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Recess

recess

Few events demonstrate a clear, back-to-back domino effect quite like the Great Recession of 2008. It was a time marked by a housing market collapse, widespread economic downturn, and seismic disruptions across the global financial system. The devastating aftermath left economists and analysts all wondering one crucial thing: could this have been predicted? It’s widely accepted that, at the time, no formal model in existence could have foreseen the magnitude of this economic downturn. But technology advancements sky-rocketed during the pandemic and beyond, and now, new invest-tech company, insytz, says they can solve this lack of foresight and ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. Harnessing the Power of Historical Insights Co-founder and Chief Strategist Jay Samuels says insytz has proven that in 2007, during the tumultuous period leading up to the Great Recession, their algorithm would have detected the subtle yet critical market shifts that eluded so many experts. Armed with this data, investors could have anticipated the impending crisis, potentially safeguarding their portfolios from the severe losses many ultimately faced. The foundation of their product is an algorithm that looks back at global market conditions over the last 80 years and applies the findings—trends, patterns, and opportunities—to inform our current day-to-day market conditions. This Python-coded tech tests the philosophy that the past can illuminate the future. The algorithm employs weighted dimensions and criteria from over 360 global markets, synthesized into color-coded (just three colors, so it’s not an overwhelming data rainbow) dashboards that update daily, providing real-time market intelligence that is clear and actionable. Had this technology been available during the Great Recession, it could have significantly improved how investors and wealth advisors navigated the crisis. According to Samuels, one look at all the red on the insytz calendar would have alerted investors to the warning signs of a serious impending downturn. With real-time insights into market mispricing, overreactions, and even emerging opportunities, this foresight could have been instrumental in adjusting clients' portfolios. Most Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and professional investors already use a significant amount of data to drive their decision-making. Many even employ historical data, so how is this different? While other data sources—think Bloomberg, CNBC, and other invest-techs—curate data, guiding investors toward decisions while obscuring the big picture, insytz is focused on offering the unbiased big picture. Their dashboards provide high-level market overviews down to micro-movements within macro regimes—all in visual models that help illuminate opportunities. New Standards for Market Clarity and Confidence In a survey published this year, 75% of advisory clients reported leaving their advisors or at least considering it. Of that number, over half actually left, and 12% moved to a “robo-advisor.” In an industry where trust is the cornerstone of client relationships, the ability to provide clients with financial clarity and actionable advice based on robust, data-driven insights significantly enhances an advisor’s credibility and value. Today’s investors don’t trust their advisors, and unexpected downturns like the Great Recession are part of the—arguably reasonable—doubt. Today’s investors aren’t just looking for someone to manage their wealth; they’re seeking assurance that their financial future is secure. RIAs that can’t provide that clarity and reassurance will see their portfolio dwindle. That’s why Samuels believes their color-coded visual models will change the industry. “Today’s financial advisors have to become teachers,” he explains, “And some learners are visual. I know I am.” According to the insytz team, the results speak for themselves. Tracking their algorithm’s guidance from the time of the Great Depression to today, their algorithm successfully identified oncoming bear markets (which they call downturn regimes), sideways markets, and bull markets (or upturn regimes) before they occurred. With this knowledge, investment advisors can make decisions that offer higher risk-adjusted returns. Following the algorithm, Samuels explains, can easily result in an impressive 21.5% average annual return compared to an S&P 500 Buy and Hold strategy. From Insight to Foresight The question, "Does the past predict the future?" is complex, but when it comes to financial markets, insytz suggests that there is a lot we can learn from history. And, as we look toward that future, it’s clear that new investment-tech and visualization models will play an increasingly crucial role. The insytz team claims that had their company been around in the early aughts, the Great Recession could have been anticipated. The question that remains is: If we were able to predict The Great Recession, what moves would we have made to mitigate the risk? Few events demonstrate a clear, back-to-back domino effect quite like the Great Recession of 2008. It was a time marked by a housing market collapse, widespread economic downturn, and seismic disruptions across the global financial system . The devastating aftermath left economists and analysts all wondering one crucial thing: could this have been predicted? across the global financial system across the global financial system It’s widely accepted that, at the time, no formal model in existence could have foreseen the magnitude of this economic downturn. But technology advancements sky-rocketed during the pandemic and beyond, and now, new invest-tech company, insytz , says they can solve this lack of foresight and ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. insytz insytz Harnessing the Power of Historical Insights Harnessing the Power of Historical Insights Co-founder and Chief Strategist Jay Samuels says insytz has proven that in 2007, during the tumultuous period leading up to the Great Recession, their algorithm would have detected the subtle yet critical market shifts that eluded so many experts. Armed with this data, investors could have anticipated the impending crisis, potentially safeguarding their portfolios from the severe losses many ultimately faced. proven proven The foundation of their product is an algorithm that looks back at global market conditions over the last 80 years and applies the findings—trends, patterns, and opportunities—to inform our current day-to-day market conditions. This Python-coded tech tests the philosophy that the past can illuminate the future. The algorithm employs weighted dimensions and criteria from over 360 global markets, synthesized into color-coded (just three colors, so it’s not an overwhelming data rainbow) dashboards that update daily, providing real-time market intelligence that is clear and actionable. Had this technology been available during the Great Recession, it could have significantly improved how investors and wealth advisors navigated the crisis. According to Samuels, one look at all the red on the insytz calendar would have alerted investors to the warning signs of a serious impending downturn. With real-time insights into market mispricing, overreactions, and even emerging opportunities , this foresight could have been instrumental in adjusting clients' portfolios. even emerging opportunities even emerging opportunities Most Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and professional investors already use a significant amount of data to drive their decision-making. Many even employ historical data, so how is this different? While other data sources—think Bloomberg, CNBC, and other invest-techs—curate data, guiding investors toward decisions while obscuring the big picture , insytz is focused on offering the unbiased big picture. Their dashboards provide high-level market overviews down to micro-movements within macro regimes—all in visual models that help illuminate opportunities. obscuring the big picture obscuring the big picture New Standards for Market Clarity and Confidence New Standards for Market Clarity and Confidence In a survey published this year, 75% of advisory clients reported leaving their advisors or at least considering it. Of that number, over half actually left, and 12% moved to a “robo-advisor.” survey survey In an industry where trust is the cornerstone of client relationships, the ability to provide clients with financial clarity and actionable advice based on robust, data-driven insights significantly enhances an advisor’s credibility and value. Today’s investors don’t trust their advisors, and unexpected downturns like the Great Recession are part of the—arguably reasonable—doubt. Today’s investors aren’t just looking for someone to manage their wealth; they’re seeking assurance that their financial future is secure. RIAs that can’t provide that clarity and reassurance will see their portfolio dwindle. That’s why Samuels believes their color-coded visual models will change the industry. “Today’s financial advisors have to become teachers,” he explains, “And some learners are visual. I know I am.” “Today’s financial advisors have to become teachers,” he explains, “And some learners are visual. I know I am.” According to the insytz team, the results speak for themselves. Tracking their algorithm’s guidance from the time of the Great Depression to today, their algorithm successfully identified oncoming bear markets (which they call downturn regimes), sideways markets, and bull markets (or upturn regimes) before they occurred. With this knowledge, investment advisors can make decisions that offer higher risk-adjusted returns. Following the algorithm, Samuels explains, can easily result in an impressive 21.5% average annual return compared to an S&P 500 Buy and Hold strategy. From Insight to Foresight From Insight to Foresight The question, "Does the past predict the future?" is complex, but when it comes to financial markets, insytz suggests that there is a lot we can learn from history. And, as we look toward that future, it’s clear that new investment-tech and visualization models will play an increasingly crucial role. The insytz team claims that had their company been around in the early aughts, the Great Recession could have been anticipated. The question that remains is: If we were able to predict The Great Recession, what moves would we have made to mitigate the risk?

Redefining Economic Forecasts: How insytz’s Algorithm Could Have Predicted the Great Recession

অর্থনৈতিক পূর্বাভাস পুনঃসংজ্ঞায়িত করা: কিভাবে ইনসিটজের অ্যালগরিদম মহামন্দার পূর্বাভাস দিতে পারে

Wirtschaftsprognosen neu definiert: Wie der Algorithmus von insytz die Große Rezession hätte vorhersagen können

Redefinición de las previsiones económicas: cómo el algoritmo de insytz podría haber predicho la gran recesión

Redéfinir les prévisions économiques : comment l’algorithme d’Insytz aurait pu prédire la grande récession

आर्थिक पूर्वानुमानों को पुनर्परिभाषित करना: कैसे insytz का एल्गोरिदम महान मंदी की भविष्यवाणी कर सकता था

経済予測の再定義: insytz のアルゴリズムが大不況を予測できた可能性

경제 예측 재정의: insytz 알고리즘이 어떻게 대불황을 예측할 수 있었는가

Redefinindo as previsões econômicas: como o algoritmo do insytz poderia ter previsto a grande recessão

Переосмысление экономических прогнозов: как алгоритм Insytz мог предсказать Великую рецессию

Ekonomik Tahminleri Yeniden Tanımlamak: Insytz Algoritması Büyük Durgunluğu Nasıl Tahmin Edebilirdi?

