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Since 2021, I’ve worked on more than 350 published guest posts. In that time, I’ve refined a repeatable guest posting outreach process that consistently drives approvals without ever paying for a placement. Although guest blogging is becoming more difficult, the basics of personalized guest posting outreach remain the same. If your mindset is to create mutual value, this process will work for you in 2026 and beyond. Step 1: Build your outreach list Your outreach list is a collection of the websites you’ll email to offer guest-written content. You can build your list in several ways. The easiest way to find potential websites is by googling your niche alongside “write for us.” Plenty of reputable websites openly accept guest posts and have an established approval process you can find online. That’s the exact approach I used to publish an article on G2’s Learning Hub. Alternatively, search the name of a prominent person in your niche and add keywords such as “guest post,” “guest author,” or similar. Chances are that if a website has published guest posts from someone in your industry, they’ll be receptive to accepting guest posts from you as well. Browse your competitors’ backlink profile with an SEO tool. In Semrush, Backlinks is one of the SEO tools under Link Building. To refine your list, verify which websites have previously published content from guest authors. If, however, all articles on a blog are written in-house and you’re not the Beyoncé of your industry, chances are your guest posting pitch will go unnoticed. Once you’ve gathered a list of sites that potentially accept guest posts, run them by your website quality criteria. Consider the website niche, top pages, organic traffic over time, countries where the traffic is coming from, authority score, and outgoing backlinks. You can also automate this step with the API of your favorite SEO tool. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Step 2: Find the right contacts Even the best guest post outreach will fail if you’re writing to the wrong person. Most people ignore emails that aren’t relevant to them, nor do they forward them to the right colleague. That’s why you need to do your homework. There’s likely a specific department or person you should be addressing. Here’s how to find the right person through LinkedIn: Open the company LinkedIn profile and select the People tab. Type relevant keywords into the search bar to filter out profiles. You’re looking for a person who decides what content goes on the blog. To do this, you can type “content” and browse the results for a content manager, content editor, or similar. In smaller companies, you can search for “marketing” or “growth” to find who’s the one-person marketing team. For micro companies, your best contact person might be the founder or co-founder. Use Apollo or Hunter to find the work email of the best contact you find. Sometimes, you’ll come across companies that have no listed employees on LinkedIn, or their emails are not available. In this case, your only option might be a generic email such as contact@ or support@. For micro companies or in certain niches (typically B2C websites), these emails can still work. Verify all email addresses. Many outreach tools have built-in email verification features. This step helps you protect your sender reputation and ensures your emails end up in the inbox, not the spam folder. Step 3: Choose your outreach approach There are two distinct ways to approach guest posting outreach. Send out a generic email template with basic personalization Ask whether the website accepts guest-written content. This way, you don’t invest a lot of time upfront into every pitch and your only focus is on building an outreach list. As the emails aren’t highly personalized (they usually just include the names of the person and the company), they generate a moderate reply rate. To drive results with this approach, you need a large outreach list so you’ll still get enough opportunities to work with at a 3% to 5% reply rate. Hyper-personalize your emails The email you send to company A offers something completely different than the email you’re sending to company B. It takes a lot of time to research and tailor your pitch, but it also enjoys a higher reply rate (around 19%, from my experience). This approach works best when you have a small outreach list or when you’re pitching to prominent websites. Step 4: Research the right topics No matter your outreach approach, you usually need to pitch guest post topics. With basic personalization, you suggest topics only to the websites that reply to you. But with the hyper-personalized email approach, you propose topics in the first email you send. Top-tier websites typically only accept specific types of guest articles. Find the website’s editorial guidelines by googling “[company name] + guest post” and see their requirements. Let’s look at HubSpot as an example. They’re only publishing marketing experiments, original data analyses, or super detailed tactical guides. Similarly, writing a guest article for Zapier’s blog requires specific experience. Generic topics won’t make the cut. Buffer takes things a step further by opening rounds for guest posting under specific themes. Following each website’s requirements increases your chances of landing a successful pitch. But most websites are open to a broader range of suggestions. Some editors have a list of keywords or topics they want to target. They may share it with you so you can choose a topic to write on based on your expertise. Alternatively, you can bring your own guest post ideas. When that’s the case, you can use a keyword gap analysis to uncover relevant topic ideas. How to do a keyword gap analysis with Semrush Let’s say you want to pitch a guest article to monday.com. Here’s how to go about it: Go to Semrush’s SEO tools and select Keyword Gap. Add the URLs of Monday.com’s blog along with the blogs of leading competitor brands, then click on Compare. Next, filter out the keywords. Look only at keywords where competitors are ranking in the top 100 results. Limit the keyword search volume to 2,000. This filters out broad, highly competitive terms that typically require long-form, comprehensive guides to rank. In the keywords report, choose Missing to see keywords that competitors are ranking for but monday.com isn’t. This is their keyword gap. Look deeper into individual keywords that seem interesting and match your expertise. For example, “what is time boxing” has 49% keyword difficulty. In the search bar, add the domain URL to get a personalized keyword difficulty calculation. The goal is to find keywords for which your article has real potential to rank. After selecting “monday.com,” you see the site has low topical authority for “what is time boxing,” and ranking for it would be very hard. Looking at “cost management in project management,” the Personal Keyword Difficulty is 60%. While that’s still high, there’s more to consider. Check how your target domain compares against other websites ranking for this keyword. Monday.com’s Authority Score (AS) is 67, while the average in the top 10 is AS 52. Despite this being a competitive keyword, with the right content, monday.com has real ranking potential. Double-check the website isn’t targeting this keyword already. Sometimes, the website already has content on a similar topic — they’re just targeting a variation of your keyword. To do this, use the “site:” search operator and add your keyword into Google search. In this case, “task priority” came up in the keyword gap analysis. While monday.com doesn’t have an article with this keyword in the H1, it does have very similar content on how to create a priority list or prioritize tasks. Select three to four keywords that would make sense for the website to target. This ensures that the website editors will have enough options to choose from. If you put all of your eggs into one topic idea, it might not land. But three or four ideas increase your chances of success. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Step 5: Create your extra value proposition Adding extra value is about what else you can bring to the table besides guest content. Are you an established author in the site’s niche? Do you have a social media following that would be interested in this piece? Are you running a relevant newsletter? Or do you participate in a private community that cares about this topic? Your extra value proposition is unique to your profile, and different value props can appeal to different websites. For example, I have 11,000 followers on LinkedIn. When reaching out to a project management tool’s blog editor, I can mention that 54% of my followers are founders, executives, or senior-level professionals in small to mid-sized companies — the very people responsible for managing processes and tools within their organizations. If I’m personalizing this pitch for a lead-generation blog, I can highlight that 35% of my audience works in the marketing or advertising industry. Step 6: Prepare your emails When it comes to your emails, you need to consider the subject line, the email body, and follow-ups. In simple terms: The subject line is what gets your email opened. The email body gets you replies. The follow-up gets you a second chance. According to BuzzStream’s analysis of six million emails, the best-performing subject lines: Have 9-13 words and 71+ characters. Have emojis. Mention the website name (but not the person’s name). Use title case (vs. sentence case). On to the email body: Keep your emails concise and skimmable. Editors rarely have time for long messages. Finally: follow-ups. Statistically, the more you follow up, the higher your overall campaign reply rate. Some people reply after the first follow-up, others after the third. My recommendation? Limit follow-ups to two. A third one feels too pushy. Step 7: Send your outreach emails You’ve done a lot of preparation work. It’s finally time to send your emails. Here’s what to consider: Send days An analysis of 85,000 personalized emails showed the best day to send a cold email is Monday, closely followed by Tuesday and Wednesday. These are the days with the highest email open and reply rates. Send times The same study suggests you should be sending your emails between 6 to 9 a.m. PT (9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET). But since most editors are based in different countries, aim to send your email before noon in their local time. Unsubscribe option Always give recipients a clear way to opt out of more emails. Without an unsubscribe option, recipients may mark your message as spam. This can damage your sender reputation and reduce future deliverability. Step 8: Track and adjust Most outreach tools allow you to track open, reply, and success rates. Let’s break down what each metric tells you. Open rate is the percentage of recipients who open your email. Your subject line, preview text, sender name, and domain reputation directly influence this number. Reply rate is the percentage of recipients who respond to your email. Exclude automatic replies (like out-of-office messages) to avoid inflated performance numbers. Your email body, topic relevance, and positioning drive this metric. Success rate is the percentage of sent emails that result in a published guest post. Your topic selection, communication with the editor, and adherence to editorial guidelines are some of the aspects that influence success rates. Track these metrics to identify weak points in your outreach campaigns. After you establish a baseline, run controlled A/B tests. Send different versions of your campaign to similarly sized groups and compare performance. Change only one variable at a time so you can clearly measure its impact. Test ideas such as: Subject line with an emoji vs. without. First email with an extra value proposition vs. without. Three suggested topics vs. four. One follow-up vs. two follow-ups. Small improvements across different elements of your campaign can compound into measurable gains in success rate. Step 9: Build relationships with editors I mentioned I’ve worked on more than 350 guest articles. But that doesn’t mean they were all published on different websites. When you provide quality, you’re very likely to build lasting relationships that result in ongoing work. That’s one reason I use keyword gap analysis to choose topics. I target keywords that the website has real potential to rank for. When an article brings meaningful traffic, it becomes much easier to pitch the next one. To establish lasting relationships with editors: Provide exceptional content: Structure the article around search intent. Create original value with custom visuals, expert quotes, and practical examples. Support the publisher’s internal linking by adding multiple links to other resources on their website. Ensure perfect grammar and spelling. Support the article after publication: Promote it through your social media, newsletter, or community. When appropriate, link to it from other relevant content you write. Be reliable and easy to work with: Communicate clearly, respect editorial guidelines, and meet every deadline. My guest posting template with 18% success rate Below is the guest post outreach template that has delivered the strongest results in my campaigns. Between 2023 and 2025, I sent more than 300 pitches using variations of this template, primarily to content managers at B2B SaaS companies in the marketing and HR niches. It generated a 19% reply rate, and 18% of sent emails resulted in a published guest post. Subject: Fresh content ideas for [Company Name] Hi [First Name], My name is [Your Name], and I’m the [Your Job Title] at [Your Company], a [short company description]. I’m reaching out to see if [Company Name] is open to guest contributions. I have extensive experience in [your expertise area], having worked on projects for brands such as [Brand 1] and [Brand 2]. Here are a few topic ideas I’d love to propose: keyword: [primary keyword 1], US search volume: [search volume] [Proposed Article Title 1] keyword: [primary keyword 2], US search volume: [search volume] [Proposed Article Title 2] keyword: [primary keyword 3], US search volume: [search volume] [Proposed Article Title 3] To learn more about my background, you can view my [LinkedIn profile link] or review articles I’ve written for [Publication 1], [Publication 2], and [Publication 3]. If the article is a fit and gets published, I’d be happy to promote it to my community of [audience description or size]. Looking forward to your thoughts, [Your Name] See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Guest blogging caveat to consider Your author profile directly influences your approval rate. If you’re just starting out and don’t have a portfolio of published work, editors will hesitate to approve your topics. Start by reaching out to small or mid-sized industry blogs. As you build your portfolio, pitching becomes easier. Publishing on recognized industry websites and creating content that drives measurable results strengthens your credibility and improves your success rate over time. Bottom line: Invest in your author profile. That’s your biggest asset for successful guest blogging. View the full article

