The global banking system is experiencing a profound transformation. Traditional banking infrastructure is rapidly losing ground to the ubiquity of mobile phones and the rise of agent-based and telco-led financial services. The numbers reveal a structural shift that is bypassing banks—especially in rural and low-income markets—at an unprecedented scale.

ATMs vs. Mobile Phones: The Scale of Displacement

There are just 2.95 million ATMs worldwide, compared to 8.3 billion active mobile phones (BankMyCell, 2025). This means that for every ATM, there are about 2,820 cellphones. In rural areas, which account for 43% of the world’s population (World Bank, SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS), the ATM is increasingly irrelevant. The future of financial transactions is mobile, and the numbers confirm it.

Deposit Outflows and Digital Growth

In 2024, U.S. banks recorded their first deposit decline since 1995—a 4.8% drop (FinTech Weekly). Meanwhile, digital-first banks such as N26 reported revenue growth of 40% in the same period. Over 55% of U.S. customers now primarily manage their finances through mobile apps, and the global digital banking market is projected to reach $22.3 trillion by 2026 (EMB Global). Challenger banks and fintechs are not merely supplementing the market—they are capturing its core.

Shrinking Physical Presence

Major banks are closing branches at an unprecedented rate. NatWest closed 53 branches in 2025 alone, while HSBC’s digital transition has been described as “sluggish” (Finextra). The contraction of physical banking infrastructure is a global phenomenon.

Fintechs and Challenger Banks: Rapid Customer Acquisition

Trust Bank in Singapore became the country’s fourth-largest retail bank in just over a year, surpassing one million customers (The Straits Times). JPMorgan Chase’s UK digital platform reached 1.6 million customers in 2023 (Reuters). The revenue gap is widening: while legacy banks struggle for marginal deposit growth, digital-first banks are expanding at rates of 40% or more.

Micro-Transactions: The Global Bypass

The migration of micro-transactions away from traditional banks is most visible in rural and low-income markets, where agent networks and mobile money services—often run by telcos—have become the default. The Dominican Republic provides a concrete example of the scale of this bypass, even in the absence of a local fintech ecosystem.

• Population (mid-2024 est.): 11.5 million
• Rural share (official data): ≈ 85%
• Rural population using only feature phones (field surveys): ≈ 70%
• Active mobile phones (all types, global): 8.3 billion (BankMyCell, 2025)
• Feature (“button”) phones still in use (global): ≈ 1.1 billion (13%)
• Average fee for a sub-US $5 bank transfer in LICs: US $0.50–0.90 (10–18%) (MoneyTransfers)

Assuming each rural adult in the Dominican Republic makes one US $5 peer-to-peer transfer per day using a mobile wallet or agent network (with no bank involvement), and that a traditional domestic bank transfer of the same size would cost approximately US $0.60 in fees (mid-point of the 50 DOP Caribe-Express tariff):

• Rural users: 11.5 million × 85% ≈ 9.8 million
• Annual transfer flow: 9.8 million × $5 × 365 ≈ US $17.8 billion
• Forgone fee income: 9.8 million × $0.60 × 365 ≈ US $2.1 billion per year

Result: In this scenario, banks in the Dominican Republic forfeit approximately US $2 billion in fee revenue annually on micro-payments alone, while US $17–18 billion in transaction volume bypasses the formal banking rails. The same pattern is observable in many other countries with high rural populations and widespread mobile phone use.

Global Perspective: The Scale of Bypassed Banking

Extrapolating this model globally:

• Global rural population: ≈ 3.4 billion (World Bank)
• Assume 30% of those adults (≈ 1.0 billion) have access to a feature phone and mobile wallet/agent.
• Each makes one US $5 transfer per day.
• Average legacy-bank fee if using the formal system: 10% (US $0.50).
• Daily volume bypassing banks: 1.02 billion × $5 ≈ US $5.1 billion
• Annual volume bypassing banks: US $1.86 trillion
• Annual fee revenue forfeited: 10% × 1.86 trillion ≈ US $186 billion

Even if only one in four rural residents transacts daily and the average fee is halved, the annual loss remains between US $40–90 billion.

Structural Barriers to Reversal

• Physical reach: ATMs number just 2.95 million worldwide—a 2,800:1 ratio versus mobile phones. Branch networks are shrinking by 3–7% annually in most low-income countries.
• Cost structure: An on-us rural ATM transaction costs a bank approximately US $0.25–0.35 to service. Agent/mobile-money networks operate at less than US $0.08 per transaction, often subsidized by telcos.
• Device reality: Over a billion users have no smartphone; USSD/SMS wallets are their only digital finance channel. Banks rarely support USSD directly, while agent networks and telcos do.
• Behavioural lock-in: Once users trust a mobile wallet or agent for daily micro-transactions, larger remittances and savings migrate there as well, accelerating deposit leakage (already −4.8% in the U.S. legacy sector in 2024).

Lessons from M-Pesa: Missed Opportunities and Global Impact

A similar model has already demonstrated its transformative power elsewhere. In Kenya, M-Pesa—a mobile money service launched by Safaricom and Vodafone—now processes over $300 billion in transactions annually, with 51 million users and 59% of Kenya’s GDP flowing through its rails (Forbes, 2024). M-Pesa’s success was not the result of a bank-led initiative, but of a telco’s willingness to serve the unbanked and underbanked with simple, accessible technology.

Notably, Visa did not acquire M-Pesa. Instead, in 2022, M-Pesa and Visa partnered to launch the M-Pesa GlobalPay virtual Visa card, enabling M-Pesa users to make international online payments (Safaricom). The ownership of M-Pesa remains with Safaricom and Vodacom, who acquired the brand from Vodafone in 2020.

In 2013, a project with similar ambitions was proposed to banks in the Dominican Republic, aiming to bring agent-based, mobile-enabled financial services to rural populations. The proposal was dismissed as “excess service.” In contrast, M-Pesa’s model has since generated billions in revenue and transformed financial inclusion in multiple countries.

Conclusion: A Structural Shift, Not a Passing Trend

In countries with high rural populations and limited banking infrastructure, billions in annual fee income are bypassed on micro-transactions, with trillions in transaction volume moving outside the formal banking system. Globally, over $186 billion in micro-transaction revenue is now captured by telco-led or agent-based rails—roughly double the combined 2024 profits of the five largest U.S. banks.

The data is unambiguous: the migration of micro-transactions to mobile and agent networks is not a marginal trend, but a fundamental reordering of the financial landscape. The infrastructure and business models of traditional banks are being outpaced by the scale, efficiency, and reach of mobile-first and agent-based solutions—especially in rural and low-income markets.

Sources:

• BankMyCell: How Many Phones Are in the World? (2025)
• World Bank Rural Population Data (SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS)
• FinTech Weekly
• EMB Global: Digital Banking Market Size
• MoneyTransfers: Caribe Express Fees
• The Straits Times: Trust Bank Hits 1 Million Customers
• Reuters: JPMorgan Chase UK Digital Bank
• Finextra: HSBC Branch Closures
• Forbes: M-Pesa’s Global Impact
• Safaricom: M-Pesa GlobalPay Virtual Visa Card

For further context on the 2013 project offered to Dominican banks, see:

• Project details in Spanish
• Project details in Russian

The numbers, trends, and structural realities point to a new era in financial services—one where mobile and agent-based platforms are not just competing with, but overtaking, traditional banking infrastructure, especially in rural and low-income markets.

