Category: Small Businesses

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Equality in the Workplace

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

diversity and racial equity

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Equality in the Workplace.

The death of George Floyd in police custody sparked a wave of protests that extended throughout the United States and worldwide. For most individuals and business owners, the pressing question is: What can we do to deal with racial equity, diversity, and equality?
Today, let’s talk about it.

Understanding racial equity

The truth is that black minorities have been discriminated against. The first step towards achieving racial equity starts in the hiring process. Hire the right person for the job, regardless of their skin color or background. If you have African American candidates that are better qualified than the rest, hire them.
 
It is also essential to include anti-racist policies in the contracts signed by your employees. That way, they will know that discrimination against minority co-workers or customers will not be welcome in the workplace. It is usual for employers to think that employees know that by default. They don’t, and sometimes they need to be reminded.
 

Understanding diversity

  • capturing a more significant consumer market,
  • employing a qualified workforce,
  • reducing employee turnover
  • and developing a more innovative workplace.
Use diversity as part of your marketing (promotion videos, posters, etc.). It will show that your business supports them. It will also make your minority employees feel included and part of the family.
 

Understanding equality

In the USA, federal laws prohibit discrimination in the workplace under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. The businesses that promote equality do not base hiring/firing decisions, compensation, promotions, and other benefits on employees’ race, sexuality, gender, age, religion, or national origin. They also promote equal pay and protect disabled workers.
 

Final thoughts

“To move toward racial equity, organizational culture must prioritize humanity.”
Actions speak louder than words. It is important to understand the history, to analyze personal biases, and to build empathy and respect for others. When you measure employees by their contributions, they feel motivated and thrive. If you are committed to creating a safe, equal, and diverse business, be genuine about it. It will result in high employee morale and the ability to recruit top talent.
All men and women are equal, and thus deserve the same amount of opportunities.
It is our duty as business owners, and human beings, to do everything we can to make it possible.

Utility Avenue in a Nutshell

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

utility avenue app

 

Utility Avenue in a Nutshell

Utility Avenue is a community marketplace for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small business owners to promote and sell their services.

When you first hear about it, you might believe there is a trick. The truth is that gig-economy platforms have damaged popular faith in the free digital economy. Yes, they are valuable as they provide a platform to get clients, but most of them keep a significant cut when service providers are the ones who actually do the job. They should make the most amount of money, right? Nobody likes to lose money to intermediaries, so we removed them. To help service providers increase earnings, we created Utility Avenue.

Yes, we are a gig platform, but we only charge 0.50 cents to make it possible for YOU to make the most profit. We have kept our costs low, so we can better serve you. At Utility Avenue, you can sell your services directly to the clients so you can make more money for less work.

Who is Utility Avenue for?

Utility Avenue is for the service provider who wishes to become a successful and autonomous business owner.

  • Are you an entrepreneur or a small business owner?
  • Are you a freelancer or need extra income?
  • Do you have a business idea, but don’t have clients or don’t have the platform?
  • Do you work for someone who takes a high percentage of your service?
  • Do you have a service company that hires associates instead of employees (for instance, HVAC companies that subcontract AC technicians).?

Then, Utility Avenue is for you.

What’s in it for you? 

  • You can buy and sell services with Utility Avenue and turn hobbies and skills into cash.
  • You can make money and save money easily on the same platform.
  • You can make more money doing less work as you are not giving up on a high percentage of the price.
  • Get seen. Reach more clients and be the first person they think of when they need service:  At Utility Avenue, it is the consumer who discovers the provider. You can also share smart links that open your services in the app to enhance your social media reach.
  • Manage your offers effortlessly: you create the service, set your rules, and decide the service fee. You manage your services and change prices, description, availability, etc. You also control the orders and identify your clients.
  • It is free to download. You pay 0.50 cents only when you sell a service: there isn’t a single platform that provides everything Utility Avenue brings to the table for only $0.50 per sale.
  • You communicate directly with the client and vice-versa.
  • You get paid, fast and easy, directly to your account.

What’s the cost of not using Utility Avenue?

You can keep using the other platforms, but you would be giving up on a high percentage of the service price, and you would not be able to reach out to clients directly.

