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Freelancers are taking over the workforce—and we are here for it. In 2023, 38% of the US workforce completed freelance work. By 2028, over half of the US workforce is projected to take on freelance work. These days, freelancing isn’t a fringe career path but a mainstream professional choice. What initially sounds like a recipe The post Join the freelance revolution: Mastering time management as an independent worker appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Key Takeaways Growing Industry Demand: The market for painting services is expanding, making a painting franchise a lucrative business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs.Established Support System: Joining a reputable franchise provides access to a tested business model, comprehensive training, and ongoing operational support, which helps navigate the complexities of running a business effectively.Low Startup Costs: Painting franchises typically require lower initial investments compared to other businesses, reducing entry barriers and associated risks.Brand Recognition: Franchisees benefit from established brand recognition, which helps attract customers, build credibility, and foster customer loyalty within their exclusive territories.Diverse Franchise Options: Various types of painting franchises, including residential, commercial, and specialty services, allow potential owners to select opportunities that align with their goals and market needs.Awareness of Challenges: Operating a painting franchise comes with challenges such as market competition, limited geographic expansion, and seasonal demand fluctuations, which require strategic planning and marketing to overcome. If you’re looking for a thriving business opportunity, a painting franchise might just be your perfect canvas. With the demand for home and commercial painting services on the rise, this industry offers a unique chance to tap into a lucrative market. You don’t need to be a professional artist to succeed; you just need the right tools and support from a reputable franchise. Owning a painting franchise means stepping into a proven business model with established branding and customer trust. You’ll benefit from comprehensive training and ongoing support, allowing you to focus on building your customer base and delivering high-quality services. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, a painting franchise can help you paint your path to success. Overview of Painting Franchise Painting franchises present a lucrative small business opportunity, capitalizing on a growing demand for home and commercial painting services. You don’t need prior artistic skills to succeed in this industry. By joining a reputable franchisor, you gain access to a tested franchise model that simplifies the process of starting your business. Franchise agreements typically outline the terms and conditions needed to operate under the franchise brand. These documents clearly detail initial investment requirements, ongoing royalty fees, and expectations for franchise success. You benefit from comprehensive franchise training that covers essential skills, from operations to customer relations, ensuring you navigate the business effectively. The franchise support system offers ongoing assistance with marketing, operations, and compliance, crucial for maintaining brand standards. A well-developed franchise operations manual guides you through daily tasks and protocols, making it easier to manage your franchise location. Many painting franchises provide exclusive territory rights, reducing competition and allowing for stronger brand recognition in your area. By becoming part of a franchise network, you also gain opportunities for franchise growth and multi-unit franchising, enabling you to expand efficiently. Conduct thorough franchise research before committing to a specific opportunity. Analyze franchise disclosure documents, attend franchise expos, and consult with franchise consultants to understand your potential investment and return on investment. Embrace the advantages of franchising, and position yourself for long-term success in the painting industry. Benefits of Owning a Painting Franchise Owning a painting franchise provides numerous advantages for small business owners. By joining a franchise network, you can benefit from a structured system designed to maximize your chances of success. Low Startup Costs Painting franchises often feature low startup costs compared to other business ventures. Many painting franchise opportunities require a smaller initial investment, making it easier for aspiring franchisees to enter the market. This lower financial barrier reduces risks associated with starting a business from scratch, allowing you to allocate funds toward essential operational aspects like customer acquisition and franchise marketing strategies. Established Brand Recognition A significant advantage of owning a painting franchise is the established brand recognition that comes with it. As a franchisee, you benefit from the franchisor’s reputation, which can attract customers more effectively than a new independent business. Strong brand recognition helps in gaining trust within your exclusive territory, leading to increased customer loyalty and repeat business. The backing of an established brand often translates to quicker growth, maximizing your potential for profitability. Types of Painting Franchises Painting franchises fall into various categories based on their focus and services. Understanding these types can help you identify the right franchise opportunity for your goals. Residential vs. Commercial Residential painting franchises primarily serve homeowners, offering services like interior and exterior painting. These franchises, such as Five Star Painting and 360 Painting, emphasize the need for high-quality finishes and customer satisfaction. You benefit from established brand recognition in a competitive market, which can drive customer loyalty. Commercial painting franchises target businesses, providing larger scale projects that may include light carpentry and industrial coatings. CertaPro Painters stands out in this segment, delivering comprehensive services tailored to commercial needs. You tap into various revenue streams with these franchises, contributing to overall franchise growth and stability. Specialty Painting Services Specialty painting services address niche markets that require unique expertise. This includes franchises like Color World House Painting, which adds holiday lighting and custom design to its service repertoire. These additional offerings can enhance your franchise marketing strategy, attracting a diverse clientele. Such specialized services boost your competitive advantage and create opportunities for multi-unit franchising, enabling expansion into various markets. You gain the flexibility to customize your offerings while adhering to the franchise operations manual provided by your franchisor, ensuring compliance with brand standards. Selecting the right type of painting franchise can position you for success in the franchise industry, leveraging the benefits of comprehensive training and ongoing franchise support. Key Players in the Painting Franchise Industry The painting franchise industry features several key players that offer significant benefits for franchisees, including proven business models and extensive support. These franchises present solid opportunities for small business owners looking to enter the market. Popular Franchises to Consider 1. 360° Painting Franchising Since: 2006 Locations: Over 160 Initial Investment: $101,000 to $145,000 Franchise Fee: $65,000 Royalty Fee: 6.00% Services: 360° Painting provides a wide range of services, including residential and commercial painting, deck painting, fence painting, and concrete staining. Known for its premium services, it also offers innovative training programs, which incorporate virtual reality and AI training for effective franchise operations. These franchises utilize a franchise model that ensures brand recognition and operational support, making them attractive for potential franchisees. By investing in a painting franchise, you gain access to an established franchise network that enhances your chances of achieving franchise success in the competitive painting industry. Engaging with these popular franchises helps streamline your franchise marketing and operational efforts while allowing you to focus on building customer relationships in your exclusive territory. Additionally, aligning with prominent franchise players can significantly impact your business growth and profitability in the painting sector. Challenges of Operating a Painting Franchise Operating a painting franchise presents distinct challenges that franchisees must navigate to achieve success in the competitive franchise industry. Market Competition Market competition remains a critical obstacle for painting franchisees. The painting sector features many independent painters and multiple franchises targeting the same customers. To stand out, franchisees must differentiate their services through effective marketing strategies, often incurring significant costs in franchise marketing. Diminishing returns on advertising efforts can hinder growth, impacting the overall franchise profit. Engaging with a strong franchise network may provide insights into effective marketing tactics that improve brand recognition. Limited Geographic Expansion Limited geographic expansion poses another challenge for franchisees. Franchise agreements often restrict the territory in which you can operate, directly impacting business growth. Exclusivity in your territory may provide some competitive edge, but it may also restrict access to new customer bases. Evaluating your territory through location analysis before entering a franchise opportunity helps identify potential barriers to growth and expansion. Therefore, understanding the nuances of your franchise agreement is essential for maximizing revenue. Seasonal Fluctuations Seasonal fluctuations affect the painting business, leading to varying demand throughout the year. Understanding how to manage these fluctuations is crucial for maintaining steady cash flow. Franchise support can provide guidance on navigating slower seasons by offering promotional discounts or package deals that encourage customer engagement. Crafting a franchise marketing plan tailored to seasonal trends ensures you capitalize on peak opportunities and maintain a consistent customer base. By recognizing these challenges, you can build a proactive strategy that enhances your franchise growth and long-term success. Conclusion Owning a painting franchise can be a rewarding venture that taps into a thriving market. With the right support and training from established brands you can navigate challenges and build a successful business. The combination of low startup costs and strong brand recognition offers a unique advantage that sets you up for growth. As you explore your options remember to do thorough research and choose a franchise that aligns with your goals. By leveraging the resources provided by your franchisor you can enhance your chances of success and create a lasting impact in the painting industry. Your journey into the world of painting franchises could lead to not just financial rewards but also personal fulfillment as you build your own business. Frequently Asked Questions What is a painting franchise? A painting franchise is a business model where individuals operate under an established brand that provides painting services. Franchisees benefit from a proven business structure, brand recognition, and support from the franchisor, making it easier to succeed in the painting industry. Do I need artistic skills to own a painting franchise? No, prior artistic skills are not necessary to own a painting franchise. Franchises offer training and support that cover essential operations and customer service skills, allowing individuals from various backgrounds to succeed. What are the benefits of owning a painting franchise? Owning a painting franchise offers several benefits, including low startup costs, established brand recognition, and access to comprehensive training and ongoing support. These elements help build customer trust and loyalty, increasing the likelihood of repeat business. What types of painting franchises are available? Painting franchises can be categorized into residential, commercial, and specialty services. Residential franchises focus on homeowners, commercial franchises handle larger business projects, while specialty franchises target niche markets with unique painting services. How do franchise agreements work? Franchise agreements outline the terms for operating under the brand, including initial investment requirements, royalty fees, and operational guidelines. These agreements are crucial for maintaining consistency and quality across the franchise network. What support do painting franchises provide? Painting franchises typically provide comprehensive training, marketing assistance, operational support, and ongoing guidance to help franchisees maintain brand standards and navigate challenges in the painting industry. What challenges might I face as a painting franchise owner? Challenges can include market competition, geographic restrictions, and seasonal demand fluctuations. Franchisees need to develop effective marketing strategies and manage cash flow to ensure long-term success and growth. How can I research a painting franchise before investing? Thorough research includes analyzing franchise disclosure documents, consulting industry experts, and reading reviews from current franchisees. This helps you make an informed decision about the franchise opportunity and its potential for success. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success with a Painting Franchise: Your Path to a Profitable Business Opportunity" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Growing Industry Demand: The market for painting services is expanding, making a painting franchise a lucrative business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs.Established Support System: Joining a reputable franchise provides access to a tested business model, comprehensive training, and ongoing operational support, which helps navigate the complexities of running a business effectively.Low Startup Costs: Painting franchises typically require lower initial investments compared to other businesses, reducing entry barriers and associated risks.Brand Recognition: Franchisees benefit from established brand recognition, which helps attract customers, build credibility, and foster customer loyalty within their exclusive territories.Diverse Franchise Options: Various types of painting franchises, including residential, commercial, and specialty services, allow potential owners to select opportunities that align with their goals and market needs.Awareness of Challenges: Operating a painting franchise comes with challenges such as market competition, limited geographic expansion, and seasonal demand fluctuations, which require strategic planning and marketing to overcome. If you’re looking for a thriving business opportunity, a painting franchise might just be your perfect canvas. With the demand for home and commercial painting services on the rise, this industry offers a unique chance to tap into a lucrative market. You don’t need to be a professional artist to succeed; you just need the right tools and support from a reputable franchise. Owning a painting franchise means stepping into a proven business model with established branding and customer trust. You’ll benefit from comprehensive training and ongoing support, allowing you to focus on building your customer base and delivering high-quality services. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, a painting franchise can help you paint your path to success. Overview of Painting Franchise Painting franchises present a lucrative small business opportunity, capitalizing on a growing demand for home and commercial painting services. You don’t need prior artistic skills to succeed in this industry. By joining a reputable franchisor, you gain access to a tested franchise model that simplifies the process of starting your business. Franchise agreements typically outline the terms and conditions needed to operate under the franchise brand. These documents clearly detail initial investment requirements, ongoing royalty fees, and expectations for franchise success. You benefit from comprehensive franchise training that covers essential skills, from operations to customer relations, ensuring you navigate the business effectively. The franchise support system offers ongoing assistance with marketing, operations, and compliance, crucial for maintaining brand standards. A well-developed franchise operations manual guides you through daily tasks and protocols, making it easier to manage your franchise location. Many painting franchises provide exclusive territory rights, reducing competition and allowing for stronger brand recognition in your area. By becoming part of a franchise network, you also gain opportunities for franchise growth and multi-unit franchising, enabling you to expand efficiently. Conduct thorough franchise research before committing to a specific opportunity. Analyze franchise disclosure documents, attend franchise expos, and consult with franchise consultants to understand your potential investment and return on investment. Embrace the advantages of franchising, and position yourself for long-term success in the painting industry. Benefits of Owning a Painting Franchise Owning a painting franchise provides numerous advantages for small business owners. By joining a franchise network, you can benefit from a structured system designed to maximize your chances of success. Low Startup Costs Painting franchises often feature low startup costs compared to other business ventures. Many painting franchise opportunities require a smaller initial investment, making it easier for aspiring franchisees to enter the market. This lower financial barrier reduces risks associated with starting a business from scratch, allowing you to allocate funds toward essential operational aspects like customer acquisition and franchise marketing strategies. Established Brand Recognition A significant advantage of owning a painting franchise is the established brand recognition that comes with it. As a franchisee, you benefit from the franchisor’s reputation, which can attract customers more effectively than a new independent business. Strong brand recognition helps in gaining trust within your exclusive territory, leading to increased customer loyalty and repeat business. The backing of an established brand often translates to quicker growth, maximizing your potential for profitability. Types of Painting Franchises Painting franchises fall into various categories based on their focus and services. Understanding these types can help you identify the right franchise opportunity for your goals. Residential vs. Commercial Residential painting franchises primarily serve homeowners, offering services like interior and exterior painting. These franchises, such as Five Star Painting and 360 Painting, emphasize the need for high-quality finishes and customer satisfaction. You benefit from established brand recognition in a competitive market, which can drive customer loyalty. Commercial painting franchises target businesses, providing larger scale projects that may include light carpentry and industrial coatings. CertaPro Painters stands out in this segment, delivering comprehensive services tailored to commercial needs. You tap into various revenue streams with these franchises, contributing to overall franchise growth and stability. Specialty Painting Services Specialty painting services address niche markets that require unique expertise. This includes franchises like Color World House Painting, which adds holiday lighting and custom design to its service repertoire. These additional offerings can enhance your franchise marketing strategy, attracting a diverse clientele. Such specialized services boost your competitive advantage and create opportunities for multi-unit franchising, enabling expansion into various markets. You gain the flexibility to customize your offerings while adhering to the franchise operations manual provided by your franchisor, ensuring compliance with brand standards. Selecting the right type of painting franchise can position you for success in the franchise industry, leveraging the benefits of comprehensive training and ongoing franchise support. Key Players in the Painting Franchise Industry The painting franchise industry features several key players that offer significant benefits for franchisees, including proven business models and extensive support. These franchises present solid opportunities for small business owners looking to enter the market. Popular Franchises to Consider 1. 360° Painting Franchising Since: 2006 Locations: Over 160 Initial Investment: $101,000 to $145,000 Franchise Fee: $65,000 Royalty Fee: 6.00% Services: 360° Painting provides a wide range of services, including residential and commercial painting, deck painting, fence painting, and concrete staining. Known for its premium services, it also offers innovative training programs, which incorporate virtual reality and AI training for effective franchise operations. These franchises utilize a franchise model that ensures brand recognition and operational support, making them attractive for potential franchisees. By investing in a painting franchise, you gain access to an established franchise network that enhances your chances of achieving franchise success in the competitive painting industry. Engaging with these popular franchises helps streamline your franchise marketing and operational efforts while allowing you to focus on building customer relationships in your exclusive territory. Additionally, aligning with prominent franchise players can significantly impact your business growth and profitability in the painting sector. Challenges of Operating a Painting Franchise Operating a painting franchise presents distinct challenges that franchisees must navigate to achieve success in the competitive franchise industry. Market Competition Market competition remains a critical obstacle for painting franchisees. The painting sector features many independent painters and multiple franchises targeting the same customers. To stand out, franchisees must differentiate their services through effective marketing strategies, often incurring significant costs in franchise marketing. Diminishing returns on advertising efforts can hinder growth, impacting the overall franchise profit. Engaging with a strong franchise network may provide insights into effective marketing tactics that improve brand recognition. Limited Geographic Expansion Limited geographic expansion poses another challenge for franchisees. Franchise agreements often restrict the territory in which you can operate, directly impacting business growth. Exclusivity in your territory may provide some competitive edge, but it may also restrict access to new customer bases. Evaluating your territory through location analysis before entering a franchise opportunity helps identify potential barriers to growth and expansion. Therefore, understanding the nuances of your franchise agreement is essential for maximizing revenue. Seasonal Fluctuations Seasonal fluctuations affect the painting business, leading to varying demand throughout the year. Understanding how to manage these fluctuations is crucial for maintaining steady cash flow. Franchise support can provide guidance on navigating slower seasons by offering promotional discounts or package deals that encourage customer engagement. Crafting a franchise marketing plan tailored to seasonal trends ensures you capitalize on peak opportunities and maintain a consistent customer base. By recognizing these challenges, you can build a proactive strategy that enhances your franchise growth and long-term success. Conclusion Owning a painting franchise can be a rewarding venture that taps into a thriving market. With the right support and training from established brands you can navigate challenges and build a successful business. The combination of low startup costs and strong brand recognition offers a unique advantage that sets you up for growth. As you explore your options remember to do thorough research and choose a franchise that aligns with your goals. By leveraging the resources provided by your franchisor you can enhance your chances of success and create a lasting impact in the painting industry. Your journey into the world of painting franchises could lead to not just financial rewards but also personal fulfillment as you build your own business. Frequently Asked Questions What is a painting franchise? A painting franchise is a business model where individuals operate under an established brand that provides painting services. Franchisees benefit from a proven business structure, brand recognition, and support from the franchisor, making it easier to succeed in the painting industry. Do I need artistic skills to own a painting franchise? No, prior artistic skills are not necessary to own a painting franchise. Franchises offer training and support that cover essential operations and customer service skills, allowing individuals from various backgrounds to succeed. What are the benefits of owning a painting franchise? Owning a painting franchise offers several benefits, including low startup costs, established brand recognition, and access to comprehensive training and ongoing support. These elements help build customer trust and loyalty, increasing the likelihood of repeat business. What types of painting franchises are available? Painting franchises can be categorized into residential, commercial, and specialty services. Residential franchises focus on homeowners, commercial franchises handle larger business projects, while specialty franchises target niche markets with unique painting services. How do franchise agreements work? Franchise agreements outline the terms for operating under the brand, including initial investment requirements, royalty fees, and operational guidelines. These agreements are crucial for maintaining consistency and quality across the franchise network. What support do painting franchises provide? Painting franchises typically provide comprehensive training, marketing assistance, operational support, and ongoing guidance to help franchisees maintain brand standards and navigate challenges in the painting industry. What challenges might I face as a painting franchise owner? Challenges can include market competition, geographic restrictions, and seasonal demand fluctuations. Franchisees need to develop effective marketing strategies and manage cash flow to ensure long-term success and growth. How can I research a painting franchise before investing? Thorough research includes analyzing franchise disclosure documents, consulting industry experts, and reading reviews from current franchisees. This helps you make an informed decision about the franchise opportunity and its potential for success. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success with a Painting Franchise: Your Path to a Profitable Business Opportunity" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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Key Takeaways Retirement as an Opportunity: Starting a business post-retirement allows you to pursue passions and hobbies, turning them into fulfilling entrepreneurial ventures.Growing Trend Among Retirees: An increasing number of retirees are launching businesses, driven by the desire for personal fulfillment and financial independence.Importance of Planning: A solid business plan, including market research and financial projections, is essential for guiding your entrepreneurial journey and attracting investors.Financial Advantages: Starting a business can enhance your financial independence by supplementing retirement funds and potentially yielding higher returns than traditional investments.Challenges to Navigate: Effective time management and securing funding are critical challenges retirees face when starting a business, requiring careful planning and organization.Learning from Success Stories: Examining successful retiree entrepreneurs can provide inspiration and valuable insights into building a thriving business after retirement. Retirement doesn’t have to mean the end of your professional journey. In fact, it can be the perfect time to pursue your passions and turn your hobbies into a thriving business. Whether you’ve always dreamed of starting a small shop or offering consulting services in your field, this new chapter can offer both fulfillment and financial benefits. With the right mindset and a solid plan, you can navigate the exciting world of entrepreneurship. You’ll find that your years of experience provide a unique advantage, allowing you to approach challenges with confidence. Embrace this opportunity to redefine your purpose and create something truly rewarding in your retirement years. The Rise of Entrepreneurship Among Retirees Entrepreneurship among retirees is experiencing significant growth, driven by a desire for personal fulfillment and financial independence. Retirees often leverage their accumulated knowledge and valuable skills to explore new business opportunities. This shift aligns well with the current market trends that favor small business development. Many retirees begin with a clear business idea rooted in their passions or hobbies, transforming them into viable startups. Market research plays a crucial role in this process, allowing you to validate your concept and target audience effectively. A solid business plan is essential for outlining your goals, marketing strategies, and financial projections, guiding you on your entrepreneurial journey. Retirees often enlist legal advice to determine the best legal structure for their business. Options like LLC, sole proprietorship, or partnership can impact taxes, liability, and overall operations. Understanding the financial aspects, such as budgeting, cash flow management, and profit margins, is equally important to maintain a sustainable venture. Networking becomes a pivotal strategy as you build connections with other entrepreneurs and potential customers. Utilizing social media, SEO, and digital marketing can enhance your online presence, helping in customer acquisition and sales growth. Many retirees opt for crowdfunding or seek angel investors to secure funding for their business ideas, ensuring they have the necessary resources to thrive. As you navigate this new chapter, a focus on innovation and product development can set you apart from competitors. Collaborating with mentors or business coaches can provide valuable insights, enhancing your skills in leadership and team building. Embrace this opportunity; retirement can be the launching pad for a vibrant second career in entrepreneurship. Benefits of Starting a Business After Retirement Starting a business after retirement presents various advantages that can enhance your life significantly. Financial independence and staying engaged are two major benefits that can shape a fulfilling post-retirement journey. Financial Independence A small business can supplement your retirement funds, leading to greater financial independence and an improved lifestyle. This added income becomes especially crucial if you rely on limited savings, pension payments, or Social Security benefits. Generating additional income allows for managing the increased cost of living and maintaining a comfortable standard of living. Investing in a business can also yield higher returns compared to traditional investments like stocks or bonds. By deducting startup costs and ongoing expenses from your tax bill, you build a robust financial foundation. Understanding your possible funding options—whether through angel investors, crowdfunding, or small business loans—can maximize profits while maintaining an effective budget. Staying Engaged and Active Starting a business keeps you engaged and active, allowing you to leverage your skills and knowledge from years of work experience. This transition provides a fulfilling way to pursue passions and turn business ideas into reality. By conducting thorough market research, you can identify your target audience and develop a business model that resonates with consumers. Engaging in entrepreneurship opens doors to networking opportunities, mentorship, and collaboration, providing a support system to guide you through challenges. Establishing a strong online presence through a website and social media promotes your brand effectively and improves customer acquisition. Embracing innovation in product development and marketing strategies can set your venture apart in competitive markets, ensuring sustained growth. Starting a business after retirement offers a chance to redefine your purpose, remain active in the community, and build a vibrant second career that aligns with your passions and goals. Challenges to Consider Starting a business after retirement comes with unique challenges that require careful attention. Addressing these challenges is essential for establishing a successful venture. Time Management Managing time effectively as a new entrepreneur is crucial. You may face conflicting priorities between personal pursuits and business responsibilities. Developing a structured schedule allows you to allocate sufficient time for marketing, product development, and customer service. Utilizing tools such as calendars and task managers can streamline operations. If you balance your business goals with personal time, productivity increases, enhancing overall satisfaction. Initial Investment and Funding Options Securing adequate funding poses a significant challenge for retirees starting small businesses. Identifying viable funding options is essential for accessing the necessary capital. You might consider bootstrapping, seeking angel investors, or exploring crowdfunding platforms. Understanding the financial landscape involves assessing your business model and estimating initial costs. Additionally, determining the correct legal structure—whether an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—affects your liability, taxes, and operational expenses. Legal advice plays a crucial role during this process. Creating a solid business plan can attract potential investors and guide your financial decisions. Pay attention to cash flow management and budget planning to maintain profitability. Establishing a strong foundation now supports future growth and scalability. Steps to Get Started Understanding the initial steps to start a business after retirement sets you up for success. Focus on these crucial elements to launch your entrepreneurial venture effectively. Identifying Your Passion and Skills Identify your passion and skills to align your business idea with what you love. Evaluate what experiences and expertise you possess. Consider how these can translate into a viable service or product in the marketplace. Engaging in activities that excite you increases the odds of staying motivated as you grow your small business. Assess your target audience to ensure your venture resonates with specific needs or gaps in the market. Creating a Business Plan Create a detailed business plan that outlines your business model and objectives. Include sections on market research, funding options, and growth strategy. Utilize your business plan as a roadmap to guide decision-making, showcasing financial projections, marketing tactics, and sales strategies. Identify potential funding sources, such as bootstrapping, angel investors, or loans, to support your startup costs. Consider your legal structure—options include LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—to determine liability and tax implications. Register your business and obtain necessary permits to ensure compliance with local laws. An organized business plan enhances your chances of securing investment and provides clarity as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. Success Stories Trisha Trout Trisha Trout, at age 50, transformed a personal tragedy into a thriving small business, Prairie Sage Soap Co. After her husband’s passing, she leveraged her passion for soap-making to create a stable income. Despite facing initial challenges, Trisha’s venture highlights the power of innovation and product alignment with personal values. Her journey underscores the significance of market research in identifying customer needs and building a brand that resonates with the target audience. Katonya Breaux At 50, Katonya Breaux founded Unsun Cosmetics inspired by the lack of effective sunscreen options for people of color. As an entrepreneur, she capitalized on a specific market gap, leading to significant recognition in over 5,000 CVS locations. Katonya’s experience illustrates the value of a solid business plan and effective branding. Her success emphasizes the importance of digital marketing strategies, including social media engagement and customer acquisition techniques to generate buzz and establish a loyal customer base. Conclusion Starting a business after retirement can be one of the most rewarding decisions you make. It’s a chance to channel your passions into something meaningful while enjoying the benefits of financial independence. With the right mindset and a solid plan you can navigate the challenges and embrace the opportunities that come your way. Remember to leverage your experience and skills as you embark on this new journey. Stay engaged with your community and network with others who share your entrepreneurial spirit. By focusing on innovation and maintaining a strong online presence you can create a fulfilling venture that not only enriches your life but also inspires others. Embrace this exciting chapter and watch your dreams take flight. Frequently Asked Questions Can retirees really start a business successfully? Yes, retirees can start a business successfully by leveraging their valuable skills and experiences. With the right mindset and a solid plan, they can navigate challenges confidently and find fulfillment in entrepreneurship. What are the benefits of entrepreneurship for retirees? Starting a business after retirement offers benefits like financial independence, extra income, and staying engaged in meaningful activities. It can also improve lifestyle and provide opportunities for networking and personal growth. What challenges do retirees face when starting a business? Retirees may encounter challenges such as time management, securing funding, and understanding legal requirements. Balancing personal pursuits with business responsibilities can be tricky, but structured planning helps overcome these obstacles. How can retirees identify suitable business ideas? Retirees should explore their passions and skills to identify business ideas that align with their interests. This connection enhances motivation and increases the likelihood of developing a successful venture. What steps should retirees take to start a business? Retirees should create a detailed business plan, research the market, determine funding sources, and choose an appropriate legal structure. Compliance with local laws and regulations is also critical for long-term success. How important is market research for retirees starting a business? Market research is crucial as it helps retirees understand their target audience, identify competition, and validate business ideas. This knowledge guides their strategy and increases the chances of success in their ventures. What role does digital marketing play for retirees in business? Digital marketing is essential for retirees to establish an online presence, reach their target audience, and promote their products or services. Effective strategies in this area can lead to increased visibility and customer engagement. Image Via Envato This article, "Empower Your Retirement: A Guide to Starting a Business After Retirement" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Retirement as an Opportunity: Starting a business post-retirement allows you to pursue passions and hobbies, turning them into fulfilling entrepreneurial ventures.Growing Trend Among Retirees: An increasing number of retirees are launching businesses, driven by the desire for personal fulfillment and financial independence.Importance of Planning: A solid business plan, including market research and financial projections, is essential for guiding your entrepreneurial journey and attracting investors.Financial Advantages: Starting a business can enhance your financial independence by supplementing retirement funds and potentially yielding higher returns than traditional investments.Challenges to Navigate: Effective time management and securing funding are critical challenges retirees face when starting a business, requiring careful planning and