Xác định lại các dự báo kinh tế: Thuật toán của insytz có thể dự đoán cuộc đại suy thoái như thế nào

重新定义经济预测：insytz 算法如何预测大衰退

As far as the investing landscape is concerned, the term ‘generative AI’ is shaping up to be the buzzword of the year for 2023. But with the prospect of a recession to end the year growing, could the boom prove to be resilient enough in the face of severe economic headwinds? generative AI With August bringing the news that major Chinese investment firm Zhongrong Trust missed payments to corporate investors, some market commentators feared a in 2008, which became a catalyst for the global financial crisis of that year. repeat of the infamous Lehman Brothers collapse Despite a difficult 2022 for Wall Street, the first half of 2023 brought cautious optimism back to the markets as the emergence of generative AI, buoyed by the resounding success of ChatGPT, inspired investors to buy into what appears to be a brand-new frontier for tech. The generative AI boom brought with it throughout tech-facing markets. The S&P climbed over 19% between March and July 2023, while the Nasdaq 100 grew by around 33% in the first half of the year alone. impressive rallies But with high inflation rates and the continued interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve in a bid to control it, fears are growing that a recession in the coming months is inevitable. “Given that markets have risen sharply in recent months, this could trigger a sell-off in the S&P 500 and markets in general if recession expectations materialize, as investor positioning in stocks has increased amid growing expectations of Fed policy easing and AI developments,” warns Maxim Manturov, head of investment research at . Freedom Finance Europe “In the absence of preemptive Fed easing, it is logical to expect more challenging macroeconomic conditions for stocks should a recession occur.” Generative AI’s First Major Test Should a recession emerge, it will undoubtedly represent the biggest challenge that has faced since its impressive emergence. generative AI Today, commentators are split in terms of expectations for generative AI’s market impact. While Matt Bartolini, head of SPDR Americas research at State Street Global Advisors, acknowledges that there’s a lot of potential in AI, investors will need to choose their investments wisely to ensure sustainable returns. “The stocks we talk about with the AI craze are all going to be tech-related, and these large-cap companies are the ones infusing AI and a lot of their capabilities. AI is a very nebulous topic; a lot of people just want to think of it as ChatGPT, but it can also refer to the predictive text on your iPhone,” . Bartolini explains “If you’re looking to get into the , it’s really easy to get the theme call right but the stock call wrong. You buy a semiconductor stock because you think it’s gonna be a home run, but maybe the firm has an accounting issue. On average, stocks underperform by more than the sector average.” AI industry While it’s reasonable to expect that a recession could flush out weaker generative AI stocks by exposing their frailties, veteran trader Joe Terranova believes that it’s naive to assume that such a promising emerging technology will be vulnerable to the impact of a recession. "If the bulls are going to be defeated, you have to tell me how is it exactly you're going to break the fever that currently exists in mega-cap equities? Because every day it's saving the tape," in a recent CNBC interview. Terranova claimed "The script is in place. I've said I think Q3 could be a flat to negative quarter, but on the other side of that, you have the mega-cap put that's in place, and that's going to lead markets to resume the overall positive trend of 2023." Although it’s fair to assume that future economic downturns will bring periods of volatility for generative AI stocks, it’s also important to understand the transformative potential of generative AI. According to a recent Goldman Sachs report, generative AI could raise the within a decade–representing around a $7 trillion increase. annual global GDP by 7% With this in mind, there’s certainly room for investors to take on generative AI stocks as portfolio options; however, the most success may come in the form of long-term plays. Finding Long-Term Value in Generative AI The potential of generative AI is unignorable. It’s for this reason that investors are best off viewing their investments in the industry as long-term plays as opposed to recession-proof stock options. Given that the industry is still very much in its fledgling stages, it makes sense to look to more blue chip generative AI stocks rather than emerging companies that are yet to find their place in a market that’s likely to become more competitive over time. Many leading blue chip tech stocks exposed to generative AI today have proven in the past that they’re capable of overcoming recessions to ultimately reach new high levels of market capitalization, and these represent the best options for investors ahead of what may be a volatile period for the stock market. These stocks include: 1. NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) History shows us that Nvidia has not only gone from strength to strength in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, but the firm has performed exceptionally well already off the back of the generative AI boom. So far in 2023, Nvidia’s stock has grown more than 200%, and with the chipmaker’s rapid , it seems like a strong option for investors seeking to buy into a reliable firm to show in the face of a wider market downturn. adoption of more generative AI technology some long-term resilience 2. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Not only is Microsoft one of the world’s largest tech companies, but it also has an impressive stake in the generative AI landscape. Having invested heavily in ChatGPT's parent company, OpenAI, Microsoft has big plans for the technology to ultimately challenge Google in the field of internet search and office productivity tools. Microsoft also recently introduced its ‘Copilot’ AI feature at a as a statement of intent. For investors seeking to invest in a strong and sustainable generative AI stock, there are few firms better positioned on Wall Street than Microsoft. cost of $30 per month 3. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) It seems likely that Amazon’s Web Services (AWS) will grow to become a key player in the field of generative AI. While the stock performed exceptionally well in recovering from 2008’s financial crisis, the firm is yet to fully recover its value from the tech stock sell-offs of 2022. However, in across AI services, AI platforms, AI frameworks, and AI infrastructure, it appears certain that the company has identified generative AI as a focal point in the development of future innovations. adopting a number of business tools While there are no guarantees of success when it comes to recessions, these blue chip stocks have shown their resilience in the past and are among the leading adopters of generative AI. When headwinds strengthen, blue chip stocks are a solid investment option. With many of Wall Street’s biggest players seeking to ride the generative AI boom, they may prove to be the most resilient places to invest should a recession emerge.

Is the Generative AI Boom Strong Enough to Stand Strong in the Face of a Recession?

জেনারেটিভ এআই বুম কি মন্দার মুখে শক্ত হয়ে দাঁড়ানোর জন্য যথেষ্ট?

Ist der Boom der generativen KI stark genug, um einer Rezession standzuhalten?

¿Es el auge de la IA generativa lo suficientemente fuerte como para mantenerse firme frente a una recesión?

Le boom de l’IA générative est-il suffisamment fort pour tenir bon face à une récession ?

क्या जनरेटिव एआई बूम इतना मजबूत है कि मंदी के दौर में भी मजबूती से खड़ा रह सके?

生成型 AI ブームは不況に直面しても十分に強いのでしょうか?

생성적 AI 붐은 불황에도 불구하고 굳건히 설 수 있을 만큼 강력합니까?

O boom generativo da IA é forte o suficiente para permanecer forte diante de uma recessão?

Üretken Yapay Zeka Patlaması Durgunluk Karşısında Güçlü Durabilecek Kadar Güçlü mü?

Sự bùng nổ AI sáng tạo có đủ mạnh để đứng vững khi đối mặt với suy thoái kinh tế không?

