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James Bauer is a relationship expert who knows his stuff. He’s a professional relationship coach who is constantly researching, developing and shaping the most effective, cutting-edge relationship advice based on what women are currently asking him for.
That means low refund rates and happy customers for them and huge commissions for you.
It’s More Than Just Great Content
But it’s not just the great content that makes BeIrresistible so awesome. Great content is nothing unless there is a high-converting sales offer made to attract buyers.
Their marketing team puts in the time and money to test, tweak and craft the highest converting sales funnel for each and every product they offer.
In creating His Secret Obsession, they dedicated thousands of hours and over $973,450 (yes, nearly a million bucks) on testing and refining the conversion process. And it doesn’t just end there. They are constantly updating and perfecting their affiliate tools to maximize your profits.
And if they don’t have the affiliate tools you’re looking for, just ask and they’ll create them for you
And if that’s not enough…
Super Affiliates To The Rescue
BeIrresistible utilizes the services of a few select rockstar affiliates who share their traffic methods and marketing ideas in their affiliate success newsletter which you don’t want to miss if you want more traffic and sales.
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Being self-employed, I’m sensitive to the health insurance dilemma millions of people have to deal with.
My family is getting our coverage through MediShare, a Christian health sharing ministry. It’s working well for us, and I strongly recommend it. But there are other ways to get health insurance coverage, if you aren’t participating in an employer plan, or you can’t afford coverage on the health insurance exchanges.
This strategy might be a solution if you’re:
In between jobs
Self-employed
Or in early retirement (no employer plan, but too young for Medicare)
It’s well worth investigating if you’re in one of those three career categories. It may seem like a less-than-perfect solution for health insurance, but there actually are people getting coverage this way.
14 Part-time jobs that provide health insurance
I recently came across a great article (from Personal Finance expert Kevin Mercadante): 20 Part-time Jobs with Health Insurance that served as the inspiration for this piece.
This list is current as of June 2018. But please be sure to double check each benefit offer before applying for a job. Employers are particularly fluid when it comes to offering health insurance to their part-time employees.
Some drop coverage or change the terms, while others add it, and it all happens on a pretty regular basis.
1. Starbucks
I’m starting with this one because it’s the most frequently mentioned among any time the topic involves health insurance for part-timers. Starbucks runs largely with part-time workers, and they’ve been providing them with health insurance for years. They do it through their program called Your Special Blend. It’s a benefits package that not only provides health insurance, but also other benefits, including dental and vision.
To qualify, you must work at least 240 hours in a three consecutive month period. That works out to be at least 20 hours per week. Their website confirms they pay 70 percent of the premiums for their employees, and also cover 100 percent of preventative medicine.
One of the advantages of Starbucks as a source of group health insurance is that they’re located in virtually every nook and cranny in the United States. That means there may be a job available close to where you live.
2. UPS
This is another company that frequently appears on lists of part-time jobs that provide health insurance. And since it’s a package delivery company, they have locations across the country. UPS is a company well known for providing full-time benefits for their part-time employees.
For union jobs, which likely takes in the vast majority of delivery personnel, you must work at least 400 hours over three months. That works out to be something like 25 hours per week. That will give you full-time benefits.
If you work between 225 and 400 hours over three months, you’ll be eligible for part-time benefits, which includes health insurance. They don’t give details, but it’s likely to be a stripped-down program. Still, you can qualify by working fewer than 15 hours per week.
UPS may not be your first choice if you’re looking for group health insurance coverage. The work is physically challenging, and you have to be there for a minimum of one year to be eligible.
3. Delta Airlines
This one really surprised me, but in a good way. As one of the largest airlines, they operate out of most commercial airports across the country. If you live close to an airport, this could be a serious option. Not only that, working for an airline brings outstanding travel benefits. Delta is also one of those companies where a job that starts out as part time could go full-time, if that’s a consideration.
Delta provides health insurance coverage to part-time employees and their eligible dependents. They offer three different health insurance plans, depending on where you live. They don’t disclose the specifics of the coverage, so you’ll have to do some serious investigating before accepting a part-time job.
4. Southwest Airlines
Delta isn’t the only airline that offers health insurance for its part-time staff. Southwest does too, so it may be a norm in the airline industry.
Like Delta, Southwest is one of the major airlines, and operates at airports across the country. Their website gives no indication of how many hours you need to work to qualify for health insurance, but they do confirm it’s available. Again, make sure you look into the details before applying for a part-time job if health insurance is the main reason for doing so.
And once again, as an airline employee, you’ll enjoy generous travel benefits.
5. Lowe’s
Lowe’s is another company that has locations all across the country. In addition to the fact that they offer health insurance, this could be a real part-time job opportunity for someone with a background or interest in construction, home remodeling or any of the trades.
Lowe’s health insurance includes prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Benefits take effect within 31 days of starting, so this can be a real option if you’re looking for coverage fast. Like other companies on this list, they don’t indicate how many hours you need to work to qualify, so you’ll have to do some digging on that front.
6. Whole Foods
Whole Foods is another company that frequently makes lists of part-time jobs that provide health insurance. The company has nearly 500 stores across 44 states, so there’s an excellent chance there’s a location near you.
According to their website, you’re eligible for benefits if you work at least 20 hours per week, and have completed an undisclosed probationary period. They don’t indicate the specific type of coverage, but it seems to be dependent on location. You’ll have to do some investigating in the store where you apply.
7. Safeway
Safeway is one of the largest grocery store chains in the country. They operate more than 2,200 stores in 33 states. Their website indicates they offer coverage for part employees, but there’s also some indication that it varies by store location. They may offer the benefit in some states, but not in others. Or it may vary from one store to another. They’re a bit sketchy on the details, so once again you’ll have to do some investigating.
8. Costco
Costco is another company that frequently makes these lists. It’s generally nationwide as well, with more than 500 locations in 44 states. Coverage begins the first day of the second month after you’ve completed 450 eligible hours. You’re then required to average at least 23 hours per week to qualify for health insurance. The coverage includes your spouse, children, parents and even grandparents.
9. Citi Bank
It turns out your friendly neighborhood bank may be a prime source of part-time with health insurance. That includes some of the most prominent banks in the country.
Citi offers coverage for part-timers. You have to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, and you become eligible after 90 days of employment.
