These Experience Zones are designed to help global clients across industries, such as financial services, government, healthcare, industrial, manufacturing and consumer packed goods (CPG), find new ways to derive value from generative AI, hybrid cloud and other Microsoft products and technologies.

IBM and Microsoft Open Three New Experience Zones to Provide Global Clients with More Hands-on Access to Cloud and Generative AI Solutions

The German government has approved a draft law that will allow sexual violence in conflict zones to be prosecuted as a war crime and a crime against humanity. The law will expand the definition of war crimes to include sexual assault, sexual enslavement ...

Germany moves to classify sexual violence as war crime

The Maui News Two more residential zones of Lahaina will reopen to residents and property owners this week, Maui County announced Tuesday. Restrictions will be lifted from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday for Zones 9F and 9G,

Two more Lahaina zones to reopen this week

First identified by work crews before Labor Day in 2022, the Red Line slow zone was “being removed” as of Wednesday morning. Here is its story.

The MBTA just eliminated one of its longest-lasting slow zones

Kraft Heinz on Wednesday shuffled some of its upper management, naming a new leader for its North American business and will say goodbye to one of its longtime top executives.

Kraft Heinz names Pedro Navio new North America president

A balloon release will be held in Livingston Parish Wednesday, Nov. 1 in honor of a 4-year-old boy who drowned. A town hall organizer said they are trying to listen and consider more input. The Better Business Bureau said you could end up talking to a representative of a company that is really a scammer.

Parents in Ascension Parish can weigh in on new proposed attendance zones

A total of 325 cases of breast cancer have been detected in a five-day screening exercise carried out by the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) in collaboration with the Afrah International Hospital.The screening which took place in the Taifa – Burkina,

Free Zones Authority breast cancer screenings identify 325 cases through early detection

The government plans to review the framework set in the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Export Processing Zones to accommodate more participants in the space.The review comes as the Kenya Kwanza administration prioritises facilities including industrial parks in positioning Kenya as a global production hub.

Special Economic Zones, EPZs face overhaul plan

Oct. 31—Recommendations to limit the number of vacation rentals in residential zones were voted down by the Westport City Council Monday evening, marking the second time in two and a half months the body has asked the city's planning commission to ...

Westport stews on short term rental regs

Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe has unveiled the city’s second round of its facade improvement program, designed to help small businesses, nonprofits and

Antioch mayor announces new round of funds for businesses in high crime zones

Zones

zones

Photo courtesy of John Buie and Jason Hagerman In 2023, industrial companies experienced significant drops in sales leads and slower revenue growth. Traditional marketing methods that had worked previously were no longer delivering the desired results. In response, John Buie and his team at B2B marketing agency Journey Better Business Group Inc. developed tailored strategies specifically for the industrial B2B sector. Buie, co-author of “Imposters on the Zoom,” focused on understanding these emerging challenges to provide effective solutions. Journey’s in-depth analysis revealed that the problem extended beyond outdated marketing tactics. The rapid pace of digital transformation in the industry left many established businesses struggling to compete with newer, more agile players. As Buie points out, “Traditional strategies no longer work in today’s market. Companies are losing leads and falling behind as competitors embrace digital advancements more quickly.” Buie and his team understood that closing revenue gaps required more than just generating additional leads. They recognized the need for long-term strategies that directly address the specific challenges facing the industrial sector. By leveraging data-driven methods, Journey helps businesses adapt to marketplace changes and position themselves for sustainable growth. Expanding to New Markets Building on its success, B2B digital marketing company Journey Better Business Group Inc. is now expanding into international markets, including the UK, Germany, and Australia. Each of these regions presents its own unique regulatory challenges and business practices, which require careful consideration. Despite these complexities, Buie remains confident that their strategies will effectively adapt to meet the needs of each local market. Global B2B e-commerce is expected to grow by about 18% annually from 2024 to 2030, fueled by advancements in AI, automation, and data analytics. However, these same technologies bring new challenges, as businesses must manage the complexities associated with adopting them. Journey supports its clients through these transitions, helping them navigate the complexities of entering and succeeding in new regions. By offering tailored solutions, Journey not only assists businesses with market entry but also helps them manage the technological and operational challenges that arise. This allows companies to capitalize on growth opportunities in a competitive global marketplace. Tackling Ongoing B2B Marketing Challenges Journey Better Business Group Inc. remains focused on addressing the ongoing challenges of the industrial B2B sector. Rather than simply reacting to changes, the team develops strategies that anticipate market shifts. Their goal is to help clients close revenue gaps with data-driven solutions tailored to long-term business growth. As technology advances and market demands evolve, Journey refines its methods to help businesses manage increasing complexities and operate more effectively amid digital transformation. Their ongoing work reflects a deep commitment to helping companies stay competitive and thrive in a dynamic business environment. Photo courtesy of John Buie and Jason Hagerman Photo courtesy of John Buie and Jason Hagerman Photo courtesy of John Buie and Jason Hagerman In 2023, industrial companies experienced significant drops in sales leads and slower revenue growth. Traditional marketing methods that had worked previously were no longer delivering the desired results. In response, John Buie and his team at B2B marketing agency Journey Better Business Group Inc. developed tailored strategies specifically for the industrial B2B sector. Buie, co-author of “Imposters on the Zoom,” focused on understanding these emerging challenges to provide effective solutions. B2B marketing agency B2B marketing agency Journey’s in-depth analysis revealed that the problem extended beyond outdated marketing tactics. The rapid pace of digital transformation in the industry left many established businesses struggling to compete with newer, more agile players. As Buie points out, “Traditional strategies no longer work in today’s market. Companies are losing leads and falling behind as competitors embrace digital advancements more quickly.” “Traditional strategies no longer work in today’s market. Companies are losing leads and falling behind as competitors embrace digital advancements more quickly.” Buie and his team understood that closing revenue gaps required more than just generating additional leads. They recognized the need for long-term strategies that directly address the specific challenges facing the industrial sector. By leveraging data-driven methods, Journey helps businesses adapt to marketplace changes and position themselves for sustainable growth. Expanding to New Markets Expanding to New Markets Building on its success, B2B digital marketing company Journey Better Business Group Inc. is now expanding into international markets, including the UK, Germany, and Australia. Each of these regions presents its own unique regulatory challenges and business practices, which require careful consideration. Despite these complexities, Buie remains confident that their strategies will effectively adapt to meet the needs of each local market. B2B digital marketing B2B digital marketing Global B2B e-commerce is expected to grow by about 18% annually from 2024 to 2030, fueled by advancements in AI, automation, and data analytics. However, these same technologies bring new challenges, as businesses must manage the complexities associated with adopting them. Journey supports its clients through these transitions, helping them navigate the complexities of entering and succeeding in new regions. By offering tailored solutions, Journey not only assists businesses with market entry but also helps them manage the technological and operational challenges that arise. This allows companies to capitalize on growth opportunities in a competitive global marketplace. Tackling Ongoing B2B Marketing Challenges Tackling Ongoing B2B Marketing Challenges Journey Better Business Group Inc. remains focused on addressing the ongoing challenges of the industrial B2B sector. Rather than simply reacting to changes, the team develops strategies that anticipate market shifts. Their goal is to help clients close revenue gaps with data-driven solutions tailored to long-term business growth. As technology advances and market demands evolve, Journey refines its methods to help businesses manage increasing complexities and operate more effectively amid digital transformation. Their ongoing work reflects a deep commitment to helping companies stay competitive and thrive in a dynamic business environment.

How Journey is Bridging Revenue Dead Zones in B2B Sales

Səyahət B2B Satışlarında Ölü Bölgələri Gəlirlə Necə Bağlayır

Πώς το Journey γεφυρώνει τις νεκρές ζώνες εσόδων στις πωλήσεις B2B

Cómo Journey está superando las zonas muertas de ingresos en las ventas B2B

Kako Journey premošćuje mrtve zone prihoda u B2B prodaji

Hogyan hidalja át az utazás a bevételi holtzónákat a B2B értékesítésben?

