Stauber, a vocal advocate for small businesses, wasted no time addressing the concerns voiced by entrepreneurs nationwide. “Thank you, Administrator Guzman, for appearing today,” Stauber began. “Over the past year, the Small Business Committee has heard numerous concerns from real small business owners about the regulatory burden imposed by this administration.”

The crux of Stauber’s interrogation revolved around the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), legislation safeguarding small businesses from onerous regulations. Stauber’s line of questioning revealed discrepancies in Guzman’s familiarity with the act, casting doubt on her ability to champion the interests of America’s entrepreneurs effectively.

Stauber’s scrutiny extended beyond SBREFA, delving into broader concerns surrounding the SBA’s performance and priorities. “The SBA has been repeatedly criticized for failing to fulfill its responsibilities,” Stauber asserted, citing reports from independent auditors and government watchdogs. “We need answers from allegations of wasteful spending to mission creep into election-related activities.”

Administrator Guzman, facing mounting pressure, sought to defend the SBA’s record and reassure lawmakers of its commitment to small businesses. “The SBA remains dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country,” Guzman affirmed, emphasizing the agency’s efforts to reduce regulatory burdens and provide vital resources to entrepreneurs.

As the hearing unfolded, it became apparent that small business challenges are multifaceted and profound. Stauber’s relentless pursuit of accountability underscored the urgent need for policymakers to address the systemic barriers hindering entrepreneurial success.

In the wake of the hearing, stakeholders and policymakers are left grappling with the stark realities facing America’s small businesses. As the backbone of the nation’s economy, small businesses deserve unwavering support and proactive solutions to navigate the turbulent waters of entrepreneurship. Policymakers can only ensure that small businesses thrive and prosper in an ever-evolving economic landscape through collaborative efforts and robust reforms.

“Every venture I’ve undertaken began with a meticulously crafted business plan,” Meaike remarked, underscoring the foundational importance of strategic planning. “It’s not merely a document; it’s a roadmap delineating the trajectory from vision to realization.”

Throughout the episode, Meaike elucidated the intricate process of crafting a comprehensive business plan, emphasizing the need for meticulous attention to detail and strategic foresight. “A solid business plan is the cornerstone upon which successful ventures are built,” he asserted. “It serves as a guiding compass, directing every decision and action towards the attainment of long-term objectives.”

Meaike further expounded on the multifaceted components of effective business planning, delving into the nuances of market analysis, competitive positioning, and resource allocation. “A well-conceived business plan is not static; it evolves in tandem with changing market dynamics,” he explained. “Adaptability is key—a successful entrepreneur must be nimble enough to pivot in response to emerging opportunities and challenges.”

Moreover, Meaike underscored the symbiotic relationship between innovation and strategic planning, positing that a robust business plan serves as a catalyst for creativity and ingenuity. “Innovation is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship,” he remarked. “A dynamic business plan not only fosters innovation but also empowers entrepreneurs to anticipate market trends and capitalize on untapped opportunities.”

As the episode unfolded, viewers were captivated by Meaike’s compelling narrative, inspired to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys armed with the wisdom of strategic planning. “Success is not a matter of chance but of strategic foresight and relentless execution,” Meaike concluded, leaving an indelible imprint on the minds of aspiring entrepreneurs.

In the realm of entrepreneurship, Shawn Meaike stands as a beacon of guidance and inspiration. His words echo a timeless truth: success is attainable through meticulous planning and unwavering determination. With “Whiteboard Talk” serving as a conduit for empowerment and enlightenment, entrepreneurs are encouraged to chart their courses to success, fortified by the steadfast foundation of a meticulously crafted business plan.

Salesforce already sells Starter Suite, but Pro Suite is designed to give growing businesses and startups more advanced options and a “seamless growth path.” The new option includes advanced automation, customization, and integration options, as well as advanced sales and service features.

Pro Suite empowers customers to quickly and easily get started on the world’s #1 AI CRM and scale seamlessly. Unlike other point solutions, customers will never outgrow Salesforce. We have a variety of solutions — big and small — for every unique business need or industry. Salesforce customers will never have to rip and replace existing implementations to get the right-sized solution for their needs. We offer a variety of fully customizable upgrade paths from Starter and Pro Suite all the way up to our top Einstein 1 Sales Edition.

The company believes the timing is perfect to launch Pro Suite, since a recent survey shows that small businesses believe 2024 will be a critical year for their success.

“A recent survey from Slack found that 40% of small businesses believe 2024 is a ‘make or break’ year for their business — and that technology is a key focus for them,” said Kris Billmaier, SVP and GM of Salesforce Self-Service and Growth Products.

“Unlike its competitors, Salesforce has been a long-time leader in CRM and we’ve built Pro Suite on that same, extensible platform that has been the foundation of our customers’ success for 25 years,” added Kris Billmaier.

The company has priced Pro Suite at $100 per month. Interested parties can learn more here.

As a guest on Small Business Quick Wins, presented by Thrive, Hayden shared her expertise and insights into the pitfalls to avoid and the tips that small business owners need to know for effective accounting and bookkeeping practices.

Hayden’s journey to becoming an accounting expert started nine years ago when she founded Kickstart Accounting. Drawing from her experience as a CPA and CFO, Hayden recognized the need to provide tailored accounting solutions to small businesses. Her company has since become a leading firm in the field, specializing in helping small businesses make informed financial decisions.

One of the key points Hayden emphasized is the importance of separating personal and business finances—a common mistake she encounters among small business owners. By maintaining separate accounts for business transactions, owners can ensure clarity and compliance, reducing the risk of legal and financial complications.

Moreover, Hayden highlighted the misconception that business owners need to be proficient in accounting before hiring professional help. She debunked this myth, emphasizing the value of outsourcing specialized tasks to qualified experts. Whether it’s bookkeeping, tax preparation, or payroll management, Hayden stressed the importance of entrusting these responsibilities to professionals, allowing business owners to focus on what they do best.

