple until the four elements within its walls have been defeated. And I am not on the best of terms with the gods of your realm... especially your god of thunder.

Sub-Zero: Tell me about these elements.

Quan Chi outright said he and earthrealm gods weren’t friends and Bi-Han, reading between the lines, could get the idea that he may end on bad terms with Thunder God. Yet he was interested only in elements (lesser gods than protector of realm?) guarding the temple.

Then Bi-Han beat down four demigods and met a displeased Raiden after Quan Chi got the Shinnok Amulet. His reaction? No fear, like meeting an angry god was a normal occurrence.

Rayden: Do you realize what you've done??

Sub-Zero: I was just earning my living.

Rayden: Your clan's ignorance and greed will cost this entire realm. You must now set things straight.

Sub-Zero: Quan Chi could simply be a lunatic sorcerer. I've never heard of an elder god named Shinnok or of a place called the Netherrealm.

Rayden: Well, you'd better start believing in both, because you're going to the Netherrealm and you're going to bring the amulet back. We must act quickly. I have no dominion in the Netherrealm... You are reality's only hope.

Sub-Zero: I'll do it, Thunder God... but only because I have no choice.

And once he came back from Netherrealm, where he was fixing what he messed up in the first place on Raiden’s order, his abrasive attitude did not change much:

Sub-Zero: Here... the amulet.

Rayden: Impressive, Sub-Zero. Perhaps you will reconcile your reckless past after all.

Sub-Zero: That's it? Not even a thank you?

Of course, to some degree Raiden’s words did have an impact on Bi-Han but even the god’s warning about his soul tainted with evil did not stop him from coming back to Lin Kuei. Bi-Han’s attitude and/or approach to gods seems to change somehow once he was reborn as Noob, but that is a different matter for different times.

Anyway, Mythologies!Bi-Han and MK11!Noob act less aggressive toward gods than Kuai Liang. But then we have Sub-Zero from from the MK novel by Jeff Rovin, who not only is not afraid of gods but outright insult them:

“Wait! Be warned, Shang Tsung. He is cursed!”

“Cursed? By whom?”

Ruthay wailed, “By the immortal Yu.”

Shang Tsung felt cold spiders crawl up his spine. “The demigod Yu?”

“Yes… he who is said to dwell in the underground caverns of Horse Ear Mountain… which is sacred to the goddess Kuan Lin. He who protects the canals… and the tunnels… and looks after all who use them, human and animal.”

“What did our brash friend do to Yu?”

“He… killed a man,” said Ruthay.

“What man?”

“A toll-taker… one who had given up a life of crime… one who had been a partner of the man… you… seek.”

“And how did that crime come to the attention of the spirit of Yu?” Shang Tsung asked.

“The man was killed… slowly disemboweled with a sword… while accomplices forced his wife and his son to look on! After his murder… the man’s remains… were dumped into a canal!”

Shang Tsung raised an eyebrow. “Is that all? I was expecting something truly terrible!”

“It was!” Ruthay shrieked. “When he disposed of the body… in that way … he profaned one of the sacred waterways… of Yu!”

Shang Tsung smiled now. “Then he is definitely the man I want,” he said. “Anyone who is impudent enough to insult a demigod won’t be afraid to attack a member of the White Lotus Society, or the gods who watch after them. I will send Hamachi, Ruthay. When he nears his goal, see through his eyes and guide him!”

Book!Sub-Zero was impudent enough to insult a demigod which is why he was one of Shang Tsung’s favorites. And to be clear - book!Sub-Zero did not regret insulting the demigod at all. Even more! He found humor in it!:

He dwelt in a cave two hundred feet up the face of a cliff by the sea. The mouth of his home was barely wide enough to accommodate a slender adult, and was accessible only by climbing the sheer wall of rock, a feat that was impossible for most adults and daunting even to the few arachnids and marsupials that tried it.

Maybe some of them were even sent by Yu, he thought with a smirk, little assassins who would chastise me for having spilled blood in his precious canal.

