‘MIND diet,’ intended to prevent dementia, doesn’t offer significant brain benefit, trial suggests | Live Science

July 19, 2023July 18, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The MIND diet — which is intended to guard against dementia, and is rich in fruits and veggies and low in saturated fats — has no short-term brain benefits beyond those seen in people who follow a standard, “suboptimal” diet, a three-year trial suggests.

The trial’s results, published Tuesday (July 18) in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that participants who followed the MIND diet for three years showed slight improvements in their overall cognition, as measured with a dozen tests. However, those mental improvements were not statistically different from those seen in people who followed their usual diets.

A subset of people from both the MIND and standard diet groups also underwent brain scans, which revealed that their brains changed in the same ways over the three-year period, regardless of the diet they followed.

How to Use YouTube for Small Business | Business News Daily

July 18, 2023July 17, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

YouTube can be an effective video platform for small business marketing. Here’s how to use it to its full potential.

YouTube is home to more than 2 billion users worldwide and drives visits from more than 122 million people daily, making it a great platform for small businesses looking to market with video content.
Video is extremely engaging and useful for many types of businesses. Creating a YouTube channel for your business offers a centralized platform for your audience to view and engage with your videos.
Fill out your YouTube profile and follow these tips to upload engaging video content that will resonate with your audience and grow your followership.
This article is for small businesses looking to improve their marketing strategy by adding video content and boosting engagement with their audience.

What Is the Circle of Control (And How to Use It to Stop Feeling Powerless) | Life Hack

July 18, 2023July 17, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I am a staunch believer in the saying, “Strike a balance.” However, I try not to dwell too much on events beyond my control. My gardener taught me that!

When I asked him how he knew that the plants would grow well, he replied, “I am good at what I do, but I am never sure if the plants would grow well. I can only control how I take care of them, not the outcome. I do my job well and then leave the rest to nature.”

In a way, he focuses on the Circle of Control.

Taking Advantage of Cross-Border E-Commerce Growth | AllBusiness.com

July 17, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Consumer attitudes are changing about ordering online from overseas, and global e-commerce market forecasts reflect that shift. Analysts predict 25% compound annual global e-commerce growth through 2028, when the market will be worth more than $3 billion, up from $794 million in 2021, per Vantage Market Research.

This growth represents an opportunity for brands and retailers to grow their customer base and insulate themselves from economic fluctuations in their home markets. To build a thriving cross-border presence, brands and retailers must understand why consumers shop across borders and how to adapt their customer experience (CX) for different markets.

In our 2022 Consumer Attitudes Survey on Ecommerce, Fraud & CX—which included more than 5,000 online shoppers evenly distributed among the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and the UK—6% of respondents said they prefer to buy from overseas retailers. That was an increase from 4% in 2021, and among that 6%, more than half said their preference for shopping internationally had increased over the past 12 months.

5 Smart Ways to Avoid Giving Too Much Equity to Investors | AllBusiness.com

July 17, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The startup ecosystem is currently evolving at a higher pace than ever. Investors’ expectations have changed, and fundraising is a huge challenge for startups. Crunchbase data shows that seed and angel investment to U.S. startups fell 45% year over year in the first quarter of 2023 to $3.1 billion. Seed and angel investments in the U.S. are facing their lowest quarterly level since the fourth quarter of 2020.

While there has been a decline in seed and angel investment, the drop in Series A investment for U.S.-based startups has been even more significant. Series A investment in the first quarter of 2023 decreased from $14.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 to $5.7 billion.

Due to the current economic conditions, investors may ask for more startup equity to cover the increased risk. Founders, therefore, must carefully evaluate the trade-offs and decide whether venture capital is the right path for their startup’s growth and long-term vision.

Launch of ‘Fiverr Certified’ Delivers Tech Support for Small Businesses | Small Biz Trends

July 14, 2023July 13, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In a move set to redefine technical support for small businesses, Fiverr International Ltd. announced the launch of ‘Fiverr Certified’ on June 29, 2023. This will create a marketplace of certified freelance experts specifically vetted by prominent tech partners such as Amazon Ads, monday.com, and Stripe. This solution will enable these companies to better serve their customers by connecting them with trusted, certified professionals.

Small businesses often struggle with inadequate support from their Software as a Service (SaaS) vendors due to the lack of full-time IT staff to install, customize, and maintain their products. However, Fiverr Certified looks to address this pressing need. Businesses can now swiftly connect with certified experts, vetted and endorsed by tech partners, to provide timely and competent assistance.

How to Get a Business Loan with Bad Credit in 2023 | Small Biz Trends

July 14, 2023July 13, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your personal credit score is one of the most important factors lenders look at when deciding whether to give you a business loan. A low credit score can make it difficult to get approved for a loan and can lead to high-interest rates and other penalties. In this article, we’ll discuss how to get a business loan with bad credit in 2023. Let’s get started!

What Do Lenders Consider Bad Credit?

A bad credit score is typically considered a credit score that is below 580. A bad credit score can make it difficult to get approved for a loan and can lead to high-interest rates and other penalties.

Bad credit is often the result of missed payments, bankruptcy, or maxing out credit cards. When evaluating a borrower’s creditworthiness, lenders consider several factors associated with bad credit.

Here are some key aspects that lenders take into account:

What Are Order Fulfillment Services? | Business

July 13, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Outsourcing your order fulfillment can free up time, energy and resources for you to focus on growing your business.

Order fulfillment services can eliminate many headaches for businesses that must ship multiple products to fulfill customer orders. We’ll explore how outsourcing your order fulfillment needs can lower shipping costs, eliminate fixed costs, save time and resources, and much more.

12 Steps to Take Before Opening a Business | Business

July 13, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

While no two businesses are exactly the same, there are common steps entrepreneurs and potential business owners must take before opening the doors of a new company.

When it comes to launching a new business venture, the intrepid American spirit hasn’t suffered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a record 5.4 million new business applications were filed in 2021. It may be the right time for you, too, to embark on starting a new company. Before doing this, however, there are essential steps entrepreneurs need to take.

Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE vs. Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera | Digital Trends

July 13, 2023July 11, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As far as affordable indoor cameras go, it’s hard to beat the Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE and Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera. Both cameras cost less than $60 (and are often on sale for much less), can swivel to provide a 360-degree perspective of your home, and offer tons of additional functionality when opting for a premium monthly subscription.

If you’re trying to decide between the Roku Indoor Camera 360 SE and Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera, here’s a comparison of the two popular products to help you figure out which is best for your smart home.