Protecting your personal and financial information online can be a challenge. Criminals are constantly deploying an ever-changing variety of scams meant to uncover users’ Social Security numbers, credit card information, bank account credentials or any other personal financial data they can find. Once they’ve acquired it, the outcome is seldom positive: fraudulent credit card charges, stolen cash from…
It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays. But even amidst the fun and excitement of the season, it’s important to keep an eye on your budget so you’re not faced with a financial shortfall later. How can you resist the urge to overspend on gifts and celebrating with family and friends? Consider these…
When you are totally engrossed in day-to-day operations, it’s easy to overlook some very important fundamentals – like budgeting. A budget helps you understand where your money is going and determine the income you’ll need to maintain operations. And, it’s vitally important to both short and long-range planning. Here are some basic tips for new…
It’s a remarkable statistic: people 55 and older own at least a percentage of over 50% of America’s small businesses. As many as 10 million companies – about 65-75% of all small firms – will likely be on the market in the next decade as baby boomers retire. Economists and the press refer to the coming…
Have you been considering financing to purchase a business or perhaps to grow your present one? A lot goes into securing a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. However, approved borrowers can get their financing faster by taking a few proactive steps: Have your historical and current financials ready – along with your seller’s – and…
Most of us use a credit or debit card multiple times a day for business or personal reasons. That makes it vitally important to be aware of what “skimming” is and how you can protect yourself from fraud. Card skimmers gather data from your card’s magnetic strip when you insert or swipe it at point-of-purchase…
Platform Banking Platform banking refers to banks using fintech services and partnerships to complement their existing product offerings. In a broad sense, platform banking can be described as the opposite of Banking as a Service (BaaS). In the BaaS model, the primary customer relationship is maintained by the fintech/non-bank, while integrating a variety of products…
Do you have a big idea? Or, better yet, THE big idea? It just might be the way to kick off your best year ever. Maybe it’s a brand-new product or service that you’re certain your target market needs and wants. Perhaps it’s a line extension that will further enhance your present offerings. Whatever it…
Thanksgiving is coming soon. And that means the holidays are rapidly bearing down on us. Before you get overwhelmed, think about this: the best way to eliminate the stress associated with the season is to get an early start. And now is the ideal time. When you want to make the stretch from Thanksgiving to…
When you’re a business owner, meetings can be either the most valuable part of your day – or a complete waste of time that keeps you from more important tasks. Well-run meetings provide an opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another, but when they start to feel overwhelming or pointless, it can negatively impact…
