The Hard-Right vs. McCarthy: A Battle Over the Debt Ceiling

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Wayland Bruns

In the next 20 days, the United States economy will be shaken to its core. Janet Yellen has put up a false date that the government cannot meet its obligation in hopes of forcing the parties to agree. That date is false because Yellen does not know the actual date and because, in general, April and May are revenue-positive months, so there is not much possibility of a real crisis until July or August. But the opposing party also fails to have a real crisis since the government spending problem is primarily tax cuts and spending authorized by Republicans and Trump. Republican-authorized tax cuts and spending dwarfs Democrat-authorized expenditures, and everyone knows it. Bill Clinton, a Democrat, introduced the last genuinely balanced budget.

The two sides engage using sound bites filled with false facts, hidden motives, and power plays. At risk are the US economy, the well-being and the retirement savings of ordinary Americans. It is a chess game with Death, and the loser will never be the wealthy, entitled politicians playing the game.

At the heart of this battle lies a contentious conflict between two factions of the Republican Party: those who seek to hold onto power at any cost and those willing to risk economic catastrophe to push their extremist agenda. At the center of it is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, whose leadership hangs in the balance as he tries to navigate the treacherous waters of the debt ceiling debate. In this blog post, we will explore the intricacies of this political struggle and what it means for the future of our country.

The Background of the Debt Ceiling Fight

The United States debt ceiling is a statutory limit on the amount of national debt that the federal government can accumulate. In essence, it represents the maximum amount of money the government can borrow. Congress sets the debt ceiling, which must be approved periodically for the government to keep borrowing money to fund its operations.

The current debt ceiling has been set at $28.5 trillion, but the government has been using “extraordinary measures” to avoid default since July 31, 2021. These measures include tapping into federal trust funds and reducing investments in government accounts. However, these measures are only a temporary solution, and Congress needs to raise or suspend the debt ceiling to prevent the US from defaulting on its obligations.

The debt ceiling has become a contentious issue in recent years, with the Republican Party using it as leverage to extract concessions from Democrats on fiscal matters. In 2011, the debt ceiling debate led to a downgrade of the United States’ credit rating, and in 2013, the government shut down for 16 days when Congress failed to reach a deal to fund federal operations.

The current debt ceiling fight is particularly challenging for the Biden administration, which has been working to pass a massive infrastructure bill and a budget reconciliation package. Failure to raise or suspend the debt ceiling would likely lead to a government shutdown and could damage the country’s economy and reputation worldwide.

Who is Kevin McCarthy?

Kevin McCarthy is a Republican politician from California who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2007. He is a staunch conservative who rose through the ranks of the House leadership and currently holds the position of House Minority Leader. McCarthy has been a critical figure in the ongoing debt ceiling fight and is seen as the primary obstacle preventing hard-right Republicans from sabotaging the US economy.

Born in 1965 in Bakersfield, California, McCarthy was raised in a conservative family and attended California State University, Bakersfield. Before entering politics, he worked in the private sector and served in the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2006. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 and has been re-elected every two years since then.

McCarthy is known for his unwavering support for President Trump and his policies. He has been a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and has called for the law’s repeal and replacement. He has also strongly supported tax cuts for businesses and individuals and has been a key architect of the Republican Party’s economic policies in recent years.

In his current role as House Minority Leader, McCarthy is responsible for leading the Republicans in the House of Representatives and advocating for their policy positions. He is seen as a pragmatic politician who is willing to compromise with Democrats on specific issues and is firmly committed to the conservative agenda.

McCarthy will kiss his career goodbye in a few weeks, and he knows it.

The Hard-Right Republicans’ Desire to Crash the Economy

Some more hard-right Republicans will crash the economy to achieve their goals. They believe the short-term pain will be worth it in the long run. They think that the country needs to hit rock bottom before it can be rebuilt in its image. This type of thinking is hazardous and irresponsible.

However, this mindset has put Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, in a difficult position. McCarthy is caught between two factions of his party. On one side, he has the hard-right Republicans who want to crash the economy. Conversely, he has the more moderate Republicans who want to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a financial crisis.

The hard-right Republicans have been attacking McCarthy for his position on the debt ceiling. They want someone more willing to play political games and take extreme positions. However, if McCarthy were to go along with them, it would be a disaster for the country.

McCarthy’s position on the debt ceiling reflects his desire to keep his job and his belief in the importance of responsible governance. He knows that a financial crisis would hurt his party’s chances in the upcoming election and that the country would suffer if the debt ceiling isn’t raised.

How McCarthy is Caught in the Middle

Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, is caught in the middle of the debt ceiling fight. On the one hand, he is responsible for holding the Republican caucus together and maintaining party unity. But, on the other hand, he must also recognize the potential damage that defaulting on the nation’s debts could cause to the economy and his party’s electoral prospects.

McCarthy’s precarious position results from the deep divisions within the Republican party over fiscal policy. The hard-right wing of the party, which has gained power and influence in recent years, wants to use the debt ceiling as a weapon to force the government to cut spending on social programs and other Democratic priorities.

McCarthy, however, is more pragmatic and understands the importance of maintaining the government’s creditworthiness. He also recognizes that a government shutdown or debt default could be politically disastrous for Republicans, who have suffered electoral losses in the past when the party has been seen as too extreme or uncompromising.

McCarthy’s challenge is to navigate these competing interests and find a way to satisfy both the hard-right faction of his party and the more moderate members who understand the dangers of default. To do so, he may need to use political maneuvering and compromise, perhaps by supporting a short-term debt ceiling increase or targeted spending cuts.

Ultimately, McCarthy’s job may be on the line if he cannot find a way to keep the Republican party unified while also avoiding an economic catastrophe. If the hard-right wing prevails, it could shift the party’s priorities away from more moderate fiscal policies and towards a more extreme, Tea Party-like agenda. The stakes are high, and McCarthy’s ability to navigate these difficult waters could determine not only his political future but also the direction of the Republican party.

Analysis of the Political Maneuvering

The debt ceiling fight is complicated, with multiple players jockeying for position and political gain. At the heart of the issue is the battle between Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, and the hard-right Republicans pushing for extreme measures to crash the economy.

McCarthy finds himself caught in the middle, trying to balance the demands of the hard-right faction with the need to keep the country’s financial system stable. On the one hand, he wants to keep his job as Minority Leader and maintain his influence within the party. But on the other hand, he recognizes that the stakes are high and that a misstep could have serious consequences.

