All Up In Your Business with First Union Lending: Recent Episodes
First Union Lending, Chad Youngblut
In today's age, owning and operating a business doesn't come without complications. First Union Lending is an industry leader in business finance and technology. The All Up In Your Business Podcast is here to answer questions on the minds of small business owners just like you. Let's face it; there is no one-size-fits-all guide to operating a business.
Join First Union Lending, guests, and business professionals as they discuss current events affecting companies and answer questions submitted by business owners around the country.
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In this episode, Chad, Dennis and Tim discuss former president Donald Trumps plan to form a public company that will launch a long anticipated social platform of his own claiming to create a space for stand up to the tyranny of big tech, the press release, announcing the platform Truth Social. The platform is expected to launch its beta in November with a wider rollout in 2022.
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For more information on Teelaunch, visit teelaunch.com
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Listener Questions:* How to extract and convert static HTML for a WordPress site. * How to properly manage dealing with a developer who's taking too long. * What are the most important aspects to consider when starting a new business or bringing a new product to the market.
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Biz NewsThis week, Chad, Dennis and Adriana discuss the current hearing with the CEOs of major banks and their plans on restarting foreclosures. Join the gang as they discuss the crash in 2006/2008 and their experiences during that time.
Listener QuestionsFrom Dennis: "A friend and I have been discussing a plan to open a business. But I am very worried because we are very different. I'm more practical and he is more of an idealist. What are some red flags to look for when picking a business partnership?
From Gary: "When starting a new web development project, how do you go about starting it?"
From Melissa "How can I start building clients for my Social Media Management business?"
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Due to bad publicity for Bitcoin from Elon Musk and new regulations from China, caused the crypto to crash. Not only did Bitcoin crash, but the news affected the majority of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin dropped to the lowest of $30k which was a 3 month low and Ether dropped below $2k. Part of the reason for the pull back of Bitcoin is that the idea of broader acceptance of cryptocurrency is decreasing temporarily. Our story comes from CNBC.
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Biz NewsBank of America announced that they are raising their minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2025. The CEO, Brian Moynihan, told Jim Cramer in a “Mad Money” interview, “we want that kind of talent in our company and we’re willing to pay what it takes to get it.” Bank of America’s hope is that the news would push U.S. vendors working with them to raise their employees to $15 an hour. Also the bank hopes that the wage increase would help teammates to have a career mindset and stay with the company. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- I recently got denied for a loan. What can I do to improve my chances of getting a loan next time I apply for one?
- Is it easier for a developer to work front end or back end?
- Is social media marketing essential for business?
ResourcesTo read more about social media marketing on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsThe FBI says that DarkSide, the Colonial Pipeline hacker, is a group that is new to the ransome scene. Signs point to this being a case of an extortion plot, rather than the coordinated work of hackers intent on compromising America’s energy grid. The federal government issued an emergency declaration for 17 states and the District of Columbia after the country’s largest fuel pipeline went down. Gasoline price hikes and shortages were reported across the U.S. though the lack of supply was due to panic buyers. The Colonial Pipeline paid nearly $5 million as a ransom to get back its systems. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Is it better to buy an existing business or build one from the ground up?
- I took 5 years off of web developing and now I want to get back in. What has changed in the past 5 years and which languages are the most popular?
- What do you consider the good and bad side of marketing?
- Thousands of businesses have closed forever during the pandemic. What kept your business from closing and what advice would you give to small business owners who are struggling?
ResourcesTo read more about financial advice for startups on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency named after a meme of a shibu inu dog that started as a joke has surged 40% on Tuesday. The cryptocurrency reached a market cap of $69 billion, making it the fourth largest crypto behind Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin. The coin has increased by 11,000% since the beginning of the year. What’s causing the price to surge is Elon aka the Dogefather and Mark Cuban. Elon hosted SNL over the weekend and anticipation drove the prices up. Mark Cuban made multiple posts supporting Dogecoin. Experts warn investors from jumping into Dogecoin just to make money. Only invest what you are willing to lose. Our story comes from CNBC.
ResourcesTo read more about cryptocurrency on the First Union Lending on the blog click here.
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Biz NewsSmall businesses have struggled throughout the pandemic and now as they try to recover, there is a new problem: a lack of workers. A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business found that 42% of owners had job openings that could not be filled. 91% of those hiring or trying to hire reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. So what is causing this? A few reasons are potential workers are unvaccinated, working parents lack child care or in-person schooling for their children, people have moved out of major cities or found a new way of making money, and unemployment benefits. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- I am an owner of a small local diner. Due to the pandemic and restrictions, I had to let go of most of my staff. Now that my business is open again, I am struggling to hire anyone. What can I do to attract potential hires?