面对经济衰退，生成式人工智能的繁荣是否足以屹立不倒？

Resilience Of SMBs During The Recession: CEO Strategies For Success In 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging time for most businesses, including the fashion industry. While this sector began to recover gradually in 2021, it wasn't until 2022 that customers returned to active shopping. But has it really managed to recover to the pre-pandemic level and what are the prospects of fashion e-commerce in the coming years? In this article, we will explore current trends and tendencies in the fashion market and outline possible challenges to the industry. Brief overview: 2023 in numbers 2023 is poised to be a less positive year for the fashion industry. In the first half of 2023, Americans spent less on fashion by 20%. According to , the number of online orders fell by more than 15% in January-April 2023 compared to the same period last year. Admitad’s research The average purchase price was also down 7% to $157. The main factor for the decline may be the general economic recession, which is forcing shoppers to cut back on additional purchases. On a worldwide scale, the situation looks somewhat better. In 2023, the global apparel market is projected to reach an impressive value of $1.7 trillion, demonstrating a year-over-year growth rate of 13.7%. The most lucrative market for the fashion industry is China, with a market volume of over $226 billion in 2023. projected To sum up, despite the projected global growth, many US retailers are seeing a distinct negative trend in fashion consumption in 2023. Inflationary pressures, geopolitical instability, disruptions in the global supply chain, and the surge in energy prices are among the key factors impacting the industry's trajectory. Sales from a wide range of sources When analyzing the most efficient sales channels, some traffic sources were particularly effective at generating sales for the fashion industry: In general, US customers did not deviate from these global trends, although there were some interesting and notable local nuances. The share of orders made with the help of content platforms turned out to be several percent higher than the global average. Americans' time online was higher during the pandemic years than ever before. US customers also used the coupons twice as often. Сontextual and targeted advertising was more effective for local brands. On the contrary, advertising through mobile applications brought in only 1,5% of all orders in the region - much below the worldwide average. Although, it is important to note that fashion orders through it have doubled in a year - meaning this channel is rapidly catching up with global figures. Affiliate stores became the record holders in terms of fuelling growth as well, increasing order flows by more than 15%. The rise of second-hand clothes e-commerce The second-hand fashion market experienced dramatic growth during this period, with resale sales in the fashion segment increasing by 24% globally in 2022, and expected to continue growing at a rate of around three times faster than regular sales. As consumers become increasingly conscious of the environmental, social, and economic advantages of thrift shopping, the market for used clothing is poised to experience significant growth, potentially outpacing the fast fashion industry. According to a recent report by thredUP, an online consignment and thrift store, the global second-hand apparel market in 2026. is expected to reach $228 billion Gross Merchandise Value increases While the overall increase in gross merchandise value (GMV) is generally seen as a positive for the fashion industry, one main contributor to it casts some doubt: namely, inflation. Inflation played a significant role in the average order value in fashion e-commerce, with average order prices increasing from $45 to $74 throughout the year, although this factor did not have as significant an impact on the US market, with the average order value remaining steady at $220 throughout this period. In fact, the US boasted the highest global AOV for 2022: Economic uncertainty fuels partner marketing boom Throughout 2022, the fashion industry experienced a period of great economic turbulence, with rising costs for manufacturers across the globe. Under these conditions, brands and marketplaces were forced to become even more cautious with their marketing spending. Looking for ways to secure their revenues and acquire new customers, the fashion industry turned towards performance marketing. According to , in 2022, the number of American brands and marketplaces using their channels to attract sales increased by 45% (as opposed to 23% worldwide.) Admitad The number of internet audience owners and traffic specialists ready to work with brands on partnership terms (for rewards from orders placed) grew to coincide with this. In the US, their number increased by 37% during the year, and their profit by 21%. Final thoughts The e-commerce segment played a significant role in the growth of online fashion retail during the pandemic years, further popularizing online shopping. However, as we delve into the numbers for 2023, it becomes evident that the fashion industry is heading toward a challenging period. As the industry navigates through this challenging landscape, it becomes crucial for fashion businesses to adapt, innovate, and embrace strategic measures to overcome the prevailing recessionary headwinds.

Fashion E-commerce in 2023: Heading for a Recession?

By now, you have heard about the looming and continuing layoffs, specifically in the . tech industry How does this affect positions in cybersecurity? It depends. Cybersecurity jobs are inherently not recession-proof in a for-profit companies context because roles are viewed as an expense to companies, not a revenue driver (even though security does help reduce the risk of companies losing money). Security departments, employees, and the tools used are expenditures for a business. During times of economic uncertainty, companies will have to do "more with less." "Recession-proof" industries such as government, , and critical infrastructure companies will not be as impacted as general for-profit companies. Governments have budgets, everyone will still go to the doctor and the community still needs power, water, etc. What can you do, knowing this? I have talked about this exact topic in my newsletter and some strategies to consider moving forward, especially for entry-level candidates, and I will address some thoughts / generic advice I have. healthcare With the tech and industry adjacent layoffs, a pool of talented, experienced professionals are now looking for jobs, which only makes it harder for an entry-level professional to venture into the industry. Many of these workers have been able to land success with small to medium-sized businesses. For capital-intensive industries, like startups and traditional technology companies, security teams will have to likely make do with what they have. Instead of onboarding new tools and team members, we will likely see automation, basic AI, and open-source tools leveraged during times of economic uncertainty. What are some strategies for entry-level professionals? Build a portfolio. Make yourself stand out. Apply to "recession" proof industries. Widen your overall scope. Watch My Video Below to Learn More https://youtu.be/zg2z6tQ7sF4?embedable=true&transcript=true

Are Cybersecurity Jobs Recession Proof? 

finally shows less than 365 days. This time halving is more meaningful than before due to the economic conditions we are in. Accepting Bitcoin as a is not going to happen in a day but there are non-negligible signs supporting the idea of using Bitcoin as a global currency. In this article, I will go through the reasons and signs that support why Bitcoin is here to stay and what can its real value be. I will mention the global systemic risks of monetary policies, for example, high inflation and interest rates in developed economies, and how a death spiral is leading the economies to a dystopia in the last part of this article The Bitcoin halving countdown global currency Firstly, just because I don’t want to sound like an obsessed Bitcoin-maximalist and conspiracy theorist, I will identify the real-life use cases of Bitcoin to determine the real value of Bitcoin before I mention global money problems in the last part. Here is a ultimate guide to Crypto for Beginners Let’s start with the first use case of Bitcoin; sending money. If the entire Bitcoin network was an international money transfer startup in which miners are contractors to provide service like local banks and tellers and users are clients to receive service like individuals like us, the Bitcoin network company would be the most transparent company with the . There are global companies that provide money transfer services across the globe, Western Union, MoneyGram, Paypal, TransferWise, and Remitly. cheapest and fastest transactions Western Union: $4.16 Billion MoneyGram: $1.02 Billion TransferWise : $4.1 Billion PayPal: $83.15 Billion Remitly: $7.8 Billion Those are only a few major, well-known western money transfer companies and there are many more if we include Chinese, Russian, Indian, and African companies. We can calculate the total value of randomly selected five well-known money transfer companies, with a rough estimate of $100 Billion. If the was a private company, the should exceed $100 billion. Bitcoin network valuation But, of course, the Bitcoin network doesn’t generate income for Bitcoin holders. But we must consider that those companies make money from foreign currency conversion. There is a spread between the rates on the TV screens and the rates you are offered by those companies. Bitcoin solves this problem too. You can anytime swap and exchange your Bitcoins with any other fiat or cryptocurrency in a democratic decentralized web environment. Another source of income for those companies is instant transfers, you probably used the Venmo app and saw the message stating that you need to wait up to 3 days or pay a fee for an instant transfer when you make a deposit to your bank account. Bitcoin doesn’t charge you for a faster transaction. It takes one or one and a half hours on the main network, and seconds on the . lightning networks Anyone with an internet connection, no matter where he/she is located, can create a and receive funds in a very short time without leaving their couch. You can be a citizen of country A and reside in country B, you don’t need local identity documents to create an account with the network. It is free and permissionless for anyone. Bitcoin wallet Lastly, let’s talk about the global economic conditions that pave the road for Bitcoin. The pandemic was the first of its kind in entire human history and left us with problems that we have never had before. We are living in interesting times since then. to keep economies floating and resurrected the inflation monster. Now central banks are raising interest rates to tame inflation. I can keep writing about all problems we currently have but I prefer to recommend readers to read Nouriel Roubini’s article . He has more credibility as an authority in economics and finance and he clearly explains the expected storm in economies. Yes, when you read the article, Bitcoin stands out more as an alternative. Central banks printed lots of money The Coming Doom Loop Now, I am thinking about how I can preserve my wealth under those conditions. I can’t buy a house because the prices almost doubled up, and I can’t buy treasury bonds or T-bills because the return is lower than inflation. I can’t buy stocks because their prices have been falling for more than a year. It is a quite hard time to decide where to store your wealth. Bitcoin stands out when I bring all the pieces together. But, we must answer some questions first; will Bitcoin's price go up during 2023? Is it the right time to buy Bitcoin? When you first hear that halving is less than a year away, you know the bull market is approaching too. If you don’t know what I mean, you should take a look at article to learn the . But, is it going to be the same again? Because the economical conditions are getting harder and household income and purchasing power are fading, I assume that individuals and institutions will have less money to invest in the current year. We already see some signs for example the collapse of two banks in the US; Signature bank and Silicon Valley Bank, and the troubled too-big-to-fail lender Credit Suisse in Europe. Bull and Bear Market cycles of Bitcoin Bitcoin stands out, yes, it is a great investment alternative and solution for the problems we have now. But the adoption is still not on the desired level. There are local enthusiasts, and communities in small experimental economies such as , and . The number of places where you can buy daily needs by paying Bitcoin is highly limited even in London, New York, Istanbul, or Moscow. You can’t buy a cup of coffee or a loaf of bread by using Bitcoin in most places. Bitcoin Town Bitcoin Beach How I see things is, Bitcoin is a highly promising startup which is already gone public at its launch with fair distribution. Masses think that the startup will eventually be successful and invest in it so the price keeps going up. But the startup still lacks turning its promises into reality. The adoption level is far from making Bitcoin a global currency. I'm not making a claim or prophesying. I am curious to see where we are heading too. Decreasing purchasing power in a shrinking economy leads to questioning the perception of money in individuals' eyes. I certainly know that we will hear unpleasant words like "high inflation" "high interest rates" "stock market crash" "Bank crash" and "Bitcoin".