This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. I can’t keep up with all the news that interests me. So I’m exploring new ways to get concise, curated updates. Today I’m sharing three new tools I like. Huxe: Personalized audio shows drawn from your interests, calendar, and email. Google CC: A morning summary of your email inbox. Yutori Scouts: AI agents that monitor your fave topics and deliver reports. Read on for examples of how each works, and how to make the most of them. Huxe: Personalized Audio Updates Huxe is a personalized audio app. Whenever I open it, I hear a custom podcast it generates on the spot based on my interests, calendar, and email. It greets me with what’s important on my calendar and in my inbox. Then the little radio show made for me shares news and feature stories on topics I’m interested in—from AI and tech to teaching and classical music. Huxe was co-founded in September by Raiza Martin, who left Google after leading the vision and development of NotebookLM, my favorite AI tool. To set up the Huxe app, I picked from a list of categories and added some keywords for topics, teams, and tech that interest me. I also gave it permission to access my Google Calendar and Gmail. (Connecting those accounts is optional.) Huxe is free for now, on iOS or Android. Follow Huxe on LinkedIn, where they post interesting updates. In addition to a new “for you” audio update generated anytime I open the app, Huxe also has a “Discover” tab for listening to audio shows curated from online content. Examples of ones I like: Product Drops highlights notable new tech, referencing posts on Product Hunt, the best hub online for new launches. Actually Useful has mini case studies about when AI is demonstrably helpful. The Tennis Daily gives me interesting updates during the Australian Open. Design your own briefing Start by pressing the “+” button at the bottom right of the interface. On the “Research” tab, type in a prompt like “What are the latest breast cancer research developments?” or “Newest snack trends in Tokyo?” Alternatively, hit the “Use Sources” tab and add a list of specific sites you like, X handles, RSS feeds, or subreddits. Ideas to try Create a personalized learning show with your favorite blogs, newsletter writers, or subreddits you follow. You can add an instruction to give the show a particular focus, tone, or style. Make a guilty pleasure show for stressful days. It can be as niche as you want—it’s just for you. No one has to know what’s in it, though you can choose to share it. Add a list of topics that amuse you, from hobbies to food, pet, or sport trends. Or pick guilty pleasures like favorite TV shows, snacks, or singers. Example: In 60 seconds I curated my own show, called Reddit’s Daily Glow, that’s based on a few subreddits with inspiring news and interesting facts. I used to listen only to podcasts or audiobooks on my commute, but now I mix in these personalized audio updates, depending on my mood. Customize your briefings Use the “Join” button while listening to anything to inject a live question into the show. Like the interactive audio feature in NotebookLM, it prompts the AI to respond to your query before returning to the audio briefing. In the “Settings” tab, choose two voices you prefer from 19 options. Features I hope will be added: I’d like to be able to rewind and jump around more easily in the briefings. Down the road I’d love to pull in podcast, YouTube, and newsletter subscriptions as source material, and get Huxe updates by email or WhatsApp. I’d also love to use Huxe as a curator to create my own shows, mixing in my own voice and content. Alternative: I like Mailbrew for creating curated email digests from my favorite newsletters, blogs, subreddits, YouTubers, and more. Read my guide (for paid Wonder Tools subscribers) for more on why I like it and how I use it. Another alternative for a quick news overview is Upstract. But that’s basically the entire internet on one page, which I find overwhelming. Google CC: A Personalized Daily Email Update I’m testing a new Google “AI productivity agent.” CC is basically a personalized briefing that Gmail now sends me daily. It’s based on new Gmail messages and what’s in my Calendar. What’s useful about it It saves me from missing out. It surfaces messages I might otherwise overlook. Examples so far: a library message about a reserved book ready for pickup, and a volunteering sign-up deadline. It links directly to key messages. You can click on any briefing item to open the relevant Gmail message. I can reply to customize future briefings. I replied to a briefing asking for Substack-related email updates I might have missed, and it gave me these useful nuggets. Yutori Scouts: Get Customized Reports Get updates on whatever interests you with Yutori Scouts. Create a detailed query, and a team of AI agents will scour the web to keep you up to date. Specify news, shopping, or professional passions, or get updates on particular products, companies, or opportunities. Set your preferred frequency to daily, weekly, or when new info arises. It’s like a more powerful, AI-enhanced version of Google Alerts, which just searches for keywords. Here’s more on how Yutori’s AI agents work. How I’m using it To get an inspiring daily story from Reddit. Here’s a recent example. To see which AI startups are trending on Product Hunt. (You can remix public queries, which serve as useful templates.) To keep up with new AI policies in higher ed. I set up a weekly digest to stay up to date for my job at the City University of New York. Here’s a recent update. More examples of what Scouts can monitor Niche clothing trends in Tokyo TikTok U.S. daily trends Highly rated new movies available to stream Pricing: Free for one active query; $15 per month for 10 scouts on various topics with up to hourly monitoring. This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. View the full article

For too long, design has been too focused on how things look. That makes sense when products are competing for attention. Form becomes a way to stand out, a signal of taste, a shortcut to desire. But it’s fleeting. A shopper may feel good at checkout, then realize later that the product doesn’t actually enhance her life. That’s a failure. Most products don’t fail because they look bad. They fail because they don’t hold up in real life. They’re hard to open, awkward to carry, confusing to use, fine in ideal conditions but frustrating everywhere else. As a society, we’ve been designing for the moment of purchase, not the reality of use, and not for the long term. Real life is not ideal. Hands are full. Attention is split. Bodies change. Needs shift. What works in a studio or a showroom often breaks down in daily routines. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PURCHASE? Features that can be marketed in a headline or a surface impression matter, but they are incomplete. What matters just as much is what happens after purchase. Does the product reduce effort or add to it? Does it adapt to real conditions? Does it continue to work as life changes? These questions determine whether a product becomes part of someone’s life or something they quietly abandon. In homes everywhere, there are small examples of this gap. A chair that looks right but becomes uncomfortable over time, or is difficult to stand up from. A sauté pan that causes strain while plating. These are not dramatic failures, but they are everyday ones. Each friction point requires adjustment and extra attention, shaping how people feel about a product and the brand behind it. At the same time, the opposite mistake shows up just as often. Some products are designed so narrowly around function that they lose any sense of humanity. This is especially visible in categories that claim to prioritize usability, where the result can feel institutional or mechanical. They solve for performance but ignore how people want to feel using them. That is also a failure. People don’t separate how something works from how it makes them feel. The best products integrate purpose and personality. OBSERVE, DON’T JUST LISTEN Part of the reason this persists is that companies rely heavily on what customers say they want. That input is valuable, but it has limits. People tend to describe improvements to what they already know, but rarely entirely new ways something could work. If design only follows those signals, it reinforces the current model instead of challenging it. That is why designers focus on observing behavior, not just listening to requests. Real insight comes from watching how people actually live, where they struggle, adapt, and compensate. Designing for those realities often leads to solutions that feel obvious in hindsight but would have been difficult to articulate in advance. NEXT PHASE: UNDERSTANDING We are at an inflection point. The next phase of design is not about more expression, but more understanding. The value of a product is not in how it looks on a shelf, but in how it performs across the small, repeated moments that make up a day. Those ordinary moments are easy to overlook, but they are where products succeed or fail. A handle that supports different ways of holding it, an interface that makes its function clear at a glance, a form that guides use without explanation. These are not dramatic innovations, but they make a product easier to live with. When design solves for those moments, something changes. Products become easier to use, require less effort, and create less friction. They feel considered and increase in value over time. That shift is subtle, but powerful. When something works the way it should, people stop thinking about the object and focus on what they are trying to do. That is the real goal. The best products are not the ones that demand attention, but the ones that remove the need for it. THE IMPLICATIONS OF TRUST When a brand consistently delivers that experience, people begin to trust it and return to it, not just because of how it looks, but because of how it performs over time. That is where emotional connection is built. This has clear business implications. Products that work across a wider range of conditions are used more often, replaced less frequently, and build stronger loyalty. In saturated categories, this kind of performance becomes a meaningful advantage. It also requires a different mindset. Design cannot be treated as a final layer applied to a finished idea. It has to be embedded from the beginning, shaped by how people actually live. That means paying attention to variation, not just averages, and to edge conditions, not just ideal ones. Not ignoring customers, but recognizing that what people say and what they need are not always the same. The role of design is to close that gap, introducing solutions that feel natural once experienced, even if they were not requested in advance. The future of design will be defined by how well products work, how well they last, and how naturally they fit into real life. That is the problem worth solving. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design. View the full article

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Google announced a logging error on Friday, April 3rd in the data anomalies report and explained that error prevented the accurate logging of impressions in GSC since May of 2025. That's right, almost a full year of inaccurate impressions...View the full article

