Blogs

Nominations for the Lending Council Executive Committee

By Mary Jane Thomas posted 09-03-2024
At America’s Credit Unions, we have Councils and Networks. We are reaching out about an opportunity to serve on the Lending Council Executive Committee. Are you interested in helping shape the Lending Council? Nominations for the Lending Council Executive Committee are now open. Membership in the Lending Council offers networking, leadership opportunities, and extensive benefits from education to discounts. You can join the Lending Council via this link ; membership in the Council is a prerequisite for serving on the Executive Committee. The Lending Council Executive Committee is the governing body for the Council, providing leadership and ...

Who Really Benefits from the Added Expense of Open Banking?

By Daniel Le posted 12-15-2023
The CFPB is currently proposing a rule to require open banking with comments due December 29. Open banking is a practice allowing consumers to access their financial data from credit unions (financial institutions) and securely share that financial data between financial institutions and third-party service providers, such as FinTech apps. Currently, financial data is primarily controlled by big banks. With open banking, consumers can manage their financial information and access and share it with their authorized consent through an application platform interface (API) developed by the institution to securely share the consumer's financial data with another ...

How Work Ethics Matter in a Consulting Business

By Justin Harrington posted 07-07-2021
Part of running a successful business is having working ethics. Bribery and corruption are rife in businesses today. Good work ethics is a valuable attribute that clients look for in every consulting business. A business with the right work ethics is disciplined, reliable, and credible. Ethical time tracking As a professional services provider, an ethical consulting business only charges you precisely for the hours they’ve worked – nothing more, nothing less. However, there are firms that overcharge clients and are sloppy with their time tracking. The most ethical consulting business uses excellent time and billing software from ImagineTime. The ...

Hiring the Best Talent for Your Manufacturing Setup

By Justin Harrington posted 06-08-2021
If you own a successful manufacturing company, chances are you're looking for new employees to help the company meet customer demands. Employers are finding it complex to recruit and retain top talent that will enhance their business RIO. This, in turn, has led to a talent recruitment race among top manufacturing companies to help them stay on top and ahead of the industry. Here is how you can hire the best talent for your manufacturing setup. Go digital You can’t connect with the current generation using old-school methods and expect them to become 20-year veterans in your manufacturing company. Posting job offers on Glassdoor and Monster are ...

Key Steps in Closing Down Your Small Business

By Justin Harrington posted 05-20-2021
It’s a sad day when a small business has to close down. Many small businesses have been liquidated just in the last year – some due to Covid-19-related issues and some for not complying with tax returns. The IRS can seize your assets and close down your business. Restoring a tarnished tax reputation If you run a small business, it can be stressful seeing other small businesses shutting doors for the last time. If you’re not tax compliant, you can’t obtain funding even and paying penalties can sink a small business. Tax relief services can restore your tarnished reputation with the IRS. Fortress Tax Relief does all communication with the IRS, and with ...

Possible Reasons Your Boss Never Takes You Seriously

By Justin Harrington posted 05-18-2021
To become an important and valued resource in your boss’s eyes, you will have to take steps above carrying out individual tasks as a lot comes into factor when your senior colleagues evaluate you ahead of an appraisal or a promotion. There might be some soft skills or behavioral issues that may need polishing. Here are the crucial factors that may play a role in not letting your boss see your true potential and jarring your growth. Lack of skills or knowledge Your work and performance are indeed the first and the foremost attribute that may allow or restrict this growth at work. Sometimes, it so happens that you are entrusted ...

The Role of Medical Professionals in Improving Healthcare Systems

By Justin Harrington posted 04-27-2021
Healthcare systems may vary in structure and available resources, but medical professionals can play a critical role in improving access to care and quality of care. Their roles may be both formal and informal but they can help to create an environment for improved practices and ultimately increase the performance of healthcare systems. Improving healthcare quality requires a systematic change of the entire system but will also change how individual medical practitioners interact with their patients. Clinical leadership It is widely recognized that medical leadership and engagement in roles that go beyond the excellence of individual doctors is ...