Ինչպես է Journey-ը կամրջում եկամուտների մեռած գոտիները B2B վաճառքներում

Come Journey sta colmando le zone morte di fatturato nelle vendite B2B

כיצד מסע מגשר על אזורים מתים של הכנסות במכירות B2B

Journey が B2B セールスの収益デッドゾーンをいかに埋めるか

Jak Journey łączy martwe strefy przychodów w sprzedaży B2B

Како Јоурнеи премошћује мртве зоне прихода у Б2Б продаји

Uhambo luyidibanisa njani iNgeniso yeNdawo ezifileyo kwiiNtengiso zeB2B

Introduction Working with time zones sometimes becomes confusing, especially when you have just started to work on a timezone-dependent application, and you never had this experience before. The Timezone world is very unstable. Every year, there are a bunch of time zone changes that take place on Earth, and regular dev doesn’t think about it (and actually shouldn’t). But for a better understanding of how this time zone world exists and how it is related to the Date object, I want to go through a couple of things here. Below, I have multiple examples you’ve probably never thought about. Bare with me; you will find something new for yourself. Javascript Tools If you want to follow all the examples from this article, you only need the and tabs in Chrome. If you don’t know how to find functionality, then use this hotkey within Chrome Dev Tools: Console Sensors Sensors - Windows ctrl + shift + p - Mac ⌘ + shift + p Then type “Show Sensors” - you will get this option: When you hit enter, you get the tab, where you will be able to change your location, timezone, and locale. Sensors What I will be talking about I want to discuss two things, first is what timestamp is and second, what do those UTC/GMT, CST, CDT, America/Chicago, etc mean? Why do all these exist? How do those work with Javascript Date object? I’ll try to make it clear to you. Without further ado, let’s get started. Timestamp Let’s Imagine that you are an astronaut circling the Earth at ISS, at some point you decided to run your stopwatch, which measures milliseconds (Javascript uses milliseconds under the hood of a Date object). From the time you run a stopwatch, you never stop it. So number of milliseconds is growing with time. For every point in time, you have some number of milliseconds passed. No matter where you are living on Earth, which continent, country, city, or street - the point in time on this stopwatch is equal for everybody. It sounds pretty obvious, but I found that it confuses a lot of people. Consider this stopwatch run as a timestamp. In other words, every state in time of the Earth has a number. Ok, now we have constantly growing milliseconds, but it’s not very human-friendly. You can’t tell someone let’s meet somewhere in the future at 1893456000000 ms. This is where time zones start to take place. This date and time when our imaginary astronaut has run the stopwatch is 01 January 1970 at midnight (you’ve probably heard about ). Unix Epoch Below is a little example with 3 different timestamps and corresponding dates just for visualization. Ok, we know that at 0 ms we have the date 01 January 1970 00:00:00, but the other question is where exactly? The answer is below in the screenshot. This line which crosses part of the planet is called UTC (or UTC+0). So at 0ms all the locations which lay on this line have 01 Jan 1970 midnight. Map If you want to see exact locations, you can find them here Below, I’ll be explaining more about UTC abbreviation. The most important point here is to understand that behind the Javascript’s Date object is a timestamp. All below return timestamp (number). Number(new Date()); new Date().valueOf(); new Date()[Symbol.toPrimitive]('number'); But don’t do this in the code because there is more right way to get the current timestamp from the Date object, which is: new Date().getTime(); Ok, now that we know what a timestamp is in Javascript, let’s talk more about time zones and how they work with the Javascript Date object. Timezone and Timezone names First, let’s consider 3 different groups of time zones you’ve probably come across. . Sometimes you can see that and are used interchangeably. Even if it is not very , in our (not scientific) case let’s consider that they are the same. UTC timezone UTC GMT true ( , , , , , etc) Abbreviated timezone CST EST CDT MST EST ( , , etc) IANA timezone America/Chicago Europe/Brussels All these types represent some geographical areas, but they have different properties and behavior. UTC I’ve mentioned UTC in the Timestamp section a little bit, that we calculate our stopwatch at UTC+0 geographical locations. Let’s dive into the UTC abbreviation more. Consider UTC as the baseline for all other timezone types. It’s just a split of the Earth into 24 equal pieces 15° each (24hrs * 15° = 360°). In other words, Earth rotates 15° every 1 hour. It rotates full circle for 24 hours. Each of these 15° pieces is mimicked with UTC names, from UTC-11 to UTC+12 (including UTC+0), which in total is 24. I found a good which illustrates what I’ve just said. picture Look above and below the map (black horizontal lines). Above you can see degrees, below you can see hours. So you can use UTC these two ways. Wait a minute you would probably say but what about UTC-12 or UTC+14 which do exist for some parts of the planet, they are out of bound of -11 to +12. And this confused me at first, too. But the answer is easy, you should just understand that UTC can be used in 2 different contexts. First, I’ve just explained to you regarding equal physical pieces of the Earth and second is just time offset. But what does it mean to be time offset? Let’s take a look at what’s residing under UTC-12. You will see such a name as the , so instead of leaving those islands in UTC+12, there was just a political decision to follow UTC-12 time to be consistent with other parts of the country. If those islands wouldn’t be part of the US we would likely have seen different offsets. U.S. Outlying Islands The same story with UTC+14. The Line Islands before 1994 were in the UTC-10 timezone, but the local government decided to shift to the UTC+14 timezone to be consistent with all other parts of the republic. The other reason can be Daylight Saving time when you shift time, for example, from UTC+12 to UTC+13. Javascript allows you to set even more extreme offsets: new Date("2023-07-15T10:00:00.000-23:59") Or new Date("2023-07-15T10:00:00.000+23:59") Trying to use ±24 offset returns an invalid Date because it doesn’t make sense since 24 just makes a full circle around the Earth and returns you back to the UTC+0. It looks funny that we have 2 locations on Earth where the time between them is more than 24h. Like these two (26 hours apart): If you want to play with UTC to get more understanding of how it works, you can find an interactive map on the web like : this I mentioned above that UTC is a base of the Date object in the Javascript. It means that when you create a new Date object, it takes the current UTC+0 time and adds up the timezone offset of the user location to finally get the user local time. For example, type this date in your browser console: new Date('2023-07-15T13:00:00') You will get something like this: Sat Jul 15 2023 13:00:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time) Depending on where you are, results can differ by offset. In my case, it’s (minus 5 hours). Remember that here, we use GMT and UTC interchangeably. GMT-0500 Calculation: I like to think about Date object creation from such string in this way (and probably this is how it works behind the scenes): Javascript sees this string , parses it, and calculates the UTC timestamp for this date (converts string to timestamp). It returns the same timestamp as this static method with specified arguments: 2023-07-15T13:00:00 Date.UTC(2023, 6, 15, 13, 0, 0, 0); // returns 1689426000000 Then Javascript observes an environment where code is run and checks the timezone offset from . UTC+0 new Date('2023-07-15').getTimezoneOffset(); minutes in my case (it can be with a minus sign as well depending on where you are) +300 Then it adds minutes (or ms) to the timestamp which we got on step 1. +300 +18000000 1689426000000 Then, it creates a Date from this timestamp: new Date(18000000 + 1689426000000); You can check that you are getting the same results from these 2 Date objects creation (your results can be different because of the offset part): Or in other words, this equation is true: ( new Date('2023-07-15T13:00:00').getTime() 
  - 
 new Date('2023-07-15').getTimezoneOffset() * 60 * 1000 ) 
 === 