Cedula: The Dominican Republic is transitioning from a simple plastic card with a photo to a full-fledged electronic document with an embedded chip. A lot of Dominicans and expats have expired cedulas on hands. Each visit to JSE and request to update ends in nothing.

The President has issued a decree that expired cedulas are valid. However, employees of international embassies and airports are not aware of the Dominican decrees.

By Yenifer Fernandez (yenifer.fernandez@lagente.do)

Periodista de LaGente.do

My ID expired in February 2024, and as a law-abiding citizen, I went to the civil registry office to renew it.

“Come in October,” the civil registry clerk replied. “Your ID is valid until the end of October 2024.” “It’s a pity that nobody knows about it except the civil registry staff,” I thought.

In the past, in 2023, I returned to the Dominican Republic from Istanbul with Lufthansa. The entry stamp to Turkey was in my Russian passport, so I bought the Lufthansa ticket with my Russian Federation passport.

After the events in February 2022, holders of Russian passports worldwide faced unprecedented difficulties in travel. Lufthansa staff at Istanbul International Airport began to refuse me boarding, even though everything was correctly arranged.

Only my ID with my permanent address in the Dominican Republic, along with my Dominican driver’s license, saved me. These two documents convinced Lufthansa staff that I was flying home. After 30 minutes of coordination with management, they let me board. Other Russian passport holders were less fortunate. As you understand, if at least one of the documents I presented had an expired date, I would still be at Istanbul Airport.

Now, with an expired ID until the end of October 2024, My tourism should be limited to within the Dominican Republic. Because only the civil registry staff knew that the ID was valid. Because when I go to the embassies for a visa, they look at the expiration date of my expired ID. And not at the government decree.

I think many expatriates living in the Dominican Republic who turned to the civil registry for renewal of their Dominican ID faced a similar problem.

Let’s see what the official website of the JCE (https://jce.gob.do/), the authority responsible for the Dominican ID renovation, says:

…

As we can see, searching for information about the delay in exchanging identification documents on the official JCE website yielded no results.

Let’s stick to tradition and Google it:

…

Google provides only one link to information on the official website (as we saw, the site’s own search function doesn’t work). Following the link to the only document available from the search, dated June 2022, we learn that the process of updating identification documents will begin in August 2024. Which, to put it mildly, is not true.

The communication department of the civil registry, to put it mildly, misinformed the public about the start date of the document renewal process.

The only material with a future date available at the time of writing this article is found in a Google search from the newspaper “Diario Libre”:

…

From this material, we learn that it will only be possible to renew expired identification documents in October 2024. And that the new ID card will have a new design and an embedded electronic chip.

Since this is the only available information at the moment about the renewal of expired identification documents in the Dominican Republic, we are publishing the full material from “Diario Libre”. The link to the original is here.

Cedula: changes that the new identification document will undergo:

Despite the fact that the current identification document expires this year in 2024, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) has established that it will remain valid for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both municipal and congressional as well as presidential elections.

Author: Stephanie Hilario Soto

January 4, 2024

…

…

The process of updating the identification and electoral cards will begin on October 26 of the current year, 2024, with the issuance of a new document equipped with a microchip and other security measures aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the current document.

In advance, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) provided political parties with a report on the characteristics and the project itself for updating the identification (ID) and electoral cards. This report was submitted on December 21 with a deadline of 10 working days for providing feedback.

The current ID, which will be replaced after the elections, is made of plastic and can “delaminate,” meaning its elements can be separated. It does not have a microchip and is not electronic.

…

The new identification card is expected to be equipped with a microchip and other security measures aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the current document. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)

…

The material chosen for the new identification card is polycarbonate, which is used in most countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Finland, Mexico, Ecuador, and Uruguay. It facilitates the integration of security features that hinder their reproduction on other materials, such as windows with engraved and embossed effects.

Polycarbonate does not delaminate like the current ID material, and attempting to alter the data on it will result in destruction. It has a long service life and durability.

The photograph on the current ID has a dark background and does not comply with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it will be produced in shades of high-quality gray, “sufficient to identify the bearer,” as specified in a document accessed by Diario Libre. All data will be stored in color and printed on robotic devices at the only center operating in the country.

It is proposed that the citizen’s photograph will appear three times on the identification card, i.e., on the front side. The map of the Dominican Republic, currently located in the bottom left corner, will be placed above the photograph in the bottom left corner.

The integrated circuit or microchip embedded in the card will allow identity verification in offline mode. It will contain an electronic signature, be embossed with names, and allow biometric comparison of a fingerprint recorded on the chip with a live one captured within a few seconds.

The current identification cards and electoral cards expire this year in 2024, but according to the decision of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), they will remain valid for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both municipal elections in February and congressional and presidential elections in May.

Author: Stephanie Hilario Soto
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephaniesotord?s=21
A journalist from the Dominican Republic, a graduate of the University of Santo Domingo (UCSD). She also works as a broadcaster, emcee, model, as well as host and producer of her own digital project “Acceso VIP.”

At the moment, this is the only information available on the timing of exchanging Dominican identification cards found through Google search.

We hope that this material has been helpful to expatriates and citizens of the Dominican Republic who have expired identification cards.

If this material receives enough likes or comments, we will reach out to the civil registry office and the manufacturer of the new identification card for further details.

By Yenifer Fernandez (yenifer.fernandez@lagente.do)

Periodista de LaGente.do

Brief
The U.S. merchant account services market is a battlefield. New tech disruptors are storming the field, legacy giants are digging in, and a handful of former titans are losing ground fast. This is not just a story of numbers, but of people, technology, and the relentless drive for relevance. Here’s who’s winning, who’s losing, and why it matters for your next career move, your sales strategy, or your business’s bottom line.

The SMB Payments Market at a Glance

Sources: TSG Payments, Business News Today, company filings, industry interviews

The SMB Payments Rising Stars: The Disruptors Changing the Game

Shopify POS
Shopify is no longer just an e-commerce platform. Its POS system is now the go-to for D2C brands and pop-ups, letting retailers unify online and in-store sales, launch new locations in weeks, and leverage deep customer data.

“Shopify POS gives us one customer view whether they click or tap a card. That’s been a game-changer for our retail expansion.”
— Travis Boyce, Head of Global Retail, Allbirds (Shopify Blog)

Retail on Demand
This shift toward omnichannel isn’t just theory. In May 2024, sleepwear brand Lunya opened three NYC pop-ups in just 21 days using Shopify’s “tap-to-open” iPhone POS. Local press called it “retail on demand,” and Shopify’s stock jumped 7% that week as analysts cited the event as proof of Shopify’s physical retail momentum.
Read more – Women’s Wear Daily, 5/17/24

Toast
Toast is the restaurant industry’s secret weapon. With features like ingredient tracking, kitchen displays, and payroll, it’s not just a POS—it’s a full restaurant operating system. Sweetgreen credits Toast with reducing waste by 15% and speeding up service by 20%.

“Toast isn’t a POS; it’s our sous-chef.”
— Jonathan Neman, CEO, Sweetgreen (Business News Today)

Tip War Fallout
This focus on specialization paid off during Toast’s “tip war” controversy in 2023. After media and customer backlash over automatic tip prompts, Toast responded by rolling out customizable tip screens and launching a “restaurant tech bootcamp” for staff. This quick, industry-specific response restored trust and improved client retention, showing how vertical focus can turn a crisis into a loyalty win.
Read more – The Wall Street Journal, 7/18/23

Helcim
Helcim is winning over cost-conscious SMBs with radical transparency. Its viral moment came when a Reddit thread revealed real savings and honest pricing, leading to a 50% spike in sign-ups.