The less abrasive attitude toward gods was shown by Cyrax, who talked a bit with Raiden over Bi-Han’s remains. He wasn’t outright antagonistic but wasn’t overall respectful either. He talked with Thunder God like he would talk with any other human being that wasn’t actually Scorpion. Frankly, from the named Lin Kuei only MK9!Smoke actually addressed Raiden in respectful manner, with proper bow and the name of lord

albeit did he do so because he respects the divine beings or just out of gratitude for saving him, hard to tell for sure.

So yeah, it seems like no matter what kind of timeline or age or medium of the story, Lin Kuei does not fear gods nor pray to them. And the clan has a long history of dealing with Raiden, so the Lin Kuei had first-hand experiences with supernatural beings. Somehow, cryomancers are the most impudent warriors when it comes to dealing with or criticizing the gods.

Interestingly, as much as Lin Kuei warriors don’t care for gods, most of the known to us named characters believe to have - and to care - for their own souls. Sektor and MK11!Frost embraced the Cyber Lin Kuei idea but Kuai Liang, Cyrax and Smoke were opposed to C.I. project out for concern for their souls among other things. Even Bi-Han, to some degree became concerned about his soul after trip to Netherrealm.

Believing in souls is usually a sign of belief in the afterlife, albeit after all of them went through (the change into cyborgs, death and change into Revenants) this is less a matter of faith (religion) and more first-hand experiences. And let's not forget that regularly dealing over the centuries with Shang Tsung who steals people's souls on a daily basis makes it really hard to not believe spirits are real.

Also, an interesting matter of Lin Kuei practices that could have a religious/spiritual ground and/or be an example of ancestor worship is the clan’s funeral rites. I don’t think we actually saw any Lin Kuei to bury their own (especially after warrior’s failure?) and for sure MK9!Cyrax and Sektor did not bother to take care of Bi-Han’s remains. However the sources provide examples of Lin Kuei keeping corpses, most likely of their own leaders or warriors.

And so, we could see human remains:

put in two coffins on each side of statue

hidden / kept in a block of ice(?) in chamber of Fallen Lin Kuei in which Frost’s frozen body was also laid, but on the altar

Cyrax’s cyber body was kept and guarded by Sub-Zero (and this is like the only thing that Kuai Liang and Cyber Sektor so far agreed on)

and even Cyber Sektor’s remains, even if just for pragmatic reasons, are kept in what seems to be respectful manner:

It could be just Kuai Liang’s good nature to honor fallen of his clan (I’m still not sure if Lin Kuei Palace is the new place for Sub-Zero’s clan or the ancient hideout) but even in MK Conquest TV series, after Grandmaster was killed by then-currently-Sub-Zero, there was the farewell ceremony with clothes on display (cause there was not much left of body after freezing and shattering) while new leader gave the speech promising to punish the guilty.

Which makes me think that Lin Kuei did honor their fallen warriors (especially those exceptional, deserving). Such custom and apparently common belief in soul could also support the ancestor worship - both as some ancient, mythical ancestor(s) connecting warriors into one clan (family) and tradition to follow in the footsteps of forefathers (Bi-Han taking place of his father [old timeline] or grandfather [current timeline] or Kuai Liang taking Bi-Han’s place as Sub-Zero).

My general conclusion about Lin Kuei is that its members believe in souls, have respect and use of spiritual matters (meditation?) and maybe ancestor worship. Whatever the religious / spiritual practices they have over the centuries, it is not something they will share, as the Lin Kuei by nature are secretive people who keep personal things mostly for themselves. The people that joined the clan (Cyrax and Smoke) maybe kept their old, eventual religious beliefs but overall, Lin Kuei warriors did not fear, care for nor pray to gods. They may respect god (Raiden, Fujin) as a person but not because of their divine nature. And even that would not stop them from criticizing said god. Which is pretty much how Kuai Liang and Raiden’s relationship looks like. Grandmaster is grateful to Thunder God for saving him but he won’t blindly follow his authority.

(Kuai Liang has serious authority issues, hasn't he?)

