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Map platforms like Google, Apple, and Bing Maps now drive 20% of local searches, according to new research. The post Google & Apple Maps: 20% of Local Searches Now Start Here appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Doom-and-gloom narratives about artificial intelligence going rogue to the detriment of humans are a staple of popular culture. For some people, just say “AI,” and visions of Skynet from the Terminator movies taking over the world will instantly pop into their heads. Skepticism about AI isn’t just in the realm of science fiction, of course. As AI becomes more mainstream, legitimate concerns about its accuracy, privacy, transparency, and the possibility of job displacement continue to be voiced. There’s simply not an overabundance of trust when it comes to AI. A quick internet search will turn up plenty of surveys indicating more people than not are tired of the hype around AI and worried about potential risks. I have a different point of view. I’m not the guy to ask about the downsides of AI. I’m the guy who says a world you can’t even imagine is right around the corner, thanks to AI. What happens with this new technology is entirely up to us. It’s ours to own and do amazing things to make lives better. If we embrace and employ it wisely, AI will be a tremendous positive for people. I believe in AI for good. Why I’m optimistic I come to my optimism in the most personal way possible. Technology changed my life and perhaps even saved it. In my mid-20s, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition where my immune system attacked insulin-producing cells in my pancreas. For years, my body was a constant chemistry experiment due to a lifelong dependence on prescription insulin. I had to check my blood sugar with a fingerstick 10 times a day, and then inject myself with insulin another 10 times a day. Administering too much or too little made for some very panicky moments. Today, I have an insulin pump attached to one side of my abdomen and an insulin sensor on the other. Those two amazing devices communicate in real time and deliver the proper dosage I need to stay healthy. It just happens automatically. The result is that I’m blessed with a safer, more productive, and more enjoyable life. So, I have a deep appreciation of the profound and transformative nature of technology in our lives. Let’s extend this to AI. I recently spoke with leaders at a hospital network who are reimagining how AI can improve care. Their vision? When a child is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, they’re immediately supported by a lifelong AI assistant—one that understands their condition, offers guidance, and grows with them. I wish I’d had that kind of support years ago. It’s not about replacing doctors or caregivers. It’s about augmenting care with intelligence—safely, consistently, and with empathy. That’s just one example. I believe AI should be used to solve real human problems – making essentials like food, shelter, healthcare, and opportunity more accessible to more people. The promise of AI is longer, healthier lives. Smarter, more sustainable systems. At its best, AI doesn’t remove the human element, it amplifies it. That’s what this moment demands, not just building technology, but building a better world with it. We still need guardrails Now, there’s a difference between being optimistic and a starry-eyed Pollyanna. This vision only happens if AI is carefully curated and managed. Secure guardrails must be in place to ensure AI is used responsibly, ethically, and morally. We must be careful to ensure AI models are free of biases and inaccuracies. And in the workplace, we must deploy AI to help people perform their jobs better, not replace them. The biggest worry I hear about AI is the fear of employment loss. Trust me, I get how AI can be a scary topic if we think it will impact our livelihoods. But history is a good guide in showing us what ultimately happens when new technologies emerge and change the old ways of doing things. Consider some of the great shifts of the past, whether it was the Industrial Revolution, the manufacturing revolution, or the computing revolution. There was always the concern that the machines were coming for our jobs. Yes, there were adjustment periods. But the jobs didn’t go away. They just changed. In the process, quality of life improved. We’ll likely see something similar with AI. The people who will thrive in this new era and have nothing to fear are those who learn to use AI in their daily roles. That’s because humans will always be in the loop. We’ll be the ones overseeing and orchestrating AI processes. Instead of AI eliminating roles for humans, we should think more about the era of the super-human thanks to AI. Great technology reduces tedious work, makes our lives easier, and allows us to focus on the activities that make our careers more rewarding. AI will take that to the next level. We’ve all been hearing so much about the potential of AI “agents” to help us do our jobs. But they will need watchful management and governance to ensure they aid, not hinder, our businesses. We’ll need to be attentive stewards to increase AI’s veracity and credibility to ensure it becomes practical in our lives. When properly managed, I unequivocally believe AI should be embraced, not feared. If we do that, powerful agentic systems will do far more than make our businesses hyperproductive. They will transform everything. What this world looks like in 10 years will be extraordinary—thanks to AI. Steve Lucas is CEO and chairman of Boomi. He’s the author of the new book Digital Impact: The Human Element of AI-Driven Transformation. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. We all want our companies to make a real difference, but how often does our message truly cut through the noise? It’s a complex challenge: How do we ensure our genuine efforts to create social impact actually resonate with the people we want to reach? Because in today’s world, simply doing good isn’t enough; we need to communicate the impact of that work effectively to build trust and inspire real change. Build trust through transparency These days, with everything online, people expect brands to be upfront and honest. Being transparent isn’t just a nice thing to do; it’s how to build trust. Patagonia stands out in this area, demonstrating how their sustainability efforts and environmental impact can cultivate a loyal customer base that genuinely trusts their brand. With initiatives like Footprint Chronicles, they give a peek behind the curtain, showing where their products come from and exactly how they affect the environment—for example, in terms of carbon footprint and water use. This level of transparency has not only built trust with Patagonia’s customers but also inspired confidence in their brand. Research shows that genuinely conveying your social responsibility values and illustrating how you operate by those values, significantly enhances consumer trust and loyalty Engage employees and communities Effective engagement goes beyond building trust; it’s also about connecting with employees and communities in meaningful ways. Ben & Jerry’s does a great job of getting their employees and customers involved in social justice initiatives and sharing their stories in different ways. They highlight the contributions of employees and customers who are making a difference, fostering a sense of belonging and connection. At Humble, our model is built on empowering customers to support important causes while getting games, books, or software they love. Through our Humble Choice subscription service and monthly bundles, we make it easy for our community to contribute to charities while shopping for great deals. We also use our platform to help our charity partners get their message out to more people. Each month, we feature a selected charity partner across our social media channels and dedicate space on our YouTube channel for them to share their mission and work with our community of millions. Additionally, we profile their initiatives on our blog, providing additional visibility and context about the causes we support. This approach not only highlights these organizations’ impactful work, but also demonstrates how businesses can use their platforms to authentically amplify significant social and environmental causes. By finding ways to foster these types of connections, businesses can strengthen their audience’s engagement with the social impact initiatives they’ve worked hard to build. Beyond initiative-by-initiative engagement, companies that are doing this work should consider implementing proactive communication strategies that focus on telling the company’s overall social impact story in an authentic and engaging way. As an example, our recently finalized 2024 Social Impact Report highlights our efforts across the year, colorfully illustrating how the $12.4 million we raised with our community last year made a meaningful difference for more than 4,500 charities worldwide that we were able to support. Strategies for authentic communication To build engagement and trust around their CSR initiatives, companies can adopt specific social impact communication strategies: Transparency in reporting: Be open and share detailed reports about your social impact. It’s a great way to make an impression with your audience and show you’re truly committed. TOMS Shoes sets a great example by sharing comprehensive reports on their One for One model, which outlines the impact of every purchase on communities in need. Companies should consider tracking metrics like community feedback or employee engagement levels to enhance their reporting. Storytelling: Tell stories about the impact of your work. It helps people really connect emotionally with what you’re doing. Warby Parker effectively highlights the lives changed through their buy-a-pair, give-a-pair program. For instance, they share stories of how access to glasses has improved education and education outcomes for recipients, showcasing the tangible difference their initiative makes. Regular updates and engagement: Make sure you keep your community in the loop about what you’re doing and how it’s going with regular updates. Salesforce excels at this by providing annual sustainability reports that detail its initiatives. Companies can also use platforms like newsletters or social media for ongoing engagement. Understand your audience: Really knowing what your audience cares about is key to making your message land. Use the right tone, speak their language, and focus on what matters to them. At Humble, we understand that our community is passionate about gaming and giving back. On the product side, we curate bundles that align with these interests, pairing great content with opportunities to support meaningful causes, and then we take every opportunity we can to tie it all together with relevant outreach through blogs, videos, social media, and more. This approach strengthens engagement and reinforces shared values. A call to action When companies communicate well, it can bring everyone together—employees, customers, and the wider community. It can build trust, get people involved, and help create real change. As we continue our journey at Humble, we remain committed to these principles—leveraging our platform not only as a marketplace but as a tool for meaningful change driven by our passionate community of gamers and givers alike. By focusing on clear, relatable communication, we can collectively strengthen our ability to create the positive change the world needs. View the full article

