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In terms of background checks, knowing which sites offer the best services can save you time and resources. The top five highest-rated options include Iprospectcheck, First Advantage, Checkr, HireRight, and Sterling. Each of these platforms has unique strengths, from rapid processing times to thorough offerings customized for large employers. Grasping what each site can provide is crucial, especially if you’re looking for efficiency and reliability. Let’s explore what sets these platforms apart. Key Takeaways Checkr: Known for rapid results, delivering 89% of checks within one hour, ideal for high-volume employers. Iprospectcheck: Offers personalized searches with competitive pricing and a free background check option, ensuring compliance with regulations. First Advantage: Specializes in large-scale screenings, providing customizable checks and quick turnaround times for multinational employers. HireRight: Features a strong BBB rating, customizable checks, and a focus on customer satisfaction with reliable turnaround times. Sterling: One of the oldest providers, known for extensive checks and strong enterprise-level service, enhancing its offerings post-acquisition by First Advantage. Iprospectcheck Regarding background screening, Iprospectcheck stands out as a reliable choice for businesses looking for customized solutions. Founded in 2009 and based in California, this family-owned provider offers personalized searches that comply with FCRA and local regulations. With pricing options from $24.95 for Basic checks to $79.95 for Premium checks, it accommodates businesses of all sizes. Iprospectcheck is known for its fast turnaround times, often delivering results within one to five business days, which can improve candidate retention in critical industries like staffing and healthcare. They additionally provide an absolutely free background check with no credit card required, allowing you to assess their services risk-free. As one of the highest rated background check sites, they prioritize compliance and ethical practices, ensuring you receive reliable and accurate information. You can further explore their BackgroundCheck free trial background check to experience their offerings firsthand. First Advantage In relation to background screening, First Advantage is a prominent choice for large-scale employers, particularly those operating on an international level. Founded in 2003 and based in Georgia, this global provider specializes in background screening services customized for enterprise-level and multinational corporations. Their pricing structure accommodates various needs, starting from $29 for basic checks to $75 for premium packages. You can likewise take advantage of a 7 day free trial background check to explore their offerings. First Advantage provides customizable searches, including drug screening and coordination of physicals and vaccinations, all in the process of ensuring compliance with FCRA regulations. The turnaround times for background checks typically range from one to four business days, which improves hiring efficiency. Furthermore, First Advantage integrates seamlessly with various applicant tracking systems (ATS), supporting HR functions for large-scale screenings and streamlining the hiring process for employers. Checkr Even though many companies seek efficient solutions for background screening, Checkr stands out as a strong option for high-volume employers. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, Checkr automates the background screening process, enhancing efficiency and speed. With pricing starting at $29.99 for the Basic+ package, you can choose from higher tiers for more thorough checks customized to your needs. One of Checkr’s key advantages is its fast turnaround times, delivering 89% of checks within one hour, greatly improving the candidate experience. In addition, Checkr is FCRA-compliant, ensuring adherence to legal standards. The platform likewise offers customizable packages, allowing you to adjust the screening process to fit specific requirements. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and strong integration capabilities with various applicant tracking systems (ATS), Checkr positions itself as a reliable choice for employers looking for streamlined background checks. HireRight As you navigate the environment of background screening options, HireRight emerges as a prominent choice for employers seeking personalized solutions. Founded in 1995 and based in Nashville, this global provider offers a range of highly customizable background checks suited to your needs. With pricing starting at $39.95 for the Basic package, you can additionally opt for the Advantage and Advantage Plus packages at $69.95 and $79.95, respectively. HireRight boasts a strong BBB rating of A+, reflecting its commitment to customer satisfaction and quality service. The company guarantees fast turnaround times for background checks, typically ranging from one to five business days, which helps streamline your hiring process. Their thorough suite of services includes criminal background checks, employment verification, and drug testing, all compliant with FCRA and relevant regulations. This makes HireRight a reliable partner in your background screening efforts. Sterling Sterling stands out as one of the oldest background screening providers, having been established in 1975. Specializing in personalized searches and extensive background checks, it caters primarily to enterprise-level companies. With over 103,000 checks completed annually, Sterling demonstrates considerable experience in the background screening industry. The company offers a wide range of services, including criminal background checks, employment verification, and drug testing, all customized to meet the high-volume needs of large organizations. Pricing for Sterling‘s services varies greatly, starting from under $50 to several hundred dollars per check, depending on the complexity and customization required. In 2024, Sterling announced its acquisition by First Advantage, which is expected to improve its capabilities and expand its service offerings within the background screening market. This acquisition may enhance the efficiency and reliability of their services, making Sterling a compelling choice for businesses seeking thorough and adaptable background checks. Frequently Asked Questions Is Been Verified or Truthfinder Better? When deciding between Been Verified and TruthFinder, consider your needs. Been Verified offers unlimited reports for a monthly fee, which can save you money if you need multiple checks. Conversely, TruthFinder thrives in providing detailed public records and features like reverse phone lookup. Both services have positive ratings, but if you value extensive data, TruthFinder might suit you better, whereas Been Verified offers more cost-effective options for frequent users. Which Background Check Is Legit? To determine which background check service is legit, look for providers that comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and state regulations. Services like Checkr and iProspectCheck are known for their legal practices. Whereas TruthFinder and Intelius offer extensive public records access, they’re not FCRA-compliant for employment checks. Always check customer reviews and ratings, in addition to certifications from organizations like the Better Business Bureau, to guarantee reliability and trustworthiness. What Is the Most Used Background Check? The most used background check service is Checkr, known for its fast, automated screening process. It boasts an impressive completion rate of 89% of checks within one hour, making it a go-to for many employers. Other services, like iprospectcheck and First Advantage, cater to specific business needs, but Checkr’s efficiency and speed set it apart. Its ability to provide quick, reliable results helps businesses streamline their hiring processes effectively. What Is the Hardest Background Check to Pass? The hardest background check to pass often involves criminal history checks, where felony convictions can impact your chances of employment or housing. Furthermore, extensive employment verification checks can be tough if your resume contains discrepancies in job titles or dates. Credit history checks pose challenges for those with poor credit scores. Finally, international checks can be complex because of varying laws, making it difficult if you have overseas work or residency history. Conclusion To conclude, choosing the right background check service depends on your specific needs. Iprospectcheck offers affordability and speed, whereas First Advantage caters to larger employers with extensive requirements. Checkr is ideal for quick processing times, and HireRight shines with its customer service. Sterling, with its long-standing reputation, provides thorough checks suited for enterprise-level clients. Evaluating these options will help you select the best fit for your background screening needs, ensuring a reliable hiring process. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Top 5 Highest Rated Background Check Sites" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

For years, retail investors were dismissed by some on Wall Street as “dumb money.” That typically referred to those prone to trading on hype, or chasing trends rather than company or industry fundamentals, or responding late to big market moves. That’s no longer the case. An analysis of where retail investors put their money last year shows they outperformed two of the most popular, professionally managed index funds, SPY and QQQ, whose goal is to mirror the performance of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively. Retail investors accounted for $5.4 trillion in trading activity in 2025 across stocks and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, according to Vanda, an independent data and research firm. That’s a nearly 47% increase from the previous year and the most going back to at least 2014. “I personally want to dispel the myth of retail being dumb money, because it’s not dumb money anymore,” said Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab, at an investor education event held in Anaheim, California, last November that drew around 800 of the financial services company’s clients. Many Americans have long invested in the stock market, although largely hands-off through managed funds in retirement plans, such as a 401(k). But over the last decade, the advent of mobile trading apps, zero-commission trading, stock market-focused communities on social media and online tools for education and research has helped usher in a new era of do-it-yourself trading in stocks, crypto and other investments. The COVID-19 lockdowns were an inflection point. A new crop of investors, many young newcomers using investing apps like Robinhood, helped drive the “meme stock” frenzy that catapulted the price of GameStop, AMC Entertainment and other stocks. Meme stocks aside, years of mostly uninterrupted, strong stock market gains provided an attractive backdrop for more people to take up investing. The benchmark S&P 500 has posted an annual loss only three times going back to 2015. By early last year, the number of people moving money from checking accounts to investment accounts reached its highest levels since 2021, according to a report by JPMorgan Chase. Some may have been younger Americans who couldn’t afford to buy a house and instead put the money in stocks, the report suggests. All told, money coming into the market from individual investors jumped about 50% from 2023 to early 2025, according to the report. “I would say they are considerably more important as a force in markets right now,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. “Markets used to be really dominated by institutional investors, but if you put enough ants together, they can move a very big log.” Buying the dip Frank Sabia from Encino, California, started dabbling in investing in 2018. Over the years, he’s leveled up his market and trading knowledge by joining private investor chat groups online or attending investing seminars like Schwab’s. “I learned a lot more about options strategies and charting and everything from there,” he said in an interview in November. “Now I’m independent. I just look for my own trades. I have my own strategy. I hunt on my own.” Sabia, a high school registrar, said he trades in cryptocurrencies and other assets, but that his “bread and butter” is options trading. That involves trading contracts to buy or sell a stock at a specific price before a specified date. This can be less costly upfront than buying stocks, but can also be riskier, because options expire and a small move in a stock’s price can translate into a big swing in the value of options contracts. Last April, Sabia opened a Roth IRA account and bought into the market as stocks tanked after President Donald The President announced a sweeping set of tariffs that were more severe than investors expected. The announcement sent the S&P 500 into a two-day tailspin of more than 10%, the type of plunge not seen since the 2020 COVID crash. “I just bought the dip,” Sabia said. He was wasn’t alone. Retail investors seized on the market skid, buying more than $5 billion in stocks over the two days, according to Vanda. “In April, it was retail (investors) that bought the dip,” Mazzola said. “They were the ones that were willing to step in front. They saw the opportunity.” Retail investors also had one of their biggest buy-the-dip days of the year on Oct. 10, when the market dropped 2.7% after The President threatened a “massive increase on tariffs” on China. The AI trade and silver Retail investors haven’t slowed down this year. Their trading activity hit an all-time high on a rolling monthly basis last month, according to J.P. Morgan. They were particularly active in the last week of January, coinciding with the S&P 500 climbing to an all-time high. Retail traders also had a hand in turbocharging the price of silver last month to record highs by buying a record amount of silver ETFs, according to data from Vanda. A recent analysis by Charles Schwab of trading and stock positions by its millions of retail investor clients found they were net buyers of stocks in January, with Microsoft, Netflix and Tesla among the most popular stock buys. Some take on more risk Many retail investors have gone beyond stocks or ETFs and into other investment vehicles. Options trading, which can expose them to higher risk, accounted for about $650 billion of retail investors’ trading last year and has been mostly rising steadily going back to at least 2019, according to Vanda. Noah Goodwin, a junior in high school in the L.A. suburb of Castaic, started options trading on Robinhood Markets early last year using in his mother’s custodial account. It paid off right away. He bought $148 worth of Nvidia options on Jan. 20, 2025, the same day shares of the tech giant plunged on news of AI advances by Chinese startup DeepSeek. Goodwin sold his options later that day. “I made a $200 profit. My very first trade!” Goodwin said in an interview in November. Not all his trades have gone his way. In July, he thought he could capitalize on market volatility caused by more uncertainty over tariffs, but he miscalculated. “I lost a lot of money, like probably like around $600 to $800,” he said. “So, a horrible month for me.” “For the most part, with only some exceptions, buying the dip has tended to be a very profitable tactic for many retail investors,” said Sosnick. But he cautioned that the strategy had led to retail investors making trading decisions without giving full consideration to the risks and rewards. “The risk to it is that for many of them it’s become sort of mechanical,” he said. Balancing short-term and long-term trading It’s not uncommon for retail investors to strike a balance between higher-risk moves and making trades to build out a long-term investment portfolio. Andy Hu, a financial analyst in Los Angeles who attended the Schwab event in November, said he had 50% of his investment portfolio in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, a popular fund that aims to track the performance of the S&P 500. For his short-term trades, he tends to buy micro-cap stocks, which are very small publicly traded companies that can see big swings in price because of small trading volume. The approach had his active trading account up by around 20% through the first 11 months of last year, he said. Hu stopped making trades toward the end of last year when a pullback in big tech companies helped drag the S&P 500 to a monthly loss in December, clouding sentiment on Wall Street. “I haven’t made a single trade in the last two months,” Hu said. —Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer View the full article