Why So Few People Achieve Career Success

By Justin Harrington posted 04-12-2021
Could you be a successful entrepreneur? Are you destined to be happy in your chosen career? Many people aren’t, regardless of the positive characteristics they possess. People who succeed in their careers don’t rely on luck but by working hard and by finding out how they can steer their own destiny. Preparing for career success You need skills to achieve career success. Having academic experience behind you doesn’t only help you make the right career decisions, it gives you confidence among your learned colleagues, allowing you to reach your full potential. Constantly feeling inferior because of a lack of skills is tantamount to not succeeding in your ...

The Indicators of Quality of Life of the Elderlies

By Justin Harrington posted 04-06-2021
Getting old isn’t for sissies and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening. It’s a natural stage of life, but for many, without the right kind of help, aging can have a significant influence on their physical and mental health. Everyone over the age of 60 has to look at ways to make this time of change easier. Functional Health If you’ve always been an active person darting around everywhere, the onset of immobility can have a physical and psychological impact on you. Immobile elderly people can suffer from a number of diseases that worsen this mobility, such as stroke or arthritis. Scooters ‘N Chairs understands the special problems ...

What to Do if a Tenant Skips Rent and Abandons a Property

By Justin Harrington posted 03-28-2021
If you suspect that a tenant has disappeared and has no intention of returning to a rental property, there are appropriate steps you need to take. Complying with state and local laws will enable you to start renting the property again as soon as possible. Tenants usually abandon a property because they are behind on rent, are facing an eviction, or they don’t want to go through the legalities of breaking a lease. The lease agreement A lease agreement should always include language that defines what steps a landlord will take to establish abandonment. It is important to make sure state and local laws are met when specifying these steps. Screening ...

Are You Looking to Purchase an Auto Insurance? Here are some tips to follow and make the best choice

By Justin Harrington posted 03-17-2021
Owning a car is indeed a great responsibility. But it also gives you a sense of freedom and many possibilities. You can imagine yourself listening to music on an open road, while enjoying the sunset. But for all these great adventures you’ll need insurance. Great driving also means financial responsibility. When you’re buying your first car, you also need to get your car insurance. It might be a daunting task, but in this article, you’ll find some tips on how to get your car insurance . A car insurance is a financial responsibility Like it or not, car insurance is a great financial responsibility. But don’t rush in buying it from the first provider ...

Understanding Group Insurance

By Justin Harrington posted 03-04-2021
Do you remember when someone advised you to buy insurance? It’s essential to have protection because life is unpredictable. There’s always the possibility of incurring financial loss due to mishaps or illness. When you purchase coverage, you’re transferring the costs arising from those events to the insurer. Coverage falls under two categories: life and non-life. You can easily choose a plan that suits your needs because, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, there are about 5,965 companies in the U.S. If you want to protect more than one person, you can opt for group policies. Here are some pointers to help you understand ...

How Insider Data Theft Can Ruin the Business Reputation

By Justin Harrington posted 02-08-2021
Data theft is any business owner’s worst nightmare, but when it can be twice as devastating it originates from inside your company. The idea that someone you trust with your company’s sensitive data is why you are facing a crisis is a betrayal some managers and owners find hard to overcome. Here is a look at how insider data theft can happen and what it does to a business’s reputation: Risks of insider data breaches The risk of insider data breaches increased exponentially once employers had to allow people to work from home. Hackers have found that data transfer over email is a vulnerable point they can exploit to get into a company’s network. Most ...