As for holidays, I can’t really see Lin Kuei to follow any specific religious (theistic) special day cause they don’t care much for gods in the first place. Unless they worked undercover and needed to act as normal human beings, religious holidays would mean nothing to them. The warriors may however celebrate their mission success, combat mastery or promotion between themselves or in secret, I think. Like, Lin Kuei did forbid friendship because it was considered warrior’s flaw yet we know some members either were blood-related (Kuai Liang, Bi-Han, previous Sub-Zero - father or grandfather, depending on which timeline is correct) or considered each other a family (Kuai Liang and Tomas Vrbada) and most named characters worked in duos so they have both opportunity and knowledge about each other to celebrate important matters. If they managed to remember anything from previous life, that is. Because from ancient to at least Great Kung Lao’s times most(?) adepts were kidnapped from biological families at a really young age (something around 6 years old). And Mythologies: Sub-Zero takes that even further:

Its warriors are chosen at birth to be raised apart from the workings of day to day civilization and are stripped of their former lives. Only the clan knows their existence. Each of them posses certain skills and abilities that set them apart from normal men. These abilities are passed on from generation to generation and honed throughout the experiences of life.

So, celebrating birthdays doesn’t sound like happening much, unless those with family around could allow themselves such luxury. The clan may however celebrate the day of becoming a fully trained and sworn warrior? Or the fallen warriors? Who knows.

Also, something worth thinking about: in Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series, when the Grandmaster presented newly appointed Sub-Zero to the rest of the clan, he “celebrated” the cryomancer's first official performance as the execution of two men who failed their mission. So, yeah, celebration of something special in (old) Lin Kuei does not necessarily mean anything nice.

(The next part of answer most likely will be focused either on food or architecture / origin of Lin Kuei. Let's hope I will get it written sooner than later)

<><> EDIT <><>

RELIGION <> ORIGINS / ARCHITECTURE <> FOOD <> FOR THE LIN KUEI <> ART <> CRYOMANCERS <> LIN KUEI SOCIETY <> MONEY & MATERIAL GOODS

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harshitajoshi · 4 years

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How to Tell Your Client the Invoicing Charges without Any Stress

Invoicing and accounting were never an easy subject. We’ve always struggled in school and at times even today. This is why only a handful of scholars get to become the best of CAs. and there is literally no bad at that. Each one of us is different and brilliant in our fields. There is nothing to be embarrassed about.Read on and know the important tips to reduce invoicing related stress.

Now you must be wondering the whole reason behind this session of TEDTalk. So, while scrolling Reddit a couple of days ago, I came across a post that haunted me for hours. It was about how an amazingly talented photographer was embarrassed about successfully doing his business because of the lack of some admin skills.

I wondered how this must be a problem of many who do not say it. This seemingly minor obstacle became a major problem for someone to be successful. I could not control but sharing this with everyone who is facing these problems.

But, first, please read the exact situation

“I’ve been working for a company led by a successful photographer in the UK for a few years until about a year ago when I left the country for personal reasons. I’ve remained close to the company and started doing freelance work for them as a photographer, doing behind the scenes photography, and work on other projects. It is however really hard for me to set my own prices as I haven’t done freelance work before and don’t really know how to break down my costs and adjusting my rates, as I’ve been offered 200£ one time and 2000£ another time for projects that took about the same amount of work. A lot of the jobs I’ve been getting are also very spontaneous, asking me to fly out on location within just a few days so there often isn’t much time for preparation.

So when it comes down to sending my invoices I end up procrastinating and building up anxiety about it to the point where I’ve just ended up doing work for free a couple of times already. I’ve asked other photographer friends what their process is but never really managed to get a proper response from them and I just get ashamed to tell them how helpless I am. I really love my work but I’m embarrassed by my lack of professionalism when it comes to the admin side of it and it’s making me doubt if I should even pursue this career or just find regular employment again. I’m taking this to Reddit hoping that I could maybe get some pointers in the right direction.”

This particular issue has sparked so many questions that need critical understanding and precise targeting. As an invoicing expert, I would like to resolve each of the queries of my friend u/gabbacus (Reddit Username).

How to break down project costing to justify every cost?

What factors to take into consideration while deciding cost?

How much is worth your services?

Why are projects estimated differently at different times?

How to create an Invoice that is self-explanatory?

