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Zeaun Zarrieff from Amerihub Technologies sounds the alarm on Facebook privacy and censorship

Ian Feldman
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Zeaun Zarrieff from Amerihub Technologies sounds the alarm on Facebook privacy and censorship

Zeaun Zarrieff from Amerihub Technologies is someone who is highly experienced with Facebook advertising and the algorithm by which the social media giant handles what posts people see. Zeaun and several of his peers have, after seeing the way Facebook has changed over the years, become suspicious of the way in which the site censors certain posts and topics.

As someone who is concerned about protecting people’s privacy and their right to free speech on Facebook, Zeaun answered some questions for us about what privacy risks there are and how people can protect their rights to their data.

Hi Zeaun, what are your concerns about the privacy of your data on Facebook?

As an avid, and long-paying Facebook user (I happily engage in certain professional business transactions with Facebook, and have for years), I began to notice a sharp and visible erosion in apparent access and functionality within their branded “Apps” across multiple platforms, with Apple’s iPhone being the “worst” (in terms of apparent user experience erosion) of the assortment of devices tested, which included Apple iPad Retina devices, Android devices of Chinese origin (intended to test the user experience differences presented to offshore-made devices, and “Safely” purchased via Amazon.com’s Prime service) and more.

What this manner of comparative testing and analysis, coupled with my long-standing membership in Facebook’s developers.facebook.com community, and with Amerihub’s deep understanding and experience with advertising on Facebook, led to be a series of stark realizations.

  1. I realized that the apparent accelerating erosion of access to one’s own data within Facebook (via various “Apps”, including HTML [HyperText Markup Language]) could not be unique to myself. I asked others to test.  I received reports indicating the same.
  2. Facebook itself is rife with credible reports from Black Americans (my own community, whom I speak to right now, even via this interview, with your assistance, for which I am grateful) regarding “Censorship” and “Lack of Free Speech”. I also have experienced much of what these very credible reports describe.
  3. If I, as technical professional was not able to reliably and repeatably access certain bits of my data, what else may be “Hidden”? Who else may be affected?

Are there any ways to use Facebook without putting your data at risk?

In order to know how to approach your question, we would first need to see a Public Audit of Facebook occur, or to receive credible and verifiable results from a Private Audit by a Third Party with the trust of America – and I doubt either of those fit within Facebook’s near-term, or even long-term plans.

The prior is why I have adopted the #auditFacebook (“hashtag Audit Facebook”) tag as my rallying cry for Black America, and America by extension, to hold Facebook and other Social Media platform owners accountable.

Not the techs.  The Owners.

What is the ‘Facebook Audit’ and what its significance for users to use it?

#auditFacebook (“hashtag Audit Facebook”) is a fundamental mindset shift for America.  You have every right to access every piece of data a social media provider collects from you.  In a fair and just world you would even be able to audit the raw database tables your data is stored within, and the operating system, servers, network infrastructure, and more involved – but I am concerned that America may have dipped too far toward totalitarianism to even consider the promise of a nation where businesses are the ones held most accountable, and where citizens have the means to verify the same.

What makes you believe that Facebook deliberately censors posts by Black Americans?

First and foremost, my own personal experience.  I have been in “Facebook Jail” more times than I can count – and I play by the rules – almost “religiously”, which forces me to learn the rules extremely well in order to be effective on Facebook.

This has led me, as any Black American reading or listening to this may expect, to “hit a brick wall” again and again regarding many posts relating to Black History, American atrocities against Black People, Modern Slavery (which Cambridge defines as, “The condition of being forced by threats or violence to work for little or no pay, and of having no power to control what work you do or where you do it…”, a definition which I believe that any reasonable person could easily correlate with what occurs to Black Americans in American prisons, to this very day), censorship, herbal and alternative health, and much more.

In short, we have been, up until 2020 (Ramadan 1441, to be specific), “wearing an AI muffle” on social media.  I am sounding the alarm that the time is up and encouraging others to join me in doing so.

What types of posts are most commonly censored?

