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Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions. Q: How can I get more sleep? A: I am writing this at 11:12 p.m., so this advice is as much for myself as it is for anyone else. Here’s what we should all be doing differently: First, set a schedule and stick to it. The “stick to it” part is hard. But it’s called the golden rule of sleep for a reason. Set a bedtime, and then plan at least 20-40 minutes back from that time to start your bedtime routine. You might even need an alarm to remind you that it’s time to end what you’re doing. So, if you have to get up at 7 a.m. and you want to get seven hours of sleep, you want to be asleep by midnight. That means you should start your bedtime routine by 11:30 p.m.. And speaking of bedtime routine, you know you can’t go directly from staring at a screen to lights out, right? Your mind needs to wind down. Sleep experts recommend that you not only stick to the same bedtime every night, but that you also stick to the same (or similar) process each night. One option is to take things in 15-20 minute stages. First, prep for the next day (pack lunches, set out clothes) and do your nightly hygiene routine. Then spend 20 minutes doing a relaxing activity like reading. Whatever you do, don’t sleep with your phone next to you. The other golden piece of sleep advice is intuitive but many of us with desk jobs skip it: Do some kind of physical activity during the day—but not right before bed. If you spend 30-40 minutes a day being active, you will be more physically tired and it will be easier to fall asleep. Want more advice on how to get more sleep? Here you go: Ultimate guide to getting more sleep 5 ways to get a better night’s sleep Having trouble sleeping? Ask yourself these 6 questions View the full article

A lawn care business is an excellent way to become an entrepreneur and be your own boss. Homeowners are multitasking more and more and they need these services. Small businesses always want to make a great first impression with a well-manicured lawn. This blog will walk you through everything you need to know about how to start a lawn care business, from equipment selection to initial planning and marketing, plus customer retention. The Basics of a Lawn Care Business The lawn care industry is thriving. It has experienced significant growth and outpaced the overall economy. Lawns typically require ongoing maintenance, and there are cross-selling opportunities such as pest control. If you want to know how to start a lawn care business, this is an encouraging environment. What is a Lawn Care Business? A lawn care business does several things, like regular grass cutting. Other services include control and fertilization plus pest and disease control, to name a few. The potential clients include residential homeowners and commercial properties. Recreational facilities, schools, and hospitals can also be clients. Why Lawn Care Services Are Essential Lawn care services play a pivotal role in enhancing outdoor spaces’ aesthetic appeal and health. A well-maintained lawn not only boosts the overall visual appeal of a property but also provides various environmental and health benefits. Lawns act as natural filters, capturing dust, smoke particles, and other pollutants to provide cleaner air. Additionally, they help prevent soil erosion, reduce noise pollution, and even increase a property’s value. Engaging in regular lawn care ensures that these green spaces remain vibrant, healthy, and beneficial for both the environment and the residents of the property. Aesthetic Appeal: A well-maintained lawn beautifies the surroundings and creates a pleasant outdoor environment. Environmental Benefits: Lawns serve as carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, which contributes to cleaner air. Soil Protection: Healthy grass roots hold the soil together, preventing erosion and runoff, especially during heavy rains. Noise Reduction: Lawns can significantly reduce noise pollution by absorbing and deflecting sounds. Property Value: A beautifully maintained lawn can increase a property’s market value and curb appeal. Recreation and Well-being: Green, well-kept lawns provide spaces for recreational activities and have been shown to reduce stress and promote well-being. Temperature Regulation: Lawns can act as natural coolants, reducing the surrounding temperature and minimizing the heat island effect in urban areas. Habitat for Wildlife: Healthy lawns can provide habitats for various small creatures and support local biodiversity. Steps to Launch Your Own Lawn Care Business Following are the steps for how to start a business and offer lawn care services to your community. Evaluating Your Market: Commercial vs. Residential Lawn Care You need to know the differences between serving residential and commercial clients. Residential properties tend to be smaller and easier to maintain. In contrast, commercial clients typically require additional services, such as an irrigation system and more frequent visits. The contracts vary as well. Residential clients may prefer seasonal or one-time services, whereas commercial clients typically seek longer-term agreements. Drafting a Business Plan A business plan offers financial projections and background information. These can help you define your objectives and attract investors like banks and potential partners. Components include: The executive summary. The business description. Marketing strategy and analysis The services and products. A competitive analysis Financial projections. Business plans can help you get funding and create a marketing roadmap. Choosing a Business Structure You have several common business structures to choose from. The sole proprietor is easy to set up, and you have full control over the business. Personal liability is one of the downsides. A partnership has more potential for resources. It can be difficult to transfer ownership with these. A limited liability company has a flexible management structure and pass-through taxation. However, having a few members means tax complications. A Corporation has strong liability protections in place. The con here is complex regulations and legal requirements. Securing Financing Here’s a list of some of the financing options available. Bootstrapping Bootstrapping can entail contributions from family and personal savings used to start a business. Venture Capital These companies invest in startups with good potential and ask for equity in exchange. You get access to investors with experience. Bank Loans These usually have strict credit criteria. Small Business Administration Loans These government-backed loans have longer repayment times. Crowdfunding Kickstarter serves as an example of a platform that allows individuals to raise funds from a wide audience. However, managing these campaigns can be time-consuming. Designing an Effective Lawn Care Website Websites are a cost-effective way to get global exposure. A carefully designed site is available 24/7. A successful website features strong branding with consistent messaging and logos. Begin by researching the best landscaping business name ideas and choose one that aligns with your services. Next, acquire a matching domain. The design should be user-friendly across tablets, mobile devices, and desktops. Make sure it is optimized for SEO, and refer to this website startup guide for additional tips. Creating a Unique Brand Identity for Your Lawn Care Company Good branding for your company increases exposure. A good logo is simple and clean. Establish clear guidelines on consistency as to where and how it gets used. Colors make a big difference. They need to meet accessibility standards. Using at least one primary color in the logo for any lawn care business is a good idea. Include a mission statement as the driving force behind your branding. It should be concise and clear. Securing Essential Lawn Care Equipment Of course, you need landscaping tools and equipment to get started. A Lawn Mower and Other Tools Smaller lawns only need a walk-behind lawn mower unit. Bigger commercial properties might require a riding mower. Keeping lawns in good shape means having professional edgers and trimmers. A good blower will clean up debris like leaves and grass clippings. Working with bushes and trees means getting a pair of pruning shears. Don’t forget personal safety equipment like glasses and gloves and ear protection. Buying Or Renting Lawn care companies must decide whether buying or renting is the best choice. Buying the equipment means you’ll have it whenever you need it. However, there is a significant investment at first. Renting usually has maintenance included. However, there are no assets to sell later on. FactorBuying EquipmentRenting Equipment Initial CostHigh upfront costs to purchase machinery and tools outright.Lower initial costs, only paying for the duration of use. Maintenance & RepairsOwner is responsible for all maintenance and repair costs.Maintenance and repairs typically covered by the rental company. DepreciationEquipment will depreciate in value over time.No concerns about depreciation as equipment is returned after use. FlexibilityEquipment is available at any time for business operations.Flexibility to rent specific tools as needed for specialized jobs. Long-term CostsMight be cheaper in the long run if equipment is used regularly and maintained well.Can become expensive if renting frequently or for extended periods. StorageNeed dedicated space to store equipment when not in use.No storage concerns, as equipment is returned after use. Equipment UpdatesUpdating or upgrading requires selling old equipment and purchasing new.Easier to access the latest equipment models as needed. Asset OwnershipEquipment becomes a business asset and can be sold later.No ownership; therefore, no asset to sell or leverage in the future. Tax ImplicationsPotential tax benefits from depreciation or capital write-offs.Renting expenses can be written off as a business expense. Cash Flow ImpactSignificant initial expenditure can impact cash flow.Spread out costs can be easier on cash flow, especially for startups. Pricing and Service Packages Good lawn care businesses offer basic, standard, and premium packages that give customers a choice. Legal and Licensing Considerations Consider the following: A Business License allows you to operate in your city or county. A Landscaper Contractor License may be required if you plan on doing landscaping work. Some areas will need a Water Use Permit. General Liability Insurance covers your business in the event of property damage or personal injury. There can be other requirements, too, depending on the scope of your business. Hiring and Training Consider hiring extra staff during peak demand seasons in the spring and summer. Be sure to train them in proper safety procedures for equipment. Social media and industry-specific websites are good recruitment channels to start with. Developing a Service Menu A service list might look like this. Lawn Mowing and Fertilization Weed Control Insect and Pest Control Lawn Aeration For each of these and others, you should highlight the convenience of the service and your expertise. Explain the benefits of other features like flower bed maintenance and mulching. ServiceDescriptionFrequencyAverage DurationPrice Range* Lawn MowingCutting grass to a specified height. Often includes trimming edges near walkways, driveways, and other structures.Weekly/Bi-weekly30 min - 2 hrs$30 - $100 FertilizationApplying fertilizers to promote healthy grass growth and prevent weeds.Seasonally30 min - 1 hr$40 - $100 Weed ControlUsing herbicides or manual methods to reduce or eliminate weeds from the lawn.As needed30 min - 2 hrs$50 - $150 AerationPuncturing the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate to the grassroots.Annually1 - 3 hrs$70 - $200 DethatchingRemoving thick layer of roots, stems, and debris that can build up on a lawn's surface.Annually/As needed1 - 3 hrs$100 - $300 Pest ControlApplying treatments to deter or eradicate common lawn pests like grubs, ants, and more.As needed30 min - 2 hrs$50 - $150 OverseedingPlanting grass seeds directly into existing turf to improve density or introduce a new grass variety.Seasonally/As needed1 - 2 hrs$100 - $300 Landscaping & DesignPlanning and creating aesthetic features, including planting beds, walkways, water features, etc.One-timeVaries greatly$500+ Leaf RemovalClearing leaves from the lawn during the fall season or as needed.Seasonally1 - 3 hrs$50 - $200 Irrigation MaintenanceChecking and maintaining sprinkler systems to ensure proper water distribution.Annually/As needed1 - 2 hrs$70 - $200 Obtaining Licenses and Permits Licenses and permits can vary depending on the state you’re in. There are some general ones you should look into, like: A Business License This allows you to operate in a legal manner in your jurisdiction. Sales Tax Permit You might need one to remit and collect sales tax. Zoning Permits Your business needs to comply with local zoning requirements. Look into Lawn Care Business Insurance There are several types of insurance that fall under the small business insurance category, including general liability insurance. This type of insurance protects your business against third-party claims for damage and bodily injury. Additionally, if you employ workers, lawn care businesses are required to have Workmen’s Compensation insurance. Property insurance is important to protect your inventory and equipment. Building a Client Contract Make sure to add in the contract details, like additional charges for special services and the frequency of visits. Be specific about the services, like weed control and mowing. Implementing a Booking and Scheduling System A digital system streamlines appointments and provides real-time updates. Formulating an Environmentally Friendly Approach Remember, environmentally conscious clients are looking for sustainable practices. Reduce the need for chemical treatments and water consumption. Networking and Building Industry Relationships Establishing local connections builds trust. Gaining knowledge from others in the industry helps you to stay updated. Safety Protocols and Equipment Maintenance Detailed records of equipment inspections, repairs, and maintenance are important. Regular safety meetings to review procedures are critical. Setting Up a Business Bank Account Separate personal and business finances for tax purposes. Supply an employee identification number (EIN) for the IRS. Effective Marketing for Your Lawn Care Business So what is marketing for a lawn care service? Effective strategies include both online and offline elements. For example: Advertise in local newspapers. Network at business events. Create a professional website showcasing your services. Google ads and Facebook ads work, too. Building a Loyal Clientele Retaining clients is about effective communication and consistent quality service. Offer seasonal maintenance plans and loyalty programs. Continuous Learning and Upgrading Staying on top of industry trends will help your company to grow. You’ll learn about environmental regulations as well as new techniques and equipment. Consider joining a professional organization. How Much Does it Cost to Start a Lawn Care Business? Generally, a start-up costs between $1,450 and $2,500. A basic mower ranges from $200 to $400. Hand tools such as a shovel and rake can cost as much as $400. Marketing can cost you between $200 and $500 for advertisements and flyers. Other costs include business licensing or registration and your vehicle. What is the Profit Margin for a Successful Lawn Care Business? A one-man operation can have profit margins of around 15 to 20%. The higher overhead costs and additional labor mean bigger businesses have a lower margin of around 10 to 12%. What Challenges May a Lawn Care Business Owner Face? A lawn care company operates in an industry that might seem straightforward on the surface but can be fraught with numerous challenges, including the following: Unpredictable Weather Patterns: Weather affects grass growth pest activity and can delay scheduled jobs. Increased Competition: A surge in new startups and other competitors can make it challenging to secure clients and differentiate services. Fluctuating Fuel Prices: Any rise in fuel costs directly influences the operating costs, especially for companies with heavy machinery and transportation requirements. Labor Issues: Finding, training, and keeping skilled workers can be difficult because of the job’s physical demands and its seasonal nature. Staying Updated: Keeping up with the latest in landscaping techniques, eco-friendly practices, and local regulations requires continuous learning and adaptation. Tips from Lawn Care Professionals: Ensuring Success in Your Business Here’s some advice gathered from budding entrepreneurs. Stay updated on different regulations and best practices. Get the information you need from industry publications and conferences. Be willing to adjust your business strategy as the market changes. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LxdA_5M7TRQ%3Fsi%3D4mJ8XctdPKT_4CvE FAQ: Starting a Lawn Mowing Business Is a Lawn Care Service a Good Business to Start? Yes, starting a landscaping business can lead to a consistent income, and you have the opportunity to expand your operations over time. Is Lawn Mowing Business a Good Side Hustle? This is a good side hustle because there are low start-up costs. Use the post above as a business startup checklist. Is it Essential to Have a Background in Horticulture to be a Lawn Care Professional? It’s not an essential qualification, but this expertise gives you in-depth knowledge of soils and landscaping. Which State has the Longest Lawn Mowing Season? Florida has the longest mowing season. It can extend through most of the year. How can Seasonal downtime be handled in the Lawn Care industry? Adding on off-season services like snow removal or holiday light installation can help. You might also look into other types of businesses with a year-round model. For example, research how to start a handyman business. Image: Envato Elements This article, "How to Start a Lawn Care Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