How important are estimates and charges list?

Why is it important to seek expert guidance?

Lastly, Invoicing is a minor issue to create any embarrassment.

Keep on reading to find out solutions to avoid complications while invoicing and successfully carry out administration jobs without any fail.

Question 1- How to break down a project costing to justify every cost?

In any project that you carry out, there are multiple costs involved that your customers might not be aware of and consider you’re overcharging. To take your customer in full trust, break down the cost for them to help them understand better. For example, a photographer’s full charges can include-

Time billing

Photography cost

Travel charges

Rental charges

Markup charges

Taxes

Additional services

Consultation fees (if any)

The above is the precise breakdown of costs a photographer should include in their invoices. Apart from this, there are multiple other types of invoices that you can create such as

Lump-sum billing– for collectively charging prices for the project. It is basically for bigger projects including many folds of project management.

Up-set billing– a combination of time-cost and lump-sum billing, up-set billing is about charging a lump-sum to work in a particular time frame.

Question 2- What factors to take into consideration while deciding cost?

It might not seem important at first, but how you invoice photography clients can have a big impact on the success of a job, and your profit margin.

A key factor/tip that will be directly relatable to your business is bill your clients three or four times more the payment amount you want to take home. There is nothing unethical about it. Because this cost will include all your other costs associated. For say, if you want to take $25 at the end of the day home, bill your clients $100 to $105. This amount will help you cover up all the costs that you have invested and later take back home the desired income you want to. Some photographers contrast to the hourly billing and suggest it is not the best way, but it is important as a photographer to value your time and bill on the basis of hours invested.

On the other hand, the other most chosen method of billing clients is billing for products. Ie. prints, books, photos, etc. it is generally a totally different billing segment and not mixed with time-based billing.

In a photography business, an invoice is generally split into two parts- the cost to do the work (taking pictures) and the cost to use the pictures(picture licensing).

Therefore, when you bill next time, make sure you are taking into consideration both of the most important factors and reduce invoicing related stress.

Question 3- How much to worth your services?

A photography business is one of the most diverse business segments in the society out there. Where getting appreciated and acknowledged is a long road to achieving achieve. Therefore, if you will not value your pieces of art, no one out there will ever too.

Now, once you firmly appreciate your work. You can let your clients perceive higher values of your services fairly quickly. Most importantly, a business presentation is everything. More so in the business of art. Do not forget to consider these factors while upgrading your business.

Decorate your space to make it more professional and welcoming.

Your packaging is your branding. Ensure every packaging material you use is fully branded and professional with logo and information.

Let your customers experience a VIP customer service experience.

Photography is a luxury. Just like people invest in expensive bags and cars, they like to invest in photography. Be the one their best money can only buy.

Always stay ahead of your competition. Regularly track them and create newer strategies to stay ahead and relevant all the time.

Question 4- Why are projects estimated differently at different times?

Now, this is a complete situation based circumstance. Many times as businessmen we tend to make decisions that are of best of interests at a given point of time. Make sure to consider a few factors while estimating projects-

The kind of project you’re working on

Your current business needs

Past experience of the projects

Project involvement needs

Need for supplies

Calculate hours to be invested.

Question 5- How to create an Invoice that is self-explanatory?

Well, an invoice is your most professional document, apart from being your reward to cash for services. It is your most eligible branding and a communicating piece of business art. An online invoice should be your most calculated, explanatory, and itemized list to help clients understand prices well.

Here are all the details an invoice must have-

Client’s name

Client’s address

Business name

Address of the Business

Business contact details

Itemized list of services, products

Taxes and description

Payment details

Terms and conditions

Payment due dates

Lastly, thank you notes

Question 6- How important are estimates and charges list?

Estimates are your gateway to new projects. They tell your clients how much they will be paying for services that will be offered to them. An estimate is a sum of items, and tentative expenses. It also includes tentative extra charges that might incur during the course of the project. The estimated cost of a work is a close approximation of its actual cost.

Question 7- Why is it important to seek expert guidance?

