April 8 solar eclipse: What time does totality start in every state? | Live Science

April 3, 2024April 2, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The solar eclipse on April 8 will bring eerie darkness to a long swath of the United States, Canada and Mexico during totality — the few moments when the moon covers the sun’s face completely, thereby blocking its light.

Totality is a completely different experience from 99% eclipse coverage. First and foremost, totality is the only safe time to look directly at the sun without solar eclipse glasses or other certified eye protection. But viewers within the path of totality will also have the chance to view a host of unique eclipse phenomena.

Only during totality do the skies turn twilight-dark, and only during totality is the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, visible as wispy projections of light emanating from behind the moon. Being inside the path of totality is also the only way to see eclipse features such as Baily’s beads, which are the last rays of light sneaking past the mountains on the moon.

What Is an Owner’s Draw and How Does It Affect Payroll? | businessnewsdaily.com

April 2, 2024April 1, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Fear of failure and a lack of support or delegation can lead business owners to work more than their employees. Various surveys over the years have found that most business owners work more than 40 hours a week. When a traditional salary doesn’t match their ever-changing job responsibilities, many seek a more flexible option. Owner’s draws, also known as “personal draws” or “draws,” allow business owners to withdraw money as needed and as profit allows.

A draw may seem like a superior option over a salary. But is it always the best solution? What are the tax implications? Keep reading to determine if owner’s draws are the best fit for your business.

Best iPhone Apps to Manage Business Contacts | Business News Daily

April 2, 2024April 1, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When you attend a conference or client meeting, you likely collect several business cards from all the new people you meet. But what happens next? In the old days, such cards were meticulously filed or placed in a handy Rolodex. Today, even more efficiently, automated contact managers readily available through the App Store can import and organize all your contacts directly on your iPhone. Below is our list of the best iPhone apps for storing and managing your business contacts.

What are contact management apps?

A contact management app is a program on your mobile device that stores, filters, categorizes and updates contact information for the people in your life. Although iPhones come with a built-in contact app, a third-party vendor’s downloadable contact management app can provide you with many more features than you’d get with the default application.

Lack of Energy: Your Guide to Boosting Energy | LifeHack

April 1, 2024March 31, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Time management and energy management are closely intertwined. When you master your energy, you’re essentially taking the reins of time, guiding your day, your tasks, and ultimately, your life.

If you’ve ever felt that time is slipping through your fingers, it’s not just about the clock ticking away. It’s about your energy. Most of us have been taught that time management is the magic wand to productivity. But there’s another layer we often miss: energy management.

When you think about energy, what comes to mind? Is it just the physical stamina required to walk, drive, or move? Or is it that mental zest, the one you need to focus, think, and feel?

The truth is, our day-to-day efforts tap into two distinct reservoirs of energy: physical and mental.

The physical one is quite straightforward. It’s the energy our muscles and limbs need to do stuff—walk, jump, even simply sit.

What Is Motivation And How To Get Motivated | LifeHack

April 1, 2024March 31, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Motivation is your internal engine that propels you towards your objectives. Without it, you may find yourself stalled, unable to advance. Unfortunately, time doesn’t pause for your resurgence in motivation – it ticks on. With our limited time, the harsh reality is, your goal might remain perpetually out of reach.

Why do we lose motivation every now and then? Why is it then that some people lose their inner spark over time, which is the pure source of inspiration?

Life is full of ups and downs, and sometimes the “downs” or failures disappoint people so much that they lose the drive to achieve their goals. It also has a spiral effect where they start missing opportunities and lose the direction of life.

Egg prices remain high during Easter holiday due to avian bird flu and inflation | Fast Company

March 29, 2024March 28, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Egg prices are at near-historic highs in many parts of the world as the spring holidays approach, reflecting a market scrambled by disease, high demand, and growing costs for farmers.

It’s the second year in a row consumers have faced sticker shock ahead of Easter and Passover, both occasions in which eggs play prominent roles.

While global prices are lower than they were at this time last year, they remain elevated, said Nan-Dirk Mulder, a senior global specialist with Dutch financial firm RaboBank’s RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness division. Mulder doesn’t expect them to return to 2021 levels.

MIT researchers propose a new way to measure climate change: outdoor days | Fast Company

March 29, 2024March 28, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Minnesota officially just had its warmest winter on record. Some residents probably enjoyed the break from shoveling snow, but many Midwesterners found it ominous to comfortably jog outdoors in late January. It could turn out to be a fluke—just a particularly strong El Niño—or it could be a harbinger of things to come, particularly after the hottest global summer on record. Either way, a professor at MIT wants more people to start thinking about climate change in terms of how it will radically alter seasonality as we know it.

Why Taylor Swift Is the Business Role Model You’re Looking For | All Business

March 28, 2024March 27, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Do you have a role model? Many business owners can point to someone they view as a role model, someone with attributes they admire, or who just inspires them.

As expected, many small business owners claim legendary entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Sara Blakely as role models. No surprises there. But entrepreneurs often prefer the road less traveled, so if you’re looking for a new or additional role model—let me suggest—Taylor Swift.

Yes, you read that right. Allow me to make the case that singer/songwriter Taylor Swift is not only an excellent entrepreneurial role model but also an accomplished entrepreneur.

How to Become a B Corp in 5 Steps | All Business

March 28, 2024March 27, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Would you like to be the best business in the world or be the best business for the world?

Look closely at the two options. The key differentiators are in italics. A company that wishes to be the best business in the world ultimately does not share the same outlook as the one that wants to be the best for the world. These latter companies use business as a force for good. They are known as B Corporations: purpose-driven corporations that create benefit for all stakeholders.

What’s a B Corporation?

Incorporating as a B Corporation means following a slightly different process than that of forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a general corporation.

Plumbing Shortage Crisis Means Great Opportunity | Small Biz Trends

March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Young people are shunning plumbing as a career option. The number of plumbers retiring is outweighing the number of new plumbers. Research commissioned by bathroom fittings manufacturers, Lixil Americas, shows that the shortage of plumbers in the United States cost the economy around $33 billion in 2022. The report estimates that by 2027, the nation will be short of around 550,000 plumbers.

Enrollment at trade schools has fallen. The apprenticeship rate for young people wanting to be trained in skilled trade work like plumbing dropped by 49% in 2022 compared to 2020, according to data from the recruitment platform Handshake.

Plumbing shortages across the United States is having negative consequences on households and the economy, including driving up costs for plumbing services. Not being able to call on a professional plumber can also have negative implications on businesses, such as their ability to expand into new buildings. The shortfall of plumbers can also delay flood recovery efforts and building upgrades so that water systems are more efficient.