- Is it better to work with a website development company or a freelance website developer? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
- What should my first media posts be for my new business?
ResourcesTo read more on social media marketing on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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ArticleJeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin said that they will soon begin selling tickets for rides on the company’s space tourism rocket called New Shepard. Blue Origin didn’t quote the price, but they said that more details will come on May 5th to those who submit their name and email on a form on the company’s website. The rocket New Shepard is designed to carry up to 6 people at a time and the rocket will ride past the edge of space, with capsules tested before reaching an altitude more than 340,000. The capsule will allow passengers to view through its windows and it will spend 10 minutes in zero gravity. To get a taste of how much ticket will cost, competitor Virgin Galactic sold tickets to about 600 passengers between the prices of $200k and $250k. Bezos said that Blue Origin will set similar prices. Our story comes from CNBC.
ResourcesTo read more about startups on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsKanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy samples have sold for $1.8 million in private sale, making them the most expensive sneakers in the world. The auction house Sotheby confirmed the price of the sneakers in a statement. Kanya wore the Yeezy prototypes in 2008 at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, but the shoes or style never dropped on shelves. Sotheby’s Brahm Wachter who is the head of streetwear and modern collectables said the sale, “speaks volumes of Kanye’s legacy as one of the most influential clothing and sneaker designers of our time.” Our story comes from CNN.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Where can I get the simplest loan with the best terms?
- How do I go about buying a domain name? How much should I expect to pay?
- What tools and techniques can I use on social media to broaden my skill set and further pursue job opportunities in social media management?
- What are some financing options to offer for people with bad or no credit?
ResourcesTo read more about credit building loans on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies took a deep dive last week due to President Biden’s proposed capital gains tax hike that led to a wave of selling. Bitcoin dropped down 7.3% to $49,730. Bitcoin hasn’t been this low since March. Ethereum went down 8% ro $2,320 and XRP dropped 16%. This took out more than $200 billion of value from the cryptocurrency market. Our story comes from CNBC.
ResourcesTo read more about the future of Bitcoin on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
According to Yelp, more than 500,000 new businesses have opened across the United States in the past year. Yelp released this information from its Economic Average Report last week. Yelp reported 516,754 new businesses that opened from April 1, 2020 through March 31st. More than 69,000 were new restaurants and food businesses which is great since that industry was hit the hardest by the pandemic. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- A big company approached me about buying my business. At what point do I hire a lawyer and when do I know it’s time to sell?
- What do you look for when hiring a web designer/developer?
- How do you monitor questions on social media?
- What are some problems and solutions when starting a business?
ResourcesTo read more about social media on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Today, we are joined by guest, Ben Adler. Ben is a successful affiliate marketer and the creator of the popular Facebook group “Affiliate Niche Builder.” Ben recently launched his new site, Keyword Chef.
Interview Questions* Tell us about Keyword Chef. * Who is the customer base for Keyword Chef? * What were some of the biggest hurdles while creating Keyword Chef? * What technologies did you use to create Keyword Chef? * How did you get started in affiliate marketing? * What exactly is affiliate marketing? * How do affiliate networks make money? * How different is affiliate marketing from when you started to now? * Can we use affiliate marketing for lead generation? * Are AD blockers an issue in affiliate marketing? * Is social media activity an important part of affiliate marketing? * Is there a difference between affiliate marketing and dropshipping? * What advice would you give to anyone looking at getting into affiliate marketing?
ResourcesTo read more on what to post on social media on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz News13 employees from Goldman Sachs created a presentation about the 95-hour work weeks at the company which they stated were “inhumane.” David Solomon who is the CEO of Goldman Sachs shared that he was happy the employees took their complaint to management, but he also said that going the extra mile can make a big difference for the bank. Goldman Sachs faces high demand from clients and they need to meet the challenge. Solomon promised to improve working conditions. Our Story comes from BBC News.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- I own a small business and I have been struggling to hire new employees. What can I do?
- How can I make my old website not visible on google?
- What are other effective marketing tactics that don’t cost much?
- How do you pick the right payroll company for a small business?
ResourcesTo read more about marketing on a budget on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsThe Supreme court has ruled that Uber Technologies Inc. will reclassify all 70k U.K. drivers as workers. This makes them entitled to minimum wage, vacation pay, and other benefits. The national living wage is 8.72 pounds or $12.11 per hour. This is the minimum drivers can earn. The U.K. will be the first country in the world where Uber will have this type of business model. The new business model might be adapted in other countries, but that depends on Uber’s management. Uber drivers will receive an earnings guarantee, holiday pay, pension, and will retain the flexibility they currently have. Our story comes from Bloomberg.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- When purchasing commercial real estate, what are questions, issues, variables, and resources that are helpful during the process?
