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Are you considering owning a Chick-fil-A franchise? If that’s the case, you probably have questions about the ownership process and what it entails. In this blog post, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about Chick-fil-A franchising. We’ll also provide a few tips to help you determine if owning a Chick-fil-A is the right choice for you. So, whether you’re just starting to explore franchise opportunities or you’re ready to take the next step, keep reading for helpful information about Chick-fil-A ownership. What is a Chick-fil-A Franchise? A Chick-fil-A franchise is a restaurant chain specializing in chicken sandwiches and other related menu items. Their logo is a Chick-fil-A cow standing in front of the restaurant with the words “Eat Mor Chikin” written on it. Their headquarters is located in College Park, Georgia. The first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in 1967 in Atlanta, Georgia, and it now has over 2,800 restaurants, mostly in the US. Chick-fil-A stands out among fast-food franchises due to its unique operating model and financial structure, which includes minimal initial investment for franchisees and high revenue per store. READ MORE:Buy Your First Franchise: Secrets Revealed Chick-fil-A Franchise History The company was founded in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy. The franchise model is based on a simple formula: produce a quality product at a reasonable price and provide excellent customer service. This has helped Chick-fil-A to become one of the most successful restaurant chains in the country. In addition to its menu items, the company is also known for its Christian values and conservative stance on social issues. This has occasionally led to controversy, but it has also endeared the company to a loyal customer base. READ MORE: Chick-Fil-A Success Shows Brand’s Ability to Triumph Over PR Problems Is a Chick-fil-A Franchise Right for You? Now that you have gained some insight into Chick-fil-A and the services they provide, it’s time to determine whether owning a Chick-fil-A franchise is the right choice for you. Here are several factors to take into account: Pros: Chick-fil-A pays for nearly all startup costs, including real estate, construction, and equipment, making the initial investment significantly lower compared to other fast-food franchises. Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty. Comprehensive training and support for franchisees. High average sales per unit. Pros: Chick-fil-A is a well-established brand with a loyal customer base. They have a proven business model that is successful in both good and bad economic times. Their restaurants are generally located in high-traffic areas. Chick-fil-A offers comprehensive training and support for franchisees. They offer a unique product that is not easily replicated by their competitors. Cons: You don’t actually own or receive any equity when you own a restaurant. Chick-Fil-A owns it and you’re considered an “Operator.” This means you can’t sell your Chick-fil-A location or pass it on to anyone. Chick-Fil-A requires that franchise owners actively manage their fast food restaurants full-time, overseeing daily operations. This approach differs from many other franchises, where ownership can be more of a passive investment. A franchise owner cannot open multiple locations, which can limit your profits. How Much Do Chick-fil-A Franchises Cost? To get started with your own Chick-fil-A franchise, you’ll need to pay an initial investment of only $10,000. While the restaurant can cost anywhere between $342,990 and $1,982,225 to start, a franchisee is only responsible for the initial franchise fee. Chick-fil-A covers the rest. READ MORE: Buy Your First Franchise: Secrets Revealed How to Become a Chick-fil-A Franchisee If you’re interested in becoming a franchisee, here are the steps: Attend an informational session You’ll first need to attend an informational session to learn more about the franchising process. During this session, you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about owning a Chick-fil-A franchise. Submit an application After participating in an informational session, you will have the opportunity to submit an online application. Once your application is evaluated, you will be contacted to arrange an interview. To get ready for your interview, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the company’s history and values. Interview with Chick-fil-A During your interview, you will meet with a franchising representative from the Chick-fil-A corporation. They will inquire about your background, experience, and your motivations for wanting to own a Chick-fil-A franchise. Additionally, they will evaluate whether you are a suitable match for the company. This is also an excellent opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have regarding the franchising process. Be approved by the Franchise Board If you’re approved by the Franchise Board, you’ll be able to sign a franchise agreement and begin the process of opening your own restaurant. If you’ve gotten this far, congratulations! Not many people are given the opportunity to become a franchisee of a Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant. Complete training After signing your franchise agreement, you will be required to undergo a multi-week training program at Chick-fil-A’s Restaurant Support Center located in Atlanta, Georgia. This program is designed to provide you with all the essential knowledge needed to effectively operate a Chick-fil-A restaurant. READ MORE: 10 Chicken Wing Franchises for Food Entrepreneurs Open your restaurant Once you’ve completed training, you’ll be ready to open your own restaurant. You’ll be supported throughout the process by Chick-fil-A’s experienced team of franchise consultants. They’ll help you with everything from site selection to grand opening. How Profitable Is a Chick-fil-A Franchise? Chick-fil-A is one of the most profitable fast-food chains in the United States, bringing in over $11 billion in annual sales. That’s second only to McDonald’s, which generates over $40 billion in annual sales. On average, franchise owners earn $220,000 each year. Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants typically achieve $5.3 million in annual sales. Important Information for Prospective Chick-fil-A Franchisees If you’re considering opening a Chick-fil-A franchise, there are several additional details you should be aware of, including: The chain is closed on Sundays, as well as on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is due to the company’s religious roots. The founder, S. Truett Cathy, was a devout Southern Baptist. The Chick-fil-A franchise operates in 47 states throughout the United States, as well as in Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, South Africa, and the UK. In addition to the initial franchise fee of $10,000, Chick-fil-A operators pay a 15% royalty fee plus an additional 50% of pretax profit. What’s more, is that they require that their franchisees not have any other active business ventures. So if you’re a serial entrepreneur, being a Chick-Fil-A operator isn’t for you. There are over 20,000 applications yearly, but only 75 to 80 get accepted to open new franchises each year (about 0.4% on the high end). So it’s clear that competition for these spots is fierce. The selection process can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months. So if you’re thinking about opening a Chick-fil-A franchise, be prepared for a long and difficult process. READ MORE: What is a Franchise? 20 Fast Food Franchise Opportunities Image: Depositphotos This article, "How to Open a Chick-fil-A Franchise" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Starmer announcement of ‘biggest sustained rise’ since cold war comes ahead of Trump meeting on Thursday View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The JBL Flip 6 is currently $89.95 on Woot (and will remain so for the next four days or until stocks last)—$40 off its usual $129.95 price tag, and if you're a Prime member, you also get free standard shipping (otherwise, it's $6). It’s available in black, white, teal, gray, and green, giving you a decent range of options to match your vibe. The design is classic JBL—cylindrical, durable, and built to be tossed into a bag without worry. Its passive radiators on both ends let you feel the bass in your hands (earning itself a place in PCMag's "Best Outdoor Speakers for 2025" roundup). Just don’t expect a true subwoofer experience; it’s still a compact speaker, after all. JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $89.95 $129.95 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $89.95 $129.95 Save $40.00 Inside, the Flip 6 packs a 20-watt woofer and a 10-watt tweeter, covering a frequency range of 63Hz to 20kHz. It connects via Bluetooth 5.1 and supports AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, but not AptX, so audiophiles looking for higher-quality streaming may want to look elsewhere. The top panel houses volume and playback controls, though the multi-function button weirdly only lets you skip forward—not back. JBL’s PartyBoost feature is also here, letting you link multiple compatible JBL speakers for a bigger sound. Battery life is estimated at around 12 hours, but that depends on how loud you like your music. Crank it up, and you’ll burn through that charge much faster. There’s no speakerphone function or aux input, which might be a dealbreaker if you like having wired options. Durability is where the Flip 6 shines—with an IP67 rating, it’s fully dust-proof and waterproof, meaning it can survive a pool dunk and even float (though don’t expect Bluetooth to work well underwater). It also comes with a 90-day Woot Limited Warranty for added peace of mind. JBL’s companion app gives you access to customizable three-band EQ and PartyBoost controls, though the app itself is pretty barebones. Sound-wise, the Flip 6 delivers impressive low-end depth, and at moderate volumes, the bass is strong without distortion. Push it too high, though, and its digital signal processing (DSP) kicks in, thinning out the lows, according to this PCMag review. If you considering alternatives, the Sony SRS-XB23 might be worth checking out at around $95. Note: This item can't be delivered to Alaska, Hawaii, and PO Box addresses. View the full article