While you’re a photography expert, you still need expert guidance on administration tasks that you’re still a noob to. Because your entire cash flow depends on your invoicing. It is the guardian to help your business sustain and grow. An expert just does not need to be a person. It can also be an invoicing software like Invoicera that guides you at each step while creating an invoice or managing business payables and receivables. Take a look at how Invoicera helps you manage your entire business activities.

Invoicera is one of the leading online invoice software in the market. The cloud-based invoicing and billing software has catered to more than 3 million users around the globe for the past 13 years.

The invoicing software offers many unique features customized to specific business needs of freelancers, small businesses, and enterprises. It helps you to automate and simplify your business processes and communication with online invoicing and payments, expense management, recurring/subscription billing, client/vendor panels, time tracking, invoice approval process, multilingual & multi-currency support, staff permissions, financial reporting & analysis, purchase order management.

Features:

Invoice approval process/ customized approval process

Two-factor authentication

Multiple business access

30+payment gateways

3 layers account security

Staff management

A/R&A/P Management

Multi-lingual compatible Invoices

Services:

Online invoice software

Subscription billing management

Project management

Time tracking software

Custom workflow management

Expense management

Customize Invoicing solution

Multi- Business Management

Third Party Integration

Lastly, Invoicing is a minor issue to create any embarrassment.

Invoicing and other administration jobs of managing expenses, receivables and other cashflow are important to a business. They decide on your success. As a business owner, it is expected for you to be a jack of all trades. But, it is completely fine to not know a few things. The world can teach them to you if you have the desire to learn.

Invoicing is one of the easiest documents, yet more complicated. But, trust me once you start creating these on a regular basis, they become seamless. You just need to be smart enough to utilize technology in the right manner so that it sets the pace for you. Software like Invoicera guides you throughout the process of invoicing, expense management, payments to become a pro and hence reduce invoicing related stress.

Original Post: https://www.invoicera.com/blog/billing-software/how-to-charge-a-client-for-services-reduce-invoicing-related-stress/

#invoice #invoicing #invoicing software

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dalepwithchari · 6 years

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The rise of experiential commerce

Buy some great High Tech products from WithCharity.org #All Profits go to Charity

“$43 million and the only thing you can buy in it is a coffee.”

So said Samsung’s Senior Director of Store Development Michael Koch about the company’s flagship Manhattan “popup”—Samsung 837—though “popup” is an understated description for a 56,000 square-foot cavern with interactive art, virtual reality, lounge areas, a recording studio, and a three-story 96-screen display wall. The most shocking thing about it isn’t what’s there, but what Koch, who led the project, says about the place:

“I don’t want you to buy anything in it.”

This may seem antithetical to the purpose of a “store,” but it captures a critical understanding – experience is the core to the future of commerce.

Experiences Everywhere

So what is experiential commerce, and what does it look like?

Red Bull really did give this guy wings.

The takeover of experiential commerce is a figure with a thousand faces. It’s in the long-run transformation of stores into showrooms. It’s in Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s ambitions that the company’s Experiences platform will stand alongside home rentals as a core part of the business. It’s in Red Bull spending $65 million to drop an Austrian daredevil out of a space balloon and livestream it to millions of viewers on YouTube. It’s in American summer vacation spending rising by $10 billion, or 12.5%, in 2017.

You have to buy tickets to San Francisco’s Color Factory – which markets itself as 12,000 square feet of “color experiences” – months ahead of time, and escape rooms have swept the nation.

This must be the submarine that Ringo was talking about.

Explaining Experiential Commerce’s Rise

It wasn’t always like this. The status quo historically focused on functionality. Marketing and brand-building stressed a product’s uses—this brand works well to clean your clothes or iron out wrinkles, or this cream will reduce age lines if you wear it daily.

A brick-and-mortar store was product testing, warehousing, and distribution rolled into one. You walk into a Payless to try the shoes on; the customer service associate strolls into the back to get that sneaker in your size; you pay for it at the counter and walk out with it. Above all, however, the store was the place you went to buy the thing. You’re meant to go inside and walk out with something or the store and its salesfolk have not done their job properly. Analysts would judge success on metrics such as ‘sales per square foot’ in each store.

Hell hath no fury like a hand wrinkled before its time.