Move comes after details of peer’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein revealed in US justice department documentsView the full article

Google’s Gemini app is stepping into the spotlight with its latest feature: enhanced audio verification capabilities that could significantly benefit small business owners. With a focus on responsible AI use, Gemini aims to streamline content creation while ensuring copyright compliance—a crucial balance in today’s digital landscape. At the heart of this innovation is the integration of SynthID, Google’s imperceptible watermark that identifies AI-generated content across various media formats, including audio. For small business owners who rely on original content to promote their brands, this is an important tool. By uploading audio files into the Gemini app, users can now quickly verify whether the content was generated using Google AI, helping to prevent the unintentional use of copyrighted materials. “This new verification feature helps creators know if their content is safe to use,” said a Google representative. “It broadens the capacities of the Gemini app and reinforces our commitment to responsible AI development.” The Gemini app has evolved since its inception, focusing on collaboration with the music community. Lyria 3, the latest iteration of their music generation tool, is designed not to mimic existing artists but to generate original compositions inspired by broader creative styles. This is particularly advantageous for businesses looking to craft unique soundtracks or jingles without running afoul of copyright laws. Small business owners can utilize Lyria 3 in various ways: Custom Soundtracks: Whether it’s a promotional video or a podcast, generating unique music can enhance engagement with customers. Branding: A distinctive audio signature can help businesses stand out in a crowded marketplace. Cost Efficiency: Hiring professional musicians or purchasing licenses can be expensive; leveraging AI-generated music may reduce these costs. However, while these tools offer exciting opportunities, they come with potential challenges that owners should consider. First, the verification process does not guarantee that every AI-generated track is free from copyright issues. As stated, users can report any content that may infringe on rights, indicating that the system is not foolproof. Moreover, complying with Google’s Terms of Service and generative AI policies is a must. Small business owners must ensure that their use of AI-generated content does not violate the intellectual property rights of others. This means being diligent in content creation while navigating the evolving AI landscape. Importantly, Lyria 3 is accessible to users aged 18 and older across multiple languages, including English and Spanish, making it versatile for a global audience. Businesses looking to leverage this tool can start experimenting right away by visiting gemini.google.com/music. In a world where content creation is vital, Google is committed to providing resources that help small businesses thrive. As AI tools advance, the potential for creativity, engagement, and efficiency in marketing will only expand. Small business owners should remain cognizant of the ongoing developments in AI technology and the implications for their own operations. To learn more about these features and how to navigate the world of AI content creation responsibly, visit the original post here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Enhances Music Creation with New Audio Verification Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google’s Gemini app is stepping into the spotlight with its latest feature: enhanced audio verification capabilities that could significantly benefit small business owners. With a focus on responsible AI use, Gemini aims to streamline content creation while ensuring copyright compliance—a crucial balance in today’s digital landscape. At the heart of this innovation is the integration of SynthID, Google’s imperceptible watermark that identifies AI-generated content across various media formats, including audio. For small business owners who rely on original content to promote their brands, this is an important tool. By uploading audio files into the Gemini app, users can now quickly verify whether the content was generated using Google AI, helping to prevent the unintentional use of copyrighted materials. “This new verification feature helps creators know if their content is safe to use,” said a Google representative. “It broadens the capacities of the Gemini app and reinforces our commitment to responsible AI development.” The Gemini app has evolved since its inception, focusing on collaboration with the music community. Lyria 3, the latest iteration of their music generation tool, is designed not to mimic existing artists but to generate original compositions inspired by broader creative styles. This is particularly advantageous for businesses looking to craft unique soundtracks or jingles without running afoul of copyright laws. Small business owners can utilize Lyria 3 in various ways: Custom Soundtracks: Whether it’s a promotional video or a podcast, generating unique music can enhance engagement with customers. Branding: A distinctive audio signature can help businesses stand out in a crowded marketplace. Cost Efficiency: Hiring professional musicians or purchasing licenses can be expensive; leveraging AI-generated music may reduce these costs. However, while these tools offer exciting opportunities, they come with potential challenges that owners should consider. First, the verification process does not guarantee that every AI-generated track is free from copyright issues. As stated, users can report any content that may infringe on rights, indicating that the system is not foolproof. Moreover, complying with Google’s Terms of Service and generative AI policies is a must. Small business owners must ensure that their use of AI-generated content does not violate the intellectual property rights of others. This means being diligent in content creation while navigating the evolving AI landscape. Importantly, Lyria 3 is accessible to users aged 18 and older across multiple languages, including English and Spanish, making it versatile for a global audience. Businesses looking to leverage this tool can start experimenting right away by visiting gemini.google.com/music. In a world where content creation is vital, Google is committed to providing resources that help small businesses thrive. As AI tools advance, the potential for creativity, engagement, and efficiency in marketing will only expand. Small business owners should remain cognizant of the ongoing developments in AI technology and the implications for their own operations. To learn more about these features and how to navigate the world of AI content creation responsibly, visit the original post here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Enhances Music Creation with New Audio Verification Tools" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The American promise is one of equal opportunity, but in most of our communities today, access to the resources that enable prosperity are too far out of reach. That’s because there is one unseen factor that influences who is able to thrive and who cannot: capital. The flow of capital into communities has a dramatic effect on which kind of people can open small businesses, buy homes, and generally participate in the American Dream. Places that are already thriving are able to easily access capital. Banks see these neighborhoods as a “safe bet” and will readily support the opening of new businesses, construction of new homes, and mortgage lending. But those places that are struggling—and have been struggling—do not receive the same treatment. These are the inner-city neighborhoods, the rural communities, and the suburban areas that have been abandoned. There are some capital options for these under-resourced communities. Nonprofit and community banks offer concessionary loans, and government grants help fill gaps. For example, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helped drive $28.3 billion in federal grants to over 1,500 cities, according to the National League of Cities. But this is not enough. We need a different way to think about capital to drive the prosperity that has been out of reach for too many for too long. THE 3 TYPES OF CAPITAL Decades of redlining, exclusionary lending, and the uneven distribution of government funds have created entrenched divisions in American communities. Despite legal reforms, barriers to capital still persist, including higher burdens for lending placed on marginalized groups, discrimination against those groups, and capital providers simply not showing up for these places. Over 12 million Americans live in a “banking desert,” with no bank close by. These deserts are rural and urban, but also overwhelmingly suburban: two thirds of banking deserts are in suburban areas. Overcoming these barriers is not as simple as getting more money out to communities that need it. Communities need ways to not only absorb the capital, but use it. Offering money is not enough; the dollars must be combined with expertise and knowledge to help get it to the people who actually need it. At Living Cities, we have identified three different types of capital that lead to prosperity: 1. Financial capital: Funds, credit, and investment needed to start businesses, buy homes, and generally support community growth. Systemic gaps in creditworthiness, collateral requirements, and bias in financing limit the spread of financial capital. 2. Social capital: Networks of trust, mentorship, and informal connections that open doors to opportunity. Research shows social capital is strongly associated with upward mobility and improved economic outcomes, with limited networks leading to lower rates of entrepreneurship and employment. Not all communities have equal access. Decades of segregation and underinvestment have eroded social infrastructure in marginalized neighborhoods. 3. Knowledge capital: Information, skills, and know-how required to navigate business, government, and civic systems. When you have financial capital, but lack knowledge of regulatory systems, market trends, and grant opportunities, the capital can’t get to where it’s most needed and most effective. Knowledge capital is a multiplier: pairing capital with business training or legal literacy increases success rates for entrepreneurs. THE “CAPITAL EQUATION” IN ACTION Only when all three types of capital come together can the cycle of exclusion be broken. Offering only one isn’t enough. For example, small business programs that blend loans (financial), local business incubators (social), and technical training (knowledge) see higher success rates than those providing only cash infusions. Our Breaking Barriers to Business cohort is leveraging all three types of capital to create and execute projects that create jobs through hands-on small business assistance. Cities should audit procurement, zoning, and economic development policies to identify the gaps in all types of capital access, not only financial capital. Any federal and philanthropic interventions should require grantees to demonstrate not only financial investment but strategies for bridging social and knowledge capital divides. TOWARD INCLUSIVE GROWTH Equitable capital flow is about more than headline numbers. It’s about shifting the deeper patterns that determine who gets to build the future. By understanding and reshaping capital flows, cities can fire up new engines of shared prosperity. Joe Scantlebury is president and CEO of Living Cities. View the full article

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in most parts of the world, and in my decade or so of using it, I've learned a few important tips that make it a much more convenient and secure experience. I use the following WhatsApp hacks to keep my account safe, stop the app from overloading my notifications and storage, and save myself a lot of time. If you're like me, and your entire social circle is on WhatsApp, then you're absolutely going to need tips like these to stop from feeling overwhelmed. Use advanced chat privacy to block exports and Meta AIWhatsApp has end-to-end encryption, which means that the company itself cannot read the contents of your messages, but that doesn't stop recipients from easily exporting your conversations. If you don't want anyone to export your message history, make sure to enable Advanced Chat Privacy in WhatsApp. This feature needs to be enabled individually for each chat (including group chats). With Advanced Chat Privacy enabled, photos won't be automatically saved to recipients' phones, AI features will be disabled, and no one will be able to export that chat's history to their devices. Note that people can still forward your messages and take screenshots or screen recordings of them, but every little bit helps. You can enable Advanced Chat Privacy by opening any chat in WhatsApp, tapping the name of the contact or group, and going to Advanced Chat Privacy. You can lock individual chats, tooEveryone knows that you can put an app lock on WhatsApp, which means that you'll need a passcode (or biometric authentication) to view your messages whenever you open the app. A lesser known feature is that you can lock individual chats, too. This allows you to put chats with certain people or groups into a hidden folder. These hidden chats won't show up in your list of WhatsApp conversations and can only be found by searching for the name of the contact or group. Even if someone else gains access to your WhatsApp, they also won't be able to open these chats without an additional passcode or biometric authentication. To use this, open any chat in WhatsApp, tap the name of the contact or group, and enable Lock chat. Make your WhatsApp account more secure Credit: Pranay Parab There are a few easy steps you can take in the WhatsApp settings to reduce the chances of unauthorized access to your WhatsApp account. Get started by going to WhatsApp Settings > Account. First, tap on Two-step verification and enable it. WhatsApp will ask you to create a 6-digit PIN, and the next time you log in to the app on a different device, you'll be prompted to enter this PIN in addition to your other credentials. When you set up two-step verification, the app will also ask you to add an email address to help recover the PIN in case you forget it. Once you've done that, feel free to add a passkey via the same account settings page, if you wish. The final step in securing your WhatsApp account involves locking your SIM card. Go to your phone's cellular service settings and set up a SIM PIN there. This locks your SIM card or eSIM, and means that if someone tries to add your number to another device, they'll need this PIN to get in. Since WhatsApp requires your phone number for activation, this step could prevent unauthorized access to your account. Optionally, you can also add a password to your WhatsApp backups. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encryption. You can either set up a passkey or a password to encrypt your backups. No one will be able to access your WhatsApp backups without this password, which will help keep your extra copies of important messages secure. Stop unknown people from adding you to groupsAs a heavy WhatsApp user, one of the biggest annoyances I used to face was people adding me to WhatsApp groups without my permission. I wasn't too bothered when my friends did this, but eventually I started getting added to random spam groups by strangers, which is when I decided to put an end to it. You can keep strangers from adding you to WhatsApp groups by going to WhatsApp Settings > Privacy > Groups and selecting My contacts. This allows only saved contacts to add you to groups. Feel free to choose My contacts except… if you want to block specific people from adding you to groups. The best WhatsApp hack for sending voice notesIf you like sending voice notes on WhatsApp, then I've got a few quick tips for you that will make your life easier. You might know that you can open any chat and hold the microphone icon to send a voice note. But did you know that if you slide this icon upwards towards the lock icon, you can let go of it and keep recording? This way, you don't have to keep holding the mic icon while recording long voice notes. You can also hit the pause button to pause the recording and come back to it later, in case there's an interruption while you're recording a voice note. Once you're done recording, you can also press the 1 button if you want your voice note to be deleted after the recipient hears it once. I'll admit, though, that I sometimes tend to ignore long voice notes. Instead, I use transcripts to quickly skim through them, and decide if they need an immediate response. Voice note transcripts are disabled by default, but you can enable them by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Voice message transcripts > Manually. While you're here, also tap Transcript language and select the language that you want to see your transcripts in. Archive unwanted chats and groupsIf you're getting too many messages from certain WhatsApp chats or groups, they'll always show up at the top in the list of your chats. To get these off the main window, head to the chat list and press and hold on the chats you want to banish. Then tap Mute. To ensure that these archived chats don't reappear in the main window when you receive a new message from them, go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats and enable Keep chats archived. Reduce notification spam Credit: Pranay Parab It's really easy to get overwhelmed by notifications in WhatsApp. If you're an even moderately social person, you'll quickly find yourself receiving way more messages than you can reasonably be expected to handle. I've found that disabling WhatsApp notifications entirely works best to counter the problem, but that's not the best solution for everyone. Instead, you can try a few things to seriously reduce the amount of pings you get from WhatsApp. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications and review every setting on this page. Personally, I've disabled all notifications for emoji reactions, group messages, and reminders. This way, I only get notified when individuals message me. Create chat folders to manage message overloadWhatsApp's chat folders are a great way to triage your conversations. In your chat list, press and hold on any conversation. From there, you can select either Add to Favorites or Add to list to get started. The first option adds these messages to the Favorites folder, and the second one lets you choose a custom folder name. These chat folders will appear above all your conversations, and you can quickly tap any of them to focus on specific conversations. The real hack is to reorder these folders to your liking. You can do that by holding the name on any of these chat folders and selecting Reorder lists. I've used this to prioritize messages from loved ones, my meditation group, running friends, and so on. How to stop "WhatsApp storage full" errorsUnfortunately, I know too many people whose phone storage is almost full because of WhatsApp. If you're in this situation, go to WhatsApp Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage to start the cleanup. Tap Larger than 5 MB and you'll be able to review everything that takes up a lot of storage space on your device. In the bottom-left corner, there's a button that lets you sort these files by recency or storage size. I've used this to identify lots of duplicate files and delete all but one copy of such items. You can also see a list of the chats occupying the most storage space on your device. Tap each item to manually review your files. It's pretty easy to set up a few preventative measures to stop this error, too. You can go to WhatsApp Settings > Storage and data and turn off everything under Media auto-download. Double check settings and privacyIt's important to note that if you use WhatsApp's apps on both your desktop and your phone, any settings changes you've made on one device might not sync to the other. You should review all settings to see if everything is syncing correctly. While you're double checking account details, you should also review your WhatsApp privacy settings. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Privacy, scroll to the bottom and select Privacy checkup for a quick overview. This is a step-by-step guide to enabling the most important privacy settings in WhatsApp, and is much faster than doing it manually. View the full article

