You know you need media coverage. You know a press release is part of the process. But you are already running a business, managing a team, serving clients, and trying to grow — and writing is not exactly on your list of strengths.

So do you hire someone to do it or figure it out yourself?

In my experience working with entrepreneurs on media placements, the answer depends less on budget and more on what stage your business is at and what you are actually trying to achieve. I have seen business owners spend $2,000 on a PR writer and get nothing from it — and others write their own press release in an afternoon and land coverage in three publications.

This guide breaks down exactly when PR writing services are worth it, when they are not, and what the smartest options are in 2026 for every budget.

What Are PR Writing Services?

PR writing services cover a range of professional writing support for businesses looking to get media coverage. They include:

Press release writing. A professional writer crafts your press release from scratch based on information you provide. This is the most common PR writing service and ranges from budget freelancers to specialized PR agencies.

Media pitch writing. A writer crafts personalized pitches to specific journalists and editors on your behalf. More targeted and often more effective than a generic press release but requires more upfront research.

Feature story writing. A writer interviews you and crafts a full narrative feature about your business — the kind of long-form story that publications use as dedicated articles rather than brief news items.

PR agency retainers. Full-service PR agencies handle everything — strategy, writing, distribution, journalist relationships, and media monitoring — for a monthly retainer typically starting at $3,000 to $10,000 per month.

The Case for Hiring PR Writing Services

You Get Professional Quality Immediately

An experienced PR writer knows how to structure a press release that journalists actually read, craft a headline that gets opened, and frame your story in a way that resonates with media. If writing is not your strength, hiring a professional eliminates the learning curve entirely.

You Save Time

Writing a strong press release takes most business owners 3 to 5 hours — longer if it is their first one. A professional writer can produce the same output in a fraction of the time. For business owners whose time is genuinely worth more than the cost of the service, outsourcing makes clear financial sense.

You Get an Outside Perspective

One of the biggest challenges business owners face when writing their own press releases is being too close to the story. What seems obviously important to you may not be the most compelling angle for media. A good PR writer brings an outsider’s perspective and identifies the story angle that journalists will actually care about.

The Case for Doing It Yourself

Nobody Knows Your Story Better Than You

The most compelling business stories come from the person who lived them. No PR writer, no matter how skilled, can replicate the authenticity and specific detail that comes from you telling your own story. For businesses where the founder’s personal journey is central to the brand, DIY writing often produces better results.

The Cost Savings Are Significant

Professional press release writing services range from $200 for a freelancer on Fiverr to $2,000+ for a specialized PR writer. For small businesses doing multiple releases per year, those costs add up quickly. Learning to write your own press releases is a skill that pays dividends indefinitely.

AI Tools Have Leveled the Playing Field

In 2026, business owners have access to AI writing tools that can produce a solid first draft press release in minutes. Tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Jasper can generate a structured press release from a few bullet points — which you then refine and personalize with your own voice and specific details. This hybrid approach gives you the speed of professional writing at a fraction of the cost.

What PR Writing Services Actually Cost in 2026

Understanding the market rates helps you evaluate whether any given service is worth the investment:

The Problem With Most PR Writing Services

Here is what the industry rarely tells you upfront:

Writing the press release is the easy part. Getting it covered is the hard part.

Most PR writing services deliver a document. That document still needs to be distributed, pitched, and followed up on before it generates any actual media coverage. You can pay $1,000 for a beautifully written press release and still get zero coverage if it never reaches the right journalists or fails to connect with a timely story angle.

This is the fundamental limitation of PR writing as a standalone service. It solves the writing problem without solving the coverage problem.

A Smarter Alternative: Direct Feature Placement

Rather than paying for writing services and then separately worrying about distribution and pickup, some businesses choose a more direct path — working with a publication that handles both the writing and the publishing in a single package.

This is exactly what CEO Medium offers. Rather than delivering a press release document that you then have to distribute and hope gets picked up, CEO Medium writes and publishes a dedicated feature story about your business directly on the platform — permanently indexed on Google, written by experienced writers, and syndicated to additional outlets depending on your package.

The key difference is guaranteed placement. You are not paying for a document. You are paying for a published article about your business that is live, indexed, and working for you from day one.

When to Hire PR Writing Services vs. Each Alternative

Hire a PR writer if:

• You have a significant one-time announcement — funding round, major launch, acquisition
• You are targeting top-tier national media and need a polished, professional release
• Writing is genuinely not your strength and you have the budget

Do it yourself if:

• You are just getting started and need to learn the basics
• Your budget is limited and you are willing to invest time instead of money
• Your story is deeply personal and you want to tell it in your own voice

Use AI tools if:

• You need to produce multiple press releases regularly
• You want professional quality without professional cost
• You are comfortable editing and personalizing AI-generated drafts

Use direct feature placement if:

• You want guaranteed published coverage rather than a document that may or may not get picked up
• You want a permanent SEO-indexed article about your business on Google, the kind that top business magazines publish about entrepreneurs every day
• You want your story told in depth rather than summarized in a 400-word press release

How to Evaluate Any PR Writing Service Before You Pay

Before hiring any PR writing service, ask these five questions:

