Business Talk

(BPT) – Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2012, is the first generation to grow up with a widespread use of digital tools. While technology is now part of everyday life, it’s important to remember that writing things down can be the first step to get…

(BPT) – Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2012, is the first generation to grow up with a widespread use of digital tools. While technology is now part of everyday life, it’s important to remember that writing things down can be the first step to get…

(BPT) – The dollar, the euro, the pound, the yen… the currency people use around the world has many different names, but it all shares something in common. Paper forms of currency are out and digital payments are in. The security and convenience of card based electronic payments and digital payments are driving a global shift away from cash. As consumers and merchants around the world become more and more digitally connected this shift will continue to accelerate.

All over the world, the shift toward cashless payments is well underway. On the beaches of Cabo San Lucas, taco and tamale vendors are starting to offer their delicious food to customers with the swipe or tap of a card on a mobile phone. In Singapore, consumers can rent bikes, pay for their morning coffee and split their dinner bill without ever needing cash, and in Warsaw, as cashless payments are becoming increasingly accepted, tourists can start to tap and pay their way around the city without carrying cash.

Changes abroad, changes at home

The United States is seeing similar changes. Cash and checks are on their way out and swiping, dipping, tapping and clicking are filling the void – benefiting consumers and businesses alike.

A recent Cashless Cities study from Visa, set to be released later this year, finds that if businesses in the top 100 U.S. cities transitioned from cash to digital payments, those businesses and their cities would experience net benefits of $312 billion per year. Businesses in New York City alone would net $6.8 billion while saving more than 186 million hours in labor. But the benefits of taking checks and cash out of the system do not stop at labor cost efficiencies. They include:

* Convenience. Consumers and businesses alike benefit from the speed and convenience of electronic and digital payments. Faster checkout times mean more sales for businesses and more time to spend on the important things in life for consumers.

* Security. Accepting cash payments has always placed businesses in a bind; as their revenue increases, so does their risk of falling victim to theft. Transitioning to cashless payment options enhances security and reduces risk for businesses and their customers.

* Reduced costs. Cash payments must be counted, stored and transported. There are costs associated with all of these processes. Adopting cashless payments saves businesses time and money.

Moving forward to take advantage of cashless opportunities

Many businesses across the country are already benefiting from going cashless, but for companies – particularly small businesses that have yet to take the leap – now is the perfect time to make such a change.

Visa is announcing The Visa Cashless Challenge, a call to action for small business restaurants, cafés or food truck owners to describe what cashless means for them, their employees and customers. Visa will be awarding up to $500,000 to 50 eligible U.S.-based small business food service owners who commit to joining the 100 percent cashless quest.

Business owners can learn more about the challenge and the other benefits of going cashless at www.visa.com/cashless. Complete rules and information will be available on the website on Aug. 15.

(BPT) – You know the feeling. You buy an item you’re excited to use or give as a gift. But that excitement quickly turns to frustration when you can’t remove the label. Even if you do manage to pry it off, a sticky glue-like substance remains, marring …

(BPT) – You know the feeling. You buy an item you’re excited to use or give as a gift. But that excitement quickly turns to frustration when you can’t remove the label. Even if you do manage to pry it off, a sticky glue-like substance remains, marring …

(BPT) – Small businesses still struggle to obtain credit; nearly half of those who applied for credit in 2016 didn’t get all the funding they sought, and 17 percent of those who didn’t apply for financing skipped it because they didn’t think they could…

(BPT) – Small businesses still struggle to obtain credit; nearly half of those who applied for credit in 2016 didn’t get all the funding they sought, and 17 percent of those who didn’t apply for financing skipped it because they didn’t think they could…

(BPT) – What’s better than being your own boss, setting your own hours, determining your own salary and having an office wherever you happen to be? It’s a Utopian idea that is reality for tens of thousands of people working independently in direct sales worldwide. But getting there isn’t easy. It takes grit to abandon the familiar grind and build a business – especially in direct sales.

Just ask Wayne Nugent, founder and chief visionary officer of WorldVentures(TM), the leading direct seller of travel and leisure club memberships. He got his start as a direct salesman and, after more than two decades in the business, he has seen it all. In that time, the industry has faced many challenges largely due to a minority of companies recruiting representatives, charging them large upfront fees and persuading them to purchase large volumes of nonreturnable inventory with little or no tangible value. Though many reputable companies exist today, mere mention of direct sales, multilevel marketing or network marketing can stir memories of the pyramid schemes and shattered dreams that made headlines in the past.

Nugent contends you can’t paint all network marketing companies with the same broad stroke. He created his company in 2005 to help people find fun, freedom and fulfillment through affordable travel with family and friends. The company’s success is based on the principle of work-life balance, a philosophy Nugent is spreading through a growing network of representatives who – in his words – Make a living … Living!(TM)

‘I have a creation goal,’ says Nugent, who also serves on the board of WorldVentures Foundation(TM), a nonprofit that supports sustainable programs for children in need worldwide. ‘If we get somebody making a little extra money per month, it gives them some financial breathing room. If they’ll pursue that with some consistency, and it’s fun, we can get them making more. At that point, they’re feeling abundant. So now, guess what they do? They give back. Network marketing makes this possible.’

On the move

According to the latest figures from the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, global direct sales grew 7.7 percent in 2015, reaching a record $183.7 billion. The industry’s potential is particularly appealing to millennials now entering the workforce. These individuals born between 1977 and 2000 have witnessed their parents lose jobs despite devotion to their employers, then struggle to find work regardless of their education and experience. As a result, millennials embrace entrepreneurship as an alternate path to financial freedom.