Throughout the discussion, Hayden underscored the role of accountability in financial management. As an accountability partner to her clients, she ensures that they stay organized and compliant with financial regulations. By providing regular reports and guidance, Kickstart Accounting helps small business owners confidently navigate the complexities of financial management.

In addition to her practical advice, Hayden addressed the common misconceptions surrounding bookkeeping and accounting. She emphasized the need for clarity and transparency in financial reporting, urging business owners to prioritize accuracy and consistency.

Wrapping up the conversation, Hayden shared her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and helping them thrive in their business endeavors. Through her podcast, “Business by the Book,” and personalized services, she remains committed to supporting small businesses on their journey to success.

As the podcast concluded, Hayden’s insights resonated with listeners. She offered practical solutions and dispelled myths surrounding accounting and bookkeeping. With her guidance, small business owners can approach financial management with clarity and confidence, knowing that they have a trusted partner in Kickstart Accounting.

StatCounter reports that Linux now has 4.03% of the desktop market, as of February 2024, up from 3.77% in January.

Linux made headlines in mid-2023 when it crossed the 3% mark for desktop market share for the first time in its history. The Linux kernel was originally released in 1991, meaning the operating system took just under 32 years to reach 3% desktop share.

The fact that Linux managed to gain another percentage point just eight months later underscores Linux’s rising popularity. As we highlighted last year, there are a number of factors boosting Linux adoption, including the popularity of the Steam Deck, Windows 11’s unpopularity, and Windows 10’s impending abandonment.

Given that Linux is free, open-source, private, secure, powerful, and efficient, it’s good to see if finally gaining the market share it deserves.

Those interested in making the switch to Linux can learn more in our Linux Distro Reviews series.

Dave Gerhardt, VP of Marketing at Drift, was recently interviewed on the B2B Growth podcast by John Rougeux who is VP of Marketing at Skyfii. Gerhardt discusses conversational marketing as a new B2B product category and how it is changing marketing from reaching out to you later to a conversation that is happening now:

Conversational Marketing is About Connecting You Now

Conversational marketing is a whole new way of thinking about marketing and sales. The traditional way of doing marketing and sales is all about later. Come to my website and fill out this form and somebody is going to reach out to you later, when it’s convenient for them. The big shift that is happening in marketing and business over the last five to ten years is customers have all the power today. You can’t make people wait. Information is free now.

I can find anything I want to know about a company without ever having to go to your website. It’s crazy to think that you are going to force people to go to your website, fill out a form, wait three days to hear back from your sales team, and then get a demo. Conversational is all about connecting you now with the people who are ready to buy now while they are live on your website.

B2P – Marketing to People

It’s not about buyers. It’s not about sellers. It’s not about sales. It’s not about marketing. It’s about people. That’s how people all communicate online today. I pressed one button in my car and I got a list. I ordered something from Amazon while I was here this morning to send back to my house and it’s going to be there tomorrow when I get home. There are countless examples of that. That is how we all behave online in our real lives today.

But then something happens weird happens. We go to our jobs in B2B and none of the tools that we use match how we actually buy as real people. That’s the most exciting thing to me about conversational marketing. It’s really closing the gap between B2C and B2B. We just call it B2P, marketing to people.

What Ties Our Products Together is Conversation

We have an email product and we have a landing page product. Black and white versions of those people would say everybody has email, everybody has landing pages. The thing that ties those together is conversation. That forces us to think about what is conversational email? What is conversational landing pages? What is conversational whatever? That one word forces our product team to think about how can we change this? If our fundamental stance as a company is that the internet should be one conversation, then how does that weave into everything that we build?

Ultimately what we care about is that email becomes a conversation. Meaning, the way that marketers have had to use email the last decade is a one-way channel. Email is meant to be a two-way channel. Marketers have been using it as, “John come to my webinar.” What happens if you actually respond to that email? Most of the time you can’t because it’s donotreply@ or it just goes to some inbox where nobody is answering it. That is a terrible experience. Our belief is that if you reply, “Hey actually I can’t make it. Can you reregister my colleague?” That should get handled. We are thinking of that from an evolution standpoint.

The same thing with landing pages. Most landing pages today are static. You go to the landing page, put a bunch of info in and you are gone. What if that was a real-time conversation on the page? That one topic has to weave itself into everything we do from a product perspective.

>> Listen to the complete interview with Drift Marketing VP Dave Gerhardt on the B2B Growth podcast.

Whether your team is in-house or remote, using a voice over IP (VoIP) phone service will provide you with far more benefits than using landlines or even individual cell phones. 

Here’s what you need to know about this technology and how you’ll benefit.

1. VoIP supports better call quality

If there’s one thing you can’t afford to skimp on, it’s call quality. Consistently poor audio can make clients stop working with you out of frustration, and it can really put a damper on your customer support experience.

Most of the time, calls on landlines are decent, but this aging technology won’t be around forever. Plus, you don’t just need good call quality for one-on-one calls. You need superior quality for voice conferencing with multiple participants who may not have clear quality on their landlines. 

If everyone is using a VoIP phone service, the audio from each caller on your conference calls will be of high quality. Everyone will be able to understand what’s happening on the call, and your team and client meetings will be much smoother.

2. VoIP enables better customer support

Being able to provide top-notch customer support is essential, and VoIP makes that easier with several unique features, especially call routing. When a customer calls your support number, and you’re using a VoIP phone service, they will be presented with an automated message asking them to push a specific button to be transferred to their preferred department. With this in place, you never have to have someone available to answer and transfer every call. The entire routing process is automated.

With call routing in place, you can hire a team of support pros located anywhere in the world, and all of your customer’s calls will be automatically routed to the appropriate person. This makes it easier to provide amazing customer support because customers won’t have to wait to be transferred, and they can get the help they need fast.

Another useful customer support feature you get with VoIP is the ability to forward calls to cell phones, which means your customer support team can take calls anytime, anywhere.