- What is the hardest thing about coding?
- How do you set a price for marketing when you begin freelancing?
- How do you balance work and life as an entrepreneur?
ResourcesTo check out the commercial real estate loans on the First Union Lending website click here.
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Biz NewsA non-fungible token by the artist Beeple sold at auction for over $60 million making it the most expensive NFT ever sold. NFTs are digital assets with ownership recorded on a blockchain. They have become a $400 million market. Right now NFT prices are the new collectible and compete with the prices paid for Picassos and Monets. Jack Dorsey has jumped on board. He turned his first tweet from 2006 into an NFT and it currently has a bid of $2.5 million. Other NFTs include NBA highlight videos, music videos, and music. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What are the biggest expenses when starting a business? Is it better to get a loan or bootstrap?
- I am a freelancer in web development/design and I have noticed people are more hesitant to hire me because of my age. Is this normal and what can I do?
- Why are some marketers stuck in the old ways of marketing?
- What are the cons of taking on an investor? What should I know? What are easily overlooked issues?
ResourcesTo read more about how small business loans work on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsThere is a space hotel that is set to be built in the near future. The hotel’s name is Voyager Station. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be a reality by 2027. John Blincow, who runs the construction company building the space hotel, says, “We’re trying to make the public realize that this is the golden age of space travel is just around the corner. It’s coming. It’s coming fast.” The space hotel will include warm suites, chic bars, and restaurants. There are plans to serve “space food” like freeze dried ice cream in the hotel’s restaurant. There will also be space for recreational activities due to the weightlessness and reduced gravity. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- Where is a recommended place to get a low interest business loan? How hard is it to apply and get approved?
- When setting up a small e-commerce site where do you host, how do you host, what type of shopping cart do you use, and how do you set up a business account for the business?
- How do I show proof that my social media marketing strategy is working?
- What’s your opinion on brick and mortar businesses? Do you think they will become a thing of the past since a lot of businesses are moving into the e-commerce space?
ResourcesTo read more about keeping your social media fresh on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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PepsiCo launched a line of cocktail mixers under the brand name, Neon Zebra. Pepsi has been working on this product for two years and tracked the at home drinking trend. U.S. consumers have spent $304.6 million on cocktail mixers, which is up 36% from a year ago. Neon Zebra comes in four flavors which are margarita, strawberry daiquiri, mojito, and whisky sour. These were the most popular flavors chosen by young consumers. One 7.5 ounce can is used to make two cocktails, with three ounces of spirits added to it. Our story comes from cnbc.
Listener Questions We cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- How can small businesses raise money to scale their business?
- What is the average amount of hours you work during one sit-down? What do you do when you feel burnt out?
- How do I gain experience and start my career?
- What do you look for in a potential hire? How do I go about training them? Do I need an employee handbook?
ResourcesTo read more about business loans on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsLast week there was a U.S. congressional hearing about GameStop. Top hedge fund managers, the head of Robinhood, and Roaring Kitty were all present answering questions over who’s fault it was for the trading frenzy. During the trading frenzy, Gamestop’s stock rose more than 1,000% during a two week time span as traders used Reddit to encourage each other which resulted in hedge fund managers to short the stock. The point of the hearing was to understand what happened to GameStop and how to prevent another market manipulation from happening again. Our story comes from Reuters.
Listener Questions We cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What should I change in sales techniques to succeed with B2B clients?
- Is it a good idea to have a co-founder who is tech savvy? What do I do if I don’t have this type of co-founder or person for my business?
- What are the pros and cons of working a full time permanent job and freelancing?
ResourcesTo read more about freelancing on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsIn January, applications to start new U.S. businesses jumped. This somewhat shows that the U.S. economy is slowly picking back up. The Commerce Department said on Wednesday business applications surged 42.6% to a seasonally adjusted 492,133 last month. The data comes from business applications for tax identifications. Applications increased in all four regions last month. The pandemic has destroyed businesses in the services sector, especially restaurants and bars, leaving millions unemployed. The economy has recovered 12.3 million of the 22.2 million jobs lost in March and April. Our story comes from reuters.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- I would like to establish an LLC, but don't want to have to list my home address. How do I do this? Would it be worth it to go through an online legal service?
- I am just starting in web design, what is the best way to get clients?
- I need help with TikTok. I have been posting on TikTok for about a year now about my business and none of my videos have gone viral. What am I doing wrong? Can you give me some tips?
- What are some common problems small businesses face?
ResourcesTo read more about the explanation of the U.S. economy on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsJeff Bezos announced that he will be stepping down from his position as chief executive of Amazon. He will also be transitioning into his new role of executive chair. Bezos made this announcement in a memo to employees. He says that this transition will give him more time and energy to focus on the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post, and other passions. Andy Jassy, the chief executive of Amazon Web Services, will take over as CEO of Amazon. Our story comes from NBC News.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What is your current exit strategy for your business? Do you plan to sell, go public, or eventually step down if the business takes off?