If your small business sees clients and customers by appointment, scheduling becomes your lifeblood. So it may surprise you to learn that 72.83% of U.S. small businesses still primarily use email to set appointments. Never mind the fact that more sophisticated options like Zoho Bookings offer a way to drastically improve scheduling for small businesses of all kinds. “Despite the growth of scheduling tools, legacy methods continue to dominate across SMBs,” explains a new survey created by the Zoho Bookings team. “Email threads and phone calls remain the default, even as more efficient alternatives become increasingly accessible.” Say Goodbye to Email Scheduling Imagine you run a barber shop in Brooklyn, New York. You’ve mastered 360 waves, drop fades, taper afros, twists, locks and more. Your clients and customers love your work. But you still manage your appointments by email. Yikes! Or imagine you run an insurance agency in Bridgeport, Connecticut. You might meet with clients at the local coffee shop, at your office, or online. Now imagine scheduling all these appointments with email threads and then trying to jot them all down in your calendar. You will have to hope nothing falls through the cracks. Who wants to live like this? Stop the Drain of Back and Forth Concern over scheduling through email goes beyond worry over missed appointments. Though that problem certainly exists. It also happens to be the greatest drain on a small business’s most valuable resource: time. According to the Zoho Bookings survey, 46.1% of respondents said the back-and-forth involved in more traditional scheduling like email ends up being a huge waste of hours. Consider a life coach in Tucson, Arizona who meets with most of her clients one on one online – since many are spread throughout the world. Using email for appointments seemed workable in the beginning. But with more clients every month, our hypothetical life coach finds her time more and more taken up by scheduling. An incoming email from a new lead results in lots of back and forth trying to settle on a date for a first session. Existing clients need to occasionally reschedule too resulting in even more emails. Multiply this over a larger and larger number of customers. Soon our life coach lacks time to prepare for new sessions. She also lacks adequate time to create videos, blog posts and other content — another important part of the service she provides. Look At Other Ways Scheduling Inefficiencies Create Challenges First, 34.65% of respondents say they see increased no shows due to scheduling problems, according to the survey. A periodontist in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania may see a drop in patients keeping their appointments. Perhaps confirmations remain lost in email threads causing confusion. Another 31.98% of respondents say double bookings and other conflicts result from these issues. Meanwhile, 23.62% of respondents report uneven team schedules as a result. Consider running a beauty salon in Detroit, Michigan. You schedule an extra beautician to handle two clients who never materialize. Another 21.65% of respondents to the survey say these challenges also lead to inefficient resource management. Perhaps an accountant in Portland, Oregon spends a few hours preparing a report for a client who doesn’t show due to scheduling confusion. That same client won’t pay you for a meeting he never attended. So 16.93% of respondents say late payments also remain related challenges. Another 9.45% of respondents listed increased administrative costs as a result of scheduling challenges. Learn How Much Inefficient Scheduling Costs You How much time does scheduling actually take up? Remember, this represents time you can’t use to get other things done in your business. First, about half of respondents – 46.46% – estimate they spend more than an hour to get a single appointment scheduled. This may include back and forth in email or on the phone to finalize an appointment and get it on the calendar. Meanwhile, 28.35% estimate it takes 1 to 6 hours to finalize and schedule an appointment, 13.78% think it’s 6 to 12 hours, 7.27% estimate 12 to 24 hours, and 1.97% say more than a day. A minuscule 1.18% say they just don’t know. Needless to say, it makes little difference how long you believe scheduling takes you. As the number of clients increases the time taken up in scheduling grows exponentially. “The gap between how often businesses schedule and how efficiently they do it is where automation can deliver significant operational benefits, especially for SMBs with lean teams, by reducing time spent on coordination and freeing resources for core activities,” the Zoho Bookings survey report explains. Add Effortless Flow to Your Scheduling Process Fortunately, automation in the form of scheduling software like Zoho Bookings offers another option. Zoho Bookings allows you to set up your hours and availability. Then customers or clients simply schedule the appointments that work for them. Forget back and forth emails. Watch your schedule fill up while you spend your valuable time doing something else in your business. Don’t Pick Up The Phone The phone seems even more old school than email. Yet 57.1% of small businesses in the U.S, still use it to schedule appointments with clients, according to the Zoho Bookings survey. Booking appointments with clients by phone and then entering them into your calendar may seem perfectly workable for some. (And, this may also depend on the number of these calls you need to take or make.) But imagine being an ophthalmologist in Raleigh, North Carolina. Your reception desk needs to make calls to remind patients of annual checkups. Or they need to handle a flurry or incoming calls when you send out your annual appointment reminders. This decreases the time they can spend fielding more important calls from patients. These end up being questions that require real humans to answer. They include medical questions, billing questions, or questions about the practice and the services you provide. Look for Digital Solutions Replacing email and phone with appointment scheduling software resolves many of these problems. In fact, scheduling software ranks third as the most used scheduling solution for U.S. small businesses. With 33.65% of organizations in the U.S. using software for scheduling, this option ranks far above calendar app invites and website forms. But it also ranks far above a number of other low tech and high tech solutions like pen and paper, spreadsheets, walk-ins or chatbots. “Manual scheduling carries a hidden cost,” the survey observes. “It surfaces as wasted hours, missed appointments, and customers who move on because booking was too complicated.” And the problems that arise seem magnified in small businesses where fewer employees mean not as many people to take up the slack. “For SMBs where a single person often handles sales, operations, and customer service, these friction points hit harder than they do at larger organizations,” the survey authors explain. Add A Virtual Meeting Component Choose a scheduling software that enables virtual meetings as well. Earlier we looked at a life coach with clients scattered all over the world. Such a business certainly requires virtual meetings for any interactive exchange. But Zoho Bookings’ survey found most of your competitors provide a combination of both. According to the survey, 21.26% of businesses reported offering exclusively in person service while 15.75% said they were exclusively virtual. But 62.99% of respondents said they offered a hybrid of virtual and in person options for clients. Give Clients a Choice of Meeting Format Imagine you work as a therapist in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Though you have clients in Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood and Encino, some prefer not to drive what can sometimes be as much as 20 minutes for an in person session. Or imagine you run a financial planning practice in somewhere like Billings, Montana. Clients in neighboring Lockwood, Huntley or Columbus might need to drive anywhere from 15 minutes to almost an hour to reach your office. While clients in Bozeman might drive over two hours. In either scenario, some might consider the trip worthwhile for an in person meeting. Others will not. So offering both virtual and in-person meetings seems a good idea to keep all your clients happy. “The hybrid approach is now the norm,” Zoho reports. “With nearly 63% of businesses offering both formats, meeting flexibility has moved from being a nice extra to something customers simply expect.” Integrating Zoho Bookings with Zoho Meeting allows you to offer virtual appointments from the scheduling application itself. This allows you to automate the bookings while also offering flexibility to clients about whether appointments are held in person or virtually. Watch Your Customer Service Improve Some small business owners may worry that using scheduling software takes away from the personal attention they give clients. That worry only increases when you throw AI into the equation. Take the AI scheduling now available from Zoho Bookings. In fact, 51.2% of respondents to the Zoho Bookings survey indicated they were concerned AI would eliminate the personal touch from their customer relationships. None-the-less 58.7% of respondents report being comfortable with AI handling scheduling for their business. Take Advantage of AI in Appointment Scheduling Despite this apparent comfort with AI-assisted scheduling, few respondents have actually implemented it. Only 20.8% of those surveyed currently use AI-assisted scheduling. While an incredible 79.92% do not. Given the incredible advantage automated scheduling with AI-tools offers, early adopters can expect to leave competitors using email or phone far behind. And given that 58.7% of respondents can already see the value here even though some have not yet adopted it, your business may want to get ahead of the pack. Automaton Improves Customer Satisfaction Despite concerns, there seems to be little cause to worry about how scheduling automation will impact customer experience. In the same survey, 56.8% of small business owners who use scheduling software said it directly improved their customer service. This makes sense when you think about it. Would you rather phone your doctor and leave a message because the front desk is too busy with existing calls? Or would it be better to pop onto your doctor’s scheduling software and choose from available options that fit your schedule? The first option will result in waiting for someone to call back within the next business day and at that time help you set up an appointment. And if you miss that call you can play phone tag with the office over the next few hours or days until you finally connect. Which scenario would you feel gave you as a patient the best service? Coordinate Your Internal Team Scheduling Finally, scheduling software offers a great potential to streamline internal scheduling as well. According to the Zoho Bookings Survey, internal scheduling at many small businesses continues to be a mishmash. Imagine you run an online marketing agency or software company. You need to meet with a client on a global campaign or a customer interested in implementing your software. You employ in the first case a global team of copywriters, designers and marketing specialists. In the second you have developers, engineers and IT support. How do you efficiently set up a meeting for all these people and your clients? Nearly half, 51.6%, of small businesses surveyed say they use messaging apps or email. But in either case, you can easily imagine how back and forth could take time. And agreed upon dates could easily be lost in chat or email threads. Another 48% of respondents acknowledged using a shared calendar dashboard. But 43.3% reported checking team availability manually and 17.32% said they routed scheduling through the front desk. For many of these businesses, considerable overlap exists as they use a mix of techniques when trying to put team meetings together. These small businesses could obviously do better. Final Thoughts If your small business hasn’t switched to scheduling software, it’s time to make a change. Using email for scheduling creates back and forth that drains away time you could be using on other parts of your business. It also allows appointment confirmations to be lost in email threads creating confusion and possible missed appointments. Making appointments by phone ties up staff who could be fielding more important calls. It also creates delays when leaving messages that may not be answered until the next day. Using scheduling software increases efficiency by allowing customers to schedule appointments based on your availability. Also nearly 57% of respondents to a recent survey say scheduling software directly improves customer service. To get started with scheduling software in your small business, visit Zoho Bookings. Or contact the Zoho sales team. This article, "Zoho Bookings Survey Shows Small Businesses Still Struggle with Scheduling" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the threat of drone attacks grows, the federal government is turning this summer into a proving ground for U.S. efforts to shore up aerial defenses at events like the World Cup. It may also serve as a launchpad for defense tech firms hoping to sell systems designed to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles. “Out of the World Cup, you’ll see the baseline for what law enforcement and critical infrastructure sites will then buy at scale,” says Jon Gruen, CEO of Fortem Technologies, which signed a multimillion-dollar deal to provide artificial intelligence systems, radar, and drone interdiction technology to U.S. cities hosting the tournament. “You’re going to see how it worked, and see how it all fits together.” A run of mega-events over the next few years, including this summer’s World Cup, expected to draw roughly 5 million international visitors for matches and fan zone parties, the nation’s 250th birthday, and the 2028 Olympics, has elevated drone defense as a national priority. It has also raised alarms among civil liberties groups about expanding law enforcement surveillance capabilities. Drones are increasingly being used for asymmetric warfare, says Michael Robbins, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International. One of the most notable examples is the Ukrainian Spiderweb attack, which secretly positioned remote-operated drones to devastate part of Russia’s bomber fleet. “What’s different about the World Cup is the scale,” says Robbins. “It’s 11 Super Bowls at once.” Robbins has been engaged in drone defense since 2018, when a high-profile drone intrusion at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom shut down airspace for two days and caused significant economic damage. In the United States, the federal government was slower to respond; for years, only a small number of federal officials were trained to take down drones. “We don’t have the training, we don’t have the equipment, and we don’t have the number of personnel that are skilled in mitigation technology and the use of mitigation technology, particularly the application of that technology in really highly dense radio frequency environments or urban environments,” says G.B. Jones, chief safety and security officer for the FIFA World Cup 2026, in November. That is now changing quickly. In December, the Safer Skies Act was signed into law, authorizing state and local authorities to disable dangerous drones and directing the FBI and other agencies to train them. The FBI’s Hazardous Devices School in Huntsville, Alabama, now runs a three-week training program for law enforcement focused on drone mitigation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also announced $500 million in special grants for drone defense, known as Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems programs, with half of the funding fast-tracked to help World Cup host cities invest in new technology. The Department of Homeland Security will spend an additional $115 million on drone defenses for the tournament. In January, officials from host cities and federal agencies gathered in Colorado Springs to run drone attack simulations ahead of this summer. Take Los Angeles, a future Olympic host and the city set to host Team USA’s first World Cup match on June 12. On February 24, Los Angeles Police Department officials approved a $9.8 million federal grant to protect the city from drone attacks. When asked about its plans for spending the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems grant funds, or strategy around drone defense, a department spokesperson says the department was unable to provide any details to Fast Company, and “as a matter of policy, we do not publicly discuss tactical strategies, threat assessments, or protective plans related to major events,” the statement noted. However, in a recent California Post piece, a larger strategy was outlined: the department would install two dozen radio frequency sensors across the city to detect drones, as well as mobile drone mitigation stations, including installations at LAPD headquarters and the Mt. Lee Communications tower right behind the Hollywood sign. Robbins says that drone defenses for events like the World Cup would typically work as follows, depending on the type of technology being utilized. For UAVs operated with radio frequencies, defending against attacks might utilize low-altitude radar or optical sensing to identify threats, and then jamming of radio frequencies to disable the drone, causing it to fall out of the sky. There’s even tech that allows law enforcement to take over rogue drones and then steer and land them at pre-designated safe spaces; that’s technology LAPD plans to lean on for their own defense, per the Post. The more challenging scenario, and the one that really worries security officials, is drones flying dark–using AI to autonomously hit targets without being steered or controlled by someone else. This tends to require a kinetic option, says Robbins. That means guns, lasers, high-powered microwave weapons, even other armed drones that can take out threats in the sky by ramming them or tossing nets. Fortem, which was recently awarded a contract from the Department of Homeland Security for their DroneHunter tech, fields AI-controlled drones that use nets to disable and snatch enemy drones out of the sky. This technology, which is autonomous, will be on display at every World Cup game this summer, says Gruen; the firm just staged an interdiction test, where five autonomously programmed drones were intercepted by Fortem radar and interceptors. However cities decide to invest in their defense–Robbins surmises every city will follow a different strategy based on their unique needs–it’s raising significant civil liberty concerns. Many activists and local officials have also expressed fear that increased drone technology can also be used on local communities, or as part of the federal government’s deportation dragnet. At a hearing of the Los Angeles Police Commission on February 10, speakers expressed alarm at the city’s growing drone fleet, and its potential to surveil citizens. Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the ACLU, says the threat of drone attacks is real, so he’s not de facto against spending money on defending from drone attacks. What he’s more concerned about, which he outlines in a recent white paper, is an increasing pattern of “drones for us, not you” by the government. By empowering more law enforcement groups to take down drones, it may crowd out the ability of everyday citizens to use drones, as well as perhaps lead to drones flown by journalists and advocates seeking to document abuses of power being disrupted. He’s advocating for narrow and precisely defined rules precisely spelling out when law enforcement can and cannot take down drones, and also transparency around how the government is using drones, to curtail overbroad surveillance. The federal government had previously issued flight restrictions over protests in Ferguson in 2014, and earlier this year, issued flight restrictions above DHS vehicle caravans, ostensibly banning drones from filming their activities. “Two things can be true,” Stanley says. “There are times and places where it makes complete sense to ban drones. And, the threat of drones can be exaggerated to ban drones due to the desire of law enforcement not to be filmed.” Robbins believes the nation has been slow to put the proper regulations in place to defend against this threat, but the right actions have been taken. Taken together with the military’s rapid pace of drone defense investments, this new wave of training and deployment will bolster defense tech firms like Axon, despite the recent federal shutdown, which delayed federal funding earmarked for World Cup safety and security. At a time of war and rising threats, drone defense has become a much bigger priority. “It’ll take a herculean effort to be ready,” he says. “But now, it’s being taken seriously.” View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Jim Collins, coauthor of Built to Last and author of Good to Great, didn’t set out to write another management book. His new work, What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative, is a deeply researched meditation on how individuals navigate life’s transitions, from a wide range of human endeavors including arts, sports, media, and politics. But in researching and writing What to Make of a Life, a process that took 12 years, Collins found himself returning to—and evolving—one of his most famous concepts. Good to Great introduced the “First Who, Then What” principle, the notion that executives who led the most remarkable corporate transformations didn’t start with a vision or a strategy. They started with people. “The executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there,” he wrote. “No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it.” Collins’s What to Make of a Life research suggests that people are still important, but so is the role they play. Put another way: You need the right people on the bus, “but what I really came to see through this study is that it’s much more about the seats,” Collins tells Modern CEO. All the right shine Collins shares a new concept he calls “encodings”—the constellation of capabilities that reside within each of us. When an individual’s encodings are brightest, he describes them as being “in frame.” John Glenn, for example, was in frame during his run as a successful fighter pilot and astronaut. But Glenn also had periods of his life when he was less successful. He was a middling college student and an unremarkable corporate executive before moving fully back into frame as a U.S. senator. “He’s still the same person,” Collins says. “What’s changing is the frame of his life, and whether that frame is capturing a big, bright set of encodings.” Katharine Graham had similar moments being in and relatively out of frame, with some of her brightest coming when she was CEO of The Washington Post Co. and tested by her decisions to publish the Pentagon Papers and Watergate scoops. Singer Robert Plant was “running around the Midlands with John Bonham in pursuit of music gigs,” Collins writes, while his parents tried to convince him to become an accountant. He came into frame when he teamed up with Jimmy Page to form Led Zeppelin. Find the right frame Collins says leaders should recognize that team members have different encodings, and to get them to succeed may require changing their responsibilities or frame. It’s a lesson Collins has learned personally. “I used to spend a lot of time feeling frustrated with what people are not,” he says. “I began to look at all the people in my life and on my team very differently. [Rather than] try to turn them into something they’re not, [try to] shift the frame—the seat they sit in—so that when they’re in that seat, they’re like John Glenn flying fighter jets. They’re like Jimmy Page playing guitar.” Leaders, in turn, can understand and embrace their capabilities and lead by putting themselves in the right frame or seat. Collins defines leadership as “the art of getting people to want to do what must be done.” “The key is not to look out into the world and say, ‘What do other great leaders do?’” Collins says. “The key is to say, ‘What are my leadership encodings that allow me, in my own idiosyncratic way, to exercise the art of getting people to want to do what must be done?’” Crack your encoding What are your encodings as a leader? How do you get people to do what must be done? Send your reflections to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. I’ll publish the best examples in a future newsletter. Read more: The best of Jim Collins Good to Great for entrepreneurs Is the economy just built to flip? Walmart: Bigger, better, faster Revisiting Beyond Entrepreneurship View the full article