Making sure your customers are taken care of quickly and efficiently will help you get more positive, 5-star online reviews, and those reviews will, in turn, help potential customers make the decision to do business with you.

3. Landlines are being deprecated

One of the best reasons to switch to VoIP is to avoid getting caught in the dust when landlines finally disappear forever. Currently, existing landlines are required to be serviced, but providers are no longer required to provide new landline services even if the infrastructure already exists. Many providers are simply not offering landlines at all, and soon those companies won’t have any landline customers left.

If you have landline services currently, there will come a time when you will have to give up that technology in favor of VoIP. You can get ahead of the game by making the switch now and avoid the hassle of having to scramble at the last minute when you have no other choice.

4. VoIP is cheaper

For most small teams, VoIP will be cheaper than traditional landlines and cell phones. If you don’t mind your team taking calls on their personal devices, you can simply assign everyone an extension number and forward calls to their cell. You can also do this with company-assigned devices if that’s how you prefer to operate.

With a Cloud-based VoIP phone system, the only thing you need is a broadband internet connection for your company network. You can buy desk phones if you want, but they’re not necessary when your team is using cell phones.

5. VoIP brings remote teams together

All of the features discussed so far are applicable to remote teams. If you have people on your team who work spread out across the country or even the world, they can take their business line with them anywhere. They can work from home, in an office, or from a coffee shop and still have access to their business line to answer and make calls.

VoIP is ideal for small businesses

Support your small business by adopting voice over IP (VoIP) phone services. Your team and your customers will benefit, meaning a bigger bottom line.

Harley Finkelstein, COO of Shopify, discusses how COVID has dramatically sped up the timeline for commerce moving online and has also moved Shopify closer to its goal of becoming the world’s first retail operating system:

Shopify Evolving Into World’s First Retail Operating System

Most people assume that Shopify is an ecommerce provider. We have more than a million stores on Shopify. If you were to aggregate our stores in the US we’d be the second-largest online retailer in America. Of course, we’re not a retailer but we’re a platform. But we now have these great economies of scale that we’re using to level the playing field for entrepreneurs and small businesses. That being said, what really Shopify is evolving into is the world’s first retail operating system. 

What we’re trying to figure out is what do brands and entrepreneurs and retailers need, not just now but in the future? We think the future of retail is retail everywhere. A brand that’s going to be successful in 5, 10 or 15 years from now needs to sell across any platform and across any channel where they have customers. This idea of enabling Shopify merchants to very easily push their products to the Amazon Marketplace or the eBay marketplace or now the Walmart marketplace, that gives them access to a new set of consumers. The idea is that it all feeds back in one centralized back-office, the retail operating system, which is Shopify. 

Then we’ve gone ahead and asked what else can we do for these merchants? Can we do capital? We’ve now given out about a billion dollars worth of cash advances and loans to small businesses. We’re doing fulfillment and we’re doing shipping. We’re increasing the scope and the relationship that we have with the million stores on Shopify. This is allowing them to become category leaders.

COVID Speeds Up The Ecommerce Revolution

From our view, it seems like the commerce world that would have existed in the year 2030 has really been pulled into the year 2020 (as a result of the COVID crisis). We’ve seen ecommerce as a percent of total retail go from 15 percent to 25 percent in the last three months. That’s the same growth rate that we’ve seen over the last 10 years. What really has emerged here is sort of this tale of two retail worlds. On one side you have these resilient retailers that are doing great, they’re pivoting, and they’re expanding their businesses. On the other side, you have these resistant retailers who have not made it. In many ways, it’s probably the most exciting time for retail in a very long time. 

We talk a lot about these direct to consumer brands that are becoming category leaders. The Allbirds and the Gymsharks who started on Shopify when they were very small and have grown to become the incumbents in their industry. Every 25 seconds a brand new entrepreneur makes his or her (products) for sale on Shopify. We talk a lot about those new startups, those new DTC brands. But actually, what we’re also seeing on Shopify are companies like Lindt Chocolate or Heinz ketchup or Chipotle. They are signing up for Shopify and basically from like five days from contract to launch they are completely changing their businesses. 

This resiliency isn’t simply in the hands of just the smallest of brands. Big companies are also beginning to think a lot more about how to stay resilient in this time. They’re moving well beyond ecommerce or thinking about offline commerce now. They’re thinking about how do they sell across social media? How do they sell across different marketplaces? So no, I don’t think it’s too late (to enter ecommerce) but I do think they have to rethink their strategies.

Actual is a unique finance app, one that focuses on privacy and giving users control over their own data. The app is available for Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and the web.

Actual is a super fast privacy-focused app for managing your finances. You own your data, and we will sync it across all devices with optional end-to-end encryption.

Unfortunately, despite positive reviews and significant paid subscriptions, Long says the challenges involved have made it nearly impossible to continue developing the project alone.

Building products is hard, building a business is even harder. I told myself that I was going to push through and make it happen no matter what. Even if it took years, I would slowly build my vision. When I stopped working full-time on Actual and started working at Stripe, I told everyone it wasn’t going anywhere. And I meant it.

But the fact is this project is way bigger than me. I have to come to accept that. Even I were completely full-time, I need to hire at least 2 other people to properly sustain it. It’s time to call it for what it is and open it up as a community project.

Long’s challenges were exacerbated by his focus on making Actual privacy-respecting, instead of going the cloud-first route that so many other apps and services choose.

Actual is a very different product. It’s not a normal SaaS app. It’s a local-first app using a fancy technology called CRDTs that syncs changes across devices.

This has a lot of benefits, but one drawback is I can’t use off-the-shelf solutions anymore. Hiring and getting help is harder. I’m super proud of being so ambitious, but ultimately doing something so different made it hard to iterate quickly. I can’t simply make a quick database schema change. Every feature needs to be rolled out very thoughfully and maintain backwards compatibility.

I’m hopeful that open-source will make this easier; with lots of people involved it offsets the difficulty added. And I’m hopeful there will a lot of people involved because I get asked if I’m going to open-source at least once a month.

