Facebook and Walmart had one thing in common, they both built a product people loved. But their journey was different. Understanding how and why building startups is different from small businesses will help you make wiser business decisions. Here are the most important differences you need to know.

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Millions of small business owners will be turning to the government, seeking help for an individual and nationwide cataclysm, the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The government says it will begin disbursing loan money to company owners and freelancers Friday under the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the $2 trillion relief package signed into law last week. For many companies, it may be the quickest way to rebuild the lifeblood of any business: the cash flow that enables a company to pay its bills.

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Fifty-four percent of U.S. small businesses have either closed or expect to close temporarily over the next 14 days, according to a new Chamber of Commerce survey.

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Seventeen-year-old Avi Schiffmann is an entrepreneur. But he is a different kind of entrepreneur. He’s not in it for the profits, fame and continued growth opportunities. At least, not right now.

Schiffmann, a high school teenager who lives in Washington State, has attracted worldwide attention through his amazing Survival Rate Calculator website, which tracks critical information related to the coronavirus outbreak. Since launching the site during the early stages of the pandemic, Schiffmann's web crawlers have been configured to pull in, parse and process real time data from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and other governmental websites and convert that data to show infections, deaths, recoveries and rates of change for all countries around the world. The site breaks down infections on user-friendly maps, provides health information and also attempts to calculate a survival rate of someone who contracts COVID-19, based on user-submitted health data of age, gender and other health factors.

Is the site popular? You bet. According to a profile of Schiffmann on Business Insider, the site attracts about 30 million visitors a day and 700 million total so far.

Social distancing. Telemedicine. Self-quarantine. These are all words that at the start of 2020 weren't part of our vocabulary, but several months into the new decade we are all hearing and using them daily. There is no denying that the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically changed just about every facet of just about every person’s life around the world.

From a business perspective, the stock market saw its largest one day loss and largest one day gain in history. The U.S. saw the largest job-loss report ever. We are in uncharted waters, and how long we will remain in them remains uncertain. However, there is one thing that we all know, and that is that this outbreak will change the lives of everyone for years or decades to come. Nearly 20 years after 9-11, enhanced airport security, no-fly lists and counterterrorism efforts are still the norm. The same will be true of the COVID-19 aftermath. Is your business ready for the five largest macro trends we are about to see?

1. The rise of enhanced websites and digital tools
2. Cybersecurity concerns take center stage
3. An increase in virtual meetings
4. Increased control in expenses
5. Even more remote employees

How people usually do elevator pitches
Among those who put thought into their elevator pitches, there tends to be two basic formulas:

Formula A: Introduce oneself and the name of the company, then describe the product or service in the context of the customer or industry’s pain point. Then, at the end, make the ask.

Formula B: Identify the pain point before introducing oneself and the name of the company. Then describe the product or service, followed by the ask.

While I am adamant that the only hard and fast rule of communication is that there are no hard and fast rules, I favor Formula B. People are most likely to embrace a solution when it is provided within the context of a problem they care about solving. By starting with a pain point, the entrepreneur is speaking to what an uninformed audience cares about right away thus making sure that the first thing their audience hears has intrinsic value to them. This helps the audience become immediately invested in solving the problem, which helps the entrepreneur to build some momentum.

The food and beverage industry is a tough game. Sixty percent of restaurants don’t make it past their first year, and 80 percent go out of business within five years. Those are hard odds.

Franchising takes some of the risks out of the equation by giving you a proven model to work with. But being a franchisor with a proven model under your arm does not mean you’re suddenly bulletproof or immune to the laws of economics. If you start making unforced errors, you are going to fail.

Here are the five reasons most people fail as the owner of a franchise. Avoid these deadly sins at all costs:

Sin 1: Financial complacency
Sin 2: Operational obtuseness
Sin 3: Poor hiring choices
Sin 4: Myopic risk management
Sin 5: Mediocre offerings

Ankur Jains investment firm, Kairos, is funding training sessions and job placement for 10,000 workers.

The face-covering business went from zero to crazy money in five months, with manufacturers pivoting production lines and brands seizing the moment to advertise.

Kudos matter now more than ever. On average, social media endorsements of small businesses generate 23% of revenues, according to data from Amex.

Few things put more smiles on the faces of small-business owners than social media recommendations about their products or services, but now, new research proves that those online shoutouts also put cash in their bank accounts.

On average, social media endorsements of small businesses generate 23% of revenues—or approximately $197 billion—new data from American Express finds.

This week the Wall Street Journal reported that nearly 300 companies that had received loans through the Paycheck Protection Program had filed for bankruptcy. The very next day, the Journal highlighted Americans using the Covid-19 pandemic to take their first steps on the entrepreneurial journey.

Existing small businesses continue to struggle. New entrepreneurs are seeking opportunities. That is what the data appears to be saying about the state of small business and entrepreneurship amidst the third Covid-19 wave.

