James Barclay

Attention: TikTok Shop Owners and agencies are helping set up TikTok Shop for non-residents. FinCEN.gov requires you to report the 25% ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) of your U.S. LLC partnership or corporation within 90 days. Miss the deadline? You’re looking at hefty fines. But here’s the kicker: a single-member disregarded LLC won’t cut it for TikTok Shop approval for non-residents. Don’t risk your business by going it alone. Get expert guidance on your BOI report and entity structure as a non-resident or agency owner providing these services for your 7 & 8-figure e-commerce sellers. Ready to protect your business? Book a call with my team today: https://lnkd.in/gdKTPJKa #tiktokshop #tiktokshopbusiness #tiktokseller #tiktokshopnonresident

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Interesting read about the complexities of business agreements and the importance of clear terms. This underscores how transparent, well-structured contracts are not just essential but foundational for startups navigating collaborative ventures, especially within the dynamic tech realm. Grasping these legal intricacies is indispensable for startups to conquer challenges and flourish in a competitive landscape. ✍️📜 #BusinessLaw #LegalChallenges #StartupStruggles https://lnkd.in/gpx4gd-g

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I have a very laissez faire view of digital footprints — the kind that I’m sure will scare Glenn Gore and the most staunch arbiters of privacy. As a digital native, I see how my data identity has been used to the best of effects. My TikTok algorithm is a beautiful work of (relatable) art: my Instagram, an unending funnel of things I didn’t know I needed to buy. I’m quite certain I’ll go mad if one day my digital identity gets reset. Sometimes I wonder how it got to this. My logic is that my data is always being mined and used six ways come Sunday. It’s inevitable the more digitally connected we are. Today, with the rising trend of online scams, there’s an even higher need to protect and identify consumers. And how do you identify consumers? Through the exchange of data. It’s all very poetic really — the thing that will protect us is also the very thing that we need to surrender. It’s why I still retain mixed feelings about what Gore has to say about data: “At Affinidi, securing digital identities is a priority as we navigate an increasingly digitised society, ensuring individuals can confidently claim their digital existence.” But can we though? Do we need to? I’m not sure. For me, the digital data surrender is an inevitability, so the Internet might as well deliver me information that I need and may enjoy — like a tinted serum from Rationale or a pair of wide-leg pants from Marakech. Still, I admire Gore’s sense of hope with his North Star at the Temasek-funded firm — “Where your personal data is as intrinsic to you as your physical self and treated with the utmost respect and privacy.” Because in a world where data is as easy to mine, dole, and exchange as promises and opinions, hope is perhaps the very thing that we need. Have a read.

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ENTREPRENEURS: Want $50K-$5M to start or grow your business? The SBA has your back! Here's the secret sauce most people don't know about SBA loans: Lower down payments than traditional banks (as little as 10%!) Longer repayment terms (up to 25 years) NO collateral needed for loans under $25K Perfect for first-time business owners BONUS TIP: The SBA just launched their new Lender Match tool - it's like Tinder for business loans Match with lenders in 48 hours! Quick stats that'll blow your mind: 62% approval rate (WAY higher than traditional banks) Interest rates starting at just Prime + 2.25% FREE business counseling included Don't sleep on this opportunity! Visit SBA.gov/lendermatch Fill out the 5-min questionnaire Get matched with lenders Start building your empire #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #BusinessTips #StartupLife #BusinessOwner #Money #Funding #SBALoans