Date.UTC(2023, 6, 15, 13, 0, 0, 0) <Local Date Timestamp> - <UTC offset> === <UTC+0 Timestamp> The reason why I’m putting date string as an argument to here: new Date('2023-07-15').getTimezoneOffset() // 2023-07-15 argument is set is that the place where you are may experience daylight saving time (and overall historical changes have an impact on what you can get), so to run the method this way can give you different results based on where you are and the date and time you are running this function. new Date().getTimezoneOffset() Abbreviated Timezone (CST, EST, CDT, MST, etc) Ok, now let’s talk about timezone names like CST (Central Standard Time). Consider such abbreviations as other names for UTC offsets. It’s not very convenient for people to talk about time zones in the UTC language. For example, if someone asks you, “What timezone are you in?” without an abbreviated timezone, you would answer something like “UTC-6”. It would work, but it’s not very comfortable. So people decided to create such abbreviations like in the title of this section. Single Abbreviated timezone name can have only a single UTC offset, but not vice versa. For example, following abbreviations are sticking to a specific offset. But UTC offset itself can have many abbreviations. Pay close attention when you are using such names. For example, CST can be either Central Standard Time, China Standard Time, or Cuba Standard Time. So try not to create a Date object this way: new Date('15 Jul 2023 13:00:00 CST') Because it’s ambiguous (and it is not in the ). spec In my case, when I run this command in Chrome new Date('15 Jul 2023 13:00:00 CST') it treats CST as Central Standard Time. And it’s very likely it does work the same way in Chrome no matter where you are. But it doesn’t guarantee that it will work the same way forever. I tried to set up a current location in China. But anyway, it sets offset as 360 minutes or 6 hours (UTC-06) (new Date('15 Jul 2023 13:00:00 CST').getTime() 
  - 
Date.UTC(2023, 6, 15, 13, 0, 0, 0)) / 1000 / 60 So, even if you are located in China, Chrome treats CST as American Central Standard Time, not China Standard Time. My initial assumption was wrong that the browser will use offset based on the user location if you use such names that have multiple translations. The other way to check offset (probably more visually easier) is doing the following: You see that returned dates are the same, which means that in this case CST === -06:00 Another property of the Abbreviated time zones is that it relates to UTC offset, not UTC geographical split. For example, China is scattered across almost five UTC 15° slices (or five 5-hour-long areas), but their local authorities have decided to match only a single UTC+8 offset. So, China Standard Time is equal to UTC+8 offset (not a UTC slice). IANA Timezone This is the only timezone type that has historical data of the timezone of any (inhabited) locations. Time zones above, like UTC or CST/CDT, are just names for the specific offsets. Yes, they apply to specific regions of the planet, but they don’t save any historical data. For example, CST is applied during winter time for some regions, and then during summer time, CST is not applied but CDT. If any location decides not to use Daylight saving from some point in time, then they will have just CST throughout the year. Or if the location's government decides to move from one timezone to another, like the example below when Kentucky’s Wayne County in the US decided to switch from CST to EST (it happened 17 August 2000). But timezone data before this point in time will be lost. You can’t extract this information just from the CST name. This is where the IANA timezone comes into rescue. Just imagine that internally, in the browser, you have historical data like this: IANA name Offset Active from Active to America/Kentucky/Monticello UTC-06 (CST) 01 Jan 1970 16 Aug 2000 America/Kentucky/Monticello UTC-05 (EST) 17 Aug 2000 Current Also, you don’t need to think about Daylight saving time when you reference to IANA name; it already observes it instead of you. To understand it better, let’s consider some examples. You will see the power of the IANA timezone along with interesting timezone change examples. If you want to get your current IANA timezone, you can type this command in the console: Intl.DateTimeFormat().resolvedOptions().timeZone Example #1 : Can the Timezone of the geographical area be changed? Question : Yes. Answer : History Let’s explore this example when a geographical area has changed its timezone. Wayne County in Kentucky state in the US on 17 August 2000, moved from the to the . You can read more about it . Central Time Zone Eastern Time Zone here For my example I’ve taken the city of Monticello from Wayne County. It has the IANA timezone America/Kentucky/Monticello Since this change took place in 2000 then, let’s see what date and time we will get in 1999 (before the change) and in 2001 (after the change) Tech part (proof): (new Date(Date.UTC(1999,6,15,13,0,0,0))
  .toLocaleString('en-US', {timeZone: 'America/Kentucky/Monticello'})) Returns 7/15/1999, 8:00:00 AM (new Date(Date.UTC(2001,6,15,13,0,0,0))
  .toLocaleString('en-US', {timeZone: 'America/Kentucky/Monticello'})) Returns 7/15/2001, 9:00:00 AM So, in 2000 it returns 1 hour earlier than in 2001 for the same timestamp. Those two invocations differ only in the passed year to the Date.UTC static method. So it proves that the IANA timezone tracks a history. Example #2 : Is geographical area always attached to the single IANA timezone? Question : No. Actually, Example #1 can prove it as well, but I decided to take another example. Answer : History Let’s explore this example I found in the IANA log . here There is a quote from the link: The northern edge of Chihuahua resumes US DST rules.  New zone America/Ciudad_Juarez for the western half, which rejoins -07 from 2022-11-30. It means that the whole of Chihuahua in Mexico before the end of 2022 had lived under the same timezone rules. They had a timezone named . However, their local government had decided that the northern part of the Chihuahua would shift time by 1 hour during DST. What it means for IANA is that they couldn’t use the same name for the whole region. They didn’t have any other choice except to create a new name in that case. America/Ojinaga America/Ojinaga America/Ciudad_Juarez If to summarize shortly, Chihuahua before 2022 had a single IANA name , after 2022 Chihuahua was split into two halves. The first lives under an old name , and the other one lives under the timezone name. America/Ojinaga America/Ojinaga America/Ciudad_Juarez Tech part (proof): This time I want to show you how the browser is syncing with the IANA database when a new timezone change event is happening. So, we know that the event happened on November 30, 2022. Then let’s run Chrome version 106 (released September 27, 2022), which is before Chihuahua split, and then run Chrome version 118 (released October 4, 2023). 118 - because currently, I just have this version installed, and it’s far in the future from the event that took place. Run this: new Date(Date.UTC(2023, 6, 15, 13, 0, 0, 0))
  .toLocaleString('en-US', {timeZone: 'America/Ojinaga'}) Chrome version 106 returns 7/15/2023, 7:00:00 AM Chrome version 118 returns 7/15/2023, 8:00:00 AM So same code, same browser, same system time, but different results based on Chrome versions. Btw running this timezone on version 106 throws an error: new Date(Date.UTC(2023, 6, 15, 13, 0, 0, 0))
  .toLocaleString('en-US', {timeZone: 'America/Ciudad_Juarez'}) Invalid time zone specified: America/Ciudad_Juarez because it wasn’t added for the time being. Example #3 : What if we shift OS system time, will it follow timezone historical changes? Question : Yes. Answer : On 31 December 1994, Line Islands (Republic of Kiribati) changed the timezone, they shifted time to the whole day (from UTC-10 to UTC+14). Why did they do that is better to read on the , but it is an interesting case that we can use for the sake of example with the time zones. History web Tech part (proof): I took a city with the name London, no, not the one you are thinking about but the one on Kiribati island - it’s part of a group of islands. If you are curious, then this city is located . here Add a new Location in the Chrome sensors. You can use the settings I’ve set. Latitude: 1.984623759310528
Longitude:  -157.47449242454888
Timezone ID: Pacific/Kiritimati
Locale: en-US Ok, we know that in 1995, everything had changed for that location. So let’s try to check it. But now, we will not change the browser version (actually, it doesn’t make sense; specifically, Chrome didn’t exist at that time). Let’s change the system time (OS time) to somewhere in the middle of 1994, then check what Date object we will get, then shift the system time again to 1996 and do the same procedure. I’m on a Mac, so I go to the System Settings → General → Date & Time → Change the date and time. Ok, this is what the Date object will return for 1994: After changing the year to 1996: You see that in 1996, for the same system date, we are getting a different day, Jul 16 instead of Jul 15. The same effect we can get by using timeZone property of the toLocaleString method Summary From all these above: You shouldn’t hardcode IANA time zones directly in the web application if you map time zones with the specific location assuming it will be persistent forever. Above, I proved that the IANA timezone for the specific point on the map can be changed as well. This is why such an exists. API The Date object is just a timestamp. This timestamp can be treated differently based on where a user agent (browser) is. Timezone changes happen regularly, you can track it . here Knowing the IANA timezone for a specific location on a map, you can get the right date and time with respect to the historical timezone changes.