After 16 years of experiments to bring Photoshop apps to the phone, Adobe is launching its most convincing attempt yet. Called Photoshop Mobile and available in the App Store today, it’s Adobe’s first earnest attempt to build a Photoshop on mobile with the same unique powers that have made it so popular on desktop. This new Photoshop has been built from the ground up specifically for the phone, where it can sync seamlessly with Photoshop versions on the web and desktop. (An Android version is due this summer.) Pros will appreciate a few big technical headlines: You can have an unlimited number of layers, and there is no restriction on file sizes. (Vector drawing tools aren’t in this initial release, but I’m told Shapes are coming soon.) Casual editors will want to know that the app is free to use, though many features will be tucked inside an $8/month subscription that comes paired with access to Photoshop on the web. “Not all of Photoshop is in here, but we’re very confident in the foundations that we have that people are going to be able to use,” says Matthew Richmond, VP of design for Creative Cloud Pro products and 3D at Adobe. “A big part of this is the focus on the next-gen users, the individuals where, in a lot of cases [the phone is] their only computer.” Truth be told, phones have been fast enough for Photoshop for years. The big breakthrough that made Photoshop on iPhone is beyond technical specs. It’s the app’s entire UX that—at least as I squinted through a webcam demo—looks powerful, quick, and easy to learn. It’s the first time I’ve seen a permutation of Photoshop on a small screen that just seemed right, even if it looked new. A brief history of Photoshop on mobileAdobe’s first attempt at Photoshop on smartphones started in 2009, with a “Photoshop.com” mobile app. It was essentially an extension of the Camera app, and it allowed use of only the most basic controls, like cropping, rotation, and color. It was followed by Photoshop Mix (2014), Photoshop Fix (2015), and, finally, Photoshop Express, which lives on today. With all respect to Express, it’s not really Photoshop. You only need to load it for a few minutes to realize its extreme limitations: namely, building and managing layers and applying masks, when the app is really more focused on creating social-ready image and text layouts. Photoshop Mobile is different. It’s the company’s first smartphone app to take the core UX metaphor inside Photoshop—of creating layers, masking out bits of images, and applying different appearances at each level—and bringing it to a small touchscreen. This approach to image editing is foundational, not just to Adobe’s own software but also to the very way artists and designers have constructed images for centuries. It’s the fundamental framework of putting one color or cutout atop another that makes Photoshop’s approach to digital craft work at all. [Image: Adobe]Photoshop’s new “Select and do” UXThe brilliance of the app is that instead of drop-down menus and palettes of tools on the screen, it starts with your finger—an approach to UI that Adobe calls “select and do.” The idea is that you can tap on whatever part of the image you want, and you’ll be ushered through a workflow suggesting options for your next steps. In Photoshop desktop, and even in the tablet version, selection tools are hidden behind drop-down menus. You might even need to watch a tutorial to discover that they exist. On Photoshop mobile, you’re urged to start selecting right away. A “select area” button sits at the bottom of the screen. Tap on that, and you’re offered all sorts of ways to select (like draw a circle, or use the classic Magic Wand). You can even zoom in to the pixel level to make adjustments on what you select. But its newest option is called “tap select.” And it means that you can simply tap on a photo’s subjects (people, buses, plants) to highlight them, so editing on a phone stays easy. Richmond says it was this and related breakthroughs in touch accuracy—born from the most recent AI technologies—that convinced Adobe that real Photoshop Mobile was feasible. Once something is highlighted, a new menu appears to help with wayfinding in the app. Adobe uses a combination of proven workflows and contextual UI to guide you to your next step. In this case, options appear to modify just this highlighted portion of the image (perhaps you want to use generative fill on that area, or change the color). Select whatever option you like, and that work becomes a new layer. [Image: Adobe]And gosh, those layers look lovely. They appear on the right side of your screen as thumbnails, always in reach. And you tap in to adjust their properties or reorder them on the stack, just like you can on a desktop. Still, the experience is specifically not the desktop. Yes, Adobe’s tens of thousands of fonts and Stock gradients and images are available for building new layers and masks. But no, you don’t have every possible button you can imagine there all the time. And countless sub-features—especially appearance options—have been left out of the mobile app. Adobe has limited functionality in part just to ship v1.0 of the product, and in part because it believes that this more focused approach to workflows can bring in a new generation of users to Photoshop, coaxing them ahead with a project to discover the power of selection tools and layering from the jump. “It’s figuring out how to play this kind of musical instrument,” says Richmond, explaining that the notes in Photoshop are “layers, selections, masks, and appearance.” He adds: “We’ve been . . . trying to figure out if there are easier, faster ways to get started and really understand these concepts, because once you unlock them, it’s open-ended exploration.” The business impact of Photoshop MobileMake no mistake: Adobe needs Photoshop on the iPhone to woo the majority of creators today—from a generation of young designers hooked on the quick construction tools of Canva to content creators who use a sea of different apps and, often, social media’s own design tools to create their statement. Quite simply, it does not matter if Photoshop and the accompanying Creative Cloud is the most powerful editing software in the world on a desktop for a world hooked on good-enough production on a phone. However, the company is banking on the mobile market expanding its potential audience, because even as we’re nearly two decades into modern smartphones, there still isn’t a perfect analog for Photoshop on phones—the kind of ubiquitous software that allows deep-editing capability in a world reliant on filters and pre-chewed layouts. “Creators, whether or not they become professionals, really have that desire to express themselves in a unique way,” says Ashley Still, GM of Adobe Creative Cloud. “They want to make sure that the content they’re creating is not just another template, that it represents their unique voice.” Still is confident in the higher end of the mobile market after studying the public’s response to Adobe photo editing program Lightroom on mobile. Originally launched in 2015, the app has been a success story for the company. Lightroom’s users on mobile now outnumber its users on desktop, and Still believes the same will prove true for Photoshop in the next few years. Then, with Lightroom, Photoshop, and Express, she imagines a new creative workflow coming to the phone, where you can touch up an image in Lightroom, edit it with layers in Photoshop, then add text and other production elements in Express. Firefly image generation can sneak into this loop, too, turning one’s phone into a fairly capable Adobe editing suite. In some ways, that sounds like Adobe’s strategy from a decade ago, when it was launching micro apps that handed off specialized functions to slice and dice media. The difference now, however, is that Adobe’s mobile apps are growing more capable and equivalent in scope to their desktop counterparts. “It’s hard to make a single app best at everything,” Still concedes, noting, “a lot of the magic is also going to happen with workflows across the applications.” Adobe imagines that pro users, in particular, will choose to start a project on their phone but fine-tune it on a desktop. The company does not want to be prescriptive, Still insists, saying that Adobe apps won’t offer complete feature parity across surfaces, but they should be optimized for where you meet them. [Image: Adobe]“One of the things that I think we also didn’t get quite right with [Photoshop on] the iPad is the expectation that we set within the community of the roles that these different devices play,” she says. The challenge for Adobe now is, first, getting a working Photoshop app on Android, where the majority of smartphone users in the world reside. And then, second and more ongoing, figuring out how well all of its Photoshop “select and do” workflows really operate in the wild, while folding in the most demanded, most feasible add-ons into the product in a monthly release cadence. “There’s a line in the sand where, like, we can’t keep it inside the building anymore,” says Richmond. “We need to put it out there so we can see what happens at scale.” View the full article

If you feel like you’re being pulled in different directions with your SEO program, you aren’t alone. How do you know where to focus first for the most impact? And when that’s done, what do you do next? It can be challenging to decide which SEO tasks to prioritize because they all impact the end user in some way – but some more than others. This is where discernment comes into play. This article will help you build a path to get your SEO program organized from point A to point B and figure out how to prioritize tasks to get ROI quicker. Frameworks for identifying high-impact SEO opportunities When every SEO task feels urgent, knowing where to focus first can make or break your strategy. These three frameworks can help you prioritize what moves the needle. 1. Technical SEO audit A technical SEO audit is your roadmap for identifying and fixing the issues that directly impact search visibility and user experience. The right audit reveals the most urgent technical barriers to ranking – and helps you prioritize based on impact. But not all audits are created equal. Here’s a breakdown of the different types: Basic SEO audit This is where automated software scans your site and flags common SEO issues. While the insights can be helpful, they come in a generic, one-size-fits-all report. This type of audit is ideal if you’re working with a tight budget or just want to get a basic overview before bringing in an expert. It’s never a bad idea, but it won’t provide an in-depth analysis. Mid-level SEO audit Here, you can expect a professional SEO specialist or vendor to go beyond automated reports and offer additional insights that software alone might miss. While these can pinpoint issues that require attention, they may not provide detailed solutions. This approach is useful when you need to identify potential problem areas but aren’t ready for a full-scale SEO strategy. Comprehensive SEO audit This is a full technical audit conducted by experienced technical SEOs. This deep dive involves top-tier tools, data analysis, and an in-depth website and SEO review by skilled analysts specializing in technical SEO and business strategy. Tools assist the process, but the real value comes from expert analysis, which makes it a time-intensive but highly valuable investment. Knowing these key differences in audits can help you make an informed decision before you invest. Dig deeper: Technical SEO: Don’t rush the process 2. The Eisenhower Matrix The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool for prioritizing tasks by urgency and importance. Applying it to your SEO strategy helps you determine which tasks need immediate attention and which can wait. To get started, divide tasks into four quadrants: Quadrant 1: Urgent and important These are the critical issues that directly impact rankings and user experience. For example, this could be a slow site or fixing a misconfigured robots.txt file that is blocking search engines from crawling and indexing key pages. Whatever tasks you put in this category will be non-negotiable. Addressing these items can sometimes have an immediate impact on your ability to compete. Quadrant 2: Important but not urgent These will be the longer-term strategies that build sustainable growth. For instance, maybe developing a long-term content strategy focused on topic authority and evergreen content falls here. These efforts don’t require immediate attention but are essential for long-term SEO success. Quadrant 3: Urgent but not important This bucket is for handling tasks that are time-sensitive but don’t significantly influence rankings or user experience. This could be something like responding to a minor Google Search Console alert about a non-critical issue. While these tasks may not have a high impact, taking care of them prevents minor issues from accumulating into big projects. Quadrant 4: Neither urgent nor important Anything that falls into this category is something you avoid. One example might be spending hours tweaking meta descriptions that already meet best practices without significant SEO gains. These activities consume time and resources without delivering meaningful results. Using the Eisenhower Matrix helps your SEO by enhancing: Clarity: Identify and fix what demands attention now versus what can wait. Efficiency: Prioritize the highest ROI tasks without getting bogged down. Focus: Stay aligned with business goals, eliminating distractions. 3. The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of efforts. In SEO, focusing on the most impactful tasks helps you drive faster, more meaningful results without spreading yourself too thin. Keyword targeting It’s common for a small subset of your keywords to drive most organic traffic. Instead of spreading your efforts thin across all keywords, focus on optimizing the ones that deliver the most value. Use SEO tools to identify the top-performing 20% of keywords that bring in most of your traffic and conversions. Prioritize pages that rank between Positions 5 and 20 for those high-value keywords. These are low-hanging fruit that can move up with improvements. Expand content for high-value keywords by answering related questions and creating supporting content. Content focus Most of your website’s traffic and engagement likely comes from a handful of high-performing pages. Instead of endlessly creating new content, invest in improving the 20% of pages that already generate the most traffic and leads. Identify your top 20% of pages by traffic and conversions using analytics tools. Revamp those pages by updating outdated content to enhance optimization and engagement. Create supporting content to build topical authority around your best pages. Technical fixes Technical SEO can feel overwhelming because there’s always more to fix. But, a small subset of technical issues typically has the most impact on site performance. Focus on fixing the top 20% of technical issues that cause 80% of your performance problems. Prioritize high-impact fixes like: Resolving crawl errors so search engines can access your site. Improving page load speed for user experience and rankings. Fixing broken links to avoid losing link equity and frustrating users. Optimizing usability to retain visitors and improve your ability to compete in the search results. Dig deeper: Prioritizing SEO strategies: Where to focus your efforts Having a framework for approaching your SEO program helps you stay organized. Within that framework, you must consider how you will execute both short-term wins and longer-term strategies. Balancing long-term strategies with quick wins To succeed in SEO, you must balance short-term wins with long-term growth. Quick wins can show immediate improvements, but foundational efforts are what build lasting authority. To achieve the best results, it’s important to defer resources to both. Quick wins Quick wins are tactical SEO tasks that can be implemented quickly to produce noticeable results. These tasks usually involve optimizing existing content or resolving certain technical issues. They may not require large investments of time or resources but can lead to meaningful improvements in rankings, traffic, or user experience. What constitutes a quick win? Tasks that are simple to implement. Things that address known website performance issues. Fixes that improve both search engine visibility and user experience. Examples of SEO quick wins include: Fixing technical errors, like resolving 404 pages, broken links, and crawl issues. Improving site speed. Optimizing existing content by adding internal links, updating outdated information, or including relevant keywords. Quick wins are valuable because they deliver early signs of progress. This helps build momentum and gain stakeholder buy-in. However, relying solely on quick wins isn’t enough to achieve a sustainable SEO program. That’s where long-term strategies come in. Long-term strategies Long-term strategies require more time and effort but are key to creating a strong foundation. These strategies help your website become more authoritative, trustworthy, and relevant in the eyes of both search engines and your audience. Examples of long-term strategies include: Content creation that targets important keywords and answers user questions in-depth. Try SEO siloing to build authority around a topic. Earning backlinks through your high-quality content and partnerships. Refreshing top-performing content to make sure it remains evergreen and relevant. I recommend spending 50% of your content resources on maintaining older but high-performing content. Continuing education so you can stay ahead of the curve. Consider annual SEO training with additional learning opportunities throughout the year. Search evolves fast, and you want to be able to forecast what’s coming up so you can start working on it early. Foundational efforts don’t deliver instant results, but as your site’s authority grows, you’ll see compounding benefits with higher rankings, more traffic, and increased user trust. Fast gains, lasting growth: Crafting a balanced SEO plan A good SEO roadmap should include both short-term quick wins and long-term projects. But where to start? Here’s one scenario: You could focus 70% of your time on quick wins early on to show immediate results and 30% on long-term efforts. Over time, you might adjust the balance to a 50/50 split as your site becomes more stable and foundational work becomes a bigger priority. Dig deeper: 3 quick SEO wins to kick-start growth next year Focus on what matters most for lasting results Prioritizing your SEO strategies is the key to driving meaningful results. SEO isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about doing the right things at the right time. When you focus on high-impact tasks and continuously refine your approach, you’ll build a more competitive search engine presence that pays off for years to come. View the full article