- What resources would you suggest for somebody looking to obtain a deeper understanding of UI, UX, and Visual Design?
- How do I find Instagram influencers?
- My partner owns a small business. They want to buy the office they’re leasing but don't have the capital for the equity requirement for an SBA loan. They want to empty our joint savings account for this equity. I think it’s not a great idea. They’re moderately successful, but I’m hesitant to dip into our safety net for this. Am I being unreasonable?
ResourcesTo read more about tips on social media on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsBitcoin’s price has been on a roller coaster this week, erasing almost all of its 2021’s gains on Thursday. Yet, according to on-chain data, institutions have continued their purchases of bitcoin despite the volatility and near-term bearish market sentiment. This week’s story coming from Coindesk
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What has been your go-to activity to let go of all that frustration and completely disconnect from business operations?
- I opened my spa. Being in a local market, We created a website, sent out mailers, and even started going to local grocery stores putting flyers in peoples' windows. So far, we haven't seen less than amazing results. What would you suggest we do to start building our client base?
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Biz NewsDue to recent events, New York City announced that businesses will be cutting ties with the Trump Organization. The Trump Organization has contracts with New York City to run two skating rinks, a carousel, and a golf course. These three deals generate $17 million a year for the Trump Organization. Other businesses are starting to move away from the Trump Organization as well. Cushman & Wakefield decided to not do business with the organization. Also, Deutsche Bank and Signature Bank ended their relationships with Trump. Our story comes from BBC News.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- If you started a business that didn’t work out, why did it fail and what lessons did you learn?
- Why do people use WordPress instead of just coding custom websites from the ground up?
- How do I grow a blog?
- What is your best advice on pivoting a business?
ResourcesTo read more about the importance of small businesses having websites on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsElon Musk became the richest person in the world. As of January 7th, 2021 he had a net worth of $185 billion. Now he has a couple more billion under his belt. The increase of his net worth was due to Tesla’s stock price soaring. Tesla’s share price has increased by ninefold over the past year and this has added about $150 billion to his net worth. Tesla’s market value has grown to more than $760 billion. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What is the best bank to have a business account and why?
- What was the biggest struggle learning how to code and how did you overcome it?
- What skills should marketers have?
- What are your small business predictions for 2021?
ResourcesTo read more about our predictions of the most profitable businesses in 2021 on the First Union Lending blog click here.
To read more about marketing for your small business on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz News
The company Coinbase is planning to go public. The company announced that they submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The reason behind Coinbase going public is due to investor interests in cryptocurrency pushing Bitcoin to $23,000 which is an all time high. Also, large companies like Paypal and Fidelity have made moves with Bitcoin. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener Questions
We cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- What are the main requirements for a good website design?
- Do I need to have a DBA in order to trademark my company’s logo?
- Are direct mail marketing campaigns worth it?
- How do I go about switching the family business to mainly e-commerce?
Resources
To read more about investing in Bitcoin on the First Union Lending blog click here.
To read more about filing a DBA on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsThe Federal Trade Commission sued to break up Facebook asking the federal court to force the sell off of Instagram and WhatsApp as independent businesses. The commission views Facebook as a monopoly and they want to limit the power they have. This lawsuit has been years in the making. The little government oversight the past 10 years helped Facebook and several other big tech companies gain too much power. Attorney generals from 48 states have filed their own lawsuit against Facebook. Our story comes from NBC News.
Listener QuestionsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
- Do you think degrees are worth it for an entrepreneur?
- What would you tell your early IT self?
- How do you keep up with marketing trends?
- How do I prepare my business for a potential lockdown?
ResourcesTo read more about marketing trends on the First Union Lending blog click here.
To read more about DoorDash’s IPO from CNBC click here.
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Biz NewsThere is a big acquisition this week. Salesforce is acquiring the workplace chat app Slack. This is one of the biggest acquisitions in the business software industry and this is Salesforce biggest purchase. The acquisition worked in Slack’s favor because the company has struggled competing against Microsoft and Facebook. Slack has lost half of its market value and has been unable to turn a profit the last three quarters. Salesforce and Slack becoming one will help their chances of competing with Microsoft, Oracle, and other companies in the future. Our story comes from The Verge.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- What is the advantage of an entrepreneur starting a company, selling it, and repeating the pattern?
- I just launched an e-commerce site and created social media accounts. Why am I not gaining followers or making sales?
- When creating a website, what should it look like and how much would it cost to hire someone to create the website?
- How do you keep track of business spending?