Proposal for 45-day ceasefire reported to have been shared by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey ahead of The President deadlineView the full article

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Economics, security and domestic politics all point the Starmer government towards BrusselsView the full article

JPMorgan chief raises alarm on weakening lending standards in annual shareholder letterView the full article

When Estefania Angel started working as an executive assistant at a large tech company a few months ago, she noticed something counterintuitive: while her company’s job was to help other enterprises set up AI to streamline their in-house tasks, her company didn’t use those systems internally itself. Using AI apps in Slack, Outlook, and Google to track various assignments and ping colleagues, Angel got the attention of her superiors. One even asked Angel to teach her how to use AI at work. “We started tracking a whole project that she was doing,” says Angel, who works as an executive assistant (EA) with EA service company Viva Talent, streamlining the project’s workflow. That was just the first step. Ultimately, through Angel’s use of AI to make a variety of office tasks increasingly efficient, more and more of her colleagues began adopting those AI-driven processes until it became the company norm. It wasn’t company executives driving AI adoption—but rather lower-ranking, self-taught employees who helped AI use cases trickle upward. This bottom-up AI adoption tracks with wider trends: Last year, McKinsey found that “the biggest barrier to scaling [AI] is not employees—who are ready—but leaders, who are not steering fast enough.” McKinsey researchers surveyed 3,613 employees and 238 C-level executives and learned that the latter seriously underestimate how much the former use AI. C-suite executives, for example, believed 4% of employees used gen AI for at least 30% of their work, when employees’ self-reported percentage was three times higher. While EAs can be big drivers of AI filtering up to executives because of their proximity, sources speaking with Fast Company noted how recruiters, data workers, individual contributor (IC) coders, project coordinators, and even valets have sparked widespread AI adoption across their organizations. Executives are largely not the ones on the frontlines of AI at work. Employees engaged in day-to-day tasks are steering their companies’ AI adoption—from the bottom up. “A wild game changer” At human resources software company Justworks in New York, one IC recently started using an AI agent that investigates the company’s code repositories for potential bugs. Once it finds a likely problem, it reports back to another AI agent, which does some QA testing and, if it detects a bug, opens a request for a fix. That IC ended up “largely automating like 80% of the on-call process for his team,” says Justworks senior engineering manager Ryan Taylor. It’s been a “wild game changer,” Taylor adds—what began as “just an experiment” by the IC is now something his team is working on rolling out more widely across the company. Cortney Hickey, executive operations director at automation software company Zapier, says she and her colleagues “have been influencing our execs in many ways” on AI, like in designing how decisions move across the organization: For example, Zapier’s recruiting team “has done a lot with AI that’s also trickled up,” including how the company generates pre-meeting briefs. Chris Morrison, who started as a valet at the upscale grocery chain Erewhon in Los Angeles in 2017, ultimately ended up developing AI systems that now aggregate the entire company’s data. Good at his valet job, he shortly got promoted to driving the company’s CEO, who “slowly started to realize that I was good at computers,” Morrison says. Having had on-the-ground experience at many of Erewhon’s stores, Morrison started driving less and working more with the CEO’s EA to set up pipelines and databases for Erewhon, using AI to automate and streamline tasks based on his knowledge of the company’s operations. These pipelines spread outward to colleagues and upward to superiors. Today, Morrison is a business analyst and AI lead at Erewhon. Boots on the ground It’s only natural for AI functions to move bottom-up at a company, because workers know their domains more intimately than the people who oversee them. At Justworks, Taylor has seen “a lot of AI initiatives come from low-cost, quick-iteration experimentations,” he says. It’s simple to play around with AI to see how it can make your workday easier, and when something succeeds, other people at the office tend to notice and even start using it themselves. “In these support or operations roles, you just spot the friction,” says Zapier’s Hickey. When she and her colleagues do, they’ll start piloting AI solutions. “Eventually, you test it with an exec, and they’re like, ‘I want more of this.’” Jodie Mears, a UK-based EA at infrastructure software development company Bentley Systems, mentors EAs around the world. She’s been hearing, however, that a lot of her mentees’ executives don’t want them to use AI. “They feel like it’s cheating,” Mears says, rather than streamlining. Still, she says it’s best practice not to hide your AI use as an employee. Employees “will battle between not wanting to admit that they used AI or an automation to make their role faster in fear of downplaying or downgrading their traditional duties,” Mears says. Though some fear that employees bringing on AI to take over some of their job functions represents an existential danger to their role, it might in fact make them more valuable. They become the “translation layer between the tools and how [they] work with leadership,” Hickey says. As Fineas Tatar, co-founder of Viva Talent, puts it, “My EA teaches me new things all the time. Especially when it comes to anything AI-related.” For instance, he says his EA has helped him reduce his meeting prep time from 30 minutes to just two through AI agent-created pre-meeting briefs. “Let me have a piece of that” Even though so many AI-assisted workflows originate below the C-suite, executives and managers can participate productively in employees’ AI iterations. Toward the start of this year, Justworks higher-ups noticed employees eagerly adopting AI, and decided to foster that process by giving them small budgets to spend on their trials with AI products. “Company leaders start with enablement, being like, ‘This is an industry thing. We need you to be leaning in on this. Here’s a budget,’” Taylor says. Leaders noticed that these developments were worth funding, “but the actual implementation and change has to very much come from the ICs and boots on the ground.” By March, Justworks was hosting an internal hackathon in which employees were encouraged to “do whatever you want, but you’ve got to build it using AI,” says Taylor, resulting in some useful implementations, such as the ability to extract specific, uniform information from a number of differently formatted documents (like a bunch of CVs). Similarly, Zapier hosted a company-wide hackathon where employees were encouraged to take a week to build with AI and then share their work. “Execs have an important role of empowering, but I don’t think they are necessarily the ones providing the foundational ways of working,” Hickey says. For Mears, higher-level encouragement about her use of AI has come in the form of praise and approving nods. Workers also share their AI innovations in a dedicated chat. “The prompts that get shared are really quite invigorating,” Mears says. Team members inspire and adopt each other’s AI implementations. And with nearly every AI tool she’s used, she’s found her executive asking, “Show me what you did to free up your time. Create one of those for me.” “You don’t have to be a particular IT whiz to use this,” she adds. “I think that’s the biggest revelation that trickles up to the C-suite: ‘Wow, my EA is doing that. Let me have a piece of that.’” View the full article

Swedish retailer H&M is breaking into Milan Design Week with a new collection in collaboration with the award-winning interior designer Kelly Wearstler. Wearstler’s high-profile work, including the interiors of the Proper Hotels, and for celebrity clients like Cameron Diaz and Gwen Stefani, has earned her A-list status in the industry. Now, with a first-of-its-kind collection, H&M is bringing Wearstler’s high-end designs to Main Street. “The constraints were very real. Everything had to work within specific production and shipping parameters. But that actually became a creative driver,” Wearstler tells Fast Company over email. “Working at this scale pushed me to distill my ideas—how to create something artisanal and expressive, but also accessible and adaptable to different ways of living.” The 29-item collection of furniture, decorative objects, and textiles that includes a modular sofa, marble serving tray, and carved-wood vase, marks H&M’s first large-scale furniture and small-objects collaboration with a designer. Wearstler, who wanted the pieces to feel collectible, focused on flexibility and modularity to make each object adapt to daily life. “A chair can become a sofa, smaller tables can expand into larger ones. It’s about creating a system that evolves with the user,” she says. Debuting in Milan Wearstler and H&M’s Milan debut will take over the 17th-century baroque palace the Palazzo Acerbi—a historic venue usually closed to the public—from April 21 to 26. The palazzo’s opulent interior of frescoes and colonnades is set to contrast with Wearstler’s contemporary designs in an installation produced by Studio Boum. “With this milestone we want to make an impact on customers and the design industry alike in a new way. When we discovered the venue—the Palazzo Acerbi—everything fell into place,” Evelina Kravaev-Söderberg, H&M Home head of design and creative, said in a press release. The installation “unfolds as an immersive, choreographed journey through the senses,” the press release said. “Each room reveals a distinct dimension of this multifaceted experience, elevating every sense into a sacred act that guides visitors toward presence and connection.” While better known for her interior design, Wearstler has created furniture and objects prior to the collab with H&M, including high-end sculptural marble seating and a “sensual” piano made of birchwood. But thanks to H&M, her design ethos will be available at more affordable prices, ranging from $28 to $805, ready for buyers to make their own. “I’ve always believed that exceptional design shouldn’t be confined to luxury,” Wearstler says. “The modular furniture is something I love for how interactive it is. It invites people to engage, to reconfigure, to make it their own. That adaptability, combined with a sense of surprise, is really at the heart of the collection.” The collection will be available starting September 3 in select H&M stores and online in 40 countries. View the full article