I’m going on a book tour! My next book, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day, is coming out on March 25th and I’m going on a book tour to talk about it and the current state of travel! This is my first book tour in six years and I’m very excited to get out there and talk about how travel has changed as well as hang out with readers of this site! The last edition of my book came out in 2017 and, since then, a lot has changed. COVID forever changed the travel industry. A lot of companies/hotels/hostels closed during the pandemic while old methods of saving money became obsolete and new methods came into being. And, since 2017, prices have gone up. A lot. Not only because of natural inflation but because of the post-COVID inflation boom. (As you’ve probably noticed, it’s not as cheap to travel as it was back in 2017!) Since travel has changed so much, I wanted the new book to reflect the current conditions we travelers face when it comes to planning a trip, saving money, and navigating regions around the world. The book is focused on long-term travelers, but it’s also just for anyone who just wants to save money when they travel. The tips and tricks can be applied to any trip of any length. So, come meet me on book tour and learn how to travel smarter for less this year! Here are my tour dates and how to sign up: March 26th: New York City – The Strand, 7pm. Sign up here! March 28th: Chicago – Barbara’s, 6pm. Sign up here! April 1st: Austin – Location and time TBD. April 3: San Diego – Warwick’s, 7:30pm. Sign up here! April 8: San Francisco – Book Passage, 5:30pm. Sign up here! April 10th: Los Angeles – Location and time TBD. April 16: Portland – Powell’s, 7pm. Sign up here! Note: I’m working on adding a few more locations to the tour! I’ll add new destinations as they come. You’ll be able to get the book at any tour stop but, if I’m not coming to your city and you still want the book, you can order the books from these fine establishments: Amazon Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble *** If you live in any of the cities above, I hope you’ll make out out to an event! And, if you’re not in any of those cities, please consider pre-ordering a copy. Pre-orders determine the print run of the book and how many copies local bookstores buy. The stronger the pre-sale orders, the more likely they are to stock the book so please order the book in advance! I’m really excited about this new edition of the book and I can’t wait to talk about it with you! Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are: SafetyWing (best for budget travelers) World Nomads (best for mid-range travelers) InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over) Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage) Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals. Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip! Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more. Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip. The post Come See Me on Book Tour! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. View the full article

The surge in anti-DEI sentiment, fueled by political actions, social pressures, and legal uncertainties creates a complex environment for organizations striving to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces. To navigate this turbulent environment and advance diversity, equity and inclusion, companies should focus on three key actions: 1. Tying DEI to outcomes, 2. Creating systems that focus on debiasing, 3. Building cultures of accountability. Understanding the backlash and how to defend against it The current DEI backlash creates a complex environment for companies that want to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces. To respond effectively, organizations must first understand the three sources of the backlash: The political backlash: The current political climate is undeniably hostile toward DEI. From executive orders dismantling federal DEI programs to legislative efforts like the “Dismantle DEI Act,” the message is clear: DEI initiatives are under attack. Since last year’s SCOTUS affirmative action decision and the closing of the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion, threats to the public sector have had a chilling effect on the private sector. The social battlefield: The social backlash against DEI is just as significant as the political one. Organizations face pressure from all sides, with some stakeholders demanding more aggressive DEI initiatives while others decry them as “woke” or divisive. Fear of alienating customers or facing boycotts can lead organizations to water down or avoid speaking publicly about their DEI efforts. And while cessation sensationalism may provide effective air cover for quietly continuing DEI work, what happens when there’s a disconnect between what a company says – or doesn’t say – and what it does? Our brains crave predictability. When we see contradictory actions and statements, it creates cognitive dissonance, which erodes trust and engagement. In fact, alignment between what an organization says and what it does is the foundation of organizational accountability. Therefore, organizations need to think about the impact of this strategy on their employees. The legal minefield: Although the law moves much more slowly than political and social forces, it is crucial for organizations to have a clear understanding of the legal framework governing DEI. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. However, as interpretation and application of laws are subject to change, organizations must stay informed about the latest legal developments to ensure compliance. This includes seeking legal counsel when necessary, conducting regular audits of DEI policies and practices, and staying abreast of any changes in legislation or judicial interpretation. Organizations must be prepared to defend their DEI initiatives against government scrutiny. They can mitigate legal risk in their DEI initiatives by avoiding the “three Ps”: 1. conferring preferences, 2. on protected groups, 3. with respect to palpable benefits. How companies can continue DEI work Despite these forces, organizations cannot afford to abandon their DEI efforts. DEI is not just a moral imperative; DEI is a business necessity. Research shows that when leveraged in the best way, diverse teams are more innovative and make better decisions, leading to improved performance and financial outcomes. According to a 2023 survey, inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovative, and they achieve 2.3 times more cash flow per employee., To navigate the current landscape and continue to reap the benefits of DEI, organizations must adopt a strategic and proactive approach, focusing on three key actions: Make the case for impact. Organizations must be able to articulate the “why” behind their DEI commitments in a way that resonates with diverse – and sometimes resistant – stakeholders. By articulating the “why,” organizations make DEI compelling, tapping into our intrinsic motivational brain networks. Research shows that adding a “what’s in it for me” allows others to align their own individual goals with those of the initiatives, making it more likely they’ll act upon them. This calls for moving beyond the moral case for DEI to prove its tangible value. We have developed a science-based framework that outlines the tangible benefits of DEI and provides practical guidance on how to achieve them. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing diversity and habituating inclusion to drive business success and create a more just, sustainable work environment for everyone. It provides a roadmap for organizations to measure the impact of their DEI initiatives and demonstrate their return on investment. In today’s climate, where DEI is facing increased scrutiny, it is more critical than ever for organizations to articulate the business case for DEI and demonstrate its value. Embrace the power of de-biasing: Debiasing is a powerful tool for building fair and inclusive systems and processes. By removing unconscious bias from decision-making, organizations can create an equitable environment where merit matters. Thus, even those who oppose DEI from a “meritocracy” standpoint cannot reasonably argue against debiasing, Yoshino says. At the individual level, this means understanding and mitigating unconscious bias. Interpersonally, it calls for changing behaviors, adopting habits of inclusion, and enabling psychological safety in teams. At the institutional level, implementing strategies such as blind recruitment, structured interviews, and standardized performance evaluations can sustain individual and interpersonal progress. Ongoing education and training maintain and increase awareness of unconscious bias and equip individuals with the skills to mitigate its impact. Organizations can move beyond simply acknowledging the existence of unconscious bias to actively addressing it and creating a more inclusive workplace where everyone can deliver value. Build a culture of accountability: Accountability is the backbone of any successful DEI strategy. It’s not enough to simply have policies in place; organizations must ensure that these policies are translated into action, both for their employees and their customers. Not only does organizational accountability boost employee engagement and performance, it is also a predictor of long-term organizational performance. Inclusive leadership calls for accountability, both in modeling and ensuring inclusive behaviors. Neuroleadership Institute research has revealed two distinct forms of accountability that can apply to how we continue DEI work. Many organizations default to a punitive form of accountability — like withholding bonuses — that focuses on blame and punishment, hindering progress and creating a toxic environment. Fostering a proactive culture of accountability, on the other hand, frames accountability as a challenge and opportunity for growth. For DEI work, this means creating and communicating the “why” behind initiatives, establishing success metrics, and sharing outcomes with employees and customers. Proactive accountability, supported by neuroscience, drives individuals and organizations to achieve goals and own outcomes. This fosters trust among stakeholders, ultimately leading to improved results. Inclusive leadership development can create ownership and empowerment by redefining DEI accountability as a necessity for positive business outcomes. Looking Ahead The road ahead for DEI is bumpy, winding, and fraught with challenges. It is also paved with opportunities. By embracing a strategic and proactive approach, organizations can withstand the present to win the future in an increasingly diverse world. This is a defining moment for DEI. Organizations that rise to the occasion will not only reap the rewards of a diverse and inclusive workforce but also contribute to a more just and equitable society. By weaving DEI into their business goals, eliminating bias from their systems, and fostering cultures of accountability, organizations can navigate the turbulent waters ahead and emerge stronger and more inclusive than ever before. Janet M. Stovall, CDE, is the Global Head of D&I at the NeuroLeadership Institute. View the full article