The downside is that Citi branches are concentrated in the largest metropolitan areas, so they may not be available in smaller cities. If so, try other banks in your area. It seems to be a common practice.
10. JP Morgan Chase
JP Morgan Chase has a health insurance arrangement for part-timers comparable to Citi. You’re required to work at least 20 hours per week, and there’s also a 90 day waiting period.
Plans are provided by CIGNA and United Healthcare, include dental and vision coverage, and are available for family members.
11. SunTrust Bank
SunTrust is a large regional bank, operating more than 1,400 branches in 11 southeastern states. They don’t indicate how many hours are required to get health insurance, but they do offer it to part-timers. They have different plans, and include prescription drug coverage. And as a bank, they also offer a health savings accounts (HSAs) to cover out-of-pocket expenses.
12. REI
If you’re not familiar with REI, there a company that sells sporting goods, camping gear, travel equipment and clothing. They have 154 retail stores in 36 states across the country. And they do offer part-time jobs that provide health insurance.
Their REI Flex Plan provides health insurance for workers averaging 20 or more hours per week. You can choose between several plans, and coverage extends to your dependents. The website indicates they pay most of the premium cost for the plan.
13. Aetna
Large insurance companies may be well worth a look for part-time jobs that provide health insurance. Aetna is an example. They provide health insurance for part-timers who work at least 20 hours per week. That also includes vision and dental coverage, as well as HSAs.
14. Navy Federal Credit Union
The OutOfYourRut list reports that credit unions are common sources of part-time jobs that provide health insurance. I did some light research to see if that’s true, and it absolutely is. In fact, I hit pay dirt on the first search.
Navy Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in the country, and yes, they provide health insurance for part-timers. They list comprehensive medical coverage, catastrophic coverage and prescription drug benefits, with a choice of either a PPO or HMO, depending on location.
The website doesn’t give details as to how many hours you need to work, but 20 seems to be the standard among credit unions.
Apart from Navy Federal Credit Union, check with any credit union in your area to see if they have part-time jobs that provide health insurance. There’s an excellent chance they will.
Final thoughts
If none of these tickle your fancy, you should also look into hospitals, county governments and colleges and universities. They commonly offer part-time jobs that provide health insurance.
In fact, it seems there are more part-time jobs with health insurance than we usually think. Check with any competitors of the companies on this list -- banks, credit unions, retailers, airlines and insurance companies.
If one major employer in a field offers coverage for part-timers, there’s probably others.
PlantLab CEO Adam Zucker said he'd been dealing with a 'catastrophic' personal issue for more than a week when his staff was unable to contact him. The time coincides with the arrest and incarceration of a person by the same name on embezzlement charges.
9 min read
Editor's note: This story is developing and was last updated Sept. 1 at 12:01 p.m.
When you can’t reach your company’s CEO for nine days -- and he’s the “only person solely responsible for all finances” -- what do you do?
The team at PlantLab -- a collection of culinary schools around the world formerly owned by celebrity chef Matthew Kenney -- had to find out the hard way on Wednesday. That morning, they sent an email to enrolled students that all upcoming courses were canceled until further notice, in the wake of Zucker being unreachable. Entrepreneur broke the story on Wednesday.
“It is our regret to inform you that all courses at all locations are canceled until further notice,” PlantLab’s admissions team wrote in the email, which was reviewed by Entrepreneur. “The entire team of PlantLab has been unable to contact the CEO, Adam Zucker, since Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 at 11:15 a.m. PST. Adam Zucker is the sole owner of PlantLab and the only person solely responsible for all finances and location payments. Due to these factors, we are unable to continue holding classes.”
But Thursday at 12:42 p.m. ET, Zucker contacted Entrepreneur via email. “I have been dealing with a catastrophic personal issue,” he wrote. “I never disappeared and [sic] working aggressively this week to course correct and get everything moving forward.”
That personal issue may have involved jail, according to public records from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. A 42-year-old Adam Reed Zucker was arrested on August 21 at 9:40 p.m. PST and booked just three minutes later.
He was charged with seven counts of embezzlement and grand theft, 23 counts of money laundering and five counts of tax evasion. For all charges, that Zucker pledno contest -- a plea that is functionally similar to pleading guilty, but it can shield the party if they are sued in civil court. According to L.A. County court records, he was convicted on all counts on Aug. 27.
The Zucker who was arrested was reportedly released on August 29 at 4:49 p.m. PST, with a court date set for Jan. 17. According to a background check website, the cell phone number for a 42-year-old Adam Reed Zucker in Beverly Hills, Calif., is the same as the CEO's alleged phone number that PlantLab sent out in its email to enrolled students, saying, "If you wish to express any immediate concerns or questions, please send them directly to him."
Evan Nierman, a spokesman for PlantLab, said in a statement to Entrepreneur: "It would be highly inappropriate to comment upon any legal matters that are of a personal nature and unrelated to PlantLab. The company remains committed to the success of its students, is working to restart its regular operations and intends to continue courses at all locations as soon as possible."
Would-be students told Entrepreneur they had pre-paid thousands of dollars in tuition. A group on Facebook called “Plantlab scam” has 168 members and counting. And for a few hours on Friday afternoon, PlantLab's website was unavailable.
One woman, Ingrid Clay, told Entrepreneur that she paid $6,500 to attend the course in Barcelona and that she’d already booked her flight and housing. Another student said, “I am enrolled for a course in Barcelona in April 2019 and I fully paid my tuition as well as I booked my flights. As you can see on the email below received yesterday, they don’t clearly mention any refund.”
PlantLab’s students aren’t the only ones who want financial retribution. One employee with the company who asked to remain anonymous said, “We have not been paid [and] have no information and no one to contact regarding this.”
Kenney -- the plant-based food entrepreneur and celebrity chef behind 24 restaurants around the world, 13 cookbooks and the series of online plant-based cooking courses that later became PlantLab -- told Entrepreneur he has had “zero involvement” with the company since the sale besides a now-defaulted-on licensing agreement.
The sale transition, which happened around June 2017, seemed rocky. Less than a month before, attendees of a Matthew Kenney-branded wellness retreat in Kauai complained that the retreat wasn’t at all like the program overview they’d been promised, according to Anastasia Belova, who says she paid $8,500 for the retreat. One consultant who contacted Entrepreneur, Geoff Kinkade, said he’s worked with a number of unsatisfied customers from Kenney’s retreat. “They claim to have been falsely advertised [to], severely mistreated and ... even over-charged thousands of dollars without reimbursement,” said Kinkade. “The MK company claims it is no longer their responsibility, though it was under the Matthew Kenney brand at the time.”
