Sat.Jan 05, 2019 - Fri.Jan 11, 2019

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Cherry Home CEO: The Future Of Smart Homes And Independent Senior Living

PYMNTS

When talking about advances in home automation and artificial intelligence (AI)-guided systems for consumers, the conversation has a natural tendency to drift toward younger consumers, particularly millennials. That focus isn’t unwarranted, as there are 75 million millennials, and the older half of that generation (the group PYMNTS has termed Bridge Millennials ) is much more likely than the average consumer to own a smart device, and more likely to use it to make a purchase.

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5 Ways to Better Manage Veterinary Hospital Labor

Katz,Sapper&Miller

In the midst of the day-to-day flurry of wagging tails and purring patients, it’s easy to lose sight of strategies that can help keep a veterinary hospital healthy and running smoothly. Developing a plan to effectively manage labor costs is one strategy that can help do just that. So where should you start? Though it might sound daunting, simply being intentional about how you view and manage labor is the first step.

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Amazon Plans Whole Foods Expansions In Closed Sears Stores

PYMNTS

Amazon has its eyes on expansion for its Whole Foods brand in closed Sears and Kmart stores, according to a report by Yahoo! Finance. The recent woes of Sears and other struggling retailers are seen as an opportunity for the online retail giant. Sources told Yahoo! that the company is visiting sites of now defunct retail spaces. For example, Whole Foods managers went to a site in Utah that used to be a Kmart.

Montana 85
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Credit Card Surcharges OK’ed In New York

PYMNTS

New York has banned the ban. In the wake of court filings this week that effectively ended a challenge to surcharges on credit card transactions in New York, merchants in the Empire State can indeed embrace those fees, contingent upon stating those costs to consumers up front. The merchant plaintiffs and the state of New York filed motions on Jan. 8 to dismiss a challenge to such charges, seemingly capping a battle stretching back years.

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Mid-Year Review: How to Ignite Employee Potential Through Meaningful Feedback

Mid-year performance reviews aren’t just boxes for HR to check. Paycor’s toolkit empowers leaders to: Identify high-potential team members. Boost engagement with meaningful feedback. Support struggling employees. Nurture top talent to drive results. Learn how to ignite employee potential through meaningful feedback. When you nurture top talent, everybody wins.

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Ripple Hits Customer Milestone, Eyes X-Border Payments Disruption

PYMNTS

Ripple, the blockchain company that has the XRP digital currency, reached a milestone on Tuesday (Jan. 8) by reaching 200 customers. According to a blog post , Ripple said that in addition to the 200 customers, it has seen a 350 percent increase in customers who are sending live payments over its blockchain platform. The company announced that 13 new financial institutions, including Euro Exim Bank, SendFriend, JNFX, FTCS, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Transpaygo, BFC Bahrain, ConnectPay, GMT, WorldCo

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Alipay In X-Border Blockchain Pact

PYMNTS

The new year has dawned with a number of cross-border payment pacts, done across blockchain and other means. In Pakistan, as reported by Coindesk, Telenor Microfinance Bank and remittance firm Valyou Sdn Bhd (a Telenor subsidiary) have launched a payment platform based on Alipay’s blockchain offerings. That blockchain technology, in turn, had been developed by Ant Financial Services Group.

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U.S. Startups Raised A Record $130 Billion In 2018

PYMNTS

U.S. startups had a great 2018 in terms of funding, with new data showing that venture capitalists deployed $130.9 billion, marking a new all-time high. According to new data from the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor , the $130.9 billion deployed surpassed 2000, which was a record-setting year. “The venture ecosystem continued to slash records in 2018, further illustrating the maturation of the venture capital asset class, but also raising questions about the sustainability and health of these act

Finance 77
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Will Google And The Digital Economy Be Tied To EU’s ‘Right To Be Forgotten’?

PYMNTS

Excuse the hyperbole, but Google (and other search engines) dodged a bullet this week when it came to privacy regulations that come out of the European Union and then influence other jurisdictions. It’s way too early to call what happened a victory, but months after the EU imposed digital security and privacy regulations that have generally become a hassle and headache for online commerce and payment operations — regulations being imitated in other parts of the world — a favorable outcome in a “

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Comcast Launches AI-Powered Cybersecurity Service

PYMNTS

Comcast is releasing an artificial intelligence-powered service that will monitor, block and tell customers about online threats to devices connected to home networks, the company announced on Tuesday (Jan. 8). The new service, called Xfinity xFi Advanced Security, was developed to protect numerous smart devices from potential hackers and malware attacks.

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Alternative Payments Gain Global Traction, But Cash Remains Tough Foe

PYMNTS

The recent announcement that China’s UnionPay and Huawei are teaming up to bring Huawei Pay to Russia stands as the latest example that alternative payments are spreading to different parts of the world. It also provides another sign that that cash is, generally at least, slowly losing its dominance as a payment method in all types of economies. But while alternative payment methods are certainly on the upswing in 2019, there are significant hurdles that promise to impede their progress in the d

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Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: The New Way To Lead

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. But if you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner, and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top. 🗻 What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level. The higher you go, the more your effectiveness depends on how you connect, adapt, and communicate.