ResourcesTo read more about keeping your social media fresh on the First Union Lending blog click here.
To read more about what to post on social media on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Everyone has heard the saying “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” but is that statement true? Apple CEO Tim Cook stated at his commencement speech at Tulane University that this saying is “total crock.” His advice is to find a job you are passionate about, whether it be the values behind the product, the company, or the job. He then says he joined Apple not because of the brand or the products. The value and idea behind the products inspired him. Cook wanted to be a part of putting powerful tools in the hands of everyday people and that drove his passion. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Why did you choose to create a business in the current industry you are in? What inspired you?
- I work in marketing, but I am not creative. What do I do?
- What are 5 essential skills every web developer should have?
- Do you think opening a retail store now during the pandemic and maybe upcoming recession is a good idea?
ResourcesTo read more about marketing on the First Union Lending blog click here.
To read more about what small business owners think about the pandemic on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
This week Mcdonald’s announced that they will be coming out with a meatless burger called the McPlant and Pizza Hut became the first pizza chain to use Beyond Meat for their plant-based meat pizza. The reason behind the plant-based foods is due to Burger King and White Castle gaining a competitive advantage against other food chains and both McDonald’s and Pizza Hut want to jump on that. Our story comes from NBC News.
PayPal announced that it is dropping the waitlist for cryptocurrency in the U.S. What this means is that customers in the U.S. will be able to buy cryptocurrency from their PayPal accounts. PayPal also said by next year users can make PayPal purchases with cryptocurrency. This new feature was the result of the demand of cryptocurrency. Our story comes from TechCrunch.
Since the pandemic has hit, there has been one industry that has been drastically hit. Exotic dancers. A club in Portland, Oregon has figured out a way to make some money which is to have dancers deliver food topless while wearing surgical masks. Yes, you read that correctly. For a fee of $30, customers can order food to their homes and two dancers will show up with their security guard. Our story comes from Rolling Stone.
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- How do I start email marketing for my dog food business?
- How has coding changed since you started?
- Given the current situation with the global pandemic, which marketing sectors do you think will experience growth in the future and which ones will decrease?
- Do you think a degree is still worth it? What about certifications?
- What are some side hustles from both of your fields (marketing and IT)?
ResourcesTo read more about email marketing on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsThe pandemic has resulted in many companies allowing their employees to work remotely. In Silicon Valley, remote work has interrupted their business model. Before, the area relied heavily on employees who lived locally, but now many employees are leaving the area due to remote work. Through the middle of 2020, Twitter announced that most of its employees can work from home. This resulted in Facebook and Alphabet following. Will Silicon Valley cease to exist if the remote work trend continues? Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- How do I hire the right person to be the second in command of my business?
- How would the $15 minimum wage affect small businesses?
- I want to hire more employees, but most potential hires want to work remotely, what do I do?
- How can I prevent my website design from being stolen or copied?
ResourcesTo read about remote work hacks on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
The Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google alleging the company has created a monopoly in search by cutting off competitors from key distribution channels. The DOJ says that Google has created monopolies in general search services, search advertising, and general search text advertising. They also claim Google holds 88% of the U.S. search market. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- How did you know the entrepreneur life was for you?
- When starting a business, do I need to form a legal business in order to start selling my services?
- How do you achieve brand building through social media?
- Do you think a website management service is viable these days?
ResourcesTo read more about writing a branding story on the First Union Lending blog, click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Big food chains like Chipotle and Dominoes are making money, gaining customers, and opening more stores while thousands of small restaurants go broke. This is due to larger businesses usually having more money, leverage, flexibility, and experience with drive throughs and delivery. Even big retail stores like Walmart and Target reported strong sales while many small shops are struggling to stay afloat.. Many small businesses are suffering because they have a smaller physical footprint than compared to big competitors. Our story comes from The Wall Street Journal.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- What is the difference between an entrepreneur and a “want”repreneur? Do entrepreneurs constantly fight to survive or ride the wave?
- How do I generate more money like bigger competitors?
- Which program language is going to be the language of the future?
- How do you gain followers on Pinterest?
ResourcesTo read more about small business marketing on Pinterest on the First Union lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Slack announced they are introducing Instagram-like stories and push-to-talk audio into its communications software before the end of 2020. These additions were due to the fact that there was a major shift in remote working. Slack wants these features to cut down constant video calling and text conversations and bring back similar office interactions that most people haven’t experienced in months. Our story comes from The Verge.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Where do you get inspiration from when designing a website?
- When is it time to rebrand?
- How to adapt a business in a changing environment?