Your Guide to Time Zones on the Web: Understanding Timestamps and Javascript Dates

HackerNoon Reporter: Please tell us briefly about your background. My name is Taylor Smith and I started a company called with my friend from third grade, Kevin Yip. When we studied abroad in Hong Kong in college, we were inspired by the energy of the city. People just 3 or 4 years older than us were starting fashion lines, restaurants, and investment firms. After a weekend trip to Vietnam with friends, we decided that the most meaningful thing in life was going on adventures and challenging your comfort zones with friends. Blueboard We decided that eventually, we’d start a company around this very concept -- Blueboard is that company. (Personal background: grew up in the Bay Area; my dad worked in the semiconductor industry so I’ve been interested in tech since I was a kid; studied engineering at UC Berkeley; started my career in management consulting; left Accenture to slang solar panels door to door, which slightly concerned my parents; started a diamond/fine jewelry company that eventually reached millions of dollars in sales; then sold that business to start Blueboard with Kevin in 2012) What's your startup called? And in a sentence or two, what does it do? Blueboard helps companies send their employees on adventures (think skydiving, couple’s massages, guitar lessons, or surf camp in Portugal) after they crush it at work.
The name Blueboard comes from the “blue boards” on Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley -- they had a collection of all of the community’s activities and adventures. Our vision is to build a digital representation of these “blue boards” for every community in the world. What is the origin story? Both Kevin and I experienced really crappy corporate recognition programs in our first jobs out of college. I remember a time at Accenture where I had just wrapped up a big project in Dallas; I had been flying out every week for months; I had gained ~20 pounds and hadn’t slept well in what felt like weeks. My manager called me into his office and told me I did a great job, and then handed me an AMEX gift card. It felt like a slap in the face. After complaining to telling Kevin about this experience, he told me that he’d received over $800 in gift cards from Pwc that year. We decided then and there that we should start a company that helped other companies thank their employees in a much more meaningful and natural way. What do you love about your team, and why are you the ones to solve this problem? Our team is a collection of adventurers and artists who truly live out the company mission: . Everyone at our company plays a role in helping tens of thousands of people get out and about into the world every year. People work their asses off to make this magic come to life, and we’re incredibly thankful and blessed to be surrounded by people who share our values and want to bring our vision to life. to challenge our comfort zones, indulge in our passions, and to try new things If you weren’t building your startup, what would you be doing? Trying desperately to make it as a music producer. Though it feels like my window is closing, I’m still hoping to play at a major festival before I turn 40. At the moment, how do you measure success? What are your core metrics? How many people are we sending . To date, we’ve sent over 60,000 people on adventures across the world, in over 50 countries. And the best part about all of this is that all of these adventures were covered financially by people’s employers! #blueboarding What’s most exciting about your traction to date? That so many diverse companies use Blueboard and think it’s the best way to recognize their employees. At first, we thought that maybe only tech companies in the Bay Area would pay for Blueboard. However, our clients have offices and locations in all 50 states and more than 50 countries! We work beyond just tech companies too - we include restaurants, property management companies, ambulance companies & manufacturers as clients as well. What technologies are you currently most excited about, and most worried about? And why? We’re interested in Apache Beam and the ability to switch between stream and batch data processing with the same code. In our tests though there is some magic going on so we’re trying to see how far Apache Beam deviates from standard python and whether it truly behaves the same in batch vs stream. We’re also excited to move our application over to Kubernetes as we are starting to reach the point where we’re interested in hosting multiple services rather than a single monolith. What we’re most worried about isn’t a specific technology but rather making sure we’re only using new technologies for a specific business case rather than first using a new technology and then trying to appropriate it to a use case. What drew you to get published on HackerNoon? What do you like most about our platform? My cofounder Kevin and I first met David when he was running social media for SmartRecruiters back in 2014. Back then Blueboard was just the 2 of us and it was more of an idea than a company. As a fellow hustler in HR tech, David was always super supportive and had thoughtful feedback and ideas for us to consider. It has been really awesome seeing HackerNoon grow, and hearing about interesting content from friends -- and Blueboard has grown quite a bit since then too! What advice would you give to the 21-year-old version of yourself? You can accomplish anything you want in a lifetime, and the best time to start is right now. What is something surprising you've learned this year that your contemporaries would benefit from knowing? The benefits of living near (or taking time to recharge near) water. I made the move to San Diego earlier this year and instantly felt more relaxed and focused than I’d been for the last several years living in SOMA (SF). I searched to find the reason behind this and stumbled upon a book called Blue Mind. As it turns out, being near water puts your brain into “involuntary attention” mode -- as waves crash or ripples move, your brain engages, but only in a passive way. These random but predictable movements actually help to replenish our brains. (Juxtapose this with the sounds and sights of a city; the chaotic and unpredictable nature of city surroundings forces your brain into “directed attention” mode, which fatigues you) I’d urge other founders and entrepreneurs to make time to recharge as often as possible because building a company is much more of a marathon than a sprint. Vote for Blueboard for Startup of the Year, San Francisco

"Challenge Our Comfort Zones, Indulge in Our Passions" Taylor Smith, Cofounder and CEO at Blueboard

