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5 Things You Need to Know Before You Start Keeping Fish

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Are you stressed out? Then, maybe it’s time to enjoy some fish. And, no, we’re not talking on a dinner plate, but fish that are alive and well and swimming happily in a home aquarium.

Pretty and graceful, fish can actually have a calming and mesmerizing effect on their owners. In fact, studies have shown that having an aquarium in your home can actually reduce anxiety and stress levels. But before you run out to the pet store, here are five things you need to know about keeping fish in your home.

Fish Require Accessories

Even a simple goldfish will require a decent-sized bowl and, ideally, some decorative rocks for the bottom. You will also need a net, water conditioner, food, a few fake plants and maybe a decoration in which your fish can hide. And if you get a bigger tank, you’ll also need a filter, a pump, lighting, an algae scrubber, and possibly a heater and thermometer.

Fish Tanks Need Regular Cleaning

No one wants to talk about it, but your fish will poop in the water it lives in. So, yes, your tank’s water quality will go down a little bit each day. Plus, any food that your fish doesn’t eat will also begin to muck up your water. That’s why fish tanks require regular cleaning. Although, the frequency will vary depending on the size of your tank and the number of fish you have (as well as some other factors), you can probably expect to clean your tank approximately once every two weeks.

Fish Need Room

When it comes to buying fish for your tank — the more, the merrier, right? Well, actually, no. Fish need room to swim and grow. So, fish enthusiasts often recommend that you use this rule to stock your fish: one inch of fish per one to two gallons of water in your tank.

So, for example, if you have a ten-gallon tank, you can stock it with five fish that will grow to be two-inches long. Or maybe two fishes that will grow to be three inches in length. This is a rough guide because a one-inch slender fish is going to require less tank space than, say, a one-inch-long but chonky goldfish. Also, remember when making your calculations that it’s highly likely that your fish are going to grow bigger.

Fish Can Live a Long Time

Are you ready for a commitment? Fish living in an aquarium can live longer than you expect. For example, tetras and gouramies can live to be five years or more. And that goldfish you picked up on a whim? With proper care, it can live 10 to 30 years.

Tap Water Can be Unsafe

Many areas of the world add chlorine to tap water to make it drinkable. Unfortunately, chlorine is highly toxic to fish. So, before adding tap water to your fish tank, you are going to have to remove that chlorine. Fortunately, dechlorinating products are readily available at most pet stores.

Ethereum Vs Bitcoin: How Different Are The Top Crypto Coins?

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Some people describe BTC and ETH as the Coke and Pepsi of the digital currency world. Within the past several years, tens of thousands of cryptocurrencies have entered the market. Even so, Bitcoin and Ethereum stand out as the standard of comparison for other coins and each other. Thus, people who want to learn about digital currency should start by exploring these two market leaders. 

Compare Ethereum Vs. Bitcoin 

Even people who barely know anything about cryptocurrency have probably heard of Bitcoin and Ethereum. That’s because they represent the market’s two most significant digital coins. 

A quick summary of Ethereum vs. Bitcoin should include: 

  • BTC: Bitcoin launched in 2009 and stands out as the first true cryptocurrency. Over a decade later, it still holds the top market capitalization and name recognition rank. Bitcoin also capped the number of coins it can ever produce at 21 million. Today, Bitcoin’s market cap exceeds $400 billion. 
  • ETH: Ethereum launched in 2015 and obtained the second place rank by market cap rather swiftly. Ripple briefly displaced Ethereum at number 2, but Ripple now sits at number seven, and Ethereum took back the spot behind Bitcoin. Ethereum does not cap the total amount of coins produced. Today, Ethereum’s market cap sits just under $150 billion. 

Bitcoin’s founders envisioned an alternative to traditional money, like dollars or euros. This crypto introduced people to blockchain tech, a transparent, distributed ledger. 

Ethereum also relies on this same technology. At the same time, Ethereum’s founders made their product programmable. They provided built-in support for smart contracts and the addition of other digital coins to the chain. Thus, Ethereum offers a more versatile platform than Bitcoin does.

