Author: knjohn

Think You Can Afford Retirement? Here’s How Much It Costs | Entrepreneur

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The age of a retiree could be correlated with how much they spend — and nearly half of retirees say that they retired earlier than expected.

A new piece from Go Banking Rates with statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a difference in the expenses of younger and older retirees and reveals the average income of those who reach retirement age.

BLS data showed that younger retirees between 65 and 74 years of age had more expenses on average, at $4,870 per month than those 75 years or older, who averaged about $1,000 less at $3,813 per month.

The overall average for expenses among retirees was $4,345 per month or $52,141 every year. This number is below the average income per year for retirees, which the U.S. Census Bureau placed at $75,254, but higher than the median income of $47,620 found by the Census Bureau.

Read More

Aescape’s AI robot massaged my back and butt: 5 reasons I’m quitting human masseuses | Mashable

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Human masseuses, beware! AI massage robots are here — and they have untiring arms and hands that no human can compete with.

Aescape, a lifestyle robotics company, invited Mashable to check out an AI-assisted massage robot in New York City. “Sign me up!” I said. “Who am I to turn down a free massage?”

Now, when I pictured “AI massage robot,” I was thinking I’d be shown some sort of handheld gadget — or something like the viral TikTok neck-and-back massager. Little did I know I’d be laying down on a full-sized massage bed with gigantic, gnarly robot arms.

Read More

FCC has finally redefined which internet speeds are ‘broadband’ | Mashable

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Do you remember Ajit Pai? The former FCC Chairman handpicked by then-president Donald Trump? You know, the one who was infamous for drinking out of a giant Reese’s coffee mug and…oh yeah, killing net neutrality?

In 2021, when he was on the way out of the agency, Pai declared that a paltry 25 megabits per second (mbps) minimum speed requirement for broadband in the U.S. was more than enough for Americans.

Now, just 3 years, one new U.S. President, and a new Chairman of the FCC later…the FCC is finally redefining what speeds classify as “broadband.”

Read More

Dollar General will remove self-checkout from 300 stores to prevent shoplifting | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Dollar General is backing away from the self-checkout trend in retail.

The company is pulling out self-checkout stands in 300 stores that have the highest levels of shoplifting and merchandise losses. In 9,000 other stores, Dollar General is converting some or all of its self-checkout registers to regular checkout with cashiers. And in another 4,500 or so stores, Dollar General is limiting self-checkout to purchases of five items or less.

Dollar General said the moves will help it reduce shrink — the retail industry term for shoplifting, employee theft, damaged products, administrative errors, online fraud and other factors. Dollar General has skeleton staffing levels in stores and is more vulnerable to shoplifting and other merchandise losses than many other retailers, retail analysts say.

Read More

How do we solve a problem like Boeing? | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It took decades for Boeing to build a reputation as one of the most reliable companies on the planet. It’s taken less than six years to undo it all and leave the once-great American company facing an uncertain future.

Regulators, airlines, fliers and even Boeing’s own workers are practically in revolt after a series of mid-flight disasters and a steady erosion of the company’s quality standards. Investors are none too thrilled, either: Boeing’s stock (BA) is down 27% for the year, making it the second-worst performer in the S&P 500, behind Tesla.

The latest headache for Boeing came Monday, when a 787 Dreamliner flying from Australia to New Zealand plunged suddenly mid-flight, injuring several passengers. It’s not clear what, if any, culpability Boeing has here — it said it’s gathering information about what went wrong. But the accounts from passengers are hardly flattering at a moment when Boeing is already under federal investigation for the Jan. 5 door-plug blowout.

Read More

Credit Card Receipt Signature Requirements | businessnewsdaily.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Many merchants breathed a sigh of relief when Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express announced they were no longer collecting signatures on credit card or debit card transactions due to the advent of EMV technology. But is there still a reason why you should consider collecting signatures? In this guide, we’ll go into detail about what a credit card receipt is, what information is included on a receipt, why customer signatures were required in the first place, the security standards that replace the signature and practical tips that cardholders can implement to keep their cards out of the wrong hands.

Read More

Common E-Commerce Challenges Businesses Face | businessnewsdaily.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The e-commerce industry has grown exponentially, with total e-commerce sales for Q3 alone reaching $284 billion and expectations of sales passing $1 trillion in total for 2023. As an e-commerce business owner, you have unique challenges compared to brick-and-mortar shop owners. E-commerce businesses have unique rules and regulations to follow, and cybersecurity is a top priority to ensure all data stored online is protected.

We spoke with industry experts about the challenges e-commerce small businesses must contend with and how to overcome these hurdles. Here are 12 of the most prevalent challenges e-commerce business owners face today.

What are the top e-commerce challenges for SMBs?

Read More

Hiring a Lawyer for Your Small Business: When to Take the Plunge | All Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As an entrepreneur, you spend most of your time focused on day-to-day tasks, like managing your staff, helping customers, and marketing your business. It’s easy for legal concerns to take a backseat—but that can be dangerous. Unless you take the proper steps to legally protect your business, everything you’ve worked so hard for can be at risk.

When does a small business need a lawyer and when is it okay to take the DIY approach? Here’s a guide.

Read More

5 Home Page Best Practices That Will Grab Your Target Audience | All Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Imagine, you have arrived at a networking event and the host introduces you to Richard, a cleaning company owner.

Just as you politely smile and shake Richard’s hand, he starts telling you about the most advanced floor polisher he’s bought, and the green commercial-grade disinfectant he uses, and the fact that he has just leased a fancy car and … (yawn).

You stay and listen for a while, but when the chance arises, you make your escape, ensuring that Richard won’t spot you for the remainder of the night.

Sadly that’s how many entrepreneurs approach the design of their website’s home page—they make it all about themselves. And they can’t understand why their website bounce rate is 98%.

Read More

Small Business Grants Available to Support Women Veteran Entrepreneurs | Small Biz Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers multiple programs to support women and veteran entrepreneurs. And the Administration recently launched a new grant program to support women veterans looking to start their own businesses. Read about this opportunity and more small business grants below.

SBA Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program Grants

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering up to $300,000 in funding to nonprofits and businesses to provide women veterans with entrepreneurship training. The SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development is facilitating the program, which will provide up to six grantees with funding to take part in the Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program. Eligible businesses and nonprofits that want to take part in the program must apply by March 21.

Read More