Stephen Miran met hedge funds and big asset managers after tariffs sparked Wall Street turmoilView the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. In a world increasingly shaped by the potential of artificial intelligence, the life sciences industry may be one of the largest beneficiaries of its transformative potential. Artificial intelligence (AI) has already revolutionized elements of the drug discovery and development process, redefined research methodologies, enhanced disease detection and diagnosis, and paved the way for personalized medicine. Knowing that we have just begun to scratch the surface of AI’s potential, I am excited to see how its continued evolution will accelerate our collective mission of bringing novel medicines to patients in need. But I am also cognizant of its limitations. While we can outsource human tasks to AI, we simply cannot outsource humanity. AI is not “intelligent” when it comes to emotion, imagination, empathy, or qualities critical to creating and leading. Similarly, the spark of ingenuity and the recognition of serendipity exists solely within the bounds of the human experience. AI also lacks context and nuance—a critical component when considering the myriad factors needed to be successful in drug development, such as evaluating patient needs, defining new “white spaces” in an increasingly competitive environment, and other macro considerations. A case study for humanity In founding Tarsus, we set out to develop a treatment for a large, underdiagnosed eyelid disease, Demodex blepharitis (DB). Both the literature and our discussions with many eye care providers validated early on that this was a highly prevalent disease, with very low disease awareness, and no FDA-approved therapies. We needed to prove how significant the unmet need was and build a market that would support an entirely new category in eye care—and there were no benchmarks to assist us in establishing a path forward. Our early clinical trials were conducted in Mexico City. I recall sitting in a large eye hospital, packed with hundreds of patients and family members of all ages, while we worked with the eye care team to find patients with visible signs of DB. After many hours searching individual clinics for DB patients with very little return, we questioned our initial prevalence modeling and wondered whether this disease was, in fact, as large as we predicted. Recognizing a potential lost opportunity in front of me, our clinical team used the microphone for the waiting area. In Spanish, we asked if anyone in the waiting room—whether they were there to see a doctor or not—was experiencing eyelid irritation, redness, crusting, and itching (all signs of DB). To our surprise, a couple dozen people stood up and got in line to be seen by an eye care provider, and roughly half of them were diagnosed with DB during a routine exam. This serendipitous moment changed everything, and it would not have occurred without several very human elements: instinct, informed risk taking, and an inherent sense of how to connect and engage with other humans. After seeing hundreds of people line up over the next few months, we knew we had uncovered a unique opportunity to potentially serve millions of patients living with DB. Active listening and human connections   Our Mexico City experience further reinforced that AI is no match for the type of insights and perspectives that can be gained from human-centric approaches like active listening and empathy. These very personal interactions inform the work we do every day across every aspect of our business—from clinical development to strategic marketing to building an award-winning culture, and so much more. More recently, as we listened carefully to the thousands of doctors now prescribing our treatment for DB and doing careful eyelid exams, we identified another large, underdiagnosed eye disease, ocular rosacea, that now presents a promising opportunity in our pipeline to potentially serve millions more. The human ability to adapt, relate, and emotionally connect with other humans, and our aptitude to make ethical and rational decisions has ensured that people come first in medicine and science. And that will not change. It is clear we are on the cusp of a technology-enabled revolution that will improve how—and how quickly—we can deliver innovative new treatments to patients. And we are finding numerous ways to strategically leverage AI. But our collective success as an industry will be dictated by our ability to maintain a nimble, empathetic, and uniquely human-centered approach. Bobak Azamian, MD, PhD is CEO and chairman of Tarsus Pharmaceuticals. View the full article

As artificial intelligence gets smarter, a growing number of companies are increasing its implementation in their operations or more heavily promoting their own AI offerings. The buzzword for this is “AI first.” Duolingo is among the latest to adopt an AI-first approach. The company’s CEO, Luis von Ahn, announced the change in an all-hands email Monday, saying it would stop using contractors to do work AI can handle and only increase head count when teams have maximized all possible automation. “The way we work is fundamentally shifting. AI is becoming the default starting point,” said Duolingo’s Chief Engineering Officer Natalie Glance in an internal Slack message she shared on LinkedIn. “Start with AI for every task. No matter how small, try using an AI tool first. It won’t always be faster or better at first—but that’s how you build skill. Don’t give up if the first result is wrong.” Von Ahn, in his email, said the AI-first approach was already paying dividends, helping the company with its content creation process. “Without AI, it would take us decades to scale our content to more learners,” he wrote. Earlier this month, Shopify’s CEO Tobi Lütke told workers at that company that using AI was now a “fundamental expectation” in daily tasks. “Our task here at Shopify is to make our software unquestionably the best canvas on which to develop the best businesses of the future,” he wrote. “We do this by keeping everyone cutting-edge and bringing all the best tools to bear. . . . For that we need to be absolutely ahead.” AI’s rise in business has been forecast for years, of course. But as more companies make it a priority, there are other impacts to be considered. A scientific paper released by Cornell University late last year titled, “The Unpaid Toll: Quantifying the Public Health Impact of AI,” said the pollution from data centers powering the AI industry could lead to up to 1,300 premature deaths each year by 2030. It further estimated that public health costs related to the air pollution those centers put out are already at $20 billion per year. Data centers are nothing new. They’ve been around since the 1940s, when the University of Pennsylvania built one to support the first general-purpose digital computer, the ENIAC. But as generative AI has grown, so too has the demand for newer, more powerful centers. The power requirements of data centers in North America increased from 2,688 megawatts at the end of 2022 to 5,341 megawatts at the end of 2023, according to MIT. And demand is only growing. (Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in February, called for more nuclear power plants to meet the growing demands of AI companies.) “The demand for new data centers cannot be met in a sustainable way,” said Noman Bashir, a Computing and Climate Impact Fellow at MIT’s Climate and Sustainability Consortium. “The pace at which companies are building new data centers means the bulk of the electricity to power them must come from fossil fuel-based power plants.” This is all occurring as concerns about the environment have been deemphasized at many Big Tech firms. Companies like Walmart, Siemens, and Apple all opted against signing an open letter earlier this year reaffirming commitment to the Paris Agreement. (Duolingo, which released an environmental statement last March, did not reply to questions about how the AI-first approach might impact the company’s environmental footprint.) Meanwhile, the The President administration has dismantled dozens of climate programs in its first 100 days. And the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering overturning previous findings that classify greenhouse gas pollution as harmful, which could impact its ability to regulate carbon emissions. By 2030, Cornell forecasts, the public health burden of AI data centers will be double that of the U.S. steelmaking industry. And it could be on par with all of the cars, buses, and trucks in California. Shopify and Duolingo are hardly the only companies adopting an AI-first approach. Many companies large and small are racing to incorporate AI into all levels of their services and workflows. Financial services firm Lettuce leans into AI to assist with tax solutions. Findigs lets property managers use AI to screen rental applicants. And a real estate brokerage in Portugal is using an AI interactive real estate agent, which has already booked $100 million in sales. In the grand scheme, though, corporate use of AI is still in its infancy. ServiceNow’s Enterprise AI Maturity Index last year measured AI maturity at 4,500 businesses in 21 countries on a scale of zero to 100. The average score was 44, with only one in six companies topping 50. Part of what’s keeping that score low is the newness of the technology. Another factor is cost. (Does using AI, especially one that’s developed in house, actually save money given the cost of data centers, for instance?) But in the coming months and years, more companies are likely to move to an AI-first approach. And that will likely increase emissions, pumping more CO2 and pollution into the atmosphere, raising even more health concerns. View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Tariffs, trade, imports, exports, prioritization, energy, and dominance are all words that have been flooding the headlines lately. In this world of globalization, it is an equilibrium of exchanges, ensuring we have enough of something but not too much. We see this balance come to life in supply and demand graphs of critical minerals, often in the context of batteries or energy dominance. The supply and demand of materials required to support growing energy-related technology and sectors, such as energy storage needs, plays a crucial role in the critical minerals market, both in the United States and globally. Today, the U.S. imports a large number of batteries that are used in consumer devices, vehicles, military, and grid storage. And the demand for batteries is set to continue growing quickly based on current policy settings, estimated to rise by more than four times by 2030 and by at least seven-fold by 2035. This growth is a clear sign that the owner of the critical minerals source will hold more control over the supply chain. This is why a diversified approach to critical minerals is vital. Battery recycling is a key to that strategy—becoming a major source of domestically manufactured critical materials. China’s control in the lithium-ion battery manufacturing industry is expected to decline between now and 2034, which can be attributed to cell manufacturing operations coming online in other regions. To further highlight this shift in the global marketplace, the U.S. battery recycling market size was estimated at $374.28 million in 2023, and is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 38.1% from 2024 to 2030. Diversify and stabilize domestic supply chains Original equipment manufacturers and battery cell manufacturers are not slowing down their production timelines and the global demand for large-format batteries will continue to rise. The U.S. must capitalize on these opportunities to diversify and stabilize domestic supply chains, all while becoming a leading producer of critical minerals. Materials from recycled content will play an increasingly important part in meeting this demand, with predictions that battery recycling could meet 20-30% of lithium, nickel, and cobalt demand by 2050. Reuse of critical minerals is necessary to diversify and domesticate our supply chains and is work that is already being done. To further the need for increasing battery recycling capacity, the critical minerals market will begin to experience an undersupply in the form of black mass (the output of end-of-life and scrap batteries that have been recycled and processed that is put back into the supply chain), as early as 2026. For example, by 2030, lithium will see a supply and demand gap that is considered high risk, according to the International Energy Agency, due to price volatility and high geopolitical risk factors in the countries it’s currently sourced from. The expected growth, combined with supply gaps, is why the U.S. needs to continue its focus on enhancing our domestic critical minerals supply chains, with a heavy emphasis on recycled content. Recycling is important The U.S. has developed a large battery recycling capacity in anticipation of the large number of