Kik gets bots | Business Insider

April 5, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Facebook’s debut of a bot store is already being heralded as the “most important launch since the App Store.” Except that it hasn’t happened yet.

Kik, a messaging app favored by teens, beat them to the punch today by announcing its own bot shop first.

Chat bots are being touted as the next-generation platform, replacing most of the apps you use today.

People are tired of downloading apps, creating new accounts, and then learning how to use them, explains Kik CEO Ted Livingston. Instead, the next generation of bots act in place of those apps.

How to Be a Grown-Up: 7 Things No One Ever Told You | Page19

April 4, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Thresholds. Sometimes we’re carried over. Sometimes we hesitate just outside. Sometimes we’re pushed through by circumstance or happenstance or others’ whims. And sometimes we step over into the dark unknown, armed with nothing but a figurative box of matches and a flinty sense of hope.

Thresholds mark the space between where we were and where we’re headed. One of the most exhilarating and bewildering is the time that comes after you get your degree and before so-called “settling down.” You’re blazing a trail in your first career, learning what you want, experiencing loves that just might last, and maybe even thinking about buying a house.

We all come to the critical lessons in our own time, but just as pre-reading helps us integrate what we learn, previewing a few key learnings from the age of the Adult-in-the-Making can make the most of your time in the liminal. Here, I’ve put together seven solid pieces of advice from the books that I wish I’d discovered in my twenties (and one that I actually did!).

20 Tricks That Can Make Anyone An Excel Expert | Lifehack

April 4, 2016April 7, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

After Microsoft developed Excel to the 2010 version, it offered more surprises than ever. In order to deal with tons of big data, you can’t ignore the important role Excel plays in daily work. However, both for beginners and advanced users, there are still many useful tips and tricks that are inevitably overlooked. Here are 20 useful Excel spreadsheet secrets you may not know. Please note that all these functions are based on Microsoft Excel 2010.

Alaska Air buys Virgin America for $2.6 billion | Money CNN

April 4, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s going to be a little less competition among airlines following a big takeover announced Monday.

Alaska Air Group has agreed to buy Virgin America for $2.6 billion, the airlines said. Alaska Air (ALK) said it will pay $57 per share, sending Virgin America (VA) stock soaring 40%. Including debt and aircraft leases, the transaction is worth about $4 billion.

The combined airline will have 1,200 daily departures, 280 aircraft, and hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Oregon.

Michigan Resident Diana Hussein Trades Valuable Twitter Handle for Water Donations to Flint | The Weather Channel

April 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

With great Twitter power comes great responsibility. At least, that’s the lesson this week after the owner of the @DietDrPepper Twitter handle made an epic deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

But Diana Hussein didn’t want money or even free soda for life in exchange for her undoubtedly valuable Twitter handle. All she wanted was for water to be donated to Flint, Michigan, to aid in their water crisis.

Hussein, a communications specialist, has lived in Dearborn, Michigan, for almost 25 years. She says there’s a strong sense of community within Dearborn, within the Detroit Metro area and in connection to Flint.

Quitting Your Day Job? The Basics on Benefits Coverage for Entrepreneurs | Business News Daily

April 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you’re planning to leave the corporate world to become an entrepreneur, you’ve probably thought a lot about how you’ll make ends meet without a salary. You’ve made a meticulous budget for your personal and business finances. You already know how you’ll cut costs and keep your startup lean. You’re prepared to live off your savings or take on credit card debt until you start turning a profit. But have you accounted for all the other expenses that come with being self-employed?

How to Get People to Ask Questions | Getentrepreneurial.com

April 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

One of the elements of a truly engaged workplace is the asking of questions. The fact is that most people are afraid to ask questions; whatever natural curiosity we had as children tends to get discouraged in most large organizations. Leaders assume following the status quo is the right way to go and are not interested in trying to challenge anything, especially if it seems on the surface to be going along just fine. And the lower-level employees just try to do what’s asked of them and stay out of trouble—believing that people who ask questions may be sticking their necks out.

Getting people to ask questions requires effort and energy. It means changing what may have been part of a process for years. Change is almost always very hard. Questioning actually means choosing the path of resistance, instead of the path of least resistance. But when people get into the habit and realize they won’t get their heads chopped off for asking questions–that in fact their questions will be welcomed–everything gets better.

What is the Difference Between a Line of Credit and a Loan? | Small Biz Trends

April 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small business owners may need funds for several reasons. Luckily, there are a number of financing options available today that can help businesses secure funds on time. Two of the most common options are a line of credit and a loan.

In a nutshell, a business line of credit is often the best option when you have short-term and occasional credit needs. A small business loan, on the other hand, is best to meet long-term credit needs. Let’s break down the difference between a line of credit and a loan to see how they differ and help you meet your credit needs.

Chipotle is going to make burgers now | Mashable

March 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Look out, Ronald. Chipotle is coming.

The leader of the “fast casual” restaurant revolution best known for its burritos and guacamole now has its eyes on the burger industry.

Chipotle Mexican Grill confirmed on Wednesday that the company has applied for the trademark for “Better Burger,” a move that signals what could be a new chain under the Chipotle empire.

Chipotle already runs two other chains in addition to its flagship Mexican restaurants — the Southeast Asia-inspired ShopHouse and Pizzeria Locale.

The ‘Internet of Things’ Is Changing the Way We Look at the Global Product Value Chain | Entrepreneur

March 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The traditional product value chain has been shaken up with the unstoppable spread of globalization and the universal commodification of goods and services. Globalization has forced companies to adjust and respond.

In fact, Internet of Things (IoT) products are playing a pivotal role in the alteration of B2C relationships, delivery channels and product pricing, and their continued proliferation is shaping the very nature of how we look at the product value chain.