Treasury yields have declined amid signs US economic growth is slowingView the full article

Few self-help ideas are as prevalent and widely celebrated as the advice to “just be yourself.” Whether in job interviews, workplace interactions, or career choices, we are frequently encouraged to act “authentically”—without compromise or concern for external pressures. While this sounds comforting and empowering, authenticity as an interpersonal strategy is fundamentally flawed and at odds with hundreds of scientific studies on emotional intelligence, social skills, and career success. As I illustrate in my forthcoming book, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated and What To Do Instead, authenticity is not a helpful life hack, but rather a misguided notion that can easily backfire and lead to undesirable and counterproductive behaviors. Although there is no universal definition of authenticity, at its core, mainstream conceptualizations boil down to four general rules or principles: Always be honest—with others and yourself. Stop worrying about what others think of you. Follow your “heart” and values no matter what. Bring your whole self to work. Despite their appeal and likely good intentions, there are multiple problems with each of these rules, namely: 1. The pitfalls of honesty The advice to always be honest assumes that truthfulness is inherently beneficial, but this is not true. For starters, we lie to ourselves all the time, which makes it rather hard to be honest with others. For all the potential advantages of self-awareness, self-deception is the norm, and humans are prewired to interpret reality in self-serving ways. There is a practical reason for this: People with an inflated sense of their abilities tend to impress others more easily. Put plainly, bullshit is self-fulfilling: The more you BS yourself, the easier it is for you to BS others. In contrast, those who accurately assess their limitations often struggle to project confidence, for self-doubt and self-criticism are also contagious. Being honest with yourself is also rather painful: There is a reason the technical term for people who are capable of interpreting reality in accurate terms is “depressive realists.” Furthermore, deception—especially in the form of white lies—serves a practical purpose in professional settings. Job interviews, performance evaluations, and workplace interactions tend to reward those who present a polished, strategic version of themselves rather than an unfiltered one. Even when people tell you they value authenticity, they prefer you to be rewarding to deal with, which means telling them what they want to hear rather than what you think they need to hear, even if the former requires acting and faking while the latter requires truth-telling. 2. The importance of others’ opinions The idea that we should ignore what others think of us may sound romantic, and almost smell of freedom, but it is both unrealistic and counterproductive. Humans are social creatures whose success depends on reputation, trust, and relationships. Research in social psychology highlights that other people’s perception of us is critical to career advancement—hiring, promotions, and professional opportunities hinge not on how good we think you are, but on how good others think we are. Even when it comes to authenticity, a trait that is often valued by others, what matters is not how authentic we feel, but whether others find us authentic (trustworthy, reliable, predictable, and so on). This requires not just paying a great deal of attention to how people think of us, but also making the effort to impress them, which is the exact opposite to just being ourselves. Completely disregarding external opinions can make individuals seem abrasive, insensitive, entitled, and even narcissistic. Instead of ignoring or rejecting feedback, a more effective approach to interpersonal relations is to manage one’s image thoughtfully and carefully. Caring about what others think of you isn’t a threat to your self-love, and if you decide to ignore what people think of you in order to boost your self-love, that’s precisely how delusional narcissism manifests. Our reputation is not just constructed by others, but even owned by them. The only way to improve it is to understand how others see us, which requires paying a great deal of attention to other people’s views and opinions of us—this is not a sign of insecurity, but the essential hallmark of empathy and social skills. 3. The risks of blindly following your heart Popular culture romanticizes the idea of following one’s heart, but emotions and instincts are rarely reliable guides. In fact, they are the source of impulsive, regrettable, and biased decisions, not to mention the major cause of prejudice, polarization, and tribalization. Making choices purely based on feelings can lead to short-sighted or detrimental outcomes, and it is already our default tendency: As behavioral economists have shown, we tend to “think fast,” which is a euphemism for not thinking at all. Moreover, rigidly adhering to personal values without considering external factors—such as workplace culture and social norms—can create unnecessary friction. Effective professionals recognize that ethical decision-making involves nuance and compromise. Why be true to your values when you can be open to other people’s values, so you understand their perspective, feelings, and points of view? How are we meant to work together in a culture that recognizes and tolerates the rich diversity that underpins human nature, if we all stay rigidly put and fixed on our own values? Furthermore, what if your values are toxic. For example, you may value your own selfish interests over the wellbeing of others; you may value greed, power, status, and even stepping on other people’s toes, as well as taking advantage of those who are weak, naïve, or vulnerable. If that is the case, do we really want you to be true to your values? If some values are better than others, where do we draw the line—how do we know which values can be expressed, and which should be repressed? In short, it is only through having the self-critical humility and open-mindedness to question our values and their consequences, and make an effort to tolerate other people’s values, that we can truly aspire to collaborate and cooperate in a modern and civilized work culture. 4. The Myth of ‘bringing your whole self to work’ Encouraging employees to bring their “whole selves” to work suggests that complete transparency and personal expression are always beneficial. While workplace engagement improves when individuals feel comfortable being themselves, there is a fine line between authenticity and oversharing. There’s a difference between liking your job and erasing the boundaries between your professional and personal self. Professionalism requires emotional intelligence and situational awareness. Sharing too much personal information or treating colleagues as close friends can lead to misunderstandings, discomfort, or even reputational harm. If you assume your colleagues are interested in who you truly are, let alone desperate to meet your unfiltered and uninhibited self, think again. Your “whole self,” which includes your eccentric, inappropriate, and opinionated self, must surely be edited in a work environment. Different workplace cultures have different expectations—some encourage personal expression, while others prioritize formality. Being adaptable and reading social cues is far more effective than insisting on uninhibited authenticity. In the best-case scenario, your whole or true self may be someone who perhaps three or four people have learned to love. Needless to say, many people see work as just that, work, rather than a central part of their identity. This is what work has always been for the majority of people, something they do to get paid, make ends meet, and make a living. There are plenty of other sources of meaning outside one’s job or career, so the assumption that people want to blend or integrate their personal and professional selves is simply naïve. In short, authenticity is often presented as a golden rule for success, but real-world interactions require a more balanced approach. If anything, you are almost always better off not being yourself. Our freedom to “be ourselves” ends where our responsibilities to others begin, and a world in which everybody is just focused on being themselves and expecting others to adapt to their uncensored or unedited self would be an antisocial and chaotic world. Navigating professional environments effectively means knowing when to be genuine and when to engage in skillful and ethical deception to manage impressions and develop a reputation for being kind, caring, and not too authentic. View the full article

Microsoft seems to be testing a more fully AI-powered search engine, which may be named Copilot Search. Copilot is the name of Microsoft's AI features, formerly known as Bing Chat. View the full article

Some sites, hosted on some CDNs (content delivery networks), are experiencing a big spike in server response times for crawling, while seeing a drop in total crawl requests. So technically, the crawling has dropped but Google is taking much longer to crawl a lot less.View the full article

18 year old, publicly traded education technology company, Chegg, has sued Google over its AI Overviews and how it has hurt their traffic and revenue. Chegg has "filed a complaint against Google, which has unjustly retained traffic that has historically come to Chegg, impacting our acquisitions, revenue and employees," said Nathan Schultz, CEO of Chegg.View the full article

Struggling with Google not indexing your pages? Learn how to address crawling issues and build stand-alone pages for better visibility. The post Ask An SEO: Why Is Google Not Indexing My Pages? appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

If Trump wanted to take control, its constitutional protections are far from secure View the full article

Google is testing opening the normally closed/collapsed AI Answer box. Meaning, normally you need to manually tap to expand the answer, here Google is testing opening these boxes by default, without you needing to click expand.View the full article