It’s so easy to cheat now. Using generative AI, anyone can get a free meal or product. They can even get free money by scamming the government itself. And, like radiologists have just discovered, they can even cheat doctors and insurance companies by using AI-generated X-rays. According to a new study published by the Radiological Society of North America, most experts can’t distinguish fake fractures from the real thing now. Undetectable insurance fraud is one click away. It’s just the last of a growing list of low-hanging fruit, zero-cost scams made possible with the power of AI. And it’s only going to get worse. Fake x-rays The Radiological Society of North America’s study subjected 17 global medical specialists from six different countries, some boasting up to 40 years of field experience, to a visual test involving 264 X-rays—half authentic and half synthetic creations created by AI tools like ChatGPT and Stanford’s open-source RoentGen model. When left entirely in the dark about the presence of these artificial images, the physicians only managed to correctly identify the synthetic X-rays 41% of the time. Even after receiving explicit warnings that fakes were hidden in the batch, their average success rate limped up to 75%, ranging between a dismal 58% and a respectable but imperfect 92%. A doctor’s decades of hands-on experience offered little statistical advantage in catching the deception, the study says, though musculoskeletal experts performed marginally better than their peers. To make matters worse, the large language models responsible for birthing this digital chicanery—including GPT-4o, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Meta’s Llama 4 Maverick—fared no better as automated detectives, scoring accuracy rates between 57% and 85%. “Our study demonstrates that these deepfake X-rays are realistic enough to deceive radiologists, the most highly trained medical image specialists, even when they were aware that AI-generated images were present,” noted lead author Dr. Mickael Tordjman. “This creates a high-stakes vulnerability for fraudulent litigation if, for example, a fabricated fracture could be indistinguishable from a real one. There is also a significant cybersecurity risk if hackers were to gain access to a hospital’s network and inject synthetic images to manipulate patient diagnoses or cause widespread clinical chaos by undermining the fundamental reliability of the digital medical record.” According to Tordjman, AI-generated medical images often look too perfect, with bones that are “overly smooth, spines unnaturally straight, lungs overly symmetrical, blood vessel patterns excessively uniform, and fractures that appear unusually clean and consistent, often limited to one side of the bone.” But that’s just yesterday’s crop of tools. Like AI-generated video, AI will make these X-rays absolutely perfect and undetectable soon. It’s the nature of the ever evolving AI beast. To fight this, experts are demanding invisible watermarks and cryptographic signatures directly linked to the technician capturing the scan, effectively acting like a mathematical seal of authenticity that proves a human body was actually in the room. Shallowfakes and raw deals Fraudulent x-rays are a serious example of the more quotidian truth-bending that’s already happening. Take the rise of shallowfakes, which are surface-level digital illusions that require minimal effort to produce maximum financial deceit. Ordinary consumers are using generative AI to visually alter their food deliveries into unappetizing disasters. It takes one click to digitally manipulate the interior of a hamburger or a piece of chicken so it appears raw, tricking algorithms and customer service reps into approving instantaneous refunds. “The trend is real and growing,” observed generative AI fraud specialist Alberto Palomar to Spanish newspaper El Confidencial. “AI is putting it within the reach of anyone who has no idea about technology to take this trickery to all levels.” While Uber Eats passes these fraudulent financial hits directly onto the unsuspecting restaurants, DoorDash maintains a strict corporate line, warning users that “trying to game the system with a fake image might seem clever at the moment, but it’s not worth a permanent ban over a $20 order.” The human collateral damage in this digital swindle lands squarely on the gig workers delivering the food. When a customer successfully fakes a damaged or undercooked meal, the driver is penalized with bad ratings or permanent deactivation, says Ligia Guallpa, executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project. “The biggest complaint that deliveristas have is how the apps are aggressively punishing them for things that are out of their control,” she points out. Her organization was tracking roughly 1,500 active deactivation cases. But it’s more complicated than that. Drivers are also weaponizing the technology to fake deliveries they simply steal. Austin-based DoorDash customer Byrne Hobart watched his Dasher accept the order, instantly mark it as complete, and upload an AI-generated porch photograph with the driver there. The company refunded his poke bowl and noted, “After quickly investigating this incident, our team permanently removed the Dasher’s account and ensured the customer was made whole.” The million dollar paper trail Meanwhile, the epidemic of micro-fraud is morphing into a macroeconomic catastrophe for the global insurance sector, mutating minor vehicular scrapes and broken smartphones into massive corporate liabilities. In the United States, “20-30% of insurance claims may now include altered images, fabricated documents, or synthetic medical reports”, claims Shift Technology, a technology company that provides AI agents to automate claims. In the UK, insurance company Allianz reported a 300% spike in the use of AI to alter documents, photos, and videos in customers claims from 2022 to 2023. It will only get worse, says global insurance data analytics company Verisk: “One in three consumers would consider digitally altering an insurance claim image or document to strengthen their case—and that number rises to 55% of Generation Z.” In Spain, insurer AXA says it processes up to 30,000 claim-related documents a day, making it harder to spot synthetic tampering at scale. Arturo López-Linares, Claims Director at AXA Spain, outlined the terrifying breadth of the efforts. “It is an alarming trend. Documents have always been falsified, all our lives. The problem now is the ease with which you can do it and that these tools are within everyone’s reach,” he warned. “You can ask the AI to put a scratch on your car or modify a repairman’s invoice. It is impossible to catch it with the naked eye, so you also need to use technology to identify it.” While acknowledging the digital cheating pool sits at just over 2% of the population, the math is unforgiving, says López-Linares: “We have gone from identifying only 3% of fraud cases with digital methods a few years ago to 30% currently… but it already accounts for millions of euros, and AI is playing a fundamental role.” The problem with all this is that it is impossible to catch. Sure, you can analyze a digital photograph’s metadata—the hidden strings of code functioning like algorithmic fingerprints that log geolocation, device specs, and timestamp data—but since metadata can be effortlessly spoofed, that barrier is gone. Some say the ultimate defense relies on advanced image analysis software, but as the X-ray study has demonstrated, that’s also hard and will soon be impossible. Future generations of AI will The President any forensic countermeasures we develop. Plus, the cost of these measures, which will be expensive to implement and run in server farms, effectively prices small and medium enterprises out of their own survival. “This is what happens to many companies, processing returns or investing to catch fraud costs them more than assuming the cost of it,” Palomar concluded. Perhaps now that AI is starting to dent the economy, the corporations and governments’ bottom line, the pressure will be high enough to push for mandatory truth-certification solutions that will benefit all of us. View the full article

Lawsuits and probes are ramping up, and some courts have broadened the lending law's statute of limitations, said Bradley Partner Jonathan Kolodziej. View the full article

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should aggressively buy and restructure low-coupon MBS into CMOs rather than holding them, a move that would lower long-term mortgage rates, according to the chairman of Whalen Global Advisors. View the full article

For many years, women have been told that they needed to “step-up” to lead. You know the narrative—speak more assertively, be less emotional, less sensitive and toughen up. In essence, to “fit the mold.” The trouble is, that mold was never created with them in mind. It was built in an era where leadership equalled hierarchy, control, dominance, and outdated power dynamics. This has fueled countless burnout cases, while women have mastered leading within these “rules.” Now though, there’s a shift. That shift is birthing the realization that the old rulebook no longer applies. The old leadership model is expensive and commercially outdated. The command-and-control paradigm was built in a time where things were less unpredictable. The world is now operating in constant volatility. This leads to workers who need and expect autonomy, flexibility, and meaning, not micromanagement. I’m now watching women making conscious decisions to ditch this rulebook. To quietly step away from these rules. That’s not driven by rebellion. It’s because those rules are now a liability. It’s a move to future proof, to stay relevant, and to rise without breaking themselves and their teams. The old expectations When we talk about the “old rulebook” what’s meant is the informal expectations that have shaped careers, for example: Being available at all hours. Being the one who picks up the work no one else wants and carries the emotional load of the team. Data backs up just how costly this is. It is reported that around six in ten senior-level women report frequent burnout. This is higher than men at the same level. Rinse and repeat leadership style. This is to lead like the person who had the role before you. In many organizations this has meant adopting a narrow, traditional, and often masculine version of leadership. Typically leaving inherent skills like intuition, empathy, and connection suppressed, when it’s a natural style many women would choose to lean into. The “good girl” phenomenon. Saying yes as a default. Smoothing things over and not challenging too strongly so as not to run the risk of being seen as “difficult” or “not a team player.” These rules don’t just exhaust individual women. They create cultures where people teeter at the edge of burnout. Stay quiet when something feels off and prioritize looking in control over telling the truth. More and more women are making the decision that this isn’t leadership. It is, in fact, a risk. Why now? Some of the shift is very personal. Burnout figures in women are stark. This isn’t just about individual wellbeing though. Global data suggests that around only one in five employees are engaged at work. The cost of this runs to billions in lost productivity. Engaged teams on the other hand deliver better productivity, profitability, and lower staff turnover. Looking through this lens, it’s plain to see that clinging to the old rulebook burns leaders out and kills human connection. It’s outdated and its expensive. So, women are waking up. They are experimenting, getting curious, and asking “If the system wasn’t designed with me in mind, what if I stop copying it and start leading in a way that works for me, and for my people?” Let’s face it, I am sure we can all agree that the smart thing to do given the poor state of play in many organizations, is to try something new. The wins Here are the wins when women play by the new rules. They reduce risk, both for themselves and the organization. A burned-out leader is a risk. So is a leader who is exhausted or afraid of conflict. When women step away from the “available all hours” pattern, they free up capacity to see what’s really going on. They notice strain earlier and have headspace to ask questions that propel momentum. This behaviour also helps retention. Leaders who model sane boundaries along with sustainable pace are far more likely to keep their best people, which is infinitely more cost effective than being on the replacement treadmill. They make better decisions by using more of their intelligence. The old rulebook had a bias to rewarding data and hard numbers while demoting the proposition of intuition and emotion. Yet research on effective teams tells a different story. The single biggest factor in high performing teams is psychological safety. When people feel safe to speak up, ask questions, share “daft” ideas, or admit to mistakes, innovation increases. There is better decision-making and stronger engagement. The women who are ditching the “Don’t be too emotional,” or “Don’t rock the boat” rules, are naming what others have to date have supressed: “Smething feels a bit off here,” or “The team’s tone is telling me something is missing, what are we not seeing?” This strengthens the strategy and analysis; it doesn’t endanger or replace them. There is growing evidence to suggest that when women are in senior roles, and allowed to lead in their own way, organisations benefit. A world economic forum summary of research on the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 350 firms reported that companies where women made up more than a quarter of the executive committee had profit margins around 16%, more than 10 times higher than those with no women at that level. When women ditch the outdated rulebook, they win (they have sustainable energy and careers that don’t ask they abandon themselves); their teams win (they enjoy safer cultures and leaders who are human, not performative); and their organizations win (with lower risk, better decisions, improved innovation, and stronger engagement that shows up in the numbers). International Women’s Day often asks the question of how to get more women into leadership. I’d advocate to close the old rule book. The future of leadership needs something more powerful, more human, more intuitive, more empowering, and yes, more magical. View the full article