Do this: Ask any black person you like to go to Facebook via their normal means, preferably alongside a white person from a different neighbourhood (this can be done safely online during near-worldwide Social Distancing measures, laws, and statutes) and let them compare the results for any search term, or for any hashtag, or with regard to being able to post identical content from the following list:

  1. Black History
  2. American Slavery (especially with photographs and videos)
  3. Mainstream medicine and healthcare
  4. Geopolitics
  5. Alternative Healthcare and “Health Cures”
  6. So-called “Conspiracy Theories”
  7. Religion

Also, please ask the same, or different, sets of colleagues to attempt to buy paid advertising on Facebook or to compare the user experience presented to each within the Facebook app on similar devices.

I suspect, in advance, that certain differences will become rapidly apparent to all involved.  This is the power of Collective Verification – a core component to my “Faith”, which gives me what some have called ‘courage to speak out’.

I think of it as necessity, but whatever helps to motivate them to act. 

Are there any ways for people to avoid having their posts censored while still raising important issues?

By auditing Facebook as private citizens.  When a massive-enough number of Black Americans adopt the #auditFacebook (“hashtag Audit Facebook”) methodology, and iterate upon it, America, and the world, will be forced to take notice.

What should people do about it?

View the videos and documents on my official social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and more) relating to the #auditFacebook (“hashtag Audit Facebook”) hashtag, and those of others connected to me on those platforms.

Within that growing body of work Facebook users within Black America, and across America as a whole, may come to understand an approach and methodology which would empower America to hold social media platforms accountable for transparency and privacy at last.

It has become clear that there is no United States Government Agency which intends to break down the barriers on social media for black people in America, so we have to now do it for ourselves.

America, as a whole, should support this effort.  When Citizens win, a Nation wins.

What’s next for your plans?

(Zeaun laughs briefly), to “Solve World Hunger” before purchasing a national landmass for Black America, or did you not see that Press Release (which has “Jazakallah”’s [The pious Arabic equivalent of “Thanks”] already arriving).

On Facebook.  Public.  Verifiable. On Record.

Thank you Zeaun for your time!
You can follow up with Zeaun Zarrieff at https://www.instagram.com/zeaun/

 

 

Brian Colpak on Embracing Innovation: How to Adapt in a Growing Industry

Ian Feldman
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Brian Colpak on Embracing Innovation: How to Adapt in a Growing Industry

Innovation is crucial for gaining or maintaining a leadership position in a growing industry. Shying away from it can be a fatal step in business. In this article, entrepreneur Brian Colpak points out examples of significant business failures caused when companies failed to embrace technological innovation.

Innovation is commonly thought of as the rescuer of disappearing industries or the incubator for brand new markets. But it also plays an equally important role in any thriving industry.

By its very nature, a growing industry presents new or additional opportunities. If a market is stagnant, it means that little or no growth is happening. There is a reasonably static demand divided among the current providers. Some customers may move from one provider to another, but the industry as a whole realizes no net gain in need.

A growth industry, on the other hand, is the beneficiary of an increase in demand. This expansion creates space for new competitors and an opportunity for one existing provider to capture a larger market share.

The essential business principle supporting the need for innovation in growth industries is summed up by the euphemism, “If you’re not growing, you’re shrinking.” This idea is especially true in a growing market because if there are an increased number of customers available and your company is not capturing them, your competitor is. And, if your competitor is growing and you’re not, you are, in effect, shrinking.

The faulty thinking that leads businesses to fall into this sometimes fatal trap can be expressed with some version of, “We’ve always done things this way, so we’ll just do more of it to get our share of the growth.”

This notion of simply turning up the volume on old ideas to leverage a growing demand denies the power inherent in innovation. Innovation holds the promise of exponential growth by adopting a whole new paradigm. Let’s look at a couple of companies that apparently fell into the “turn up the volume on old ideas” trap to their eventual demise.

The most iconic of the companies in this class – and certainly the most common business school example of failure to adapt – is the Eastman Kodak Company. You may recognize the phrase “a Kodak moment,” but your kids probably don’t.