As for the culinary school itself? Around the time of the transition, students who had pre-paid up to $5,500 in tuition received notice that their upcoming culinary course had been canceled. It affected about 30 students, but they were eventually refunded, Kenney told Entrepreneur.
“I’ve always tried to be very transparent about the challenges associated with building a brand and creating something that is new to the market,” Kenney said. Since the transition, he says that his company, Matthew Kenney Cuisine, has grown rapidly and remains profitable. In 2019, Kenney expects to feed 1.5 million guests across all of his restaurants.
When Kenney sold his culinary education programs to Zucker, he said he thought it was the right thing to do at the time, believing that the new business plan to grow the brand would result in a stronger business.
But the question of who is responsible here is murky at best.
One former employee of Matthew Kenney Cuisine, who spoke on condition of anonymity, left within the year Zucker was hired. The individual said Zucker only had experience in furniture sales -- in fact, he had no culinary background whatsoever.
“They’re claiming no responsibility, but why did students sign up?” said the former employee. “Matthew sold his company to somebody who has no background. Where does the trust fall? … There’s a lot of other people that Matthew could’ve hired, but Adam knew how to sweet-talk Matthew … into giving him the company. ”
Kenney said Zucker’s and PlantLab’s shortcomings are also affecting his bottom line. He said PlantLab was his company's tenant and that his company could be on the hook for a "very sizeable" rent for the space PlantLab was subleasing.
“In regards to PlantLab, it’s not good for anyone the way this has turned out,” he said. “We’re also experiencing a lot of losses."
Adam Page, owner of web development company A. Page Code, said he designed and created PlantLab’s website and has yet to receive payment. Page said Zucker and the company owe him $26,000 for his efforts, which involved almost a year of work, more than 60-hour work weeks and nightly 9 p.m. phone calls to make sure everything was up to standards. The final invoice he sent and earlier email threads were reviewed by Entrepreneur. “I am a one-man team, not a big business, and [Zucker] obviously screwed a lot of people,” Page said.
On July 24, Zucker wrote in an email to Page (which Page forwarded to Entrepreneur): “If it is any conciliation [sic], I am dealing with this with several vendors. No excuse though.” On July 31, he cited his mother’s health as the reason for his lack of responses. And on Aug. 8, he wrote, “Sorry for not responding sooner. Have just been in a nightmare … I really want to catch up and make this right ASAP.”
Page said he emailed Zucker on Aug. 15, 2018 to notify him that he’d like to pick up the check in person from PlantLab’s Beverly Hills office on Aug. 22 -- and that Zucker never responded. On Aug. 22, Page wrote him another email.
“I know that recently there have been some personal hardships for which I am very sorry to hear, but this payment has been pending for nearly four months,” Page wrote. “I feel like I have been more than patient through the bank errors, confirming you have personally gone to the bank to make the transfer or that you’re sending a check, but still have yet to receive the final payment.”
On the same day, Page said he called and texted Zucker to no avail.
“Oddly enough, I guess that was the day he disappeared,” Page said. “When PlantLab called me Friday to tell me no one had heard from him, I didn’t know if I believed it at all.”
PlantLab's spokesperson said the company planned to send a follow-up email to its students on Thursday evening from Zucker himself, but it wasn't sent until Friday evening. Entrepreneur was able to review the email draft ahead of time. In it, Zucker writes, "I sincerely apologize for the confusion and concern this caused. ... In recent days I have been working hard to restart PlantLab's regular operations and to continue our courses at all locations as soon as possible. That is the goal and where I am focusing my attention. ... As specific timelines for rescheduling the courses become clear I will look to share this information with you."
FTC Settles Case Alleging Deceptive Privacy Statements
The Federal Trade Commission recently announced that it has settled charges against a California company for allegedly misrepresenting that it was in the process of being certified as complying with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework.
In short, the Privacy Shield establishes a process to allow companies to transfer consumer data from European Union countries to the United States in compliance with EU law. According to FTC defense lawyer Richard B. Newman, the Privacy Shield framework is administered by The Department of Commerce. The promises companies make when joining the Privacy Shield are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.
The settlement “ … demonstrates the Federal Trade Commission’s continuing commitment to vigorous enforcement of the Privacy Shield,” FTC Chairman Joe Simons commented. “We believe Privacy Shield is a critical tool for ensuring transatlantic data flows and protecting privacy that benefits both companies and consumers.”
As set forth in the FTC’s complaint, the agency alleges that ReadyTech Corporation, a provider of online training services, falsely claimed on its website that it is “in the process of certifying that we comply with the U.S.-E.U. Privacy Shield Framework.” According to the FTC, ReadyTech initiated an application to the U.S. Department of Commerce in October 2016, however, the company failed to complete the steps necessary to participate in the Privacy Shield framework.
The Federal Trade Commission’s complaint alleges that the company’s deceptive claim that it is in the process of certification violates the FTC Act’s prohibition against deceptive acts or practices. As part of the settlement, ReadyTech is prohibited from misrepresenting its participation in any privacy or security program sponsored by a government or any self-regulatory or standard-setting organization, including but not limited to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework and the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield framework. The company must also comply with standard reporting and compliance requirements.
The matter marks the fourth regulatory enforcement action enforcing Privacy Shield. It also marks the 47th case enforcing the Privacy Shield, the predecessor Safe Harbor framework, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Cross Border Privacy Rules framework. To date, the FTC has brought hundreds of privacy and data security cases.
The Federal Trade Commission actively enforces privacy promises made to consumers. When companies represent to consumers that they will safeguard their personal information, the FTC can and often does take law enforcement action to make sure that the promises are adhered to.
Of late, the Federal Trade Commission has initiated legal actions against organizations that have violated consumers’ privacy rights, or misled them by failing to maintain security for sensitive consumer information. In a number of these cases, including the ReadyTech matter, the FTC has charged the defendants with violating Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bars unfair and deceptive acts and practices in or affecting commerce. In addition to the FTC Act, the agency also enforces other federal laws relating to consumers’ privacy and security.
Privacy and data security issues are at the top of both federal and state regulatory agenda. Such issues are intertwined in most, if not all, digital marketing-related activities, from lead generation to telemarketing.