“Dropped my processing bill from $400 to $320 the first month—no PCI junk fees, no ‘non-qualified’ surcharges.”
— u/mainstreetbooks (r/smallbusiness)

Reddit Goes Viral
This shift toward transparency isn’t just theory. In 2024, a viral Reddit post titled “Helcim vs. Everyone” saw dozens of business owners share screenshots of their savings after switching to Helcim. The company’s CEO even joined the discussion, answering questions directly. This public engagement and openness led to a measurable surge in new customers, confirming that transparent pricing is now a competitive necessity.
Read more – Helcim Blog, 6/2/24

The SMB Payments Giants: Defending Their Turf

Square (Block)
Still the king for microbusinesses and retail, Square’s ecosystem is unmatched for simplicity and breadth. Its new AI-driven loyalty and inventory tools are helping retailers like The Sill boost sales and reduce out-of-stocks.

“Square’s AI-driven inventory suggestions have helped us keep our bestsellers in stock and cut lost sales.”
— Eliza Blank, CEO, The Sill (Business News Today)

AI Boosts Sales
The power of AI isn’t just hype. In January 2025, Square rolled out its AI Loyalty Lab to 10,000 pilot merchants. Early results showed a 7% increase in average basket size. The move was covered by Forbes, which called it “a shot across the bow at legacy POS.”
Read more – Forbes, 1/15/25

Clover (Fiserv)
Clover’s strength is its deep integration with banks like Bank of America, making it the default for many new business accounts. Its hardware and app marketplace keep it competitive.

“Our partnership with Clover has made it easier for small businesses to get the tools they need, right from their bank.”
— Sharon Miller, President of Small Business, Bank of America (Business News Today)

Bank Partnership Pays
This strategy isn’t just theoretical. In Q1 2024, Bank of America began bundling Clover POS with new business checking accounts. The result was a 25% jump in new merchant accounts and a surge in positive reviews, demonstrating the power of bank partnerships in driving POS adoption.
Read more – American Banker, 4/2/24

PayPal/Zettle, Stripe, Adyen
These giants dominate online and hybrid commerce, with Stripe and Adyen especially strong among tech-forward and global SMBs.

DOJ Cracks Down
The importance of fair competition was highlighted in 2023, when Stripe agreed to a $120 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over alleged anti-competitive practices. The company responded by opening its API to more third-party integrations, which analysts say helped it regain trust among developers and SMBs.
Read more – Reuters, 9/14/23

The SMB Payments Losers: Why the Old Guard Is Retreating

Worldpay (FIS), TSYS (Global Payments), Elavon
Once titans, these legacy providers are losing contracts and sales talent at an accelerating pace.

• Worldpay lost a multi-state apparel chain to Shopify after a repricing standoff; leaked memos cite “product gaps vs. omnichannel challengers.” (Brand Spur NG)
• TSYS and Elavon are seeing double-digit attrition as reps defect to disruptors and SMBs demand better tech and clearer pricing.

Sales Team Exodus
The impact of outdated tech and poor support became clear in late 2024, when a viral LinkedIn post by a former Worldpay sales manager described a “mass exodus” of reps to Square and Toast. The post cited “opaque quotas and outdated tech” as key reasons for leaving, sparking a debate on Glassdoor and highlighting how lack of support and innovation can drive talent away.
Read more – LinkedIn, 11/18/24

The SMB Payments Talent War: How the Best Recruit, Train, and Keep Sales Teams

Bootcamp Boosts Retention
The value of investing in sales talent was proven when, after launching its “Restaurant Tech Bootcamp,” Toast saw a 30% increase in new-hire retention and poached dozens of sales leaders from legacy providers, as reported by Business News Today.
Read more – Business News Today, 8/15/24

The SMB Payments Market players. What Should You Do?

For Job Seekers:

• Don’t just ask about commission—ask about inbound leads, demo support, and product fit.
• Choose companies that invest in onboarding and have a product you’re proud to sell.

For HR and MASP Leaders:

• Speed up onboarding, invest in training, and be transparent about comp and quotas.
• Build partnerships and vertical expertise to stand out.

For SMB Owners:

• Use the competition to your advantage: get multiple quotes, demand clear pricing, and ask for references.
• Choose a provider that understands your industry, not just payments in general.

The Bottom Line

The war for America’s SMB payments is being won by those who move fast, solve real problems, and treat both merchants and employees as partners. The old playbook is obsolete. The new one is being written by rising stars, defended by giants, and abandoned by those who can’t keep up.

Sources & Further Reading

• TSG Payments, 2025 Directory Rankings
• Business News Today: Top POS platforms in 2025
• Shopify Blog: Merchant Services
• Brand Spur NG: Top Ten Payments Companies 2024
• Newsweek: Best Merchant Account Service Providers 2025
• Women’s Wear Daily: Shopify Pop-Up Lunya
• Forbes: Square AI Loyalty Lab Launch
• American Banker: Bank of America Clover POS Bundle
• Helcim Blog: Helcim vs. Legacy Processors
• LinkedIn: Worldpay Sales Exodus
• Reuters: Stripe DOJ Settlement
• The Wall Street Journal: Toast Tip Feature Controversy

Join the Discussion:
Is this war good for SMBs, or does it just create confusion? Can legacy giants stage a comeback, or are they doomed to retreat? Will the next big winner be a tech disruptor, a niche specialist, or a company we haven’t even heard of yet?
Share your stories, predictions, and questions below. The next chapter in the battle for America’s SMB payments is being written right now—will you be part of it?

Is That LinkedIn Medical Interpreter Offer Legit? Here’s the Truth Behind the Pitch

Ever get a LinkedIn message promising easy freelance work as a medical interpreter—plus a “must-have” training course? If you’re a newcomer to the U.S. or just exploring side gigs, you’ve probably wondered: Is this a real job, or just a clever way to sell courses?

Let’s cut through the noise. I dug deep into the U.S. healthcare language services market to find out which offers are genuine, who’s really hiring, and how you can actually land paid work as a medical interpreter.

The Problem: Too Many Promises, Not Enough Clarity

The U.S. medical interpreting market is booming, but it’s also crowded with companies eager to recruit—and sometimes upsell—newcomers. For professionals who only occasionally check LinkedIn, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of offers that blur the line between opportunity and sales pitch.

The Reality: Who’s Who in Medical Interpreting

A handful of giants—LanguageLine Solutions, CyraCom, AMN Language Services—dominate the market, serving hospitals nationwide with 24/7 coverage and seamless tech. But there’s also a long tail of regional players and startups, each with their own approach to hiring and training.

Here’s the breakdown:

• The top three companies control half the market and are always hiring, but competition is fierce—especially for common languages like Spanish.
• Mid-sized firms like Liberty Language Services focus on the Mid-Atlantic and are known for onboarding new interpreters, especially for rare languages.
• Most companies require a 40-hour medical interpreter certificate (CCHI/NBCMI-qualifying) as your ticket in.

To give you a clearer picture, here’s a snapshot of the market leaders:

OPI = Over-the-phone interpreting; VRI = Video remote interpreting; Onsite = In-person interpreting

How Do Hospitals Choose Their Vendors?