Kodak banked on a business model where they made more from film sales than from camera equipment. They failed to adapt to the innovations brought about by digital photography. After emerging from bankruptcy, they now focus on printing, graphic, and professional services for businesses.

Another iconic example of failing to adapt to innovation is brought to you by Blockbuster Video. As the market for watching movies outside of a theater exploded, Blockbuster doubled down by building more and more brick and mortar video rental stores. They dominated the market but seemed to be taken off guard by Netflix and other streaming technologies that handily wrestled the market away from Blockbuster.

These are only two of the many examples of companies that, even from their perch at the top of their industry, couldn’t see the approaching storm caused by innovation.

While it’s crucial to find operational efficiencies and other ways to what you do only better, don’t forget to continually scan the horizon for innovative new technologies that can disrupt your industry.

About Brian Colpak

Brian Colpak is a tech entrepreneur and the founder of Continental Global. After spending most of his career in managerial positions, he founded and led a company that was recognized as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in Massachusetts before starting his current company. These days his main focus is on an upcoming project in Dubai.

 

Rivals gain ground to Amazon in the booming smart speaker market

Martin Haglin
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Rivals gain ground to Amazon in the booming smart speaker market

Amazon maintains its lead in the growing global smart speaker market, but Google and others are gaining ground, according to a market analysis firm.

A survey conducted this week by Strategy Analytics estimated that Amazon sold 4 million Echo speakers with its digital assistant Alexa in the first quarter of 2018, which is equivalent to 43.6 percent of the global market.

Amazon’s sales doubled from the previous year, but its market share fell due to stronger growth from other players, particularly Google.

Amazon maintains its lead in the growing global smart speaker market, but Google and others are gaining ground, according to a market analysis firm.

A survey conducted this week by Strategy Analytics estimated that Amazon sold 4 million Echo speakers with its digital assistant Alexa in the first quarter of 2018, which is equivalent to 43.6 percent of the global market.

Amazon’s sales doubled from the previous year, but its market share fell due to stronger growth from other players, particularly Google.

New entrants are experiencing rapid growth in smart speaker sales, especially the Chinese Alibaba and Xiaomi in their own market, and the American Apple.

According to Strategy Analytics, a total of 9.2 million units were sold in the quarter, representing an increase of 278 percent over the previous year.

The estimates, which occur due to the lack of official sales figures from suppliers, confirm the trend of rapid growth and that Amazon loses part of its initial leadership.

David Watkins, director of Strategy Analytics, said that Amazon and Google account for 70 percent of global sales, down from 94 percent a year ago.

“This is partly due to the strong growth of the smart speaker market in China, where both Amazon and Google are currently absent,” he said.

“Alibaba and Xiaomi lead the way in China and their strength in the national market is showing enough to propel them to the top five in the world.”

According to the report published on Thursday, Alibaba ranked third with a market share of 7.6 percent, followed by Apple with 6 percent and Xiaomi with 2.4 percent.

An Important Lesson From Music Producer & Artist Saqib Aslam

Ian Feldman
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An Important Lesson From Music Producer & Artist Saqib Aslam

If Saqib Aslam’s journey is any indication, it’s that there’s no ‘right’ time to pursue something. It’s an inspiring tale from any perspective, especially in the competitive realm of the music industry. Saqib whose artist name is ApisTheBull was in his early 20’s when he discovered his passion and began to pursue it, eventually founding his own label known as Apis Records.

Strange Beginnings

Saqib Aslam - ApisTheBullSaqib Aslam wasn’t always on the musical trajectory. He graduated from the university of San Francisco with a degree in Public Administration – the sort of accreditation that often leads to a lucrative and safe career path.

Alas, this was not the path that was meant for Saqib Aslam, he decided to forego the safe and chase his passion. He started his record label and began releasing music. His two major releases have gone onto critical acclaim, as well as his intertwined work with Travis Scott on his single “Butterfly Effect” which has reached multi-platinum status since its release.