There's a lot you can do to boost your chances of success on social media — optimize your content for engagement, find your perfect posting times, master the art of thumb-stopping hooks... But even these smart tactics don't guarantee success. Few things do when it comes to navigating social media algorithms and ever-changing audience behavior. From our research and experience at Buffer, there's only one thing that comes close: posting consistently. It’s a social media tip successful creators, marketers, and even platform bosses (thanks, Adam Mosseri) share all the time. The more you post, the better your chances of success on all social media platforms. And guess what? Now we have some data to back this up. Buffer’s resident genius (sorry, data scientist) Julian Winterhiemer recently conducted a massive analysis that measured the impact of consistent posting on engagement across all the channels Buffer supports — Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads, X, YouTube, Mastodon, and Pinterest — over the last six months. As you can imagine, the numbers are pretty darn cool. Spoiler: The most consistent posters received a whopping 5x more engagement — likes, comments, and shares — per post than users who posted inconsistently. Even folks who were moderately consistent got 4x more engagement on their posts. I’ll explain how we classified these levels of consistency below. We are (sorry) Julian is working on weighing up the impact of posting consistently on each platform, and we’ll share that soon, but for now, we wanted to take a look at the big picture, long-term. Let’s dig in. Breaking down the numbersTo understand these numbers, it’s helpful to see how we arrived at them. We looked specifically at users who created posts in the last 26 weeks (which is 6 months). That way, we were comparing people equally and not including folks who hadn't posted at all or who had just signed up. More than 100,000 Buffer users met these criteria. From there, Julian grouped them into three categories to measure the consistency of each user. Then we measured how many weeks those users posted within those 26 weeks. Using that definition, we arrived at three groups of users ranging from inconsistent posting habits to consistent posting habits: Inconsistent users posted 4 weeks or less out of the last 26 weeksConsistent users posted 5-19 weeks out of the last 26 weeksHighly consistent users posted 20+ weeks out of the last 26 weeks(Note that we are measuring posts on a weekly cadence, so this isn't the number of posts, but the number of weeks that a user posted at least once — more on this below!) Once we had defined these user groups, we looked at the median engagements per post for each group — and here's where it gets interesting. “The definition of engagement varies by platform,” Julian notes. “So for this analysis, the total number of engagements is the sum of comments, retweets, favorites, reactions, likes, shares, repins, reposts, quotes, and replies.” We used the median engagement rate because it provides a more accurate representation of datasets with outliers, such as social media data. Outliers, like viral posts, can skew results, so the median offers a clearer view of typical post engagement. The pattern was crystal clear: The highly consistent posters saw more than 5 times the engagement per post compared to those who posted sporadically. Let’s put that into perspective with some percentages: The highly consistent group saw an impressive 450% more engagement per post than the inconsistent group and 26% more engagement than the consistent group.The consistent group saw 340% more engagement per post than the inconsistent group.Not too shabby, is it? What’s pretty neat too, is that even the consistent posters (the middle group) saw a massive jump in engagement compared to the inconsistent posters — getting quadruple the engagement per post. Of course, there’s some nuance here. Let’s break that down even further. Here’s a look at median engagement per post measured against the number of posting weeks. Take a look at 21 weeks — that spike appears to be the "sweet spot" for balancing effort and engagement, with a median engagement of 4.47 engagements per post. Our findings suggest that posting consistently over 20 weeks can lead to the highest levels of engagement, but beyond that, there may be diminishing returns. After 21 weeks of posting, engagement started to plateau and eventually decline (though it’s still significantly higher than most of the consistent group), suggesting diminishing returns for users posting every week without breaks. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should map out your content calendar for the next six months (26 weeks) and be sure to skip at least five of them. What it suggests to me is that posting at least weekly is ideal, but you can give yourself a week’s grace here and there while you’re on holiday or going through a busy time. If posting weekly feels a bit out of reach for you for now (I completely get it!), there are a few significant steps up that I thought I would be interesting to mention: Week 3: A 58% increase compared to Week 2.Week 4: A 27% increase compared to Week 3.Week 5: A 17% increase compared to Week 4.Week 7: A 16% increase compared to Week 6.These numbers really show how impactful even just a few posts can be! So, just because you can’t post often, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at all. 📌It’s worth noting that this analysis didn’t take into account the impact of posting multiple times per week, which will undoubtedly be fascinating — we’re working on that analysis and will report back soon!Why this mattersSocial networks want to keep their users entertained, engaged, and coming back for more. To do that, they need a steady stream of quality content — so when they get that from creators like you, they're more likely to reward you for it. And — if looking at those yellow bars is intimating — let me give you some perspective. The highly consistent users posted in at least 20 weeks out of a possible 25. They didn’t post every single week. They took a few off here and there — and they may have only posted once within those weeks. Posting once a week over the next few months — pretty doable, right? And it could have a huge impact on your engagement and, as a result, audience growth. If that sounds like a bit much, let’s take a look at the consistent middle group. The good news? You don't have to post every single day to see results. Our data shows that even moving from "somewhat consistent" to "consistent" posting can make a significant difference in your engagement rates. Start small, think bigIf you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of consistent posting, remember that you can start small: Pick one or two platforms to focus onSet realistic goals for your posting frequencyUse social media management tools (👀) to schedule content in advanceBuild a content bank or library for those busy weeksThe key isn't perfection — it's progress. Even posting once a week consistently is better than posting daily for a week and then disappearing for a month. So, what's your next move? Maybe it's time to dust off that content calendar, set some realistic posting goals, and start showing up a little more consistently for your audience. Looking to make your start? We have some really handy resources to help: Become a Social Media Creator in 2025: Your 9-Step PlanHow to Create a Swipe File for Your Social Media Ideas7 Simple Habits to Help You Get Better at Creating Content More ConsistentlyTypes of Social Media Content: 30+ Ideas for Your Next Post (With Examples)View the full article

Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been largely avoided by lawmakers, influencers, and the public. Among them: What is the future of insurance when people’s homes are increasingly located in areas of climate risk—whether wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, or the rising sea levels? Those questions have bedeviled policy makers in California—where insurance giants like State Farm, Farmers, and Allstate announced last year that they were no longer writing new policies in the state due to the surge in wildfires (in 2024 alone, firefighters across the state battled 8,024 wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres and destroyed 2,148 houses and other structures). Insurers have long been aware of the risk of climate change—rising premiums, increasing losses. In 1973, the German insurance firm Munich Re published a brochure on flooding that it claims was the first use of the term “climate change” in the industry, warning of the growing risk of rising temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the air. Some 40 years later, the CEO of French insurance giant AXA said it would be impossible to insure a world that is 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 Fahrenheit) warmer. Nonetheless, insurance companies have become some of the biggest financiers of fossil fuels, which are the primary cause of climate change—the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal are responsible for over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. Fossil fuel companies made up 4.4% of the investment portfolio of the insurance industry in 2023, up from 3.8% nine years earlier. Two insurance giants, Berkshire Hathaway and State Farm, increased their fossil fuel positions by around $200 billion in that period. Overall, however, more than half of the country’s 238 property and casualty insurers recently surveyed by the Wall Street Journal have reduced their investments in oil, gas, and coal over the past decade. But while insurers around the world have restricted their coverage of fossil fuel projects, U.S. companies continue to write policies for conventional oil and gas projects. Spokespersons for State Farm and Berkshire Hathaway did not respond to requests for comment. It’s a vicious cycle, some insurance industry experts say, with insurers investing their customers’ premiums in fossil fuel companies, whose activities accelerate climate change, which in turn increases the risk of the wildfires, super storms, and flooding that are causing insurers to drop coverage for millions of homeowners in order to avoid losses. “That’s a significant amount of capital that is supporting polluting industries,” said Frances Sawyer, the founder of Pleiades Strategy, which works to stimulate climate action. “That hasn’t been as much of a focus as it should be in their total structural risk—fossil fuel investments that are directly making the risk environment worse that they’re handling on the other side of the balance books.” By the numbers, climate change is having an enormous impact on the industry. The insured weather losses attributable to climate change have increased from 31% to 38% in the last decade, an annual increase that “significantly outpaced” the growth of losses in other sectors. Overall, about $600 billion in such losses over the last two decades can be attributed to climate change, according to a report by Insure Our Future, a global consortium of groups pushing insurance companies to stop investing in fossil fuels. For many insurers, the losses are not being offset by the premiums they collect from their coverage of fossil fuel companies. For more than half of the 28 leading insurance companies, their estimated losses due to climate change exceeded their fossil fuel premiums. Overall, climate-attributed losses for all 28 insurers totaled $10.6 billion, erasing most of the $11.3 billion they collected in premiums from fossil fuel companies. As a result, insurers have now dropped more than 1.9 million home insurance contracts since 2018, with nonrenewal notices tripling in more than 200 counties across the country, according to a recent congressional investigation. The burden falls heaviest on lower-income Americans and people of color. About 15% of the country’s homeowners who earn less than $50,000 a year are uninsured, according to the Consumer Federation of America. And 14% of Latino and 11% of Black homeowners are uninsured. Increasingly, more Americans are underinsured, making it likely that the full cost of reconstructing a house won’t be reimbursed. A University of Colorado Boulder study on the 2021 Marshall Fire, the worst in that state’s history, revealed that 74% of affected homeowners were underinsured. Among them was Erica Solove, a mother of two who was forced to flee their family home barefoot when it was destroyed in the Marshall Fire. Because her policy reflected the valuation of her home when she bought it years ago, it wasn’t nearly enough to help build a new home. She had to rely on savings and a GoFundMe campaign to finish reconstruction. When she tried to get homeowners insurance for that home, “We were rejected by all of them,” she said. “The insurance companies are not being held responsible for not insuring people to any reasonable level reflecting the current reality,” said Solove, who started the group Extreme Weather Survivors, and recently started an online Slack community for California wildfire survivors. “It’s not an individual problem, it’s a systemic industry problem.” And the cost of homeowner insurance has skyrocketed, jumping more than 30% between 2020 and 2023 (13% adjusted for inflation), according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. That dynamic has increased pressure on insurers to shun the fossil fuel industry—both by no longer providing coverage to oil, gas, and coal projects and by no longer investing in the industry. “Insurers’ self-reinforcing cycle of driving climate risks higher and restricting coverage for those risks is threatening public interest and financial stability,” warned Insure Our Future. Some insurance giants are taking steps—Italy’s largest insurer, Generali, announced in October 2024 that it will no longer provide new coverage for oil and gas companies in the midstream and downstream sectors, which includes liquefied natural gas terminals and gas-fired power plants. But U.S. insurers in general continue to back the industry, and they have played a prominent role in the liquefied natural gas boom along the Gulf Coast. All of the senior lenders for the giant Rio Grande LNG terminal in Texas were insurance companies—Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance (F&G), Everlake Life Insurance, American General Life Insurance, Security Life of Denver Insurance, Symetra Life Insurance, and Allianz Life Insurance of North America—according to an SEC filing by the developer, NextDecade. Spokespersons for the companies did not return requests for comment. That role was highlighted in an industry publication, Insurance Asset Risk, which noted that “despite seemingly making progress towards net-zero goals, insurers seem to be taking on a role previously occupied by banks in financing fossil fuel projects.” In recent years, some insurance regulators have pushed for more transparency from the industry and warned it of the danger of investments that contribute to climate change. The insurance commissioners of California, Oregon, and Washington did a first-ever stress test of insurance company investments last year to detail the “hidden cost” of delaying climate action. In addition to exacerbating the climate crisis, such investments could be risky for insurance companies’ bottom line as the world moves to a clean-energy future, making it harder for them to write policies going forward. The three insurance commissioners warned in their report: “Insurance companies invest premiums that they collect from people and businesses, generating returns that enable them to pay future claims, meaning the performance of investment income can have a direct impact on a company’s ability to take on additional policies down the line.” According to the insurance commissioners’ findings, insurers face greater exposure to climate risk in their corporate bond portfolios than in their equity investments. Their future losses on corporate bonds could range from $7 billion to $40 billion, per the analysis. Because homeowners insurance is required for most home loans, some economists are concerned that the insurance crisis could reignite a mortgage crisis on a scale of the 2008-2009 recession. “Rising premiums and limited availability of insurance can have significant ripple effects across housing markets, reducing demand (and housing values) for homes in high-risk areas,” according to a new Brookings Institute study. “Any wide-scale decline in property values” would present “a systemic risk to the U.S. economy similar to what occurred during the 2007-2009 mortgage meltdown and ensuing global financial crisis,” the Senate Budget Committee warned in a December 2024 report. “It has a sort of this chilling effect where if insurance companies are announcing that they’re no longer writing policies in entire neighborhoods or entire communities or in some cases even entire states, that has implications for whether you’re going to be able to sell your home because the mortgage market won’t be available,” said Jordan Haedtler, climate finance strategist with advocacy group the Climate Cabinet. The crisis has prompted most states to develop an insurer-of-last-resort program, available to those who can’t get coverage from private insurance companies. But they are at risk of being overwhelmed. California’s FAIR Plan, which has only $200 million in reserves and $2.5 billion in reinsurance, has exposure of $5.9 billion from homeowners policies in Pacific Palisades alone, where the number of policyholders grew by 85% from last year. As California’s former insurance commissioner Dave Jones told Capital & Main, provisions in the FAIR Plan leave homeowners across the state on the hook for losses if the government plan is exhausted. Moving forward to address this crisis may take some dramatic steps, say experts. Publicly funded climate risk insurance, such as the FAIR Plan, don’t adequately address the problem since they would “face many of the same challenges as the private market in terms of managing rising costs and increasing climate risk exposure, plus the added complexity of political pressure to keep premiums artificially low,” according to the Brookings report. The think tank recommends that state regulators develop initiatives to make more advanced catastrophe modeling tools available to insurers and incentivize them to offer discounts to policy holders for taking steps to make their homes more resilient by installing wind-resistant roofing, fire-resistant siding and hail-resistant shingles. Unfortunately, insurers aren’t on board yet in California. Last year, Jones worked with state Sen. Josh Becker and the Nature Conservancy on a bill that would have required the models used by insurers to account for risk mitigation efforts such as forest treatment, creating defensible space around homes and home hardening. “The insurance industry killed it,” Jones said. “They killed the bill through lobbying and donations to lawmakers. They basically went in front of the insurance committee of the Senate and the Appropriations Committee of the Assembly and, and said, ’We’re opposed to this,’ and convinced those two committees to gut the bill.” What’s key is addressing the role of climate change, said Sawyer. “We’ve got to think about how we’re reducing climate pollution and continuing and accelerating California’s commitment to emissions reduction and investments in resilience,” she emphasized. “The last thing we need is solutions that try and treat this as a temporary financial crisis without reaching down to those roots and really thinking about the [insurance] sector’s role in decarbonization and making us safer across the board.” This piece was originally published by Capital & Main, which reports from California on economic, political, and social issues. View the full article

Last fall, Will Ferrell sang an homage to PayPal to the tune of Fleetwood Mac’s classic “Everywhere.” The payments platform was making a big swing with the comedy legend for its biggest-ever U.S. ad campaign. It was also the first major piece of work under PayPal chief marketing officer Geoff Seeley, who joined the company in February 2024. The campaign was created with agency BBH, with an assist from Publicis Groupe creative shop Le Truc. But there was another partner holding influence over the brand strategy, all behind the scenes. The Intangibles—which some might call the Avengers of marketing—is a marketing powerhouse that has largely operated in the shadows until now. Founded in 2022, The Intangibles is a unique consultancy in a marketing industry littered with consulting options. Led by founder and CEO Ben Richards, founding partner Jon Wilkins, and chair Judy Smith, the firm is now launching publicly. It’s made up of executive talent that focuses exclusively on intangible assets like brand, innovation, IP, customer experience, reputation, and culture—all oft-overlooked yet critical areas that drive long-term value. Richards is the former global chief strategy officer of Ogilvy, where he led a team of 1,500 strategists across 83 countries for nearly a decade. Wilkins was most recently the global chief strategy officer of Accenture Song, one of the world’s largest agencies. The two met in the early 2000s at legendary strategy firm Naked, where Wilkins was one of the three global founders. Smith is also CEO of strategic advisory firm Smith & Company, the former deputy press secretary to President George H.W. Bush, a veteran of crisis management, and the real-life inspiration behind the hit ABC series Scandal. From left: Judy Smith, Chair, Jon Wilkins, Founding Partner, Ben Richards, Founder & CEO. Richards says that intangible assets are seen as the dark matter of the business world. “In reality, they’re very real, they’re very measurable, and I think they’re the future of business,” he says. “So we started thinking about the kind of company that could advise on how to grow tangible value from intangible assets.” “Tribrid” model A decade ago, marketing and advertising was in the midst of a tug-of-war between major consultancies and ad agency holding companies. Deloitte alone had acquired more than a dozen creative agencies, while Ad Age named Accenture Interactive (now Accenture Song) the largest and fastest-growing digital agency network every year between 2015 and 2021. Agencies, meanwhile, were shifting their own strategies to better compete. R/GA, for example, set up a business transformation practice in 2012. The relationship between consultancies and agency partners for brands is still a shifting landscape between competition and collaboration, but Richards says he and Wilkins saw an opportunity for a very specific type of consultant, with a particular approach. “It’s a ‘tribrid’ firm that combines the rigor of a management consultancy, the creativity of Madison Ave, and the value creation mindset of private equity, that we thought would be the best at unlocking tangible value for intangible assets,” says Richards. Take the PayPal example. When PayPal named Alex Chriss its new CEO in September 2023, Seeley was less than a year into the job. PayPal was looking to shift its positioning quickly and significantly from a payments platform to a broader fintech company. “We were brought in to help them engineer a new way to bring the brand to life in North America,” Richards says of The Intangibles’s partnership with the company. Seeley says the firm has been invaluable in providing high-level consulting on the overall brand strategy, given the breadth of their experience in particular with marketing and marketing transformation. “I need people around me who have been there and done it right,” says Seeley. “They’ve played the snakes and ladders of marketing for a long time, and they know more about the ladders, and they know where the snakes are.” PayPal’s Seeley says the work his company has done with The Intangibles has complemented his other agency partners. “It’s not competitive, because the services that they provide aren’t tangible things like making an ad or buying media,” he says. “It’s sitting with my VPs of marketing, or my heads of growth, and consulting with them over ‘Hey, when we did this at like this big company that I was at, this is where we found some goodness.’ So it’s more senior client whispering than it is agency services.” Elite experience The “tribrid” model is combined with what Richards called a “naked” style of communication and transparency: solid advice, plainly told. In a time when CMOs are asked to do more with less, and always faster, it’s easy to see why a resource like this could be helpful. Executing on this promise is easier when consultants are seen more as peers than hired help. The firm has talent with experience in the upper echelons of the industry, as opposed to a few senior leaders backed by an army of junior talent. So far, Intangibles works with about 30 people across New York, London, and San Francisco. At the partner level, the company’s roster includes former Global CMO of Disney Studios MT Carney, former Goodby, Silverstein & Partners’ Chief Strategy Officer Gareth Key, former Global CMO Lufthansa Alex Schlaubitz, former Global CMO of Bill Gates-backed C16 Biosciences Margaret Rimsky, and former Global CEO of Ogilvy PR Stuart Smith. So far, the company has done work with PayPal, Venmo, YouTube, and Kenvue (owners of Tylenol, Neutrogena, and Band-Aid), as well as a handful of private equity firms. Essentially, the company has assembled an on-call SWAT team of marketing, creative, strategy, and communications for the executive suite. Wilkins describes it as a hybrid model of senior talent within the company, and then tapping into their collective Rolodex to tailor teams to a client’s particular needs. “We’ve got traditional employees, but we’ve also got this fantastic network of folks who are on speed dial,” says Wilkins. “So this really surgical application, this Avengers-style team, bringing together genuinely the best people in the world for a particular mission has worked really well.” View the full article

