By now, everybody has discovered the benefits of working virtually. But did you know that hiring an outsourced contractor is different from hiring an employee? Join us live on Facebook on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET to learn where and how to find remote workers to build the right team, dos and don’ts for interviewing remote workers, how to manage people you’ve never met in person and much more. BONUS: Send us your best hack for working with a virtual team and we just might invite you to come and join us live during the event! Share it here: https://zfrmz.com/BySrTfaFDNvIWUgouC3A Register Now Featured Events, Contests and Awards Fostering Girls in STEM to be Women in Tech July 15, 2020, Chicago How can… [Read More...]

Our world, for better or worse, is becoming increasingly touchless. And you won’t see that trend any more than at a local restaurant. In order to stay open in many states, dine-in restaurants – of which thousands are small businesses – are forced to adapt to new health and safety guidelines all the time. Right now, that means implementing a lot less personal, one-on-one interactions. But the less personal doesn’t need to be impersonal and some companies are creating new technology that makes the restaurant dining experience as familiar as it was just at the beginning of this year. This week, two companies introduced new tools for restaurant owners that help owners stay open and serving customers while observing all proper social… [Read More...]

If there is anything the lockdown has shown, it is the importance of technology. And the technologies people used to work, communicate and play are the result of STEM-based education. And the Executives’ Club of Chicago is looking to get more girls in those fields with the annual Women in Technology Forum event. Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are still dominated by males. This is despite the fact more female students are taking up these courses than ever. However, more needs to be done to bring in more girls when they are young. The goal of this event is to inspire young girls with female tech executives, founders, non-profit leaders, and advocates. They will discuss how communities can support and encourage female… [Read More...]

Not every small business in the US is back to full operations. In fact, there are many still operating under tight restrictions. And it’s putting a dent in their finances. However, there are opportunities for those small businesses continuing to struggle through the pandemic. Early next week, June 30, is the final day to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the Small Business Administration. And the SBA just brought back a tool on its site that can help any small businesses seeking one of these loans to get matched with a lender quickly. Check out our report on the deadline and the Lender Match tool: PPP Loan Deadline in June 30 – Still Time to Apply. Also, check out this report on the success rate… [Read More...]

If there is one thing the lockdown has revealed, it is the viability of working remotely/virtually. But the sudden push to this way of working didn’t prepare businesses to adequately vet many of the tools, processes, management techniques, hiring, and more needed to work virtually. BizSugar is going to host a live event titled “20 Hacks to Get ‘er Done with Virtual Teams” to teach small businesses or anyone working virtually the do and don’ts to help you navigate these waters. The event will address: Where and how to find remote workers to build the right team. Do and don’ts for interviewing remote workers. How to manage people you’ve never met in person. 5 hacks to build engagement and increase productivity. How… [Read More...]

Small businesses across the country continue their recovery efforts. Everyone’s trying to dig out of the hole left by the pandemic response. And you may be thinking you’re alone in being unprepared for the future. You shouldn’t. This week, we learned that many companies aren’t as prepared as they may wish. And a lot don’t even know how long their recovery will take. A new survey from Infrascale reveals about 1 in 6 small business executives aren’t sure of their own pandemic recovery timelines. So, it may be cliche to say it, but taking recovery one day at a time may be the best course right now. For more on this story, check out: 1 in 6 Executives Don’t Know Their Own Recovery Time… [Read More...]