There’s a common idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become great at something. From an early age, we are encouraged to choose our path, focus specifically, and start racking up those hours. But, what if these head starts aren’t helping us the way we think they do? What if there’s a better way to excel? David Epstein shares how a different approach could set us up for greater success.
Have you ever gone to a store to grab something quickly and realized you forgot your wallet? That’s where contactless payments come in. Contactless payments let customers tap their card or mobile device on the terminal to pay instantly, without inserting a card or entering a PIN. This payment method gained rapid popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its health and hygiene benefits. On top of that, it offers speed, convenience, and strong security, making it easy to see why so many people continue to use it. This trend is only growing, and as a business owner, here’s what you need to know and how it can help your business stay ahead.
Customers now expect contactless payments
Customers now expect contactless payment options more than ever. In fact, a study found that 63% of consumers find it irritating to enter a PIN, and 42% don’t even remember their PIN because they’re so used to contactless payments. If your business isn’t offering this option, you could be losing sales to competitors who do. Providing a fast, frictionless payment experience not only keeps customers happy but also encourages repeat purchases.
Speeding up your checkout process
Contactless payments can help speed up your checkout times. In fact, contactless transactions are up to two times faster than traditional chip card payments. That extra speed means that your team spends less time handling cash or manually entering payment information, creating a smoother experience for everyone. Overall, the faster flow helps your business run more smoothly, serve more people, and make the most of your staff.
Making loyalty programs easier to use
Contactless payments can also boost engagement with loyalty programs. When customers already have their devices out, it only takes one extra click to open your loyalty app. Some loyalty programs can even link directly to contactless payments, automatically applying rewards at checkout. This convenience makes it easy for customers to participate more often, driving repeat business and increased customer loyalty.
No additional fees for accepting contactless payments
A common concern for businesses is whether contactless payments come with higher fees. The good news is that services like Apple Pay treat contactless transactions the same as the traditional card-present (CP) payments you’re already accepting. The only exception is online purchases, which are considered card-not-present (CNP) due to higher fraud risk. However, that is the same standard applied to all online payments.
Strong security built into each transaction
While no payment method is perfect, contactless payments are highly secure. They use Near Field Communication (NFC) to transmit encrypted data between the customer’s device and the terminal, so no actual card information is sent; only a one-time, encrypted code. On top of that, these transactions are protected by the same fraud prevention systems banks use, helping protect your business from fraudulent charges. This means fewer disputes and less time spent resolving payment issues.
In conclusion…
Contactless payments are more than a convenience for customers; they can help your business run more efficiently behind the scenes. From faster checkout times to strong security features, this payment option can make a real difference to your business. Offering contactless payments can help you stay ahead of customer expectations while keeping your business competitive.
From CNBC:
“Generative AI is speeding up how people work, but that efficiency can prevent some workers from climbing the corporate ladder. Nearly 40% of workers’ core skills will be disrupted by 2030 due to AI and digitalization, according to the World Economic Forum. It may become more difficult for entry-level workers to advance in their careers as companies cut costs by trimming middle management and, in certain industries, eliminate entry level roles that can be replaced by AI. Watch this video to understand the impending break down between the expert and novice educational relationship and what that means for the future of the economy.”
Depending on your industry – and area of focus – the holiday season can be slow for business. In fact, November to January might bring with it a looming sense of doom, not just related to shorter days and cooler weather, but instead, about your business’ bottom line.
In this article, we take a look at the holiday slowdown that impacts some businesses around this time of year, and some strategies for combatting any potential fiscal consequences it may have.
As many professionals know, this phenomenon happens when businesses or industries experience a decrease in activity or a slowdown in operations during the holiday season which can make an already tight time of year even more nerve-wracking.
Of course, not all industries are impacted, some sectors thrive during the holiday season. These include:
Some of the industries most affected by the holiday slowdown season are:
There are a lot of reasons your business might slowdown during the holiday season. Some that might be impacting your business include:
For these reasons, you might find your suppliers take longer to deliver, your clients and contacts don’t return calls or emails, and, altogether, things are just harder to get done. If you’re trying to accomplish work as normal during the holiday season, it might feel like the rest of the world is plotting against you.
Businesses often need to adapt their strategies to navigate the holiday slowdown. Having a plan for this season can often make the difference between starting the new year off strong, or in a deficit. Depending on your industry, there are many tactics worth considering:
Of course, depending on what your business specializes in , these might not be viable options.
There is a lot of advice out there that will tell you to put money and time into marketing campaigns, revamped customer service training, new product or service offerings, and other investments to survive the holiday slowdown season.
In general, spending money to make money makes sense. However sometimes it’s just another added worry during an already stressful season, and it’s not guaranteed to make the slowdown period any more lucrative. Having a plan to ensure your budget isn’t overextended during the holiday slowdown is the best tool available to guarantee a successful holiday season, and an even better new year.
What does can this “plan” look like?
We’ve found that it’s not uncommon for businesses to be overspending on expenses like telecom, payment processing fees, and waste disposal by around 25-30%. Maybe that’s not a huge problem during your peak season, but during a holiday slowdown, that could pose some real consequences. The best thing your business can do to survive slow periods , is make sure all your costs are optimized, all the time.
Depending on your industry, holiday slowdowns may become unavoidable. While there’s lots of advice out there encouraging you to spend money on shiny new initiatives or campaigns, one of the best things you can do is look for ways to ensure you’re not overspending throughout the entire year.
Feeling more impatient lately? It’s not entirely your fault.
Sarah Schnitker, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, explains how a culture of instant gratification — fueled by our use of smartphones and on-demand everything — has made patience feel unnecessary. But her research shows that patience helps people stay regulated, persist through challenges, and feel more satisfied with their progress.