The hard-right Republicans, for their part, are driven by a desire to shrink the government and eliminate programs they see as wasteful or unconstitutional. They believe that a government shutdown or a default on the debt would be a small price to pay to achieve these goals.

However, the consequences of such a move could be catastrophic. It could trigger a recession or global economic crisis, with widespread layoffs, business failures, and social unrest. Even if the US government manages to avoid default, the threat of a downgrade in the country’s credit rating could still harm the economy.

The hard-right faction may believe they will benefit politically from such a crisis, but this is far from certain. Instead, it’s possible that they will be blamed for any economic fallout and that their donors, who are often wealthy and politically connected, may start to rethink their support.

Ultimately, the debt ceiling fight is a microcosm of the country’s broader political and ideological divisions. It’s a battle between those who want to maintain the status quo and those who want to upend it. And while there are no easy solutions, it’s clear that the stakes are high and that the outcome of this fight could have far-reaching consequences for years to come.

Lowering the US Debt Rating is More Likely Than Default

The United States has a long-standing reputation as a reliable debtor. It is, therefore, shocking that a significant portion of the Republican Party is now pushing for the United States to default on its obligations. However, many political analysts suggest that an actual default is unlikely. Instead, they argue that the more probable outcome of this fight will be a reduction of the US debt rating.

On Thursday, the credit agency Fitch put the United States on a credit rating watch list and DBRS Morningstar also gave a warning. The United States will face significant consequences from a reduction in its debt rating. If the United States’ credit rating is reduced, it will become more expensive for the government to borrow money. This increased cost would force the government to divert more funds to pay for interest payments, potentially causing cuts to essential programs like healthcare and education.

A reduction in the debt rating could also negatively impact businesses that rely on the government as a client, such as defense contractors or technology firms. Additionally, it could lead to a decline in the stock market and hurt retirement savings for millions of Americans.

Overall, it is clear that a fight over the debt ceiling is a dangerous and reckless political game. While an actual default may be avoided, the United States still faces significant consequences if its debt rating is reduced. Therefore, our elected officials must put aside their partisan bickering and work together to address this issue. Otherwise, we risk damaging the economy and hurting millions of Americans.

Will Republicans Benefit if the Debt Rating is Reduced?

The short answer is no. A lowered debt rating would negatively impact the economy, and while it may temporarily appeal to hard-right Republicans, it would ultimately hurt the country and the party’s electoral prospects.

A lowered debt rating would lead to higher borrowing costs for the government, which would, in turn, lead to higher interest rates for businesses and consumers. This could slow economic growth and increase unemployment. It could also damage the reputation of the United States as a safe place for investors to park their money.

While some Republicans may view a lowered debt rating as a way to stick it to the Democrats, it would ultimately harm all Americans and hurt the Republican Party’s image. It’s not just the wealthy, uneducated, or immature donors who would be negatively impacted – it’s the entire country.

The idea that a lowered debt rating could be good for the Republican Party is shortsighted and ultimately self-destructive. It’s time for the party to stop playing political games and start working on solutions that benefit all Americans, regardless of political affiliation.

Are Republican Donors Rich, Uneducated and Immature?

Some donors use their wealth and influence to push an agenda that harms the country. Of course, this is not unique to any political party, but it is a problem that should be addressed. A small group of wealthy individuals should not dominate our political system with their narrow interests at heart.

Not all Republican donors are wealthy, uneducated, or immature. While it’s true that some wealthy donors support conservative causes and candidates, there are also plenty of middle-class Republicans who donate time and money to political campaigns. Additionally, many donors are highly educated and actively involved in their communities.

It’s important to remember that political affiliation is not determined solely by wealth or education level. People have many beliefs and values that influence their political leanings. Therefore, it’s unfair and inaccurate to make sweeping generalizations about any group of people, including Republican donors.

It is important to look beyond stereotypes and examine the complexities of our political system and the motivations of those involved. While some donors may have questionable motives, others are committed to making a positive difference in our society.

Why Can’t We Have Nice Things?

This phrase perfectly encapsulates the current state of politics in the United States. The debt ceiling fight is just one example of how politicians are willing to play political games at the expense of the American people. However, the fact that the United States has to continuously raise its debt ceiling indicates a much deeper problem. This dysfunctional government is unable to work together to solve problems.

In recent years, the debt ceiling fight has become an annual event, with politicians from both parties engaging in political brinkmanship. The Republicans use the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip to try and force concessions from the Democrats. In contrast, the Democrats use it to call out the Republicans for their reckless fiscal policies.

The sad truth is that this political game-playing has real-world consequences. For example, if the debt ceiling is not raised, the United States could default on its debts, which would have a catastrophic effect on the global economy. It could also lead to a downgrade in the country’s credit rating, making it more expensive for the government to borrow money in the future.

It’s frustrating that the American people are caught in this political game. We want our politicians to work together to solve problems and improve our lives. But, instead, we’re stuck with politicians who care more about winning political points than they do about doing their jobs.

The truth is that we can have nice things – if our politicians would just work together. We could have better healthcare, schools, infrastructure, and a stronger economy if our politicians put their differences aside and work towards a common goal. But, unfortunately, that seems unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Potential Outcomes and Consequences

The debt ceiling fight is a game of political chicken with severe economic consequences. The most likely outcome is that the debt ceiling will be raised at the last minute, as it has been every time. However, the risk of a default or a lowered credit rating is higher than ever. Just the thread ads a costly and unnecessary burden to the ordinary taxpayers. If the debt ceiling is not raised, the government will be forced to cut spending or default on its debts, leading to a recession, job losses, and damage to the US’s reputation as a reliable borrower.

If the US’s credit rating is lowered, the interest rates on US debt will increase, increasing the cost of borrowing for everyone. This will hurt the US economy and the global economy, as the US dollar is the world’s reserve currency. In addition, it is unclear whether the hard-right Republicans would benefit politically from a lowered credit rating, as it would likely lead to a backlash against them.

The debt ceiling fight is also a symptom of a more significant problem: the polarization of American politics and the breakdown of bipartisanship. The hard-right Republicans are the ones to blame for this. The Democrats and the moderate Republicans have worked for years to bridge the gap between the two parties. The fact that a small minority in power has brought the US economy to its needs is a sordid tale of greed and stupidity.

6 Tech Roadblocks That Small Businesses Face

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Nora Sbalckiero

As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, it’s clear that technology plays a key role among small businesses eager to maintain a competitive edge. Leveraging the right technology can streamline operations and improve client engagement, making it an indispensable tool for productivity and growth.