Accounting on account is a method where payments for goods or services are deferred, allowing businesses to manage cash flow effectively. This approach creates accounts receivable or accounts payable, depending on whether you are the buyer or seller. By recognizing revenue when it’s earned, instead of when cash changes hands, you align with the accrual basis of accounting. Comprehending its process and benefits can greatly impact your financial management strategies moving forward. Key Takeaways Accounting on account refers to deferred payment for goods or services, resulting in accounts receivable or accounts payable based on the business’s role. Revenue is recognized when earned, following accrual accounting principles, rather than upon cash receipt. Accurate recording and regular updates on accounts receivable are essential for maintaining financial health and cash flow management. The matching principle aligns revenues with corresponding expenses in the same period for accurate financial reporting. Effective credit policies and regular reconciliation of accounts help mitigate risks and identify overdue payments, ensuring sound financial decision-making. Understanding Accounting on Account When you consider accounting on account, you’ll find it essential to understand how this practice shapes financial transactions. Accounting on account involves providing goods or services with payment deferred, resulting in either accounts receivable or accounts payable, depending on your role. In accrual accounting, you recognize revenue when it’s earned, not when payment is received; therefore, accounts receivable reflects amounts owed by customers. Conversely, when you incur expenses on account, you record these liabilities before making payment, leading to accounts payable. The matching principle guarantees that you record revenues and related expenses in the same period, which is especially important for transactions made on account. This method notably aids cash flow management, allowing your business to operate smoothly during the wait for customer payments or managing obligations to suppliers. The Process of Accounting on Account When you engage in accounting on account, accurately recording transactions is essential, as it guarantees your financial records reflect the reality of your sales. You’ll need to manage account balances closely, keeping an eye on what customers owe to maintain healthy cash flow. Finally, reconciling your financial statements regularly helps confirm that your accounts receivable align with your overall financial position, reducing the risk of discrepancies. Recording Transactions Accurately Accurate recording of transactions on account is essential for maintaining a clear and reliable financial picture of a business. Here are key aspects to take into account: Follow the accrual accounting method: Recognize revenue when earned, not when cash is received. Update accounts receivable regularly: Make sure your records reflect outstanding payments accurately. Utilize the matching principle: Record related expenses in the same period as the revenue they generate, enhancing financial reporting. Monitor cash flow management: Keep an eye on your balance sheet and income statement to manage liquidity effectively. Managing Account Balances Managing account balances is a vital aspect of any business’s financial health, particularly in the context of sales on account. By regularly updating your accounts receivable, you guarantee an accurate picture of outstanding invoices, which is fundamental for cash flow management. Using accrual accounting allows you to recognize revenue when the sale occurs, adhering to the revenue recognition principle. This practice helps maintain reliable financial statements. Implementing effective credit policies can likewise mitigate risks associated with accounting on account, setting limits on credit sales based on customers’ payment histories and creditworthiness. Regularly reconciling these accounts aids in identifying overdue payments, assuring you stay on top of your financial obligations and maintain a healthy business operation. Reconciling Financial Statements Reconciling financial statements is essential for guaranteeing your business’s financial accuracy and integrity, as it involves a systematic comparison of your internal financial records with external documents like bank statements. This process helps identify discrepancies and guarantees all transactions are recorded correctly. Here are key steps to reflect upon: Review accounts receivable and accounts payable to guarantee all invoices and payments are accounted for. Match amounts in your financial records with those on external statements. Identify and resolve any discrepancies found during the review. Make adjusting entries as necessary to align with accounting standards like GAAP or IFRS. Regular reconciliation not just maintains financial integrity but also provides an accurate financial position, supporting informed decision-making. Benefits of Accounting on Account When you adopt accounting on account, you gain improved financial tracking that helps maintain clear records of what customers owe you. This clarity not merely aids in cash flow forecasting but additionally empowers you to make informed decisions regarding credit risks and payment terms. As a result, you’ll find yourself better positioned to manage your finances and boost overall business performance. Enhanced Financial Tracking Improved financial tracking through accounting on account offers businesses a robust method for managing their financial data, as it allows the recording of sales and expenses at the time they occur rather than waiting for cash exchanges. This approach improves financial accuracy and supports effective cash flow management. Here are some key benefits: Maintains Accounts Receivable: You get a clear view of outstanding customer debts. Tracks Accounts Payable: It helps manage supplier obligations efficiently. Supports Accrual Basis of Accounting: Aligns revenues and expenses with corresponding periods for better financial reporting. Facilitates Budgeting and Forecasting: Provides insights into financial commitments, improving overall planning. With improved financial tracking, you also guarantee GAAP compliance, boosting credibility with stakeholders. Improved Decision-Making Insights Accounting on account greatly improves decision-making insights for businesses, providing an all-encompassing view of financial transactions that informs strategic choices. By leveraging accounting software, you streamline accounting functions and boost accurate financial reporting. This clarity allows you to monitor cash flow effectively, making it easier to evaluate revenue and expenses. Accurate financial statements generated through this method help in stakeholder assessment, revealing your business’s performance and cultivating trust among investors. Regular analysis of financial data aids in identifying trends and anomalies, enabling proactive adjustments to your strategies. In the end, these insights empower you to make informed strategic decisions regarding investments, budgeting, and resource allocation, ensuring better financial health and long-term success for your business. Key Terms Related to Accounting on Account Grasping key terms related to accounting on account is vital for anyone involved in financial transactions. Comprehending these terms helps you navigate credit sales and manage accounts receivable effectively. Here are four fundamental concepts: Accounts Receivable: This is the money owed to your business by customers for credit sales, impacting cash flow. Credit Sale: A sale made on account, allowing customers to pay later rather than immediately. Terms of Sale: These define payment timelines, including any discounts for early payment and penalties for late payments. Aging of Accounts Receivable: This method helps assess the collectability of outstanding accounts by categorizing them based on how long they’ve been due. Differences Between Cash and Account Transactions Although both cash and account transactions serve vital roles in business operations, they differ fundamentally in how they affect cash flow and revenue recognition. Cash transactions involve immediate payment, leading to instant revenue recognition as cash is received. Conversely, account transactions allow customers to buy now and pay later, creating accounts receivable for the seller. Revenue recognition occurs at the point of sale under accrual accounting, not when cash is collected. Furthermore, cash transactions usually require a single journal entry at payment, whereas account transactions necessitate tracking unpaid debts until payment is received. While businesses might favor account transactions for larger sales because of the potential for increased sales volume, this approach can likewise complicate cash flow management. Cash transactions improve immediate liquidity, whereas account transactions may delay cash inflows, posing risks related to unpaid debts. Comprehending these differences is vital for effective financial management. Importance of Accounting on Account for Businesses Businesses rely on accounting on account to manage credit transactions effectively, which helps them maintain a healthy cash flow. This practice is essential for comprehending accounts receivable and ensuring revenue is recognized when earned, aligning with accrual accounting principles. Here are four key benefits: Improved Cash Flow Management: By tracking outstanding debts, you can anticipate cash inflows and plan accordingly. Enhanced Financial Planning: Accurate records of credit sales assist in budgeting and making informed operational decisions. Stronger Customer Relationships: Offering credit terms can attract more customers and increase sales, nurturing loyalty. Mitigated Bad Debt Risks: Diligently monitoring customer payment behavior helps you identify potential payment issues before they escalate. Real-World Examples of Accounting on Account Real-world examples of accounting on account illustrate how businesses manage credit transactions to optimize their financial operations. When a company delivers $10,000 worth of goods on a 30-day payment term, it makes an accounting entry for credit sales, increasing its accounts receivable by that amount. This sales on account journal entry reflects the revenue on the income statement, adhering to the accrual basis of accounting, which recognizes revenue when earned, not when cash is received. On the other hand, when a business incurs $5,000 in expenses for services received but hasn’t paid yet, it records this as accounts payable, indicating a future liability. Companies analyze aging reports to assess credit risk, helping them evaluate the likelihood of collecting outstanding amounts. This careful monitoring influences financial statements, ensuring both revenue normal balance and expenses incurred are accurately represented, in the end supporting sound financial decision-making. Frequently Asked Questions What Does “On Account” Mean in Accounting With an Example? In accounting, “on account” refers to transactions where you buy goods or services with an agreement to pay later. For example, if you purchase $1,000 of inventory on account, you increase your Accounts Payable by that amount, reflecting what you owe to the supplier. Conversely, if you sell $1,500 worth of products on account, you increase your Accounts Receivable, indicating the amount customers owe you. This practice helps manage cash flow efficiently. What Are the 4 Types of Accounting? The four main types of accounting are financial, managerial, cost, and tax accounting. Financial accounting generates statements for external stakeholders, ensuring compliance with standards like GAAP. Managerial accounting analyzes data to aid in internal decision-making and strategic planning. Cost accounting focuses on tracking production costs to improve pricing strategies and profitability. Finally, tax accounting prepares tax returns, ensuring compliance with tax laws as well as helping minimize liabilities. Each type serves a distinct purpose within an organization. What Are the 5 Types of Accounts in Accounting? In accounting, there are five main types of accounts: assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses. Asset accounts, like cash and property, show what a business owns. Liability accounts represent what the business owes, such as loans and payables. Equity accounts reflect ownership interests, whereas revenue accounts track income from sales. Finally, expense accounts record costs incurred, helping you understand the financial health and net income of your business effectively. What Is Accounting and How Does It Work? Accounting is the systematic process of recording, analyzing, and reporting financial transactions. It helps you assess a business’s financial health and supports decision-making. You identify transactions, record them in journals, and post them to ledgers. From there, you prepare trial balances and generate financial statements. Various types of accounting, like financial and managerial, serve different purposes. Following standards like GAAP guarantees consistency, transparency, and compliance in financial reporting for stakeholders. Conclusion In conclusion, accounting on account is an essential practice that allows businesses to manage cash flow effectively by deferring payments for goods and services. This method guarantees that revenues and expenses align within the same accounting period, enhancing financial accuracy. By comprehending the process, benefits, and key terms associated with this system, you can make informed decisions that impact your business’s financial health. Recognizing the differences between cash and account transactions further strengthens your financial management skills. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Accounting on Account and How Does It Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Accounting on account is a method where payments for goods or services are deferred, allowing businesses to manage cash flow effectively. This approach creates accounts receivable or accounts payable, depending on whether you are the buyer or seller. By recognizing revenue when it’s earned, instead of when cash changes hands, you align with the accrual basis of accounting. Comprehending its process and benefits can greatly impact your financial management strategies moving forward. Key Takeaways Accounting on account refers to deferred payment for goods or services, resulting in accounts receivable or accounts payable based on the business’s role. Revenue is recognized when earned, following accrual accounting principles, rather than upon cash receipt. Accurate recording and regular updates on accounts receivable are essential for maintaining financial health and cash flow management. The matching principle aligns revenues with corresponding expenses in the same period for accurate financial reporting. Effective credit policies and regular reconciliation of accounts help mitigate risks and identify overdue payments, ensuring sound financial decision-making. Understanding Accounting on Account When you consider accounting on account, you’ll find it essential to understand how this practice shapes financial transactions. Accounting on account involves providing goods or services with payment deferred, resulting in either accounts receivable or accounts payable, depending on your role. In accrual accounting, you recognize revenue when it’s earned, not when payment is received; therefore, accounts receivable reflects amounts owed by customers. Conversely, when you incur expenses on account, you record these liabilities before making payment, leading to accounts payable. The matching principle guarantees that you record revenues and related expenses in the same period, which is especially important for transactions made on account. This method notably aids cash flow management, allowing your business to operate smoothly during the wait for customer payments or managing obligations to suppliers. The Process of Accounting on Account When you engage in accounting on account, accurately recording transactions is essential, as it guarantees your financial records reflect the reality of your sales. You’ll need to manage account balances closely, keeping an eye on what customers owe to maintain healthy cash flow. Finally, reconciling your financial statements regularly helps confirm that your accounts receivable align with your overall financial position, reducing the risk of discrepancies. Recording Transactions Accurately Accurate recording of transactions on account is essential for maintaining a clear and reliable financial picture of a business. Here are key aspects to take into account: Follow the accrual accounting method: Recognize revenue when earned, not when cash is received. Update accounts receivable regularly: Make sure your records reflect outstanding payments accurately. Utilize the matching principle: Record related expenses in the same period as the revenue they generate, enhancing financial reporting. Monitor cash flow management: Keep an eye on your balance sheet and income statement to manage liquidity effectively. Managing Account Balances Managing account balances is a vital aspect of any business’s financial health, particularly in the context of sales on account. By regularly updating your accounts receivable, you guarantee an accurate picture of outstanding invoices, which is fundamental for cash flow management. Using accrual accounting allows you to recognize revenue when the sale occurs, adhering to the revenue recognition principle. This practice helps maintain reliable financial statements. Implementing effective credit policies can likewise mitigate risks associated with accounting on account, setting limits on credit sales based on customers’ payment histories and creditworthiness. Regularly reconciling these accounts aids in identifying overdue payments, assuring you stay on top of your financial obligations and maintain a healthy business operation. Reconciling Financial Statements Reconciling financial statements is essential for guaranteeing your business’s financial accuracy and integrity, as it involves a systematic comparison of your internal financial records with external documents like bank statements. This process helps identify discrepancies and guarantees all transactions are recorded correctly. Here are key steps to reflect upon: Review accounts receivable and accounts payable to guarantee all invoices and payments are accounted for. Match amounts in your financial records with those on external statements. Identify and resolve any discrepancies found during the review. Make adjusting entries as necessary to align with accounting standards like GAAP or IFRS. Regular reconciliation not just maintains financial integrity but also provides an accurate financial position, supporting informed decision-making. Benefits of Accounting on Account When you adopt accounting on account, you gain improved financial tracking that helps maintain clear records of what customers owe you. This clarity not merely aids in cash flow forecasting but additionally empowers you to make informed decisions regarding credit risks and payment terms. As a result, you’ll find yourself better positioned to manage your finances and boost overall business performance. Enhanced Financial Tracking Improved financial tracking through accounting on account offers businesses a robust method for managing their financial data, as it allows the recording of sales and expenses at the time they occur rather than waiting for cash exchanges. This approach improves financial accuracy and supports effective cash flow management. Here are some key benefits: Maintains Accounts Receivable: You get a clear view of outstanding customer debts. Tracks Accounts Payable: It helps manage supplier obligations efficiently. Supports Accrual Basis of Accounting: Aligns revenues and expenses with corresponding periods for better financial reporting. Facilitates Budgeting and Forecasting: Provides insights into financial commitments, improving overall planning. With improved financial tracking, you also guarantee GAAP compliance, boosting credibility with stakeholders. Improved Decision-Making Insights Accounting on account greatly improves decision-making insights for businesses, providing an all-encompassing view of financial transactions that informs strategic choices. By leveraging accounting software, you streamline accounting functions and boost accurate financial reporting. This clarity allows you to monitor cash flow effectively, making it easier to evaluate revenue and expenses. Accurate financial statements generated through this method help in stakeholder assessment, revealing your business’s performance and cultivating trust among investors. Regular analysis of financial data aids in identifying trends and anomalies, enabling proactive adjustments to your strategies. In the end, these insights empower you to make informed strategic decisions regarding investments, budgeting, and resource allocation, ensuring better financial health and long-term success for your business. Key Terms Related to Accounting on Account Grasping key terms related to accounting on account is vital for anyone involved in financial transactions. Comprehending these terms helps you navigate credit sales and manage accounts receivable effectively. Here are four fundamental concepts: Accounts Receivable: This is the money owed to your business by customers for credit sales, impacting cash flow. Credit Sale: A sale made on account, allowing customers to pay later rather than immediately. Terms of Sale: These define payment timelines, including any discounts for early payment and penalties for late payments. Aging of Accounts Receivable: This method helps assess the collectability of outstanding accounts by categorizing them based on how long they’ve been due. Differences Between Cash and Account Transactions Although both cash and account transactions serve vital roles in business operations, they differ fundamentally in how they affect cash flow and revenue recognition. Cash transactions involve immediate payment, leading to instant revenue recognition as cash is received. Conversely, account transactions allow customers to buy now and pay later, creating accounts receivable for the seller. Revenue recognition occurs at the point of sale under accrual accounting, not when cash is collected. Furthermore, cash transactions usually require a single journal entry at payment, whereas account transactions necessitate tracking unpaid debts until payment is received. While businesses might favor account transactions for larger sales because of the potential for increased sales volume, this approach can likewise complicate cash flow management. Cash transactions improve immediate liquidity, whereas account transactions may delay cash inflows, posing risks related to unpaid debts. Comprehending these differences is vital for effective financial management. Importance of Accounting on Account for Businesses Businesses rely on accounting on account to manage credit transactions effectively, which helps them maintain a healthy cash flow. This practice is essential for comprehending accounts receivable and ensuring revenue is recognized when earned, aligning with accrual accounting principles. Here are four key benefits: Improved Cash Flow Management: By tracking outstanding debts, you can anticipate cash inflows and plan accordingly. Enhanced Financial Planning: Accurate records of credit sales assist in budgeting and making informed operational decisions. Stronger Customer Relationships: Offering credit terms can attract more customers and increase sales, nurturing loyalty. Mitigated Bad Debt Risks: Diligently monitoring customer payment behavior helps you identify potential payment issues before they escalate. Real-World Examples of Accounting on Account Real-world examples of accounting on account illustrate how businesses manage credit transactions to optimize their financial operations. When a company delivers $10,000 worth of goods on a 30-day payment term, it makes an accounting entry for credit sales, increasing its accounts receivable by that amount. This sales on account journal entry reflects the revenue on the income statement, adhering to the accrual basis of accounting, which recognizes revenue when earned, not when cash is received. On the other hand, when a business incurs $5,000 in expenses for services received but hasn’t paid yet, it records this as accounts payable, indicating a future liability. Companies analyze aging reports to assess credit risk, helping them evaluate the likelihood of collecting outstanding amounts. This careful monitoring influences financial statements, ensuring both revenue normal balance and expenses incurred are accurately represented, in the end supporting sound financial decision-making. Frequently Asked Questions What Does “On Account” Mean in Accounting With an Example? In accounting, “on account” refers to transactions where you buy goods or services with an agreement to pay later. For example, if you purchase $1,000 of inventory on account, you increase your Accounts Payable by that amount, reflecting what you owe to the supplier. Conversely, if you sell $1,500 worth of products on account, you increase your Accounts Receivable, indicating the amount customers owe you. This practice helps manage cash flow efficiently. What Are the 4 Types of Accounting? The four main types of accounting are financial, managerial, cost, and tax accounting. Financial accounting generates statements for external stakeholders, ensuring compliance with standards like GAAP. Managerial accounting analyzes data to aid in internal decision-making and strategic planning. Cost accounting focuses on tracking production costs to improve pricing strategies and profitability. Finally, tax accounting prepares tax returns, ensuring compliance with tax laws as well as helping minimize liabilities. Each type serves a distinct purpose within an organization. What Are the 5 Types of Accounts in Accounting? In accounting, there are five main types of accounts: assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses. Asset accounts, like cash and property, show what a business owns. Liability accounts represent what the business owes, such as loans and payables. Equity accounts reflect ownership interests, whereas revenue accounts track income from sales. Finally, expense accounts record costs incurred, helping you understand the financial health and net income of your business effectively. What Is Accounting and How Does It Work? Accounting is the systematic process of recording, analyzing, and reporting financial transactions. It helps you assess a business’s financial health and supports decision-making. You identify transactions, record them in journals, and post them to ledgers. From there, you prepare trial balances and generate financial statements. Various types of accounting, like financial and managerial, serve different purposes. Following standards like GAAP guarantees consistency, transparency, and compliance in financial reporting for stakeholders. Conclusion In conclusion, accounting on account is an essential practice that allows businesses to manage cash flow effectively by deferring payments for goods and services. This method guarantees that revenues and expenses align within the same accounting period, enhancing financial accuracy. By comprehending the process, benefits, and key terms associated with this system, you can make informed decisions that impact your business’s financial health. Recognizing the differences between cash and account transactions further strengthens your financial management skills. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Accounting on Account and How Does It Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Maximize your marketing potential with powerful lead gen techniques to drive engagement and sales effectively. The post How AI Is Changing Lead Generation: 3 Key Things SEO & PPC Teams Need To Do Now appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Not long ago, fractional executives were an edge case—temporary operators invited to fill a short-term gap at the leadership table. But what started as a cost-savvy strategy for cash-conscious startups is now a mainstream, strategic move for companies and executives alike. Fractional leaders are self-employed individuals who are focused on solving specific challenges. They offer domain expertise and the ability to move quickly inside of shorter decision-making cycles. They’re perfect for businesses that need senior-level strategic thinking—but not necessarily for forty-plus hours a week. (It’s also worth distinguishing between interim and fractional leadership. Interim executives typically function as temporary replacements, stepping into full operational ownership during a personnel transition. Fractional leaders are engaged to work part time on a specific problem.) According to Revelio Labs, fractional executive positions have more than tripled since 2018, with the most common roles being Chief Financial Officer (CFO) appearing in 18.8% of fractional leaders’ headlines, followed by Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at 14.3%. As a fractional growth consultant and co-founder and fractional CMO of a startup, I’ve seen the potential of the emerging role firsthand, but I’ve also seen where it can fail. Where fractional models work—and where they break down Fractional roles work best when problems are clearly defined upfront and the scope is contained. For one client I worked with, fractional leadership was a strong fit because the mandate was clear: improve partner performance, onboard specific partnerships, and tighten partner-driven sales attribution. With clear ownership on execution, I was able to focus my time on program operations, resulting in a diversified partner portfolio and stronger return visibility, all without the company needing to add full-time overhead. In another situation, however, the environment was far more ambiguous. Goals were shifting on a regular basis. One week, the mandate was to scale top-of-funnel growth. The next, the focus turned to rebranding the business. Both projects were critical, but each one pulled me in a different direction. My role became to build a system that could support both projects without losing momentum. The challenge was structural. Core ownership across growth and product wasn’t clearly defined, and company morale was uneven. Instead of acting as an accelerator, I found myself filling operational gaps and aligning teams. For example, the growth team was scaling acquisition without input from product or design on onboarding and user experience changes, which in turn created friction across the sales funnel. In that context, what the organization truly needed was a fully-empowered executive operator embedded in day-to-day operations—to set the direction, make tradeoffs in real time, and create accountability across functions. Without that level of ownership a few things happened: go/no-go decisions stalled, priorities conflicted, and execution was inconsistent. Making fractional leadership work for you The success of a fractional executive relies on clarity. The definition of “done” also needs to be articulated early on. Without this, even strong fractional leaders can be ineffective. Here are some steps I’ve found to build an effective operating model in order to get the most from a fractional engagement. 1. Ensure there’s defined scope Fractional leadership only works when the mandate is explicit. This means defining: What problems you will own What you will not own What resources you have access to (tools, technology, budgets, systems, personnel) What measurable outcomes define success. In one engagement, my scope was tightly framed around advertising performance efficiency. I explicitly wasn’t responsible for anything related to brand, lifecycle, or the product roadmap. Because everyone understood where my lane started and ended, there was no question about accountability and the work was able to move quickly. Contrast that with another environment where I was brought in more broadly to “improve growth.” Without a clear scope, I was pulled into product testing debates, execution oversight, and even morale repair. The work expanded beyond strategy into operational firefighting, which in turn diluted my impact. Before onboarding a fractional leader, I suggest companies write a one-page mandate. Draft three priorities and include three non-priorities. Agree on decision rights. If the document feels too vague, the organization likely needs clarity before it needs fractional leadership. 2. Have a clear communication framework Fractional work depends very much on rhythm. Because fractional leaders are not embedded in the daily current of standups and Slack threads, communication must be intentionally designed and not assumed. At a minimum, this includes: A weekly strategic sync focused on priorities, decisions, and blockers, with all decisions made and action items captured into a live document A shared KPI tracking dashboard and project management view in software like Notion for engagement visibility Defined channels for sharing updates and getting approvals async In my experience, the most effective engagements treat communication as infrastructure. A standing agenda document, for example, with written action items will generate continuity throughout the week and ensure momentum doesn’t stall between working sessions. Without this structure, fractional leadership can devolve into reactive advising and remove impact. 3. Build a reporting and approvals structure Authority delegated to fractional leaders should be explicit, and clear swimlanes and stakeholder approvals should be established early on. For example: Who reports to whom? Who owns execution versus strategy? Who communicates updates and results to the broader team? What budget exists, and what is the chain of command for approvals? At high-velocity startups, I’ve found that nailing these down before a fractional executive gets started helps remove friction. A fractional CMO can greenlight an ad campaign within an agreed upon budget range. A fractional CFO can adjust forecasts without triggering unnecessary review cycles. The work advances without waiting for consensus on every minor decision. When this structure is absent, fractional leaders can become bottlenecked. They either unintentionally overstep or consistently hesitate — both of which erode trust. The goal is to empower the fractional exec by outlining a reporting and approvals structure that makes sense for everyone to ultimately ensure project success. 4. Define exit criteria from the start Because fractional leadership is inherently transitional, success metrics should be designed from the start. This may include hitting specific efficiency targets, diversifying and scaling marketing channels, or hiring and onboarding a full-time successor. Defining exit criteria creates psychological clarity for both parties. In some cases, success reveals the need for a permanent hire. In others, it proves that part-time senior oversight is sufficient for the foreseeable future. Either way, the transition is designed to be intentional, not abrupt. Fractional leadership is more than a hiring strategy. It is a structural rethink of how executives work, how companies grow, and how impact is ultimately created. In a world where both capital and attention are finite, elasticity may not be a compromise. It may be the next evolution of leadership itself. View the full article

