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Automation: The Risk to Financial Jobs

Automation

Suppose it is 2030, and you’re teaching in a business school. What will be your reaction to seeing just a handful of learners attending your class? It must be disappointing, but it has nothing to do with your pedagogical skill, nor it’s about the subject matter you’re teaching or your school’s ranking. Students do not enroll simply because the finance sector has no jobs for them. And automation is one of the main reasons behind this phenomenon.

You might find it hard to believe because management, economics, finance, and accounting are some popular subjects at the graduate level in most universities. Students opt for these subjects as they are associated with high employability; however, changing due to advances in technology and automation.

According to Opimas- a renowned consulting firm, the future will be harder for many universities in terms of selling business-related degrees. Another latest research showed that by 2050, nearly 230,000 financial jobs would be lost to artificial intelligence agents and bots.

To put it simply, when a vehicle manufacturer finds aluminum or any other material lighter, more accessible, and cheaper to make cars with than steel, they stop using it. They replace it to gain functional and financial advantage. It is the same when it comes to evaluating the future of the finance sector.

The current situation raises a few questions:

Our current and prospective financial jobs under threat? Are robotic advisers/employees the future of finance?

Let’s find out.

Artificial Intelligence- A New Generation

A survey from Aite Group –a research firm evaluated that businesses have started investing in automated portfolios. The investment rate increased to 210% in 2015. Many recent reports by market analysts found that robotics-advisers have taken over already in some giant corporations. Wall Street is just one of the examples that have replaced hundreds of its financial analysts with Robo advisors and high-tech software.

Oxford academics in its 2013’s paper claims that approximately 74% of professions are at high risk of becoming automated in the next 10 to 20 years; 54% of jobs among them will be in the finance industry, which is alarming. The phenomenon not just confined to the United States. Indian banks, for example, have also reported a decline of 9% in headcount in the last two consecutive quarters due to the hiring of robots at the workplace, which shows how automation is taking over in the finance sector.

Perhaps, it’s not surprising in finance, particularly as the banking industry is all about processing information. And most of its critical operations, like passbook update and cash deposits, have been digitized. This is one reason why financial institutions and banks are adopting advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

This new generation of technology has enabled institutes to automate their financial tasks that were traditionally performed by humans. That includes risk management, operations, algorithmic trading, and wealth management.

For instance, the COIN program and Contract Intelligence that run on a specific machine learning system, help banks shorten the time taken to review loans. Plus, the software is excellent at providing impeccable loan servicing to customers. Considering AI’s growing dominance, Accenture predicts that the banking sector will make AI a’ primary way of interaction with the customers within three years. It is because AI enables a simple and easy user interface to help banks provide a human-like client experience.

Luvo, in this regard, is a virtual chatbot that uses IBM Watson technology to learn and understand from human interaction, making manual workforce redundant.

Fintech Grads- A Traditional Threat to Banking

This might sound surprising to you, but universities are revising and reviewing their traditional education blueprints to adapt to new technological disruption in the financial job market. Like Georgetown and Stanford University, business schools are planning to include “fintech” in their MBA programs. This inclusion aims to make students learn, understand, and master financial technology.

One reason why Fintech firms are considered an existential threat to traditional banks is that they work differently from conventional banks. Plus, not only do fintech firms understand consumer issues, but also solve them in a fraction of time. They have become a reliable funding option for customers to look to invest in various businesses.

The critical weakness of the banking system lies in its technical debt. Banks are lagging due to their antiqued IT setups that date back to the last century. Fintech, on the other hand, is in a winning position with its fast-moving and technology-led services, particularly in investment and loan systems for e-commerce businesses.

Kabbage is a perfect example that gives technology-led loans to e-commerce businesses for which traditional banking is not only slow but also inflexible when it comes to lending finances.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) is another financial innovation that enables Fintech providers to create applications on data of bank accounts. APIs will be a long-term solution for data providers as it takes away the crucial information (that only traditional banking employees have). Fintech providers will have the same quantity and quality of data without having any physical branches.

Is Dependence on Robotics Advisors Safe?

There is no denying that robot advisers, AI, and Fintech are changing traditional banking. Many financial analysts consider them the most significant drivers in the financial sector.

However, for many analysts, it’s still unclear to what extent automation and AI will prove to be advantageous for the financial sector. They believe that relying entirely on artificial intelligence could backfire if there are no humans to supervise everything.

Undoubtedly, robotics advisors are inexpensive and save a lot of time and effort when it comes to creating investment portfolios. But there is no guarantee that they will not struggle when it is about taking correct precautionary measures if the market becomes volatile. Thousands of machines are trying to operate the same thing at high speed.

