Bank trading is getting a tech twist. UBS is giving its London traders an opportunity to test out trading rooms by employing VR goggles from Microsoft.

Since the pandemic started, it goes without saying that corporations were not prepared, which in turn reduced the number of people reporting for work, and coming to banks. While the lockdowns have been lifted and some businesses are slowly opening, the risk of the COVID-19 cases spiking is not a threat to be taken likely, which is why banks like UBS have been looking into other ways to simulate a regular day in the bank.

Beatriz Martin, the chief executive of the UBS UK branch was the first to consider this idea and has suggested starting working groups to work on reimagining the trading floor and also set up screens on the trader’s desks alongside their coworkers to encourage collaboration. 

Some banks such as JPMorgan have attempted to bring their workers back to the office but have had to send some workers home after one of them tested positive for the coronavirus disease. 

Meanwhile, other banks such as Deutsche Bank have made returning to the office as voluntary to avoid the risk of spreading the virus around and that most workers can return to the office in the middle of 2021 when the virus has been contained. 

BlackRock’s chief executive Larry Fink does not expect 100% of the workers to return to the office with the current situation, which is why virtual reality tools would be helpful to aid productivity from the safety of their homes. 

How VR changes the system:

With COVID-19 as a threat, it’s only natural that people are warier about coming back to work in an office, which is why it’s convenient to incorporate virtual reality so that you can simulate a normal workday without risking your health, and the health of others. 

The good thing is that there are multiple companies that specialize in virtual reality, which means you have options to choose from, which works for you. Microsoft launched HoloLens in 2015, and while it was initially perceived to be a gaming device, with their headphones at a price of $3000 upwards, it has since been considered by companies to be a tool for communication.

The first bank to consider using HoloLens for their trading business was Citigroup, in 2016, they developed the Citi system which combined financial data with 3D holograms. While they were looking into making the graphics in a way where clients could interact with the data, Citigroup decided against using the headphones because they felt it was too limited in terms of battery life, display size, and processing function.

Banks are an essential business, and staying afloat is one of the most important things they should focus on when it comes to the pandemic, which is why implementing virtual reality is a good move to replicate trading rooms for bank traders and their current investor clients. 

Here’s how you can help indie movie theaters open through the pandemic!

How to Support Indie Movie Theaters Open Amidst the Pandemic

While the mall movie theatres may survive the financial backlash of the pandemic, smaller family-owned movie theatres are facing the financial brunt of COVID-19 as the government imposed strict quarantine protocols against crowds and confined spaces.

As each day progresses, more and more indie movie theatres are slowly shutting down permanently due to lack of funds. What more is that hundreds of theatre employees are also starting to lose their jobs.

How can Indie movie-loving people support independent movie theaters? Like everything else, the Indie Movie Theater industry has started to go online through a streaming service that shows movies that bug theatre mall complexes do not usually deliver. How it works is fairly simple: All movie-goers have to do is buy a ticket online, and they can stream the movie all in the comforts of their homes while supporting the Indie Movie theatre industry.

A pilot session was conducted by Keif Henley, the Guild Cinema owner in Albuquerque. He decided to stream Phoenix, Oregon, which is an Indie Comedy about a graphic novel artist and a chef who quit his job to restore an old bowling alley and to serve the best pizza in the whole world. This Indie film was directed by Gary Lundren and starred celebrities like Lisa Edelstein and Kevin Corrigan.

The movie’s release would typically start in a handful of theatres and, depending on audience reception, will be streamed in popular streaming services such as Hulu or Amazon Prime. However, the movie producers decided to support local indie movie theaters by providing viewers the option to buy an e-ticket through a “Theatrical at Home” initiative.

A drop-down menu will appear, and viewers can choose what theatre they will support. Once purchased, viewers have three days to watch the movie once they receive the link, and forty-eight hours to finish the film once they start streaming it.

The price for Oregon, Phoenix, is at $6.50, which is noticeably higher than the average, in-person movie ticket. However, it’s a small price increase to pay to support local, independent indie movie theaters to stay afloat during the lockdown period.

What’s even better is that since this feature is available throughout the US and Canada, it reaches a broader audience that is no longer dependent on location. This is a smart way to stay at home, be entertained, and help support locals.

With this new initiative, other movie producers and theaters are following suit. Kino Lober launched a virtual theatrical exhibition initiative, and other indie movie theaters are opening private screening rooms through their respective screening platforms.

Indeed, the world of the movie industry is changing, and Indie movie theatres must adapt to the signs of the times. If you want to support indie movie theaters open, please purchase a ticket and avail of their unique streaming service!

In the entrepreneurial world, men would often dominate the field. With times changing, more and more females are conquering the business world to make a mark and let their voices be heard. One example is Heather Sanders, the CEO of the fashion label, Sorella Boutique.

Her fashion line started with humble beginnings of having only ten products in her line that, with her determination, boomed into a full product line with a shop at Melrose Avenue to boot! Indeed, Sanders is an inspiration to many aspiring female entrepreneurs who want to make it in the cut-throat industry.

When asked what her secret to success is, Sanders mentioned that a big portion of her success is her ability to stay true and authentic. In fact, here are some of Sanders’ words of wisdom to anyone who wants to pursue their dreams of launching a business.

Sanders’ Food for Thought:

1. “Only compete with yourself.”

In any field, whether it’s dancing, school, or even a yoga session – you should only compete with yourself. Yes, there may be tough competition out there, but you will never go anywhere if you are too busy checking out the competition instead of focusing on yourself and your growth potential.

While it is good to check what are the edge of other companies that you have to watch out for, invest your time, energy, and resources on building the good things of your brand, and you can never go wrong in growing your business.

2. “Support each other!”

In a heavily male-dominated sector, there are only a few brave females who would even attempt to try it out in business. Instead of being catty and pulling each other down, do what females do best, and that is to support each other. Create a social group and maybe share best practices.

Have a session solely dedicated to talk about everything and anything under the sun EXCEPT work. Get to know each other on a personal level, and it gets easier to have each other’s back.

3. “Use fear as a motivating factor.”

Being a newbie in any industry can be quite scary. Use this fear as a motivating factor to reach even greater heights! Do not be afraid to ask questions or speak out your ideas in board meetings or conferences. After all, this is your chance to be heard.

Engage in mentoring sessions with other leaders and experts in the field. The main objective is for you to learn as much as you can and apply it to let your business grow.

4. “Practice determination.”

Some people say that determination comes naturally, but determination requires discipline and lots of it! Choose a goal and make sure that you contribute every single day towards achieving that goal. For example, if you want to promote your brand, there are plenty of ways to do so!

You can host meetings to gather feedback from your colleagues, share best practices with your female group, take online lessons on digital marketing, and up your marketing strategy in your social media accounts. 

5. “Stay true to yourself.”

Some leaders, once they have achieved their perspective of what success is, often divert from the path they once called their true selves. However, many successful leaders remain true to their authentic and genuine selves. In fact, they thrive because of it!

Hopefully, the tips above can help budding female entrepreneurs to launch their new businesses.