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🚨 Can You Spot the Pig Butchering Scam? Or what about your family members or even clients🚨 A recent news story highlighted the tragic tale of a Nashville man who lost $9,000 to a pig butchering scam. This scam, involving emotional manipulation and fake crypto investments, is unfortunately becoming all too common. 💔 Pig Butchering Scam: Scammers build trust over time, leading victims to invest in fake schemes. I've interviewed dozens of victims, and it usually follows the four truths of cybersecurity: 1️⃣ Nobody expects to be a victim. 2️⃣ It's difficult, often impossible, to get the money back. 3️⃣ Catching the perpetrators is even harder, especially if they're overseas. 4️⃣ Education and awareness can prevent these scams. That's why I champion the CyberSecure Mindset and share these posts almost daily. 🙋 5 Tips to Avoid Scams: 🛑 Verify Identities: Confirm who you're talking to. 🔗 Be Skeptical of Investment Offers: Especially from unknown sources. 📞 Avoid Pressure: Don't rush into decisions. 🔍 Research: Check for reviews and warnings about websites. 🚫 Social Media Red Flags: If someone you meet on social media starts talking about cryptocurrency investing, that's a red flag. If 90% of cybercrime victimization could be prevented with education, why don't we just do this? For more information, please check out my website at www.cybersecuremindset.com. Stay vigilant and protect your loved ones! 🛡️ #CyberSecurity #PigButcheringScam #StaySafeOnline #CyberSecureMindset #FraudPrevention #WebinarInsights Kevin Donahue, Darren Mott, FBI Special Agent (Ret.), "The CyBUr Guy" Erin West, Corey Munson Marc E. Dave Trader Michael Yon Art Gross Matthew Dunn

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Is your ecommerce site fully accessible to those with disabilities? If not, you may be hit with a lawsuit. This law firm has made a big business out of it: ---- Bob Kramer long relied on his website to auction off his intricate handcrafted knives and to educate consumers about his craft. How he uses the website changed after a visually impaired New Yorker sued Kramer Knives, saying its site wasn’t accessible. “It came out of the blue,” said Kramer, who can spend a month or more creating a single knife. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff said she was unable to purchase a knife case. She never called or emailed, said Kramer, who has one employee at the Bellingham, Wash., company. The lawsuit was one of more than 1,100 web-accessibility cases brought in the U.S. last year by Mizrahi Kroub. The New York law firm, which has nine lawyers, is the largest filer of these cases, accounting for roughly one-quarter of digital ADA cases, according to UsableNet, a provider of web-accessibility services. Source: WSJ --- There are a ton of tools out there where a small snippet of Javascript in the header will address most issues. #ecommerce #accesibility #conversionrateoptimization

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DOD Small Biz contractors, what are your thoughts on the recent DFAR rule allowing performance of affiliates to be included in past performance? Will it help or hurt smalls overall? This seems to me to further erode small biz ability to compete to support DOD unless they focus on valuation of their business with a growth mindset of acquisition of other key small businesses. Might this help large businesses more than smalls? https://lnkd.in/ecGaa4cb out there

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The FTC has released a significant report on data practices of social media and video streaming services. This analysis highlights important issues like data collection, targeted ads, and the protection of children and teens. Key findings include companies retaining huge amounts of data without consumer knowledge, insufficient user control over personal data, and weak protections for children. The report suggests enhanced safeguards for sensitive data in advertising, better user control and transparency in AI systems, and stricter policies for children’s data. A notable takeaway is the call for consistent definitions of "sensitive data" to create clear, cohesive practices. #DataPrivacy #FTC #SocialMedia #AI #KidsSafety #Compliance https://hubs.li/Q02QVP890

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Vincent Bragg, CEO and Founder of ConCreates, Inc., discussed two types of people in prison: Those who strive to become better criminals... and those who aim to become better human beings. On The Snarketing Podcast last week, Vincent emphasized the importance of unlocking potential and transforming to become better individuals. He explains how ConCreates focuses on the latter, helping individuals transform their skills into positive contributions and creative, legitimate enterprises. 🟢 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞: https://lnkd.in/eAktMv9r

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Notaries: A Vital Line of Defense Against Fraud In today's digital world, the role of notaries is more critical than ever. By verifying identities and serving as impartial witnesses to important transactions, notaries help prevent fraud and ensure trust in legal and financial documents. Their work is essential in high-stakes transactions like real estate and loan agreements, providing a safeguard against forgery and identity theft while upholding the legal integrity of documents. #NotaryPublic #FraudPrevention #Trust To learn more about Notaries Check out the Latest Episode: https://lnkd.in/gyQfdYP9

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Great aBlogtoWatch #SUPERLATIVEpodcast episode talking about social media and vintage #watchrepair with Gregory Petronzi, Ph.D. of #TruePatina. #ablogtowatch #watches #podcasts.