Long’s challenges are a sad commentary on the state of the current tech and software industry, where innovative products struggle to gain traction because the rest of the industry is geared toward a cloud-first approach where users give up control over their data.

Hopefully, Actual will receive the backing it needs from the open-source community to continue evolving.

Generative AI is revolutionizing multiple industries, although many companies are still struggling to discover where generative AI shines. Intuit believes it can be used assist in running a small business and is embedding it across its product line.

Intuit Assist is designed to help guide users, providing help and even doing the hard work involved in the in preparing their taxes and running their business, according to the company.

“With the introduction of Intuit Assist, we’re taking a giant step forward in powering prosperity for all. We’re creating a future where we do the hard work for small businesses and consumers to fuel their financial success, helping them achieve their dreams,” said Sasan Goodarzi, chief executive officer of Intuit. “Leveraging our vast amounts of rich data and years of investment in AI and GenAI, we’re unlocking the power of our platform to reimagine AI-assisted customer experiences.”

“AI is fundamentally changing how we work and live. As people start to make financial decisions with the help of this technology, responsible stewardship and accuracy are paramount,” said Patrick Moorhead, founder, CEO, and chief analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. “We believe Intuit stands out for its ability to harness robust data across the small business, tax, and consumer finance segments to deliver accurate and personalized AI-driven experiences at scale. This responsible stewardship, paired with Intuit’s investments in AI and data over the last decade, boils down to a generative AI leadership position in the consumer and small business fintech space.”

The company is integrating Intuit Assist with TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and Mailchimp.

Under US law, taxpayers that earn less than $69,000 per year can file their taxes free. While Intuit technically offers a free option, the company has faced ongoing accusations that it makes its free option difficult for users to find, thereby unfairly charging users who shouldn’t be paying.

The FTC has weighed in, upholding a decision by Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), D. Michael Chappell “that Intuit has engaged in deceptive advertising in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and said that the defenses that Intuit raised lack merit.”

Under the FTC’s order, Intuit will not be allowed to market its services as “free” without significant changes to its current practices.

The Commission’s Final Order prohibits Intuit from advertising or marketing that any good or service is free unless it is free for all consumers or it discloses clearly and conspicuously and in close proximity to the “free” claim the percentage of taxpayers or consumers that qualify for the free product or service. Alternatively, if the good or service is not free for a majority of consumers, it could disclose that a majority of consumers do not qualify.

The order also requires that Intuit disclose clearly and conspicuously all the terms, conditions, and obligations that are required in order to obtain the “free” good or service. If the advertisement is space constrained and not displayed on any TurboTax website, app, email or other company owned or controlled platform, Intuit is not required to include all the terms and conditions in the advertisement itself but must disclose either that a majority of consumers do not qualify for free (if true) or the percentage that do as well as provide a link in such space-constrained online ads that details all the terms and conditions, according to the Commission order.

The order also prohibits Intuit from misrepresenting any material facts about its products or services such as the price, refund policies or consumers’ ability to claim a tax credit or deduction or to file their taxes online accurately without using TurboTax’s paid service.

Scott Heimes, Chief Marketing Officer at Zipwhip, discusses how two-way text messaging can be an extremely effective way to communicate with your customers in an interview on the B2B Growth Podcast:

76% of Consumers Have Received Text From Businesses

Over 76 percent of consumers have received some kind of text from a business. The most common are appointment reminders or bank alerts. This really just scratches the surface. Texting has so many applications beyond just alerts and reminders. There are sales and marketing, discount coupons and giveaways, customer support and service, recruiting and staffing, and internal communications at places like educational institutions. It’s so new and businesses are continuing to innovate in this medium. There are a lot of powerful use cases for businesses.

We have over 30,000 businesses using our software today. They range from very small businesses like yoga studios or lawn care services all the way up to multi-billion dollar insurance companies that are using our solution in their claim call centers. Industries include financial services, staffing and recruiting, healthcare, legal, and more. We have 156 professional sports teams that use our solution. They use it for ticket sales and customer service. There are lots of fitness gyms, radio and TV stations that use our text solution as well. It really does run the gamut of anybody that wants to communicate with their customers via this preferred medium.

Report Shows Increasing Use of Texting by Businesses

I just talked to the Director of Communications for the Sound Transit Authority, the public transit authority in Seattle, who uses our solution. They publish an 800 number to text or call when people see problems on the trains. Rather than get on the phone and calling, more and more people are texting those alerts. It’s really an interesting use case. Another one is during a recent hurricane down in Houston we had an insurance agent that was using our software to communicate with all of his customers in the area because the phone lines were largely down. Texting was working well to create engagement and communication during those tough times.

We recently created a report called the State of Texting which is a deep research study that highlights the adoption curve of text messaging as a business communication tool. It identifies how many consumers are already being texted by businesses as well as many other key insights and trends. One of the things we saw was that there are a lot of one-way texting tools where you get an alert from your doctor’s office, for instance, but you can’t respond to it. It was actually fired off by a CRM using an API that was just one way.

Text is a Great Way to Increase Engagement

Increasingly, consumers would prefer to be able to respond to those texts and have an actual interaction with a human on the other side to either reschedual that appointment or alert them that they are going to be five minutes late or something like that. We are seeing a trend where people want to be able to respond to texts and have an interaction as opposed to continuing to be one way.

For businesses, the communication channels of email and phone are just becoming less and less effective. Text is a great way to increase your engagement and responsiveness with consumers. They’ll actually respond to a text. One of the things we are doing as a company is everything we can to maintain the purity of the texting medium to make sure that spam doesn’t leak its way into this channel.

>> Listen to the complete interview with Zipwhip CMO Scott Heimes on the B2B Growth podcast.

Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Marketing, discusses how B2B influencer marketing can be a highly effective force in driving leads and conversions for companies. Lee was interviewed by Tim Washer at the 2019 Content Marketing World Conference & Expo:

Influencer Marketing Is Powerful Because Of Influence Itself

Influencer marketing is powerful because of influence itself, not about the people. Influence has always been a factor in being persuasive and being effective as a communicator, as a marketer, and really being able to tap into the dynamics of that. The psychology and sociology of that is something that is everlasting, it’s evergreen. While there are trends in terms of tactics that come and go, there’s this consumerization of B2B. B2C influencers are misbehaving and have fake followers, etc. and some of that’s leaking over into B2B. But I think that’ll reconcile a little bit and kind of clean itself out. In the future brands are going to be looking at influence as a really key component of their holistic marketing strategy internally and externally.

A lot of people when they think of influencer marketing they think of a Kardashian or some people think of something like Baddiewinkle, a 90-year-old woman who wears hip-hop clothes and now has her own makeup line on Sephora versus someone like Tamara McCleary interviewing an executive at Dell about the right IT infrastructure for doing edge computing. That’s really what it’s about in B2B.

B2B Influencers Actually Have To Have The Main Expertise

One of the big differences between B2B and B2C influencers is that in B2B you actually have to have the main expertise. You actually have to be knowledgeable and have a depth of that expertise in what it is that you’re influential about. It’s also important to have a network for distribution and a place to publish your content. It’s great to have a personality and that’s less common in B2B, where you have charisma. Well, lack of personality is a form of personality I suppose. 

The good thing is that we’ve figured out ways to coach folks that have that domain expertise and an active following but they’re not necessarily used to being social. We are coaching them in how to activate themselves and to pull out the best of what they have to share in a way that’s very promotable. Many of them start to open up a little bit after we show them how to do it.

B2B Influencer Marketing Adds Up To Nurture and Conversion

In the planning stages (with a client looking to promote something) we’ll look at the topics that are important around the announcement and how it affects customers and how customers will think of that news and how it’ll affect or change their lives. Those topics are then what we want to be influential about. We’ll use those keywords or topics to search our network using influencer marketing software to find who is influential around those topics, who’s publishing content, who self-identifies around that topic, and whose audience is actually activated around that topic. We find those people who have trusted voices with an active community and we invite them to collaborate on content and give their opinion about the announcement. 

We co-create content with them in concert with brand messaging. So now instead of people just ignoring the press release we actually have storytelling happening with these different voices. You have this intersection of one or two or three or four influencers talking about this topic and those audiences intersect and cross. They intersect across channels too. Your customer is hearing this credible message not only from the brand but also from people that they trust in different channels. That all adds up to yes. That all adds up to nurture and ultimately conversion.

Entrepreneurs establishing their own startups are also seeing the crucial benefits of a limited liability company (LLC) business structure. However, before you can reap these benefits, you must first complete your registration. This process starts with thinking of a unique name for your new business.

What You Need To Know When Naming Your LLC

There are guidelines you must remember when naming your new LLC. Typically, the business name must end with the terms “limited liability company,” “company,” or “limited.” You can also use abbreviations like LLC, Co., or Ltd.

The terms above are necessary to clarify that the entity is an LLC and not a corporation or another business type. The following examples are some of the ways you could name your LLC:

• AAA Limited Liability Company
• AAA Limited
• AAA Limited Liability Co.
• AAA LLC
• AAA Ltd.
• AAA L.L.C.

Avoid terms that may mislead your clients or customers. You must not add anything that falsely implies that your business is a corporation, insurance firm, bank, or other type of enterprise that it is not. This means you cannot use words like “incorporated” or “corporation” as they can be misleading.

Moreover, you cannot use terms that imply your company is founded for any reason other than its permitted use. If you want to include words like “attorney” or ”medical,” you may have to file additional paperwork to prove a licensed professional operates under your business.

The state agency responsible for handling business applications in your location will have to approve the name you choose. In most states, the Office of the Secretary of State gives the approval. However, the approving authority varies in some areas in the US.

For example, in states like California and Texas, you must file your articles of organization to the Office of the Secretary of State. Meanwhile, a detailed guide for forming a New Jersey LLC will tell you that you must file a public records filing and Certificate of Formation to the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services.

How To Know if Your Business Name Is Taken

You cannot choose a name for your LLC that is too similar or the same as the name of an existing company in your state. In some cases, you will not get approval if the business name you chose is already operating in other states or internationally.

To ensure approval, you must first confirm whether the name you want is available. There are two simple ways to check if an LLC name is already used in your state.

If you hire a lawyer to form the LLC, they can help you check the name’s availability before you file the articles of organization.

Another way is to look for the name in a business name database on the Secretary of State’s website. However, this method will only show you the businesses registered in your state, so it cannot guarantee that your LLC’s name is truly unique.

In certain states, the Office of the Secretary can perform the search for you for a fee before you can file the relevant documents. This way, you will know whether the name will be rejected before submitting your business application. This advantage helps entrepreneurs avoid rejection and restart the overall filing process.

To be safe, you should determine whether the name you want is not in use, even outside your state. Type the business name you want on Google and see whether anyone, anywhere, is using it or an iteration of it.

You can also use the Thomas Register of Products and Services or SuperPages to see trade and corporate names online. These pages allow you to look at active business names without paying any fees.

Tips To Remember When Naming Your Business 

Beyond meeting the basic legal requirements for LLC names, you must also consider other factors when choosing a name for your business.

For example, your domain name can be as crucial as your business name. When establishing your startup, you will likely need to set up a website with a domain name representing or matching your entity name. 

Before choosing a name, check that the domain you want is not in use and see how expensive it is to buy. There are different online resources with a directory of reliable registrars where you can find public domain names. 

Aside from that, you should also be forward-looking when coming up with a name for your business. Choose words that still stand out even as your company grows. 

For example, if you are operating the business independently, you may use your name for your LLC. However, once you decide to scale and hire new staff, a business name like “April Smith Coaching LLC” may confuse customers who expect to interact with you.

Similarly, if you are offering a product, avoid using that product name as your brand so that you do not have to worry once you expand your product lines.