In 2012, Knight Capital Group- a robotics stock trader lost $450 million in just 40 minutes when it went on a spending spree. That means these well programmed and high-tech robotics-traders can cause chaos and fatal errors in the financial markets.

Final Thoughts

Overall, there is no denying that rapidly growing dependence on automated devices and robotics-technologies is raising many concerns for commercial jobs. From banking systems to other financial institutes, automated technologies, like Fintech, APIs, and AI, are considered an integral part of the operations. They are slowly taking over and making employees redundant.

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Calculating Startups Costs before Approaching Investors

Startup

If you have a unique idea that you think can turn into a business startup, you should get ready to do some preparation before you take it to investors. When you present your idea, which might just be in a prototype form, to an investor, you have to be well-prepared to be scrutinized. Quite understandably, investors are always keen to know where their money is going.

They want to have full details of where you will use their money and what return their investment will generate. In order to answer their piercing questions, you have to be on top of your game, know the costs that are associated with your startup, and create ways to justify them.

Getting into the Depths of Startup Costs

You have to create a list of everything that’s going to require money to start your business. How much money you ask for from the investors also depends on what stage your startup is at. Sometimes, your business is running on a micro-level and you need money to expand it. At other times, all you have is a unique idea and possibly a prototype that proves the practical application of the concept but no money to go into production. In either case, your knowledge of the many startup costs helps you get the right investment and decides the fate of your startup.

Here is a list of the major startup costs.

Office Space, Furniture and Supplies

If you are going to have a physical location, you will need cash to arrange an office and everything that goes inside it. You can buy or rent office space. It is a pure expense when you rent it, unless you prepay a lump sum lease. Office furniture will include desks, cabinets, wooden cabins, paper, pencils, etc. These are all expenses and while some of them become your asset too, they are not the best assets you can rely on to get loans.

Professional Fees

Hiring professionals has its benefits, but you have to pay their fees and count them as expense. You will need lawyers and accountants to help you with various tax laws, zoning laws, business structuring, and any other legal matters that can arise when starting a business. If there is one thing that you can be sure of, it is that these professionals are not cheap.

Marketing, Advertising and Promotion

Marketing and advertising are the processes that don’t stop for as long as the business lives. More importantly, they start well before a business even comes into existence. Your marketing and advertising expenses will include the following and much more.

  • Brochures, leaflets, flyers, flexes, etc.
  • Cable advertisements, infomercials, etc.
  • Digital marketing e.g. SEO, PPC, email marketing, etc.
  • Giveaways, gifts for customers, special discounts for first timers, etc.
  • Your website, blog, social media pages and campaigns, etc.

In the beginning, you have to consider taking advantage of the marketing methods that are affordable yet highly productive.

Equipment

Your office furniture and supplies aren’t necessarily business equipment. Business equipment means anything that’s an integral part of your business. For example, if you are opening a restaurant then a fryer, boiler, smoke machine, microwave, etc. will be your equipment. If you are starting a gymnasium, the bench in the waiting area is not your equipment, but the elliptical machines, treadmills, rowing machines, etc. are part of your equipment.

Inventory Costs

If you are a product-selling business, you need inventory right from day one. You will have to do a lot of calculation and forecasting to come up with the right size of inventory that you will start with. You don’t want to commit too much and have excessive inventory due to the fear of spoilage. On the other hand, having too little means you will have to send your customers home or to your competitors. Investors love to ask inventory-related questions. You will always have to prove to the investors why you are producing as much inventory as you have planned to produce.

Salaries

You need workers right from the first day of your business. You cannot afford to pay your employees too much right from the beginning even if they are specialists in their fields. Your investors will not like the fact that you are paying your employees generously when your business has not even lifted off the ground. Hire your talent sensibly and after proper scrutiny to get the most out of every employee.

Taxes and Insurance

Not everything you earn can go right in your pocket. You have to pay taxes on your business property, sales, and income. Furthermore, you need proper protection for your business against lawsuits. The most important insurance covers for businesses include product liability insurance, property insurance, vehicle insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, etc.

Traveling

If the nature of your business requires you or your employees to travel, you have to factor in those costs as well. However, you should be happy to know that most of the business-related traveling expenses can be claimed as deductions. But because that money goes out of your business account, you have to calculate it among expenses too.

Cash Reserve

In addition to all the expenses stated above, you need the right size of cash reserve. Cash reserve is the money you set aside to finance your business without getting loans from banks. You take this money out of your net profit and set it aside for business expansion or to fulfill large orders. Additionally, you have to have at least six months of backup for your business to run smoothly when sales are low and profit margins are thin at the initial startup phase.

Approaching Your Investors

Now that you have a list of every expense that will come in your way at the time of starting your business, it is time you come up with a number and approach your investors. You have to be good with numbers when you stand in front of your investors. If math is not your strength, hire someone to be with you to help you answer cost-related questions from investors. Your accurate calculation and cost analysis increase your chances of impressing investors and compelling them to invest.