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Amazon Turns To VR To Boost Furniture Sales

PYMNTS

Amazon is hoping to increase purchases of furniture online, rolling out a new feature dubbed Amazon Showroom that takes advantage of virtual reality tools. According to a report in Chain Store Age , the new feature lets online shoppers place 3D images of furniture into a virtual room to get a sense of how it would really look. The room’s wall colors can be changed, as well as the carpet and flooring.

Sales 75
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Honda Expands In-Vehicle Payment Partnerships

PYMNTS

Paying on the go — literally, as in on the road and in the car — is gaining traction. As noted yesterday in the PYMNTS Digital Drive Report, 99 million drivers — commuters, to be exact — are connecting to their dashboards and driving $230 billion in commerce, buying everything from groceries to coffee. To that end, Honda has debuted its Honda Dream Drive prototype, billed as the “next generation infotainment, commerce, services and rewards” experience for drivers and passengers.

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Warren Bashes Wells, Equifax In Iowa Speeches

PYMNTS

Senator Elizabeth Warren didn’t hold back during her first trip to Iowa, going after Washington for being “corrupt” and “beholden to giant corporations.” In addition, Warren criticized the idea that wealthy potential presidential candidates might use their personal fortunes to finance their campaigns. “Campaigns should not be for sale,” she said, according to Bloomberg.

Iowa 75
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Online Sports Gambling Makes Bet On Faster Payments

PYMNTS

Few things feel better than the rush of a winning streak — money bet on a football or baseball team, or a sporting event, that turns into a pile of dough after a victory or beating the spread. But that excitement can quickly deflate if the winning gambler then must wait for his or her winnings. That’s where reloadable cards and instant access to funds come in — especially as the worlds of payments and commerce move further toward the goal of frictionless transactions and sports betting in the U.

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The Hidden Science Behind Why Finance Teams Resist Change—And How to Fix It

Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP

The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.

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UnionPay Launches Platform For Developers

PYMNTS

UnionPay International announced earlier in January that it rolled out the UPI Developer, which is a platform to create applications for cross-border payments. According to a report in Mobile Payments Today , the new platform is open and enables developers to create apps for cross-border mobile payments as well as other technologies. With the platform, developers can access UnionPay application programming interface so that UnionPay tech can be integrated into their own products. “With the

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Samsung Teams With Apple

PYMNTS

Samsung has announced that it will offer iTunes Movies and TV Shows and Apple AirPlay 2 support on all 2019 Samsung Smart TV models beginning this spring, while support on 2018 Samsung Smart TVs will launch through a firmware update. In addition, a new iTunes app will launch exclusively on Samsung Smart TVs in more than 100 countries, while AirPlay 2 will be available in 190 countries.

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How Finance Departments Can Mold Risk Mitigation Into Opportunity

PYMNTS

The enterprise is exposed to financial risks at just about every angle, with expansion across borders and into partnerships with unfamiliar firms upping the ante on both risk and reward. Analysts are urging corporates to enhance their risk management strategies in today’s particularly volatile climate. But enterprise risk management (ERM) isn’t just about playing defense; rather, strategic ERM enables professionals to identify new business opportunities that result from volatility, m

Finance 74
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HERE Releases New Social Transport App, SoMo

PYMNTS

HERE Technologies , a mapping and location data company, has released a new mobile transportation app called SoMo that hinges on a social aspect, according to a report from VentureBeat. Unlike, say, Uber or Lyft, SoMo allows users to plan trips based on events and friends. For example, if everyone is going to see a concert, they can coordinate in the app and carpool.

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Doing More With Less: The Modern Finance Miracle

Speaker: Mark Gilham, FCCA, CPP

Finance used to be the function that counted, now it's the one that’s counted on. 📊 For accounting firms, controllers, and finance leaders, expectations are rising faster than headcount. Businesses want agile forecasts, granular analysis, seamless reporting, and smart automation—often without added resources while demanding uncompromised accuracy and compliance.

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The Reality Of Real ID

PYMNTS

At times, it seemed it would not get this far: the Real ID Act. States resisted the post-9/11 authentication law, and sought extensions to its deadlines. Citizens raised complaints to lawmakers about the hassle of collecting birth certificates to prove identity, and the prospect of taking time away from work or personal lives to stand in long lines for the new forms of ID.

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EU Works To Quell Chaos Post-Bank Failures

PYMNTS

Launched in 2016, the Single Resolution Board ( SRB ) aims to make sure that the failure of one major bank does not impact the EU’s entire banking system or require a bailout from taxpayers. In an interview with The Financial Times , the agency’s head, Elke König, said that while there has been progress in how the EU handles bank failures, it is still “an ongoing challenge.”.