Authoritarian acolytes will tell you that, to be strong, a country must “demonstrate force.” White House advisor Stephen Miller recently put that worldview plainly on CNN, arguing that “the real world…is governed by strength…by force…by power”—a claim belied, as it were, by history. America did not become a superpower primarily by proving it could dominate. It became a superpower by proving it could partner. After World War II, the United States stood unrivaled militarily. Yet it did not rely on force alone to secure its position. Instead, it invested in rebuilding a shattered world. The Marshall Plan was not charity—it was a strategy, linking economic recovery with political stability and turning war-torn nations into long-term allies. By helping others prosper, the U.S. increased its own security and economic future. That is soft power at work. Dwight Eisenhower, a five-star general, advanced the idea that diplomacy is not the sole province of governments, and that when people know you, they are less likely to fear you. And when they trust you, they are more likely to collaborate with you. John F. Kennedy carried that logic forward with the Peace Corps. The program sent a clear signal that American power included service, partnership, and humility. In a Cold War offering competing models to aspire to, that mattered, and it continues to matter today. THE ROLE OF SOFT POWER Soft power was never intended to be solely a government project. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States again faced a pivotal choice: declare victory and walk away or support the hard work of transition. Out of that moment emerged citizen diplomacy initiatives like what later became Pyxera Global—formed at the behest of the George H.W. Bush White House that called for a “Citizens Democracy Corps” to mobilize private-sector volunteer expertise to help planned-economy societies build market economies and democratic institutions. Alongside these efforts, agencies like USAID institutionalized development as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy—investing for decades in health, education, food security, and economic growth as tools of stability and influence. That model—public purpose paired with private capability—has always been central to America’s soft power. There are certainly many situations and geographies where U.S. engagement fell woefully short. Still, taken together, these efforts point to a simple conclusion: America’s influence has been strongest when it was most useful—not most intimidating. Soft power was never a weakness—it was leverage. That history matters now. When the U.S. government pulls back from development, diplomacy, and partnership, the vacuum does not remain empty. Other forces are surely eager to fill it with transactional relationships, debt dependence, and authoritarian influence. If Washington is narrowing its role now, the private sector faces a choice of its own. It can retreat inward, treating global instability as someone else’s problem. Or it can recognize a simple truth: A stable world is a prerequisite for sustainable business. Soft power is not philanthropy. It is long-term risk management. HOW BUSINESS CAN STEP INTO THE GAP None of the following actions is a substitute for government. But they represent a sampling of ways that global business now has the opportunity—and the capacity—to step into the vacuum. Normalize board service as leadership—not a side project. Encouraging executives to serve on nonprofit and civic boards strengthens institutions at a time of severe resource constraints, when we need them to function well. It also builds empathy, governance skills, and real-world decision-making capacity, qualities companies claim to value in leaders. Scale skills-based volunteering. Finance, compliance, cybersecurity, HR, and logistics are some of the skills that many public and nonprofit institutions cannot easily access. Deploying them fills a dire resource gap while meeting employee demand for purpose-driven work that uses real expertise. Double down on supply-chain resilience as a form of stability. Diversifying suppliers, investing in transparency, and ensuring local equity reduce exposure to disruption and coercion. Resilient supply chains are not just good business—they help anchor opportunity and stability in the places where companies operate. Expand community-driven initiatives where companies operate. Corporate success cannot sustainably outpace community well-being. Health, nutrition, education pipelines, workforce training, and local economic development are not public relations gestures—they are investments in human capital, social cohesion, and long-term operational continuity. THE POWER OF PARTNERING Taken together, and implemented at scale, these actions underscore a simple truth: strength is not only the ability to strike—it is the ability to attract, rebuild, and partner. And if Washington continues to pull back from soft power, global business can advance something new, durable, and worth trusting. Deirdre White is the CEO of Pyxera Global. View the full article

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Military intelligence followed a ‘romantic partner’ of cartel leader Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera before deadly shootoutView the full article

The Ford Mustang Mach-E cruises down a London road choked with traffic, using its onboard AI system to avoid jaywalkers and cyclists, and navigate roadwork as it drives to its destination. The autonomous vehicle from British startup Wayve Technologies is on a test run ahead of the U.K. government’s robotaxi trials set to launch in the spring. Tech companies including U.S. company Waymo and China’s Baidu also plan to take part in the pilot program, making London the latest arena in the global robotaxi competition. While self-driving cabs aren’t new, London’s ancient road layout and busy streetscapes could pose special challenges for the technology. There’s also skepticism from London’s famed black cab drivers, who must pass a grueling training course known as “The Knowledge,” which requires memorizing hundreds of routes and takes years to complete. They’ve previously opposed technology that’s disrupted their industry, and protested the arrival of Uber. Self-driving taxis are “a solution looking for a problem,” said Steven McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, which represents black cabbies. He doubts that robotaxis would have any advantage on London’s road network, which is laid out in a convoluted spiderweb that dates back to Roman times — unlike the grid layout in American cities like San Francisco and Phoenix where Waymo operates. The British capital is notorious for being one of the world’s most congested cities and its streets are already clogged with other modes of transport, including private cars, buses, motor scooters, bicycles and electric rental bikes. McNamara and many others have noted that robotaxis face another challenge from pedestrians crossing the streets. While jaywalking is illegal in the United States and many other countries, it’s not an offense in Britain. “It’s virtually impossible to drive anywhere (in London) without somebody walking in front of you,” McNamara said. In London, with a population of nearly 10 million, he wondered “how these cars are going to deal with those volumes of people?” The robotaxi companies say there’s room for the new technology. “I think Londoners are going to love autonomous driving. It’s going to be another choice alongside the Tube, cycling, walking, “said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall in a recent interview at the company’s workshop. Wayve is teaming up with Uber for the taxi trials, which are part of Britain’s move to adopt national regulations for self-driving vehicles. The nation is seeking to position itself as a world leader in the technology. Chinese tech company Baidu is also teaming up with Uber, as well as its ride-hailing rival Lyft, to operate its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle service in the London pilot. Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, will also take part and plans to launch a London passenger service by the third quarter of 2026, company representatives told reporters last month. Waymo officials sought to ease concerns that the company would suddenly flood London streets with robotaxis, noting that it has operated 1,000 total vehicles in San Francisco since going into full service in 2024. “We’re not here to replace anyone,” Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher said. “We’re here to add another option for people who will choose to take black cabs or other modes of transportation when it suits them and choose to take Waymo, when it makes sense.” Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-Pace sedans have been spotted doing test runs around London. Wayve’s Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles have also been doing road tests with human backup drivers sitting behind the wheel, ready to intervene if needed. On a recent demo ride for The Associated Press, Wayve’s Ford steered automatically through a three-mile (five kilometer) loop in North London without any problems. Cruising down a straight and open stretch of road, the car maintained a steady pace of 19 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, a tick under the speed limit. A traffic light changed as the car approached, forcing it to brake firmly and lightly jolting the passengers forward — the only moment that the driving was less than smooth. Kendall said Wayve takes a different approach from traditional self-driving technology. It doesn’t rely on “high definition” maps and “hand-coded” safety systems rules written by programmers anticipating every scenario. Instead, it uses an AI trained on millions of hours of data gathered by its cars to learn and understand how the world works. “This is the key thing for self-driving, because every time you drive on the road, you’re going to experience something different,” Kendall said. “You can’t rely on a self-driving car being told how to behave in every scenario it encounters.” He said Wayve is positioning itself as a technology company providing hardware and software that can be added to any vehicle to make it autonomous. It signed a deal with Nissan in December to build self-driving cars that will go on sale in Japan and North America by 2027. Kendall wouldn’t reveal any more specific details about the robotaxi service it will operate in collaboration with Uber, such as pricing. Waymo, which has its own app to hail rides, will have “competitive” prices and fares will be in line with the market, officials said last month, while adding that it is often able to “demand more premium pricing.” Experts say there’s a role for robotaxis in Britain, but it might be a niche one. They’re best poised to fill gaps in Britain’s public transport network, such as serving villages that have lost bus services connecting them to bigger towns and cities because of budget cuts, said Kevin Vincent, director of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research at Coventry University. There will still be demand for human drivers, especially from out-of-town visitors and tourists, he said. If you find a “cab driver who knows the area, you can ask him questions. You feel confident and comfortable you’re going where you need to go,” which is a service that won’t be easily replaced in the short term, Vincent said. Self-driving taxis can’t replicate the human touch, said Frank O’Beirne, who has been driving black cabs for 14 years. For example, one of his recent fares was a pair of blind passengers going to touristy Leicester Square. He ended up parking at a cab rank and walking them across the street to their destination, a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be in the basement of a casino. “They would never have found that, ever, (on their own),” said O’Beirne. “There’s nothing like us. I can’t see the space where autonomous taxis can operate, really.” —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

Private capital groups also hit as traders digest fallout from president The President’s 15% global tariffView the full article