Calculate your startup costs and note them down because doing so will help you win over the investors and also show the transparency of your business plan. Also, it is important that you trust your calculations and avoid going back and forth on your investment demands. Asking for more or less than what you have calculated will get you in trouble down the road. Having too much will lure you into overspending, and bury you under a mountain of debt. Having too little will shrink your cash flow, which will choke your business as a result.

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Sprout Opportunity Business Wings with Angel Investors

business

Angel investors are playing a larger and larger role in the business investment community for obvious reasons. The banks are making it more and more difficult, due to a tightening of credit policies, for an entrepreneur with a new business idea or an early stage business expansion plan to find funding. Yet you can’t keep a good entrepreneur down. Angel investors see a need in the marketplace they can meet while businesses can see a need for investment fulfilled.

It’s a win-win arrangement.

Planting Seeds for Business Success

Finding adequate funding will probably always be one of the greatest challenges a business must meet. On the other hand, investors need a good place to invest their money to increase returns. The tight credit market has created the ideal forum for bringing businesses and private investors together.  By investing in companies like yours, angel investors can earn a higher rate of return while your business gets the much needed capital injection required to move forward.

One of the nice features of this type of funding is the fact startup businesses can attract the angel investors when they could not attract venture capital or equity partners due to lack of financial history. The angel investors are known for being willing to give young companies with exciting new ideas, concepts or methods opportunities they would not be able to find elsewhere.

How big is the angel investor market? According to the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire, in the first two quarters of 2010 (latest numbers reported) angel investors invested $8.5 billion. As many as 25,200 entrepreneurs obtained this type of business funding.  Many people are not aware of the size of the private investment market that includes angel investors, venture capital and equity partners.

Harvesting Success

Angels are committed to providing startup funding and even money for small business expansion. Business loans are made in numerous industries too including:

  • Healthcare
  • Energy
  • Industrial production
  • Green technologies
  • Retail
  • Biotech
  • Software
  • Computer equipment

Originally angel investors tended to be sole financiers or loose groups of investors willing to make business loans for new business ventures on an informal basis.  Today there are formal investing groups able to offer larger amounts of business funding to new enterprises if the entrepreneurs have solid business plans. In fact, the angel investing industry has grown to point where they have their own trade association called the Angel Capital Association.

One of the most common questions asked is: What makes angel investors different from venture capitalists? Though there are no formal definitions, angels are more likely to invest in startup businesses or existing businesses that are still in the early stages of operation. These are the types of businesses that often have difficulty finding traditional loans. Angels will also invest smaller amounts. In fact, the news reports are full of stories of angels making microloans.

Venture capital, on the other hand, usually invests in businesses that have been in operation for a while or have a proven financial track record of some kind. Another difference between angels and venture capitalists is angels invest their own money while venture capitalists usually invest money from formal funds created for investment purposes.

Making Good Sense

If you are searching for startup funding, approaching angel investors makes sense. This is a group of investors more open to funding entrepreneurs ready to get their small businesses up and running.

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Stardog Funded $3M for additional Series B Funding

Stardog Funded

In Arlington, Va, Stardog has expanded its Series B to $11.4 million, securing an additional $3m.

Stardog, the leading Enterprise Knowledge Graph platform, funded an additional $3M from new investors Contour Venture Partners, Dcode Capital, and Presidio Venture, the corporate venture capital arm of Sumitomo Corporation.

Stardog intends to use the additional capital to scale go-to-market operations, planning to expand EU operations and strengthen the work in the public sector.

From the statement of Kendall Clark, CEO and Founder of Stardog, their new partners have deep knowledge in critical areas of go-to-market. They plan to expand their successful EU operations, strengthen the public sector, and to establish tools and partnerships to expand access to knowledge graphs.

Fast Company recognized Stardog in its annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies as the 7th most innovative Enterprise. Their enterprise platform used by industry leaders such as Morgan Stanley, NASA, Schneider Electric, and Bayer.

Stardog’s platform uniquely combines graph storage, virtualization capabilities for flexible, cost-effective data integration. Their customers use Stardog for a range of solutions, such as operational resilience, pharmaceutical R&D, and situational perception.

Author statement:

Funded.com is the leading platform for accredited investors network worldwide. We monitor and provide updates on important funding events. Angel Investors and Venture Funding can be a key growth for a startup or existing business. Whether it is a first, second, or third round of financing having a strategic alliance with an Angel Investor or Venture Capital financing can propel a business to the next level and give a competitive edge.

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Does the Business Credit Card Affect Personal Credit Scores?