Proof of Work Vs. Proof of Stake 

Miners generate new Bitcoin with proof of work. POW means that miners compete to solve crypto puzzles to create new coins. Ethereum developers also used this model initially. In contrast, the amount of coins a miner locks up impacts their chance of generating new coins with proof of stake. Ethereum plans to replace proof of work with proof of stake when it rolls out Ethereum 2.0. 

Is Ethereum or Bitcoin Better?

Both of these widely-known platforms offer pros and cons. Bitcoin enjoys the broadest name recognition and a higher current market cap. Ethereum can provide a network that supports other digital coins, marketplaces, and decentralized applications. Also, Ethereum’s move to proof of stake should consume less energy, an essential consideration for the future. Still, Bitcoin has not remained static. A new update to Bitcoin called Taproot introduced smart contracts and improved the network’s efficiency and privacy. 

Is Bitcoin or Ethereum a better value? The value of all digital currencies has proven highly volatile in the past few years. Still, people interested in digital currencies might start with these top two coins. As the market leaders, Bitcoin and Etherum attract the most interest and support.

5 Rules to Keep Your Employees Happy and Your Workforce Productive

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Customers make a successful business, but you won’t have customers for long if you don’t have happy and productive employees. Just think, if you walked into a business where the employees were visibly unhappy, would you return? Most likely not – you’d find a business that treats their employees so well that the employees can’t help but be happy. And a happy employee is a productive employee.

Work-Life Balance

Make sure your employees have plenty of time off. While that might be difficult if you are short-handed, you’ll lose more employees if they can’t take time off for life. Personal and family commitments are important to employees – they must have the time to attend to those commitments.

Rotating shifts or even rotating weekend work, unless you have an employee that prefers working the weekends, helps ensure that everyone has time off to spend with family members who might have only the weekend off.

Ensuring that everyone has enough time off significantly reduces the risk of burnout and unhappy employees. Offer flexible work options, encourage breaks, change time-off policies, and increase support for employees who are parents.

Career Mobility

If you want your employees to feel as though they are needed, create career mobility. Make sure your employees know that they can move up in the company. Even if a job is a dead-end job, be sure to offer additional perks for milestones, such as the number of years working. If any job has more than one person working, you can offer a supervisory or co-management position to help with scheduling or minor issues between employees.

Also, encourage employees to come up with new ideas to make a job better or easier. Be sure to provide transparency with each position when discussing the position, including the availability of moving up in the company or receiving raises or paid vacation as the employee gives you more years.

Innovation

Regardless of the type of job, be sure employees have available training so that they can move up in the company. For example, if you have a restaurant dishwasher, make sure he knows he can attend training for other jobs in the restaurant. If the jobs require additional training to move up or yearly training, such as additional training for lawyers, be sure that training is available. Employees enjoy learning more about their chosen profession, and additional training allows them to take on added responsibility.

Reward Employees

Nothing says that you don’t appreciate an employee more than not rewarding her. Even a simple “thank you” goes a long way. Recognition doesn’t have to be expensive. Verbal recognition throughout the year with a yearly bonus or a group lunch with the boss also tells employees how much you appreciate their work. Other ideas include:

  • A reward system for accomplishments.
  • Prizes at company celebrations.
  • Giving positive feedback.
  • At team meetings, “call out” employees for doing good work.

Create a Positive Work Environment

If an employee doesn’t have a positive work environment, he will drag his feet when coming to work. He might even call out more often. A positive work environment features many factors, including transparency, open dialogue, training, creating a whistleblower channel, and just smiling at your employees, even when you are having a dumpy day. 

5 Hacks to Start Your Side Hustle When You’re Busy in Your Day Job

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Developing your side hustle can generate extra income to help you pay off credit card bills, go on a trip or buy a car. Even better, a successful side hustle could even lead to a successful business, allowing you to eventually quit your full-time job.

Side gigs can be difficult to start when you’re already busy with a full-time job. These 5 hacks can help you start a successful side business that could eventually lead to a sizable income and even a successful career.