organization.Learning from Success Stories: Examining successful retiree entrepreneurs can provide inspiration and valuable insights into building a thriving business after retirement. Retirement doesn’t have to mean the end of your professional journey. In fact, it can be the perfect time to pursue your passions and turn your hobbies into a thriving business. Whether you’ve always dreamed of starting a small shop or offering consulting services in your field, this new chapter can offer both fulfillment and financial benefits. With the right mindset and a solid plan, you can navigate the exciting world of entrepreneurship. You’ll find that your years of experience provide a unique advantage, allowing you to approach challenges with confidence. Embrace this opportunity to redefine your purpose and create something truly rewarding in your retirement years. The Rise of Entrepreneurship Among Retirees Entrepreneurship among retirees is experiencing significant growth, driven by a desire for personal fulfillment and financial independence. Retirees often leverage their accumulated knowledge and valuable skills to explore new business opportunities. This shift aligns well with the current market trends that favor small business development. Many retirees begin with a clear business idea rooted in their passions or hobbies, transforming them into viable startups. Market research plays a crucial role in this process, allowing you to validate your concept and target audience effectively. A solid business plan is essential for outlining your goals, marketing strategies, and financial projections, guiding you on your entrepreneurial journey. Retirees often enlist legal advice to determine the best legal structure for their business. Options like LLC, sole proprietorship, or partnership can impact taxes, liability, and overall operations. Understanding the financial aspects, such as budgeting, cash flow management, and profit margins, is equally important to maintain a sustainable venture. Networking becomes a pivotal strategy as you build connections with other entrepreneurs and potential customers. Utilizing social media, SEO, and digital marketing can enhance your online presence, helping in customer acquisition and sales growth. Many retirees opt for crowdfunding or seek angel investors to secure funding for their business ideas, ensuring they have the necessary resources to thrive. As you navigate this new chapter, a focus on innovation and product development can set you apart from competitors. Collaborating with mentors or business coaches can provide valuable insights, enhancing your skills in leadership and team building. Embrace this opportunity; retirement can be the launching pad for a vibrant second career in entrepreneurship. Benefits of Starting a Business After Retirement Starting a business after retirement presents various advantages that can enhance your life significantly. Financial independence and staying engaged are two major benefits that can shape a fulfilling post-retirement journey. Financial Independence A small business can supplement your retirement funds, leading to greater financial independence and an improved lifestyle. This added income becomes especially crucial if you rely on limited savings, pension payments, or Social Security benefits. Generating additional income allows for managing the increased cost of living and maintaining a comfortable standard of living. Investing in a business can also yield higher returns compared to traditional investments like stocks or bonds. By deducting startup costs and ongoing expenses from your tax bill, you build a robust financial foundation. Understanding your possible funding options—whether through angel investors, crowdfunding, or small business loans—can maximize profits while maintaining an effective budget. Staying Engaged and Active Starting a business keeps you engaged and active, allowing you to leverage your skills and knowledge from years of work experience. This transition provides a fulfilling way to pursue passions and turn business ideas into reality. By conducting thorough market research, you can identify your target audience and develop a business model that resonates with consumers. Engaging in entrepreneurship opens doors to networking opportunities, mentorship, and collaboration, providing a support system to guide you through challenges. Establishing a strong online presence through a website and social media promotes your brand effectively and improves customer acquisition. Embracing innovation in product development and marketing strategies can set your venture apart in competitive markets, ensuring sustained growth. Starting a business after retirement offers a chance to redefine your purpose, remain active in the community, and build a vibrant second career that aligns with your passions and goals. Challenges to Consider Starting a business after retirement comes with unique challenges that require careful attention. Addressing these challenges is essential for establishing a successful venture. Time Management Managing time effectively as a new entrepreneur is crucial. You may face conflicting priorities between personal pursuits and business responsibilities. Developing a structured schedule allows you to allocate sufficient time for marketing, product development, and customer service. Utilizing tools such as calendars and task managers can streamline operations. If you balance your business goals with personal time, productivity increases, enhancing overall satisfaction. Initial Investment and Funding Options Securing adequate funding poses a significant challenge for retirees starting small businesses. Identifying viable funding options is essential for accessing the necessary capital. You might consider bootstrapping, seeking angel investors, or exploring crowdfunding platforms. Understanding the financial landscape involves assessing your business model and estimating initial costs. Additionally, determining the correct legal structure—whether an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—affects your liability, taxes, and operational expenses. Legal advice plays a crucial role during this process. Creating a solid business plan can attract potential investors and guide your financial decisions. Pay attention to cash flow management and budget planning to maintain profitability. Establishing a strong foundation now supports future growth and scalability. Steps to Get Started Understanding the initial steps to start a business after retirement sets you up for success. Focus on these crucial elements to launch your entrepreneurial venture effectively. Identifying Your Passion and Skills Identify your passion and skills to align your business idea with what you love. Evaluate what experiences and expertise you possess. Consider how these can translate into a viable service or product in the marketplace. Engaging in activities that excite you increases the odds of staying motivated as you grow your small business. Assess your target audience to ensure your venture resonates with specific needs or gaps in the market. Creating a Business Plan Create a detailed business plan that outlines your business model and objectives. Include sections on market research, funding options, and growth strategy. Utilize your business plan as a roadmap to guide decision-making, showcasing financial projections, marketing tactics, and sales strategies. Identify potential funding sources, such as bootstrapping, angel investors, or loans, to support your startup costs. Consider your legal structure—options include LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—to determine liability and tax implications. Register your business and obtain necessary permits to ensure compliance with local laws. An organized business plan enhances your chances of securing investment and provides clarity as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. Success Stories Trisha Trout Trisha Trout, at age 50, transformed a personal tragedy into a thriving small business, Prairie Sage Soap Co. After her husband’s passing, she leveraged her passion for soap-making to create a stable income. Despite facing initial challenges, Trisha’s venture highlights the power of innovation and product alignment with personal values. Her journey underscores the significance of market research in identifying customer needs and building a brand that resonates with the target audience. Katonya Breaux At 50, Katonya Breaux founded Unsun Cosmetics inspired by the lack of effective sunscreen options for people of color. As an entrepreneur, she capitalized on a specific market gap, leading to significant recognition in over 5,000 CVS locations. Katonya’s experience illustrates the value of a solid business plan and effective branding. Her success emphasizes the importance of digital marketing strategies, including social media engagement and customer acquisition techniques to generate buzz and establish a loyal customer base. Conclusion Starting a business after retirement can be one of the most rewarding decisions you make. It’s a chance to channel your passions into something meaningful while enjoying the benefits of financial independence. With the right mindset and a solid plan you can navigate the challenges and embrace the opportunities that come your way. Remember to leverage your experience and skills as you embark on this new journey. Stay engaged with your community and network with others who share your entrepreneurial spirit. By focusing on innovation and maintaining a strong online presence you can create a fulfilling venture that not only enriches your life but also inspires others. Embrace this exciting chapter and watch your dreams take flight. Frequently Asked Questions Can retirees really start a business successfully? Yes, retirees can start a business successfully by leveraging their valuable skills and experiences. With the right mindset and a solid plan, they can navigate challenges confidently and find fulfillment in entrepreneurship. What are the benefits of entrepreneurship for retirees? Starting a business after retirement offers benefits like financial independence, extra income, and staying engaged in meaningful activities. It can also improve lifestyle and provide opportunities for networking and personal growth. What challenges do retirees face when starting a business? Retirees may encounter challenges such as time management, securing funding, and understanding legal requirements. Balancing personal pursuits with business responsibilities can be tricky, but structured planning helps overcome these obstacles. How can retirees identify suitable business ideas? Retirees should explore their passions and skills to identify business ideas that align with their interests. This connection enhances motivation and increases the likelihood of developing a successful venture. What steps should retirees take to start a business? Retirees should create a detailed business plan, research the market, determine funding sources, and choose an appropriate legal structure. Compliance with local laws and regulations is also critical for long-term success. How important is market research for retirees starting a business? Market research is crucial as it helps retirees understand their target audience, identify competition, and validate business ideas. This knowledge guides their strategy and increases the chances of success in their ventures. What role does digital marketing play for retirees in business? Digital marketing is essential for retirees to establish an online presence, reach their target audience, and promote their products or services. Effective strategies in this area can lead to increased visibility and customer engagement. Image Via Envato This article, "Empower Your Retirement: A Guide to Starting a Business After Retirement" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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We often celebrate courage in its most dramatic forms: the whistleblower who risks everything, the bold innovator who disrupts an industry, or the leader who stands alone in a moment of crisis. These stories inspire us—but they can also feel out of reach. Most of us don’t face life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. Yet, every day we encounter moments that call for a different kind of courage: the courage to speak up, to question the status quo, to lead with vulnerability. This is what I call “micro-bravery”—the small, everyday acts of courage that often go unnoticed, but collectively shape the culture of an organization. While grand gestures of bravery grab headlines, it’s micro-bravery that builds resilient, human-centered workplaces. The Invisible Force That Changes Everything In my work as a leadership advisor and coach, I have seen firsthand how micro-bravery transforms organizations from the inside out. One executive I worked with—a brilliant leader in the life sciences—once admitted to her team that she didn’t have all the answers during a major pivot. What followed was extraordinary: Instead of disengagement or panic, her team leaned in. They became more honest, more collaborative, and more invested in the outcome. That single act of vulnerability unlocked a new level of trust, and it all started with a micro-bravery moment. Micro-bravery is not flashy. It doesn’t seek attention. But it is deeply powerful. It shows up in a team member who challenges groupthink, in a junior employee who shares a bold idea, or in a manager who acknowledges a mistake in front of their team. These moments of integrity, authenticity, and courage may be quiet—but they reverberate. Defining Micro-Bravery Micro-bravery is the act of choosing courage in the face of subtle