Until recently, if you threw away an old mattress in Amsterdam, it would likely end up in an incinerator—the same way that most of the 15 million-plus mattresses thrown out in the U.S. each year end up in landfills. Now, however, around half of Dutch mattresses are recycled, and that number is growing. Some of the material is starting to be used in new mattresses, sofas, and other furniture by manufacturers like IKEA. [Photo: IKEA] In one facility near Amsterdam, a company called RetourMatras uses automated equipment to dismantle old beds, beginning with a machine called a peeler that cuts off the mattress cover so the fabric can be recycled. Then the core is separated into materials like polyurethane foam, latex foam, and metal springs, depending on what’s inside a particular product. More than 80% of a typical mattress can be recycled. In another corner of the facility, the company has pioneered a process to turn polyurethane foam into the chemical building blocks for making new foam that can be used in furniture. [Photo: Ikea] In the past, shredded foam could only be “downcycled” into a lower-quality material for products like carpet backing. Now, if you buy an Extorp sofa or Poäng chair from IKEA in Europe—or a new mattress—it will likely contain foam partially made with chemicals that RetourMatras recycled from old mattresses. The investment arm of Ingka Group, IKEA’s largest retailer, first invested in the recycling startup in 2019 to help it scale up. The aim was to help with IKEA’s own circularity goals. “We would like to recycle as many mattresses as IKEA puts on the market globally,” says Alberic Pater, who manages business development at Ingka Investments. (Last year, the company sold more than 11 million mattresses.) At the time of the first investment, there was almost no recycling capacity in the region, Pater says. “Incineration or landfill was still commonplace, because the cost was far cheaper than recycling,” he says. Cost is still a challenge, though RetourMatras says that automation is helping—along with the fact that the company can now produce higher-quality materials for use in new furniture. The recycling company now has three facilities in the Netherlands, along with three facilities in the U.K. and one in France. In total, it has the capacity to recycle 2.5 million mattresses in a year; last year, it handled 1.6 million. So far, only the location outside of Amsterdam has the new tech. But another new investment from IKEA will help the startup grow. This month, the furniture giant announced that it planned to invest more than $1 billion in recycling infrastructure, including an unspecified amount in RetourMatras. (The recycler hasn’t yet announced any plans to expand to the U.S., and so far, there aren’t any other American recycling companies with the same type of foam-to-foam recycling technology.) At the same time, IKEA’s product designers are working on making mattresses more recyclable. For example, many of its mattresses now have covers made from 100% recycled polyester, which can be recycled again. The covers also have zippers, so they’re easier to remove. “It’s extremely easy just to unzip the cover, take out the foam, and let the cover go in a different recycling stream,” says Johan Kroon, a product developer for Inter IKEA. (Because they’re removable and washable, it also makes it more likely that consumers will keep the mattresses longer, which can cut the environmental footprint of the product even more.) The company’s product design team is working on multiple projects related to mattress recyclability, including making it easier to separate the materials inside. Other companies are also innovating in the space. Royal Auping, a Dutch company that has made mattresses since 1890, designed a fully circular mattress in 2020. Called Evolve, it’s made from only two materials—PET, the material used in plastic water bottles—and steel springs. A specially-designed adhesive makes it possible to separate the materials with heat instead of energy-intensive shredding. PET is also easier to recycle than foam. The design has fewer than half of the components of a typical mattress, but is as comfortable, the company says, with better ventilation than a foam mattress. RetourMatras says that mattress brands can tour its facilities to better understand how to design for recyclability. It will take time to see the benefits. “We’re dismantling mattresses from 10 years ago,” says Chico van Hemert, managing director at RetourMatras. “If we change something now, we’ll benefit in 10 years.” Meanwhile, IKEA’s product developers are also figuring out how to use the new recycled foam. Right now, it only makes up a small percentage of the total material in the company’s products; one IKEA mattress sold in the Netherlands, for example, uses 10% recycled polyol, the main building block for making foam. That percentage can increase as the supply of recycled material keeps growing and costs come down. “The biggest challenge is to get more mattresses,” says Pater. IKEA collects old mattresses at its stores, but governments need the right policies to collect mattresses at a large scale. Several European countries now have “extended producer responsibility” laws that require mattress retailers to figure out how to get old mattresses back for recycling. The U.S. lags behind, but four states also have similar laws. “We need more markets, more countries, to implement the right legislation,” he says. View the full article

The iconic Louvre in Paris is no stranger to crowds. Since first opening in 1793, the museum has played host to millions of guests and undergone dozens of expansions and renovations to accommodate them. Today, though, overtourism has brought the historic site to a breaking point. In a typical year, the Louvre is prepared to accommodate 4 million visitors. But in 2024, almost 9 million people—70% of them originating from outside of France—passed through its doors. “Visiting the Louvre is a physical ordeal,” museum director Laurence des Cars wrote in a widely publicized leaked memo. Now the Louvre will now undergo a massive renovation to address overcrowding and expand its viewing capacity to 12 million annual visitors, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced. The ambitious project includes opening a new entrance on the Seine river, and dedicating a stand-alone room to house the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, to give the famed Italian Renaissance painting some breathing room. A timeless attraction with an outdated structure The Louvre’s proposed redesign follows a slew of critiques from des Cars and years of wear and tear to the museum’s architectural structure, which has been exacerbated by growing crowds. There isn’t room for visitors to take a break, according to des Cars, who also assessed the museum’s food and restroom facilities as “insufficient in volume.” She added in her memo that some areas of the museum are prone to leaks, while others experience wide temperature variations, potentially impacting the preservation of the artwork within. The Louvre’s signage needs to be redesigned as well, des Cars asserted. [Photo: Antoine Boureau/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images] The Louvre currently has only one entrance—the iconic glass pyramid by architect I.M. Pei, opened in 1989. Overcrowding of the throughway in recent years has led to both a greenhouse-like heating effect and unpleasant sound amplification. A similar issue has plagued staffers guarding the Mona Lisa. According to des Cars, around 20,000 people pack into the room housing the famous painting each day, resulting in massive lines and far-from-ideal viewing conditions (if you can even get close enough to catch a glimpse). “I’m leaving in a state of extreme fatigue and I’ve vowed never to visit again,” one loyal local visitor told The Guardian. “The noise is so unbearable under the glass pyramid; it’s like a public swimming pool. Even with a timed ticket, there’s an hour to wait outside. I can’t do it anymore. Museums are supposed to be fun, but it’s no fun anymore.” A design solution to overcrowding At a speech delivered in front of the Mona Lisa on Tuesday, Macron introduced a plan to bring the fun back to the Louvre. In short: improve the flow of foot traffic throughout the space in order to prevent major backups. To start, Macron announced, the renovation will include a new grand entrance at the Colonnade de Perrault on the museum’s western side near the Seine, finally adding an additional pathway for guests to enter the building, and relieving crowding at the pyramid entrance. The Louvre will hold a competition to choose the firm responsible for the addition, which is slated to open in 2031. Several underground rooms will be added to boost exhibition space. And the museum will relocate its pièce de résistance—the Mona Lisa—to its own dedicated room. That room will require a separate access pass and be “independently accessible compared to the rest of the museum,” Macron said. In response to the issue of overtourism, the museum will also institute higher prices for foreign travelers. Starting on January 1, 2026, Macron announced, all guests from outside the EU will be required to pay a higher entrance fee. These renovations come as other popular destinations like Spain, Greece, Italy, and Germany have all begun implementing taxes for foreign visitors as a means of dealing with rampant overtourism. It’s only a matter of time before additional landmarks will need to consider designs specifically created to manage the effects of overcrowding. View the full article