As the young entrepreneur ventured further into the realm of success, he developed his own view of the music industry and how it functioned. He realised that there was a unique opportunity to use his newfound footing in the industry to coach the young up-and-comers. By giving unique insights into the beast of an industry, Saqib Aslam is able to even the playing field for so many talented stars that need that extra push.

The Most Important Lesson

While there is always a small element of risk and luck involved with garnering success in any industry. It seems that ApisTheBull has one clear and concise message when it comes to defining success and attaining a foothold. Suffice it to say, it sounds cliché, but it is the truth, hard work.

Saqib Aslam - ApisTheBull

Saqib Aslam maintains that the best method of victory in making headway in the industry is putting your head down and honing your craft, working instead on creating the best possible experience for your listeners, and letting the fame come as it may.

It’s a sobering but welcomed lesson in the modern world.

The Horizon

Saqib Aslam is still mentoring young musicians and artists and can be reached anytime here.

As for the future, well, given his trajectory so far, who knows. But it will be exciting to find out.

 

Keynote Speaker Aims to Make Business Rock!

Ian Feldman
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Keynote Speaker Aims to Make Business Rock!

Author and keynote speaker Steve Jones takes his inspiration from the music industry.

Having spent over 30 years as an executive in music and media, noted author and speaker Steve Jones has taken his experiences with rock legends and turned them into a unique and fresh perspective on branding, marketing, corporate culture, and business success.

Can rock stars really teach lessons to businesses and entrepreneurs? Jones thinks so. “The entrepreneur and the musician aren’t really that different,” explains Jones. “They both begin with an idea in their head, and they carefully nurture it and bring it to life for the world to experience.” Jones cites Jeff Bezos and Dave Grohl, who both started new projects in their respective garages in the Seattle area during the summer of 1994. Bezos turned his idea into Amazon, and Grohl turned his idea into the Foo Fighters.

Countless valuable business lessons are embedded in music, from overcoming adversity like Fleetwood Mac famously did, to maintaining incredible consistency the way AC/DC has, to engaging fans in the manner of Taylor Swift. Those lessons form the basis for Jones’ two books, Brand Like a Rock Star and Start You Up. They also form the foundation of his sought-after concert-like keynote speeches.

In recent years, the topic of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) has taken on new importance for businesses, inspiring Jones to look to the music industry to demonstrate how embracing DEI can make a huge difference in the world. “Run-DMC and Aerosmith collaborated on “Walk This Way” in 1986, and that was the first time that rap and rock collided in a very public way,” says Jones. “The result was that hip hop music suddenly found a massive new mainstream audience, and Aerosmith simultaneously revived their career. That collaboration really changed the world.”

That isn’t the only time that racial barriers have been broken down by music. The legendary FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, provides another example. The studio rose to prominence in the mid-60s, a time of deep racial unrest in America. But founder Rick Hall envisioned a place where Black and White musicians could work together in total harmony. Despite the turbulent times, FAME helped created some of the most progressive music of the era. Artists as diverse as Etta James, The Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett, and Lynyrd Skynrd recorded hits there. R&B artists collaborated with rock artists. Country artists worked with soul singers. Race didn’t matter. Somehow, this little studio in the deep south embraced diversity so passionately that they helped to create some of the biggest hits in music history.

Jones says that using music to illustrate a concept as universally important as DEI is vital because it adds energy to a topic seen by many as boring. “So many organizations provide dry online training because the treat DEI as a box that needs to be checked. But it can be so much more than that. When you show people the great things that have come from diverse talents coming together, you can actually get people excited about DEI and implementing change in their organization.”

Beyond being an author and worldwide keynote speaker, Jones continues to influence media and music on a daily basis as SVP/Brands & Content for Stingray, a global music, media, and technology company. In this role, Jones oversees over 100 radio brands across Canada. He has twice been named International Radio Programmer of the Year at the Worldwide Radio Summit in Los Angeles and he has led award-winning media brands in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. Steve is represented for speaking engagements worldwide by Goodman Speaker Management at www.goodmanspeakermanagement.com.  Steve can also be reached via his website at www.brandlikearockstar.com.