The FTC uses a variety of tools to protect consumers’ privacy and personal information. The principal tool is to bring enforcement actions to stop law violations and require companies to take affirmative steps to remediate the unlawful behavior (e.g., implementation of comprehensive privacy and security programs, assessments by independent experts, monetary redress to consumers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, deletion of wrongfully procured consumer information, and provision of robust consumer choice mechanisms, etc.).
Companies that violate FTC orders can have civil monetary penalties for the violations imposed. The agency can also obtain civil monetary penalties for violations of certain privacy statutes and rules, including, but not limited to, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic, want to review your privacy and data security compliance protocols, or if you are the subject of a regulatory investigation or enforcement action, please email the author at rnewman@hinchnewman.com, or phone (212) 756-8777.
Richard B. Newman is an Internet marketing attorney at Hinch Newman LLP focusing on advertising and digital media matters. Follow him on Facebook.
Informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Always seek the advice of an attorney. Previous case results do not guarantee similar future result. Hinch Newman LLP | 40 Wall St., 35th Floor, New York, NY 10005 | (212) 756-8777.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Donations to reputable relief organizations, such as the American Red Cross, are an excellent way to support the victims of natural disasters. But what can businesses do when these disasters happen literally in their own backyard?
Four small business owners and NFL star J.J. Watt deserve credit for the answers they provided during Texas's devastating Hurricane Harvey in 2017. They're great role models for the hurricane we're now in.
Billions in damage
Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 storm that caused over $125 billion dollars in damage when it hit Texas on August 25, 2017, according to the National Hurricane Center. Eighty-eight people were killed and over 30,000 water rescues were conducted.
The National Hurricane Center report also said 300,000 structures were damaged, including homes, businesses and schools. Nearly everyone in southeastern Texas was affected by the devastation, and storm recovery is still ongoing.
Several large companies, like Walmart, Dell, Bass Pro Shops and Walgreens, have donated money and equipment to the relief efforts, but during the worst of the storm’s aftermath, many small businesses also stepped forward to help those in desperate need.
Mattress Mack
Jim McIngvale is most commonly known as Mattress Mack. He owns the Gallery Furniture Stores in Houston and when Harvey hit, he opened his showrooms and warehouses to everyone needing shelter.
The personal cost to him was over $30,000 per day, but McIngvale didn’t care. He had done the same thing when 2005's Katrina hit and did not hesitate to help his own community when the need arose again. He sheltered storm victims in his stores, ensuring they had food, water and the basic items they needed. More recently, McIngvale donated an additional $80,000 to Hurricane Harvey victims, recognizing the continuing recovery efforts.
Abry Brothers
The Abry Brothers’ foundation repair business has served the Dallas and Houston areas for over 175 years and offers a modest college scholarship program to help students offset the cost of their education.
After Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the current owners and their employees worked with over 20 families to clean up trash and restore their homes, in an effort to bring some semblance of normalcy back to those neighbors' lives. Once the waters receded, Arby Brothers donated employees' skills, time and resources to repair cracked foundations and walls damaged from the wind and flooding. They made homes livable again so that people could return and rebuild their lives.
League City Family Dentistry
League City Family Dentistry has been a part of the community since 2005 and didn’t hesitate to help those in need after Harvey hit. It sponsored the Crazy Cajun Cookers, to go to various offices and serve over 1,000 free lunches to community members over a two-day period.
The company also worked with the Clear Falls Band to assure that those who came for food could also receive donated clothes, food, bedding, hygiene supplies, cleaning items and more. League City became a gathering area for people who needed support, encouragement, food and essentials that they couldn’t find elsewhere.
Sake Sushi Bar & Lounge
Two brothers, Phe Nguyen and Binh Nguyen, own the award-winning Sake Sushi Bar & Lounge in Port Arthur, Texas, and when Harvey hit, these men did what they do best -- they cooked. Although personally affected by the hurricane, they chose to focus on the needs of their community and worked with staff and volunteers to prepare and serve over 1,000 meals to victims, first responders and other volunteers.
These humble men never asked for recognition or thanks but made a direct and positive impact on those around them.
J.J. Watt
Although born in Wisconsin, J.J. Watt has fully embraced the city where he is a defensive end for the Houston Texans. While sitting in a hotel room watching the devastation caused by Harvey, Watt tweeted a simple and heartfelt video asking people to donate toward relief efforts. His goal was to raise $200,000 and he started the process by personally donating the first $100,000.
Before it was over, Watt had raised over $37 million for relief efforts. The money has been used to help rebuild over 1,000 daycare and childcare centers, as well as deliver food, medicine and healthcare items to those in need. In February, Watt was named Walter Payton Man of the Year for his Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
Bottom line
When a community faces physical and/or emotional devastation, many people open their wallets to support relief efforts, and this is a generous gesture. Still, it is often those living and working amid the destruction who have the most immediate impact.
In the Houston area, these small community businesses found ways to serve their friends, neighbors and strangers impacted by Harvey; and their efforts had a profound effect. Even a short tweet by an NFL player made a huge difference. These mostly unsung heroes have gone on with their lives, but their generosity will never be forgotten.
Generally speaking and although the subject of controversy, a call recipient may revoke consent through any means that reasonably conveys the intent to have such calls cease.
However, the D.C. Circuit recently affirmed that the FCC has not addressed whether parties to a contract can agree to the manner in which a call recipient may revoke previously provided consent. Thus, telemarketing lawyers roundly agree that consumer facing contracts can provide for the manner in which the call recipient must revoke consent.
On August 7, 2018, a Connecticut federal court in Harris v. Navient Solutions granted summary judgment to a Telephone Consumer Protection Act defendant on the basis that a contractual consent provision set forth within the pertinent written contract was binding and irrevocable.
The clause read:
“I understand that you may use automated telephone dialing equipment or an artificial or prerecorded voice message to contact me in connection with this loan or loan application. You may contact me at any telephone number I provide in this application or I provide in the future, even if that number is a cellular telephone number.”