Hospitals and clinics overwhelmingly prefer the largest vendors, mainly for their 24/7 coverage, rapid response times, and seamless integration with hospital systems. Here’s how the “preference” breaks down among U.S. hospitals and medical clients:

Note: Hospitals often use multiple vendors, so totals exceed 100%.

The Solution: How to Spot a Real Opportunity

Worried that “training required” means “scam”? Here’s what matters:

• Legitimate companies (including Liberty) do offer both training and jobs—but you’re not forced to buy their course if you already have a recognized certificate.
• If you’re certified, you can apply directly for work. If not, their course is one of several reputable options.
• For rare languages, your chances of getting hired skyrocket—some companies hire 70% of new certificate holders in these languages.

To illustrate, here are estimated probabilities of getting hired with a fresh certificate and no prior experience:

What’s Your Best Move?

Want real work, not just another certificate? Here’s your action plan:

1. Get a recognized 40-hour medical interpreter certificate (CCHI or NBCMI-qualifying).
2. Apply widely—especially to companies known for hiring newcomers.
3. If you speak a high-demand language, highlight it. Flexibility and persistence pay off.

Bottom Line

Yes, there are real jobs out there. The U.S. medical interpreting market is hungry for talent—especially if you bring rare language skills and the right credentials. Don’t get distracted by the noise. Focus on certification, target the right companies, and you’ll find genuine opportunities.

Ready to make your language skills pay off? Don’t just scroll—take action. The opportunity is real, if you know where to look.

Sources

• Global Growth Insights: Medical Interpreter Services Market Size, Growth (2024)
• Nimdzi: Top 10 Healthcare Interpreting Providers in the US (2024)
• Business Research Insights: Medical Interpreter Services Market Share, Forecast 2025 – 2033
• KLAS Research, “Communication & Language Access 2024” (summary)
• Company career pages, Indeed, Glassdoor, interpreter forums (2024–2025 data)

If you have questions about specific companies or want advice on how to get started, feel free to reach out or comment below.

In November we wrote about how to “digitize” an apiary and turn it into “bee sharing”. In this article, its author, Artem Zharov, talks about the economics of the project and the change in business model.

https://pchelosharing.ru/
By Artem Zharov Founder and designer of BeeSharing and BeeSharing/Gift

Bees in the hive

Actually, the figure of 40 kopecks per year is not entirely accurate. To begin with, on average, a bee lives for 3-4 weeks, meaning each season sees 4-5 generations of bees working.

The 50,000 bees in a hive is also an average number during the peak cycle of the bee colony’s life. When summer begins, everything is in bloom, and the queen bee produces as many bees as possible.

…

“Only bees are better than honey”

Moreover, not all bees gather honey. Apart from the basic division of bees into the queen, drones (males, needed solely for fertilization), and worker bees, there is also a division based on roles, specifically by age. The bee’s body develops, and along with that development, its functions change. The list is ordered by increasing age:

• Cleaner bees
  .
• Builder bees
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• Nurse bees
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• Guard bees ‍
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• Ventilating bees
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• Forager bees (peak of bee development)
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• Scout bees
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• Water-carrying bees (old age of the bee)

But since all roles are necessary for production, we can calculate on average.

Bees can gather from 30 to 100 kg of honey per season depending on conditions. Obtaining 50+ kg is possible with an industrial approach, collecting nectar from agricultural fields.

This is 108% not our option because, at a minimum, we dislike monofloral honey (gathered from a single crop), and pesticides can easily find their way into honey.

…

Our bees gather around 40 kg, and half of this honey needs to be left for the bees for autumn, winter, and spring. So, we or the hive owners get a yield of 20-23 kg (last season resulted in 21 kg).

Industrial honey

The cost price of industrial honey is 20-40 ₽ per kilogram.

A kilogram of industrial honey in bulk costs 100-250 rubles.

In small wholesale, it goes up to 300 rubles, and at retail directly from the beekeeper, it can be up to 500 rubles.

At fairs, it can reach up to 700 rubles if purchased in 1-2 kg quantities.

In a store, after processing and packaging in a beautiful (or not so beautiful) jar, it can be around 1000-1200 rubles per kilogram.

…

Typical honey packaging is the complete opposite of our vibe.

The cost price of such honey is around 20-40 rubles per kilogram, depending on the arrangement of the apiary, its size, and most importantly, the yield.

All such apiaries use sugar, do not value the life of bee colonies, and do not hesitate to use industrially produced antibiotics, and so on.

…

COG of honey manufacturing.

If a beekeeper sells bee packages and other beekeeping products besides honey, having 500 bee colonies can generate a net income of up to 4 million ₽ per year. Blood money in the honey business.

…

Possible profit in an industrial apiary with 500 bee colonies: 4,000,000 per year.

Homegrown honey and honey from eco-friendly apiaries

Products like these are rarely sold in large wholesale quantities (several tons) because, with minimal sales skills, they can be sold at a good retail price. Also, there are rarely such large apiaries with such an approach.

Average cost price of homegrown honey: 200 ₽ per kilogram.

Summary of indicators and distinctive features:

• Yield: 30 to 50 kg depending on the region.
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• More work on the apiary.
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• Higher expenses for treatment and prevention.
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• No expenses for fuel, as the apiary is stationary.
  .
• Average cost price comes out to around 200 ₽ per kilogram.

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COGS of eco-friendly apiary.

Apiaries that are now joining BeeSharing sell their honey in small wholesale for approximately 600-650 ₽ per kilogram. This often exceeds or equals their retail price. However, unlike retail, they don’t need to deal with:

• Packaging
  .
• Delivery
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• Marketing
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• Sales

Moreover, this is an expansion of the apiary without additional investments – hive acquisition is covered by us.

Thus, by selling through BeeSharing, adding a hundred hives results in an increase in the net profit of the existing apiary up to 1.6 million ₽.

…

1.6 million per year. This is an increase in the profit of an eco-apiary of 100 bee families working through bee sharing.

Working independently, without our platform, a beekeeper is forced to handle packaging, delivery, find clients, rent sales points at fairs or markets, advertise on platforms like Avito, maintain a blog…

Even if they sell at double the price, at 1200₽/kg (though discounts are common, especially for purchasing larger quantities like a 3L jar), the net profit comes out to roughly the same 650-700₽. Additionally, instead of staying at home with the kids and relaxing, they have to deal with sales.

…

Our additional values

We have our own apiary, and the figures above are partly based on it.

However, in addition to the apiary, we are developing a platform for beekeepers and a personal hive account for customers. So, in BeeSharing, apart from apiary costs, there are also the following expenses:

Content: It amounts to almost 350k per year, including:

1) A photographer takes photos and videos for photo reports published in the personal account. On average, 2-3 shoots per month.

…

2) A photographer takes photos and videos for photo reports published in the personal account. On average, 2-3 shoots per month.

…

Illustrations and design. It costs 250k per year. We create packaging for honey and related items. In our catalog, there are 50+ design templates, and each hive owner chooses how their yield will look as we approach autumn.

…

Including, we also create custom designs for clients. For example, here is a sketch of a label for the Cinemapicnic apiary of director Maxim Rusanov. The concept was approved on the first attempt:

…

Packaging and dispatch of orders + support — 600K per year. We package honey in St. Petersburg, not in the Krasnodar Krai where the apiary is located. From there, we dispatch parcels to customers using a courier service. Shipments usually reach Moscow within a day, and for St. Petersburg, we often provide same-day delivery.