Want to improve your Spotify game? Here’s how 247 Management can help

Ian Feldman
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Want to improve your Spotify game? Here’s how 247 Management can help

Spotify plays a critical role in the success and fame of modern musicians and artists. Using Spotify and social media channels like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, 247 Management a specialist promotions firm that help artists enhance their streaming visibility. They provide a range of services to help young artists improve their streaming figures and get their singles attached to well-known, popular playlists. Social media marketing is essential to the future success of any business, especially for musicians looking to improve their social media presence.

247 Management recently expanded their services to cater towards less established artists, many of whom lack the necessary finance to invest in streaming services. 247 Management have been able to utilise their social media presence and leverage their network to reach millions of people for their clients. While maintaining high streaming levels at affordable rates, 247 Management is revolutionising the ways in which artists reap success in the music industry.

One of the big things that 247 Management can assist artists with is the creation of “pre-saves”. For those not familiar with a lot of the Spotify jargon, “pre-saves” are a great way for artists to generate hype and excitement for their releases (singles, extended plays and albums). A “pre-save” is where an artist can give their fans a window of time in which they can save the song, EP or album to the queue so they can listen to the track once it becomes available on Spotify. In other words, 247 Management can help facilitate this campaign for you (the artists), thereby incentivising your audience to engage during the promotional period.

247 Management can ensure that your songs make a big splash when they finally arrive. They’ll utilise their network of social media influencers to maximise traction in the community, get the word out there and ensure that people get excited about your music. Whether you coordinate a series of press releases via Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter, the whole point is you want to give people notice and time about the upcoming music release.

This also means you can give people the time to get on Spotify (if they aren’t already) and even spread the word.

Working with 247 Management will guarantee that your Spotify marketing plan is well-refined, detailed and tailored to your target market of listeners. By leveraging their social media connection, 247 Management has been able to convert millions of TikTok views into Spotify streams and sales for clients. Because they work directly with playlist curators, artists can easily get their singles placed on different playlists. Depending on the music they produce, this gives the artist an added avenue to enter their specific genre and work with an audience genuinely interested in their tunes.

You can contact 247 Management – here: https://247m.co

Jason Kulpa Shares 10 Steps to Help You Understand Your “Why” in Business

Ian Feldman
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Jason Kulpa Shares 10 Steps to Help You Understand Your “Why” in Business

Every entrepreneur starts their company with a gleam in their eye and a passion in their heart. However, in the dog-eat-dog world of business, it can be easy to forget why you created your start-up in the first place.

In this article, Jason Kulpa, serial entrepreneur, explains what makes answering “why” important for business. If you can answer “why,” your company can change your life and get you out of your comfort zone.

  1. The Inspiration

It doesn’t matter if you started your business ten months ago or ten years ago–think about what the inspiration was in the first place, and keep it front and center in everyone’s minds. Remembering the beginning will help your company achieve its goals.

  1. The Passion

Something else that starts strong and can fade quickly is the passion for what you and your business do. Once you recall what inspired you first, it will be easier to harness your passion for it and motivate your team members to do the same.

  1. Making it Better

There is always room for improvement—in life and business. Figure out ways to improve your company, whether improving employee morale, cutting costs, or partnering up with someone else in the ring to keep all possibilities for improvement on the table.

  1. Sense of Time

Remember those days in the beginning when the time would fly, and you’d have no sense of day or night? Find a way to get back to that. You might discover that remembering the inspiration and passion you had initially will help initiate that sense of time stopping because you’re doing something you love.

  1. The One-Year Mentality

Think about what you would do if you knew your business only had one year left to succeed. What should you really prioritize, and what can be left on the back burner or crossed off the list entirely? Make those decisions, and then follow through with them.

  1. No Paycheck—No Problem

Even though money is the driving force behind most businesses, that doesn’t mean it should be the only one. What kind of work would your company be happy to do without a monetary reward? What aspects of the job are employees hyped about and don’t care if they are financially successful? Identifying these passions helps everyone know the “why” of the business.