What is a virtual assistant? Who is hiring them? Why does a business owner need one? Becoming a Virtual Assistant is a great fit for an entrepreneur with excellent organizational skills and tech-savvy. In this article, we’ll detail the key skills necessary for a virtual assistant job, the types of businesses that need virtual assistants, and the pathways you can take to become a virtual assistant. What is a Virtual Assistant? A virtual assistant is a professional who assists businesses with a wide range of tasks while communicating and handling their work remotely. They can serve a huge range of businesses and organizations, including the following: Entrepreneurs and Solopreneurs: Those who operate their own businesses frequently employ virtual assistants to manage administrative tasks, customer service, and various other responsibilities. This delegation enables them to concentrate on their primary business activities. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs): SMEs may lack the resources to hire full-time administrative staff, making virtual assistants a cost-effective solution for managing day-to-day operations, customer support, and other tasks. Startups: As startups grow, they frequently need flexible and scalable support services. Virtual assistants can help with a range of tasks, including data entry, social media management, and administrative support, enabling startups to operate efficiently while staying within tight budgets. Online Businesses: E-commerce businesses, digital marketing agencies, bloggers, and other online ventures often rely on virtual assistants to manage tasks such as content creation, social media management, email marketing, and customer support. Consulting Firms: Consulting firms often employ virtual assistants to assist consultants with various administrative duties, client communications, research, and project management. This support enables consultants to concentrate on providing high-value services to their clients. Real Estate: Real estate agents and property management companies often enlist virtual assistants to handle administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing listings, coordinating showings, and providing customer support. Legal and Accounting Professionals: Law firms, accounting firms, and individual practitioners may utilize virtual assistants to assist with administrative tasks, client communications, document preparation, and research, enabling professionals to focus on delivering legal and financial services. Healthcare Practices: Virtual assistants can support healthcare professionals such as doctors, therapists, and medical consultants by managing appointments, handling patient inquiries, maintaining medical records, and performing other administrative tasks. Coaches and Consultants: Coaches, consultants, and trainers often hire virtual assistants to manage their schedules, handle client communications, assist with marketing efforts, and provide general administrative support. Nonprofit Organizations: Nonprofits often operate with limited resources and staff. Virtual assistants can support nonprofit organizations by assisting with fundraising efforts, donor communications, event planning, and administrative tasks. These are just a few examples, but the demand for virtual assistants spans across virtually every industry and business sector where there is a need for administrative support and specialized services. Virtual Assistant Skills Virtual assistants can handle a wide range of tasks. So, various skills are beneficial for those entering this industry. Here are some of the most important: Scheduling Appointments This skill involves efficiently managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and scheduling appointments according to client preferences and availability. Data Entry Data entry involves accurately inputting and updating information into databases, spreadsheets, or other systems, ensuring the integrity and organization of data. Administrative Tasks Administrative tasks encompass a wide range of duties, such as managing emails, organizing files, drafting correspondence, and providing general support to clients to streamline their operations. Social Media Management Social media management entails the creation and curation of content, interaction with followers, scheduling of posts, and analysis of metrics to ensure a robust online presence for clients on different social media platforms. Calendar Management Calendar management entails maintaining and updating schedules, setting reminders, coordinating appointments, and ensuring that clients’ calendars are organized and optimized for efficiency. File Management File management involves the systematic organization and maintenance of digital files, folders, and documents, making sure that information is easily retrievable and securely stored. Marketing Tasks Marketing tasks involve assisting with various marketing activities such as market research, content creation, email campaigns, social media marketing, and tracking marketing analytics to support client’s promotional efforts. Customer Service Customer service skills are essential for effectively communicating with clients and addressing their inquiries, concerns, or requests in a professional and timely manner to ensure client satisfaction and retention. Skill/ResponsibilityDescriptionKey Components Scheduling AppointmentsEfficiently managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and scheduling appointments according to client preferences and availability.- Calendar coordination - Meeting setup - Time management Data EntryAccurately inputting and updating information into databases, spreadsheets, or other systems, ensuring the integrity and organization of data.- Typing accuracy - Database management - Information organization Administrative TasksEncompassing a wide range of duties such as managing emails, organizing files, drafting correspondence, and providing general support to clients.- Email management - File organization - Correspondence drafting Social Media ManagementCreating and curating content, engaging with followers, scheduling posts, and analyzing metrics to maintain a strong online presence for clients.- Content creation - Audience engagement - Metrics analysis Calendar ManagementMaintaining and updating schedules, setting reminders, coordinating appointments, and ensuring that clients' calendars are organized and optimized.- Schedule optimization - Reminder setup - Appointment coordination File ManagementOrganizing and maintaining digital files, folders, and documents in a systematic and accessible manner, ensuring easy retrieval and secure storage.- Document organization - Secure storage - Easy retrieval Marketing TasksAssisting with various marketing activities such as market research, content creation, email campaigns, social media marketing, and tracking analytics.- Market research - Content creation - Campaign management Customer ServiceEffectively communicating with clients and addressing their inquiries, concerns, or requests in a professional and timely manner.- Communication skills - Issue resolution - Client satisfaction Key Responsibilities of a Virtual Assistant The role of a Virtual Assistant (VA) can vary widely depending on the needs of the clients they serve and the industries they work in. Generally, a Virtual Assistant provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely, often from a home office. Here’s an overview of the spectrum of Virtual Assistant jobs available: Administrative Support: Managing emails, calendars, and appointments. Handling correspondence and communication with clients or stakeholders. Data entry and organization. Creating and maintaining spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. Making travel arrangements and managing itineraries. Providing customer support and managing inquiries. Personal Assistance: Providing support with personal tasks, including scheduling appointments, making reservations, and managing household expenses. Handling personal correspondence and managing social media accounts. Researching products, services, or travel options. Managing personal projects such as event planning or home organization. Technical Support: Providing technical assistance with software applications, websites, or online tools. Managing databases or CRM systems. Performing basic website maintenance tasks like updating content or plugins. Assisting with troubleshooting technical issues. Creative Support: Designing graphics or visual content for websites, social media, or marketing materials. Writing and editing content for blogs, newsletters, or marketing campaigns. Assisting with social media management, including content creation and scheduling. Video editing or audio transcription. Specialized Services: Offering niche services such as bookkeeping, transcription, translation, or legal assistance. Providing virtual event coordination or project management services. Offering coaching or consulting services in specific areas of expertise. The spectrum of Virtual Assistant jobs is broad, and virtual assistant companies often tailor their services to match their skills and interests with the needs of their clients. Some may specialize in one area, while others may offer a combination of services to serve a diverse client base. How to Become a Virtual Assistant If you’re interested in learning how to start a virtual assistant business, either on your own or with a team, read on for a detailed list of steps. Steps to Become a Virtual Assistant: Assess Your Skills and Interests: Assess your skills, strengths, and interests to pinpoint the services you can provide as a virtual assistant. Recognize the areas where you excel, including administrative tasks, social media management, or technical support. Acquire Necessary Skills and Training: Take courses or obtain certifications in relevant areas to enhance your skills and knowledge. Consider taking a virtual assistant course in administrative support, digital marketing, customer service, or specialized software tools commonly used by virtual assistants. Build a Professional Online Presence: Create a professional website and social media profiles to showcase your skills, services, and experience. Develop a strong online presence to attract potential clients and establish credibility in the virtual assistant industry. Define Your Services and Pricing Structure: Determine the services you will offer as a virtual assistant, such as administrative support, social media management, or specialized tasks. Define your pricing structure based on the complexity of services, your level of expertise, and market rates. Market Your Services: Utilize online marketing strategies such as social media marketing, content marketing, and email campaigns to promote your virtual assistant services. Network with potential clients, join online communities, and leverage freelancing platforms to find clients. Establish Client Relationships: Build relationships with clients by providing high-quality services, communicating effectively, and meeting their needs. Maintain professionalism, reliability, and responsiveness to ensure client satisfaction and retention. Set Up Efficient Work Systems: Establish efficient work systems and tools to manage tasks, projects, and client communications effectively. Use project management software, time-tracking tools, and communication platforms to streamline workflows and stay organized. Continuously Improve and Adapt: Stay updated on industry trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve your skills and stay competitive as a virtual assistant. Adapt to the evolving needs of clients and the virtual assistant market to grow your business. Starting a Virtual Assistant Business with Employees: Hire Experienced Virtual Assistants: Hire virtual assistants who possess varied skills and expertise to provide clients with a broad array of services. Seek candidates with relevant experience, excellent communication abilities, and the capacity to work independently. Define Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each virtual assistant based on their skills and strengths. Assign tasks and projects according to their expertise to maximize efficiency and productivity. Establish Communication and Collaboration Tools: Set up communication and collaboration tools such as messaging apps, project management software, and video conferencing platforms to facilitate seamless communication and teamwork among virtual assistants. Implement Quality Control Measures: Implement quality control measures to ensure consistency and accuracy in the services provided by virtual assistants. Develop standard operating procedures, provide training and feedback, and monitor performance to maintain high-quality standards. Provide Ongoing Support and Development: Support the professional development of virtual assistants by offering training, resources, and opportunities for skill enhancement. Provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and support to help virtual assistants excel in their roles. Scale Your Business: As your virtual assistant business grows, consider expanding your team and diversifying your services to meet the evolving needs of clients. Continuously assess market demand, identify growth opportunities, and scale your business strategically. Maintain a Positive Company Culture: Foster a positive company culture and a sense of community among virtual assistants, even though they may work remotely. Encourage collaboration, recognition, and open communication to create a supportive and productive work environment. Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant Cost-effectiveness, scalability, flexibility, access to diverse skills and expertise, increased productivity, time savings, and the ability to focus on core business activities. Tools and Technology for Virtual Assistants Virtual assistants utilize a variety of productivity apps, including Trello and Asana, as well as communication tools like Slack and Zoom. They also employ project management software such as Basecamp, time tracking tools, cloud storage services, and virtual meeting platforms. Main Challenges Faced by Virtual Assistants Balancing the demands of multiple clients, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, overcoming communication barriers, managing different time zones, addressing client turnover, and keeping up with technology and industry trends are all essential challenges. Future of Jobs in the Virtual Assistant Field Continued growth and demand for virtual assistants due to remote work trends, advancements in technology, and the increasing need for flexible support services across industries. Value of Hiring a Virtual Assistant Outsourcing non-core tasks to virtual assistants allows businesses to focus on strategic initiatives, increase efficiency, leverage specialized skills, and more effectively adapt to changing business needs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4FxxkMC360A%3Fsi%3DeFj14rKNUss61jER FAQs: What is a Virtual Assistant What is a Pinterest Virtual Assistant? A Pinterest virtual assistant is a virtual assistant specializing in managing Pinterest accounts for businesses or individuals. They help clients create and curate content, optimize pins for engagement, and grow their presence on the platform to drive traffic and sales. What Qualifications Necessary to Become a Virtual Assistant? Qualifications for a VA vary depending on the services offered, but common qualifications include strong communication skills, proficiency in relevant software/tools, organizational abilities, attention to detail, time management skills, and the ability to work independently. What is a Typical Virtual Assistant Salary? The salary range for virtual assistants can vary widely based on factors such as experience, skills, geographic location, and the services provided. So, how much do virtual assistants make per hour? On average, virtual assistants may earn anywhere from $15 to $50 per hour, with some highly experienced or specialized VAs commanding higher rates. How has Virtual Assistant Hiring Changed With Technology? Technology has transformed the VA position by enabling virtual assistants to work remotely and collaborate with clients worldwide. Advancements in communication tools, project management software, and automation have increased efficiency and expanded the scope of virtual assistant services offered by virtual assistants. Additionally, the rise of AI and machine learning may lead to the automation of certain tasks, prompting virtual assistants to adapt by focusing on higher-value services that require human creativity and judgment. Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is a Virtual Assistant?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