Small Businesses Suffering, See Rough Road Ahead

In early November, Goldman Sachs surveyed nearly 900 small businesses. They found that four in 10 had laid off employees or cut compensation. If further government relief were not forthcoming, another 38% said they would need to do the same. Half of small business owners had stopped paying themselves.

For small businesses,traditional marketing can be expensive and difficult to maintain. Inbound marketing can level the playing field and give even the smallest business a chance to stand out and grow.

Why use inbound marketing?

1. It is cost effective
2. It helps build customers trust.
3. It increases brand awareness and boosts your online presence.
4. It can improve your marketing decision making
5. You can craft customer-focused content.
6. Inbound marketing provides two-way communication.
7. It helps bring in organic traffic to your website

Finding and keeping the best talent has never been easy. It became the top concern for HR professionals this past year, with more than two-thirds reporting struggles with their recruitment and retention efforts. While the reasons for those struggles run the gamut, they often relate to attracting qualified candidates (49%), retaining star employees (49%) and issues with the talent-culture fit (42%).

For small and midsize businesses (SMBs), any difficulties with finding talented hires end up wasting precious resources. Worse yet, the cost of a bad hire is equal to 30% of the hires first-year salary – without factoring in the potential losses in revenue and time associated with onboarding the wrong person for a job.

After the pandemic knocked the wind out of our economy, recovery plans focused mainly on saving existing small businesses rather than breathing life into new ones. Yet entrepreneurship is critical to emerging from the Covid-induced recession. Startups drive almost all net new-job creation. They contribute disproportionately to innovation, breaking new ground while also spurring midsize and large companies to follow suit. And perhaps most important in the current climate, startups are well-positioned to respond to drastic changes in consumer and business behavior, recognizing and acting on opportunities born of adversity.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, student debt reduces the amount of cash avail­able for startups and affects their credit score, making business loans tough to secure. It also renders more daunting the prospect of failure, which increases risk aversion.

Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?

1 — Google plans to scrap third-party cookies by 2022.

Google announced this past week that it plans to stop the use of tracking cookies on Chrome by next year and— instead— will replace cookies with a profiling system

2 —Recruiting startup SeekOut raised $65M to take on LinkedIn and other talent acquisition companies.

3 —Small business owners adopted new software in 2020 and increased tech budgets in 2021.

Title: Dehydration in Adults & Children
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 12/31/1997 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/8/2021 12:00:00 AM

I had been leaning toward supporting the firing of Ward Churchill for his writing and comments concerning 9/11. The more...

Since Playgirl editor-in-chief, Michele Zipp, has outed herself as a Republican, can a Conservative Men of the Blogosphere special...

The rumours are true. Well, the good ones are, anyway. Netflix is delighted and thrilled that so many of you, all over the world, have been watching and loving Sandman, which means that the thing we were all hoping would happen...?

It's happened.

And that's not all! You dared to Dream (and, y'know, kept asking me when and whether they were ever going to show up). And it's happening! The Sandman profile icons are coming to Netflix! Let joy be unconfined!

(I'm going to be Goldie. No, Matthew. No, Goldie.)

 I spent yesterday in Dallas, at the Heritage Auction headquarters -- I had decided to auction off some artwork and memorabilia to benefit two charities (The Authors Literary Fund and the Hero Initiative, which help authors/writers and comics creators who have fallen on hard times or who need help), and, just as importantly, I wanted to give something back to the artists whose art I was entrusting to new custodians. 

It seems to me fundamentally wrong and inequitable that art that artists sold for $50 or a hundred dollars thirty or forty years ago now sells for hundreds or thousands of times that amount, but the artists, most of whom are old, some of whom are no longer working or not working as they were, never see another penny. I decided the best way to change that would be to set an example, and show people another way of doing it.

Here's the New York Times article before the auction: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/23/arts/design/neil-gaiman-auction-collectibles.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Xk0.5PkB.9iQtuvn6Bwof&smid=url-share

And here's me in Dallas two nights ago, walking around the exhibition before the auction with Robert Wilonsky from Heritage, with guest appearances by my oldest friend Geoff Notkin, whose fault this all is: 

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 25, 2024 ) The global rock drilling equipment market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the expansion of infrastructure projects worldwide. Major developments in emerging economies like India, China, and Brazil are fueling demand for advanced rock drilling machinery....

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 28, 2024 ) The neuromorphic computing market size is expected to reach USD 1,325.2 million by 2030 growing at a compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 89.7%, from USD 28.5 million in 2024. The globalization of neuromorphic computing would further gain its momentum based on...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 01, 2024 ) The global Cloud High Performance Computing (HPC) market is poised for significant expansion, driven by growing demands in industries such as healthcare, finance, and automotive. Cloud HPC enables businesses to perform complex computations and simulations faster...

