Did Your Business Receive a PPP Loan from the SBA? Here’s How to Handle Potential Press Inquiries | AllBusiness.com

May 26, 2020May 25, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has provided billions of dollars in loans to millions of small businesses. Most of the recipients received relatively small loans (average size of $80,000 for the second tranche of loans), but there are a significant number of recipients who received $1 million or more, and 40,000 businesses received $2 million or more.

However, while the program clearly allows businesses with up to 500 employees to take out loans of up to $10 million, Congress and the Administration are rethinking that, and are promising to examine and audit those companies that have received more than $2 million in PPP loans. In addition to that scrutiny, however, the press is actively pursuing companies that have received loans of $1 million or more, often “naming and shaming” them and pressuring them to return their PPP funds.

Communication Overload Impacts Employee Performance | Small Business Trends

May 26, 2020May 25, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

How Communication Overload Affects Employee Performance

GuideSpark CEO Keith Kitani said in an email to Small Business Trends, “Competition for employee attention is intense, especially when you consider the sheer volume of communications that employees receive every day, so it’s easy for a company’s important communications to get lost in the noise.”

GuideSpark’s survey also found that employees receive about nine emails per day that fall into the category of strategic corporate communications. In most cases, these are the messages you really need to get through and make an impact on your team. But they’re usually mixed in with all the other, less important messages. And even if they do get through, employees end up wasting tons of time sifting through their inbox daily to make sure those important communications get addressed.

What Is a Public Cloud? | Business News Daily

May 21, 2020May 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The most recognizable form of cloud technology are public clouds, which allow consumers to remotely access a large virtual environment of stored and sharable files. The data stored in a public cloud can be accessed by people around the world.

If you have ever watched a movie on Netflix or participated in a conference on Zoom, you have utilized the availability of a public cloud.

Although the concept of public clouds and private clouds are similar, there are several differences between the two, but the primary difference is that a public cloud is available over the internet, while a private cloud is deployed through a firewall.

How to Focus Better and Increase Your Attention Span | Life Hack

May 21, 2020May 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Can you remember the last five articles you read? More importantly, do you remember how they ended?

Studies show that a reduced attention span is formed and enhanced by companies like Facebook & Google, SnapChat, and their peers[1]. Instead of relying on expensive marketing, they link their services to our daily routines and emotions.

What do you do when you feel a tad bored? Do you instantly open Twitter or Instagram?

Today, tech companies can profoundly change our behavior by guiding us through a series of hooks. The hooked model was developed by Nir Eyal in his book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, typically consists of four phases:

Memorial Day 2020 travel plans? Not even AAA will bother | Fast Company

May 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

This Memorial Day weekend, you’ll likely be traveling from the bedroom to the kitchen.

COVID-19 has all but halted plans for what is one of the biggest travel holidays of the year. Even with some states reopening, many Americans are choosing to stay put—or at least close to home.

For the first time in 20 years, AAA won’t be issuing its annual Memorial Day travel forecast.

Memorial Day is the last Monday in May; the holiday weekend is viewed as the unofficial start of the summer season. Traditionally, many summer-home rental agreements begin then, as do companies’ summer-hours schedules.

How many people are napping while working remotely | Fast Company

May 19, 2020May 18, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Feeling tired?

Perhaps you were out late or maybe that long, tedious meeting almost put you to sleep. Whatever the reason, it’s not so uncommon to be fighting a yawn at work.

But how common is it to give in to temptation and take a quick nap on the clock? With so many now working from home and the bed right there, surely now is the best time ever to sneak in a snooze.

We surveyed 2,000 American workers to find out how many could put napping on their resume. Each worker was asked the same 6 simple questions on off-task behavior conducted during work hours. It turns out one-in-three are taking advantage of the situation to get so much needed shut-eye.

How Businesses Can Provide Tax-Free Financial Assistance to Employees | AllBusiness.com

May 18, 2020May 17, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place orders, businesses are considering ways to assist employees and other workers who are financially burdened by the crisis. One simple and tax-favorable action is to make disaster relief assistance payments under Section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Under Section 139, payments for personal, family, living, or funeral expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are both tax-free to the individual recipients and tax-deductible expenses for the business. Payments are free of IRS reporting requirements and a plan can be quickly adopted with minimal expense.

Businesses large and small can take advantage of this favorable tax treatment to help their workers during these challenging times. With careful planning, even businesses that have had to reduce salaries or adopt furloughs may be able to implement such a financial assistance plan to help their hardest hit workers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

OnPay Survey Reveals Business Accountant Satisfaction | Small Business Trends

May 18, 2020May 17, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you contact your accountant once a month or once a quarter, you should try to do it more often. Your accountant can be your trusted advisor who you can turn to for a wide range of business advice.

According to a survey conducted by OnPay, 61% of small businesses are completely satisfied with the range of services their accountant offers. What’s more, a majority of small businesses call their account a trusted advisor, the survey notes.

OnPay Business Accountant Survey

Though an accountant plays an important role in the success of any small business, only 30% of small businesses choose to work with an accountant. So a majority of small businesses are still managing finances themselves.

Despite the fact that 61% of small businesses are satisfied with their accountant, only 21% of small business owners contact their accountant more than once a month, reports the survey.

5 Pro Tips for Transforming a Lockdown into Killer Testimonials | David A. Fields

May 15, 2020May 14, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your consulting firm’s prospects and clients are settling into the video call format. Other than the relationship-building advantages of video, has this newly-accepted communication medium ushered in any valuable opportunities for your consulting firm?

You betcha.

Video testimonials are where it’s at.

Any testimonial from a happy client builds credibility for your consulting firm.

However, since most people trust what they see more than what they read, videos of people earnestly extolling your consulting firm’s virtues pack a particularly powerful punch.

Also, clients who record testimonials for you are more likely to hire you again and recommend you.

Startup Funding From Friends and Family | business.com

May 15, 2020May 14, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There is a right way to ask for financial help for your startup from friends and family.

Startups need funding to be successful.
Experts agree that you should avoid asking friends and family for funding.
If you do ask, be cautious and professional.

Online funding management systems have made it popular and convenient for entrepreneurs to ask for and collect startup funds from family and friends.

Hundreds of now successful young businesses got their early boost from benevolent relatives and friends.