US Small Businesses Lean on Credit Cards Amid Inflation and Funding Challenges | Small Biz Trends

October 13, 2023October 12, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Intuit’s inaugural 2023 QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report brings to light small businesses’ profound challenges in the US, Canada, and the UK. The report analyzes the effects of macroeconomic pressures’ effects on small business operations, job creation, and their quest for funding, such as inflation and soaring interest rates. This report is carried out in collaboration with renowned global economist Professor Ufuk Akcigit.

Small businesses, the backbone of economies worldwide, are feeling the weight of financial challenges now more than ever. With this report, Intuit goes into the current state of these businesses across the three major regions.

The Newest Plague: Turnover Contagion | Business.com

October 12, 2023October 10, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Although the ideal employee turnover rate is 10 percent or less, rates have skyrocketed in recent years, jumping to roughly 47 percent in 2021 and remaining elevated in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s a good chance your organization experienced some of this workforce loss. However, while some level of turnover is okay, you might want to pay close attention if your head count starts rapidly shrinking against your will.

There are many reasons why employees voluntarily quit their jobs, and one possible explanation boils down to, well, the fact that their co-workers did it first. Multiple people leaving your company can spark a serious ailment for your business: turnover contagion.

How To Start a Dry Carpet Cleaning Service | The Startup Magazine

October 12, 2023October 10, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your fascination with cleanliness and hygiene may have led you to contemplate starting a carpet cleaning business. Not just any carpet cleaning business, but specifically an endeavor in dry carpet cleaning services.

This blog aims to guide you through the process, from the initial steps of conducting market research to operational management, hiring staff, and more.

Dry carpet cleaning is a niche that is rapidly growing as homeowners and commercial establishments opt for these services due to their swift execution and deep-cleaning performance.

Understanding the Dry Carpet Cleaning Industry

In order to effectively navigate the dry carpet cleaning sector, it is vital to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry. This will allow you to identify opportunities, challenges, customer preferences, and emerging trends.

The dry carpet cleaning method involves the use of specialized machines and biodegradable absorbent compounds which do not soak the carpet or require extended drying times.

Unity: Gaming boss quits after furious pricing backlash | BBC News

October 11, 2023October 10, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

John Riccitiello has resigned as chief executive of the game development tool Unity following a controversial pricing change which angered gamers and developers alike.

The firm wanted to charge studios every time a person installed a game using Unity’s code which powers thousands of modern video games.

Big developers already pay a licensing fee to use Unity in their games.

The company has since rolled back most of its plans and apologized.

Unity said Mr Riccitiello was retiring from the firm effective immediately.

Unity’s game engine is the code behind many popular video games – including Pokemon Go, Genshin Impact, and Beat Saber – and is typically used by small studios.

Artists across industries are strategizing together around AI concerns | TechCrunch

October 10, 2023October 8, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As creative industries grapple with AI’s explosion into every artistic medium at once, separate calls from artists warning the world to take action before it’s too late are starting to converge. From fake Drake songs to stylized Instagram profile pictures, art conjured with newly sophisticated AI tools is suddenly ubiquitous — and so are conversations about how to rein in the technology before it does irrevocable harm to creative communities.

This week, digital rights organization Fight for the Future partnered with music industry labor group United Musicians and Allied Workers to launch #AIdayofaction, a campaign that calls on Congress to block corporations from obtaining copyrights on music and other art made with AI.

The idea is that by preventing industry behemoths like major record labels, for example, from copyrighting music made with the assistance of AI, those companies will be forced to keep looping humans into the creative process. But those same concerns — and the same potential strategies for pushing back against the onslaught of AI — exist across creative industries.

These Are the Best Cruise Lines of 2023: Report | Entrepreneur

October 10, 2023October 8, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The cruise industry has made a triumphant comeback since pandemic restrictions were lifted, with the industry expected to generate $25.14 billion in revenue by the end of 2023.

And according to a new report by Conde Nast Traveler, it looks like cruising is still a top vacation choice.

According to a new survey by the outlet, 47% of people said that they would be interested in setting sail on a ship, even though only 27% of readers went on a cruise last year.

X rolls out new ad format that can’t be reported, blocked | Mashable

October 9, 2023October 8, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

X, the Elon Musk-owned platform formerly known as Twitter, has begun serving its users with a weird new ad format and it’s one of the company’s least transparent products yet.

The rollout of these ads also provides the public with a hint regarding just how much the company is struggling to attract advertisers.

Multiple X users have reached out to Mashable over the past few days to report seeing a new type of ad in their For You feed that they had not previously come across on the platform. These new X ads don’t allow users to like or retweet the ad posts. In fact, the new ad format also doesn’t disclose who is behind the ad or that it is even an advertisement at all.

Is glass a liquid or a solid? | Live Science

October 5, 2023October 4, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s something strange about the stained-glass windows of medieval buildings: They tend to be thicker at the bottom than at the top. Many believe this is because glass is actually a liquid that has flowed down the pane over the centuries. In contrast, others argue that glass does not flow, because it’s a solid — or maybe an amorphous solid or a supercooled liquid.

So what is glass, really — a solid or a liquid, or something in between?

“It’s neither a true liquid nor a true solid — it has properties of both, but it’s its own distinct state of matter,” John Mauro, a materials scientist at Penn State, told Live Science. “The technical definition is that glass is a nonequilibrium, noncrystalline state of matter that appears solid on a short timescale but continuously relaxes towards the liquid state.”

Going vegetarian? The dietary choice may be influenced by your genes. | Live Science

October 5, 2023October 4, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Being vegetarian may be (partly) in your genes, a new study suggests.

By analyzing the genomes of more than 335,000 people and using questionnaires to assess their meat intake, scientists have identified one point in the human genome — rs72884519 on chromosome 18 — that is significantly associated with following a vegetarian diet. In a separate analysis, the researchers identified three gene variants — NPC1, RMC1, and RIOK3 — clustered in that same region that are linked to vegetarianism, as well as another 31 genes elsewhere in the genetic code that may have a “possible role” in this dietary choice.

It is unclear how these genes may influence people’s choice to be vegetarian or the underlying physiology behind it. However, the findings, published Wednesday (Oct. 4) in the journal PLOS One, provide a taste of how genetics might partially determine the food we put on our plates.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Employees: What’s the Difference?

October 3, 2023October 2, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Typically, the number of hours an employee works each week and their weekly work schedule can help you distinguish between full-time and part-time status.
Full-time employees can offer your business security in scheduling, regularity in product or service flow, and overall consistency for your labor management.
Part-time employees can save your company money because you won’t have to pay as much when there are dips in workflow, or offer healthcare and other benefits.
This article is for small business owners who need to hire staff and are deciding between full-time and part-time employees.