For the record, this is not a sponsored post. I’m just frugal, and I like to travel as lightly as possible. Every piece of tech in my tightly packed bag needs to earn its keep by doing at least two jobs. As such, I’m a sucker for anything that can serve more than one purpose and does so on the cheap. Anker happens to make a lot of that type of stuff. If you’ve bought an aftermarket charger or power bank in the last decade, you’ve probably seen the name. I’ve found their gear to be equal parts reliable and budget-friendly in an age where buying off-brand tech accessories is a total crapshoot. So, if you’re ready to ditch the dead weight, here are three inexpensive, multitasking gadgets from a company that’ll still be around tomorrow. Power bank/wall charger combo You’ve spent an hour and a half doom-scrolling at your gate and now that it’s time to board the airplane, your phone’s battery is sitting at a stressful 11%. The seatback outlet is either nonexistent, not working, or just refuses to grip your plug. The small but mighty Anker Nano is your insurance policy against a dead device and the resulting boredom. It’s a compact slab of power that’ll recharge your phone a couple of times over, and it’ll only set you back around 50 bucks. As a bonus, once you reach your destination, it doubles as an in-wall charger for another device—even a laptop. No need to pack a bunch of extra power accessories. Noise-canceling earbuds with phone stand Once your phone’s alive, you’ve got to deal with the noise. The engine’s an unrelenting drone, the baby across the aisle won’t stop wailing, and the flight attendant can’t seem to stay off the PA system. While top-tier active noise cancellation can cost a pretty penny, you can pick up the Soundcore P30i wireless noise-canceling earbuds for $40. Don’t let the low price fool you, though. These earbuds reduce noise by 40-plus decibels, sport eight-hour battery life, and feature a transparency mode if you want to hear what’s going on around you, and their touch controls can be customized. Best of all: The charging case doubles as a phone stand—perfect for kicking back and watching a movie once your tray table can come down. 3-in-1 fold-up charging station If you’re all in on Apple devices and you hate a mess of cables on your nightstand as much as I do, the MagGo UFO 3-in-1 charging station is a godsend. Folded up, it’s about the size of a meatball. Once you get to your destination, it unfurls to two charging pads—one for your phone and one for your AirPods case—and an Apple Watch connector. It comes with a cable and wall plug as well. At $90, it’s stretching the meaning of “inexpensive.” But most other 3-in-1 chargers are well north of $100 and can’t fit in your pocket. View the full article

