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America’s SBDC Blog

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In Search of a Bigger, Better Barcode

October 19, 2023

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).

Best Password Managers for Small Businesses: The Password Manager Revolution

October 17, 2023

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.

Protecting Small Businesses from Fraud and Scams – Trends for 2024

October 3, 2023

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:

Attacks Will Continue – More Frequently and with Greater Sophistication

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.

Take The Quiz! 3 Questions To Identify The Essential Business Insurance Coverages For Your Small Small Business

August 28, 2023

By Gild Insurance

Introduction

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.

Driving Quality Counseling with Hybrid Learning: 10 Tips for Gaining Traction from Training

August 22, 2023

By Barbara Nuss, CPA, Profit Soup

Nothing surpasses the warm feeling business trainers and counselors get from witnessing the “lightbulb moments” new skills and knowledge can bring, followed by real positive changes in individuals’ lives and their businesses. With financial resources scarce, and funding for training in decline, how can you leverage your time and reach more clients in a scalable, efficient way? Enter online learning.

Many were forced into the online universe due to the restrictions on in-person interactions. Others had embraced it far earlier. Today many SBDC Centers use online platforms to deliver training and counseling. As a nation, we are not going back anytime soon: more than half of American adults who expect to need more education or training now say they would do it online. Still, we question whether we make the same impact when we lack face-to-face engagement.

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