Author: knjohn

The Etsy Starter Checklist That Will Jumpstart Your Side Hustle | AllBusiness.com

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Starting an Etsy shop can be one of the most rewarding and creative ways to turn your hobby into a thriving side hustle. Whether you’re a crafter, baker, vintage treasure hunter, or digital product creator, Etsy offers a built-in audience and user-friendly platform for new entrepreneurs.

But launching your business successfully takes more than just uploading a few items and waiting for sales to roll in. With competition fierce and customer expectations high, the key to standing out and making money is preparation.

Here’s your complete Etsy starter checklist—created with insights and research assistance from ChatGPT—to help you launch your shop the right way and jumpstart your side hustle with confidence.

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Why a Sense of Urgency Matters in Business Deals | AllBusiness.com

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As a longtime M&A attorney, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist with over 200 major deals under my belt, I have learned a lot of important lessons. One important business lesson is that time is one of the most critical factors in determining the success of any deal or transaction. The saying “time is the enemy of all deals” highlights a fundamental truth in business: the longer it takes to negotiate, the more likely it is that the deal will fall apart.

Prolonged negotiations can lead to various complications, including new offers, deal fatigue, or miscommunication, all of which can derail a business agreement that seemed promising at the start. It’s essential to recognize that speed and decisiveness are often key factors in successfully closing deals.

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Salesforce Boosts AI Partnership with $1.5 Billion Genesys Investment | Small Biz Trends

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Small business owners navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of customer expectations may want to take note of a significant development in the AI customer experience (CX) space. Genesys, a leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, has secured a $1.5 billion investment from enterprise giants Salesforce and ServiceNow. This funding underscores a growing industry shift toward smarter, more autonomous CX systems—and it could shape the tools available to small and midsize businesses in the coming years.

Each company, Salesforce and ServiceNow, is contributing equally to the investment, which will be used to repurchase shares from existing equity holders. While that financial restructuring won’t directly impact small businesses, the strategic implications of these partnerships might.

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Amazon Reports Strong Growth in Q2 Earnings, Surpassing Expectations | Small Biz Trends

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Amazon recently released its second-quarter results, showcasing significant milestones that could impact small businesses across various sectors. As small business owners seek ways to navigate an evolving economic landscape, understanding these developments can help them leverage new opportunities and mitigate potential challenges.

In its latest report, Amazon revealed a revenue increase that highlights its strong performance in e-commerce and cloud services. The company announced net sales of $134.4 billion for the second quarter, a notable year-over-year increase that demonstrates a resilient consumer appetite. This growth can serve as a strong indicator for small business owners who are considering expanding their online presence or exploring new revenue streams through e-commerce platforms.

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Accounting Mistakes Your Small Business Should Avoid | Business

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When growing your business, few tasks matter as much as tracking your company’s finances. In the beginning, many small business owners try to manage their books on their own instead of using an in-house accountant or bookkeeper.

However, for many business owners, going it alone can lead to costly and easily avoidable mistakes. Here are some of the biggest accounting mistakes that can derail small businesses, along with some tips for avoiding them.

11 accounting mistakes to watch out for

Stay aware of the following avoidable financial accounting mistakes:

1. Failing to hire an experienced finance professional

Even experienced accountants and bookkeepers make mistakes — but they’re finance professionals, and chances are, you aren’t. Even if you are, is it really worth the extra time investment to manage your business’s books on your own? Hiring a professional minimizes the potential for errors in areas such as tracking expenses, paying vendors on time, reconciling bank accounts, and running payroll.

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The 6 Biggest Email Marketing Challenges and How To Fix Them | Business

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Email is an effective and affordable marketing tactic. Implementing email marketing is straightforward, thanks to email templates and platforms that allow you to segment your lists and track results. Notably, email helps you deliver personalized content based on customer purchase history and prospect engagement, and customers can respond directly to offers.

However, like all marketing channels, email marketing has its share of obstacles to overcome. We’ll examine the most significant issues plaguing marketers and how to use email marketing best practices to solve them.

Email marketing challenges and solutions

The biggest email marketing challenges include earning new subscribers, increasing open rates, retaining subscribers, improving deliverability, boosting click-through rates, and achieving a measurable return on investment (ROI).

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Google throws shade at Apple’s Siri AI delay in latest Pixel 10 teaser | Digital Trends

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As Google builds up to the Pixel 10 launch on August 20, the company has posted a cheeky 30-second video on YouTube that playfully throws shade on the delayed AI-enhanced Siri features, which were first announced at WWDC 2024 and meant to land on iPhones in April 2025.

  • The voice over begins by saying, “If you buy a new phone because of a feature that’s coming soon, but it’s been coming soon for a full year, you could change your definition of soon” – a direct jab at Apple.
  • The video (above) continues, showing us the outline of the Pixel 10 while the voice muses, “or you could just… change your phone” – cheeky.

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Samsung Galaxy S26 tipped for major iPhone-challenging payment upgrade | Digital Trends

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A fresh report from Korea claims the Samsung Galaxy S26 – the next flagship smartphone we expect Samsung to launch – will arrive with enhanced NFC connectivity for improved contactless payments.

  • According to South Korean outlet ETNews (via SamMobile), Samsung could include a dedicated NFC antenna in its Galaxy S26 series handsets, alongside the NFC coil which it currently uses in its phones.
  • Samsung will apparently place the antenna on the top edge of the S26, with the NFC coil in its traditional position on the rear.
  • Having the antenna on the top edge should make it easier to tap-and-pay at contactless payment checkouts, something which iPhone users already enjoy.

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Licensed vs. Insured Home Builders: Key Differences Explained | The Startup Magazine

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When choosing a home builder for your next construction or renovation project, one of the most overlooked yet essential considerations is whether they are licensed and insured. Understanding the difference between a licensed and insured home builder can protect your investment, safeguard your property, and even protect your family’s safety. A licensed builder is approved by the state or local licensing authority and has passed exams and demonstrated technical knowledge and experience. An insured builder has the proper insurance policies in place to cover liabilities such as worksite injuries or property damage.

The home builder licensing distinction may sound simple, but it carries complex legal and financial implications. Licensed builders comply with building codes, ensure structural safety, and meet professional standards. Insured builders, on the other hand, are financially prepared to cover any mishaps or accidents, sparing homeowners from footing expensive bills. The key takeaway is this: working with a licensed and insured home builder is not just a best practice—it’s a form of risk management that can save time, money, and stress.

In this article, we’ll break down the difference between licensing and insurance, explore why both matter, and help you make an informed decision when hiring a builder for your home.

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Why Startups and CISOs are Betting on CTEM for Faster, Smarter Risk Reduction | The Startup Magazine

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The ROI of continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) is becoming clearer in 2025 as security teams shift from reactive defenses to proactive, risk-based prioritization.

Forrester Consulting’s just-released Total Economic Impact™ study cites a 321% return on investment (ROI) using Threat Exposure Management — a cybersecurity vertical that’s becoming hard to ignore in a market obsessed with both protection and performance.

For those of us tracking where enterprise budgets are moving, this is a concrete validation that cyber intelligence is delivering measurable, strategic returns.

More importantly, it signals an inflection point for a corner of cybersecurity that is increasingly valued by public markets.

The global exposure management market is projected to grow from roughly $2.2 billion in 2024 to reach $7.6 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 28.3 %.

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