What is a virtual assistant? Who is hiring them? Why does a business owner need one? Becoming a Virtual Assistant is a great fit for an entrepreneur with excellent organizational skills and tech-savvy. In this article, we’ll detail the key skills necessary for a virtual assistant job, the types of businesses that need virtual assistants, and the pathways you can take to become a virtual assistant. What is a Virtual Assistant? A virtual assistant is a professional who assists businesses with a wide range of tasks while communicating and handling their work remotely. They can serve a huge range of businesses and organizations, including the following: Entrepreneurs and Solopreneurs: Those who operate their own businesses frequently employ virtual assistants to manage administrative tasks, customer service, and various other responsibilities. This delegation enables them to concentrate on their primary business activities. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs): SMEs may lack the resources to hire full-time administrative staff, making virtual assistants a cost-effective solution for managing day-to-day operations, customer support, and other tasks. Startups: As startups grow, they frequently need flexible and scalable support services. Virtual assistants can help with a range of tasks, including data entry, social media management, and administrative support, enabling startups to operate efficiently while staying within tight budgets. Online Businesses: E-commerce businesses, digital marketing agencies, bloggers, and other online ventures often rely on virtual assistants to manage tasks such as content creation, social media management, email marketing, and customer support. Consulting Firms: Consulting firms often employ virtual assistants to assist consultants with various administrative duties, client communications, research, and project management. This support enables consultants to concentrate on providing high-value services to their clients. Real Estate: Real estate agents and property management companies often enlist virtual assistants to handle administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing listings, coordinating showings, and providing customer support. Legal and Accounting Professionals: Law firms, accounting firms, and individual practitioners may utilize virtual assistants to assist with administrative tasks, client communications, document preparation, and research, enabling professionals to focus on delivering legal and financial services. Healthcare Practices: Virtual assistants can support healthcare professionals such as doctors, therapists, and medical consultants by managing appointments, handling patient inquiries, maintaining medical records, and performing other administrative tasks. Coaches and Consultants: Coaches, consultants, and trainers often hire virtual assistants to manage their schedules, handle client communications, assist with marketing efforts, and provide general administrative support. Nonprofit Organizations: Nonprofits often operate with limited resources and staff. Virtual assistants can support nonprofit organizations by assisting with fundraising efforts, donor communications, event planning, and administrative tasks. These are just a few examples, but the demand for virtual assistants spans across virtually every industry and business sector where there is a need for administrative support and specialized services. Virtual Assistant Skills Virtual assistants can handle a wide range of tasks. So, various skills are beneficial for those entering this industry. Here are some of the most important: Scheduling Appointments This skill involves efficiently managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and scheduling appointments according to client preferences and availability. Data Entry Data entry involves accurately inputting and updating information into databases, spreadsheets, or other systems, ensuring the integrity and organization of data. Administrative Tasks Administrative tasks encompass a wide range of duties, such as managing emails, organizing files, drafting correspondence, and providing general support to clients to streamline their operations. Social Media Management Social media management entails the creation and curation of content, interaction with followers, scheduling of posts, and analysis of metrics to ensure a robust online presence for clients on different social media platforms. Calendar Management Calendar management entails maintaining and updating schedules, setting reminders, coordinating appointments, and ensuring that clients’ calendars are organized and optimized for efficiency. File Management File management involves the systematic organization and maintenance of digital files, folders, and documents, making sure that information is easily retrievable and securely stored. Marketing Tasks Marketing tasks involve assisting with various marketing activities such as market research, content creation, email campaigns, social media marketing, and tracking marketing analytics to support client’s promotional efforts. Customer Service Customer service skills are essential for effectively communicating with clients and addressing their inquiries, concerns, or requests in a professional and timely manner to ensure client satisfaction and retention. Skill/ResponsibilityDescriptionKey Components Scheduling AppointmentsEfficiently managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and scheduling appointments according to client preferences and availability.- Calendar coordination - Meeting setup - Time management Data EntryAccurately inputting and updating information into databases, spreadsheets, or other systems, ensuring the integrity and organization of data.- Typing accuracy - Database management - Information organization Administrative TasksEncompassing a wide range of duties such as managing emails, organizing files, drafting correspondence, and providing general support to clients.- Email management - File organization - Correspondence drafting Social Media ManagementCreating and curating content, engaging with followers, scheduling posts, and analyzing metrics to maintain a strong online presence for clients.- Content creation - Audience engagement - Metrics analysis Calendar ManagementMaintaining and updating schedules, setting reminders, coordinating appointments, and ensuring that clients' calendars are organized and optimized.- Schedule optimization - Reminder setup - Appointment coordination File ManagementOrganizing and maintaining digital files, folders, and documents in a systematic and accessible manner, ensuring easy retrieval and secure storage.- Document organization - Secure storage - Easy retrieval Marketing TasksAssisting with various marketing activities such as market research, content creation, email campaigns, social media marketing, and tracking analytics.- Market research - Content creation - Campaign management Customer ServiceEffectively communicating with clients and addressing their inquiries, concerns, or requests in a professional and timely manner.- Communication skills - Issue resolution - Client satisfaction Key Responsibilities of a Virtual Assistant The role of a Virtual Assistant (VA) can vary widely depending on the needs of the clients they serve and the industries they work in. Generally, a Virtual Assistant provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely, often from a home office. Here’s an overview of the spectrum of Virtual Assistant jobs available: Administrative Support: Managing emails, calendars, and appointments. Handling correspondence and communication with clients or stakeholders. Data entry and organization. Creating and maintaining spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. Making travel arrangements and managing itineraries. Providing customer support and managing inquiries. Personal Assistance: Providing support with personal tasks, including scheduling appointments, making reservations, and managing household expenses. Handling personal correspondence and managing social media accounts. Researching products, services, or travel options. Managing personal projects such as event planning or home organization. Technical Support: Providing technical assistance with software applications, websites, or online tools. Managing databases or CRM systems. Performing basic website maintenance tasks like updating content or plugins. Assisting with troubleshooting technical issues. Creative Support: Designing graphics or visual content for websites, social media, or marketing materials. Writing and editing content for blogs, newsletters, or marketing campaigns. Assisting with social media management, including content creation and scheduling. Video editing or audio transcription. Specialized Services: Offering niche services such as bookkeeping, transcription, translation, or legal assistance. Providing virtual event coordination or project management services. Offering coaching or consulting services in specific areas of expertise. The spectrum of Virtual Assistant jobs is broad, and virtual assistant companies often tailor their services to match their skills and interests with the needs of their clients. Some may specialize in one area, while others may offer a combination of services to serve a diverse client base. How to Become a Virtual Assistant If you’re interested in learning how to start a virtual assistant business, either on your own or with a team, read on for a detailed list of steps. Steps to Become a Virtual Assistant: Assess Your Skills and Interests: Assess your skills, strengths, and interests to pinpoint the services you can provide as a virtual assistant. Recognize the areas where you excel, including administrative tasks, social media management, or technical support. Acquire Necessary Skills and Training: Take courses or obtain certifications in relevant areas to enhance your skills and knowledge. Consider taking a virtual assistant course in administrative support, digital marketing, customer service, or specialized software tools commonly used by virtual assistants. Build a Professional Online Presence: Create a professional website and social media profiles to showcase your skills, services, and experience. Develop a strong online presence to attract potential clients and establish credibility in the virtual assistant industry. Define Your Services and Pricing Structure: Determine the services you will offer as a virtual assistant, such as administrative support, social media management, or specialized tasks. Define your pricing structure based on the complexity of services, your level of expertise, and market rates. Market Your Services: Utilize online marketing strategies such as social media marketing, content marketing, and email campaigns to promote your virtual assistant services. Network with potential clients, join online communities, and leverage freelancing platforms to find clients. Establish Client Relationships: Build relationships with clients by providing high-quality services, communicating effectively, and meeting their needs. Maintain professionalism, reliability, and responsiveness to ensure client satisfaction and retention. Set Up Efficient Work Systems: Establish efficient work systems and tools to manage tasks, projects, and client communications effectively. Use project management software, time-tracking tools, and communication platforms to streamline workflows and stay organized. Continuously Improve and Adapt: Stay updated on industry trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve your skills and stay competitive as a virtual assistant. Adapt to the evolving needs of clients and the virtual assistant market to grow your business. Starting a Virtual Assistant Business with Employees: Hire Experienced Virtual Assistants: Hire virtual assistants who possess varied skills and expertise to provide clients with a broad array of services. Seek candidates with relevant experience, excellent communication abilities, and the capacity to work independently. Define Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each virtual assistant based on their skills and strengths. Assign tasks and projects according to their expertise to maximize efficiency and productivity. Establish Communication and Collaboration Tools: Set up communication and collaboration tools such as messaging apps, project management software, and video conferencing platforms to facilitate seamless communication and teamwork among virtual assistants. Implement Quality Control Measures: Implement quality control measures to ensure consistency and accuracy in the services provided by virtual assistants. Develop standard operating procedures, provide training and feedback, and monitor performance to maintain high-quality standards. Provide Ongoing Support and Development: Support the professional development of virtual assistants by offering training, resources, and opportunities for skill enhancement. Provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and support to help virtual assistants excel in their roles. Scale Your Business: As your virtual assistant business grows, consider expanding your team and diversifying your services to meet the evolving needs of clients. Continuously assess market demand, identify growth opportunities, and scale your business strategically. Maintain a Positive Company Culture: Foster a positive company culture and a sense of community among virtual assistants, even though they may work remotely. Encourage collaboration, recognition, and open communication to create a supportive and productive work environment. Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant Cost-effectiveness, scalability, flexibility, access to diverse skills and expertise, increased productivity, time savings, and the ability to focus on core business activities. Tools and Technology for Virtual Assistants Virtual assistants utilize a variety of productivity apps, including Trello and Asana, as well as communication tools like Slack and Zoom. They also employ project management software such as Basecamp, time tracking tools, cloud storage services, and virtual meeting platforms. Main Challenges Faced by Virtual Assistants Balancing the demands of multiple clients, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, overcoming communication barriers, managing different time zones, addressing client turnover, and keeping up with technology and industry trends are all essential challenges. Future of Jobs in the Virtual Assistant Field Continued growth and demand for virtual assistants due to remote work trends, advancements in technology, and the increasing need for flexible support services across industries. Value of Hiring a Virtual Assistant Outsourcing non-core tasks to virtual assistants allows businesses to focus on strategic initiatives, increase efficiency, leverage specialized skills, and more effectively adapt to changing business needs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4FxxkMC360A%3Fsi%3DeFj14rKNUss61jER FAQs: What is a Virtual Assistant What is a Pinterest Virtual Assistant? A Pinterest virtual assistant is a virtual assistant specializing in managing Pinterest accounts for businesses or individuals. They help clients create and curate content, optimize pins for engagement, and grow their presence on the platform to drive traffic and sales. What Qualifications Necessary to Become a Virtual Assistant? Qualifications for a VA vary depending on the services offered, but common qualifications include strong communication skills, proficiency in relevant software/tools, organizational abilities, attention to detail, time management skills, and the ability to work independently. What is a Typical Virtual Assistant Salary? The salary range for virtual assistants can vary widely based on factors such as experience, skills, geographic location, and the services provided. So, how much do virtual assistants make per hour? On average, virtual assistants may earn anywhere from $15 to $50 per hour, with some highly experienced or specialized VAs commanding higher rates. How has Virtual Assistant Hiring Changed With Technology? Technology has transformed the VA position by enabling virtual assistants to work remotely and collaborate with clients worldwide. Advancements in communication tools, project management software, and automation have increased efficiency and expanded the scope of virtual assistant services offered by virtual assistants. Additionally, the rise of AI and machine learning may lead to the automation of certain tasks, prompting virtual assistants to adapt by focusing on higher-value services that require human creativity and judgment. Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is a Virtual Assistant?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

