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Amb Mustafa AmCham Remarks 01-20-2023 Remarks of Ambassador Mustafa “Rule of Law and the Business Environment in Bulgaria” Conference Sofia Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Minister Zarkov, my friends, Ambassadors from Italy, France, Chargé from Germany, Ambassadors Meyer and Zarra, Deputy Head of Mission Röken, Mr. Matthew Murray, and Olivier Marquette. I am honored to have you here to share this stage today. I would like to start by thanking the American Chamber for organizing today’s event and I would like you all just to take a minute to absorb what you’re seeing today. Which is a gathering of the British, French, German, Swiss, Greek, Swedish, Italian business organizations. The fact that you have all of us here – this hasn’t happened before – to come together to talk about rule of law. Just take a minute to absorb that. In addition to having these entities, we are here with our partners, the Bulgarian organizations, who are also very involved in fighting for this issue – we are here with the members of the NGO community, we are here with members of the business community and other diplomats. I want to say thank you for continuing to make this […]

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Virtual Assistants are growing increasingly vital for modern businesses and starting your own virtual assistant business is a great opportunity for organized and energetic entrepreneurs. To help get you started, Melissa Smith, the founder and CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants, will be sharing her tips and strategies for building a successful virtual assistant business. Melissa has extensive experience in this arena, having done virtual work on five different continents. In this webinar , you’ll learn: The first things you need to do to get started Where and how to get your first client How much to charge clients Top skills clients are looking for And so much more! Secure your spot today and get the guidance you need to get your virtual assistant business launched and thriving. About the Speaker: Melissa Smith is the Founder & CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants and The PVA , a firm that matches clients with the right virtual assistants. She is also the best-selling author of two books, Hire The Right Virtual Assistant and Become a Successful Virtual Assistant . Additionally, Melissa also mentors for Remote-how Academy , the first global, […]

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Tesla owners can give you numerous reasons why they believe their vehicle is superior to other makes and models, many a diehard Apple user would simply never switch to an Android device… and you’ll likely never catch a Starbucks enthusiast skipping their morning Caffè Misto or Pike Place ritual. The results of such brands of customer engagement can seem over the top to some, but all business owners should take resulting lessons on the importance of attracting and developing raving fans. These loyal customers not only generate recurring revenue, but also positive buzz around products and services, and so influence other consumers’ buying habits. Why are raving fans critical to success? We all want customers to say nice things about our company, brand, products and services, but most business owners don’t understand how much of an impact that makes on the bottom line. Word of mouth drives approximately $6 trillion in global spending and roughly 13% of all sales. A majority of marketing experts ( 64% ), meanwhile, agree that word of mouth is the most effective (and inexpensive) form of marketing, especially when customers become brand ambassadors by sharing experiences […]

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Founder, CEO and CIO of HGM Fund , managing investments in the financial technology, health technology and communications industries. getty As record inflation keeps costs high and interest rates escalate , we’re all feeling tremendous financial pressure. On top of that, prices in the first half of 2022 rose far beyond expectations , putting a strain on budgets. As we start off 2023, no one is entirely sure where the market is headed. Typically, people look to the government for guidance during economic uncertainty. However, businesses can play a more prominent role in encouraging the deflation of the economy. We know that less demand leads to deflation. For example, gas prices plunged during the pandemic because everyone was forced to stay home, creating a drastically lowered demand for gas. So we can apply that same logic to things like energy costs, which gives businesses an opportunity to affect positive change in the economy. Here are four energy-saving strategies that businesses can apply to their operations. 1. Adopt a “work from anywhere” model. Many employers have brought people back to the office as the pandemic has subsided. However, if we were to transition to a hybrid model or even go […]

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At long last, businesses and consumers will be able to settle into their new rhythms in 2023 — but what are they? Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Now that we’ve done it, let’s talk about what the " new normal " will look like. In the back office and out on the floor, the seismic shifts that have rocked businesses for the past three years are finally starting to stabilize. Here is how the major trends for spending and staffing are likely to shake out. Farewell to spending swings For much of the pandemic, people focused their spending on goods that could be delivered to and consumed in their homes. Going out wasn’t really an option, and even when it was, there were risks and limitations — so they ordered takeout and saved their money for better days. Those better days came last spring. With arms full of boosters and bank accounts full of savings, consumers left their homes in huge numbers to partake of restaurant meals, concerts, sporting events, and flights to sunnier climes. It was an economy-shifting combination: […]

