Small businesses at greatest risk during historic rise in cybercrime
Cybercrime and fraud cost Canadian companies more than $500-million in 2022
Cybercrimes against businesses are on the rise, and some of Canada’s smallest companies are the biggest targets.
As businesses moved online at the start of the pandemic, they found themselves holding onto more sensitive customer, employee and corporate data—and criminals took notice, leading to an historic rise in cybercrime. According to a recent study conducted by Mastercard, there has been a 600-per-cent rise in cybercrime and a 238-per-cent increase in cyberattacks since the pandemic.
While larger organizations typically have strong security protocols and internal cybercrime prevention teams, small businesses…
SBA Lifting Moratorium on Licensing Lending Companies
Non-federally chartered banks will soon be able to make Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.
Effective May 12, the agency is lifting the moratorium on licensing new Small Business Lending Companies (SBLCs), adding a new type of lending entity called a Community Advantage SBLC and removing the requirement for a loan authorization in the 7(a) and 504 loan programs, according to a final rule published Wednesday (April 12) in the Federal Register.
The 7(a) loan program provides SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses.
The number of SBLC licenses has remained unchanged at 14 since 1982, so the only way for a new…
Hiring Plans for US Small Businesses Fall to Lowest Since 2020
(Bloomberg) — The share of US small-business owners who plan to add workers in coming months slipped in March to the lowest since May 2020, suggesting both some hiring success but also a softening in labor demand.
Some 15% of firms said they plan to create jobs in the next three months, down two percentage points from February, according to data out Thursday from the National Federation of Independent Business. A net 43% reported vacancies they could not fill, down from 47% in the prior month.
The report said, however, that small-business owners have reported some hiring success in the…
A Freelancer of a Certain Age
Freelancing is traditionally a young person’s game. It takes a certain amount of bravado and a devil-may-care attitude to throw caution to the wind and strike out on your own as a freelancer. No steady paychecks, clients that may come and go (if you have any clients at all), and your success is entirely dependent on your own personal marketing prowess. That’s difficult to do when you’re near retirement age, and you’ve spent your whole working life in the traditional employee/manager environment.
That is precisely the cliff I dove off of head-first last year. At the age of 55, I…
Federal Small Business Minister touring Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines
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Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, will visit small businesses in Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines today to talk about federal budget investments for small businesses.
The federal Minister responsible for small businesses will be touring both Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines today (April 6) to highlight federal budget investments.
Markham-Thornhill MP Mary Ng, also the federal Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, will start her day at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake at 12:30 pm before shifting down the highway for some…
During Niagara visit, Ng highlights small business supports
As the post-budget parade of federal minister visits to Niagara continued, it was Mary Ng’s turn to highlight parts of the governing Liberal’s budget she says will help business succeed in Niagara.
Ng, the minister of international trade, export promotion, small business and economic development for the federal Liberal party, was in the region on Thursday, April 6. After a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Ravine Vineyards, where she was joined by St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle and Niagara Center MP Vance Badawey, Ng traveled to St. Catharines to visit a few local shops there.
One of the announcements within the budget…
The Importance of a Personal Brand as a Solopreneur
As a content writer and brand strategist, I help companies build and elevate their brands every day. As a solopreneur, I also pay attention to my personal brand because I am a reflection of my company. That means every social media post, every photo, every video, and every message I send online can change how someone perceives my business.
Your Online Profile = Your Brand’s Reputation
Your personal brand assists potential clients, prospects, suppliers, contract workers, collaborators, colleagues, and others in learning more about you. For those who need to know, it offers recognition and understanding into your work. Human…
Five Ideas to Celebrate Women’s History Month Inclusively
If you or your organization has yet to celebrate Women’s History Month, it is not too late. If you are scrambling to align your organization on a message, here are some ideas to start the discussion.
My clients love discussing hot topics and trends in the workplace for gender equality and diversity. I recommend having a format that invites women leaders and their allies into the discussion while providing actionable takeaways.
Give your team permission to be vulnerable and candid. Listen and learn. Invite allies to the discussion.
Here are some formats that work well for robust discussions:
Women in…