The court considered Second Circuit legal precedent, including a recent holding that “the TCPA does not permit a party who agrees to be contacted as part of a bargained-for exchange to unilaterally revoke that consent.” It held that “[i]t is undisputed that plaintiff consented to receiving ATDS calls when she signed her promissory notes. This fact is dispositive …”
The court rejected plaintiff’s argument that contractual consent is irrevocable if, and only if, the parties expressly agree that it is irrevocable. It opined that consent could fairly be considered irrevocable by operation of law and basic contract principles, and that absent modifications to the terms thereof, such written consent bound the parties to the terms of the written agreement.
The court also rejected plaintiff’s position that FCC policy dictates that consent can be revoked by any reasonably method. Not only have such arguments been previously rejected in the Second Circuit, the court held that they are distinguishable situations involving express contractual consent.
Takeaway: At least in the Second Circuit, TCPA contractual consent may be considered irrevocable regardless of whether the contract specifically says as much. The currently prevailing view in the Second Circuit is that if there is no contractual revocation procedure set forth in the applicable contractual consent provision, consent may be considered irrevocable. If a contract does, in fact, possess a revocation provision, consumers may revoke consent in the manner set forth by contract.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic, want to review your telemarketing compliance protocols or if you are the subject of a TCPA lawsuit, please email FTC advertising lawyer at rnewman@hinchnewman.com, or phone (212) 756-8777.
Informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Always seek the advice of an attorney. Previous case results do not guarantee similar future result. Hinch Newman LLP | 40 Wall St., 35th Floor, New York, NY 10005 | (212) 756-8777.
Scaling doesn't come with guarantees. But leaders willing to change direction and delegate will find themselves with a learning curve that isn't as steep.
5 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
For 70 percent of startups, the scaling struggle is real, according to the seed accelerator Techstars. It’s one thing to come up with a great idea and execute on it; it’s another to anticipate the next market need and shift to meet it while expanding internal processes and capabilities. Maintaining a steep trajectory -- along with employees and customers -- is a lot to ask a company in its early stages.
But growing companies have to meet the demand and find a way to prosper -- or perish. The Small Business Administration’s figures prove that scaling is well worth the effort: As businesses age, their average survival rate improves. While the first three years or so prove to be volatile for most fledgling companies, their failure rates flatten out as they get past that hump.
After that hump, however, is where danger lurks -- though portunity awaits there, too. I've been an accountant for more than 30 years. I've seen the financials of countless entrepreneurs. I've seen so many promising founders fail along the way.
And most of them didn't need to fail, had they made a few simple decisions. I find most entrepreneurs fixate on the finish line, failing to reverse-engineer a path to get there. That path is often littered with bad habits and shortsighted thinking that prevent scaling efforts from gaining the momentum they need. Don't make their same mistakes. You can sidestep those bad habits and build momentum with these three techniques:
1. Be willing to pivot quickly -- even if the move doesn’t match your original vision.
When an entrepreneur’s original idea is successful, his or her natural impulse is to chase that thread. But pulling that thread may result in a short string or a more complicated tangle. Stock prices, influenced by supply and demand, can change dramatically in a single day, losing or gaining massive sums. Apply this same supply-and-demand tug to a business, and it’s easy to see how a failure to pivot to meet demand could result in a company carrying a supply no one wants.
Trailblaze Growth Advisors, which acts as a fractional CMO for small- and mid-size organizations needing executive-level marketing expertise, encourages founders to avoid getting so attached to their ideas that they miss crucial opportunities to revise their strategies. “We once had a client come to us with Google-sized aspirations, but the company had been hemorrhaging cash for the past several quarters," Trailblaze wrote on its blog. "Unfortunately, it was far too late to make the crucial changes in the product strategy.”
If you’ve been hemorrhaging money for multiple quarters, it's too late to implement the necessary changes to your product strategy to reach your dreams. Avoid getting so attached to an idea that you miss crucial opportunities to revise your strategies.
2. Redefine the CEO role so your company doesn’t rely on it.
The biggest struggle CEOs face is the feeling that their companies rely solely upon them. They start their companies acting as salespeople, product developers, customer service reps and accountants all at once. Then, as the company grows, they’re unsure how to hand off these tasks without losing institutional knowledge or relinquishing control.
But that lack of assurance can cripple a company’s growth: Gallup found that the executives it looked at who were strong delegators generated 33 percent more revenue than those who weren't, and experienced a three-year growth rate of 1,751 percent on average.
Virgin founder Richard Branson says delegation is the advice that entrepreneurs most often thank him for. “Early on in your career, find someone better than yourself to run the business on a day-to-day basis," Branson told Inc. "Remove yourself, maybe even from the building and from the nitty-gritty. That way, you're going to be able to see the bigger picture and think of new areas to go into.”
3. Outsource high-impact, low-cost areas.
Like everything else, HR, legal and financial issues often get lumped into the “I’ll get it done” bucket. While these concerns can have massive implications, from sexual harassment claims to inaccurate tax returns, many early-stage startups simply can’t afford to pay an expert to help. But once they begin their scaling trajectory, leaving these areas to amateurs can stop speedy growth in its tracks with one mistake. While the cost of a full-time employee can be high, outsourcing these areas can be well worth the cost -- both in terms of paying wages and preventing long-term risk.
Refusing to outsource these tasks can actually distract business owners from the main event. “Most entrepreneurs have great talents, but many times they think they can do it all. That can really stall the growth of the business," Laura Lee Sparks, the owner of law firm outsourcing business Legal Marketing Maven, wrote in Entrepreneur. "By outsourcing the day-to-day back-office tasks, the business owner has more time to focus on generating income.”
Scaling doesn’t come with guarantees. But leaders who are willing to change direction, delegate tasks and outsource functions that require special expertise will find themselves with a learning curve that isn’t quite so steep. By removing distractions and focusing on scaling up, entrepreneurs can make clear-headed decisions -- and see stronger growth.
The first thing to do before you start putting effort into increasing your website traffic is to get a detailed insight into your current traffic, of course.
The best way to achieve this is by using Google Analytics and the following essential metrics: pages per visit, unique visitors, average session duration (or the time spent on your website), page views, traffic sources, bounce rate, and exit pages.
Once you have done this, you are advised to check your traffic on a regular basis – no less than 3-4 times a week. This regular checkup will help you determine whether you should be making some improvements, and it will show what is working the best for you.
In addition, you need to come up with a documented content marketing strategy. In fact, according to research conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, more than 60 percent of business organizations that have a documented content marketing strategy are managing to meet their objectives.
In order to achieve this, you should include the following types of content in your strategy: infographics, videos, blogs, and podcasts.