Sadly, most small businesses face several challenges while adopting and implementing new technology. If you’re running a small business and eager to level up by integrating the latest technology, it’s crucial to know the potential challenges you’ll likely face. Here are the usual tech roadblocks your small business might face and valuable insights to overcome them.

1. Budget Constraints

Many small businesses face budget constraints. Sadly, some spend on technology but see little return on investment, eventually prompting them to back out of the investment. Due to this, it’s crucial to choose the right technology for your business.

The ideal approach to handling price concerns is to invest in a platform capable of centralizing IT management. When all your business data, storage, IT resources, and other elements are on a single platform, it ensures better visibility and control of expenditures. It may be best to hire IT consultants from Antisyn, so you’ll have guidance along the way.

2. Complex Nature Of The Latest Technology Solutions

Some small businesses need more time to integrate new technology since it takes time to assimilate it fully. However, the right solution will eventually integrate seamlessly into daily operations. In the long run, it makes tasks more efficient.

With this in mind, the solution should be easy to navigate, configure, and align closely with the workflow. Remember that the initial days of implementing new technology can be rough. Due to this, it may be best to invest in one that comes with a consulting service that can guide your company throughout the transition.

3. Compliance Requirements

As cybersecurity threats continue to become prevalent in recent years, many industries have regulatory compliance requirements. Sadly, navigating through both technical and non-technical aspects of these requirements can be challenging for many small businesses.

It also brings up the need for cyber security insurance for companies nowadays. If a cyber threat happens, potential fines can skyrocket to high levels. Cyber liability insurance can help your business recover financially. Generally, it covers the costs of data recovery, ransom settlements, regulatory fines, hardware replacement, and legal fees, to name a few. For small businesses eager to go through compliance, partnering with a managed IT Vaughan service provider would be a good starting point.

4. Staying Up-To-Date With Updates And Integrations

The majority of technology solutions usually have subscription structures that can end up being costly to maintain for many small businesses. Generally, monthly updates and integrations are necessary to keep up with, or they can affect the overall effectiveness or functionality of the solution, such as with cloud-based platforms.

For example, if a company utilizes several solutions, keeping track of the updates, integrations, and subscription expirations becomes a whole new task. Sadly, it may bring about disruptions to daily operations and workflows.

Small businesses can consider automating updates and integrations where possible, using tools that provide notifications for essential updates, or designating a team member to be responsible for keeping track of updates and integrations. This way, businesses can stay current and minimize disruptions.

6. Issues In Integrating With Current Systems

When small businesses continue to utilize out-of-date systems, most hesitate to transition to new technology. In most cases, the reason is that it would require them to upgrade the entire ecosystem, resulting in lost time, resources, and money. However, the reluctance or limitation to adopting new tools and technology can later hinder smooth functioning with clients, vendors, or even a digital prospect.

To overcome this roadblock, small businesses can perform a thorough assessment of their existing systems and identify areas where updates or changes are necessary. They can then create a phased plan for technology adoption that minimizes downtime and disruption while maximizing the return on investment.

Selecting The Right Software Or Solution

With the vast selection of vendors that boast similar features, choosing the right software or solution is a challenge for small businesses.

In most cases, it can be an ordeal due to the need for proper information from the software or solution providers. Additionally, the competitive environment might encourage the adoption of multiple solutions since it’s difficult to find what your company needs on a single platform. However, investing in numerous solutions or tools is excessive.

The ideal way to handle this ordeal is to determine your technology needs and pinpoint potential opportunities. Go for a platform that seamlessly adapts to your business workflows, is scalable, and can provide all your tech needs via a single platform.

Final Thoughts

In a constantly changing market, standing out should be a priority. If you want your small business to maintain an edge, it may be time to invest in the right technology. Although integrating technology for small businesses seems challenging, knowing the typical roadblocks and solutions will ensure a good head start. Proper planning will greatly help in overcoming the tech roadblocks you’ll face along the way.

4 SaaS Marketing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Matt Jordan

All SaaS companies are tech companies. They all have teams of coders that plan, build, release, and scale software solutions. They also have marketers that sell these solutions to people, making their lives, jobs, and workflows easier, smarter, profitable, and more efficient.

When stakeholders have the right mindset of approaching marketing the same way as software development, SaaS companies can avoid most marketing mistakes. Because marketing a SaaS offer is unique, SaaS marketing agencies like Getuplead can handle your marketing strategy. Nevertheless, if you do your marketing in-house, this article discusses four SaaS marketing mistakes to avoid.

Some SaaS companies do not apply the same thoroughness to their digital marketing efforts. However, if these companies were invested in planning their digital, building tests, releasing them, and scaling those that work, they would drive faster results by honing a combination of platforms, strategies, and messaging.

Top 4 mistakes your company should avoid in SaaS marketing include;

1. Having A Poor Understanding Of Your Buyer

Understanding your buyer is the best way to drive results. When developing your buyer personas, identify notable things about them. These things include their news and information source, the social media they consume, what influences them, and who they view as thought leaders.

If you’re already into marketing, you probably have solid first-party data that could be useful. Using your CRM, figure out who has bought from you, then import the data you get into publishers, creating lookalike audiences. The next thing is to look at your web analytics and use the user behavior to create audiences. Instead of chasing new prospects every time, there are higher chances of closing website visitors who have visited your website, solution page, and pricing page.

2. Creating Content Intuitively

Using your intuition about your buyer to guess the content you believe will be most appealing to your audience is not ideal. Experienced content creators have a map of their prospects’ online customer journey. They also research trends, thus, uncovering topics and pertinent questions to the prospects. Prospects usually ask these questions via search, and they have significant volumes behind them.

When you match search queries to customers’ journeys and understand currently ranking content in Google’s top positions, you have a data-driven recipe for content marketing. This recipe ensures you answer the right questions in the best possible way.

3. Neglecting Insights Mindset

Solely grading your digital program on KPIs instead of insights is a huge mistake. Instead, having a dual-lens is one way to get the most out of your digital marketing program. One lens would be for tracking hard KPIs, including the number of leads, trials, demos, closed-won deals, or any series of KPIs that builds revenue.

Judging SaaS companies’ digital program by only KPIs derails the company away from their tech DNA. Although users help improve products by making suggestions or finding bugs, insights are much overlooked in a digital marketing program. Instead, you can gain insights from tactics, platforms, strategies, and a combination of pricing and messaging.

