??Printers, Popsicles, and Purposeful Planning.

Talk about a happy accident:?At the age of 11, Frank Epperson left a mixture of soda powder and water - along with a wooden stirrer -outside on a chilly San Francisco night, and?voila!?The Epsicle (later known as The Popsicle) was born.?Just goes to show your next great idea could be?closer (and colder) than you think. ??

ON TAP THIS WEEK

• Unplanned planning leads to planned unsuccess:??? What you need to know about?strategic planning?for your biz.
• Someone's got (our)?money to burn. ??
• This is starting to feel personal:?Why companies might be pressing pause ?? on future M+As.
• Bob the Builder? More like Paul the Printer:?????How additive manufacturing is reshaping the building industry.
• David's Bridal ???? is?saying "I Do" to bankruptcy...again.
• Debt debate:?To secure or not to secure…that is the question.??? Matt gives us his take in?this week's Money Minute.
• And from ??Around the Web:?Are you part of the 68%, do you?trust ChatGPT, and a missed opportunity to use the term "Ratbassador?"

THE CLASSROOM

The Power of Strategic Planning

by Luigi R.

Small biz owners: We see you out there juggling multiple tasks and wearing multiple hats and - quite frankly -?looking a bit like Dick Van Dyke's multi-tasking musician character in Mary Poppins.?It's no wonder it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations and neglect the bigger picture.?However, taking the time to strategize and plan for the future is crucial for success...and sustainability.

Explore these five examples of how strategic planning can help our business:

Keep Reading

HEARD ON THE STREET

?? G-7 10X Expense Accounts

G-7 held its annual summit in Japan this week.?Yawn.?Ministers from the Group of Seven countries arrived at a Japanese hot spring resort town for a rejuvenating soak and to discuss the world’s?most pressing geopolitical challenges, such as?China’s aggression toward Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, climate change, and the benefits of single malts.?We do the same thing every Monday on our podcast at a fraction of the cost.??

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??? Subject to Regulatory Approval

Gub'ment is putting the?anti in Antitrust. Uncle Joe's administration is not a fan of mergers.?These combined forces may create business efficiency, scale, and an increased tax base. For context, in 2017, Amazon completed its $13.7B Whole Foods?buyout within three months. Now it's taking years to complete the simplest of M+A deals. US tech mergers and acquisitions were down last year as companies faced a tougher market and the risk of FTC lawsuits. Given the agency's new groove, cost-cutting companies might think twice about snatching up startups –?until a more reasonable administration is in place.?Here are a few in its pipeline – err, crosshairs:

• Merck acquiring Prometheus Biosciences
• Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard
• Broadcom's acquisition of VMWare
• AMD acquisition of Xilinx
• Oracle's acquisition of Cerner
• Prologi's acquisition of Duke Realty
• Adobe's acquisition of Figma.
• Amazon's acquisition of iRobot

Get the picture??The business of government is government.?I guess these folks are just doing their jobs.

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???? ♂? Building Blocks without The Blocks

In architecture, new materials rarely emerge.?For centuries, wood, masonry, and concrete formed the basis for most structures on Earth.?Not since the adoption of steel has there been a technology with as much potential to transform the way buildings are made.

Large-scale additive manufacturing,?like desktop 3D printing, involves building objects one layer at a time.?Whether clay, concrete, or plastic, the print material is extruded fluidly and hardens into its final form.?This process involves three knowledge areas:?digital design, digital fabrication, and material science. Because additive manufacturing builds layer by layer, using only the material and energy required to make a particular component,?it’s a far more efficient building process than ‘subtractive methods,’ which involve cutting away excess material - think milling a wood beam out of a tree.?Less is finally more.?Architects and contractors, take heed!

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???? ♀?Dumb, Dumb, Da Dumb

Most small business owners would give a pinky for this sort of market share and brand recognition.?Selling one-third of US wedding dresses?wasn’t enough?to keep?David’s Bridal from its second bankruptcy filing in just five years.?Retail locations will stay open, and orders will be fulfilled while the company’s assets get sorted.?Businesses with poor cash flow management tend not to have lifelines shorter than a bridal dress’ train.

THE MONEY MINUTE WITH MRM

Secured vs. Unsecured Business Loans

with Matthew R. Meehan, CEPA

Everyone wants a low rate, right?

But the only way to get an extremely cheap rate nowadays is to get a secured loan.?That means you’re pledging collateral (house, car, assets your business owns, etc.). Rates are generally lower, but does that make it the best choice?

Watch my short explanation?of secured vs. unsecured loans, which one I prefer,?and what you should consider before signing any paperwork.

AROUND THE WEB

• We love to see it!?A new?survey from Incfile?found that 68% of Americans believe they have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.?F*ck yeah!?But it's not enough to just THINK it, folks.?You gotta put thought into action.?Lucky for you, we have?just the guidebook?to get you started.
• And the truth shall set you free:?At least, that's what Elon hopes as?he announced plans to launch his own (unbiased) version of ChatGPT.?But honestly, we don't know what all the fuss is about. When we asked ChatGPT to write a sentence about The Liquid Lunch Project Podcast hosts, it called us?"exceptional... bringing insightful discussions and a captivating energy that keeps listeners engaged and eager for more."?Where's the lie?
• Oh, rats.?While NYC is keen to get its rodent population under control (as shared in?last week's Weekly), the San Diego Zoo is doing its best to?counter the bad press with "Rat Ambassadors."?Trained to combat wildlife trafficking, detect diseases, and perform other valuable tasks, these creatures hope to benefit from a good PR team.