end-of-life batteries predicted to enter the market. Fueled by public and private investments, the United States’ battery recycling and critical mineral refinement sectors are fundamental to becoming a divergent player and seriously competing with those in Asia for the limited supplies of black mass. To encourage the build-out of battery recycling capacity, we must recognize that it aligns with domestic priorities related to the sourcing of critical materials. Strengthening our domestic supply chains will position the U.S. as a leading producer of critical minerals; it furthers the National Defense Stockpile sources to reduce the nation’s mineral reliance on foreign entities of concern; and it accelerates access to domestically sourced critical minerals, enhancing national security and global competitiveness. The largest operating mine of critical minerals is in our pockets, offices, garages, on the roads, and supplying energy to data centers and power grids. Recycling these materials at their end-of-life is a must. David Klanecky is CEO and president of Cirba Solutions. View the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it is eliminating a series of Biden-era policies that had significantly reduced underwriting standards within the 7(a) loan program. The move, aimed at preserving the financial integrity of the program and protecting taxpayer dollars, comes under the leadership of SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “The last Administration inherited a thriving 7(a) loan program but left it in critical condition – dismantling every common-sense guardrail that kept it solvent and self-sustaining,” said Administrator Loeffler. “From slashing lender fees to destroying underwriting standards, Biden’s reckless policies have triggered a surge in defaults which now threatens the viability of the program along with its risk to taxpayers. Therefore, the SBA is taking immediate action to restore prudent lending criteria, rein in risk, and save the 7(a) program before it collapses under the weight of bad policy.” The SBA’s 7(a) loan guaranty program provides government-backed capital through private lenders to small businesses unable to obtain traditional financing. By statute, the program is required to operate at “zero-subsidy,” meaning it should incur no cost to taxpayers. Historically, the program has been self-sustaining, with lender fees covering borrower defaults. Under the Biden Administration, the SBA eliminated lender fees and implemented a new underwriting standard called “Do What You Do,” which removed longstanding lending criteria. This policy shift allowed lenders to approve government-guaranteed loans for borrowers who previously might not have qualified. As a result, the program experienced a significant rise in defaults and delinquencies, and by 2024, the 7(a) loan program posted a negative cash flow of approximately $397 million — the first such deficit in 13 years. Last month, the SBA began efforts to reverse course by reinstating lender fees within the 7(a) loan program. Today, the agency announced SOP 50.10.8, a new policy that formally ends the “Do What You Do” underwriting approach and reintroduces more stringent pre-Biden standards for loan approvals. Additionally, the SBA will reinstate and streamline the Franchise Directory, which serves as a resource for lenders to determine the eligibility of certain businesses seeking SBA loans. This article, "SBA Reverses Biden-Era Loan Policies, Reinstates Strong Underwriting Standards" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it is eliminating a series of Biden-era policies that had significantly reduced underwriting standards within the 7(a) loan program. The move, aimed at preserving the financial integrity of the program and protecting taxpayer dollars, comes under the leadership of SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “The last Administration inherited a thriving 7(a) loan program but left it in critical condition – dismantling every common-sense guardrail that kept it solvent and self-sustaining,” said Administrator Loeffler. “From slashing lender fees to destroying underwriting standards, Biden’s reckless policies have triggered a surge in defaults which now threatens the viability of the program along with its risk to taxpayers. Therefore, the SBA is taking immediate action to restore prudent lending criteria, rein in risk, and save the 7(a) program before it collapses under the weight of bad policy.” The SBA’s 7(a) loan guaranty program provides government-backed capital through private lenders to small businesses unable to obtain traditional financing. By statute, the program is required to operate at “zero-subsidy,” meaning it should incur no cost to taxpayers. Historically, the program has been self-sustaining, with lender fees covering borrower defaults. Under the Biden Administration, the SBA eliminated lender fees and implemented a new underwriting standard called “Do What You Do,” which removed longstanding lending criteria. This policy shift allowed lenders to approve government-guaranteed loans for borrowers who previously might not have qualified. As a result, the program experienced a significant rise in defaults and delinquencies, and by 2024, the 7(a) loan program posted a negative cash flow of approximately $397 million — the first such deficit in 13 years. Last month, the SBA began efforts to reverse course by reinstating lender fees within the 7(a) loan program. Today, the agency announced SOP 50.10.8, a new policy that formally ends the “Do What You Do” underwriting approach and reintroduces more stringent pre-Biden standards for loan approvals. Additionally, the SBA will reinstate and streamline the Franchise Directory, which serves as a resource for lenders to determine the eligibility of certain businesses seeking SBA loans. This article, "SBA Reverses Biden-Era Loan Policies, Reinstates Strong Underwriting Standards" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When it comes to note-taking apps on the Mac, it's hard to look past Apple Notes, as it has a lot of features and has proven itself to be quite reliable. But in my workflow, I sometimes miss having a scratchpad on my Mac, something akin to Notepad on Windows. I like using tools like this for outlining my articles, jotting down notes that can turn into story ideas, or simply creating quick to-do lists for routine tasks. macOS has a built-in app called Stickies that does some of these things, but it's desperately in need of an update, as the design looks outdated and it's not ideal for handling multiple notes. I recently discovered Antinote, a beautifully designed app that does everything I need from a sticky notes app, and has many more features including creating Pomodoro timers and converting currencies, which will appeal to power users too. Antinote has a seven-day free trial, after which you can pay a one-time fee of $5 to buy the app. Speeding up your Antinote workflow Credit: Pranay Parab The first thing you should do after downloading Antinote is learn the hotkey to launch it, which is Option-A by default. Personally, I set up a custom keyboard shortcut to fire up the app whenever I need it, which you can do in Settings > Shortcuts > Global Hotkey, and that suits my workflow very well. Generally, I actually don't need to use this shortcut. Instead, I tend to pin Antinote to my screen, which means that it sits in a floating window above all my other apps. However, when you use any app in full-screen mode on your Mac, Antinote gets hidden. In these cases, using the hotkey takes you to the desktop and back to Antinote, which is a lifesaver. You should also spend a minute or two setting up Antinote to your liking, starting off in Settings > Visuals. Here, the app lets you choose if you want it to show up in the Dock, menu bar, or neither. I recently switched to Barbee for menu bar management, which keeps the chaos under control when I have a lot of menu bar apps open, and therefore I prefer to use Antinote as a menu bar app. However, I sometimes make it a 'headless' app, which means that it only shows up when I use the keyboard shortcut to launch it (another reason to have it memorized). Understanding Antinote's keywords Credit: Pranay Parab Antinote uses keywords to decide which features are enabled in any given note. You can type the word 'timer' at the top of a note and it'll show you all the commands needed to start a timer. For instance, type 'timer 5' to start a five-minute timer, or 'timer pomo' to enable a Pomodoro timer that lets you work for 25 minutes before starting a five-minute timer for breaks. Other keywords include 'math' for calculations, 'paste' to make Antinote store you clipboard history, and 'list' to start a checklist. Go to the app's settings and navigate to the Keywords tab to memorize or customize all these keywords. Navigating between notes Credit: Pranay Parab While there are plenty of keyboard shortcuts to manage your notes, I love the app's use of swipes to switch between various notes. You can use your Mac's trackpad to perform these gestures. Use a two-finger swipe towards the left to start a new note and swipe to the right to go to the previous note. This way, you can go through your entire note history by just swiping. These gestures are fast and notes open nearly instantly after you swipe in either direction. Antinote also automatically saves all of your notes in the app, but if you want to share a note with others, you can click the share button in the bottom-right corner of the app's window. This will save the note as a txt file in the folder of your choice. You can then use other apps to share the note. Unfortunately, there's no real-time collaboration feature. Interesting additional features Credit: Pranay Parab Beyond just being quick and easy to use for jotting down ideas or doing quick unit conversions, this app has a few more helpful features in its toolbox. You can take a screenshot of text and the app will uses OCR to extract it into a note. The default macOS keyboard shortcut—Command-Control-Shift-4—will let you screenshot an area on your screen. Use this to copy the screenshot to your clipboard, and paste it into Antinote. The app will automatically extract any text for you. I also like Antinote's distraction-free UI. It displays text and lets you write without showing all your available buttons until you move the cursor near those buttons. There are a few buttons at the top of the app's window and a few towards the bottom, so if you find you can't find something you need, try both locations. One of the buttons at the top is a global search button that lets you search through all of your Antinote notes, which is very useful. The app allows you to set up an auto-delete schedule, which is good if you primarily want to use it for temporary notes. In its settings, go to the Notes section to configure this. I've set it up to delete notes after a month, but you can even clear out everything in the app within a day if you want to. The app supports multiple themes, too, available under Settings > Visuals. You could make the app look more like a physical notebook, for instance, or change your canvas from unruled to ruled or grid-based. Settings > Visuals also lets you change the size of the window and the default font size to suit your needs. When I'm using my MacBook's display, I keep it at medium, but I increase the font size when the laptop is connected to a large monitor. View the full article

Even the best content is useless if it can’t be found or reused. And for too many marketing teams, Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems have become more burden than benefit — bogged down by manual tagging, inconsistent metadata, and time-consuming workflows. In Unlock Your DAM: Fuel Your Creative Process with Generative AI, we’ll show how marketers are integrating Generative AI into DAM systems to break through these barriers — streamlining asset discovery, automating tagging, and enabling faster ideation. You’ll learn how forward-looking teams are reducing repetitive work while surfacing the right content at the right time. What You’ll Learn How GenAI can generate metadata and intelligent tags to make content more searchable and reusable Real-world use cases where AI enhances ideation and speeds campaign development A practical, phased approach to adopting GenAI without disrupting existing systems Register now and start turning your DAM into a catalyst, not a constraint. View the full article