Three events signal that a parallel WordPress community is gaining momentum The post WordPress Shakeup Signaled By 3 Recent Events appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Invoice factoring allows businesses to boost their cash flow. Businesses sell unpaid invoices to a third party or factoring business at a discounted rate, and these companies supply immediate payments to small businesses. This is a way for businesses to avoid challenges like delayed payments and waiting for clients to pay invoices within agreed credit terms. They can use the money for payroll, inventory and other operational expenses. What is Invoice Factoring? Invoice factoring is different from invoice financing. Here are the differences between factoring and invoice financing. Invoice factoring takes place when a business sells its invoices to a factoring company. This company then handles the collection of payments and provides an advance payment of approximately 70 to 90 percent. Invoice financing involves a small business using invoices as collateral to get advances from a lending institution. In this situation, the small business needs to collect the money. For invoice factoring, there’s an advance rate, and that’s the amount the company pays to the original business upfront. The discount rate or factoring fee is the money the factoring company charges. When a small business needs to back up any invoices the factoring company can’t collect, it’s called recourse factoring. When a factoring company assumes almost all the risk for non-payment, it’s called non-recourse factoring. Invoice factoring and financing have obvious differences and applications. How Does Invoice Factoring Work? Here’s how invoice factoring works in steps. Choosing a factoring company should include looking at advanced rates and factoring fees. Look to see what industries the company specializes in and if the factoring is without or with recourse. When a small business applies to a factoring company, it must supply financial documents about its customers and invoices. Everyone involved must agree on the terms and then approve the application. After that, an agreement is signed. Businesses can electronically submit the invoices they wish to factor. It’s important to remember that factoring companies assess the risk of non-payment, as well as the value of the invoices. Once they verify all the information, a percentage of the invoices get delivered within 24 to 48 hours Once the factoring business takes over, it collects payment from the initial business customers. When the customer pays, the company subtracts the advance amount given to the business. StepDescription Choosing a Factoring Company- Consideration of advance rates and factoring fees. - Evaluation of the industries the company specializes in. - Decision on recourse vs. non-recourse factoring. Application Process- Submission of financial documents related to customers and invoices. - Agreement on terms between the small business and the factoring company. - Approval of the application followed by signing an agreement. Invoice Submission- Invoices can be submitted electronically. - Factoring companies assess the risk of non-payment and the value of the invoices. Funding- Upon verification, a percentage of the invoice value is delivered to the business, typically within 24 to 48 hours. Collection and Settlement- The factoring company takes over the collection process from the business's customers. - When the customer pays, the factoring company subtracts the advance amount (plus fees) given to the business and remits the balance. The Role of a Factoring Company Invoice factoring companies purchase outstanding invoices, providing immediate financial assistance to the small businesses that issue them. This relationship extends beyond mere financing; it offers a comprehensive cash flow solution. Businesses receive a substantial percentage of their invoices in advance, which is a major benefit for small enterprises seeking immediate and consistent cash flow without the delays associated with traditional payment terms. A factoring company pays the business and subsequently collects on the invoice. Application and Approval Process Before approving businesses for financing, an invoice factoring company will evaluate them based on the following criteria: The creditworthiness of the business’s clients is the most significant consideration. These companies look at payment history and financial stability. Factoring businesses specialize in specific industries, including wholesale, transportation and manufacturing. These companies look at the submitted invoices to ensure they’re free from possible legal disputes and likely to get paid without any hassles. Businesses must supply documentation with a list of their client’s financial statements, invoices, and tax ID numbers. Receiving Advances and Fees Structure This process is helpful for businesses that have long invoice payment terms but need cash. Businesses issue invoices to customers and sell them to a factoring business. That company verifies the invoice details and provides an advanced payment. The customer pays for the factoring business. Once the customer pays, they send the balance to the business and subtract their fee. Factoring companies usually advance up to 90% of an invoice upfront. The specific rate depends on the number of invoices and the industry. Quite often, factoring fees range from 0.5% to 5%. Here’s an invoice factoring example. A manufacturing company invoices a retailer for $10,000 with a 60-day payment term. The company then sells the invoice at an 80% advance rate. The manufacturing company gets an advance of $8,000. The retailer pays the factoring business the entire $10,000 on the 60th day. They charge 3% of $10,000, which amounts to $300. At the conclusion of the transaction, the manufacturer receives a total of $9,700. This includes the $8,000 advance along with the remaining $2,000, after deducting the $300 fee. The factoring company disburses that amount. Benefits of Invoice Factoring for Small Businesses Invoice factoring offers a range of benefits that can be particularly advantageous for small businesses seeking flexible and immediate financial solutions. These benefits include: Immediate Access to Capital: Factoring allows businesses to convert outstanding invoices into immediate cash, providing a more predictable cash flow. This is especially beneficial for covering short-term expenses or capitalizing on timely opportunities. Non-Debt Financing: One of the key advantages of invoice factoring is that it doesn’t add to a company’s debt obligations. This aspect helps in keeping the balance sheet healthier. Unlike traditional loans that require repayment (with interest), factoring simply involves selling your invoices at a discount, thus not incurring debt. No Collateral Required: Traditional financing often requires collateral, but invoice factoring does not. This can be a significant advantage for businesses that may not have the necessary assets to secure a loan. Time and Resource Savings: Outsourcing the management of accounts receivable to a factoring company can free up significant time and resources for business owners. This time can be better spent focusing on core business activities, such as sales, product development, and customer service. Credit Analysis and Risk Management: Factoring companies typically conduct credit checks on your clients before agreeing to purchase your invoices. This can provide valuable insights into the creditworthiness of potential and existing customers. By highlighting the reputation and payment history of your customers, factoring companies help you manage and mitigate credit risk more effectively. Flexible Financing Option: Invoice factoring provides a flexible financing option that can scale with your business’s sales volume. As your business grows and you invoice more, you can factor in more invoices to access more capital, in contrast to a fixed loan amount. Improved Financial Management: With faster access to cash, businesses can improve their financial management, meeting obligations on time and taking advantage of early payment discounts from suppliers. Enhanced Business Focus: By alleviating the burden of chasing down payments, businesses can refocus their efforts on strategic growth initiatives rather than being bogged down by financial constraints and administrative tasks related to accounts receivable management. These advantages make invoice factoring an attractive option for small businesses in need of a cash flow solution. However, it’s essential to carefully consider the specific terms and conditions offered by factoring companies, as well as the potential impact on customer relationships, to ensure it aligns with your business objectives and values. Invoice Factoring Cost There are several fees and costs to consider when deciding to use this financial option, including the following: Factor Rates: This refers to the percentage of the invoice that the invoice factoring company provides to the business in advance. Typically, these rates fall between 70% and 95%. Service Fees: The company charges this cost for its services. It usually ranges from 0.5% to 5%. Some companies use a tiered fee structure. You need to be careful and watch out for that because these fees can increase the longer any invoice is not paid. Additional Fees: Ensure you understand any service charges and set-up fees the company charges. Remember that if a factoring business needs to check your customer’s credit, that cost can be passed on to you. What to Look for in Invoice Factoring Companies A partnership with a factoring business needs to check some of the following boxes. The company needs to have experience and a transparent fee structure. Outstanding customer service and flexible factoring terms are essential. Reviews and testimonials about the company’s reputation can help you decide. Additional services like account management tools and reporting features should be looked at. Take a good look at the platforms and technology the company uses. It should be user-friendly for submitting invoices and tracking payments. Risks and Considerations of Factoring Invoices Invoice factoring, while beneficial for enhancing cash flow, especially for small businesses in need of immediate financial liquidity, comes with its own set of risks and considerations. It’s important to weigh these factors carefully to make an informed decision: Dependency Risks: Relying heavily on invoice factoring companies can be precarious for small businesses. These companies might: Alter their fee structures unexpectedly, leading to higher costs. Change the terms of the agreement, potentially putting your business in a challenging position. Cost Considerations: Factoring fees may be considerably greater than those associated with traditional financing options, like bank loans or lines of credit. This difference can affect long-term financial sustainability. The cumulative cost over time, considering these fees, might outweigh the immediate benefits of improved cash flow. Loss of Control: Entrusting your accounts receivable to a factoring company means relinquishing some degree of control over them. This can influence: The manner in which invoices are managed and collected. The relationship with your clients, as the factoring company’s approach to collecting payments, may differ from yours, potentially affecting client satisfaction and trust. Impact on Business Relationships: The interaction between your clients and the factoring company can affect your business’s reputation. If the factoring company employs aggressive collection tactics, it could strain your relationships with clients. Confidentiality Concerns: Sharing sensitive financial information with a third party involves a level of risk. Ensuring that the factoring company respects confidentiality and has robust data protection measures is crucial. Contractual Obligations: Some factoring agreements might include long-term commitments or clauses that are not favorable to your business, such as minimum volume requirements or penalties for early termination of the contract. Possible Impact on Future Financing: Relying on invoice factoring can influence your business’s ability to secure other types of small business financing options. Lenders may view the use of factoring as a sign of financial instability. Carefully evaluating these risks and considerations is essential before proceeding with invoice factoring. It may also be beneficial to explore alternative financing options and compare them against the potential costs and implications of factoring to ensure it aligns with your business’s long-term goals and financial health. https://youtube.com/watch?v=VU3zSmdOuyg%3Fsi%3DSrd21LTyqzQ-3iXC FAQs: Invoice Factoring Here are some answers to questions small business owners ask. What types of businesses can benefit from invoice factoring? Wholesale, manufacturing, and transportation businesses can benefit. Plus, any others that have long payment cycles. How does invoice factoring affect relationships with clients? Involving a third party can put a temporary kink in payment practices and direct communication with a business and its clients. What happens to unpaid invoices in a factoring agreement? Under a non-recourse agreement, the factoring company assumes the risk associated with unpaid invoices. In contrast, with a recourse agreement, alternative arrangements must be established, or the company is required to repurchase the outstanding amounts. How can invoice factoring improve a small business’s cash flow? A small business can get immediate access to a big part of the money that gets tied up in unpaid invoices. How does a factoring company make money? They charge clients a fee, usually a percentage of the invoice value. Read More: What is an invoice? How to create an invoice Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is Invoice Factoring and How Does it Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When famous and powerful people open up about their autism experiences, it often gets attention. One example is Bill Gates sharing an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings. In it, he writes that “if I were growing up today, I probably would be diagnosed on the autism spectrum.” But although this caused some struggles, he also notes: “I wouldn’t trade the brain I was given for anything.” For many in the autistic community, this visibility can feel like a win. Seeing a successful person identifying as autistic can inspire hope and serve as a reminder: An autistic brain is not something to be ashamed of. In fact, there is much to celebrate. But these high-profile disclosures also bring mixed feelings. Along with the celebration comes a concern about autism and success narratives, who benefits from them, and who is harmed by them. The ‘Autistic Genius’ Stereotype and the Superpower Narrative Popular narratives often frame autistic people in extreme ways. We are either geniuses (albeit often misunderstood) destined to revolutionize industries, or tragic figures, defined solely by our struggles. When someone influential comes out as autistic, the story often focuses on their “unstoppable neurodivergent brilliance”—their extraordinary talents, creative thinking, “superhuman” persistence, or unique approach to problem-solving. It feeds into the neurodivergent superpowers narrative. This might seem like a major improvement over the “broken and deficient” stereotypes, yet it can also be a trap. Innovative talents and the humans who exhibit them are worth celebrating. Yet a powerful mental image of “a genius” risks obscuring the broader, more nuanced picture of autistic experiences, and creating stereotypes that might be positive—yet still have negative effects on other autistic people. Research indicates that once we categorize something, cognitive schemas and stereotypes guide our memory and perceptions. This means we are “stuck” in the oversimplification. Challenging and broadening narratives—in this case, understanding the wide range of autistic experiences—becomes difficult. One of the more obvious consequences of the “tech genius” stereotype is pushing people toward tech careers that may or may not align with their calling, while restricting opportunities in fields that don’t align with that stereotype. Another problem with the fascination with “autistic genius” is the risk of perpetuating the perception that autistic people’s value is conditional on having extraordinary abilities. It reinforces a hierarchy of worth, where only the most “useful” or “exceptional” are deemed valuable. For many autistic people, this narrative creates an implicit expectation to keep proving our value—a burden that can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and exclusion or result in a burnout. The risk of burnout also stems from the expectation that autistic people “deliver” above and beyond in environments where we lack support. Moreover, “wealthy genius” narratives can obscure the disproportionate economic challenges faced by the majority of autistic people. Policies and programs focused solely on “tapping into autistic potential” may miss the mark when it comes to meeting foundational needs like housing, transportation, or healthcare, and protection from blatant workplace discrimination. Everyday Realities of Working While Autistic In his writing, Gates acknowledges both his luck and his privilege. And I am happy to celebrate his story. But there are so many other stories. Untold, and unheard. Most autistic people face complex and painful challenges in their careers and in their lives. In addition to extremely high unemployment, even those who work are held back by poverty, inaccessible environments, and the lack of understanding from their employers. Their stories are far less glamorous, but they’re just as important. They reflect the lives of the majority of autistic people—the ones who don’t make headlines. Here are a few stories from my book, The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work, to provide a broader perspective on the autistic experience at work. In that experience, ability and high performance are often not enough. Working as a HR systems analyst in the U.K., Charlie Hart often received positive feedback about her productivity (“eats workload for breakfast”) and the quality of her work (“meticulous attention to detail”), yet she never got anything above “achieved” in her performance reviews. She was striving for the “exceed expectations” rating though, and asked the HR director what she needed to do to get it. Well, she needed to be a different person. Charlie was assigned to an interpersonal skills coaching, which was de facto a neurodivergent masking and “passing for a neurotypical” coaching—exacerbating years of trauma and pushing her into depression for months. Burnett Grant, a highly experienced Black, autistic lab technician from the U.S., was advised by their supervisor “to get on disability benefits and clean houses for extra money under the table.” Burnett was a high performer and didn’t ask for advice, which leaves little explanation for this unsolicited guidance other than stereotyping. Dr. Jacqui Wilmshurst from Beverley, U.K., is a health and environmental psychologist. After she was diagnosed as an adult, she disclosed her neurodivergence to her new manager. She was immediately sent on a mandatory occupational health referral to reassess her ability to do the job. That was the job for which she had been through 11 interviews—after being recruited by the employer in the first place, for her unusual thinking and innovative approach. After disclosure, Jacqui’s manager said they needed a “playbook” to manage Jacqui, and only a doctor could provide that. Jacqui ended up resigning. Justin Donne worked in the U.K. and France for governmental organizations, private companies, and many boards. He was also seen as “too much” and told to slow down. In one of his roles, Justin broke organizational records for KPIs, facilitated fundraising windfalls, and developed award-winning programs. Then, he was placed under a micromanager who wanted to control everything Justin did and how he did it. That was the end of Justin’s career with that organization. These stories may not be glamorous, but they’re important. They reflect the experiences of the majority of autistic talent—the ones who are too often left out of workplace conversations or considerations. Canaries in the coal mines whose struggles are signals of broken human resources and management systems. A Broader Vision of Autistic Talent Fairness means building unbiased, outcomes-focused work environments. It means supporting all autistic people in developing their talents, extraordinary or not. It means removing the barriers that hold so many back. It means recognizing autistic people’s value as inherent, not commodified. To move from celebrating the exceptional to creating work environments of ordinary excellence where all autistic people can thrive, where all people can thrive, we need to: 1. Broaden the Narrative: Highlight a range of autistic stories, including those of people who are overlooked, struggling, or simply living ordinary lives. Push back against reductive portrayals of autism as either a “superpower” or a “tragedy.” Autism is a complex human experience, not a marketing slogan. 2. Celebrate Human Value: Celebrate autistic and allistic people for who they are, not for “superpowers.” Everyone deserves dignity, belonging, and the chance to contribute. 3. Remove Barriers: Design fair and flexible workplaces that offer employment and success opportunities for all people, autistic or allistic, regardless of their economic or social standing. Such workplaces benefit all. They help create more stories to celebrate. When a high-profile person brings a spotlight to autism, it’s an opportunity to celebrate and educate. But it’s also a moment to reflect. Whose stories are centered? Whose stories are ignored? And how can we expand the conversation to ensure fairness and opportunities for all? The full story of autistic talent is about people—all of us—deserving dignity, respect, and the right support to thrive. Helping everyone develop their talents enriches the workplace and the world far beyond the contributions of any one person, however exceptional. 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The Chinese AI company DeepSeek is making major waves across the tech industry after rising to prominence seemingly overnight. The artificial intelligence tool emerged in the top spot in Apple’s App Store yesterday, above competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini—and on a comparatively tiny timeline and budget. But there’s another way that DeepSeek is quietly outdoing its American competitors: through its branding. Late last week, DeepSeek released an updated version of its open-source chatbot called DeepSeek-V3, a product that has some tech analysts describing the company’s efforts as “a shot across the bow at the U.S. tech world.” DeepSeek-V3 performs similarly to chatbots like ChatGPT-4o and Meta’s Llama—despite being created in just a few months, being trained on inferior hardware, and requiring a reported budget of just $6 million. (ChatGPT spent $100 million on its latest iteration alone.) The news caused the Nasdaq to tumble by $1 trillion yesterday as markets reacted to the success of the lower-cost LLM challenger. But the visual representation of this industry disruptor is not a swirling black-void logo à la OpenAI, or even a robot. Instead, it’s a friendly blue whale. This diverges from branding trends currently dominating the AI industry, which lean into abstract design and increasingly rigid, tech-inspired aesthetics. By bucking those trends, DeepSeek is offering consumers a new point of view on how an AI company might conduct and represent itself. [Image: Deepseek] DeepSeek’s logo makes a splash DeepSeek’s logo is a plump, bright blue whale that almost appears to be jumping across the screen. It’s accompanied by the brand’s wordmark in a rounded, fractured sans-serif font. The overall visual identity creates an air of approachability and friendliness that makes the brand stand out. That’s because there’s been a “lack of personality and joy” in tech-industry branding over the past several years, according to designer Martin Grasser, who created Twitter’s iconic blue bird logo back in 2012. “We’ve seen this homogenization of design when you look across tech companies,” Grasser says, adding that he doesn’t see identity design as “a big differentiator” in the current tech environment. He notes that the tech sector has undergone a stark branding evolution from the playful and humanist approach of the aughts to more grandiose visual storytelling. “Now we have Uber, Meta, Tesla, X—we’ve really taken this turn toward technology as the answer,” he says. Grasser says he was “charmed” by DeepSeek’s logo, as well as the concept behind it. [Image: Deepseek] The brand is a WIP, but “evokes imagination” While DeepSeek hasn’t openly explained its design choices, when we asked the company’s chatbot about the logo, it replied that the mark “likely symbolizes depth, intelligence, and exploration—qualities that align with the company’s focus on AI and deep learning.” The choice of a whale works on several symbolic levels, according to Teemu Suviala, chief creative officer at Landor. “There are many cultures that associate whales with wisdom, power, and prosperity,” he says. “Seeing a whale [is] an omen of good things to come in many cultures.” Suviala adds that the concept of a whale navigating the ocean is a strong metaphor for DeepSeek’s users. “The concept of navigating is probably connected to the open-source nature of DeepSeek that is somewhat different from the competition,” he says. Suviala and Grasser agree that there’s still plenty of work to be done on DeepSeek’s branding, both noting that the whale’s eye becomes lost at a small scale. Grasser believes the brand’s typography doesn’t quite fit with its friendly, optimistic logo, as the fracturing creates a “nervous” feeling. Suviala called out the inconsistent kerning. Such inconsistencies could be due to the nature of startup branding. Ross Clugston, chief creative officer at Design Bridge and Partners, says that in the U.S., most startups tend to hold off on investing in branding until “they have matured and need to signal to investors they are serious about making profit.” Clugston points to Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok, noting that “all of their early branding efforts fell drastically short” of the actual product they were building. “Logos with animals are usually reserved for more playful tech pastimes like Twitter, Mailchimp, Tripadvisor, Evernote,” he says. “I think this is a conscious effort [by DeepSeek] to be nonthreatening.” Still, DeepSeek’s unexpected branding is a first building block toward establishing an AI company that opts to distinguish itself from the competition rather than blending in. “It evokes imagination and the unknown, and that’s cool,” Grasser says. “It’s nice to hear from somebody who’s curious, as opposed to omnipresent or hovering above you.” Logos from OpenAI, DeepMind, Synthesia, DeepMotion, Laika, Oneirocom, Mentum, Regie.ai, Eyeware, Stability AI, HyperWrite, Cortexica, and oPRO.ai [Image: courtesy James I. Bowie] Will this design disruptor have staying power? Over the past several years, dominant AI companies have embraced a few key graphic icons that have come to define the space at large. There are the minimalist, robot-inspired logos, as those from Replika, Jasper AI, and Enzyme. There’s the abstract, swirling hexagon that’s come to define giants like OpenAI, DeepMind, and Stability AI. The secondary sparkle icon has been used by companies as far-ranging as OpenAI, Google, Adobe, and Grammarly to suggest the presto magic of their AI tools. As AI has become more powerful, it seems Big Tech companies have focused more on signaling that they’re part of the industry-shaking, boundary-breaking AI “club” than actually distinguishing their own brand identities. And the more ingrained these tropes become in consumers’ minds, the more incentive there is for new AI companies to go with the flow and bank on established visual associations. Taken alongside the sector’s existing logos, DeepSeek’s mascot-adjacent approach is a pretty big risk. Whether the play actually succeeds, Suviala notes, will come down to how the company conducts itself in the coming months—including whether the product experience itself and the company’s communication style aligns with its friendly exterior. “I would venture as far as to say that DeepSeek is and was always going to terrify Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and government regulators,” Clugston says. “So it’s strategically sound to make the logo a cute little whale.” View the full article

This year, 2,500 girls will be able to attend secondary school in Afghanistan. While this shouldn’t be a remarkable feat, it is: The Taliban government forbids girls from receiving an education beyond 6th grade. Ideas Beyond Borders, a nonprofit organization, is helping to support The Underground School Initiative that educates girls in 38 secret locations throughout Afghanistan. In an unexpected turn, this project will be partially funded by The Citizenry, a U.S.-based home goods brand, which raised money during its Black Friday sale last year to pay for teachers, educational supplies, and facilities for these students. [Photo: The Citizenry] Desperate for an Education In 2021, when the United States left Afghanistan and the Taliban took back power, one of the new government’s mandates was that girls would not receive more than a primary education. Schools shuttered overnight. This came as a rude shock to the 850,000 girls who were pulled out of school, when they had previously assumed that an education was a fundamental right. Teenagers were turned away from their old classrooms, some in tears. Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, who founded Ideas Beyond Borders eight years ago, had been paying close attention to this unfolding catastrophe. The goal of his organization is to create a free and prosperous Middle East by spreading knowledge and education. For instance, the organization has added upwards of 40,000 articles onto Wikipedia in local languages, including Arabic, Farsi, and Pashtun. [Photo: Ideas Beyond Borders] After the U.S. left Afghanistan, Al Mutar, who splits time between the U.S. and the UAE, began receiving messages from journalists in Afghanistan saying that there were families and teachers who wanted to defy the ban on education and start creating a network of underground schools. There are now many brave communities across the country that are putting thousands of girls through school. “They were taking incredible risks,” Al Mutar says. “Parents were donating their houses so that girls could continue their education.” Ideas Beyond Borders wanted to support this work, so it sent a team to vet these schools. It then served as a link between these schools and the outside world, helping to find individuals and companies who would be willing to fund these underground schools. [Photo: The Citizenry] There appears to be some disagreement among the Taliban’s leadership about whether girls should be allowed to go to school. There have been several points over the past four years when some leaders were open to reversing the decision. But a minority of senior hardliners are committed to this stance, and girls continue to be banned from school. While it is a risk for these girls to attend the underground school, communities have found ways to skirt the rules. Teachers describe their classrooms as madrasas, or Islamic religious schools. And according to CBS News, the Taliban’s involvement and regulation of these madrasas vary by location and local officials involved. In Taliban strongholds in the south and east of the country, authorities tend to enforce the ban, while in other areas, leaders are willing to turn a blind eye. Al Mutar isn’t particularly optimistic that things are going to get better in Afghanistan. He says that regime appears to be set on imposing more restrictions on women. The Taliban is making it harder to work, and there’s a new law that bans women from singing. “It’s been more and more challenging,” says Al Mutar. “Freedoms are declining.” [Photo: The Citizenry] Black Friday For Good Rachel Bentley and Carly Nance launched The Citizenry in 2014 as a brand that sold home decor ethically sourced from 4,000 artisans in 23 countries around the world. (Last year, it was acquired by Havenly, which owns many home furnishing brands.) They partnered with Fair Trade to ensure that all workers were receiving a living wage. “We learned that handmade doesn’t always mean fairly paid,” Nance says. “We want to invest in these communities for many reasons, including that it allows them to deliver the best craftsmanship.” Nance says that over the course of working with skilled craftspeople from around the world, they found communities in Afghanistan than made traditional hand-knotted rugs. The company was keen to source rugs made by female artisans. But when the Taliban took over, women were no longer allowed to work outside the home. The Citizenry worked with local organizations committed to helping women continue to work safely, if they chose to do so. “This meant rerouting rugs through neighboring countries before sending them to the U.S., rather than shipping them directly from Afghanistan, since this would make it less likely that local authorities would audit the rug-making facilities,” says Nance. “We’ve worked to build a supply chain and shipping rout where we can get the rugs in and out, while protecting the women who are working on them.” [Photo: Ideas Beyond Borders] When Nance discovered the network of underground schools, she was eager to support this work through The Citizenry. She believes giving girls an education is one step toward helping them work across many industries, ultimately creating more possibilities for their lives. She reached out to Ideas Beyond Borders to see how her team could help. The Citizenry turned its Black Friday Sale into an opportunity to raise funds for these schools by donating profits to Ideas Beyond Borders. It raised $30,000 that will fund the education of 2,500 girls in 38 secret locations across the country. “Black Friday is our single-biggest day of sales in the year, and we thought it would be a beautiful kickoff to the holiday season,” she says. Al Mutar hopes that the education the girls receive will allow them to find work in areas they are interested in. Some are eager to learn English and French so they can find work as translators. Others are eager to become graphic designers. A proportion of these girls are even able to go to university in women’s colleges in Bangladesh. “They can then go through a more formal education system and find even more job opportunities,” he says. View the full article

