Franchise Trends That Make 2022 the Year of Opportunity | Entrepreneur

February 25, 2022February 22, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The newly released 2022 Economic Outlook for Franchising shows franchise economic output in proportions unmatched by almost any other sector in the economy.

Last year saw one of the best comebacks the United States has ever seen. Across the country, people had more cash in their pockets, more investments in the stock market and more confidence in a continued recovery for their businesses than we have seen in years, perhaps decades.

With the latest surge of the Covid-19 pandemic waning, the economic recovery will almost certainly continue, and it’s being led by the franchise industry. With continued growth across every franchise sector, 2022 will be a year of new opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to reimagine their careers as owners and operators of highly successful, recognizable franchises.

AI traffic lights could reduce waiting times at intersections | New Atlas

February 24, 2022February 22, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Ordinarily, traffic lights change color in response to predetermined rules and induction loop sensors embedded in the road. According to new research, however, making those lights artificially intelligent may keep traffic flowing faster and smoother.

The study is being conducted as part of Germany’s KI4LSA project – it’s funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, and includes several partner organizations.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review: Come for the cameras, stay for the S Pen

February 24, 2022February 22, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When I first laid eyes (and hands) upon Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 Ultra, I assure you it was not love at first sight.

The 6.8-inch phone, which launches Feb. 25 and sits atop the S22 line as the company’s most premium Android offering, is effectively a cold, smooth slab of sometimes rounded metal punctuated by multiple circular cameras. It’s imposing, austere…anonymous, even, and expensive, with a starting price of $1,199. There’s nary a hint of the whimsy Google infused into the hardware and software design of its rival, the Pixel 6 Pro. The S22 Ultra, by contrast, is all business.

More Walmart ‘rollbacks’ are coming | CNN

February 23, 2022February 21, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Expect to see more bright-red “Rollback” signs at Walmart stores as inflation bites, the company said Thursday.

Rollbacks, or temporary price reductions on an item, are Walmart’s version of a sale. Walmart decides which products to drop prices on based on factors like discounts it receives from suppliers or excess inventory.

Walmart had more products on rollbacks last quarter compared to the previous one — and the company will continue adding them to highlight value prices for shoppers. Why every Costco product is called ‘Kirkland Signature’

“We use rollbacks to communicate not only the reality of prices are coming down at some places, but the emotion or perception we want customers to have about us,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said on a post-earnings conference call with analysts.

Labor Laws Every Employer Needs to Know | AllBusiness.com

February 22, 2022February 20, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There will always be horrible bosses. A lot of employees struggle with difficult and sometimes unreasonable employers. Fortunately, there are labor laws and guidelines that protect the rights of employees.

On the other hand, many newbie employers are so focused on getting their businesses off the ground they forget to handle the legal side of things. So, despite being well intentioned, decent employers can still violate labor laws due to ignorance.

That said, here’s a list of the most common labor law claims filed against terrible and ignorant employers alike.

Are Highly Successful Entrepreneurs Born or Made? | Lifehack

February 22, 2022February 20, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Are successful entrepreneurs born or made? The “born vs made” debate is one that has been raging for ages, and there are a few schools of thought when it comes to this question.

The first is that some people are simply born with the skills and personality traits needed to be successful entrepreneurs. They have natural charisma, risk-taking ability, creativity, and more.

These “natural” entrepreneurs are able to dedicate the time and effort needed to be successful because they are driven by internal factors. They are passionate about their work and are motivated to achieve their goals.

How to Turn Your Instagram Account into an Organic Sales Funnel | Small Business Trends

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Instagram is a great influencer marketing tool allowing you to increase your reach through (sponsored) updates from micro-celebrities.

But can it be used to drive traffic to your site?

In other words, can Instagram be turned into a brand-owned traffic and sales generation asset which will allow you to diversify your marketing channels without constantly relying on third-party collaboration?

Putin’s sabre rattling is shaking the cryptocurrency market | Fast Company

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Cryptocurrencies around the world are getting pummeled today. A quick glance at CoinDesk’s tracker will show you a wall of red. At the time of this writing, most major cryptocurrencies are down at least 5% or more, including Bitcoin, which is down nearly 7% to $40,443; Ether is down almost 6% to just over $2,900; and Dogecoin and Shiba Inc are down 4.5% and 6.5%, respectively.

So what’s causing this downturn? Unlike recent selloffs, which were largely driven by the threat of increased regulation by the likes of China or the United States, today’s selloff appears to be purely geopolitical. With the threat of Russia going to war over Ukraine, and Russian President Putin announcing he’ll oversee nuclear military drills this weekend, investors are ditching volatile stocks and digital assets in favor of more stable assets like gold.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 may destroy its predecessor | Digital Trends

February 17, 2022February 15, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A new leak suggests that the next version of the Microsoft Surface Laptop may be vastly improved as it may finally feature the latest modern AMD processors.

The addition of Ryzen 6000 CPUs was a much-needed step, and if proven true, it could potentially elevate the Surface to a whole new level of performance.

The information comes from what seems to be the official specification sheet for the Surface Laptop 5, which was leaked by a website called Windows Prime. The document is the only thing to be found on the website, so although it looks to be legit, it’s important to treat it with a hint of skepticism until we hear from Microsoft itself.