1. Pick the Right Work

You’re going to have to be pretty dedicated to your side job to keep it going, especially if you also have a full-time job during the day. Picking the right gig is important for maintaining motivation. Working should be fun, especially if you’re going to put in more than 40 hours per week!

If you don’t already have a side hustle in mind, make a list of your favorite activities. Do you love to write? Do you paint, or sculpt? Do you love to teach? Know yourself and what you would enjoy doing as your side hustle.

2. Make a Plan

Make a list of supplies that you would need to get your side hustle off the ground. Will you run a business? What will be the name of your business? Do you need to register your business with your Secretary of State or another regulatory entity? Set aside time on a weekend to perform research. Making a plan will help you stay productive when you have time to work on your hustle.

3. Set a Schedule

When do you have time to work? Will you work at night? In the early morning? On weekends? Setting a schedule can be especially difficult if you have a family to coordinate with. Work with your spouse and children to find a schedule that will work for everyone. Some tips:

  • Work when you feel most productive, whether that’s in the early morning, on weekends or late at night.
  • Consider re-arranging your full-time job schedule to make time for yourself when you need it.
  • Make sure everyone in your household knows your schedule and respects it.
  • Keep your schedule flexible, so you can work around your full-time job schedule.

4. Set Aside Space

Assuming you’re doing work on evenings and weekends, your family or members of your household may get in the way of being productive. You’re going to need your own space to do work. You may need to convert the guest bedroom into a work station, or perhaps your garage. Create a space that is comfortable, convenient and isolated from other members of your household.

5. Use an Online Platform

There are many online platforms that make gig work easy. Find an online platform that will support you as you sell your services, crafts or wares. Online platforms often offer help to fledgling business people, making starting your own side hustle even easier.

Good luck! It takes time and true dedication to accomplishing your goals. Stay focused as you develop your business. Your work will pay off.

The Surprising Benefits of Volunteering

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Have you ever glanced around the crowd of parents making sandwiches for the high school band boosters and wondered what they could all possibly have in common? It’s a good bet kindness tops the list. Volunteers are those who are willing to give their time and talents to a cause without expectation of pay, and not everyone has the fortitude to do it. But for those who enjoy serving meals at the local soup kitchen or fostering kittens for the local animal shelter, the benefits go far beyond a paycheck. We’ve reached deep into the barrel of benefits that most people experience when they volunteer, and we’ve come up with three surprising reasons you might find it’s a good fit for you, too.

1. Volunteering May Help You Live Longer

Kindness is more than just feeling empathy for your fellow man. According to The Mayo Clinic, it has real physical benefits for you, as well. Performing acts of kindness can actually lower your blood pressure, lower your stress level, and boost your mood. Volunteering helps you feel good about yourself and your own accomplishments, which leads to higher self-esteem. But perhaps the biggest benefit you’ll reap from volunteering your time is the connectivity you’ll feel. Believe it or not, staying active in your community as a volunteer may just extend your life.

2. Volunteering Is a Great Way to Polish Rusty Social Skills

Are you painfully shy? Or do you have trouble thinking of just the right thing to say to people you don’t really know? Volunteering is a perfect way to ease yourself out of your comfort zone in easy, doable steps. Start small by signing on as part of the setup or cleanup crew, and you may eventually become comfortable enough to take on whole projects. Most volunteer positions require at least some contact with other members of your community, church, school, or organization. And the more you participate and get yourself out there, the easier those encounters will become. Eventually, you may forget you ever felt socially awkward at all.

3. Volunteering Can Lead to Paid Opportunities

Just like an internship, volunteering at your local fire hall or senior citizen center might even lead to job opportunities. Of course, there’s no guarantee this will happen, but being in the right place at the right time with the right type of experience could certainly push you to the front of the applicant pool. And, according to Monster.com, even if no paid opportunities arise where you’re currently volunteering, just having that experience on your resume makes you 27 percent more likely to be hired down the road when you start seeking employment in earnest.

Regardless of why you may decide you’d like to give volunteerism a try, you’re bound to experience some perks in return. Feeling good about yourself at the end of a hectic day, making new friends, and learning new skills are all worth your time. We hope you’ll give it a go, so you can experience the many surprising benefits of volunteering for yourself.