Depending on the size and industry of your business, a toll-free number is a solution that might be on your radar. In this article, we take a look at the reasons why a toll-free number could be a good choice for your business, and how you can find and implement a solution that is cost effective.
Why choose toll-free?
The main benefit of a toll-free number is that it can be called by customers across the country without them incurring a charge. They are often used for customer service purposes, like help and information lines, so customers can freely access a business.
Toll-free numbers work by using specific toll-free codes, made up of the initial three-digit prefix. These include, 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.
On top of the ease of access that toll-free numbers bring your customers, benefits of using one include:
For a lot of businesses, depending on call volume and needs, this decision is a no-brainer.
When wouldn’t you use a toll-free number?
Say you’re a single-location veterinary practice or hair salon – you don’t serve customers outside your direct region. In this case, you’re likely not receiving a lot of calls from long distance numbers, and the cost of the toll-free number wouldn’t be worth the services included. You can probably make do with a more traditional set up and a local number.
With cloud telephony, toll-free is easier than ever.
Toll-free numbers have been in circulation since 1966. Today, with the rise of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems, and cloud solutions in general, toll-free lines for your business are easier and more affordable than ever.
From being able to use any device, anywhere, to adding more numbers, and scaling the size of your solutions, VoIP toll-free numbers allow for seamlessly implemented solutions that can be customized to your business’ needs.
Find the right solution for your business.
Many providers offer toll-free numbers. For a VoIP option, you can expect to pay roughly ten to fifteen dollars a month per toll-free number.
Be sure to shop around. Different providers will have different options for you, that might be more worth the cost depending on your needs. For example, some providers “require a minimum monthly payment and have a specific number of minutes while many others need no monthly payment but charge per minute.”
Or perhaps you’re looking for a specific feature that some packages offer. Some that virtually all providers will offer include:
Some features will be more provider-specific, such as:
The best thing you can do is be aware of your needs and make the choice that is most cost-efficient for your business.
Likewise, there is no limit to how many toll-free numbers a single business can use. If your business needs multiple, search for packages that can accommodate that need.
In conclusion…
Depending on your business, a toll-free number might be a necessary solution for customer service. Although this solution has been around for nearly six decades, the advent of VoIP and other cloud technologies has made it easier and more affordable to find the best solutions for your business’ individual needs.
This article was originally posted in June, 2022.
In this episode, William and Roger Germann have a conversation about his organization, The Florida Aquarium. Rated among the best aquariums in the US, The Florida Aquarium welcomes visitors to experience a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial animals – including sea turtles, sharks, lemurs, otters – with the goal of building awareness and inspiring conservation action. William and Roger discuss the ecological goals and effects that the aquarium has achieved through conservation and education.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), we’re living in an era marked by declining trust. This lack of trust isn’t specific to one industry or arena; generally, the average person’s trust in any kind of leadership – in business and other areas of life – has been declining since 2019. In fact, a 2025 study found that 68% percent of individuals find business leaders, specifically, untrustworthy.
This is a crisis that businesses are facing right now. Trust is tantamount to good business leadership; from attracting and retaining clients, to creating brand power that people believe in, to employee retention.
So how do you lead and build trust in a world where trust is generally declining? Whether you’re engaging with your clients, employees, or any sort of audience, in this issue of the Pulse, we take a look.
Studies have found that trust in a business is important for as much as 80% of consumers. Likewise, 71% of consumers say they are unlikely to buy from a company they no longer trust, while 73% confirmed they would spend much less. Those numbers are significant. Up to 80% of your customer base is not worth putting in jeopardy by not prioritizing building trust in your business strategy.
Leaders who inspire trust in others are often well-regarded for their ability to listen critically and thoughtfully.
As the WEF puts it, “listening leaders can collect perspectives and data from different actors and points of view to inform their strategies and decisions, and are able to create inclusive cultures that enable even further trust-building.”
Honing your listening skills, and processes that allow you to listen and gather feedback, will help your foster trust.
If you expect everyone to agree with your point of view all the time, even when you’re really sure you’re right, you’re never going to be satisfied. Good leadership involves navigating different views and interests and finding practical ways forward. Showing an aptitude for doing this, rather than demanding consensus or conformity, helps build trust with people of varying perspectives, not just yours.
Whether it’s the team beneath you, your clients, or those you’re looking to for referrals, learning what matters to people builds and maintains trust. It’s as simple as asking questions, paying attention, and even taking notes – bringing it back to those listening skills we mentioned. When you show an interest in what matters to others, they trust you more.
Leading with consistent trustworthy principles and traits will build a strong foundation of trust over time.
How we represent ourselves, and how sincere that comes across, matters a lot in business. Your employees, clients, and network more generally will respond to what is engaging, personal, memorable – and above all, authentic. If they view you as fake, trust will be damaged.
Think about your business, your brand, and your processes critically. Is there anything that would cause you to lose trust in a leader or a company? If so, it might be worth reassessing.
Trust in business leadership is in a recession of sorts. In these circumstances, focusing on trust-building as a leader and a brand is more important than ever. If you don’t, it could cost you.
In this episode, William and Jordan Dunin have a conversation about his company, HatchPath. helps you find the right coach for your goals—whether that’s improving your health, reducing stress, building leadership skills, or navigating life transitions. Tcoaches are experts across a wide range of specialties, from nutrition and fitness to mindfulness, career development, and even advanced modalities like hypnotherapy and bioresonance healing.
In this episode, William and Annette Arsenault have a conversation about her company, Getting Healthy on Purpose. They help clients with programs for those that are looking for better quality of life, to deal with those aches and pains and all the things that come along with aging. They assist with diabetes, weight, diet, and getting healthier one good habit at a time!