IDEAS
Carver Federal Savings Bank | September 25, 2023
Carver Federal Savings Bank, a certified Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) is driving economic empowerment for small businesses in New York City through its innovative microloan program. This program plays a crucial role in facilitating entrepreneurs' access to capital for business expansion in the post-pandemic era. Carver employs algorithm-based software, transcending the limitations historically imposed by traditional credit scores, which have hindered the borrowing eligibility and capacity of black and brown entrepreneurs.
The ongoing challenges small businesses face in Carver's community persistently weigh them down amidst economic headwinds. Notably, 41% of small businesses owned by black and brown entrepreneurs have either shuttered or are on the brink of closure due to the financial hardships stemming from the pandemic. Furthermore, it is worth highlighting that approximately 45 million adults in the United States lack traditional credit scores.
Carver's microloan program fills a crucial void by providing essential capital ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to small business entrepreneurs. This initiative addresses the longstanding challenges associated with securing small-dollar loans and capital in Carver's communities. The bank's dedicated efforts are yielding tangible results, invigorating local economic activity.
Michael T. Pugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carver Federal Savings Bank, said:
"Carver's mission is to provide access to capital and to be champions for the underserved community in New York City."
[Source – Cision PR Newswire]
He mentioned that their microloan program represented an opportunity for them to assist small businesses in recovering from the pandemic and economic downturns while working towards a prosperous future. Pugh further expressed gratitude to Charter Communications, Webster Bank, UBS, M&T Bank, and all their partners who had played a crucial role in the successful launch of their new microloan program.
About Carver Bancorp, Inc.
Carver Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank, a renowned federally chartered stock savings bank. Headquartered in Harlem, New York, the company was established in 1948 with the mission to serve African-American communities where businesses, residents, and institutions had limited access to mainstream financial services. Recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Carver stands out for its community-centric banking services and unwavering commitment to enhancing the economic vitality and revitalization of its local community. The company holds the distinction of being one of the largest African- and Caribbean-American-managed banks in the United States.
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SMALL BUSINESS TRENDS
NEXT Insurance | September 20, 2023
NEXT Insurance, a renowned digital small business insurer, recently unveiled an innovative new offering that will empower agents to tailor coverage quotes precisely to the unique needs of their small business clientele. NEXT's Coverage Builder represents a significant advancement in granting agents the capability to finely customize small business insurance quotes while still retaining NEXT's hallmark instant bind capabilities. Coverage Builder is designed to be swift, user-friendly, and exclusively tailored for agents before purchase, equipping them with the necessary tools to choose suitable limits and maintain complete control over the coverage they're quoting.
With the introduction of Coverage Builder, agents can set their base policy limits, add or remove specific coverage, or adjust limits post-purchase. This functionality, combined with the convenience of instant underwriting and pricing updates, not only saves agents valuable time but also enables them to make adjustments instantly without the need to pick up the phone, eliminating the need for direct communication with an underwriter.
This represents NEXT's ongoing commitment to supporting its agents, offering them a digitally driven quoting experience that is user-friendly, accessible, and 100% online. Additionally, Coverage Builder will be accessible to all NEXT customers post-purchase, enabling small business owners to tailor their policies with immediate pricing adjustments and seamless policy management.
Cody L Slocum Lammers, Commercial Lines Agent & Broker at Affordable Insurance Solutions, commented,
NEXT's Coverage Builder feature is 100% hassle-free. This new feature sets NEXT Insurance to a new level, above its competitors, as this allows agents the flexibility to customize policies to fit the needs of each individual small business. It's user-friendly and simple to understand- this is truly a game changer for NEXT Insurance agents!
[Source – Cision PR Newswire]
This announcement follows NEXT's recent commercial umbrella/excess liability coverage launch to aid small businesses in their entrepreneurial journey. The digital small business insurer has also made strides by announcing its integration with Ivans Download for General Liability and Workers' Compensation policies and appointing Jack Ramsey as Vice President of Agent Business. These developments underscore NEXT's dedication to its agents and mission to enhance small business clients' insurance purchasing process with a smoother and more intuitive experience.
About NEXT Insurance
NEXT Insurance, a leading digital small business insurer, is spearheading the transformation of small business insurance by offering streamlined, digital, cost-effective, and tailored coverage solutions. With the trust of over 480,000 business proprietors, the company offers policies that are both convenient to purchase and grant uninterrupted access to Live Certificates of Insurance, additional insured, and more. Pioneering an industry historically known for its complexity, NEXT leverages the power of AI and machine learning to simplify the buying process and make affordable coverage accessible. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Palo Alto, the company has garnered a total of $881 million in venture capital funding.