1. Do they have samples of press releases that generated actual coverage? Anyone can write a press release. Ask for examples where their writing led to measurable media pickup. If they cannot provide examples, that is a red flag.
2. Do they understand your industry? A writer who covers technology startups may not understand the nuances of real estate, healthcare, or financial services. Industry knowledge matters because journalists can spot generic, uninformed pitches immediately.
3. What is included beyond the writing? Does the service include distribution? Follow-up pitching? Revisions? Understanding the full scope of what you are paying for prevents surprises later.
4. What is their revision policy? Your story needs to sound like your business. A good PR writer should be willing to revise until the tone, facts, and angle are right.
5. Can they guarantee anything? Most PR writing services cannot — and will tell you so honestly. If a service promises guaranteed coverage from a press release alone, approach with caution. The only way to guarantee coverage is to work directly with a publication.

Building Your Own PR Writing Capability

If budget is a constraint and you are committed to handling PR in-house, here is a practical path to building the skill yourself:

Start with the basics. Read our guide on how to write a press release — it covers the exact format, structure, and common mistakes that kill your chances of getting covered.

Use AI as your first draft tool. Feed your key facts into an AI writing tool and let it generate a structured first draft. Then rewrite the opening paragraph in your own voice, add specific data points, and insert a genuine quote from yourself or a client.

Study what gets covered. Spend 20 minutes a week reading the business section of your target publications. Notice what kinds of stories they run, what angles they favor, and what their readers care about. The more you understand the publication, the better you can tailor your pitches.

Write one press release a month. Like any skill, PR writing improves with practice. Commit to writing and distributing one press release per month regardless of how polished you think it is. The learning compounds quickly.

Final Thoughts

PR writing services are a legitimate investment for businesses with the budget and the right announcement to justify them. But they are not magic — and they are not the only path to getting your business covered in media.

Whether you hire a professional writer, use AI tools to produce your own releases, or work directly with a publication for guaranteed placement, the most important factor is consistency. Businesses that show up in media consistently are the ones that get remembered, trusted, and chosen.

If you are ready to skip the uncertainty and get a dedicated feature story published about your business today, CEO Medium works with entrepreneurs and small business owners across the US to make that happen — starting at $999.

Ready for guaranteed coverage? CEO Medium publishes dedicated feature stories for entrepreneurs and business owners. Get Featured Today or email info@ceomedium.com.

The post PR Writing Services: When to Hire One vs. Do It Yourself (2026 Guide) appeared first on CEO Medium.

Getting your press release in front of the right journalists, editors, and media outlets is the part most business owners underestimate. You can write the most compelling press release in the world and still get zero coverage if it never reaches the right people.

That is where press release distribution services come in.

In my experience working with small business owners and entrepreneurs on media placements, the distribution method you choose makes as much difference as the press release itself. Send it the wrong way and it disappears into a void. Send it the right way and you wake up to coverage in publications you never even pitched.

I have seen businesses spend $1,500 on PR Newswire distribution and get zero pickup  and others get featured in 12 publications from a single well-placed direct pitch that cost nothing.

This guide breaks down the best press release distribution services available in 2026, what they cost, who they are best for, and what the alternatives are if you want better results for less money.

What Is a Press Release Distribution Service?

A press release distribution service takes your press release and sends it to a network of journalists, newsrooms, editors, and media databases on your behalf.

The basic promise is simple: instead of manually building a media list and pitching hundreds of journalists one by one, you pay a service to do the distribution for you at scale.

Some services distribute to thousands of outlets simultaneously. Others focus on specific industries or regions. Some offer SEO benefits by publishing your release on high-authority news sites. The quality, reach, and cost vary dramatically between providers.

The Best Press Release Distribution Services in 2026

1. PR Newswire – Best for Maximum Reach

PR Newswire is the largest and most established press release distribution service in the world. A single release distributed through PR Newswire can reach thousands of newsrooms, journalists, and media databases simultaneously.

Best for: Large announcements, funding rounds, public company news, product launches targeting national media.

Cost: Starts around $350 per release for regional distribution. National distribution runs $800 to $1,500+ depending on word count and add-ons.

Pros:

• Widest distribution network in the industry
• Strong SEO benefits from syndication on high-authority news sites
• Trusted by journalists as a credible source

Cons:

• Expensive for small business owners
• No guarantee of actual journalist pickup or coverage
• Releases often get lost in the volume of content distributed daily

2. Business Wire  – Best for Financial and Corporate News

Business Wire is owned by Berkshire Hathaway and is the preferred distribution service for corporate announcements, earnings releases, and financial news. It has deep relationships with financial media and wire services.

Best for: Financial announcements, investor relations, corporate news, regulated industries.

Cost: Similar to PR Newswire – starts around $400 for regional, $900+ for national.

Pros:

• Strong reach into financial and business media
• Trusted by Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Reuters
• Good compliance tools for regulated industries

Cons:

• Overkill for most small businesses
• High cost with no guaranteed coverage
• Interface is dated and not beginner-friendly

3. EIN Presswire – Best Budget Option for Basic Distribution

EIN Presswire offers one of the most affordable entry points into press release distribution. For small businesses that want basic distribution without spending hundreds of dollars per release, it is a reasonable starting point.