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TOKYO, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Japanese supermarket owner Hiromichi Akiba has built his bustling business through close ties with his neighbourhood – the reason, he says, he can’t make the price hikes on his wares that would allow him to give his workers a pay rise. Steep price increases on surging raw materials costs are squeezing Japan’s workers, as years of deflation or minimal rises give way to 41-year-high inflation of 4%. And, while major companies are offering raises amid government pressure, many of the small and midsize firms that employ the vast number of Japanese workers cannot keep up. But the situation is especially hard for retail businesses like Akiba’s because the cost rises are so widespread that virtually nothing is untouched, preventing pay rises. "The fact is that we are barely making a profit," said the genial 54-year-old, who prides himself on the close ties he’s built with the customers in his western Tokyo neighbourhood over the past three decades. "If we were able to pass our costs on by raising prices, we couldn’t look our customers in the eyes." Latest Updates To a casual observer, Akiba’s business, which he began 31 years ago with a single […]

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We know millions of small and medium businesses (SMBs) and nonprofits utilize Walmart’s stores and website to purchase supplies to support their day-to-day operations. These customers are under more pressure than ever due to inflation and supply chain issues, adapting to a hybrid workforce and post-pandemic behavioral shifts. For months, we’ve been working with SMBs and nonprofits to build solutions just for them, with tools tailored to help teams run smoother, have the right items on hand and easily find products to meet their needs. These organizations want to: Save money and spend less time on business purchases Stay in control and in stock with more time to focus on their operations and staff Create efficiencies to operate and grow Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Walmart Business as an eCommerce site and customer experience designed to empower SMB and nonprofit customers. Our focus is to remove complexity in purchasing, lower costs and give our customers more opportunities to serve their customers and communities. Walmart Business is built to leverage the very best of Walmart — our unmatched operating scale, our proximity within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population and the very best of our […]

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Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) was among the 60 winning teams chosen by NASA for the second TechRise Student Challenge, a nationwide contest designed to engage students in technology, science, and space exploration. These teams will work together to build science and technology experiments in preparation for a suborbital flight test. A full list of winning teams is available on the TechRise website. “Through opportunities like the TechRise Student Challenge, young people are deepening their passion in science and technology, preparing to be the future innovators and pioneers who help humanity soar to new heights and unlock more secrets of the universe,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. Each team will receive $1,500 to build their experiments and an assigned spot to test it on one of two NASA-sponsored high-altitude balloon flights scheduled for this summer. Winning teams will design, build, and prepare their payloads for flight, receiving close mentorship and support along the way. The team from TJHSST is made up of students from the Chemical Analysis Lab and Astronomy lab who worked together on their proposal. Led by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program and administered by Future Engineers, TechRise offers students both hands-on experience with […]

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12 MINUTE READ The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade announces an open competition for individuals and organizations to submit applications for the Serbian-American Cooperation Grants Program . In order to submit your application please read detailed instructions: Serbian-American Cooperation Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity 2023 . All necessary forms and documents are available for download on the grants programs page . Applications, inquiries and all other questions should be sent to belgradepdsgrants@state.gov . Applications deadline April 1, 2023. Please check for information on other PAS funding opportunities here . Program Objectives: PDS welcomes proposals from non-government organizations, governmental institutions and individuals to administer creative, engaging projects that strengthen the Serbian-U.S. relationship and explain U.S. culture, society, values, and policies to Serbian audiences. The Embassy is also working with Serbia’s government, civil society, business community, and other partners on promoting economic development and fighting brain drain; strengthening democracy, including through supporting civic participation, encouraging a free press and human rights, and advancing regional stability and cooperation. Projects funded through this NOFO must include an American element. That could involve a connection or partnership between Serbian and American organizations or institutions; inviting an American expert […]

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The Bizzell Memorial Library on Nov 16, 2022. OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. released the university’s annual statement of commitment to affirmative action and equal employment opportunity Wednesday morning. In an email to OU employees, Harroz wrote that OU annually reaffirms its full commitment to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, including the policies and procedures that prohibit discrimination throughout OU’s campus. Affirmative action requires employers to do more than ensure employment neutrality, making additional efforts to recruit, employ and promote qualified members of groups formerly limited or excluded, according to OU’s Institutional Equity Office’s website. In 2012, Oklahoma’s legislature passed the Affirmative Action Amendment , which banned affirmative action programs in the state and prohibited special treatment based on race or sex in public employment, education and contracts, according to Ballotpedia. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court held hearings on cases challenging affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is expected to overturn or roll back affirmative action in college admissions. "It is up to all of us at the University to ensure that our commitment to Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action is in compliance with all applicable laws […]

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