For the last several years, enterprises have treated AI as something to test. A pilot here, a proof of concept there. That era is ending. According to new global DeepL research, a survey of 5,000 global executives on the impact of AI agents reshaping business, 69% expect AI agents to fundamentally change how their companies operate in 2026. Nearly half anticipate major transformation, while another quarter say that change is already underway. This moment didn’t arrive overnight. While 2025 was the year agentic AI moved from theory to application, enterprises are making the shift structural this year. Leaders are no longer asking whether AI works but rather deciding where AI agents belong inside their operating model. As tools mature and agentic systems become capable of coordinating work across functions, AI agents are unlocking new opportunities—not just automating tasks. By eliminating manual coordination, AI agents enable organizations to move faster and smarter, enabling the creativity, problem-solving depth, and judgment that turn velocity into measurable value. Yet, when it comes to scaling agents and validating their investment, most organizations remain stuck in pilot mode. McKinsey reports that while 62% of companies are experimenting with agents, only 10% are scaling them across a single function, and just 32% of leaders report an impact on EBIT at the enterprise level. The gap between early adopters and those who hold out will widen in 2026—not because of trial and error, but execution. Three shifts will define this gap—how enterprises automate core operations, deploy AI for growth, and build the communication infrastructure agents require. AUTOMATE THE CORE AI agents are no longer confined to experimentation or pilots. Enterprises are deploying them into operational workflows like processing returns in customer service, investigating customer complaints, automating approvals and ticketing, supporting prospect and competitor research in sales and marketing, and optimizing working capital in finance. What’s changing is continuity. Instead of accelerating individual tasks, organizations are increasingly making agents responsible for managing handoffs between them—reducing friction. Looking at AI agent adoption more broadly, DeepL’s research shows global executives cite proven ROI and efficiency (22%), workforce adaptability (18%), and enterprise readiness (18%) as the primary reasons they feel confident expanding agent deployment. Results, not optimism, are driving this shift. At the same time, known barriers are beginning to soften. Cost (16%), workforce preparedness (13%), and technology maturity (12%) remain challenges, but enterprises are actively addressing them as they gain experience operating agents in production environments. The real risk now is inaction. Organizations that fail to identify which workflows should be automated first keep valuable talent focused on low-leverage work—while competitors redesign operations around intelligent systems. Customer service offers a clear example. Companies like Perk are deploying AI agents to take on routine operational work in customer support, while human agents focus on complex, relationship-driven scenarios. As Tom Davis, senior director of operational excellence at Perk, notes: “When we’ve got travelers stuck in airports, we want our humans focused on those moments—and in the background, a machine of AI handling the grunt work.” That division allows human agents to focus on high-stakes relationship work while AI agents manage operational tasks at scale. AI AS A GROWTH ENGINE AI is no longer confined to cost reduction. It’s becoming a driver of growth. The broader AI landscape shows strong momentum: 67% of executives reported measurable impact from AI initiatives in 2025, and 52% expect AI to contribute more to company growth than any other technology in 2026. Enterprises seeing the strongest returns are applying AI across revenue-generating functions—customer service, marketing, sales, finance, legal, HR, and IT support—rather than limiting it to back-office automation. The competitive advantage comes from scale and integration, not just isolated use cases. But the real gain isn’t just efficiency—it’s faster, higher-quality decision making. As b2ventures noted in their work with AI agents, the technology helps them make higher-quality investment decisions faster because agents excel at evaluating companies and surfacing insights that inform critical choices. According to DeepL’s research, leaders in the UK (80%), Germany (78%), and the U.S. (71%) are seeing measurable performance gains from AI initiatives. This underscores that execution and organizational readiness are just as important as access to technology when it comes to turning AI into a strategic advantage. Ignoring AI in growth-critical areas is no longer conservative. It’s a strategic risk, particularly in sectors where margins and customer expectations are shifting fast. LANGUAGE AND VOICE AI As AI agents move deeper into enterprise workflows, they’re changing how people interact with software itself. Instead of clicking through dashboards or submitting forms, employees increasingly instruct systems through natural language. In an agent-driven operating model, language becomes the primary user interface. This is the mechanism through which work gets done. That shift raises the stakes for fluency and accuracy. When language is the interface, a mistranslated prompt or misunderstood instruction doesn’t just slow down communication; it can derail an entire workflow. For enterprises scaling agents across teams and regions, language precision becomes a requirement, not a nice-to-have. This is reflected in enterprise priorities where 64% of companies plan to increase investment in language AI in 2026, while organizations expect adoption of real-time voice translation to rise to 54%. These investments aren’t standalone initiatives. They are foundational to making AI agents reliable, scalable, and effective. EXECUTION, NOT EXPERIMENTATION This year, the organizations experiencing the biggest impacts will stop experimenting with AI and start embedding AI agents into core operations and applying them across growth-critical functions. By turning AI into a strategic advantage, these companies will streamline operations, make better decisions, and unlock measurable business value. Those who delay will watch the gap grow as early adopters accelerate ahead. Jarek Kutylowski is the CEO and founder of DeepL. View the full article

If you’re a small business owner with bad credit, securing financing can feel intimidating. Nevertheless, several loan options offer guaranteed approval, focusing on your cash flow rather than your credit score. Short-term loans, merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, business lines of credit, and working capital loans can provide the funds you need quickly. Comprehending how each option works and which suits your business best is essential for overcoming financial hurdles. Let’s explore these options in more detail. Key Takeaways Short-term small business loans offer approval with credit scores as low as 500, providing quick funds for urgent needs. Merchant cash advances require no traditional credit checks, with approval often within hours and flexible repayment through daily sales. Invoice factoring allows businesses to sell unpaid invoices for immediate cash, prioritizing invoice quality over credit scores. Business lines of credit offer flexibility with accessible funds and approval for applicants with scores as low as 500. Working capital loans focus on revenue and cash flow, enabling quick access to funds with same-day approval for eligible borrowers. Short-Term Small Business Loans When you’re facing urgent financial needs, short-term small business loans can provide a quick solution, often delivering funds within 24 hours of approval. These loans typically range from $5,000 to $500,000, making them suitable for addressing immediate expenses like payroll or inventory purchases. With repayment terms from three to 18 months, you can resolve cash flow issues without long-term commitments. If you have bad credit, don’t worry. Approval for these loans can be secured with credit scores as low as 500, appealing to business owners who might find it challenging to access traditional financing. Lenders often prioritize your business’s cash flow and revenue over credit scores, making it easier to qualify. This approach is especially beneficial for those seeking hard money business loans bad credit. In the end, you can explore business loans for bad credit guaranteed, giving you a reliable option when you need fast cash. Merchant Cash Advances Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs) offer a unique financing solution for businesses, especially those struggling with bad credit. These advances provide funding based on your future credit card sales, bypassing traditional credit checks. You can often get approval within hours, with funds deposited the same day, addressing urgent cash needs. Repayment is flexible, as it’s automatically deducted from your daily credit card transactions. Nevertheless, MCAs typically come with higher factor rates compared to traditional loans, so it’s essential to assess the total cost of financing before proceeding. Here’s a quick comparison of MCAs: Feature Merchant Cash Advance Traditional Loan Approval Time Hours Days to Weeks Repayment Method Daily Card Sales Fixed Monthly Payments Credit Score Impact Minimal Significant Using an MCA can provide the capital you need, but weigh the costs carefully. Invoice Factoring Invoice factoring serves as an effective financing option for businesses looking to boost cash flow without relying on traditional credit assessments. By selling your unpaid invoices to a factoring company at a discount, you can gain immediate access to cash. This method is especially useful for businesses with bad credit, as lenders prioritize the quality of your invoices and the reliability of your customers rather than your credit score. Typically, fees for invoice factoring range from 1% to 5% of the invoice amount, depending on factors like customer creditworthiness and invoice volume. You can usually receive funding within 24 to 48 hours after submitting your invoices, making it a quick solution for cash flow challenges. Furthermore, if you have reliable customers who pay on time, you may improve your eligibility for better terms and rates, ultimately enhancing your cash flow management. Business Lines of Credit For businesses facing cash flow challenges, a business line of credit can provide a flexible financial solution. This option allows you to access funds up to a predetermined credit limit, giving you the freedom to withdraw only what you need and pay interest solely on that amount. Such flexibility is especially useful for managing cash flow fluctuations, making it an ideal choice for businesses with variable revenue streams or unexpected expenses. Many lenders offer business lines of credit to applicants with credit scores as low as 500, making it attainable even for those with bad credit. Unlike traditional loans, these lines typically involve a revolving credit feature, enabling you to borrow, repay, and borrow again within your credit limit. Repayment terms can vary greatly, with some lenders providing flexible schedules that align with your business’s cash flow, further enhancing the attractiveness of this financial option. Working Capital Loans When businesses encounter unexpected financial challenges, working capital loans can offer a practical solution to cover short-term operational expenses and stabilize cash flow. These loans are particularly helpful for those with bad credit, as lenders often prioritize revenue and cash flow instead of merely relying on credit scores, accepting scores as low as 500. You can typically access funds quickly, with some lenders approving applications in less than 24 hours and providing same-day funding for eligible borrowers. Loan amounts can vary widely, ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $500,000, depending on your business’s financial health. Repayment terms are likewise flexible, allowing you to choose daily, weekly, or monthly payment options. This flexibility can make managing cash flow during repayment much easier. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Easiest Business Loan to Get With Bad Credit? If you’re seeking the easiest business loan with bad credit, consider options like merchant cash advances or invoice factoring. These alternatives often focus on your cash flow rather than your credit score. Microloans, typically offered by Kiva, can likewise be accessible and range from a few thousand to $50,000. Furthermore, business lines of credit provide flexible funding, allowing you to withdraw only what you need, making them a viable option for many. Can I Use My EIN to Get a Loan? Yes, you can use your Employer Identification Number (EIN) to apply for a loan. An EIN distinguishes your business from your personal finances, which some lenders view as a sign of legitimacy. Although having an EIN can improve your chances, lenders will still assess other factors like cash flow and business health. Utilizing your EIN can additionally help you build business credit, which is important for future financing opportunities. Can I Get a Startup Business Loan With a 500 Credit Score? Yes, you can get a startup business loan with a 500 credit score, but options may be limited. Many alternative lenders focus on cash flow rather than credit history, so they might approve you. You’ll likely need to provide collateral or a personal guarantee, which increases risk to your assets. Presenting a solid business plan and showing consistent revenue can improve your chances. Consider exploring microloans or merchant cash advances as alternatives. Can You Get a Business Loan if You Have Poor Credit? Yes, you can get a business loan with poor credit. Many alternative lenders specialize in providing loans to borrowers with lower credit scores, sometimes starting at 500. Whereas traditional Bank of America often impose strict criteria and high interest rates, alternative options like unsecured loans, merchant cash advances, or invoice factoring may be more accessible. Offering collateral can additionally improve your chances of approval, even with a low credit score. Explore these options carefully. Conclusion In conclusion, if you’re a small business owner struggling with bad credit, several financing options can provide immediate support. Short-term loans, merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, business lines of credit, and working capital loans all prioritize cash flow over credit scores, ensuring quick access to necessary funds. By comprehending these alternatives, you can make informed decisions that best suit your business needs, helping you overcome financial challenges and maintain your operations effectively. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Business Loans for Bad Credit With Guaranteed Approval" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re a small business owner with bad credit, securing financing can feel intimidating. Nevertheless, several loan options offer guaranteed approval, focusing on your cash flow rather than your credit score. Short-term loans, merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, business lines of credit, and working capital loans can provide the funds you need quickly. Comprehending how each option works and which suits your business best is essential for overcoming financial hurdles. Let’s explore these options in more detail. Key Takeaways Short-term small business loans offer approval with credit scores as low as 500, providing quick funds for urgent needs. Merchant cash advances require no traditional credit checks, with approval often within hours and flexible repayment through daily sales. Invoice factoring allows businesses to sell unpaid invoices for immediate cash, prioritizing invoice quality over credit scores. Business lines of credit offer flexibility with accessible funds and approval for applicants with scores as low as 500. Working capital loans focus on revenue and cash flow, enabling quick access to funds with same-day approval for eligible borrowers. Short-Term Small Business Loans When you’re facing urgent financial needs, short-term small business loans can provide a quick solution, often delivering funds within 24 hours of approval. These loans typically range from $5,000 to $500,000, making them suitable for addressing immediate expenses like payroll or inventory purchases. With repayment terms from three to 18 months, you can resolve cash flow issues without long-term commitments. If you have bad credit, don’t worry. Approval for these loans can be secured with credit scores as low as 500, appealing to business owners who might find it challenging to access traditional financing. Lenders often prioritize your business’s cash flow and revenue over credit scores, making it easier to qualify. This approach is especially beneficial for those seeking hard money business loans bad credit. In the end, you can explore business loans for bad credit guaranteed, giving you a reliable option when you need fast cash. Merchant Cash Advances Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs) offer a unique financing solution for businesses, especially those struggling with bad credit. These advances provide funding based on your future credit card sales, bypassing traditional credit checks. You can often get approval within hours, with funds deposited the same day, addressing urgent cash needs. Repayment is flexible, as it’s automatically deducted from your daily credit card transactions. Nevertheless, MCAs typically come with higher factor rates compared to traditional loans, so it’s essential to assess the total cost of financing before proceeding. Here’s a quick comparison of MCAs: Feature Merchant Cash Advance Traditional Loan Approval Time Hours Days to Weeks Repayment Method Daily Card Sales Fixed Monthly Payments Credit Score Impact Minimal Significant Using an MCA can provide the capital you need, but weigh the costs carefully. Invoice Factoring Invoice factoring serves as an effective financing option for businesses looking to boost cash flow without relying on traditional credit assessments. By selling your unpaid invoices to a factoring company at a discount, you can gain immediate access to cash. This method is especially useful for businesses with bad credit, as lenders prioritize the quality of your invoices and the reliability of your customers rather than your credit score. Typically, fees for invoice factoring range from 1% to 5% of the invoice amount, depending on factors like customer creditworthiness and invoice volume. You can usually receive funding within 24 to 48 hours after submitting your invoices, making it a quick solution for cash flow challenges. Furthermore, if you have reliable customers who pay on time, you may improve your eligibility for better terms and rates, ultimately enhancing your cash flow management. Business Lines of Credit For businesses facing cash flow challenges, a business line of credit can provide a flexible financial solution. This option allows you to access funds up to a predetermined credit limit, giving you the freedom to withdraw only what you need and pay interest solely on that amount. Such flexibility is especially useful for managing cash flow fluctuations, making it an ideal choice for businesses with variable revenue streams or unexpected expenses. Many lenders offer business lines of credit to applicants with credit scores as low as 500, making it attainable even for those with bad credit. Unlike traditional loans, these lines typically involve a revolving credit feature, enabling you to borrow, repay, and borrow again within your credit limit. Repayment terms can vary greatly, with some lenders providing flexible schedules that align with your business’s cash flow, further enhancing the attractiveness of this financial option. Working Capital Loans When businesses encounter unexpected financial challenges, working capital loans can offer a practical solution to cover short-term operational expenses and stabilize cash flow. These loans are particularly helpful for those with bad credit, as lenders often prioritize revenue and cash flow instead of merely relying on credit scores, accepting scores as low as 500. You can typically access funds quickly, with some lenders approving applications in less than 24 hours and providing same-day funding for eligible borrowers. Loan amounts can vary widely, ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $500,000, depending on your business’s financial health. Repayment terms are likewise flexible, allowing you to choose daily, weekly, or monthly payment options. This flexibility can make managing cash flow during repayment much easier. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Easiest Business Loan to Get With Bad Credit? If you’re seeking the easiest business loan with bad credit, consider options like merchant cash advances or invoice factoring. These alternatives often focus on your cash flow rather than your credit score. Microloans, typically offered by Kiva, can likewise be accessible and range from a few thousand to $50,000. Furthermore, business lines of credit provide flexible funding, allowing you to withdraw only what you need, making them a viable option for many. Can I Use My EIN to Get a Loan? Yes, you can use your Employer Identification Number (EIN) to apply for a loan. An EIN distinguishes your business from your personal finances, which some lenders view as a sign of legitimacy. Although having an EIN can improve your chances, lenders will still assess other factors like cash flow and business health. Utilizing your EIN can additionally help you build business credit, which is important for future financing opportunities. Can I Get a Startup Business Loan With a 500 Credit Score? Yes, you can get a startup business loan with a 500 credit score, but options may be limited. Many alternative lenders focus on cash flow rather than credit history, so they might approve you. You’ll likely need to provide collateral or a personal guarantee, which increases risk to your assets. Presenting a solid business plan and showing consistent revenue can improve your chances. Consider exploring microloans or merchant cash advances as alternatives. Can You Get a Business Loan if You Have Poor Credit? Yes, you can get a business loan with poor credit. Many alternative lenders specialize in providing loans to borrowers with lower credit scores, sometimes starting at 500. Whereas traditional Bank of America often impose strict criteria and high interest rates, alternative options like unsecured loans, merchant cash advances, or invoice factoring may be more accessible. Offering collateral can additionally improve your chances of approval, even with a low credit score. Explore these options carefully. Conclusion In conclusion, if you’re a small business owner struggling with bad credit, several financing options can provide immediate support. Short-term loans, merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, business lines of credit, and working capital loans all prioritize cash flow over credit scores, ensuring quick access to necessary funds. By comprehending these alternatives, you can make informed decisions that best suit your business needs, helping you overcome financial challenges and maintain your operations effectively. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Business Loans for Bad Credit With Guaranteed Approval" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Move comes in response to Supreme Court ruling deeming The President’s tariffs illegalView the full article