These are some things to consider when choosing a name for your new LLC. By keeping these pointers in mind, you can establish a modern brand that can grow with your business.

Make Your Brand Memorable With a Unique Business Name

Picking a name for your new company is only one of several crucial business decisions you must make as you begin a new venture. Spending time to ensure your name suits your business and sets you apart from the competition will undoubtedly pay off in the future. If you are worried about the legal implications of choosing a name for your LLC, you can always seek professional advice from expert lawyers.

Amazon says it is looking for nimbler solutions that target the unique needs of specific geographies, such as rural areas and dense cities. The company says that partnering with small businesses for package delivery will help it meet those needs.

Amazon Hub Delivery is our newest delivery program that partners with small businesses with a strong understanding of the local neighborhoods to deliver Amazon packages. It is a flexible and new way for partners interested in joining to boost their bottom line, working with their existing staff, when it works best for them. For example, a hair salon owner, with clients in the morning and evening, might find Amazon Hub Delivery is a good way to fill the gaps in their schedule during the day. We have piloted the program in rural areas of the U.S. and now plan to scale it and even bring it to dense large cities like New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Boston, with the goal to recruit 2,500 partners in 23 states by the end of the year, including florists, coffee shops, clothing boutiques, gas stations, plumbers, and hair salons.

Amazon says partner companies can earn an additional $27,000 per year, and the company says it hopes to bring on 2,500 partners.

“Partnering with Amazon has been a real blessing for myself, my family, and my business,” said LaKeisha Palmer, owner of CK Craft Supply. “We have been able to drive additional income that now helps support our business. Delivering is easy and Amazon has a lot of tools to help partners along the way. My husband has been helping me with the deliveries and enjoys every minute of it. We have only been in business for two years and I can see us staying in business for years to come with Amazon by our side.”

Several sources have found that an outstanding amount of U.S. small businesses, which represent 99.9% of American businesses and account for 44% of economic activity, do not have sufficient protection or a dedicated budget for cybersecurity. 

The World Economic Forum found that 95% of cybersecurity breaches are attributed due to human error. What’s more, further research from Accenture found that nearly 43% of attacks are directed toward small and medium-sized (SMB) enterprises. 

In recent years, studies by IBM have found that the cost of data breaches, on average, have increased by 10% in 2021 to more than $4.24 million according to their Data Breach Report 2021. 

A further look showed that the cost of resolving cyberattacks and threats was significantly lower among companies and enterprises that had security infrastructure in place. Currently, only 14% of SMBs are well-prepared for such an attack, those that are unaccounted for are running higher risks of seeing an increased number of cyber threats in the coming years. 

Even more worrisome, is the rate at which cyber threats have increased in recent years. 

Findings in McAfee Enterprise and FireEye report – Cybercrime in a Pandemic World: The Impact of COVID-19 – revealed that a robust 81% of organizations did experience some form of cyber threat during the height of the pandemic in 2020. On top of this, 79% of those organizations endured downtime amid digital and online risks during the peak shopping season. 

You know that it’s time to be concerned when cybersecurity threats and dangers have become a national issue for governments across the globe, including the United States, which has some of the most advanced security infrastructures in place. 

SMBs are at higher risk

As demand for digital experiences sees steady growth, and with the onset of the pandemic back in 2020, consumer trends in online shopping, eCommerce, and virtual work only escalated cybersecurity risks even further. 

Yet, these threats are spread across the board and affect nearly every business regardless of their industry. 

CheckPoint research shows that the average weekly attack per organization globally reached a near tipping point at 1,130 attacks per week by the third quarter of 2022. 

Sectors that experienced the most frequent attacks included education, research, and healthcare. Businesses noticed a sharp rise in ransomware attacks, a form of crypto virology that denies users access to their files, data, and information on their devices unless a ransom is paid. In recent years, ransomware attacks have also become more severe, and costly, with bad actors threatening to publish private and confidential information of businesses and individuals if they are unable to meet their demands. 

While larger corporations, organizations, and government entities can negotiate ransoms, and meet the demands of cybercriminals, smaller businesses with fewer available resources are left to their demise. 

What’s more, some businesses are unable to deny ransom negotiations, perhaps not because they have the resources, but simply because they do not have any available backup of their information and data. 

Impossible to negotiate or find reasonable terms, SMB owners are left having to pay a ransom, hoping that malicious players will return control of their systems – which is not always promised or guaranteed. 

And ransom payments have skyrocketed in recent years. 

According to findings by Palo Alto Networks, a leader in cybersecurity systems, the average ransom payment amount has gone up from $500 in 2016 to more than $925,162 within the first five months of 2022. 

Incident respondents noticed that ransom payments have jumped by 71% between 2021 and 2022, which included remediation expenses, downtime, and reputational harm for victims. 

Victims are left having to pay eye-watering amounts to retrieve control over their systems or access their data, and as mentioned, after a ransom has been paid, these conditions are not always promised by bad actors. 

The virtual world of cybercrime is a lawless ecosystem and it’s become harder and increasingly expensive for everyone involved to get these threats under control. 

SMBs are less concerned

Although there is an indication that following a slew of threats and attacks over the last couple of years, some small business owners have taken up the responsibility of updating their cybersecurity infrastructure. 

For those that have been more lenient with these efforts, several factors contribute to them feeling less concerned than they should be. 

For starters, cybersecurity systems are considered too expensive or regarded as a costly investment for small businesses, especially for those enterprises with a single owner. Some small business owners opt to rely on more traditional security measures, such as primitive online and device protection that’s affordable and can be installed at home on their computers. 

Then some feel they will never become a victim of cybercrime, even if they operate a small-scale business from their home computer or laptop. Some feel that it might not be in their best interest, or that of the business to invest in the proper cybersecurity resources. 

Issues such as outdated devices such as computers and laptops can no longer support newer and more advanced software. This generally means that some business owners would rather rely on older software, hoping it would protect their information and data in the event of a cyber threat. 