When you switch to an insights mindset, you’ll learn and get insights from plans that work and those that don’t. You’ll also be able to test and experiment in an agreed-upon framework.

Another reason for switching to an insight mindset is that it allows marketers to try out new platforms, messaging, campaign and ad types, landing page UX, and pricing models with 10 to 20% of the budget. An insights mindset allows honing platforms to deliver the best ROI. You’ll also be able to hone in on what prospects want to see and hear.

4. Under-utilizing Automation

SaaS companies are expected to adopt and leverage all automation tools and software to grow and drive results. Well, this isn’t always so. When they think of automation, most marketers think of Hubspot, Eloqua, and Marketo.

Although these tools are high-powered, marketers often end up using only 25% of the total feature set. Hence, when using these platforms, you have to invest time and people to make the most out of them.

Nevertheless, there is a need for marketers to expand their definition of automation outside these major platforms. There is a popular belief that the future of automation is in no-code tools and integrations—for example, Zapier, Typeform, or a Typeform alternative. Being fluent in these new tools helps you customize and automate jobs and tasks, especially for targeted outreach, lead nurturing, list building, and email address acquisition. As a result, automation is necessary for improving sales performance and enhancing productivity.

Finally

The top four SaaS marketing mistakes to avoid are discussed in this article. You can drive faster and more effective results by turning your digital marketing into a tech-focused powerhouse where you build audiences and create data-based content. You’ll also be able to look beyond KPIs and derive insights from testing methodologies and mindsets that leverage automation for better performance and productivity before closing the loop on your data.

How to Rocket Your Small Business in the Post-Pandemic Rebound

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Kelly Maryland

We do not know when Covid will end. When it started in March 2020, we never imagined that we would still be locked down two years later. But having survived this long, it is time now to set up your business to take advantage of the post-covid rebound.

According to a new Goldman Sachs survey, almost 70% of small business owners believe COVID19 has harmed their bottom line. In addition, because of the increase in COVID cases, over 40% of those small company owners claim they’ve had to close or reduce hours recently.

Adaptation

It should come as no surprise, then, that many of the firms that have succeeded are those who operate in this space. Even if they hadn’t previously offered it, grocery businesses went to the innovative solution of curbside delivery. Rather than forcing someone to enter a crowded store and risk being exposed to COVID-19, an employee may gather all of your needed things and deliver them to your car. In several stores across the country, at-home delivery has also become an option.

Capitalize on Technology Shift

Businesses that capitalize on shifts in previous business practices will have less face time and more virtual time. People’s ability to adapt to market trends permits them to survive even the most trying times. Is your company capable of providing products or services remotely, no matter how difficult it may be? Do you need to rethink what your brand stands for in the first place? Are there any new cash streams that you may tap into that will last long after the pandemic has passed?

It seems like it is becoming no longer necessary for businesses to have a physical storefront, meaning now is the time to focus on your digital marketing. Powerapps development company offers services to businesses of all sizes to boost work efficiency and maximize success.

Re-Learn Your Competition

Reexamine the competition and find new niches – maybe App Development. Now is the time to focus on better ways to reach your customers. Listen to customer demand and customer feedback. Delivery services, work from home, new platforms for better user experience. Zoom meetings, work, doctor’s visits, therapy, etc. Takeout for food and alcoholic beverages, online events, webinars, and outdoor dining and telesales. Rebranding using some of these strategies is how you will survive in the new COVID19 landscape.

Endure to Thrive

Staying afloat during COVID-19 requires new approaches. According to one survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), over half of the small enterprises said they were exploring strategies to stay in business. They are prospering in certain circumstances. Small firms have claimed that they are adapting by making the following changes:

To make their services available, they use contactless delivery.
Asking staff to adapt to remote working practices.
Adopting new revenue streams to adapt to supply shortages.
Taking advantage of safety precautions to prioritize customer interaction.
Use technology to provide improved customer service.

Look on the Bright Side

Even though it may be easy to only focus on the negative impacts COVID19 has had on your business, take a minute to look at some positive aspects. With the growing demand for work-from-home employment, you now have the opportunity to choose from a much larger and more diverse candidate pool. You are no longer limited to people located near your business or those willing to relocate when you have the ability to offer remote work.

Use this as an opportunity to find your new niche. Whether that be a new form of remote services or offering new flexible hours to your employees. This can be your time to explore the world of socially distanced or completely remote events and see if they take off.

Summary

We do not know whether recovery will be in early 2022 or a future year. But businesses that take advantage of these points can continue to grow and maybe even come back stronger. Likewise, businesses can survive during the COVID-19 pandemic if they reimagine their financial, business, employee, and customer strategies.

But moving beyond the pandemic into a post-COVID world relies on the business’s ability to continue to adapt and consider its customers’ needs in new ways. Things like marketing, customer relationships, business operations, and employee roles may look different now. Still, your attention to them can make all the difference to your business when it’s time to step on the gas pedal once again.

How to Rebound From a Bad Sales Month

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Nikki Gabriel

A bad sales month can be extremely discouraging for new businesses or any business for that matter. The reality is that sales will ebb and flow, and your business should be optimally prepared for drops in revenue and potentially have other lines of income to keep yourself fortified in a pinch.

Your slumps in sales are ultimately learning opportunities and chances for you and your team to take stock of what has worked and what hasn’t worked when it comes to pushing your sales beyond the goals you’ve set for yourself. Maybe there is a key way you can adjust your sales plan, or set your goals to be more realistic in your reach.

Running a successful business means not giving up when things are slow, and being realistic about what you can achieve and in what timeline would be appropriate for a business your size. There is no reason to aim towards goals that older, more established businesses are able to achieve. Businesses that stay in the game by being smart about their goals and sales plans will move up in their industries in no time, it’s all about being patient and realistic with yourself and your team.

Adjust Your Sales Plan

The first thing to do when you run into a bad sales month is to review your sales plan and adjust it accordingly to meet the more realistic expectations for your company. “Rebound from a bad sales month by adjusting your plan,” said Sabrina Pereira, Head of Growth Marketing at Easy Standard. “Go back to your sales plan and review it. Find what you missed from the previous month and recalculate your plan for the next month. This includes identifying the key drivers of your forecast delta and aligning testing plans to solve for that. Plus, you can distribute the shortage over a few months and bolster your sales plans for the next few months.” This is of the utmost importance and should be done as soon as possible after your sales report comes in.