  1. Drawing People in

Every successful start-up ends up with followers and loyalists who think the world of the company. So what drew them in in the first place? Getting their perspectives and explanations can help remind you why you’re in the game, too. And sometimes, communicating with those familiar with your company can help you identify areas of improvement.

  1. Forget Outside Opinions

While it can be helpful to know others’ perspectives and ideas about your business, that doesn’t mean you have to listen to everyone. Disregard any negativity or biased opinions from those who aren’t part of the process. They will only bring you down and distract you from your purpose.

  1. Understanding Gratitude

Many businesses will receive gratitude from clients and customers whose lives have been positively impacted by the start-up. Listen to what people are thanking you for and use it as motivation to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing.

  1. The Chance to Educate

Are there things your business would like to team up with other companies on so you can spread your knowledge and understanding? And you’re hoping to learn new things from those other partners too? Then, take advantage of these opportunities and use them to drive your passions and purpose.

About Jason Kulpa

Jason Kulpa is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of UE.co, San Diego’s Fastest Growing Business multi-year award winner, and a Certified Great Place to Work multi-year winner. Mr. Kulpa is San Diego’s two-time winner of the Most Admired CEO Award of the San Diego Business Journal and a semi-finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur award. Jason’s mission is to bring awareness, support, and inclusion for special needs causes.

 

The Often Overlooked Operational Backbone of Investment Firms

Rachel Knox
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The Often Overlooked Operational Backbone of Investment Firms

When people think about investment firms, they usually picture portfolio managers studying market trends or analysts evaluating companies. The public face of the industry focuses on investment strategy, financial performance, and deal-making. But behind those visible activities lies a much larger operational structure that keeps everything running smoothly.

Investment firms rely on a wide range of administrative, legal, and compliance processes to function effectively. These systems rarely receive the spotlight, yet they form the backbone of the organization. Without them, even the most talented investment teams would struggle to maintain regulatory compliance, manage investor relationships, and operate across multiple jurisdictions. Firms that invest in strong infrastructure often gain a competitive advantage by operating more efficiently and reducing risk.

Corporate Administration Keeps Complex Structures Organized

Many investment firms operate through intricate corporate structures that span multiple legal entities and jurisdictions. Private equity funds, venture capital firms, and hedge funds often create separate entities for different funds, investment vehicles, and holding structures.

Managing these entities requires careful oversight. Each structure must comply with local regulations, maintain accurate records, and ensure that corporate governance requirements are met. Directors, shareholders, and regulators all expect transparency in how these entities operate.

For many firms, this responsibility becomes difficult to manage internally as their operations expand. To alleviate the burden, they rely on specialized corporate administration services to handle these responsibilities. These services help investment firms manage entity formation, governance documentation, board support, and regulatory filings. By outsourcing these responsibilities to experienced professionals, investment firms can focus more attention on portfolio management and strategic decision-making while maintaining confidence that their corporate structures are being managed correctly.

Investor Reporting and Transparency Require Strong Systems

Investor Reporting and Transparency Require Strong Systems

Investor relationships are central to the success of any investment firm. Limited partners and institutional investors expect clear communication about how their capital is being managed and how funds are performing.

Operational teams play a critical role in delivering this transparency. They gather financial data, prepare investor reports, and coordinate communications that explain investment results and portfolio performance.

As funds grow larger and more geographically diverse, investor reporting becomes increasingly complex. Firms may have hundreds of investors across multiple regions, each with different regulatory and reporting expectations.

Technology platforms have become essential for managing these requirements. Investor portals, reporting systems, and financial data platforms allow firms to deliver information efficiently while maintaining high levels of accuracy.

Strong reporting infrastructure not only improves investor confidence but also helps firms maintain credibility in competitive fundraising environments.

Data Privacy Has Become a Critical Operational Responsibility

One area where regulatory expectations have increased significantly is data privacy. Investment firms handle large volumes of sensitive information, including investor details, financial records, and internal communications.