Best for: Small businesses, startups, local businesses doing their first press releases.

Cost: Starts at $99 per release. Annual plans available for frequent users.

Pros:

• Affordable compared to PR Newswire and Business Wire
• Distributes to Google News and industry-specific outlets
• Simple to use

Cons:

• Smaller distribution network than premium services
• Less credibility with top-tier journalists
• Limited SEO impact compared to higher-tier services

4. Globe Newswire – Best for Mid-Market Businesses

Globe Newswire sits between EIN Presswire and PR Newswire in terms of reach and cost. It is a solid option for mid-sized businesses that need broader distribution than budget services offer but cannot justify the cost of PR Newswire.

Best for: Mid-market companies, technology businesses, businesses targeting trade media.

Cost: Starts around $200 per release for basic distribution.

Pros:

• Good balance of cost and reach
• Strong in technology and financial sectors
• Distributes to AP, Reuters, and major financial databases

Cons:

• Less name recognition than PR Newswire or Business Wire
• Pickup rates vary significantly by industry

5. Prowly – Best for Building Your Own Media List

Prowly takes a different approach from traditional distribution services. Rather than blasting your release to a generic network, Prowly gives you tools to build your own targeted media list, manage journalist relationships, and distribute directly to contacts who actually cover your industry.

Best for: Businesses doing ongoing PR who want to build real journalist relationships over time.

Cost: Starts at $258 per month — a subscription model rather than per-release pricing.

Pros:

• Targeted outreach rather than mass distribution
• Built-in media database with journalist contact info
• PR analytics and tracking

Cons:

• Monthly subscription is expensive for occasional use
• Requires more effort than set-and-forget distribution services
• Better suited for businesses with dedicated PR resources

The Hard Truth About Press Release Distribution Services

Here is what most distribution services will not tell you upfront:

Distribution does not equal coverage.

You can spend $1,500 sending a press release through PR Newswire and get zero journalists writing about your business. Distribution services guarantee that your release gets sent — they do not guarantee that anyone reads it, cares about it, or publishes a story about it.

The reality is that journalists receive hundreds of press releases every day through these services. Most get skimmed and deleted within seconds. Unless your story is genuinely newsworthy and perfectly timed, mass distribution alone is unlikely to generate meaningful coverage.

This does not mean distribution services are useless. They serve a real purpose — particularly for SEO, since your release gets published on hundreds of news sites and creates backlinks to your website. But if your goal is actual media coverage and real stories written about your business, distribution alone is rarely enough.

What Actually Gets Results: A Smarter Approach

The businesses that consistently earn media coverage in 2026 use a combination of approaches rather than relying on any single service:

Targeted direct outreach to journalists who specifically cover their industry, combined with a well-crafted pitch tailored to each contact.

HARO responses to get quoted in articles journalists are already writing, which requires no pitch and no distribution fee.

Direct publication partnerships with business media outlets that feature entrepreneurs and business owners as part of their editorial model.

That last option is worth understanding in more detail. Rather than paying $500 to $1,500 to distribute a press release that may never get picked up, some business owners choose to work directly with publications like CEO Medium to get a dedicated feature story written and published about their business.

The difference is significant. A press release distributed through a wire service is one of thousands sent that day. A dedicated feature story published on CEO Medium is a permanent, SEO-indexed article specifically about your business – written to rank on Google and reach your target audience directly.

Press Release Distribution vs. Direct Feature Placement: A Comparison

Which Press Release Distribution Service Should You Choose?

Here is a simple decision framework based on your situation:

If you are a small business doing your first press release and want basic distribution without spending a lot: Start with EIN Presswire at $99. It gives you Google News distribution and a reasonable starting point without a major financial commitment.

If you are announcing something significant, a funding round, major partnership, or product launch targeting national media: PR Newswire or Business Wire give you the widest reach and the most credibility with top-tier journalists.

If you want ongoing PR capability and are committed to building real journalist relationships over time: Prowly gives you the tools to do that properly.

If you want guaranteed coverage with a permanent article indexed on Google that specifically tells your business story: Working directly with a business publication like CEO Medium is the most efficient path.

Final Thoughts

Press release distribution services are a legitimate tool in your media strategy but they work best as part of a broader approach rather than a standalone solution.

Use distribution to get your news out broadly and build SEO backlinks. Use targeted outreach and HARO to build real journalist relationships. And use direct publication partnerships to guarantee that your story gets told the way it deserves to be told.

The goal is not just to send a press release. The goal is to get your business in front of the right people, build credibility that compounds over time, and make it impossible for your target customers to miss you.

If you are ready to go beyond distribution and get a dedicated feature story published about your business, CEO Medium works with entrepreneurs and small business owners across the US to make that happen.

Want guaranteed coverage instead of hoping your press release gets picked up? CEO Medium publishes dedicated feature stories for business owners starting at $999. Get Featured Today or email info@ceomedium.com.