resistance, fear, or inertia. It’s the decision to act with integrity and openness even when it would be easier to stay silent or conform. It lives in the gray areas: not on the battlefield, but in the boardroom; not on the frontlines, but in the feedback loop. It looks like: Asking a vulnerable question in a room full of experts Giving honest feedback with kindness and clarity Sharing a personal story that helps others feel less alone Standing up for someone whose voice isn’t being heard Saying, “I don’t know”—and meaning it When these actions are normalized, they build cultures where people feel safe to show up fully, take intelligent risks, and grow. The Micro-Bravery Loop: A New Leadership Imperative One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from leaders is, “How do I build a courageous culture?” The answer isn’t complicated—but it requires intention. It starts with modeling. When leaders share their own micro-bravery moments—whether it’s a recent failure or a hard truth they’ve had to face—it opens the door for others to do the same. Vulnerability at the top becomes permission for authenticity everywhere else. But modeling alone isn’t enough. Cultures of micro-bravery also need consistent reinforcement. I often recommend teams establish rituals that spotlight and reflect on these moments. One organization I worked with created a weekly “Courage Share,” where team members shared a risk they had taken, however small. Over time, this simple practice shifted the team’s entire dynamic—from guarded and skeptical to open and innovative. The framework I use with clients is what I call the “Micro-Bravery Loop”: Normalize discomfort. Let people know that discomfort is a sign of growth, not failure. Leaders should acknowledge it when it appears and create space to work through it. Spotlight small acts. Recognize everyday courage in real-time. Celebrate the act of speaking up or challenging assumptions—not just the end result. Reflect and reinforce. Create spaces for people to reflect on when they were brave and how it felt. This builds the muscle of self-awareness and encourages more of the same. Protect psychological safety. Bravery dies in fear. Leaders must create an environment where people feel safe taking risks without fear of punishment or shame. This is foundational. Why Micro-Bravery Matters Now In today’s rapidly shifting landscape—AI disruption, hybrid work, and economic uncertainty—the need for agile, resilient cultures has never been greater. But agility isn’t just about process or technology. It’s about people. It’s about whether your team feels empowered to think differently, challenge the norm, and move with purpose. Micro-bravery builds this capacity. It enables people to step into the unknown with confidence, not because they have all the answers, but because they trust the culture to support them as they figure things out. In essence, micro-bravery is the emotional infrastructure for innovation. From Performance to Presence What I have learned over decades of working with leaders is this: Courage is contagious. When someone dares to be real, others feel permission to do the same. But it starts small. It begins with moments of presence, not performance—when a leader pauses to really listen; when a team member asks questions that everyone’s been avoiding; when someone shares a story, that changes how we see them and ourselves. These are the moments that shape culture—and they don’t require a title to begin. They require intention. The real question isn’t whether you can be courageous. It’s whether you’re willing to start with the next conversation, the next decision, the next choice. Because when we practice micro-bravery, when we show up just a little braver than we did yesterday, we begin to reshape what’s possible—for ourselves, for our teams, for our organizations. And over time, those small acts of courage don’t just change conversations. They change culture. View the full article

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Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. U.S. existing-home sales totaled just 4.06 million in 2024—the lowest annual level since 1995, according to the National Association of Realtors. That’s far below the 5.3 million in pre-pandemic 2019. But here’s the thing: Today’s housing market is even more constrained when you consider that the U.S. now has 76.3 million more people and 33.2 million more households than it did in 1995. To illustrate this point, ResiClub created the following chart: U.S. existing home sales adjusted for population size. (We used total household counts instead of total population counts). In January 2025, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate of U.S. existing home sales was 4.08 million. Dividing that figure by the total number of U.S. households (132.2 million) results in 3.1%. Pretty much the last time U.S. existing home sales—adjusted for population—were lower was in the early 1980s, when the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate peaked at 18.63% in October 1981. The sharp deterioration in housing affordability has constrained existing home sales across the country. Some of this is due to homebuyers pulling back from the market, but much of it stems from homeowners who would like to sell and buy something else but aren’t doing so. Giving up their lower monthly payment and interest rate—73.3% of outstanding mortgages have a rate below 5.0%—for a much higher monthly payment and rate is hard to stomach. And even if they were willing to move, many homeowners can’t qualify right now for that new mortgage at current mortgage rates and home prices. To compare with the analysis/chart above, below is the monthly seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of U.S. existing home sales without adjusting for population. Big picture: To some degree, pent-up churn is building up in the housing market. In theory, the lock-in effect caused by the affordability deterioration and mortgage rate shock is most acute right out of the gate. However, over time, as lifestyle changes increase, incomes rise, and affordability improves, some additional turnover in the existing home market could be unlocked as “switching costs” come down. View the full article

The government now has the tricky task of running a costly and complex industrial operationView the full article

Key Takeaways Integrated Customer Management: Outlook Customer Manager provides a centralized system for managing customer interactions directly within Outlook, eliminating the need for multiple applications. User-Friendly Interface: Its intuitive design simplifies access to essential customer information, making it easier for small businesses to maintain and nurture customer relationships. Enhanced Productivity: The task management feature allows users to create, track, and assign tasks seamlessly, thereby boosting team efficiency and accountability. Collaboration Support: The tool fosters better communication among team members, enabling consistent engagement with clients and promoting collaborative efforts. Limitations: While it offers essential features, OCM is available only to Office 365 Business Premium users and lacks comprehensive functionalities needed for detailed project management and reporting. Mobile Accessibility: The mobile app for iOS enhances on-the-go management, although availability issues for Android users may limit broader team access. If you’re looking to streamline your customer relationships, Outlook Customer Manager might be the perfect tool for you. This integrated solution within Outlook helps you manage your contacts, track interactions, and keep your business organized—all in one place. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily access essential customer information right from your inbox. Imagine having a complete view of your customer interactions without switching between different apps. Outlook Customer Manager offers just that, allowing you to stay focused on what really matters—building strong relationships and driving sales. Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a larger team, this tool can enhance your productivity and efficiency, making it easier to nurture your customer connections. Overview of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager enhances customer management directly within Outlook, streamlining your business operations. This tool integrates contact management and interaction tracking, giving you a centralized view of all customer information from your inbox. You no longer need to switch between multiple applications, simplifying your workflow and improving time management. Designed especially for small business leaders, Outlook Customer Manager facilitates better decision-making and boosts productivity by providing an intuitive interface. With features that enable you to track customer interactions, maintain essential data, and manage relationships efficiently, you can focus on nurturing customer connections. Utilizing this technology solution fosters effective communication and empowers your team. You can develop strategic planning around customer service and customer acquisition, aligning your goals with operational efficiency. As you leverage automation within your business processes, you’ll notice improvements in customer retention and sales management. The tool also supports collaboration among your team members, encouraging consistent engagement with clients. Incorporating Outlook Customer Manager into your daily practices enhances your business’s scalability and growth potential. Whether it’s managing tasks, scheduling activities, or analyzing customer feedback, this software solution streamlines various aspects of your business model. Key Features of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager offers essential features that enhance contact and task management, perfect for small businesses aiming for efficient customer relationships and streamlined operations. Contact Management Outlook Customer Manager simplifies contact management within Outlook. You can create new contacts from emails or manually, associating them with companies and activities like emails and phone calls. This feature automatically organizes customer information in a timeline next to your inbox, ensuring quick access to relevant data. While it promotes collaboration among team members, keep in mind that all users access the entire contact list, lacking the advanced access controls found in more robust CRM solutions. Task Management Outlook Customer Manager integrates seamlessly with Outlook tasks, boosting your productivity. You can easily create, track, and assign tasks to team members, helping maintain clear accountability and ensuring that important projects move forward. This functionality streamlines your workflow, allowing for effective delegation and improved task completion, which enhances your team’s efficiency. Integration with Other Tools Outlook Customer Manager works well with other Microsoft Office tools. Its integration facilitates smooth data sharing and collaboration across your business. By using this tool alongside Microsoft’s suite, you can enhance your operational efficiency and align your customer service strategies effectively. The intuitive interface minimizes switching between applications, saving time and allowing you to focus on your business goals, whether they involve customer acquisition or scaling your operations. Benefits of Using Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager offers vital benefits that enhance customer management for small businesses. Centralized customer information simplifies your workflow. You access emails, meetings, calls, notes, files, tasks, deals, and deadlines all in one timeline view, located conveniently next to your Outlook inbox. This accessibility strengthens customer relationships by enabling you to respond quickly and effectively. Productivity receives a significant boost through task management features. You can create, prioritize, and track tasks specific to each customer directly within Outlook. This integration minimizes time spent switching between applications, allowing you to focus on meaningful engagement with customers. Enhanced time management increases overall efficiency, contributing to effective project management and better business operations. Additionally, the tool supports collaboration among team members. It fosters communication skills by providing a platform for all team members to access essential customer data efficiently. As you manage customer relationships and team tasks, you improve decision-making and delegation within your business. Outlook Customer Manager ultimately positions your small business for growth by streamlining workflows, enhancing customer service, and facilitating better performance reviews. Limitations of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager (OCM) has several limitations that may impact small business operations. Licensing and Availability OCM is exclusive to users with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license. It isn’t available for users with Office 365 E1, E3, or E5 licenses. This limitation restricts access for many potential users who seek efficient customer management solutions. Functional Scope OCM primarily focuses on deal management. It lacks features for other CRM processes necessary for comprehensive sales management. This absence impacts your ability to generate detailed management reports and hinders effective data analysis needed for strategic planning. Task and Project Management OCM relies on Outlook’s built-in tasks component for task management. Although it enables you to create, track, and assign tasks, it doesn’t support flexible sales