Meeting governments where they are: Delivering innovation while maintaining digital sovereignty

Posted on May 23, 2023
As today’s governments look at technology innovation, there is a need to address the rapidly evolving demands of their citizens while protecting the most sensitive data and delivering on promises of trust and security. Modernization of government services without compromising security, digitization of manual processes and improved user experiences for both citizens and government employees are all benefits of digital transformation, and the right technology platforms can create even better opportunities for social and economic growth. The cloud can offer agility and flexibility, advanced cybersecurity features, and access to the latest innovations, including AI, to accelerate digital transformation and the…

Prices, digital growth benefits Walmart

Posted on May 23, 2023
BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Lower prices compared to competitors and convenience brought about through digital capabilities lifted Walmart US to same-store sales growth of 7% in the first quarter ended April 30. The growth was due to higher store traffic trends as well as growth in store-fulfilled pickup and delivery, said John D. Rainey, chief financial officer, in a May 18 earnings call. “From a category perspective, comp sales were driven by strong growth in food and health and wellness, partially offset by a decline in general merchandise sales,” he said. E-commerce sales increased 27% in the United States when compared…

Cranbrook adopted an updated strategic plan

Posted on May 23, 2023
Cranbrook’s draft 2024-2027 Strategic Plan has been adopted by the city council, which will guide the city’s decision-making for the next four years. City officials said work on the updated plan happened through the first three months of this year, after the fall’s municipal election. “The new strategic plan will guide the coming three years of this Council and the first year of the next Council’s term,” said the city official. “The reason is that the budget takes months to create, based on projects and a business plan that must follow a strategic direction, and the budget is presented to…

4 Subscription Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on May 23, 2023
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.The subscription economy has been on the rise and will only continue to grow. With the global subscription eCommerce market expected to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 65.5% between 2023 and 2028, it’s not a surprise that so many businesses are looking to pivot to the subscription model. But in addition to creating opportunities, the subscription economy spike is also causing some challenges for DTC founders — namely, in one area: competitor differentiation. That’s why effective marketing is so important for the growth of subscription brands. And while there…

Know these 10 expenses of starting a business and how to handle them

Posted on May 21, 2023
No doubt about it, starting a small business is exciting! But it can also be confusing, particularly as you sort through all the expenses required to launch your enterprise. While it is impossible to cover every type of business and go through the finer points of expenses you are likely to have, here are the top 10 costs of starting a business to consider. It all starts with creating a business plan which can be a full-blown traditional plan with monthly projections or can be formed using the Business Model Canvas (www.strategyzer.com) with limited projections, but specifically cash flow forecasts.…

BuzzFeed shutting down news division, laying off 15% of all staff

Posted on May 21, 2023
BuzzFeed Inc. is shutting down its news division and cutting its workforce by 15 per cent. The company made the news in an email to staff on Thursday from CEO Jonah Peretti, who said the cuts will amount to around 180 people. Some of those in the axed News unit will move over to the HuffPost brand, which the company acquired in 2020. It’s the second round of layoffs since December at the company, when the company cut 12 per cent of its work force. “I made the decision to overinvest in BuzzFeed News because I love their work and…

Council adopts strategic plan for Cranbrook

Posted on May 21, 2023
Members of City of Cranbrook council adopted the draft 2024 – 2027 Strategic Plan Monday night (May 15) – a document that will guide the higher-level objectives of the City of Cranbrook as a corporation over the next four years. This new strategic plan was developed over the first three months of 2023 following the fall election of Mayor and council. The new strategic plan will guide the coming three years of this council and the first year of the next council’s term, 2024-2027. The reason is that the budget takes months to create, based on projects and a business…

Small business banking platform Vault launches with backing from Google’s Gradient Ventures

Posted on May 21, 2023
Vault’s co-founders have previously worked at Revolut, Koho. Vault is the latest Canadian startup looking to make banking easier for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Toronto-based Vault recently launched its platform across Canada, joining the likes of Float and Loop in looking to address pain points small businesses experience when it comes to traditional banking.“We came out directly into the market to replace one of the Big Five [banks] in terms of your daily operations.”Vault was created in 2021 by Saud Aziz and Ahmed Shafik, former Revolut and Koho employees, and has secured backing from Google’s Gradient Ventures as…