The post Press Release Distribution Services: The Best Options Compared in 2026 appeared first on CEO Medium.

In addition to his ventures in the crypto space, Cole Diamond has expanded into several other industries. He is the controlling shareholder of Ghost Kitchens International, a company revolutionizing the food delivery market through its innovative online order fulfillment model. Within the hospitality sector, Cole co-founded Vela, a top-rated fine-dining restaurant in downtown Toronto, and serves as the largest shareholder. He is also an investor and board member at Stella, an upscale Italian restaurant in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

As an investor, Cole is passionate about supporting startups and innovative new ventures. He has backed companies like Big Digital, KEEP, and RoketEV. His investment portfolio extends to real estate, where he has strategically assembled a diverse range of properties in promising markets.

Cole’s career is defined by his ability to take on big challenges and big risks, disrupting industries ranging from cryptocurrency to food service and retail. His latest project, Trade In, is a tech company set to launch in 2025.

We were fortunate enough to catch up with Cole Diamond and ask him a few questions about his career journey, his philosophy on entrepreneurship, and his plans for any exciting new projects.

Q: As an entrepreneur many times over, what lessons have you learned from co-founding successful ventures like Coinsquare and Tetra Trust that you can share with our readership?

Cole Diamond: A lot of the conventional wisdom surrounding entrepreneurship is actually quite true. You have to be tenacious and adaptable. You also need to have a vision for what you want to accomplish and an inherent need to succeed against all odds. An optimistic outlook also helps things along, without question. And it goes without saying that you need to have a product or service that the public wants to buy. I realize that these are generalities, but they happen to be true and critical. 

Q: You co-founded Coinsquare in 2016, which means you were a pretty early adopter in cryptocurrency terms. What inspired you to enter into that relatively unknown and unestablished industry at that point?

Cole Diamond: Put simply, I saw the potential for cryptocurrency to change the world. In the lead-up to launching Coinsquare, I also saw that Canada was lagging a bit behind in the crypto sphere, and consequently, there was space for me to fill a critical gap in the market. After realizing all this, I acted fast, and within a shorter amount of time than anticipated, the company was rocketing its way to success. It was very good timing. 

Q: You’re also an investor known for supporting several startups, which is a notoriously risky thing to do. Do you have any special criteria you use when deciding where to invest your capital?

Cole Diamond: Most of my criteria for investment is based around two things: one, the idea. The idea has to be sound, well-thought-out, and above all else, innovative. I don’t have a great deal of interest in backing a rehashed version of an old idea. The second criterion I use is my impression of the entrepreneur in question. Most of my decision comes down to instinct. Is this person a go-getter? Do they truly believe in themselves and their abilities? Do they inspire confidence? Can they sell their idea well? All of these are factors I consider.

Q: What advice would you give to novice or would-be entrepreneurs interested in entering the rapidly changing tech industry?

Cole Diamond: The best piece of advice I can relay is that you absolutely, positively must stay up to date on all the latest developments—there’s just no way around it. Without mincing words, the tech space is a cutthroat environment, meaning that if you don’t continuously refine and optimize your processes, procedures, and equipment, you will inevitably fall behind your competitors. It’s not an industry that rewards complacency; quite the opposite. You have to be nimble, open-minded, and always thinking about your next move. And you need to be fast to adjust your product or service once you get to market and your customers start giving you feedback. 

Q: Looking ahead, what can you share about your upcoming tech project, Trade In, and what makes it unique in the market?

Cole Diamond: At this point in Trade In’s development, there’s not too much I can share with the press. Suffice it to say, the company operates in the tech space and even now we’re looking into doing some things that will make a big splash within the auto industry. I will say this: stay tuned for the grand debut in 2025. It’s going to be big.

The post Future Forward: Cole Diamond of Coinsquare Fame on Innovation and Investment appeared first on CEO Medium.

The British economy is still struggling to recover from the pandemic, according to the latest data. The economy is 0.5% smaller than it was before the pandemic, and experts say that the main reasons for this are the lingering effects of the pandemic and the tighter post-Brexit immigration rules.

The ongoing skills shortage is a major challenge for businesses, but it is also an opportunity for those who are proactive. Here are our top tips for businesses facing labor challenges in 2023.

UK industries with skills shortages

To begin, it is important to identify the industries in the UK that are most affected by the skills shortage. A recent study found that the country’s biggest shortfalls are in a variety of sectors, including:

• Transport and logistics: This sector is facing a shortage of skilled drivers, warehouse workers, and customs agents.
• Hospitality: This sector is facing a shortage of skilled chefs, waiters, and hotel staff.
• Manufacturing and construction: These sectors are facing a shortage of skilled engineers, carpenters, and electricians.

Invest in your workforce for long-term success

Recruiting top talent is a time-sensitive process, as there is only a limited pool of qualified candidates available. A recruitment agency can help you find the right people quickly and efficiently.

Recruitment agencies have wider referral networks as a third party, allowing them to identify candidates with the necessary work experience. They also focus on different industries, so you can locate an agency that meets your specific requirements.