Less Than a Year; Recession and Bitcoin Halving

As the prospect of a looming recession continues to grow, many companies are looking to reduce costs. Meta, Twitter, Google, and more have all begun layoffs. And with those digital big box stores cutting back, smaller companies will follow suit. So what gets cut next? You guessed it, marketing budgets. Marketing is one of the first casualties when a recession looms. However, this isn't always the best decision. , it's essential to understand recession psychology. While your competitors are slowing down, you should be speeding up. According to the Harvard Business Review In fact, a report took a look at companies that continued marketing efforts through the 2008 recession, and the results are quite staggering. These businesses saw massive accelerated growth as consumer confidence recovered. 2022 Gartner So is reducing marketing costs really the right move? Why cutting back on marketing might be a bad idea In 2008, several companies rethought their branding and positioning in order to adapt to the changing landscape. For one, as TV advertising stepped to the side. digital advertising skyrocketed Rather than cutting their TV ads budget, companies looked for more practical, untapped solutions that were also cheaper. And as we know, this trend continued onward, and the companies that got in early reaped massive benefits. In 2020, the companies that experienced the most success doubled down on what propelled them forward in the first place. Netflix added 18 million subscribers, and Amazon nearly doubled its profits.  Of course, this is because the pandemic forced everyone to stay inside. But there's a lesson: adapting to the environment and anticipating your customer's needs is essential to success. As we prepare for uncertain economic times, you must identify what is most important to your customers and potential customers. Here are some potential questions to ask yourself if you want to anticipate accordingly: Are your customer's problems painful enough to continue buying your product? Are there ways to make your solution more effective, faster, or more appealing? Are you staying consistent with SEO and other long-term marketing initiatives? Have you considered newer, more effective customer acquisition methods like TikTok Ads and influencer marketing? For an eCommerce company, it might be most beneficial to test out influencer marketing while you pull back on Facebook Ads. For others, it may be time to start investing in building out your website content and prioritizing SEO. The point is, there are a ton of different ways you can market, it just depends on what makes the most sense and where your customers/users reside. But the main point here is simple. It's critical to adapt and anticipate. However, that's not all. Get - and listen to - customer feedback As business owners, sometimes we get so busy and caught up in our daily activities that we forget our customers are humans too. They’re also busy, have concerns, and want to solve their problems. Oftentimes the best way to improve your product (and anticipate what the market wants) is through customer feedback. Whether it's a survey, Reddit, Twitter, or even in-person interviews, getting customer feedback is essential. That way, you can assess how and where your product is used in their daily life. Is it essential, expendable, or somewhere in the middle? Then, use this new information to address the highest leverage points in your marketing funnel. In other words, optimize your landing pages to address new pain points or highlight a different part of your product's solution in your content marketing. SaaS products are exceptionally well-positioned to do this during a recession. This is because most solutions are already solving a problem, increasing efficiency, or optimizing an existing process. Sometimes all it takes is a change in wording and you’re suddenly connecting better with your audience. The key point? Speak the same language as your ideal customer/user. Trust, simplicity, and effectiveness lead the way In past recessions, these three concepts are what companies embodied to ensure long-term success. For instance, Starbucks was on the brink of collapse in 2008. It went corporate and became more like a gift shop than a place to grab a coffee — resulting in its brand image suffering. In fact, Starbucks rolled out something called "My Starbucks Idea." It was a way for customers to share their thoughts on the environment, food quality, and more. It worked. More than 93,000 ideas across social media. The program rebranded the company, brought tons of positive media attention, and set the brand up for long-term success. Starbucks applied the principle of trust and accountability by bringing customers' opinions to the surface. Additionally, this was a simple solution. Your customers know what they want, so why not ask them? Plus, it turned out to be highly effective, which in the end, is all that matters. were shared Whether or not your company is the next Starbucks is beside the point. During a company-wide flatline, it's essential to focus on trust, simplicity, and effectiveness in the overall marketing efforts. Applying these principles allows you to reposition your brand in the eyes of consumers and reap the benefits like improved customer loyalty and satisfaction. Stay consistent If you've read Robert Cialdini's book , then you know consistency is one of the principles of persuasion. And it's true. shows a consumer needs to see an ad roughly seven to eight times before purchasing. Consistent messaging can address problems like price, quality, and reliability - and that's where marketing comes in. Influence Modern research By staying consistent with your SaaS marketing strategy, you'll increase your brand awareness while converting those on the edge of your marketing funnel, ready to purchase. And when it comes to things like SEO, it's vital to stay consistent as Google (and other search engines) reward websites with high consistency. So while spending money in an economic downturn is undoubtedly intimidating, sometimes taking a little risk can return great results. And guess what, your competition probably isn’t doing the same thing. That means more face time and more opportunities to reach your potential clients. So stick with it, and best of luck!

SaaS Marketing: Why You Should Keep Going, Even in a Recession

Months of sky-high inflation, weak economic growth, and rate hikes have taken their toll on consumers and businesses alike. Fintechs, in particular, are feeling the pinch as growth slows. But there's one bright spot on the horizon: embedded finance (EmFi). What is EmFi? It's when financial services are integrated into other products and platforms, making them more accessible and convenient for users. While traditional fintechs are struggling, companies that offer fintech-as-a-service are thriving. And EmFi is the solution for businesses that want to offer financial services to their customers without all the hassle and expense of building a full-fledged fintech platform. EmFi recently made headlines when Solid, a startup that provides fintech-as-a-service solutions, Series B funding - not an easy feat in a downturn. million in raised $63 To better understand EmFi, and the value it can provide, let's look at some of the as-a-service solutions that make up this category. Banking as a Service Businesses that want to offer banking services, such as business and consumer checking accounts, can do so without having to obtain a banking license or build the complex financial infrastructure required to support those services. Instead, they can partner with a company that offers Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). BaaS providers have the licenses, compliance expertise, and operations infrastructure needed to support a wide range of financial products and services. And they make it all available to businesses through APIs, so it can be easily integrated into their existing products and platforms. Payments as a Service Forget Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). The new hotness in fintech is Payments-as-a-Service (PaaS). PaaS providers offer a complete payment solution that businesses can plug into their existing systems. This could include the ability to process ACH, Wire, Check and on-us transactions. What's more, PaaS providers may also handle fraud detection and prevention, all while providing real-time visibility into the status of transactions. This is a vital service for businesses that want to offer their customers the convenience of making payments directly from their product or platform. Card Issuance as a Service When checking out on Amazon.com, have you ever noticed that you can pay with an Amazon-branded card? Other businesses, like Delta, Starbucks, and ExxonMobil, have their own branded cards as well. Card issuance has traditionally been the domain of banks and credit card issuers. But with Card-Issuance-as-a-Service (CIaaS), businesses of all sizes can easily offer branded debit and prepaid cards to their customers. CIaaS providers handle all the back-end work, from card design and printing to program management and customer service. This frees businesses to focus on what they do best: selling their products and services. Crypto as a Service Crypto startups are suffering. With $3 trillion wiped off the value of cryptocurrencies this year, it's difficult for these businesses to afford to build the infrastructure needed to support their products and services. Fortunately, there's a solution: Crypto-as-a-Service (CaaS). CaaS providers offer the infrastructure, compliance, and security necessary for businesses to launch and operate cryptocurrency products and services. This includes everything from custody and liquidity to transfers and even crypto cards. And because CaaS providers handle all the heavy lifting, businesses can focus on what they do best: innovating and building great products. The Growth of the as-a-Service Model SaaS, or software-as-a-service, was one of the first as-a-service models to gain traction. And today, it's a . $240 billion industry Some of the earliest adopters of the as-a-service model were companies like Salesforce and Workday. These companies saw an opportunity to provide businesses with on-demand access to enterprise software, without the need for complex on-premises infrastructure. The success of SaaS paved the way for the as-a-service model to be applied to other industries, including fintech. Several trends have converged to make this possible, including the rise of APIs, the growth of cloud computing, and the proliferation of mobile devices. As a result, we're seeing an explosion of as-a-service offerings in fintech, from BaaS and PaaS to CaaS. This trend is only going to accelerate in the years to come, as more businesses recognize the benefits of the as-a-service model. The Future of Fintech The Gartner hype cycle for fintech is peaking. But while the hype may die down, the underlying trends that are driving it – such as the shift to digital channels and the need for faster, more convenient financial services – are here to stay. Businesses won't suddenly stop demanding innovative financial solutions. They'll just be more selective about who they partner with to provide those solutions. Executives are facing tough decisions about where to allocate their limited resources. And that's where embedded finance comes in. By offering a wide range of financial services through APIs, embedded finance providers can help businesses of all sizes offer convenient, user-friendly financial products and services to their customers – without all the hassle and expense.