ResourcesTo read more about rebranding on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
House Democrats have released a new relief bill. This proposal is a smaller version of the HEROES Act that was proposed in May. The amount is $2.2 billion which will include $1,200 stimulus payments and improvements to the Paycheck Protection Program. The updated HEROES Act for PPP borrowers will come with a second shot of funding, streamlined forgiveness, and deduct-ability.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- When approaching bankruptcy, what are my options as a last resort and how do I know it’s time to close up shop?
- What are some tips for building marketing experience while being unemployed?
- What resources would you suggest for someone looking to obtain a deeper understanding of UI, UX, and visual design?
ResourcesRead more about the business bankruptcy law on the First Union Lending blog click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Nike has been opened about going digital for years and has been pulling away from department stores. Their hard work has finally paid off. During the pandemic, Nike saw dramatic increases of consumers shopping for items on their website and app. Nike had a goal set for it’s e-commerce sales to reach 30% of total revenue by 2023, but due to the pandemic and consumer needs changing, they have already exceeded that goal. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- How do you choose a website name? How close can website names be without causing problems?
- Is outsourcing a good idea when hiring in marketing?
- Should businesses go digital? Why or why now?
ResourcesRead more about outsourcing on the First Union Lending blog here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
The Federal Reserve kept their promise to keep interest rates at near zero and to continue the rates until inflation rises consistently. Short term loans will remain at 0%-0.25%. Projections showed that the near zero rates will stay through 2023 and maybe even further. Officials also announced a new policy regime concerning the Fed allowing inflation to run above a 2% targeted rate before taking measures to control inflation. These changes were put into place to aid economic recovery for the future. Our story comes from CNBC.
Listener Questions
We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- With the technology world changing all the time, how do you know what skills to work on?
- What were the biggest moments in your career that almost made you give up? How did you get past it and what steps did you take?
- When applying for a marketing job, what should my portfolio consist of?
- When looking for a small business loan, is a bank better or a lender? Which one is the easiest and the cheapest? To read more about small business loans click here.
ResourcesTo learn more about the history of business loans click here.
To download Adriana’s marketing strategy sheet click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
There were two big companies that partnered up with smaller companies this week:
General Motors has decided to team up with the Nikola Corporation to work together on the Nikola Badger truck. The Badger is a fully electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric pickup truck. GM will be supplying the fuel cells. Our story comes from CNN.
Amazon is partnering up with Lucid Motors. There has been whispers of Amazon wanting to get into the auto market and now here it is. Amazon/s voice assistant software will be used in Lucid Motors’ electric vehicle. It will allow drivers to enjoy Alexa on the go. The story comes from CNBC.
You can also read more about partnerships on the First Union Lending blog:
https://firstunionlending.com/is-a-partnership-right-for-your-small-business/
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Which is better: competition or cooperation?
- When do I know it’s time to hire someone else and pass the baton on?
- Where is the best place to start when promoting a small business?
ResourcesLearn more about competition here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Miso Robotics have started an investment opportunity through a crowdfunding campaign. The company is the creator of Flippy and their goal is to integrate Flippy as an overhead rail system. Our story comes from InvestorPlace.
You can also read more about artificial intelligence on the First Union Lending blog:
https://firstunionlending.com/how-artificial-intelligence-could-impact-your-business/
Lister QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- How do you turn a prospect into a customer? What is the main factor for convincing a prospect in becoming a customer?
- I have no experience in building a website, where do I start?
- What is the difference between advertising and marketing?
ResourcesTo learn more about Miso Robotics click here.
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Biz NewsWe cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Disney, Hilton, Southwest Airlines, Accor, and California’s tourism are switching up their content for Pinterest because they saw a significant amount of interest in travel this summer. Our story comes from Marketing Dive.
You can also read more on our blog about creating a Pinterest strategy: https://firstunionlending.com/pinterest-your-new-go-to-marketing-tool/
Listener QuestionsWe answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Is purchasing a competitor’s domain a good idea if they went out of business?
- How to write a marketing plan in 7 days?
- As a want to be entrepreneur, how do you go from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur?
- What’s the best advice for selling financial services to businesses in industries like hospitality, retail, and ecom?
Resources
An article from Forbes explaining how to become an entrepreneur, read the whole thing here.
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Biz News We cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. have said they may suspend their ride-hailing operations in California, our story comes from The Wall Street Journal.
You can also read more about it on our blog: https://firstunionlending.com/california-judge-rules-uber-and-lyft-drivers-are-now-employees/
Listener Questions We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- I think my Instagram adverts are lying to me... any advice?
- Should a new product be unique?
- As an entrepreneur, what are some of the biggest inner challenges/struggles that you deal with on a day-to-day basis (i.e. mindset, emotional etc.)?
- Regarding those inner challenges, what do you wish you knew or had to help overcome them?
Resources An article from Medium explaining the difference between selling products and selling offers, read the whole thing here.