The company has not traditionally had a large presence in housing finance, but plans for government-related credit modernization have given it a boost. View the full article

Key Takeaways Online selling provides a wider audience reach, allowing businesses to connect with customers globally and grow their brand from anywhere.Operating online reduces overhead costs, enabling more budget allocation towards critical areas like marketing and product development.Implementing data-driven sales tactics enhances customer engagement and drives repeat business, making adaptability vital in sales strategies.Choosing the right e-commerce platform is critical; prioritize user-friendliness, customization, security, and scalability to streamline online sales processes.Effective online marketing through social media and SEO boosts visibility, attracts traffic, and is essential for increasing revenue.Analyzing and adapting sales metrics helps refine strategies and improve overall performance, ensuring continued growth in a competitive marketplace. In today’s digital age, selling online is more accessible than ever. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, the online marketplace offers endless opportunities to reach customers worldwide. You can tap into a vast audience and grow your brand from the comfort of your home. Understanding Online Selling Online selling offers small businesses unique opportunities and challenges. Familiarizing yourself with these aspects helps you develop a successful sales strategy. Benefits of Selling Online Wider Audience Reach: Online selling eliminates geographical boundaries, allowing you to connect with global customers. You tap into diverse markets, increasing your customer base. Lower Operational Costs: Operating online reduces overhead expenses associated with physical retail space. You can allocate funds toward other critical areas, such as marketing and product development. Flexible Sales Tactics: You can adapt your sales process based on customer behavior and preferences. Implementing various sales tactics enhances customer engagement and encourages repeat business. Data-Driven Decisions: Online platforms provide valuable metrics for sales performance. Analyzing sales data helps you refine your sales goals and improve your sales funnel. Enhanced Customer Interaction: You can engage with customers through social media and email campaigns, fostering relationships that drive loyalty and sales conversion. Challenges in Online Selling Intense Competition: The online marketplace is saturated with options. Standing out requires a strong value proposition and effective pricing strategy. Technical Challenges: Setting up and maintaining an e-commerce platform can be complex. Familiarity with tools and technologies is essential for managing your online sales process. Customer Trust: Building trust with potential customers is crucial. You must address objections and handle customer needs effectively to convert leads into sales. Logistics Management: Handling shipping and returns can pose challenges. Developing a robust process for managing these aspects ensures a smooth customer experience. Marketing Requires Expertise: Creating effective online marketing strategies demands knowledge in lead generation and customer relationship management (CRM). Investing in sales training can enhance your sales team’s effectiveness. Setting Up an Online Store Setting up an online store involves strategic planning and execution. Focus on selecting the right platform and designing a storefront that resonates with your audience. Choosing the Right Platform Choosing the right platform is critical for your small business. Evaluate options like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce based on your needs. Look for user-friendly interfaces, customization capabilities, and scalability. Consider integrations with payment gateways, shipping services, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to streamline your sales process. Prioritize platforms that support both B2B sales and B2C sales, enabling flexibility for various customer types. Ensure the platform offers strong security features to protect customer data, fostering trust and encouraging repeat business. Designing Your Storefront Designing your storefront impacts customer engagement and sales conversions. Opt for a clean and attractive layout that highlights your value proposition. Use high-quality images and clear product descriptions to address customer needs. Optimize navigation for a seamless user experience, making it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. Incorporate essential elements such as a search bar, categories, and filters to enhance user experience. Regularly update your design based on sales metrics and customer feedback, ensuring it aligns with market trends and your evolving sales goals. Create compelling call-to-action buttons to drive lead generation and improve your overall sales funnel. Marketing Your Online Business Marketing your online business effectively involves leveraging various strategies to connect with your audience and drive sales. Small businesses benefit from targeted marketing efforts that enhance customer engagement and boost revenue. Social Media Strategies Create a strong social media presence to reach potential customers. Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote your products and engage with your audience. Share high-quality content that aligns with your brand and encourages interaction. Consider running targeted ads to increase visibility and attract sales leads. Evaluate metrics such as engagement rates and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns. Aim for consistent posting to maintain audience interest and foster community around your products. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Implementing SEO practices improves your online visibility and attracts more traffic to your website. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant terms your audience searches for, then incorporate them naturally into your product descriptions, blog posts, and meta tags. Focus on both on-page and off-page SEO techniques, such as optimizing website loading speed and building quality backlinks. Regularly update your content to align with current trends, enhancing your sales funnel by guiding visitors toward product pages. Monitor your SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics to adjust strategies as needed, ensuring you meet sales targets effectively. Managing Sales and Customer Service Managing sales and customer service effectively enables your small business to thrive in the competitive online market. Focusing on streamlined communication and payment processes enhances customer satisfaction and boosts sales. Payment Processing Options Selecting efficient payment processing options is essential for securing online sales. Look for solutions that accept various payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and bank transfers. Popular services like PayPal, Stripe, and Square provide user-friendly interfaces, facilitating smooth transactions. Ensure your chosen providers are PCI-compliant to protect customer data during payments. Optimize the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment by minimizing required fields and offering guest checkout options. Utilizing these strategies can enhance the customer experience and increase your sales conversion rates. Handling Customer Inquiries Swiftly handling customer inquiries contributes to effective customer engagement. Utilize tools like live chat or chatbots on your website to address questions in real-time. Train your sales team to respond promptly and accurately, showcasing your product knowledge and effective objection handling. Implementing a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system helps track inquiries, ensuring follow-ups are timely and organized. High-quality customer service not only resolves immediate concerns but also fosters trust, paving the way for repeat business and referral sales. Maintaining clear and effective communication reinforces your commitment to customer needs and supports your overall sales strategy. Analyzing and Improving Performance Analyzing and improving performance is vital for your online sales success. Understanding your sales metrics and adapting your strategy accordingly helps optimize your business efforts. Tracking Sales Metrics Tracking sales metrics provides insight into your sales performance. Key metrics include conversion rates, average order value, customer acquisition cost, and sales growth. Utilize tools like Google Analytics or your e-commerce platform’s analytics to monitor these figures. Frequent analysis of sales reports reveals patterns and trends in customer behavior. Adjust your sales strategy based on this data to set realistic sales targets and improve overall performance. Adapting Your Strategy Adapting your strategy ensures it remains effective in a changing market. Review customer feedback regularly to understand their needs and objections. Use this information to refine your sales approach. If specific products underperform, consider upselling or cross-selling complementary items in your offerings. Your sales team can play a crucial role in this process by enhancing customer engagement through tailored sales pitches. By assessing the sales funnel and pipeline, focus on nurturing leads to increase conversion rates. Implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) system streamlines follow-ups and enhances relationship building for repeat business. Adapting your sales tactics based on data and feedback leads to sustained growth and improved profitability. Conclusion Selling online opens up a world of possibilities for you and your business. By understanding the landscape and leveraging the right tools and strategies, you can effectively reach your target audience and drive sales. Stay adaptable and responsive to market trends and customer feedback. Regularly analyze your performance metrics to refine your approach and enhance customer relationships. With the right planning and execution, you can navigate the challenges of online selling and build a successful brand that thrives in the digital marketplace. Embrace the journey and watch your business grow. Frequently Asked Questions What are the benefits of selling online for small businesses? Selling online allows small businesses to reach a global audience, reduce operational costs, and adopt flexible sales strategies. It enhances customer interaction and enables data-driven decision-making, helping businesses understand customer preferences and market trends better. What challenges do online sellers face? Online sellers encounter intense competition, technical complexities, and the need to build customer trust. They must also manage logistics effectively and develop marketing expertise to establish and grow their presence in the digital marketplace. How do I set up an online store? To set up an online store, start by selecting a suitable platform, like Shopify or WooCommerce. Focus on creating an engaging storefront with high-quality images and clear descriptions. Regularly updating your site based on customer feedback and sales metrics is crucial for success. What marketing strategies should I use for my online business? Effective marketing strategies include establishing a strong social media presence, using targeted ads, and incorporating SEO tactics. Engaging content, regular updates, and interaction with customers help boost visibility and drive sales. How do I manage customer service for an online store? For effective customer service, streamline communication and payment processes. Implement tools like live chat or chatbots to handle inquiries swiftly, and consider using a CRM system to track customer interactions and ensure timely follow-ups. What sales metrics should I track for online success? Track key metrics such as conversion rates, average order value, customer acquisition cost, and overall sales growth. Analyzing these metrics helps identify customer behavior patterns and refine sales strategies for continuous improvement. Why is SEO important for online selling? SEO enhances your online visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find your products. Optimizing your site with relevant keywords and regularly updating content is vital for improving search rankings and attracting more traffic. How can I handle logistics effectively for online sales? To manage logistics, establish reliable shipping options and clear return policies. Partner with trustworthy carriers, automate order fulfillment processes where possible, and keep customers informed about their order status to enhance their buying experience. Image Via Envato This article, "Mastering How to Sell Online: Steps to Grow Your Business and Reach Global Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Online selling provides a wider audience reach, allowing businesses to connect with customers globally and grow their brand from anywhere.Operating online reduces overhead costs, enabling more budget allocation towards critical areas like marketing and product development.Implementing data-driven sales tactics enhances customer engagement and drives repeat business, making adaptability vital in sales strategies.Choosing the right e-commerce platform is critical; prioritize user-friendliness, customization, security, and scalability to streamline online sales processes.Effective online marketing through social media and SEO boosts visibility, attracts traffic, and is essential for increasing revenue.Analyzing and adapting sales metrics helps refine strategies and improve overall performance, ensuring continued growth in a competitive marketplace. In today’s digital age, selling online is more accessible than ever. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, the online marketplace offers endless opportunities to reach customers worldwide. You can tap into a vast audience and grow your brand from the comfort of your home. Understanding Online Selling Online selling offers small businesses unique opportunities and challenges. Familiarizing yourself with these aspects helps you develop a successful sales strategy. Benefits of Selling Online Wider Audience Reach: Online selling eliminates geographical boundaries, allowing you to connect with global customers. You tap into diverse markets, increasing your customer base. Lower Operational Costs: Operating online reduces overhead expenses associated with physical retail space. You can allocate funds toward other critical areas, such as marketing and product development. Flexible Sales Tactics: You can adapt your sales process based on customer behavior and preferences. Implementing various sales tactics enhances customer engagement and encourages repeat business. Data-Driven Decisions: Online platforms provide valuable metrics for sales performance. Analyzing sales data helps you refine your sales goals and improve your sales funnel. Enhanced Customer Interaction: You can engage with customers through social media and email campaigns, fostering relationships that drive loyalty and sales conversion. Challenges in Online Selling Intense Competition: The online marketplace is saturated with options. Standing out requires a strong value proposition and effective pricing strategy. Technical Challenges: Setting up and maintaining an e-commerce platform can be complex. Familiarity with tools and technologies is essential for managing your online sales process. Customer Trust: Building trust with potential customers is crucial. You must address objections and handle customer needs effectively to convert leads into sales. Logistics Management: Handling shipping and returns can pose challenges. Developing a robust process for managing these aspects ensures a smooth customer experience. Marketing Requires Expertise: Creating effective online marketing strategies demands knowledge in lead generation and customer relationship management (CRM). Investing in sales training can enhance your sales team’s effectiveness. Setting Up an Online Store Setting up an online store involves strategic planning and execution. Focus on selecting the right platform and designing a storefront that resonates with your audience. Choosing the Right Platform Choosing the right platform is critical for your small business. Evaluate options like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce based on your needs. Look for user-friendly interfaces, customization capabilities, and scalability. Consider integrations with payment gateways, shipping services, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to streamline your sales process. Prioritize platforms that support both B2B sales and B2C sales, enabling flexibility for various customer types. Ensure the platform offers strong security features to protect customer data, fostering trust and encouraging repeat business. Designing Your Storefront Designing your storefront impacts customer engagement and sales conversions. Opt for a clean and attractive layout that highlights your value proposition. Use high-quality images and clear product descriptions to address customer needs. Optimize navigation for a seamless user experience, making it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. Incorporate essential elements such as a search bar, categories, and filters to enhance user experience. Regularly update your design based on sales metrics and customer feedback, ensuring it aligns with market trends and your evolving sales goals. Create compelling call-to-action buttons to drive lead generation and improve your overall sales funnel. Marketing Your Online Business Marketing your online business effectively involves leveraging various strategies to connect with your audience and drive sales. Small businesses benefit from targeted marketing efforts that enhance customer engagement and boost revenue. Social Media Strategies Create a strong social media presence to reach potential customers. Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote your products and engage with your audience. Share high-quality content that aligns with your brand and encourages interaction. Consider running targeted ads to increase visibility and attract sales leads. Evaluate metrics such as engagement rates and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns. Aim for consistent posting to maintain audience interest and foster community around your products. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Implementing SEO practices improves your online visibility and attracts more traffic to your website. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant terms your audience searches for, then incorporate them naturally into your product descriptions, blog posts, and meta tags. Focus on both on-page and off-page SEO techniques, such as optimizing website loading speed and building quality backlinks. Regularly update your content to align with current trends, enhancing your sales funnel by guiding visitors toward product pages. Monitor your SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics to adjust strategies as needed, ensuring you meet sales targets effectively. Managing Sales and Customer Service Managing sales and customer service effectively enables your small business to thrive in the competitive online market. Focusing on streamlined communication and payment processes enhances customer satisfaction and boosts sales. Payment Processing Options Selecting efficient payment processing options is essential for securing online sales. Look for solutions that accept various payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and bank transfers. Popular services like PayPal, Stripe, and Square provide user-friendly interfaces, facilitating smooth transactions. Ensure your chosen providers are PCI-compliant to protect customer data during payments. Optimize the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment by minimizing required fields and offering guest checkout options. Utilizing these strategies can enhance the customer experience and increase your sales conversion rates. Handling Customer Inquiries Swiftly handling customer inquiries contributes to effective customer engagement. Utilize tools like live chat or chatbots on your website to address questions in real-time. Train your sales team to respond promptly and accurately, showcasing your product knowledge and effective objection handling. Implementing a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system helps track inquiries, ensuring follow-ups are timely and organized. High-quality customer service not only resolves immediate concerns but also fosters trust, paving the way for repeat business and referral sales. Maintaining clear and effective communication reinforces your commitment to customer needs and supports your overall sales strategy. Analyzing and Improving Performance Analyzing and improving performance is vital for your online sales success. Understanding your sales metrics and adapting your strategy accordingly helps optimize your business efforts. Tracking Sales Metrics Tracking sales metrics provides insight into your sales performance. Key metrics include conversion rates, average order value, customer acquisition cost, and sales growth. Utilize tools like Google Analytics or your e-commerce platform’s analytics to monitor these figures. Frequent analysis of sales reports reveals patterns and trends in customer behavior. Adjust your sales strategy based on this data to set realistic sales targets and improve overall performance. Adapting Your Strategy Adapting your strategy ensures it remains effective in a changing market. Review customer feedback regularly to understand their needs and objections. Use this information to refine your sales approach. If specific products underperform, consider upselling or cross-selling complementary items in your offerings. Your sales team can play a crucial role in this process by enhancing customer engagement through tailored sales pitches. By assessing the sales funnel and pipeline, focus on nurturing leads to increase conversion rates. Implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) system streamlines follow-ups and enhances relationship building for repeat business. Adapting your sales tactics based on data and feedback leads to sustained growth and improved profitability. Conclusion Selling online opens up a world of possibilities for you and your business. By understanding the landscape and leveraging the right tools and strategies, you can effectively reach your target audience and drive sales. Stay adaptable and responsive to market trends and customer feedback. Regularly analyze your performance metrics to refine your approach and enhance customer relationships. With the right planning and execution, you can navigate the challenges of online selling and build a successful brand that thrives in the digital marketplace. Embrace the journey and watch your business grow. Frequently Asked Questions What are the benefits of selling online for small businesses? Selling online allows small businesses to reach a global audience, reduce operational costs, and adopt flexible sales strategies. It enhances customer interaction and enables data-driven decision-making, helping businesses understand customer preferences and market trends better. What challenges do online sellers face? Online sellers encounter intense competition, technical complexities, and the need to build customer trust. They must also manage logistics effectively and develop marketing expertise to establish and grow their presence in the digital marketplace. How do I set up an online store? To set up an online store, start by selecting a suitable platform, like Shopify or WooCommerce. Focus on creating an engaging storefront with high-quality images and clear descriptions. Regularly updating your site based on customer feedback and sales metrics is crucial for success. What marketing strategies should I use for my online business? Effective marketing strategies include establishing a strong social media presence, using targeted ads, and incorporating SEO tactics. Engaging content, regular updates, and interaction with customers help boost visibility and drive sales. How do I manage customer service for an online store? For effective customer service, streamline communication and payment processes. Implement tools like live chat or chatbots to handle inquiries swiftly, and consider using a CRM system to track customer interactions and ensure timely follow-ups. What sales metrics should I track for online success? Track key metrics such as conversion rates, average order value, customer acquisition cost, and overall sales growth. Analyzing these metrics helps identify customer behavior patterns and refine sales strategies for continuous improvement. Why is SEO important for online selling? SEO enhances your online visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find your products. Optimizing your site with relevant keywords and regularly updating content is vital for improving search rankings and attracting more traffic. How can I handle logistics effectively for online sales? To manage logistics, establish reliable shipping options and clear return policies. Partner with trustworthy carriers, automate order fulfillment processes where possible, and keep customers informed about their order status to enhance their buying experience. Image Via Envato This article, "Mastering How to Sell Online: Steps to Grow Your Business and Reach Global Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Completed foreclosure sales reach their highest level since the second quarter of 2023, with a 20% quarter-to-quarter increase, Auction.com said. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Strava, the superstar running/cycling app, now has a subscriber-only AI feature that will predict how fast it thinks you could run a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon. The predictions use a different method from those you might see from other sources, though. For me, Strava's predictions look less accurate than the ones I get from Garmin and Runna, but the feature is too new to say for sure how accurate they will be for everybody else. How to view your race predictions in StravaRace predictions are only available to Strava premium members. That membership runs $11.99/month or $79.99/year and also gets you mapping tools and extra analytics, like goals and fitness scores. If you’re a premium member, you can find your predictions in the mobile app by going to the You tab (bottom right when you’re looking at the home screen), then tapping Progress at the top of the screen. Right underneath your weekly mileage, you’ll see your race time predictions. The feature is currently only available on mobile, not in the web app. To have enough data for a prediction, you need to have logged at least 20 run activities in the last 24 weeks, Strava says. The predictions will update after each run, and after three days without running. In addition to telling you how fast it thinks you can run right now, Strava's AI will also tell you how this compares to your predicted time from 30 days ago. The predictions assume that your race would be on flat ground in good weather. How Strava’s predictions compare to other apps and formulasYou may have seen race predictions before—for example, on your Garmin watch or on websites like vdoto2.com. Those usually use a mathematical formula, while Strava’s new predictions are powered by “Athlete Intelligence,” which the company describes as a machine learning (ML) model. Here’s what Strava says about the feature: “Strava’s Performance Prediction feature is powered by an ML model that leverages over 100 athlete data attributes, including all-time run history and top performances. Unlike other race predictors that rely on theoretical inputs like estimated VO2 max, Strava only uses real activity data to predict race results. The system also leverages the performances of athletes with similar training histories, so estimated times are realistic and based on what has been achieved by other users with similar capabilities.” In other words, the app is doing some AI magic: looking at everybody else’s training and race times, considering yours, and guessing how you might measure up to the aggregate. I asked whether Strava had done any testing to see how well the data compares to real-life race results, but so far have not received an answer. (I’ll update if I hear back.) Certainly the predicted results I'm getting are pretty different from what I’m seeing elsewhere. I’ve been logging all my runs with Garmin and Strava for several months now, and here’s how their race time predictions compare: 5K (3.1 miles): Strava says I can run this race in 29:22 (up 21 seconds in the last 30 days); Garmin says 26:02 (down 50 seconds in the past 4 weeks) 10K (6.2 miles): Strava predicts 1:01:50 (up 5 seconds); Garmin says 55:31 (down about 90 seconds) Half marathon (13.1 miles): Strava says 2:24:57 (up 2:43); Garmin says 2:07:09 (down about three minutes) Marathon (26.2 miles): Strava says 5:04:04 (up 1:50); Garmin says 4:45:58 (down 7:44) I’m not surprised that they differ, but it’s strange that Strava thinks I’m getting slower, where Garmin thinks I’m getting faster. I don’t have any super recent race times to compare these to, but last fall I ran a 5K in 26:04. The morning of the race, Garmin predicted I’d run it in 25:50, so the Garmin was only 14 seconds too optimistic. According to that same Garmin algorithm, I’m close to that same fitness level right now, so I’d bet money that if I ran a 5K this weekend, I’d be in the low 26 minute range. I’m currently working through a 5K plan with the Runna app, and it predicts a 26:15 finish time at my current fitness. (For the other distances: 55:50, 2:08:22, 4:45:33). On a gut-check basis, this one sounds the most correct to me, at least for the 5K. I don't trust Strava's predictionsStrava’s prediction of 29:22 sounds way too slow to me. In fact, according to data I can look up in my Strava account, this past weekend I ran 5 kilometers in 30:03 (just a smidge slower than its 5K race prediction) during a five-mile run. That wasn’t a race, and I was clearly pacing myself for a five-mile effort rather than a three-mile one. Based on my 5K time of 26:04 (again, an older time, but it’s probably close to my true fitness level), the simple calculator at vdoto2.com thinks I could do a 10K in 54:10, a half in 2:00:23, and a full marathon in 4:07:43. Calculators tend to be a little too optimistic, especially if you put in a shorter race time and ask it to extrapolate out to long distances. So I wouldn’t expect to run a 4:07 marathon anytime soon. Judging from forums like the r/Strava subreddit, the jury is still out on accuracy. Here’s somebody who ran a 10K in 56:34, but the app predicts 57:58—a number they just beat by almost a minute and a half. On the other hand, several runners in this thread say that their Strava predictions seem pretty accurate. Only running a race will tell you for sure. View the full article

Key Takeaways Convenient Culinary Exploration: Food truck finders simplify the process of discovering diverse food options, making it easier to locate gourmet meals on the go.Support for Small Businesses: Using food truck finders promotes local small businesses by increasing their visibility and driving foot traffic to their mobile operations.User-Friendly Features: Many food truck finders include interactive maps, search filters, and user reviews to enhance the experience for food enthusiasts.Mobile Accessibility: The best food truck finder apps offer mobile-friendly designs, enabling users to access information anytime and anywhere.Catering to Preferences: Users can filter results by cuisine type and operating hours, ensuring they find the perfect food truck to satisfy their cravings.Community Engagement: Food truck finders often highlight local small businesses, fostering a sense of community and encouraging customer loyalty. Food trucks have transformed the culinary scene, offering diverse flavors on the go. Whether you’re craving gourmet tacos or artisanal ice cream, these mobile kitchens bring delicious options right to your neighborhood. But with so many trucks rolling around, how do you find the best ones? That’s where a food truck finder comes in. Overview of Food Truck Finder Food truck finders streamline the search for gourmet meals on wheels, providing a crucial resource for food enthusiasts. These platforms help you locate nearby food trucks serving everything from artisanal ice cream to gourmet tacos. Food truck finders consolidate information, enabling you to see daily locations, schedules, and menu offerings in one place. Using a food truck finder increases your chances of discovering unique flavors while supporting small businesses. Many food trucks operate without a fixed storefront, relying on mobility to reach diverse customers. By utilizing a food truck finder, you boost visibility for these small businesses, driving traffic to them and enhancing your food exploration experience. Food truck finders often include user reviews, ratings, and photos, helping you make informed decisions. This accessibility makes it easier to decide which small business to support during lunchtime or dinner. Discovering food trucks through a dedicated platform contributes to the vibrancy of the local retail scene while satisfying your culinary cravings. Features of Food Truck Finder Food truck finders offer several key features that enhance your experience as a small business owner or food enthusiast. User Interface and Experience User interfaces prioritize simplicity and efficiency, ensuring smooth navigation. You find intuitive layouts that guide you effortlessly through various sections, whether you’re seeking daily locations or specific menus. Visual elements, such as interactive maps and vibrant images, provide instant engagement, helping you quickly identify appealing options. A mobile-friendly design allows easy access from any device, making it convenient to browse on the go. Search and Filter Options Search functions streamline your quest, enabling quick identification of food trucks that fit your preferences. You can filter results by cuisine type, location, and operating hours, ensuring you find exactly what you’re looking for. Specific criteria like “open now” or “vegan options” narrow down choices, catering to diverse customer needs. These targeted options not only save time but also enhance the ability to discover unique flavors in your local retail scene, supporting small businesses in reaching the right audience. Popular Food Truck Finder Apps Food truck finder apps enhance your experience by helping you discover mobile eateries efficiently. These apps offer valuable resources for food enthusiasts and small businesses alike, connecting vibrant culinary options with a broader audience. App 1: Features and Benefits Find Food Trucks: This app provides a straightforward interface, enabling users to locate food trucks based on their current location. Interactive Maps: It uses GPS technology to deliver real-time locations, allowing for easy navigation and quick access to your favorite trucks. User Reviews: It includes customer feedback, enhancing your decision-making process when exploring new flavors. Support for Small Businesses: The app features small business owners, showcasing their stories and promoting local storefront alternatives. App 2: Features and Benefits Cuisine Filters: This app allows you to filter trucks by cuisine type, helping you find specific dishes that satisfy your cravings. Notifications: Users receive notifications about their favorite trucks’ locations and daily specials, ensuring you don’t miss out on special offerings. Engaging Photos: The app showcases vibrant images of food, enticing you to explore different options and support local retailers. Community Focus: It emphasizes local small businesses, promoting their unique contributions to the food scene while encouraging community engagement. How to Choose the Best Food Truck Finder Selecting an effective food truck finder involves several key considerations to ensure you connect with vibrant small businesses and enhance your culinary experience. User Interface Choose a platform with a clean, intuitive design that allows for easy navigation. A user-friendly interface keeps your experience smooth and encourages exploration. Location Accuracy Opt for a food truck finder that provides real-time GPS updates. Accurate location tracking ensures you’ll find gourmet food trucks where they’re supposed to be, which supports small businesses in reaching customers more effectively. Cuisine Variety Look for platforms that allow you to filter options based on cuisine type. This feature helps you discover diverse