Changing and adjusting your plan is also an opportunity to set more realistic goals for your company for the foreseeable future. If your goals are too high, you may find yourself feeling strained to meet unrealistic expectations. “Review your plan so you can set more realistic goals for the future. Part of being successful is setting yourself up with goals you know you can meet. Then, you can start to aim a little bit higher each month as sales flatten or increase,” said Dylan Fox, Founder and CEO of Assembly AI. Starting small is a key factor for any blossoming business. It sets you and your company up for success and will motivate your team to work towards setting higher and higher goals.

In addition to adjusting your sales plan, businesses should also take stock of what they can control and what they can’t. You can draw people in, but they make the final decision to buy in or not. “Be real and honest about the things that you can control rather than the things you can’t. For instance, you can control your brand’s outreach and marketing practices but you can’t ultimately control whether customers will choose your service. Simplify your website content and make it as easy as possible for customers to sign up for your service to increase your sales,” said Jae Pak, Founder of Jae Pak MD Medical.

Learn From Failure and Go For Smaller Deals

In the grand scope of things in business, setbacks and sales slumps should be seen more as opportunities rather than failures. “Try not to look at sales slumps as failures, they are in fact learning opportunities for the future. Many times, these slumps are due to conditions that may be vastly out of our control. Use this as an opportunity to learn more about your industry and market trends to help predict your sales in the future,” said James Ville, Chief Product Officer of GunSkins. If you can shift your perspective and see the value in scaling back your goals to meet your capability, you’ll set yourself up for a more positive approach to solving these problems.

You may find that the deals you were seeking might have been too ambitious for your company as it currently exists. Smaller deals help you build connections and expand your business network. “Sometimes a bad sales month can be an indication that you need to scale back your goals and look for smaller deals you can make to help fortify your business and set yourself up for success,” said Scott Sonneborn, Co-Founder of Tydo. “Aiming too high can result in a lower return. It’s true that the higher the risk the greater the reward is, but the opposite is also true. The fallbacks from big deals can be much larger as well.” The amount of risk you can take on depends on the age of your company and your history of success with smaller deals and goals.

Meet With Your Team

Consult your entire team as soon as possible following your low sales results. “Have team meetings immediately afterward to brainstorm ideas. Keep the meeting as upbeat as possible,” said Jean Gregoire Founder & CEO of Lovebox. “It’s best to not dwell on why your month was poor, but instead, focus on ways to improve the following month. By working as a team, you’ll have a better chance of coming up with fresh ideas that will propel you forward.” This will promote a solution-based attitude at your company rather than getting stuck in a slump after getting bad news. “You need to keep your team positive to make sure you keep your productivity up,” said CEO of Package Free Shop Lauren Singer. “Positive reinforcement is especially important during these moments when tensions may be high and emotions fragile. Focus on what went well rather than what didn’t. This will help you combat future issues.” Seeing the positive can be difficult, but it’s always going to lead your team to better results than focusing on the negatives. “It can be difficult to see the positives in a month that fell short, but being able to see what was working will help you and your team both recover and make a plan for the next month. Don’t just focus on why your sales were lower, focus on what made the sales happen that you did make,” said Kashish Gupta, Founder and CEO of Hightouch.

This also gives your team a chance to provide feedback and be honest about how they think things could improve. “Ask for feedback from your team, and encourage honesty,” said Ryan Rottman Co-Founder & CEO OSDB. “Your employees and sales team will likely have proactive and topical ideas about how to improve customer relationships and increase your rate of conversion. Don’t dwell and try to solve issues on your own, involve your team to help you come to the best solution.” This will show how valuable you find your employee’s opinions and create trust between management and the sales team that they can solve issues together.

Plan For Slow Months

Part of changing your business plan should be expecting that some months will be slow. At certain times of the year, the state of the economy and many other factors can go into sales spikes and slumps. “Any business is sure to experience highs and lows, try to see these challenges as positives, it means that you are in business and doing everything you can to stay afloat. Trust your instincts and learn from the challenges you face,” said Jared Hines, Head of Operations Acre Gold. Holiday sales spikes and post-holiday slumps are something that all businesses should be expecting as well. “Certain times of the year will yield higher sales results, such as the winter months,” said Katie Keirnan, Co-Founder of Nue Life. “People are buying more for holiday gifts and it makes sense to see a sales spike during this time.

Use these moments as opportunities to prepare for inevitable sales slumps at the start of the new year.” Your surges in sales should help to fortify you through the slower months of the year, something that businesses should be folding into their business plan. “Use your spikes and slumps as ways to predict the cash flow in your company,” said Joe Thomas of Loom. “This way, you can use additional funds from those surges to keep your business operating smoothly when things slow down.”

Rebounding from a bad sales month relies on a solution-minded team with management that can see the benefits in the ebb and flow of sales. This is ultimately an inevitability that every business faces, and how you deal with it will define how your company succeeds in the future. If you can’t be flexible and change up your plan, you will likely fall short of your competitors in the long run. Adjust your plan, meet with your team and plan for the future to ensure your success in your industry.

Top 5 Best Online Businesses to Start during the worldwide lockdown

Posted on November 23, 2020 by Robert Oldman

There have certainly been few other years since 2020 in living memory, with people across the globe having to adjust to previously unfamiliar phrases. Social distancing. Lockdowns. Or new working concepts, like meeting via zoom rather than in person. But this situation hasn’t all been an imposition. Many have taken advantage of the break from the nine-to-five routine to consider other options. The necessity of going online has inspired entrepreneurs to spring up everywhere. Here are five ideas for Internet businesses with terrific potential.

Online dating

It may not be the easiest business to set up, but it certainly has the potential to be the most lucrative. Online dating has taken the world by storm since the first commercial sites were launched a couple of decades ago. The key to making a success out of this venture would be identifying gaps in an overcrowded market. How about mature dating niche? Refer to a review platforms of dating sites for over 50s to get an impression of how typical outlets operate. If you can bring panache, originality, and creativity to this area of dating, perhaps targeting this niche area in a way that introduces a unique twist, it could prove successful. The key ingredients should be well-designed pages, a strong brand, a fully-realized monetizing aspect, and harnessing social media for free advertising.

E-commerce

There are many virtual retail outlets already, with obvious examples like Amazon or eBay. Rather than just digging out the occasional item from the garage or loft to put on eBay auctions, you could strive to make this more of a formal enterprise. Do you have a particular hobby or passion that you could transform, setting up an online shop to attract worldwide customers? All you need is imagination and dedication. Whether you’ve been stashing football programs or collecting DVDs or albums over the years, most of which are gathering dust, if you can put an online shop together with engaging and well-written content, this could grow legs.