If you are trying to keep your startup finances separate from personal finances, you might be disappointed.  It is because the effects of your business credit card often show up on your personal credit score. Even if your business faces hardship or goes through any rough patch, it might affect your personal credit score.

That is to say, eliminating your all personal liabilities with your business credit cards is not possible as they need personal guarantees. However, if you‘re a startup, you can use a credit card that does not report your account activity to credit bureau to limit the risk. It may be one of the safest ways as some business credit cards don’t report to consumer credit bureaus but commercial credit bureaus. Also, there are credit cards that do not report a customer’s monthly payments.

But these are limited options. No matter how helpful your business credit card has been in building credit for your business, it does affect personal credit scores or credit history.

Luckily, there are some ways entrepreneurs use to minimize the risk factors related to their business credit cards and help personal credit scores instead of hurting them. Before exploring those ways, let us take a look at how business credit cards can affect your personal credit scores.

Effects of Business Credit Cards on Personal Credit

Typically, the following are the ways that can affect your credit score if you apply for or use a business credit card.

1. Credit Inquiry on Applying for Credit Card

 It is important to know that when a business owner applies for business credit cards, the card issuer considers both his/her personal credit card history and business track record. This may include investigating or checking personal credit, which may affect credit by dropping a few points in the scores.

This is one of the reasons many business credit card bureaus require a personal guarantee on applying.   That means if a business defaults on its payments, a business owner can be held liable to pay all the debts.

Click here to find and compare credit cards to find the best one for you.

2. Utilization of Ongoing Credit

Most of the banks and finance institutes report all account activities to the consumer credit bureau (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) that includes the ratio of credit utilization of a customer. The credit balances are divided by the total amount of credit limits a user has. That means if you obtain the high balance on a business credit card, it can negatively impact your personal credit card scores.

According to credit experts, it is better to keep your credit card utilization below 30 percent. It makes your business credit cards easy to handle as they come with a high credit limit as compared to a consumer credit card. Plus, if you are planning to make a big investment in the business, it is better to apply for a loan than using your business credit card for it.

3. Reporting Delinquency

As mentioned earlier, some credit card issuers do not report monthly account activities of their customer to the consumer credit bureau. However, they may report your account if you don’t make your payments consistently.  Late payments are reported if they are delayed more than 30 days. If becomes a pattern, the negative marks do not only affect your personal credit card scores but also stay up on report for seven years.

A delinquent account is, without a doubt, an important thing to consider when it comes to improving payment history or personal credit card scores. Poor account scores or default account affects your ability to apply for loan affordable. Plus, late payments can trigger an APR penalty that can go up to 29.99 percent with some business cards.

Business Credit Card Issuer Policies that impact Personal Credit Scores

Although all credit card issuers have different policies pertaining to credit card activities, they might report the business information to credit bureaus on the same issues. It is always worth checking the policies.

  • Barclays:  may report in case of inconsistent payment record
  • American Express:  if your account doesn’t have good standing, it may report
  • Capital One: report all account activities
  • Citi:  doesn’t report account activity
  • Bank of America:  reports delinquent account
  • S.Bank:  doesn’t report account activity
  • Chase: reports when an account is delinquent more than 50 days
  • Well Fargo:  doesn’t report account activity

How to Use Your Business Credit Cards to Build Personal Credit

If you are concerned or apprehensive about the impact of a business credit card on your personal credit   scores, there are ways you can use to minimize the effects.

All you need is to practice poor credit behaviors with both your consumer and business accounts.  

Here are some of them:

Make Payments on Time

Your payment history plays a major role when it comes to building credit score or improving credit history.  It is important to pay at least half of your monthly payment on time, if you want to solidify your credit scores. Paying off the full balance each month is extremely helpful in avoiding interest entirely.

Keep Credit Balance Relatively Low

Keeping a low credit balance is always a good move as your credit utilization has a great impact on your credit scores. You can achieve it by making fewer payments through your credit cards or keeping the credit low.  In case your credit use spikes up in any month, you can manage the score by paying down the balance to help your utilization ratio come back to normal.

Use your Credit Card Wisely

There is no denying that business credit cards are a  good option to make payments for your operating expenses. But if you want to finance equipment or inventory, paying with a business credit card is harder.

 What is more, it may increase interest rate with any business loan you take.  That is why it is important to consider all your options first before you choose to make payments with your business credit cards.

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, getting a small business credit card is a good idea for making payments, it is essential that you understand how it affects your personal credit score.            

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Ways To Secure Venture Capital for Your Business Startup

For most business startup owners, one of the most difficult aspects of their job is the task of securing venture capital. And while there are many available sources of funds out there, we have to realize that there are also a huge number of business startups that are competing for the money.