Embedded Finance is a Liferaft in the Recession

As a recession seems increasingly likely, companies across industries are bracing. For some sectors, though, the way forward is a little hazy. Some tout data storage as recession-proof, but with little precedence to learn from, what will a recession look like for colocation? Data storage and cloud companies are some of the few to enjoy impressive growth over the past few years. But now, with a recession looming, you may question whether those pandemic-era wins will last. One the one hand, data is just as important as ever, but on the other, IT spending may be among the first to drop in an economic downturn. Moving Away From On-Prem Solutions Remote data storage facilities like colocation centers have one notable advantage for a recession: they’re cost-effective. As budgets grow tighter, businesses will look to cut costs wherever they can. Moving away from expensive on-premise solutions in favor of more scalable, affordable colocation centers is a straightforward way to do so. Embracing digital tools is a proven way to improve agility and manage costs, but data is expensive. With data storage units , on-prem data centers aren’t an economical way to boost digital transformation. Colocation provides a cheaper alternative, so these facilities could see rising business amid a recession. nearing $15 per unit In light of these growing data needs and cost concerns, a recession may not spell the end for colocation. Facilities that hone in on their savings advantages over on-prem solutions may even see growth amid the downturn. However, you should keep in mind that rising prices in rent and utilities will still affect colocation. Driving Improvements Another impact a recession could have on colocation is a push toward process and equipment improvements. While the need for lower costs may drive some businesses to colocation, rising prices still affect these data centers. Those expenses may provide the stimulus they need to embrace efficiency, though. Energy consumption, one of data centers’ highest ongoing costs, will likely be the first process to improve. As electricity prices rise, more colocation facilities and their occupants may move toward more energy-efficient technologies. Cost savings are the factor that convinces to switch to processes like direct liquid cooling. two-thirds of enterprises These upgrades could cause some upfront disruption, but they’re a net positive. While cost pressures aren’t ideal in any situation, that could be what it takes to make the industry more efficient. As more colocation centers make these changes, they’ll be able to offer more to their customers. Colocation vs. Public Cloud Of course, not everything about a recession is sunny for colocation. While a dropping economy could drive improvements and push more customers to the practice, it may drive others to different solutions. How colocation will compete with the public cloud remains uncertain. Public clouds offer similar cost-saving benefits compared to on-prem solutions. They also provide managed services, reducing the administrative burden on users. In the face of and dwindling staff numbers, some companies may find that hard to pass on. rising regulations around the cloud At the same time, colocation provides more control and transparency, which those same regulations may make more appealing. Before the recession, trends leaned that way, with moving away from the public cloud in favor of colocation. So, rising pressures could either drive more people to this practice or send them elsewhere. For now, it’s too soon to know for sure which way it’ll go. 58% of data center users Colocation Faces an Uncertain Future How exactly colocation will fare in a recession is still relatively uncertain, especially in light of the public cloud. However, it’s safe to say that an economic downturn will not end the practice. Data is too valuable and the need for reducing IT sprawl is too significant. Even if colocation doesn’t emerge as the most popular data storage technology in a recession, it could still see marked success compared to other sectors. Colocation centers may need to prepare for difficult times, but they won’t likely suffer dramatic losses. At the end of the day, colocation is here to stay.

How Does Economic Recession Affect Colocation?

$SHIB: My Journey Through the Deepest Recesses & High Command of a $10 Billion Decentralized Army

There is a probability even for the world’s strongest economies to face a recession within the next year. The in decades makes this process look imminent. At the same time, unemployment, a traditional crisis result, doesn’t seem to be an issue. On the contrary, the labor market demonstrates unprecedentedly high ratios of new vacancies for potential applicants. 47.5% highest inflation rate During the Great Recession of 2008, even industry leaders failed to come up with retention plans for their employees and experienced a significant lack of qualified specialists. For business leaders who don’t want to repeat the same mistake, employee development would be the best investment strategy for 2023. Labor market in a post-pandemic world The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed economics as we knew it. Social media, streaming platforms, online banking, and delivery increased the workforce to cover the growing demand. The e-commerce market grew two to five times faster, and the industry leaders such as Amazon and Shopify . Today, the immense growth of these industries is slowing down. But the hiring process doesn’t. The anticipation of a new recession makes business owners not just cut costs thoughtlessly, but to be reasonable with human resources. doubled their staff Total uncertainty divided tech companies into two groups. Industry giants like Meta, Twitter, or Uber slow their hiring down and announce lay-offs. Smaller companies are hiring as usual, and the number of openings majorly exceeds the number of jobseekers. With this in mind, we can assume that most companies lack qualified specialists. But considering the upcoming recession, business owners, including industry leaders, want to get more done with fewer resources. The best time to invest in people is now During recessions, most business owners try to cut down costs, usually spent on employees. It is an instinctive decision, and, from a short-term perspective, it works. But what if I prove they are wrong? Announcing layoffs and hiring new, cheaper employees may have been an option earlier. Today, job listing sites report that in the tech industry in the US, there are as many job openings as jobseekers. This trend is hardly going to change in the near future. The best strategy I can offer to business owners — retaining talented specialists and investing in your team’s development. almost twice Right now, of business owners notice skill gaps or expect them to appear in the upcoming years. Due to a tight labor market, specialists with the required skill sets may not always be available. The most promising solution I see is building skills in existing employees. It is a long shot, but it pays off. In , we always prefer to educate and promote team members who have been with us for some time and showed themselves active and motivated. 87% my company By educating your team members, you not only get qualified specialists trained according to your needs, but also a free bonus — retention. Lack of career growth is the second most popular reason for people to quit their jobs. Investing in your employees by helping them maximize their own potential lets you keep talented professionals on your team. Training and development programs may not seem the priority in unstable times. But as soon as you realize that people and their skills are the most valuable asset, you’ll probably include the team’s education to the list of your main focuses. Managing operational costs is still vital for any company, but investments in people provide you with sustainable growth for a long-term perspective. Other ways of staff investments may not be as obvious, but still bring their benefits. Open communication, regular one-to-one or group calls, team building events, and charity initiatives team members can take part in — all of these are proving to be quite effective, as my entire team practices all of them regularly. This part of the work with your team is aimed at two results: retention (encouraging your team members to stay with you) and reputation (attracting new employees who share your spirit and values). Business owners should be careful and not repeat the mistakes of the last economic crisis. Today’s market won’t forgive the attempts to cut costs on your team and their development. In fact, the sooner you start investing in your employees, the more profit you get. Professional growth and increased motivation maximize your team’s productivity, ensure retention, and help your business grow.

Should we Invest in People in Times of Recession?

In the past two years, with the global pandemic, the state of almost every other industry went through massive changes. And none of us was prepared to face the sudden challenges of the recession. The extremely volatile nature of every industry became almost too evident. The industry took a backseat, and as a result, publishers went as far as to even halt their operations in the meantime. However, as we slowly and gradually rise through these troubling times, we all are focused on how to make sure we can brace ourselves better through these sudden economic shocks. programmatic advertising How to Identify an Oncoming Recession? As publishers, you must be extremely cautious of your immediate surroundings. Whenever there are economic emergencies, the first aftershock is taken by the marketing segment, which then goes on to affect one’s eCPM rates running publishers at a loss. And before one can learn to prepare themselves during these troubling financial times, they must identify early on when a recession is reaching out to their doors. Here are your signs for when you need to recession-proof your publishing incomes: - Extreme inflation of prices does and will always follow an economic recession. And as we saw in 2019-20, the product prices were at an all-time high. Inflation - With inflation, industries come to face much lesser output as consumers reduce their purchases. And with this, the yield curve will seemingly keep lowering. Less Output - For multiple industries, the payrolls of employees are affected drastically, with the unemployment index falling unfamiliarly low. Salaries Cutback - The interest rate for a short-term loan seemingly becomes closer to that of a long-term loan, which shouldn’t be the case, but becomes so during an oncoming recession. Interest Rate of Loans There are other signs such as heavy federal taxation or decline in real estate sales, declining GDP, and so on. What are the Major Challenges Faced by Publishers It is necessary for publishers and likely many others, to recession-proof their earnings, for financial security is one of the utmost goals for any type of job. And especially with publishers, whose incomes largely depend on sources who are bound to make cutbacks. So, what are the major challenges we as a publisher may face during such economic turmoil? Lowering Ad Revenue With consumers opting for less and less, trying to survive with the inflating prices, they will consume lesser products. And advertising said products becomes a meaningless effort. With advertisements facing setbacks, ad spending and publishers become largely affected by their lowering ad revenue. Also Read: 3 Considerations for Publishers to Get the Best Out of Falling Ad Revenue Missing Revenue Goals Software, especially applications such as certain social media solutions, are largely dependent on earnings from ads, and even big companies like Snapchat end up becoming affected and fail to meet their revenue goals. Seemingly smaller app publishers face even worsening conditions. Spending on Other Sources Advertisers can completely shift their focus. For instance, video advertisers largely shifted to TV, bringing on the looming doom of publishers, who end up facing not a temporary but a permanent loss. Less Consumption Let's say that you still end up finding sponsors and advertisers, they will pay you according to how much user consumption their ads see on your space. And with paid apps, the recession will lead to more and more unsubscribers, not only cutting down on that revenue but largely affecting your eCPM rates. What to Do and What Not to Do in Times of Recession: Tips for Publishers Keep Your Eye on Growth While it is certainly going to seem that keeping on the down low will be a safe option, it is not advisable. Even in a recession, you must keep your eye focused on growing. At the same time, there will be advertisers who are going to try and keep their enterprises afloat and seek out publishers. Seek out that opportunity, and remain ahead of your competitors in taking up that opportunity, for they’ll certainly be less. Amp up your profile, show them how you’re relevant, and how you can help them reach their target market better and reach. Show them you’re worth it and show them how their expenditure for your ad space will be justified and, in turn, worth it for them. Select the Right Partners Keeping the Ecosystem Intact While this might seem a time to give and take whatever you have at hand, it's not a good idea for publishers. By investing in suspicious third-party advertisers, you can put your consumers and your image at risk. You must take serious measures to ensure above all that data governance, and privacy is at an optimum state. Moreover, your goal to keep your head above the water will certainly be affected if you invest in solutions and partnerships which put your consumers at risk, and in turn, your trusted, reliable ecosystem starts depleting. Utilize User Data to Reach Out to Relevant Sponsors We are quite aware of how enterprises today largely depend on user-oriented data to offer a better experience. As said, you must improve your strategies to prove your relevance to sponsors, and one such way is this - selling to your audience and, in turn, advertisers with the help of a data management platform. Say you are the publisher of a mobile gaming app. While the common advice would be to get sponsors relevant to the gaming industry, in times of recession, it may not feel wise to be so picky. Instead of selling on your site sections, you can use a DMP to leverage the user information and pick and choose any sponsor. Say you come across a sponsor selling electronic mobile appliances, the DMP will help you root out consumers who have similar interests, and you can focally advertise to them, thus offering better targeting for your sponsors. This will also help you in ad revenue optimization as sponsors offer better eCPM rates for targetted audiences. Upselling Your Content Find out alternate ways to monetize your application. For instance, you can sell your remnant inventory at a premium to both advertisers and consumers. Similarly, your content needs to be worth the extra fee. You can leverage data and reach out to bigger sponsors and without risking user privacy, opt for an optimized profile which will help in faster selling and higher rates of ad space in your app. Seek Alternate Monetization Methods As publishers, there are plenty of new alternatives to increase your income from your websites and apps. Use the development of blockchain technology and the rise of cryptocurrencies to your favour and bring in solid additional revenue. Use the perks of browser web mining in an attempt to monetize your audience and, in turn, offer them an improved user experience. Reach Out to a Larger Audience There’s no other time essential than now to increase your reach. While you may be satisfied with your user count, a bigger number will always work in your favor. Find out how you can reach out to a larger audience. Find ways to how you can keep them consistent on your application so that your CPMs remain at a steady high than your competitors, also helping you sell better to your sponsor with solid, proven numbers. For even in shaky economic times, all your sponsors need is a higher reach, and you can sell on that. Summing Up! Times like economic recession brings us down, resulting in many publishers ceasing their operations completely. What is necessary is to boost your struggles and give your everything to keep your head above the water, for likely not everyone is. Remain on a steady path of growth so that you can brace yourself well in such tough times. Remember to try only harder and not any lesser!