…
New Year’s gifts for the employees of Pasha Molyanov’s “Let’s Do It” agency

Hosting, services, and such — 50K per year

Office rental — 480K per year. For packaging and for me. I have too many children to work from home

Communication at the apiary — 36K per year and a one-time (hopefully) 100K for equipment.

https://pchelosharing.ru/gift

And also: a discount of 9.99% with the promo code “СКОРО14И23”.

https://pchelosharing.ru/
By Artem Zharov Founder and designer of BeeSharing and BeeSharing/Gift

By Yaroslav Radinsky
CEO at RASA.pro tg – @radinskiy
The text is published with the permission of the author.
Link to original text is here.

I’ll tell you why we hired such an employee and what came out of it. About the battle with headhunters, resourceful pimps, and unconventional team-building.

..

In the photo: Kristina Kukhtina. Photographer – Evgeny Pyankov.

My name is Yaroslav, and I am the CEO of the digital agency RASA based in Khabarovsk/Russia. We specialize in creating websites, applications, configuring CRM, and advertising promotion in the Russian Far East.

How we looked for a Go-go dancer or stunt marketing in IT industry

Recently, on a hiring platform, we posted a job opening for a GO-GO dancer for our agency.

The idea behind hiring an employee for this position was to bring fresh perspectives and approaches to our work, regularly boosting the team’s motivation. The concept is undoubtedly innovative, but we are also a company with a young and dynamic team.

…

Everyone would have benefited from this idea:

For our designers and UX researchers, it would be an unconventional source of inspiration for new solutions. For developers, a wonderful assistant in tackling complex code and a means of relaxation after a challenging workday. One of the requirements for the job was an understanding of code terminology and the ability to visually interpret it.

And for the team as a whole, this person would be a friendly partner, the office mascot, and someone who makes you want to stay at your workplace longer and even invite friends to work – a dream scenario from any manager’s perspective. Moreover, the art of dance itself is an underestimated tool for work, especially in the form of contemporary dance.

…

“I imagined working in IT differently.”

One of the main values of our team is caring for each other. Both programmers and all employees, in general, can get tired or even experience burnout, which inevitably affects work processes and potentially the team spirit. Therefore, relaxation and recreation are no less of a priority for us than the work itself.

Previously, RASA had unconventional specialists visit the office, such as a breathing techniques coach. As a team, we gathered in our relaxation room in the morning, turned off the lights, and practiced proper breathing in complete darkness to set the soul and body for a productive and energetic day, charged with positive energy. We also had a yoga instructor come to help unlock the team’s full potential through practices and, quite simply, strengthen team building.

…

From time to time, as a team, we play poker, board games, and have a regular tradition of movie nights (usually on Friday evenings, but sometimes on Thursday or Wednesday). The team even votes on the movie they’ll watch. We have a ping pong table in the office where you can hit some balls during lunch, although this is hardly surprising to anyone. Also, every Friday at 5:30 PM, we have a meetup where the team shares experiences on productivity, work, and ways to improve their lives inside and outside the office.

In our understanding, it is crucial to see employees not just as workers but as a real team, where human needs are valued alongside their experience and skills. This requires time, organization, and money, but it makes us who we are.

And in our view, having a resident GO-GO dancer is one way to support the established corporate culture. At the beginning of the year, I provided details about what our team does outside of work and why the agency means much more to the team than just a workplace.

…

What keeps young talents in the Far East?
The edge of the world, low salaries, and what is there to find at all—this is roughly what people from the central part of Russia think when it comes to us. Using the example of employees in a digital agency, let’s explore why skilled professionals choose to stay here and not move to larger cities.

But let’s get back to the job opening: after its publication, some time passed, and for some reason, local media and public groups started writing about it. Then, my colleagues and acquaintances noticed it. I received messages in private and via email with content along the following lines.

This is genius!

Is everything okay there?

Should I break into IT?

To be honest, I was a bit surprised by such a resonance: a regular job opening meant to address production tasks suddenly became news and quickly left Khabarovsk, making its way into larger media outlets.

Publications in local media and not only about our vacancy.

I was even invited to the radio, and Moscow-based news portals reached out for interviews to have me share more details. Well, it’s time to share them with you too.

PR campaign

Or, damn it, fake news.
I suppose you’ve already grasped that our job opening is an atypical PR campaign, which, to my delight, worked out as planned.

The idea struck me on December 14th. It didn’t happen spontaneously; I was exploring ways to advertise our agency. It’s always a significant budget and a major hassle for companies like ours. After all, we operate in the performance marketing sphere, where everything is measured in quantitative terms: we attracted so many leads, brought in so many clients, reduced the number of abandoned carts, sold 250 million worth in a month, and so on. And all agencies say the same thing: that they deliver many results for little money.

…

At this point, a thought occurred to me: advertising is like buying love. Today you pay, and everyone wants you, but tomorrow the budget is gone, and you find yourself somewhere behind the scenes.

Then I remembered that besides advertising, there’s PR.
But I’m not familiar with it, and it’s not my strong suit. I’ve never been a journalist, a professional creator, or someone who knows how to create news hooks (or maybe I’m too self-critical). I always thought that the ideas that came to me were too straightforward, not very useful, and not worth trying to unfold. But that evening, I wanted to test a hypothesis that seemed quite unconventional.

News also appeared in Telegram groups.

Of course, I’m talking about the vacancy with the dancer.
I was dealing with the routine: browsing through job listings on HeadHunter and working on recruitment – currently, we’re in search of an HR manager, so I’m handling personnel matters for now. While reviewing profiles of analysts, programmers, and HR professionals, I suddenly felt the urge to see someone extraordinary, a specialist that no other company has.

And why not a dancer?

I immediately envisioned the reaction of those around to such a prank. Here’s an IT company, and they’re looking for a GO-GO specialist, and it’s definitely not about the Go programming language. Any regional media outlet would pay attention to this – and where there’s resonance in regional media, the news quickly spreads further, across the entire internet.

Many might believe that IT professionals have become so spoiled that they don’t know how to indulge themselves anymore (which, in reality, doesn’t resemble the truth anymore, but who needs this dull reality?). Plus, when there’s a component of sex and cheekiness in PR, it only amplifies its effect. The idea seemed good to me, with a budget of only 1400 rubles (the cost of posting the vacancy), and I decided to take the risk.

…

But first, I sought advice from someone who deals with similar creative things – it was interesting to hear an opinion from an outsider’s perspective.

Testing is necessary. But, unfortunately, I didn’t come up with this.

On the other end of the line.

I took a deep breath, posted the job opening, and then sent it to a couple of acquaintances for them to check it out.

A few hours later, I saw a post about the vacancy in a regional community on social media. After that, information started coming in that the link to it was circulating in chats among employees of IT companies, various banks, 2GIS offices, and so on. My inbox quickly filled with messages from many of my colleagues and acquaintances.

…

Some expressed respect for excellent PR, while others didn't quite catch on and wrote that it was a very bold job opening.

In connection with this, quite a few people wanted to join the commission for selecting the new employee.

Responses to the vacancy on HeadHunter spiked sharply. However, 80% were, of course, programmers who wrote that our company is solid, and they wished to join us in the office. Yet, among the responses, there were also very relevant ones, especially from the local community: one girl prepared a resume very well, and it was evident that it was crafted directly in line with the job requirements.