offerings from various local eateries, enhancing your culinary journey. Reviews and Ratings Seek out food truck finders that feature user-generated reviews and ratings. This feedback provides insights into food quality and service, helping you make informed decisions that benefit both you and the small businesses you support. Visual Engagement Select a finder with engaging food images. Captivating visuals can entice your taste buds and showcase the unique offerings of local food trucks, promoting vibrant retail experiences. Community Engagement Prioritize platforms that emphasize collaboration with local businesses. Support mechanisms, such as featuring small business stories and highlighting special events, foster a sense of community and enhance brand loyalty. Notifications and Specials Consider food truck finders that send notifications about favorite trucks and special deals. This feature ensures you stay updated on bustling storefronts and exclusive offerings, optimizing your search for fantastic food options. Conclusion Finding the perfect food truck has never been easier thanks to food truck finders. These tools not only help you discover diverse culinary delights but also support local businesses striving to make their mark. With user-friendly interfaces and real-time updates, you can explore the vibrant food truck scene in your area effortlessly. By utilizing the right app, you’ll enjoy a seamless experience that connects you with unique flavors tailored to your preferences. Whether you’re craving gourmet tacos or artisanal ice cream, a food truck finder will enhance your culinary adventures while fostering community engagement. So get ready to indulge in delicious meals on wheels and support your local food truck culture. Frequently Asked Questions What are food trucks? Food trucks are mobile eateries that sell a variety of food options, from gourmet meals to sweet treats. They travel to different locations, making it easy for people to enjoy diverse culinary experiences on the go. How can I find food trucks near me? You can find food trucks near you by using food truck finder apps. These platforms provide real-time locations, menus, and schedules, helping you discover the best food trucks in your area. What features should I look for in a food truck finder? When choosing a food truck finder, look for a user-friendly interface, accurate location tracking, variety of cuisines, user reviews, engaging visuals, and notifications for specials or favorite trucks. Are food truck finder apps beneficial for small businesses? Yes, food truck finder apps support small businesses by enhancing their visibility, connecting them with customers, and showcasing their stories. This helps reach a wider audience and promotes community engagement. What types of food can I find on food trucks? Food trucks offer an extensive array of cuisines, including gourmet tacos, artisanal ice cream, BBQ, vegan options, and more. Each truck usually specializes in unique dishes, allowing food enthusiasts to explore diverse flavors. Image Via Envato This article, "Discover Local Delights with the Ultimate Food Truck Finder for Culinary Adventures" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Convenient Culinary Exploration: Food truck finders simplify the process of discovering diverse food options, making it easier to locate gourmet meals on the go.Support for Small Businesses: Using food truck finders promotes local small businesses by increasing their visibility and driving foot traffic to their mobile operations.User-Friendly Features: Many food truck finders include interactive maps, search filters, and user reviews to enhance the experience for food enthusiasts.Mobile Accessibility: The best food truck finder apps offer mobile-friendly designs, enabling users to access information anytime and anywhere.Catering to Preferences: Users can filter results by cuisine type and operating hours, ensuring they find the perfect food truck to satisfy their cravings.Community Engagement: Food truck finders often highlight local small businesses, fostering a sense of community and encouraging customer loyalty. Food trucks have transformed the culinary scene, offering diverse flavors on the go. Whether you’re craving gourmet tacos or artisanal ice cream, these mobile kitchens bring delicious options right to your neighborhood. But with so many trucks rolling around, how do you find the best ones? That’s where a food truck finder comes in. Overview of Food Truck Finder Food truck finders streamline the search for gourmet meals on wheels, providing a crucial resource for food enthusiasts. These platforms help you locate nearby food trucks serving everything from artisanal ice cream to gourmet tacos. Food truck finders consolidate information, enabling you to see daily locations, schedules, and menu offerings in one place. Using a food truck finder increases your chances of discovering unique flavors while supporting small businesses. Many food trucks operate without a fixed storefront, relying on mobility to reach diverse customers. By utilizing a food truck finder, you boost visibility for these small businesses, driving traffic to them and enhancing your food exploration experience. Food truck finders often include user reviews, ratings, and photos, helping you make informed decisions. This accessibility makes it easier to decide which small business to support during lunchtime or dinner. Discovering food trucks through a dedicated platform contributes to the vibrancy of the local retail scene while satisfying your culinary cravings. Features of Food Truck Finder Food truck finders offer several key features that enhance your experience as a small business owner or food enthusiast. User Interface and Experience User interfaces prioritize simplicity and efficiency, ensuring smooth navigation. You find intuitive layouts that guide you effortlessly through various sections, whether you’re seeking daily locations or specific menus. Visual elements, such as interactive maps and vibrant images, provide instant engagement, helping you quickly identify appealing options. A mobile-friendly design allows easy access from any device, making it convenient to browse on the go. Search and Filter Options Search functions streamline your quest, enabling quick identification of food trucks that fit your preferences. You can filter results by cuisine type, location, and operating hours, ensuring you find exactly what you’re looking for. Specific criteria like “open now” or “vegan options” narrow down choices, catering to diverse customer needs. These targeted options not only save time but also enhance the ability to discover unique flavors in your local retail scene, supporting small businesses in reaching the right audience. Popular Food Truck Finder Apps Food truck finder apps enhance your experience by helping you discover mobile eateries efficiently. These apps offer valuable resources for food enthusiasts and small businesses alike, connecting vibrant culinary options with a broader audience. App 1: Features and Benefits Find Food Trucks: This app provides a straightforward interface, enabling users to locate food trucks based on their current location. Interactive Maps: It uses GPS technology to deliver real-time locations, allowing for easy navigation and quick access to your favorite trucks. User Reviews: It includes customer feedback, enhancing your decision-making process when exploring new flavors. Support for Small Businesses: The app features small business owners, showcasing their stories and promoting local storefront alternatives. App 2: Features and Benefits Cuisine Filters: This app allows you to filter trucks by cuisine type, helping you find specific dishes that satisfy your cravings. Notifications: Users receive notifications about their favorite trucks’ locations and daily specials, ensuring you don’t miss out on special offerings. Engaging Photos: The app showcases vibrant images of food, enticing you to explore different options and support local retailers. Community Focus: It emphasizes local small businesses, promoting their unique contributions to the food scene while encouraging community engagement. How to Choose the Best Food Truck Finder Selecting an effective food truck finder involves several key considerations to ensure you connect with vibrant small businesses and enhance your culinary experience. User Interface Choose a platform with a clean, intuitive design that allows for easy navigation. A user-friendly interface keeps your experience smooth and encourages exploration. Location Accuracy Opt for a food truck finder that provides real-time GPS updates. Accurate location tracking ensures you’ll find gourmet food trucks where they’re supposed to be, which supports small businesses in reaching customers more effectively. Cuisine Variety Look for platforms that allow you to filter options based on cuisine type. This feature helps you discover diverse offerings from various local eateries, enhancing your culinary journey. Reviews and Ratings Seek out food truck finders that feature user-generated reviews and ratings. This feedback provides insights into food quality and service, helping you make informed decisions that benefit both you and the small businesses you support. Visual Engagement Select a finder with engaging food images. Captivating visuals can entice your taste buds and showcase the unique offerings of local food trucks, promoting vibrant retail experiences. Community Engagement Prioritize platforms that emphasize collaboration with local businesses. Support mechanisms, such as featuring small business stories and highlighting special events, foster a sense of community and enhance brand loyalty. Notifications and Specials Consider food truck finders that send notifications about favorite trucks and special deals. This feature ensures you stay updated on bustling storefronts and exclusive offerings, optimizing your search for fantastic food options. Conclusion Finding the perfect food truck has never been easier thanks to food truck finders. These tools not only help you discover diverse culinary delights but also support local businesses striving to make their mark. With user-friendly interfaces and real-time updates, you can explore the vibrant food truck scene in your area effortlessly. By utilizing the right app, you’ll enjoy a seamless experience that connects you with unique flavors tailored to your preferences. Whether you’re craving gourmet tacos or artisanal ice cream, a food truck finder will enhance your culinary adventures while fostering community engagement. So get ready to indulge in delicious meals on wheels and support your local food truck culture. Frequently Asked Questions What are food trucks? Food trucks are mobile eateries that sell a variety of food options, from gourmet meals to sweet treats. They travel to different locations, making it easy for people to enjoy diverse culinary experiences on the go. How can I find food trucks near me? You can find food trucks near you by using food truck finder apps. These platforms provide real-time locations, menus, and schedules, helping you discover the best food trucks in your area. What features should I look for in a food truck finder? When choosing a food truck finder, look for a user-friendly interface, accurate location tracking, variety of cuisines, user reviews, engaging visuals, and notifications for specials or favorite trucks. Are food truck finder apps beneficial for small businesses? Yes, food truck finder apps support small businesses by enhancing their visibility, connecting them with customers, and showcasing their stories. This helps reach a wider audience and promotes community engagement. What types of food can I find on food trucks? Food trucks offer an extensive array of cuisines, including gourmet tacos, artisanal ice cream, BBQ, vegan options, and more. Each truck usually specializes in unique dishes, allowing food enthusiasts to explore diverse flavors. Image Via Envato This article, "Discover Local Delights with the Ultimate Food Truck Finder for Culinary Adventures" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Mac users can put any widget on their desktop. Windows puts widgets into a dedicated area that's not really customizable and curates headlines from the absolute worst places on the web. What if you just want a few simple pieces of information to show up over your wallpaper? A free application called BeWidgets lets you do just that. This free application lets you set up widgets featuring the weather, date, time, stock prices, and app shortcuts. It also lets you customize them to look however you want. To get started, install the application; you can add a widget immediately. Give it a name, just so you can keep track of it, then choose what information you'd like the widget to show by using the drop down. Credit: Justin Pot You can manually drag the widget anywhere you want on the desktop. The real power here comes when you click the Customize button. Here, you can change everything about how it looks. This means you can change the size, position, font, and backdrop for the widget. You can also customize the format. Credit: Justin Pot So, for the weather widget, you can choose which city to show the weather for and whether you want Celsius or Fahrenheit. You can also get a 24-hour forecast. For the stocks widget, you can choose which stock or currency you want to keep track of. For time, you can choose whether you want a 24- or 12-hour time. And you can customize the date format to work the way you're used to. The real fun comes from digging in the settings and tweaking everything to look just the way you want. There are other Windows applications that let you add widgets: Rainlender is a popular application for the job, albeit an aging one that can be overwhelming for beginners. The reason I like BeWidgets is a balance of simplicity and customization. You can only add certain kinds of information, sure, but you can make that information look however you want with just a few clicks. Check if out if you want to add a clock or stock to your desktop. View the full article