In the event that you have certain rooms or regions in your home where the Wi-Fi signal is moderate or nearly non-existent, you may have a Wi-Fi no man’s land. Does it take everlastingly to stack a page on the PC in your room? Is it practically difficult to watch Netflix in the cellar? No man’s lands and moderate zones can cause your gushing sticks, PCs, and savvy home gadgets to run ineffectively, conflictingly, or in some cases, not under any condition. Think about your Wi-Fi signal like a sound wave, which gets calmer as it voyages and experiences dividers, entryways, and floors. On the off chance that you play music in one room, and afterward travel to the contrary side of your home or go down the stairs to the cellar, you may just have the option to hear the music faintly (or not in the slightest degree). At the point when you turn the radio on, you can hear the sound with less obstruction on specific channels, and it might even play somewhat stronger on a particular channel. On the off chance that you envision your Wi-Fi signal in a similar way, it’s additionally going to debilitate as it goes over longer separations, particularly as it experiences entryways, dividers, floors, apparatuses, and different snags. Do You Need A Wi-Fi Extender? In the event that you have an enormous home, a shut format with a great deal of dividers, or in the event that you have more than one story, a Wi-Fi extender can be a perfect arrangement. It can likewise be useful on the off chance that you have many individuals utilizing your Wi-Fi, or on the off chance that you have a great deal of gadgets on your system. Be that as it may, before putting resources into new gear, you should have a go at moving your switch to a progressively focal area, and particularly getting it far from any close by hindrances or potential wellsprings of electrical or radio recurrence impedance. On the off chance that essential investigating isn’t successful at disposing of no man’s lands, you likely need to investigate a Wi-Fi extender. Notwithstanding broadening your inclusion territory, some Wi-Fi extender items (like work frameworks) can likewise oversee gadget traffic for you. Your gadgets are somewhat similar to vehicles on a bustling turnpike, and the work framework can coordinate traffic, revealing to one gadget to go along these lines and another to go that way. This lets each gadget on your system get the quickest conceivable association, and you don’t encounter clog since you have an excessive number of gadgets attempting to take a similar way. Sorts Of Wi-Fi Extender Products You have a couple of various choices for broadening your Wi-Fi signal. You can utilize a work Wi-Fi framework, a Wi-Fi signal repeater, or a Wi-Fi signal extender, or even a totally different Wi-Fi passage. Every choice has its own arrangement of focal points and drawbacks. Work Wi-Fi Systems A work Wi-Fi framework is otherwise called an entire home Wi-Fi System. It utilizes a focal switch that interfaces with the modem and at least one satellite switches (or hubs) that all go about as passages for the Wi-Fi signal. Along these lines, you can put the various hubs around your home and expand your sign range a long ways past the range you’d get on the off chance that you just had a solitary switch. Work Wi-Fi System Pros You get a huge inclusion zone. You can commonly control work frameworks with a cell phone application. Work frameworks may incorporate additional highlights like parental controls or security programming. Many work systems are perfect or come or furnished with shrewd home stages like Alexa, Google Assistant, or IFTTT. You can without much of a stretch extend your work coordinate with extra satellites. Work systems are self-overseeing. They can regularly design themselves, find gadgets all alone, and locate the quickest way for every gadget. Work systems are self-mending, and the association is normally steady on the grounds that the hubs can consequently rediscover a quick and solid information way. Since work frameworks supplant your current switch totally and the entirety of the modules are intended to cooperate, work frameworks ensure that you won’t need to stress over issues with interoperability. Work Wi-Fi System Cons The framework includes more segments. A work framework for the most part replaces your current switch altogether. A work framework for the most part replaces your current switch altogether. It’s regularly more expensive than only a fundamental switch. Some work frameworks require a membership for the exceptional highlights. Wi-Fi Repeaters And Extenders Terms like “Wi-Fi Repeater” and “Wi-Fi Extender” get tossed around a ton, yet nowadays they by and large mean something very similar in down to earth terms — both are utilized to expand the Wi-Fi signal from a current switch into another segment of your home or office. You may have likewise heard terms like Wi-Fi “sponsors” or “enhancers,” and keeping in mind that there was a period that these depicted marginally various things, with regards to present day purchaser gadgets, they’re all still basically a similar at this point. Wi-Fi Repeater/Extender Pros Since these are good with practically all current switches, it implies that you don’t need to buy anything over the repeater/extender itself.You can commonly keep your current switch.You as a rule don’t have to reconfigure your current switch.It’s one of the most practical arrangements. Wi-Fi Repeater/Extender Cons The extra inclusion range can be constrained. Thus, in case you’re attempting to stretch out inclusion to a whole floor, this may not be the best alternative.Can just include and expand zones that as of now have some Wi-Fi inclusion.The repeater/extender is commonly a generally “moronic” gadget that doesn’t include any highlights past what your switch as of now does, so you’ll get less highlights than you’d get with a work framework. Wi-Fi Access Points Since Wi-Fi repeaters and extenders possibly work on the off chance that you can place them in a territory that as of now has probably some Wi-Fi inclusion, in the event that you have an enormous home and need to bring Wi-Fi to an altogether no man’s land of your home, you’ll have to include a real Wi-Fi passageway. This is a gadget that you design in to your system to make what is successfully a totally new Wi-Fi arrange in an alternate piece of your home, in spite of the fact that on the off chance that you utilize your current SSID your gadgets won’t notice the distinction. Since a Wi-Fi passageway utilizes a wired association, you’ll either need to run Ethernet links to any place you intend to find the passage, or put resources into a Powerline arrange connector to expand your system association over your home wiring. Wi-Fi Access Point Pros You can add inclusion to regions that your current switch can’t reach by any stretch of the imagination. Practically any Wi-Fi switch can go about as a Wi-Fi passageway also, so you have an abundance of choices as far as value, inclusion, and execution. You can keep your current switch, or buy a superior fundamental switch and repurpose your old one as a Wi-Fi passage. The cost will shift contingent upon your necessities, yet since many spending switches make extraordinary Wi-Fi passageways, you’ll likely compensation short of what you would for an entire home work framework. Wi-Fi Range Extender Cons You’ll have to have a wired system association where you need to put your Wi-Fi passage, which implies either running links or purchasing a Powerline arrange connector. Keeping up various switch and passageway arrangements independently can be more confused than an entire home work framework. Double Band Vs. Tri-Band? Nowadays, it’s extremely phenomenal to see switches that lone utilize single-band innovation, since the 802.11ac standard requires in any event one 5GHz band notwithstanding the standard 2.4GHz required to help more established gadgets and shrewd home frill. These are alluded to as double band switches. You’ll additionally run over tri-band switches, which add an extra 5GHz band to permit you to decrease blockage for your quickest gadgets. The 5GHz band is quicker, yet doesn’t have close to as long of a scope as the lower 2.4GHz recurrence, and its range is much increasingly affected by dividers and other strong articles. Be that as it may, since a given Wi-Fi gadget can at present just utilize each band in turn, you don’t get any profit by a tri-band switch except if you have a ton of gadgets that utilization the 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 or 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 measures and are vieing for 5GHz data transmission. Thus, tri-band isn’t vital for everyone, so you can at present discover quality double band Wi-Fi extenders and work frameworks also. A case of a brilliant double band framework is Google Nest Wifi. A case of a tri-band work arrange is the Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi System. The Orbi has the 2.4 and 5GHz frequencies, yet it additionally has a third backhaul radio band, which it utilizes as a committed correspondence recurrence between the switch and the satellites to guarantee that you get most extreme speeds over your whole system. Note that in case you’re including a Wi-Fi extender, you don’t have to stress over coordinating your switch as far as the quantity of accessible groups. The kind of Wi-Fi extender you pick ought to be equipped to the gadgets you have to convey Wi-Fi access to, and truth be told, you could even essentially include a solitary band 802.11n Wi-Fi extender on the off chance that you were just worried about broadening inclusion for keen home gadgets, since these never utilize the 5GHz band in any case. Equipment Cost And Setup A decent work framework with a switch and at least one satellites is going to cost you in any event $200, contingent upon the brand and highlights. You can set up the framework yourself, and most work frameworks walk you through the arrangement procedure utilizing an application or speedy beginning aide. With a work framework, you’re typically going to trade out your switch for the work switch (except if you as of now have a switch with work innovation, wherein case you can buy good satellites). With a repeater/extender, you as a rule can keep your current switch, the same number of extenders are all around good. Notwithstanding, it’s a smart thought to check the similarity prerequisites before choosing an item, particularly on the off chance that you have a more established switch. You can DIY introduce a repeater or extender in under 60 minutes, and it normally just includes picking ideal situation, connecting the gadget to a divider outlet, and interfacing it to your system. As a rule, repeaters and extenders are ordinarily an increasingly reasonable choice, and except if you’re searching for bursting quick execution specs, you can discover not too bad ones for around $50. Number Of Devices Despite the fact that this is to a lesser degree a worry with work frameworks, numerous Wi-Fi extenders bolster a particular number of gadgets. With go extenders and repeaters, that number may be really little. You may see a range extender that underpins “up to 15 gadgets” or “up to 20 gadgets.” If you need support for additional gadgets than the item indicates, it’s ideal to go with an alternate choice. On the off chance that you attempt to stack such a large number of gadgets onto an item, it’ll bargain execution and basically invalidate the point. Inclusion Area In the item’s portrayal, you’ll frequently locate an area sum that shows the extender’s inclusion run. Work frameworks will in general offer a bigger inclusion region than essential extenders, and you can undoubtedly discover a work framework that will give inclusion to up to 6,000 square feet. On the off chance that you pick an extender, you can hope to expand inclusion by around 1,200 square feet. Some extenders have littler or bigger inclusion territories, yet 1,200 square feet is entirely normal. In case you’re willing to wire in a Wi-Fi passage somewhere else in your home, you’ll have an a lot more extensive scope of choices, since you can pick anything from a $50 spending switch to a better quality long-go switch, as per your necessities. While picking an item, likewise remember that a work framework speaks to add up to inclusion, while a Wi-Fi extender speaks to extra inclusion. In this manner, on the off chance that you buy a work framework that covers 5,000 square feet, you’re supplanting your switch with a work switch and satellites, so you have 5,000 square feet of inclusion altogether. On the off chance that you buy an extender with 1,200 square feet of inclusion, that inclusion is notwithstanding your switch, so if your switch gives 2,000 square feet of inclusion, you can expect around 3,200 square feet of absolute inclusion—accepting you place the Wi-Fi extender at the very edge of your current switch’s range. Much of the time, you’ll likely wind up with some cover. Previously published at http://kbwebdeveloper.in/reasons-for-wi-fi-dead-zones/

Major Reasons Why You Have Wi-Fi Dead Zones

By Isaac Kohen, Teramind “For programmers, the ultimate office perk is avoiding the office entirely.” — 2017 Quartz Poll While , the number of distributed t teams is growing at an incredible rate, outpacing other industries by a wide margin. In fact, in the needs and desires of computer programmers, remote work ranked as the second highest priority. remote work in all sectors has increased developmen a survey investigating There are many ideal factors to this setup. For instance, remote work can boost productivity while reducing the costs of office space and other accouterments. As a of computer programmers revealed, “a programmer is likely to get just one uninterrupted 2-hour session in a day.” As a result, for many development teams, remote work is an unquestioned reality, but that’s not to say that it’s not without its own set of challenges. study on the habits Especially for project managers, overseeing a distributed workforce can seem impossible. Productivity issues, project timeliness, and communication protocols can slow a team’s progress, making the product more expensive and less efficient. Fortunately, the right can make all the difference. technology Employee monitoring software, once a clumsy product that harkened the ethos of big brother, is having a renaissance in the age of remote work. The newest iterations are sleeker and more competent, offering companies a granular approach to employee monitoring that prioritizes data-driven personnel decisions that impact the bottom line. Ultimately, while employee monitoring software can’t fix all of the problems associated with a distributed development team, it’s an important tool in the company’s toolkit, making specific improvements to the decentralized workflow. Here are just a few ways that employee monitoring software can help companies manage a remote, distributed, multi-time-zone development team. Productivity To be sure, remote work offers an unprecedented opportunity for developer productivity. Computer programming requires immense concentration, and when developers are not required to be in an office, they can choose a work time and a location that is most conducive to their habits. Of course, it also presents an opportunity for employees to disengage, which indicate happens frequently. However, with employee monitoring software, managers can quantify a developer’s work time, and they can verify that programmers are engaging with apps that indicate productivity. some studies More than counting the number of hours worked, managers can gain useful insights into an employee’s work habits, allowing everyone to work more collaboratively and intentionally. Timeliness Software developers frequently operate under tight deadlines, and managers need to remain informed about a job’s progress. When development teams are working across different locations and even different time zones, communicating and evaluating this progress becomes complicated. Therefore, by deploying employee monitoring software across the company, it’s possible to monitor effort into prioritized tasks and to measure progress towards delivering projects within established timeframes. Data-Driven Decision Making Employee monitoring software provides managers with insider access to the quantity and the quality of the work produced. Everything from time spent on project-based applications to customer interactions can be captured using the software, and that information equips companies to be strategic with their personnel. For example, talented programmers who consistently engage in poor client communications can be shifted to a position that is less customer facing, which maximizes the developer’s strengths while also protecting the company. Since distributed development teams will continue to proliferate, improving that process is tremendously important. Without insight into a development team’s work, managers are blind to potential problems until they become disastrous. In contrast, employee monitoring software creates an informed environment that fosters communication, collaboration, and content creation. About the Author: Isaac Kohen is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Teramind , a leading, global provider of employee monitoring, insider threat detection, and data loss prevention solutions. Follow on Twitter: @teramindco and connect on LinkedIn .