…

From the resume for the position of Go-Go dancer in the IT team: “I inspire people, charge them with joy, I play the crocodile well.”

Moreover, an enterprising individual named Artem (originally from Komsomolsk-on-Amur) contacted me, proposing to regularly supply girls for a percentage. He even sent their profiles with photos and videos – the guy was geared towards establishing serious business relations. I assume he still hasn’t quite grasped the essence of our initiative.

…

Of course, very few channels and media outlets explicitly mentioned the name of our agency. However, the address (Dzerzhinskogo 52) was visible in the vacancy screenshots, and the city was always specified, which contributed to the success of our PR campaign. The screenshots spread across a vast number of chats, channels, and communities, and people started googling to find out more about this company.

Without exaggeration, our website traffic increased approximately 50 times. We started receiving kind and warm letters of respect from literally everywhere, even from CIS countries. Some simply wrote “you guys are awesome,” while others said that we created the perfect festive atmosphere.

Cover letter: “I don’t know what your plan is, but you definitely created a festive atmosphere in the office.”

Cover letter: “Brilliant! We need to put this idea into circulation!”

Cover letter: “With dancing code and fun!”

It wasn’t without its challenges, either.

And problems did arise with the HeadHunter website – our vacancy started getting blocked. When a significant traffic influx hit the job opening (this happened on the 19th, a Tuesday), HH algorithms likely perceived it as a DDoS attack or some bot influx, so they took the vacancy down from publication. No money was deducted in the process.

The problem was not too complicated to solve – I simply clicked the “repost” button, and the vacancy returned to its place. However, on Thursday, the vacancy was blocked again, and the HH support team contacted me – they demanded the complete removal of the job opening from the site, referring to clauses in the agreement stating the inadmissibility of content that could harm the site’s reputation.

…

In other words, you can search for real striptease dancers from strip clubs on HH, but not for an IT company.

I disagreed with HH’s position: we didn’t violate any platform rules, and such a vacancy only benefited everyone in terms of traffic. So, I suggested having a call to settle this misunderstanding. Within half an hour, I received a call from technical support. Not from the PR department, not from the marketing department, but specifically from technical support, where people work strictly according to scripts. I’m not here to speak negatively about the support service, but our dialogue kept hitting the same script: they claimed that the publication could harm the project’s reputation, and I asked to connect me with the PR or marketing departments for further discussion.

When the conversation reached a complete deadlock, they told me that two complaints had been filed against our job opening.

I asked for clarification: two hundred or two thousand?
They replied: just two.

…

So, at that moment, out of approximately 50,000 people who viewed the job opening, two individuals clicked the “report” button, which became one of the main reasons for the blockage. We tried to resolve this issue, but in the pre-New Year rush, with a million other things to handle, it was too cumbersome.

However, in all other aspects, our prank was a success.
The team in the office received a boost of positivity right up to the holidays, and we gained a better understanding of the power of PR.

In the end

We spent 1400 rubles for the publication on HeadHunter, and that was the entire budget.

About 20 million users saw the news about the vacancy (based on rough and superficial calculations of public reach. Unfortunately, we couldn’t count the statistics for corporate chats).

Responses to our other vacancies significantly increased – more than 200 came in. After the New Year, some of these individuals will start working with us once we find an HR manager.

Khabarovsk is once again making waves in creativity and PR – and it’s delightful. Most importantly, many truly believed in the reality of what was happening: both IT professionals, the audience, and even journalists.

…

So, when people say that there is no life, creativity, or creative individuals on the Far East, it sounds at least strange to me. We saw, through a simple example, how interesting the PR tool can be, and I think we’ll implement something new in the near future (I’m not selling PR courses yet, but if anyone is interested, write to me on Telegram

P.S. While writing this article, my colleagues managed to convince me of something, and after the New Year, we will indeed invite a Go-Go dancer to the office. But I’ll write about that next year (and possibly even add a video).

Greetings from frosty Khabarovsk,
Yaroslav Radinskiy, RASA.

…

Happy New Year everyone!

By Yaroslav Radinsky
CEO at RASA.pro tg – @radinskiy
The text is published with the permission of the author.
Link to original text is here.

By Vladislav Vorkel
Product designer at Yandex.
Founder of the service for finding internships: https://t.me/Intern_Sheep.
Author’s blog: https://t.me/designvorkel

My internship search product currently has over 300 paying users, and it generates a monthly income equivalent to the salary of an average IT professional. I dreamed of creating a product that people would use, even if just a couple of them.

Hello, I’m Vlad Workel, a product designer at Yandex and the creator of InternSheep, a community with internships for designers. I’ll share how I really wanted my product and how I made it happen.

…

Roughly, this is how my dog helped in creating the product.

Internship search: where did the dream originated

I am a product designer and have worked in product roles, but I have always been interested in looking beyond the design field. I wanted to experience a product from all perspectives, from the idea, development, and demand to working with my team. Moreover, having my own product means it’s solely my responsibility, my decisions, and only my success or failure.

In simpler terms, it’s like crafting a wooden bow for a child that actually shoots, and then proudly running to show it to the adults.

The first attempt

About 1.5 years ago, I decided to embark on my first project – Gradeup. It’s a test for designers that, upon completion, allows you to assess your skill level and receive a competency map. It is still operational, and you can find it here: gradeup.vercel.app.

I found a developer acquaintance who was just learning front-end, designed the interface, and created a test consisting of competency cards from various companies. Initially, we tested the demand for the MVP test using Google Forms, where the result was a PDF that I personally drew and sent to each test-taker. I initially found the first users through my channel, which had about 500 people at that time.

There were many different hypotheses on how to monetize this test, but we never got around to it. Perhaps it was because there was a lack of understanding of how to do it, or maybe it was because I had already burned out and lost faith. That’s when the idea of gathering internships for designers came to mind, as it is something everyone needs!

The second attempt

Yes, that’s the one: InternSheep. So, the main story will be about testing the hypothesis, how we implemented the service in a couple of days with a developer in a hackathon format, how we attracted the first users, how the internship bot turned into a community, and how we created an educational program.

How not to start

The first week, I spent on absolutely unnecessary research, thinking I had to do it the “right” way. I scripted interviews, found respondents, and asked them about their job search experiences, problems faced, and so on.

The truth is, research is necessary when you don’t understand the target audience or when launching the product costs more than the research itself. In my case, I had a clear understanding of the target audience’s problems because I had personally gone through internships, and everyone around me was job hunting. It was literally part of my daily life. As a result, I abandoned the research and started building the product.

My opinion (it’s just mine, but I like it): in personal projects, it’s better to solve your own problem, then you won’t need extensive research. If your solution works for you, it will likely work for someone else – we are not unique.

…

The simplest hypothesis test:
There is a website where only internships are published. Internships of all cool companies immediately appear on the website after the company posts them on its official website. You will receive a notification. Are you ready to subscribe to the service for 200 rubles?