As fires burned tens of thousands of acres across Los Angeles County, officials were warning residents that the air was a “toxic soup” of pollution—fueled by the fact that not only vegetation but cars, buildings, homes, and all the plastics and electronics inside them were going up in flames. But to some residents’ surprise, the Air Quality Index (AQI) on their phones didn’t relay that same message. That’s because AQI doesn’t capture the full scope of air pollution—which, during the fires, was made up of toxins including lead, chlorine, and bromine. To give residents a fuller picture of what exactly was in the air around L.A., scientists with an air monitoring project made their advanced air pollution measurements available to the public. Lead data, Los Angeles 1/1/2025-1/28/2025 [Screenshot: ASCENT Data] What doesn’t AQI capture in air pollution? The Environmental Protection Agency developed the AQI to measure five major pollutants: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also called fine particulate matter or PM2.5, meaning particles that are 2.5 microns or less in size), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. PM2.5 and ozone tend to be the primary pollutants. The index gives all this air pollution a value based on the total mass concentration. That means the general AQI reading can lack specificity, says Roya Bahreini, a professor of atmospheric science at University of California Riverside and a co-principal investigator of the Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork, or ASCENT project. It’s also missing certain toxins that may be released during events like urban wildfires. “Just looking at the value of PM2.5 cannot tell you how toxic the air is.” The way many cities measure the aerosols in their air doesn’t show a full, real-time picture, she adds. While some may measure air pollutants continuously, they may only analyze the air filters every three or five days. They’re also aggregating all that data into a 24-hour period. “You don’t get these very dynamic profiles,” Bahreini says, “We don’t know if the high concentration that one filter sees is because of something that happened in the morning rush hour or the afternoon rush hour or at night.” These gaps are what the ASCENT project, which was funded by the National Science Foundation in 2021, hopes to fill. “We wanted to have a continuous look at the chemical composition of the PM2.5, and this fast, sort of state-of-the-art network has not existed in the U.S.,” Bahreini says. ASCENT set up its network at 12 sites across the country, including two locations in Los Angeles. “With this network, we see continuously how dynamic the aerosol composition can be, and also how things change.” Chlorine data, Los Angeles 1/1/2025-1/28/2025 [Screenshot: ASCENT Data] Lead and chlorine in L.A. wildfire air ASCENT’s goal is to have all its measurements public by September 2025, but it rushed to make a website with its L.A. readings available during the fires as researchers realized the importance of what they were capturing. Early on, ASCENT’s monitoring site in Pico Rivera, which is part of southeastern Los Angeles County, saw massive spikes in airborne lead—jumping, at its worst, to 472 nanograms of lead per cubic meter of air. The EPA’s safe levels for lead in the air is 150 nanograms per cubic meter averaged over three months. Before the fires began, L.A.’s levels were less than 3 nanograms. Around the same time. ASCENT’s tools also clocked spikes in chlorine to more than 13,000 nanograms per cubic meter of air, when the background level in the region is usually less than 50 nanograms. Bromine levels also saw significant spikes. Exposure to all of these can come with health impacts: Breathing in lead has been associated with brain and nervous system damage; chlorine can damage the respiratory tract and lungs, and bromine exposure can cause lung inflammation. (Though for the latter two, its difficult to know the risk given how they were distributed through the air during the fires.) Breathing in lots of particulate pollution in general can cause respiratory issues and even premature mortality. These three chemicals are “very unique” to something like an urban wildfire, Bahreini says. Lead could have gotten into the air from soil deposits that were burning, as well as lead pipes or paint from older homes. Chlorine is often added to plastics, including PVC piping, computer casings, or the insulation around wires. “You can imagine how much of that got burned,” Bahreini says. Bromine could be in all sorts of household materials, from mattresses to sofas to carpets, because it’s often used a component of flame retardants. Checking the air quality—and masking up The highest levels of those three toxins did decrease after the most active periods of the fires. Still, even once they decreased, their levels were still above normal—possibly because of wind, cleaning efforts, or other disturbances that can redistribute the particles in the air. ASCENT is planning to keep its publicly-available L.A.-area data online as long as there is interest, and fire risk, so residents can keep an eye on these pollutants with real-time data. (L.A. did recently get some rain that eased the wildfires, though officials warned that fire conditions could still persist afterwards, especially if the Santa Ana winds return.) Bahreini encourages residents to wear a mask, like an N95 or Kn95, that protects against PM2.5. View the full article