Hiring Across Time Zones: Leveraging tech to manage remote software teams

We’re working in distributed teams, projects, and we even distribute compute resources in Regions and Zones (for cloud-based environments). Generally speaking, a distributed system is nothing more than a system whose components are spread across multiple computers in a network to split up the work and coordinate their efforts to complete the job more efficiently than if a single machine had been responsible for it. Distributed System Microservices are self-contained and “independent” services decoupled from each other that can communicate between them via: Brokers
RPC
REST The truth is that most often cross-dependencies are implied since no service can perform without getting help from other services. From a simplified perspective, the transition from a single-process monolith to microservices boils down to switching from function calls to network calls (gRPC/RPC, REST API). Microservices Recipe For a simple classical microservice architecture we need: Multiple Independent Services — each service is responsible for a specific functionality;
API Gateway — single entry point for clients, used to handle authentication, request routing, and load balancing;
Database per Service — each service has its own database to ensure loose coupling, being the next step from SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) by addressing shortcomings like Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and single shared database. Distributed Monolith Sometimes the implementation of microservices can lead to a distributed monolith. A distributed monolith fails to deliver on the promises of microservices, and it has all the disadvantages of a distributed system and as well the disadvantages of a monolith. So even if the system consists of multiple services, but for some reason, the entire system must be deployed together, then you have on your hands a distributed monolith. There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch Distributed systems are indeed built for size and resilience, but distributing state across services means that every call to an external service is more or less an availability dice roll… From a Business Perspective Microservices are a way to drive profits not to reduce costs (are not meant for a cost-cutting architecture approach), one can use microservices to reach more customers and develop features in parallel. https://medium.com/@dejanualex/the-abcs-of-microservices-2477cf2a5b2a?embedable=true We’re working in distributed teams, projects, and we even distribute compute resources in Regions and Zones (for cloud-based environments). distributed projects, compute resources Regions Zones Generally speaking, a distributed system is nothing more than a system whose components are spread across multiple computers in a network to split up the work and coordinate their efforts to complete the job more efficiently than if a single machine had been responsible for it. distributed system system spread split work coordinate Distributed System Microservices are self-contained and “independent” services decoupled from each other that can communicate between them via: self-contained “independent” decoupled communicate Brokers RPC REST Brokers RPC REST The truth is that most often cross-dependencies a re implied since no service can perform without getting help from other services. From a simplified perspective, the transition from a single-process monolith to microservices boils down to switching from function calls to network calls ( gRPC / RPC , REST API). cross-dependencies a implied transition single-process monolith microservices switching function calls network calls gRPC RPC Microservices Recipe Microservices Recipe For a simple classical microservice architecture we need: Multiple Independent Services — each service is responsible for a specific functionality; API Gateway — single entry point for clients, used to handle authentication, request routing, and load balancing; Database per Service — each service has its own database to ensure loose coupling, being the next step from SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) by addressing shortcomings like Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and single shared database. Multiple Independent Services — each service is responsible for a specific functionality; API Gateway — single entry point for clients, used to handle authentication, request routing, and load balancing; Database per Service — each service has its own database to ensure loose coupling, being the next step from SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) by addressing shortcomings like Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) and single shared database. Distributed Monolith Sometimes the implementation of microservices can lead to a distributed monolith . A distributed monolith fails to deliver on the promises of microservices, and it has all the disadvantages of a distributed system and as well the disadvantages of a monolith. distributed monolith So even if the system consists of multiple services , but for some reason, the entire system must be deployed together , then you have on your hands a distributed monolith. multiple services entire system deployed together There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch Distributed systems are indeed built for size and resilience, but distributing state across services means that every call to an external service is more or less an availability dice roll … distributing state external service availability dice roll From a Business Perspective Microservices are a way to drive profits not to reduce costs (are not meant for a cost-cutting architecture approach), one can use microservices to reach more customers and develop features in parallel. drive profits not reduce costs https://medium.com/@dejanualex/the-abcs-of-microservices-2477cf2a5b2a?embedable=true https://medium.com/@dejanualex/the-abcs-of-microservices-2477cf2a5b2a?embedable=true

