Unprecedented competition.  That’s how experts characterize the current job market.  The pandemic and consequent economic downturn have created a job market never before seen in American history.  On the one hand, consumer spending continues to rise.  This puts money in the coffers of companies.  It also creates demand for competent employees.  And there’s the rub.…

If you own and operate your own business, you most likely began your journey with a dream to make the world a better place – and make a buck in the process – while doing what you love.  It doesn’t take long before reality barges into your dream like a common cold that can’t be cured and won’t relent.  You just have to figure out how to live with it.  Finding the right insurance for your small business can be like a runny nose that won’t go away.  Unless.

The scraping, bending metal crunch could be heard down the block.  No one was injured.  But these cars were going to need repair.  It would have only cost her $15 to repair the U-Haul.  But her husband didn’t want to get suckered into being nickeled-and-dimed into paying for another upcharge.  They didn’t add on the…

What is the most valuable resource in your company?  Without question – it’s the employees.  A business will only be as strong and stable as the people who make it run.  Great ideas, products, and services need great people to deliver them.  If you want quality people on your team, you must offer a benefits…

Have you ever thought that the Tooth Fairy is a little creepy?  Why does she want to collect the teeth of children?  And that – so badly - that she’ll even pay for them! While the myth of the Tooth Fairy (sorry for the spoiler!) may help comfort kids who are losing their teeth, it also helps prepare adults for reality – it pays to have good teeth!

“No good deed goes unpunished,” Oscar Wilde famously quipped.  Over 100 years ago.  Why does this still ring true?  If you are responsible for leading a religious institution, Oscar Wilde’s insight may make you feel seen.  You probably started your vocational journey to help others, bring healing to some, and do your part to make the world a better place.

The fairway is wide open.  Just a slight wind at your back with the sun’s warmth on your face.  The songbirds provide a soundtrack that can almost make you forget winter exits.  If you love golf, or know someone who does, little is more refreshing than those first few rounds of the season. As enjoyable…

We see you.   Scrap metal dealers are an overlooked, essential part of the economy.  Perhaps more importantly, scrap metal dealers help the environment in ways many companies can’t.   Scrap metal businesses are not junk yards.  They are recycling centers.  Businesses.  A benefit to neighbors and neighborhoods.   A scrap metal business can help people find that…

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”  Or so they say in Norway.   But in the US, some may disagree.  Arctic air continues to blast through the country to an unprecedented extent. Southern states have been frozen in ways they are not prepared to handle.  Those of us who live in the Northwest may…

An evening on the town being chauffeured in a limousine is a magical experience many dream of.   Memories are made.  Moments are captured.  Life-long commitments are sealed.   In the backseat of a limousine, celebrations erupt that will serve as joyful mile markers for many.  If you’re in the limousine business, you are making more than…

Road trip or fly?  Camping or hotel?  If you love road trips and camping, then RV living is for you!  It’s tough to beat life on the open road.   You get to experience new scenery.  Take unexpected detours.  Move at your pace.   In an RV, you can chase the setting sun all the way to…

Succeeding in the restaurant business is not easy.  According to research done by Caroline Price, 1 in 3 restaurants will not make it to their second year.   There are many reasons for this.  As it happens in so many industries, a person is gifted in a skill like construction, cooking, or creating art.   But they…

What made you leap into the world of craft brewing?  Was it to create a space for people to enjoy a good drink with good friends?   Or did your skill for crafting unique brews demand you take a step beyond enjoying a hobby and into running a business?   Perhaps you felt like this was your…

Technology has provided significant advantages to business owners.  With a strategic content strategy, competent SEO work, and quality goods to offer, you can thrive.   One of the great dangers, though, is the cyber security threats that lurk around every corner.  How is a small-to-medium-sized business owner supposed to stay on top of a rapidly evolving…

Have you bought groceries in the past six months?  Then you probably know how inflation feels.  In 2022, the inflation rate hit 9.1%.  That’s the highest increase since 1981.   Everyone feels this every day.   If you’re a business owner, you know how inflation has impacted your bottom line.  Check out this chart highlighting how inflation…

Have you ever wondered what the insurance premiums must be for waterpark owners?  If so, you might be a small business owner! All business carries risk.  Some more than others, though.  Especially in pioneering industries.  And in the emerging marijuana space, there are several different categories to consider.   Legal experts explain at least seven different types of marijuana businesses.  From cultivation…

Hindsight may always be 20/20.  Unfortunately for nearly 75% of the population, actual sight is not.  Neither is vision insurance.   While over 90% of people believe that vision insurance is important, nearly 50% of people do not enroll in vision coverage.    Why is this? Obstacles to Proper Vision Insurance  Individual Insurance Challenges Almost 50% of Americans buy their own, private health insurance.  Typically, when…

The days are getting longer.  The weather is warming up.  Spring is in the air.  An atmosphere of renewal is palpable.   There’s no doubt that you want to enjoy the warmth and maximize the unique opportunities that spring provides. Perhaps this is why so many people engage in spring cleaning.   Some tasks require motivation that isn’t easy to come…

Cabin Fever.  The Winter Blues.  For many, the winter season stretches further than your endurance.  Sure, you dreamed of a white Christmas.  But Bing Crosby didn’t croon for all of your post-Christmas holidays to be Merry, Bright, and White. Maybe this is why the peak travel time to Cancun Mexico is between December and April.  In fact, travel is…

If winter comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb.  If the groundhog sees his shadow, then there will be six more weeks of winter.  Or so they say.   The reality is, the weather does what it wants.  Winter can come in like a lion, stay like a lion, and leave like a lion.  It…

Do you know what the greatest expense is for operating a small business?  Labor.  Nerd Wallet estimates that a small business should plan to spend between 25% – 50% of its operating budget on payroll.       And yet – unless you are a solopreneur – hiring, training, developing, and retaining employees is a necessary component of operating your business.   Do you know…

The best offense is a good defense… Or so the sportscasters will tell you.  While that may or may not be true in sports, it’s certainly true in business.   As a small business owner, you provide workers comp insurance to protect yourself, business and employees.    You’re probably prepared for some of the curveballs that winter will force into…

Are you in the market for a new home?  If so, you probably have a realtor on your side.  As you should.  But do you have an insurance agent on your side?   Have you considered how much value an insurance agent brings to the home buying process?  Here are five reasons you want an insurance agent in your corner…

Managing all of your priorities as a business owner is not to be taken lightly.  Especially when those priorities seem to be in tension, maybe even competition.   New York State recently enacted the New York Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act.  How can you implement these requirements while maintaining the necessary productivity?  Your friends at JFA insurance are…

We are thrilled to announce that through JFA’s partnership with Berkshire Hathaway GUARD, we are expanding quality care and coverage into Maryland.   Berkshire Hathaway GUARD CEO Sy Foguel had this to say:  “With the continued expansion of our portfolio, our goal is to be the preferred insurance carrier our agents turn to for their insureds. With…

Commercial insurance helps protect your company, employees and leadership from unexpected losses. As a property and casualty insurance company with more than 200 years of experience, we’ve helped protect businesses of all sizes. From small businesses to large corporations, our commercial insurance policies can help protect you and your employees from different risks. Don’t just take…