Affiliate marketing

The beauty of affiliate marketing is this is an online business where you don’t have to invest in stock or advertising. Becoming an affiliate involves identifying a product that is already being sold, then offering yourself as a third-party platform to shift these products. Services like Amazon are always looking for mini-marketers to collaborate in selling their products on intelligently-designed platforms. Or identify an area you are keen on blogging about anyway, using your expertise to draw in customers. You’ll get a percentage of sales through commission.

Vlogging

Most of us have read headlines about Vloggers or YouTube stars – individuals who have accumulated huge followers simply by discussing particular topics with authority, then plugging products. This is a difficult area to get into, but if you can crack the unique attributes that make Vlogging such a mesmerizing spectator activity, there’s no reason why you couldn’t go on to carve your own slice of this pie. As with any web enterprise, the key is having captivating content. There are little overheads. All that is required is imagination, a degree of charisma, and perhaps some luck, too!

Freelance writing

A huge side-effect of the worldwide lockdown is more and more people going online. New websites are popping up all over the place, but no matter how competently-designed these might be, they will survive or expire solely based on the strength of their content. So sites will always be looking for content providers, and you can charge accordingly. You could easily set up your own freelance writing business when demand gets high enough.

7 Powerful Mental Health Tips to Manage Stress During Stressful Times

Posted on November 8, 2020 by Lisa Bigelow

Between covid lockdowns, the election, and the promise of a long, dark winter in the headlights just ahead, it’s no wonder that anxiety and depression rates are through the roof. There’s comfort in knowing we’re all in this together, but when your heart is pounding or you’re losing sleep, you need a tactical strategy to help you feel better.

The answer isn’t always to increase productivity – although that’s certainly a great feeling. The fact is that as we age, stress takes a toll on our health and well-being, according to the Harvard Health Letter. And reducing stress doesn’t just help our health. It’s also a more enjoyable way to live your life.

Here are seven ways you can influence your mental health for the better.

Memorialize what you can’t control – and what you can

The covid outbreak and the contentious 2020 election cycle are two examples of stressors over which we have limited control. In fact, an American Psychological Association poll conducted by Harris found that 68% of respondents acknowledged that the presidential election is a “significant source of stress in their lives.”

Besides wearing a mask, washing your hands, and voting or volunteering, what can you do about covid or the election? In terms of stress, the answer is to acknowledge and move on, the APA recommends.

Yet you can apply the “acknowledge and move on” lesson to any stressor, not simply covid or the election. Start by writing down your thoughts in a journal or setting concrete goals in a planner. A goal planner is especially useful for memorializing your ideas and staying accountable for the promises you make to yourself, ultimately helping you achieve a healthier work-life balance.

Go outside every day

Multiple independent studies prove the restorative effects of spending time outdoors. One Science Daily study found that as little as 10 minutes per day getting fresh air is enough to improve mood and outlook. And Stress.org reports that going outside “amp up one’s creativity, productivity, and focus.”

We can all benefit from some extra time outdoors but the positive effects of nature are especially beneficial for those with character defects trying to overcome them. Spending time outside in a quiet setting can help you create an intimate connection with your higher power, however you may choose to understand it, and provide clarity. You may be able to gain insight into why they exist and what needs to change in order for them to start waning away.

Clean up and get organized financially

It’s hard to enjoy a dirty home or relax in a disorganized office – especially if you suspect there may be a forgotten, unwelcome surprise hidden under your couch or behind your desk. Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and a renowned consultant and tv host, recommends eliminating any clutter from your life that doesn’t “spark joy.”

Keep in mind that emotional clutter, especially if it’s financial or debt-related, can build up even in the most physically organized office setting. If this describes you, consider refinancing your mortgage, applying for an education debt relief scholarship, or figuring out how to pay off high-interest credit cards. If you are age 62+ you might even look at a reverse mortgage purchase product.

Long story short, eliminating “clutter” means ripping off the band-aid that covers the wounds caused by disorganization. Getting a handle on your physical surroundings and financial well-being frees mental space, letting you refocus on really important goals and priorities. (And during covid times, disinfecting high-touch surfaces will help keep you and those you know safe from infection.)

Tweak your inner voice

Improve your inner monologue and your well-being will benefit, according to the American Heart Association. Instead of convincing yourself you’ll never be able to pay for your teen’s college tuition bill or improve your website rankings, reframe your thoughts with a can-do spirit.

In other words, correct your inner voice when it complains, “I can’t believe this dumb mistake I made.” Instead, reframe your thought: “Now that I know to pay attention to this, I can try again and do better next time.”

Adopt a shelter pet (or any new hobby)

The AHA also recommends picking up a new hobby that can keep you busy and distracted. Adopting a dog, going on a daily walk, or taking up container gardening are proven ways to boost mood and relieve stress. And because they’re outdoor activities, you can take two stress-busting actions at the same time.

Embrace discipline

Each of these suggestions works great when they’re actually put into practice. But ultimately, these tips won’t work without a disciplined approach. That’s why using a goal-setting planner is invaluable. Scheduling time for exercise, answering emails, or consuming social media, for example, will help you take concrete actions to achieve your goals while wasting less time on activities that will harm your well-being.

Surround yourself with soothing influences

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of soothing influences. Listening to music and lighting a scented candle can have remarkably restorative effects – especially when enjoyed in a clean and organized home or office.

Ultimately, you’ll need to decide where toxicity lives in your life. Perhaps it’s a certain someone whose unhelpful attitude you could do without. Maybe it’s cleaner eating habits or cutting down on alcohol consumption. But even in the darkest of times, remember: This too shall pass.

Emergency mental health location in Phoenix are available.

Author bio:

Lisa Bigelow writes for Bold and is an award-winning content creator and self-described “stress monkey.” In addition to Companion Link, Lisa has contributed to OnEntrepreneur, College Money Tips, Finovate, Finance Buzz, Life and Money by Citi, MagnifyMoney, Well + Good, Smarter With Gartner, and Popular Science. She lives with her family in Connecticut.

Growing your Business Beyond the End of Hope

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Wayland Bruns

It is easy to forget the Wall Street Crash of 1929 was the first event of the Great Depression that peaked three years later in 1932. As we hit the 120^th day since the Virus shut us down on March 19, 2020, it is time to wonder, are we anywhere close to a turnaround, or are we merely four months into a three-year crisis?

Where we are now.