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Biz News We cover important business news from last week that you need to know.
Fortnite’s parent company, Epic Games, takes the Apple app store to task. Story from the Morning Brew
Listener Questions We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- Alternatives to using Google Suite and Google Fi for business. To read more about this topic check out this blog post.
- How to respond to a new employee asking for a cash advance. Wanna read more about this? Click here.
- Using a DBA for your business, and the never ending sole prop v LLC debate.
Resources Grasshopper: business phone management
All the information we have on how to get your PPP loan forgiven: https://firstunionlending.com/covid-19-emergency-loans/
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Biz News We cover the most important business news from last week to keep you in the know, today we follow up on some of our tech giants in the wake of their antitrust hearing.
Facebook launches Reels, as Microsoft is in talks to purchase the US arm of TikTok: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/08/04/heres-what-china-says-about-tiktok-being-sold-to-microsoft-potential-ban/#69b7f47d746e
Amazon’s private labels: https://marker.medium.com/the-stealthy-rise-of-amazons-private-label-empire-by-the-numbers-39875e079ed
Listener Questions We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- A client’s Instagram account dropped “like a rock” after our agency took it over.
- How to teach yourself to code in your spare time.
Resources Learn about the PPP loan forgiveness process and what you need to do now: https://firstunionlending.com/covid-19-emergency-loans/
Call us for a small business loan consultation at 863-825-5626
Chad’s coding resources: React https://reactjs.org/
Node https://nodejs.org/en/get-involved/code-and-learn/
Udemy https://www.udemy.com/
Codeacademy https://www.codecademy.com/
Mozilla MDN Web Docs https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/
Stackoverflow https://stackoverflow.com/
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Biz News We cover the most important business news from last week to keep you in the know.
TikTok’s Creator’s Fund- https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/07/28/facebook-is-reportedly-offering-money-to-lure-influencers-from-tiktok-to-reels/#44cadbe37b36
Apples Splits Stock- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apples-stock-split-may-not-023842930.html
Listener Questions We answer questions from small business owners on a wide range of topics. To submit your questions email us at podcast@firstunionlending.com, ask us anything!
- My exact-match domain website is tanking, what should I do?
- What do you look for when hiring a potential employee? Read more
- I’m afraid someone applied for a PPP loan in my name! And other scams that small business owners need to be aware of.
Resources Apply for the PPP loan: https://firstunionlending.com/covid-19-emergency-loans/
Call for a small business loan consultation at 863-825-5626
Stay up-to-date on the latest scams going around: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts
https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/
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Biz NewsCountry Time Lemonade rolls out genius marketing campaign “The Littles Bailout” https://www.countrytimebailout.com/
Uber introduces Uber Freight https://www.uber.com/us/en/freight/
Listener Questions 1. How to build a high-performing team. 2. Should you trademark your business. 3. Registering your website as .com or .tech. 4. Acquiring a SaaS company. 5. Succession planning.
Small Business Spotlight This week's spotlight comes from reddit user /datawazo. We share this surprising story that's full of twists and turns and discuss what we can learn from the experience. Check out their company at datawazo.com, and the Food Truck Tracking “app” that started it all https://datawazo.com/foodtrucks.
ResourcesApply for the PPP loan here https://firstunionlending.com/covid-19-emergency-loans/
Call for a small business loan consultation at 863-825-5626
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Email your questions or small business stories to
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to be featured on next week's episode.
Questions this week:
- If additional funds are needed in the future, how do I request the additional (up to the maximum approved amount) and what documentation would be needed? While forgiveness is not expected, what must I do to maximize the possibility of this?
- I've finally got the creativity and capacity to pursue an idea. I've played guitar for 20+ years and have decided to start offering lessons locally to see how I get on. I'm looking for suggestions on other ways to drive the name / brand locally to get some traction.
- How often do you redesign your website? We just finished a redesign of our website so I'm curious to know how often you redesign your website if at all to keep it looking modern/change things up.
- What does the start of an average work day look like for you from the time you wake up? What's your routine?
Questions this week:
- What are the benefits of cloud solutions to a business?
- How do you know your products have achieved product-market fit? Can share some experience?
- How does a Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loan affect a company's credit score?
- Who do you see as a visionary today and why?
- What are the next big industries that don't yet exist in any meaningful form?
Questions we answer this week:
- Does Square getting sued for withholding funds concern Square users?
- How can businesses use technology to improve customer feedback experience?
- What has been your greatest tool & asset for growing your business during this pandemic?
- How can a small business compete against big businesses with huge marketing budgets?
- How will society keep human labor relevant in an era of increasing automation?
Your burning questions we answer this week:
- What to use to build a site and what to use for building an app without coding knowledge.