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said during an appearance Monday his decision on whether or not to support a cut to short-term interest rates depends on labor market indicators. View the full article

Josh Simons accused of hiring public affairs company to investigate sources of leaks when he ran Labour TogetherView the full article

If you're an Android Auto user, you may already know that setting up phone notifications while you're driving isn't as straightforward as it could be—though Google has recently made a settings tweak that should simplify things. On the one hand, you don't want to miss important messages or calls, but on the other you definitely don't want to put yourself and other road users at risk by getting distracted while driving. A careful balance is needed, and it's important to know what options are available on your phone. If you're a Pixel user, Do Not Disturb is handled by Modes, which you can find by tapping Modes in Settings. Pick Driving, and if you enable the While driving toggle switch, this mode is automatically enabled when you're in your car. You can mute some or all of your phone's notifications when driving. Credit: Lifehacker Tap the While driving text (not the toggle switch), and you can tell Android how it should determine whether or not you're driving. This is the setting that Google recently tweaked: You can now choose Use Bluetooth (so the mode is enabled when a car dashboard is detected), or Use motion and Bluetooth (which also takes readings from your phone's accelerometer into consideration). Previously, you had to rely solely on motion, which led to problems with automatic activation for both drivers and passengers—the addition of Bluetooth should mean a more reliable experience. It's slightly different on Samsung Galaxy phones: You need to tap Modes and Routines from Settings, then you can access the Driving mode. Here, you can specifically set a connection to an Android Auto dashboard as the trigger for enabling the mode, rather than just any Bluetooth device—something Google should really add to standard Android. On both Pixel and Galaxy phones, you can tweak the driving mode to allow notifications from certain apps or from certain people, but again be wary of making your vehicle too distracting with pop-ups and pings. Other Android Auto notification settingsAs well as setting which apps and contacts can trigger phone notifications while you're driving, you can customize these modes further. From the Driving mode screen on a Pixel, tap Display settings to control whether or not the phone lights up when you get a notification. You can also dim the wallpaper, and switch to a grayscale look. When you're editing your Driving mode on a Galaxy phone, you'll see you can tap either Lock screen or Home screen to change the wallpaper and color palette specifically for this mode. Again, the idea is that your phone is a little less distracting visually. There are more notification options on the main Android Auto settings page: From Android Settings, tap Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto (Pixel) or Connected devices > Android Auto (Galaxy). Under the Messaging header, you can turn off alerts for group conversations, or for messaging apps entirely. There's also a toggle switch here for showing or hiding the first line of the incoming message—you probably want to disable this if you want to spend more time with your eyes on the road. You can control how messages appear on your dashboard. Credit: Lifehacker Finally, there's the option for having your incoming messages read out loud to you, which is another way you can reduce the temptation to stare at your vehicle's dashboard for an extended period of time, or to pick up and unlock your phone. It's worth reviewing all the other Android Auto settings here as well, to make sure your driving experience is set up exactly the way you want: You can reduce the number of apps available in Android Auto, for example, and enable taskbar widgets for easier app control, which can also make a difference to how distracted you are on the road. You should end up with an Android Auto notification system that's not going to overwhelm you with alerts while you're driving, but which also won't hide important messages from you by automatically enabling notification filters without you being aware. View the full article