Dog Illnesses That Need Immediate Attention

By Justin Harrington posted 02-08-2021
There is nothing more precious to you and your family than your beloved dog. That is why it is so important to you to look after their every need. You want to protect them and to ensure that they get to live a splendid long life. When your pet is ill, it can be a major stressor because you don’t always know what’s wrong. Taking your pet for their annual veterinary checkups is one way to do this. You can also look out for some warning signs that your pet needs immediate medical attention with this list. Diarrhea Diarrhea or runny bowel movements in your pet can result from any variety of things, including changes in their diet, medicines or stealing pie ...

5 Household Items to Keep Away from Your Dog

By Justin Harrington posted 01-30-2021
No one wants to face the thought that a family pet could be poisoned by eating items in the house. However, dog poisonings are way more common than you think and you may have some items that you need to keep away from them. Knowing what damage they can do will encourage you to keep your dog far away from them. 1. Paint If you’re an artist or a DIY enthusiast, you may have some paint lying around in your home. Paint contains harmful toxins and as dogs are driven by a sense of smell, they may be drawn to it and eat it. Even inhaling paint fumes can cause difficulty with breathing because the chemicals emit poisonous gases. If your dog eats paint, it may ...

Major Health Setbacks to Your Dog that Need Medical Attention

By Justin Harrington posted 01-30-2021
Dogs are not immune to most human diseases, and they also develop genetic-based issues. Dogs aged over ten are mostly prone to vestibular diseases most humans above 70 years of age get. The sedentary lifestyle and overeating pave the way for diabetes and cardiac issues in giant dogs. There are enough medical facilities to treat most major health setbacks dogs face in their old age. Efficient accident injury treatments are also available for dogs in most State-owned hospitals. Intervertebral-disc-disease or IVDD IVDD is common in older dogs and dogs that tend to be overactive, always jumping and hopping on walls, furniture, etc. Dog IVDD symptoms ...

How SMS Marketing is Still Relevant in 2021

By Justin Harrington posted 01-26-2021
We’re living in a digital world, and the simple SMS or Short Message Service has revolutionized the speed of communicating. Instead of having to verbally relay a message, a written message does the job in an instant and to thousands of receivers of the message simultaneously. This is the advantage of a bulk SMS messaging service. Affordable, effective SMS services There are millions of businesses looking for effective ways to connect with each other and TalkRoute makes it possible with their bulk SMS services. These services allow anyone to send SMS text messages to different networks in different states and Canada. Check out the different plans. Some ...

5 Beginner Tips on How to Trade Stocks

By Justin Harrington posted 12-09-2020
The stock market is one of the best places to invest one’s money, as evidenced by the returns that many investors have enjoyed over the years. However, with great reward comes great risk. That’s why you need to enter the stock market with eyes wide open, knowing that you’re prepared for the ups and downs. The 2008 financial crisis and the Great Depression are just two examples of how you can go to sleep with a fortune and wake up with a disaster. However, if you play your cards right, then you can make incredible returns on your investment, year after year, no matter the conditions. After all, there are still people who are getting richer even during ...

How do I Launch a Startup with No Money?

By Justin Harrington posted 12-04-2020
Anyone hearing that you want to start a business with no money will immediately point out all the obstacles you face. You may be determined to launch a startup, even with no money , but the truth is, with an internet connection, there are some affordable business options that can get started from home. Apply for a small loan If you’re looking for a fairly small amount of money to help with getting your startup going, there are quite a few micro-loan organizations that will lend to startups and entrepreneurs. For same day cash loans online, they check that your documents are correct and whether you can afford to take the loan. But ...

5 Tips for Distance Learning Students

By Justin Harrington posted 11-07-2020
For many students, distance learning will present a radical break from their regular study routine. Suddenly, their responsibility will undergo testing as they have more free time and less supervision – the ideal breeding ground for all those bad habits that cost students their grades. If you’re getting ready for a semester or two of distance learning, you might need some help to adjust. The transition might not be seamless, but there are some ways to make it as painless as possible. Here are some tips to help with that. Develop a Schedule that Works for You The very first thing you’ll want to ensure is that your working habits stay as strong as they’ve ...