- Jason asked on Facebook: What do you think is the most important step in the sales process?
- Terry emailed in asking: Is marketing brainwashing? How do social media platforms target you with ads?
- Major Roadblocks for startups in the growth stage?
- Nadav from Facebook asks: Who else believes in the law of attraction?
- Bret from Linkedin : What is the best Marketing Automation software?
- Kenneth On LinkedIn: The importance of a "rainy-day fund" is being highlighted
during the rapidly slowing U.S. economy. It is difficult to set aside money for a
potential emergency Where do we start?
- Sherry FB: Is $1,100.00 monthly for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMM (Social Media Marketing) a fair price or it is overpriced?
- Dustin From FB: For my fellow eCommerce business owners: what is your average monthly marketing budget? Is there a 'sweet spot' you have found that yields you the results you need to stay afloat? I am running a small music gear shop that is exclusively online and am curious what others are spending.
- Allana emailed: How do you manage your business, while being a busy CEO and having time for a social life?
- Now for the PPP forgiveness information you are all looking for… NOT
- What software is out there to track employee productivity while working from home?
You could use something like Google Hangouts or one of the many other products out there that will allow your team to simply be on and stay on video all day so that you can watch what they are doing. Meanwhile keeping the office environment, team and collaboration aspect going.Another option is a program like Time Doctor, this is a great software to keep track of what your employees are doing. They can clock in and out on it, it will record their keystrokes, clock them out if they don’t perform tasks such as typing within a certain amount of time and randomly take screenshots of their computers to make sure they aren’t typing Facebook posts etc.
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What is the importance of paying for an SSL certificate for a business website that does not have or accept any sensitive information?
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What do you think is the best remedy for lack of motivation? How do you motivate your employees?
First and foremost, you must understand that many studies have been conducted and the carrot approach, or positive reinforcement does work better than the stick or negative reinforcement approach does. Each employee is different, and you must know your employees, what works for one does not work for the other. Know your employees, motivate them based on what motivates them individually. It may take a little more time today but save you time and loss of productivity later.
- What's the most interesting thing you know about how behavioural psychology affects sales?
The number one “trick or hack'' they will teach you in marketing, seriously google phycological marketing hacks, the number one is the rule of reciprocity. They will tell you that if you give a customer a coupon they feel obligated to buy something. They will cite studies from the 60’s in psychology. Recently a development I've seen is the “spin the wheel for a coupon” because the advertizer thinks that this makes it more a personalized and fun coupon they think is just for them. Now a wheel pops up every time you open a web store. This is the oversaturated mid-market that we are talking about and people are immune to it! They have built up a tolerance for these things and when a new one comes out it spreads so rapidly that we don't even have a chance. All the spam traps in the world started as the moments best marketing trick
5. More on the PPP Loan
Here is the latest on the PPP Loan. The Senate passed a bill yesterday to make some significant changes to the forgiveness requirements of the PPP loan. While the bill still must go through the house and president and no change is in effect today, the fact that these are concerns being voted on is a particularly good predictor of what might happen shortly. First, they are trying to increase the 8-week timeframe in which a business owner can get forgiveness to 16 or 24 weeks. Next, they are proposing to change the rule where 75% of the forgiven amount must be used on payroll to just 60% of it needing to be used on Payroll to still qualify for 100% forgiveness.
The other thing is the retention of employees, the original rule stated that your employee level should be the same when you ask for forgiveness as it was pre-covid or you would automatically be penalized on how much forgiveness you could get. That rule is also possibly being changed.
We had some great questions this week. here's a list of the questions we covered this week:
- Hey, I need to feed my mind What's a great business book you can recommend?
- We talk a lot about tech for communications purposes, but what about all those small businesses that are a one-man operation? Whats some good programs for them.
- I have lost many customers due to the over charge how can i fix this without losing clients
- How can I do market research without a captive audience?
- Do you guys have any more information about what the PPP loan forgiveness process will look like?
The All Up In Your Business Podcast with First Union Lending is updated every Tuesday afternoon. For more awesome business related news, please subscribe , follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or visit us at www.firstunionlending.com
In this episode, We continue our conversation regarding questions surrounding COVID-19 pandemic. Join Madison, Chad, Dennis and Tim as they field questions from listeners.
In episode one, Madison, First Union Lending's CMO is joined by Chad, First Union Lending's CTO and Dennis, one of First Union Lending's managing partners.
We asked our followers to submit questions regarding PPP Loans, Technology that can be used for communication while working remotely, tools that can be used for businesses looking to keep their marketing going.
For business owners interested in submitting questions, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram to submit your queries. Episodes are recorded every Friday, so be sure to submit your questions each week!
For more information about First Union Lending, visit us at firstunionlending.com