GoDaddy's Agency Program offers a high-intent source of leads for freelancers and web agencies The post GoDaddy Is Offering Leads To Freelancers And Agencies appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Delivery group declines to update its outlook for the year owing to macroeconomic ‘uncertainty’View the full article

There was once a time when LG was among the major smartphone manufacturers. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case for a while now: LG gave up on the phone business in April 2021, reducing the choices Android customers have—especially in the United States. It was a shame, since LG made some cool phones back in the day. The V20, for example, included a thin secondary display along the top of the device, while the LG Wing sported a full-size second display that swiveled out—a design that is still unique in the smartphone market (if not particularly practical). The company produced a number of smartphones in its time—some good, some great, some forgettable—but over the last four years, we've been deprived any new LG smartphones. That being said, the company didn't leave its customers out to dry: LG guaranteed eligible smartphones three years of updates. That guarantee seems to have worked out, since we're now four years past LG's retirement from the smartphone market. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, as is the case with LG's software support. RIP LG updatesAs reported by Android Authority, LG is planning to shut down the servers it uses to issue software updates. Once that happens, you won't be able to open your LG smartphone's settings app and install the latest update your device supports. It's not just the update servers, either. LG will also be closing down LG Bridge, software that helps you back your phone up to your PC, as well as install updates. This all goes down on Monday, June 30—just about two months from the time of this article. If you have any LG devices that have outstanding updates, you should consider updating them as soon as possible. Of course, LG phones from 2021 aren't getting updates for Android 15, or the upcoming Android 16. LG was issuing updates for versions of Android 12 and Android 13, depending on the phone in question. Still, these updates are important, since they contain the latest security patches for your particular smartphone. If you're still using these devices, make sure to install these updates to keep your phone protected—and be aware that no future security updates are coming to protect you from future vulnerabilities. To that last point, it might be time to start thinking about a new phone if you haven't done so already. While this last update should protect you for some time, the longer you use a smartphone with no future updates on the way, the greater the chances you'll expose yourself to those future vulnerabilities. If you're in need of an upgrade, take a look at PCMag's list of the best Android smartphones for 2025—all of which will continue to receive the latest feature and security updates. How to update your LG phoneTo update your LG phone, open Settings > System > System updates > Update LG software, then tap Check now for update. If an update is available, tap Install. View the full article

The portfolio of offerings includes a buy-before-you-sell product as well as loans geared toward small-business owners, gig workers and real estate investors. View the full article

Considering how much work goes into buying a home, it’s surprising how many people view it as a temporary situation. The concept of the “property ladder”—buying a small, affordable “starter” house just to build equity and trade up to a larger home, and then doing it again until you’re living in some kind of mansion—makes people think of their homes as investments in their future instead of a place to live their lives. It’s true that buying a house can be a complex decision, and buyer’s remorse is a real situation that almost anyone can find themselves experiencing—and sometimes selling your home is the best decision you can make. But there are plenty of bad reasons to sell, especially if you’re comfortable and happy in the property, or you’ve put a lot of work and money into making it your own. If you’ve got the itch to call up Realtors and list your house, ask yourself if you’re doing it for one of these reasons—and then maybe don’t make that call. You’re exhaustedYou bought a house and learned the dark secret of owning a property: You have to maintain it. Home maintenance can be a lot—in fact, about 28% of people who report buyer’s remorse about their house cite the time and cost of home maintenance as the primary reason. Anyone who’s owned a home knows that the problems seem endless. You fix the roof, and the water heater goes. You replace the water heater, and your air conditioner dies. Selling the house might feel like a weight lifting off your shoulders. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that any property you buy after selling this house will also require maintenance—maintenance you’ll either be doing yourself, or paying someone else to do through HOA or condo fees. Selling your current home won’t remove the need for maintenance and repairs. Even going from an older home to a newer one doesn’t guarantee you won’t have a lot of maintenance to do—in a survey conducted by insurance company Hippo, 60% of new construction homeowners spent more on maintenance than they expected. If you’re happy with your current home except for the maintenance work, spacing out and planning the work can help make it more manageable. And paying for a home warranty service (or just hiring a handyman) can give you a break from the constant effort, at least. Timing the marketWhen you buy a house, the expectation is that it will increase in value over time—while you’re simultaneously increasing your equity in it. Normally this is a long-term situation, but sometimes the real estate market in your area heats up rapidly, and you hatch a plan: You’ll sell at the high, rent for a year, then buy a house again when the market dips. That’s called "timing the market," and it’s usually a bad reason to sell a house you otherwise love. “I worked with a couple that had bought themselves a very beautiful house in a quiet neighborhood just outside the city,” says real estate expert and owner of Fast Home Buyer California YK Kuliev. “They had spent years waiting for it to get just right for them—custom kitchen, landscaped yard, the whole deal. They saw headline after headline about record-breaking sale prices, and thought to themselves: ‘Let's cash out now while prices are at the top.’ They did it and made really good money, but they did not have a new home lined up. They figured they would rent for a year, wait for the market to cool down, then buy again. Jump to 18 months later, and they are priced out of the very neighborhoods they used to call home. They scoured for a much smaller house in a much less desirable location and none of those personal touches built up over years in their prior home. That attempt to time the market cost them their dream home.” Not only does timing the market risk a home you’re comfortable in, the profits are often illusory because you wind up paying rent—and often more of it, and for a longer period, than anticipated. “They think they’re going to cash out at the perfect moment,” notes Jessica Robinson, co-owner of Family Nest North Central Florida. “But forget they still have to live somewhere after they sell.” The one that got awayOne of the most frustrating aspects of buying a house is the competition—the other buyers who swoop in with all-cash offers, or offers way over list price. Bidding wars can quickly put your dream home out of your financial reach. And sometimes you see a house you’d love to buy, but it isn’t on the market when you’re ready to dive in. But if the dream home you were denied suddenly becomes available, selling your current home to jump at it can be a huge mistake for a variety of reasons: Sweat equity. If you’ve put time, effort, and money into renovating your current home, you might not get a return on those investments. Financial loss. If you haven’t lived in your current home for at least two years, prepared to get smacked with some gnarly capital gains taxes. Your mortgage lender might have a penalty for paying off the loan too soon. And you’ll be paying all the fees and closing costs, eroding any small gain you might have made in the home’s equity. Disappointment. Dream homes don’t always work out the way you expect. A house that looks superficially ideal might turn out to have hidden problems, or you might not use the amenities as often as you think you will—or at all. If the only reason you want to sell your house is a form of FOMO, it’s probably going to be a mistake. You’re boredBuying and moving into a new house is an exciting experience. There’s the thrill of finding the right house, the joy of starting a new chapter in your life, and then the buzz of activity as you decorate, renovate, and get to know your neighborhood. But eventually you settle in, finish the projects, and fall into a routine. For some people, that leads to a sense of boredom with the house—and a regrettable decision to sell just because the excitement has faded. Robinson has seen this firsthand. “I’ll never forget a couple I worked with who sold their home because they were ‘just incredibly bored’ with their house,” she says. “It was a beautiful house, great neighborhood—but after a few years, they just felt restless.” It was a predictably terrible idea. “They rushed to list without a solid plan and ended up in a smaller, more expensive home that needed a mountain of repairs,” she explains. “Within six months, they admitted they missed their old place and regretted the whole thing.” Kuliev also recalls one client who simply wanted ‘a change of scenery.’ “She thought a move to a trendier area would be ‘fun,’” he recalls. “She listed her condo, sold it quickly, and bought a loft in a newer development. Six months later, her commute was longer, the community felt more impersonal, and those HOA fees were much heftier. She confessed that she missed the coziness and character of her old place. That boredom cost tens of thousands in closing costs, fees, and an emotional toll none had expected.” View the full article

The real estate industry is at the forefront of a lobbying blitz to sway Congress to preserve the carried interest tax break that President Donald The President wants to abolish in a giant tax bill pending in Congress. View the full article