So what elements of businesses guarantee financial support from investors? Actually, there isn’t. Most of the time, the chances of securing a venture capital greatly depends on the situation, in addition to the characteristics of the business and the venture capitalist. However, despite this reality, there are some things that a business owner can do to increase his or her chances of securing financial support from venture capitalists.

Among the most important pointers that a business startup owner must remember is the need for him or her to be prepared with what’s going to happen.

Establishing a business is not as easy as coming up with an idea that will entice a large market. In addition to passion and dedication, a business owner is expected to be knowledgeable with every single aspect of his or her business. Thus, before approaching a venture capitalist, it’s important for owners to know their businesses.

This is important because it would prepare them for all sorts of questions that may arise during a presentation for potential investors. Likewise, a full understanding of the business would enhance the viability of the business plan, therefore increasing the chances of getting financial support.

Aside from being prepared with all the questions that a potential investor may ask, business owners must also have some knowledge on the people that would be the receiving end of their pitches.

Sometimes, owners tend to contact every single venture capitalist in the country. And while this increases your chances of securing investments, this also increases the amount of time that you spend looking for money. As they say, time is gold. So why spend a lot of time when you can do something much better?

Instead of calling every single venture capitalist in the planet, try to look into the list and study your chances of getting support from every single person in it. Doing this would make you realize that more than half of the people in your list would not even read your request because they are not interested on the concept of your business.

There’s no single advice that will boost your chances of securing venture capital. Nevertheless, like in any other field, being a little bit smarter will increase the possibility of getting financial support.

 

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Business Opportunities for 2019

The constant change in consumer demands and requirements has led to a continuous shift in the nature of businesses and the way they are operated. Globalization and technology are changing the business world at an exponential rate.

Running a business online, something that was a far cry about 50 years ago, has become an absolute necessity today. Similarly, opportunities that might have seemed impossible are most lucrative ones to avail.

So here is a list of the top businesses, if agreed upon with utmost enthusiasm and determination, which are bound to bring success in the coming years.

E-Commerce Distribution Center

As clichéd as it might sound, the e-commerce sector is growing every year and is expected to grow by 56% by 2020. Countries that are particularly economically developed, such as the US, have a growing sense of satisfaction in its people when it comes to ordering online. The continuous rise in e-commerce markets is especially due to the increased use of smartphones.

Thus, with such favorable conditions, e-commerce markets are inevitably rising as well. Albeit platforms like Amazon (B2C), eBay (C2C), makes it a little challenging for new businesses to grow, and those who risk entering this lucrative market are bound to look for solutions with distribution.

The reason being the task of storing and distributing is a significant part of running an e-commerce business, and the increasing number of online small and medium-sized businesses will inevitably look for such services to help them compete.

Data Crunching (Consultation)

Not very long ago there was a time when data at hand was insignificant for making substantial analysis, but with the increasing use of social media platforms and websites, valuable data is generated every other second.

This idea is not only about collecting a vast array of numbers, but it is also about deciphering them in a way that gives insights and understanding to the business in question. Thus, data related fields are at a continuous rise. With the right combination of skills and resources, this business opportunity tends to be a lucrative one.

Car Charging Station

We are all aware of the increasing popularity of hybrid – all-electric cars in particular. Encouraged by the state, entailing long-term benefits and being environmentally friendly, these cars are here to stay. With an incredibly high demand for all-electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, which was sold out before even arriving in the showrooms, there is bound to be a subsequent rise in the percentage of existing charging stations.

Instead of hundreds, thousands need to be built in order to cater to the rising demand for electric powered cars. The idea is not only to encourage the use of this eco-friendly vehicle, but it will also, most likely, eliminate the hesitation to take cars outside the city worrying about a charging station.

Privacy Protection Firm (Cyber Security Software Company)

Year after year, cybersecurity is becoming a major area of concern for many. From money (credit cards) to communication (emails, SMS) to even personal identity (social media platforms), practically everything has a virtual presence that is vulnerable to a breach of information.

With the increasing number of cyber threats, privacy protection companies are in demand more than they ever were. We can be sure that governments around the world are now taking reactive measures of passing cybersecurity laws to prevent beaches, data leaks, and related issues.

Social Media Consultancy/ Management

Social media platforms are breaking the conventional methods of doing businesses; stats have shown about a 198 percent increase in e-commerce websites due to social media referring. That is why companies nowadays are willing to spend significant amounts on the management of their social media accounts.

Social media accounts are not only boosting leads, but also significantly increasing sales and generating valuable insights for organizations to plan ahead.

Hence, there is a rising demand for agencies and consultants who are credible enough to provide the necessary social network support that organizations nowadays are eagerly looking for.

