Morningstar Farms is going full vegan soon and it can’t wait to tell everyone | Fast company

March 5, 2019March 4, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Like every other trendy diet follower, Morningstar Farms can’t wait to tell you that it’s vegan now. The Kellogg-owned company behind Chik Patties and fake bacon strips and Spicy Black Bean Burgers announced plans to makes all of its products 100% plant-based (vegan) by 2021.

Vegans who don’t read labels very well may be surprised to learn that many Morningstar Farm products contain egg whites or milk fat. Just last year, the company switched its popular Buffalo Wings, Chik’n Nuggets, and Buffalo Chik Patties recipes so vegans could work off their hangovers with Buffalo Wings like the rest of the planet.

What is a Click and Mortar Model and How Can It Work for your Business? | Small Business Trends

March 4, 2019March 3, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Simply put, a click and mortar business is an integrated model that combines both online and off-line operations. Retailers have a website here that customers can shop on but these same folks still have the option of buying products in a brick-and-mortar store. The strategy involved is often called omnichannel.

One of the big bonuses is the fact that there’s an enhanced shopping experience with more flexibility, service and convenience.

5 Online Marketing Funnels You Probably Aren’t Using (But Should) | AllBusiness.com

March 4, 2019March 3, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

An online marketing funnel is a marketing strategy for companies to get a consistent stream of new leads or sales from their website. Most online entrepreneurs should have at least one type of lead or sales funnel in place. However, there are several types of marketing funnels that many online entrepreneurs and business owners are not using.

Here we will go over five online marketing funnels you may not be using right now, but should.

Essential Customer Service Skills Every Business Needs | Business

March 1, 2019February 28, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Customer service is one of the most drivers of customer retention and business growth for any company. As a skill, it not only impacts the core business metrics but is responsible for talent retention in the company as well.

There was a time in business when customer service was only one of the many cogs in the machine. But now, in the digital age, customer care is the name of the game. More than ever before, consumers have the ability to share customer experiences and truly shape the success or failure of a business.

Alexa is Literally on Fire as Echo Dot Reportedly Bursts Into Flames | Digital Trends

March 1, 2019February 28, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The third-generation Amazon Echo Dot is total fire, but for one family, that description became too true for comfort. Joe Jachym, a retired firefighter, says he came home on Sunday, February 24, to find his kitchen filling with smoke and his third-generation Amazon Echo Dot in flames. According to Jachym, an electrical fire centered around the plug or the outlet would throw the breaker and (in theory) extinguish the flames, but neither the plug or the outlet was damaged — only the smart assistant.

Amina Oyagbola Explains the Value of Mentorship for Entrepreneurs | The Startup Magazine

February 28, 2019February 27, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Mentorship is crucial for all business owners, but it is doubly important for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs take on many more risks than other business owners and need innovative solutions to the problems of running a company. For new and existing entrepreneurs alike, it is vital to engage with a mentor. Amina Oyagbola details the reasons why entrepreneurs need mentorship and offers suggestions as to how a business person might find a mentor to turn to in times of need.

Benefits of Amazon Liquidation Auctions | The Startup Magazine

February 28, 2019February 27, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon has changed the landscape of retail sales forever. One of the keys to the company’s success is their customer-friendly return policy. Although the company has been blocking customer accounts lately in response to too many returns, it’s generally easy to send something back to Amazon, and that can benefit you and your own business. Here’s how you can deal with Amazon returns.

What happens to Amazon returns?

It may seem hard to believe when you run a small company, but an enterprise as big as Amazon can’t afford to worry about their returns or allow them to take up space. For the most part, they barely even inspect returns. Instead, Amazon loads them up onto pallets and sells them off at a steep discount.

Theresa May offers MPs Brexit delay vote | BBC News

February 27, 2019February 26, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Theresa May has promised MPs a vote on delaying the UK’s departure from the EU or ruling out a no-deal Brexit, if they reject her deal next month.

Mrs May made a statement to MPs about Brexit on Tuesday, amid the threat of a revolt by Remain-supporting ministers.

The PM has promised MPs a meaningful vote on her Brexit deal by 12 March.

But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the prime minister of another “grotesquely reckless” Brexit delay.

The Difference Between Great Startup Boards and Mediocre Ones (and How to Make Yours Better) | Inc.com

February 27, 2019February 26, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I’ve sat on many boards over the past two decades and seen my share of high-functioning boards and low-functioning boards. Here are some observations I have from this exposure:

If a company moves from strength-to-strength with predictable outcomes, easy financings, low staff turn-over, and limited competitive threats, then the composition of the board probably doesn’t matter as much. Even the best companies with the best outcomes, however, usually hit some difficult moments where a highly-functioning board matters.

In the best cases, boards come together to help the company get through its trough – in the worst cases, infighting can mean an otherwise great potential business is hampered with misaligned incentives and drama.

OnePlus demos a 5G prototype at MWC | TechCrunch

February 26, 2019February 25, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

OnePlus promised us a 5G handset this year. At Mobile World Congress this week, the company kind of, sort of delivered. Unlike the sea of other 5G devices unveiled at the show, however, the company’s offering is still very much in the prototype phase — like, behind protective glass with all of the interesting bits obscured, as it isn’t officially official.

The product appeared at Qualcomm’s booth this week, since OnePlus’ presence at the show has been mostly limited to closed-door events. For the chipmaker, it was an opportunity to show yet again how ubiquitous its tech has become in the vast sea of Android devices.