By Hope Tinney, Washington SBDC
AUBURN, Wash.—After another conversation with her husband about problems at his work, Mari Borrero told him, “Look, you have a choice. If you don’t like the way things are going, do something different.”
So he did, and she did, too.
Today, Mari Borrero and her husband Aaron Borrero are co- owners of American Abatement and Demo, a business that employs more than a dozen people and in 2022 had revenue of $3 million.
By Kaitlin Friedmann, Marketing Director, Small Business Growth, GS1 US
Entrepreneurs in the retail industry are likely aware of the increased demand from consumers to know more about the products they buy. Often, the package can’t hold all the information they seek, such as product origin stories, certificates to back up sustainability claims, and more. Throughout the product life cycle, there may also be information that needs to be communicated to the end customer, such as recalls, updates, and disposal recommendations.
The retail industry is on the verge of a major change in packaging to respond to this increased demand for more information. Brands and retailers are beginning to transition UPC barcodes, a 50-year old technology, to more data-rich, robust two-dimensional barcodes (i.e. a QR code).
In today’s digital age, where security is critical, small business owners often find themselves managing multiple accounts and passwords to safeguard their business data. However, keeping track of these passwords can quickly become a daunting task. Most of us understand the need for unique passwords for all our accounts, but the challenge lies in remembering them without compromising security. Many of us resort to writing them down on sticky notes, saving them in phone notes, Excel documents, or even just appending numbers to common passwords. This is where password managers step in, becoming a lifesaver for small businesses.
By Earl Gregorich, CBA – South Carolina Small Business Development Center, Greenville
It’s a crazy world out there and small businesses are being targeted by scammers, fraudsters, hackers, thieves, and bad actors. So how do we run a business and keep our cash, data, employees, and clients safe? Let’s take a look at some of the upcoming trends in cybersecurity that might help small business owners create a defensive strategy:
OK, this prediction certainly isn’t a surprise but it certainly sets the stage for why it is important to establish a defense against these attacks. Ransomware and phishing attacks have been around for a while now but the days of just scanning for poor grammar to stay safe are over. (Thanks AI!) Hackers can now take more sophisticated approaches, using traditional email with more effective narratives, graphics, and fake email addresses. Attacks will also become more widespread with improved voice dubbing for phone and audio attacks and more powerful computers to drive the hacking.
By Gild Insurance
Starting and running a small business comes with its own set of challenges and risks. While you focus on growing your business, it’s crucial to safeguard it against unforeseen events that could potentially disrupt your operations. This blog post will walk you through the essential types of business insurance your small business should consider and provide a quick quiz to help you make informed decisions on how to protect your business’ future.
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