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(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 01, 2024 ) Artificial Intelligence Chipset Market size was valued US$ 20.76 Bn in 2023 and the total revenue is expected to grow at 40% from 2024 to 2030, reaching US$ 218.85 Bn. by 2030. The AI chipset market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing adoption...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 05, 2024 ) The Global AI in Fashion Market is expanding rapidly, with brands leveraging AI to enhance design, personalization, and inventory management. From predictive analytics to virtual try-ons, AI is revolutionizing consumer engagement and operational efficiency. Fashion...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 06, 2024 ) The global mRNA Synthesis & Manufacturing Market is projected to grow from USD 2,231.4 million in 2024 to USD 2,958.3 million by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.8%. Key drivers include the growing focus on mRNA-based vaccines, expanding therapeutic applications, advancements...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 07, 2024 ) The global 3D Imaging Market is projected to grow from USD 34.3 billion in 2023 to USD 88.4 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 20.8% during the forecast period. Various business verticals seek 3D imaging due to its capacity to enhance visualization and analysis....

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 12, 2024 ) The global simulation software market is estimated to grow from USD 19.95 billion by 2024 to USD 36.22 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=263646018&utm_source=emailwire.com&utm_medium=paidpr&utm_campaign=simulation-software-market Simulation...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 12, 2024 ) The India Drone Market is witnessing a remarkable surge, with a projected growth from USD 654 million in 2024 to USD 1,437 million by 2029, driven by an impressive CAGR of 17.0%. This growth trajectory indicates a transformative shift in the adoption and application...

Crianza Aviation is a high-value aircraft lessor and asset manager for widebody aircraft, providing customized lease and fleet solutions to prime airlines.

Disclaimer. 1 The average fleet age is based on our own calculations and may differ from other figures. Only supported aircraft types that are active with this airline are included in the calculations. Please refer to the current fleet list to see each aircraft's individual age. 2 Future records only include new-built aircraft close to delivery and expected second-hand deliveries.

We are aviation specialists with a proven track record as an Operator, and we manage one the largest fleets of widebody aircraft. The Company; Our Services; Our Fleet; Job Openings; Contact Us; We are an Aircraft Management Company. Learn About Us View Our Fleet. How we can help you ? Business Jet Management. Your aircraft is your asset. We’ll manage it like one. Charter and Jet cards ...

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25 Templer Avenue, Farnborough. 25 Templer Avenue, Farnborough is home to our Group headquarters and is the nerve centre for the European Air division. With excellent access to the facilities at the airport. Read more.

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Collaborating with a major US prime, Portsmouth Aviation develop a UK standard weapon system for the Royal Air Force. Portsmouth Aviation develops a new solution for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBCD) systems in conjunction with the Royal Navy. ... Portsmouth Aviation Ltd Airport Service Rd Portsmouth Hampshire PO3 5PF Tel: +44 ...

Highland and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) is a public corporation wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers. The company operates and manages 11 Airports at Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Islay, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick. HIAL’s airports are vital to the social and economic welfare of the areas they serve, but are loss making, and are supported by ...

 Third Country Operators (UK- Part TCO) Requirement Regulation 452/2014 requires all Third Country Operators to hold a 'UK -Part-TCO', from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) prior to undertaking any commercial flight to, from or within the United Kingdom and associated areas.

Nearly 50 years after his directorial debut, Academy Award-winning filmmaker William Friedkin is still at it. Director of such classics as The French Connection, The Exorcist, and Sorcerer, he teamed up with playwright Tracy Letts in 2006 for Bug, an...

If you watch China, IL on [adult swim], the brainchild of cartoonist Brad Neely, it's a pretty sure bet that you love it, because it's pretty much all or nothing when it comes to this series about the worst college...

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My father James Crawford was interviewed about his experiences in the service particularly during Vietnam and around the Battle of Firebase Ripcord. I am so proud of him sharing his oral history with the GVSU Veterans History Project. The video go his oral history is on YouTube and will be stored in the archives of...

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Video: The Hives – “Rigor Mortis Radio”

Directed by Filip Nilsson. From The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, out now.

Remember when CGI was just CGI and not A.I.?

Or maybe the Hives are just really good dancers. It’s possible. Things are very groovy in Sweden and the people are very healthy and nimble. So you never know.

(Journalistic integrity spoiler: You, in fact, do know. The actual dancers — Alex Brown, Tom Hardiman, Connor Pearson, Reece Woodier, and Jacob Whawell — are credited in the video.)

I’ve seen the Hives in concert several times and their natural moves are impressive enough. Do they really need to employ deepfake technology to impress us even more? Maybe they do, because this video is fun and hilarious. And of course the song is great too.

But, like with all computer generated imagery, you find yourself looking for the glitches and cruising down the uncanny valley. It’s real looking enough, but not totally convincing, which makes it a little creepy. And, unsurprisingly, that creepiness factor works with the song’s lyrics.

You’ve never seen me look so good before
This silver lining and this golden glow
This shine, all mine
Looking like I’m fresh off an assembly line.

Read more at Glorious Noise...