With ruthless purges of the US government, the president is tipping the scales towards autocracy View the full article

The Google Search Console API has been delayed for the past several days. Data is days behind the web interface and causing issued for those who use Looker Studio, Big Query and other solutions to see the Search Console data when accessed through the API.View the full article

Google seems to have added, for some merchants, a new section named Physical Stores to the Google Merchant Center Next console. In this section is random data from within the store's Google Business Profiles listing.View the full article

When Apple first introduced MagSafe for the iPhone in 2020, I did not fully appreciate it. iPhones had supported wireless charging for a few years at that point—and Android phones started doing so in 2012—and while MagSafe offered faster and less finicky charging, it didn’t really change how you use your phone. Over time, though, Apple’s magnetic charging and docking system has blossomed into an important piece of the Apple accessory ecosystem. All of which makes the lack of MagSafe on the new iPhone 16e a letdown. It’s not the only compromise Apple made in pursuit of a $600 price tag: It also has just one rear camera lens, only two color options, and a front camera notch that cuts out Dynamic Island features. But to me, the MagSafe omission stands as the biggest reason to seek out other iPhone options. Beyond the overnight charge Admittedly I still don’t use MagSafe for overnight charging. I keep an Anker 3-in-1 charger on my nightstand, and placing my iPhone up against the vertical charging stand is simple enough. The 7.5W charging speeds are slower than MagSafe’s 15W (or 25W, on the latest version), but that’s irrelevant for an eight-hour charge session. For me, MagSafe matters most in two scenarios: Power banks: I have a couple of portable batteries that snap onto the iPhone’s backside for a wireless top-up. They’ve been essential on trips where I’m using the camera and mapping extensively and don’t want to have charging anxiety toward the end of the day. Dashboard mounting: The car we use for family trips doesn’t support CarPlay, so my wife and I use a magnetic vent mount to keep one of our phones within reach for navigation and music. Beyond that, accessory makers have tapped into MagSafe in all kinds of other creative ways: MagSafe iPhone grips prevent you from dropping your phone. MagSafe laptop and monitor mounts work with Apple’s Continuity Camera feature to turn your iPhone into a webcam. There’s even a freestanding mount that tracks your face during video calls. MagSafe tripods, tripod mounts, and ring lights can help out in photo shoots. MCON is working on a magnetic iPhone game controller that fits in your pocket. Double magnet rings let you attach an iPhone to all kinds of surfaces—including other iPhones. You may be familiar with MagSafe wallets, but what about MagSafe notepads? Meanwhile, Apple’s using MagSafe to turn iPhones into miniature smart displays using StandBy mode, which shows time, photos, and widgets when the phone is charging in landscape mode. I’m in the market for a desktop charger and will be seeking out MagSafe for StandBy in particular. As a frequent iPhone-to-Android switcher, I’ve tried to minimize the number of pain points that arise when bouncing between ecosystems, but MagSafe is a big one. I typically go back to the iPhone while traveling just to make use my existing MagSafe accessories, and it’s odd for Apple to exclude the feature from any of its phones as the MagSafe ecosystem continues to grow. In theory, MagSafe shouldn’t be this much of a differentiator for the iPhone. The open Qi2 standard, to which Apple was a main contributor, allows any phone to have similar magnetic attachments with 15W charging speeds, But while Qi2 has been available for more than year now, major Android device makers still aren’t building it into their phones,, so they can’t tap any of the accessories designed for magnetic charging and docking. The work-arounds Those who buy an iPhone 16e won’t be entirely frozen out of the MagSafe ecosystem. The phone still supports standard wireless charging, and lots of iPhone cases have built-in magnets that snap tightly onto MagSafe accessories. With a compatible case—or even just a MagSafe sticker—iPhone 16e owners could still use MagSafe accessories and chargers, albeit at slower charging speeds. Still, the lack of built-in MagSafe is an issue for anyone who prefers a caseless phone, uses a lightweight protective bumper, or has a case thin enough to support MagSafe accessories without its own magnets. Besides, Apple still markets the iPhone around caseless use—for instance, with ads that point to its durability—so it’s probably not assuming that all of its users will have a case to use with MagSafe accessories. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 15 for $699, which is $100 less than the iPhone 16e, but the refurbished and used markets offer considerable discounts. Back Market and Amazon, for instance, sell like-new refurbished iPhone 15 models with one-year warranties for $540 and $529, respectively. While the iPhone 16e improves on the iPhone 15 in some ways—longer battery life, newer processor with Apple Intelligence support, and an Action Button—I’d rather have MagSafe than any of those features. At this point, it’s hard to imagine using an iPhone without it. View the full article