Now Payless is bankrupt, and Allbirds is doubling revenue to $100 million in 2018. The status quo is done. Why? Because technological and logistical advances made it possible for it to change and consumer preferences made it desirable for it to change.

The growth of e-commerce infrastructure (Stripe, AWS, Shopify, etc) and fulfilment networks has lessened the need for distribution and warehousing to take place in a store. E-commerce’s share of industrial real estate increased from 5% to 20% between 2013 and 2017; warehouse space is growing at double the rate of office space. Amazon fulfilled 2 billion orders on behalf of marketplace sellers in 2016. With delivery by drones and other autonomous vehicles still to hit the mainstream, innovation on distribution is hardly finished.

Online reviewing and free shipping/returns has lessened the need for product testing in a store—you know that the sneakers are good sneakers because 238 people reviewed them for an average rating of 4.7/5 stars; even if they turn out to be awful, you know you can send them back with zero cost and minimal inconvenience.

Consumer preferences have changed for a number of reasons. In large part this shift is a generational one, which means, yes, we have to talk about millennials (I’m an ancient borderline millennial at 33).

Millennials aren’t as materialistic as previous generations: an Eventbrite study conducted by Harris Poll in 2014 found that 78% of them would prefer to spend money on a desirable experience or event over a desirable object. Since self-report is an iffy foundation to rest that argument on—I regularly report preferring to spend money on gym visits to lavish desserts—the really eye-catching finding was that U.S. consumer expenditure on live events doubled between 1990 and 2010, when the first millennials turned 30.

It undoubtedly has something to do with social media, which has upended the conspicuous element of consumption. Why spend heaps of money on an expensive watch when you can spend that same heap on multiple photogenic meals and yoga classes that will do more for your Instagram follower and likes count? As my friend Deborah Weinswig puts it, “wellness is the new luxury.” You can only snap an item once, but a worthy lifestyle encapsulates hundreds of shareable moments.

Finally, the arrival of the sharing economy mean people who know how to navigate that space—read tech-savvy youth—don’t actually have to own as many things. When you can outsource your car with Uber and your closet with Rent the Runway, it’s possible to use more stuff while owning less stuff. These forces have combined to result in the experiential commerce boom we see today.

What Experiential Commerce Means for Business

Companies that will thrive in this environment understand that the appeal of a product or a brick-and-mortar spot has to go beyond functionality. The store has to be a place where consumers want to spend time, not just transact. This is not a new insight—Starbucks has spent years successfully charging customers 15-20x what they spend on a homemade coffee on the back of this idea. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz once said that he wanted to make Starbucks the “third place” in people’s lives, after work and home. Hence the comfy chairs, free Wi-Fi, and effortful decor. Starbucks’ customers are fully aware of that price differential but continue to welcome this extortion because they like spending time there. And did I mention free Wi-Fi? Blue Bottle was also paying attention—add better coffee, subtract free Wi-Fi; and you have a 40-shop company Nestle is willing pay $500 million for.

The lesson is also seeping into the minds of companies that sell physical goods. Apple, which transformed retail with the Apple Store 17 years ago, now wants its locations to be more than just a place to interact with and purchase its products. At its most recent iPhone event, Apple SVP (and retail design demigod) Angela Ahrendts revealed a new retail concept called “Town Squares” that positions Apple locations as gathering places for local communities to attend concerts, workshops and more.

It’s not just giants like Samsung and Apple embracing experiences, however. Casper asks its potential customers to come take a nap in its showroom. Harry’s has set up a barbershop in Soho. b8ta functions as a gallery of tech gadgets that leans into letting you actually try them first. Glossier wants you to stroll by and check out their showroom, which an architectural correspondent described droolingly as “like something of a hybrid of a modern boudoir and a high-fashion funhouse.” One particularly quirky experience requires the customer to push a red button, upon which a gloved hand emerges through a hole and sprays Glossier You perfume on their wrist.

All Casper employees fill their bedroom walls with whimsical hand-drawn cartoons.