Apart from this, coming up with more engaging blog headlines is what will enable you to really sell your content. So, pay attention to relevant keywords, and by any means avoid headlines which are too generic and too lengthy.
When it comes to the content itself, it is needless to say that it should be compelling, informative, and easy to read, so make sure your paragraphs are short and concise.
Moreover, including some attractive images will make your website more visually appealing – according to Socialbakers, “Photos make up 93% of the most engaging posts on Facebook”.
2. Improve sales with live chat
Live chat for websites is designed to allow both your active customers and your leads to contact your company’s customer support agents whenever they have some problems or questions.
Today’s customers are all about convenience – if a person needs to wait for hours and, in some cases, even days, to get their problems addressed and fixed effectively, it is highly likely that they will decide to turn to some of your competitors.
Luckily, live chat for websites will help you to go an extra mile to show each of your website visitors that they are truly valuable to your organization.
Not only that you will be able to improve sales with live chat, but it will also enable your customer support agents to be more productive than ever before.
Other amazing benefits live support for website is guaranteed to provide your entire organization with include: reduced costs, improved customer loyalty and the overall customer experience, quicker problem resolution, insightful reports and analytics which will enable you to pinpoint any potential pain points, competitive advantages, proactive outreach, expanded market reach, and many more.
Amazon opens its second Amazon Go Convenience store, and Bellwether coffee raises $10 million dollars.
1 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Amazon announced the opening of its second Amazon Go convenience store, located in Seattle. Amazon Go is a grocery store operated by the online retailer Amazon. It will feature a range of ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options, as well as Amazon’s Meal Kits. The food options will be made by Amazon chefs and various local kitchens and bakeries.
Apple will reportedly announce the launch of three new iPhones in September. They are rumored to launch a 5.8-inch model, a more affordable model with a 6.1-inch screen, and a 6.5-inch display, the largest it has ever included on an iPhone. All of Apple's new iPhones are said to use Face ID, which lets you unlock the iPhone by looking at it instead of using a fingerprint reader.
Bellwether coffee, a startup that helps you make better coffee by using their accessible roasting platform, raised $10 million dollars led by Congruent Ventures! Bellwether began selling and leasing its zero-emissions commercial roaster and online coffee bean marketplace to cafés and grocers.
Wanted: compelling and captivating sci-tech communicators for blockchain marketing.
6 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Blockchain marketing -- unlike hyped-up pump-and-dump initial coin offerings (ICOs) -- is lucrative only if it delivers actual value for a project. And the numbers don’t lie: If you're a blockchain marketer, any company you work with that's launching an ICO will know exactly what results can be credited to (or blamed on) you.
Simply put, either your campaign will be a success or a flop. So, how do you control which outcome you'll see?
Information overload: you’re doing more harm than good.
The point is that, nowadays, analytics are so advanced that a company will be able to check the statistics that a marketing campaign was able to garner. A company that hires a marketing agency will be able to know exactly how many new clicks, views, interactions, etc. the marketing company hired was able to get them.
And that leads to my main point about what everyone needs to know about effective ICO marketing: We need to cool it with the technical talk; we need a time-out on all the tech buzzwords; instead, we need to ease people into this burgeoning new field. The reason is that for mainstream audiences, one of the main barriers to entry is the amount of technical knowledge required, to begin to grasp what blockchain technology is and what exactly it does.
At this point, many of those reading up on blockchain and cryptocurrencies have become jaded with tech jargon like hashes, blocks, mining, smart contracts, cryptographic proof, proof-of-work, proof-of-stake -- the list is mind-numbingly endless.
What some observers fail to understand is that the initial information a viewer encounters about a project, usually through a website, then becomes part of the user experience. So, if all this jargon is too hard to understand and too intimidating from the beginning, there's a good chance that our viewer will dart over to the exit button on the web page and hit "click."
When I was young, I had a journalism advisor tell me that my mission as a writer was to express, not impress; and this especially holds true for blockchain communications. Explaining a field that is already complex on its own is no place to be showing off your tech vocabulary.
Sometimes, your audience members won't even need to know all the technicalities of the project. They'll just need to know the essentials. Of course, you still have to provide technical documentation for those who want to analyze it. But it’s best to save that advanced content for those who can understand it -- meaning the tech crowd, software engineers, blockchain developers and analysts.
One thing you as a blockchain marketer need to convey, then, and quickly, is what you do and what that means for a reader. Why should he or she care?
This is why there’s something called a lite paper. A lite paper is a version of the white paper for those who don't have the time, the patience or the technical capability to understand the full version.
Substance trumps sales talk.
Compelling and captivating science and tech communicators have a special place in marketing; yet they are in scarce supply. This is why blockchain marketing is an industry that PR professionals shouldn’t dismissgetting into, especially at a time when the market is busy.
Why would a company want to take on risks in a relatively unknown market like blockchain and cryptocurrency when it has been servicing traditional markets it knows well? The answer is that bockchain marketing is full of opportunities and can be quite lucrative -- so PR professionals should not overlook these opportunities
I’m not going to lie; the pressure is high. But there's a FOMO interest for companies here because lots of technically proficient minds have invested themselves in blockchain projects.
These people include the early adopters of Bitcoin and those who “speak code.” Understandably, the expectations (and, again, the pressure) for marketing firms has been raised several notches. Because of this, sales talk alone won't cut it; marketers need to show a deep understanding of tech concepts, too.
There are a lot of challenges ahead; but if you're a marketer, yours is not a lost cause. First, you need to understand what you’re talking about, because you can’t explain something you don’t understand.
And you shouldn’t jump in head-first unless you do understand it.
Cryptocurrency marketers are starting to sound generic.
Apart from the tech jargon overload, I’ve noticed that marketing companies are starting to sound generic -- using terms like disruptive, decentralized, distributed, immutable, global cryptocurrency and ... “this will change everything.” These words and this phrase have been thrown around so many times that at this point they no longer mean anything.
To the untrained ear, sure, you might get nods of approval. But when you’re talking to well-versed investors -- people who have been investing in the space for a while, people whose attention and consideration are highly valuable to the project you’re working on -- you aren’t adding anything new to the conversation, and your knowledge will look superficial.
For a professional, there’s no more embarrassing mistake.