The ABCs of Microservices: A Simple Introduction

In an industry where many Web3 projects struggle to reach beyond crypto enthusiasts, Upland has emerged as a remarkable success story, boasting over 3 million registered accounts and 300,000 unique landowners. Leading this technical revolution is Pavlo Kyrylovskyi, a product development leader with deep expertise in blockchain gaming and Web3 ecosystems. As Head of Product Development at Upland, he has been instrumental in scaling the company from its early days to generating over $6 million in monthly revenue. His work includes leading global teams and architecting innovative blockchain solutions, such as the Upland Smart Client, which simplifies blockchain interactions for mainstream users. With previous leadership roles at Terminal3 and Paymentwall, Pavlo has a strong background in product strategy, operations, and emerging technologies. His contributions to blockchain innovation have been widely recognized in the industry. We dive deep into the technical challenges, solutions, and future of blockchain gaming with one of the industry's most innovative leaders. Ishan Pandey: You've taken Upland from concept to generating $6.8 million in monthly revenue. What technical challenges did you face early on? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: The core challenge was the fundamental disconnect between blockchain complexity and mainstream user expectations. When we started, every blockchain interaction required users to manage private keys, blockchain transaction fees, and navigate complex wallet interfaces. This created an insurmountable barrier for non-technical users. We needed to completely reimagine how users could interact with blockchain technology. Ishan Pandey: This led to your development of the Upland Smart Client. Can you explain the technical innovation behind it? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: The Smart Client represents a paradigm shift in blockchain interaction. We developed a proprietary system that enables secure client-side encryption of private keys, allowing users to interact with the blockchain through familiar username/password authentication. The technical architecture ensures that while we facilitate transactions, we never have access to users' private keys - they remain encrypted at the client level, accessible only through the user's credentials. This required solving complex cryptographic challenges, particularly in secure key generation and storage. We implemented a sophisticated recovery system based on email and two-factor authentication, making it possible to restore access without compromising security. This was a major departure from traditional blockchain applications where lost keys meant lost assets. Ishan Pandey: Your team has grown to over 60 professionals across multiple countries. How did you architect the development infrastructure to support this scale? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: We implemented a distributed development architecture that maximizes our global presence. Our infrastructure spans multiple time zones, with specialized teams handling different aspects of our technology stack. The R&D team focuses on blockchain innovation, while separate teams handle quality assurance, design, and customer support. This required creating robust CI/CD pipelines and implementing rigorous code review processes to maintain quality across geographical boundaries. I personally architected our development workflow to enable seamless collaboration between teams in Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, and other locations. This includes implementing automated testing frameworks and establishing clear protocols for feature development and deployment. Ishan Pandey: Let's talk about the Sparklet token system you developed. What technical problems does it solve? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Sparklet represents our solution to cross-chain liquidity and value transfer. The technical architecture allows for seamless bridging between different blockchain networks while maintaining security and transaction integrity. We developed a novel approach to handle cross-chain transfers that minimizes risk and maximizes efficiency. The system includes sophisticated smart contracts that handle token generation, distribution, and cross-chain communication. We implemented advanced security measures to prevent common vulnerabilities in bridge systems, including multi-signature validation and time-locked transactions. Ishan Pandey: Your platform's ability to handle 6 million NFT sales while maintaining performance is impressive. How did you solve the scalability challenges? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Scalability required innovation at multiple levels of our technology stack. We implemented a hybrid processing system that optimizes transaction throughput while maintaining decentralization where it matters most. This included developing custom caching layers, implementing efficient data indexing, and creating a novel approach to batch processing transactions. Our architecture can now handle over 30,000 daily active users while maintaining sub-second response times for most operations. This required careful optimization of our smart contracts and developing efficient methods for state management across the platform. Ishan Pandey: You've integrated with major partners like FIFA and NFLPA. What technical challenges did these integrations present? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Enterprise integrations required developing robust APIs and implementing strict security protocols. We created a flexible integration framework that allows partners to leverage our blockchain infrastructure while maintaining their own branded experiences. This included developing sophisticated rights management systems and implementing real-time data synchronization between different platforms. Ishan Pandey: What's next in terms of technical innovation for Upland? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: We're pushing boundaries in several areas. First, we're developing advanced scaling solutions that will allow us to handle millions of simultaneous users without compromising decentralization. Second, we're working on new cross-chain interoperability protocols that will expand our ecosystem's reach. Finally, we're implementing AI-driven systems to enhance user experiences and automate complex blockchain operations. Through these technical innovations, we're continuing to make blockchain technology accessible to mainstream users while maintaining the security and decentralization that make blockchain valuable. Our goal is to keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in Web3 gaming while ensuring that the technology serves users, not the other way around. The success of Upland – from its 300,000 unique landowners to its partnerships with major organizations – demonstrates that with the right technical approach, blockchain technology can achieve mainstream adoption while maintaining its core benefits of decentralization and true digital ownership. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR In an industry where many Web3 projects struggle to reach beyond crypto enthusiasts, Upland has emerged as a remarkable success story, boasting over 3 million registered accounts and 300,000 unique landowners. Leading this technical revolution is Pavlo Kyrylovskyi, a product development leader with deep expertise in blockchain gaming and Web3 ecosystems. As Head of Product Development at Upland, he has been instrumental in scaling the company from its early days to generating over $6 million in monthly revenue. His work includes leading global teams and architecting innovative blockchain solutions, such as the Upland Smart Client, which simplifies blockchain interactions for mainstream users. With previous leadership roles at Terminal3 and Paymentwall, Pavlo has a strong background in product strategy, operations, and emerging technologies. His contributions to blockchain innovation have been widely recognized in the industry. We dive deep into the technical challenges, solutions, and future of blockchain gaming with one of the industry's most innovative leaders. Ishan Pandey: You've taken Upland from concept to generating $6.8 million in monthly revenue. What technical challenges did you face early on? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: The core challenge was the fundamental disconnect between blockchain complexity and mainstream user expectations. When we started, every blockchain interaction required users to manage private keys, blockchain transaction fees, and navigate complex wallet interfaces. This created an insurmountable barrier for non-technical users. We needed to completely reimagine how users could interact with blockchain technology. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Ishan Pandey: This led to your development of the Upland Smart Client. Can you explain the technical innovation behind it? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: The Smart Client represents a paradigm shift in blockchain interaction. We developed a proprietary system that enables secure client-side encryption of private keys, allowing users to interact with the blockchain through familiar username/password authentication. The technical architecture ensures that while we facilitate transactions, we never have access to users' private keys - they remain encrypted at the client level, accessible only through the user's credentials. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: This required solving complex cryptographic challenges, particularly in secure key generation and storage. We implemented a sophisticated recovery system based on email and two-factor authentication, making it possible to restore access without compromising security. This was a major departure from traditional blockchain applications where lost keys meant lost assets. Ishan Pandey: Your team has grown to over 60 professionals across multiple countries. How did you architect the development infrastructure to support this scale? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: We implemented a distributed development architecture that maximizes our global presence. Our infrastructure spans multiple time zones, with specialized teams handling different aspects of our technology stack. The R&D team focuses on blockchain innovation, while separate teams handle quality assurance, design, and customer support. This required creating robust CI/CD pipelines and implementing rigorous code review processes to maintain quality across geographical boundaries. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: I personally architected our development workflow to enable seamless collaboration between teams in Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, and other locations. This includes implementing automated testing frameworks and establishing clear protocols for feature development and deployment. Ishan Pandey: Let's talk about the Sparklet token system you developed. What technical problems does it solve? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Sparklet represents our solution to cross-chain liquidity and value transfer. The technical architecture allows for seamless bridging between different blockchain networks while maintaining security and transaction integrity. We developed a novel approach to handle cross-chain transfers that minimizes risk and maximizes efficiency. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: The system includes sophisticated smart contracts that handle token generation, distribution, and cross-chain communication. We implemented advanced security measures to prevent common vulnerabilities in bridge systems, including multi-signature validation and time-locked transactions. Ishan Pandey: Your platform's ability to handle 6 million NFT sales while maintaining performance is impressive. How did you solve the scalability challenges? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Scalability required innovation at multiple levels of our technology stack. We implemented a hybrid processing system that optimizes transaction throughput while maintaining decentralization where it matters most. This included developing custom caching layers, implementing efficient data indexing, and creating a novel approach to batch processing transactions. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Our architecture can now handle over 30,000 daily active users while maintaining sub-second response times for most operations. This required careful optimization of our smart contracts and developing efficient methods for state management across the platform. Ishan Pandey: You've integrated with major partners like FIFA and NFLPA. What technical challenges did these integrations present? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Enterprise integrations required developing robust APIs and implementing strict security protocols. We created a flexible integration framework that allows partners to leverage our blockchain infrastructure while maintaining their own branded experiences. This included developing sophisticated rights management systems and implementing real-time data synchronization between different platforms. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Ishan Pandey: What's next in terms of technical innovation for Upland? Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: We're pushing boundaries in several areas. First, we're developing advanced scaling solutions that will allow us to handle millions of simultaneous users without compromising decentralization. Second, we're working on new cross-chain interoperability protocols that will expand our ecosystem's reach. Finally, we're implementing AI-driven systems to enhance user experiences and automate complex blockchain operations. Pavlo Kyrylovskyi: Through these technical innovations, we're continuing to make blockchain technology accessible to mainstream users while maintaining the security and decentralization that make blockchain valuable. Our goal is to keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in Web3 gaming while ensuring that the technology serves users, not the other way around. The success of Upland – from its 300,000 unique landowners to its partnerships with major organizations – demonstrates that with the right technical approach, blockchain technology can achieve mainstream adoption while maintaining its core benefits of decentralization and true digital ownership. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program . HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure: business blogging program business blogging program

Upland’s Growth Story: How Upland Built a $6M/Month Blockchain Empire - Inside the Tech Revolution 

Dağların Böyümə Hekayəsi: Dağlıq Ayda 6 milyon dollarlıq blokçeyn imperiyasını necə qurdu - Texniki İnqilabın daxilində 

Història de creixement d'Upland: com Upland va construir un imperi Blockchain de 6 milions de dòlars al mes - Dins de la revolució tecnològica 

Upland’s Growth Story: Jak Upland vybudoval blockchainové impérium za 6 milionů dolarů za měsíc – uvnitř technologické revoluce 

La historia de crecimiento de Upland: cómo Upland construyó un imperio blockchain de 6 millones de dólares al mes - Inside the Tech Revolution

Upland-ի աճի պատմությունը. Ինչպես Upland-ը կառուցեց 6 միլիոն դոլար/ամսական բլոկչեյն կայսրություն. տեխնոլոգիական հեղափոխության ներսում 

Upland の成長ストーリー: Upland が月間 600 万ドルのブロックチェーン帝国を築いた方法 - テクノロジー革命の内側

Upland-ის ზრდის ისტორია: როგორ ააგო Upland-მა 6 მილიონი დოლარი/თვეში ბლოკჩეინის იმპერია - ტექნიკური რევოლუციის შიგნით 

Uplandes izaugsmes stāsts: kā Uplande izveidoja blokķēdes impēriju par 6 miljoniem USD mēnesī — tehnoloģiju revolūcijas iekšpusē 

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Upland’s Growth Story: Kamoo Upland e Agilego Mmušo wa Blockchain wa $ 6M / Kgwedi - Ka gare ga Phetogelo ya Theknolotši 

Hadithi ya Ukuaji wa Upland: Jinsi Upland Ilivyojenga Dola ya Blockchain ya $6M/Mwezi - Ndani ya Mapinduzi ya Tech 

Uplandyň ösüş hekaýasy: Upland aýda 6 million dollarlyk blokçain imperiýasyny nädip gurdy - Tehniki ynkylap içinde 