5 Reasons to Make Your Own Clothes

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We all know some amazing benefits of making your clothes. Not only do you get to control the fit and the look, but you can also save a lot of money in the process. But what if I told you that there are even more reasons to start sewing than you thought? Here are five compelling reasons why you should consider making your clothes:

1. You’ll save money in the long run.

Like most people, you probably spend a lot of money on clothes yearly. But what if you could cut that expense down significantly by making your clothes? Not only will you save money on the actual clothing items themselves, but you’ll also avoid costly dry cleaning and alterations bills.

2. You’ll have better-fitting clothes.

Off-the-rack clothing is often ill-fitting, especially for people outside the “standard” size range. By making your own clothes, you can ensure that they’ll fit you perfectly, regardless of your body type.

3. You’ll be able to express your unique style.

When you make your clothes, you’re not limited to what you can find in stores. You can sew whatever you like, whether a replica of a designer dress or something completely original that you designed yourself. And because you’ll be the only one with that particular piece, you’ll be guaranteed to turn heads whenever you wear it!

4. You’ll be supporting local businesses and artisans.

If you purchase fabric and notions from local businesses, you’ll support your community while getting high-quality materials for your projects. And if you buy vintage fabrics, you’ll give new life to old items instead of contributing to the growing problem of textile waste.

5. You’ll be developing a valuable skill.

In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to have a skill that a machine can’t easily replicate. By learning how to sew, you’ll acquire a valuable skill that will always be in demand. And who knows? You might even enjoy it so much that you decide to turn it into a business!

As you can see, there are many great reasons to start sewing your clothes. So why not give it a try? You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it!

5 Weird Homesteading Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier!

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Homesteaders reconnect with the land by living as self-sufficiently as possible. But growing fruits, vegetables and raising livestock on these mini-farms is not always simple while off the grid. Like the pioneers who settled the West, modern-day homesteaders need to use their wits to reduce physical labor, stress, and the need to spend money. These are 5 somewhat odd homesteading hacks that can make everyday life easier.

1: Use Duct Tape Instead of Pesticides

When people say you can do almost anything with duct tape, that’s no myth. Beyond its construction trade applications, duct tape has emerged as a strategic bug killer. Homesteaders deploy duct tape by wrapping it around the base of fruit trees and vegetable stalks with the sticky side out. Crawling pests either get stuck or turn around. While that use isn’t all that weird, some homesteaders take a piece in hand and touch it to bugs gnawing on garden leaves and remove them.

2: Make Your Own Flea Spray

Homesteaders learn that many of the expensive chemicals sold in pet stores are easily replaceable. A mixture of two tablespoons of baking soda, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and one teaspoon of Borax mixed with water acts as a flea spray for pets. Keep it away from the eyes and ears when spraying it on your pet. Also, prevent the animal from licking it. After 25 minutes, wash and rinse your four-legged friend and their scratching should cease.

3: DVDs are the New Scarecrow

It’s amazing how the innovative CD and DVD have effectively been phased out of laptops. New car stereos are now Bluetooth-ready and there’s little use for those shiny discs. Homesteaders have a knack for repurposing defunct products and CDs and DVDs are a deterrent to invasive birds.

Gather a pile of discs and tie a string through the center hole. Then hang them like ornaments from the branches of fruit and berry trees. The size and sunlight flashes make birds and squirrels believe a larger creature has staked out the tree. Hanging discs may look a little odd, but some passersby will think you’re artsy.

4: Conveniently Store Gardening Tools in Sand

It may seem counterintuitive to leave your shovel, hoe, and small garden hand tools in the sand. That’s largely because people expect them to rust faster in any type of soil. But dry sand with a few additives leaves them standing handle up for easier access and sparkly clean.

Take an adequately large bucket and place it in a convenient and dry space. Fill it with fully dry abrasive sand and mix in some mineral oil. The oily sand will passively lubricate the tools and prevent rust from accumulating. The setup is also easier in terms of retrieving tools.

