Q: To properly trim your beard, you'll need a wide-toothed comb, scissors and a beard trimmer. Consider purchasing a pair of professional barber's scissors for daily maintenance and trimming flyaway hairs. Invest in a quality beard trimmer for shaping and to trim consistent lengths. For the sake of convenience, consider buying a rechargeable cordless model.  Keep a pair of sharp tweezers on hand to pluck out ingrown hairs. A fine-toothed comb can be helpful when grooming a mustache.
A: Invest in the right tools.

Q: You can't talk to everyone at a conference, so it's a good idea to go in knowing what you want to get out of it. Do you hope to find an "in" that will eventually lead to a job offer? Do you want to garner more business for your company? Perhaps you simply want to meet people in your line of work and foster a deeper connection with others in your industry.  Your goals will influence which panels you attend and which people you seek to meet. Instead of just going with the flow, plan out your time so you're utilizing each hour to work toward your goals. Remember that you’ll be more successful if you’re open to other people’s pitches instead of just trying to push your own agenda on people. Getting to know people is a good goal in and of itself, since it leads to long-term relationships that just don't happen if you're tossing out as many business cards as possible without taking time to have real conversations. It's important to know who your fellow attendees will be and what their specializations, business, or expertise is. In particular, look up the people who will be presenting at the conference. They are the influencers who can help you get better connected to your industry, or who may even be able to share ideas with you or give you a little time to talk through projects you're working on.  Take the time to visit the presenters' websites and learn about their backgrounds. If you're aiming to network with someone working for a company, research the company's background, including its history and age, mission, achievements, and principal staff. If the big names floor you, and you're feeling intimated by the thought of being surrounded by experts, take a deep breath and think about the opportunity that stands before you. Introduce yourself to key people and let them know that you look forward to hearing their talks and meeting them in person. They will, most likely, email you back and thank you. Now you'll have a bit of history to fall back on when you see them at the conference. Figure out which panels and presentations you want to attend, and map out a schedule accordingly so you don’t miss anything important. You don't necessarily need to go to every single panel, since casual time spent in the break room or at lunch is also a good way to network with people.  Set appointments with people you know you want to meet. Everyone will have a busy schedule, but you could coordinate a coffee break or breakfast meeting with one or more people you definitely want to have a conversation with. Plan to take advantage of parties and cocktail hours. This is when people let a little more loose, and the conversation gets less stiff. Instead of going back to your hotel, plan on networking into the night. Look at the conference website to get a sense of the style you should go for. At corporate conferences, business attire is the norm. If your industry tends to be more casual, you might look out of place wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase. In any case, aim to look polished and stylish so you make a good first impression on people.  Some people swear by having an original style element to make themselves more memorable. If you have the personality to pull off wearing a pair of brightly colored sneakers with a suit, go for it. However, a friendly demeanor and great ideas will take you further than anything you could wear. Don't forget to bring breath mints, a comb, and other items that will keep you looking and smelling fresh throughout the day. Conference days tend to be packed from early in the morning until late at night, so plan accordingly. Passing out business cards is an effective way to give out your contact information, although some people might prefer to enter your details directly into their mobile devices. You should also plan to carry a business card binder so you can keep track of other people's cards, too. There's nothing worse than having a great conversation with someone only to realize you lost their card and don't remember their name.  If you don't have business cards, it's worth it to get some made. Keep the design understated and professional. At the bare minimum, make sure the cards have your name, email address and phone number, and the name of your company or your occupation. If you're terrified of giving out a business card, role play giving a business card to someone with a family member or friend. Introduce yourself first ("Hi! I'm Layla. I emailed you about your web series last week.") Then practice steering the conversation away from you and onto the other person by asking open-ended questions.
A: Have concrete goals in mind. Research the attendees. Consider emailing people you want to meet. Create a schedule. Dress for the occasion. Bring business cards.

Q: When kids are first learning to play the violin, they'll get frustrated very quickly. Playing scales over and over again gets boring after just a few minutes, so it's normal for them to want to stop. Don't set high goals for the first few weeks. Instead, have your child practice for 5-15 minutes a day, then increase their sessions when their teacher recommends it.  Ask your child's teacher for advice on how long they should be practicing. Make it a habit to ask, “How many minutes a day should they practice this week?” after every class. If your child says they want to keep playing, let them continue practicing, and praise them for trying so hard. Say, “I'm really impressed with your work ethic!” Ask your child's teacher what skills they should be focused on. Then, set a small, measurable goal to help your child work toward the skills they're learning. Tell your child what the goal is, as well as why their working towards it.  For instance, the goal might be to "play the scale perfectly," "hold the bow correctly," or "play the first section perfectly." Do your best to set a goal that your child can attain during this session. If you're not sure what to do, ask their teacher what kinds of goals they should be pursuing at this stage of their development. Earning rewards will give your child an incentive to practice, and you can decide how and when they get rewarded. Your rewards can be anything that motivates your child. For instance, you might reward them with something like:   Screen time Candy Their favorite food Fun pencils Gel pens Coupons to get out of chores New violin accessories Books Gift cards for their favorite streaming services If your child has to work hard to get their violin out for practice, they'll be less motivated to do it. The act of taking something out and putting it away may become an easy excuse to skip practice for the day. Instead, keep the violin within easy reach. You may even put it on a display stand in your child's room rather than in a case. If you keep the violin on display, it's very important that it get used often. Otherwise, dust may build up on it. If your child is the only one in their friend group who is learning an instrument, they may feel like they're missing out when their friends do other activities. Having a friend who plays violin may encourage your child to stick with it. Additionally, they may enjoy practicing together.  Talk to the parents of other children who attend lessons with your child's teacher to find out if they have a child around the same age as yours. If your child goes to a music school, go to their events so that you and your child can meet the other students. There are apps that help you learn different instruments, including violin. Your child may feel more motivated to practice if they're using an app. You can find apps that switch up lessons, give motivation, and let your child connect with other kids who play the violin. For instance, you can try the Better Practice App.
A:
Start with 5-15 minute practice sessions, then slowly increase the time. Make goals for each practice session so your child has purpose. Reward your child when they reach practice goals. Keep the violin in a spot where it's easily accessible. Encourage your child to make friends who also play violin. Try a practice app to motivate your child.