Knowledge and education is another problem. Not all business owners are equally versed in what a cyber threat is, how it can occur, or what it even looks like. 

And business owners will need to learn a lot at once if they want to get on top of things. 

Threats including phishing, baiting, spoofing websites, smishing, malware attacks, Denial-of-Service (DoS), and botnets, among others are only a few of the more prevalent threats these days. 

For business owners on the other hand, it would mean they need to get clued up on how these threats present themself, and what the protocol is when they encounter any of them. This requires both time and financial investment from their end, something which may be limited during the first few months and years of any new business. 

Another facet is that business owners do not have sufficient financial investment for cybersecurity systems during the first couple of years. This means that for some time, they will use devices that are not adequately protected or prepared to endure a possible threat or attack. 

Although they can invest the necessary resources, some of them remain reluctant at first that they will be victims of a possible attack. 

The bottom line 

Small and medium enterprises are just as exposed to and at risk of cyber threats as their bigger counterparts. The sharp rise in cyber threats has made it increasingly challenging for business owners to operate without the appropriate infrastructure in place. 

Problems of having sufficient investment, knowledge, and interest in cybersecurity are not only putting them at risk but at the same time their businesses as well. 

Unfortunately, at some other times, it will boil down to business owners undergoing an attack or possible threat before they erect appropriate infrastructure. This puts their business, reputation, and financial position at risk, and the repercussions could be costly. 

Business owners and individuals will need to take cybersecurity more seriously, sharpen their knowledge, and have the right infrastructure in place in case of a threat. While these systems won’t eliminate bad actors, they at least acts as a barrier between you and malicious artists. 

In 2016, New York had the third-largest tech sector in the US. Even more promising than this, New York based tech companies showed consistent growth in size. This meant that skilled engineers and workers flocked to New York in hopes of capitalizing on the hype. It would seem that tech startups are beginning to see the obvious appeal of working and hiring in the Big Apple. But, why have tech startups moved away from tech hubs like San Francisco, to New York?

Funding

Arguably the main source of anxiety for tech startups is the process of obtaining funding. A large amount of capital is required to initiate business ventures, as well as to orchestrate the necessary software for a tech company. With startups, there is a lot of risk involved and securing adequate funding is not always easy. In previous years, tech startups have considered Silicon Valley as the only option for their tech company. This is partly due to the prominence of venture capitalists in California willing to bet on a new idea. With large scale organizations like Bessemer Venture Partners, Pegasus Tech Ventures, and Avanta Ventures, Silicon Valley has had venture capitalists on their side. With the rise of tech startups popping up in New York, new opportunities for funding have arised. 

One such funding option is the In-state Private Equity Investment Program, which was originally introduced in 1999. The program sought to address the lack of funding for small and medium sized businesses in New York. Government recognized that in order for business formation to occur, and for New York to continue to grow, startups and other small businesses needed funding that they could not necessarily acquire from private investors. In the decade that has passed since its initial start, the program has continued to fund tech startups, and the overall tech industry. In conjunction with this, venture capitalists have begun to see the appeal of New York, and are setting up shop in the state. This will secure private funding for more tech startups.

LLC Laws in New York

Limited Liability Companies, or LLCs, have proven to be one of the best ways to organize and register your business. Whilst New York is not as favored in terms of LLC law, as states like Wyoming and Nevada, it has greater opportunities and legislation than that of California. 

If you register as an LLC in New York, you will be protected from the dreaded double taxation. This means that all profit from the business will go directly to the owners, who will then need to report their share on their own tax returns. The benefit of this is that the business is not directly taxed. Another advantage for New York is that its general tax rates are less than California. This is particularly important, as corporate and income tax will amount to less. This is yet another reason why Silicon Valley is beginning to be overlooked in favor of New York.

For this reason, many entrepreneurs are looking to start limited liability companies in New York. New York LLC Formation is easy to understand and follow, making the overall process less stressful and efficient. 

The New York Effect

New York is famous for its inexplicable allure; the city’s ‘it’ factor. But how does this translate to why tech startups are choosing New York? For one, New York has an incredibly diverse workforce. It has a broad talent pool with people hailing from all different walks of life. This opens doors for minority and previously disadvantaged groups to push forward with their talent and tenacity, into an industry that was once exclusionary. In fact, New York has consistently shown a rise in female run tech startups. This allows for a new point of view in the tech industry, and many companies are realizing the potential of New York’s diverse and unique economic climate.

Conclusion

Tech startups are choosing New York over other tech hubs for a number of reasons, but the state’s investment into its greater success in the tech industry is a considerable factor. Apart from the unmistakable allure of the dynamic state, New York offers much in the way of business opportunities for startups. 

Boomers are Retiring in Full Force

These are impressive statistics to say the least, but it does seem this era is coming to an end. Today 10,000 baby boomers retire daily. Meaning thousands of businesses are having their owners retire month after month. This isn’t inherently such a bad thing, but it does become a bit more worrying when considering that 58% of small businesses have no transition plans. Times have changed from the American family business, most millennials today simply have no interest in taking over the family business. 

Instead, future generations are defined by their disdain for the nine to five, defined by the desire for flexibility. It simply isn’t appealing anymore to work at the same shop one grew up in, instead setting one’s own path and creating one’s own meaning has become a defining cry for future generations.

So for many baby boomers, when the time comes to retire, the time comes to sell their businesses and make some retirement cash. Cash that is of extreme value when considering the fact that 45% of all baby boomers have no retirement savings. And even those with savings are going to have a hard time due to the steady inflation the U.S has faced for years.

Who Will Pick Up the Slack

The process of selling also keeps the country’s economy afloat. While closing a business just leaves a deficit in the market, selling it brings new blood into the business and a new perspective. Millennials now more than ever are looking to own their own businesses and set their own schedules. While they don’t want to take over the family business, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to buy one, and starting from the base of a baby boomer business is nothing to scoff at. 

