Express bankruptcy: Full list of brand’s 95 store locations closing | Fast Company

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If you grew up hanging around the neighborhood mall, seeking out the trendiest low-rise jeans and tanks, you might feel nostalgically bummed today. Express, the clothing brand that was uber-popular with Xennials and millennials, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Express, Inc. operates Express stores, as well as Express factory outlets, Bonobos, and UpWest stores. The retailer said it plans to shutter more than 100 stores, including all of its UpWest stores and at least 95 of its 500 Express stores in the U.S., effective Tuesday.

A representative pointed Fast Company to a court document that displays the full list of Express stores to be closed. Locations span the entire U.S., with multiple closures in California and New York, as well as Pennsylvania, Texas, and other states.

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How to Make Effective Presentation Slides: 5 Smart Strategies | All Business

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Though the tech we use in our corporate day-to-day has changed a lot in the past decade, one central business practice remains the same: the presentation. In today’s corporate world, most information, sales, and important decisions are still made in meetings with presentations, either face-to-face or online. And while some important presentations, like investment pitches or important sales decks, warrant hiring a professional presentation designer, most of us still create our slides ourselves.

That’s where these practical strategies come in. They are tried and tested techniques used by seasoned presentation designers—and they don’t require any design skills!

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5 Sales Qualification Questions to Ask Your Prospects | All Business

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If you have ever gone shopping for a new TV, with all the different options available, you know it can be a very overwhelming experience. And then the salesperson who’s supposed to be helping you may not even ask you any questions about your budget or your needs. All they say is, “Buy this one.”

How likely is it that you will take their advice? Probably not that likely. When your needs are not adequately understood or taken into account, you have no reason to trust the recommendations of a so-called expert.

Unfortunately, many salespeople and business owners fall into this same trap. They don’t invest the time and effort into understanding their prospects and come across like a snake oil salesperson.

However, by pausing, asking the right questions, and actively listening, you can gain your prospect’s trust and get them excited about working with you.

In this article, we’ll share five of the most important questions you should ask every prospect before you send a sales proposal. These questions will help you drill down to the core of your prospect’s desires and expectations and learn if your product or service is a good fit for them.

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Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Found Guilty of Tax Evasion | Small Biz Trends

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A federal jury today convicted Brandon Aumiller, owner of Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business based in Milroy, Pennsylvania, on charges of tax evasion. The jury found Aumiller guilty of failing to pay substantial amounts in personal and business taxes, following a scheme that spanned several years.

According to evidence presented at trial, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns for 2007 and from 2009 through 2011, revealing he owed approximately $82,311 in taxes. Additionally, his business’s employment tax returns indicated about $24,882 owed for parts of 2013 and 2014. Despite acknowledging these liabilities to the IRS, totaling over $107,193, Aumiller failed to settle these debts.

Prosecutors detailed how Aumiller actively obstructed IRS collection efforts. His tactics included hiding his assets in undisclosed bank accounts, structuring real estate transactions to evade detection, and submitting false financial disclosure forms that concealed significant financial information.

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IRS Cautions Tax Professionals About Spearphishing Scams | Small Biz Trends

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The IRS recently issued a warning to tax professionals and businesses about a rise in spearphishing attacks aimed at stealing sensitive information. This alert is part of the IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” campaign, which highlights the top twelve scams targeting taxpayers and tax advisors each year.

Spearphishing is a type of email scam where criminals pretend to be potential clients to trick tax professionals into giving away personal and financial information. These attackers send emails that look real but are actually fake, trying to get access to computer systems and sensitive data.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel stressed the importance of staying alert. “Cyberattacks pose a threat to not just the livelihood of the businesses, but the sensitive tax and personnel information that identity thieves can use to try filing fake tax returns,” he said. “The Security Summit partners continue to urge tax pros and businesses to be on guard and educate their employees. Taking simple steps by using extra caution when opening emails, clicking on links or sharing private client information can prevent tax professionals from being taken advantage of by cybercriminals.”

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These 6 tweaks take MacBooks from great to nearly perfect | Digital Trends

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I love getting a new MacBook. The slow-opening box, the fresh install of macOS, even the enchanting new Mac smell (which people have been rhapsodizing about for decades) — it’s all part of the experience.

But you know what? MacBooks don’t arrive perfect out of the box. There are a few things that I always have to adjust, regardless of how powerful the laptop is. From changing the default apps to unlocking a few hidden extras, here are the first six things to do with your new MacBook before putting it to work.

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Why you need to be excited about the Google Pixel 8a | Digital Trends

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This is going to be a busy year for Google Pixel devices. In less than a month, Google is expected to launch its first new Pixel of the year with the Google Pixel 8a. Following that, we’re expecting a Google Pixel Fold 2, possibly another Pixel Tablet, the Pixel 9 series, and a Pixel Watch 3 later in the fall.

There’s plenty to look forward to with all of those Pixels, but if you ask me, I think the Pixel 8a is the most promising of the bunch. In a year when Google has exciting upgrades planned for its flagship and foldable phones, Google’s budget-focused omodel is what’s really on my mind.

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Why Gen Z Should Be Your Small Business’s Next Big Focus | The Startup Magazine

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If you’re hoping to generate more customers within your business, it might help to take a step back and reevaluate it. For starters, what demographic are you targeting? Is there a certain age range? Well, if you’re not targeting Gen Z, then it might be time to move forward and do this! Now, a lot of businesses only see Gen Z as teenagers, but this generation started in 1997, so essentially, the older ones are in their late 20s, slowly creeping to their 30s.

They have just as much spending power as Millenials, so you’re only hurting your business if you’re not targeting them. But that’s not the only reason either; here’s exactly why Gen Z should be your small business’s next big focus and you should use effective Gen Z marketing!

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How to Run Your Small Business Much More Efficiently | The Startup Magazine

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Running a business is certainly not for the faint of heart. Between having to file taxes and hiring employees, not to mention managing client relations, you may find that you end up struggling more than you realize. Fortunately, there are ways that you can make running your small business a little easier. If you want some business efficiency strategies that will make your life easier then you simply need to take a look below.

Delegate the Small Things

At the end of the day, there are only a certain number of hours in the day. Regardless of your work ethic or even your intellectual ability, you will probably always have something that you could be working on. Most business owners struggle with things like delegation because they are doers. Even though you may delegate, you may find that you end up micromanaging and that this defeats the purpose of what you are trying to do. If you run your business properly and efficiently then you have to make sure that you trust others as much as you can.

Take the time to assess your knowledge and make sure that you take the time to monitor the process. If you can do this and if you can relax a little then you will soon find that you are able to become more efficient and that you are able to handle your responsibilities much better.

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Jamie Dimon: Bank boss warns US interest rates could rise to 8% | BBC

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The boss of one of the world’s biggest banks has warned US interest rates could climb to 8%.

Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, said his bank has prepared for interest rates to jump because of “persistent inflationary pressures”.

Central banks around the world have been busy raising rates in a bid to dampen rising prices.

But with US inflation gradually easing, the overwhelming expectation is for the Federal Reserve to cut rates this year.

Markets are pricing in two quarter-point rate cuts in 2024.

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