Final Words

Close your eyes and think about your ideal business. How successful are you? How fulfilled do you feel? How happy are you?

That feeling. Right there. Hold it.

Let’s make it come true.

Here’s how it works: you download the app, you list your services, and you get seen and hired. It’s that simple.

We will be with you every step of your way to success so you can stop losing money to an intermediator and start thriving.

This is Utility Avenue in a nutshell.

To Start or Not To Start a Business: That is the Question

Posted on by Odette Fernandez

to start or not to start a business

To start or not to start a business, that is the question. Many people who wanted to open a small business before COVID-19 found themselves in limbo, hoping for things to change or a miracle. The healthcare situation hurt most companies, big and small, and many have had considerable financial losses.

However, some businesses have thrived during the pandemic, which makes us wonder.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a list of businesses that have done pretty well. Among those experiencing growth: cleaning services, delivery services, drive-in movie theaters, grocery stores, liquor/wine stores, meal prep delivery services, canned and jarred goods companies, game makers and sellers, fitness equipment companies, landscaping and yard care, bread-baking companies, coffee subscription companies, gardening suppliers, mask makers, telehealth services.

Opening a related business might be an excellent decision to make.

So, is it a good time to start a business?

According to Adam Singolda in Op-Ed: Analysis of 8 billion page views shows where the next hot start-up can thrive, it is. “The news cycle is a direct reflection of what’s grabbing consumer attention in real-time,” he says. “Successful businesses will heed its advice and use it to “look outside” in times of crisis, but also how to “look inside” effectively to determine where to save costs and make responsible business choices.”

His piece describes industries that show massive growth after the COVID-19 pandemic started.

  • Consumer interest in Home Improvement has increased by 140%,
  • Consumer interest in Pet Products has increased by 50%,
  • Consumer interest in Home Beauty has increased by 36%,
  • Consumer interest in Gaming has increased by 145%,
  • Consumer interest in  Fitness and Health has increased by 2,000,000 %.

Some of these activities will only need time, courage, and dedication. For some others, you will need more significant savings, or trustworthy investors because banks are reluctant to offer loans due to the crisis.

As Annie Lowrey puts it in The Small-Business Die-Off Is Here, “… banks have been prioritizing applications from bigger clients; some have even developed “concierge treatment” options for wealthy firms.” She adds, “Much of the help (referring to the government relief package) has gone to the companies that need it the least, among them firms with employee counts just under the SBA caps, franchises of major chains, and publicly traded firms, which are by definition able to raise money from investors.”

Here are some pros for opening a business in related fields:

  1. These businesses will work even if COVID-19 gets contained. So, don’t worry about losing clients when scenarios change.
  2. People need these services, which makes you an asset to your clientele.
  3. Some potential new businesses will not open because their owners are still afraid, which will give you more opportunities.
  4. Some established businesses are closed, and their owners are reluctant to reopen because of the pandemic.
  5. People are eager to try something new and to help small businesses.
  6. These industries are booming right now.
  7. If you succeed, you will succeed BIG TIME.
  8. How you adapt now will work for you even past the pandemic, and also prepare you for further contingencies.

Of course, there are cons:

  1. People might still be reluctant to use certain businesses out of fear of contagion.
  2. People might be reluctant to spend money.
  3. Some people are engaging in DIY activities at home.
  4. Some people in your area might have beat you to it.
  5. It will be hard to get bank loans to set up your business.
  6. In case of not being successful, there is little chance for recovery.

With these things in mind, it is up to you to make a decision. If you open a new business, it is crucial to adapt to the current situation and make your business more attractive to people from the get-go.

Final words

Life is not going to be the same after COVID-19, at least, for the foreseeable future. Starting a new business or not, it is necessary to adjust to the new reality. If you want to start a new business, thoroughly analyze the pros and cons. You decide. Creating your safety guidelines based on the CDC instructions will help you out. You might also want to do proper research on the market capabilities of your area and your potential clients regarding the business you want to start.

Hellen Keller said: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Taking risks will always bring uncertainty, but it will also take you places. If you want to start a new business, do everything necessary, be creative, and don’t be afraid. Give value and serve people.

So, what kind of business do you want to build?