Recruitment agencies can help you find new talent with the core skills to help your company reach its goals.

Invest in your workforce to boost your business
Often, the skills you need are already present in your workforce, but they may not be fully utilized. By upskilling your employees, you can give them the skills they need to take on new challenges and responsibilities.

Upskilling your workforce can be a great way to improve your business and the skills of your employees. By following these tips, you can make the upskilling process a success.

Organizations with more resources may even pay for their employees to enroll in external training programs offered by universities or colleges. This personalized investment in your workforce can build loyalty and even provide a valuable public relations opportunity.

Utilise Apprenticeship to train and upskill your workforce
Apprenticeships can be a long-term solution to skills shortages. They can help employers reach a wider talent pool and offer prospective employees a strong, high-quality alternative to the traditional university degree.

A multi-pronged approach to recruitment that includes building relationships with educational institutions can help businesses find top talent at the source.

Boost your marketing reach and visibility
A strong marketing strategy can make your company more attractive to prospective employees. This is because it can help to increase brand awareness and generate interest in your company. You can partner with local educational institutions, promote your job openings on social media and in the local press, and track your results to improve your marketing strategy and attract future employees.

Sources 

GDP – data tables – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)  

Immigration – Winckworth Sherwood LLP (wslaw.co.uk) 

UK employers struggle with worst labour shortage since 1997 | Business | The Guardian 

The post Overcoming Skills Gaps: A Guide for Businesses appeared first on CEO Medium.

Fauteux firmly believes in the responsibility of leaders to contribute to the preservation of our world. In his words, “I believe that everyone in a leadership position has the responsibility to ensure we are protecting nature and acting sustainably. Without it, little of what we do or achieve holds significance or meaning. After all, we have to ensure that we have a place where others following in our footsteps have the opportunity to achieve their own goals.”

Fauteux’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree earned in 1995 from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. He also pursued further education, completing a Management Certificate from the American Management Association of International in 1999 as well as an Indigenous Studies Certificate from the University of Alberta in 2017. 

In this capacity as Senior Director of P3 at EQUANS Services, he’s responsible for managing the strategic delivery operations of multiple P3 contracts in both Canada and the United States. His areas of oversight encompass transit, healthcare, transportation, and cultural infrastructure. 

What does your day-to-day generally look like given your position?

Contract, Vendor, and Client Management are the activities that take up most of my day.  Making sure we are delivering on our commitments and serving our clients in the best, most sustainable way we can.

What initially inspired you to get into the field you’re in?

Leadership has always been the thing that I’ve gravitated to normally and environmentalism and sustainability are things that mean a lot to me personally. So being able to lead and contribute in those important areas has been great.

What do you think makes a great leader?

I generally subscribe to servant leadership so listening is where everything starts.  As a generalist, I believe strongly in putting the right people in the right places and then making sure you can support success, help them grow, and clear barriers for them. I also believe strongly that what gets measured, gets done so I am a big proponent of having accountability systems in place to track success.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

The biggest misconception is that environmentalism and sustainability are only for environmentalists and that simply is not true. Everything we build, operate, occupy, use, etc. can be better more sustainable, and less harmful to the environment around us.  Keeping this in mind, ALL of us are responsible for this, not just the environmentalists.

What do you believe your future career is going to look like five years from now?

I imagine that I will be leading sustainably in whatever industry needs me. 

The post Our Interview With Brad Fauteux, senior director of P3 Management at EQUANS appeared first on CEO Medium.

 How did you get into the fintech industry?

 My main motivation was after identifying significant challenges with the availability of SME data when I started Nucleus. Another inspiration was Uber; the simplicity of the concept, its ease of use and the part it plays in everyday life. I wanted to provide tools and funding to enable SMEs to be run more efficiently.

 What is the story behind Nucleus Commercial Finance Ltd and what did you want to achieve?

 When I started Nucleus back in 2011, I wanted to make us an alternative lender in the UK SME market. I wanted to provide a multi-product offering which was similar to what the banks already did but had a quicker application process, making it easier for SMEs to access. Since then, and over the last seven years in particular, we have focused on becoming a true partner for SMEs, helping them to use their data more effectively to make more timely decisions and providing our clients with clear visibility in terms of liquidity and our available loans offerings. Today, we are a leading fintech company in the UK, with market-leading technology capabilities.

 What core products does Nucleus Commercial Finance Ltd offer and how do they help the customer?

 For more than 11 years now, we have been supporting UK SMEs with critical funding. During that time, we’ve improved the business by adding new products and talented people to our ever-expanding team. By leveraging the best-in-class technology, we can quickly provide SMEs with the funds they require. We give our clients the choice and flexibility they need to thrive by offering them funding between £3,000 and £5 million through both secured and unsecured products. Additionally, our award-winning technology has enabled us to streamline and automate the whole process to provide a hassle-free funding journey for both our clients and introducers.

 As far as the availability of business finance and lending, what are the biggest challenges involved, and how are you helping borrowers deal with them?