Before the holidays, Adam Conner began vibe coding. Like everyone else in the know, he was using Claude Code. Compared to popular chatbots, Anthropic’s advanced AI agent speaks the language of computers: code. Normally, you click buttons in browsers, open folders, and drag files. But you can also do so by coding—interacting with software by typing commands into a terminal, a text-based app. Claude Code goes beyond such primitive tasks, though: an AI that can code can effectively do nearly anything on a computer. “We expected developers to use Claude Code for coding, but then something unexpected happened,” an Anthropic spokesperson tells Fast Company. “We started seeing the discovery arc where people would approach Claude Code to tackle a coding task, then have an ‘aha moment’ when they realized it could help with other tasks.” The result of that ‘aha moment’ is a vibe coding phenomenon that lets developers—and, crucially, non-developers such as Conner—harness the AI agent to write code and create projects that could grow tomato plants, knit sweaters, and build fully fledged iOS apps in hours. Conner’s vibe coding wasn’t as dramatic as keeping living organisms alive, but no less impressive. He used it for his work: an AI labor market simulator, built from Bureau of Labor Statistics and Federal Reserve data. It projects the potential impact that AI could have on the economy. (Headline: it’s pretty big.) “I got it running in a day,” says Conner, who’s also the vice president for technology policy at the Center of American Progress (CAP), a think-tank. “It shows how this AI is more accessible and powerful. You can have limited programming experience, and still build something quickly.” But the real revelation, says Conner, came using Claude Code to form his own policy council: 21 AI agents with competing ideologies and political agendas. Within minutes, it had generated 24-page proposal papers, 12-page draft legislations, and hundreds of policy ideas. “You can now direct a small army of bots to do the tasks of humans relatively quickly,” says Conner. “It’s not yet the game changer that can fully automate someone’s job, but you can begin to see how AI could be transformational.” We’re now in the fourth year of widely available generative AI tools. As adoption has ticked up—23% of U.S. workers are now frequent AI users, nearly doubling year-over-year—so too have AI-related layoffs. Despite many companies citing AI as the cause for layoffs, though, actual mass job displacement due to AI has yet to materialize. But the capabilities of Anthropic’s Claude Code—and in particular its advanced AI workplace tool, Claude Cowork—could change that. The new knowledge worker So far, generative AI’s use case has been split fairly equally between work and personal needs, such as generating ideas, editing, and even companionship. In 2025, bots were more often leveraged for therapy, life coaching, and, increasingly, coding—the latter likely driven by the popularity of Claude Code: generating more than $1 billion in revenue, just six months after general availability, according to Anthropic. On January 12, the San Francisco-headquartered company launched Claude Cowork. It’s effectively a UI update to Code for the mass market. Whereas Code can only be utilized through a terminal’s command line—the barebones essence of human-to-computer interaction—Cowork adds the friendly, compliant chatbot layer to the Claude desktop app. Currently, anyone with a $100-per-month Claude Max subscription can prompt the AI to complete nearly any computer related task. Compared to popular chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or the original Claude.ai, Cowork can, in theory, leverage users’ hard drives––their digital lives––in its working memory. In practice, as a workplace tool, Cowork can organize haystacks of files into neat, delineated folders; turn screenshots of invoices into actionable spreadsheets; pull material from multiple websites, synthesized and analyzed in a single document; and even action slide comments. In short, it’s a general AI assistant, built for knowledge work. “It’s like having a junior researcher that’s proactive, makes few mistakes, and solves problems before you realize there even was one,” says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London and Fast Company contributor who’s written books about AI. Compared to other AI platforms, Cowork is smarter and more autonomous, he adds. In contrast to how people typically use ChatGPT—often for their personal lives, such as travel plans, self-therapy, or recipes—Anthropic’s latest agent can be more entrusted with their work. “I use Cowork to digest research: ‘Upload this folder and create a review of these articles’ main points, then look online for everything I’ve written on this topic.’ So you can give it multi-layered tasks and receive highly accurate outputs,” says Chamorro-Premuzic. These sorts of tasks—bite-sized chunks of reading, researching, and writing—are traditionally delegated to entry-level employees, says Conner. It’s how knowledge workers’ judgment and expertise is honed on their gradual climb up the career ladder. “If AI takes over some of those junior-level processes, it could pull the ladder up from them,” he adds. The risk is that the effectiveness of AI agents like Cowork, and their widespread adoption, could impact entry-level hiring, continues Conner. This has long-term consequences for the economy. And in some ways, it’s already impacted how many entry-level jobs are available right now; some data suggests a 35% plummet in entry-level openings in the U.S. since 2023. “Fewer junior roles eventually leads to fewer qualified candidates for mid-level and senior roles,” Conner says. “So, while short-term financial focus means some companies may want to adopt AI more and hire fewer junior folks, it’s possible we look back years from now and realize it hurt the talent pipeline.” Coding the future Cowork has already deeply impacted the economy, just over a month after launch. On February 3, $300 billion was wiped from software and data stocks. It swiftly followed Anthropic’s release of plugins that can tailor Cowork to specific roles across sales, legal, financial analysis, and other industries. “The worry is that if in-house lawyers can just use Cowork to do their work, they no longer need legal software,” says Chamorro-Premuzic. He believes Cowork is an incremental upgrade, rather than exponential. But the next iteration will likely come soon. On February 5, Anthropic released Claude Opus 4.6. It has four times the effective recall of Opus 4.5, its predecessor that made Claude Code go viral—launched just 73 days before. The pace of release is accelerating (Sonnet 4.6, Anthropic’s free model, was released on February 17). That’s not just because of the AI race—Claude Code already writes 90% of its team’s code. On December 27, its lead developer said all 40,000 lines of new code he’d contributed in the past 30 days were written by the agentic tool. An autonomous, self-perpetuating feedback loop means the next upgrade is always imminent. “We’re going to see AI involved in improving and building itself more and more,” says an Anthropic spokesperson. “In the closer term, Claude Code helps people build faster, with fewer resources, and the result is innovation across entire industries. We’re in the early innings of what’s possible.” Claude Cowork isn’t perfect. It requires oversight, particularly with high-stakes tasks. Like all AI, it can also make mistakes—and given it can have access to personal files, apps, and tools, those errors can be more widespread than a chatbot’s text output. It’s also not compliant first: conversations histories are stored locally, rather than within tightly regulated workflows. However, mass adoption of advanced AI tools like Cowork will likely be inevitable. So will labor market displacement—it’s only the extent that’s unclear. There are already signs that junior workers and college graduates are disproportionately affected by the onward march of AI. A November 2025 Stanford University study found a 16% relative decline in employment for early-career workers in occupations most exposed to the technology since 2022, such as software developers and customer service representatives. Not all entry-level jobs will be decimated by AI. Companies will always want to hire the best talent, and train them over time to accumulate institutional knowledge, workplace culture, and project history in ways technology can’t. But there are concerns over how roles may be reshaped. If knowledge work merely becomes entering and fine-tuning prompts, it risks workers automating themselves, hampering their development and soft skills. “Generative AI can tell you what to say in giving critical feedback, but it’s not the same as having a hard conversation and learning from it,” says Chamorro-Premuzic. “It becomes judgment without experience.” The power of Claude Cowork means we’re one step closer to that future. “It’s like seeing the Wright brothers fly for the first time,” says Conner. “You wouldn’t have understood the concept of a Boeing 767 flying across the ocean, but you’d have grasped the idea of aviation. With Claude Cowork, you can see the future more clearly, and how this technology will have a major impact.” View the full article

Bourbon was once hailed as the poor man’s drink. The spirit has since developed, however, from a mass-market American staple into a luxury class, and limited releases, higher prices, and brands vying for prestige have caused a crowded top tier. Even though the premium field has widened, the very top of the market remains stubbornly narrow, according to whiskey expert Fred Minnick. During a blind tasting of his top 100 American whiskeys of 2025, Minnick evaluated leading contenders anonymously. Even without labels, the rankings reflected the same hierarchy seen at retail and on the secondary market. The most scarce, high-status bottles still rose to the top, regardless of brand recognition. George T. Stagg claimed the number one spot, followed by Sazerac Rye 18 Year at number two. Both are part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, one of the most limited and consistently in-demand product lines in American spirits. Buffalo Trace, beyond its Antique Collection, also produces the popular—and often hard to find—Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Weller, and Pappy Van Winkle whiskey brands. Minnick’s ranking reinforced a key dynamic shaping the bourbon market. While dozens of producers now compete in the premium tier, demand continues to concentrate on a small set of legacy brands whose supply is structurally constrained by long aging cycles and finite inventory. Scarcity, not novelty, appears to be one of the most powerful differentiators at the top end. That scarcity has also shaped customer expectations. “People who are out buying bourbon want to buy something that feels fancy,” Minnick said, who’s next book, Bottom Shelf, comes out next month. “Bourbon, which used to be the poor man’s drink, is now like a fancy man’s drink.” Those changing expectations are reflected not only in pricing and branding but in how elite bourbon is judged. Minnick noted that higher proof and longer finish—once defining markers of top-tier releases—no longer carry the same weight on their own. “For the first time in my career, I’m breaking protocol,” he said. “I’m not rewarding the longer finish.” Instead, Minnick favored the bourbon that delivered what he described as a fuller, more immersive experience, one that “absolutely drenches my tongue and completely encompasses my entire mouth.” While each bottle featured in Minnick’s review is among the top American whiskeys, the most supply-constrained, prestige-driven brands still set the market’s upper bound. And without labels, the qualities that signal luxury still held up under blind tasting. Check out the top five bottles below, and watch the full video on YouTube: George T. Stagg, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Sazerac Rye 18 Year, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Bomberger’s PFG Brother Justus Founders Reserve American Single Malt Heaven Hill 90th Anniversary —Leila Sheridan This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