The art of science and tech communication
Judging from a recent pool of about 600 ICOs (and counting, according to Etherscan, a search engine, like Google, but for cryptocurrency transactions), the work of PR professionals and marketers appears to be getting harder. How do you get something to stand out when everything and everyone is looking the same?
Admittedly, not everything can be salvaged, even by the world’s greatest marketers. Value has to come from within the project itself. Afterward, we do the best we can to convey and exude the core values of the project to the outside world.
Scientists and developers are best left to do what they do best: build things. But marketing and communications is a job that has to be done, and that’s what we’re here for. We have people who understand these things and are proficient in simplifying technological concepts and architecture into laymen's terms.
Storytelling for science and technology is an intellectual art -- one that can’t be easily replaced -- even by AI. Communicating complex topics to the general audience can get quite difficult, not just for blockchain tech, but for science in general.
Someday, we may be able to relay messages telepathically instead of verbally. At that point, information transfer and comprehension may become instantaneous. By then, storytellers like me, and maybe you, will be out of a job; but until that happens, we’re happy to do the work.
The Consumer Review Fairness Act was passed in response to reports that some businesses try to prevent people from giving honest reviews about products or services they received. Some companies put contract provisions in place, including in their online terms and conditions, that allow them to sue or penalize consumers for posting negative reviews.
The Consumer Review Fairness Act protects consumers’ ability to share their honest opinions about a business’s products, services or conduct in any forum, including social media.
The FTC recently initiated one of the first Consumer Review Fairness Act cases. The first case of its kind since the CRFA took effect, the matter is a conspicuous reminder for marketers to ensure that form contracts to not seek to silence consumers.
In short, the CRFA renders provisions of form contracts between sellers and individual consumers void from inception, if:
1. Individuals are prohibited or restricted from reviewing sellers’ goods, services, or conduct; 2. Penalties or fees are imposed on individuals for such reviews; or 3. Individuals are required to transfer intellectual property rights in such reviews.
Form contracts with such provisions are strictly barred pursuant to the CFRA. Exceptions include contract provisions that bar the submission of confidential, private or unlawful information.
The FTC believes that contracts that prohibit honest reviews or threaten legal action over them, harm people who rely on reviews when making their purchase decisions, as well as businesses that work hard to earn positive reviews.
The CRFA protects a broad variety of honest consumer assessments, including online reviews, social media posts, uploaded photos, videos, etc. Additionally, the CFRA covers more than just product reviews. It also applies to consumer evaluations of a company’s customer service.
The CFRA makes it illegal for companies to include standardized provisions that threaten or penalize people for posting honest reviews. For example, in an online transaction, it would be illegal for a company to include a provision in its terms and conditions that prohibits or punishes negative reviews by customers.
The law does not apply to employment contracts or agreements with independent contractors, however.
The law says it’s OK to prohibit or remove a review that:
Contains confidential or private information – for example, a person’s financial, medical, or personnel file information or a company’s trade secrets;
Is libelous, harassing, abusive, obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, or is inappropriate with respect to race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or other intrinsic characteristic;
Is unrelated to the company’s products or services; or
Is clearly false or misleading.
CRFA enforcement authority is vested in the Federal Trade Commission and the state Attorneys General. The law specifies that a violation of the CRFA will be treated the same as violating an FTC rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice. This means that a company could be subject to financial penalties, as well as a federal court order.
Consult with an FTC defense lawyer to ensure that your company is complying with the Consumer Review Fairness Act:
Review your form contracts, including online terms and conditions; and
Remove any provision that restricts people from sharing their honest reviews, penalizes those who do, or claims copyright over peoples’ reviews (even if you’ve never tried to enforce it or have no intention of enforcing it).
The safest policy is to permit people speak honestly about your products and their experience with your company.
Read more about the Consumer Review Fairness Act, here.
Richard Newman is an FTC advertising compliance and defense attorney at Hinch Newman LLP.
Informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Always seek the advice of an attorney. Previous case results do not guarantee similar future result. Hinch Newman LLP | 40 Wall St., 35th Floor, New York, NY 10005 | (212) 756-8777
Making sure everything is just right is the real path to success.
5 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
For founders, there's nothing like the adrenaline rush of explosive growth. When you're at the helm of a fast-growing startup, and your company is in growth mode, you feel like nothing can slow you down. You're bringing on new talent, inking new deals across the globe and moving forward rapid-fire with a slew of new ideas.
Scale is what separates small businesses from startups and getting there can be a bumpy road. At MessageBird, we know the journey well. Within the span of a few short years, we've grown 300 percent -- from a handful of employees in a garage in Amsterdam to a global team that now stretches across seven offices worldwide.
How? By prioritizing customers above all else. In other words:
Your customers are the canary in the coal mine.
When you start a business, it's all about the customer. But, there's something about scaling that forces founders to look inwardly. That type of tunnel vision is good, in that it allows founders to focus on internal processes. But, it also allows founders to shrug off or eye roll away rumblings from customers as one-offs, instead of recognizing them as the wake-up calls they are.
Customer service should drive your ability to scale, rather than take a backseat to it. Don't excuse away growing pains as something customers will understand as you expand. They won't. And they shouldn't. Keep a close eye on your Net Promoter Score score and build a customer feedback loop to understand what your customers value and what you can do better -- then deliver.
It seems counter-intuitive at first glance, but this subtle shift in mindset will save you a lot of headaches down the road. Instead of a looking at scale as an outcome, look at is as a natural extension of the work you're already doing for your customers. Don't force it. If you're scaling as it's needed, you'll set your company up for success; if you're scaling before you're ready, you're putting your company at risk. After all, scale isn't the end game. The end game is building something your customers want and, in turn, creating a strong, sustainable business. Scale is just a means to that end.
Stay as lean as possible for as long as possible.
In today's Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, venture capitalists are on a unicorn hunt -- buoying the tech sector with cash, hoping to find the next billion-dollar disruptor. For bootstrapped companies suddenly confronted by an influx of funds, the temptation can be to over-staff and over-spend. The trick is to spend and staff based on business need, instead of available funds. That way, you're watching your cash flow, while allowing enough runway for growth.
When you're leading a high-growth startup, venture capital money is an incredible accelerator. It's also an incredible source of pressure. The bigger the round, the bigger the expectations. Founders feel like they have to move quickly to show results. Usually, that means dialing up marketing and sales to drive user acquisition and building out an infrastructure to support new business when those leads are converted to sales. All of which is great -- as long as you're taking the time to really understand the customer pain, and then solve it.