 There is a distinct mismatch between SMEs’ expectations and what lenders can offer. As a result, we are seeing fewer approval rates, lower amounts offered, higher rates and more security requested by lenders across the market. This has created a dysfunctional market. Despite this, we are seeing signs of improvement and expect that lending conditions will get better in the second quarter. This will be driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, which has enabled lenders to shorten the loan application time, provide instant decisions, and enable better decision-making on credit and greater access to finance for SMEs with shorter trading histories. We have focused on becoming a true partner for SMEs, helping them to leverage their data in order to make more timely decisions and providing our clients with clear visibility in terms of liquidity and our available loan offerings.

 How can SMEs access finance more easily through technological advances such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, combined with the advent of open banking?

 On first impressions, AI and open banking may seem completely unrelated concepts. But combined they are fundamentally changing the way that the lending industry works – for the better. That’s because, while open banking brings unparalleled access to vast swathes of customer data, without AI, analysing that data would take a huge amount of time and resources, thus limiting the number of credit applications lenders can process, as well as their potential profitability.

 AI bias become a well documented problem of late. Why is this and how is the credit sector tackling the issue?

 AI has the potential to incorrectly and unfairly interpret data, often favouring one group of people over another. The problem has been exacerbated by humans choosing the data that the algorithm will use and how those results will be applied and then the AI systems merely replicate those biased models in a continuous vicious circle. By understanding how algorithms make decisions, and closely monitoring the data they use to quickly detect and eliminate any issues, the credit sector is leading the way on tackling AI bias. But it still needs to go further to ensure that certain groups of customers aren’t unfairly discriminated against on key lending decisions.

 Over the next 10 years, what will be the biggest disruptors in business finance?

 AI-driven platforms combined with embedded finance solutions will help overcome key issues and challenges in business finance. In the future, it will be a quick, short user journey, with the aim of providing one-click lending. SMEs are also being enabled to make informed decisions in a timely manner by real-time insights gathered from data analyzed by Fintechs’ platforms. As we collect more data and enrich the AI platform, it will enable better predictions for companies. Our Pulse product is a prime example of this. 

 In terms of fintech innovation, what will be the biggest challenges ahead?

 We need the full ecosystem to develop and harness the benefits of technology and AI. The biggest challenges we see are the reluctance and slow adoption by incumbents, such as banks, and oversight by regulators. Platforms over-promising and under-delivering is another problem. When we are trying to increase acceptance of fintech solutions among business owners this is a significant risk. Finally, there’s the issue of compliance.

 How can fintech work alongside traditional banking and finance, rather than been seen as a competitor?

 There are increasing cases of new partnerships between banks and fintechs. As fintechs need to deliver results, gain trust and remain transparent, and banks must weigh risks of adoptions with the risks of standing still and being left behind, it’s the perfect match.

 What are your future objectives for Nucleus Commercial Finance and how will you achieve them?

 To provide cutting-edge business insights using our technology. This will include a real-time snapshot of the business to all decision-makers; the ability to drill down into granular detail and make more informed decisions; and one-click lending, so SMEs always know how much they can borrow and can access funds within a matter of seconds.

The post Helping SMEs Access Solution-Led Finance: Interview with Chirag Shah, Founder and CEO of Nucleus Commercial Finance Ltd appeared first on CEO Medium.

Here are four key areas to focus on, which can help anyone to develop their own effective leadership style and to inspire bold leadership culture in their organisations.

SELF: Developing Conscious Identity

Bold leadership culture starts with being kind to yourself, recognising your true self in your work, and engaging your entire purpose in what you bring as a leader. But there is no leadership without learning.

To truly understand our strengths and limitations as leaders, we need to develop our conscious identity, and this requires constant learning. If we can commit to this evolutionary framework, we can learn to expand our ability to take risks, and perform at the top of our game.

When faced with challenges or in critical transition moments, we need to ask ourselves important questions: What are the beliefs that drive our behaviours? What can I live without and what are the habits that are getting in the way of being my best self?  Who am I being whilst I’m on that path? When we reflect and find different perspectives and question how we can be better, we can develop more self-awareness, understand the impact we have in our communities and un-tap our potential to create bold leadership culture. This self-awareness will allow us to lead by example to delegate, motivate, inspire, and confront the challenges we face head-on.

But we cannot do it alone!

OTHER: Creating Relationship Agility  

Building a culture of bold leadership depends heavily on flexing our trust muscles and empowering others to be their best, reflective, learning selves as well. Creating relationship agility means co-creating with other people, learning how to show our humanness, being approachable and practising authenticity in our relationships.

This does not happen in isolation. We work with other people every day and these people are all different and bring different things to the equation. They have different ideas, approaches, weaknesses and strengths, and bold leadership culture means navigating these and using them to optimise results. We must be ready to find different ways of doing things together, as a team, and should avoid imposing our way exclusively.

We can’t know everything, be everywhere or do everything on our own, so bold leadership culture also means trusting that other people’s greatness is part of the equation and having the ability to let go of some of the control to work together.

This letting go requires trust, vulnerability, and intimacy. If we surround ourselves with trusted people who can call each other fourth, we can grow through our relationships, and success becomes unequivocally tied to other people, our interactions and collaborations.