If you’re considering buying a franchise, there are five vital steps you need to follow for a successful investment. First, evaluate your financial readiness to guarantee you can cover both initial and ongoing costs. Next, research franchise opportunities that align with your interests to boost your commitment. Comprehending the Franchise Disclosure Document is critical, as is engaging with current franchisees for real-world insights. Finally, attending a Discovery Day can provide valuable firsthand experience. Each step is important, and knowing how to navigate them can make all the difference in your franchise path. Key Takeaways Evaluate your financial readiness by ensuring you have enough liquid cash and reserves for initial fees and living expenses. Research franchise opportunities that align with your interests and passions for enhanced commitment and satisfaction. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) thoroughly to understand fees, financial performance, and potential risks. Engage with current franchisees to gain insights about their experiences and the franchisor’s support and training effectiveness. Attend a Discovery Day to experience the franchise environment and meet the management team before making a commitment. Evaluate Your Financial Readiness and Commitment When you’re considering buying a franchise, it’s crucial to evaluate your financial readiness and commitment, as these factors greatly influence your potential success. Start by reviewing your liquid cash, ensuring you can cover initial franchise fees, which may range from $10,000 to over $100,000. Maintain cash reserves for three to six months of living expenses to secure personal financial stability during the shift to franchise ownership. Evaluate your overall financial situation, including savings and potential loans, to confirm you can support ongoing operational costs like royalties and employee salaries. Understand your financial obligations, including ongoing royalties and marketing costs, and reflect on your commitment to the franchise model. Successful ownership requires adherence to the franchisor’s established systems and a strong investment of time and effort. Research Franchise Opportunities That Align With Your Interests Finding the right franchise opportunity can greatly influence your path as a franchisee, so it’s important to align your personal interests and passions with potential franchises. Start by identifying what excites you, as this can improve your commitment. Use online franchise portals to explore good franchise opportunities and the best small businesses to buy that fit your goals. Contact franchisors directly for detailed franchise information on their offerings and support systems. Attend franchise expos to interact with current franchisees, gaining insights into operations and culture. Finally, analyze the competitive environment in your area to guarantee your chosen franchise has a strong market presence, which is vital for success when learning how to purchase a franchise. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document Thoroughly The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) serves as a crucial resource for anyone considering a franchise investment. This critical document outlines important details like financial performance, initial franchise fees, and ongoing royalties. As a potential franchisee, you should thoroughly scrutinize the FDD for any red flags, such as vague or missing information, especially in Item 19, where financial performance is represented. If only gross sales figures are provided, don’t hesitate to request more details. It’s also wise to seek legal consultation to fully grasp the risks and obligations tied to the franchise opportunity. Engaging in the validation process with existing franchisees can likewise complement your comprehension of the FDD, aiding in your decision-making. Engage With Current Franchisees for Insights Reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document is just one piece of the puzzle; engaging with current franchisees provides invaluable insights that can greatly shape your decision. Here are key areas to explore when you engage with current franchisees: Franchisee Satisfaction: Ask about their overall satisfaction with the franchisor’s support. Franchisor Support: Inquire about the effectiveness of training programs and ongoing assistance. Financial Performance: Discuss the actual profitability of the franchise, as real-world data often differs from the Franchise Disclosure Document. Franchise Network Culture: Understand franchisee motivations for joining and staying, including feedback from both successful and former franchisees to gauge the franchise’s strengths and potential pitfalls. This engagement helps clarify the true experience within the franchise system. Attend a Discovery Day to Experience the Franchise Firsthand How can attending a Discovery Day transform your comprehension of a franchise? By participating, you get to experience the franchise firsthand, immersing yourself in its operational environment. You’ll meet the franchisor’s management team, gaining insights into their franchise support systems and future growth plans. This event allows you to ask critical questions about operational challenges and the level of ongoing support you can expect as a franchisee. Many franchisors showcase successful franchisees during this event, providing validation through real-life testimonials and experiences. Attending a Discovery Day can greatly influence your decision-making by offering clarity on what it truly means to operate within the franchise system, ensuring you’re well-informed before making a commitment. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Steps to Buying a Franchise? To buy a franchise, start by evaluating your financial situation to understand your available capital. Next, research various franchise opportunities that fit your goals and budget. Request the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) from potential franchisors to review crucial details about fees and obligations. Attend a Discovery Day at the franchisor’s headquarters to observe operations and ask questions. Finally, make certain you comprehend the franchise agreement and seek legal advice to protect your investment. What Are the 4 P’s of Franchising? The 4 P’s of franchising are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product refers to the goods or services your franchise offers, highlighting quality and brand reputation. Price involves setting competitive rates that align with your franchise’s value as well as ensuring profitability. Place focuses on choosing a strategic location, considering demographics and competition. Promotion encompasses marketing strategies, combining national campaigns from the franchisor with your local efforts to effectively attract customers and drive sales. What Is the 7 Day Rule for Franchise? The 7 Day Rule for franchises requires franchisors to provide prospective franchisees with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) at least seven days before any agreement is signed or payment is made. This rule guarantees you have adequate time to review important details about the franchise, including fees and obligations. If a franchisor violates this rule, they could face legal consequences, allowing you to potentially rescind your agreement without penalty. Why Is It Only $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? It costs only $10,000 to open a Chick-fil-A since the company covers most startup expenses, including construction and equipment. This greatly reduces the financial burden on you as a franchisee. Furthermore, Chick-fil-A operates under a unique profit-sharing model, taking a percentage of your profits instead of traditional royalties. Nevertheless, they’ve stringent selection criteria, ensuring only those with strong leadership skills and commitment to the brand can become franchisees. Conclusion By following these five crucial steps, you can navigate the franchise buying process with greater confidence and clarity. Evaluating your financial readiness guarantees you’re prepared for the investment, as you research opportunities that match your interests keeps you motivated. A thorough review of the Franchise Disclosure Document provides critical insights into costs and obligations. Engaging with current franchisees offers practical perspectives, and attending a Discovery Day allows you to experience the franchise firsthand. Each step is indispensable for informed decision-making. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Essential Steps to Buy a Franchise Successfully" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re considering buying a franchise, there are five vital steps you need to follow for a successful investment. First, evaluate your financial readiness to guarantee you can cover both initial and ongoing costs. Next, research franchise opportunities that align with your interests to boost your commitment. Comprehending the Franchise Disclosure Document is critical, as is engaging with current franchisees for real-world insights. Finally, attending a Discovery Day can provide valuable firsthand experience. Each step is important, and knowing how to navigate them can make all the difference in your franchise path. Key Takeaways Evaluate your financial readiness by ensuring you have enough liquid cash and reserves for initial fees and living expenses. Research franchise opportunities that align with your interests and passions for enhanced commitment and satisfaction. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) thoroughly to understand fees, financial performance, and potential risks. Engage with current franchisees to gain insights about their experiences and the franchisor’s support and training effectiveness. Attend a Discovery Day to experience the franchise environment and meet the management team before making a commitment. Evaluate Your Financial Readiness and Commitment When you’re considering buying a franchise, it’s crucial to evaluate your financial readiness and commitment, as these factors greatly influence your potential success. Start by reviewing your liquid cash, ensuring you can cover initial franchise fees, which may range from $10,000 to over $100,000. Maintain cash reserves for three to six months of living expenses to secure personal financial stability during the shift to franchise ownership. Evaluate your overall financial situation, including savings and potential loans, to confirm you can support ongoing operational costs like royalties and employee salaries. Understand your financial obligations, including ongoing royalties and marketing costs, and reflect on your commitment to the franchise model. Successful ownership requires adherence to the franchisor’s established systems and a strong investment of time and effort. Research Franchise Opportunities That Align With Your Interests Finding the right franchise opportunity can greatly influence your path as a franchisee, so it’s important to align your personal interests and passions with potential franchises. Start by identifying what excites you, as this can improve your commitment. Use online franchise portals to explore good franchise opportunities and the best small businesses to buy that fit your goals. Contact franchisors directly for detailed franchise information on their offerings and support systems. Attend franchise expos to interact with current franchisees, gaining insights into operations and culture. Finally, analyze the competitive environment in your area to guarantee your chosen franchise has a strong market presence, which is vital for success when learning how to purchase a franchise. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document Thoroughly The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) serves as a crucial resource for anyone considering a franchise investment. This critical document outlines important details like financial performance, initial franchise fees, and ongoing royalties. As a potential franchisee, you should thoroughly scrutinize the FDD for any red flags, such as vague or missing information, especially in Item 19, where financial performance is represented. If only gross sales figures are provided, don’t hesitate to request more details. It’s also wise to seek legal consultation to fully grasp the risks and obligations tied to the franchise opportunity. Engaging in the validation process with existing franchisees can likewise complement your comprehension of the FDD, aiding in your decision-making. Engage With Current Franchisees for Insights Reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document is just one piece of the puzzle; engaging with current franchisees provides invaluable insights that can greatly shape your decision. Here are key areas to explore when you engage with current franchisees: Franchisee Satisfaction: Ask about their overall satisfaction with the franchisor’s support. Franchisor Support: Inquire about the effectiveness of training programs and ongoing assistance. Financial Performance: Discuss the actual profitability of the franchise, as real-world data often differs from the Franchise Disclosure Document. Franchise Network Culture: Understand franchisee motivations for joining and staying, including feedback from both successful and former franchisees to gauge the franchise’s strengths and potential pitfalls. This engagement helps clarify the true experience within the franchise system. Attend a Discovery Day to Experience the Franchise Firsthand How can attending a Discovery Day transform your comprehension of a franchise? By participating, you get to experience the franchise firsthand, immersing yourself in its operational environment. You’ll meet the franchisor’s management team, gaining insights into their franchise support systems and future growth plans. This event allows you to ask critical questions about operational challenges and the level of ongoing support you can expect as a franchisee. Many franchisors showcase successful franchisees during this event, providing validation through real-life testimonials and experiences. Attending a Discovery Day can greatly influence your decision-making by offering clarity on what it truly means to operate within the franchise system, ensuring you’re well-informed before making a commitment. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Steps to Buying a Franchise? To buy a franchise, start by evaluating your financial situation to understand your available capital. Next, research various franchise opportunities that fit your goals and budget. Request the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) from potential franchisors to review crucial details about fees and obligations. Attend a Discovery Day at the franchisor’s headquarters to observe operations and ask questions. Finally, make certain you comprehend the franchise agreement and seek legal advice to protect your investment. What Are the 4 P’s of Franchising? The 4 P’s of franchising are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product refers to the goods or services your franchise offers, highlighting quality and brand reputation. Price involves setting competitive rates that align with your franchise’s value as well as ensuring profitability. Place focuses on choosing a strategic location, considering demographics and competition. Promotion encompasses marketing strategies, combining national campaigns from the franchisor with your local efforts to effectively attract customers and drive sales. What Is the 7 Day Rule for Franchise? The 7 Day Rule for franchises requires franchisors to provide prospective franchisees with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) at least seven days before any agreement is signed or payment is made. This rule guarantees you have adequate time to review important details about the franchise, including fees and obligations. If a franchisor violates this rule, they could face legal consequences, allowing you to potentially rescind your agreement without penalty. Why Is It Only $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? It costs only $10,000 to open a Chick-fil-A since the company covers most startup expenses, including construction and equipment. This greatly reduces the financial burden on you as a franchisee. Furthermore, Chick-fil-A operates under a unique profit-sharing model, taking a percentage of your profits instead of traditional royalties. Nevertheless, they’ve stringent selection criteria, ensuring only those with strong leadership skills and commitment to the brand can become franchisees. Conclusion By following these five crucial steps, you can navigate the franchise buying process with greater confidence and clarity. Evaluating your financial readiness guarantees you’re prepared for the investment, as you research opportunities that match your interests keeps you motivated. A thorough review of the Franchise Disclosure Document provides critical insights into costs and obligations. Engaging with current franchisees offers practical perspectives, and attending a Discovery Day allows you to experience the franchise firsthand. Each step is indispensable for informed decision-making. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Essential Steps to Buy a Franchise Successfully" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

For all its faults as a platform, YouTube’s video player functionality is easily among the best online. It streams reliably to almost every device you can think of, in your choice of both video quality and playback speed. But it’s the array of hidden features and interface tricks that push it over the edge for me. (Other video players, take note.) Here are 10 of my favorite hacks that make YouTube easier to use. Search YouTube video transcripts with Ctrl-FAlmost every video on YouTube either has an official or auto-generated subtitled track. While these are mainly used for captioning, you can also pull up this transcript on the web and use Ctrl-F (or Cmd-F on Macs) to search for keywords in a video and jump straight to the part you want to see. This feature has been around for a while, but YouTube has shuffled around where to find the transcript from time to time. As of this writing, the most reliable way to find it is to open the video’s description, scroll to the bottom, and click Show transcript to open it up in a side bar. Set a sleep timer for long videosFour hour video essays and ASMR streams can be great background noise to help you fall asleep. However, if you want to avoid getting jolted awake by that one really loud joke you forgot about, you can set a sleep timer to pause any video after a certain amount of time. On web or mobile, click the Settings icon on any given video and choose Sleep timer (on mobile, it may be under Settings > More). You can choose a timer ranging from 10 to 60 minutes. You can also automatically pause once the current video is over, which is helpful if you usually have auto-play enabled. Link to specific timestamps in a videoOne of YouTube’s handiest features is the ability to deep-link to a specific second of any video, like I did in the last section. There are several ways to get a precise timestamp link. If you’re on the web, you can right click a video and choose “Copy video URL at current time.” And on mobile, when you click the Share icon, you can tap the toggle next to the timestamp to add the precise link. If none of those are options, you can even create your own timestamp link. At the end of any video URL, add “&t=01h05m47s”, replacing the numbers with the specific time you want to link to. You can use any combination of hours, minutes, and seconds to specify the point in the video you want. Use arrow keys or double-taps for quick navigationMost video players at this point have some kind of “Hang on, what did they just say?” button that lets you skip 5-10 seconds backward or forward. YouTube has several. The most straightforward, on mobile, is the double-tap. Tap twice on the left side of the screen to go backwards 10 seconds, and on the right to go forward. Keep tapping to move forward or back by further increments of 10 seconds. On the web, you have even finer grain control. You can use the left and right arrow keys to move 5 seconds back and forth. Alternatively, you can use the J-K-L keys to move in 10 second increments (with K being used to pause the video). This latter method is borrowed from video editors, making it a handy way to keep your muscle memory consistent if you do a lot of editing. Move frame-by-frame with keyboard shortcutsYouTubers love putting walls of text in a single frame of a video that you have to pause to be able to read. On mobile, the only way to read these–or examine any specific frame–is to back up and try to time your pause perfectly. On the web, however, there’s a better way. While paused on a video, you can press the , (comma) or . (period) keys to move back or forward exactly one frame at a time. You can hold these keys down to slowly move through frames as well. Quickly fast-forward with a long-pressIt’s pretty common knowledge at this point that you can play YouTube videos at 2x (or higher) speed, but what if you only want to rush through a small part of a video, like an ad read? On the mobile version of YouTube, there’s a handy gesture to do just that, without changing your default playback speed. Simply long-press and hold anywhere on the video while it’s playing. This will temporarily cause the video to play back at 2x speed, until you lift your finger. If you’re already watching at 2x or higher, it won’t play any faster (or slower) than your current speed, though. Set your video quality defaultsYouTube generally does a pretty good job of automatically deciding what video quality to stream at, balancing fidelity with bandwidth demands. You can manually override this on a per-video basis, but on mobile, you have a few more options to get broader control. In the YouTube mobile app, head to Settings > Quality. Here, you can set separate quality defaults for video when you’re streaming over mobile networks or wifi, as well as audio quality. The latter is particularly helpful if you use YouTube for listening to music or podcasts. If your wifi is reliably fast, it can be worth it to set higher quality defaults, rather than manually change each video’s resolution whenever you notice the quality looks degraded. Use incognito mode to preserve your suggestionsYouTube can get overly eager to show you videos even vaguely similar to one you watched before. If you’d rather not get a feed full of videos on how to fix a door, you can use an incognito tab to browse without contributing to your algorithm’s history. It’s a little tougher on mobile, but fortunately the YouTube app has an option for that. In the mobile YouTube app, navigate to the You tab. Along the top of the screen, tap “Turn on incognito.” This will let you search and browse without any algorithmic recommendations or contributing to your history. You can manually turn off incognito mode, or it will automatically turn off after 90 minutes of inactivity. Note, if you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, none of your benefits will apply while you’re browsing incognito. Remove unwanted videos from your historyIf you forget to turn on incognito mode, you can still remove videos from your browsing history so they won’t muck up your recommendations. To do this, head to your YouTube history on mobile or the web, tap the three-dot menu next to the video in question, and choose “Remove from watch history.” This is usually enough to prevent a video from becoming the algorithm’s latest fixation, but it also means you won’t be able to find the video in your history again. If you want provide any kind of direct feedback, like a thumbs down or a report, make sure to do that first. Otherwise, if you navigate to the video again, it will be re-added to your history. Master even more keyboard shortcutsBeyond basic navigation, YouTube on the web has a plethora of helpful keyboard shortcuts that you might never encounter that are worth knowing about. Some of them are pretty niche, but you never know when they can come in handy: Up and Down arrows: Turn the volume on a video up or down in 5% increments. Shift+> and Shift+<:> Speed up or slow down the current video playback speed M: Mute the current video. F: Enter/exit fullscreen mode. T: Enter/exit Theater mode Shift+N: Play the next video in your queue or playlist. Shift+P: Play the previous video in your queue or playlist. Ctrl/Cmd+Left or Right arrow keys: Navigate to the next or previous chapter in a video. View the full article

