Banking on it: Taking your money off the high street | BBC

March 10, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Decided that retail banking is the devil? You could opt for a piggybank. Or you could try the new online only services claiming to have changed the humble bank account forever.

In Durham, Atom Bank is poised to launch shortly as a bank with no branches, living solely on the internet.

The US has Ally Bank, an internet-only bank focused on its smartphone interface.

China recently has launched an internet-only bank of its own, WeBank, led by gaming and social network group Tencent Holdings.

With British and US retail banks in low repute since the credit crunch, the field is ripe for nimble new entrants, unencumbered by physical branches, bad loans, and ageing infrastructure.

Meanwhile, many British banks continue to operate back-end systems in pounds, shillings, and pence.

And a botched 2012 attempt at an IT upgrade by the RBS group left 6.5 million people unable to make payments for up to three weeks.

Nudging open the teller’s window for new competition: banking scandals, rate-fixing and payment protection insurance, and bankers’ bonuses have played their role, too.

The bank of the internet is increasingly open.

Small Businesses Are Going on a Hiring Binge | Bloomberg Business

March 10, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

(Bloomberg) — Sterling Risk Advisors, an Atlanta-based property and casualty insurance broker with 86 employees, has added 13 workers since June and will probably hire 10 to 15 more this year.

“We are committed to growing,” said Doug Rieder, 50, president and co-founder. “We feel a lot better about business. We are pretty bullish right now.”

Small business, responsible for most American job creation, is finally gaining momentum, giving an expansion approaching its sixth anniversary some legs and leading an acceleration in job creation. Confidence is near a post-2007 peak for small companies, construction is recovering and credit conditions are easing.

Top 9 Misconceptions of Independent Contractor Engagement | Business Tips

March 10, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Independent contractors can be a viable resource for growing your business, fitting seasonal demands and often adding in-demand or specialized skills. However, it is vital to have a compliant process for engaging independent workers or risk wage and hour violations or tax reclassification. Typical approaches often make faulty assumptions, doing nothing to reduce your risk profile. Below are the top 9 misconceptions about independent contractor engagement.

What You Can Learn From 8 Kids Already Making a Million Dollars | Entrepreneur

March 9, 2015March 10, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s no age limit when it comes to being a millionaire these days, and a handful of kids have struck it rich well before they can legally vote. They’re small business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs. I started as an entrepreneur when I was around 11 years old with my first candy stand, which grew to four candy stands, but that was nothing compared to some of these kids!

There’s is no age limit, either, when it comes to learning from others. These impressive kids learned from their own failures early in life but determined to keep going and to do it better the next time around. If you haven’t made your first million yet, the teen next door might actually be able to teach you something.

Check out these eight kids who made a million, or more, and what you can learn from their success:

A small but important reminder of why net neutrality is a big deal | Mashable

March 9, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Much of the Internet rejoiced when net neutrality rules were approved by the Federal Communications Commission last week.

The landmark vote will mean that the Internet is under the most stringent regulation yet including enhanced transparency, application to landline and wireless, and a the bedrock Open Internet principles.

But for all the hubbub, it would be hard to blame people who didn’t see why it was a big deal. The Internet worked the same on the days before and after the vote.

Critics of the move have said that the FCC is trying to fix a system that isn’t broken, and that the possible harms that the net neutrality rules seek to prevent are non-existent.

This is mostly true, but every so often there’s an example of why net neutrality advocates fought for the new rules with such fervor.

3 Ways To Market Yourself Without Sounding Like A Late-Night Infomercial | Forbes

March 9, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

My husband hates marketing. He thinks that it’s generally hype and BS, cynically calculated to manipulate you into acting, vs. an honest communication of value.

He’s not completely wrong. Most of us are pretty skeptical about the marketing messages we’re subjected to in the media, because so much marketing focuses on convincing us that product X is the answer to all our prayers (think Ginzu knives or Sham-wow), or on trying to terrify us into buying product Y in order to avoid some horrible consequence (home security systems and life insurance tend to rely on this approach).

But there’s another side to all of this. Many of my clients are well-intentioned, high-integrity branding and marketing folks who are honestly trying to figure out how to let people know, in a compelling way, that they have something great to offer. And my colleagues and I spend a good deal of time thinking and talking about how to communicate Proteus’ value in a way that’s both meaningful and true.

Business and Pleasure: The Winning Combination | Page19

March 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The old adage, “separate your friends from your work,” is more outdated than VHS. Here’s how friendship in the workplace can boost productivity, and how you can help foster friendship in your team.

Who accompanies you to the cinema? Who’s on speed-dial in case of a major life crisis? Who does the back-busting work on moving day? Friends, that’s who, and they’re as key a component to a good life as professional satisfaction.

Innovation In Seating: Upgrading the Way We Sit | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

March 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

At first glance it seems entirely ridiculous that seating could be upgraded or innovated upon. After all the concept of a chair or bench is relatively simple, and the height is pretty standard. So how is it possible that there can be innovation in this industry?

Upon deeper investigation and diving deeper into the different types of seating available and its specific use, it is easier to check out the innovation taking place in the seating sector. Everything from airline seats, to recliner chairs, to church pews are being upgraded, with new features added that make them more comfortable, and suited to the intended use of the product.

Small Business Financing: Myths and Realities | All Business

March 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Do you know everything you need to know about small business financing? Whether you’re a small business veteran or just starting out, obtaining capital is one aspect of entrepreneurship there’s a lot of confusion about.

In fact, it seems getting financing isn’t the only challenge entrepreneurs face. Simply learning about and understanding their financing options is a hurdle in itself for most small business owners. In OnDeck’s latest quarterly Main Street Pulse Report,

8 Deadly Ways to Kill Employee Motivation | Inc.com

March 5, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you want to make sure you’re providing your employees with an environment in which they can thrive, check your workplace for these motivation killers.

1. Toxic people.

If you’ve ever spent time with truly toxic people, you know how destructive and exhausting they can be. Toxic people spread negativity and suffocate the positive. Let them find a new home–or, if that’s not possible, make sure policies and supervision are in place to minimize their damage.

2. No professional development.

Everyone needs to know that they are learning and growing. Without that, the workplace grows static and dull. Professional development for each of your employees allows them grow in their careers and also to know that both the organization and you have an investment in their success.