Recession Proof Your eCPM and Ad Revenue: A Guide for Digital Publishers

The might be waning among knowledge workers. Enter: The Great Disengagement. Great Resignation Two out of three professionals in the U.S. (66%) are not actively looking for another job, according to a new survey by the Blind. The digital media network commissioned the survey of nearly 7,000 verified professionals in the U.S. professional social network Living Corporate “Employees feel stuck. They are growing less optimistic about their careers while simultaneously growing more anxious about the economy,” noted Living Corporate Founder and CEO . Zach Nunn Professionals fear a recession might be imminent Indeed, Blind and Living Corporate’s survey found that more than three out of four professionals (76%) are concerned about a possible recession. Professionals in the financial services, financial technology and on-demand or “gig economy” industries were most pessimistic about the state of the economy. All or nearly every professional polled at Airbnb (90%), Coinbase (98%), Deloitte (87%), DocuSign (91%), Instacart (100%), Robinhood (100%), ServiceNow (91%), Stripe (94%), T-Mobile (90%), Twitter (94%) and Wayfair (92%) expressed concern. See full table here And it’s no wonder why. According to Blind’s tech layoffs tracker, more than 450 and technology companies have laid off more than 75,000 people in 2022, including more than 20,000 jobs cut in the last three weeks alone. startups Recent news headlines of companies “freezing” or pausing hiring, rescinding job offers, and laying off employees have not helped build confidence. The majority of professionals surveyed (53%) by Blind and Living Corporate said they feel less confident about their job security now compared to one year ago. Only one in eleven professionals (9%) said they felt more confident about their job security. See full table . here Perhaps unsurprisingly, one’s economic outlook affected how secure they felt about their jobs. Ninety percent of professionals who feared a recession was imminent said they felt less confident about their job security. However, 60% who were unconcerned about an upcoming recession said their confidence in their job security has not changed in the last year. Employee engagement at a record-low Nunn warns employee engagement will be a top organizational risk for employers in 2023 if current trends continue. He added: “The productivity gains businesses enjoyed during the work-from-home period caused by the pandemic are being challenged and becoming more volatile.” The reported employee productivity dropped by 7.2% in the first quarter of 2022—the steepest decrease since 1947. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics “If the economy slows at the pace many fear, organizations and employees could be caught in a stalemate, as both parties look to move on but are too pressured by the economic environment to do so,” concluded Nunn. The bottom line Professionals in the financial services and technology industries have long enjoyed solid pay and high job mobility. However, concerns about a recession have slowed the Great Resignation, according to a new analysis by Blind and Living Corporate. The vast majority of workers are pessimistic about the economy, which has affected their job security and willingness to actively search for a new role. Methodology Blind and Living Corporate conducted an online survey of 6,911 verified professionals in the U.S. on the professional social network Blind from June 20 to 21, 2022, to understand how professionals feel about recent layoffs in the technology industry. Also published on Teamblind’s blog.

Job Mobility Slows Amidst Recession Fears and Tech Layoffs 

Stay one step ahead of the impending economic downturn with these smart tips to help keep your startup afloat in hard times. An economic downturn is upon us, is your startup prepared? The pandemic shook the bedrock of our global economy. In the U.S. the government relaxed monetary policies to subvert economic tensions caused by the pandemic. Negative interest rates made fundraising easier for promising startups, and new companies saw record-high valuations. As a result, ambitious businesses experienced a promising boom. Today is a different story as the markets show an economic downturn is underway. The unfortunate consequences of the pandemic liquidity created economic distortions, supply change issues, inflation, and the war in Ukraine all have contributed to the current pending crisis. If you are involved in a startup, you may think this is all doom and gloom. But there are options to get through hard economic times. The following 6-12 months will be crucial to your business. Michael Morowit, Chairperson of Sequoia Capital, offers some advice in the ; he aims to remind startups to “recognize the moment, expand (their) runway, (and) become a business”. Sequoia perspective Below are three key strategies to help you shift plans to proactively weather this downturn, giving your startup the best chance for long-term success. Surviving Is Winning Crisis works in a super simple way. First, there will be a squeeze that will tighten all aspects of your business: less engagement, fewer customers, makes way for less money, less funding, and in addition, less talent to pull from as workers shift into more recession-proof jobs. In essence, there will be a condensing of the market. A smaller market creates a severely competitive environment where numbers matter. As a result, companies will be cutting costs and shaving down finances to create a barebones plan for getting through the crisis. This batten-down-the-hatches approach is more challenging for new startups with limited resources, who still need to conduct essential experiments to solidify their company into a secure business platform. The goal for these startups is to pause, reflect, and shift their strategy to reach “default alive”. The difference between a startup being “default alive” or “default dead” is based on financing and revenue. Your company has reached “default alive” when you can assume profitability while maintaining your current expenses and expected growth trajectory as a stand-alone entity. Conversely, you are in a state of default dead if you still rely on the investor’s interest as the primary driver of continuous growth. A few ways to position your startup in any phase to reach “default alive” is to evaluate your ability to raise more money, expand your runway to give you more time to secure your business, and cut costs for longevity. You are already invested in the economic system as a startup that satisfies a particular market need with a target audience, even within a downturn or recession. If you can secure yourself as “default alive”, you can find more assurance that you can maintain (or expand) during the downturn and open yourself up to a larger piece of the pie after the crisis is over and the market swings back. Keep yourself alive, and your business can find more opportunities to thrive in the long run. Hire Talent That Will Take You Further You don’t have the stability or luxury of time to hire and train team members as a startup. Your runway limits your timeline, and even if you can extend it (which I highly recommend you do), time is still a precious commodity in regard to your startup goals. Hiring the right qualified talent can help you maximize your time productively and efficiently. The with many companies can be slow and arduous and requires a lengthy onboarding process that provides new employees with the training and industry insight they need to be an asset. hiring process This process could quickly flip your startup into “default dead” in the current economy. So instead of hiring to teach, bring onboard talent who will be super helpful from day one. As soon as they sign the contract, they will start adding value to the startup and save you time. Generally, you can divide skills into two categories, hard, and soft skills. Hard skills are expertise, job-related knowledge, and abilities, and soft skills are considered personal qualities that help a person thrive. For this argument, you not only want talent with exceptional hard skills but also with industry-specific soft skills. Awareness and comprehension of the specific industry of your startup, coupled with a solid set of knowledgable technical skills that can keep your project moving successfully along the runway, is a must in an economy where time is money. Many prominent companies have imposed widespread layoffs (including Netflix, Carvana, and Klarna), which means highly skilled talent is searching for a place to land. Now is the time to grab this opportunity to bring people on board who will be an asset to your startup. Design to Be Profitable An economic downturn is not a time to be exploring ideas on a whim. Instead, focus only on the design and experiments that will be profitable; and yes, it sounds simple. Yet, in actuality, many startups experiment with features that will not generate increased profit at the current moment. A wide variety of features may be cool, and they may even be what users want. Still, at this moment, when it comes to the possibility of your company going bankrupt, it is time to look at your backlog and weed out any ideas that will not generate a profit and increase business success today. In addition to streamlining the focus of your work, it is vital to be implementing new features for testing at a quick pace. This process is two-fold in that it will maximize your runway time and help you achieve more profitable results during that time as you figure out quickly what is working and what is not. That 6-12 month runway should contain 2-3 experiments per month to help move your startup from “default dead” to “default alive” throughout the downturn and into a secure position where you can acquire more opportunities when the market bounces back. Expert Tip People are aware of what is going on. Because of this, it is better to be straightforward and present the facts than to sugarcoat with hopeful promises that may not come to fruition. The way you talk about this situation matters, and by being honest, you are better able to continue trust and collaboration through these unpredictable times. This shift includes using leadership skills to be prepared for the worst and letting your team know that you are. With budget constraints, there may be no bonuses, but the shared goal of reaching “default alive” will help everyone stay on the same page and bring confidence to the team. Final Thought It’s going to be a tight squeeze. But the best thing to do is set yourself and your business up to be as prepared as possible. That means acquiring more funding if you are able, using the planning time to pause and reflect, focus on your bottom line, and know you can come out the other side just fine, if not better, than many of your competitors.