5: Repurpose Plastic Beverage Bottle as Greenhouses

Gardeners who worry about an unexpected killing frost can repurpose soda bottles as protection before sending them to be recycled. Carefully cut the tops of the bottles off and place them over your starter plants. This effectively creates a mini greenhouse that helps accelerate growth and could save plants should a late frost take you by surprise. Having clear plastic bubbles across the garden may look weird, but the strategy gets an extra use out of a product that requires recycling.

5 Key Principles of Delegation to Get More Done and Stress Less

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In today’s fast-paced world, we are constantly under pressure to do more and achieve more. And for many of us, the only way to meet these ever-growing demands is to learn how to delegate effectively. Delegation may seem daunting, but following these five fundamental principles can get more done and reduce your stress levels.

Principle 1: Define the task clearly

When delegating a task, it is essential to take the time to explain what needs to be done and why it is necessary. This will ensure that the person you are delegating to understands the task and can carry it out effectively.

Principle 2: Select the right person for the job

Not everyone is suited to every task. When delegating, selecting the person with the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job effectively is essential.

Principle 3: Set clear expectations

When delegating a task, set clear expectations regarding deadlines, results, and other relevant factors. This will help ensure that the job is done as you expect it to be.

Principle 4: Provide adequate resources

For the person you are delegating to be successful, they need the resources to carry out the task effectively. Ensure they have everything they need before you charge the job to them.

Principle 5: Follow up and give feedback

Once the task has been completed, take the time to follow up and give feedback. This will help ensure that the job is carried out effectively and help the person you delegated to learn and improve.

Rule of Thumb

When delegating duties, it is essential to remember the rule of thumb: always start small. Delegate one task at a time and give the person you delegated plenty of opportunities to succeed. If they do well, move on to delegating more complex tasks. But if they struggle, take the time to provide feedback and help them improve.

By following these five fundamental principles, you can delegate effectively and get more done without increasing your stress levels. Try it today!

5 Earth-shattering Sci Fi Movies

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Science fiction motion pictures capture our imagination, partially because many of them have an element of truth to them. Many of us have let our imaginations run about the unidentified flying objects that have now been acknowledged by the U.S. military, and all those Star Trek television series technologies seem to be everyday gadgets now. Yes, Capt. Kirk used a cellphone in 1973! But perhaps the most exciting Sci-Fi movies are those with the fate of humanity on the line. In these 5 Earth-shattering Sci-Fi movies, humanity hangs in the balance.

1: Armageddon

The 1998 Sci-Fi flick earned four Academy Award nominations, and none of them involved the actors. That’s particularly funny given this action-comedy enjoys a household name cast that includes Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Peter Storage. J.J. Abrams was even involved in the screenplay.

The colorful cast of misfits is tasked with drilling a hole into an asteroid traveling at high speeds under the most dangerous conditions imaginable before it obliterates Earth. What could go wrong? Pretty much everything, which is why it was 1998’s highest-grossing film.

2: Signs

Ranked among the more underrated in the science fiction genre, M. Night Shyamalan wrote, directed, and produced, one of the most intriguing alien invasion movies, bar none. Mel Gibson stars as a preacher who lost his faith after the untimely death of his wife. Joaquin Phoenix plays his younger brother, a somewhat rudderless ex-baseball slugger helping to keep the family farm afloat and children safe from what comes next.

Enter militant aliens deploying crop signs to conduct reconnaissance missions in the 2002 thriller. Some factions see the alien presence as first contact, others as the end of days, but when the invasion begins, the former preacher, two children, and brother fight to survive. During the attack, God’s plan is revealed through telltale signs.

3: The Terminator

The 1984 film did things that made it the envy of the science fiction genre. Rather than start in the tired old post-apocalyptic future, the battle for human existence is fought in the present. The second thing the Terminator did was give the enemy of mankind a face — Arnold Schwarzenegger. The former Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion perfected the relentless killer.

“Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there. It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead,” Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) says.

The Terminator throws in a coming-of-age theme through Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who goes on to become one of the grittiest heroines in Sci-Fi. The Terminator sparked a franchise of courageous humans and determined cyborgs.