An effective hiring process is essential for attracting and retaining the right talent. It starts with defining clear job requirements and desired traits, ensuring everyone involved understands the role. By collaborating with team members, you gain diverse perspectives that improve candidate evaluation. Standardized interviews focus on performance-based questions, which assess skills relevant to the job. This structured approach not just enhances candidate experience but likewise lays the foundation for long-term employee satisfaction. But what comes next in this process? Key Takeaways An effective hiring process includes clear criteria and structured interview stages to minimize bias and enhance candidate evaluation. Utilize performance-based questions and the STAR method to assess candidates’ past behavior for future job performance predictions. Implement timely and personalized communication strategies to keep candidates informed and engaged throughout the hiring process. Foster a collaborative hiring approach by involving team members to ensure diverse perspectives and better cultural fit. Regularly evaluate recruitment metrics like time-to-hire and candidate satisfaction to identify improvement areas and adapt practices. Understanding the Importance of a Structured Hiring Process When you recognize the importance of a structured hiring process, you’re taking a crucial step toward improving your organization’s talent acquisition strategy. A hiring process template can streamline candidate evaluation, greatly reducing time-to-hire. By incorporating a recruitment process sample, you set clear criteria and standardized interview stages, minimizing unconscious bias and promoting fairness. This structured approach not only improves candidate experience through organized communication and timely feedback but additionally cultivates a positive perception of your company, even among those not selected. Moreover, a well-defined hiring process example can lead to increased employee retention and satisfaction, as it aligns candidates with organizational values and strengthens team dynamics. Regular evaluation and adaptation of your hiring process guarantee that you stay competitive in attracting and retaining top talent. Embracing these structured methods is crucial for building a diverse and capable workforce that contributes to your organization’s long-term success. Key Characteristics of an Effective Recruitment Process When you think about an effective recruitment process, consider the importance of clear communication strategies, structured interview processes, and efficient onboarding procedures. Each of these elements plays a vital role in attracting the right candidates and ensuring they feel valued throughout the hiring process. Clear Communication Strategies Effective communication strategies are vital in creating a successful recruitment process. Clear communication establishes transparency and sets expectations, enhancing candidates’ experience and engagement. Timely feedback at each stage is important for maintaining interest and respect for your organization. Personalized communication, like customized emails and updates about company milestones, helps candidates feel valued and informed throughout their path. It’s equally important to guarantee respectful and constructive communication with all candidates, even those not selected, as this nurtures a positive company reputation and encourages future applications. Consistent messaging about your company’s mission, values, and culture enables candidates to assess their alignment with your organization, ultimately leading to better hiring decisions and a more cohesive workplace. Structured Interview Processes Structured interview processes play a pivotal role in improving the effectiveness of recruitment. By utilizing predetermined questions and evaluation criteria, you guarantee all candidates are assessed consistently, reducing bias and promoting fairness in hiring decisions. Research indicates that these structured interviews can enhance the predictive validity of hiring outcomes by 20% compared to unstructured interviews, as they focus on job-related competencies. Employing standardized scoring rubrics allows your hiring team to quantitatively compare candidates’ responses, facilitating objective decision-making. Furthermore, involving multiple interviewers leads to a more thorough evaluation of each applicant’s fit for the role. Structured interviews also enrich the candidate experience by providing clear expectations and a transparent evaluation process, which positively influences their perception of your company. Efficient Onboarding Procedures An organized onboarding process is crucial for successfully integrating new hires into your company, as it lays the foundation for their future performance and satisfaction. Clear communication during onboarding helps define roles, responsibilities, and expectations, greatly enhancing new employee satisfaction. Providing timely access to resources, such as employee handbooks and training materials, guarantees that new hires feel prepared and supported from day one. Incorporating feedback mechanisms allows you to continuously improve onboarding practices based on new employee experiences. Moreover, structured programs that extend beyond the first week, including regular check-ins and mentorship opportunities, can boost employee engagement and loyalty. Defining Job Requirements and Desired Traits When you define job requirements, it’s vital to identify core competencies that are fundamental for success in the role. Furthermore, considering cultural fit can help you attract candidates who align with your organization’s values and work style. Identifying Core Competencies Defining core competencies is crucial for an effective hiring process, as it directly impacts your ability to attract qualified candidates. Start by identifying specific skills, experiences, and qualifications necessary for success in the role. Don’t forget to include both technical competencies and soft skills, like communication, teamwork, and adaptability, to find candidates who fit your company culture. Involve team members in this process; their insights can highlight what makes a successful employee in that role. Utilize data-driven approaches by analyzing performance metrics from top performers to inform your decisions. Finally, regularly revisit and update job requirements and desired traits to adapt to changing business needs and industry trends, ensuring your recruitment process remains relevant and effective. Defining Cultural Fit Cultural fit plays a crucial role in the hiring process, as it influences both team dynamics and employee retention. To define cultural fit, start by identifying the values, beliefs, and behaviors that align with your organization’s mission. Effective job requirements should encompass both the technical skills needed for the role and vital soft skills, such as teamwork, adaptability, and communication. Desired traits should be informed by data from successful employees, creating a clear profile of your ideal candidate. Utilize structured interviews and assessments to evaluate candidates against these cultural fit criteria, ensuring that decisions are based on objective measures. Furthermore, engaging current employees in the hiring process offers valuable insights into traits that contribute to a positive cultural fit and team success. Setting Clear Expectations To attract the right candidates, it is essential to set clear expectations regarding job requirements and desired traits. By defining these elements, you guarantee candidates possess necessary skills and fit your organization’s culture. Involving stakeholders when creating job descriptions cultivates a thorough comprehension of the role, leading to more effective hiring criteria. Documenting required skills and traits aids in the screening process, minimizing bias. Specific, measurable criteria improve evaluations, allowing uniform assessment of applicants. Regularly updating job descriptions keeps alignment with business goals, enhancing candidate quality. Job Requirement Desired Traits Measurable Criteria Technical skills Team player Collaboration score Relevant experience Adaptability Response to change scenarios Education level Communication skills Presentation effectiveness Certifications required Problem-solving skills Case study analysis Collaborating With Team Members for Diverse Perspectives Collaboration with team members during the hiring process not just enriches candidate evaluations but also cultivates an inclusive environment that values diverse viewpoints. When you involve team members in interviews, you gain a well-rounded perspective that improves the assessment of candidates’ technical skills and interpersonal abilities. This collaborative approach guarantees a better cultural fit within the team, as multiple viewpoints contribute to a thorough comprehension of each applicant. Research shows that teams with diverse perspectives are more innovative and effective, making it crucial to include various stakeholders in the hiring process. Engaging team members nurtures ownership and accountability, helping to identify candidates who align with your team’s specific needs and dynamics. To streamline decision-making, consider limiting candidate interviews to a maximum of three team members, allowing for adequate input while guaranteeing a complete evaluation. This balance promotes effective teamwork and improves the overall hiring experience. Utilizing Recruitment Resources for Market Knowledge Effective hiring requires a deep comprehension of the job market, making it essential to utilize various recruitment resources for market knowledge. Engaging in candidate profiling helps you pinpoint the specific skills and characteristics necessary for a role, aligning your strategies with market availability. By using in-house recruitment teams, you can tap into internal expertise regarding market trends and candidate behaviors, which streamlines the hiring process. Collaborating with external recruitment agents improves your market knowledge, as they provide up-to-date insights on talent availability and competitive salary benchmarks in your industry. Conducting regular market research keeps you informed about evolving candidate expectations, allowing you to adapt your hiring processes effectively. Furthermore, leveraging recruitment software and applicant tracking systems offers valuable data analytics, revealing trends in candidate sourcing and application success rates that can inform your future recruitment strategies. Implementing a Streamlined Interview Process Implementing a streamlined interview process is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent in today’s competitive job market. By establishing a clear structure, you can define the number of stages and expected timelines, ensuring timely decision-making that keeps candidates engaged. Consider these key strategies: Utilize structured interview questions to assess candidates uniformly, reducing bias. Incorporate technology, like asynchronous video interviews, to efficiently screen candidates early. Engage multiple team members in the interview process to gain diverse perspectives and improve team dynamics. Document and regularly review the interview process to identify areas for improvement. Maintain consistent communication with candidates to keep them informed and interested. Focusing on Performance-Based Questions As you refine your interview process, incorporating performance-based questions can be a pivotal factor in evaluating candidate fit. These questions focus on evaluating a candidate’s past behavior and experiences, giving you insight into how they might handle similar situations in the future. Typically, candidates describe specific scenarios where they demonstrated relevant skills or achieved notable results, often using the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to structure their responses. Research shows that performance-based interviews are 50% more predictive of job performance compared to traditional methods. Enhancing Candidate Experience Throughout the Process Even though many organizations focus on candidate qualifications and skills during the hiring process, enhancing the overall candidate experience is equally crucial for attracting top talent. You can take several steps to improve engagement and satisfaction throughout the recruitment expedition. Send personalized emails at each stage to keep candidates informed. Implement structured communication templates in your applicant tracking system (ATS) for timely updates. Share personalized insights about company milestones and leadership to make candidates feel valued. Utilize asynchronous video interviews to allow candidates to express their motivation and personality. Guarantee clear and respectful communication with all candidates, even those not selected, to maintain a positive company reputation. Measuring Success and Continuous Improvement in Hiring To effectively measure success and promote continuous improvement in your hiring process, it’s vital to regularly evaluate key recruitment metrics such as time-to-hire and candidate satisfaction rates. Gathering feedback from both candidates and hiring teams after each hire can provide valuable insights into the recruitment process. This feedback helps identify specific areas for improvement. Implementing structured interviews and standardized evaluation criteria minimizes bias and streamlines assessments, leading to better decision-making over time. Organizations that view hiring as a dynamic system, documenting each step and analyzing outcomes, are more adaptable to changing market conditions. Regularly updating your recruitment practices in line with company growth and industry trends is fundamental. This proactive approach not only improves your hiring process but can as well lead to higher employee retention rates and enhanced overall team performance. Frequently Asked Questions What Is an Effective Hiring Process? An effective hiring process starts with clearly defined goals and precise job descriptions. You’ll want to create a structured recruitment plan that aligns with your organization’s objectives. Utilizing technology, like applicant tracking systems, streamlines candidate screening. Implement structured interviews and assessments to objectively evaluate candidates, minimizing bias. Regularly review recruitment metrics and candidate feedback for continuous improvement. Finally, guarantee a positive candidate experience through clear communication, enhancing your company’s reputation and attracting top talent. What Does a Typical Hiring Process Look Like? A typical hiring process starts with identifying the need for a new employee and creating a recruitment plan customized to your organization’s goals. You’ll then draft a clear job description detailing the role’s requirements and responsibilities. Next, you advertise the position across various platforms to attract a diverse pool of candidates. After screening applications, you conduct interviews, extend job offers, and guarantee new hires have a smooth onboarding experience. What Are the 5 C’s of Recruitment? The 5 C’s of recruitment are Clarity, Commitment, Consistency, Capability, and Culture. Clarity defines the job’s requirements, attracting suitable candidates. Commitment shows your organization’s dedication to finding the right fit. Consistency guarantees all candidates face the same evaluation process, promoting fairness. Capability assesses candidates through structured methods to gauge their skills. Finally, Culture evaluates how well potential hires align with your organization’s values, nurturing a cohesive work environment for everyone involved. What Is the 4 5 Rule for Hiring? The 4-5 Rule for hiring recommends that you interview four to five candidates for each open position. This approach helps you compare applicants effectively, ensuring you select the best fit for your organization. Conclusion To summarize, an effective hiring process is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. By focusing on clear job descriptions, team collaboration, and standardized interviews, you can guarantee a fair evaluation of candidates. Incorporating performance-based questions helps identify the right fit, during timely feedback keeps candidates engaged. Finally, a well-structured onboarding program facilitates integration into the company culture. Regularly measuring and improving your hiring process will contribute to long-term employee satisfaction and organizational success. 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