You may have thought about the benefits of offering free WiFi to your customers in your business. It makes sense when you consider the fact that consumers spend a great deal of time on their mobile devices. It also makes sense if your revenue depends on traffic through your door. But do the benefits outweigh the costs of giving customers access? Does offering free WiFi attract new customers? Will they spend more? Will it give my business a competitive edge? We will answer those questions and more, citing multiple research studies to back up our conclusions. Proven Stats from Multiple Studies A number of research studies from around the globe tout the benefits of offering free WiFi in coffee shops, restaurants, bars, retail stores, or other consumer-facing businesses. These include studies from companies, universities, and research organizations. Each study examines the topic and lists one or more reasons you, as a business owner, should offer free WiFi. Benefits of Offering Free WiFi Small businesses today require every potential advantage to remain competitive. Do the benefits of offering free wifi fall into this category? Explore these nine benefits and determine for yourself if providing free WiFi can assist you in attracting customers and increasing your revenue. Customer Loyalty will Increase Customer loyalty is a key factor in any small business’s success. Several studies have shown that offering free WiFi will lead to increased loyalty. For example, a doctoral thesis from Florida International University (FIU) student Jiyeon Jeon, Examining How Wi-Fi Affects Customers Loyalty at Different Restaurants: An Examination from South Korea, explored how offering free WiFi has on customer loyalty and retention in restaurant patrons. He found that WiFi access had a positive impact regardless of whether it was a coffee shop, fast-food, casual dining, or another type of venue. Another study, The Impact of Wi-Fi Service in Restaurants on Customers’ Likelihood of Return to a Restaurant, from ResearchGate, revealed that tech-savvy patrons prefer (and will return to) a restaurant or cafe that offers free WiFi service. Customers will Stay Longer at Your Establishment One aspect of enhanced loyalty is that customers tend to spend more time at a venue that offers free WiFi, and longer visits lead to increased sales. The FIU student thesis said that “restaurants are more likely to generate higher revenues when customers spend more time” and that “Wi-Fi has been found to act as a tool to encourage consumers to stay longer at restaurants.” You will Gain a Competitive Edge The Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report indicates that individuals make purchasing decisions influenced by WiFi signal availability. It highlights various industries where WiFi serves as a critical deciding factor: Hotel (71%) Transport (46%) Dining (46%) Airline (46%) A survey commissioned by Devicescape, a WiFi beacon network of 400 small, consumer-facing businesses, discovered that providing WiFi also leads to increased foot traffic, yet another reason to make WiFi one of the amenity services offered. Customers Spend More Money at Your Business According to marketing technology firm BazaarVoice, customers consult their mobile devices to conduct product research and read customer reviews before making an in-store purchase. Advertising research firm On Device Research found that 60% of survey respondents use their mobile devices in-store to research products and prices before making a purchase. What are they researching? 34% compare prices 23% use email or social networks 17% look at product reviews 16% check product specifications 16% scan barcodes to compare prices 5% buy items through their mobile device 16% look for mobile discount codes or vouchers Such ROBO (research online, buy offline) behavior is a force multiplier in consumer spending activity. The On Device Research study said that over a third of the customers purchased the product in the store, while 14% chose a different store, and 20% decided to buy via their desktop, laptop, or mobile phone. The bottom line: When free WiFi is available, the greater the ease of access and the more money customers spend. Your Online Audience Will Increase Audience growth is another one of the many benefits offering free WiFi gives businesses. A relevant example is the On Device Research study, which found that 74% of customers are willing to receive text messages or emails with promotional offers from a store once they are connected to the store’s WiFi. Additionally, by offering Facebook WiFi, you can expand this audience, as it helps customers feel more comfortable and secure using the service. Customers will be more Informed Providing business information is one more way free access makes potential customers happy. As On Device Research said, 16% of consumers look for mobile discount codes or vouchers, and 34% compare prices before purchasing. Customers will Feel More Confident to Dine Alone Telecompaper, a UK telecom industry publication, cited research from O2 Wifi, a company that offers free WiFi services, which said the availability of free Wifi in cafes, bars, and restaurants means that “Brits are no longer embarrassed to dine alone.” More than half (53%) of respondents say they are now “happy to eat and drink alone” so long as they have internet access to check email, connect with friends, and look up menu items, the research showed. Six in ten people (58%) say public WiFi encourages them to spend time in public on their own; one in seven (14%) insist WiFi access is crucial for them to consider entering a cafe, sports bar, or restaurant; and one in ten base their dining experience on internet network availability. You Can Collect Customer Data and Improve Your Marketing Efforts As a business owner, understanding your customers is crucial. The more you know about them, the better you can meet their needs and desires. One significant advantage of offering free WiFi in your establishment is the enhanced ability to track customer behavior. Many WiFi service providers enable you to collect customer data. One such provider, Beambox, citing CMO Council data, said that 56% of social media users will log in using their social media profiles in exchange for a customized brand experience. When people log on to your WiFi network connection, they give you their contact details, something that’s hard to come by due to customers’ desire for privacy and security. Along with that information comes permission to market and advertise your products and services. And this makes WiFi marketing another tool for engaging with your customers. Customer Satisfaction Will Increase if You Offer Free WiFi Not only will loyalty among customers increase due to free WiFi but also their satisfaction. (And we know that the more satisfied your customers are, the more likely they are to tell their friends.) A report from Systemagic, a hospitality industry IT firm, said that “free and high-speed WiFi, together with good connectivity in terms of bandwidth, are powerful tools for hotels to increase customer satisfaction.” The report indicated that both business and leisure travelers prioritize free guest access more than other amenities like complimentary breakfast or free parking. Below is a summary of the statistics: Leisure travelers: 25% Free WiFi 22% Free breakfast 15% Free parking 10% Swimming pool Business travelers: 49% Free wifi 14% Free breakfast 11% proximity to mass transit, transportation, and shops 6% Comfortable work chair and desk Enhance Customer Experience with WiFi-Based Services Free WiFi opens doors to a range of WiFi-based services that can significantly elevate the customer experience. These services can include: WiFi-Based Ordering Systems: In cafes or restaurants, implement systems where customers can order directly from their devices. This reduces wait times and improves service efficiency. Interactive Store Maps: For retail businesses, offer WiFi-enabled store maps to help customers navigate your store more efficiently, enhancing their shopping experience. Use WiFi Analytics for Business Insights WiFi analytics can provide valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and patterns. Use this data to: Track Foot Traffic: Analyze the busiest times in your store and adjust staffing and inventory accordingly. Understand Customer Preferences: Use WiFi log-in data to learn about your customers and tailor your marketing strategies to match their interests. Boost Social Media Engagement Encourage customers to check in at your location or share their experiences on social media in exchange for free WiFi access. This can: Increase Online Visibility: Each check-in or share acts as a personal recommendation, enhancing your business’s online presence. Encourage Word-of-mouth Marketing: Positive social media engagement can influence potential customers and broaden your reach. Offer Targeted Promotions and Personalized Experiences With free WiFi, you can create personalized experiences for your customers by offering: Targeted Promotions: Use the captive portal to offer special discounts or promotions to customers who log in to your WiFi. Personalized Recommendations: Based on their browsing history, suggest products or services they might be interested in. Enhance In-Store Entertainment and Information Use WiFi to offer entertainment or additional information to your customers, such as: In-Store Streaming Services: Provide access to music or video streaming services within your premises. Product Information and Demos: Allow customers to view extensive product information or stream demo videos using your WiFi network. Improve Customer Feedback and Interaction Leverage the WiFi connection to enhance direct communication with your customers by: Instant Feedback: Allow customers to provide immediate feedback about their experience through a simple online form accessible via your WiFi network. Interactive Surveys and Polls: Conduct surveys or polls to gather customer opinions and preferences. Strengthen Security and Privacy While offering free WiFi, ensure robust security protocols to protect your customers’ data and privacy. This includes: Secure Network: Implement strong encryption and security measures to safeguard user data. Privacy Assurance: Clearly communicate your privacy policies and how you handle user data. Community Building and Event Hosting Use your WiFi-enabled space to host community events or workshops, which can: Attract New Customers: Events can draw in people who may not have visited your business otherwise. Build a Community Around Your Brand: Regular events can foster a sense of community, making your business a local hub. Integrate with Loyalty Programs Combine your free WiFi offering with your loyalty program to encourage repeat business: Loyalty Points for WiFi Use: Offer points or rewards to customers for using your WiFi service. Special Offers for Loyal Customers: Grant loyal customers exclusive access to premium content or special deals through WiFi. Utilize for Employee Training and Development Your business’s WiFi can also be a resource for staff training: Online Training Modules: Enable staff to access training materials and courses through your WiFi network. Streamline Operations: Use WiFi to improve internal communication and operational efficiency. Implement Location-Based Marketing and Services Free WiFi can be a powerful tool for location-based marketing and personalized services. This strategy can enhance customer engagement and provide unique experiences directly related to their in-store location. Here’s how it can be utilized: Push Notifications for In-Store Promotions: Use WiFi to send real-time notifications about special offers or discounts when customers are near specific areas of your store. For instance, if a customer is browsing in the shoe section, they could receive a notification about a promotion on shoe accessories. Location-Based Product Information: Offer customers comprehensive details about products nearby. By connecting to your WiFi, customers can view multimedia content such as videos, user manuals, or customer reviews associated with items in their immediate area. Personalized Shopping Assistance: Implement a system where customers can request assistance or more information about a product through their mobile device. This service can be particularly useful in large stores where finding help can sometimes be challenging. Enhanced In-Store Experience: Utilize location-based data to optimize store layout and product placement based on the most frequented areas. This approach can improve the overall shopping experience and increase sales. By embracing these strategies, the provision of free WiFi in your business becomes more than just a courtesy – it transforms into a strategic tool that not only delights your customers but also contributes significantly to your business’s growth and evolution. How can I make free WiFi successful? After reviewing all the benefits of offering free internet access that you, as a business owner, can accrue, your decision should be a no-brainer. You may be asking yourself how your company has gotten along without it? Customers appreciate the convenience; they stay longer and spend more; it increases loyalty and satisfaction; you can gather valuable data on customers to help improve your products and services—the list of reasons is endless! So, how do you go about setting it up? It involves just a few steps: Establish a dedicated internet connection. Even if you have internal WiFi for your employees, it’s necessary to set up a separate channel for customer use. Your internet provider can take care of that for you. Don’t skimp on speed. The faster your internet connection, the more your customers will like it… and you! Set up a password. You may be less concerned about password-protecting your free WiFi channel than you are about the internal network connection employees use. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to set a password. Otherwise, you may get “loiterers” leeching onto your network without purchasing anything. Create a captive portal. When your customers log on to your network, it’s a good idea to have a landing page (called a “captive portal”) that requires their name and email address to gain access. The screen can also include coupon codes, discounts, special promotions, and other incentives for marketing purposes. Steps to Make Free WiFi SuccessfulKey Considerations Establish a dedicated internet connection.Set up a separate channel for customer use to ensure reliable and efficient internet access. Don't skimp on speed.Opt for a fast internet connection to enhance customer experience and encourage prolonged stays. Set up a password.Implement a password to prevent unauthorized access and ensure that only paying customers connect. Create a captive portal.Design a captive portal that requires customer information for access and offers marketing incentives. Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Free WiFi for Your Business In today’s digital age, the role of free WiFi in enhancing customer experiences and driving business success cannot be understated. As we’ve delved into the numerous benefits of offering complimentary internet access, it becomes evident that the advantages far outweigh any concerns. This conclusion is reinforced by a wealth of research studies spanning various industries and locations. By offering free WiFi, businesses can access a wide array of advantages that influence customer behavior, loyalty, and spending habits. The gathered evidence highlights a broad spectrum of benefits, including enhanced customer loyalty, longer stay durations, a competitive advantage, and improved decision-making. Additionally, providing free WiFi establishes a foundation for greater customer engagement, allowing for data collection that supports targeted marketing strategies and ultimately enhances customer satisfaction. As highlighted by the diverse studies and statistics, businesses that prioritize offering free WiFi create an environment conducive to enhancing customer experiences. With the potential to attract new patrons, increase customer loyalty, and drive higher spending, the decision to implement free WiFi becomes a strategic choice that aligns with modern consumer preferences. Furthermore, the actionable steps provided offer a practical guide to successfully establishing a seamless and secure free WiFi service that not only benefits customers but also empowers businesses to harness valuable insights for continuous improvement and growth. In essence, embracing the power of free WiFi isn’t just about connectivity; it’s about delivering a holistic and enriching experience that resonates with today’s tech-savvy consumers. As technology continues to shape our interactions and expectations, offering free WiFi stands as a testament to a business’s commitment to innovation, convenience, and customer-centricity. In a world where connectivity defines our daily lives, free WiFi isn’t just a service—it’s a strategic investment in the present and future success of your business. Image: Depositphotos This article, "Study: Yes, There Are Benefits of Offering Free WiFi" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Our cognition and mental well-being are crucial factors for our quality of life and put us in a good position to contribute to society. Ultimately, it can be near impossible to achieve physical goals and demanding life challenges if our brain health is not optimal. Yet most of us appear to be more concerned with physical health than brain health. According to the YouGov website, the most popular New Year’s resolutions in the U.K. in 2024 were doing more exercise, saving money, losing weight and dieting—with about 20% reporting they were failing some resolutions just six days into the year. A large study of approximately 1,000 participants showed that mental health featured in only about 5% of resolutions. It’s easy to monitor your physical health using mobile devices and wearable technology. It may be more unclear, however, how to improve and monitor brain health and mental well-being. In our new book, Brain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Life, we draw on research to offer practical tips. A number of factors contribute to our happiness in life, including genetics, our social and physical environment, cognition, and our behavior, such as lifestyle choices. Studies have shown that good cognitive function is related to better well-being and happiness. Interestingly, according to the 2024 World Happiness Report, all five Nordic countries—Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—are among the top 10 happiest countries. The U.K. and the U.S., however, do not feature in the top 10. In the U.K., the YouGov website has been tracking mood states, and while it reports that happiness is the most commonly expressed emotion, only 45% of people feel it. Ideally this number should be much higher. In addition, feeling stressed and frustrated are the next top emotions, with 40% and 35% of people having these feelings, respectively. Disappointingly, optimism is also low; for example, only 23% of 18-to-24-year-olds and those older than 75, and just 17% of 45-to-54-year-olds, report feeling optimistic on average. Happiness and well-being in general reduces the effects of stress and promotes health and longevity. Nurturing your brain In our book, we draw on the latest scientific evidence, including our own, to highlight seven essential lifestyle factors that improve our brain health, cognition, and well-being. We demonstrate how simple—and often surprising—adjustments to our daily habits can enhance brain fitness, boost cognition, and promote overall well-being. We suggest small incremental steps to improving lifestyle habits and ensuring these fit within our daily activities, as well as being enjoyable and pleasurable. In this way we can ensure that, unlike New Year’s resolutions that we give up within six days, we can maintain these throughout life. This puts us in a better position to achieve physical challenges in the future. These lifestyle factors include exercise, diet, sleep, social interactions, kindness, mindfulness and learning, and knowing how to get the best out of work. For example, exercise is an “all-rounder,” as it can boost our physical health but also our brain health, cognition, and mood. In fact, studies have shown that exercise can increase the size of our hippocampus, which is critical for learning and memory. Similarly, sleeping the optimal number of hours each night can improve our immune system, brain structure, and mental well-being. Our own study showed that sleeping seven to eight hours per night in middle to older adulthood was associated with better brain structure; cognition, such as processing speed and memory; and mental health. Staying socially connected also plays an important role in our brain health. We have shown that being socially isolated in older adults is associated with a 26% increased risk of dementia. Whereas having the optimal number of friends in adolescence, about five, is linked with better brain structure, cognition, educational attainment, and well-being. Learning new things is also essential to keep the neural circuits in our brain functioning at their best level for as long as possible. We need to challenge ourselves mentally to keep our brains active—just as we need to do physical exercise to keep our bodies fit. This builds cognitive reserve and helps us in times of stress. We can also keep our brains active in a number of ways, for example by learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument. Or you can read an educational book about something that interests you. Keeping our bodies healthy is incredibly important. But we need to also nurture our brains if we want to be happy, mentally sharp, and well protected against diseases such as dementia. Embracing these simple strategies to prioritize our brain health and well-being is essential for a happier and more fulfilling life. Ultimately, lifestyle choices play a significant role in reducing stress and promoting resilience, creativity, and overall quality of life. Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian is a professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge. Christelle Langley is a postdoctoral research associate of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Donald Robertson is a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist. He has been researching Stoicism for over twenty years and is one of the founding members of the nonprofit Modern Stoicism. He is also the founder and president of the Plato’s Academy Centre nonprofit in Greece. What’s the big idea? The philosophy and methods of Socrates can help bring calm and clarity to the distracted, nervous, and angry modern mind. His training techniques share remarkable overlaps with modern cognitive-behavioral therapy. Below, Donald shares five key insights from his new book, How to Think Like Socrates: Ancient Philosophy as a Way of Life in the Modern World. Listen to the audio version—read by Donald himself—in the Next Big Idea App. 1. How to practice the Socratic Method. Socrates, despite being one of the most influential philosophers in history, wrote nothing. At least, that’s what people like to say. However, Plato, his most famous student, tells us that while in prison awaiting his execution, Socrates wrote poetry. More intriguingly, Epictetus, the famous Stoic philosopher who lived four centuries later, claimed that Socrates jotted down countless notes that were designed for his own self-improvement but never intended for publication. Another of his students describes how Socrates taught a young man to practice philosophy by means of a formal written exercise. For this exercise, Socrates drew two columns, the first headed “Justice” and the second “Injustice.” His companion was invited to list examples of wrongdoing under the heading of injustice, such as theft and deceit. It’s often easier to understand our values if we begin by defining their opposites. However, the basic skill underlying the Socratic Method really comes into play in the next step. Socrates asked his friend to imagine any situations where the things he’d listed under Injustice might be placed under the heading of Justice. For instance, a general who seized the weapons of the enemy during a war might be said to be stealing, but perhaps that’s not unjust. Likewise, a father might be considered justified in concealing medicine in his sick child’s food despite this being a form of deceit. Socrates was skilled at coming up with these sorts of examples. Training yourself to think of exceptions to rules and definitions can help you avoid applying them too rigidly. This skill is important because the advice and techniques we learn from self-help books are often of limited value. What’s good advice in one situation may become bad advice in another. Solutions that work well for some problems may backfire when applied to others. Wisdom consists of thinking for yourself by adapting rules to fit new situations. Socrates’s two-column technique only teaches one small part of his famous philosophical method, but it’s a great way to start thinking more flexibly and adaptively about life. 2. Generate alternative perspectives. Epictetus said, “People are distressed not by events but by their opinions about events.” This was one of the main inspirations behind cognitive therapy, the leading form of modern evidence-based psychotherapy. The idea goes back to Socrates, a century before the Stoic school of philosophy was founded. Modern psychological research has confirmed that our beliefs shape our emotions more than we normally assume. By changing the way we think, we can change the way we feel. “Socrates, at times, behaved rather like a modern-day cognitive therapist.” An obstacle stands in the way. Some of our beliefs are so entrenched that we find it difficult to imagine ever viewing events differently. When we’re gripped by strong emotions, such as fear or anger, it may feel natural to view certain events as catastrophic or certain people as unbearable. Socrates, at times, behaved rather like a modern-day cognitive therapist. He would ask his friends whether they imagined that the events that upset them might be viewed differently by other people. What you see as a catastrophe, someone else might view as bad but only temporary, whereas a third might even look at it as an opportunity. By becoming aware that multiple alternative perspectives are conceivable, you can attune to the way your beliefs influence your emotions. 3. Separate your thoughts from external events. Cognitive therapists say our beliefs are like colored lenses through which we look at the world. Suppose you’re wearing blue lenses, which color the world with sadness. There’s a difference between looking at the world through your sad, blue lenses and looking at them. This shift in perspective can be compared to observing your own biases as if you were observing someone else’s. When we can distinguish between our thoughts and external reality, we experience two main benefits. The most obvious is that our emotions tend to be reduced in intensity. The second is more subtle but arguably even more valuable: We become better at exploring alternative ways of looking at problems. With this flexibility, we find creative solutions to improve how things work out in the long term. Therapists today have fancy names for this, like cognitive distancing or defusion, but it basically means learning to separate beliefs from the things they refer to. It allows you to view your own thinking with greater objectivity and has been found especially helpful for emotional problems such as anxiety and depression. The simplest way to do this is by writing your thoughts down and observing them from a detached perspective. Another method is to tell yourself, “I notice right now that I am having the thought . . .” and then state the thought you were having as if you were putting it in quotation marks. You can also imagine that some thought or belief has been painted in big letters on a wall, picturing the color and shape of the letters or changing their appearance until you have a sense of the words being like external objects. Therapists may also ask their clients to repeat a troubling thought aloud rapidly for around 30 seconds or to say it more slowly, with longer pauses. It’s interesting to try worrying in slow motion! These techniques allow us to experience a thought or belief with greater detachment by looking at our mental lenses rather than looking through them. You’re not avoiding the thought, and you can still discuss evidence for and against it. You’re just experiencing it from another perspective. I believe that Socrates gained this sort of detachment from his own beliefs by discussing them with his friends. He compared self-knowledge to an eye that sees itself, and the best way to achieve this, he thought, was by engaging in philosophical conversations where you view the other person as a mirror for the mind, in which you contemplate your thinking more objectively. 4. Illeism, meaning talking in the third person. When Socrates finished discussing philosophy with his friends, he would go home and continue the conversation with himself in private. He would imagine another Socrates interrogating him about his assumptions concerning wisdom, justice, and other virtues. Socrates appears to have been known for referring to himself as if he was another person. A similar technique, which involves talking about yourself using your name or third-person pronouns, is called Illeism. It is occasionally used in modern psychotherapy to help clients manage anxiety and other distressing emotions. “We often seem better at giving other people advice than solving our own problems.” The psychologist Igor Grossmann heads a center that conducts research on the nature of wisdom at the University of Waterloo, in Canada. He was intrigued by a paradox: We often seem better at giving other people advice than solving our own problems. He and his colleagues carried out a variety of experiments and found that when people write about their problems in a journal using the third person, they exhibit more wisdom than when writing in the first person. He calls this method distanced reflection, and it can improve your ability to reason, especially about problems that normally evoke strong feelings. 5. Anger and perceived injustice. Philosophers have debated the nature of justice for thousands of years, but we don’t normally think doing so is therapeutic. However, studies have found that individuals who suffer from clinical depression often perceive themselves as victims of injustice. Ancient Greek philosophers understood that anger is often associated with a desire for those we perceive as having acted unjustly to be punished. Cognitive psychologists have arrived at a similar conclusion:Anger often involves blaming others for violating some rule. Socrates insisted that the injustice of others could not harm him. He was not angry with the men responsible for his unjust trial and execution. Paradoxically, he believed that injustice harms the perpetrator more than the victim. Few people today would accept such a radical position, but we can imagine how it may have helped Socrates show extraordinary fortitude and resilience in the face of persecution. Get into the habit of asking what does you more harm: your anger or the things you’re angry about? Although there are real injustices in the world, anger is seldom the most helpful response. In trivial cases, it may be best to let go of our sense of injustice so that we can move on. When facing more serious problems, it may be easier to replace anger with assertiveness. It can be challenging to decide whether our feelings are justified, but it’s important to spot when anger is doing us more harm than the wrongdoing we’re concerned about. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

In this economy, job seekers face a tough market, despite strong job growth. Some apply for more than a hundred jobs before landing one. Many are looking for any edge they can get—to secure a coveted interview, and eventually, land a position they’re excited about. In his book, Sell Yourself Like a CEO, headhunter Ryan Sheppard provides valuable guidelines for anyone wanting to advance in their career. Sheppard, who works closely with CEOs, argues that top leaders have skills that anyone in the job market would do well to emulate. Here are five ways to sell yourself like a successful CEO would: 1. DEVELOP A CEO MINDSET A strong CEO is able to convey their vision—and the mission of the company— clearly to stakeholders. “I have always been impressed with what CEOs bring to their role,” says Sheppard. “They present a powerful vision and demonstrate leadership.” Sheppard encourages readers to think like a CEO by taking ownership of their careers, and bring to each interview a vision and sense of direction. They should manage their career and resources the way a CEO would direct a company. 2. COMMUNICATE WITH CLARITY If you want to impress the hiring manager, you’ll need to communicate with clarity. Sheppard encourages job seekers to “boil their goals down to one sentence.” For example you might choose something like this: “I see myself leading a technology company through a major transformation, from a volume-based to a value-based firm.” (For further insight into how to develop that one sentence message, see my book, The Job Seeker’s Script.) Clarity in presenting your goals also involves the ability to see into the future. Sheppard says for job candidates clarity means “knowing what you see yourself doing; where you want to be in 5 years; and what’s important to you as you look ahead.” 3. SHOW CONFIDENCE Third, it’s important to show confidence in your job search. Some candidates are hesitant to say what they’ve contributed. In praising their team, they may fail to show how they added value. While you shouldn’t appear egotistical or arrogant, emphasize your strong leadership and accomplishments. If you want to project the confidence of a successful CEO, Sheppard recommends that you go into the interview with a “confidence inventory.” “Write down situations in which you faced—and overcame—challenges,” he says. Memorize these talking points and bring them forward in the interview. Selling yourself is about presenting the leadership you have shown in your career. Have the confidence to act as if you are the leader whom the company is hiring for. 4. PROJECT CHARISMA It is also important to project charisma—another key attribute for successful CEOs and those in the job market. Top leaders know what charisma is. A misconception is that charisma is self-centered and that it reflects a big ego. On the contrary, Sheppard says charismatic individuals make others feel great. Sheppard advises that you strive to “be interested, not interesting.” He says that successful CEOs are focused on others, not themselves. He advises successful job seekers to “know the power of asking great questions, being curious, taking a genuine interest in the interviewers. You might say “Tell me about the growth plans of the company.” “What are the key challenges the company faces?” “How will you and I collaborate?” “What challenges should I expect in this role?” All these questions show your unselfish interest in the company and they will allow you to project true charisma. 5. DEMONSTRATE YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS The final step of the process involves demonstrating top notch negotiating skills. Have the courage to ask for what you feel you are worth. “Negotiating with a future boss can be very intimidating,” Sheppard acknowledges.” When a future boss asks ‘what is your salary expectation?’ the candidate has often not thought it through.” So Sheppard advises that you “come prepared to name a figure or a range. Before the interview, add up the components of your present salary package.” The total might include your base, bonus, and benefits. “Then negotiate a percentage increase, say 8-10% more than your present package gives you.” says Sheppard. “That is rarely done. Candidates will often say ‘I’m hoping for such and such an amount.’ The essence of negotiation is to be clear about what you want. Whatever number you ask for, ask with conviction.” View the full article