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss isn’t doing her job and things are falling apart I work for an accounting firm where I am the only full-time employee to my boss, Katie. She inherited the business from her father and is within a few years of retiring. I am looking to leave this job this year but until I am able to, I am having trouble dealing with a lot of issues she is having. We are in the middle of tax season and she is falling so far behind on processing tax returns. Many clients have called to ask the status of their return, and I have had to stretch the truth of their status so they do not get upset at me. I always inform my boss when they call. Sometimes that makes her actually work on a client’s return, but other times she doesn’t care. She has missed several meetings with clients due to personal matters. So far, all of the clients have been understanding but I am worried that she is going to do this to a client who is not so understanding. Katie is also dealing with a lot of issues at home, and these issues are bleeding into how much time she dedicates to work. She takes a lot of personal calls from family and that interrupts her work and my ability to get some of my work done. A good chunk of my work has to go through her first, and it feels impossible to complete when she is preoccupied. Until I am able to find a better position, what can I do to manage the lack of commitment and support from her? You’ve got to get really clear in your own head about what you can and can’t control — and what is and isn’t in your purview. If clients are upset with Katie, that’s Katie’s responsibility — not yours. If Katie is behind on her work, that’s also her responsibility; it’s not something you’re responsible for fixing, and it’s not something you can fix. You should stop stretching the truth when clients call to check on their returns; that’s putting yourself in the middle of Katie’s mess in a way that you shouldn’t. Instead, tell them you’ll let Katie know they called and she will get back to them. (Or if it’s your job to update to them on the status of their returns, give an honest update; if they’re upset about that, they can speak to Katie.) Don’t lie on Katie’s behalf. If Katie’s lack of focus means you can’t complete your own work, just keep proactively updating her about what you need — “I can’t move any further on XYZ until we talk about ABC, and we need to do that by tomorrow or we risk needing to file for an extension,” etc. From there, it’s up to her — this is her business, she’s in charge, and you can’t cajole her into doing her job. Your responsibility is just to do yours and to be proactive about making sure she knows where work stands and what deadlines are in danger of being missed. After that, it’s in her court. 2. Employee is freezing us out since we rejected them for a promotion A committee of a few managers interviewed an internal candidate for a job in another department. We ended up not offering them the job, and they asked for feedback and why they didn’t get it. I was very polite and warm about it and assured them this was nothing personal. I gave examples of questions they could have answered better and some that they did answer very well. Ever since the interview, this staff member has been cold to each of the committee members. They ignore us when we say hello or have audible grunts like they are annoyed we’re speaking to them. They are speaking to other staff members, and I see them smiling and in a good mood. How should I approach this as it’s becoming increasingly difficult to work with this person? Their manager needs to talk with them, so you should talk to their manager. Explain that they appear to be freezing out everyone on the hiring committee since the rejection, and be specific about what you’ve been observing. They don’t need to be bubbly and chatty with you, but they do need to remain civil and professional (which includes returning greetings, being appropriately responsive, and not sounding obviously annoyed when you speak to them). Their manager should make that clear to them, and should also point out that if they want to be considered for a promotion again, this behavior is the exact wrong way to respond to an internal rejection. 3. When should I ask my boss about relocating? I decided back in December that this summer when my lease is up, I will move to the next state over to be closer to family. It is a state where my company already has employees (though located around a specific city I will not be near and in a completely different department than what I do — think graphic design vs payroll management) and I currently work hybrid (two days per week on-site with clients and three remote). I am trying to figure out when to approach my manager about staying with the company and working fully remote from the new state (none of the clients our department of the company works with are located in that state). I am 80% sure they will not have a problem with it, but on the off chance they say no, I will have to look for a new job. (I have been looking already, just in case, but not having any luck landing interviews). How do I time the conversation with my manager? I want to approach them early enough to have time to secure an apartment in the new state (being able to prove to a new landlord my continuing employment/salary), but not so early that if they say no I could end up out of a job too soon (I absolutely believe they would find a reason to let me go if I “was leaving soon anyway”). Ideally, I would have confirmation from my manager that I can keep my job by mid-May so I can plan a weekend trip to the new state to tour and apply for an apartment before I provide the required 60-day notice to my current landlord that I am not renewing my lease. Do I wait until the last minute and then tell them I need an answer right away? Do I give them a bit more time so they can think about it/discuss with the management/HR team? Or do I just ramp up the applications and hope to find a new fully remote role soon? I don’t think you’re going to be able to time this the way you want. First, while you obviously know the situation better than I do, I’m more skeptical than you are that they’ll agree to this; you’re proposing going from working in-person with clients two days per week down to zero days of in-person client work. For most employers, that would be a significant change. Maybe they value you enough to want to make it work regardless, but just based on that set of facts, I’d assume there’s a pretty good chance they’ll say no. And since if their answer is no and you think they’ll let you go if they know you’re planning to leave fairly soon, this gets a lot riskier. Your best bet is to raise it as something that’s still just a possibility — not as “I am planning on moving this summer; can I work remotely?” but as “Would it ever be possible for me move to full-time remote work from Colorado? I have family there and would love to join them, but I love my job and would rather not leave it.” But then you also can’t wait until the last minute and say you need an immediate answer. Plus, if you’re relying on them saying yes in order to be able to rent an apartment in the new state, that’s additionally risky. If they say no, will you be able to rent regardless? If yes, it’s safer to just move forward without their involvement. (And if not, you have a different problem.) All of which is to say, assume you’ll need a new job in the new state. If your company ends up coming through with a yes, great — but plan for a no so the thing whole doesn’t fall apart if that happens. Related: my boss won’t let me move to another state — but I’m remote 4. My male new hire is being paid more than my female hire I just started a new job at the beginning of the year, and my team’s been great. Great manager, great peers, and my direct reports are on top of things and really good. Yay! We’re so busy that we’re adding a few new people to my team. Everyone has exactly the same role and title, and so will they. This recruiting was started before I joined, so I’ve been involved but my manager has been the one running it. He made it clear that HR will handle everything regarding salary; we only learn about the new hires’ salaries at the end after they accept their offers. Two of the new team members have been hired, and I learned today that there’s a 2% discrepancy in their pay. One is a woman who has 15 years’ experience and a graduate degree. The other is a man with just under 10 years’ experience and a bachelors. I probably don’t need to tell you who’s going to make more. I’m so new myself that I’m afraid of making waves, but this sits horribly wrong with me. What can I do here? Approach it from the perspective of legal liability for the company, because it is one: “I’m concerned that these different pay rates will run afoul of the Equal Pay Act. We’re required by federal law to pay men and women equally for the same work, unless the difference is due to seniority or a merit system. Jane is coming in with more experience and a higher degree but being paid less than Jonah. Can we talk to HR about raising her pay to match his?” Related: what to do if you’re being paid less than a male coworker 5. Meal break waivers I work for a large technical staffing agency as a non-exempt employee. State law (Minnesota) now requires an employer to allow an employee an unpaid meal break. It does not not require I take one, yet my employer keeps sending me emails prompting me to sign a “meal break waiver” so I can “choose to waive this unpaid meal break and instead work through your break and be paid for that time.” Why? Because it’s safer for them to document that you chose to waive the break in case it’s later disputed, since the law leaves it up to you (not them) to decide whether or not you want the break. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Labor website specifically says, “If an employee voluntarily waives their breaks, it is a best practice to confirm this in writing with the employee.” The post my boss isn’t doing her job, employee is freezing us out since they didn’t get promoted, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article