Apple Intelligence is now live in public beta. Here’s what it offers and how to enable it. | TechCrunch

September 20, 2024September 19, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Apple Intelligence took another major step toward mainstream availability Thursday with the launch of the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 public betas.

Starting Thursday, those who are enrolled in Apple’s public beta program will be able to experience the generative AI-fueled platform the company has been talking up since June.

For the time being, Apple Intelligence is only available in U.S. English. The feature is also indefinitely unavailable in both the EU and the People’s Republic of China, owing to regulatory hurdles. Those in the States can access the feature with the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and any member of the newly unveiled iPhone 16 line.

25-Year-Old’s Side Hustle Hits Multimillion-Dollar Revenue | Entrepreneur

September 18, 2024September 17, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle? When I started EB Denim, I was still in high school. I started selling reworked vintage Levi’s to my friends and classmates because I loved having pieces that no one else was wearing. I was always repurposing clothes; even as a kid, I would destroy my brother’s clothes in the name of individuality. When I started bringing them to school, peers would keep asking for more, and soon enough, I was selling denim shorts out of my locker room. It was exciting to see something I did for fun turn into a real business so quickly

Mastering the Craft of a Successful Contracting Business | Cool Business Ideas

September 18, 2024September 17, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Breaking ground in the contracting industry requires more than just a set of tools and a truck. With the market becoming increasingly competitive, contractors need innovative strategies to stand out. Today, we’ll explore the essentials of running a successful contracting business, providing actionable insights ranging from establishing your brand to leveraging technology and enhancing customer satisfaction. If you’re ready to build a strong foundation for your contracting enterprise, read on to learn the secrets of success.

Establishing Your Brand

Creating a unique brand is crucial in the contracting world. Your brand is your promise to customers and sets you apart from competitors. Begin by defining your unique selling proposition (USP). What makes your services different and better? Whether it’s exceptional craftsmanship, quick turnaround times, or competitive pricing, make sure your USP is clear and compelling.

Brexit is ‘stifling’ Britain’s trade with Europe and the problem is getting worse | CNN Business

September 17, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Brexit is having “profound and ongoing stifling effects” on goods trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union, according to a new report that adds to evidence of the economic damage wrought by Britain’s exit from the world’s largest trading bloc.

Researchers at Aston University in England estimated that between 2021 and 2023, annual UK exports of goods to the EU were 17% lower than they would have been had Brexit never happened. Exports in most sectors have decreased since 2021, according to the report.

“The study highlights that the negative impacts of (Brexit) have intensified over time, with 2023 showing more pronounced trade declines than previous years,” the researchers wrote in the paper published Tuesday.

Fall equinox 2024: When it is, why it happens and what to look for | Live Science

September 16, 2024September 15, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

While meteorologists like to call fall at the beginning of September, astronomical autumn starts later, on the autumnal equinox. This year, it falls on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:44 a.m. EDT (12:44 UTC), according to the National Weather Service.

At this specific time, Earth’s axis is tilted side-on to the sun, meaning there’s an almost equal amount of sunlight and darkness across the globe.

This celestial geometry marks the changing of the seasons — from summer to autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and from winter to spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The word “equinox” is Latin for “equal night,” one of two days per year when the lengths of daylight and darkness are the same across the globe.

How to Create an Invoice | businessnewsdaily.com

September 13, 2024September 12, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you’re familiar with the basics of small business accounting, then you know that signing a new client doesn’t mean you’ll get their cash right away. If anything, you might have to wait several weeks or months before the money in your company’s accounts receivable hits your business’s cash account. And if you don’t send invoices for your work, you might never get that money.

Neglecting to send invoices can delay your clients’ payments, as often, clients need to receive invoices to trigger their payment processes. Since your clients likely record invoices in accounts payable upon receipt and pay according to their in-house pay schedule, your clients may miss or ignore payments without invoices to trigger their pay processes. Fortunately, sending invoices is easy. Below, we’ll walk you through how to create an invoice.

How to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner | Business News Daily

September 13, 2024September 12, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a business owner with a thousand responsibilities and your own company expenses to think about, factoring in how to pay your own salary can easily fall to the back burner. But when it comes to optimizing your business’s financial performance, retaining top employees, and building a long-lasting, successful company, how you choose to pay your own salary matters.

Your business’s structure will be a major factor, and experts like Alice Brendin, a B2B marketing entrepreneur and small business advisor, said it’s important to include your own pay in the budget as soon as you can afford to do so. By prioritizing your own salary structure, you can set your company up for long term success.

How to pay yourself as a business owner

According to the IRS, business owners should pay themselves a “reasonable salary.” But how do you determine what’s reasonable?

This sleek new L.A. commuter train is pollution-free | Fast Company

September 12, 2024September 11, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

On a cold day, a new train puffs out clouds that look like smoke, just like a traditional steam engine. But the train—which runs on hydrogen fuel cells, not coal—doesn’t create any climate emissions or air pollution. The only exhaust is water vapor.

The sleek blue train is the first of its kind in North America. Called a ZEMU, (zero-emissions multiple unit), it will soon begin carrying passengers between two cities east of Los Angeles, connecting commuters to other trains that travel to downtown L.A.

Southern California wildfires burn homes and ski resort | Fast Company

September 12, 2024September 11, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Two Southern California wildfires torched dozens of mountain homes, tore through a ski resort, and forced thousands to evacuate in towns and cities east of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Around 40 homes and cabins burned in the villages of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood, and flames swept through the nearby Mountain High ski resort in San Bernardino County, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

The blaze, named the Bridge Fire, exploded to more than 48,000 acres, becoming the largest in the state and one of four burning within sight of each other. The Southern California fires have blackened 105,000-plus acres of scrub, brush, and forest, an area a third the size of Los Angeles.