One month ago, things seemed to be controlled well enough that it had become livable. Wall Street was discussing a V or U shaped recovery. Now, in mid-July, talk turns to a W or L shaped recovery; that is, more hard times ahead.

Everyone I talk to is nervous. The virus counts today are bad. The death counts, which generally lag virus counts by three weeks, are going up. There is nothing on the horizon to suggest these counts will get lower soon. One Percent of the US Population has become sick and of those people 3.8% have died. At the current rate, by November, six million more Americans will have been sick, and another 200,000 will die of it. That is 1000 times the deaths on 9/11.

What Comes Next?

The Senate is stalled giving aid while Renters and Mortgage holders reach the end of their grace period. I know of more than one person selling their house this month because they cannot afford the payments. These trends portend a banking crisis ahead of us that will make 2008 look small. Earnest Hemingway writes; “How did you go bankrupt? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”

Our Next Step.

This is a time to focus, to think clearly about the parts of the business that are working, and to leverage that to cover expenses. Focus is difficult when self esteem is low. Self esteem is low because the world is filled with difficulties that are beyond our coping skills. It becomes easy to loop back on worry and become unable to plan.

Growth despite Obstacles

We need to grow our business. We need to do it because that is what we do. The world does not end just because we think the world is ending. Our customers will continue on, and so should we. The best thing too remember is that all the obstacles we face in business, are being faced by our competitors. Our goal is to stay one step ahead of them.

Gaining focus

Focus is hard right now. The distractions become an overwhelming fog of confusion. How can you plan business growth when the business conditions cannot be predicted? But this is the same as the day you started your business, you had no idea what would happen. The difference between then and now is your self-esteem and drive to succeed.

There is a saying; “To build self esteem, do esteemable things”. I have found this to be true. By helping others and by generously contributing, we gain back self respect, and the ability to focus. In the big picture my finances are a disaster and there is no hope for the future. But this month, and this week, I am doing fine, and the small amounts of time and money I can give out will mean a great deal to those I can help.

Toward Rebuilding

The foundation of recovery will be built on the small steps we take today to help other people, to help our customers, and to help our vendors. Mutual help will bind us into a functioning economy. Focus on this economy comes from being whole and being a contributor.

My Dad’s parents were married October 14, 1934. It is hard for me to imagine two teenagers meeting, falling in love and getting married during the depths of the hardship years. The grim black and white pictures and the distant commentary do little to capture he meaning from that time. But then, like now, every day ordinary people ate, and worked and slept. The world recovered from the Great Depression and became 50 years of Pax Americana and prosperity. The world will do it again. It is our choice now to become a leading participant.

Four Reasons You Need Microsoft 365’s New MS Editor In Your Life

Posted on July 7, 2020 by Carol Trehearn

Working and communicating online has become an integral part of everyday modern life. Whether you’re writing an assessment, scribing your next novel, or just writing a friendly email, we increasingly spend more and more time writing on a keyboard.

With the rise of connected devices like cellphones and tablets, our time spent online is increasing exponentially. A 2019 report produced by industry experts Hootsuite and We Are Social suggested the average person now spends an incredible 6 hours 42 minutes online every day – with around half of that on mobile devices.

Undoubtedly, a lot of this time is spent passively browsing, but the internet is a two-way street, and we also use it as a way of expressing ourselves, whether that is via a status update, email, or instant message.

The vehicles of this communication may have altered over time (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.), but the way we use the web itself hasn’t changed much in 30 years. The vast majority of our communication is still through the written word. Yes, video conferencing is growing quickly, but our go-to, de facto method of communicating online remains writing.

Of course, this is all great news if you possess decent writing skills, but what if your prose doesn’t quite cut it? What if, like many, you struggle with grammar, spelling, or writing?

Step up Microsoft Editor and its holistic approach to textual editing.

1. Advanced Spellchecker

When it comes to spelling, thankfully, English has some basic rules to follow, but spellcheckers have long struggled with the specific use of words in text. For example, ‘advise’ and ‘advice’ are both correctly spelled – but their use as a verb and noun (respectively) are considerably different from one another. Microsoft 365 can work out the use of words contextually and offers the correct version, based on setting and meaning.

2. Word and Phrase Suggestions

No matter how confident the writer, everyone hits a brick wall from time to time. Microsoft Editor continually scans your text to understand what you’re trying to say and offers on-the-fly word or phrase suggestions to improve your text and avoid repetition. It offers style and grammar refinements, unobtrusively making suggestions when you need them.

3. Seamless Integration With Your Office Network

Of course, for most of us, writing takes on the greatest significance in our work. Day to day emails, reports, and written updates are a common part of most jobs these days. Good business communication requires clarity, precision, and brevity. Thankfully, MS Editor has in-built tools to check the quality and precision of your writing.

Perhaps most significantly, the all-encompassing nature of the Microsoft 365 suite also allows seamless integration with your existing company network, meaning you can transfer or collaborate on files easily. Of course, this integration also needs bulletproof Microsoft 365 security provisions, but it’s a terrific way to streamline the way you work and participate with your office network.

4. Use Anywhere – Any Device, Any App

MS Editor comes complete with add-ons for Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome so it can be used anywhere – on any device – to check everything you write. From Twitter tweets to Gmail emails, Microsoft Editor is constantly monitoring your text for correctness, grammar, conciseness, and spelling.

As one might expect, MS Editor also works in-built with other universal Microsoft apps like Word and Outlook as well as the entire Microsoft 365 suite to offer you complete peace of mind while writing. It is your take-anywhere personal editor, an essential app in the modern connected age and aid to writers (skilled or unskilled) everywhere.

The Most Underrated Social Media For Business Promotion

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Allison Harper

There are two extremes that should be avoided:

Underestimating or ignoring social networks.
Trying to be everywhere at the same time.

In the first case, you lose a lot of potential buyers. In the second one – overrate your opportunities. It will need a whole team of SMM managers and an impressive budget to launch Twitter and Facebook ads, get Instagram followers, buy sponsored materials on Tiktok or media. Moreover, you never know whether it works out for sure.

Capturing as many social media as possible seems like a good idea, but in reality, it is more efficient to concentrate on two or three social networks and do everything possible to pump them. In this article, we will consider 3 most underrated social networks which should be considered for your business promotion.

At The Very Beginning

Create your success strategy by choosing the right social networks for the brand. Always start with research: find which social network your target audience uses. Analyze demographic data, figure out what type of content will be in demand, and give people what they are looking for.