Affordable Elderly Facilities

The aging population is the US is growing at a rapid rate. It is estimated that by 2050 around one-fifth of the entire US population will be over 65, resulting in an inevitable requirement for old age facilities.

Since there is a general perception of poor quality treatment and other problems in these accommodations, it is pivotal that all such notions be overruled by establishing accommodation that offers superior care and caters to the current and future demands of this area.

Car sharing

Drawn from the concepts of renting houses and spaces, renting cars are next in line in the renting businesses. This business has the potential to generate millions with a simple rule of thumb; to charge at least 1% of the total cost of the house/vehicle.

This business is rising at a fast rate, as there are numerous people who prefer using cars for a short period of time or have a need for another type of car that is different from theirs.

These are precisely the reasons why car-hailing services, such as Uber, have been so successful in such a short span of time.

Innovative Tech-Tools Providers

With on-going breakthroughs in technology, artificial intelligence systems, virtual reality, and so on, are in regular demand nowadays. AI is required in manufacturing as well as the service sector, while virtual reality is being used in studies (medical and art), as well as businesses to visualize business and financial models.

However, various studies have proven that gaining access to new system/technology is not nearly a challenge as implementing and sustaining that system. Change theories are not new to us; they have and will always give us a general picture of enforcing advancement in the current practices.

Hence, there is a need for catalysts – change agents – who not only deliver the right technology to meet the organization’s need, but also ensure that the people in the organization develop a certain level of comfort with their new system.

This business has a lot of potential because it will not only tap the future needs of organizations for the latest technologies, but it will efficiently bridge a gap between inventors and end consumers.

 

Access our network of Angel Investors, Venture Capital or get instantly matched with a Lender. Create a crowd funding campaign or get a business plan by visiting us Funded.com

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Trends That Will Make Your Business Thrive In 2018

A new year is here and along with it comes a new set of goals and purpose for your business startup. The trends of the year are already heating up, and your company needs to form early adoption to ensure you make the most of these moneymaking opportunities. Consider investing in these trends of 2018 to help your business startup flourish throughout the year.

Local Advertising

Reaching your local customers has never been easier or more important as localized advertising takes this promotional activity to a whole new level. Through advanced search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, you are able to make your business startup visible to the exact base of customers that have interest in your product. Using local landing pages, city keyword search terms, and the use of pages such as Google MyBusiness, you can allow your company to be found by those that are searching for a business near them. This personalized approach to reaching customers is hot for 2018 and is a sound way to market your business throughout the year.

Advanced Technologies

Hardly a day goes by without a mention of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), or Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies are allowing business startups to interface with their customers in a new and exciting way. Adding these advanced technologies into your business not only can improve the customer experience for consumers, but it can also streamline and make your operations more efficient.

Higher Wages

For 2018, you’ll see a surge in the minimum wage being paid to workers. Increasing your wage earnings for your employees can make your business startup a more attractive place to work and help garner talent that would otherwise not have been possible. Your employees are a direct reflection of your business startup and paying them a little more can go a long way in ensuring that you have a workforce that maintains your company vision and brand.

Remote Workforce

More and more employees are signing up a for positions that offer remote working environments. As your business startup grows, you can expand your presence globally through a remote workforce. This will allow your business startup to secure top talent from around the world and keep your operations flowing 24/7. You’ll be able to maintain a lower overhead with a remote team and give your employees a position that is highly desirable and sought after in 2018.

Millennials

The focus of the New Year is on Millennials as this large population of customers has come of age and has an immense buying power to wield with business startups. This gaggle of buyers is focused and ready to make buying decisions that can help to increase your business startup’s revenue. Understanding and honing in on this generation of consumers can provide a generous bump in your profits as you target them with technology-enhanced products and services that you market to them on the very channels they submerge themselves in. Emphasizing Millennials for 2018 can add to your business startup’s bottom line and increase your fan base and followers throughout the year.

Influencers and Experts

In 2018, the need to have a subject matter expert or influencer support your business startup’s products or services can boost your brand’s visibility with consumers. These experts have clout with customers and are often the reason that they choose your business startup over your competitors. Consumers are turning to subject matter experts and influencers to give them advice and provide them with the solutions to their everyday problems with your products and services. Th opinions of these experts matter to the masses and can help bolster your business startup in 2018.

Blockchain

If you haven’t heard of blockchain, you soon will as the technology is making strong headway in 2018. This technology allows for real-time, safe documentation and monitoring and can help your business startup become more transparent with your customers. The ability to hold digital transactions in a more friendly and accountable way makes blockchain a technology that can literally change the way that you do business in 2018 and beyond.

E-Commerce

The need for a brick and mortar store has literally become passé as consumers choose to do the majority of their shopping online. E-commerce is taking over, and more business startups are making a foray into online sales in lieu of a physical store location. Consumers are responding with resounding acceptance making it possible for your business startup to thrive in the e-commerce space and gain consumer loyalty with online sales.