Unlike Starbucks, however, the goal is less direct than persuading someone to pay $5 for a cup of coffee. That’s a transaction, after all, which takes place in the same venue that the consumer spends time in. Instead, these new consumer brands want to use great brick-and-mortar experiences to court the consumer—come take a nap in my showroom, and when you need a new mattress two months down the line, you’ll choose Casper over Tuft & Needle. You probably won’t order in store, but you’ll go home and order it online…and that’s precisely the idea.

In such instances, brick and mortar becomes a kind of marketing or brand-building effort more than anything else. One way to think about it is as a very well-thought-out, multidimensional billboard.

Why Experiential Commerce Is Important

This consumer trend has consequences that go beyond Times Square and your mattress choices. Experiential commerce is speeding the decline of retail jobs and malls. It’s not hard for an optimist to find upside in less mall space in the U.S.—the country has 10x as much mall coverage per capita as Germany, and many would be happy to see that gap close if it meant more affordable housing or green space. On the other hand, while New Yorkers get to revel in Samsung 837’s digital opulence, would the company do something similar for Cleveland? If M&Ms can reach a million social-media citizens with a single smart Times Square billboard stunt, there’s no need to replicate it in Minneapolis.

If brands see brick and mortar as marketing expenses that drive affinity through foot traffic and exposure through social media, it might not make sense to set up shops in any but the most dense metropolises. That dynamic risks further driving economic vibrancy to the American coasts and urban centers.

Generally, though, experiential commerce’s moment is good news for the consumer. It has crossed over into goods commerce and imbued it with a services mentality, eliminating the pushy salesperson trying to get their commission. That change in attitude will lead to higher standards for CPG companies and more meaningful consumer-product interactions.

Given analysts’ fascination with the “retail apocalypse,” you’d think the capitalism doomsday clock had been set a few minutes from midnight. While it’s true that many retailers are dying at an accelerating rate, this trend doesn’t mark the end of retail so much as an inflection point in its nature. For retailers and brands that have spent decades perfecting the traditional brick-and-mortar experience, this shift isn’t welcomed with open arms. But embracing experiences is a surefire way to stay relevant—and in business—in today’s competitive retail environment.

[Read More …]

The rise of experiential commerce

#HotTrendsWithCharity.com #The rise of experiential commerce

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sadiesavestheday · 7 years

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Art Supply Review: Old Holland Watercolors

Old Holland is kind of a strange brand. There are not a lot of reviews of it because of its expensive price in many parts of the world. I’m lucky enough that my local art store has a full collection of this brand at fairly reasonable prices.

Handprint.com doesn’t think very much of this brand because of its lightfastness issues and its odd labeling practices. That’s totally understandable. I don’t think I would ever recommend this brand to a beginner.

The pigments are definitely pure. They claimed that they include twice as much pigment as other brands, and that might be true. However, the binder for these paints is what makes it different from all other paints, and calm cause problems for a new or experienced watercolor artist. The binder has been described as gummy and sticky. And the paints lift extremely easily.

Not normally something that you’d associate with a high-grade artist quality watercolor brand.

Despite all of that, I love these paints!

Background

Many artists don’t like Old Holland watercolors. They say that they are too gummy , too thick, and too difficult to rewet. And all of these things are true to a certain extent. The colors do not stay still on the page, and lift extremely easily. All of these things can easily be considered negative points.

But there is one thing that I think is important to realize about these watercolors. They are really gansai.

Pseudo-Gansai

Okay, or at least they are basically gansai or very similar to gansai.

At my local art store, I picked up this pamphlet talking about Old Holland watercolors that comes directly from the company. Here is what it says.

Old Holland Classic watercolour These watercolours combine the best qualities of the original colours as used by the Chinese masters. All 168 colours are lightfast. The old fashioned Chinese binder accepts more pigment. This binder is based on distilled water, bleeched cristal arable gums, pure glycerine 99.9% with various mixtures of different natural sugar syrups,special selected honey, rabbit skin glue, rosin varnish (made from roots), seaweed extract, mhyr, etc. The colours tend to be considerably stronger than normal artist’s watercolours, while retaining the transparency required to produce the most delicate hues. Due to the higher level of pigmentation the intensity and brilliance is superior, while less quantity of paint is required to make the artwork.