goals, sub-projects, or complex deal management processes. OCM struggles to manage projects involving multiple tasks or subtasks, which can diminish efficiency in achieving business goals. For small businesses, these limitations can hinder productivity and overall performance in customer relationship management and project execution. User Experience and Feedback Outlook Customer Manager (OCM) enhances your customer management experience by integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Outlook. You can manage customer interactions directly from your email client, which improves workflow and elevates productivity. Organizing emails, meetings, calls, notes, tasks, and deals becomes straightforward, allowing you to maintain a comprehensive view of your customer relationships. You’ll find the interface familiar and user-friendly, reducing the learning curve common with new software tools. OCM automatically populates customer information from emails and contacts, streamlining data entry and saving time. For small businesses focused on efficiency, this feature minimizes the need for extensive manual input and maximizes the time available for cultivating customer connections and making strategic decisions. OCM is accessible via a mobile app for iOS, which allows you to update customer information while on the go. While this is a significant advantage for small business leaders looking to manage operations remotely, it’s important to note that Android users currently lack access. This limitation could impact team management dynamics if your workforce utilizes a mix of mobile devices. Feedback from users tends to center around the tool’s effectiveness in enhancing customer service through better communication and collaboration. You can track important interactions and follow up promptly, improving customer retention rates. However, some feedback reveals that limited access controls may hinder task delegation among team members, affecting overall team productivity. Despite its strengths, OCM users often mention the challenge of using it exclusively with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license. This requirement may restrict accessibility for some small businesses seeking comprehensive CRM solutions. Additionally, feedback indicates that OCM’s focus on deal management limits more extensive financial planning and project management functionalities, which could stifle growth opportunities. OCM suits small businesses aiming to streamline customer management while leveraging existing tools like Outlook. This software solution focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, improving time management, and enabling better decision-making, although some users notice areas for improvement regarding task management and licensing requirements. Conclusion Outlook Customer Manager is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your customer management processes. By integrating seamlessly with Outlook, it allows you to access vital customer information right from your inbox. This streamlined approach not only saves you time but also helps you maintain stronger relationships with your clients. While it offers numerous benefits like improved task management and team collaboration, it’s essential to consider its limitations. The licensing requirements and focus on deal management could impact some users. Despite these challenges, OCM remains a valuable asset for small businesses aiming to boost productivity and foster growth. Embracing this tool could be the key to elevating your customer interactions and overall business performance. Frequently Asked Questions What is Outlook Customer Manager (OCM)? OCM is a tool integrated within Outlook that helps users manage customer relationships by providing contact management and interaction tracking features directly from their inbox. Who can benefit from using OCM? Small business owners and larger teams can benefit from OCM as it enhances productivity, streamlines workflows, and helps maintain effective customer relationships. What are the key features of OCM? Key features of OCM include contact management, task management, and integration with other Microsoft Office tools, all designed to improve customer interaction and operational efficiency. Is OCM available for everyone? No, OCM is only available to users with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license, which limits access for some potential users. How does OCM improve team collaboration? OCM enhances team collaboration by allowing multiple users to access essential customer data easily, thereby improving communication, decision-making, and task delegation. What are some limitations of OCM? Limitations include its focus on deal management rather than comprehensive sales management and its reliance on Outlook’s built-in tasks, which can restrict flexibility in task management. How does user feedback describe OCM’s effectiveness? Users appreciate OCM’s seamless integration with Outlook, which reduces the learning curve, but some express concerns about limited access controls and licensing restrictions. Is there a mobile app for OCM? Yes, OCM has a mobile app available for iOS, allowing users to update customer information on the go, though there is currently no Android version. Image Via Envato This article, "Maximize Efficiency with Outlook Customer Manager for Small Business Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Integrated Customer Management: Outlook Customer Manager provides a centralized system for managing customer interactions directly within Outlook, eliminating the need for multiple applications. User-Friendly Interface: Its intuitive design simplifies access to essential customer information, making it easier for small businesses to maintain and nurture customer relationships. Enhanced Productivity: The task management feature allows users to create, track, and assign tasks seamlessly, thereby boosting team efficiency and accountability. Collaboration Support: The tool fosters better communication among team members, enabling consistent engagement with clients and promoting collaborative efforts. Limitations: While it offers essential features, OCM is available only to Office 365 Business Premium users and lacks comprehensive functionalities needed for detailed project management and reporting. Mobile Accessibility: The mobile app for iOS enhances on-the-go management, although availability issues for Android users may limit broader team access. If you’re looking to streamline your customer relationships, Outlook Customer Manager might be the perfect tool for you. This integrated solution within Outlook helps you manage your contacts, track interactions, and keep your business organized—all in one place. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily access essential customer information right from your inbox. Imagine having a complete view of your customer interactions without switching between different apps. Outlook Customer Manager offers just that, allowing you to stay focused on what really matters—building strong relationships and driving sales. Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a larger team, this tool can enhance your productivity and efficiency, making it easier to nurture your customer connections. Overview of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager enhances customer management directly within Outlook, streamlining your business operations. This tool integrates contact management and interaction tracking, giving you a centralized view of all customer information from your inbox. You no longer need to switch between multiple applications, simplifying your workflow and improving time management. Designed especially for small business leaders, Outlook Customer Manager facilitates better decision-making and boosts productivity by providing an intuitive interface. With features that enable you to track customer interactions, maintain essential data, and manage relationships efficiently, you can focus on nurturing customer connections. Utilizing this technology solution fosters effective communication and empowers your team. You can develop strategic planning around customer service and customer acquisition, aligning your goals with operational efficiency. As you leverage automation within your business processes, you’ll notice improvements in customer retention and sales management. The tool also supports collaboration among your team members, encouraging consistent engagement with clients. Incorporating Outlook Customer Manager into your daily practices enhances your business’s scalability and growth potential. Whether it’s managing tasks, scheduling activities, or analyzing customer feedback, this software solution streamlines various aspects of your business model. Key Features of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager offers essential features that enhance contact and task management, perfect for small businesses aiming for efficient customer relationships and streamlined operations. Contact Management Outlook Customer Manager simplifies contact management within Outlook. You can create new contacts from emails or manually, associating them with companies and activities like emails and phone calls. This feature automatically organizes customer information in a timeline next to your inbox, ensuring quick access to relevant data. While it promotes collaboration among team members, keep in mind that all users access the entire contact list, lacking the advanced access controls found in more robust CRM solutions. Task Management Outlook Customer Manager integrates seamlessly with Outlook tasks, boosting your productivity. You can easily create, track, and assign tasks to team members, helping maintain clear accountability and ensuring that important projects move forward. This functionality streamlines your workflow, allowing for effective delegation and improved task completion, which enhances your team’s efficiency. Integration with Other Tools Outlook Customer Manager works well with other Microsoft Office tools. Its integration facilitates smooth data sharing and collaboration across your business. By using this tool alongside Microsoft’s suite, you can enhance your operational efficiency and align your customer service strategies effectively. The intuitive interface minimizes switching between applications, saving time and allowing you to focus on your business goals, whether they involve customer acquisition or scaling your operations. Benefits of Using Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager offers vital benefits that enhance customer management for small businesses. Centralized customer information simplifies your workflow. You access emails, meetings, calls, notes, files, tasks, deals, and deadlines all in one timeline view, located conveniently next to your Outlook inbox. This accessibility strengthens customer relationships by enabling you to respond quickly and effectively. Productivity receives a significant boost through task management features. You can create, prioritize, and track tasks specific to each customer directly within Outlook. This integration minimizes time spent switching between applications, allowing you to focus on meaningful engagement with customers. Enhanced time management increases overall efficiency, contributing to effective project management and better business operations. Additionally, the tool supports collaboration among team members. It fosters communication skills by providing a platform for all team members to access essential customer data efficiently. As you manage customer relationships and team tasks, you improve decision-making and delegation within your business. Outlook Customer Manager ultimately positions your small business for growth by streamlining workflows, enhancing customer service, and facilitating better performance reviews. Limitations of Outlook Customer Manager Outlook Customer Manager (OCM) has several limitations that may impact small business operations. Licensing and Availability OCM is exclusive to users with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license. It isn’t available for users with Office 365 E1, E3, or E5 licenses. This limitation restricts access for many potential users who seek efficient customer management solutions. Functional Scope OCM primarily focuses on deal management. It lacks features for other CRM processes necessary for comprehensive sales management. This absence impacts your ability to generate detailed management reports and hinders effective data analysis needed for strategic planning. Task and Project Management OCM relies on Outlook’s built-in tasks component for task management. Although it enables you to create, track, and assign tasks, it doesn’t support flexible sales goals, sub-projects, or complex deal management processes. OCM struggles to manage projects involving multiple tasks or subtasks, which can diminish efficiency in achieving business goals. For small businesses, these limitations can hinder productivity and overall performance in customer relationship management and project execution. User Experience and Feedback Outlook Customer Manager (OCM) enhances your customer management experience by integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Outlook. You can manage customer interactions directly from your email client, which improves workflow and elevates productivity. Organizing emails, meetings, calls, notes, tasks, and deals becomes straightforward, allowing you to maintain a comprehensive view of your customer relationships. You’ll find the interface familiar and user-friendly, reducing the learning curve common with new software tools. OCM automatically populates customer information from emails and