As governments around the world introduced stronger data protection regulations, companies were forced to reevaluate how they collect, store, and process personal information. In Europe, the introduction of sweeping privacy legislation required organizations to implement strict controls over how data is managed.

These rules changed how companies think about data governance. Businesses were required to document how personal information is used, provide transparency about data collection practices, and ensure that individuals could access or delete their personal data upon request.

For investment firms, complying with these requirements often meant redesigning internal processes. Data storage systems, communication platforms, and reporting tools all needed to align with stricter privacy standards.

Technology Infrastructure Supports Day-to-Day Operations

Technology has become deeply integrated into nearly every operational function within investment firms. Financial systems track portfolio performance, accounting platforms manage fund transactions, and collaboration tools support communication across teams. As organizations scale, the importance of reliable technology infrastructure becomes even more apparent. Systems must integrate seamlessly to ensure that financial data flows smoothly between departments.

Operational teams often work closely with IT specialists to implement platforms that support accounting, reporting, compliance, and investor communication. When these systems are well integrated, teams can work more efficiently and reduce the risk of data inconsistencies.

Strong Operations Enable Better Investment Decisions

The Often Overlooked Operational Backbone of Investment Firms

Although operational teams may not directly select investments, their work has a significant impact on a firm’s overall success. Accurate financial records, reliable reporting systems, and strong governance practices create the foundation for effective decision-making.

When operational processes function smoothly, portfolio managers and analysts have access to the information they need to evaluate opportunities and manage risk. Data flows more efficiently between teams, and leaders can focus on strategic planning rather than administrative challenges.

Conversely, weak operational infrastructure can create bottlenecks that slow down decision-making. Inaccurate records, fragmented systems, and compliance issues can distract leadership from the firm’s core mission. Investment firms that prioritize operational excellence often discover that it enhances their ability to compete in the marketplace.

 

Daniel Calugar Shares 3 Ways Customers Benefit from Fintech Disruption

Ian Feldman
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Daniel Calugar Shares 3 Ways Customers Benefit from Fintech Disruption

When it comes to financial services technology, cryptocurrency may be stealing the headlines, but more important to most people are the many ways fintech automates and simplifies their lives. In this article, data-driven investor Daniel Calugar explores three significant benefits fintech brings to ordinary people.

Financial technology (Fintech) is a term used to describe disruptive technology that endeavors to improve and automate financial services processes. For example, many Americans haven’t visited their brick and mortar bank branch in years, largely attributable to fintech. Instead, we can deposit checks, transfer money, pay bills, and get a loan, all from our smartphones. Fintech makes this possible.

Peer-to-peer lending

Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, also known as marketplace lending, is a growing alternative to traditional lending. P2P is an innovative online service where individual investors fund a loan, a portion of a loan, or multiple loans directly to individual borrowers.

By cutting out traditional financial institutions such as banks or savings and loan companies, borrowers can access funds quickly, and individual investors earn a healthy return. Using a smartphone app or computer, borrowers apply for a loan on a peer-to-peer lending platform. Investors review loan applications and select which ones they want to participate in or wholly fund.

The lending platform monetizes the service by charging a small service or transaction fee. The borrower pays interest to the lender, but the cost is generally lower than a traditional loan, even with the platform’s service fee.

Faster and simpler

Another benefit that disruptive fintech companies provide customers is simplified and streamlined loan application, approval, and funds distribution. For example, the entire process of applying for a loan and receiving the funds can be done on a smartphone or computer.

Traditional loans from a bank may have required a multipage paper application that often took weeks to work through the approval process; fintech companies receive the application online. As a result, they can process the application often within 24 hours.

Automated processes

Before fintech, a banker, or worse yet, a committee of bankers and loan officers reviewed each application and tried to reach a consensus regarding the applicant’s creditworthiness. The application and approval process could leave a borrower feeling like a bank was making a moral judgment about every aspect of their lives, not just their ability to repay the loan.