Yes: 52%
No, I don’t need internships: 18%
No, I’m sorry for the money: 17%
No, I’ll write in the comments why: 1%

From idea to the first revenue in just a few days

So let’s begin! The idea of implementation was to write parsers for career websites of top Russian product companies, we started with 15. Write a bot in which parsers will instantly send internships to users. They decided to sell the service by subscription – 200₽ per month

I assembled Landos in 1 day using nocode. I found several respondents for a decision interview and sold 3 subscriptions to a non-existent product. I just remember how I almost begged for real payment – only the money on the card could confirm the hypothesis in my case. It was a little awkward, but I overcame myself))

So, 600 rubles on the card, 0 developments, 3 people are waiting for the product within 2 weeks.

Let’s start development

I messaged Roman, a developer from Yandex, shared the idea with him, and we immediately started implementation. We needed parsers!

What parsers? Are you stupid or what?

Roman Dubinsky

Roman’s righteous laziness prevented us from making that mistake. Finding a student from Voronezh who browsed 15 websites several times a day turned out to be 100 times easier and cheaper. Later on, we did write parsers for some websites, but that’s not as important now.

…

Those very parsers…

In less than a week, we did the most essential thing: a bot and its admin panel where we uploaded internships.

The bot consisted of…

The bot consisted of:

1. Choice of Specialty: We had 5 options, but in practice, only designers subscribed.
   .
2. Subscription Payment: Done through the external Donate bot directly in Telegram.
   .
3. Each Internship had a link to the vacancy.

The entire flow seemed quite convoluted and makeshift initially, or at least, that’s what we thought at the beginning. In reality, it turned out that almost no one got confused, and people joined us smoothly.

So, the launch!

Actually, when I received the first prepayments, I started warming up the audience in my channel, talking about the service and collecting applications.

I asked all my acquaintances with channels to mention the service, and many responded absolutely for free. Thank you, if you’re reading this, it might not have worked out without you.

In the end, before the launch, we had over 300 applications.

As a result, we decided to sell it for 290 rubles to everyone who left a request, and then raise the price to 390 rubles.

We announced a broadcast where I presented the product and talked in more detail, but we started registering applications and opening access a few days before the launch.

…

The very broadcast where I tell you why you need to pay me 290₽.

At the time of the launch, we had sold about 200 subscriptions.

Couldn’t believe it when my card had not just 600₽ but 60,000₽. The amount may be modest, but it’s not about the money. I did something useful, and I’m getting paid for it! Wow!

Creating a community

Initially, we didn’t plan on doing anything like that. The idea was just to create a bot with internships – that’s it. But users suggested that it would be cool to have a chat where people in similar life situations could connect, receive support, and exchange experiences.

Both we and the participants saw significant value in this. Over time, it evolved into a community where we engage in various activities, communicate, and build friendships. People come to the product for internships but stay for the community. Many have found jobs or internships but continue to be a part of our community.

I was building a product and found friends.

What’s happening in the community now?

Continuous communication – and this is the most important aspect. People share test results, discuss who received invitations and who didn’t, seek advice, and find support when things get tough. Natasha, the community manager, and I have established a culture of zero toxicity and maximum friendliness. Throughout our time, we can count on one hand the instances of toxic conversations.

Lead designers conduct reviews several times a month where anyone can submit their portfolio or test work and receive a quality analysis.

We regularly host online meetups in our Safe Space, where you can come and simply talk when facing challenges at work or when despair sets in.

There’s also a book club and a poster art circle. Together, we read design-related books and discuss them, and in the art circle, we create posters with a designer from Yandex.Eats.

We are creating a small, warm, and friendly world where one feels inspired to grow and develop.

Periodically, members of our community would share internships that we didn’t initially have information about. We started keeping track of new companies, and as a result, the count increased from 16 to 26.

The product after 9 months

We haven’t closed down.
We are working!

Currently, the InternSheep channel has 2500 subscribers, with around 300 paying users in the product. Over 30 individuals have secured internships in top companies.

Throughout this period, I’ve hardly invested in advertising. There were trial sowings that yielded no results. Our growth is solely organic, which is great, but it’s time to learn how to attract more.

The team consists of three part-time individuals, including myself – a community manager/SMM, a designer, and me. Occasionally, we bring in others for one-time tasks or consultations.

What are our metrics?

As in any subscription-based service, the primary metric is retention.

We retrieve data from the Donate bot, which tracks all charges, subscriptions, and cancellations. We create charts that illustrate retention across monthly cohorts.

Currently, our average conversion to payment in the second month is 75%. I’m not sure how good of a metric that is, but it certainly seems quite favorable.

…

Retention from February to October.

I won’t talk about the number of paying users. It’s obviously important for us.

The second key metric is monthly revenue. From the start, we increased the cost twice – from 290 to 390, and then to 490. Subscription is not the only monetization model in the service – we sold partner products and channel advertising. Currently, we are developing our educational program and assisting companies in hiring talented interns, but I’ll write about that in the next article.

Let’s summarize

I dreamt of a product, and now I dream that it continues to live and grow. It’s a wonderful platform for experiments, for personal and professional growth. The most valuable thing I gained in the 11 months of working on the product is experience and passion.

Currently, the product brings in a monthly income comparable to that of an average IT specialist. A worthy reward.

Thank you for reading my story – perhaps it will inspire you to embark on your own pet project, or maybe it will just brighten your day a bit.

I would appreciate it if you subscribe to my Telegram channel (5000+) – I share stories about my projects, my work at Yandex, and the journey of self-discovery. I also throw in some humor occasionally.
The channel “InternSheep“: the product I talked about in this article.

By Vladislav Vorkel
Product designer at Yandex.
Founder of the service for finding internships: https://t.me/Intern_Sheep.
Author’s blog: https://t.me/designvorkel

Finder.work has collected unusual solutions from around the world.

…

Sima Land office space

The office of the Russian online store Sima-Land features golden plasterwork, large chandeliers, paintings in ornate frames, and intricately painted ceilings. What do you think?

…

Inventionland

A design studio from Pittsburgh is experimenting with its 6,500 square meter office space. The decor includes pirate ships, race tracks, artificial caves, castles, and much more. Instead of being ordinary employees, Inventionland staff refer to themselves as ‘creativists’ and wear lab coats.

…

Pons and Huot

The architectural firm Christian Pottgiesser has designed an office for two French companies, Pons and Huot. The space resembles a greenhouse and accommodates no more than 20 people. Each workstation is separated from its surroundings by its own transparent dome!

…

Selgas Cano

The Spanish firm Selgas Cano created its office with a simple desire to work close to nature. The space is located in a forest near Madrid. Ventilation is regulated using a pulley mechanism.

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Palotta Teamworks

The workspace, named ‘Apostrophe,’ is situated inside a large warehouse with containers.

…

Pionen — White Mountain

The office of a Swedish internet provider is located in a Cold War-era bomb shelter. The space is situated 30 meters below the granite cliffs of Vita Berg Park in Stockholm.

…

Nykredit

The meeting rooms of a Danish bank are suspended above the atrium of a business center.

…

By Finder.work
https://finder.work – a service for finding vacancies and employees for remote work.
Our telegram channel https://t.me/theyseeku

By NEUROMARKET
Hobby blog about neural networks: https://t.me/+uBkKVdA–zhhYTRi
I don’t look for clients, I don’t warm up, I don’t sell, and I don’t swindle. I write and translate about what interests me.

…

Perplexity AI (The American startup) has secured $73.6 million in investments from a group of investors, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Moreover, Perplexity AI responds much better to many queries compared to Google.

Instead of showing you advertisements and links during searches, Perplexity uses artificial intelligence to provide immediate answers.

How to use the Perplexity?