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TECHNOLOGY
PR Newswire | September 29, 2023
Norton, a leading consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN), today announced Norton Small Business, the all-in-one cybersecurity solution to help entrepreneurs and small business owners protect their financial futures. While nearly 90%1 of businesses globally are small businesses - 99.9% in the US2 - many lack the means to protect their digital environments. Norton Small Business makes triple-lock protection accessible for small businesses to safeguard their team's online activities, devices and customer data in an easy, all-in-one cybersecurity solution.
"Owning a very small business often means each member of the team wears different hats, and usually cybersecurity expert isn't one of them," said Massimo Rapparini, General Manager & Head of Small Business Safety at Gen. "Unfortunately, cybercriminals are aware of this and often target such businesses – more than half (57%) of small businesses experienced a security, data breach or both in 20223. For entrepreneurs and small businesses, falling for just one phishing email can have a devastating impact."
Scams Taking Down Small Businesses
Small businesses face a barrage of scams and phishing threats, just like consumers. In fact, they are targeted more than large companies. Companies with fewer than 100 employees face an average of 350% more social engineering attacks than larger enterprises4, and according to data from Gen, cyber threats that rely on manipulating people account for 85% of attacks on small businesses in the US. Of these threats, phishing – for example, emails trying to trick you into clicking a link or transferring money – is the most common way cybercriminals try to access small business systems, private data, financials and intellectual property.
Businesses with under 10 employees often lack IT support, putting companies at great risk if cybercriminal attacks are successful – and many are. In 2020 alone, there were more than 700,000 attacks against small businesses totaling $2.8 billion in damages5. Norton Small Business helps small businesses disaster-proof their critical data to minimize the risk of financial loss.
Entrepreneurs Pursue Financial Freedom
Entrepreneurs often start their own businesses in pursuit of financial freedom and invest significant time, energy and personal savings to build their business. In fact, 61% of Gen Z small business owners believe entrepreneurship will lead them to retirement earlier than if they had gone straight to the corporate world6. Yet, small businesses are being heavily targeted by cybercriminals, leaving them at much higher risk of collapsing compared to larger firms when hit by a cyberattack.
With heightened risk and so much at stake, it's surprising that about half of businesses with under 50 employees have no cybersecurity budget at all7. The effects of a cyberattack extend beyond financial consequences, and it's time cybersecurity is pushed to the forefront of small business priorities.
Setting Up Your One-Person IT Department
Norton is your go-to partner to make small business cybersecurity simple with an all-in-one solution that provides 24/7 cybersecurity protection and a variety of features, including:
Secure Browser, Password Manager and VPN (virtual private network) to help secure day-to-day online activities
Automated PC cleaning and optimization to keep healthier PCs for longer
Secure Cloud Backup for PCs to help reduce the risk of loss of business data
Software and driver updaters to help keep software up to date, so there are fewer vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit
IT coverage and maintenance for up to 20 devices
A 100% Virus Protection Promise8
"We've built our small business products and services with the same approach in mind as we do with our consumer portfolio, so entrepreneurs don't need to worry about becoming cybersecurity experts," said Rapparini. "Norton is here to make cybersecurity accessible and easy so they can focus on building thriving businesses."
Norton recommends these top 10 tips to protect your small business:
Learn tospot signs of phishing andteach your employees
Only click links or download attachments from known sources
Avoid sharing personal information or private company data over email
Alwayskeep your operating system, applications and drivers up-to-date
Make sure yourWiFi network is protected with a strong password
Regularlyback up your data
Require employees to use aVPN when doing company work on a public WiFi network (think airports and coffee shops)
Alwaysuse multi-factor-authenticationfor an extra layer of protection
Don't neglect mobile devices – make sure they are password protected and use security software
Invest in a cybersecurity solution such as Norton Small Business
About Norton
Norton is a leading Cyber Safety brand of Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN), a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its family of trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, AVG, ReputationDefender and CCleaner. Gen empowers people to live their digital lives safely, privately, and confidently today and for generations to come. Gen brings award-winning products and services in cybersecurity, online privacy and identity protection to more than 500 million users in more than 150 countries.
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