Fintech automates the process of applying for a loan. Of course, someone with less than a sterling credit history may pay a higher interest rate, but there is nearly always a solution for every potential borrower. There are no moral judgments, just an automated process continually being refined to produce the best loans for both borrower and lender.

Conclusion

Advances in financial technology are far more significant to everyday people than the rise and fall of the latest crypto-craze. Fintech introduces new opportunities for borrowers and can make it easy for anyone with money to lend to make put their money to work. Moreover, the processes are fast, simple, and non-judgemental.

About Daniel Calugar

Daniel Calugar is a versatile and experienced investor with a background in computer science, business, and law. He developed a passion for investing while working as a pension lawyer and leveraged his technical capabilities to write computer programs that helped him identify more profitable investment strategies. When Dan Calugar is not working, he enjoys spending time working out, being with friends and family, and volunteering with Angel Flight.

Ferrari Energy Highlights Ten Proactive Ways Entrepreneurs Can Learn to Overcome Business Frustrations Affecting Growth

Ian Feldman
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Ferrari Energy Highlights Ten Proactive Ways Entrepreneurs Can Learn to Overcome Business Frustrations Affecting Growth

Building a profitable company comes with its challenges, especially when it comes to business growth. Obstacles and growth frustrations are inevitable for any entrepreneur developing an organization, and figuring out how to deal with those bumps in the road is a part of what makes an entrepreneur successful.

Ferrari Energy is a family-owned private oil and gas company that now operates in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and North Dakota. The founder of Ferrari Energy passes on ten motivational insights to encourage other entrepreneurs that they too can strategically maneuver business setbacks to grow a fruitful business and achieve success.

Adam Ferrari Weld County
Adam Ferrari, Weld County
  1. Just keep swimming

It is no secret that failure can bring anyone down. Entrepreneurs can steer clear of failure causing the blues by continuing to move forward, even after falling back, or as Dori would say in the movie Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming!”

  1. Be ready for the good, the bad, and the ugly

Embracing a positive attitude and having high hopes are great qualities to possess as an entrepreneur, but being ready for the good along with the bad and the ugly is critical, too. The fact is no one can ever plan enough to avoid all business frustrations.

  1. Look for inspiration

The way an entrepreneur deals with frustrations that affect a business’ growth matters for success. Instead of letting any hardships spark negative emotions that affect others in the industry, look for inspiration and inner peace through things like exercise, being in nature, or finding a place of relaxation to clear the mind.

  1. Separate personal from professional

If an entrepreneur does not learn to separate personal emotions and feelings from professional road bumps, then a setback can seem world-ending. It is vital for business owners to disassociate the failure from themselves to move forward better.

  1. Check off a daily to-do list

Hitting the same wall while trying to build a business can quickly bring on feelings of defeat. However, business developers can replace defeat with productivity by focusing on other areas of the company and adding those tasks to a daily to-do list.

  1. Renew energy

A rested head and clear mind can take on the weight that building a business can bring on much more efficiently than someone who is stressed and tired.

  1. Accept failure

The quicker an entrepreneur can make failure a friend, the better, as accepting defeat is a significant step to learning how to grow past it.

  1. Never stop learning

Not only is failure a friend, but failure is also a teacher. With this perspective, rather than allowing the feeling of rejection or beat set in when business frustrations occur, an entrepreneur can more accurately look at the situation as a learning experience.

  1. Ask yourself why

Company growth frustrations are the perfect time to assess the business to take a closer look at what is working, what is not working, and why.

  1. Look for the positive

Seeking the positive from the negative will help business owners rise from harmful emotions and help see the ability to grow from any situation.

About Ferrari Energy

Ferrari Energy is a family-owned private oil and gas company focused on mineral and leasehold acquisitions. Founded in Denver, CO, with a focus on educating landowners, Ferrari Energy has consistently served the needs of the landowner community in the basins in which it works. Its operation covers several areas throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and ND. Ferrari Energy has provided oil and gas leases to over 850 homeowners and held multiple lease signing events to accommodate the residents of Broomfield, Colorado.

 

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