My advice? Stay close to your customers and respond to their needs, instead of reacting to the need to fill your funnel. Your decisions will be strategic and calibrated, instead of scattershot.
Call it what you want to call it -- just a bunch of workaholics.
While no path to growth is completely smooth, when your workplace is well taken care of it will feel like it's humming. Employees are working effectively and efficiently because they're energized by their work and able to keep pace with demand. If you're scaling too quickly, the vibe will change. People will feel like they're chained to their desks. And then, those desks will become empty because employees won't want to stick around. Take note of turnover and retention. Implement feedback sessions and create opportunities internally to gauge employee experience.
Every startup experience feels a bit like an action movie. But, by shifting your mindset, it could turn out more like a fairy tale. After all, when it comes to scaling, it's better to channel Goldilocks instead of Vin Diesel, to make sure everything is "just right" instead of "too fast, too furious."
eSCAPE was written by netrepreneur Anik Singal who has made more than $200M in online sales over the past decade.
In this book you’ll learn…
The difference between earning a living and creating a living (Chapter 1)…
The #1 most important, yet very simple (and often overlooked) lesson any entrepreneur can learn (Chapter 1)…
Why entrepreneurship actually has very little to do with running a business and how this misunderstanding is leading many to not live up to their full potential (Chapter 2)…
How to never worry about seeking outside funding. Instead, learn how you can use the resources of your current (or future) company to innovate and call your own shots (Chapter 2)…
Why successful entrepreneurs actually take less risk in their life than the rest of the business world (Chapter 2)…
The exact mental process used to learn more from your failures than than your successes (Chapter 3)…
Why most entrepreneurs thinking they’ve failed actually has nothing to do with actual failure → This one misunderstanding is creating a graveyard of entrepreneurs who could have easily been saved (Chapter 3)
The one question you should be asking and why it is the key question most people avoid at all costs (Chapter 4)…
Why we’ve all been raised to “become employees” and why this is holding most people back from individual success (Chapter 5)…
Why I’m convinced that everyone is born an entrepreneur and how you can leverage this in your own life starting today (Chapter 5)…
Why many entrepreneurs struggle with discipline & responsibility from day one. And how to fix it (Chapter 5)…
And understand the core differences between the employee and entrepreneur way of thinking – especially towards the five most important things in our lives… (Chapter 6)…
Why entrepreneurs have a very different idea of how to use their time and just how this makes an enormous difference (Chapter 6)…
How entrepreneurs use money as a means to an end and not a resource to just get short-term satisfaction and gratification (Chapter 6)…
How employee + no struggle = happy – but entrepreneur + struggle = progress (Chapter 6)…
Your very own “eSCORE” by analyzing the four stages of eSCAPE: Self, Catapult, Authority and People (Chapter 7)…
Why the concept of “self” is the foundation of all Entrepreneurial success (Chapter 8)…
Why all of your behaviors, decisions, beliefs, loves, fears and desires are controlled by an invisible force called your paradigms (Chapter 9)…
How to master a part of your BRAIN called the ‘RAS’ to help you attract the very things you want to in life – through focus, attention, and prioritization (Chapter 10)…
Why and exactly how to invest as much of your free time as you can into fighting for your dreams (Chapter 11)…
How asking yourself “Why did I just fail?” and “What can I learn from this?” can help you bounce back from failure very quickly (Chapter 12)…
The exact habits and attitudes of rich and poor people and how you can “fine-tune” and dial in your own life for success (Chapter 13)…
How momentum begets momentum, and the absolute best way to get positive momentum started in your life starting right now (Chapter 14)…
Why most people are terrified of the idea of failing and why this keeps them from succeeding (Chapter 14)…
How openly declaring your goals can help new patterns emerge that propel you to success (Chapter 15)…
From Mark Cuban and see the “one-sentence advice” he gave me in 2002 that initially angered me, but eventually changed my life in a big way (Chapter 16)…
Believe it or not, from a drunk man at a bar. Discover the exact advice I got from that drunk man may be the best business advice ever (Chapter 17)…
Why the greatest entrepreneurs fail on a daily basis and why this is actually a good thing (Chapter 19)…
The 5 key elements to developing authority & leadership as an entrepreneur (Chapter 20)…
How not having self-accountability is a very slippery slope that you need to avoid at all costs and how to eSCAPE it (Chapter 21)…
The exact formula to use to step up when opportunity presents itself (Chapter 22)…
Why you’ll never get to the top as a leader if you are constantly blaming everyone else for what’s happening around you (Chapter 23)…
Why successful entrepreneurs make decisions fast – often before they’re sure the right ones are made (Chapter 24)…
The fundamental difference between what society thinks entrepreneurs do and what they actually do (Chapter 25)…
Whether your surroundings are giving you a fighting chance or killing your chances at succeeding as an entrepreneur (Chapter 26)…
Why the number of people in your life isn’t what is important – but the quality of these people is (Chapter 27)…
Proof that your network is = to your net worth (Chapter 28)…
How to manage negative people in your life and business and why the advice the “gurus” give is usually dead wrong (Chapter 29)…
Why one of the most important lessons in life is the value of getting fast answers (Chapter 30)…
What the two types of mentors are in life and why you need both in yours (Chapter 31)…
Why you should always be intentional on a daily basis, about growing as an entrepreneur (Chapter 32)…
Your financial advisor may have the expertise, but are they making the smartest decisions with your money?
2 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In this video, Entrepreneur Network partner Phil Town lays out why you don't need a financial advisor to help you invest your money in a smart way.
For example, Town says that investors with advisors rarely beat the market, and the high fees that go to a financial advisor can often cut into half of your retirement savings. Financial advisors will charge you regardless if they make any money for you. Town mentions most advisors are unafraid to lose your money, since their pay is based off your initial investment.
Town provides potential alternatives for those looking to invest. Instead of giving your money to a financial advisor, you can opt to put your money into an index fund. This may yield higher returns than giving your money to a person.
You can also make money more consistently -- and without fees -- by investing in single stocks on a long-term basis.
Town explains, as an individual investor, as long as you're willing to put in the time, select a few promising companies and possess patience throughout the ups and downs, the returns will meet you.
Click play hear more about investing with financial advisors.
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