These businesses are good investments, with high profitability, loyal customers, and typically great locations. This is just one way that baby boomers are transferring their wealth and setting the stage for the next few generations. As the baby boomer generation nears its end, there’s an estimated $68 trillion that will be transferred to their children alone.

In Conclusion

Another big chunk in the baby boomer transfer comes in the form of charities. $11.9 trillion is expected to go to charities as baby boomers move on. This is the boomers’ chance to really make a difference in the country they’ve created. Be it charity, business, or by trusting in their children. The wealth they’ve amassed has to go somewhere, and as they retire and see their time end, it can only be hoped the transfers are positive. 

While you may think that USDOT is an additional task that will need your extra time and resources, it offers many benefits. These benefits will improve the efficiency and credibility of your business. Below in this article, we have outlined the top 6 benefits the USDOT number can provide you. 

1. Legal Compliance 

While you may think that obtaining a USDOT is just a formality, you may not know that you are legally required to get this number for all your commercial vehicles that are involved in interstate operations. This number is provided by your state and identifies that you are legally compliant with the system. 

On the other hand, if you don’t obtain this number, it will lead to severe legal consequences. These consequences can include fines, penalties, and even the suspension of your business license. Therefore, it is essential to know that in order to stay legally compliant, you will need to obtain a USDOT number. 

This will ensure that all your business operations are within the legal boundaries and are no threat to public safety. 

2. Safety Oversight 

When your commercial carrier business has a US DOT number, it means that it falls under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMDSA) oversight. This shows that your business regulations and operations are regularly inspected by the relevant authorities. 

These inspections are there to ensure that you stay compliant with federal safety standards. These safety standards extend vehicle maintenance, driver qualifications, and hours of service. When you perfectly adhere to these regulations and standards, it ultimately reduces the risk of accidents and injuries on the road. 

This strong safety record will then help enhance your business’s credibility and reputation in the industry, which is good for smooth business operations. 

3. Carrier Identification 

You can consider the USDOT number as a license that separates your legal business from other entities in the market operating under a similar name. This number provides your business with a unique identity that helps you get registered with other state institutions and build yourself as a brand. 

Moreover, this clear deification streamlines the reporting about regulatory compliance and other audits and investigations. When you have everything clear under your belt, you can confidently interact with government institutions, business partners, and customers. 

All of this leads to ensuring that your company is legally recognized in and out of the state. 

4. Enhanced Credibility 

As mentioned above, one of the biggest benefits of getting a USDOT number is the improved credibility of your business in the eyes of authorities and stakeholders. When you have a USDOT number, you can take your stakeholders and customers into confidence that your business is committed to safety and compliant with all rules and regulations. 

This will not only build your trust in the industry but also present your business as a credible entity in the transportation landscape. If you are successful in showing this commitment to legal and safety regulations, customers and government agencies will be more likely to collaborate with you on projects. This ultimately means more business and more revenue generation opportunities. 

5. Access to Federal Contracts 

Companies that work with the federal government have a clear track record following the safety and legal regulations. If you obtain the USDOT number and show your compliance with the government, your business will also be more likely to get those high-paying federal contracts that can, in turn, strengthen your business’s position in the market. 

 On the other hand, if you don’t have a USDOT number or have an invalid one, your business won’t even be able to qualify for these contracting opportunities. This will limit the number of projects you will get and your potential for expansion. 

6. Operational Efficiency 

The USDOT number streamlines your business compliance, reporting, and monitoring. This reduces the administrative burden and costs associated with these processes. When you are legally compliant, you can focus on the main aspects of your business such as logistics and customer service. 

Moreover, it helps you in route optimization and builds trust among the stakeholders that your business is worth an investment. 

Scott Tousley, Senior Team Lead of User Acquisition for all products at HubSpot, was recently interviewed on the B2B Growth Podcast by David Kelly, General Manager at Sumo Dojo. Tousley discusses how HubSpot is using Surround Sound Marketing Strategy to drive leads and sales:

Surround Sound Marketing Strategy Starting to Take Off

There is a very smart individual at HubSpot named Alex Birkett based out of Austin, Texas. He is working on this concept that is really starting to take off called Surround Sound Strategy. Essentially what that means is that it runs with the notion that marketers are selfish. All we care about is how do we drive more traffic to our website. I don’t care where it comes from. Whether it comes from search or social or referral traffic or email, it doesn’t matter. You’re always looking at how do I get more traffic to my website? The reality is that when we are trying to buy something you don’t go to one website. You go to multiple different websites when you are trying to make a purchasing decision.

For example, I’m in South Lake Tahoe right now. One search I just did recently was “best bars in South Lake Tahoe.” I wanted to see a list and I wanted to see some reviews from a couple of different websites. I also like to surf, so let’s say I’m in the market for a new shortboard. So I search for “best shortboards 2019.” First, I’ll read a listicle, then I will go back to Google and I will click on the next list. Then I will go back again and click on the next list. Then I will start to narrow my decision based on seeing the same thing over and over. Once I narrow it down I will do a versus search such as “lost puddle jumper” vs. “channel islands average joe.” I’ve narrowed my decision at that point.

We Want To Be At All Stages of the Purchasing Decision

What we are trying to do at HubSpot right now is figure out how to be everywhere. We want to be at all stages of that purchasing decision when people are searching for “what is the best blank that exists today.” Well, there are a ton of lists that are out there and a ton of review sites and HubSpot’s B2B software (has to be there). There are a lot of review sites just dominating search engines right now like Capterra, G2 Crowd, and Software Advice. A lot of those are pay to play. You have got to pay to get listed on what appears when you land via search. Most of them are.

But listicles are free. Not only are they free to get added to, but they are free to create. That’s one of the biggest things we are working on right now. How do we change our mindset from being so obsessed at driving traffic to our website? How do we make sure that HubSpot’s brand is everywhere when you are doing your product research and you are on many different websites? We actually sometimes prefer that we drive traffic to multiple different websites where we are listed versus just to our own. It’s good for social grouping.

Listen to the full interview with HubSpot’s Scott Tousley.