UNIVERSE: Unlocking Collective Intelligence

Bold leadership culture involves learning how to listen to basic patterns of thought and behaviour within the workplace and noticing what the organisation needs and how to contribute to those needs.

If we listen to work culture, the environment, what’s happening in the organisation, and the patterns that are informing us we can better understand what’s needed in the hive. Unlocking this collective intelligence is also about speaking up, noticing what is needed and delivering, to honour shared consciousness and the role it has in informing decision-making.

We also need to be aware of our impact in a wider, global sense. How are we a part of the world around us? What is our contribution? How are we shaping culture? How are we building the future? What is the bigger picture?

Bold leadership culture means recognising everything that concerns us and everything that shapes the world. If we can think more universally and be actively part of a whole, our engagement will become less about self-preservation and so less self-defensive. Instead, we can become empowered and proactive with a greater sense of shared purpose, accountability, and positivity for the world.

LEGACY: Demonstrating Purposeful Achievement

A bold leadership culture requires us to think about our legacy and the impact we want to create.

If we create a platform for meaningful, value-based work and entrepreneurial passion rather than just simply executing tasks, a culture of bold leadership can be established. Values of intimacy, compassion, and getting to know our teams enough to understand individuals’ values and potentials, are essential foundations in the building of a bold leadership culture.

Leadership models that appreciate these individual values and strengths in the workplace will allow for more meaningful work and enable teams to be engaged and motivated to contribute.

If we are to leave the legacy we wish for, we have to act in the present and be aware that everything matters. How are we honouring our purpose right now? Am I fulfilling my purpose in life? Am I in the right place to do that? What difference can I make in the world? What is the best impact I can make? What will my legacy be? Am I working from a place of self-preservation or a place of growth, togetherness and optimism?

If we can stand up, and take risks based on our values and purpose, we can dare to swim upstream and create cultures of bold leadership, which will make the world and our organisations better places.

Zana Goic Petricevic is an internationally certified leadership coach and consultant. She is the founder of Bold Leadership Culture, and the author of Bold Reinvented: Next level leading with Courage, Consciousness and Conviction.

The post Four Steps To Creating A Bold Leadership Culture appeared first on CEO Medium.

Courtesy of CEO Medium, here’s a roundup of great cities to check out, plus some best practices for living in an RV while running a business.

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, is renowned for its trendy music scene and buzzing young population that’s three years younger than the national average. However, the city also has a fantastic startup community, making it a great spot for entrepreneurs. Built-In Austin has a guide to area startups and business support systems.

If you’re looking for a place to park your home in Austin, do your research first. Downtown is the heart of the action, with loads of live music venues, while North Austin is more family-friendly. Familiarizing yourself with the different neighbourhoods while you’re in an RV will allow you to determine where you’d like to live if you want to rent or buy a house.

Santa Monica, California

If you like spending time outdoors, consider taking your RV to Santa Monica, California. The weather is great and you can enjoy nature in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Santa Monica is also great for entrepreneurs, with an active startup scene and lots of great coworking spaces.

Santa Monica also has no shortage of places to park your RV. Popular nearby spots include Crystal Lake Campground and Circle X Ranch Group. If you’re done with the RV life and decide to settle down here, you can find more affordable housing in the Mar Vista part of town, close to the college.

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is another startup hotspot well worth a look if you’re a digital nomad entrepreneur. According to Boulder Startups, the city has some of the country’s top tech startups and thriving local innovation industry. You’ll find plenty of opportunities for networking, collaborating, and building a business.

One drawback of Boulder is that it has a fairly high cost of living. However, if you’re living in an RV, you don’t have to worry about paying rent or a mortgage. If you later decide you want to call Boulder your permanent home, you might consider moving to a more affordable nearby town like Longmont or Lyons.

Detroit, Michigan

In contrast to Boulder, Detroit has a super low cost of living, well below the national average. This can make it a great pick if you’re a fresh entrepreneur worried about funding. Detroit also offers other perks for digital nomads, including a boom of coworking spaces and a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

If you’re thinking of calling Detroit home, scope out neighbourhoods carefully. The city can be dangerous, so security is a top concern. Possible districts worth looking at include Downtown Detroit, the University District, and Midtown. Sherwood Forest and Rosedale Park are also popular if you like some greenery.

Best practices for RV-living digital nomad entrepreneurs

Whatever city you choose, you want to make sure you’re running your entrepreneurial venture in line with best practices. As a digital nomad, it’s important to make sure you have a consistent source of electricity and internet access when needed. Scoping out coworking spaces is critical.

Further, help protect your business wherever you are by registering it as an LLC with your home state. This can protect your liability, streamline your tax reporting, and reduce administrative burden. A business formation service can help you with the process, sparing you the expense of a pricey lawyer.

Even though you may be on the move, it’s important that your vendors can always find you. Use a free online invoice maker to create professional branded invoices that you can print out or send digitally from anywhere in the world. Be sure to include contact information so contractors and suppliers can reach you even when you’re not in a physical office space.

The digital nomad life is incredibly exciting, especially in an RV. However, it also requires careful planning. The above guide provides some pointers.