How to Recession-Proof Your Startup Right Now

Inflation. Recession. And, one question. Actually, two. Have you decided already? Where are you going to invest (save) your money? If you have any, to begin with. This dilemma doesn’t concern only your personal finances, but the future of finance of the whole world. Or, what’s going to be left of it. In one of my previous stories, , I honestly, and one may say naively, expected to get the answers to these costly questions from the “Daddy of Investment” himself (in case you didn’t know, we already have the “father of investment,” that’s Benjamin Graham). Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Bitcoin & Canned Tuna It turned out that Robert Kiyosaki’s books and tweets are two totally different things. I experienced the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while going through his most recent tweets about Bitcoin, gold, silver, guns (!), bullets (!!), and “cans of tuna fish,” because “you can’t eat gold, silver, or Bitcoin,” can you? God have mercy on us. But, Kiyosaki didn’t have mercy when calling the “Bitcoin LOSERS,” in his latest tweet ( ). checked This tweet has some very “interesting” choices of words, and future financial activities by his author. I mean his Twitter handle is challenging enough. Is that the “real” Kiyosaki or someone else “impersonating” him on Twitter? The blue verified badge says that this account is authentic. I found it to be problematic, as well. I mean, make up your mind man: Should I sell? Should I buy? Should I wait? Should I celebrate or cry? You want Bitcoin to “test” (bite) the dust at $11K, so you can buy more. “If it recovers,” but “if it does not,” he will wait for Bitcoin losers to “capiulate” (capitulate, right?!). I mean, this tweet is so high that I have to move on. The Digital Gold, Or So I Was Told Let’s see (read) what the other financial experts and analysts have to say (write) about it: "It is now clear that bitcoin trades parallel to the risk assets, rather than [as] a safe haven," . "Bitcoin is still not the digital gold, it's more of a crypto-proxy for Nasdaq, apparently." Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst with Swissquote, said in a report earlier this month “A crypto-proxy for Nasdaq?!” What does that even supposed to mean? The next analyst is worried about our future, as we all are, but he wants us to have a historical perspective. Why? Because old is gold, I guess: "Stagflation risks are rising and geopolitical tensions show few signs of a quick resolution," . "Gold is historically one of the strongest performers in a stagflationary environment, in which equities suffer and commodities often retreat." said Louise Street, senior markets analyst with the World Gold Council, an industry research firm So, where do we go from here through… …Our Lovely Volatile Times? The numbers always tell the truth, or so we were told. I had to check the latest commodity trading prices at . Here are some interesting comparisons. I’m saving the best for last: Bitcoin vs. gold. But, right now, I’m curious to see for myself, which shines longer, gold or silver? I mean, both financially and historically. CNN Business “Only” a ten percent price difference, give it or take. I don’t know about you, but that’s not enough to convince me to join the “gold team” of investors. The next comparison, though, leaves no room for doubt that corn is true gold. By now, we should’ve all learned what blue and yellow represent on the Ukrainian flag. Right? Blue for the sky, and yellow for the endless wheat fields, but also for corn. Did you know that Ukraine is one of ? I know someone who knows that corn doesn’t grow on digital fields. the top five corn producers in the world Be Respective, And Beware of Personal Perspective I stumbled upon a busy little crypto bee that has compared since the dawn of cryptocurrency. Now, I’m going to do your eyes a favor, and quickly explain that the first line you see at the bottom of this chart represents what would have happened if you had invested one dollar in gold. The more appealing one represents the same investment, but in Bitcoin. The colorful line, which goes down, represents the so-called “the Bitcoin gold ratio,” or how many ounces of gold you could’ve purchased with Bitcoin at a certain point in time. I hope, I got it right. Bitcoin against gold Just in case, this table really comes in handy. Unless you’re superstitious, and believe that the 13th Bitcoin birthday isn’t going to be a happy one, after all. There are many “Back to the Future” fans who wouldn’t mind traveling back in 2009 and investing in Bitcoin. That’s no surprise. What comes as a surprise, though, is the “relative volatility” of gold. You’ve been warned, haven’t you? It’s all a matter of personal perspective. Fortunate vs. Less Fortunate Sons of Financial Anarchy My story begins with the “Rich Dad’s” lesson. Let’s see is there a happy ending for rich and poor dads’ kids. “When inflation goes up, we’re going to wipe out 50% of the U.S. population,” Kiyosaki is really dark these days in whatever he tweets, writes, or says. he told Stansberry Research earlier this year. “The average American doesn’t have 1,000 bucks,” Kiyosaki says. A recent Bankrate survey showed that most Americans do not have enough money set aside to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense. It also spells trouble for those who want to enjoy their golden years. When the bubbles burst, Kiyosaki says, the stock market will crash. So those relying on their 401(k) plans “are toast.” It’s not easy to concentrate on making the right investment when a “safe (financial) heaven” is nowhere to be found. We don’t have a retirement, our pensions are bust. I don’t know whether you should invest your money in Bitcoin or gold, but I’m absolutely sure that investing your time in quality content is a safe bet because that’s the only inflation-proof thing these days.

The Greatest Recession Story Ever Told: Bitcoin vs. Gold

La mayor historia de recesión jamás contada: Bitcoin vs. Oro

La plus grande histoire de récession jamais racontée : Bitcoin contre or

अब तक की सबसे बड़ी मंदी की कहानी: बिटकॉइन बनाम सोना

これまでに語られた最大の不況の話: ビットコイン対金

A maior história de recessão já contada: Bitcoin x ouro

Câu chuyện suy thoái vĩ đại nhất từng được kể: Bitcoin so với vàng

有史以来最伟大的衰退故事：比特币与黄金

The world’s richest man sees a recession coming. he has a “super bad feeling” about the economy and needs to cut about 10% of jobs. Tesla's CEO said Musk isn’t the only one. His outlook echoes recent comments, including CEO Jamie Dimon and President John Waldron. Dimon said you should for an economic hurricane caused by the Fed and Ukraine war. JPMorgan Chase Goldman Sachs “brace yourself” In reality, nobody knows if the recession is coming or not, but it’s always good to be prepared for such economic disasters. So, here are three ways to brace yourself. Focus on time in the market, not market timing The first thing to remember is to stay calm and not make any hasty trading decisions. Recessions should be factored into your portfolio if you have at least a 5-year investment horizon. For instance, if Jeff Bezos had sold Amazon in 2000 to avoid a 95% loss, he would have missed a 3,000% rise in his stock. He wouldn’t be one of the wealthiest people in the world. The same goes for Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Lary Page. The richest people on the planet are not traders; they’re holders. The data shows that 70% of your returns come in 1% of the days. Trying to trade and time the market is ridiculous. You would have lost 70% of your profits if you missed the ten best days. If you have a firm conviction in your investment, you might wake up to the 10x returns. In other words, focus on time in the market, not market timing. Build a cash reserves One of the best strategies for the economic slump is to have some cash on hand. Sure holding cash during a record high inflation seems like a terrible idea. However, cash could save your financial life. It is the best insurance against a job loss or a margin call. Besides, liquidity on the sidelines could also provide fantastic buying opportunities. HODL bitcoin Bitcoin has outperformed stocks, bonds, currencies, and gold during our lifetime’s most insane monetary and fiscal policy situation. Let’s take a look at what happened since the Q2 of 2020. The money supply expanded 36% in the U.S., while gold is up 6%, Nasdaq 18%, and the S&P 500 index 28%. That is to say, if you bought all the advised assets to protect yourself against inflation, it didn’t even hedge the inflation. Bitcoin is up 225% since then. Besides, the global financial system is like a house of cards, and every recession carries the threat of economic collapse. It’s not any different during the current crisis. A record 40-year high inflation, supply shortages, and a war in Ukraine brought the world to the brink of World War III. The real genius of the Satoshi whitepaper predicts the upcoming collapse. Bitcoin is an alternative financial system, and holding bitcoin allows you to own a piece of the new system. So if you also have a “super bad feeling,” stay calm a prepare yourself. And if you navigate it well, you might come out even stronger on the other side. The content of this story DO NOT represent the views of HackerNoon and are meant as information only from the lens of the independent contributor. Please DYOR before investing