Gaming 73
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UK Tries Another Late Payments Tactic With Stoplight System

PYMNTS

The U.K. is launching a traffic-light warning system to spotlight large companies that fail to pay their suppliers on time. The Sunday Times reported that the plan will be revealed this week by the nation’s Small Business (SMB) Commissioner Paul Uppal. The only details released so far have said that a red light will be shown to identify repeat offenders, as well as for companies that fail to publish their payment terms, which they are obligated to do twice a year.

Retail 72
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Small Businesses At The Center Of Bots Vs Accountants

PYMNTS

Behind many shifting trends in small business (SMB) financial services — the rise of FinTech service providers, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), even regulatory efforts to promote bank switching — is a growing realization for the industry: Business owners don’t just want number crunchers and money holders; they want advisory services and guidance to help grow their firms.

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8 Pillars of Leadership Development

Great leadership development is the key to sustainable business growth. Are you ready to design an effective program? HR can use Paycor’s framework to: Set achievable goals. Align employee and company needs. Support different learning styles. Empower the next generation of leaders. Invest in your company’s future with a strong leadership development program.

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Taco Bell: Kiosks, The Ticket To QSR Order Customization

PYMNTS

To help modernize its restaurants and provide new ordering experiences to its diners, Taco Bell is bringing new technology into its brick-and-mortar restaurants across the country: The quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain is deploying self-service kiosks. The devices enable customers to peruse the Mexican-inspired chain’s menu and customize its selections to their tastes or dietary needs.

Retail 71
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With Appetite For Data And Social, Restaurant App Taste Gets Personal

PYMNTS

Entrepreneurs are constantly solving problems, and those challenges often come out of personal experiences. Kevin Vanderwarker, who co-founded dining recommendation platform Taste , traveled across the country for a number of jobs over the years and found it difficult to discover a good place to eat on the road. “The only way to find a good restaurant in my opinion was to call somebody you knew,” Vanderwarker told PYMNTS in an interview.

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Amazon Becomes World’s Most Valuable Company

PYMNTS

There’s a new king of the mountain in the seemingly endless tussle between the world’s four largest companies – Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and Apple. On Monday (Jan. 7), Amazon passed Microsoft as the largest company by market value, according to reports. Amazon was worth about $8 billion more than Microsoft on Monday, at $799 billion to Microsoft’s $791 billion.

Ohio 71
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Square Launches In-App Payments Kit For Sellers

PYMNTS

Payment company Square , popular for its square-shaped mobile card reader, has released an in-app payments software development kit (SDK) that will give developers and sellers alike a new way to process payments. The company announced on Wednesday (Jan. 9) that the SDK would allow a totally PCI-compliant, safe and secure payment flow in either Android or iOS apps.

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Protect What Matters: Rethinking Finance Ops In A Digital World

Speaker: Cheryl J. Muldrew-McMurtry

Distributed finance teams are rewriting how the back-office runs, and attackers are taking notes. Disconnected workflows, process blind spots, and rising cyber threats are more than just growing pains—they’re liabilities. The challenge isn’t just going remote. It’s building resilient systems that protect accuracy, control, and speed across every transaction and touchpoint.

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Sears To Close After 126 Years

PYMNTS

After 126 years in business as an iconic American retailer, Sears Holdings has reportedly turned down a bid by Chairman Eddie Lampert to help it stay open. But Lampert’s hedge fund, ESL Investments, reportedly wants to challenge the decision per unnamed sources with knowledge of the situation, CNBC reported. The hedge fund will reportedly refer to the advisory fees incurred by Sears over its bankruptcy, which are said to make up a portion of the retailer’s administrative expenses.

Retail 70
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Postmates Raises $100M As Online Food Delivery Heats Up

PYMNTS

The food delivery space keeps heating up — the latest news is that Postmates has scored a $100 million investment in advance of its initial public offering (IPO), expected with the first six months of 2019. And the coming months promise to bring more heat to this space as Uber heads toward its own IPO , and new delivery methods are tested. But consolidation looms, according to some observers, and online food delivery services will eventually have to shift more focus away from consumers and towar

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Visa, SiriusXM Pair On In-Car eWallets

PYMNTS

Visa and SiriusXM Connected Vehicles Services, a subsidiary of Sirius XM Holdings, have announced they are teaming up to launch a new in-vehicle payment solution. It has been projected that new services from the connected car space — on-demand mobility services, and data-driven services like applications, software and remote services — could generate as much as $1.5 trillion in additional revenue for the automotive industry by 2030.

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Carmakers Pump The Brakes On Driverless Technology

PYMNTS

Many carmakers have softened their stances on driverless technology because they’re not sure if the tech is quite ready for the mainstream. Financial Times reported that the mood about driverless cars has been noticeably different at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and that some companies that had previously touted the technology seem less eager to make the transition.

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Automation, Evolved: Your New Playbook for Smarter Knowledge Work

Speaker: Frank Taliano

Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.