4: Star Trek

The 2009 Star Trek reboot and ensuing films prove to be even more interesting than the original 1970s television show that inspired six feature films. A newly-minted Starfleet officer, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) earns his way through the academy. We learn about his heroic Starfleet captain father, who saved hundreds of lives. The personalities of Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto), Ohura (Zoe Saldana), and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), among others, are brilliantly re-invented.

It’s an entertaining re-imagining of the crew of the Starship Enterprise who are tasked with defeating Capt. Nero (Eric Bana), a vengeful time-traveling Romulan determined to destroy Earth by creating a black hole using red matter. The Star Trek reboot is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.

5: War of the Worlds

The 2005 War of the Worlds movie starring Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier revives the conspiracy theory about a real-life invasion that may have occurred in 1938. After a Halloween radio broadcast narrated by Orson Welles feigned an incursion, some believe aliens were thwarted and the incident was covered up.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Ray Ferrier and his brother Robbie Ferrier (Justin Chatwin) embark on a harrowing journey from New Jersey to Boston to unite his family. Extraterrestrials have little difficulty harvesting humans for food. But that level of defenselessness isn’t the most Earth-shattering aspect of the recent War of the Worlds film.

5 Entrepreneurs Who Changed The World

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Many people think politicians and armies have the most power to affect communities, cultures, and countries. However, a balanced history study might show that entrepreneurs have done the most to change things. They introduce innovations that improve lives and change society. Many of the wealthiest businesspeople also use some of their fortunes to fund worthwhile causes. To understand this argument, consider five entrepreneurs with the vision to change the world. 

Five World-Changing Entrepreneurs 

Most people should find it easy to name several businesspeople that history will remember for their world-changing efforts. Also, these visionaries seldom work alone, so many might say they should share credit with employees and partners. That makes it difficult to limit this list to just five individuals. 

Also, most lists of impactful entrepreneurs tend to focus on people who are still living. After all, many people still have these newer achievements fresh in their minds and tend to take older innovations for granted. This article tried to avoid that bias by focusing on famous business people who have passed on or passed their prime entrepreneurial years. 

Benjamin Franklin 

Benjamin Franklin wore many hats and gained fame as a statesman, publisher, writer, and inventor. Some historians have compared him to a combination of Thomas Edison, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, and Mark Zuckerberg. He certainly had an entrepreneurial streak and founded businesses to market his inventions. Some examples include the lightning rod, bifocals, and both fire insurance and fire departments. 

Thomas Edison 

Thomas Edison stands out because of his gifts for both invention and business. He also relied on teams of talented young technicians who tested and refined Edison’s initial ideas. Also, many of Edison’s key inventions improved upon earlier products. For instance, Edison did not invent the telegraph or the telephone, but he vastly improved them. He deserves credit for having ideas and putting teams together that could turn them into reality. 

Henry Ford 

Henry Ford also can’t claim to have invented automobiles. In those days, a group of manufacturers produced the first cars. However, they cost a lot, so most people could never afford one. Henry Ford figured out how to mass-produce vehicles more cheaply, making cars and trucks accessible to the general population. 

Andrew Carnegie 

Andrew Carnegie started out poor. He worked for other people before beginning his own company. Historians still consider him the wealthiest person ever by measuring his fortune in today’s dollars. His cutting-edge steel mill probably stands out as his primary business accomplishment. However, many people remember him well for the philanthropy he funded with 90 percent of his fortune during his later years. He donated to libraries and schools all over the United States. 

Bill Gates 

Bill Gates has lost his long-held top spot as the wealthiest man in the world. Still, nobody should overlook the world-changing impact of Bill Gates’s Microsoft and the innovative and affordable personal computers and software it developed. More recently, Gates has donated billions from his fortune to his charitable foundation, which helps confront global problems like poverty and disease. 

Do Entrepreneurs Set Out to Change the World?

Naturally, businesspeople have their own reasons for starting companies. Many see a problem that they can solve and hope to earn a good living by doing it. Even so, many successful entrepreneurs have a vision and wish to create positive change through their efforts.