Values

The trend in 2018 for businesses alike is a focus on values. Consumers are turning to brands that have the same values that align with their own and foregoing the ones that don’t. Outlining the values that your business startup stands for early on can give you traction with customers that are likeminded and believe in the same morals as your company does. Keeping your values front and center with your customer base is a new way to attract clients to your business and keep them coming back for the long haul to buy your products and services.

Customer Experience

In 2018, the customer experience also becomes more important as consumer look to brands that provide them a positive buying experience. Interacting and engaging with your customers can help achieve loyalty with them. When buying from your business startup is an occurrence that a consumer enjoys, they are more likely to return to your business for a second, third, and fourth purchase. They spread the word that your business startup is one to frequent and keeps your company top of mind with many new customers.

Keep these trends in mind as your business moves in 2018 to help it achieve maximum success in the New Year. You’ll reap the rewards of staying on top of the trends that your customers are demanding and increase your revenue with vigor as you find these new ways to promote your business startup and interact with your customer base. Good luck and continued success in 2018!

 

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com If you need to access our network of angel investors or a business plan for start-up funding visit Funded.com

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Setting Up A Small Business in 2018 – It’s Not all About How Much Money You Have

When you think of starting a business, the first thing that comes to mind is money/capital. Of course, you need money to start a business, even if it is very little considering the fact how easy it is to start a business in the digital age. However, there could be many other factors that affect a business in today’s digital economy—some you show serious concern to and some you don’t really pay attention to much.

Blockchain Is Affecting All Types of Businesses

One of the biggest concerns for today’s entrepreneurs before they start business is probably blockchain or crypto technology. The world is seeing the rise of crypto technology and how it is being integrated into the existing business ideas. A little more than a couple of years ago, you must have heard the term “bitcoin”. From bitcoin, people still believe that blockchain is all about digital currency i.e. money in the digital world. However, this is far from truth. Blockchain is expected to affect all types of businesses and industries in the world in the coming days.

It is a technology that redefines the security aspect of many businesses in 2018, introduced decentralization in modern business technologies and benefits the end consumers in multiple ways. For example, you could launch a gaming platform where no one needs the existing currencies. You could launch your own platform with your own money today. You don’t really have to start everything from the scratch; instead you could base your currency on the existing blockchain platforms like Ethereum. Through ICOs, you could have investors from around the world invest in your idea. So, blockchain is definitely a consideration for all businesses starting in 2018 and the coming years.

Physical Warehouses Are Not Necessary

A few years ago, only a certain types of business could be called truly online businesses. For businesses where products have to be stored for some time, a complete online presence was not the solution. Entrepreneurs who had such business ideas in mind had to have enough money to have their own warehouses. However, this has also changed quite a bit in the past couple of years. With the idea of drop shipping becoming common with time, it is becoming easier for businessmen to start their own businesses without much investment.

In a drop shipping model, all you have to do is collect orders from customers, forward those orders to the manufacturers or suppliers and have the goods shipped. You only act as a liaison in this particular model because it is the supplier that sends the products directly at the customers’ doorsteps. You will still need an online store with all the products listed for customers to see. However, you don’t need any warehouses because you don’t have to own, buy or store any products. The good thing is that this model now allows drop shippers to offer much more competitive rates so penetrating into the market is easier for them.

Big Data Is the Big Difference

Another technology that has been influencing business decisions and the way businesses operate is big data. While the term “big data” seems that you are referring to just large amounts of data but in reality, you are also referring to the methodologies and technologies that are in use to handle big data. You will be completely wrong to think that traditional software and hardware solutions can deal with big data in any way. Let’s take the example of a bank. A bank could have hundreds of branches located all around the country. In these hundreds of branches, the bank will have hundreds of thousands of customers.

The bank has account information of hundreds of thousands of these customers. In addition to that, the bank is constantly investing in stock and foreign markets, storing and utilizing that information. The same bank handles the data of all micro and macro loans it is forwarding to its customers. It is also storing information about customers through its mobile application to know what customers expect from the mobile website. On all of those hundreds of branches, the bank also has CCTV cameras collecting terabytes of footage on a daily basis.

Do you think all this data goes to waste? No, the data bank collected from banks is utilized in making bank branches securer. Data from mobile devices helps bank refine their mobile application. Data collected through financial softwares helps a bank improve its insurance, loan, mortgage, etc. offerings. It may seem on the surface that big data is a headache for big businesses only, but big data is just as important for small businesses as well. What this mean is that businesses starting in 2018 will have to have a big data approach right from day one.