Effective Comparison Pages: 6 Steps for Better Conversion Rates View the full article

A review of the Japanese KiHa 183 series train that operates between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. In 2024 the Royal Railway of Cambodia acquired 11 KiHa 183 series train carriages from JR Hokkaido in Japan. The trains were converted from 1067mm gauge to metre gauge, and a test service began on the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville route in November 2024. This retired train from snowy Hokkaido now has a new life in tropical Cambodia. I rode the service from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville in December 2024, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable train trips I’ve taken in Southeast Asia. Here is what to expect. Southern Line Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville Depart Phnom Penh: 7:00 am Arrive Sihanoukville: 12:40 pm Travel time: 5 h 40 m The main stops are: Phnom Penh Takeo Kep Kampot Sihanoukville The official booking site is at https://royalrailway.easybook.com. I use Baolau to buy Cambodia train tickets. Tickets are also available at the station. [Phnom Penh Station ticket counter.] Phnom Penh Station Phnom Penh Station is one of my favourite stations in Southeast Asia. The station is in a good location near the city centre, which is how it should be for the main stations for capital cities. There is a cafe in the station (Coffee Hub Royal Railway) which is advertised as opening at 6:30. The station building wasn’t open when I arrived, so passenger entry to the platforms was via the side of the building. There is a cafe and snack stand in an old train carriage next to the side exit. This was the only place open in the morning. There were also some food vendors selling pre-made meals (pork and egg with rice). There are only two train services per day from Phnom Penh, and they bother depart in the morning. [Battambang and Sihanoukville trains at Phnom Penh.] There is no assigned seating, so arrive early if you want to pick a preferred seat. I arrived at 6:30 so I could get photos of the train, though I discoved there were plenty of seats available on this day. [KiHa train at Phnom Penh Station.] Onboard the KiHa train to Sihanoukville Economy class seats are in 2×2 configuration. Having individual seats is a big improvement from the old trains with bench seats. The seats are generously padded, and I would say they are one of the most comfortable trains seats in Southeast Asia (I would put it in the top 3 with Whoosh and the Laos-China Railway). In addition to the comfortable seats, there is enough legroom to stretch out and not feel guilty about fully reclining your seat. The seats have backseat trays and there are power outlets. There was no food or drink service when I went (I bought the coffee at Phnom Penh Station). The carriages are air-conditoned, so but not set to freezing like some other railway in Southeast Asia do. There was another economy section with red seats. The Business Class seats are arranged in 2×1 configuration. The toilets are what you would expect from a Japanese train. The Japanese labels are still on the toilet instructions. There is also an external wash basin area. The trains can reportedly travel at up to 110 km/h, but they are still limited by the tracks they run on. The Southern Line is mostly a single track, so it still has to stop at passing loops to let other trains pass. Sihanoukville is the main shipping port of Cambodia, so container trains heading to Phnom Penh also use this line. The scenery gets more scenic in Kampot province. For many passengers, Kampot is the main destination. Overall this was an easy train trip, despite the slow train speed and stoppage to let a freight train pass. I have done this trip before on the old trains, and having a comfortable seat with ample legroom in an air-conditioned carriage makes a world of difference. The only downside was there was no food or drink service of any kind. Remember to bring your own drinks and snacks. The train arrived at Sihanoukville at 1:36 pm (56 minutes behind schedule). Delays are to be expected on this service, so don’t book any time-sensitive onward connections if you are using the train. [Kiha train at Sihanoukville.] Sihanoukville or Kampot? There is not much to do in Sihanoukville now that it has been turned into a casino wasteland, so this service is most useful for onward travel to Koh Rong. The downside to this is that the train takes longer than a bus to Sihanoukville, so it is a late arrival to Koh Rong. A better itinerary is to get off at Kampot, which gives you a long enough experience on the train while being a nicer city to stay in. This train travel review is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How do I balance work and socializing at hybrid team meetings? I (a young-looking woman) lead a team of about 15, composed of 3-4 smaller sub-teams that collaborate on various parts of the project. About half the team work remotely; a quarter at Site A, including my deputy and me; and a quarter at Site B. Team members range from junior to mid-career, heavy on junior. We have at least one meeting per project topic area per week for tracking progress and working through more complex issues together. I have a hard time closing down the first “social” 5-15 minutes of a meeting; the chit chat expands and we run out of time for our actual agenda items. Our remote staff are particularly social. I like them and would enjoy our chats, but my social battery gets (happily) drained by interacting with in-person colleagues (both on and off this project) and an active social life and hobbies. With people at my site, I’m able to chat organically in the hall or while walking to meetings, make it a coffee break, etc. I do not have time nor energy for more than ~20 minutes of Zoom call social chatting per typical day, but that’s gotta split across the 2-5 calls per day. But I want all my staff to feel connected and happy at work! I’m also a people pleaser and a little socially anxious. How soon into a meeting can and should I redirect to the agenda? How can I do this without making people think I’m an emotionless computer, or get out of my head where I’m terrified of that outcome? Several times in the past when I’ve tried removing the “smiles and exclamation marks” veneer, others coworkers who I previously had positive work relationships with reacted defensively as if I were attacking them or their work. In every instance, other colleagues present verified for me afterwards that my content and tone were appropriate and accurate. So I’m particularly sensitive that I might come across as a robot or a jerk, create unpleasantly chilly relationships, or lose my staff to other projects (they can switch projects as they want). 15 minutes of chat at the start of a meeting is a lot. Five minutes is reasonable, particularly if you have a lot of remote team members who don’t have many other opportunities for that sort of social connection with each other. But it is very reasonable — and very normal — to interject after five minutes (really, three to five) and say, “Well, let’s get started so we can get through all our agenda items.” If you make a point of warmly joining in on the chatting before that, you will be much less likely to come across as chilly when you do call the meeting to order. When you’re leading a remote team, it’s reasonable to see those five minutes as part of the work you invest in your team culture and connections. But it’s really okay to move things along after that. And I would bet good money that some of your team members will appreciate you doing it, and are aggravated by how much meeting time is being spent on non-work stuff … doubly so if you’re not getting through your agenda. You can also occasionally try moving the chat to the end of the meetings! You can say, “I want to jump into our agenda so we don’t run out of time, but if we have time at the end, anyone who wants to is welcome to stay on to continue this part of the conversation.” And then at the end, you can say, “I need to jump off and I think some others may too, but anyone who wants to stay on, please feel free!” That said, I think you’ll see less of it then — since by the end of a meeting most people are ready to be done — but you could at least make it clear it’s an option for people who want it. 2. My job offer was rescinded after a reference check After a great interview last week, I accepted a job offer at a hospital. Yesterday, the offer was abruptly rescinded. HR personnel and the hiring manager will not give details, but they stated that it was solely due to “unsatisfactory references.” This is a shock to me because these references are supervisors and colleagues who I have good or great relationships with. I had confirmed with all of these individuals beforehand if they would be willing to offer a recommendation, and they had enthusiastically agreed. When I explained to these colleagues why the offer was rescinded, they were stunned. The third party recruiter, my references, and I are still convinced this is a mistake, that they must have their applicants mixed up somehow. So far, HR and the hiring manager insist there is no mistake. My recruiter told me, “I have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never seen this. I’m at a loss.” Have you encountered this before? Could the offer have been rescinded for another reason? Do I have any recourse here? It’s possible that it was a mistake. It’s also possible that your references did give you good reviews but said something in passing that concerned the hiring manager. For example, most reference checks ask about weaknesses, and it’s possible a reference named something that they thought was minor but it happened to be something would cause a problem in this particular job or is a particular bugaboo of the manager’s. It’s also possible the hiring manager simply misunderstood something. (For thoroughness, I’ll also note that when done well, reference checks aren’t supposed to be a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down but more nuanced — although when they’re done post-offer, they are nearly always closer to a rubber stamp, so that’s less likely to be in play.) You don’t really have any legal recourse here; employers are allowed to rescind job offers, especially when they’re contingent on things like post-offer reference checks (which are generally a terrible practice). But the recruiter is in a better position to push for more information and to push them to check that a mistake wasn’t made. Since she’s at a loss too, can you ask her to try that? 3. Discussing gun ownership with coworkers I have a perhaps odd question about professional boundaries. I am a petite woman who lives alone. I somehow send out creepy people homing vibes and have had one or two frightening moments where I could have gotten hurt. (I know someone is going to tell me to read Gift of Fear. I already have, and I am working on becoming less of a target, but we all know sometimes creeps just gonna creep.) I would like to purchase a gun that I would keep in my home for self-defense. I would of course secure it, practice regularly, and take all other actions I can to make sure I’m never in a situation where I’d need it. I live in a state where gun laws are very strict. To buy a gun, I must first find two state residents who will testify to my good character. This has been a challenge as most people here oppose or at least are suspicious of gun ownership. I think they’d endorse my character generally but would not want to assist me in buying a gun by writing that down. I have two coworkers who have mentioned in passing that they themselves own guns. The work we do together is in a physically hazardous environment, so these two coworkers have seen how I deal with safety issues, which I hope would speak well to my ability to be a responsible gun owner. They’ve also watched me interact interpersonally and can testify I’m reasonable. Would it be unprofessional of me to contact them outside of work channels and ask if they would be willing to serve as a reference in this way? Both are senior to me, so I don’t think they could worry that I would penalize them if they said no. It just feels weird and possibly intrusive to discuss such a controversial issue with a professional contact. Would it make a difference if one person had left the company? I want to say up-front that my answer to this might be influenced by my own discomfort with guns, but this makes me nervous. On one hand, these are people who are clearly comfortable with gun ownership themselves and it might be completely fine! On the other hand, if they don’t feel comfortable saying yes, you’d be putting them in a pretty uncomfortable position (where they’d need to essentially tell a colleague, “No, I don’t endorse your character”), and I don’t love that. If you wanted to feel them out, one option is to approach them for advice about the process generally, since it’s something they’ve already mentioned. Explain you’re considering buying one, don’t know anyone outside of work with first-hand experience with the process, and enter the conversation that way. It’s possible that will create an opening to bring it up organically. Otherwise though, I’d err on the side of caution and keep it out of work. 4. Phone interviews when you’re hard of hearing My husband is hard of hearing, especially on the phone. He has had a couple interviews that he tanked because he misheard a question or kept asking them to repeat the question. He doesn’t have hearing aids, but I think he needs them. I keep encouraging him to get tested. He mishears me all the time or doesn’t hear me at all if one of us is facing away while talking. There are a couple things he says helps, like wearing headphones for a call, using a desk phone rather than a cell, or taking a call in his car with the Bluetooth speakers. Three times now, interviewers have unexpectedly called him outside their scheduled interview times where he isn’t able to get into his car or find headphones quickly. He didn’t want to miss the opportunity, so he tried talking on his cell phone. He couldn’t hear most of what was said. He got feedback on how poorly he did, like his answers had nothing to do with the questions or that he didn’t know the answers because he repeatedly asked interviewers to repeat their questions. I advised him to tell the interviewers he can’t take the call at the moment but is happy to keep their scheduled time or reschedule so he can get to a place he can hear, or just be up-front that he is hard of hearing and request some accommodations like a Zoom call where multiple interviewers and my husband can use headsets. My husband doesn’t want to because he’s in his 50s and he’s afraid of looking old or incapable, like he can’t do a phone call or meeting. I pointed out people of any age can have hearing issues, and it’s got to be better than them thinking he doesn’t know anything. I have more experience interviewing and I’ve never had interviewers call outside scheduled times “because everyone was in the office” just then. What is the best way to handle this? Tell them he can’t talk? Ask them to hold until he can get into his car? Ask them to call our landline? Any of these? I’d like to say his worry about ageism is wrong but we’re both getting to an age now where I do see some of that in the workplace. Ideally he’d just ask to reschedule for a more convenient time, but I can understand why he’s hesitant to; while it’s a perfectly reasonable request, sometimes the rescheduled call will never end up happening. Given that, the next best option is to say, “Can you give me a minute while I get to a quieter place to talk?” so he has time to find headphones or go to his car. (It also sounds worth keeping headphones easily accessible in the places where he spends the most time during the workday.) It’s also fine to say, “I seem to have a bad connection — could you call me right back on my land line?” You’re also absolutely right that he could simply ask for accommodations (which they’re required by law to provide), but he’s not wrong about the risk of discrimination — both age and disability discrimination. But one of the other suggestions should get these calls back on track. Related: what’s up with surprise phone interviews? 5. Can my boss require me to use a vacation day on my last day of work? I am leaving a job I love at the end of the month due to a health issue. I have a great relationship with my boss and my coworkers, and the job has been a really great fit, so I’m really sad that I need to leave. My boss, her boss, and another admin person are all scheduled to be off on the last day of the month. There are exit procedures that need to be done on my last day, so my boss asked if I would take vacation on that day so we could do them the day before. I’d rather work that day and cash out as much vacation as possible, so I’m basically being asked to forfeit a day’s pay. Can my boss ask me to do this? Yes. They can also set your last day for an earlier date if they want to, which would be functionally the same thing (which doesn’t necessarily mean that they will, just that they could). But if you explain you’d prefer not to, it’s possible they’ll work with you on a different arrangement. You could try saying, “Would it be possible for us to do the exit procedures on the 30th and then I’ll spend the 31st finishing up X and Y? I’m hoping not to use up any vacation time before I leave.” They might say no — and they might not be able to say yes, if you won’t be able to work once the exit procedures are done — but it’s reasonable to ask. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How do I balance work and socializing at hybrid team meetings? I (a young-looking woman) lead a team of about 15, composed of 3-4 smaller sub-teams that collaborate on various parts of the project. About half the team work remotely; a quarter at Site A, including my deputy and me; and a quarter at Site B. Team members range from junior to mid-career, heavy on junior. We have at least one meeting per project topic area per week for tracking progress and working through more complex issues together. I have a hard time closing down the first “social” 5-15 minutes of a meeting; the chit chat expands and we run out of time for our actual agenda items. Our remote staff are particularly social. I like them and would enjoy our chats, but my social battery gets (happily) drained by interacting with in-person colleagues (both on and off this project) and an active social life and hobbies. With people at my site, I’m able to chat organically in the hall or while walking to meetings, make it a coffee break, etc. I do not have time nor energy for more than ~20 minutes of Zoom call social chatting per typical day, but that’s gotta split across the 2-5 calls per day. But I want all my staff to feel connected and happy at work! I’m also a people pleaser and a little socially anxious. How soon into a meeting can and should I redirect to the agenda? How can I do this without making people think I’m an emotionless computer, or get out of my head where I’m terrified of that outcome? Several times in the past when I’ve tried removing the “smiles and exclamation marks” veneer, others coworkers who I previously had positive work relationships with reacted defensively as if I were attacking them or their work. In every instance, other colleagues present verified for me afterwards that my content and tone were appropriate and accurate. So I’m particularly sensitive that I might come across as a robot or a jerk, create unpleasantly chilly relationships, or lose my staff to other projects (they can switch projects as they want). 15 minutes of chat at the start of a meeting is a lot. Five minutes is reasonable, particularly if you have a lot of remote team members who don’t have many other opportunities for that sort of social connection with each other. But it is very reasonable — and very normal — to interject after five minutes (really, three to five) and say, “Well, let’s get started so we can get through all our agenda items.” If you make a point of warmly joining in on the chatting before that, you will be much less likely to come across as chilly when you do call the meeting to order. When you’re leading a remote team, it’s reasonable to see those five minutes as part of the work you invest in your team culture and connections. But it’s really okay to move things along after that. And I would bet good money that some of your team members will appreciate you doing it, and are aggravated by how much meeting time is being spent on non-work stuff … doubly so if you’re not getting through your agenda. You can also occasionally try moving the chat to the end of the meetings! You can say, “I want to jump into our agenda so we don’t run out of time, but if we have time at the end, anyone who wants to is welcome to stay on to continue this part of the conversation.” And then at the end, you can say, “I need to jump off and I think some others may too, but anyone who wants to stay on, please feel free!” That said, I think you’ll see less of it then — since by the end of a meeting most people are ready to be done — but you could at least make it clear it’s an option for people who want it. 2. My job offer was rescinded after a reference check After a great interview last week, I accepted a job offer at a hospital. Yesterday, the offer was abruptly rescinded. HR personnel and the hiring manager will not give details, but they stated that it was solely due to “unsatisfactory references.” This is a shock to me because these references are supervisors and colleagues who I have good or great relationships with. I had confirmed with all of these individuals beforehand if they would be willing to offer a recommendation, and they had enthusiastically agreed. When I explained to these colleagues why the offer was rescinded, they were stunned. The third party recruiter, my references, and I are still convinced this is a mistake, that they must have their applicants mixed up somehow. So far, HR and the hiring manager insist there is no mistake. My recruiter told me, “I have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never seen this. I’m at a loss.” Have you encountered this before? Could the offer have been rescinded for another reason? Do I have any recourse here? It’s possible that it was a mistake. It’s also possible that your references did give you good reviews but said something in passing that concerned the hiring manager. For example, most reference checks ask about weaknesses, and it’s possible a reference named something that they thought was minor but it happened to be something would cause a problem in this particular job or is a particular bugaboo of the manager’s. It’s also possible the hiring manager simply misunderstood something. (For thoroughness, I’ll also note that when done well, reference checks aren’t supposed to be a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down but more nuanced — although when they’re done post-offer, they are nearly always closer to a rubber stamp, so that’s less likely to be in play.) You don’t really have any legal recourse here; employers are allowed to rescind job offers, especially when they’re contingent on things like post-offer reference checks (which are generally a terrible practice). But the recruiter is in a better position to push for more information and to push them to check that a mistake wasn’t made. Since she’s at a loss too, can you ask her to try that? 3. Discussing gun ownership with coworkers I have a perhaps odd question about professional boundaries. I am a petite woman who lives alone. I somehow send out creepy people homing vibes and have had one or two frightening moments where I could have gotten hurt. (I know someone is going to tell me to read Gift of Fear. I already have, and I am working on becoming less of a target, but we all know sometimes creeps just gonna creep.) I would like to purchase a gun that I would keep in my home for self-defense. I would of course secure it, practice regularly, and take all other actions I can to make sure I’m never in a situation where I’d need it. I live in a state where gun laws are very strict. To buy a gun, I must first find two state residents who will testify to my good character. This has been a challenge as most people here oppose or at least are suspicious of gun ownership. I think they’d endorse my character generally but would not want to assist me in buying a gun by writing that down. I have two coworkers who have mentioned in passing that they themselves own guns. The work we do together is in a physically hazardous environment, so these two coworkers have seen how I deal with safety issues, which I hope would speak well to my ability to be a responsible gun owner. They’ve also watched me interact interpersonally and can testify I’m reasonable. Would it be unprofessional of me to contact them outside of work channels and ask if they would be willing to serve as a reference in this way? Both are senior to me, so I don’t think they could worry that I would penalize them if they said no. It just feels weird and possibly intrusive to discuss such a controversial issue with a professional contact. Would it make a difference if one person had left the company? I want to say up-front that my answer to this might be influenced by my own discomfort with guns, but this makes me nervous. On one hand, these are people who are clearly comfortable with gun ownership themselves and it might be completely fine! On the other hand, if they don’t feel comfortable saying yes, you’d be putting them in a pretty uncomfortable position (where they’d need to essentially tell a colleague, “No, I don’t endorse your character”), and I don’t love that. If you wanted to feel them out, one option is to approach them for advice about the process generally, since it’s something they’ve already mentioned. Explain you’re considering buying one, don’t know anyone outside of work with first-hand experience with the process, and enter the conversation that way. It’s possible that will create an opening to bring it up organically. Otherwise though, I’d err on the side of caution and keep it out of work. 4. Phone interviews when you’re hard of hearing My husband is hard of hearing, especially on the phone. He has had a couple interviews that he tanked because he misheard a question or kept asking them to repeat the question. He doesn’t have hearing aids, but I think he needs them. I keep encouraging him to get tested. He mishears me all the time or doesn’t hear me at all if one of us is facing away while talking. There are a couple things he says helps, like wearing headphones for a call, using a desk phone rather than a cell, or taking a call in his car with the Bluetooth speakers. Three times now, interviewers have unexpectedly called him outside their scheduled interview times where he isn’t able to get into his car or find headphones quickly. He didn’t want to miss the opportunity, so he tried talking on his cell phone. He couldn’t hear most of what was said. He got feedback on how poorly he did, like his answers had nothing to do with the questions or that he didn’t know the answers because he repeatedly asked interviewers to repeat their questions. I advised him to tell the interviewers he can’t take the call at the moment but is happy to keep their scheduled time or reschedule so he can get to a place he can hear, or just be up-front that he is hard of hearing and request some accommodations like a Zoom call where multiple interviewers and my husband can use headsets. My husband doesn’t want to because he’s in his 50s and he’s afraid of looking old or incapable, like he can’t do a phone call or meeting. I pointed out people of any age can have hearing issues, and it’s got to be better than them thinking he doesn’t know anything. I have more experience interviewing and I’ve never had interviewers call outside scheduled times “because everyone was in the office” just then. What is the best way to handle this? Tell them he can’t talk? Ask them to hold until he can get into his car? Ask them to call our landline? Any of these? I’d like to say his worry about ageism is wrong but we’re both getting to an age now where I do see some of that in the workplace. Ideally he’d just ask to reschedule for a more convenient time, but I can understand why he’s hesitant to; while it’s a perfectly reasonable request, sometimes the rescheduled call will never end up happening. Given that, the next best option is to say, “Can you give me a minute while I get to a quieter place to talk?” so he has time to find headphones or go to his car. (It also sounds worth keeping headphones easily accessible in the places where he spends the most time during the workday.) It’s also fine to say, “I seem to have a bad connection — could you call me right back on my land line?” You’re also absolutely right that he could simply ask for accommodations (which they’re required by law to provide), but he’s not wrong about the risk of discrimination — both age and disability discrimination. But one of the other suggestions should get these calls back on track. Related: what’s up with surprise phone interviews? 5. Can my boss require me to use a vacation day on my last day of work? I am leaving a job I love at the end of the month due to a health issue. I have a great relationship with my boss and my coworkers, and the job has been a really great fit, so I’m really sad that I need to leave. My boss, her boss, and another admin person are all scheduled to be off on the last day of the month. There are exit procedures that need to be done on my last day, so my boss asked if I would take vacation on that day so we could do them the day before. I’d rather work that day and cash out as much vacation as possible, so I’m basically being asked to forfeit a day’s pay. Can my boss ask me to do this? Yes. They can also set your last day for an earlier date if they want to, which would be functionally the same thing (which doesn’t necessarily mean that they will, just that they could). But if you explain you’d prefer not to, it’s possible they’ll work with you on a different arrangement. You could try saying, “Would it be possible for us to do the exit procedures on the 30th and then I’ll spend the 31st finishing up X and Y? I’m hoping not to use up any vacation time before I leave.” They might say no — and they might not be able to say yes, if you won’t be able to work once the exit procedures are done — but it’s reasonable to ask. View the full article