Stay in the know with entrepreneurs and influencers like you by visiting CEO Medium. We have a wealth of information about the business, marketing, finances, and everything else relevant to success in the business world.

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What is your entrepreneur story? How did you come about building your business?

I worked in banking for over 10 years and I wanted to be my own boss one day. Unfortunately, I became an entrepreneur through tragedy. I lost my husband in 2010 to murder. Our story made worldwide news as it was considered a massacre. Through my pain, I started writing books. With my experience and training, I started assisting others with the publishing of their books. Soon, I developed my own publishing company.

What is your business model — how were you able to grow so fast?

Because of my background and story, people started to contact me to help assist with their books. I did not expect my business to grow as it has. My business took a complete turn when I worked with Grammy-Award Winner and reality star Stevie J, I worked with Genise Shelton from the show Married to Medicine on Bravo and I co-authored in a book that was created by Actress and Comedian Kim Coles.

Can you give me an overview of who you are, what is your educational or overall background? What are some of your achievements?

I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. I have 2 amazing children. My background is in banking, but my MBA is in healthcare management and I have an MBA in business. I’ve received so many awards for my business including 2013 Utopian Euphoria Making a Difference, 2016 Metro Phenomenal Women, 2016 Black Women Are Award for Survivorship, the 2016 IALA award for Memoir of the year, the 2016 Rising Star Award, the 2018 and 2019 Best of McDonough Award for my publishing company and 2019 Author of the Year.

What have you learned through your experiences as an entrepreneur that can be used by aspiring business individuals?

Entrepreneurship is not an overnight success. It takes hard work and consistency to be successful. One minute your business can be up and the next minute your business can be down.

What makes your business so unique and successful?

I think my business is unique and successful because of my creativity and my relationships with my clients. I am honest with them about everything, I listen to my client’s needs and I execute their vision.

What have you learned through your journey as an entrepreneur?

I have learned that there will be good days and bad days. Keep pushing for success and never give up.

What skills and attributes make you as successful as you are?

I feel that life experiences, training, and customer service skills have helped me make my business a success.

Why is online business, marketing, etc important?

Online marketing and promotions are the eras that we are in today. With the internet and social media, we have access so so many people. I receive over half of my clients from social media. It is a great tool if used properly.

Is there anything, in particular, you’d like me to add in the articles?

I just released my 6th book called Living My Best Life On My Own Terms.

A recipient of the 2013 Utopian Euphoria Making A Difference, 2016 Metro Phenomenal Women, 2016 Black Women Are Award for survivorship, the 2016 IALA award for Memoir of the year for her book, My Testimony, I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through, 2016 Rising Star Award, 2018 & 2019 Best of McDonough award for her publishing company and 2019 Author of the Year and Women from ACHI Magazine. Her experiences led Tanisha to write several books, write for several magazines and appearing on several radios and television shows. Tanisha has been in several magazines, including gracing the cover of Writers Life Magazine and Glambitious Magazine. Tanisha released her last solo book, Living My Best Life on My Own Terms, on April 24th on her 40th birthday.

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Social Media:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanishamackinpublishing

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tanishamackin

The post Publishing Evolution and it’s Award-winning Founder and CEO: Tanisha Mackin. appeared first on CEO Medium.

With The Nosame Shower Head, Soponar enters the eco-friendly showerhead market. The breakthrough micro nozzle technology reduces the size and density of the outlet pores, improving the speed of the water flow and hence the water pressure. At the same time, it can save up to 45% on water. The shower head has three spray settings: rainfall, massage, and jet spray. Each setting provides the ideal showering experience; the water is fine, dense, and consistent, leaving the skin feeling soft to the touch.

Truly innovative, the easy-to-install chrome showerhead connects to any standard wall mount and provides 200 percent more pressure than normal showerheads while conserving up to 45 percent water. The chrome showerhead will be available only for hotels & residential properties. Pete Peterson – a former hotel general manager said “The water expense per hotel is a significant cost that needs controlling.” With this innovative product, we can finally control the water consumption without having a negative impact on the water flow or degreasing the customer’s satisfaction.

Soponar’s foray into the eco-friendly shower head industry has been received with media attention and great reviews. Several media sites have recognized Prime Time Bath, including the StarTribune, Digital Journal, Fox28, and The Buffalo News, to name a few.

Soponar’s most recent business venture illustrates his tenacious attitude and is a true winner in a long line of noteworthy achievements.

About Prime-Time Bath – Prime-Time Bath, the brainchild of entrepreneur Eduardo Soponar, is a forward-thinking firm established in Calgary, Canada that sells eco-friendly showerheads. The high-quality brand features bacteria-free, cleaner water at an affordable price that lets consumers bathe in luxury. Prime-Time Bath products are thoroughly tested to ensure that they will last a long time. Furthermore, they assure that their brand enhances skin and hair, as well as ensuring more power, less water usage, and significant cost savings in the long term.

CONTACT: For interview opportunities or to learn more about Prime-Time Bath

Website: www.primetimebath.com

Email: info@primetimebath.com 

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