1. Visit the Perplexity AI website.
   .
2. Ask a question or search for something in the search bar.
   .
3. Perplexity will respond to your question.
   .
4. You can follow links attached to the answer, access images or videos by clicking on buttons on the right side of the screen, or find related search queries at the bottom of the page.

I’ve been using it for several weeks and found that Perplexity genuinely provides good answers to most questions. The service supports the Russian language and works in Russia.

Do you think the era of informational websites is coming to an end?

Even more useful content is available on my Telegram channel about neural networks and the channel about image generation.

By NEUROMARKET
Hobby blog about neural networks: https://t.me/+uBkKVdA–zhhYTRi
I don’t look for clients, I don’t warm up, I don’t sell, and I don’t swindle. I write and translate about what interests me.

Copy, copywriting: Creating high-quality content is expensive, which means releasing it once and forgetting about it is too wasteful. In this article, I will share how I distribute content in my projects to maximise reach from a single piece.

Hello! My name is Pasha Molyanov, and I lead the content agency “Sdelaem” (“Let’s Make It”). We produce a lot of content for self-promotion: I have blogs on Telegram and VC, conduct webinars, and my agency team manages social media, releases articles, creates courses, and videos. You could say we have a small content factory.

We strive to maximize the distribution of the limited content produced by this “factory.” I’ll talk about 8 ways how this happens.

..

1. Write a copy in the media

In January, I conducted a webinar on the Tilda Education channel, where I discussed 7 ways to improve text for landing pages. Approximately 100 people watched the live broadcast, and the recording gathered 5,400 views.

A couple of weeks later, I provided the recording of this webinar to one of our authors, and he turned it into an article. We published it on VC, and it garnered 9,600 views. I didn’t come up with entirely new ways to enhance landing page text, nor did I conduct an interview with the author to generate material. I simply edited the text a bit before publication, and that’s it.

Case 1: Webinar. 5400 views.
Case 2: Article on the VC. 9600 views.

2. Make a lead magnet

Once, we hosted a webinar on how to write articles on VC, and following that, a brief guide on the same topic was published directly on VC. Taking it a step further, we created a mini-course based on the same theme. Now, it can be used for advertising purposes to attract a new audience.

Case 1: VC 8400 views
Case 2: Pikabu 6000 views
Case 3: Habr 2900 views

Currently, we are working on another lead magnet – a knowledge base on content marketing. To achieve this, we’ve compiled the best posts and articles from our blogs over the entire period of their existence, and we’ve organized them into a personal dashboard. Access to this dashboard will be granted in exchange for an email address.

As a result, everyone benefits: people have convenient access to advice they no longer need to search for across channels, and for us, it presents a new opportunity to attract individuals into our sales funnel, garner additional reach, and provide a second life for posts that might otherwise have been lost in the depths of Telegram.

…

3. Cross-posting in the media

If you’ve published an article in your blog or on VC, you can repost it without changes on other platforms, such as at least Pikabu and Habr. They treat non-unique content normally, and there are no sanctions for it.

I’ve recently started using this method, and there’s already an effect. For example, I wrote an article on VC about hiring a personal assistant, and it gained good traction with 14 thousand views. On Habr, it almost reached the same number: 13 thousand. Doubling the reach literally from scratch!

Of course, there are instances where cross-posted articles don’t perform well. For example, the same article about the assistant on Pikabu didn’t yield anything except for sharp comments. Well, that’s okay, as the publication cost me practically nothing.

We’re implementing this process in our agency, so currently, we only publish on Pikabu and Habr. There are other publications where you can follow the same principle. Someday, I’ll gather them into a comprehensive collection and publish it on my blog.

My agency’s primary social network is Telegram. We don’t specifically create content for other platforms; we simply copy it there.

Again, if a post doesn’t gain traction on other platforms, well, that’s okay, as it only took a couple of minutes to publish. But if it does, that’s fantastic because it’s free exposure.

On VKontakte, where I have 5,000 friends-subscribers, posts typically reach 600-1200 views, sometimes spiking to 2500 views.

On Zen, this tactic has brought in 8,400 subscribers since 2018. Posts there average 1600-1800 views, with a cumulative reach exceeding a million people.

On Tenchat, where I simply republish posts from my Telegram, I’ve become one of the largest bloggers, with 11,000 subscribers and a weekly reach between 20,000 to 100,000.

There are leads as well, not just reach. Over 4 years of managing blogs:

• From Zen: 89 agency service leads and 80 purchases of paid training.
  .
• From Tenchat: 30+ leads.
  .
• From Facebook, several targeted leads come in every month. Recently, for example, a lead from there resulted in a deal worth 1.2 million rubles.

…

5. Resizes for social networks

When we release a long read or conduct a webinar, the content is repurposed for social media: the essence remains the same but in a condensed format. If the material is extensive, we might even create multiple posts.

When we used Instagram advertising, we followed the same strategy. Additionally, we ran ads for these posts, gaining subscribers at a cost of 30-40 rubles per follower.

Resize according to the article about resizes as an example of how resizes can be done.

6. Republishing

Reposting successful posts after some time is a smart strategy: new followers may not have seen them, and even if the existing ones did, they are unlikely to react negatively if your overall content provides value.

There are different ways to repost:

1. Direct Reposting: Simply repost the same content without changes. Throw the post back out there after six months to a year. Unless you’re Artemiy Lebedev, chances are no one will notice.
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2. Create Content Collections: Compile several posts at once to boost overall reach. You can create a collection of the best posts for the month or organize posts around a specific theme.
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3. Reference Old Posts in New Ones: This is something I do in my Telegram channel. I add a link to a related post at the end of a new one. If there’s no post specifically on the topic or if I’m feeling lazy, I just link to a random post.

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7. Mailings

If you have an email database, you can include already released content in a lead nurturing sequence. Here’s how it works for us:

1. Someone receives a lead magnet in their email and joins our email database.
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2. We identify which of our content performed the best, gauged by social media reactions or media coverage. If we conducted a newsletter campaign announcing an article, we can also evaluate it based on open rates and clicks.
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3. We craft emails from these successful content pieces and create a sequence. You can send only these emails or mix them with product-related messages and offers, depending on your goals.
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4. Voila! New subscribers receive an email with our most impressive content every few days. We don’t do anything extra for this; subscribers think we release gold every week =)

This strategy not only keeps your audience engaged but also showcases your best content to new subscribers, creating a positive impression.

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8. Conferences

I began this article with a story of how a presentation transformed into text. Now, I’ll end with a tale of how the text turned into a presentation.

In the middle of last year, I invested heavily in advertising for my Telegram channel—placing ads in 34 channels, experimenting with various creatives, and creating a convenient table to analyze the results.

Later on, I decided to share this experience and wrote a post on how I purchase advertising. The post gained traction, leading us to compile a detailed article for VC, which has now garnered over 50,000 views.

When I was invited to speak at a conference on sales and content marketing, I simply crafted a presentation from this article and went on stage.

In short, if you’ve produced successful content once, release it a second, third, fourth, fifth time. Why let something good go to waste?

By the way, this article is also a result of such an approach. I’ve long been writing in my blog about zero-waste content production, and now I decided to share it with you.

If you found this helpful, consider subscribing to my Telegram channel on content marketing and agency development. Most of my content appears there first → @molyanov

BY PAVEL MOLYANOV
I blog about content and marketing. 
I run a content marketing agency.