If social marketing does not work for some reason, the problem may be that you are focusing on the wrong channels. To avoid this, calculate everything and be extremely careful.

What you need to consider when choosing social networks:

Time factors: how many hours your team will need every day.
The financial costs of creating groups, designing images, and videos.
The costs of maintaining and promoting pages and communities.

Only by counting these data, you can make a clear marketing budget.

Twitter

One of the most promising and fastest-growing networks is Twitter. It is serious, popular with celebrities and business, easy to set up, has a large audience, and is convenient to use.

Its feature is a limited message size, pithiness, and dynamics of data flow.

Twitter advantages:

low labor costs for generating content (all messages are limited by the number of characters);
instant distribution of information, in one hour an up-to-date message can fly around the entire network;
it represents a significant number of businessmen and politicians;
visitors are very active, a large number of people use smartphones and tablets while sending tweets;
a significant amount of traffic.

Perhaps the biggest problem which companies face on Twitter is figuring out how to stand out on such a noisy network. Thousands of messages are sent every second, so capturing an audience’s attention can be a daunting task.

What to post on Twitter?

The key is sharing information that is valuable to your audience. It is also useful to share materials that promote the business but do it in accordance with the content plan.

If you do not feel sure, look at more successful competitors. Learn what content they distribute and what they post. Use someone else’s experience as a starting point for creating your own strategy.

Also, keep in mind that the most effective way to upgrade your Twitter account is to chat with others.

Instagram

Instagram has evolved from an entertaining social network into an effective marketing tool. A young audience is actively seeking and interacting with brands directly in the social network. 51% of millennials enjoy their favorite brands on Instagram.

Moreover, many people buy products or follow links from the profile page to external sites. Instagram application navigation allows users to smoothly flip through their feeds, which makes users more involved than on other social networks.

On average, users buy products when they interact with a brand about 7 times. Instagram is a perfect place to show off to your customers several times.

Also, more than 60% of users are ready to buy the goods of the brands they are subscribed to on social networks. The percentage of uengagementser on Instagram is the highest compared to other social networks.

Among Instagram users, the percentage of engagement is 2.2%. On Facebook, it is only 0.2%.

If your business is looking for new customers, this is a great place to attract them.

What is important to consider when building an audience?

The location of your customers may be in the area of the city or the whole city.
Find influencers in your industry. They do not have to be stars. They can also be popular people in a particular city. Offer them a discount or an extra bonus for participating in your event or using your products.
Respond to all comments and try to show that you care about your audience.
Encourage people to share your content or use branded hashtags.

TikTok

TikTok is a service that is visited by more than 850 million people every month. It is a social network that combines the functions of Snapchat, Instagram, and recently forgotten Vine. In mid-2018, it broke all records and outperformed the number of Instagram downloads.

Today it still has a leading position among free software on Google Play and App Store.

The service captivates users with its simplicity and functional variety, great multimedia potential, and wide opportunities for launching interactive challenges.

The app has special algorithms that allow beginners to quickly gain millions of views. The service will only continue to gain popularity. A new stage in development will involve a more mature audience.

What Are TikTok Features?

TikTok videos are dynamic clips, reactions to trends, or sketches. A large number of music tracks, masks, beauty effects are available for the implementation of creative ideas.

According to statistics, 26% of TikTok users are young people aged 18-24. In general, the service is focused on a segment of a young audience. Approximately 50% of the accounts are owned by people under the age of 34 years.

However, this does not prevent the use of the platform for advertising purposes. Many stars, as well as well-known companies, successfully hold challenges to increase the recognition of their personal brand and the promotion of goods.

Brands and business accounts will start promotions on TikTok very soon. Therefore, in order not to miss the opportunity to get new customers, we recommend that you start brand promotion on Tik Tok today, while the competition here is much less than on Instagram.

You can officially advertise on TikTok from 2019. Currently, there are 4 formats: Brand Takeover, In-feed Native Video, Hashtag Challenge, and branded stickers and masks. Using this interactive element, you can quickly gain audience loyalty.

Small Business 2020 –How do you spell Opportunity in a Recession

Posted on June 17, 2020 by Wayland Bruns

This week we paid the last payroll of the first quarter of the Virus. We have endured Shut Down, Financial Panic, Protests and Riots. We have learned to shop with a face mask on, issue staff policy for social distancing, and made a revised marketing plan for the year. What else could go wrong?

There are three things that still darken the horizon; Banks have insufficient reserves, Global Banking system is unstable, and the Virus is returning with force.

2008 Redux for US banks

The banks are in a position to repeat their 2008 melt down. In 2008 the culprit was CDO’s based on mortgage loans, at a time when a critical mass of people defaulted on their mortgages. Currently the risk is in CLO’s, a similar instrument based on Collateralized Business Loans. These instruments are held by Banks, and are dependent on payments by businesses. Those same businesses that are struggling to maintain sales and market share against a public that is socially distanced. The key time period is August 2020. When 2nd quarter earnings reports come in, CARES Act! funding has run out, mortgage relief, renter relief and unemployment relief will all be past their 90 day limits. If individual payments are not made then bank collateral will melt from the bottom up.

Global Banks under pressure

Globally, banks are dependent on their loan customers making payments. In addition, most global banks have substantial investment arms. As we get to August Earnings Season, we will get our first look at how these assets are performing. Areas of concern involve HSBC with substantial assets in China, Hong Kong, and also the largest bank in the UK. Since we no longer know what country Hong Kong is, putting treaty, import and export status on hold, several banks are highly invested in the HK economy. In addition, nearly every bank worldwide has substantial interest that Oil stay above $30 per barrel. As we saw with Cushing Crude in May, the $30 benchmark is not a given.

Virus Wave Returns

We are now seeing several states reporting substantial increases in Virus cases. The US as a whole was holding steady at 20,000 new cases a day for nearly five weeks. That number is rapidly moving higher now. The curve is rising. There is no question today that the virus is again out of control in half the US states, including our own. If the current rate of increases takes hold, we could see 50k cases per day by August, and discussion of a far more drastic shut down of the economy.

How to Plan for What Comes Next?

Is Congress going to play Santa, or Marie Antoinette? Are protests going to fade out, or strengthen? Will the US Treasury continue to spend taxpayer money to prop bonds and stocks (That’s Capitalism Baby!) Small business remains trapped between the disaster and the goodie bag.

Be careful, be grateful, and be patient. Only time will tell which decisions we make today will turn out to look smart in the future.