Internet Security Is the Biggest Threat Now

It is unfortunate that rather than making the world a safer place, the new technology has led to greater internet threats. Cyber attacks are becoming more frequent with time, and much more sophisticated too. In the past few years, cyber attacks on some of the biggest companies of the world, including tech companies have proved that security has to be the major concern for every business—small, mid-scale or large. If you think starting a new business or having a small business gives you any advantage over large ones, here is something you would want to take a look at.

 

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com If you need to access our network of angel investors or a business plan for start-up funding visit Funded.com

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How Your Business Startup Can Take Advantage of the Holiday Spending Peak

The holidays are here, and your business startup needs to make the most of this selling opportunity. With holiday shopping expected to break $100 billion in online sales, according to a prediction by CMO, your business can take advantage of the holiday season by putting on its best face and generating additional revenue with these holiday promotional tips.

Find your special holiday niche

Start by taking a look at what your business startup offers that ties in with the holiday spirit, so you can maximize your sales with customers looking for that perfect holiday gift or treat. Think about the niche that your products and services serve and increase the hype with some added holiday cheer. Gear your products specifically as Christmas gifts and offer special services that can be gifted to friends and families. Customers will seize the opportunity for a new and creative gift idea that can bring that unexpected surprise come Christmas morning.

Engage with your customers

Now is the perfect time to divulge deeper into the relationship you have established with your customers. Engage with them in a fun way and help get them ready for the holidays by offering an interactive opportunity with your business startup. Maybe its picture with Santa, a customer appreciation party or just an offering of a holiday snack as they shop. The more you focus in on your client base and treat them special during the holiday time the more they will be apt to visit you after the long break.

Be merry and spread cheer on social media

Use the holidays as a time to show your business startup’s holiday cheer on social media. Be creative in your social media campaigns and include a holiday twist with each post that you make. Tie it into your products and services, and you have a holiday recipe for added shares, likes, and follows. This can increase your fan base and drive customers to your website in a flurry, allowing for more interaction with your offerings during the holiday season to help reach the ultimate in sales revenue.

Bring on the sales and giveaways

Customers love a deal, and they especially love one during the holiday season. With a large number of people to buy for on gift-giving lists, having the potential to save on a present can create some appreciation with your customers. Generate a buzz about your business startup by offering a generous sale or have a giveaway for a coveted product. This will drive traffic to your website as well as your brick and mortar location as your customers look to get in on the action.

Overhaul your website with a holiday motif

Remind your customers that the holidays are here and they need to get those last-minute purchases done by creating a website that has a festive look to it. With a simple design motif, you can evoke the holidays on your website and entice customers to buy gifts from your website even more.

Creating holiday packaging and promotions

Take the holidays to a new level by creating special packaging for your products that signifies the holidays are here. This will attract buyers and help them envision your offerings as the ideal holiday gift. Package multiple products together for a themed gift package or provide gift wrapping services to make it even easier for a customer to get their holiday to-do list done by buying from your business.

Make it easy to buy from your business startup

With the majority of transactions for the holidays happening online, you need to ensure your business startup is ready to handle the volume and the use of mobile devices. Ensure your website is optimized for the additional mobile device shopping you will see during the holidays and make sure it can handle the added load of transactions to occur through your website. Have plenty of inventory in stock as nothing disappoints a customer more than finding the perfect gift and then realizing it is out of stock. This can create a bad taste in the mouth of customers that want to make their Christmas shopping as easy as possible.

Don’t forget the kids

Many of your customers are parents that bring their kids in tow when they visit and shop with your business. Even if your business startup isn’t geared towards kids, you can create a special event that helps to entertain them during the holiday time. Provide goody bags to the kids or have a day that is dedicated just to children with activities designed around them. Parents will be thankful for the opportunity to shop at your business while their kids are entertained by your friendly staff of elves.

Appreciate the business you had all year long

Make the holiday a time for appreciating the customers that have been loyal to your business by sending them a personalized holiday card. This will show your customers that their business matters and you couldn’t have gone through the year without it. By taking the time to send a holiday card that is handwritten, your customers will know that you put some thought and effort into the idea. Add a coupon or special discount savings to ensure these customers come visit you again after the holidays when business starts to slow.

Make time to give back

Your community is no doubt a big supporter of your business startup, and you need to do your part to give back. Use the holidays to donate to a local charity by holding a holiday fundraising event. Donate a portion of all sales made throughout the day or match your customers’ donations dollar for dollar. This is an ideal way to increase traffic to your business while also showing you are thankful to the community for their support all year long.

Keeping these holiday promotional tips in mind, you can take advantage of the increase in purchases made this time of year. You will be able to show off your business’ holiday pride while enticing customers to buy your products and services as the perfect gift idea.

 

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com If you need to access our network of angel investors or a business plan for start-up funding visit Funded.com