FedEx Corporation has released its second annual FedEx Returns Survey, conducted in partnership with Morning Consult, revealing key trends in consumer and business attitudes toward e-commerce returns. The findings emphasize the growing demand for flexible and convenient return options, driven by generational and income-based preferences. The survey highlights significant differences in return preferences across generations and income levels. Higher-income earners (66%) and baby boomers (59%) prefer returning items in-store, while 20% of Gen Z and millennials favor home pickup options. Additionally, 19% of millennials choose to use mailbox drop-offs for their returns. These insights underscore the importance of innovative return solutions that cater to diverse consumer needs. “Consumers are making it clear that flexibility and convenience are essential when it comes to returns,” said Jason Brenner, senior vice president, digital portfolio at FedEx. “The continued rise in no-label, no-box returns and growing demand for home pickup options reinforce the need for retailers to offer solutions that make returns more seamless for consumers.” Opinions on the ease of returns are divided. While 51% of consumers believe the return process has improved, 32% remain neutral, and 17% feel it has become more difficult. Optimism is highest among millennials (56%) and higher-income consumers (58%). However, skepticism persists among Gen X (21%), Gen Z (18%), and lower-income respondents (18%), signaling an opportunity for retailers to enhance and better communicate their return policies. Return policies are a critical factor for consumers, influencing shopping behavior and loyalty. Two-thirds of respondents consider return policies before making a purchase, with nearly 30% stating that these policies directly affect their decision to complete a transaction. Transparent and flexible return options have become essential for retailers looking to build trust and drive sales. The FedEx Returns Survey was conducted by Morning Consult between December 14 and December 20, 2024. The consumer survey included 2,200 U.S. respondents, with a margin of error of ±2%. A separate survey of 1,000 U.S. business shippers was conducted during the same period, with a margin of error of ±3%. Image: Envato This article, "FedEx Survey Highlights Evolving Consumer Expectations for E-Commerce Returns" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google's AI overviews appear in 30% of searches and nearly three-quarters of problem-solving queries, according to a new study. The post Google AI Overviews Found In 74% Of Problem-Solving Queries appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Rural residents face unique challenges and barriers when it comes to accessing high-quality healthcare. Many rural areas do not have a hospital or medical center nearby, forcing residents to drive hours to the nearest doctor or healthcare clinic. This delays—and in some cases prevents—rural residents from receiving care quickly, efficiently and safely. Due in part to these barriers, rural patients take advantage of preventive care less often than their urban counterparts and face higher health risks, such as cancer, chronic respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and unintentional injuries. Women, specifically mothers, are among those most significantly impacted in these rural communities. In fact, less than half of rural women live within a 30-minute drive to the nearest hospital offering perinatal services. According to the March of Dimes, 36% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts—meaning there are no hospitals providing obstetric care, no birth centers, no OB/GYNs, and no certified nurse midwives. Of those counties, about 62% are considered rural. On top of that, maternal and infant mortality rates in the most remote areas of the country are significantly higher than those in large metropolitan areas, and rural hospitals report higher rates of postpartum hemorrhage and blood transfusions during labor and delivery, compared to their urban counterparts. As a woman and a mother, these numbers are deeply troubling to me. But they should be equally concerning to all Americans. The first step: Expand the healthcare workforce Addressing healthcare workforce shortages nationwide is the first step to tackling these health disparities. Everyone knows we need more healthcare providers. But the numbers are daunting. If everyone—including the marginalized, rural, and uninsured—had the same access to healthcare as those with fewer barriers, the U.S. would have needed 202,800 additional physicians as of 2021. That’s in addition to the number we need to replace the providers who leave the workforce every day due to burnout and stress. This is no easy feat, but it can be done. It starts with expanding access to healthcare education and training healthcare professionals at scale. To do this, we need to be creative in how we think about traditional education in this country. To attract a diverse population of students, we need to truly understand the barriers some populations face when pursuing an education. Whether financial, academic, or logistical, we need to find ways to systemically dismantle those barriers and design educational programs that meet students’ real-world needs. This can include simplified admissions processes, online coursework options, enhanced scholarship opportunities, ongoing support programs, and innovative technologies that foster student-faculty engagement and educational success. We also must ensure that we adequately prepare students—both academically and practically—for career success, supplementing classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience. Partnerships with hospitals and health centers can provide students with educational experiences that mimic the clinical setting and provide a realistic understanding of the skills they will need for their chosen specialty area. These are critical steps to expanding educational opportunities for more students interested in the healthcare profession. As these graduates go on to serve patients, many of them returning to practice in their own communities, we unleash a robust and much-needed healthcare workforce that serves critical primary care needs and underserved populations across the U.S. When these graduates have received the educational support and the real-world training they need to be successful, they are ready on day one to meet their patients’ unique healthcare needs. This benefits mothers in rural areas—as well as fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and entire communities. A ZIP code should never serve as a barrier to accessing critical healthcare services. Those living in rural communities face unique health care challenges, and women, including pregnant women, are among the most significantly impacted. We need to expand the pipeline of diverse healthcare professionals and equip them with high-quality, specialized training to serve these communities. By doing so, we can dismantle barriers to care and help meet the unique health needs of rural patients. Blake Simpson is chief communications and corporate affairs officer of Adtalem Global Education. View the full article

Launched 16 years ago with only 500 apps, Apple’s App Store revolutionized how we interact with our devices. As of 2023, the App Store had nearly 1.8 million apps, spanning categories like gaming, fitness, productivity, social media, and much more. The phrase “There’s an app for that” has never been more true. But with so many apps available, users face a new challenge: app fatigue. With millions of choices, users can easily become overwhelmed. Even when someone chooses to download an app, they can be bombarded with notifications urging them to engage, upgrade, or subscribe. With many apps competing for users’ attention and wallets, this can push them to ignore or even delete an app altogether. This creates a dilemma but also presents a unique opportunity for developers. By rethinking app monetization and adopting innovative models, the industry can evolve into a healthier, more rewarding space for users and developers alike. Developers can lead the charge here while still prioritizing app quality, accessibility, and user satisfaction. The impact of app fatigue The App Store growth has created a paradox of choice for users. Users now have an average of 18 apps downloaded on their smartphones, and this number is predicted to decrease by 1% each year. Meanwhile, churn rates—the percentage of users who stop using an app—have skyrocketed over the past four years, with 96.3% of iOS app downloaders becoming inactive by day 30. This environment leaves developers scrambling to compete. Because users have millions of apps to pick from, very few apps actually turn a profit. This pressure has led many developers to adopt aggressive monetization strategies like subscription models, prioritizing short-term revenue over user experience. Subscription models can be useful tools when used thoughtfully, providing a steady source of revenue that allows developers to maintain and improve their apps. The issue arises when subscriptions become the default or sole app monetization model, which is occurring more frequently. When useful functionality is hidden behind paywalls and payment options for apps are limited to recurring charges, users can become frustrated with their app experience. This can alienate users and lead to higher churn rates, creating a cycle where neither users nor developers truly benefit. Explore user-centric alternatives With the surge in app numbers and the widespread adoption of subscription models, it’s no surprise that many users feel overwhelmed. However, alternative strategies can mitigate app fatigue, offering a better user experience and sustainable options for developers. “Pay-per-use,” where users only pay when engaging with specific features, has become common in sectors like ride-sharing, food delivery, and online education. This model eliminates the need for ongoing subscriptions and gives users the ability to pay solely for the features they use. Ultimately, this eliminates the pressure of recurring charges. Additionally, “all-you-can-eat” models give users the freedom to use many features for a single price, providing a streamlined user experience and eliminating the need for constant upgrades and hidden fees. This makes app usage more enjoyable for users. For developers, it ensures a steady revenue stream that is distributed fairly—incentivizing quality and innovation. Yet, while these models offer exciting alternatives to traditional subscription models, they can only succeed if apps themselves evolve. Monetization is just one piece of the puzzle; the design and ecosystems behind these apps must also be reimagined. A new era of software The app industry must move behind incremental fixes. Users need tools that help them create, innovate, and build a meaningful legacy for a reasonable and fair price. Platforms like the Apple Arcade hint at what’s possible by offering an integrated, curated marketplace with a streamlined user experience and efficient “all-you-can-eat” format. Similarly, the rise of “super-apps” in markets like Asia highlights another approach: consolidating multiple services—such as messaging, payments, and e-commerce—into a single platform to reduce friction and simplify daily life. These examples illustrate the growing expectation for apps to deliver cohesive solutions that adapt to users’ needs, whether through curated marketplaces, multifunctional platforms, or interconnected standalone tools. It’s becoming clear that single-purpose apps are quickly becoming obsolete. The future belongs to apps that are proactive, not reactive—dynamic tools that evolve with users’ needs, offering a holistic, personalized experience. Developers must create on-demand solutions that instantly adapt to fulfill user needs. If a user, for instance, wants to combine notes, set reminders, and draft a report, the app should seamlessly generate the tools or interface in real time, eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps or perform repetitive tasks. The tools to make this happen are already here; technologies such as generative AI will lay the groundwork for even more advanced app solutions in the future. As the industry looks ahead, the key to success lies in seeing the bigger picture: smarter, more integrated solutions for users and robust ecosystems that empower developers. By rethinking how dynamic app services are designed and how they interact within larger platforms, we can move toward a future where software adapts to users—not the other way around. Oleksandr Kosovan is founder and CEO of MacPaw. View the full article