Elon Musk Sees a Recession Coming. Here Are 3 Ways to Protect Yourself

Elon Musk ve venir una recesión. Aquí hay 3 formas de protegerse

As recession fears continue to mount, recruiters are preparing to face hiring conditions not experienced in over a decade. According to a recent survey of economists, more than 70 percent . While hiring during a recession might sound like a recruiter’s dream in today’s , finding the right employees for your organization will remain challenging as candidate applications flood inboxes. By focusing on values alignment, businesses will ensure new hires truly align with their mission and long-term goals. predict a recession before the end of 2021 tight labor market Where We Are… and Where We’re Going We’re currently at a situation in which all available labor is being used as efficiently as possible. Out of every 100 Americans who want to work, more than 96 of them have employment. As recruiters already know, this type of tight labor market makes finding and hiring top talent extremely challenging. what economists call “full employment,” An economic crisis of the same magnitude as the is unlikely; however, it’s safe to assume that a recession will hit within the next few years. That means significantly more candidates will be entering the job market… benefiting recruiters in some ways and challenging them in others. Great Recession of the late 2000s On the mend after the dot-com bubble burst, the tech industry remained relatively unscathed during the Great Recession compared to other industries. But it will likely be impacted in the next recession by . restructurings, bankruptcies and executive departures And since far more people have entered the tech industry in the last ten years, competition between candidates will rise. Recruiters will want to look for candidates who are dynamic, flexible and eager to learn—skills which should keep in mind. tech professionals An influx of potential candidates might sound great to recruiters in our current tight market, but hiring will likely prove difficult in different ways. Filling new positions will still require time, resources, and money to sift through a greater number of applications. Recruiters need to be systematic, establishing clear objectives and guidelines for hiring new employees—and the sooner, the better. Hiring for Values Alignment With a glut of candidates, companies may be spoiled for choice in the next recession… but not all applicants will be the right fit. By using your company’s values as a north star in the hiring process, you’ll find employees who will succeed and add real value to your organization. When it comes to hiring tech professionals, assessing the basics (technical know-how, problem-solving proficiencies, communication skills and critical thinking abilities) will continue to play an important part in the early stages of the interview process. But as the balance of power shifts full-circle, and we move from a candidate-driven to an employer-driven market, a focus on values alignment will be more important than ever when making tough hiring decisions. It’s important to note that hiring for values does not mean hiring for cultural fit. In my experience, prioritizing cultural fit often results in companies largely hiring candidates who have similar personalities to existing employees, rather than those who may add new perspectives and ideas. A fit-based approach can also lead to unconscious bias, like favoring candidates who studied at the same university as the interviewer. Interviewing for values, however, involves behavioral questions that seek to uncover how a potential employee would act in specific situations that are likely to arise at work. This approach results in hiring candidates who align with your company’s , benefiting your organization for several reasons: core beliefs : Unlike hiring for fit, hiring for values reduces unconscious bias. Focusing on purpose over likeness can help diversify your team and add significant worth to your organization. And companies that prioritize diversity are —a huge benefit during an economic downturn. Team Diversity 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above the industry median : A values-based approach not only empowers the interviewer to make smarter hiring decisions, it also empowers the candidate to understand the culture and mission of your business and determine if it’s the right environment for their needs. This will help you weed out the candidates who are simply looking for any job in a recession, instead finding the ones who are truly interested in your organization. Empowerment : Focusing on values naturally shifts the conversation towards establishing mutually beneficial success and partnership within the organization, ensuring growth for all parties. Finding employees that are actively engaged in their professional growth at your company will help reduce turnover when the economy recovers, and we cycle back to a candidate-driven market. Mutual Growth When the recession hits, you’ll likely be looking at stacks of candidates with similar skill sets. Recruiting for values alignment will help you cut through the clutter and find the technology professionals that will thrive within your organization—both in the near-term and years down the road. Previously published at https://insights.dice.com/2019/11/01/recession-impact-tech-hiring-recruiters/

How Recession May Impact The Tech Hiring

We all know startups are supposed to solve problems. And, 2020 has been a record-setting year for problems. “Founders often hold too tightly onto solutions and too loosely onto problems,”- . Michel Siebel, Y Combinator It’s estimated that COVID unemployment could be close to that of the Great Depression which reached . One problem is unemployment . 25%, according to Pew Research When shelter-in-place took effect in March in the Bay Area, and my projects got put on hold, I started actively networking for a new job. To do this from home, I’ve attended over 100 virtual events in the past six months. Like a lot of people, I’ve discovered new groups, events and resources in addition to re-connecting with my existing network. The problem I kept hearing was: people wanted to work, but didn’t have a job. Then, people becoming depressed looking for jobs can cause problems. ( .) And, finally, people losing skills and financial gains because they are not working are also problems. The New York Times gives tips on how to overcome job seeker depression When I took a digital detox at the end of June, I thought about these problems and my own unemployment problem. I reflected on doing my best to make intros which got a few people new work, but I, myself, had not been successful in securing a job. (I spoke more about the detox in my Hacker Noon Noonies interview here .) I thought back to my first freelance marketing client during The Great Recession, a fashion designer who paid me in clothes. While I had done other work-trade gigs before (a resort in Hawaii, a farm in France, ashram in New York and more), this was the first one I was using my marketing skills to help a solopreneur. Adding to my wardrobe was a definite plus, too. . I used my barter experience plus my marketing ( ) and community building experience ( ) to develop the plan. It’s a remote, barter network for professionals and business owners that have time, are stuck at home/life, and want to be productive with their many skills. In July, as my solution to the unemployment problem, I launched THE WISHERIE 10 years got to #12 on Amazon’s New Adult Book Bestseller List THE WISHERIE is a different type of start-up. First, it’s a side project for me, while continuing looking for a job. Second, it’s solely based on donations and bartering. Third, I call it a pop-up startup because I have the goal of helping 20 professionals get new barter projects by Dec. 31, 2020. I would consider future options if we meet this goal and response gains (financial) momentum. In short, THE WISHERIE is a referral-based barter network, rooted in the passion economy and improving mental health. I’d like to share the evolution of THE WISHERIE broken down into four strategic steps that I recently did for a job application: From March - June, I heard from a lot of frustrated people in my network that they wanted to work. While I did my best to make quality introductions, I felt frustrated I could not help them. I also felt frustrated with the rejections I had been getting. Research: In June, after a digital detox, I developed a plan for a pop-up startup project with my goal to help 20 people by Dec. 31, 2020 secure barter projects. The goal is to help beat job seeker depression, help small businesses and create new opportunities. I came up with the name “Wisherie” because people are wishing for easier times and I wanted the community to tell us what they need and wish for to make it through the pandemic. Planning: In July, I secured the domain and built the website with forms for seekers and businesses to express their needs. I also created a plan, brand book and calendar for THE WISHERIE. In late July, we completed the first barter project. I traded copywriting for WordPress consulting based on a contract with deliverables and dates. Launch: Wisherie.co Presently, I send out THE WISHLIST, our weekly email newsletter for THE WISHERIE. In addition, I also hold BREAKFAST PIZZA, our virtual networking event. We’ve been featured in Virtual Mojito and had the founders of ConversationExchange and NOMAWO speak at BREAKFAST PIZZA. Talented professionals seeking opportunities in marketing, copywriters, branding, creative, UX/UI, and web development make up the majority of the community presently. Community: Lastly, while I have worked with many early stage startups in my career -- not one was a six-month project, based on donations or had a budget as small as mine. In addition, I don’t provide any job guarantees, shady subscriptions, or tax advice. THE WISHERIE is unique in many ways and is built on referrals and reciprocity to provide one solution to the unemployment problem we are currently facing. Bartering is not for everyone, but it’s something worth trying to get unstuck and move forward. You never know who you will meet. **To learn more about how to participate or be featured, write us today: hello@wisherie.co. (P.S. I’ve been nominated for two of Hacker Noon’s awards and would appreciate your support for “ Contributor of the Year, Women in Tech ” and “ Indie Tech Journalist of the Year .” Thank you!) Also published here .

Stories, News & Mentions about RECESS

Recess’s Stories on HackerNoon