Pamphlet

Okay, so what does that sound like? If you have read my blog post about Gansai, this will all sound very familiar.

And it makes sense. The Dutch were one of the few countries that were able to trade with the Chinese and the Japanese in the 17th century. You have probably heard of the Dutch East India Company, haven’t you?

Gansai is a Japanese art medium, but many of Japanese traditional arts have their roots Chinese culture. I don’t know what the Chinese word for gansai is, but I’m pretty sure that is what is going on here with these Old Holland watercolors.

So the characteristics fit. They lift easily, they are extremely vibrant, and extremely pigmented. The only thing that seems to be different is that the colors also mix with absolutely no problems.

Also, it is important to note that this binder is the main reason why old Holland colors have a bit of a lightfastness problem in some formulations. Some of the binder combinations that Old Holland uses yellow over time.

Stats

Quality Where Does it Stand? Lightfastness varying lightfastness, I would not trust the lightfastness rating given by Old Holland Where Is It Made? Holland Identification (Color Labeling and Accuracy) No pigment number or other information on the tube, also the label does not match the color inside at all Tube size 6 mL Price US$6 - US$22

Colors Reviewed

GOLDEN BAROK RED – PO 65

SCHEVENINGEN YELLOW LIGHT – PY 174

ULTRAMARINE BLUE DEEP – PB 29

Swatches

These colors are all extremely vibrant. They are surprisingly transparent, and every single one of them is extremely lifting. I have never seen colors that lifted as easily as this. You could put a drop of water on the paint and it would completely come off the page.

This can actually be really frustrating when you’re painting because you can basically erase the entire thing depending on what paper you are using.

This Ultramarine Blue Deep is my favorite ultramarine. The granulation is absolutely gorgeous and unlike the granulation I have seen in any other brand. I will definitely be buying more of this.

Scheveningen Yellow Light is now my favorite warm yellow. It’s transparent, and just glows.

Mixing

The colors mixed together extremely well. They harmonize and have a lot of movement when used wet in wet. The painting that I did using these colors has a sort of gentle harmony to it.

Re-wetting

This is where these colors fall down. Because of the binder, it’s extremely difficult to rewet these pains in comparison to other artistry paints. You have to add water to them before the pigment will come off of the pan.

Glazing and Layering

I don’t use these paints when I am planning to do a lot of layers. Or at least I don’t use them on the bottom layers, particularly because of that issue with listing. These colors don’t stay down very well. They always want to come off the page if there is any sort of agitation on top.

So I normally only use these paints if I am going to be doing a painting that doesn’t require a lot of layers, or if I want to use them on top of already painted layers.

They glaze well, and are very vibrant.

Vibrancy

Extremely vibrant, obviously full of pigment. Beautiful. There are variations of tone within each color.

Pros and Cons

Pros Cons Extremely High Pigment Load No pigment information on the tube The Most Beautiful Granulation Difficult to Rewet Very Vibrant Lifts easily Unique Pigments Extremely Expensive Questionable Lightfastness Strange Names The line is full of overly complicated convenience mixes

Who is it for?

Obviously not a reasonable person.

Not for anyone who is a stickler about single pigment paints or lightfastness.

I will probably continue buying these pains, but I will attempt to be aware of the limitations of the paint and careful about the lightfastness.

This brand is definitely a “luxury” brand if you think about the price and the lack of functionality. This isn’t really a brand that you go to for consistency or predictable quality. This is a brand that you go to because there’s just something about it that you love, despite all of the negative aspects.

So this is for somebody who has already tried artist grade watercolors, and is already very comfortable with them, and wants to be a little silly with their paints.

The Last Word

Price: ★

Quality: ★★★

Overall: ★★

Official Website

Classic Watercolours | colour chart | Old Holland Classic Colours

Availability

Starting at $6.33 at Dick Blick

Around $20 on Amazon

In Europe

Starting at £5.30 on Jackson’s Art Supplies

Ab €4.15 bei Gerstaecker

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#old holland #gansai #paint #watercolor #art #supplu #review #golden #braok #red #schveningen #yellow #light

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