Category: Tools and Information

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

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

Onboarding vs Orientation: What’s the Difference? | Business.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Though often used interchangeably, orientation and onboarding are two entirely different – and crucial – processes HR departments undertake after hiring an employee. While both processes provide new employees with resources and familiarize them with the organization, each offers unique benefits and tools critical for success. From introducing team members to explaining the office layout, these processes are foundational for new employees. We’ll explain both processors and how they differ.

Read More

I tried a $130 health gadget that beats the Apple Watch in a big way | Digital Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I purchased the KardiaMobile a few months after my primary care provider performed a traditional EKG test on me and noticed a problem. This information led to me having a heart catheterization, which led to a stent being placed into one of my arteries. The stent opened up a blocked artery outside my heart.

As a long-time Apple Watch user, I have always understood the importance of its electrocardiogram app. The app — which you can find on the current Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as well as a few older models — is designed to detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heart rhythm. When that happens, you should make your way to a hospital stat because something probably isn’t right with your heart — although Apple makes no claims you might be having a heart attack.

Read More

Your company knows you’re reading this story at work | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Last month, news surfaced that major companies like Walmart, Starbucks, Delta and Chevron were using AI to monitor employee communications. The reaction online was swift, with employees and workplace advocates worrying about a loss of privacy.

But experts say that while AI tools might be new, watching, reading and tracking employee conversations is far from novel. AI might be more efficient at it — and the technology might raise some new ethical and legal challenges, as well as risk alienating employees — but the fact is workplace conversations have never really been private anyway.

“Monitoring employee communications isn’t new, but the growing sophistication of the analysis that’s possible with ongoing advances in AI is,” said David Johnson, a principal analyst at Forrester Research.

Read More

9 Tips For Balancing Motherhood and Business | AllBusiness.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Anyone who has tried to start their own business knows how much time, money, energy, and planning are involved. And trying to raise a child at the same time makes it significantly more difficult. However, the rewards that come from becoming a mompreneur are immeasurable—whether it’s from making your own schedule, making more money, or making a change in your life.

For me, the change I needed was getting rest, and the added bonus was feeling a sense of purpose. My second child would fall asleep in my arms and then wake up the moment I put him down, which inspired me to create a line of sleep-assisting clothing for babies and infants.

Many of the tenets I have followed are ones that mompreneurs can also use to help them on their own entrepreneurial journeys.

Read More

How to Hire an Employee for Cultural Fit | businessnewsdaily.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Cultural fit is a concept that can be hard to define, but everyone knows when it is missing. Imagine a company founder who believes that an open office plan and team projects promote creativity and progress, but whose employees are introverts who prefer privacy. Or think about the ambitious employee stuck in an organization that offers no employee training programs, tuition reimbursement or room for advancement.

At its core, cultural fit means that employees’ beliefs and behaviors are in alignment with their employer’s core values and company culture. Finding employees that add to your company culture is important; as such, cultural fit should play a key role in your recruiting and hiring process.

Read More