Stablecoin nationalism meets attention-economy fatigueView the full article

In the franchise industry, 7-11 has truly humble beginnings. An owner in Dallas, Texas, ran 16 icehouse companies in 1927. All were thriving. There was no reason to make any changes. However, one of the managers had an inspiration for a business franchise. He asked the owner for permission to start selling bread, milk, and eggs. This idea proved to be extremely successful, and soon, all the stores began adopting it. They named these stores “Tote’m” stores. In 1964, the company acquired 126 SpeeDee Marts in California. Every year, there were more and more franchises. Currently, there are 78,029 7-11s in 19 countries, with 135,000 employees. There’s even a 7-Eleven in Japan. As franchises go, the 7-Eleven franchise is one of the easiest to start. Still interested? Time to learn more. READ MORE: Buy Your First Franchise: Secrets Revealed Basic Facts About the 7-11 Convenience Stores Franchise The original 7-11 was the store hours, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Now stores are open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. You may be able to get into a 7-Eleven franchise with 65% financing. That’s incredible in the franchise business. The folks who review 7-Eleven franchise applicants like to see a resume with 5-10 years of convenience store management and also encourage military veterans to apply. The company is known for its quick response to requests for information from interested entrepreneurs. The startup process for this specific franchise can take as little as 30 days, with a typical range of 30 to 90 days. The longer timelines are usually associated with retrofitted or remodeled buildings, as remodeling generally requires more time than constructing a new building from the ground up. The 7-11 franchise runs under other names in various parts of the country. They are known as Speedway in the Midwest and East Coast, and as Stripes in the South Central United States. As a franchise 7-11 is consistently ranked high by its new owners for its communications between corporate and the current franchisee’s interest. 7-11 Franchise Cost The initial fee depends on the specific type of 7 11 franchise you select. The different types of 7-Eleven franchises include: Traditional – one person owns the 7-Eleven franchise business Multi-unit – a great number of 7-Eleven franchise owners go on to expand and own multiple stores. Business Conversion program – 7-Eleven will take a look at an existing business structure and determine whether or not it can be turned into a 7-Eleven store. 7-Eleven has a good track record of retrofitting existing owned structures. 7-11 Franchise Fee Considering the varying options above, the total investment for a new 7-Eleven owner can range from $37,000 to $1.6 million. Within that total investment is a sliding scale of 7-Eleven franchise fees, which can range from $15,000 to $58,500. The franchise fee varies depending on the type of business you are opening. 7-Eleven pays special attention to military veterans who are seeking to own one of its finances. Veterans and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. 7-11 Franchise Profit 7-Eleven franchises have a ton of brand strength and exclusive territory – all things that a franchisee appreciates. 7-Eleven also has local training centers and immediately responds to queries from the franchisor. The company will send you free info and soon reach out to you to provide more information about franchise operations. For aspiring entrepreneurs, owning 7 11 franchises offers an excellent opportunity in a growing industry. Franchisees receive substantial support and training. 7-11 Franchise Owner’s Salary The company reports that the new 7-Eleven franchise owner typically makes $50,000 in the first year. You make 5% of the store sales. A franchisee should make $75,000 in the second year. Compared to other businesses, that’s a great record in franchising. The amount you make is up to you – how much you can do to boost store sales. 7-11 Franchise Requirements Here are the essential financial requirements you should be aware of if you’re interested in becoming a 7 11 franchise owner. Net Worth The franchisor will want to see a net worth of at least $150,000. Liquid Capital Franchisees’ liquid capital should range between $50,000 and $150,000. Minimum Investment To open your doors and start selling to customers, franchisees need about $37,000. The additional funds will cover inventory and equipment such as shelving and racks. Financing Unlike other franchises, the 7 11 franchise may provide financing options that allow you to include the initial franchise fee along with your other fees and mortgage. The company aims to support aspiring entrepreneurs. Training You’ll have to sign up to attend training which will be offered at local locations. What’s Included in a 7 11 Franchise Disclosure Document? The franchisee will receive a franchise disclosure document. That is an important part of the presale “due diligence” for incoming franchisees buying into the company. The Franchise Disclosure should help you decide whether or not franchising is for you, and if you can operate it successfully. The Franchise Disclosure Document is not the same as the Franchise Agreement. The Franchise Agreement is the legal document you’ll sign after all questions about financing, operations and fees have been answered. Is Opening 7 11 Franchises Worth It? A convenience store becomes a vital part of a community for the services and products they provide. Suppose you look at Entrepreneur Media Inc., third-party sources rate 7-Elevenas as a top company, especially in terms of support. After the initial start-up fees, there will be an annual advertising fee. The franchisor covers any accidental damages to equipment inside and outside the store. That’s why the 7-Eleven franchising businesses are popular with many owners. The owners are people who enjoy being part of a neighborhood and providing services to the people who live there. How strong are your business and people skills? You’ll be the neighborhood “Go To” spot. If you relish that role and will be courteous and hard-working, you’ll get repeat customers. And you’ll join the ranks of successful franchise owners. READ MORE: 36 Shop Business Ideas Is a Franchise Right for Me? Image: Depositphotos This article, "7-11 Franchise Ownership FAQs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In the franchise industry, 7-11 has truly humble beginnings. An owner in Dallas, Texas, ran 16 icehouse companies in 1927. All were thriving. There was no reason to make any changes. However, one of the managers had an inspiration for a business franchise. He asked the owner for permission to start selling bread, milk, and eggs. This idea proved to be extremely successful, and soon, all the stores began adopting it. They named these stores “Tote’m” stores. In 1964, the company acquired 126 SpeeDee Marts in California. Every year, there were more and more franchises. Currently, there are 78,029 7-11s in 19 countries, with 135,000 employees. There’s even a 7-Eleven in Japan. As franchises go, the 7-Eleven franchise is one of the easiest to start. Still interested? Time to learn more. READ MORE: Buy Your First Franchise: Secrets Revealed Basic Facts About the 7-11 Convenience Stores Franchise The original 7-11 was the store hours, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Now stores are open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. You may be able to get into a 7-Eleven franchise with 65% financing. That’s incredible in the franchise business. The folks who review 7-Eleven franchise applicants like to see a resume with 5-10 years of convenience store management and also encourage military veterans to apply. The company is known for its quick response to requests for information from interested entrepreneurs. The startup process for this specific franchise can take as little as 30 days, with a typical range of 30 to 90 days. The longer timelines are usually associated with retrofitted or remodeled buildings, as remodeling generally requires more time than constructing a new building from the ground up. The 7-11 franchise runs under other names in various parts of the country. They are known as Speedway in the Midwest and East Coast, and as Stripes in the South Central United States. As a franchise 7-11 is consistently ranked high by its new owners for its communications between corporate and the current franchisee’s interest. 7-11 Franchise Cost The initial fee depends on the specific type of 7 11 franchise you select. The different types of 7-Eleven franchises include: Traditional – one person owns the 7-Eleven franchise business Multi-unit – a great number of 7-Eleven franchise owners go on to expand and own multiple stores. Business Conversion program – 7-Eleven will take a look at an existing business structure and determine whether or not it can be turned into a 7-Eleven store. 7-Eleven has a good track record of retrofitting existing owned structures. 7-11 Franchise Fee Considering the varying options above, the total investment for a new 7-Eleven owner can range from $37,000 to $1.6 million. Within that total investment is a sliding scale of 7-Eleven franchise fees, which can range from $15,000 to $58,500. The franchise fee varies depending on the type of business you are opening. 7-Eleven pays special attention to military veterans who are seeking to own one of its finances. Veterans and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. 7-11 Franchise Profit 7-Eleven franchises have a ton of brand strength and exclusive territory – all things that a franchisee appreciates. 7-Eleven also has local training centers and immediately responds to queries from the franchisor. The company will send you free info and soon reach out to you to provide more information about franchise operations. For aspiring entrepreneurs, owning 7 11 franchises offers an excellent opportunity in a growing industry. Franchisees receive substantial support and training. 7-11 Franchise Owner’s Salary The company reports that the new 7-Eleven franchise owner typically makes $50,000 in the first year. You make 5% of the store sales. A franchisee should make $75,000 in the second year. Compared to other businesses, that’s a great record in franchising. The amount you make is up to you – how much you can do to boost store sales. 7-11 Franchise Requirements Here are the essential financial requirements you should be aware of if you’re interested in becoming a 7 11 franchise owner. Net Worth The franchisor will want to see a net worth of at least $150,000. Liquid Capital Franchisees’ liquid capital should range between $50,000 and $150,000. Minimum Investment To open your doors and start selling to customers, franchisees need about $37,000. The additional funds will cover inventory and equipment such as shelving and racks. Financing Unlike other franchises, the 7 11 franchise may provide financing options that allow you to include the initial franchise fee along with your other fees and mortgage. The company aims to support aspiring entrepreneurs. Training You’ll have to sign up to attend training which will be offered at local locations. What’s Included in a 7 11 Franchise Disclosure Document? The franchisee will receive a franchise disclosure document. That is an important part of the presale “due diligence” for incoming franchisees buying into the company. The Franchise Disclosure should help you decide whether or not franchising is for you, and if you can operate it successfully. The Franchise Disclosure Document is not the same as the Franchise Agreement. The Franchise Agreement is the legal document you’ll sign after all questions about financing, operations and fees have been answered. Is Opening 7 11 Franchises Worth It? A convenience store becomes a vital part of a community for the services and products they provide. Suppose you look at Entrepreneur Media Inc., third-party sources rate 7-Elevenas as a top company, especially in terms of support. After the initial start-up fees, there will be an annual advertising fee. The franchisor covers any accidental damages to equipment inside and outside the store. That’s why the 7-Eleven franchising businesses are popular with many owners. The owners are people who enjoy being part of a neighborhood and providing services to the people who live there. How strong are your business and people skills? You’ll be the neighborhood “Go To” spot. If you relish that role and will be courteous and hard-working, you’ll get repeat customers. And you’ll join the ranks of successful franchise owners. READ MORE: 36 Shop Business Ideas Is a Franchise Right for Me? Image: Depositphotos This article, "7-11 Franchise Ownership FAQs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

“Competency checking” is a practice that imposes extra scrutiny on Black professionals and people of color, challenging their qualifications, intellect, and ability to advance. There are three primary ways competency checking is deployed in the modern workplace. The first is the assumption of Black intellectual inferiority and/or a lack of qualifications. This can manifest in low expectations, marginalization, and extreme micromanagement. (More simply: If someone assumes, consciously or unconsciously, that all Black people are intellectually inferior, they may question the person and their qualifications more closely during an interview and, once hired, pay much more attention to their work while looking for any mistakes.) The second method of competency checking is the expression, particularly of surprise or unease, with open displays of Black intelligence, which can trigger requests or demands to confirm how it was acquired and whether it’s the result of rote memorization or actual, integrated knowledge. This can manifest as dismissal, quizzing, argument, and tokenization. (If a Black person knows something that their white coworker doesn’t already know, the coworker’s reaction isn’t “I didn’t know that!” but more often “How do you know that?”) The third method of competency checking is activation, specifically the feeling of fear when confronted with a Black person who holds any authority, especially someone in a leadership position. This can manifest as requests for identification, undefined feelings of unfairness, anger, unease, and what I would describe as an “autoimmune level” rejection of Black leadership. While competency checking can happen to other people of color and, to some extent, white women, there are specific historical and cultural reasons why Black people seem to bear the brunt of it. This book is an exploration of these methods; when, how, and why they were created and implemented; and how they continue to have an outsize impact on Black people and other people of color at work. The idea that it is not incompetence that is holding back Black professionals is for many a foreign concept. That’s understandable, given that the narrative surrounding Black people—and the reason the workplace looks the way it does today—is that they don’t value education or that there’s no one in the hiring pipeline because there are so few qualified Black people, or that Black people want special treatment. What’s interesting is that both anecdotal and empirical evidence suggests that Black workers are getting a type of “special” treatment, just not the type that many people think. In 2019, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) released research that revealed the impact of race and racism in the workplace. That year was a hot labor market, and the U.S. saw the longest economic expansion in its history, with more than 100 consecutive months of job growth and more than 21 million jobs added. But the EPI’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics and Local Area Unemployment Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau data uncovered some surprising things: Per their report, “Black workers are twice as likely to be unemployed as white workers overall, even Black workers with a college degree are more likely to be unemployed than similarly educated white workers.” That unemployment “gap,” apparently, is “a pattern that has persisted for more than 40 years. In fact, this 2-to-1 ratio holds in practically every state in the nation where Black workers make up a significant share of the workforce.” I believe that gap is linked, especially when it comes to new hires and leadership, to competency checking. And it starts with a name. In 2024, The New York Times reported on research from the National Bureau of Economic Research about the impact of a “Black- or white-sounding” name on job applications. In a 2019 study, researchers sent 80,000 fake résumés for 10,000 job openings at 100 companies. The résumés were modified to imply different racial and gender identities, using names like “Latisha” or “Amy” to indicate a Black or white woman, respectively, and “Lamar” or “Adam” for a Black or white man. According to the resulting data, “on average, candidates believed to be white received contact from employers about 9.5% more frequently compared to those thought to be Black. This type of research is known as an audit study, and it was the largest of its kind in the United States. Ultimately, it found that “the results demonstrate how entrenched employment discrimination is in parts of the U.S. labor market—and the extent to which Black workers start behind in certain industries.” It’s not all doom and gloom: Some companies showed little to no bias when it came to screening applicants for entry-level positions. And while there is much to learn from the companies that “got it right,” we must remember that this study pertains solely to entry-level positions that do not require a college degree or extensive work experience. It also does not cover aspects of career progression or advancement opportunities within these companies, which are equally critical to understanding the full scope of how competency checking shows up in the workplace. From the book Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work by Shari Dunn. Copyright © 2025 by Shari Dunn. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers. View the full article