contacts, streamlining data entry and saving time. For small businesses focused on efficiency, this feature minimizes the need for extensive manual input and maximizes the time available for cultivating customer connections and making strategic decisions. OCM is accessible via a mobile app for iOS, which allows you to update customer information while on the go. While this is a significant advantage for small business leaders looking to manage operations remotely, it’s important to note that Android users currently lack access. This limitation could impact team management dynamics if your workforce utilizes a mix of mobile devices. Feedback from users tends to center around the tool’s effectiveness in enhancing customer service through better communication and collaboration. You can track important interactions and follow up promptly, improving customer retention rates. However, some feedback reveals that limited access controls may hinder task delegation among team members, affecting overall team productivity. Despite its strengths, OCM users often mention the challenge of using it exclusively with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license. This requirement may restrict accessibility for some small businesses seeking comprehensive CRM solutions. Additionally, feedback indicates that OCM’s focus on deal management limits more extensive financial planning and project management functionalities, which could stifle growth opportunities. OCM suits small businesses aiming to streamline customer management while leveraging existing tools like Outlook. This software solution focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, improving time management, and enabling better decision-making, although some users notice areas for improvement regarding task management and licensing requirements. Conclusion Outlook Customer Manager is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your customer management processes. By integrating seamlessly with Outlook, it allows you to access vital customer information right from your inbox. This streamlined approach not only saves you time but also helps you maintain stronger relationships with your clients. While it offers numerous benefits like improved task management and team collaboration, it’s essential to consider its limitations. The licensing requirements and focus on deal management could impact some users. Despite these challenges, OCM remains a valuable asset for small businesses aiming to boost productivity and foster growth. Embracing this tool could be the key to elevating your customer interactions and overall business performance. Frequently Asked Questions What is Outlook Customer Manager (OCM)? OCM is a tool integrated within Outlook that helps users manage customer relationships by providing contact management and interaction tracking features directly from their inbox. Who can benefit from using OCM? Small business owners and larger teams can benefit from OCM as it enhances productivity, streamlines workflows, and helps maintain effective customer relationships. What are the key features of OCM? Key features of OCM include contact management, task management, and integration with other Microsoft Office tools, all designed to improve customer interaction and operational efficiency. Is OCM available for everyone? No, OCM is only available to users with a valid Office 365 Business Premium license, which limits access for some potential users. How does OCM improve team collaboration? OCM enhances team collaboration by allowing multiple users to access essential customer data easily, thereby improving communication, decision-making, and task delegation. What are some limitations of OCM? Limitations include its focus on deal management rather than comprehensive sales management and its reliance on Outlook’s built-in tasks, which can restrict flexibility in task management. How does user feedback describe OCM’s effectiveness? Users appreciate OCM’s seamless integration with Outlook, which reduces the learning curve, but some express concerns about limited access controls and licensing restrictions. Is there a mobile app for OCM? Yes, OCM has a mobile app available for iOS, allowing users to update customer information on the go, though there is currently no Android version. Image Via Envato This article, "Maximize Efficiency with Outlook Customer Manager for Small Business Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Waking up in the middle of the night used to spike my anxiety. I’d panic about losing sleep, which would only lead to more lost sleep, and more panic, until I wore myself out or the sun came up. But over time, I realized that those wakeups weren’t always bad. Some of my thoughts during those half-asleep moments turned out to be surprisingly useful. They helped me generate article ideas or navigate complex, ambiguous problems. Eventually, I saw that this altered state of wakefulness let me engage with life’s challenges in ways I couldn’t during the day. It turns out that I wasn’t alone. Your mind in the middle of the night In a well-known study from 2022 titled Mind after Midnight, a team led by scientists at the University of Arizona found that late-night thoughts tend to be negative, more ruminative, and more impulsive. They also found that being awake during the night increases risky behaviors and makes risky rewards seem more appealing. But there are upsides, say some proponents and sleep medicine professionals. For one, late-night thinking is now one of the only times when we’re shielded from endless pings and other distractions. And because we’re not fully awake, it allows for us to benefit from a sort of dreamy state that fosters original thinking. Salvador Dali and Albert Einstein famously used hypnagogia, this semi-lucid sleep state, to solve creative problems. “It’s a quieter time for our brain,” says Katherine Green, the medical director of sleep medicine at UCHealth in Aurora, Colorado. “There’s less distraction at night.” Madan Kandula, founder of Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Advent medical practices, credits his middle-of-the-night thoughts for helping him develop the operational efficiencies he needed to scale his business to more than 30 locations. “It’s literally when everything comes together for me,” he says. “It’s almost like this weird in-between world that I’m living in, and problems that I was working on the day before now have a pathway forward.” Kandula, a medical doctor by training, says he sometimes wakes up around 3 a.m., after being asleep for a few hours. While still in a dreamlike state, he says, “I am detached and can arrive at the solutions.” The only downside is that he can be groggy the following day. UCHealth’s Green says waking up from deep sleep—even in the middle of the night—enables us to consolidate what we learned the day before. Although consistent, quality sleep is critical—ideally seven hours or more—she says that these wakeful moments do help us synthesize ideas. “When you wake up with ideas in the middle of the night, it’s your brain activating those synapses or making those connections,” she says. For those trying to take advantage of the learnings, Green recommends keeping a notebook nearby. Write the thought down, she says, then let it go. “We don’t want those thoughts to be lost, but we don’t want them to run rampant,” and keep us awake, she adds. Why the in-between time can be the best time Not fully waking yourself up in the middle of the night is key to reaping the benefits, says Annika Carroll, a sleep and health coach based in Manitoba, Canada. The prefrontal cortex, which governs logical reasoning, impulse control, and decision-making shows reduced activity during late-night hours. That means that people are often plagued by fewer imposter syndrome thoughts, which rely on more rational brain activity, she says. But there’s one caveat when tapping into the late-night brain: If thoughts become too emotional, “it’s going to be a disaster,” Carroll says. Rebecca Zhou, CEO of Soft Services, a body care brand in New York, says it can be difficult to figure out if her middle-of-the-night thoughts are actually useful. “I try to not immediately react, and give it some time,” she says. “If the idea keeps bubbling up over the course of the day, I’ll share it with someone on my team that I trust to get their reaction and determine if it’s worth pursuing.” While late-night thoughts can inspire creativity, you shouldn’t overdo it. Too much time awake in the night can signal something deeper, and impair thinking. “If it happens consistently,” Carroll says, “I would start exploring why I’m waking up.” View the full article

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed in 1996 as part of the Telecommunications Act, has become a political lightning rod in recent years. The law shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content while allowing moderation in good faith. Lawmakers including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., now seek to sunset Section 230 by 2027 in order to spur a renegotiation of its provisions. The senators are expected to hold a press event before April 11 about a bill to start a timer on reforming or replacing Section 230, according to reports. If no agreement is reached by the deadline Section 230 would cease to be law. The debate over the law centers on balancing accountability for harmful content with the risks of censorship and stifled innovation. As a legal scholar, I see dramatic potential effects if Section 230 were to be repealed, with some platforms and websites blocking any potentially controversial content. Imagine Reddit with no critical comments or TikTok stripped of political satire. The law that built the internet Section 230, often described as “the 26 words that created the internet,” arose in response to a 1995 ruling penalizing platforms for moderating content. The key provision of the law, (c)(1), states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” This immunizes platforms such as Facebook and Yelp from liability for content posted by users. Importantly, Section 230 does not offer blanket immunity. It does not shield platforms from liability related to federal criminal law, intellectual property infringement, sex trafficking or where platforms codevelop unlawful content. At the same time, Section 230 allows platform companies to moderate content as they see fit, letting them block harmful or offensive content that is permitted by the First Amendment. Some critics argue that the algorithms social media platforms use to feed content to users are a form of content creation and should be outside the scope of Section 230 immunity. In addition, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has signaled a more aggressive stance toward Big Tech, advocating for a rollback of Section 230’s protections to address what he perceives as biased content moderation and censorship. Censorship and the moderation dilemma Opponents warn that repealing Section 230 could lead to increased censorship, a flood of litigation and a chilling effect on innovation and free expression. Section 230 grants complete immunity to platforms for third-party activities regardless of whether the challenged speech is unlawful, according to a February 2024 report from the Congressional Research Service. In contrast, immunity via the First Amendment requires an inquiry into whether the challenged speech is constitutionally protected. Without immunity, platforms could be treated as publishers and held liable for defamatory, harmful or illegal content their users post. Platforms could adopt a more cautious approach, removing legally questionable material to avoid litigation. They could also block potentially controversial content, which could leave less space for voices of marginalized people. MIT management professor Sinan Aral warned, “If you repeal Section 230, one of two things will happen. Either platforms will decide they don’t want to moderate anything, or platforms will moderate everything.” The overcautious approach, sometimes called “collateral censorship,” could lead platforms to remove a broader swath of speech, including lawful but controversial content, to protect against potential lawsuits. Yelp’s general counsel noted that without Section 230, platforms may feel forced to remove legitimate negative reviews, depriving users of critical information. Corbin Barthold, a lawyer with the nonprofit advocacy organization TechFreedom, warned that some platforms might abandon content moderation to avoid liability for selective enforcement. This would result in more online spaces for misinformation and hate speech, he wrote. However, large platforms would likely not choose this route to avoid backlash from users and advertisers. A legal minefield Section 230(e) currently preempts most state laws that would hold platforms liable for user content. This preemption maintains a uniform legal standard at the federal level. Without it, the balance of power would shift, allowing states to regulate online platforms more aggressively. Some states could pass laws imposing stricter content moderation standards, requiring platforms to remove certain types of content within defined time frames or mandating transparency in content moderation decisions. Conversely, some states may seek to limit moderation efforts to preserve free speech, creating conflicting obligations for platforms that operate nationally. Litigation outcomes could also become inconsistent as courts across different jurisdictions apply varying standards to determine platform liability. The lack of uniformity would make it difficult for platforms to establish consistent content moderation practices, further complicating compliance efforts. The chilling effect on expression and innovation would be especially pronounced for new market entrants. While major players such as Facebook and YouTube might be able to absorb the legal pressure, smaller competitors could be forced out of the market or rendered ineffective. Small or midsize businesses with a website could be targeted by frivolous lawsuits. The high cost of compliance could deter many from entering the market. Reform without ruin The nonprofit advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation warned, “The free and open internet as we know it couldn’t exist without Section 230.” The law has been instrumental in fostering the growth of the internet by enabling platforms to operate without the constant threat of lawsuits over user-generated content. Section 230 also lets platforms organize and tailor user-generated content. The potential repeal of Section 230 would fundamentally alter this legal landscape, reshaping how platforms operate, increasing their exposure to litigation and redefining the relationship between the government and online intermediaries. Daryl Lim is a professor of law and associate dean for research and innovation at Penn State. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Nearly 40% of Black workers feel comfortable talking about their faith with people at work, the highest of any U.S. racial group, our two recent studies found. But they also risk facing religious discrimination. For the past 15 years, we have been studying religion in workplaces. Recently we conducted two studies, including two online surveys involving 15,000 workers and in-depth interviews with nearly 300. Our respondents included Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and nonreligious individuals. The majority of Black Americans—nearly 8 in 10—identify as Christians. And we found that Black workers from all faiths are more likely than other racial groups to use their traditions to find meaning and purpose in their work and to feel “called” to their work. Although not all Black Americans are religious or want their faith to intersect with their work, we found that many Black Americans very much want to bring their religious beliefs to work. This goes beyond just talking about them at work, such as their holiday celebrations or the importance of their church in their lives. In addition, Black Americans are more likely than other racial groups to display or wear religious symbols, such as jewelry or head coverings. Why it matters Scholars have often focused on racial discrimination in workplaces. However, the potential overlap between racial and religious marginalization has not been studied as much. Some Black Christians told us that when they mention faith at work, they fear they will be discriminated against because of their race and because of their faith, what we call “double marginalization.” For example, we interviewed a Black Christian woman who worked as an assistant professor of English. She told us she was reluctant to describe the challenges she faced in academia as religious discrimination but said the humanities “tend to not always be welcoming toward religious people and Christians specifically.” She recalled several instances when she was treated differently due to her faith. Black Christians we interviewed said that coworkers stereotyped them as narrow-minded or sanctimonious in ways that felt marginalizing. For example, some said the term holy—which might seem positive in certain kinds of contexts—can be applied in pejorative ways to Black Christians. A man we interviewed who attends a majority Black congregation said he talks about his faith openly in the workplace and often feels negatively judged. Members of minority religions may feel even more at risk. The largest group of Muslims in the U.S. are Black Americans. Black Muslim female workers, for example, feel three times marginalized—feeling at risk for gender, racial, and religious discrimination—our study found. Their faith sometimes makes Black Americans less likely to address inequality in their workplaces. We found they sometimes draw on religious values like forgiveness and their belief that “God is in control” to justify remaining quiet about religious and racial discrimination. What’s next This contrasts with our previous work, where we argued that religion can be used to address inequalities at work. We need more research that examines the inextricable link between religion and race in workplaces. Workplace leaders who care about lessening inequality need to understand that racial and religious identities are often deeply intertwined. The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. Elaine Howard Ecklund is a professor of sociology at Rice University. Christopher P. Scheitle is an associate professor of sociology at West Virginia University. Denise Daniels is a chair of entrepreneurship at Wheaton College (Illinois). This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

When government officials accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, in a Signal group chat discussing U.S. military plans, all hell broke loose. The Atlantic’s CEO, Nicholas Thompson, joins Rapid Response to discuss the scandal now known as “Signalgate,” revealing insider details about how the story came to be and sharing how the publication thinks about fostering its success as a business while maintaining editorial independence. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by Robert Safian, former editor-in-chief of Fast Company. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. I have to ask you about one of the biggest news stories of the year: The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, included in a group chat on Signal by U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Other leaders, including the secretary of Defense, are there. Sensitive military plans are discussed. When did this first come to you? Are you consulted in advance by the editorial team on how to approach coverage, or do you read about it once it breaks for the rest of us? I’m not consulted. I don’t know what they’re going to publish today. I don’t know what the next cover of The Atlantic is. For a story like this, I certainly knew that something important was going to be published, because there’s a lot that you have to do as an organization when something like this happens—you have to make sure your comms officials and others are ready to go. So I knew that something was going to happen, but I read it maybe right about when everybody else did. In fact, I believe one of the first five people to read the story was my 11-year-old son because I was with him. So right before it went live on the site, we got to read the story. Even after I read it, I didn’t realize the impact it would have. When we published the second story, and we published the chat transcripts, I was on an airplane when that went live. The second I read that, I knew that was going to be massive because of the texture, the color, and because the administration had spent the previous day saying that what was in the chats was not classified, and that The Atlantic was mischaracterizing it. So, it was very clear that that was incorrect, and that meant the story was going to go wild. I know there’s the story that obviously brought a lot of attention, but the general environment since The President took office again has been a high degree of turmoil. Is that turmoil good for your business? I mean, your audience is more eager to be part of it. Our business is subscriptions, and clearly more people really respect our brand. They care a lot about trust. They like fact-check journalism. We stand for all those things, and subscriptions are up substantially. Advertising is more complicated, because advertisers don’t want to be around political tension. So there’s some headwinds, right? Our advertising numbers are terrific. They’re up above target, but we’re not crashing our advertising numbers the way we were not long ago. Then the more interesting thing is if you look at the media ecosystem from 2016 to 2020, there’s a real business risk. I haven’t done the analysis, but if you were to do a regression analysis of how much publications leaned into being resistance publications and their long-term economic prospects, I think there’s probably a negative correlation. I think that there’s some deleterious things that happen to your publication if you become a resistance publication, and it affects your brand. It affects your readership. It affects the way social media algorithms work. It tunes your audience in a way that probably isn’t helpful. Now, that’s not a risk for The Atlantic because we are so at our core or founding statements as we are of no party or clique. We would never become a resistance publication, and it’s so counter to the way Jeff Goldberg and the editorial team see the world. They would 100% have published that story about Joe Biden. If Donald The President does something that they think is amazing, they’ll write a story that says he’s amazing. But as a general media executive perspective, I do think that there’s a temptation. There was a temptation in the first The President administration. I think there is in the second The President administration to eat the sugar of anti-The President coverage, and it’s not healthy in the long run. It’s interesting, too, because a lot of brands, they get positioned or pigeonholed as being either part of the resistance or part of MAGA, sort of one side or the other. I saw some report saying that The President’s biggest gripe was that Waltz had your editor’s number on his phone. I could see from an editorial point of view, that’s like a badge of honor like, “Yeah, we’re in there.” From a business point of view, does your relationship with the administration get more complicated about who you can reach and what your reputation’s going to be? Well, I don’t think there’s a huge problem for journalists reaching people in the The President administration. You read Jonathan Lemire’s piece every day. He’s always like, “I talked to five people on the inside of this decision, all of whom requested anonymity, right?” They’re clearly talking to us. It’s no surprise that Goldberg was in Waltz’s phone. Our reporters talk to lots of people in Washington, because people in Washington care what is written about them in places that people read. So, they may denounce us and say, “It’s a horror, The Atlantic,” but God knows they’re all reading it. From a business perspective, there are risks. There are ways the federal government could retaliate against us on a business side. You can imagine certainly with ABC, CBS. They’ve gone after the owners, and you can imagine an administration going after our owner. We’ve tried to game all this out. We’ve tried to see whether there are points of leverage. I don’t think there are any. I don’t think there are any risks, but who knows, right? The The President administration has proved very adversarial to anybody it perceives as a critic, and who knows what happens. You mentioned advertising dollars earlier. Is that advertising risk higher if you’re seen as hostile to The President? Different advertisers have different views. Some don’t care. Our readers, we have almost precisely as many Republican readers as Democratic readers. We are reaching influential and affluent and highly read, highly educated people across the political spectrum. They’re a cohort that many advertisers want to reach, and so that’s a huge plus. I do think if there was a chance we were viewed as a resistant publication, that would be very bad for advertising. But I think the actual risk is advertisers think, You really want to buy a fancy watch when you’re reading a story about bombing Yemen? No. Right? You’re in a mood to buy a fancy watch when you’re reading a story about some entrepreneur who’s built something cool or something that puts you in a different emotional mood. So the risk is really if your coverage becomes writing about the chaos, or writing about deportations, writing about El Salvadorian prisons. You want to buy a fancy watch when you’re reading about a prison in El Salvador? No, you do not. So, it’s more of a, What is the perception of what we cover? How many stories do we put of this kind? How many people read those stories? How do you fit the ads in? Again, the interesting thing about The Atlantic is that the business choices are all downstream of the editorial choices. Goldberg could come up here and say, “By the way, hey, Nick, we’re actually only going to be covering torture and pillaging for the next two months.” Then I would just have to figure out how to sell ads. I wouldn’t say, “Hey, can you please write some stories about small businesses?” I would sell ads to companies that want to be around torturing and pillaging. I would just figure it out. So, we’re different from publications that work in the other way. Your aspiration is not to operate it like Jeff Bezos at The Washington Post, and say, “We should cover this.” It’s the exact opposite. That’s why I stay out of the editorial decisions. I never want that. When I knew there was something big coming, I just called Goldberg and I said, “I don’t know what the story is. I don’t want to know what the story is, but I want you to publish it no matter what.” And I said, “I’ll stand behind you no matter what it is, and no matter what happens.” View the full article

Wera Hobhouse’s ejection ‘appears linked to her criticism of Beijing’s human rights record’, says inter-parliamentary groupView the full article

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Buckling to a volatile administration has costs that are only starting to become apparentView the full article