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Xero Beautiful Business Fund applications are now open! Xero recently announced the launch of the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. Itʼs their new initiative, backing small businesses for the future. What does this mean? Xero is offering more than NZ$750,000 in funding to Xero small business customers across Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the US. Applications for the fund are open til Oct 6…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Lithium deposit found in US may be among world’s largest, study finds A deposit of lithium recently discovered along the Nevada-Oregon border may be among the world’s largest, having potentially huge implications for the transition to electric vehicles. US recession remains ‘more likely than not,’ Deutsche Bank warns The U.S. economy has…  Read more

How often do you feel like a superhero, taking on the world and tackling everything that comes your way? If you’re a small business owner, chances are it’s more often than not! The demands of running a small business can weigh heavy on our shoulders at times, and as business owners we often try to do everything ourselves. The success of your business depends not just on you, but also…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Surprisingly durable US economy poses key question: Are we facing higher-for-longer interest rates? One after another, economists have postponed or reversed their earlier forecasts for a U.S. recession. Optimism that the Fed will pull off a difficult “soft landing” — in which it would manage to reduce inflation to…  Read more

It’s hard to go a day without reading something in the news about the state of the economy. Whether it’s interest rates rising or the cost of living, there’s no getting around the fact that in 2023 there are many doing it tougher than a few years ago. But while there are some economic challenges for individuals and businesses, it’s important to not go too far down the rabbit hole.…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Economy’s solid growth could require more Fed hikes to fight inflation, Powell says at Jackson Hole The continued strength of the U.S. economy could require further interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. Powell noted that the economy has been growing faster than expected and that consumers have kept…  Read more

As a business owner, you know that the right people are crucial to your company’s success. The best employees can help you achieve your business goals, improve your productivity, and drive growth. But finding the people best suited to your team can be daunting, and sometimes it’s easy to hire someone who seems okay, rather than taking the time to find the best fit.  Here are some steps you can…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Mortgage rates are at a 21-year high. Here’s what that means for you. Mortgage rates hit a 21-year high this week, a milestone that makes home buying a much more expensive prospect for those who are interested in doing so. According to Freddie Mac, the rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage…  Read more

As a small business owner, you always look to keep your business running efficiently. Expense reimbursement fraud is the last thing you want to face. Not only can it hurt your bottom line, but it can also damage your company’s reputation. Here we discuss what is employee expense fraud, reasons behind it, and most importantly, how to prevent it from happening to your business. What is expense fraud? Expense fraud…  Read more

tarting a new business can be incredibly exciting, but it’s important to thoroughly evaluate your business idea before taking the plunge to ensure you’re creating a sustainable and successful venture. To get started, here are 9 questions to consider as part of an overall evaluation process. Save yourself money, time, and heartache down the line by investing a little time now. What customer problem does your business solve? Your business…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. If the US economy is so good, why are small business owners so pessimistic? There are 33m small businesses in the US, with about 6m of them employer-owned. Each of these people has their own reasons for feeling less confident about the economy. According to the most recent monthly…  Read more

For a small business owner, managing finances can be a daunting task. Keeping track of expenses, payments, and cash flow can be overwhelming, especially if you’re dealing with debt too. A business loan, line of credit or a business credit card can help your company hire new employees, purchase inventory, purchase equipment, and finance growth, but too much debt can become an unsustainable expense. Debt management is vital to the…  Read more

As a business owner, the thought of selling your company can be quite daunting. You’ve poured your heart and soul into building it, and it’s crucial the company continues to grow even after your departure. An attractive option is selling your business to your employees, those who know your business inside and out and have a vested interest in its success. The upside of employee acquisition Selling your business to…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Why did the US credit rating just get dinged? On August 1, the Fitch Ratings agency downgraded the United States’ long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+ for only the second time in the nation’s history, in what’s generally seen as a signal of concern about the US’s creditworthiness.…  Read more

It seems like the perfect storm has hit, with rising interest rates and inflation soaring. As a result, households are dealing with higher borrowing costs, leaving them with less disposable income to spend. And that means businesses are feeling the pinch. To make matters worse, staff shortages are adding to the pressure. Retail sales decline affects all businesses. Almost every sector is experiencing a downturn. Building companies, property companies, retailers,…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Why the Federal Reserve has made everything more expensive to make things less expensive A little bit of science and a little bit of art go into slowing down the behemoth that is the U.S. economy. It seems like a contradiction: How would increasing the cost of monthly credit…  Read more

The world of investing is daunting for many people. There’s so much to learn and a lot of terminology that isn’t part of the everyday lexicon. Dividends, EPS, historical returns… and what exactly is an NFT? But once you’ve mastered the basics and the language of investing, there’s another question at play: how do you choose the right investments for you? Of course, the goal of investing is to grow…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. UPS workers poised for biggest strike in 60 years Thousands of part-time employees at UPS are pushing for higher pay as the Teamsters union, which represents 340,000 UPS workers, and the delivery giant resume contract negotiations next week. If no deal is reached by July 31, the union has…  Read more

When it comes to your finances, it’s a good idea to check in on your progress periodically, to see if any adjustments to your budget or changes in your habits are necessary. Even if you’ve set your budget for the year, you may learn a new strategy or have a priority come up suddenly that causes you to shift your thinking. Here are ways to take stock of your finances,…  Read more

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. Senate to hold classified briefing on Artificial Intelligence and National Security Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has invited all 100 senators to a classified briefing on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on global and national security Firefighters are leaving the U.S. Forest Service for better pay and benefits…  Read more