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https://lnkd.in/emYdB7iD Was saddened to hear of the passing of Michael Cline. Michael was an extrodinary thinker who focused on client value proposition relentlessly and had a touch and skill to build ideas into companies. I met Michael at Exult. He was co-founder of the pioneer in the HR bpo space. Michael drilled into me the client value prop and differentiation which is part of my fabric. Michael also had the ability to be a coach and mentor and was hungry to learn. Michael also had the skill I have learned is rare which is to balance investor interests with that of the management team. And never forgot people make the difference. Jim Madden Exult co-founder let me know of Michael’s passing and commented that he spent a day with Michael last month and thought Michael was happy and content with life. That took me back some 40 years ago to when my Mom died. I too thought she was in a good spot. She had battled her demons of depression for years and in the end it was too much. Of the many things she taught me one was “ kevin you will never know or understand how I feel cause you don’t have want I have “ #mentalhealth So my lessons and reminders for me; 1. You never know what someone else is going through. So listen with both ears and ask how are you really doing ? 2. If you need help please please speak up. Many of us willing to listen and we all have different struggles and don’t compare your insides with other peoples outsides. 3. We can never invest too much in mental health and have too many resources available that is our obligation as employers. However in the end it is a personal journey and people have to decide for themselves what help works for them and to accept it. 4. Accountability and understanding are often viewed as opposites. But we need them both and all about balance. I will miss you Michael Cline. Blessed to have known you and thank you for all you taught me. Mom I miss you today and everyday. Thank you for what you taught me.

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#ToolsOfTheTrade for #performancemarketers got upended when #Apple changed its #privacypolicy. And again when #google announced they'd eliminate #cookies... then delayed, then announced #FLoC technology as a replacement for cookies. Playbooks that worked well stopped working at all, ROAS went nuts, attribution became opaque, first-party data took a front seat over third party and so on and so forth. In other words, performance marketing went through an obligatory reset. Is it now AI's turn? The #AI hype cycle we're in assumes reliable access to one critical asset. #Data. But what happens to the economic models and ROIC on AI initiatives if that data -- particularly third party data -- is suddenly unavailable? Or is only available for a hefty chunk of change? Would love to hear from wise women and men on this topic. Matthew Heitmann Jamaliya Cobine Anssi Mäkelä Jeff Veldhuizen https://lnkd.in/eF4fmrWb

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Congratulations to Embed Security on raising $6M in seed funding Embed Security, a Reno, Texas-based provider of an agentic security platform, raised $6M in funding. The round was led by Paladin Capital Group with participation from industry executive angel investors. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate R&D, expand customer engagements, and build out a team to continue solving critical cyber security challenges. Founded in 2024 by Seth Summersett and Jeffrey Johns, Embed provides scalable, complete threat coverage with autonomous triaging, including the investigation and prioritization of threats across the entire security stack, while empowering the analyst, not replacing them. The agentic security platform reduces repetitive tasks and enables teams to focus on high-value work like remediation, threat hunting, and learning. Embed continuously learns and adapts to new threats, enhancing its effectiveness over time. The technology is currently being tested with early-access customers in the automotive, insurance, legal, and technology sectors. https://lnkd.in/e79qMcby

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https://lnkd.in/g8CJi-UR "The greatest threat to SSA is some system being put in place allowing such easy sabotage of payments through mismanagement of data, identity, and records and documents in large sums. With such advanced technology available makes this especially suspicious since politicians opposed to the existence of the SSA will benefit from the errors that lead to ruining the money payment system being in place. With all these high tech geniuses able to manage billions of people's information and manipulate their responses why is SSA being denied error proof systems of technology?"

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Friends.com was purchased for $1.8m and whether that investment or the strategy behind investing significant sums of money in a startup's domain is subject to debate. On the one hand, you are locking in the most valuable domain associated with your brand, preventing it from being purchased and then resold to the company at an even higher premium. Owning a premium TLD also adds legitimacy to your business. On the other hand, if you want to pivot and rebrand later, investors and stakeholders may not be satisfied with the fact that they have to choose between using a brand name they are no longer satisfied with because of the upfront domain name investment or having to purchase another premium domain and write off the loss. Investors may also be concerned about having funds available for product development. If you have spent significant money on a domain name and have less money to spend on product development, then how valuable is the domain name?

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