AI Is Making You Less Creative—Unless You Use It Like This

Deciding to scale up my digital marketing start-up was a big moment – it meant we'd achieved what we'd set out to in our initial phase, had reached critical mass, and were actively growing. Having accrued valuable years of experience in remote management and delivering projects for major clients, I felt pretty confident about expanding our operations, too. In research conducted by Harvard, around 40% of managers reported feeling doubtful about their ability to manage remote teams. Had I been asked at that time, I certainly wouldn't have been among them, but looking back now, I can understand those reservations. Given the success we'd had at my company, the prospect of adding to my remote team excited me. However, I soon realized that scaling a digital workplace is much more challenging than it seems because it isn't just about bringing in new personnel – it's also about establishing infrastructure that supports sustainable growth. So, here's the story of how I came to this realization, and how AI, automation, and workforce apps paved my path to success. First steps and missteps Initially, I relied on the manual methods I'd been using since the start. My thinking was that if it wasn't broken, then why fix it, but it quickly became apparent to me that just because something isn't broken per se, that doesn’t necessarily mean it's fit for purpose. My management suite was a bit of a patchwork of standalone resources. Emails, instant messaging apps, spreadsheets, and task boards were my go-to tools, but everything was siloed, and the cracks started to show as the team grew. The challenges of working across time zones, like managing schedules, tracking hours, and maintaining productivity became increasingly pronounced with more employees. I found myself bouncing between all of my different management tools in what seemed like a never-ending loop – check messages and emails, review task boards, assign and advance tasks, update spreadsheets, send follow-up messages, repeat. Needless to say, this was not the best use of my time, but aside from that, it also didn't produce very good results, because I never felt like I had full visibility over what my workforce was doing. There were constant logistical issues and scheduling conflicts because employees were working at different times and I couldn't oversee things 24/7. With endless email threads and messaging chats to keep up with, there was also a tangible lack of clarity and accountability among the team, and things were falling through the gaps as a result. Important updates were being missed due to gaps in communication, which led to missed deadlines. That was when I decided that enough was enough. I knew I needed to evolve my management framework and establish a system that empowered visibility, flexibility, and efficiency of communication. So, I started exploring automation and employee apps. Building my scalable management toolkit To turn a chaotic plate-spinning act into a cohesive workflow, I need something that could optimize and unify processes. So, I sought software with automation features that could help me to do that. For project management, I prioritized solutions that used AI to relieve the burden of manual tasks. My focus was to implement a platform that could offer automation for task tracking and smart notifications for employees about upcoming deadlines for priority tasks. After looking into several different options, I landed on Asana. It provided the functionalities I needed, and as a cloud-based tool, it was straightforward to deploy. This helped with establishing much-needed accountability to avoid oversights due to the diffusion of responsibility. In addition, I sought a collaboration tool that would synergize well with my project management platform. My first instinct was to use Slack, but in the end, I chose Teams because of its deeper integration with Asana. I was able to embed Asana tabs in Teams channels so that my team and I could get real-time updates on projects and even create and update tasks directly in meetings. This allowed us to achieve in a single discussion what would previously have taken three or four interactions. We also implemented AI-powered transcription to generate detailed summaries of meetings and share them with those not online at the time. To round out the core of my new management suite, I also wanted to add a time-tracking solution, as this had been a real pain point. I sought a solution that would automate timesheet creation and scheduling and give me greater visibility over employees' availability, time-off requests, and active status so that I could manage my personnel better. After some research, I chose Connecteam. It offered the functionalities I was after and also integrated with our existing payroll system, removing much of the administrative burden involved in paying staff. At this point, things started to click. Our communication, project management, scheduling, and payroll were all working seamlessly together. Of course, throughout all this, I ensured that all the solutions I adopted offered extensive mobile accessibility. As a company with a geographically dispersed workforce, this was a must for us, because it empowered all team members to easily access the information they needed and provide updates on the fly as required. Digital workplaces thrive through flexibility, and mobile accessibility has been critical to us achieving that. Lessons learned Since making the changes I did, my organization has thrived. With better work allocation, collaboration, and time tracking, we have clarity, accountability, and productivity like never before. My employees are even more engaged which is driving innovation. The challenges I encountered have also taught me some valuable lessons. For anyone looking to scale their digital business, remember this – your success will hinge on communication and workflow optimization. Adopt AI and automation as early as possible to create flexible, scalable frameworks for communication, project management, and HR. Prioritize implementing systems that integrate and synergize together, because breaking down silos will be key to maintaining a cohesive digital work environment as you grow. Scaling a remote workforce doesn't need to be overwhelming. With a forward-thinking mindset and the right technologies in place, you can create a repeatable growth framework that will help you take your business to new heights. Deciding to scale up my digital marketing start-up was a big moment – it meant we'd achieved what we'd set out to in our initial phase, had reached critical mass, and were actively growing. Having accrued valuable years of experience in remote management and delivering projects for major clients, I felt pretty confident about expanding our operations, too. In research conducted by Harvard, around 40% of managers reported feeling doubtful about their ability to manage remote teams. Had I been asked at that time, I certainly wouldn't have been among them, but looking back now, I can understand those reservations. Given the success we'd had at my company, the prospect of adding to my remote team excited me. However, I soon realized that scaling a digital workplace is much more challenging than it seems because it isn't just about bringing in new personnel – it's also about establishing infrastructure that supports sustainable growth. So, here's the story of how I came to this realization, and how AI, automation, and workforce apps paved my path to success. 40% of managers 40% of managers First steps and missteps Initially, I relied on the manual methods I'd been using since the start. My thinking was that if it wasn't broken, then why fix it, but it quickly became apparent to me that just because something isn't broken per se, that doesn’t necessarily mean it's fit for purpose. My management suite was a bit of a patchwork of standalone resources. Emails, instant messaging apps, spreadsheets, and task boards were my go-to tools, but everything was siloed, and the cracks started to show as the team grew. The challenges of working across time zones , like managing schedules, tracking hours, and maintaining productivity became increasingly pronounced with more employees. I found myself bouncing between all of my different management tools in what seemed like a never-ending loop – check messages and emails, review task boards, assign and advance tasks, update spreadsheets, send follow-up messages, repeat. Needless to say, this was not the best use of my time, but aside from that, it also didn't produce very good results, because I never felt like I had full visibility over what my workforce was doing. challenges of working across time zones challenges of working across time zones There were constant logistical issues and scheduling conflicts because employees were working at different times and I couldn't oversee things 24/7. With endless email threads and messaging chats to keep up with, there was also a tangible lack of clarity and accountability among the team, and things were falling through the gaps as a result. Important updates were being missed due to gaps in communication, which led to missed deadlines. That was when I decided that enough was enough. I knew I needed to evolve my management framework and establish a system that empowered visibility, flexibility, and efficiency of communication. So, I started exploring automation and employee apps. Building my scalable management toolkit To turn a chaotic plate-spinning act into a cohesive workflow, I need something that could optimize and unify processes. So, I sought software with automation features that could help me to do that. For project management, I prioritized solutions that used AI to relieve the burden of manual tasks. My focus was to implement a platform that could offer automation for task tracking and smart notifications for employees about upcoming deadlines for priority tasks. After looking into several different options, I landed on Asana. It provided the functionalities I needed, and as a cloud-based tool, it was straightforward to deploy. This helped with establishing much-needed accountability to avoid oversights due to the diffusion of responsibility. In addition, I sought a collaboration tool that would synergize well with my project management platform . My first instinct was to use Slack, but in the end, I chose Teams because of its deeper integration with Asana. I was able to embed Asana tabs in Teams channels so that my team and I could get real-time updates on projects and even create and update tasks directly in meetings. This allowed us to achieve in a single discussion what would previously have taken three or four interactions. We also implemented AI-powered transcription to generate detailed summaries of meetings and share them with those not online at the time. collaboration tool collaboration tool project management platform project management platform To round out the core of my new management suite, I also wanted to add a time-tracking solution, as this had been a real pain point. I sought a solution that would automate timesheet creation and scheduling and give me greater visibility over employees' availability, time-off requests, and active status so that I could manage my personnel better. After some research, I chose Connecteam. It offered the functionalities I was after and also integrated with our existing payroll system, removing much of the administrative burden involved in paying staff. At this point, things started to click. Our communication, project management, scheduling, and payroll were all working seamlessly together. Of course, throughout all this, I ensured that all the solutions I adopted offered extensive mobile accessibility. As a company with a geographically dispersed workforce, this was a must for us, because it empowered all team members to easily access the information they needed and provide updates on the fly as required. Digital workplaces thrive through flexibility, and mobile accessibility has been critical to us achieving that. Lessons learned Since making the changes I did, my organization has thrived. With better work allocation, collaboration, and time tracking, we have clarity, accountability, and productivity like never before. My employees are even more engaged which is driving innovation. The challenges I encountered have also taught me some valuable lessons. For anyone looking to scale their digital business, remember this – your success will hinge on communication and workflow optimization. Adopt AI and automation as early as possible to create flexible, scalable frameworks for communication, project management, and HR. Prioritize implementing systems that integrate and synergize together, because breaking down silos will be key to maintaining a cohesive digital work environment as you grow. Scaling a remote workforce doesn't need to be overwhelming. With a forward-thinking mindset and the right technologies in place, you can create a repeatable growth framework that will help you take your business to new heights.

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