The direct-to-consumer model has been leveraged successfully to sell goods and services in the cosmetics, household wares, nutrition, travel and technology industries for more than half a century. Growth and longevity aside, there are several reasons to consider a career in direct sales, including:

1. Entrepreneurial freedom: You can be your own boss – with virtually no overhead costs. It’s recommended that you keep your day job at first and work your business part time. If you finesse it just right, you can ultimately be on your own full time.
2. Unlimited earnings potential: Unlike in the corporate world, where your rise in rank may hinge on anything from your talent and tenure to your temperament, direct selling allows you to determine your worth. No salary caps here. Set a financial goal, then go for it.
3. Personal development: Direct-sales companies are big on helping you become your best self. This ensures you become a more effective entrepreneur, and promotes continued company growth. From books and videos to conferences and one-on-one coaching, you’ll have the tools you need to tap your full potential.
4. Continuous training: You are your own boss without being on your own. Much like personal development coaching, career training is always accessible. No more filling out a training request and waiting for your boss to approve it based on budget. Everything you need to know to be successful in your business is at your fingertips. Ongoing support is available through sales, product and marketing tools such as websites, back offices, print collateral and more.
5. Camaraderie: There’s nothing like connecting with people who share your vision. As the saying goes, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ By joining a direct-sales organization, you will align yourself with like-minded people who can identify with your struggles and support your success.

After you’ve taken the leap and joined a direct-selling organization, what’s next? You’ve probably heard it so much that it sounds cliché, but staying around the campfire is key. Partnering with others and plugging into the trainings can mean the difference between mediocrity and meteoric success.

Whether you want to earn supplemental income or replace your current salary, Nugent says, ‘If you lean in and give 100 percent, this industry has the power to support all aspects of your well-being – financial, physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual.’

(BPT) – What’s better than being your own boss, setting your own hours, determining your own salary and having an office wherever you happen to be? It’s a Utopian idea that is reality for tens of thousands of people working independently in direct sales worldwide. But getting there isn’t easy. It takes grit to abandon the familiar grind and build a business – especially in direct sales.

Just ask Wayne Nugent, founder and chief visionary officer of WorldVentures(TM), the leading direct seller of travel and leisure club memberships. He got his start as a direct salesman and, after more than two decades in the business, he has seen it all. In that time, the industry has faced many challenges largely due to a minority of companies recruiting representatives, charging them large upfront fees and persuading them to purchase large volumes of nonreturnable inventory with little or no tangible value. Though many reputable companies exist today, mere mention of direct sales, multilevel marketing or network marketing can stir memories of the pyramid schemes and shattered dreams that made headlines in the past.

Nugent contends you can’t paint all network marketing companies with the same broad stroke. He created his company in 2005 to help people find fun, freedom and fulfillment through affordable travel with family and friends. The company’s success is based on the principle of work-life balance, a philosophy Nugent is spreading through a growing network of representatives who – in his words – Make a living … Living!(TM)

‘I have a creation goal,’ says Nugent, who also serves on the board of WorldVentures Foundation(TM), a nonprofit that supports sustainable programs for children in need worldwide. ‘If we get somebody making a little extra money per month, it gives them some financial breathing room. If they’ll pursue that with some consistency, and it’s fun, we can get them making more. At that point, they’re feeling abundant. So now, guess what they do? They give back. Network marketing makes this possible.’

On the move

According to the latest figures from the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, global direct sales grew 7.7 percent in 2015, reaching a record $183.7 billion. The industry’s potential is particularly appealing to millennials now entering the workforce. These individuals born between 1977 and 2000 have witnessed their parents lose jobs despite devotion to their employers, then struggle to find work regardless of their education and experience. As a result, millennials embrace entrepreneurship as an alternate path to financial freedom.

The direct-to-consumer model has been leveraged successfully to sell goods and services in the cosmetics, household wares, nutrition, travel and technology industries for more than half a century. Growth and longevity aside, there are several reasons to consider a career in direct sales, including:

1. Entrepreneurial freedom: You can be your own boss – with virtually no overhead costs. It’s recommended that you keep your day job at first and work your business part time. If you finesse it just right, you can ultimately be on your own full time.
2. Unlimited earnings potential: Unlike in the corporate world, where your rise in rank may hinge on anything from your talent and tenure to your temperament, direct selling allows you to determine your worth. No salary caps here. Set a financial goal, then go for it.
3. Personal development: Direct-sales companies are big on helping you become your best self. This ensures you become a more effective entrepreneur, and promotes continued company growth. From books and videos to conferences and one-on-one coaching, you’ll have the tools you need to tap your full potential.
4. Continuous training: You are your own boss without being on your own. Much like personal development coaching, career training is always accessible. No more filling out a training request and waiting for your boss to approve it based on budget. Everything you need to know to be successful in your business is at your fingertips. Ongoing support is available through sales, product and marketing tools such as websites, back offices, print collateral and more.
5. Camaraderie: There’s nothing like connecting with people who share your vision. As the saying goes, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ By joining a direct-sales organization, you will align yourself with like-minded people who can identify with your struggles and support your success.

After you’ve taken the leap and joined a direct-selling organization, what’s next? You’ve probably heard it so much that it sounds cliché, but staying around the campfire is key. Partnering with others and plugging into the trainings can mean the difference between mediocrity and meteoric success.

Whether you want to earn supplemental income or replace your current salary, Nugent says, ‘If you lean in and give 100 percent, this industry has the power to support all aspects of your well-being – financial, physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual.’

(BPT) – Today’s business environment is characterized by excitement as much as it is by anxiety. As new technologies are constantly introduced into the workplace and transform how employees work, managers need to adjust in order to retain employees, st…